EU helps Serbia to solve the medical waste problem

Belgrade, June 24. 2010. (Serbia Today) - Serbia has received 54 new vehicles for the transport of infectious waste, gift of the European Union. Serbia produces 48 tons of medical waste, and 20 percent of this waste is "dangerous contagious”. The new vehicle will enable Serbia to efficiently solve this problem. Head of Delegation of the European Union in Serbia, Vincent d Dezer announced that EU would continue to assist Serbia in improving environmental standards. The EU in the medical waste management project has invested six million EUR - for vehicles 600.000, and the rest to set up steam sterilizers in the medical facilities, purchase of grinder for syringes, needles and scalpels, and training personnel who will participate in this program," said Dezer. Serbian Health Minister Tomica Milosavljevic announced that vehicles for infectious transport materials will be distributed in 25 administrative centers in Serbia. Seven large vehicles will go to clinical centers in Belgrade, Nis, Novi Sad and Kragujevac, Institute of Public Health “Milan Jovanovic Batut ", Department of Public Health and General Hospitals in Leskovac and Subotica. Other, smaller vehicles, will go to the Military Medical Academy, Clinical Hospital Zemun, 20 Institute of Public Health, 13 veterinary institutes, seven general hospitals all around hospitals the and two local hospitals in Belgrade” said Milosavljevic.

Decreased number of car accidents in Serbia

Belgrade, June 23. 2010. (Serbia Today) - The number of traffic accidents in Serbia has decreased by one third compared to the same period last year, say official numbers. As Belgrade daily Vecernje novosti writes this year is also safer for pedestrians, police said. The number of traffic accidents in the first five months of this year was reduced by one third , while the figure is down 25 percent when it comes the deaths. Traffic police warn however that cyclists are more likely to be hurt or killed on the roads in the summer months. Serbian police (MUP) say that 2010 was also safer for pedestrians and that 50 people lost their lives since the beginning of the year while 1,312 sustained various injuries. Police said that the new Law on Traffic Safety, which is being implemented since December 2009, has contributed to this. After several years of disputes, dilemmas and ambiguities, new, more strict traffic regulations have reduced the death toll on the Serbian roads, where an average of 1,000 drivers and pedestrians die annually.

Serbia has the best hart surgeon

Belgrade, June 22, 2010. (Serbia Today) - Serbian Doctor Dragan Milic (44) of the Clinical Center in Nis recently was given award for the best young vascular surgeon in 2010 outside the USA by the American Association for Vascular Surgery. The USA is the leading country in the world regarding vascular surgery, writes Belgrade daily Blic. Ceremony happened In the presence of about 1,500 guests at the ‘Hynes Convention Center’ in Boston that included the biggest names of the world medicine, I am proud that my name and the name of my country were heard at giving of this award by the large number of people and the elite of the world vascular surgery. The importance of this award is difficult to describe and it is a huge recognition for my work’, Doctor Milic says. ‘Some of the big names already recorded in history of the world vascular surgery were present. One of them is Doctor and Professor Robert Rutherford. All vascular surgeons in the world are learning from his book which is our Bible. He has just promoted its latest edition for 2010. There was also Mr. Thomas Fogarty who invented catheters known as Fogarty catheters, without which a contemporary vascular surgery cannot be imagined. Other famous names present at the occasion were Frank Veith, Roger Greenhalgh, Peter Glovicki, Anton Sidawy… ‘A ceremonial reception at the ‘Public Library of Boston’ was organized by Professor Sidawy, President of the Association. That only contributed to the feeling of pride’, Doctor Milic says. He has been in America since June 9. Until so far he has visited the Harvard University where he has met with representatives of the Yale University as well. He hopes that cooperation between Serbia and the USA will expand in the future. Doctor Miljko Pejic, a vascular surgeon from Uzice has come to America together with Doctor Milic. They two participated together in the work of the reputable forum on popliteal blood vessel diseases held at the ‘Ether Dome’ in Boston known for the first anesthesiology procedure in the world being carried out there. ‘The association was formed by the famous Professor Norman Rich, a living legend of the American surgery and it was him who was leading the forum. It is simply incredible that at the meeting I was elected President of that Forum in the following two years.

Work exploitation of Roma children

Belgrade, June, 21. 2010. (Serbia Today) - Roma children in Serbia are quitting school at an early age and therefore are more susceptible to falling victim to labor exploitation. This is according to d Deputy Ombudsman for Children’s Rights Tamara Lukšić-Orlandić, who spoke in a news conference in Belgrade.“In hot and cold weather we see (Roma) children who wash car windows. Such scenes must be banished“, she insisted. Lukšić-Orlandić said, in reference to June 12, marked as World Day Against Child Labor, that it was not rare for Roma children to do hard work in order to provide for their families. The deputy ombudsman stressed that Roma children were more susceptible to labor exploitation because they were leaving school at an early age and noted that only 10 to 30 percent of Roma children who enrolled into elementary school made it to the final, eight grade. “About 22 percent out of the total population aged from 15 to 18 does not go school, while that percentage is 90 percent with Roma children“, she said. Lukšić-Orlandić also emphasized that the state should work more actively with Roma parents in order to point out to them the importance of their children's education. According to her, regulations which govern the issue of labor exploitation of children in Serbia are good and in accordance with European and global standards. The deputy ombudsman noted that it was lawful for children aged 15 and over to work, but only when it involved light labor, and not night shifts. “Serbia isn't the Middle East and there are no factories where children work“, she said, and added that Labor Inspection in Serbia had not registered examples of labor exploitation of children so far. Researcher of the Belgrade Center for Human Rights Sonja Tošković, who spoke at the same news conference, said that the problem of labor exploitation of children in Serbia was more pronounced in rural areas, and that there were indications that there was such problems in Bor, in eastern Serbia. Tošković announced that the center would begin a field research in September in order to obtain more precise information about labor exploitation of children in Serbia.

Ombudsman: New low of Electronic communication may compromise citizen’s rights

Belgrade, June 19. 2010. (Serbia Today) - Citizens Ombudsman Saša Janković has warned that if the new Law on Electronic Communication is adopted, the citizens' right to privacy may be compromised. Janković said for Radio B92 that there was previously an “agreement with security services” to gradually move toward better protection of civil rights in the country, while the draft law that is currently in parliamentary procedure represents “a step back”. “If the law were to be adopted in its current form, the door would be wide open for abuse, without courts, the guardian, that would decide when the constitutionally guaranteed right to privacy of communications could be removed,” he warned. Media reported that the draft would give Serbia's Security-Information Agency (BIA) access to technical details of electronic communication without a court order – not to the actual content of that communication. But the ombudsman and the public information trustee, along with NGOs and the opposition have all voiced their objection to the law, while the ruling coalition defended it, and denied it would enable BIA to effectively wiretap anyone's conversations at will. The draft, the ruling parties say, “explicitly forbids this”. But Janković says that if the door is left open “too wide”, and if courts have no control over the process, “individuals will inevitably abuse the possibilities at their disposal”. “What does all this mean for the citizens? It's possible there won't be only listings (of electronic communications) of criminals and terrorists, but also of people's social networks, journalists' sources,” said Jaković. He noted that the “services” are already given the right to wiretap conversations “without much control” via other legislation that is in place, and that the trend was expected to go toward “better and already accepted standards”. Janković also said he feared that investigative journalism, which he said was “rare in Serbia as it is”, might face insurmountable obstacles with the new law. He went on to tell the ruling parties that “laws last a long time”. “Perhaps they need to be reminded of the fact that the rules remain the same even when the ruling circle of people changes, and that precisely what seems protective to them now, might turn into a dangerous political context for them in the future,” Janković concluded.

Bekim Fehmiu has left the stage

Belgrade, June 18. 2010. (Serbia Today) One of the most famous film actors in former Jugoslavija Bekim Fehmiu (74) was found dead in his apartment in the Belgrade at June 15. Police said that the death was most likely a suicide. The body was discovered by one of his sons, said reports A gun registered to his name was found next to his body and it is assumed that the actor tragically ended his own life,” said Interior Minister Ivica Dačić. Fehmiu, was an ethnic Albanian born in Bosnia in 1936. He played a large number of roles in domestic and international films and on stage. However, he gained international recognition with his role of Beli Bora in Saša Petrović’s “I Even Met Happy Gypsies”, which won Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1967. Internationally, Fehmiu worked with Italian Producer Dino De Laurentiis, John Huston, Ava Gardner, Dirk Bogarde, Charles Aznavour, Claudia Cardinale, among others. Film critics said that he was the only East-European actor who moved the boundaries and made films in the west “breaking the iron curtain until the appearance of Gorbachev and fall of the Berlin Wall”. Fehmiu enrolled in the Academy of Theater Arts in Belgrade in 1956, and four years later became a permanent member of the Yugoslav Drama Theatre (JDP). But seven years after that, he became a freelance artist and remained so until the end of his life. Fehmiu ended his theater career in 1987 with a role in the JDP. The legendary actor’s last role on the big screen was in Ken Annakin’s Genghis Khan in 1992. Media were reporting that he had voluntarily left acting “due to anti-Albanian propaganda”. Fehmiu’s younger son Uliks, also an actor, once wrote: “The breakup of Yugoslavia, the horrible fratricidal war, the destruction of Vukovar, the bombing of Dubrovnik, the long-running siege of Sarajevo, the war in Kosovo, the bombing of FR Yugoslavia have made my father withdraw even more. He gave up the words which are the strongest and most beautiful means for an actor. He gave them up and turned them into silence – into protest.” In 1985 Fehmiu finished his memoirs describing his life from the birth in 1936 in Sarajevo, life in Kosovo until 1956, but he waited to publish them until 2001 in a book “Brilliant and Scary” which was published by Samizdat B92. The actor had two sons, Uliks and Hedon, from his marriage to actress Branka Petrić.

WAZ media group exiting Serbia

Belgrade, June 17. 2010. (Serbia Today) - The WAZ media group stated that it has decided to close shop in Serbia and pull out of the country gradually. WAZ President Bodo Hombah sent a “confidential letter” to President Boris Tadić, asking him to help the company by making sure that its exit from Serbia is fair and legal – according to a statement from the company. WAZ will be selling its stake in Serbian companies with concrete conditions and prices, while preserving the economic rights and interest of the groups, the statement added. WAZ also denied claims that it had set conditions for this move, and stated that it “hoped that it will not be leaving Serbia on a bad note, despite great difficulties and public slander”. WAZ is a German newspaper and magazine publisher. In Serbia, they have a stake in Belgrade's Politika and Novi Sad's Dnevnik newspapers.

Experts are coming back to Serbia

Belgrade, June 16. 2010. (Serbia Today) - Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić said that EUR 20mn would be set aside to get Serbia's most successful experts to return to the country. This money was taken from a favorable credit deal coming from the European Investment Bank, Đelić said, adding that the first wave of returns must be successful. He said that he hopes that the experts will bring back projects with them and high technology from their companies, adding that Serbia will invest EUR 800mn in researchers, programs and equipment over the next four years. These moves will double investments from 0.3 to 0.6 percent of the gross domestic product, and by 2015, it will reach about one percent, which is one of the demands for joining the European Union, Đelić told daily Politika. The key goal is to thwart the loss of intellectuals to foreign countries and to return several hundred of the most talented businesspeople and experts to the country. Đelić said that changes should not be expected overnight, adding that the war for talent is the most important war of this decade. He reminded that there is no exact information on Serbian experts abroad. The Science Ministry has a database of about 500 names, which is only the beginning, adding that most end up in America, Canada or Australia. Some 20,000-30,000 people left Serbia in the 1990s.

Dinosaurs in Svilajnac

Belgrade June 14. 2010. (Serbia Today) - Three to five million euros will be invested in the construction of the Natural History Center in Svilajnac. Visitors will be able to view dinosaur fossils. The center is approximately 3,000 square meters, including workshops and areas for scientific research, and will present an exhibition which will present replicas of dinosaurs, the original fossils and prehistoric animal display. Scientific and documentary films will take advantage of three-dimensional technology. The construction of the center should begin in the fall and be finished, The Svilajnac Municipality has prepared the project, and as the Minister of Science Bozidar Djelic, announced the state will support it.  It is important that science and technology are not concentrated in Belgrade and Novi Sad, so that children in the interior can see something interesting and learn much more", said the deputy prime minister. It is also planned to build a scientific and outdoor amusement park, which will contain life-size dinosaurs and a mock volcano. Besides the exhibition works, the center will be open to scientific meetings and cooperation of scientists, as well as for young researchers. At the entrance visitors will be able to see the development of the biosphere on Earth and the water world of prehistory, which will have 35 items. Three replica dinosaurs, and the original fossil motosaurusa, the oldest types of dinosaurs 245 million years old, will be located in the central part announced the tourism officer for the Municipality, Dragan Miladinovic. She added that the unit will be dedicated to petrified wood and petrified space with ancestors of today's animals.

Ex Japanese Ambassador Nagai envoy is honorary Belgrade

 
Belgrade, June, 11, 2010 (Serbia today) - On Monday, former Japanese Ambassador to Serbia Tadashi Nagai, become an honorary citizen of Belgrade. That decision was made by the Belgrade City Assembly Belgrade Mayor Dragan Djilas explained why Nagai was proposed for honorary citizenship in recognition of the Japanese government providing close to EUR 200mn in aid to the Serbian people since 2000. He pointed out that Belgrade in particular owes Nagai a lot, because a large portion of the donations went to the capital. 
"Nagai lived in Serbia for more than 20 years, speaks excellent Serbian and understands the situation in the country completely", concluded Djilas. 

Minister Ciplic praises minority elections

 
Belgrade June, 10, 2010 (Serbia Today) – Sunday's elections for ethnic minority councils were held in a “democratic atmosphere”,  Human and Minority Rights Minister Svetozar Ciplic said on Monday. “I believe that these elections were help in a democratic atmosphere, in a legal way and we believe that national councils will be formed after the results are announced on June 9”, said Ciplic and added that the national minorities showed that they are interested in forming the national councils. Members of 16 ethnic minorities in Serbia voted in the election, with the turnout at 54.47 percent, of the total 436,334 voters registered in special electoral rolls. A total of 19 ethnic minorities were eligible to take part in the vote, while Croats and Slovenians will be choosing their officials via electoral assemblies. 

Talks about Pride parade in Belgrade

Belgrade June 09. 2010. (Serbia Today) - Minister for labor and social policy, Rasim Ljajić recently met with representatives of the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). The GSA called on the government to offer the needed support and protection to make sure that a Pride Parade can be held this year. Ljajić told GSA officials that a meeting has been proposed with the work inspectorate regarding discrimination at the work place on the grounds of sexual orientation. He said that the work in achieving the rights of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gender population in Serbia must be worked on strategically, adding that continuous work is needed in order to decrease homophobia, violence, and discrimination. GSA officials said that discrimination in the work place is a topic that must be discussed seriously, adding that a systematic approach in cooperation between GLBT organizations and the state institutions is needed. They also informed Ljajić of the problems arising from the lack of a system for implementing the law for prohibiting discrimination, which should include education by the state institutions on the ways to fight discrimination at the work place, the GSA stated.

Serbian soldiers in the peace-keeping missions in Lebanon and Cyprus

Belgrade, June, 08. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac expects members of the Serbian Army (VS) to soon take part in the peace-keeping missions in Lebanon and Cyprus. He said for Vecernje Novosti published on Thursday that this would come besides four other missions that VS soldiers take part in already. In a new interview to the Belgrade daily Sutanovac said that he had informed the European Parliament Security Committee about “what our army will look like when the process of its professionalization is completed. ”The VS is expected to abolish conscription by early next year, and will have about 36,000 members, according to minister. "Our defense system will get a modern character and will be an engine that heads reforms in Serbia and accelerates its movement towards the European Union," said Sutanovac.

Promotion of Serbia in Madrid

Belgrade, June, 05. 2010 (Serbia Today) - On the occasion of renewal of direct airline flights Belgrade-Madrid in the Spanish capital recently was organized the promotion of Serbia as a summer tourist destination.  At the same time the exhibition "Applied nostalgia”, part of the project by  Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic Cabinet was opened. Previously, in mid — April, the “Spaner” airline organized first flight from Barcelona to Belgrade. Italians, Germans, British, outnumbered Spanish passengers. The restoration of Belgrade-Madrid flight in Belgrade leads tourist organizations to  believe that the last obstacle for exchange of tourists now is overcome. Tourist representatives from Serbia hope that more tourists from Spain could now visit numerous music festivals in Serbia, such as beer festival, Exit and Guca trumped festival. "We are confident that Spanish tourists will come to Serbia not only to visit Belgrade as a weekend destination, but also to see various festivals”, said representative of Belgrade tourist organization  Ivana Milatovic. 
 
 

Biometric passport number 2.000.000

Belgrade, June, 04. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Serbia has recently issued new biometric passport with serial number 2. 000.000. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic explained that the Ministry of Internal Affairs receives 6500 to 7200 requests for new passports daily, and has undertaken several steps to raise capacity to meet 8500 passports requests a day . According to him, the greatest demand for a new passport is in Belgrade so the Ministry has requested the mayor’s assistance in acquiring extra space and personnel. Dacic said that the Ministry faced two problems - lack of space and people, and apologized again to the citizens because of the crowd. He announced that they will test a new system for scheduling the passport request by SMS messages soon. He also announced the possibility of extending the validity of old passports for Serbs living abroad in order to reduce demands on the diplomatic and consular missions. Dacic thanked the police and workers involved in the issue of new documents, adding that so far Serbia has received 1.8 million  request for new  ID cards. Since July 7 2008, when the new passports were issued, there have been more than 2.1 million requests.

Patriarch Irinej: Nis welcomes all churches representatives

Belgrade, June 04. 2010. (Serbia Today) - A celebration of the17 centuries since the adoption  of the Edict of Milan will see invites to representatives of all churches, said the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Irenej. “This will be an opportunity for dialogue between the churches” the Patriarch said. Nis, home town of Constantine the Great,  started the preparations for the  event  in  the year 2013.  Edict of Milan prohibited the persecution of Christians and allows freedom of religion. The document was adopted during the rule of Constantine the great. "I personally believe that this is an opportunity to all representatives of churches to gather and  establish  contact  and  dialogue.  There are all sorts of things to say", The Patriarch Irenej said. "I personally hope that it will trigger a new relationship between East and West, between Western and Eastern churches," he expects.
 

New Fiat already mid-2011th

Belgrade, June, 03. 2010 (Serbia Today) – Fiat intends to accelerate the implementation of plans in Kragujevac; the trial production of the first new model in the former Zastava will begin in early July 2011. year. Serial production of Fiat's cars in Serbia will begin in the second half of the 2011, writes Danas. The Fiat's top management estimated that the new small Fiat's model, which will be manufactured in Kragujevac, would have a good pass in world markets. Also it is assumed that one reason could be weaker sales of Punto in the domestic market, which could not cover the production costs and salaries of 1,000 workers. More than 95 percent of cars produced in Kragujevac will be sold to foreign markets. Fiat's vice president Alfredo Altavilla this week in Belgrade again clarified that Punt was only an interim solution. The production of new cars will be largely localized, because about 80 percent of the necessary parts and components and positions for installation will be produced in Serbia. The announced localization will be realized in phases, since Serbian local companies have to pass rigorous tests for entry into the automobile sub-contractors for Torino’s giant.
 

Jeremic: Battle for cultural heritage in Kosovo

Belgrade/Kosovo, June, 02. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said on Friday that Serbia has a difficult task ahead as it strives to protect its cultural heritage in Kosovo from being “renamed”. He explained on UN Alliance of Civilizations Forum that the “renaming” was directed against Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) monuments, that would be dubbed “Kosovo's.” “A number of countries have submitted their request to have monasteries and monuments of the SPC in Kosovo renamed into Kosovo's cultural heritage. This is absolutely unacceptable to us”, Jeremic stated. “We will face a very difficult diplomatic task in preventing that”, continued Jeremic, adding that blocking the initiative would be one of the most important subjects as he meets with Brazilian ministers of foreign affairs and culture, and also other interlocutors. Brazil is set to host the UNESCO Cultural Heritage Protection Committee Meeting shortly. 

EU citizens without passports can enter Serbia

Belgrade, June, 01. 2010 (Serbia Today) - The government has decided that the citizens of EU countries, as well as Switzerland, Norway and Iceland, will no longer need passports to enter Serbia, announced Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic on Friday. With this decision, the government accepted the Interior Ministry (MUP) proposal that the citizens of the EU member states should be able to enter Serbia with valid identity cards. “This is yet another indicator of Serbia's commitment to further EU integration,” Interior Minister Ivica Dacic told Tanjug earlier in the day.  He expressed his conviction that this decision would contribute to the strengthening of mutual trust and will receive a positive response among the citizens and political structures of these countries.