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Issue No. 234 Friday, July 28 - Thursday, September 07, 2017 Even when the Democrats longas continue to likely is This also are negotiations Drawn-out Surely the situation is urgent Many of us who have experi - We feel in-the-know because bia has shown us that (a.) no single no (a.) that us shown has bia party or coalition will ever gain the governa - form to required majority negotiations political (b.) and ment, will never be quickly concluded. achieved their surprising result at last month’s general election, quickly it became clear that the - re sult was actually more-or-less the result election other every as same in Serbia, i.e. inconclusive. as Serbia’s politicians form new political parties every time disagree with they their current party - reg 342 currently are (there leader political parties in Serbia). istered the norm. One Ambassador Belgrade-based recently told me he was also alarmed by the distinct lack of urgency among politicians. Serbian “The country is standstill at and a I don’t understand their logic. If they are so eager to progress towards the EU and en - theycome how investors, courage go home at 5pm sharp and don’t work weekends?” overtime. little a warrant to enough EDITOR’S WORD Predictability Political By Mark R. Pullen elections Serbian numerous enced rate ourselves as pundits when it comes to predicting election - re sults and post-election moves. our experience of elections in Ser - - - NEWS NEWS “The situation in the party seems “Dacic will eventually side with Nikolic agreed: “The question is Fearing they might not cross the Pensioners leader, Jovan Krkoba - The reported price is the post of In addition, the Socialists are bar Tadic has denied talk of horse- At the same time, Dacic seems re - reach an agreement “If we don’t Source: Balkan Insight (www.balkaninsight.com) Balkan Insight (www.balkaninsight.com) Source: party over which way to turn. extremely complicated, as we try to convince the few remaining lag - gards that we need to move out of one Socialist shadow,” Milosevic’s Party official complained. in a bid to guide his party into Tadic the European mainstream, but much of the membership and many offi - cials may oppose that move.” will the party split or ‘old- back down,” he noted. timers’ threshold to enter parlia - 5-per-cent ment, the Socialists teamed up with Association of Pensioners and the the led by business - United Serbia Party, man Dragan Markovic “Palma”. bic, Palma and Dacic are all pushing for a deal with the Democrats. of deputy PM, with a brief in charge security for the Socialist leader. gaining for other ministries, includ - ing capital investments, Kosovo and education, Belgrade media reported. trading with the Socialists, maintain - ing that ministries would go only to those committed to working for the “strategic goal”. government’s negotiations with luctant to call off the nationalists. with the DSS and Radicals, par ty leadership will decide on future steps”, Dacic announced, following par new country’s of session first the liament on Wednesday.

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govt to cash hile the football world watch - es events unfold at the Euro - However, a strong current also However, Mihajlo Markovic, a founder of Markovic, a prominent supporter Some younger Socialist officials Neighbourhood Matters faces extinction unless it changes. flows in the opposite direction, led by party veterans enraged the Tadic. prospect of a deal with recently warned of a crisis the party, if Dacic opts for the pro-European “nat - bloc, abandoning the Socialists’ ural” ideological partners. of Milosevic during the 1990s, is seen as representative of the “old- timers” in the party who want to stay policies, true to the former regime’s even though these almost ruined the Socialists for good. have voiced frustration over the con - tinuing impasse within their own Football Rebellion Football pean Championships in Austria and pean Championships in Switzerland, Bosnia is experiencing led by fans, play - a soccer rebellion, enraged ers and former stars who are by what they see as corrupt leaders football association of the country’s leaders. W in from sound June 13, 2008 Issue No. 1 / Friday, of music page 5 conomists are warning that pro - over Serbia’s uncertainty longed “This year has been lost, from the After eight years of stagnation, the pro-European and nation - With Nikolic believes the Socialists, led “The group of younger Socialists Business Insight Costs Mounting future could scare off investors, lead investors, lead future could scare off to higher inflation and jeopardise prosperity for years to come. says standpoint of economic policy,” Econom - the of Stamenkovic Stojan ics Institute in Belgrade. to Serbia’s late president, Slobodan to Serbia’s Milosevic, and reformists who want the party to become a modern Euro - pean social democrat organisation. the Socialists returned to centre stage after winning 20 of the 250 seats in elections. parliament in the May 11 alist blocs almost evenly matched, the Socialists now have the final say on the fate of country. by Ivica Dacic, will come over to if only out of a pragmatic de - Tadic, sire to ensure their political survival. gathered around Dacic seems to be adding said, Nikolic majority”, the in that these reformists believe the party E New measures obliging clubs and bars to sign contracts with their performers – and pay taxes on Friday • June 13 2008 them – have divided the musical THIS ISSUE OF Belgrade Insight IS SUPPORTED BY: IS SUPPORTED

community. on a new gov - ense negotiations ernment have divided the ranks “It looks as if the Socialists will Simultaneous negotiations held This divides “old-timers” loyal Socialist leader Ivica Dacic remains the Serbian kingmaker Socialist leader Ivica Dacic remains Lure of Tadic Alliance Splits Socialists Tadic Lure of government, old pro-EU While younger Socialists support joining a new, over the prospect. revolt Milosevic loyalists threaten in Belgrade By Rade Maroevic of the Socialist Party, which holds of the Socialist Party, of the balance power between the blocs and has yet to announce main which side they will support. move towards a government led by the Democrats,” political analyst Mi - lan Nikolic, of the independent Cen - tre of Policy Studies, said. “But such a move might provoke deeper divi - sions and even split the party.” with the pro-European and national - ist blocs have drawn attention to a deep rift inside the Socialists. T

Filip RUDIĆ

s Belgrade confirms its because until now this all bypassed le- place on the map of the gal cash flows. world's best nightlife Daily performance fees in Serbia destinations, Serbia's range from ten to tens of thousands of government from this euros, depending on the performers, AugustA will be cashing in on all music with famous turbo-folk and pop singers performances. naturally being the highest earners. As of August 1st, club, bar and kafana While some singers and musicians owners must sign contracts with the lead lavish lives, and only occasion- musicians they hire, and pay a tax of 17 ally faced questions about whether per cent tax on their salaries. they had paid all the taxes that come Žarko Šakić, from the Serbian As- with this, many musicians have had a sociation of Employers, told BIRN it is tougher time, especially as they have hard to estimate how much money the no regular pension. state stands to gain from the new tax,

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The new law will also apply to Serbian DJs like Marko Nastić. Photo: Flickr/Share Conference

+381 11 4030 306 [email protected] 2 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, July 28 - Thursday, September 07, 2017 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, July 28 - Thursday, September 07, 2017 3 SERBIA SERBIA

Continued from page 1 COMMENT Vučić's latest ‘historic' promise: A deal with Kosovo The Serbian president has vowed to cut a deal to resolve the Kosovo issue once and for all – but don't hold your breath waiting for it to actually happen.

Dejan ANASTASIJEVIĆ pirations, and treated them roughly, but notes that the Albanians made the ormer Prime Minister and same mistake whenever they had ma- now President of Serbia jor powers on their side. Aleksandar Vučić likes to He also claims that Serbia, under his describe himself in Pro- rule, is politically and economically methean terms. stronger than ever, and is therefore in FWhatever he does, be it opening of a good position to negotiate. That is a stretch of railway, or embarking on a why he intends to start an "internal dia- state visit, it's always "for the first time in logue" about Kosovo in September in recent history". order to forge a commonly-agreed Ser- Daily performance fees in Serbia range from ten to tens of thousands of euros, with famous turbo-folk and pop singers like Svetlana "Ceca" Ražnatović naturally being the highest earners. Photo: Beta He uses this phrase so often that it bian platform. has become a joke that people tend to Unfortunately, Vučić is quite vague utter when they are about to do some- about the future deal with the Koso- thing trivial, like opening a can of beer vars. or taking out the garbage. On one hand, it should be "a lasting This week, however, he promised solution, which would exclude the pos- Serbia's govt to cash to do something truly remarkable: to sibility of confrontation, and would be solve the issue of Kosovo, which has beneficial for the whole region". been plaguing Serbia since the early On the other, Serbs "should be realis- 20th Century and caused it to become tic, because they can't afford to lose or in from sound of music the first European country ever to go to surrender what they already possess, war with NATO – and lose, in 1999. nor spend the time waiting to take back Vučić made his pledge on Monday, something they have lost long time he government is now brand clothes – have been paying all the field and ing in restaurants and kafanas did not July 24th, in a lengthy op-ed piece in ago". set to tackle both is- their taxes or not. report any There will be pay contributions for themselves," he Belgrade daily Blic. Judging by an abun- The format of the internal dialogue sues, as its decision Paparazzi took photos of stars like violations to recalled. dance of mixed metaphors, misguided seems equally unclear. – which applies to sing- Zdravko Čolić, Nataša Bekvalac, Željko the Tax Ad- strict controls at He hopes the new rules will prevent analogies, and convoluted sentences On a television show late Monday ers, DJs and all other Joksimović, Seka Aleksić or Aco ministration. employers from hiring artists without devoid of any substance, he likely night, Vučić announced that he in- Vučić is quite vague about the future deal with the Kosovars, the author claims. Photo: Beta musicians – has two Pejović entering the tax office prem- "This is first, but after a contracts and without paying their wrote it himself, instead of engaging a tends to consult leaders of Serbian po- mainT aims – fighting the "grey" econo- ises. good for the contributions. speechwriter. litical parties, high priests of the Serbian That is nice, but why would Serbian "Let's try to be nice to them and may- to be instantly rejected by both Kosovo while everything my, but also ensuring that employers Some of the summoned musicians, employers, who On the other hand, Antonijević told (Example: "It is therefore important, Orhodox Church, and members of the opposition leaders, who he repeatedly be they'll give some of it back," Smeagol and the West. pay their musicians' health, social and like pop singer Nataša Bekvalac, re- will no longer risk the labour or tax in- will revert to BIRN that he fears employers will just or more important than ever, to look Academy of Science and Arts. brands as "scum", "thieves", and "trai- would reply. Besides, Vučić is probably aware that pension contributions. portedly insisted that they did not earn spectors coming in and writing them reduce their artists' fees, to compen- at ourselves in the mirror, with cour- tors", accept a seat at his table and share But let's put cynicism aside and im- his engagement in the Brussels dia- Employers will have to pay musi- the huge sums that have been claimed, up. This way the situation is clean," business as usual, sate for having to pay taxes and contri- age, to clearly see all the scars, wounds, the blame if the deal goes wrong? agine that Vučić really intends to make logue on Kosovo is the main reason the cians at least the legal minimum wage, adding that some of their wealth came Šakić said. butions. and defects on our own face, but also to In a nutshell: Vučić No wonder that so far, only a few a breakthrough over Kosovo. What EU is ready to tolerate his rising authori- which is around 22,000 dinars [183 from their parents or grandparents. However, Zoran Antonijević, a musi- both for the "Musicians at the start of their ca- attempt to heal what can be healed, in fringe politicians accepted the call. would that imply? tarianism and illiberal policies at home. claims that Serbs euros] per month or 1,200 dinars [10 Others, like turbo-folk singer Goca cian, believes things will soon go back musicians and reers will suffer most, because restau- despair, without giving up on ourselves The Church is ultra-conservative, In real life, Serbia has very little space By rushing to cut a deal, this lever- euros] per day for each band member. Božinovska, explained that they were to where they were after an initial peri- rant owners will surely take [the mon- in front of the problems we're facing.") have been keeping but so dependent on government sub- for manoeuvre on the issue, at least as age would be removed, and he would That means the minimum tax the registered as self-employed abroad. od, just as the previous law was never ey] away from them rather than from Vučić quotes late Israeli PM Shimon sidies that it will probably bless which- long as it wants to join the European likely face increasing pressure on other employers will have to pay per musi- This would not be a surprise, as sing- fully enforced. the employers.” their own pockets," Antonijević said. Peres and American author Ambrose their heads in the ever proposal Vucic lays down. Union. issues, such as the rule of law in Serbia cian will be around 200 dinars – about ers earn higher fees when singing for "There will be strict controls at first, He added that musicians and em- Bierce. It's not an easy read, and parts of And as for the Academy of Science and The EU-backed Brussels talks be- and his cosy relations with Russia. It is sand over Kosovo, 1.7 euros. the diaspora than they do at home. but after a while everything will re- Zoran Antonijević, ployers will only "meet in the middle" it are quite frustrating. Arts, its members are so deeply divided tween Belgrade and Pristina have been highly improbable that he would put The 2015 Labour law also envisaged vert to business as usual, both for the once there are no more people ready In a nutshell: Vučić claims that Serbs on a number of issues (the theory of evo- going on for years, with mixed results, himself in that situation. Musician ostrich-like, for far ATTEMPTS that contractors would pay an obliga- musicians and the employers," he pre- to work cheap. have been keeping their heads in the lution included) that they can hardly be but the member states, led by Germany, So those who are expecting a final TO TAX MUSICIANS tory tax when hiring musicians, but dicted. contract, advising them always to sign Singer Željko Vasić also said the new sand over Kosovo, ostrich-like, for far too long, and that expected to make a useful contribution. have made it abundantly clear what resolution this autumn are likely to be that affected only members of the As- Andrija Bajić, President of the As- these documents with their employ- regulation will do most harm to those too long, and that it's time to break the So the internal dialogue will prob- they want to see at the end: a mutual disappointed. The authorities have been looking sociation of Employers and has never sociation of Artists and Performers, ers. who make the least money. silence and cut a final deal with the eth- it's time to break ably be conducted primarily in Vucic's contract, based on the arrangement Instead, they'll get another piece of at ways to toughen up the rules in this been implemented. also does not expect any drastic "They have all gotten used to it. They Vasić told the regional television sta- nic Albanians who comprise over 90 the silence and cut own head. reached by the two Germanys during high drama, scripted and directed by field for some time. Žarko Šakić believes that this time it changes to occur because of the call us to ask for copies of the contract," tion N1 that a better model would be per cent of Kosovo's population. Given his ultranationalist past – he the Cold War, which would fall short Vučić, with him in the leading role. In the winter of 2015, the media bus- will be different, as the new regulation new rules. Bajić said. for each freelance performer to pay He emphasises the importance of a final deal with the was Slobodan Milošević's Minister of of formal recognition, but allow both It will almost certainly be full of ily followed which singers had been will affect all employers in Serbia, and "Things will stir up a little bit over their own taxes and contributions, negotiations and warns that silence is Information during the Kosovo war – it countries to coexist peacefully. sound and fury. summoned to the Tax Office to explain not just members of the association. having a contract and a licence, that's COSTS AND BENEFITS while the employer pays the value dangerous, because frozen conflicts ethnic Albanians will likely resemble the internal dia- The United States prefer full mutual Don't hope for much else. their financial affairs. Šakić said that Tax Administration all," Bajić told BIRN. He defended the added tax, VAT. pass the danger of war on to the next who comprise logue of Gollum/Smeagol in JRR Tolk- recognition, but would probably ac- It was an attempt by the state to dis- and the Ministry of Labour inspectors new regulation as a move to "bring or- Žarko Šakić says performers will "When you raise taxes, there is room generations. ien's Lord of the Rings. cept the German model. Any other The opinions expressed in the com- cover whether singers – who the pub- will monitor the hiring of artists, while der" to a hitherto unregulated field. benefit from the new rules, as they can for manipulation and tax evasion. The He admits that the Serbs, through- over 90 per cent of "Those nassty Albanians took away ideas, such as the partition of Kosovo ment section are those of the authors lic gaze at in magazines and tabloids, the Independent Union of Artists and His association gives each of its now count on a pension, if only a small taxes should be lower and the fines out history, have failed to understand our preciouss Kosssovo. They have to or annexing the Serb entity in Bosnia only and do not necessarily reflect the showing off in mansions, and wearing Performers will run its own checks in members the copies of an employee one. "Huge number of people work- should go up," Vasić said. the Albanians, their strength and as- Kosovo's population. be punished," Gollum would hiss. as compensation for Serbia, are likely views of BIRN. 4 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, July 28 - Thursday, September 07, 2017 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, July 28 - Thursday, September 07, 2017 5 BELGRADE SERBIA Annual Exploring Belgrade's beer fest Great War Island brewing The capital's Great War Island is a up a storm natural habitat for many birds, river The Belgrade Beer This year's line-up includes a wide variety of groups including the music otters, nutrias, Festival returns duo Stereo Banana from Niš, British Electronic band Asian Dub Founda- th pine martens, and for its 15 edition tion, Belgrade group Škrtice, the Dejan Petrović Big Band, and numerous oth- some very hardy with an expanded ers. Performances begin every night at 6pm, and last until 2am or 4am in the humans. music line-up and morning. For the full schedule of per- formances, visit www.belgradebeer- Milan RADONJIĆ a new Innovation fest.com. Zone. The music is divided into two groups: ccording to legend, the a collection of Beer Garden shows and Great War Island was performances at the Innovation Zone, created after two Roman Alexandra FISHER a new space for this year's festival. Beer military galleys collided Garden acts are on stage from six until and were stranded at the elgrade's Annual Beer Fes- midnight, with the music moving to the confluenceA of the rivers Sava and Dan- tival will be held August Innovation Zone for groups performing ube. In reality, it was formed by the nat- 16th-20th at the Ušće fields in later in the night. The Beer Garden will ural movements of the Danube sands The Belgrade Beer Fest is the largest beer festival in Southeast Europe. Photo: Belgrade Beer Fest New Belgrade. It is the larg- have booths for all the different beer at the point where the biggest river of est beer festival in South- vendors and tables for friends and fam- best performance. The Stereo MCs will of the first to experiment with mixing has received numerous awards, includ- Europe meets its Balkan match. eastB Europe, averaging around 500,000 ilies to sit, providing a fun environment perform Thursday, August 17th, at 1pm. electronic music with Balkan ethno el- ing the Best of Serbia award in 2014. It The first mention of the island in his- visitors over the five day event. En- to enjoy some drinks and music. Other musical highlights include ements. The line-up has a variety of art- was ranked in the top twenty must-see torical records dates back to the 15th Cen- trance is free and the event features live One of the biggest bands performing Darko Rundek, a regional star, who ists featuring regional talent and groups world events in 2005 by British newspa- tury, while its potential strategic use as a music performances and domestic and at the Belgrade Beer Fest is Stereo MCs, will perform on Saturday, August 19th, from abroad that will be sure to offer per The Independent. It has also been military vantage point was first discov- foreign beers from a variety of vendors. a hip hop/dance group from the UK the at 21:15, punk rock group Atheist Rap, something for everyone to enjoy. heralded as a marketing success by ered by the Ottoman Turks when they The festival draws crowds from across formed in the 1980s. The group has and Macedonian composer and pro- The Belgrade Beer Fest was founded marketing magazine Taboo that named attacked Belgrade Fortress in 1521. At the end of the 1980s, Zemun municipal officials rented land on the island to people willing to grow crops on it. Photos: BIRN/Milan Radonjić Serbia and the region. won BRIT awards for best album and ducer Kiril Džajkovski, who was one in 2003, and in its fifteen year history it Beer Fest the marketing event of 2009. Its current name – Veliko Ratno Os- trvo in Serbian – came into use after year and they are impossible to pre- ECOLOGY CAMP Prince Eugen of Savoy, commanding vent because water defences would Austrian troops, retook Belgrade in 1717. need to be between five and six me- Several hundred metres deeper One century later, during the First Ser- tres high. Many became discouraged into the island, the Futura Faculty bian Uprising, it was used to bombard and left. for Applied Ecology of Singidunum Bikeshare stations to swoop Belgrade the fortress that was once again held Tepavac first come to the island on University has built a summer camp by the Turks. During World War I, the is- May 1st, 1985. He rented a piece of land for its students. The dean, Professor placed at 150 different bicycle rental sta- land served the same purpose but this and has stayed here ever since. He Jordan Aleksić, a former ecology min- Compared to other European capitals, tions around the city over the course of time for the Austro-Hungarian army. loves the island he describes as un- ister, was also once a resident of the a six years timeframe. 20 per cent of the Today, the Great War Island is an oa- spoiled and a little wild. island. Belgrade has miles to go in terms of bicycles in questions will also be electric. sis of peace in the centre of Belgrade. It "One has to be prudent when walking "This is really a special place, I love According to Mali, 120 kilometres of is divided in three sections; the largest around. The land is not consistent and it here, and so do our students," says improving the bicycle scene in the new bike lanes have also been planned section - about 90 per cent of the island wetland parts can also be tricky. There Aleksić. He agrees that more should be for the year 2018. Currently, there are – is comprised of woods and wetlands were even cases that people went miss- done to protect this oasis in the middle city. Luckily, this is about to change. approximately 83 kilometres of bicycle and is a protected animal habitat. A sec- ing here, and were never found." of Belgrade for future generations. tracks available around the city. ond part covers meadows in the middle These days there is a wild boar here, "Unfortunately, sometimes it is not Siri SOLLIE grade more accessible for both pedestri- The rental stations will be equipped of the island and is reserved for recrea- a sow with piglets, and several years easy to motivate young people to par- ans and cyclists. with information points to ensure us- tional purposes while the third is a tour- ago during the floods two deer showed ticipate in field activities and with eve- he City of Belgrade announced "Like other big cities in the world, ers can be in direct contact with bicycle ist lido beach. up on the island, he says. It was early ry new generation this trend seems to a public competition July 21st Belgrade will also have bike rental sta- services, especially in terms of the rent- The island is home to some 163 bird spring and leaves were not yet visible be progressing. This is something we for the instalment of bikeshare tions. Our idea is to popularise this type ing and replacement of the bicycles. The species, domestic and migrating, while on the trees of the forest. need to work upon as a society." Tdocking stations in Belgrade. of transport and [to make sure] that as stands will also facilitate cash and card some use it as a resting spot on their "A helicopter came and someone While students listen to a lecture The bid is open to both foreign and do- many citizens as possible can reach their payments, information about available seasonal travel from the north to the shot them from above. So it was some- about global warming in the faculty's mestic companies and runs until August work by bicycle, instead of a car. Tourists bicycles around the city, and will register south of Europe. This natural oasis is one from the authorities who did this," wooden amphitheatre, I walk back 28th, according to the City Administra- will also be able to encounter the beauty new users. also home to many mammals, such as Tepavac claims. to meet Vule Pavlović. He spends the tion of Belgrade. of our city using public bicycles," Mali The aim is to ensure a 30 minutes free river otters, nutrias, pine martens, and Tepavac now has a heart condition whole year on the island and doesn't Currently there are no bicycle rental stated, according to Danas newspaper bicycle ride for the users during the first some very hardy humans. and these days he is not able to work as care much about climate change is- stations in the capital, but according to on July 21st. ride of the day, as well as an additional At the end of the 1980s, Zemun mu- he once was. sues. He doesn't listen to the news at all. Belgrade Mayor Siniša Mali, a major pri- In line with the terms of the tender, five hours of free riding on a monthly nicipal officials rented land on the -is In recent years, during the summer "This life here is much like in the ority of city authorities is to make Bel- a minimum of 750 bicycles are to be Photo: Flickr/Caspar Diedrik basis. land to people willing to grow crops season, the Serbian Military constructs countryside. Some better off people on it. Many of them later decided to a temporary pontoon bridge provid- come and make superb houses, but stay and live here. One of them is Velja ing free crossing from the Zemun quay. then leave after the second flood. You Tepavac. He told BIRN that previously Tepavac says the island is not the same have to stand rain and drought, to stay around 190 people maintained plots on while the bridge is operating. He claims and fight," he says. Bohemian quarter Skadarlija braces for renovations the island. Today, only 36 remain. lots of people bring dogs, even if it is A few weeks ago, he says lightning "All vegetables grown on this island prohibited, and some cross over in pri- struck the tree next to his house. But Velja Tepavac has continued to make his home on the Great War Island Siri SOLLIE The first step of the major renovations one of our most important is Skadarska are superb quality. There used to be vate cars. Pavlović was not disturbed by it. He despite floods and depopulation. will be the renewal of the Skadarlija street. Here, we will lay down rules that a waiting line for my American green His neighbour, Dragan Lakić, joins was sound asleep in the other room. The beloved bohemian quarter of n July 22nd, Politika newspa- fountain, which will take place as soon will differ in relation to other parts of the beans. It was supreme. I got that seed in the conversation saying that if there His possessions were turned over and per reported that Belgrade as the summer tourist season ends in city," he said. " The exact type of music as a gift from a colleague of mine who are so many people visiting the island scattered around but there was no fire, Belgrade, Skadarlija, is about to get a City Manager, Goran Vesić, September. Damaged pavements, plumb- that is welcome here, the cellar, the fences worked as a stewardess for JAT (Yugo- it would be good to have a collective luckily. Not such a big deal, he says. Ohas promised 117,670 euros ing and sewer pipes will also be replaced, of the restaurant will be known ... it will slav Air Transport)," he says, sitting un- clean up. He also doesn't mind the bridge and facelift. City Manager Goran Vesić has (14.2 million dinars) to be invested in Vesić stated. be determined what kind of content is der an old and slightly torn sunshade "If you go deeper into the woods, people crossing. On the contrary, there the Bohemian quarter of Belgrade, Vesić added that the idea is not to re- appropriate. There will be no nightclubs in front of his stilt house that is made of you would not believe the quantity of are always some guests at his place, so promised the neighbourhood more Skadarlija. new the area, but to protect the spirit and – those that are in other parts of the city old wooden railroad sleepers. plastic bottles there. They come with many of them that some of his neigh- The area, which is also known as the older parts of this beloved city district. do not belong here," he stated. floods and when the water withdraws, bours get annoyed about it. than 100,000 euros in investment. "Montmartre of Belgrade", has retained He stated that the bohemian quarter Around 83,000 euros will be allocated FLOODS AND they remain there stuck in the roots of "I have detached myself from every- Skadarska 32 its appearance since 1968, when the distinguishes itself from other parts of for the refurbishment of springs. This will DANGEROUS TERRAIN the trees. In May and September we go thing I can't influence, and that is a lot of +381 62 350 002 last refurbishment and reconstruction the city, and it is important to seek to come from the Ministry of Trade, Tour- through the woods looking for mush- stuff I admit. I follow one rule: Forgive [email protected] of the popular neighbourhood took preserve the character of the area. ism and Telecommunications budget. However, there has been trouble rooms. When you go in deeper, it is not everybody you can, as much as you CREATING YOUR MEMORIES place under the gaze of architect Uglješa "A commission, headed by me, will Some 35,000 euros will come from the in this paradise in the form of floods. possible to walk normally as every- can. Human nature is messed up, so it's Bogunović. define tourist zones and tourist sites, and Belgrade City budget. There have been floods every other thing is covered by plastics," he says. better to restrain." 6 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, July 28 - Thursday, September 07, 2017 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, July 28 - Thursday, September 07, 2017 7 SERBIA BUSINESS COMMENT Serbian Focus on EU accession labour experts slate masks Serbia's real union deal problems with Fiat

leader in a decade, could mobilise old "The employer is not just abusing his Whether you structures to increase his powers. In Unions and position but also denying workers the many ways the EU supported this de- experts slate rights they have under the law and the are EU-phoric velopment, both by turning a blind constitution," Stupar told the daily Kurir eye to the erosion of press freedoms government- on July 26th. or EU-phobic, and rule of law in the assessments of She said she had "no doubt" that the Serbia's progress and by supporting mediated deal agreement was against the law and so Representatives of Samostalni and Fiat signed the deal on Tuesday in the presence of Brnabić and Economy Minister Goran Knežević. Photo: Beta joining the EU Vučić's efforts, as was the case when he could be challenged in court. met Angela Merkel during this year's that one union has The Samostalni union, representing "The workers are more than displeased The agreement envisages that each The agreement also envisages that is no panacea presidential campaign. workers at Fiat who recently went on because Zoran Marković named the year in February, salaries will be ad- workers will not go on strike for the Unfortunately, this single-minded signed with Fiat as strike over salaries and working con- terms – a salary increase and bonuses justed to compensate for the expected next three years. for Serbia's focus on EU accession and box-ticking ditions, signed a new collective agree- for 2017 and 2018. Now it turns out that annual inflation rate that year. Representatives of Samostalni and expanded to the wider civil society ‘defeat' for workers' ment on July 25th. It will run for three [under the new agreement] we will only For 2017, workers will receive a 2.2 Fiat signed the deal on Tuesday in the problems. where, due to a lack of funds, many or- rights. years and involves them waiving their negotiate about bonuses – and nobody is per cent increase from August, while presence of Brnabić and Economy Min- ganisations were incentivised to priori- right to take industrial action. guaranteeing we will get them," the lead- in 2018 they will receive a rise of 4.5 per ister Goran Knežević. tise tackling issues in a way that would Milan Čulibrk, an economics analyst ership of Nezavisnost said in a statement. cent. Brnabić said that in September, a ensure their continued support from Filip RUDIĆ and editor of the NIN weekly magazine, "We are considering filing charges When they went on strike, the commission, on which both the com- donors, often the EU, rather than build- said the workers were pressured into against Marković because this is a clas- workers at the factory demanded pany and workers would be represent- ing popular understanding or support nions and experts have believing that the strike could result in sic case of fraud," it added. rises of up to 416 euros a month. They ed, would start conducting monthly for their causes. This led to many in the criticised the deal end- Fiat pulling out of Serbia, leaving up to Nezavisnost argued that the deal of- also called for the fairer distribution check-ups to determine whether staff civil sector being perceived as elitist ing the strike at Fiat 15,000 people out of work. fered less than what was on the table of work and for the hiring of more were being overworked at the factory and divorced from the concerns of the Chrysler Automobiles "If anyone should have been pressured, before the strike, which started on June workers. in Kragujevac. average person, much weakening their in Serbia, signed by the it should have been Fiat," Čulibrk told the 23rd and continued until July 18th, when Fiat officials refused to negotiate with The commission will send reports to reach and transformational potential. managementU and representatives of regional television station N1 on Tuesday. negotiations began. them as long as the strike was ongoing, the company's headquarters in Torino, Paradoxically, this autopilot approach Samostalni union, which includes a The second-largest union represent- Samostalni argued that it was the however. Italy, as well as to the Serbian govern- to EU accession increasingly threatens three-year ban on strikes. ing the Fiat workers, Nezavisnost, called only offer on the table. The deal was brokered by Prime Min- ment. to derail it. There is constant weaken- Labour law expert Maja Stupar the deal unacceptable and added that it "The union assembly voted to ac- ister Ana Brnabić, who mediated in the Following the signing, no ques- ing of popular support for joining the EU called the ban a crude violation of la- might file a lawsuit against the leader of cept the offer, since at this point there is negotiations after convincing the union tions were allowed at the press con- in Serbia, which now hovers around 45 bour rights and Serbian laws. Samostalni, Zoran Marković. no alternative," Samostalni said. to call off the strike. ference. per cent. This disenchantment with the EU path has also led to increased flirta- Srđan GARČEVIĆ tion with other potential foreign policy partners, especially Russia and China. ack in 2000, when Slo- The EU's distant approach to communi- bodan Milošević was top- cation is also not helping the cause. An- Croatia's Agrokor starts pled, I believed that the nouncing new demands and strategies riots of 5th October were the at countless congresses and summits end of Serbia's problems. is increasingly exasperating after sev- BAfter a decade of wars and poverty, I enteen years during which many Serbs repaying indebted suppliers imagined that just a few short years think too little has changed. later, Serbia would be transformed into Although the Trieste summit re- a functioning, moderately meritocratic, peated the same old platitudes about Agrokor's debts to small family farms Asked to estimate the findings of the moderately wealthy European state, a commitment to enlargement and focus The state- and micro companies with annual rev- financial audit – which has estimated the bit like Slovenia now. on regional cooperation, and promised appointed enues below 700,000 euros. company's losses at between 1.6 and 2 I hoped that we would get along with more money, it would be good if the ap- The first 18-million-euro payout start- billion euros in 2016, according to daily our former compatriots, after recognis- Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić and German Prime Minister Angela Merkel in Trieste in July. Photo: Beta proach to the ‘Europeanisation' of Ser- management ed from Thursday after Wednesday's Jutarnji list – Ramljak said he would not ing how horrifically stupid and tragic bia shifted from top-down to grassroots. meeting of the creditors' council insisted comment on the audit until mid-Septem- the wars were, and avoid bickering itself bring the changes Serbians fought there is no autopilot that solves deep should look like, our governments ex- In Serbia, those who believe in ‘Eu- of Croatia's on the priority being given to smaller ber. over things like chocolates or garishly for in 2000. institutional issues. plained away their policies in terms of ropean values' and want to see fun- creditors - as those least able to with- After the company began experienc- decorated trains. Most of all, I believed This is not to say that increased The reason for this is that, despite all what the EU or ‘the West' wanted from damental shifts, should try harder to biggest company, stand prolonged non-payment. ing serious financial troubles, the owner, that just like a fairy tale, the EU and our funds from EU development funds are the talk, deep institutional change in us, without making sure we under- make their points popular and relevant "There are 2,100 suppliers, the list is Croatian businessman Ivica Todorić, western partners would be like fairy not needed nor that joining the EU is other countries does not fall within the stand the consequences and support for the majority, rather than rely on for- Agrokor, said long, and I believe there may be some handed it over over to state manage- godmothers or Cinderella's helpful crit- not a good thing for Serbia. Given slug- competencies or actual aims of the EU. these changes. eign officials to give our government a omissions on that list," Ramljak said, ment in April. ters who would brush us up, regale us gish economic growth and flirting with It is difficult to see how any number of The problem with this top-down slap on the wrist. the company emphasising that they will remedy any The company's role in the economy with donations and fashion the tatters nationalism at home and in the neigh- foreign politicians and diplomats with- ‘Europeanisation' project was not that With or without EU support, it is dif- will now start omissions discovered later on. of Croatia is massive, with revenues of of our state into something infinitely bourhood, it is crucial for the whole re- out significant popular support in Ser- it made us make wrong decisions, but ficult to see how Serbia could have free He said that the fall in sales by 6.5 billion euros in 2015 – almost 16 per nicer and more presentable. We would gion to become part of a wider, richer, bia would be able to embed a system of that it failed to transform the Serbian speech and a transparent judiciary if repaying its small Agrokor's retailer, Konzum – the biggest cent of Croatia's total GDP – and around have to do little but plod along a blue- community like the EU. Purely prag- transparency here. It is even less clear political system from the centralised the majority of Serbs are unwilling to retailer in the country – had also stopped. 40,000 employees. and-yellow brick road that led to the matically it would be better to have a why their constituents at home would party-led cronyism that has plagued fight for it. If our western allies are will- suppliers with a "On a daily basis, we are [still] generat- Agrokor employs another 20,000 pearly gates of the EU and our happy seat at the EU table, as due to our size, think spending their tax money on this Serbia since the beginning, towards a ing to give support, it should go to ini- ing some small losses, but this [lossmak- people in neighbouring Bosnia and Ser- ever after. whether we join or not, our internal is worthwhile, with pressing issues like real deliberative democracy. Discus- tiatives that seek to find solutions that first tranche of 18 ing] trend has stopped and is moving bia, while it is believed that suppliers Looking back, I blush to think I was policies would to a large extent be driv- widening inequality at home. sions of key values in society, such as are sustainable for Serbia, rather than toward zero … Sales are down 2.2 per cent and companies for the Slovenian retailer this naive, but two things make me less en by our mighty neighbour and largest Unfortunately, this misplaced be- coming to terms with the past and pro- pushing the one-size fits all approach. million euros. compared to the last year, which is very Mercator – which Agrokor bought in ashamed. Firstly, it was not just me be- trading partner. lief that the EU will solve everything tecting the rights of all its citizens were Making Serbia a functioning democ- good concerning the losses that we had 2014 – employ around 70,000 people in lieving it. Weary from the uncertainties However, it is apparent that joining has potentially made things worse in reduced to technicalities. The very racy that can take care of its people at the beginning of the process," he said. Slovenia as well. and drabness of the Milošević years, the EU will not change the root causes Serbia, as it allowed our politicians to painful and often value-destroying pri- should take precedence over short- Sven MILEKIĆ many people happily lapped up this of instability in Serbia and countries rush through many key debates and re- vatisations were rushed through with term box ticking and horse-trading optimistic story as it was served by our in the region, which lies in the lack of forms without systemic change in the explanations that it was the only way on the path to the EU. To sustainably roatia's troubled giant ONCE KOVAČ, ALWAYS KOVAČ politicians and the EU representatives. rule of law and pluralist political sys- country or democratic debate. for the EU to accept us. change itself, Serbia needs to stop pre- Agrokor will start paying ONCE ”KAFANA”, ALWAYS ”KAFANA” My other excuse is that I was twelve. tems. This can be gleaned from the Seventeen years ago, Serbia was a Our politicians happily washed their tending that the blue-and-yellow brick out the first 18 million eu- RESTAURANT KOVAČ Now that I am fast approaching thirty, experiences of both recent joiners like post-socialist, post-conflict country in hands of any responsibility for their road leads to a happy ever after and ros to cover its debts to its modern ethno restaurant the promises of better times following Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia, where need of thorough institutional change own decisions by shifting the blame start thinking about what it would like small suppliers, the state- the summit between the EU and West- unresolved corruption scandals are and a re-evaluation of priorities. Rather for unpopular policies, and especially its story to be. Cappointed extraordinary manager, Ante ern Balkan countries in Trieste this still the norm, to the more established than instigating meaningful internal de- austerity, on the EU. This great simplifi- Ramljak said on Wednesday. month ring hollow and it is not only EU countries, like Greece and Italy, bates on key topics from the treatment cation of the debate about the reforms Srđan Garčević is a writer and a Under the Law on Procedures for Ex- because it is increasingly apparent that whose bureaucratic, judicial and eco- of minorities to our economic future, that Serbia needs to undergo allowed founder of The Nutshell Times blog. traordinary Management in Companies the Western Balkans countries will not nomic systems are still creaking. The we reduced these key state-building is- many centres of power to remain un- of Systematic Significance, the Croatian join the EU in the foreseeable future. It idea of economic and institutional con- sues to a matter of simple bureaucratic changed and ultimately made it pos- The opinions expressed in the Com- state undertook a 15-month period of is because it is becoming increasingly vergence in Europe by following ideas compliance with EU expectations. sible that somebody with a chequered ment section are those of the authors "crisis" management of Agrokor in April. obvious that whether (and whenever) from Brussels seems increasingly like Instead of generating wider public dis- past like Vučić, who went from a nation- only and do not necessarily reflect the In June, the management secured Bulevar Oslobođenja 221, Tel: 011 2462 343 www.restorankovac.com we join the EU or not, joining will not by a myth, and it is becoming clear that cussion on what post-Milošević Serbia alist eurosceptic to a chief EU cheer- views of BIRN. around 30 million euros to cover Ante Ramljak. Photo: Beta 8 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, July 28 - Thursday, September 07, 2017 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, July 28 - Thursday, September 07, 2017 9 REGION FACES COMMENT Telling the Europe must respond to bohemian threats to liberal values tales of The political reality of the EU today, with As the crisis 28 member states, is such that an offend- over the ing government – Poland, say, or Hunga- ry – is likely to find at least one ally will- Skadarlija ing to block the entire procedure. judiciary in Doubts about the workability of Arti- cle 7 were behind the Commission's re- Poland has luctance to trigger it. But then, Poland's Lady Skadarlija keeps the stories leadership went a step too far, forcing shown, the the Commission's hands. and poems of Belgrade's bohemian This suggests that the real question EU must be is not whether the EU's current tools past alive with her nightly are adequate, but whether there is suf- performances in the restaurants more vigilant ficient will in the Commission and the member states to actually use them. of the quaint cobbled Skadarlija in defending The issue is far broader than Polish or Hungarian domestic politics, howev- district. values that both er. Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia have all in recent years taken steps to curb member states the power of the judiciary or restrict the Siri SOLLIE foreigners, and it was also really im- space for free media. portant that the story that I told about The leaders of Poland, Hungary and ou might have noticed the Skadarlija be heard in English, because and candidate Croatia have all done so with reference woman who wears ex- most foreigners know English, so they to a fully articulated ideology of resist- travagant early 20th cen- could get the information and the im- countries seem ing liberalising pressure from outside tury dresses and strolls portance of this street," she says. – notably Brussels – and in the name of elegantly along Skadarska determined to traditional, national values. Street,Y greeting people who are visiting BOHEMIAN LEGACY And beyond the EU's current mem- the city's former bohemian quarter. test. bers, in Turkey, Serbia and Kosovo for 'Lady Skadarlija' or Ljiljana Jakšić, These days Jakšić performs at example, leaderships with autocratic her real name, has been entertaining the Ima Dana (There Will be Days), ambitions are watching closely to see visitors to restaurants on the street for Šešir Moj (My Hat), Tri Šešira (Three Toby VOGEL how the EU deals with governments the past 15 years. Hats), and Dva Jelena (Two Deer) res- that violate EU values. "To be or not to be, says Shakespeare," taurants after 8pm. or the past several months, Events in Hungary and Poland have she exclaims to a group of diners who The safest bet if you want to find the European Commission raised the question about whether the are watching her show at the Šešir Moj Lady Skadarlija, however, is to go to has been accused of inac- democratic and institutional transfor- restaurant on Skadarska street. Ima Dana or Šešir Moj, as she performs tion over moves by Hunga- mation during the shift from Commu- Her body trembles as she skilfully there almost every night. She is paid for ry and Poland to strengthen nism to European Union membership impersonates a drunk who has drained her work by the restaurants. Fthe hold of ruling parties over the insti- might have been shallower than as- too many glasses. Even though the summer season at tutions of the state. sumed. The experience from Bulgaria "In Skadarlija," she continues, "it is all Skadarlija runs from the last Saturday Instead of triggering Article 7 of the and Romania, which joined in 2007, about 'to drink or not to drink'." in April until September, Jakšić says European Union's Lisbon Treaty, which was supposed to have informed a new, The character of Lady Skadarlija is that Lady Skadarlija's work continues could theoretically lead to a member tougher accession process whose first the creation of Jakšić, an actor who all year round. state losing its voting rights, the Com- test was Croatia, which became a mem- graduated from the Academy of Arts in "I am always here, except ten days in mission has been pursuing far less ber in 2013. If all three of these countries Novi Sad, and who was asked in 2002 to July, then I am on vacation," she laughs. stringent approaches to try to get the are still, or again, deeply troubled, what continue the tradition of entertaining Jakšić also does a one-hour per- two governments to change course. does that tell us about the transforma- guests in the quarter and maintain the formance outside the house of Đura People shout slogans in front of the presidential palace in Warsaw, Poland, on Monday, July 24th. Photo: AP/Alik Keplicz In recent days, however, an unprece- tive power of EU enlargement? connection to its late 19th and early 20th Jakšić, a famous Romanticist writer, dented campaign by Poland's conserv- Supreme Court, which among other EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights in Portugal under Socialist Prime Minis- There is another, even more unset- century bohemian heritage. painter and Skadarlija bohemian, on ative leadership against the country's things rules on the validity of elections]. making its case. ter António Guterres, issued a declara- tling possibility. The attacks of Presi- Her act includes greetings in many Fridays at 8pm. The performance is judiciary has brought the Commission The move against the Constitutional However, infringement procedures tion announcing diplomatic sanctions dent Donald Trump on institutions of languages, as well as poetry, songs and free and open to everyone. to the point where it might trigger Arti- Tribunal prompted the European Com- can only be launched when specific against Austria. government in the US [prosecutors, the anecdotes about the many cultural His house, next to the Ima Dana res- cle 7 for the first time. mission to activate a mechanism to provisions in EU law are being violated; However, the sanctions crumbled FBI, the CIA] and of civil society [above figures who have lived in or passed taurant, has served as a meeting point At issue are draft laws submitted by establish whether Poland had violated violations of Article 2 values, as such, quickly, and Haider's resignation as all, the media] suggest that no country, through Skadarlija. and a cultural centre for artists and bo- the ruling Law and Justice Party, PiS, the rule of law. are not sufficient to trigger them. Freedom Party leader further eased no matter how settled and stable insti- Jakšić says that her persona is just hemians for many years. that would allow the government to re- But the "dialogue" that was launched Infringement procedures also can- tensions. In September, the sanctions tutionally, is immune against the au- the most recent in a series of characters Jakšić is recognised as one of the place judges on the Supreme Court and as part of the mechanism was met with not capture the systemic nature of were lifted. thoritarian temptation. who have performed for visitors to Ska- leaders of Serbian Romanticism and give parliament greater control over defiance by the Polish leadership, leav- such violations, for example when a The Haider affair highlighted two Other countries have also enacted il- darlija since 1968. one of the country's greatest painters of the judiciary. ing the Commission with the choice of multitude of domestic legal provisions facts: first, that threats to democracy liberal measures – the UK's erosion of free "Skadarlija has existed since 1863-4; his day. "These laws considerably increase either dropping its case against Poland amount to a concerted weakening of could emerge in established democra- speech in the name of fighting terrorism, that was the time when the first kafanas He is known not only for his paint- the systemic threats to the rule of law," or activating Article 7. democratic institutions. cies, not just the new post-Communist or the adoption of elements of the state opened in Skadarlija," she says. ings such as Kosovo and Battle of Mon- Commission vice-president Frans Tim- The European Union is supposed to Article 7 was first debated by the EU's democracies; and second, that the of emergency in the ordinary laws of "However, in 1968, the mayor of tenegris, but also for his poetry, which mermans said after a meeting of the be a community of values – the values Reflection Group in 1995, and became sanctions regime created by the Am- France. Might it be that it is not the new- Belgrade at the time, Branko Pešić, en- ranges from sonnets and lyrics to patri- college of European Commissioners of liberal democracy spelled out in Ar- law with the Amsterdam Treaty of 1997. sterdam Treaty was unworkable. ness of institutions in Poland and Hun- gaged various people and created a otic songs and epics. on July 19th. "They would abolish any ticle 2 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty. It has The timing is significant: having ab- Despite this recognition, its provi- gary that has made them vulnerable, but team... to take care of the cultural offers Born in 1832, he was also the first art- remaining judicial independence and two main instruments to deal with a sorbed the liberal democracies of Aus- sions made it largely unchanged into the fact that they are democratic? at Skadarlija, and architects to take care ist to move to Skadarlija. put the judiciary under full political situation in which it appears that one of tria, Finland, and Sweden, the EU was the Lisbon Treaty, with one significant The EU must respond to attacks on the of the facades… benches... To give a new Ljiljana Jakšić explains how the influ- control of the government." its members no longer fully subscribes bracing itself for eventual enlargement addition: the EU was now empowered rule of law and on democratic institu- look to Skadarlija with an emphasis on ential painter and poet used to write his President Andrzej Duda in a surprise to these values – infringement proce- into Central and Eastern Europe. to act in the case of a "clear risk of a se- tions, be they in the member states or in times gone by," she adds. verses on restaurant napkins in Skadar- The safest bet if you want to find Lady Skadarlija is to go to Ima Dana or Šešir Moj, as she performs there almost every night. Photo: BIRN/Siri Sollie move vetoed the draft laws on Monday, dures, and Article 7. Worries that the new post-Commu- rious breach" of European values, and the EU's candidate countries. But beyond She recalls performers like the Ska- lija's kafanas. but stressed the importance of judicial [A third, the rule of law mechanism nist democracies of Hungary or Poland no longer only once such a breach had the specific instruments at the EU's dis- darlijan 'dobošar' a drummer who She also speaks about other bo- am a typical steep curved alley in the "Now there are not any bohemians [Serbians] is that we preserve our rich- reform, a hint that the controversial that is now being applied in Poland, was [not to mention Slovakia] were not yet taken place. posal, what is required to stave off such made announcements, and a gypsy hemians and writers who brought middle of Belgrade. And that would be anymore," she says. "At least in the same es, such as Branislav Nušić, Đura Jakšič, measures might be resubmitted in recently added.] fully consolidated were the main driver The threshold for using Article 7 is attacks is the vigilance and courage of fortune-teller who did palm readings colour to Skadarlija and whose spirit all that would be worth saying about way as they were. However, every night Žanka Štokić - all our important writers, altered form. The PiS claims that Po- The Commission routinely launches behind the new article. set high. Establishing the existence [as individuals, and of the civil society they for the restaurants' guests. once made the area the cultural cen- me if it wasn't for my bohemian his- in Skadarlija is never the same." and all those who came here from all land's court system must be purged of infringement procedures to deal with Then, in February 2000, the far-right opposed to the mere risk] of a "serious form together, to resist those in power. "In turn came [actor] Predrag Stanić, tre of Belgrade. tory, if it wasn't for my crumbling roofs, The bohemians might not seek out around the world," she says. Communist-era holdouts and put at the specific violations of EU law. For exam- Austrian Freedom Party of Jörg Haider and persistent breach by a member who knew me, and called me and She mentions Zuko Džumhur, a trav- rickety chairs and open gutters," she Skadarlija these days, but perhaps be- "Secondly, I think that in Skadarlija we service of the people. ple, it initiated a procedure in April over joined the Austrian government, touch- state of the values referred to in Article Toby Vogel is a co-founder and senior asked if I was interested [in perform- elling writer who penned a poem about recites. cause of that, Jakšić takes pride in her can feel how much we [Serbians] actually The draft laws followed a series of a new education law in Hungary that ing off a frenzy of activity among the 2" requires a unanimous decision by associate of the Democratization Policy ing]," she says. Skadarlija, which Jakšić also likes to The well-known but often impover- work, as she keeps their traditions alive have good intentions as a people... how measures designed to restrict the inde- appears designed to close down the other 14 member states. the European Council, minus the mem- Council. Stanić played the character of a trav- include in her performances - and then ished poets and writers who became through her interpretations of their much Serbians are fond of guests. They pendence of the judiciary. Previously, Central European University. The principle that the European ber state concerned. elling actor, and he and Jakšić worked delivers a few lines from the verse by regular visitors to Skadarlija in the early songs, anecdotes and poetry. will do anything to host someone, to ful- the PiS government had curbed the The Commission's main point was Council – the group of EU heads of state Only then can the Council of Ministers The opinions expressed in the com- as a pair until 2014. Since then, Jakšić way of illustration. 20th century came not just from Serbia, "[To perform] this work is truly a spe- fil all their wishes - to create a special at- powers of the Constitutional Tribunal, that the Hungarian law violates EU or government – operates by consen- act with a weighted majority to impose ment section are those of the authors has performed alone. "My name is Skadarlija, or Skadarska but from the whole Yugoslav area – al- cial joy, especially because I perceive mosphere that people will remember for which assesses whether laws are in line rules on the internal market, although sus foreclosed action by the Union. sanctions, such as suspending the mem- only and do not necessarily reflect the "[After that] I shaped my role differ- street, whichever you like. I am not a though those days are now long gone, my work as a 'sign of memory'. I think a long time. You can especially feel that with the constitution [as opposed to the the Commission also referred to the Instead, the presidency, then held by ber state's voting rights in the Council. views of BIRN. ently. I realised that there were a lot of boulevard, an avenue or a highway; I Jakšić admits. what is most important currently for here in Skadarlija," she concludes. 10 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, July 28 - Thursday, September 07, 2017 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, July 28 - Thursday, September 07, 2017 11 OUT AND ABOUT HEALTH AND FAMILY Public breastfeeding still leaves some Serbs uneasy As the world readies to mark Breastfeeding Week, Serbian mothers share their feelings about their own experiences of this in public.

Jevtić wants to spread the idea of the permaculture lifestyle, not through words, but by example; to make more people see that there is another way to live their lives. Photos: Different Belgrade Milan RADONJIĆ

head of World Breast- feeding Week on August 1st, Milica Marković, a An alternative tour of mother of two, told BIRN that she has breastfeed bothA of her children in public many times until they reached 12 months of Belgrade's natural charms age, and never experienced any hostil- ity. changed the tour route as it was very "I breastfed my children in the park Inspired by hot outside and took his guests to the in my neighbourhood, in restaurants, nearby Trešnja Lake for a swim: "For even on a plane, and it was all positive ecology and me it was great day," he says with a grin for me," she said. on his face. "Breastfeeding is the most important ‘Monty Python', One of the most important principles way to establish a connection with of permaculture is that everything is your child and one of most tender ex- Dejan Jevtić done by working with nature, rather periences any woman can have. In my then against it, and Jevtić takes this opinion, a mother's attention should offers something idea to his heart. be only on her child, not on the people It also implies building some kind of around her," Marković added. completely community – although he has found Her experience is shared by many that it is sometimes easier to do things other women. But some say they have different to the yourself. faced judgemental looks. "In the beginning I tried to include lot Breastfeeding in public may not be a usual tours – an more people in the work on construc- hot topic in Serbia's mainstream media, tion, but this was not such a positive but it is often debated on social me- environmentally- experience," he recalls. dia and on forums for parents, where "People sometimes tend to be too re- women share conflicting thoughts on conscious view of laxed about the work that needs to be whether breastfeeding in public is ac- done. So I like better doing everything I ceptable or not. the city. can by myself, although I like the com- In January, the model Bojana Barović pany. When it comes to work it seems to shared a photo on Instagram of her be better this way," he adds. breastfeeding her baby daughter while He plans to expand his business preparing for a photo-shoot surround- Milan RADONJIĆ and build two or three more houses ed by make-up artists and hair stylists. on his estate in Prnjavor. In the future, While the photo mainly drew sup- our years ago, in the sleepy he wants to create events in which portive comments, Barović's com- hamlet of Prnjavor in the more people could participate, such ment thread saw a developing debate, foothills of mount Avala, as painters' retreats, concerts or small with some claiming that breastfeeding some 16 kilometres south forest and visits to the most important line from the ‘Monty Python's Flying Cir- real people, not tourists. Not in the real festivals. should be done only in private. Breastfeeding in public may not be a hot topic in Serbia's mainstream media, but it is often debated on social media and on forums for parents. Photo: Flickr/Aurimas Mikalauskas of downtown Belgrade, De- monuments and locations on Mount cus' comedy show, so I have to do some sense of this word," he says. As we walk down through his wood- Ivana Nikolić has breastfed her six- Fjan Jevtić started building his dream Avala. explaining about that sometimes, but I Although the idea to do the alterna- ed estate, he explains how last year he week-old son several times in public. public, in order not to see any negative "To me, it was clear that breastfeed- system in which sexually explicit nudi- In his opinion, until breastfeeding wooden house. This includes entry tickets to the don't mind that. It is a good way to intro- tive Belgrade tours came to him as a organised a wedding here for two of his "The reactions I received were very reaction if there was one," she said. ing was something I should do. How- ty is broadly accepted, while the other becomes more regular in Serbia's con- He built it on the principles of per- Avala television tower, which stands duce the whole experience that they are way to support and further develop his friends, a couple from France and Ser- different. Some people gave me visible But Radulović says she remembers ever, it is not easy to create this bond form, even if it is discrete, is sometimes sumerist society, it will remain contro- maculture, which uses or simulates el- more than 200 metres high on the about to have," says Jevtić as we drive permaculture home project, it was also bia, and built a stage in a small glade for support, while others looked at me in one of her friends hesitating to breast- between mother and child. For most more controversial. versial, but once it is understood as "a ements of natural eco-systems. Based mountain, and an afternoon rest or an past the oak forests of Avala in his red the kind of experience he sometimes the event. some kind of amazement. I find this to feed her child in a restaurant, as she women, it can be a complicated task," "There is obviously some kind of part of the machinery" of humanity, it on the idea of using natural resources overnight stay at Jevtić's Permacultural Zastava 101, once the flagship vehicle of missed on his own travels across Eu- "It was a kind of guided improvisa- be a real irony, as most of those disap- thought it would be perceived as rude. Milosavljević said. deep misunderstanding there. It is a will be more accepted. rationally, permaculture building is Eco House in Prnjavor. Socialist Yugoslavia's auto industry. rope. tion, with some 100 people taking part. proving looks came from other wom- "I believe this is not without cause, as Tereza Kiš Miljković, a consultant for prime example of the effect of advertis- Kiš Miljković said more work needs designed to reduce as many of the Over welcome drinks before lunch, The car has also become part of We had a concert by a French orches- en," Nikolić said. a portion of our society still sees breast- breastfeeding support in the Kopaonik ing and of the hyper-sexualisation of to be done, supporting and empower- possible effects of construction on the guests are given a short introduction Jevtić's alternative narrative. ‘GUIDED IMPROVISATION' tra, a Serbian brass band and a big tent This may be down to the fact that feeding in public as something ob- district, in central Serbia, says most peo- the female body for commercial pur- ing networks for expectant mothers. environment, with the overall goal of to permaculture, followed by a home- "I do not know yet if this is some kind for everybody," he says. breastfeeding in public in Serbia is not scene; the more mothers do it, the less ple's reactions to the sight of a mother poses," Božović said. "There is no need to ask for permis- creating energy-efficient, long-lasting cooked vegetarian meal, sports activi- of lasting trend, but most of our guests As well as sustaining and expanding "I was a bit afraid of how the groom's that common. Nor is breastfeeding gener- it will be perceived as such," she added. feeding her child in public are positive, Breastfeeding in public is not a state- sion from anyone to feed your child houses. ties, and all the adventure they can take. seem to be coming from America, and his own project, Jevtić wants to spread parents would react, as they are not ally practised. According to UNICEF data, Mina Milosavljević, who is about "but a lot depends on education and on ment by the mother but a natural in- whenever and wherever it is neces- At the time, it was a way to change when I explain that this car was once the idea of the permaculture lifestyle, quite used to these kinds of rustic only 13 per cent of babies in Serbia under to deliver her second child in a few empowering young women to feel free stinct, Božović added, calling for a clear, sary," she said. his own life, but more recently, Jevtić ALTERNATIVE NARRATIVE selected as ‘World's Worst Automobile' not through words, but by example; to surroundings. It rained that day, there six months are breastfed exclusively. months' time, says decisions about about their bodies. collective understanding of this. "Pregnancy comes and goes, but has started offering his view of an al- by their compatriots a few decades ago, make more people see that there is an- was mud everywhere, but in the end it Sanja Radulović says breastfeeding breastfeeding depend a lot on personal "If a woman is more sensitive or shy, "It is a delicate question as, on the the first months after birth are even ternative lifestyle to visitors to the Ser- The idea to start taking guests to his when Zastava was exporting its cars to other way to live their lives. was a lovely, amazing experience for in public has been neither a positive or upbringing and on women's attitudes it will be more difficult for her to breast- one side, we tend to neglect the obvi- more important. When you see, that bian capital, providing them with the country home came to Jevtić as a way US, they appreciate the opportunity to "People do not like to be told what all of us." negative experience for her, just a neu- to their own bodies. feed in public space; she will take more ous natural necessity that is a mother's day by day, this little being is grow- opportunity to experience a different to make the whole permaculture pro- ride in it even more," he says. to do and how to think. This is not the tral one. "Until a woman has a child, she views notice if someone looks at her strange- instinct to feed her hungry child, and ing out of something you created Belgrade. ject sustainable in the long run. Those who join his tours are not re- way to change things, as this always "I haven't come across any negative her breasts as a sexual part of her anat- ly," Kiš Miljković remarked. the fact that some parts of our commu- with your own body, it is beyond His tours are not of the city's streets His advertising slogan is: "And now ally expecting luxury anyway, he ex- ignites some kind of resistance and reactions or comments but it was never omy. It's only after she becomes mother A Sociologist of Culture, Professor nity are ready to label it a kind of blas- words. It's a true miracle of life, and and buildings, but of its natural world. for something completely different…" plains. competition," he explains. He says that a concern of mine. I deliberately do not that she starts to understand them as a Ratko Božović, talking of public per- phemy. I think the media and commer- every woman should have a chance Lasting from six to eight hours, they "Many of our visitors, especially the "And this is something that makes he sometimes adjusts his plans to suit Different Belgrade tours can be booked gave much attention to reactions from something to do with her relationship ceptions of breastfeeding, points to the cial advertising have a lot to do with to experience it," Kiš Miljković con- can include guided walks through the younger ones, do not know this famous me really love this work. I get to meet the wishes of his guests; one day, he online at differentbelgrade.com other people when I feed my child in to her child. continuing imbalance in Serbia's value this," the professor continued. cluded. 12 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, July 28 - Thursday, September 07, 2017 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, July 28 - Thursday, September 07, 2017 13 WHAT'S ON ARTS CLUBBING AND LIVE MUSIC

FRIDAY JULY 28th • Somebody Call the Doctor, • Kneejah, Shonze, Untek, Club 94, boat on Sava river, KPTM, Žorža Klemansoa 22, • Mark Olson, Dom Omladine, 11pm 11pm Makedonska 22, 9pm • RNB – Irresponsible and • House Music, Witch Bar, • St Louis, Bitefartcafe Summer Laki, Shake and Shake, boat Pariska 13, 10pm Stage, Mali Kalemegdan 2, on Sava river, 11pm • Capablanca (Discos TRA T T O R I A 10pm • Pure Cream, Club 94, boat on Capablanca), 20/44, boat on PIZZER I A • Buč Kesidi, Stepa and Paper Sava river, 11pm Sava River, 11pm Animals, Elektropionir, • Modular Journey PROMO • Blender // John Digweed, Cetinjska 15, 9:30pm PARTY, Drugstore, Bulevar Barutana, Kalemegdan Nebojsina 8 • DJ Dos Padres – This Despota Stefana 115, 11pm Fortress, 11pm 011/3863-999 , Freestyler, Summer Fell Free • Marlon Brutal, Sale Tru, [email protected] th boat on Sava river, 11pm Smoke Mardeljano & SUNDAY JULY 30 www.restoranamici.rs • Robamtic, Peppe and Miloš DJ Sale L, KPTM, Žorža Starčević, Lasta boat on Sava Klemansoa 22, 11pm • DJ Architect, Club 94, boat river, 11pm • House Music, Witch Bar, on Sava river, 11pm Pariska 13, 10pm • Sunset Event, Shake and • Feloneezy, Phillie P & Shake, boat on Sava river, Whisper Ponton / Dusan 7pm • Live Soundtrack 28, SUNDAY AUGUST 6th Lilic Terasa, 20/44, boat on • Retro Trance, KPTM, Žorža Drugstore, Bulevar Sava River, 11pm Klemansoa 22, 4pm Despota Stefana 115, 9pm • DJ Architect, Club 94, boat on • Barutana meets bipolar Sava river, 11pm house, Barutana, MONDAY JULY 31st FRIDAY AUGUST 4th Kalemegdan Fortress, 11pm MONDAY AUGUST 7th • DJ Marchez, Club 94, boat on • Spurv, Elektropionir, SATURDAY JULY 29th Sava river, 11pm Cetinjska 15, 9pm • DJ Marchez, Club 94, boat on • Monday Love, Shake and • Blow Up Friday, Shake Sava river, 11pm FREE COPY • Ray Drma, Elektropionir, Shake, boat on Sava river, and Shake, boat on Sava Cetinjska 15, 9:30pm 8pm river, 11pm TUESDAY AUGUST 8th Publisher: BIRN d.o.o. • ELECTRIC FUNX, • RnB, Club 94, boat on Sava Kolarčeva 7/5, 11 000 Belgrade Bitefartcafe Summer Stage, TUESDAY AUGUST 1st river, 11pm Phone/Fax: +381 11 4030 300 • DJ Vlada, Freestyler, boat on Mali Kalemegdan 2, 10pm • Blender // Christian Editor in Chief: Gordana Igrić Sava river, 11pm • Luka Concrete, Bojan • DJ Super Hick, Freestyler, Smith, Barutana, BIRN editorial team: Vukmirović, Sugar Lobby, boat on Sava river, 11pm Kalemegdan Fortress, 11pm Ana Petruševa, Marcus Tanner, WEDNESDAY AUGUST 9th [email protected] Drugstore, Bulevar Despota • Dea, Danijel Čerhanov, Club • Institut Fuer Zukunft, Stefana 115, 11pm 94, boat on Sava river, 11pm Drugstore, Bulevar Sales & Marketing: Marija • Tango Jazz Quartet, Petrović • House Night by Mirko and Despota Stefana 115, 11pm Bitefartcafe Summer Stage, Mali nd Summer arts and Phone: +381 11 4030 302 Meex, Freestyler, boat on WEDNESDAY AUGUST 2 Kalemegdan 2, 8pm [email protected] Sava river, 11pm SATURDAY AUGUST 5th • Summer Jam, Club 94, boat on Subscription & Distribution: • Nenad Jovanović, Dooshan • DJ Ike, DJ Prema and DJ Sava river, 11pm Goran Knezevic and Goran Starčević, Lasta Architect, Freestyler, boat on • Somebody Call the +381 11 4030 303 • Shake D Wednesday: RnB, culture highlights boat on Sava river, 11pm Sava river, 11pm Doctor, Club 94, boat on [email protected] • Somebody Call the Doctor, Sava river, 11pm Shake and Shake, boat on Sava The Cineplexx movie theatre has a treat for all ballet enthusiasts: It will be screening a couple of the Bolshoi Ballet's plays in a special programme called “Bolshoi Encore”. Photo: Bolshoi Ballet Club 94, boat on Sava river, THURSDAY AUGUST 3rd • Special House, Freestyler, river, 11pm Printing: POLITIKA štamparija 11pm boat on Sava river, 11pm d.o.o. th FIRST CHINESE from the Serbian art scene for many manacs and calendars in Serbian, Ger- exhibits but which nevertheless com- giving the audience a chance to enjoy , Shake and Shake, , • DJ Vuk, Shake and Shake, THURSDAY AUGUST 10 ISSN 1820-8339 = Belgrade Insight • DJ Vuk • DJ Cholak and DJ Marchez CULTURAL CENTRE IN years, will present 30 of his miniatures, man, Ladino and Hungarian languages. plete the picture of his sensibility, cu- some of the best ballet performances in COBISS.SR-ID: 149132556 boat on Sava river, 11pm Shake and Shake boat on boat on Sava river, 11pm BALKANS SET TO OPEN together with a book of the same title. The nature of these papers is diverse riosity and dedication. The exhibition the world right now for a modest price Circulation: 4,000 • Somebody Call the Doctor, Sava river, 11pm • Nektar Agu (Argentina), • DJ Cholak and DJ Marchez, Miniatures are traditionally created – there are official publications of the will be open until September 3rd in the and from the comfort of their cosy thea- Club 94, boat on Sava river, • RNB Thursday Delight, Pesto kinti & Depra, KPTM, Shake and Shake boat on Sava Belgrade is set to get an impressive with the purpose of accompanying Ashkenazi and Sephardic communi- Gallery of Radio Television of Serbia tre seats. You can catch Shostakovich’s 11pm Lasta boat on Sava river, 11pm Žorža Klemansoa 22, 4am river, 11pm new cultural centre in the city’s fastest- and complementing the text of a (usu- ties, family-run daily papers, sports (RTS). Golden Age on August 12th and the The growing district – New Belgrade. The ally religious) book. Frequently, they magazines, “ladies” magazines, and Bolt, choreographed by the renowned institution will be the first Chinese cul- turn out to be little wonders of fine art. more. There are also magazines from DANUBE PUBLIC BATH A Alexei Ratmansky, will be shown on tural centre in the Balkans, with officials This is precisely the basis upon which the period between the two world wars CULTURAL CENTRE? September 9th. Tickets are available at from both China and Serbia stating that Ulardžić made his miniatures. He gives when the idea of Zionism started to the Cineplexx Ušce Shopping Mall. The its construction is the result of strong his figures autonomy and a voice of expand, as a response to the rise of fas- The Danube public bath, which first price is 10 euros per individual screen- ORDER DELIVERY TO economic and political ties between their own, with a unique surreal touch cism all around the globe and in Serbia opened in 1901, will probably never be ing. Find your copy of YOUR DOOR the two countries. that makes them modern and timeless as well. restored to its original purpose. How- +381 11 4030 303 Belgrade Mayor Siniša Mali and Chi- simultaneously. Another interesting No wartime publications will be ever, there are now talks about turn- CINEMA Belgrade Insight here: [email protected] nese Ambassador to Serbia Li Man- thing about this exhibition is that some presented in this exhibit, since the few ing this amazing space into a cultural SUMMER IN ZVEZDARA www.balkaninsight.com/en/page/subscribe-to-belgrade-insight chang cut the ribbon for the ceremo- of the miniatures are so miniscule, the copies that still exist are kept in the centre. The bath, which occupies some NEIGHBORHOOD nial marking the start of construction. audience will have to use a special Jewish Historic Museum and cannot 3,500 square meters, actually did host a The project has an estimated value of magnifying glass, which will be avail- be moved. However, they will be cata- couple of cultural events over the past As part of the Summer in Zvezdara 45 million euros. The cultural centre, able at the gallery, to take a closer look. logued and described in great detail. few years. They proceeded with great month-long event, this popular and which will be built on the site of the The exhibition will be open through The exhibition will be in the Gallery of success, which is why city officials are breezy Belgrade neighbourhood former Chinese Embassy, will boast ten July 29th. the National Bank of Serbia and it will seriously considering turning it into will get its own open-air cinema. Not MONUMENT HOTEL HYATT INTERGALACTIC DINNER INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF FLY FLY TRAVEL floors in total, two underground, span- be open until September 23rd. a bona fide cultural centre. However, just one cinema, but several of them, Address: Čika Ljubina 9 Address: Milentija Popovića 5 Address: Internacionalnih brigada 22 BELGRADE Address: YUBC Bulevar Mihajla ning more than 32,000 square metres. some officials claim that the bath is in in various locations of the Mirijevo, Address: Hotel Jugoslavija, Bulevar Address: Temišvarska 19 Pupina 10v HISTORY OF BELGRADE HOTEL MOSKVA HOTEL CROWN PLAZA Mihajla Pupina 85A The ground floor will be reserved as JEWISH NEWSPAPERS ON DRAGAN NIKOLIĆ very bad shape and that the project Lion, Mali Mokri Lug and Veliki Mokri Address: Balkanska 1 Address: Vladimira Popovića 10 THE BRITISH INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT DVA JELENA conference space, while the first floor EXHIBIT SCULPTURE EXHIBITION would need a very difficult and expen- Lug neighbourhoods. All residents SCHOOL OF BELGRADE Address: Skadarska 32 will host an exhibition space and an HITS RTS GALLERY sive restoration. It hasn't been ruled out will have the opportunity to enjoy HOTEL SQUARE NINE HOTEL LE PETIT PIAFF TOURIST ORGANISATION OF Address: Smetanina 12 eco-room. The cultural centre will be The Jewish community in Belgrade yet, and the Ministry of Culture and In- gems of Serbian cinema in the urban Address: Studentski trg 9 Restaurant Mali vrabac SERBIA the hub for exchanges to promote Chi- has always been prominent, and has One of most famous and diverse formation is currently discussing the neighbourhoods of the Zvezdara mu- Address: Skadarska 34 Address: Trg Republike 5 RADISSON BLU OLD nese culture in Serbia. It should open its made a huge contribution to the city’s sculptors from the region, Dragan project with several foreign embassies. nicipality. Emphasis will be placed CAFE SNEŽANA MILL HOTEL, BELGRADE doors to the public in about 18 months. cultural, political and economic devel- Nikolić, is an artist who constantly daz- on recent examples of excellent Ser- Address: Knez Mihailova 50 HOTEL MERIOT NATIONAL FOUNDATION Address: Bulevar Vojvode Misica 15 opment. Still, people know little about zles with the diversity of his motifs, BOLSHOI ENCORE IN bian cinematography and some of Address: Vase Čarapića 2-4 FOR DANCE www.radissonblu.com/hotel-belgrade MINIATURES MARK CANVAS its impact. This amazing exhibition of inspirations, inclinations and media of THEATRES SOON the screenings will include actors, KOLARAC Address: Kolarčeva 3 GALLERY’S 3RD BIRTHDAY Jewish newspapers in Serbia from 1888 choice. producers and directors from these Address: Studentski trg 5 BISTRO BAR FLY FLY TRAVEL Address: Kolarčeva 7 to this day seeks to change this. In addition to his famed depictions of The Cineplexx movie theatre has movies, greeting the audience before Address: Vojvode Stepe 198 RESTAURANT BIZU Address: Aerodrom pult The Canvas Gallery will celebrate its The audience can see the first ever ballet dancers, horses, medals, nudes, an amazing treat for all ballet enthu- the film starts. Some of the films in the HOTEL EXCELSIOR Address: Andre Nikolića 1-3 third birthday hosting an exhibition of Jewish news publication in Serbia, El as well as portraits, the Belgrade audi- siasts: It will be screening a couple of programme include the massively SKVER 44 Address: Kneza Miloša 5 FLY FLY TRAVEL miniatures by Dejan V. Ulardžić, enti- Amigo del Pueblo, together with copies ence will also get a chance to see his the Bolshoi Ballet's plays in a special popular Zona Zamfirova and Santa Address: Požeška 44a Address: Knez Mihailova 4 tled Prayer. The artist, who was absent of 76 other publications – magazines, al- drawings, which the artist very rarely programme called “Bolshoi Encore,” Maria della Salute. 14 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, July 28 - Thursday, September 07, 2017 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, July 28 - Thursday, September 07, 2017 15 GOING OUT NOW AND THEN Zappa Barka

first splav you see and the easiest one After a colourful to get to. It’s strange then that the splav has changed ownership so many times rock-themed despite the premium location, but per- BRANKO'S BRIDGE haps the concept of the splav was nev- revamp the er interesting enough to attract a stable following. Zappa Barka With this reincarnation as the Zappa Barka, the owners are definitely mak- splav is attracting ing sure to get the club’s visual identity taken care of and noticed right from the large numbers of start. The entire outside of the splav has young revellers, been painted with portraits of famous American and British rock and pop but will they keep stars, so there’s absolutely no second guessing when it comes to the music coming? that’s going to be heard here. While artists must have spent a lot of time putting these portraits and murals David GALIĆ together on the outside of the splav, perhaps they didn’t have much time ocated on a familiar splav to focus on the interior, which is fairly that seems to change own- minimal and uninteresting. It’s a typical ership every summer, Zap- two-story boat, with most of the action pa Barka might be new, but tacking place on the top deck, especial- the concept of the club is far ly during the summer. Lfrom innovative. Once you walk across the bridge that Many Belgraders will know this splav takes you from the quay to the boat, as Olympic, because that was the name you go up a flight of metallic stairs and of the original boat, a name that was enter the main area of the club. The bar never taken off the boat even as own- is to the right and the DJ/stage area is ers tried to rebrand and change names to the left. Most of the main area of the year after year. club is filled with nothing but standing- There was actually a serious fire on room tables – especially on weekends this splav last summer, but the splav – making it obvious that you should be King Alexander´s Bridge between 1934 and 1941. Photo: Wikimedia/Cerovic Dragana Branko´s Bridge today. Photo: Wikipedia/Marcin Szala has now been restored and is open for dancing at Zappa Barka, not lounging business under new management. The around. Zappa brand has blossomed recently in While the musical concept does dif- the city centre, first a café was opened fer from the majority of the Serbian up in Kralja Petra and a sandwich bar folk and pop music-loving splavs in with the same branding, which features this area of the city, it’s still not entirely Zappa is a safe bet if you're looking for a place this summer that's going to be packed with people. Photo: Facebook/Zappa Barka The construction of the 474-metre-long bridge modern incarnation has also seen tragedy. the late weird-rock genius Frank Zappa that original. There are two more splavs Brankov most (Branko’s started in 1930, and it opened in 1934. The rebuilding of the bridge started in 1956, and as its main symbol, was opened recent- - Šlep and Povetarac - located within every weekend, which is probably do area of the city. So while there’s noth- Time will tell whether it will be able Bridge) is one of the city’s On the day of its opening, as many as 150,000 of during its construction, engineers made use of ly right around the corner. walking distance of Zappa that cater to to the fact that the exterior of the splav ing spectacular about the drink offers, to sustain its popularity despite the fact Belgrade’s inhabitants crossed the bridge. the still-standing lower parts of the old destroyed This splav seems to be run by the similar musical crowds. is so colourfully and clearly decorated prices, interior of the club or the music that it doesn’t really offer anything that essential transit points The bridge was also popularly known as ‘The bridge’s pylons. same people, since the branding is the However, Zappa seems to be holding and branded as a place where foreign that’s being played, Zappa is a safe bet can’t be found on a number of nearby Zemun Bridge’, as the first tram route between Apart from these pylons, there is little left of the same. If you’re familiar with the splav its own this summer, probably because rock and pop music is appreciated. if you’re looking for a place this sum- establishments. across the river Sava, Belgrade and Zemun started to run across it in Serbian-Byzantine-style architecture that once in question, its boasts one of the best it’s brand new. Crowds flock here on the A good percentage of Zappa pa- mer that’s going to be packed with peo- ZAPPA BARKA but its history has been 1935 - tram 14. characterised King Alexander’s Bridge. possible locations, floating right under weekends and the parties always seem trons also appear to be a bit younger ple who enjoy dancing to foreign rock Address: Ušće bb The original bridge, however, was not to last long. There are several urban myths circulating as to the Brankov Bridge. Once you cross the to be lively. There’s also a noticeable – 25 and under – which is par for the and pop, particular from the 1970s and Contact: +381 69 773769 marred by war and tragic On April 12th, 1941, the Serbian armed forces demol- why the bridge got its name. bridge to the New Belgrade side, it’s the number of foreigners coming to Zappa course when it comes to splavs in this 1980s. www.facebook.com/Zappa-Barka deaths. ished it with explosives during the night, in a bid to An often-told tale says it was named after the prevent German forces from entering Belgrade. writer Branko Ćopić, who committed suicide by During the demolition, however, a ship called jumping off the bridge in 1984. Siri SOLLIE Tanasko Rajić was under the bridge. But actually the bridge got its name from Belgrade’s The engineers in charge of the levelling of the Brankova Street, which leads to the bridge on the ranko’s Bridge, located on Brankova bridge did not see the ship because of the dark- old town side. summer highlights Street, stretching over the Sava river, ness, and as a consequence, 95 people out of a Brankova street got its name after the Serbian connecting New Belgrade with the old total of 110 on board the vessel lost their lives. Romanticist poet, Branko Radičević, who born in town, has had a turbulent history. 1824. Belgrade summer can Drugstore Once the bridge was called King Al- BRANKOV MOST As the bridge went by the name Brankov Most The premier clubbing spot in Belgrade now has Bexander’s Bridge (Most Kralja Aleksandra), named before 1984, the year of Branko Ćopić’s suicide, be truly brutal, the a garden area too. Far from scenic, it’s located be- after the last king of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats Today, Branko’s Bridge connects the old town his tragic death could not have had any role in its tween a couple of giant brick buildings. However, at and Slovenes, King Alexander I of Yugoslavia. with the business district in New Belgrade, but its naming. sweltering concrete least it allows you to enjoy Drugstore’s year-round programme with a bit of wind in your hair. And de- landscape uninviting spite the heat, the techno parties inside Drugstore’s and difficult to main area are still very popular over the summer, which is a testament to the club’s meticulous book- navigate. Seek respite ings and its dedication to quality over quantity. Even in the scorching heat, Drugstore is still an essential from the heat by clubbing spot Polet in Cetinjska. Photo: Facebook/Polet enjoying city nightlife. Gavez Published by If you really want to get far out of the city, without nightlife hub. Polet is probably the least claustro- Brodić actually leaving it, Gavez might be your best bet. Lo- phobic of the many bars and clubs located. It’s Looking for an out-of-the-way place by the river? David GALIĆ cated on the “other” side of Ada Ciganlija, (i.e. the side small, the patrons are mostly a bit older, it has It’s hard to beat Brodić. However, you need to get there that doesn’t have dozens of cafes and clubs lined up a great yard area with a bit of greenery around early if you want a table. Heck, even if it’s lunch time hile Belgrade has no shortage of next to each other), Gavez is the perfect place to chill it and the music isn’t overly loud. If you want to and 40 degrees Celsius out, it’s still full. Why is that? bars and clubs to enjoy, several out a bit because the temperature is usually some 5 stay in the city centre and enjoy drinks and con- Because Brodić also has incredible pizzas too that A LEADING PROVIDER OF SUBSCRIBE TO inhabit indoor locations that degrees lower at Gavez than in the city. Gavez is basi- versation with friends over unobtrusive jazz mu- people sometimes wait hours for. And you also can’t NEWS AND ANALYSIS OUR PREMIUM don’t translate well to the sum- cally a cabin with an improvised bar and a bunch of sic, this is the place to be. beat their white wine spritzers, which they serve with CONTENT mer season. Here are a few rec- seating in its large yard, but it’s a great place to hang ice in the largest possible big mug they can find. IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE Wommendations for places you should check out if out and even catch a concert every now and then. Samo Pivo for in-depth analysis, you’re looking to cool off a bit. If you enjoy nature and don’t mind traveling a bit, While there are tons of places now in Belgrade to Povetarac investigative reports, check it out – just be sure to bring some bug spray drink craft beer, Samo Pivo is still the best, especially For the “alternative” crowd that wants to party on features, interviews, with you! during the summer. Samo Pivo was the first bar of its the river, this is still the most popular place. It’s locat- commentary and profiles 20/44 on the latest business and A staple of the Belgrade clubbing scene for kind of open up in Belgrade, but took its popularity to ed right in the middle of all the gaudy Serbian “turbo political headlines. years now, 20/44 remains the best place to listen Polet a new level once it moved to its current location, which folk” splavs, but has remained adamant over the to underground electronic music on Sava quay. While the brick and concrete of the popular has a huge terrace that overlooks Balkanska Street. It’s years in keeping its identity as a rock venue despite Even during the summer, the club constantly Cetinjska street club cluster might not be a great still a veritable concrete jungle and not very inviting being so out of place in its location. If you want to go features foreign music acts and the best local DJs. place to cool off, it’s still one of the most popular during the day, but the big terrace gives it a huge advan- out and listen to foreign rock and pop music on the OTHER SERVICES: One of the unique things about 20/44 is its diverse places for people to hang out during the sum- tage for beer drinking at night, compared to all of the river, there are a couple of other options in this area selection of music – it doesn’t restrict itself to one mer simply because of its prime city centre loca- other craft beer bars, which are mostly basement-based of. However, none are as popular and as Povetarac type of genre or scene. tion and every-growing reputation as a Belgrade with a few tables out front in the summer. continues to be. 16 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, July 28 - Thursday, September 07, 2017 ADVERT Map of City Centre

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