Issue No. 196 Friday, December 04 - Tuesday, December 22, 2015 ORDER DELIVERY TO Crafting a Occupy: The Merlinka YOUR DOOR +381 11 4030 303 new ceramics activists film festival [email protected] - ISSN 1820-8339 1 culture in reviving arthouse ‘is for INSIGHT IS PUBLISHED BY 0 1 Belgrade cinema everyone’

Page 5 Page 6 Page 10 9 7 7 1 8 2 0 8 3 3 0 0 0 Even when the Democrats longas continue to likely is This also are negotiations Drawn-out Surely the situation is urgent Mystery 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 , 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

Serbia’s delicate - surrounds - - - fundingNEWS of West balancing act Albanian NEWS While Belgrade in- jihadists “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: sists it will remain 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. The source of militarily neutral, the funds for many believe the the travel and page 10 country will even- living expenses tually be forced to of Albanian choose sides. militants heading 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 and pean Championships in , 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

to the war in Syria June 13, 2008 Issue No. 1 / Friday, Dušica TOMOVIĆ Saša DRAGOJLO remains unclear to

lthough the Serbian investigators. page 5 government claims that joining NATO is not yet an issue, the Aleksandra BOGDANI fact Montenegro was Flamur VEZAJ invited to join the al- nd conomists are warning that pro - over Serbia’s uncertainty longed “This year has been lost, from the liance on December 2 has focused man in his fifties was After eight years of stagnation, the pro-European and nation - With Nikolic believes the Socialists, led “The group of younger Socialists

A 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 minds on how much longer Belgrade filmed in the hall of E can maintain its military neutrality and Mother Teresa Airport delicate balancing act between Russia in Tirana, teaching and the West. three young men how When it comes to military coopera- to act on boarding their first ever flight. AFriday • June 13 2008 tion, Belgrade rather shyly made public That was back on January 2nd, 2014, the number of joint activities it has car- when Albanian police stopped the ried out with NATO over the past few young men from heading towards the years. On the other hand, defence co- battle fronts of Syria. THIS ISSUE OF operation with Russia is presented as a One of them carried a handwritten Belgrade Insight IS SUPPORTED BY: IS SUPPORTED strategic priority for Serbia. letter in his pocket, reading: “Tirana- 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 Istanbul-Gaziantep-Kilis. $750 belong 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 Continued on page 2 Stoltenberg and Vučić during the November visit. Photo: Flickr/NATO to Ebu Amar’s family.” The note described the route that three young men needed to follow to reach the war in Syria. As for the mon- ey, that was a contribution from “Mus- Land lease changes split lim brothers” in Tirana to the widow and orphans of Diamant Rasha, who still live in camps in Syria. Rasha – who took the religious name Serbian farmers of Ebu Amar – was a pizza delivery man in Tirana who died on December 28th, Move to bring more clarity to agricultural having been adopted by the Govern- though this would go against the terms 2013, fighting in Syria for ISIS, the so- ment. of Serbia's Stabilisation and Association called Islamic State. land use laws has upset some farmers - who The key amendment being sug- Agreement, SAA, with the EU. Tracing the source of funding for Al- claim the changes favour the big players. gested is a provision that will allow big Signed on April 28th, 2008, the terms banian jihadists fighting in Syria from investors to lease up to 30 per cent of of the SAA state that foreigners will 2012 to 2014 has proved a challenge state-owned arable land in each munic- be entitled to buy farmland in Serbia for ’s office for the Prosecution local roads for the past ten days, with ipality for up to 30 years, without going without restriction from September of Serious Crimes, as it investigates a Stevan VELJOVIĆ the number of industry associations through a public procurement process. 2017, which some farmers strongly op- group of 13 suspected Islamists arrest- Katarina MARKOVIĆ involved in the protest growing. Farmers claim that this third of the pose. ed in March. The most notable rally took place on arable land currently in state owner- Under existing laws, foreigners can Investigation papers that BIRN has armers in Serbia are divided over November 25th, when a group of farm- ship will end up being split between a only buy arable land in Serbia if they obtained show that the source of the proposed changes to the law on ers parked their vehicles in front of the handful of big companies, damaging register a company in the country, but funding for the 90 Albanians who trav- Fagricultural land, which some say Serbian parliament. the interests of individual producers. from September 2017, they will also be elled to Syria over those two years re- are designed to suit the big corporations. These protests drew the public’s at- The farmers also want the law also allowed to purchase land as individuals. mains unclear. Farmers in Vojvodina, the country's tention to the proposal, which is cur- to include a clause that will impede northern province, have been blocking rently in the parliamentary procedure, the sale of farmland to foreigners, al- Continued on page 7 Continued on page 8

+381 11 4030 306 [email protected] 2 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, December 04 - Tuesday, December 22, 2015 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, December 04 - Tuesday, December 22, 2015 3 SERBIA SERBIA

Continued from page 1 COMMENT Serbia’s delicate Biden Playing politics with Russia-West balancing act remembers polygraphs in Serbia fter Montenegro, a coun- try which was until 2006 Tito part of a loose federation with Serbia, received its The US is not ‘rediscovering’ its interest Lie-detector machines have become NATO invite, Belgrade was quick to yet again in the – it never lost it. commonplace tools in political Aunderline its status as a militarily neutral country. Milan MIŠIĆ remains the tool for democratic, showdowns in Serbia - but because “NATO did not invite us to join nor have economic and institutional moderni- as the US – quite busy zation of candidate countries. polygraphs aren’t reliable judges of we expressed any desire to become a these days with multiple member. Serbia's membership in NATO is crises in the Middle East With some obstacles and frustrations, not an issue now, but we will see whether it – intentionally renewed of course. The biggest headache is honesty, the public is being misled, will be one day," Dragan Šormaz, an MP for its interest in the Balkans, America’s greatest success, Bosnia. orH are analysts reading too much into Two decades after the Dayton Accords the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, told legal experts believe. the fact that two of the highest officials were signed, it is obvious that the price nd the Tanjug news agency on December 2 . from Washington found the time to for stopping the war was cementing On cooperation with Russia, however, visit two of the region’s capitals within Bosnia’s ethnic divide and establishing and Lidija Udovički, the former man- Serbian officials appear to be rather more a single week? a dysfunctional state. Momir ILIĆ ager of US company Continental Wind open to public discussion. Partners, who is also Public Administra- Vice-president Joe Biden was in Washington is frustrated by its inabil- In early September, the Serbian Army erbian Prime Minister tion Minister Kori Udovički’s sister. on November 25th, while Secretary of ity to reopen Dayton and reorganize participated in joint military exercises State John Kerry travelled to Belgrade Bosnia, blaming this mostly on the Aleksandar Vučić took It was mentioned in this phone with Russia and , despite opposi- on December 3rd. Serb-dominated entity, Republika Srp- a polygraph test on No- conversation that the Prime Minister tion from the EU. Named Slavic Brother- ska. The reality is that, with so many vember 29th in order to Vučić’s close friend Nikola Petrović, hood, the exercises were held in southern Neither visit is bilateral. Zagreb was levels of governing bodies in the other rebut the allegations made the director of the Elektromreža Srbije, hosting the Brdo-Brijuni summit, a entity, the Bosnian-Croat Federation, Russia. In addition, the first ever joint Ser- against him by the Bel- EMS, public power firm, had allegedly regional forum established 2013 gath- there are other vested interests that bian-Russian military exercises were held ering leaders of the former Yugoslav keep things the same. gradeS tabloid Kurir. asked Udovički for two million euros at the Nikinci military base near Belgrade republics, together with Albania and Vučić voluntarily went to the police in order to connect the US company’s last month. Kosovo. Belgrade was the venue for To the south, Macedonia is unable to for the lie-detector test after Sunday’s wind farm to the EMS grid. During his visit to Moscow in October, an OSCE ministerial meeting. But it is move forward on its EU and NATO edition of Kurir published allegations It was impossible to independently also true that the US presence on both path due to the senseless name the Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar that, along with his brother Andrej establish the authenticity of the tran- occasions could have been at some dispute with its neighbor, , Vučić even announced he had reached an lower level. longtime member of the Western club. Vučić and several other people, the script, and Pajtić denied the allegations. agreement with Moscow on the purchase It is indeed strange that Washington is prime minister had been involved in Nikola Petrović went to the police of Russian weapons. He underlined Serbia The Zagreb gathering was dedicated to powerless as a mediator in this tangle. blackmail and forcing a false testimony on October 12th and, as officials said, would only buy defensive weapons from the two most pressing and interlinked out of the tabloid’s former director. “passed” the lie-detector test, while issues of the day, the refugees/migrant Since Albania is already in NATO while Moscow in order to maintain a “security A few hours after the test, Inte- Pajtić, who refused to take the test, was Belgrade keeps underlining its status Photo: Flickr/Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum crisis and terrorism. negotiating with the EU, and Montene- balance” in the region. as a militarily neutral country. gro is some steps behind, Washington rior Minister Nebojša Stefanović told strongly criticized by Vučić’s Serbian Back in July, Serbian Defence Minister The unprecedented wave of people is paying special attention to the a press conference that Vučić had Progressive Party. Bratislav Gašić said Belgrade was planning with NATO is practically a state policy,” The government has promised to in- from war zones in Syria and Iraq and biggest country in the region, Serbia, “passed the polygraph” - that is, the ac- Responding to the story, Vučić said: to purchase two military helicopters from Milić said. crease Serbia’s participation in multina- of others seeking a better life from as a country whose people adore Russia cusations against him were false. “I think that it is clear to everyone that far as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bang- but who for all practical matters - travel, Russia and were in talks about sending She believes Serbia will likely cease tional operations and to optimize the or- ladesh, North Africa included, use the study, entertainment, trade and work - Over the past two years, during the if you avoid taking a polygraph test and Serbian servicemen to Russia for training. holding military exercises with Russia ganisational structures of both the armed “Balkan route” to reach north Europe. go to Western Europe and the US. course of numerous scandals in Serbia, saying whether something is or isn’t Stefanović told a press conference that Vučić had “passed the polygraph. Photo: Beta However, at the same time Vučić was eventually, since cooperation with NATO forces and the defence minister to maxim- a number of people have either asked true, this means that you are either not announcing ever increasing military co- is much more developed. ise compliance with NATO standards. This has strained local institutions and Serbia vows that it will never impose to undergo a polygraph test or were telling the truth or that you are hiding He explained that up until then, he polygraph testing is becoming wide- authorities of exaggerating the poly- operation with Moscow, Serbian troops But public opinion about NATO has Under IPAP, Serbia also plans to devel- services and destabilized relations sanctions against Moscow, but its urged by the authorities to take one in something.” had been misinforming the public spread. This compromises not just the graph’s powers, counting on people’s between neighbors, as was shown by Prime Minister, Aleksandar Vučić, th were preparing for November’s large-scale been deeply divided since the alliance op a professional military education and the recent episode of border-closing who organized a military parade for order to prove their innocence. Right after that, on November 8 , about the government because he was use of the machine but also those who ignorance of its limitations. NATO exercises held in , together launched air strikes against the former training system to meet NATO standards and heated verbal exchanges between President Vladimir Putin, visited him The results of these tests, which are the owner of the Farmakom company, under pressure from the authorities. ascribe to it some non-existing charac- “The results of a polygraph test can with, among others, soldiers from Albania, during a 78-day bombing cam- and establish a training centre at the Jug and Serbia. last month and in November travelled not admissible in court, were released Miroslav Bogićević, demanded a poly- This media showdown continues teristics,” he added. only serve as an indication, because , , Montenegro and Slo- paign in 1999, forcing Serbia to withdraw military base near the town of Bujanovac. to Beijing, also performed a rare feat by police officials who offered no addi- graph test in order to prove that Kurir to this day. A polygraph was also used Criminologist Dobrivoje Radovanović this is not a way to discover a lie, let venia. from Kosovo, which then was placed un- Finally, Serbia and NATO have already Biden, 73, a veteran of American this year: officially entering the White tional information on how the testing owner Aleksandar Radić had allegedly during a dismissal from the police in notes that in Serbia, polygraph tests are alone the truth,” he said. politics and diplomacy, mentioned in House twice. Last month, Serbia hosted NATO Secre- der international administration and later agreed to “inform the public of implement- Zagreb that he “remembered Tito” (his was carried out and by who. extorted money from him on several June 2014. used in preliminary criminal investi- He said that because these polygraph tary General Jens Stoltenberg. declared independence. ed projects and joint activities" by organis- first visit to Yugoslavia was while its The first time, in June, Vučić talked The police officials released the re- occasions. Serbia’s Criminal Police chief Rodoljub gations but that cannot be used as evi- results are checked by anyone else, let When it comes to NATO, Serbian offi- Many Serbs remain bitter about the loss ing study visits and publicising informa- famous president was alive), but his with Obama’s National Security sults through the media as ‘ultimate The test results were personally re- Milović voluntarily asked for a lie-de- dence in court. alone by a court, the public is asked to cials seem reluctant to admit that the num- of its former province, as Kosovo is widely tion on Serbia-NATO cooperation. main message was that America is not adviser Susan Rice, and the second proof’ of criminal activity or as proof of leased by the head of the Criminal Po- tector test, which he passed, in an effort “The unreliability of the polygraph take the authorities at their word. renewing its interest in the Balkans time, in September, his host was Vice- ber of military exercises with the Western regarded as the ‘cradle’ of Serbian nation- "The goal is to introduce a public infor- innocence. lice Directorate, Nataša Senić, who said to defend himself against accusations should be pointed out as often as pos- “If they say that someone passed for the simple reason that “The US has President Biden. military alliance are much greater than hood. mation strategy on cooperation with the never left”. “Incorrect polygraph interpretation that Bogićević had “told the truth”. made about him by drug boss Darko sible, so the public will understand that a polygraph test, then they should the number of drills with Russia. In the last Despite its 2007 declaration of military Euro-Atlantic structures through the Part- The latter visit was somewhat marred has become a political weapon in the All this took place in the midst of Šarić, who claimed that Milović had tak- the polygraph is often manipulated and present and make available the re- two years alone, Serbian forces have taken neutrality, Belgrade remains a member of nership for Peace programme with the So, who is right: Biden or the political by a protest letter signed by a group hands of the executive branch of pow- conflicts between media favouring the en money and rigged his trial. Despite the that its results can be misused,” said sults in full. We should also have part in dozens of joint exercises with the NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme. aim of gaining public support,” the docu- pundits? Actually, both. of five congressmen alleging corrupt er,” suggests Serbian lawyer Slobodan prime minister on one side, and on the positive results, Milović was dismissed. Radovanović. information on who carried out the practices by some of Vučić’s close armies of NATO member countries. In 2007, Serbia formally set out areas of ment reads. Beljanski. other side the tabloid Kurir, which had Lawyer Beljanski said that the way He added that in some European testing and which set of questions US diplomacy is paying close atten- associates. Gašić insists the Serbian army tries to cooperation with NATO and began taking However, recent polls suggest that tion to the Balkans, which Washington The polygraph played a major role suddenly stopped supporting Vučić. polygraph tests are being used “reflects countries, such as Switzerland and was used during the testing,” the run a balanced policy of military and in- part in the alliance’s planning and review public support in Serbia for joining NATO started doing (reluctantly at first) dur- But in general, official Washington is at the beginning of October when tran- Kurir’s owner Aleksandar Rodić on on the reputation of the state and its in- Denmark, its use is banned. judge said. ternational cooperation. process, which aims to train local forces to remains extremely low. Survey results in- ing the traumatic disintegration of the happy with the current Serbian lead- scripts were leaked of a telephone con- November 8th published a dramatic stitutions”. A Belgrade Higher Court judge, who “If these conditions are not met, that "We have had joint exercises with the NATO standards. dicate that more than 50 per cent of Serbs former Yugoslavia. ers. They are a positive surprise: the versation between the leader of the op- front page with the headline “Serbia, “To make things worse, stigmatiza- insisted on anonymity because he said leaves room for suspicion about abuse ex-Radicals are leading the country Russians and with NATO, and our military A year later, Belgrade and NATO signed would say ‘no’ to NATO membership. position Democratic Party, Bojan Pajtić, I’m Sorry”. tion of those who refuse to undergo he is afraid of retribution, accused the and scheming,” he added. Less enthusiastically than some EU towards the EU, are improving rela- personnel underwent training programs a security agreement protecting classified As a result, no one in the Serbian po- states, the US recognized the seces- tions with all neighbors, executing eco- both in Russia and in the US," he told the information and Serbia officially opened litical establishment is willing to risk their sion of and Croatia (then nomic reforms and participating in the Serbian daily newspaper Blic in August. its mission in the alliance’s Brussels head- political future by publicly backing NATO helped the latter to clean itself from substantive dialogue with “Priština” quarters. membership and so, when it comes to mil- rebellious Serbs); Bill Clinton’s admin- (code word for Kosovo government). istration entered into Bosnia’s bloody In January this year, Belgrade and NATO itary exercises abroad, they usually ‘play SERBIA conflict and ultimately brokered the That doesn’t mean that Serbia is ‘FACING TURNING POINT’ signed an Individual Partnership Ac- the neutrality card’. 1995 peace in Dayton. Bombing Serbia formally reconciled to Kosovo’s tion Plan, IPAP, which envisages security Despite the frequency with which Ser- in 1999 established the ground for independence: it is still too big a frog to However, some experts believe Serbia cooperation between Serbia and NATO bian officials cite military non-alignment, Kosovo’s independence, which came swallow and a lot of work is still to be cannot remain neutral in the long term. forces in Kosovo, with the alliance provid- many say Belgrade simply doesn’t have some years later. done (in Pristina as well).

Jelena Milić, director of Belgrade’s Cent- ing Belgrade with internal defence and the kind of independent neutrality of a Nowadays, US ambassadors are a Meanwhile, US-Serbia military coop- er for Euro-Atlantic Studies, says the Ser- security sector reform expertise. The plan country like Switzerland. powerful presence in all regional eration is advancing, and the other bian public should be better informed by also provides for Serbia’s participation in “Serbia has only proclaimed military in- capitals, not shy of interfering in local day another chunk of ice was broken government about the type and extent of NATO’s Science for Peace and Security pro- dependence which is not the same. We do issues beyond diplomatic rules and by the visit of Jens Stoltenberg, NATO cooperation with NATO. gramme. not have political or economic capacity to protocols. Secretary General, who was wel- comed with bread and salt, traditional “The state is facing a turning point. Out be neutral like they [the Swiss] are," former The stated goal of Washington in symbols of Serbian hospitality. of the 28 EU member states 22 are NATO ‘LONG-TERM COOPERATION Serbian Defence Minister Šutanovac told the Balkans is stability (keeping it “in members, so it is impossible to separate WITH NATO’ BIRN. orbit”, is the unstated goal), and so Although Washington is on the alert the EU path from NATO. Not in terms of He underlines that in a global collective far, it is a success. The region is still for Russian moves to detach Serbia conditions for membership, but that these According to the IPAP deal, Serbia in- system of security, Serbia will have to co- fragile but less than it used to be. With from the EU path, so far, the situation is Slovenia (from 2004) and Croatia under control. Because of that, Biden’s are mostly the same countries and their tends to develop "long-term, substantive operate with everybody – including both (since 2013) in EU and NATO, the rest and Kerry’s visits to Zagreb and Bel- armies are drawn from the same citizens” and concrete cooperation with NATO", en- NATO and Russia. of the region is on a track leading to grade are a matter of both diplomatic she told BIRN. hance political and security consultations "Serbia is not ready to join NATO at the Brussels’ door. routine and special attention at the “Generally speaking, the atmosphere with the alliance on issues of national and moment. After the Paris attacks, Russia same time. The Balkans are under a around NATO is really poor in Serbia. regional interest and boost political dia- and NATO will also have to cooperate Be- The travelling speed varies. The EU Western umbrella, but the pouring magnet is not as strong as before, rain outside is getting worse. That topic is still a taboo and it is used to logue with the NATO assembly and mem- cause of the global situation, Serbia cannot but in general, the accession process manipulate people, although partnership ber states. afford to choose sides,” Šutanovac says. And we too remember Tito. 4 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, December 04 - Tuesday, December 22, 2015 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, December 04 - Tuesday, December 22, 2015 5 BELGRADE BELGRADE

Belgrade through the Crafting a eyes of a Gen Y new ceramics Change is a good thing, right? culture in

Emma KRSTIĆ “Even for Australians, they come be- cause they have the Schengen [visa], elgrade’s recent, tangible and they don’t need it here.” Belgrade history is one of the most fascinating things Belgrade’s real appeal is still quite about the city. So when I hidden, which also means it’s full of heard this week that the surprises. A new art movement is germinating among displays of Bbombed-out former army head- quarters are going to be demolished, On a more obvious level, the hipster asymmetrical coffee cups, boldly shaped vases and large, I was actually disappointed. But I crowd has descended on Savamala understand why. This is a very literal – jovially referred to by locals as the example of how the city is dusting ‘Berlin of the Balkans’ – which is now modernist sculptures in an intimate shop in Dorćol. itself off from its tumultuous past. featured in most travel guides since it boomed into a hotbed of culture Clearly the city is moving forward, about five years ago. Once home to but I get the feeling it’s a recent the city’s aristocracy, World War II left Drew ADAMEK the many handcrafted items for sale torical tradition of Serbian pottery, but development. So I went in search the area a shell of its former self, an at Blatobran Gallery. Bojana Ristevski, the Blatobran collective is making the of someone who could shed some aesthetic the creatives who eventual- light – from a Gen Y perspective. ly moved in deliberately maintained. s the world’s only also 30, offers whimsical vases, planters first attempt to systemically create a store devoted solely and tea sets that draw on food, animals contemporary ceramic arts scene in Enter Jovana, a guide from Belgrade But even here Jovana says there are ‘se- to Serbian ceramics, and faces for inspiration. the country. The ten members of the Blatobran collective opened the Photo: Drew Adamek Walking Tours who has welcomed crets’; look up as you walk inside Mikser Blatobran Galerija Ceramic arts are not new to Serbia; “We are trying to make some sense gallery in April 2015. plenty of tourists to the city since House (Karađorđeva 46) and you’ll see is quietly launching the discipline has been a part of the out of it, to say: we are potters, we she started leading history-focused a 3D whale staring back at you. an ambitious pro- curriculum at the Academy of Applied are designers and we are artists at jaunts around town three years ago. Aject to establish a Arts since the 1970s, and there is a his- the same time. We wanted to clarify In that time, she has noticed a lot of While the bars and cafes of Sava- contemporary that by opening the gallery,” said changes, including the nationality mala and lower Dorcol, which is tradition of We are trying Draškoci. of visitors. brewing as the next ‘it’ neighbour- ceramic art Among the most significant chal- hood, are relatively east to stumble in Serbia. lenges Blatobran faces is the lack of “At first it was only Australians [on upon, other venues are not. Belgrade will be lit up until January 20th. Photo: BIRN/Filip Avramović to make some Along the high quality ceramics supplies in Ser- the tours]. No one else. Now we have a lot of people from the States, Jovana discloses a rooftop jazz bar way, it hopes sense out of it, bia. Only one retailer in Serbia stocks Germany, , the UK and called Sinnerman (Trg Nikole Pašića to make Bel- the necessary supplies and the quality .” 5) on top of a socialist-era building Belgrade lights add grade a Europe- to say: we are is often inconsistent. near Nikola Pašić Square square, an centre for ceramics exhibition and Blatobran artists have to travel to Slo- That’s not to say the tourist industry which you enter via an elevator at the education. venia to buy material, but this scarcity is suddenly booming. The legacy rear of a small espresso bar at its base. Blatobron Galerija is the exhibition potters, we are forces them to think in different ways. from such a tumultuous history and Another place, Pubby’s Magic Garden sparkle to holiday season and retail space of the Blatobran Crea- “It’s like trying to cook your favourite so recent wars means Belgrade, and (Makedonska 5), is a rock/punk tive Centre, an artists’ collective dedi- designers and we meal and not having any of the right Serbia, is still shrouded in a cloud of venue hidden down a dark alleyway Thousands of festive All holiday illuminations will be As many as 20,000 lights and deco- cated to producing and promoting Ser- ingredients. But that hasn’t affected our mystery. that opens out onto a backyard. installed and switched on by December rations will be installed across the city, bian ceramic art. are artists at the ability to produce good art,” said Riste- lights are being 19th and the lights will stay on until Janu- costing an estimated €160,000. The ten members of Blatobran vski. “Even today I hear people say I came She also mentions a haunt called The biggest challenge the group is facing is the lack of Photo: Drew Adamek ary 20th, ensuring a festive atmosphere Despite the expense, Cincar-Pop- opened the gallery in April 2015 to While some arts and crafts shops here by chance or my parents said Muha Bar (Kralja Petra 18) that’s switched on across the same time. We high quality ceramics supplies in Serbia. for all the major holidays, including Ser- oski told the daily newspaper Blic on showcase their work, initiate a creative sell ceramics, it wasn’t clear in the be- please don’t go there it’s dangerous.” only hidden in the sense that it’s not city ahead of New Year bia’s Orthodox New Year on January 14th. December 1st that Belgrade always community, foster a new generation of ginning that a store specialising in the wares to delicate, miniature animals. Ristevski sees collective action as the (My mum would be included in that likely on Gen Y’s radar as it attracts wanted to clarify category.) the 45+ crowd, but with live jazz per- celebrations. At the moment, the whole of down- profits from holiday season and that ceramics artists and host international form would be financially viable. Each piece is handcrafted by a member key to Blatobran’s future success. formances she assures me it’s good. town Belgrade has been lit up for the the New Year celebrations always exhibitions. There was a real risk in only offering of Blatobran in Serbia and is entirely “It’s easier to work in a group if you What’s more, she explains that while season. Aleksandar Cincar-Poposki, draw attention. “The idea behind the gallery is to that by opening one type of unfamiliar work, but public unique. have expensive ideas - expensive in people “want to come to the Balkans What has become apparent during Filip AVRAMOVIĆ director of the public lights utility, said “It is expected that during the New close the circle a little - to exhibit our reception has so far been positive. “We never sell the same piece twice. money and in time. If we are a group we because there’s still something our chat is that while the city may Belgraders and tourists alike will be Year holidays a large number of tour- work, talk to our colleagues about ide- the gallery.” “Everyone is always surprised. They All of our items are individual works of can make it together,” she said. exotic about it,” sadly Belgrade is start to repair the signs of its recent elgrade has begun to switch able to enjoy more festive illumina- ists will visit our capital, and this is as and have a reason to go to the end are always like, ‘We didn't know this art,” said Ristevski. not necessarily where they yearn history, there are plenty of places on festive lighting across the tions at two other locations in the city: just part of what the City of Belgrade is of the world to get our supplies,” said was possible, this is great,’” said Riste- Blatobran Galerija has big plans for to visit. that add different forms of intrigue. city, kick-starting the holiday Topčiderska Zvezda and Vojvoda doing in order to make the number of Julia Draškoci, 30, a founding member Julia Draškoci, a vski. the future, including rotating exhibi- Bmood ahead of New Year Putnik Boulevard, which is close to the tourists visiting greater than it was last of Blatobran. The ceramics work for sale in the tions of European ceramicists, a visiting Blatobran Galerija is at Gospodar celebrations. Belgrade Fair. year,” he said. Draškoci’s enigmatic and fanciful founding member of gallery ranges from large, museum- artist-in-residence scheme and educa- Jevremova 38. Opening hours: 11am-9pm clay tiles, cups and bowls are among Blatobran quality sculptures to whimsical house- tional programs for novices. Mon-Sun. Website: www.blatobran.com

ORDER DELIVERY TO YOUR DOOR Find your copy of +381 11 4030 303 [email protected] Belgrade Insight here: http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/ page/subscribe-to-belgrade-insight

SUPERMARKET CONCEPT STORE KOLARAC HOTEL VOZAREV RESTAURANT ZAVIČAJ RADISSON BLU OLD Address: Višnjićeva 10 Address: 5 Address: Pop Stojanova 16 Address: Gavrila Principa 77 MILL HOTEL, BELGRADE Address: Bulevar Vojvode Misica 15 MONUMENT HOTEL EXCELSIOR HOTEL 88 ROOMS MIXER HOUSE www.radissonblu.com/hotel-belgrade Address: Čika Ljubina 9 Address: Kneza Miloša 5 Address: Takovska 49 Address: Karađorđeva 46

HOTEL MOSKVA HOTEL PRAG HOTEL METROPOL TOURIST ORGANISATION OF SERBIA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BELGRADE Address: Balkanska 1 Address: Kraljice Natalije 27 Address: Bulevar kralja Aleksandra 69 Address: Čika Ljubina 8 Address: Temišvarska 19

HOTEL SQUARE NINE HOTEL HYATT HOTEL LE PETIT PIAFF GYM DR FEELGOOD THE BRITISH INTERNATIONAL Address: Studentski trg 9 Address: Milentija Popovića 5 Restaurant Mali vrabac Address: Kolarčeva 3 SCHOOL OF BELGRADE Address: Skadarska 34 Address: Smetanina 12 CAFE SNEŽANA HOTEL CROWN PLAZA RESTAURANT BIZU Address: Knez Mihailova 50 Address: Vladimira Popovića 10 INTERGALACTIC DINNER Address: Andre Nikolića 1-3 Address: Internacionalnih brigada 22 HOTEL TOWN HOUSE HOTEL IN Address: Hotel Jugoslavija, Bulevar CAFE CAFFELOUNGE Address: Maršala Birjuzova 56 Address: Bulevar Arsenija Čarnojevića 56 Mihajla Pupina 85A Address: Vase Pelagića 48 Address: Kolarčeva 7 6 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, December 04 - Tuesday, December 22, 2015 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, December 04 - Tuesday, December 22, 2015 7 BELGRADE BUSINESS

Continued from page 1 Free recreation programmes during winter Students and citizens aged Occupy: The activists 60 or older will be able to use the city’s recreation facilities free of charge until the end of the year. Slavko Gak, City reviving arthouse cinema Land lease changes Secretary for Sports and

Youth, told Studio B: “We have in brief Belgrade much more money to invest in recreation, in order to invest A year after less in health care.” “Those interested in these occupying free programmes can get split Serbian farmers information via the sports centres’ websites and the Belgrade’s City of Belgrade site on which historic Zvezda sports centres are in the He believes the government is mak- ciation of farmers in the Banat region, that only legal entities can lease this programme and what the timetables are,” Gak added. movie theatre, ing major concessions to big players HOPES THAT small producers make land, as the idea of legislation is to at- Students will have to bring in the food industry, such as Miodrag good use of the proposed changes by tract big investors in agriculture. their student’s booklets, while a city arts Kostić’s MK Group, Petar Matijević’s making joint bids to lease 30 per cent Zlatan Đurić, from the farmers union older citizens will only need to Matijević meat industry, and the Ger- of the land in a single municipality. in the Srem and Mačva areas, support- show their ID’s. group remains man company Tenis, all of which have He told the Dnevnik daily newspaper ed the key law amendments. announced investments in Serbian on November 27th that if small producers He told the same daily that the farmers’ Vojvode Stepe farming. joined up and jointly leased 30 per cent of protest was politically motivated. Allega- residents voice traffic committed to concerns “With these provisions in place, the arable land in a municipality, no one tions that land was being given away to offering film- the big companies stand to get the would be able to manipulate them. tycoons and strangers were being used Residents on Vojvode Stepe land with the highest quality,” Bugarin However, the law proposal suggested to manipulate the public, he warned. Street in the Voždovac goers alternative warned. neighbourhood say they still The local authorities will identify the face problems driving and cinema. areas in which state land will be sold. walking, four months after “Municipalities will have the right, the street underwent a major reconstruction. In addition but not an obligation, to sell this state to damage and holes in the land,” Bugarin noted. asphalt, car owners are Vladimir Gvojić is optimisstic about the future of the cinema. Photo: BIRN/Ivana Nikolić “They will have an economic mo- dissatisfied with the traffic tive to keep the land in state ownership light regulation, while tram Ivana NIKOLIĆ With the backing of several dozen film- Beograd Film Network in 2007. All 14 LACK OF FUNDS because they get part of the revenues tracks and stops placed makers, producers, actors and film lov- of the network’s cinema houses were from leasing it, while money made in the middle of the street his winter will be ers, the group reopened the cinema, with sold for nine million euros to Nikola “All sorts of people have come here from sales goes to the state budget,” he pose a safety threat to the passengers waiting at the anything but easy. the aim of offering the public an alterna- Đivanović. during this time”, Gvojić says as we enter explained. narrow stations. Although the We will have to tive to movies screened at mainstream Five years later, the businessman was the huge and icy movie theatre. “I’ve seen Apart from these provisions, experts Traffic Department announced reduce the num- theatres. arrested and convicted of abuse of office, pensioners, students and football fans.” and farmers expected that the law in October that the new traffic ber of screenings “Manda [the Serbian actor Milorad of illegally benefiting from the purchase Still, money seems to be the group’s would deal with the issue of the rights light regime will be regulated because it is cold Mandić] gave us four reflectors so we to the tune of around four million euros biggest problem. Apart from the funds of foreigners to buy land in Serbia. in one month’s time, residents “Tand we haven’t managed to fix the heating could illuminate the theatre,” Gvojić re- and of causing damage worth around each one of the 50 or so ‘occupiers’ have Bugarin says the law should have of Vojvode Stepe say they are system,” Vladimir Gvojić, from the Move- calls, adding that another famous Ser- two million euros to the state. so far given, they rely mainly on online included provisions limiting the sale of still experiencing a traffic light December 8, 2015 “green wave”. ment for the Occupation of Cinemas, says bian actor, Dragan Bjelogrlić, made the By that time all the cinemas once donations, which helped finance last land to foreigners, adding that a possi- IMPACT HUB BELGRADE // Makedonska 21 as we enter the long dark hall of the once first cash donation on the day of the first owned by Beograd Film were closed. Af- summer’s reconstruction of the open air ble solution would be to allow only for- Standardised kiosks well-known Zvezda – or Star – cinema in screening. ter reaching a deal with the prosecution, theatre. Screenings are all free of charge. eign citizens residing in Serbia for over from next year downtown Belgrade. On the first night, the group screened Đivanović spent two years in prison. While private sponsorship is most wel- ten years to purchase arable land. The walls of the cold hallway are cov- "Disobedient", a film produced by Mina Gvojić – who admits his group is illegal- come, Gvojić notes the authorities have so However, the agriculture minister Can Social Economy contribute to opening of up The City Assembly of Belgrade ered with film posters and articles writ- Đukić, one of the movement’s leaders. ly occupying the building – says that they far been reluctant to help with financing. clearly said the new law does not even to 1 million new jobs, increasing of total regional plans to standardise kiosks ten by the group’s members. On the left Gvojić recounts how around 50 of them even had a Skype call with Đivanović last “So far, they told us they support us address the issue of land sales to for- trade turnover, the rise of the region’s GDP from 2016 – meaning they will all look almost the same and lies the former ticket office, which makes slept in the theatre that night and then year. but no one pledged to help us financially eigners. per capita, and the inclusion of 300,000 highly that refrigerators will not be you think you are back in the 1970s, spent the next month and a half clearing “It happened in front of the fully- even though we contacted Ivan Tasovac qualified people to the workforce in the region sited in front of them anymore. when this cinema was in its heyday. away dust, piles of trash and bodies of packed cinema. He was laughing, say- [Serbia’s culture minister] several times,” FARMERS DIVIDED of South East Europe? The only difference between “We fixed the leaking roof, tidied up the dead rats. ing that he doesn’t own the cinema. He he says. kiosks will soon be only the old open-air theatre, we painted the walls turned out quite nice then, even if he Despite all the difficulties they have Tractors line up in front of parliament during one of the Photo: BIRN/Filip Avramović Farmers who oppose the amend- size, although none will be and finally arranged the movie screen,” BELGRADE’S ‘DEAD CINEMAS’ didn’t say much,” Gvojić – who is an actor been facing for more than a year now, protests against the law. ments recall that the government’s Find out more about unexpressed potential of able to exceed 10.5 square the 24-year-old explains with evident himself – explains. Gvojić and his collaborators remain opti- agricultural development strategy for the Social Economy in the region at the Regional metres. Nikola Nikodijević, assembly president, said last pride as we climb the stairs leading to the “Mina said that she wanted the infor- “After our first 40 days in the cinema, mistic. nežana Bogosavljević gally occupy state land have every rea- 2014-2020, adopted a year ago, focused Conference „Business for the Community week that the final deadline movement’s office. mal premiere of her film to be at one of he told us in an unofficial conversation “I would like this to become a small film Bošković, Serbia's Min- son to be dissatisfied with the changes. on boosting small and individual pro- Well-Being“. for implementing the new “But the main problem is the electric- Belgrade’s ‘dead’ cinemas. And it was,” [via Facebook] that he supports us and factory, a place where students or young ister of Agriculture, said ducers, not on making concessions to regulations is 2018. “The ity and we need to fix it soon if we want to Gvojić says, lighting a cigarette in the that he wishes us all the best. He said he artists could come and express them- she was surprised by the FAVOURING BIG PLAYERS the big companies. We have invited regional and international three central municipalities, stay here for more years,” he adds. group’s office on the second floor of the didn’t expect we would stay that long in a selves, to make movies. Something like a protests as farmers unions The strategy noted that the average experts, academics and practitioners to confront, Stari Grad, Vračar and Savski Between 10 and 15,000 people have building. cold theatre,” the actor says. ‘Kino Club’,” he says. took part in the drafting of Under the existing regulations, the area of used land per household is 5.4 Venac, will have to implement discuss, share best practices, and create networks come to watch more than 600 films The Zvezda is far from the only ‘dead “But he was wrong,” he adds, looking “I would like to return here one day to Sthe law, which they now oppose. lease of the arable land in state owner- hectares, which means that the major- this decision by the end of in an engaging setting of Impact Hub Belgrade. next year, while the rest of screened at the cinema since the group cinema’ in Belgrade. Along with 13 other proudly across the office packed with watch a film,” Gvojić tells me, as we sit in The minister also said the new law ship has been conducted via a tender ity of producers in Serbia are small. the municipalities will have to occupied the building on November 21st, public film theatres, Zvezda became a film posters, papers and coffee mugs, the theatre staring at the blank movie does not even address the issue of land procedure over two rounds. The government bypassed the strat- do it by the end of 2018,” he 2014, says Gvojić. ruin following the privatisation of the with a small smile on his face. screen. sales to foreigners. This procedure foresees a system egy last year, when it lowered this years’ The conference is organized by the European explained. Explaining the reasons for the chang- of preferential right of lease, in order subsidies for agriculture, which the Movement in Serbia in partnership with the es, she maintained that up to half of all to protect long term investments. This document said should have increased. Impact Hub Belgrade and with the support of arable land in Serbia - around 240,000 means that land must first be offered Vojislav Malešev, president of 100P Regional Cooperation Council, Heinrich Böll hectares in total - was either unused or to the producers already leasing it, and Plus, an association of individual pro- being used and occupied illegally. those who have developed irrigation ducers in Vojvodina, said only “pri- Foundation, Erste Bank, Holland Sustainable Lack of clarity in this area was cost- systems for growing crops or vineyards. mary” producers in agriculture should Urban Delta, and the Serbian Government Social ing Serbia around €1 million per year, The law changes retain the preferen- own farmland, not the big companies. Inclusion and Poverty Reduction Unit. Bogosavljević Bošković said. The min- tial right of lease, but will exclude from “We have nothing against investors, ister warned earlier that the total value its terms one third of the farmland in but we should let them invest in the of litigation claims based on accusa- every local authority. food manufacturing industry, as that CITY GUIDE Available at: tions of occupied arable land in state This land can now be leased to a sin- would increase employment in Serbia,” Tourist Organisation of Belgrade ownership amounted to €22 million. gle company for up to three decades he told BIRN. Knez Mihailova 5, +381 (11) 2635 622 To address the problem of unused by direct settlement, as decided by a “The producers who are currently Central Train Station, +381 (11) 3612 732 state land or that obtained by bypass- commission named by the agriculture leasing state land so far have shown Nikola Tesla Airport, +381 (11) 2097 828 Belgrade Port, Karađorđeva ing legal procedures, the law orders lo- minister. they are competitive, as they achieved APROPO cal authorities to put all such land up Some industry officials support the large cereal harvests,” Malešev said. Hotel Moskva Bookstore and tearoom for public auction. protesters claiming that the proposed He wants all arable land leased FREE PULL OUT MAP OF BELGRADE 20, +381 11 3642 000 Cara Lazara 10 +381 11 2625839 Those failing to do so risk suspen- changes serve the needs of the big play- through public auction, with equal Hotel Excelsior FREE SIM CARD sion of financial transfers from central ers in the food industry at the expense terms for everyone. Kneza Miloša 5, +381 11 3231 381 At the Belgrade Airport TOP SIGHTSEEING LOCATIONS government. of small producers. He also queried the minister's claim Supermarket concept store Hudson news odlasci / departures Most of the public have welcomed the Đorđe Bugarin, secretary for agricul- that half of all the state arable land in PUBLIC TRANSPORT MAP Višnjićeva 10, +381 11 2910 942 Hudson news dolasci / arrivals GUIDED TOURS THROUGH BELGRADE Hudson news čekiranje / check in proposed changes on the grounds that it ture in Vojvodina’s Chamber of Com- Serbia is not being cultivated. Hotel Townhouse 27 Hudson news transit zona / transit will increase transparency over farmland. merce, says the real purpose of the law Farmers would be willing to accom- WIDE SELECTION OF CLUBS, HOTELS, Maršala Birjuzova 56, +381 11 2022 900 Order online: Some farmers also approve of the is to allow big companies to get hold of pany her if she was willing to show RESTAURANTS, SHOPS AND Booking Rooms Hostel new law, believing that it will reduce state land under vague procedures. them this unused land, he said. Kralja Petra 30, +381 63 29 39 39 www.balkaninsight.com/en/page/ ENTERTAINMENT VALUE www.bookingrooms.rs belgrade-city-guide corruption. “Farmers are right to protest because However, some farmers disagree Supporters of the changes call the the land that they are now farming may with the critics and believe that the pro- farmers’ rallies politically motivated, now be leased to a single legal entity in posed law serves their best interests. noting that people who currently ille- every municipality,” Bugarin told BIRN. Nenad Manić, secretary of an asso- 8 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, December 04 - Tuesday, December 22, 2015 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, December 04 - Tuesday, December 22, 2015 9 REGION OUT AND ABOUT

Continued from page 1

Mystery surrounds Macedonia on alert for returning funding of Albanian jihadists

ecurity officials On November 27th, the police jihadists said they are said they arrested a Macedo- closely monitoring nian national they identified potential threats as ‘S.R.’, aged 21 from Skopje, from Macedonian on suspicion of being involved IslamistsS returning from Syria with ISIS in Afghanistan. and Iraq, but cautioned that the Macedonia this year made refuge crisis is complicating the joining or recruiting for foreign situation. paramilitaries a crime. Army and police officials said However, the police dis- on December 2nd that they are missed some media reports of closely watching for threats a group of jihadists, including from Macedonian nationals notorious Lavdrim Muhaxheri who have reportedly fought from Kosovo, allegedly hiding alongside radical Islamists in in ethnic Albanian villages near Syria or are close to them. Skopje, saying that neither they A police source told BIRN nor the Kosovo authorities have on condition of anonymity such information. that “the heightened security Earlier this week, several measures after the Paris attacks Serbian, Macedonian and Ko- are still in force”. sovo media published uncon- On December 1st, Macedonian firmed reports that Muhaxheri, President Gjorge Ivanov for regarded as one of the most the first time revealed specific well-known jihadists from the numbers of suspected radical region, who has appeared in fighters from Macedonia who a several execution videos on have joined armed groups in YouTube, might be hiding in Syria. Macedonia after entering the He said that at the moment in country illegally along with Macedonia there are 69 return- refugees. ees from Syria, 110 are still there, There have also been previ- and 25 have died during the ous unconfirmed reports of conflict so far. Muhaxheri being killed in Syria.

Raqqa, in northern Syria, became the de facto capital of the Islamic State after the militants Photo: Google Earth seized it in late 2013. Bosnia unites ayments identified by the Albanian jihadists were no higher than as recruiters could not have afforded the investigation were made €200 or €300. The two imams have de- bills on their own. security agencies to cover plane tickets or clared that the money was destined to According to BIRN’s interviews and the repay debts that jihadist help the mosques they run in Tirana. investigation documents, the imams and for anti-terror drive The Prolom spa. Photo: Flickr/Ekaterina Spa Ždrelo. Photo: RUC Ždrelo had run up before they de- “We could not prove that the two their followers divided up the financial bur- parted to war. imams profited financially from any den, based on a belief that funding a fighter POf the 13 people prosecuted for recruit- Turkish organization or from an organiza- is the same as sacrificing yourself for jihad. olice, intelligence This year, the ministry also ing Albanians to join the Syrian war, four tion located in the Middle East,” the same Many Albanian jihadists turned to oth- and security adopted an anti-terrorism face charges of funding would-be jihadists. source told BIRN. ers for funds, while buying plane tickets agencies will be strategy in a bid to improve According to Prosecution Office, the Beside bank transfers, prosecutors or paying “zekat” for the war. One of them, coordinated by a investigations, which are ham- ‘Tis the season to take a spa break promise of eternal rewards in the afterlife have investigated the travels to Kosovo Shkelzen Dumani, who was killed in an new nationwide pered by the fragmented nature was the main incentive for the Albanian in 2012-2014 of the two imams, who are assault on November 5th, 2014, sold his bodyP to ensure more effective of the Bosnian security, police jihadists who joined al-Qaeda and ISIS. considered the heads of the recruitment house and used a share of the money to cooperation in the fight against and prosecutorial system. Belgrade Insight takes you on a whis- micro climate. The main curative fac- Besides its temperature, many be- Whether you have come for a vaca- network in Albania. invest in jihad. terrorism, the security minister The anti-terrorism strategy Boost your tle-stop tour of some of Serbia’s most tor in salt rooms are said to be the mi- lieve the warm water can heal health tion, medical treatment or simply a INVESTIGATING This period coincides with the rise in After paying for the plane tickets of two said. envisages the creation of a com- popular spas. cro particles of salt aerosol which has complaints. Ždrelo boasts its thermo- pleasant rest in a natural setting, you THE MONEY NETWORK the number of Albanians joining the Al- young Albanians travelling with him to Bosnian security minister mon information system, with spiritual and a positive effect on the human body, mineral water can cure some skin dis- can complete your stay with wellness Nusra front or ISIS. Syria, Dumani left another sum of money Dragan Mektić said on Decem- data to be shared among all physical FRUŠKA GORA such as restoring mental and physical eases and also help with gastritis and treatments or relax in indoor and out- In January 2014, Turkish police seized There is suspicion that the money to Hysa before he was killed. ber 2nd that a new operational institutions within the country. balance and aiding concentration. digestive problems when drank. door swimming pools. offices of Humanitarian Relief Founda- came illegally from Kosovo but it has “Abdyl Aziz will bring you €500. The group will be set up to ensure Mektić also said that the wellbeing and Just a one-hour drive (80km) from Finnish saunas are used by fans of The spa centre also has anti-cellulite The Prolom’s Wellness Centre offers tion, IHH, in Istanbul, Gaziantep, Kilis and been hard to prove. money belongs to Nisi from Elbasan, if that police, intelligence and Bosnian prosecution was not Belgrade, the relatively low mountain the more traditional method of making and beauty programs. On top of that, a range of services designed to improve several other Turkish locations, suspect- The investigation’s documents and wire- he already reserved his plane tickets. security agencies in Bosnia and able to cover all terrorist inves- escape the of Fruška Gora offers more than just the body sweat out toxins. This sauna is you can also choose from relaxing or visitor’s general physical and spiritual ing that this organization helped funding tappings by Albanian authorities reveal a Otherwise, send the money where it is Herzegovina work together and tigations since it only has one beautiful scenery. The Premier Aqua used to detox the body and revitalize it, sport massages. health in an entirely natural way. foreign jihadist. need for money for warriors in Syria. But needed,” Dumani wrote in a wiretapped share information. prosecutor working full-time on cold, wet winter is the country’s first ‘eco-hotel’, offering relaxing the mind in the process. With a rich historical heritage, the Those seeking to reduce stress levels The Syrian authorities have accused Imam Hysa was also interested in sending message. “This operational group will such cases. a variety of services for relaxation and Infra-red saunas use infra-red light in spa offers interesting tours for anyone and rid the body of toxins can opt for the IHH of funding hundreds of Albanians money to the families of killed Albanians. Aside from plane tickets, another con- not only be a service of the The Bosnian prosecution weather at one recuperation. order to heat the body and detox, while willing to take a stroll and learn about saunas including ‘pearl baths’ and mas- to fight against Bashar al-Assad’s regime. As in the case with Rasha, the money cern was costs of living in the frontline Bosnian prosecution, but a ser- asked for more prosecutors in The hotel’s minimal ecological im- the bio sauna induces sweating with- the region. sages using essential oils, hot volcanic However, Prosecution Office probes was sent in cash through new people camps. The Albanians had guaranteed vice to all prosecutions which May this year because of a rise in of Serbia’s most pact and the integration of natural out using high temperatures. Prices range from €5 to €25, depend- stones and even hot chocolate. in Albania have yet to uncover transfers heading towards the front. food and place to sleep, but they still cover terrorism-related crimes. terrorism-related incidents and springs into its facilities have made this The price for a one-day treatment ing on services chosen, making this an On arrival, your medical condition will that link this or other similar organiza- In a wiretapped phone call on Octo- needed extra money to live. We will also create a database an increase in the number of citi- popular spas. hotel one of Serbia’s ‘must visit’ spas for in the spa centre is around €25 and in- ideal resort for those seeking relaxation be assessed by the spa’s on-duty doctor th tions to the funding network headed by ber 27 , 2013, a jihadist newly arrived Those who decided to stay in Syria of- with all potential terrorists in zens going to fight abroad along- those who have grown weary of the au- cludes all services, so you can enjoy and fun without spending too much. who will recommend treatments, as well two arrested Albanian imams, Genci Bal- in Syria asked the imam how to divide ten asked for the quick sale of their prop- order to make sure all agencies side Islamist militant groups. tumn and winter cold. a full day of detox and relaxation at a as any additional specialist examinations la and Bujar Hysa. up the money he gave him. “Give 200 to erties in Albania, while others survived have information about them,” The Bosnian prosecution Filip AVRAMOVIĆ Besides standard accommodation fairly low price. THE PROLOM SPA or laboratory analyses if needed. During Investigators have verified all the trans- Ebu Enes and 100 to Hasan Korvafaj,” an- with what they had. Mektić said. spokesperson Boris Grubešić and hotel facilities, Premier Aqua offers your stay, you will have all the necessary actions in commercial banks in Albania swered Hysa from Tirana. The offer of financial assistance was “We will take the fight against said that investigations are pa centres in Serbia have its own state of the art wellness and spa SPA ŽDRELO The Prolom Spa is located in south- check-ups, along with a final consultation and found that the two imams took large Enes’s real name was Hamit Myslija - usually around $150 monthly for the men terrorism from the top agencies ongoing against at least 20 indi- been attracting much at- centre. ern Serbia on the slopes of the Radan with your doctor at the end of your stay, sums of money from Turkish individuals killed in Syria a few days before this con- and their families. to the grassroots level, so we viduals suspected of recruiting tention in recent years and The hotel’s Katarsys Spa boasts a re- Ždrelo is a two-and-a-half hour drive Mountain, a four-hour drive (370km) during which you will receive recom- but not from organizations. versation took place. Korvafaj was then “We have everything here. They give make sure every policeman is and organizing people to fight are now offering a more laxation zone, with a salt room, Vichy (180km) from Belgrade and lies very from the capital. mendations on further treatment. The influx of bank transactions was siz- still alive, but was killed in battle a few the families $150 a month,” one jihadist’s involved,” he added. in Syria. professional service for showers, and a range of saunas, includ- close to the eastern town of Petrovac It is primarily known for its natu- Some of the therapies at Prolom Spa able until 2010, which is when the Prose- weeks later. wife wrote. According to the Bosnian Grubesic added that another their increasing number ing Finnish, dry, infra-red and bio. na Mlavi. ral Prolom water, one of a rare group of include hydrotherapy, curative mud cution Office dated several transfers of Unlike this woman, a jihadist who re- security ministry, around 200 40 people were suspected of ofS visitors. The salt room is used for halo ther- It is a geothermal spa and uses natu- waters with a high balneotherapy val- and electrotherapy. €3,000 to €5,000 into Balla’s and Hysa’s ONE-WAY turned to Albania told BIRN that the con- people from the country were other terrorism-related crimes. There are a few spa and wellness apy treatment and is, as one might rally-heated underground water flow- ue. Balneotherapy is a way of treating Prices range from €25 to €40. This bank accounts. TICKET TO WAR ditions in Syria where harsh. or still are fighting in Syria. “Each postponement of the centres all over Serbia, with prices rang- expect, made out of salt. This method ing around 200m below the surface. some diseases by bathing in mineral is the best option for those looking to The transfers were listed as donations “There wasn’t enough food; we didn’t Around 43 have died there and election of prosecutors will di- ing from several thousand to tens of is best used for respiratory problems The water reaches temperatures of 40 springs. spend more than one day at a spa, since for mosques, but the identity of these Despite the low cost of living in Syria, have any shower even for a month be- around 50 have returned to rectly threaten the fight against thousands of dinars. Some offer ‘heal- one might have and has apparently degrees Celsius. Aiming to bring these waters close the complex offer big discounts for “philanthropic” individuals in Turkey re- Albanian jihadists still needed money cause it was too cold. We were united Bosnia. terrorism,” he warned. ing mud’ treatments but almost all pro- produced good results for asthma and Ždrelo also has open pool using the to all guests, the hotel uses the water longer stays. mains unclear. to get there. Plane tickets, payments for by belief, that’s why we were willing vide clients with saunas, massage and bronchitis sufferers. same hot water and is a favourite geta- this region is famous for in every room, However, keep in mind the hotel will One source in the Prosecution Office guns or living costs for families totalled to share even the last bite of bread,” he thermal mineral pools – as well as lots The salt room is an imitation of a nat- way for locals who enjoy bathing out- restaurant and medical and wellness be closed from January 10th to March 1st told BIRN that most of the donations to thousands of euros. The men arrested said. of fresh air and walking tours. ural salt cave that promises a healing doors on a cold day. treatment. during the new construction works. 10 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, December 04 - Tuesday, December 22, 2015 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, December 04 - Tuesday, December 22, 2015 11 ARTS DINING OUT

Record fair at Dom Opera, Ballet Omladine and Classical Lagano

Merlinka film festival th If you collect vinyl, you'll want to be FRIDAY DECEMBER 4 Lagano: Modern appeal It always begins at the end-of-the-year Dom Om- Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra with ladine Record Fair on December 6th. Eiji Oue – conductor and Roger Muraro with a simple

Arts in brief Arts in brief ‘is for everyone’ - violin, Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment, It's only one euro to get in and once Studentski Trg 5, 8pm question: ‘Can you Corner Wine you do, you'll be able to browse Students of violin, Music Academy, but a traditional heart the collections of other music fans Rakovica Cultural Centre, Miška Kranjca bring me the wine Serbia’s largest 7, 8pm selling their vinyl, CDs, DVDs and list’? Everything our table and left it with us for a good other music paraphernalia. It takes international SUNDAY DECEMBER 6th quarter of an hour. And no, this was place from 10am to 3pm at the else that follows is Rocher String Quartet, Ilija M. Kolarac not an unconfident youngster learn- Americana Hall. LGBT film Endowment, Studentski Trg 5, 11am a complex matter, ing the ropes. I Solisti Veneti, Ilija M. Kolarac Our lunch started with aroma in- Endowment, Studentski Trg 5, 8pm and cannot be Rocher Quartet free festival promises fused butter, one with garlic and par- concert at Kolarac MONDAY DECEMBER 7th measured only by mesan and the other with anchovies and capers, which was much tastier. screenings will Piano Department, Academy of Arts, how much is left Another promising starter – Moz- One of the best groups in Serbia for , Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment, in the bottle after zarella covered in prosciutto, grilled people who enjoy tango music and be as inclusive as Studentski Trg 5, 8pm and served covered in a warm veg- jazz standards - the Rocher Bend th dinner. TUESDAY DECEMBER 8 etable salsa – sounded delicious, but Quartet - will be playing again at possible. A comparative concert for a turned out to be a disappointment. the Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment. The comparative quartet – Marina Milić The cheese was cold and chewy on Apostolović, piano, Ilija M. Kolarac show will take place on December David GALIĆ Pavle GOLICIN the inside and the whole dish seemed th Endowment, Studentski Trg 5, 6pm 6 at 11am. This time round, their Anja Ovaskainen – soprano, violin, Vuk to be missing the point. We also tried repertoire will include traditional, he seventh annual Ovaskainen – cello, Uki Ovaskainen e had not the veal soup – the staple starter of all oriental and ethno music. The Merlinka Festival will – piano, Belgrade Cultural Centre, Trg traditional Belgrade restaurants - but Republike 5, 8pm planned quartet has also announced there kick off on December to go to it was a very mediocre and nothing to th WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 9th will be special guests too, including 10 . Even though it is a Lagano this write home about. flautist Ljubomir Dimitrijević and film festival dedicated W At this point, we were starting to Students of the Master Art Academy, time, but in an unexpected to LGBT movies and seriously doubt our choices, but then vocalist Nikolina Nika Kovačević. Ilija M. Kolarac, Studentski Trg 5, 6pm twist of fate, the restaurant issues, organisers insist that not only the mains came to save the day. The Entrance is free of charge. T th we originally had in mind people who identify as LGBT should be THURSDAY DECEMBER 10 smoked, glazed pork ribs were ex- happened to be closed. encouraged to attend. Hence this year’s cellent – rich and soft, with a sweet, Nadežda Petrović Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra – Looking for somewhere festival motto: “Merlinka is For Every- Philharmania - with Heinrich Schiff crunchy crust on the outside – and paintings finally on one.” – conductor and Steven Isserlis – cello, else to dine, we wound up the beefsteak “Diablo”, which comes display Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment, Studentski at this half lounge, half res- This year’s programme aims to be Trg 5, 8pm dressed in a rich red pepper and onion the festival’s most ambitious yet, with taurant in a hidden corner sauce (with a jacket potato on the side) th One hundred years after her death, more than 60 movies being shown be- FRIDAY DECEMBER 11 of the Vračar neighbour- was delicious. Plus, it was cooked per- there will be a retrospective of th th hood. tween December 10 and 14 . Around Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra – fectly rare as ordered. Nadežda Petrović's paintings at the 50 short films, nine features and three For Beginners - with Heinrich Schiff To use a piece of Bel- The third main was a hearty and Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment opening documentaries will be screened this – conductor and Steven Isserlis – cello, grade slang, Lagano is the warming meat roast, oven baked in th Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment, Studentski on December 9 . She is considered year. Trg 5, 8pm kind of place to relax and a terracotta dish. The meat comes Serbia's most famous impression- Merlinka will feature films by movie go laganini, an italianised completely covered with thick white th ist and fauvist and was the single makers from more than 20 countries, SATURDAY DECEMBER 12 Serbian word meaning sauce, seemingly a béchamel with most important female painter in including, of course, Serbia. Nemanja Belej – violin, Guarnerius, easy or slow. Because of horseradish or a close relative to that, th The programme has, however, much The opening film for this year’s festival will be “Eisenstein in Photo: Facebook Džordža Vašingtona 12, 8pm that compliments the meat beautiful- Serbia of the early 20 century. The Guanajuato” by director Peter Greenaway. this, I had high expecta- more to offer than film screenings RTS Choir with Boja Suđić – conductor, ly. This meal is guaranteed to fill you retrospective will be opened with Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment, Studentski tions for the wine list. alone. The festival opening night prom- people that the general Eisenstein, who is considered to be one up and is a perfect choice for a winter a lecture about the painter by art Trg 5, 8pm However, on perusing ises to be especially interesting as it will film-going public in Serbia do not have of the most important and esteemed the offering, I found it was day. historian Jasna Jovanov. Entrance SUNDAY DECEMBER 13th feature a burlesque show headlined much access to, since they are almost Russian film-makers of all time, had a surprisingly narrow, with Unfortunately, we were again let is free of charge. by Serbian female rapper Sajsi MC and never promoted in the cinematic main- homosexual love affair after leaving down when the dessert arrived. While Metamorphosis Ensemble, Ilija M. only 28 labels available the White Witches string quartet, along stream of the country. the country and working in for the chocolate tart was big enough for Kolarac Endowment, Studentski Trg 5, 11am by the bottle and 10 by the ‘Skulls’ at with possibly tamer round-table dis- The festival was named after Vjeran a while. Opera: Carmen, The National Theatre, two, it left us with mixed feelings at the Francuska 1, 7pm glass. The focus here is on Bartselona gallery cussions on LGBT activism in Holland Miladinović, a transgender actress Considering the fact that Russia has end of the meal. domestic production, with and “ Twitter”. known by the nickname Merlinka, who banned the “propagation of non-tra- MONDAY DECEMBER 14th After our visit we learned that La- the usual suspects present, The Bartselona art gallery will be Short films are the focal point of the was murdered because of her sexual ditional sexual orientations” by law, it gano’s is owners have decades of ex- showcasing the wet-collodion festival, which is why the only award orientation. "Marble Ass", a movie in isn't hard to understand why this type D. Mihailović violin studio, Ilija M. Kolarac but the list lacks depth perience in the restaurant business, Endowment, Studentski Trg 5, 8pm when it comes to foreign photography exhibition of artist handed out at the end of Merlinka is the which Merlinka starred, was screened of portrayal of a Russian national hero Dušan Stojanović - cello, Belgrade with their most famous venture being Darko Ilić, entitled Skull's Everyday Dorothy's Slipper prize, which goes to on the inaugural festival’s opening night. has led to a lot of debate in Moscow. Cultural Centre, Trg Republike 5, 8pm varieties. Lagano have not a traditional kafana-style venue called Life. Ilić has been creating photo- the festival's best short film. The festival aims not only to make Other films of note include “Grand- gone the extra mile to offer Pink, highly regarded among Belgrad- TUESDAY DECEMBER 15th graphs since 2010, starting out as The award will be presented on the these types of films available to the Ser- ma”, an American movie which stars a range that really lends ers for its hearty food and generous a digital artist but later switching to final night of the festival, after which bian public, but to also promote LGBT Hollywood actresses Lily Tomlin and Ballet premiere: Coppelia, The National itself to pairing otherwise portions. (This could explain why the Merlinka will close with a screening of rights and tackle homophobia in Ser- Laverne Cox, and the French “Les Nuits Theatre, Francuska 1, 7:30pm good food with wine. Lagano’s offering is extremely varied, with both traditional and international fare and plenty of Photo: Facebook mains at Lagano’s were so good.) analogue processes including wet- Miomir Simonović – flute and Nataša meat and fish dishes, as well as salads. collodion, dry gelatin on glass and the Swedish short film Dyke Hard. bian culture. d'été”, which won a Queer Lion at the Mitrović – piano, Belgrade City Hall, So, not as taken with the It also raises the question – what daguerreotypes. The exhibition at Held annually since 2009, the idea The opening film for this year's festi- Venice Film Festival this year. Dragoslava Jovanovića 2, 8pm list as I would have liked, makes a trendy urban venue? Solid, behind the festival remains the same; val will be “Eisenstein in Guanajuato” For more information and full movie Marta Sebestyen and Judit Andrejszki I decided to order a draft charm and character, this one is defi- extremely varied, with both tradition- reasonably priced, hearty mains the Belgrade Design District, locale perform old European Christmas songs, A Serbian word to promote films that deal with issues by director Peter Greenaway. The film is listings, visit the festival’s official web- nitely not. A big construction site sits al and international fare and plenty of might be enough to impress in a tradi- 96, will be open until December Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment, Studentski beer instead. And it was a important to gay, lesbian, bisexual and highly controversial since it claims that site: Merlinka.com. Trg 5, 8:30pm to one side and a chaotic parking lot meat and fish dishes, as well as salads, tional restaurant, but a modern eatery 16th. Entrance is free of charge. good choice. Erdinger dun- with Italian kel, a dark brown wheat on the other, making Jirečekova Street to choose from. needs more development – and that is beer, really complimented sound, lagano not exactly pleasing to the eye. The downside of this breadth something Lagano needs to achieve the various meat dishes we However, with a slew of new cafés is that it makes it quite difficult to in order to improve the whole dining ordered. means easy and and restaurants opening, the area is choose. Even our waiter, who was experience. definitely developing its own lively very friendly and polite, was unable The service was also leisurely, which spirit and it would not be surprising to to recommend a dish. We almost felt Lagano pleasant, with staff all very see it grow into one of the city’s trendi- as if the roles were switched and he Address: Mileševska 44 friendly and polite. And is the very dining est dining districts. was the indecisive customer. While (Jirečekova), when the bill arrived, I In the midst of it all is Lagano. Step this can be forgiven, he did make a Phone: +381 11 4058511, noticed Lagano’s mark-up experience this inside this modern restaurant and faux par when, while serving a near- Price Guide: 1600-2100 dinars is lower than average for casual, modern you’ll be met with a predominately by table (in an almost empty dining [around €13-€17] per person for three Belgrade restaurants. black and white interior, jumping room) he casually landed his tray on courses without drinks All in all, Lagano pro- restaurant offers. on the current industrial minimal- vides a good, mainstream ist trend sweeping the city. The look dining experience and it is is extremely professional, but still, a safe option for any day or Duda & Vlada something seems to be missing. Per- ONCE KOVAČ, ALWAYS KOVAČ night of the week. haps an idea was not completely fol- ONCE ”KAFANA”, ALWAYS ”KAFANA” hybrid between lowed through? Maybe the fake vin- RESTURANT KOVAČ lounge and restau- tage detail is too much? Or maybe it modern ethno restaurant Basic Info Rating rant, Lagano is lo- is the strange choice of menu design? cated in the Vračar Bound in a traditional leather cover, Overall Average neighbourhood, in they feel as if they were brought in a small passage that from another restaurant, their pages Wine selection Average Aruns between Mileševska and Cara printed in a flamboyant font. Wine service Good Nikolaja II streets. Unbeknown to even Venues with minimalist design tend Wine pricing €12 - €69 us, who live just a block away, the pas- to reflect this in their menu, which is sage actually has a name - Jirečekova usually on the short side. But, in con- Street. But while the little alleyways of tradiction to this, Lagano’s array of Bulevar Oslobodjenja 221, Tel: 011 2462 343 Wine and food pairing Average www.restorankovac.com Dorćol and Vračar are typically full of dishes is very elaborate. Its offering is 12 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, December 04 - Tuesday, December 22, 2015 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, December 04 - Tuesday, December 22, 2015 13 WHAT’S ON ON THE SPOT

Philharmonic CLUBBING plays for AND LIVE MUSIC anti-violence campaign FRIDAY DECEMBER 4th • Trigger, Loud, Downstroy, • Get Ready For Vandalism, MONDAY DECEMBER 14th WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16th Gun Club, Miloša Pocerca 10, Underground, Pariska 1, 11pm elgrade Philharmonic • Kristali, Ljubičice, Jesenji 10pm • One on One – Sexy and • Catl, Harp Explosion, • Girls Gonna Get Wild, Mr Orchestra’s string quartet Orkestar, Bilbord, Božidarac, • Jig – EKV Tribute, Akademija Sweet, Tilt, Karađorđeva 12, Kuglaš, Đušina 5, 9pm Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4, visited a safe house for bat- tered women in the capital Radoslava Grujića 3, 8pm 28, Nemanjina 28, 10pm 11pm • DJ Mooka, Ike and Prema, 11pm B th on November 30 as a part of the • Last Thrill, Blekbox, Dom • Mike Huckaby and • Dj Gru and DJ Playa, Mr. Tilt, Karađorđeva 2, 11pm global 16 Days of Activism against th Omladine, Makedonska 22, Sebastian Mullaert, Magacin Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4, • Beautiful Monday, Mr. Stefan THURSDAY DECEMBER 17 Gender Based Violence campaign. 9pm Depo, Travnička 3, 11pm 11pm Braun, Nemanjina 4, 11pm Four musicians - Tijana Milošević, Je- • Chinawoman, Mikser House, • 33.10.3402, Dušan • DJ Oysha, Industrija Bar, • R&B Thursday Delight, lena Dimitrijević (violins), Aleksandra Karađorđeva 46, 10pm Janković, Drugstore, Bulevar Karađorđeva 23, 10pm TUESDAY DECEMBER 15th Brankow, Crnogorska 12, 11pm Stanić (viola) and Nataša Lišanin • ESC Life, VVhile, Gun Club, Despota Stefana 115, 11pm • 1 on 1 Sexy & Sweet, Tilt, (violoncello) - played Mozart’s “Diver- timento” to several dozen women and Miloša Pocerca 10, 10pm • Tijana T and Abelle, 20/44 FRIDAY DECEMBER 11th • Dizel Party, Mr Stefan Braun, Karađorđeva 2, 11pm their children. Visiting a safe house. Photo: Marko Đoković • Fish’n’Oil, Akademija 28, boat on Sava, 11pm Nemanjina 4, 11pm • DJ Oysha, Industrija Bar, Nemanjina 28, 10pm • Kišobran Party, Dom • Disciplin A Kitschme, Gun • Nineties, Tilt, Karađorđeva Karađorđeva 23, 10pm • GoaTree Live, Underground, Omladine, Makedonska 22, Club, Miloša Pocerca 10, 2, 11pm Pariska 1, 11pm 10pm 9pm Prominent • NTFO, The Tube, Simina 21, • 12 Years of Concrete, • ZZ Top and Guests, journalists 11pm Monsun, Travnička 3, 11pm Akademija 28, Nemanjina 28, • Vatra, Magacin Depo, • DJ Misjah, The Tube, Simina 10pm join press Travnička 2, 11pm 21, 110pm • Oranje, Magacin Depo, party • Mariano Mateljan, Les • Dark Night, Vrtoglavica, Travnička 3, 11pm Enfants Terribles, Ruzveltova Šajkaška 15, 11pm • Distance to Goa with Niva TRATTORIA inamedia, the 1, 11pm • Get Low DJ Architect, Fractal Live, Underground, Novi Sad-based • Lag, Mihajlo, A//O, Soot, Underground, Pariska 1, 11pm Pariska 1, 11pm PIZZERIA press clipping Drugstore, Bulevar Despota • DJs Dooshan, Lady Dee, • Tropical Riddims, Grad agency, cel- N th Stefana 115, 11pm Brankow, Crnogorska 12, Cultural Centre, Braće ebrated its 14 birthday on November 26th at Prom- , Plastic, 11pm Krsmanović 4, 11pm • Back to the Future Nebojsina 8 enada restaurant. Many Takovska 36, 11pm • Disco House, Beton, • Laboratronia, AG, Nušićeva 011/3863-999 well-known Belgraders • Trust Me You Can Dance, Karađorđeva 2, 11pm 8, 11pm [email protected] joined the anniversary Drugstore Play, boat on Sava • Mirko and Meex, Tilt, • Trust Me You Can Dance, www.restoranamici.rs party, including journal- river, 11pm Karađorđeva 2, 11pm Drugstore Play, boat on Sava ists Slavko Beleslin and • Time Machine, Tilt, • House Night, Drugstore Play, river, 11pm Milan Bošković and pop Karađorđeva 2, 11pm boat on Sava river, 11pm • DJ Ike, Industrija Bar, singer Branislav Mojićević. • R&B and House Night, • Saturday Night Fever, Mr Karađorđeva 23, 10pm Photo: Facebook Slavko Beleslin. Photo: Facebook Beton, Karađorđeva 2, 11pm Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4, • Time Machine, Tilt, • Holy Friday, Mr Stefan 11pm Karađorđeva 2, 11pm Jazz Braun, Nemanjina 4, 11pm • Holy Friday, Mr Stefan • Can’t Stop the Rock, KST, Bulevar SUNDAY DECEMBER 6th Braun, Nemanjina 4, 11pm princess Kralja Aleksandra 73, 10pm • Can’t Stop the Rock, KST, • Marko Bulat and Nevena Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra 73, presents SATURDAY DECEMBER 5th Stojanovic Nensy, Sipaj Ne 10pm covers album Pitaj, Bulevar Vojvode Mišića • Čovek bez sluha, Raskid 11, 11pm SATURDAY DECEMBER 12th rominent Serbian jazz 13, Kontraudar, Božidarac, • R&B Night, Cinema, musician Lena Kovačević Radoslava Grujića 3, 8pm Gračanička 18, 11pm • Disciplin A Kitschme, Gun KOLARAC presented her latest • Sunday Beat, Mr Stefan Club, Miloša Pocerca 10, 9pm album ‘Džezeri’ (‘Jazzers’) P th Braun, Nemanjina 4, 11pm • Repetitor, Vizelj, Nebo Je PROGRAMME on November 26 at Ellington’s Crveno, Dom Omladine, Club at the Hyatt Regency Belgrade MONDAY DECEMBER 7th Makedonska 22, 9pm Hotel. The album features cov- ers of the most popular songs by • Arctic Monkeys Tribute, Serbian pop musician Momčilo Akademija 28, Nemanjina 28, • Sheer Mag, Mutabo, Bajagić Bajaga. As well as Bajaga, Katma, Peenters, Fest, 10pm many others turned out to support Gradski Park 1, Zemun, 9pm • Vibes Party, Grad Cultural Kovačević, including her father • Beautiful Monday, Mr. Stefan Centre, Braće Krsmanović 4, Dušan Kovačević, a well-known FREE COPY Braun, Nemanjina 4, 11pm 11pm playwright. Kovačević with Bajaga. Kovačević with her parents. Photoс: Andreja Damnjanović and Antonio Ahel • Guy J, The Tube, Simina 21, TUESDAY DECEMBER 8th 11pm SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6th SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13th Publisher: BIRN d.o.o. • Laughing Buddha, Imago Kolarčeva 7/5, 11 000 Belgrade • Naš Naćin acoustic band, CUK, Dečanska 14, 11pm Concert Hall, 11am Concert Hall, 8pm Phone/Fax: +381 11 4030 300 Konoba Akustik, Cara • Stanislav Tolkachev, Quartet Rocher RTS Choir Production: Music Centre Conductor: Bojan Suđić Editor in Chief: Gordana Igrić Dušana 13, 10pm Drugstore, Bulevar Despota Admission free BIRN editorial team: • Dizel Party, Mr Stefan Stefana 115, 11pm SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13th Braun, Nemanjina 4, 11pm , Ana Petruševa, Marcus Tanner, • Shoomadisco Vinyl Cuts SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6th , Tilt, Leila, 41, 10pm [email protected] • Nineties Night Concert Hall, 11am Karađorđeva 2, 11pm • Saturday Night Fever, Mr Concert Hall, 8pm Metamorphosis Ensemble Sales & Marketing: Marija Petrović Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4, I Solisti Veneti Production: Music Centre Phone: +381 11 4030 302 WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 9th 11pm Conductor: Claudio Scimone Admission free [email protected] • Hip-Hop and R’n’B by Ticket Price: 600, 800 dinars Subscription & Distribution: • Laibach, Mikser House, DJ Prema, Industrija Bar, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16th THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10th Goran Knezevic Karađorđeva 46, 9pm Karađorđeva 23, 10pm Concert Hall, 8pm +381 11 4030 303 • Girls Gonna Get Wild, Mr • Ladies Night, Brit’n’Bass, Stefan Braun, Nemanjina 4, KST, Bulevar Kralja Concert Hall, 8pm Jovan Kolundžija, violin [email protected] Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra Nada Kolundžija, piano 11pm Aleksandra 73, 10pm Printing: POLITIKA štamparija d.o.o. Conductor: Heinrich Schiff Programme: Jean-Marie Leclair, • Djans Party, KST, Bulevar Soloist: Steven Isserlis, violoncello Ludwig van Beethoven, William ISSN 1820-8339 = Belgrade Insight Kralja Aleksandra 73, 10pm SUNDAY th DECEMBER 13 Programme: Kol Nidrei, P. I. Duckworth COBISS.SR-ID: 149132556 Tchaikovsky: Rococo Variations Erik Satie, Scott Pender, Camille th Circulation: 4,000 THURSDAY DECEMBER 10 • R&B Night, Cinema, P. I. Tchaikovsky: Symphony no. 5 Saint-Saëns, Fritz Kreisler, Carlos Gračanička 18, 11pm Gardel • R&B Thursday Delight, • Sunday Beat, Mr Stefan Brankow, Crnogorska 12, Braun, Nemanjina 4, 11pm 11pm 14 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, December 04 - Tuesday, December 22, 2015 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, December 04 - Tuesday, December 22, 2015 15 GOING OUT SPORT Belgraders Belgrade to take to Tačka host Futsal Despite having just opened its doors, Tačka – meaning ‘dot’ in Serbian - has already become one of downtown’s Euro 2016 most popular bars. Serbia has been drawn against Slo- UEFA chooses venia and , two nuts that will David GALIĆ grade by necessity. In a densely popu- be tough to crack. lated city centre, your best chance of Serbia to host the Slovenia is a worthy adversary, but elgraders seem to be per- finding a suitable place for a club or bar the pressure will come not so much petually looking for some- will probably be a cellar of a residential next European from the quality of the Slovenian thing new, which makes building. And that's exactly what Tačka team but from the significance of the sense when you see how is. futsal tournament, match. much they love going out The entrance is definitely the worst Serbia will open the tournament Band how limited the options some- thing about the bar. It's hard to find and igniting hopes the with the game against Slovenia and times seem; especially when you di- the stairs leading down to it are really will have a chance to put themselves vide the clubs and bars of Belgrade up steep, so take your time – especially if game will enjoy a in a comfortable position ahead of the into categories based on music, price, you're wearing heels. next much tougher match, the one typical patrons and other criteria im- Once you get it, you'll see that it really revival at home. against Portugal. portant to regular club and bar goers. is a super-typical Belgrade bar. It is fairly “We have a fifty-fifty chance of- win This ‘give me whatever you have’ dark, with brick walls and a large bar as the ning against Slovenia. They’re not as mentality is clearly demonstrated by centrepiece of the main large room, from strong as Portugal or maybe the fact that Tačka seems to have be- which there are several smaller ones. Filip AVRAMOVIĆ and , but it is our most important come popular not because it offers a Along with the bar, the largest room match. If we win it, we will top the Tačka seems to have become popular because it has just opened and people haven’t yet had a chance to get bored of it. Photo: Facebook particularly exciting or original expe- is also home to a small DJ podium and erbia will host the UEFA table and that means that even if we rience, but simply because it has just the standard high tables and bar stools it's not the most expensive place in Bel- a group of friends, particularly if you're visit from police officers sent by angry Futsal Euro 2016 cham- lose against Portugal, we can go to the opened and people haven't yet had a you would expect. There is nothing re- grade, the prices seem a bit too high for able to grab a spot at a larger table in neighbours. On other nights, last call is pionship in February, next stage,” Kocić said. chance to get bored of it. motely out of the ordinary here. As ex- the type of bar Tačka is – a solid, but un- one of the smaller rooms. usually around midnight. sparking hopes the game “Portugal is one of the best four The bar is located close to the Bel- pected, the smaller rooms house bigger sensational one. It is also a good place to mingle and So while Tačka won't blow you away will attract more fans and teams in Europe. If we go past the grade’s Botanical Garden, tables nailed to the walls – your stand- A DJ is usually responsible for the meet new people, however, due to the with something you've never expe- help the country reach group phase as the second placed which is about a ten-minute walk from ard fare, really. music in Tačka, though usually not fact that it's very relaxed, small and inti- rienced before in Belgrade, it is good moreS final play-offs in the future. team, we will probably face Spain, the city centre or one stop away by bus. As is the case with every bar in Bel- one of particular note. Perhaps this will mate. If you're going by yourself or with and new enough to become one of the Futsal is a variant of football that probably the strongest team in Eu- It is in a residential area that is fairly grade, smoking is permitted, although change as the bar builds its identity and a small group on Friday or Saturday, it more popular bars this winter. We'll is played between two teams of five rope. That’s why we hope for a comfy hard to find if you have never been the ventilation at Tačka is a cut above reputation, but for now, fairly unadven- will be hard to avoid interacting with have to wait and see, however, whether players in an indoor arena. It has been first position. That way we will prob- there before and as the entrance is not what you'd expect from the average turous electronic music is what you're other people in the bar. its popularity can be sustained once played for decades in the Balkans and ably end up playing against Ukraine.” clearly signposted, you will probably basement watering hole. It gets stuffy probably going to get. On Fridays and Saturdays, Tačka the novelty aspect wears off. beyond, including , Argentina, Serbia’s futsal league used to have have to do a bit of searching to find the on weekends, but it's not insufferable. The typical patrons at Tačka are a stays open until about 2am, but not Spain and Italy. a strong standing but now faces prob- stairs that lead down to the bar. The drink options are plentiful, but bit older, late 20s to early 30s, and it's much longer. It is still in a residential The Serbian futsal squad has been lems, as funding for clubs is poor and And yes, it is yet another basement the prices are considerably steeper a very relaxed and enjoyable place building, so the bar would struggle to Tačka Bar drawn from various teams and play- there is no longer much rivalry be- bar. Basement bars are popular in Bel- than the steps to the entrance. While overall. It's especially cool to visit with stay open much later without getting a Address: Vojvode Dobrnjca 34 ers are now training in the northern tween domestic teams as one club, Kocić is one of the best in Serbia’s national team. Photo: Facebook Contact: +381 11 408 5762 town of Stara Pazova ahead of the Ekonomac Kragujevac, dominates forthcoming Euro cup. the league. Serbia’s national futsal club has re- “Croatia had a big problem with good players from abroad. That only Kišobran Chinawoman Mladen Kocić, a 27-year-old Serbian “Marbo [a defunct futsal club from ceived financial assistance from the their futsal league, like we do now. helped strengthen the league and pro- star player currently with Croatia’s the northern town of Zrenjanin] was country’s football association, but They boosted the popularity of the mote futsal in the country,” Kovačević Nacional futsal club, said the team is once the main rival of Ekonomac,” problems remain. The football asso- sport by hosting the Euro Champi- noted. collective turns 7 back in Belgrade “itching to get on the pitch and deliver Aleksandar Kovačević, Serbia’s na- ciation has agreed to pay fees for the onship and getting all the way to the He said one solution could be se- a historic achievement”. tional futsal team coach, told BIRN. officials, like referees and delegates, semi-finals, even though that wasn’t lecting younger players for both in- išobran, a Belgrade collective that puts together indie rock- here's something about “Most of us have breaks from futsal “The two teams gave each other but still the costs of travelling and expected,” Kocić said. dividual clubs and the national team oriented parties and concerts all year round is celebrating its Michelle Gurevich, who club matches, so we can now focus motivation to give their best in every player wages pose a huge obstacle for “Their success brought in more that could help youngsters get expe- seventh birthday. To mark the occasion, they will be occupying is better known as China- solely on the national team and the game, in every training session… now, the league’s success. sponsors and fans to the stands. That rience and motivation – something the entire first floor of Dom Omladine on December 5th. woman, which resonates Euro Championship. We got to the when there is no more Marbo, one Futsal’s future in Serbia is looking boosted their league and they have a neighbouring countries have already In the larger hall, the Kišobran DJ team will be playing the very strongly with quarter finals the last three times, team dominates the league, while the rather bleak, and perhaps the Europe- league that is of much higher quality begun to do. typeK of music anyone who goes to their parties regularly expects, highlight- BelgradeT music lovers. The Canadian and that is a great achievement, but I smaller teams suffer. The financial an championship might prove to be than the Serbian league.” “Croatia has a younger selection ing guitar-based indie rock bands like Tame Impala, The Arctic Monkeys, singer, who now lives in Berlin, has believe that we can do more at home, state of Serbia’s futsal, like in most its only saviour. If the team achieves Many Croat players playing abroad and the players develop better than Florence and the Machine, and many more. played many a sell-out show in the with support from the stands,” Kocić sports, is catastrophic,” he said. good results, it is possible Serbia can have returned to their homeland and they would without playing for the DJ Kristijan Molnar, who specialises in electronic indie music, will be play- capital, but this will be her first in two told BIRN. “We have to find ways to motivate promote the game and attract new in- the clubs have even transferred inter- national team. Serbia is currently put- ing in the small hall. Kišobran has also announced that they have a special years since releasing her latest album “To play at such a championship players, especially youngsters, to play vestment and sponsors. nationals from Brazil and Italy to their ting some younger players in the first party planned that will be held in the passageways that connect the two Let's Party in Style. is what every sportsman dreams of. without expecting money in return. As Kocić currently plays for the ranks. team, but only for practice. That isn’t halls. The music she creates, while hard to define, is always characterised by a strong level of There is no better feeling than that, They have to play for the love of the Croatian team Nacional, he sees some “More money for the clubs meant enough for them to reach their full po- The event will go on late into the night and tickets are already available at sincerity, vulnerability and melancholy that Serbian fans seem to completely identify with. and I know my team mates can re- game, like many have done before similarities between the Croatian and that they could pay higher wages to tential,” Kovačević said. the Šikarica Bar in . Tickets cost two euros at the door. She will be playing at KC Grad on December 4th. Tickets cost eight euros at the door. late.” them.” Serbian futsal league. the players. They brought in many

Published by

A LEADING PROVIDER OF SUBSCRIBE TO Death tribute band OUR PREMIUM announce April concert NEWS AND ANALYSIS Slovenian industrial CONTENT heroes at Mikser House Aneuria Death, the now defunct pioneers of IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE Croatia’s ESC Life to spin at Dot progressive death metal, broke up after for in-depth analysis, Fresh from becoming the first west- perform with VVhile their lead performer Chuck Schuldiner investigative reports, ern band to perform in North Korea, Slovenian DJ Aneuria has been work- died almost 15 years ago. Since then, features, interviews, Slovenia’s Laibach are coming back The Zagreb-based indie punk band ESC ing in the studio for a long time, but former members of the band assem- Canadian blues commentary and profiles to Belgrade. The band has been here Life is very similar in sound to Husker has now decided to get back to playing bled a tribute band called Death to All, duo play Kuglaš on the latest business and many times over its three-decade- Du in their later days, so it was no live sets. His first live comeback show designed to spread Schuldiner's gospel political headlines. long career, but considering that they surprise when they landed the open- will be in Belgrade on December 4th at to younger generations, provide money Canadian duo Catl are a Toronto-based recently made international headlines ing spot for former Husker Du leader Club Dot. Aneuria is known to be one for his family who were financially-crip- band that claim to play “stripped with their trip to Pyongyang, it probably Grant Hart's recent European tour. ESC of the best minimal house and techno pled by his medical bills, and support down, juke-joint blues that will make wouldn't hurt to take in their stunning Life will bring their adrenaline-packed producers in the region. He will be a charity that gives financial aid to sick you drink and sweat”. They will be OTHER SERVICES: audio visual performance once again. and emotional to the Gun supported by local techno DJ Teo professional musicians who don't have performing at Belgrade’s Kuglaš club The show takes place on December Club on December 4th with Belgrade Trunk and a number of special guests. health insurance. While the concert is on December 14th along with Croatia’s 9th at Mikser House and tickets cost €12 duo VVhile supporting. Tickets are al- Entrance is free before midnight and scheduled for April, tickets are already Harp Explosion. Tickets cost five euros at the door. ready on sale and cost four euros each. two euros afterward. available at a promotional price of €16. at the door. 16 BELGRADE INSIGHT, Friday, December 04 - Tuesday, December 22, 2015 ADVERT Map of City Centre

Find your copy of OIL WORKSHOP. ECO ART. GIFT SHOP. The Best National & International Cuisine in Edible oils, natural handmade cosmetics, gifts Belgrade the Heart of Belgrade Made in Serbia Skadarska 34 11000 Belgrade All nut workshop Insight Serbia Čumićevo sokače 25 Tel. +381 63 1872222 Tel: +381 60 44 24 777; +381 64 26 38 210 here: Email. [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] www.malivrabac.rs FB: www.facebook.com/allnutbelgrade

TEL AVIV HUMMUS HOUSE - ISRAELI BALKAN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING CUISINE RESTAURANT 46 Karađorđeva Street NETWORK Working hours: 00-24 Working hours: Evening events: Visnjićeva 10 Food delivery: 09-21 mon – sun thu – sat (corner of Strahinjića Bana) Kolarčeva 7 Carice Milice 3, 069/2632 224 09 am – 11 pm 09 pm – 04 am tel: +381 11 2910942 11000 Beograd Kičevska 21, 064/58 63 821 +381 11 26 26 068 email: [email protected] Serbia FB:facebook.com/Tel Aviv Hummus House mikser.rs telavivhummushouse.com fаcebook.com/mikser.belgrade