Hristos Voskrese!

VASKRS 2009
t h e b r i t i s h s e r b q u a r t e r ly
Bregović
Interview with rock
legend
Tesla
The man who invented
the 20th century
Seven Days
in Sarajevo
Serialised novel
Superman
Achilles’ heel
in Serbia
Hristos Voskrese!
ISSN 1759-2828 (Print)
Vaskrs
l
ISSN2009
1759-2836
(Online)1
Inside this issue of
Three months in Photos
Paper Round
EU not for You
Miss Serbia
Church Time Line
Tesla
Superman
Kitchen Corner
8
11
12
14
16
18
21
22
Goran Bregović
Letters
Crossword
Seven days in Sarajevo
Church Services
Calendar
Events Diary
Win an iPod
Sports
24
29
32
34
42
44
44
46
47
Please send all correspondence to: The Editor, Britic Media Ltd., PO Box 1379 Bedford MK40 9DE [email protected]
For advertising please contact: The Sales Team, Britic Media Ltd., PO Box 1379, Bedford MK40 9DE [email protected]
is a not-for-profit magazine. Published by Britic Media Ltd. PO Box 1379, Bedford MK40 9DE
Printed by Caric Press Ltd, Rickits Green, Lionheart Close, Bearwood, BOURNEMOUTH, Dorset BH11 9UB
Logo design: Marko Govoruša
Design and layout KOMSHE doo, Belgrade, Vladetina 7/5, www.komshe.com, [email protected]
© Britic Media Ltd. All rights reserved.
2
l Vaskrs 2009
Hristos Voskrese!
W
e are delighted to report that our folder
marked
is bursting at the seams
with Christmas cards, subscriptions and letters
responding to our first issue. They were from all
corners of the country – London and the Home
Counties, you might expect; Scotland and a
surprisingly strong show from Wales you might
not. There are places you might not imagine
are habitable by Serbs but there we are, from
Abergavenny to Widnes, from Pontypridd to
Stirling, from Leek to the West Country. So a big
“hvala lepo” to you and an open invitation to the
rest of you – what are you waiting for? It’s free and
you could bag yourself the iPod we’re giving away
this month.
Being a Serb is not something you do by yourself.
You do it mostly to others. Just look around you
to start to appreciate the breadth of culture that is
out there. In music, we all know a mate who can
arrange for a band to play at a wedding (svadba
svadba svadba…) but did you know that we have
emerging classical, rock and dance music? (I’m
not talking about igranka dance music here, but of
course that too.)
Amongst us are royalty, artists, writers, musicians,
sports heroes and war heroes. Societies and
clubs and a plethora of organisations serve the
nation with folklore and traditional igrankas, art
exhibitions and literary talks, film and theatrical
experiences. There are public forums for debates
and this year the Houses of Parliament will
host several Serb sponsored activities. There are
hundreds, if not thousands of Serb-run businesses
in the UK. There are business clubs and even
chambers of commerce so we can trade and
work together better. We have an active council
promoting our interests. We feature education in
this issue from pre-school through to post-degree.
Our community is continually boosted by contact
from back home. Be it officially, in particular the
Ministry of Diaspora of Serbia and an enviably
located “Embassy for all Serbs”. It could be
culturally with rock legends such as Goran Bregović,
our feature interview, and classical and opera artists
choosing to tour and release records here. Or
simply when we catch up with friends and family by
phone or in person.
I have the feeling I have barely scratched the surface.
Why don’t you tell us at [email protected] ?
If you seek heaven on earth, believers affirm the
closest thing today is the Divine Liturgy served by
the Serbian Orthodox Church. Heaven and earth
literally “singing from the same hymn sheet” scores
of times every month in up to 20 towns.
These are your people. Diverse we may be, contrary
even; scattered certainly. We face challenges
we know and threats we may not yet recognise.
Perhaps they will get the better of us in the end.
Our future depends on the seceding generations
finding a Serb identity in which we can all flourish.
lives in that belief.
by Aleks Simić and Stan Smiljanić
We firmly believe Britić should be available free of charge. It appears we are not alone and
some of you have asked how you can help, but have no specific adverts or announcements
to place. We would be delighted if you could join in sponsoring a future edition. Please
send a cheque (for any amount) payable to “Britić” and state how you would like to be
acknowledged. Address: The Editor, PO Box 1379, Bedford MK40 9DE
Please note: all submissions for PETROVDAN 09 (mid July) edition to be in by 16th June 2009
Vaskrs 2009 l
3
Your Review
Vuk Karadžić arrives
in the Derby Parish
Within months of his arrival in his new parish of Derby, Prota
Radmilo Stokić has lead the way to ultimately organising two new
Serb schools for children in his parish.
All the children were given a
bukvar and a čitanka when they
started at the Pokret Srpskih
Ćetnika, Dom in Saxby Street,
Leicester. The parents paid a £60
annual subscription per child and
contribute an additional £5 per
week. The school governors are
looking for sponsors so that they
can introduce another year group
and expand the concept to its full
potential. If you can help or want
more details be in touch with
Prota Stokić.
New Vuk Karadžić school at Leicester
Leicester
The culmination of several
months of organisation involving
setting up a governing body
for the school, ended with the
launch on 3rd February 2009
The school has started with 30
children in two age groups taken
from children aged between 5 21 years.
The school programme covers
the Serbian language, Serb
culture, geography, music
and religeous studies. Petar
Bogunović the president of the
governors told
“the school
has three permanent teachers
and two standby teachers all of
4
l Vaskrs 2009
Derby
whom have teaching experience”.
There are specific standards
the teachers must achieve to be
considered.
Twin Vuk Karadžić school at Derby
The same format was used
to establish a new school in
Derby which was launched
the day before the Leicester
school. Many weeks
of discussions saw the
formation of a governing
body with 7 parents
and with Vera Jarić as
the president of the
governоrs, and she told
that “the school
holds a fundamental role
at the core of our parish
and indeed the Serb
community in Derby”.
The school has 35
children ranging from
the ages of 5 - 18 years
old and the school
day Saturday is split
into a morning and an
afternoon session. The
school year is 38 weeks
Toddlers at play with Bubamare
long and the holidays
are synchronised with the local
A Bubamara crawls into view
main schools in Derby.
The Bubamara Playgroup in
Leicester was launched on 14th
The targets, curriculum, teaching
December 2008 and is run from
standards and facilities are the
the Pokret Srpskih Ćetnika, Dom
same for both the schools and
in Saxby Street, Leicester.
Vera Jarić tells us that “the aim
is to bring the
curriculum to the
standard that is
taught in schools
in Serbia, and
to be eventually
recognised by
Serbia itself ”.
The Leicester and
Derby schools are
twinned and are
both called Vuk
Karadžić. Prota
Stokić is the
director of both
and if any body is interested in
helping or just finding out more
please be in touch with him on
01332 346 438 or 0797 449 8442.
The group is for children aged
from toddlers upto age 5 and
provides the perfect feeder to the
Vuk Karadžić School held in the
same place.
The group is run once a week
on Sunday mornings from
9.30 - 11.30am and provides
an opportunity for parents to
get to know each other whilst
helping the children in their
play. Parents pay £1 per family
per session which buys
drinks, biscuits, books and
toys. Two parents each
week are allocated from
a rota to set the room up
every week.
The children sing songs in
Serbian and play Serbian
games whilst the parents
are asked to speak only
Serbian to the children.
The school needs more
toys, books, musical
instruments and rugs and
blankets. If you can help with
any of these or a donation
please contact Aleks Palanac on
07811 932689 or by email on
[email protected].
Vaskrs 2009 l
5
Serbia Review
Doing business in Serbia
Serbia is teeming with opportunity
S
erbia is teeming with
opportunity. Eminent
speakers hosted in the plush
environs of Leeds Civic Hall
championed Doing Business in
Serbia to an audience of Yorkshire
trade leaders. Dr. Dejan Popović,
Serbia’s new ambassador to
Britain spoke of an era of
cooperation with an anticipated
EU application “within months”
and a resolve to use legal and
diplomatic means to resolve the
thorny issue of Kosovo.
Serbia has finished its round
of privatisation. Britain is now
Serbia’s seventh biggest investor
and 15th biggest trading partner
– citing the topical example
of Yorkshire’s low-cost airline
Jet2 servicing their planes in
Belgrade. Any socially owned
companies that could not be
privatised now face being broken
up and sold using bankruptcy
procedures. Inward investors
could bag a bargain with less
fortunate employees accruing
to the 14% unemployment rate.
However, in times of a global
credit crisis, Serbia’s economy is
predicted to show an enviable
6
l Vaskrs 2009
growth of
3% in 2009
(which has
averaged 7%
over past
years) with
considerable
measures
in place
to attract
investors:
“Meet Dr. Dejan Popović (right),” (under the photograph), Serbia’s new
ambassador to Britain as he signs for membership of the Yorkshire Society”
Vast market reach
• Virtually tariff-free access to EU markets.
• The only country outside the CIS with a free-trade agreement with
Russia.
• Serbian companies can access a billion customers.
Axing red tape
• World trade top-reformer in 2006.
• Just €500 to register a company in Serbia.
Great incentives
• 10 year corporation tax holiday.*
• Up to €10,000 incentive for each R&D job created (one of many
carrots).*
• UK registered firms can explore opportunities in Serbia (with UK
Trade & Investment paying 50% of expenses – up to £5000).*
Attractive business climate
• Low corporation tax of just 10%.
• Average salary of around €350 per month.
• €4 billion road and rail developments by 2012.
• Full EU entry could be as soon as 2012.
* Of course, specific terms apply...
–––––––––––––––––––––––––
Oxford (parohija sv. Vaznesenja)
Very Reverend Protopresbyter-Stavrophore
Nikola Kotur
29 Miloš
BrackleyStefanović
Road, Bedfordand
MK42Jelena
9SD
Tel:Bosanac
01234 273talked
342 andabout recent
079institutions
527 562 26 the Serbian City
Email: [email protected]
Club and the British-Serbian
–––––––––––––––––––––––––
Chamber of Commerce.
Embassies
They presented key activities
Serbian Embassy
the “reverse
brain8QB
28 such
Belgraveas Square,
London SW1X
initiative
Tel:drain”
0207 235
9049 and business
cooperation between the two
www.serbianembassy.org.uk
–––––––––––––––––––––––––
countries. Organiser and events
Croatian
Embassy
tsar George
Tokos has arranged
21 aConway
Street,
reciprocal event in Belgrade
London W1T 6BN Tel: 020 7387 2022
between 6th and 9th May – to
–––––––––––––––––––––––––
joing please
contact:
Bosnian
Embassy
george@tokos-solutions.
5 Lexham
Gardens,
London
W8 5JJ
0207to7373
0867
co.uk.
He Tel:
hopes
roll-out
–––––––––––––––––––––––––
this message of optimism
Macedonian
throughoutEmbassy
each of the UK
Suite 21 & 22, Buckingham Court, 75-83
regions. There has never been
Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6PE
better
Tel:a020
7976time
0535 – let’s start doing
business with Serbia!
www.macedonianembassy.org.uk
London SW6 7DT
Tel: 020 7386 9725
www.serbiansociety.org.uk
–––––––––––––––––––––––––
Charities
Serbian Benevolent Society
23 Ennismore Avenue,
London W4 1SE Tel: 020 8994 3278
–––––––––––––––––––––––––
Medicus
Dr. Aleksandar Mijović, Department of
Haematological Medicine, King's College
Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 9RS
…Just
Part of Serbia Week
Email:
[email protected]
www.byma.freeuk.com
Serbia Week in Great Britain
–––––––––––––––––––––––––
was Kostić
kicked-off
Laza
Fundwith a
86,presentation
Hamlet Gardens,at the Houses of
Hammersmith,
London
W6 0SX
Parliament
“Serbs
in the UK –
Tel:the
020next
8563 generation”
1493 Email: [email protected]
to coincide
–––––––––––––––––––––––––
withsrpskih
the traditional
week of
Kolo
sestarafirst
(London)
Nova
Godina.
It
was
hosted
by
106 Valetta Road London W3 7TW
John Randall MP and attended
–––––––––––––––––––––––––
Services
by up to 20 parliamentarians
Mala
biblioteka “Sveti
Sava”
including
Conservative
89 Lancaster Road,
Shadow
Minister
for Europe
London W11 1QQ
Mark Francois MP. The week
www.malabiblioteka.org
Novakovic & Co. Ltd
Taxation & Business
advisors
Tel : 01234 357595
SIMIC ASSOCIATES
25
Chartered Building Consultancy
Providing architectural and
surveying services since 1983
Tel: 01234 350716
culminated with the captivating
Trio Anima from Niš University
at St. George’s in Bloomsbury
including an effervescent
Stravinsky-esque treatment of
Niška Banja.
Serbia Week was a joint initiative
of Serbian Council of Great
Britain, Serbian Society and
Serbian City Club and its success
should see the event established
as an annual fixture.
CONCEPT
CONCEPT
CONCEPT
Engineering Consultants
Engineering
Consulta
CONCEPT
Engineering Consultants
DOMESTIC SUBSIDENCE
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Consultants
CLAIM INVESTIGATIONS
DOMESTIC
SUBSIDENCE
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SUBSIDENCE
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INVESTIGATIO
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Contact: Nada Pavlovic
020 8811Nada
2880Pavlovic
Contact:
020 8811 2881
2880
Contact:
[email protected]
020
8811Nada
2881Pavlovic
020
8811 2880
www.conceptconsultants.co.uk
[email protected]
020
8811 2881
www.conceptconsultants.co.uk
Contact:
Nada Pavlovic
[email protected]
020 8811 2880
www.conceptconsultants.co.uk
020 8811 2881
[email protected]
CROSSWORD ANSWERS:
ACCROSS: 1. Vuk. 3. Serbedžija. 7. Lab. 8. Ivo. 9. Ada. 10. Car. 11. Ana. 14.
Tas. 15. Kraljevo. 16. Pet.
www.conceptconsultants.c
17. Mi. 18. Na. 19. Sitnica. 21. Pa. 22. Gazimestan. 24. Ko. 25. Pejic. 26. Drina. DOWN: 1. Vidic. 2. Kolo. 3. Šabac.
4. Boba. 5. Divac. 6. Jovanovic. 12. JAT. 13. Ar. 14. Tesla. 17. Mara. 19. Sombor. 20. Ipak. 21. Popa. 22. Grip. 23. Novi.
Vaskrs 2009 l
7
Photo Gallery
Three Months around the UK
Sv Sava celebrations in Bedford
thswood Care charity
Phil Shorthouse from Bly
Julian Society dinner
the
at
sts
gue
to
speaking
2009
rch
in Bedford on 28th Ma
Corby continues
Construction of the new bell tower in
ted £5927
collec
ers
hion
paris
apace after around 150
2009
ary
Febru
28th
at a dinner on
Folklore at sv Sava celebrations in Leicester
Folklore from Bosnia at sv Sava celebrations in London
8
l Vaskrs 2009
Blessing of the sv Savski kolacˇ in Derby
Networking at the “Doing business in Serbia” event
in Leeds Civic Hall
Blessing of the sv Savski kolacˇ in Leicester
Please send in your photos
for the gallery to
[email protected]
STUDIO ATHENA
Original Artwork
BUY, RENT & COMMISSION
PAINTINGS
Floral, abstract, art for children
(for children’s rooms, T-shirts, Baby
stuff, all made to order with any
name included)
Tel: 01753 860 902
Mob: 07947 797 590
www.studioathena.co.uk
www.studioathena.co.uk
Vaskrs 2009 l
9
Listings
Business Listings
Charity Listings
Announcements
Invest in Serbia
Computer Appeal
Happy Anniversary
Help is needed for several
important projects in West
Serbia. This is an opportunity
for Serbs in the UK to do
business in Serbia and to
contribute to the developing
economy. See www.emili.info
or contact Ivan Milovanović,
tel : 00381 32310192
[email protected]
There are a number of worthy
projects in Serbia that would
benefit from donations of second
hand computers. The Julian Society
has secured checking and transport
services via an established charity
and would like to invite anybody
willing to donate a computer
(Pentium 3 or newer) to contact us
via [email protected]
Happy diamond wedding
anniversary to Mary and
Dushan Vitkovich.
Married 24th July 1949 at the
Serbian Orthodox Church in
Egerton Gardens, London
FRESH KOBASICE
& CEVAPE
Kobasice (Ljute & Neljute),
Cevapi, Pljeskavice, Prase
do 30kg (sveze peceno)
Ljuban 07746 681 764
Hilandar, Konak Appeal
In 2004 a fire destroyed 50% of the
monastery which Sv. Sava founded.
Restoration is ongoing and
currently the “1812” Konak (Lodge)
is being restored. On behalf of
Abbot Mojsije we are appealing for
financial help to achieve the 2010
completion date.
Please send your donations by
cheque payable to Hilandar Konak
Fund, Hilandar Konak Appeal.
PO Box 1379, Bedford MK40 9DE
Happy Birthday
Happy 18th birthday to
Marina Ivanović on 31 March
2009 from Aleks, Vesna, Danica
& Danilo
Happy Birthday
Happy 65th birthday to Dragan
Simić on 23 March 2009 from
family & friends
See page 28 to list your business
THE JULIAN SOCIETY
Need to brush up on your srpski?
Govorim serbski !
Free. Interactive. Online
You’ve got 24 hours to learn
the Serbian language
10
l Vaskrs 2009
The Julian Society is a dinner
club predominantly for British
born Serbs involved in business
and the professions.
Through socialising and
networking we aim to help
define and maintain the unique
identity of the British Serb.
Contact for further details via
[email protected]
EXIT 09
EXIT FESTIVAL accommodation
Luxury house 1km from festival site,
sleeps up to 20 people. €30 per night including breakfast.
Pick up from airport and drops to festival by arrangement. Contact +38 162 534 853
Novi Sad: Europe’s music festival capital
ap
er
ro
u
nd
designer, why did you decide to show in London?
“All the influential fashion ideas come from London.
Peter Ilic has gone a step further: lunch at his
The Novi Sad EXIT festival is a regular
As a designer, I’m inspired by the diversity. London
Little Bay restaurant in Farringdon is free. Well, not
fixture in the international music circuit.
completely; he charges you for your drinks. But the embraces interesting and different design.”
Mike Skinner, who you may know as The
bill, when it arrives, has a blank space where the
But there are women …who see it as their calling
Streets, said of it “this festival is completely
food charge should be, and next to it the words:
to train rich and vulnerable men in how to avoid
unique”. Set in the majestic Petrovaradin
“Please“EXIT
statehas
how
much
you
would
like
to
pay,
and
a uniqu
e
being taken to the financial cleaners by dirty girls…
Fortress, the second largest in Europe, this
qualityyou
how much
thatthink
makeyour
s it meal is worth.”
The company [Seventy Thirty] was started by Susie
year’s EXIT festival was spectacular.
special” Bartha,
Ambrose (not the name she was given at birth). She’s
Ilic, a likeable
and canny Serb who’s run
Hungary
a Serb …This
is a very
dating agency:
A beacon,
likeexpensive
the Bat-signal,
could be
restaurants in London for more than 25 years, has
UK.find partners for high-net-worth individuals.” …
is in the“We
th
e
lik
g
seen
as
far
as
the
Croatian
border
hin
been operating his no food-bill
regime
for
a
fortnight
yt
an
t
achhow much would that cost exactly? “…between
“You’d never ge
And
ess, next to a be
guiding 160,000 visitors to Novi Sad,
now and reckons he’s comfortably
ahead.
“Hardly
a fortr
Such good acts in
”
re
y cent £10,000 Serbia’s
and £60,000
a year.
thit’se cit
third
city.” If they missed that,
anyone leaves nothing,” he
says,
“and
then
more
om
fr
lk
wa
t
or
sh
and a
the
Red
Arrows
style air show and
like a dare, to see if they dy
can
really
do
it.
Some
leave
An , UK
fireworks extravaganza announced here is
£35 for three courses. It’s fine. I’m more than happy.”
EXIT.
His eccentrically decorated 130-seat restaurant used
“I’m so jealous, Ca
Former
officials have supported claims that
da hadoing
to serve around 1,100 punters
a week; he’snanow
s nothing like this.USThe
We’re here becaus
pre-EXIT stage was downed by a
e of our CanadianRichard Holbrooke, one of America’s most senior
2,000, and turning people away.
Serbian massive power surge so Brits piled
friend Jelena. EX
offered Radovan Karadzic immunity
IT owns everythin diplomats,
g!”
Katelyn, Canada
into theduring
food tents
for their
first
from prosecution
1996 peace
negotiations
experience
of
kobasica
and
fino
in Bosnia.
povrće — “I never knew potatoes and
A UK-based Serbian man has been found
nota
it’s
,
ore
bef
bia
Ser
to
n
bee
The
EUcould
needsfilla blueprint
to sell
to western voters
er
nev in a massacre in Croatia 18
I’ve part
peas
you up like
this.”
guilty of taking
of life, really interesting
way
as
their
own
economies
contract...
Long-standing
new
le
who
years ago. Milorad Pejic, 39, who livedUK
in Corby,
tion” James,
loca
at
promises,
made
in
2003,
that
Albania,
Bosnia and
gre
a
and
Northamptonshire, denied taking part in the
Serbia will be considered for EU entry look like
execution
of
200
ethnic
Croats
at
a
farm
near
Second time for me. I
being broken.
Vukovar
in her
1991. He was standing trial in Belgrade
was
e for Eurovision
with 17inothers.
In Belgrade, she is bigger than Bond. When a feature“EXIT is excellent, really”
Belgrade” Rob, UK
length documentary about Jelena Jankovic was
Zlatko, Macedonia
released at cinemas, giving an insight into what her life
is like beyond the tramlines, it bumped the Quantum
‘In Serbia, £10 will take you almost the distance
of Solace into second place in the Serbian box office.
between London and the Swiss Alps. An English
ticket will take you only as far as Basildon,’ said
[Liberal Democrat] transport spokesman
18
Norman Baker.
A former RAF squadron leader who murdered his
wife while obsessed with a Serb beauty has been
freed - and is getting married. But Nicholas Tucker
Born in Belgrade, Serbia, Roksanda Ilincic
is not starting a new life with stunning Dijana
trained at London’s Central Saint Martins, before
Dudukovic. Instead he’s engaged to ANOTHER
launching her own label in 2002 … As a Serbian
woman who he met in a pub while awaiting trial.
Vaskrs 2009 l
11
Analysis
EU? NOT FOR YOU!
by Viktor Milinković
Background to Serbia & the EU
What are the stumbling blocks?
* Serbia is being formally
encouraged by the EU to gain
entry, but has been discouraged
from submitting its application
this year. EU commissioners,
most prominently Oli Ren, have
provided vague assurances that
Serbia is on the right path, but
has not yet fulfilled all conditions
for its application to be accepted.
* Serbia is expected to fulfill
certain conditions, some explicit,
others vague, in addition to
indications that there could be
other conditions yet to be clearly
articulated that have been given
in numerous statements by EU
officials, foreign ministers and
other government ministers of
EU member states, as well as
officials in the US.
* Serbia has been attempting
to advance the process of EU
entry for well over a decade, even
during the Milošević era, which
is not widely acknowledged.
* The common view is that this
only began with the change in
government following the 5th
October 2000 uprising against
Milošević as a consequence of an
attempt to annul the presidential
election victory of his opponent
Vojislav Koštunica.
* At various stages during
the 1990s however, Milošević
attempted to improve strained
relations with the West,
particularly after the Dayton
peace accords to end the conflict
in Bosnia were signed in
December 1995. Milošević openly
stated at that stage that he viewed
Serbia, then within the reduced
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
(FRY), as integral to the process
of European integration within a
broader process - as he viewed it
- of a world of dissolving borders
and harmonious cooperation
(interview with Laura Silber,
BBC2, broadcast September 25th
1995).
12
l Vaskrs 2009
* The principal condition is the
capture, arrest and extradition
of the two remaining war crimes
suspects, Ratko Mladić and
Goran Hadžić, indicted by the
Hague war crimes tribunal.
* There are other explicit
conditions that are related to
social and economic policy, as
well as human rights.
* The EU position on Kosovo
remains ambiguous, as the
majority of member states
have recognised Kosovo’s
independence, but a small group,
including Romania, Greece and
Slovakia are reluctant and have
prevented the EU in assuming
a untied and formal position on
the issue. Therefore Kosovo is not
an issue that presents a formal
explicit condition in any respect.
* However there are claims
from some actors within Serbia’s
political establishment that claim
that recognition of Kosovo will
be a condition for EU entry. The
evidence cited, other than some
individual statements by various
officials and functionaries, is the
clause within the Stabilisation
and Association Agreement
that requires good neighbourly
relations, viewed by some,
including Vojislav Koštunica
(former Prime Minister and
president of DSS), to be an
implied condition for Serbia to
recognise Kosovo.
Will there be an application in
2009?
* Serbia’s Foreign Minister Vuk
Jeremić has pledged to proceed
with a formal application for
membership in 2009 irrespective
of the EU commission’s
suggestion that Serbia refrain
from submitting one this year.
Who supports Serbia’s EU entry?
* Serbia’s accession to the
EU is formally supported by
all EU members and the EU
commission, subject to the
stated conditions being fulfilled.
Various aspects of the process
are being delayed by certain EU
member states, predominantly
Holland and Belgium, with
respect to fulfillment of
conditions which prevents the
activation of agreements that
would implement certain aspects
of integration prior to formal
accession, such as trade and visa
liberalisation agreements.
Serbia and Croatia?
* Serbia’s various governments
since the ousting of Milošević
have all complained that Serbia
is being subject to specific
conditions that, in respect to
some neighbouring republics that
have similarities in terms of their
experience and conduct such as
Croatia, are disproportionately
stringent.
* The issue most often cited is
that of war crimes, respective
Serbian governments have
repeatedly claimed that
Serbia has faced a far harsher
indictment and prosecution
process as compared with
Croatia, for a similar severity of
alleged war crimes.
* The primary example in this
respect is the perceived disparity
in which the separate instances
of the capture of Srebrenica by
Bosnian Serb forces, and the
capture of Krajina by Croatian
forces, are treated.
Practical implications
* The conditions here, both
implicit and explicit are
particularly vague, for there are
a range of social and economic
policies that Serbia is expected
to implement which have a
bearing on other matters, for
example Serbia is expected to
improve its infrastructure and
its education systems, whilst it
is simultaneously expected to
conform to IMF and World Bank
economic and social measures
that reduce and restrict public
spending, therefore undermining
the prospects in improving those
services and facilities expected by
the EU.
Realistically when will it
happen?
* There is no date other than a
purely speculative forecast by
some ministers in the Serbian
government, often citing 2012
as an entry date. Notably, the
EU has declined to clearly
state whether Serbia will ever
be admitted, only that they
encourage Serbia’s “path to EU
integration”.
* More recently and within
the context of the global
financial crisis there have been
increasingly frequent statements
coming from the EU that no
other members can be admitted.
* There is even a fear of a
possibility that due to the
difficulties member states in
Eastern Europe are already
experiencing, notably Latvia,
some of these states may leave
the EU.
Worst case scenario
* Serbia is expected to conform
to a vague and unarticulated set
of conditions related to human
rights and relevant standards
which impacts upon the internal
organisation of the country, its
regionalisation and advancement
of autonomous regions.
* In particular, the EU has
expressed an interest in seeing
enhanced autonomy for the
region of Vojvodina, which
has become an extremely
controversial political issue
within Serbia, with claims from
both within and outside of the
government that the proposed
statute for Vojvodina effectively
grants it the functions and status
of a state.
Vaskrs 2009 l
13
Serbia News
Serbia Riding High in Natural
Seven Wonders
B
With the competition for New7Wonders of
Nature into the next stage, Serbia is a real
contender to win. Out of 430 candidates,
only 77 reached official finalist status.
Serbia’s Đavolja Varoš is currently ranked
No. 1 in its group “Caves, rock formation
and valleys” ahead of the Grand Canyon and
the Rock of Gibraltar.
Đavolja Varoš got its name from an old
legend which maintains the 200 morphing
rocks – the inhabitants of Devil’s Town –
are children who tricked the Devil. These
constantly changing forms are likely to be the
result of volcanic activity which left their caps
eroding at a different rate to their bodies.
YO UR C O U NTRY
NE EDS Y O U !
Photo by Dragan Bosnić
ritić readers helped get Đavolja Varoš to
frontrunner position and we can help it
win. Visit www.n7w.com and choose your
top seven sites. You will need to confirm
your email for your vote to count.
Remember, if you voted at a previous stage,
you can vote again.
31
Sultry Nevena
Lipovac as
Miss Serbia
2008
Nevena, 20, currently studies at the Faculty of
Economics in her hometown of Belgrade and
dreams of starting her own Publics Relations
company. She represented Serbia in Johannesburg
in December 2008. The event was won by Miss
Russia, Ksenia Sukhinova.
14
l Vaskrs 2009
Make a date for Eurovision
Tue 12
MAY
Eurovision Semi-Final 1
includes Bosnia, Macedonia and Montenegro
Thu 14
MAY
Eurovision Semi-Final 2
includes Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia
Sat 16
MAY
Eurovision Finals
UK and Russia guaranteed a place
I
However,
n a few weeks that kitsch Mon
He was born in Belarus and
tenegro’s entry
frontrunners
circus otherwise known
possesses a Chesney Hawkes
amongst the ex- charm, writing a catchy Baltic
as the Eurovision Song
YU nations are
Contest will set-up camp
folk-pop Fairytale which received
Sarajevo rock
at Moscow. Serbia is being
a record vote count in the
band Regina,
represented by Marko Kon
national selection. Close behind
representing
& Milaan (composers and
is Greece’s megastar Sakis Rouvas
BiH with the
performers, famous for
with This is Our Night, an entry
rather sublime
hundreds of Serbian hits).
which resembles the immediate
Bistra Voda.
They will try to repeat the
dance beat from Andrea
successes of the recent past
Demirović for Montenegro.
Andrea Demirović Currerntly
ranked by
with Cipela, featuring a very
The finals are on Saturday 16th
bookies at
7th to win the
narodni sound complete with
May – why not arrange a EuroFinals, Regina started their career
shrill accordion to complement
party and send us your pictures
in the last days of Yugoslavia
the laidback melodic bass vocal.
and stories? Remember to bring
with a U2-inspired style before
Bookies show Serbia as sixth
along your mobiles charged
moving to Serbia to escape
with plenty of credit.
Bosnia and Hercegovnia’s entry
the war. Andrea Demirović
convinces for Montenegro with Serbia’s entry
a flashy Eurodance performance
that wants only for an obvious
melodic hook, although that did
not stop bookies rating her 11th
Regina
to win outright.
favourite to qualify to the finals
from the second Semi-Final.
The favourite however is
Alexander Rybak for Norway.
Marko Kon & Milan
BELGRADE INDEX
€ / m2
Growth (12 months)
Stari Grad
2442
25%
Novi Beograd (Arena)
2375
23%
Rakovica
1243
35%
Savski Trg
2159
37%
Voždovac
1833
17%
Vračar
2703
35%
Zemun (Centre)
1672
30%
Zvezdara
1900
25%
Source: 23rd March 2009 Beogradske Nekretnine
Vaskrs 2009 l
15
A timeline of C
Your Rewiew
by Ilija “ili ti” Kadionica
ON E HOLY C AT HOL IC A N D A P O S TOL IC C H U R C
33
49
Pentecost,
the Holy Spirit
descends on the
apostles (Acts 2)
fulfilling Jesus’
promise “I will
pray the Father,
and He will give
you another
helper...
(John 14:16)
69
Council at
Jerusalem
(Acts 15)
demonstrates
how to settle
disputes within
the Church.
James presides
as bishop.
95
Bishop Ignatius
consecrated in
Antioch in heart
of New Testament
era. St. Peter was
the first bishop
there. Other early
bishops include
James, Polycarp
and Clement.
Book of
Revelation
written,
probably
the last of
the New
Testament
books.
150
St. Justin
Martyr
describes
the liturgical
worship of the
Church centered
in the Eucharist.
Liturgical worship
is rooted in both
the Old and New
Testaments.
313
325
The Edict of
Milan marks
the end of
the period of
Roman
persecution
of Christianity.
451
The First Council of
Nicea (Iznik, Turkey)
adresses heresy Arius asserts Christ
was created.
St. Athanasius defends
the eternality of the Son
of God and the first
Nicene Creed is agreed
(Verujem u jedinoga
Boga Oca... )
Council of
Chalcedon
affirms apostolic
doctrine of two
natures in Christ
THE PROTES
T H E R O M A N C AT HOL IC C H U R C H
THE OTHODOX CHURCH
1175
1219
Sveti Sava was born
and amoungst many
other achievements
in his life he built the
monasteries of Žiča
and Hilandar
16
Sveti Sava gains
independance for
the Serbian Church
l Vaskrs 2009
1236
Sveti Sava dies on
27 January. He is
made into a saint
and from that time
onwards is known
as the spiritual father
of the Serb nation.
1333
St. Gregory Palamas
defends the Orthodox
practice of hesychast
spirituality and the
repeated utterance of
the Jesus prayer, “Lord
Jesus Christ Son of God,
have mercy on me, a
sinner”
1453
Turks overrun
Constantinople,
the Byzantine
Empire ends.
1517
Martin Luther nails his
95 Thesis to the door
of the Roman Church in
Wittenberg, thereby
starting the Protestant
Reformation.
Church History
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
CH
589
THE OTHODOX CHURCH
787
A synod in Toledo,
The era of Ecumenical
Spain adds the
Councils ends at Nicea.
filioque to the
The Seventh Council
Nicean Creed
restores the centuries
(asserting that the
old use of icons to the
Holy Spirit proceeds
Church
from the Father and
the Son, see pentacost).
This error is later
adopted by Rome.
988
1054
The conversion
The Great Schism
of “Rus” (Russia) occurs over two major
begins.
issues, Rome’s claim
to a universal papal
supremacy and her
addition of the filioque
clause to the Nicean
Creed.
1066
The Norman Conquest
of Great Britain. Orthodox
hierarchs are replaced
with those from Rome
1095
The Crusades are
begun by the Roman
Church. Tha sack of
Constantinople
(1204) adds to the
estrangement
between the two
Churches East
and West.
Ciao Srbine
THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND
S TA N T C H U RC H
There are a variety of greetings used by
Serbs that are steeped in the tradition of the
faith and culture and serve to both identify us
and to give us a sense of one with a Serb
spirit.
Chief amoungst those are the Božić
greeting of “Hristos se Rodi” replied to by
“Vaistinu se Rodi” and the Vaskrs greeting of
“Hristos Vaskrese” replied to with “Vaistinu
Vaskrese”.
1529
The Church of England
begins to pull away
from Rome.
1794
1870
Missionaries arrive Papal infalitability
in Kodiak Island in becomes Rome
Alaska; Orthodoxy dogma.
introduced to North
America.
1940’s
Serb immigrants
establish the
Serbian Orthodox
Church in Great
Britain.
At the time of the first significant
immigrant waves coming to these shores
another greeting would have been prevalent
but today is almost forgotten. “Pomaže Bog”
was frequently heard and responded to with
“Bog ti pomogo”. What a perfect way to say
hello and at the same time invoke the Spirit
of God into the start of your interaction.
Why don’t we use this phrase amoungst
ourselves again and doff a respectful cap to
our ancestors, our faith and help sustain our
flagging Serb identity?
“Pomaže Bog”...”Bog ti Pomogo”
Vaskrs 2009 l
17
Feature
NIKOLA
TESLA
The man who lit up the world,
but stayed in the shadows of others.
So you wake up in the morning,
go downstairs, switch on the kettle,
turn on the toaster, and flick on the
TV to catch up with the breakfast news.
Whilst drinking your morning cuppa
and every other time in your life you
turned a switch you have the father
of modern physics to thank.
The man who invented the
twentieth century. The man
who cast light over the face
of the earth, and that man is ...
NIKOLA TESLA
W
hile its true that Edison
invented the light bulb
and discovered DC (direct
current) electricity. It was
Nikola Tesla who invented
alternate current (AC) that
made electricity viable and
accessible accross the globe.
With the current energy prices
electricity seems expensive, but
if Edison had had his way, and
DC electricity had become the
standard, power costs would be
much higher still, because more
power stations would have been
required to generate the same
amount of energy that we all take
for granted today.
18
l Vaskrs 2009
Once in America, Tesla set out to
work for Edison and eventually
even Edison conceded that Tesla’s
invention of AC electricity was
superior to his own DC, and that
wasn’t all that Tesla invented, but
to start with a little background
on Tesla.
Nikola Tesla was born to Serb
parents in Smiljan near Gospić in
Lika on 28th June 1856 in what
was then part of the AustroHungarian Empire. Nikola’s father
was a Serbian Orthodox priest.
Tesla finished his four year school
term in Karlovac in three years.
In 1875 he went to the Austrian
Polytechnic in Graz to study
Electrical Engineering. He left in
1878 to go to Maribor to work
as an assistant engineer. In 1880
he went to Prague to study at the
Charles-Ferdinand University.
In June 1884 Tesla arrived in New
York with two posessions - the
clothes on his back and a letter of
recommendation from Charles
Batchelor his former employer.
In the letter intended for Edison,
Charles wrote… “I know two
great men , you are one, and the
other is this great man”…
The letter was successful and
Edison hired Tesla. He was set to
work on solving Edison’s most
complex problems including
For the next few years Tesla
focused on his own AC
polyphase system ideas,
something that Edison had
ridiculed believing that DC was
going be spreading electricity to
the masses. In 1886 he formed
his own company “The Tesla
Electric Light and Manufacturing
Co.”, however he could not
convince his financers to back
his ideas leading his company to
fold. But Tesla persevered…
the challenge of redesigning
his inefficient and uneconomic
direct current generators.
EDISON’S CHALLENGE TO
TESLA
Tesla spoke of Edison having bet
him that if he was to crack this
problem, then he would be paid
$50,000 (equivalent to a million
dollars today). Tesla rose to the
challenge and worked almost
around the clock, often putting
in 20 hour days - something that
certainly impressed Edison to the
extent that he was known to have
expressed concern to colleagues
that Tesla could be in danger of
working himself to death…
As a result of his hard worked
genius, Nikola Tesla produced
several patents for Edison’s
company which resolved many
of Edison’s problems. When Tesla
asked for him to honour the
$50,000 promised, Edison’s reply
was “Young Man you just don’t get
the American sense of humour”.
During this time Tesla worked
for $18 per week, and when he
failed to get a raise to $25, that he
believed he deserved, he decided
to leave Edison.
THE TWO KEY INVENTIONS
THAT MAKE ELECTRICITY
POSSIBLE TODAY
◆ In 1887 Tesla constructed a
“brushless alternating current
induction motor” - the work
leading to this invention he
funded himself through his
“other job”, working as a labourer.
◆ In 1888 Tesla made a
breakthrough with the Tesla
Coil which he demonstrated
at Westinghouse Electric.
Unlike Thomas Edison, George
Westinghouse was willing to
listen to Tesla’s ideas on AC
polyphase systems and how this,
and not the DC system, was the
best and most economic way
of making electricity widely
available over large distances and
potentially to the masses.
WW1 * THE DEATH RAY
* DOCTOR
(VON) DOOM &
CONSPIRACIES
Fast forward now to
the early 20th century.
Tesla was very affected
by the first world war.
He had known of wars
before but for the first
time a war had caused
millions of casualties
and immeasurable suffering on a
global scale. Tesla began thinking
that if only there was a way to
have an over whelming superior
force that could disable the
enemy and render hostile attack
futile then war could be banished.
He pondered if he could harness
the forces of nature, science or
even electricity in order to make
war a thing of the past.
Tesla got so motivated wiht this
idea that he applied himself
with passion to the problem and
after many years of research he
announced that he had conceived
a “Death Ray”. The ray could
concentrate electricity into a
particle beam that could not only
disable enemy forces in their
tracks, but also eliminate aircraft
from a distance of 250 miles away.
In an article published in Time
Magazine in 1934 Tesla outlined
his ideas and also made an offer
to the American government
that if they provided funding,
and would not interfere, then
he would start work on these
inventions and provide the US
government with an invincible
defence shield. Whilst Tesla’s
offer was not taken up, or at least
not openly, it is not clear what
happened. One view is that Tesla
changed his mind and decided
that it would not be moral for
Vaskrs 2009 l
19
Feature
any government to have such
an overwhelming capability and
discontinued his research.
There is a theory that Tesla kept
his papers on this research, and,
after his death on January 7th
1943 these papers mysteriously
disappeared from the New York
Hotel room he had called home
for many years.
According to the Tesla Society,
in 1947, Military Intelligence
suggested that Tesla’s Particle
Beam or Death Ray was of
great significance and that the
Americans and Soviets were
very interested in following
this up, along with the many
other inventions and ideas that
Tesla had conceived during his
lifetime. A US Beam weapon
was apparently inspired and
influenced by the Death Ray idea.
TM & (c) 2009 Marvel Characters, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.”
The US government however
were not the only ones influenced
by The Death Ray idea. The US
Comic book industry got in on
the act. Marvel comics created
the mysterious evil character
Doctor Doom, the main villain
of the Fantastic Four superhero
characters. The influence here
20
l Vaskrs 2009
was based on a
skewed view of
what Nikola Tesla
was all about.
Hollywood have
got in on the act
as well!
A quick review
of the 1994
Fantastic Four
film, and we see
in the plot an idea that planetary
evolution is caused by cosmic
clouds of energy / electricity in
space, which if harnessed could
accelerate evolution in various
ways ... certainly sounds like a
Tesla type idea, although because
of the Death Ray angle he is cast
as arch villain Dr (Von) Doom.
But then Death Rays and Doom
make for better Hollywood
plots than inventing accessible
electricity.
THE LEGACY
Imagine a world without the
internet… in reality its only been
in the last ten years that people
have become dependent on
emails and instant chat but you
can’t imagine a world without
these tools. Now imagine a world
without electricity… at the turn
of the last century the 1900s, a
world without electricity was
exactly the world many people
lived in.
Without Tesla’s imagination,
determination and refusal to give
up or give in to Edison, himself
a much better known inventor,
we would not have electricity
available in the way that it is
today.
In the end although they had
been bitter rivals, after Tesla
left him, even Thomas Edison
the world famous inventor of
the light bulb conceded that on
electrical distribution AC was the
future, and not (Edison’s) DC.
This recognition was satisfying
for Tesla but it did not resonate
around the world as did the
benefits of Tesla’s work. In 1931
Time Magazine, even then a
prestigious publication, featured
Tesla on their front cover noting
his significant contribution to
electrical power generation and
distribution.
While Tesla had many more ideas
and inspirations than he could
act upon during his lifetime,
including the controversial Death
Ray, there are many people today
that believe that the work he
began all those years ago is still
being researched and developed even now in the early part of the
new millennium.
Nikola Tesla ... .the man that cast
light accross the world, and who
continues to be a guiding light to
today’s Scientists and Engineers.
And, even 60 years after his
death Tesla still influences the
odd Hollywood film plot as arch
villain Dr Von Doom in the
Fantastic Four.
by Andrej Živanić
British Boff finds Kryptonite
A meteorite from planet Krypton, the
famous Achilles’ heel of Superman, once
thought to be restricted to the pages of a
comic book has been found on our planet.
T
superheroes.
Certainly, it is
not radioactive.
Nor is it a green
crystal (it is white
and powdery –
but that did not
deter resourceful
curators at
the museum,
who placed it
under a green
light). Fictional
kryptonite comes
in several colours
with the white
variant supposedly
killing plant life.
Illustration by Neal Adams, copyright DC Comics
A strange effect
has been observed
to respond to speculation that
when placing jadarite (the formal
the local children of Jadar might
name for the mineral found in
the Jadar mine) under UV light: it exhibit similar superpowers should
they leave. They said no.
emits an orange or pink aura.
he chemical matches the
fictional structure written
on a case of kryptonite stolen
from a museum by archenemy
Lex Luther in the 2006 movie
Superman Returns. It was
discovered by mining group Rio
Tinto who struggled to identify
this cryptic mineral. That’s
when they called in boffin Dr
Chris Stanley from the Natural
History Museum in London.
Only after he had exhausted all
academic avenues did he resort to
earthly means – he Googled the
formula and stumbled across this
extraordinary swoop.
Curious Chemical Structure
To date the mineral has been
found in one place only – Jadar
in western Serbia. Today, the
Natural History Museum in
Belgrade has samples; authorities
are urged to keep it well-guarded.
Could Jadar’s children have
superpowers?
News reports have rather
prematurely described it as
being “harmless” but, to be fair,
it has not been exposed to any
Just as Superman’s powers are
evident once he leaves Krypton,
asked leading scientists
B Si
O
OH
O
O
Li+ Na+
B
O
B
O
Jadar mine
Fluoride is the only
element missing from the
“real” kryptonite.
O
O
Belgrade
F
3-
News has reached Britić
that Warner Brothers are
working on new designs
for Superman’s chest
symbol using a Cyrillic “C”
Vaskrs 2009 l
21
Kitchen Corner
Easter Eggs
by Tamara Nišević
W
ay back since the times of the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and people of Indus valley,
the begining of the World and life was connected and celebrated with eggs.
Today Easter eggs are still symbol of new life, Spring and new beginings. For
Christians it is symbol of Christ’s resurrection.
Eggs are usually coloured on the Thursday before Great Friday (Veliki Petak). It is
believed that eggs cooked and coloured before sunset will be edible the whole year round
until next Vaskrs. According to old customs and traditions the mother of the house might
use coloured eggs on Easter morning to rub the faces of her sleeping children while
saying: “To be as white and red as this egg, to be as strong as steel.” The first coloured egg
is beleived to protect against lightening and is kept until Đurđevdan on 6th of May.
22
l Vaskrs 2009
MARIO’S TRATTORIA
est. 1983
Proprietor
Aleksandar (Mario) Kašić
(son of Mile from Žitnić)
If you wish to use fruit or leaves (pictured above): Put the eggs
wrapped with the leaf into a short cut of new tights. Leave to colour.
Once coloured and dry, remove the cloth and peel off the leaf.
Egg Colouring
Tip for good results:
◆ Keep eggs for at least three
hours in room temperature
◆ Add some salt and vinegar to
the large pot containing all the
eggs, it will prevent breaking
and help colour them
◆ Once coloured, use a cloth and
gently rub some oil for shiny eggs.
◆ Light brown – onion
peel (boil the peel and
put boiled eggs in it
over night)
◆ Orange – grated
carrots ( bury the boiled
eggs overnight in a pile
of finely grated carrots)
52 Kimberworth Road
Rotherham
South Yorks.
S61 1AE
Tel : 01709 550503
Open Wednesday-Saturday 6pm
and private
bookings
otherwise.
If any Serbs
visit please make
yourselves
known.
◆ Green – spinach or nettle
◆ Lilac with red tint – beetroot
◆ Pale red (pink) - radish
Natural egg colouring
First wash the eggs in a mixture
of water and vinegar (3:1 parts
respectively), or water and
lemon juice. Choose fruit, leaves
or vegetables to use in colouring
(see pictures for ideas).
The following are natural colour
sources:
Painted eggs
Turn your eggs into a real
masterpiece using water colours
and ink to paint anything you
wish. Once dry, use transparent
nail varnish to seal the colour.
Repetitive patterns are the best
choice. Make sure you use
non-toxic colours that will not
penetrate the egg shell.
Stone/marble eggs
To make your eggs look like
stone eggs all you have to do
is to wrap each egg in cloth
or medical bandage (cheese
making cloth is highly suitable
and sold in good cookery
shops). Dip the wrapped eggs
in boiling water with grey egg
colouring. Remove the cloth to
reveal a stone egg with lots of
different patterns.
Vaskrs 2009 l
23
Exclusive Interview
Not just a rock star!
by Biljana Krstović
Goran Bregović is widely acknowledged as the most accomplished musician
Yugoslavia has ever produced. Born in Sarajevo within a mixed marriage typical
of the time (father was Croat, mother Serb) he founded the greatest rock band in
Yugoslav history Bijelo Dugme (literally, “White Button”). He went on to compose
film scores for some of the countries best films such as Underground and Time of
the Gypsies and acclaimed international movies including Arizona Dream. With his
Funeral and Weddings Orchestra he has become one of the most internationally
renowned composers of the Balkans. He is releasing a new album in the UK
Alkohol and is playing at the Barbican on 30th July.
W
e are meeting Goran Bregović at a west
London hotel on an extremely cold and
rainy Tuesday afternoon. We are not sure what to
expect. After a short wait the star of our teenage
years walks into the small meeting room off the
reception area and shakes hands with each of us.
Relaxed, casual and in the mood for an “espresso
and a glass of water”. “This could be anywhere” –
I catch myself thinking – “even Sarajevo.”
…on his new album Alkohol
I was playing at Guča in Serbia (a Balkan trumpet
festival). Instead of my usual routine I thought that
we’d play something special – stuff we play when
we’re jamming together and having fun. When
I saw myself on the videos I noticed I was rather
drunk, the first time that I had actually got drunk
during a concert. I usually don’t drink at all,
except just a glass or two during concerts.
I always make sure that it’s written
into my contracts – there has
to be alcohol on stage.
24
l Vaskrs 2009
So it occurred to me that I should really make a
soundtrack to drink to. There are two records the
first one for thehard liquor is called Šljivovica and
the second one for Champagne and the like which
is released in September.
We do not have classical music in our tradition.
When Monteverdi composed his first opera L’Orfeo
we still had the gusle – a single stringed instrument.
Of course, we cottoned onto it in later years but
with us music was for alcohol, for drinking. We
don’t have that narrative
structure for opera but
only for the gusle.
…on the folk-fusion trend
Anything Bijelo Dugme did that was any good
had a fusion with folk music tradition. So for
me today, it’s like changing clothes. I don’t dress
like an idiot as I did when I was young. In music
I don’t wear those idiotic clothes we call rock ‘n’
roll. It’s rare to find a composer whose musical
roots are not obvious. Stravinsky is all folk
music, Gershwin, it’s true of McCartney, Bono,
whoever…the hardest thing is to lie in music
because scientifically it is our oldest language.
Before we learnt to speak, religion or politics,
our first way of communicating and dealing with
the scary unknown was through music or sound,
which is why it is so easy to understand. It is the
most human language but also the hardest in
which to lie.
I remember the first time I was at an MTV award
in New York and all the megastars with their
entourage were out with electric guitars, synths,
all manner of percussion, the lot… and the award
went to Ofra Haza, she’s a Yemenite. She came
out in her traditional folk dress and sung this
most lovely song without any accompaniment.
This tiny woman from her tiny culture came out
and eclipsed all of those megastars… The world
has changed slightly. For the first time larger
cultures steal from the minor cultures.
…on talent
: You’re still the biggest star back home.
Well, I’m talented.
We laugh and relax in Bregović’s company.
:We know! What is the secret of your success?
It’s really hard to explain. Do you know what
talent is? We know the same things you and
I. There’s nothing inside me that you have not
experienced, seen, heard or eaten, it is only about
what information you select. You might choose
one thing when you synthesize art and I another.
There is no other difference. I don’t have any kind
of God-given gift. I don’t create anything.
I simply synthesize. When I do it, it’s like cooks
in the kitchen, some mix the ingredients together
better and some worse but the ingredients
themselves are the same. Otherwise there is no
difference between us.
…on the famous cherry tree fall
It was the dress rehearsal for my funeral.
He makes us laugh again. I remember people on the
beach in Montenegro talking about nothing else,
from bebe to babe. We had a visitor from Belgrade
who brought newspapers which were full of Goran’s
famous fall from the cherry tree. Local news had
updates daily.
It wasn’t so bad to live through your own funeral.
People started to contact me from everywhere –
close and long-lost relatives, total strangers, gypsies
from Germany. The Crowned Prince and Princess
sent a guard with basket of fruit; the French culture
minister sent a telegram, the owners of restaurants
sent soups and stews… It was awful to break my
spine but it was nice to know there were so many
people who would wish you well.
: Interestingly, last year, around same time as
you, Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones also
fell of a tree.
Yeah, it’s like a joke that every old man enjoys
climbing trees… What exactly was he doing up a
cherry tree?
Vaskrs 2009 l
25
Exclusive Interview
…on Sarajevo
Everyone I talk to says Sarajevo has completely
changed but I don’t see it. That’s the biggest shock
to me that nothing has changed. The people still
have the same small town psychology. Usually
people try to escape small towns but Sarajevo has
something which glues people to it. Maybe because
it’s my hometown, I guess everyone has some kind of
unresolved emotional battle with their hometown.
…on his exile in Paris
The winter before the war I was at Jahorina, Sarajevo
and then in March I went off to Paris for a film score
and that’s when the war started. I was very lucky
to have escaped being trapped in Sarajevo for four
years… I had been comparatively rich, working
since the age of 23 so I had more money than I
needed. Then one day you wake up and you have
nothing. Fortunately, I still had a little pad in Paris
which I bought ages ago and then I spent the first
few months glued to the television (following events
at home) and then I started to work. Stuff I never
did before, I accepted anything that was offered to
me; adverts for perfumes, oils and margarines... I
think that during the four years of the war I worked
on 30 film scores. I was lucky enough to get paid for
doing what I love. Then when I had earned enough,
I stopped that kind of work.
…on working
I like that I have discovered work. Where we come
from we treat work like kuluk* We only worked
as a means to an end. But in France they have a
different work ethic…They enjoy their lunch break,
they don’t just shove a sandwich down their neck
but with make it special…
So I have got used to working. Before that with
Bijelo Dugme I never really worked. Every few
years we would release a new album. During the
Communist era the tax regime was 45% up to a
certain level after which they would charge another
90%. That’s why I didn’t work that much. During
26
l Vaskrs 2009
my Bijelo Dugme period I composed less than
100 songs. So I never really worked. I travelled
the world, was president of some boxing club,
mountain climber, I went sailing, more travel but
never really worked. Now for the first time I work,
eight hours a day like people in the normal world.
…on success
People think that the world is as it looks on TV.
But that’s not true. In the last six or seven years I
sold over 5 million records but I’ve never been on
TV. I have to show my backstage pass when I go to
my own concerts. Why does anyone need to know
my face? I’m not some kind of a pop star anymore.
We all laugh. At this point I decide I will abandon
all my prepared questions and just simply have
a chat. Even though I had no expectations I am
surprised by his ability to put us at ease. He
continues with an ever present, completely
natural half smile on his face.
…on his ideal dinner guests
Einstein. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to
read his theory of relativity…try it and you’ll see
how entertaining it is… When I was a kid they
released these little books like comics – Karl Marx,
Einstein. I find it interesting not because I hoped
to understand it but because I enjoy thinking about
this every now and then. I always carry it with me
to read when I travel.
: Have you heard about Mileva Marić* and the
current controversy about who wrote the theories
–her or Einstein?
Yes. Who wrote it…? Mileva Marić does not have
her biography printed in those small books. But I
suppose he could bring Mileva along too!
…on why he could never live in London
London has always been a place of work for me. It’s
got great studios. But when I decided to buy a flat
abroad I chose Paris. Somehow…the light here is
poor, like it is not really daylight. I know people
who live here and they say the same. Some
have had psychological problems.
Reader’s Question: any plans for another
Bijelo Dugme reunion?
We did three concerts (in 2005). They were
lovely…I played songs I had forgotten. Bijelo
Dugme could be the very last elegant reminder
of the former Yugoslavia. It never went down
an unfamiliar road for the sake of anything
unsavoury. So, we carried on from where we
left off all those years back and it was really
nice. I have played at many huge concerts.
You have all this aggressive energy to give out
only to have it sent back to you. It was the first
time, I don’t know if it has ever happened with
concerts so large, but there was no aggression,
no incidents. I looked at the front rows. When
anyone tried to start trouble there was this
overwhelming desire for calm and it was not
disrupted.
It was not only due to the music. The music
was just the draw. But I felt that people wanted
to gather around something. I am not thinking
Serbs, Muslims and Croats but…it was nice
to think we still had some songs we could
sing together and the fact that I wrote them
was lovely. There were 75,000 in Sarajevo
and Zagreb and 148,000 tickets were sold
in Belgrade… people travelled from…Lord
knows…our basketball team hired a plane
from the USA just to get to the concert. I was
happy to do it but I would not want to do it
again and I think it just wouldn’t be the same.
This was genuine, it was an historic moment.
: Goran Bregović is not just a rock star
but a symbol for unity. Serbs, Croats and
Muslims want that old YU feeling.
I don’t play any role in this. I don’t represent
anyone. I don’t like to push myself in that
context because it serves no one. One time
only, prior to elections in Bosnia (before
the war) there was just one party that was not
nationalist. We calculated if this party gets 18%
of the vote there will be no war. But our war
started from the parliament – it was a war that
everyone voted for. I was recently reminded of this
as someone showed me a clip of Haris Džinović,
myself and Zdravko playing the song Zvezda tera
Mesec at a concert. There wasn’t a single literate or
cultured person in the public eye who had not tried
to help get this 18%, without exception. Everyone
who was anyone in public life writers, myself,
Kusturica – we all tried. We travelled across the
country and all we got was 3% of the vote. So if you
put all that talent and reputation together it was not
worth that much, at that moment I realised not to
get involved in such things not because I don’t want
to but because I don’t think my opinion is worth
more than a jackass’s. So I have never taken that
road since.
Exactly on the hour the door opens and his
manager appears silently. (I am pleasantly
surprised that he does not have an entourage
around him.) We still have loads of photos to
be signed. Goran is very patient. He signs them
carefully, still chatting. Aleks brought a couple
of plectrums for Goran “just to touch”. He does
it without any questions but smiles at the strange
request. While taking photos with him he remarks
to me “Evo Sarajevske koke!” We laugh again. I
am thinking how much we have laughed during the
past hour. They allow us to take photos with the
star. On the way out Goran said he is glad to have
done this interview.
Well, we are glad indeed!
*Editor’s footnotes:
Kuluk is turcism – a word left from times of Turkish
occupation when people had to work to pay tax – so
kuluk is a form of tax to the occupying force.)
*Mileva Marić was Einstein’s first wife. She was a Serb
and an extremely talented mathematician and unlike
Einstein, an excellent student.
Vaskrs 2009 l
27
from Lowestoft
and
all his family
Readers
Viewwish
newlyweds
Danilo & Danica Dragić
in Diss
a very happy first slava.
Srećna Slava i mnogaja
leta for 27 January,
Sveti Sava
with the launch
Stanić in January
Z̆eli mu njegova
Tetka Milja from Boston
Britić Vote: Niko “Niko Bellic is a good guy. I played the
77% friend 13% foe game I like to see more of the Serbian
Happy Birthday
heroes like NB. So far M. Jovović is the
most popular Serbian Hollywood movie actress. I’d like to see GTA 4 made
into Hollywood movie.”
Happy 7th Birthday Stefan!
“I think Niko is good for Serbs in the game... all he did was fight
a war
just
Lotsinof
love
like any other Serb / Bosnian Serb. That shouldn’t make his reputation bad. I
Tad &
rate him a Serbian game Hero” Milorad Savić
“Niko is aof
heroBritić.
until it’s his round. Then he disappears and becomes
niko!” Ivan
Mummy,
Z̆elihave
vam
“GTA4 should
Bill and Tony in there as crime barons, too, introduced as
& Roman
Big-K,
Phatti
Jovo
‘arms dealers’
. Nikoand
can them
blow them away.”
“Niko is cool, he reads
.” Aleks.
Britić listings service for Vaskrs 2009 issue
Costs
Contact
Message / Advert
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14
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Organisational Development and Project Management
Phone: 01484 530 402
E mail: [email protected]
28
l Vaskrs 2009
Your Letters
Well Wishing
Thanks for the first issue of Britić
which dropped through the post
recently. My mum and I really
enjoyed it, a really pleasant surprise.
have to be brought to
account for the orders they
gave. I know this because
I was there and I lived
through it!
Well done chaps, keep up the good
work.
Sanja, Middlesex
ALGARVE
QUINTA
OCEANE
ALGARVE
You have omitted to
A LUXURY 8 BEDROOM EN SUITE
QUINTA
OCEANE
mention the most
HOLIDAY
VILLA
SET IN A
important bits of the
PRESTIGIOUS LOCATION
Hi there Stan & Aleks,
A LUXURY 8 BEDROOM EN SUITE
Karadžić story to date.
VILLA SET IN A
ForHOLIDAY
more info/photos/prices
I am delighted to have received the
These bits are crucial in
PRESTIGIOUS
LOCATION
please visit
first edition of Britić today.... don’t
order to understand just
quite know how you found me.... but
how much the West lied
For more info/photos/prices
I’m very glad you did!
and cheated in order to
please visit
impose their political and
Thank you for bringing this
military will on the Balkans
publication to us!
or call Mr Ilic on +44 7956 653 733
and on the Serbs. First and foremost
Naser Orić, despite the fact that he
Vesna Bilić, Oxford the Sarajevo market place massacres
massacred several hundred elderly
or
call
Mr
on +44on
7956
653
733
(Markale pijaca), there were two
SerbsIlic
in Bratunac
January
7th.
of them in the nineties. Definitely
How can one take the accusations
Karadžić – the fallout
carried out by the government of
made against Karadžić seriously
I enjoyed reading your magazine until Izetbegović on its own citizens in
when blatant crimes committed
I came to the article on Karadžić.
order to incriminate the Serbs and
by non-Serbs go unpunished? The
I can’t believe you would write an
drag NATO into the war. At the time
massacre of the JNA army unit in
article in his defence! Regardless
the NATO propaganda machine
Tuzla by the forces of Ejup Ganić
of one’s ethnicity / nationality, any
attributed the massacres to the Serbs
during the early part of the Bosnian
decent person would consider him
but forensic evidence from UN
war is another example of Moslem
an absolute monster! The atrocities
investigators subsequently revealed
crimes going unpunished - this in
committed during the Balkan conflict that all shrapnel wounds on the
itself is the best defence Radovan
were appalling and needless and
bodies of the victims were inflicted
Karadžić can put forward i.e. why is
people on all sides of the conflict have from nearby Moslem positions, not
his side the only side being accused of
to take due responsibility. They are
by the Serbs, quite a few miles away
committing war crimes?
all equally to blame and their leaders
in the surrounding hills. A Serb
While welcoming the publication
general even offered to
of your magazine I was left feeling
stand in the market place
slightly disappointed by the article
Nikola Ilić
and allow himself to be a
about Karadžić, which could have
target for a missile from the
said so much more, but overall
Serb positions - that is how
despite this small criticism let me
confident he was that he
congratulate you on a fine publication
For weddings, portraits, general photography could not be hit.
and wish you all the best for the
and large print services
Other important points
future.
that were omitted by the
07808 281 950
regards,
article include the acquittal
[email protected]
of the Moslem warlord
Alex Gašić.
www.ni-photografika.com
Nick Stojić
www.villaqo.com
www.villaqo.com
NIPHOTOGRAFIKA
Vaskrs 2009 l
29
Readers View
Sports Wish List
I would like to thank you and
congratulate you on a fine copy of
work. I liked the items mentioned
with a British Serb view point. If I
could add as a “Grobar” fan more
news & views on football and sports
in general.
Miloš Mike Mihailović
Just wondering if you could write
some info on Red star fans (delije)
and why are they so passionate about
football? and even basketball?!
Myles
: We’re looking for a good sports
writer to tackle these and other
articles. Anyone out there interested?
A Question of Language
Pišem duboko uvredjena vašim
“Britić” novinama. Ideja kao ideja o
srpskim novinama je SAVRŠENA,
ali ne mogu zamisliti da čitam svoje
srpske novine na nekom drugom
jeziku osim na srpskom. Čak šta više,
srbi kao narod imaju svoje pismo i
srpski crkveni kalendar nikada, ali
nikada ne može biti napisan kao
“Church Calendar”, mi gospodo
postimo, nikako ne “fasting”. Ja
ne mogu vjerovati da pred sobom
vidim crkvene službe navedene kao
“Church Services” to što ste vi svojim
novinama napravili je skrnavljenje
naše kulture, crkve a time i samih nas!
Glavno očuvanje naroda je kroz jezik
i sramota je kako mi svoj čuvamo na
ovakav način, objavljivanjem srpskih
novina na lošem pokušaju prevoda
našeg jezika na engleski. Ako su
vam ciljana publika bili englezi
bez ikakvog srpskog korjena, ja se
onda izvinjavam. Uostalom ovo sve
pišem u afektu i bijesu, možda ne
baš hladne glave, ali smatram da su
to neoprostive stvari. Ako se već ima
novca za ovakvu visoku kvalitetu
papira i printa, onda neka takve
30
l Vaskrs 2009
novine budu bar dvojezične, ako
ne čisto srpske. Neka bar naš srpski
pravoslavni kalendar bude odstampan
na cirilici kako mu i prilici.
Naš Stefan Nemanja je to divno
rekao:
“Bolje ti je izgubiti sve bitke i ratove
nego izgubiti jezik!”
“Čuvajte, čedo moje milo, jezik kao
zemlju. Reč se može izgubiti kao
grad, kao zemlja, kao duša. A šta je
narod izgubi li jezik, zemlju, dušu?”
Šta to postajemo mi sami okrećući
ledja svojim korjenima?
To je zaista jedina zamjerka na vaše
novine. Podržavam vašu svaku ideju
o objavljivanju istih, divni članci,
već sam spomenula kvalitetu, ali sa
najvećim mogućim nedostatkom
srpskih novina bez srpskog jezika!!
Nemam namjeru da vas uvrijedim
ovim mailom, nego samo da vam
skrenem pažnju na grešku koju je
vjerovatno primjetio većinski dio
vaših čitalaca.
P.S If you need translation of this
email, please let me know.
Sanja Rusić
Well done and good luck with this
publication, us Britić Serbs have
been waiting for something like this
to come along for years, it is just
a shame that our church leaders
and elders stick rigidly to their
doctrines and in particular, use of
the Serbian language (Cyrillic when
written) in such a way as to alienate
those of us born here without a
great command of the Serbian
language, and we wonder why our
churches are empty except for the
most holy of days.
It’s great to see a fasting calendar
that is easily deciphered and could I
suggest another area that could prove
beneficial to us all, simple explanations
of certain religious/customs such as the
use of žito, slavski kolač etc… maybe
with some recipes. There is already
an article Ilija has written regarding
adoption of new slava for those left
without, and I don’t mean to turn this
publication into any type of religious
newsletter, but, it would be nice to
know why we do certain things, which
customs our forefathers followed (and
ergo so should we), which are the
important holy days (outside of the
obvious ones) etc... if only because this
is part of our makeup.
Best of luck in this new adventure.
Boško Novaković
(Linda’s Husband)
: We took a resolute stance in
deciding to publish in English based
on our target demographic. We want
all Serbs to enjoy Britić but those of
us who are most starved of news are
British-born Serbs who inevitably
have trouble reading the myriad
online newspapers in Cyrillic and yet
cannot find trustworthy sources of
information in the English language.
And what of our non-Serb spouses?
Moreover, in this country there are few
Serbs who cannot read English.
The role of Britić is not to further
alienate British-born Serbs by writing
exclusively in a language that has
unfortunately become undecipherable
to many of them, but rather to
promote the Serbian schools that do
exist in the UK and in Serbia as we
have done in this issue.
Finally, we quote from the same
source, Stefan Nemanja:
“Dva naroda, milo moje, mogu se biti
i mogu se miriti. Dva jezika nikada se
pomiriti ne mogu. Dva naroda mogu
živeti u najvećem miru i ljubavi, ali
njihovi jezici mogu samo ratovati.”
What a mistake-a to make-a…
Nadam se da ćete nastaviti sa lepom
mešavinom vesti, komentara,
dopisa i oglasa. Ovo prilikom imam
samo jednu zamerku. Na strani 22,
Church Services, dajete vremena
službi u raznim parohijama. Pošto
sam u Londonu ne mogu da
komentarišem druge parohije (žasto
tu nije i Birmingham?) i šteta je da
informacije za vremena službi nisu
tačne. Naime, nije navedena služba
na Badnje veče kao ni ona na drugi
dan Božića. Ako se već takvi podaci
navode, dobro bi bilo potruditi se da
oni budu potpuni i tačni.
Srdaćno
Vojin Šljivić
: Thank you for your comments
and take them onboard. One difficulty
we faced was that the 2009 Church
calendar was not ready at time of going
to press last issue, so confirmation of
all dates and times was impossible.
However, we would like to thank our
priests up and down the country who
are helping to make our timetable more
accurate and we believe we have not
omitted a single parish in this edition.
Would like to meet…
You are doing a great job in keeping
the Serbs together in the UK with
this magazine. Since my father died,
I have not kept in contact with his
friends and their children and I do
not know of anyone in this area
who is of Serb decent. I would like
to know if there is any chance of
me meeting with Serbs in South
Yorkshire.
voice and take off the shackles of our
elders who have done little to help us
understand who we are.
Petar, London
Dear Sir, I suggest an ad in your mag
telling us where we can get Serbian
food like Ajvar, being isolated this
is something I have no idea how to
obtain, thank you.
Mr A Karić.
Mario Kasić, Rotherham
Excellent! Let us hope Britić is the
beginning of a new dawn for the
Serbs born in this country. I would
like to say that what we need to
do for us to understand our rather
complicated selves is to attempt to
write a history of how we got here?
why? when? the differing tides of
émigrés....we really need to get a
: Can anyone help Mr Karić?
Please let us know.
: We have been delighted with
the correspondence we received and
can only apologise for those letters we
could not fit into this edition. Please
write in again, and we’ll try to do
better!
Десет година од НАТО бомбардовања
Ево већ је десета година од када је најјача војна
алијанса на свету неправедно и неоправдано започела
бомбардовање Србије и Црне Горе које је трајало 78 дана.
Без одобрења УН а на своју руку НАТО је сипао бомбе
по невином становништву Србије. Сада се то тек
показало који је циљ био. Требало је отети Косово и
прогласити га независним.
Јавност је била припремљена против Срба још од
почетка рата у бившој Југославији тако да све касније
акције буду на овај или онај начин оправдане.
Словенија, Хрватска, Босна и Херцеговина , Македонија
издвајале су се једна по једна из састава Југославије уз
помоћ њихових ментора. Србија није имала никога ко
би стао иза ње. Иако је имала то су биле мале земље или
појединци. Пропаганда је била велика н није вредело
доказивање да је НАТО неправедно напао Србију и Црну
Гору. Бомбе су разарале све што су стигле војне објекте,
цивилне објекте, мостове , рафинерије, телевизије,
релеје . Гинули су војници, цивили, деца. Бацане су
бомбе са осиромашеним уранијумом па данс имамо у
Србији много повећан број оних који су оболели од
леукемије и рака сваке врсте
Србија је била у хаосу. Ипак није се предала. Народ је
јуначки одолевао свим тешкоћама. Најзад потписан је
споразум у Куманову. Резолуцијом 1244 војници НАТО
савеза дошли су да наводно обезбеде миран живот за
све на Косову и Метохији. Ни тај спорзум није донео
никакво добро Србији.
Српска војска се повукла са Косова а дошле су
трупе војног савеза НАТО да заведу и чувају мир.
Нажалост стање се њиховим доласком још више
погоршало. Резултат је њиховог доласка прогон
250 хиљада Срба са Косова и Метохије, око хиљаду
Срба је убијено а толико и киднаповано. Порушених
и попаљених преко150 цркава и манастира као и
хиљаде српских кућа. Косово и Метохија су практично
очишћени од Срба и то под влашћу Умника и Кфора.И
оно Срба што је још остало живе у гетима немајући
никакву слободу кратања. И то се догађа у 21. веку
када се свуда говори о људским правима и слободама.
Тако испада да сви имају право на слободу и људска
право само Срби не. Ако није тако нека то то покаже
медђународна заједница.
Сад тамо имамо и Еулекс од кога неће поново имати
Срби накакве користи јер су дошли, неопрезношћу
српских државних власти, да полако спроведу
Ахтисаријев план. То је јасно свакоме ко
уме да гледа и чита.
Дакле шта да кажемо о овој десетој годишњици српских
страдања. Нека нас само Бог сачува а Он једино зна
како и на који начин. Кад би данас свети владика
Николај проговорио Србима сигурно би им рекао Срби,
пробудите се , покајте се, уједините се, обожите се и
размножите се па ћу вам помоћи да пребродите све
тешкоће. Не уздајте се у човека већ у Бога.
O. Milun Kostić for all participating parishes in UK
Vaskrs 2009 l
31
Puzzle Corner
CROSSWORD
1
2
4
3
5
6
8
7
9
10
11
12
13
15
14
17
16
18
21
19
20
22
The clues are in English
and the answers in
Serbian, and most of
them are names. Some
of the clues are simple
translations and others
are a little more
obscure. We hope you
enjoy this bilingual
puzzle.
23
24
25
26
See page 7 for answers.
A C C R O S S:
1. Serbian A-Z man. 3. Rade, actor in “24”, “Snatch” and “Eyes Wide Shut”.
7. A river in Kosovo, a place to experiment. 8. A bridge on a river honoured him.
9. River island. 10. Auto royalty. 11. Ivanović, tennis player. 14. Thanks, passed
around in church. 15. Tito could not rename this town.16. A number, animal kept
in house. 17. Us. 18. On. 19. A trifling river in Kosovo. 21. So, dad 22. A monumental
disaster, here. 24. Who? 25. Back for Stoke and England. 26. A line between Serbs,
impossible to straighten.
D O W N:
1. Defender of the united cause. 2. Rythmic rotation for the Serb nation.
3. A town once nicknamed “Little Paris” and the first town in Serbia where women
were allowed in bars. 4. Short for Brena’s tennis partner. 5. Slam dunking Serb.
6. Painter not decorator. 12. [email protected]. 13. One hundered square meters.
14. The inventor of everything, more or less. 17. The surname of a spotted bug.
19. Sounds like a “dull” place, in northern Serbia. 20. Anyway, leaving?
21. Vasko, priest-like poet. 22. A cold clasp. 23. Sad in Vojvodina.
32
l Vaskrs 2009
WORD SEARCH
In this word search we have hidden Serbian Orthodox Saints names and
celebrations. How many can you find and match to their celebration dates.
P
T
B
D
A
Z
6th. January . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
N
I
K
O
L
A
O
F
U
N
K
7th. January . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S
U
L
K
Z
M V
A
S
B
C
C
P
20th. January. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N
U
Z
I
P
I
L
K
I
C
C
M
27th. January. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K
I
N
N
C
K
D
N
O
U
P
A
14th. February. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P
F
H
A
T
O
A
D
I
L
L
A
C
I
D
I
C
D
A
N
E
C
J
C
C
V
B
G
P
N
K
A
I
O
C
C
H
O
P
I
U
S
B
N
V
N
O
S
B
T
H
F
B
O
6th. May. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28th. June. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28th. August. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K
A
A
R
P
T
L
A
S
I
M O
N
D
N
O
B
A
C
C
H
R
C
J
I
C
V
R
J
A
O
N
C
C
A
T
K
N
O
Z
O
Z
I
D
S
I
P
O
M I
E
V
D
A
N
N
I
N
J
B
P
E
N
D
J
U
R
D
A
I
R
A
S
E
D
J
U
R
D
J
O
G
A
A
S
N
I
F
A
P
L
N
N
K
V
A
P
I
S
A
D
I
C
C
J
D
R
B
O
P
J
L
C
C
A
F
G
S
E
O
S
N
M A
T
L
T
I
A
27th. September. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K
L
O
F
K
S
18th. October. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I
P
V
C
B
A
L
27th. October. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L
T
D
M E
V
A
31th. October. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E
L
A
C
A
Z
16th. November . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F
C
O
M A
A
D
S
K
The answers are available on
our web site www.britic.co.uk
21th. September . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
V
S
D
C
C
M O
21th. November . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K
J
E
R
D
N
A
13th. December. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E
L
A
M
19th. December. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vaskrs 2009 l
33
Novella
Seven days in Sarajevo
First installment of a serialisation of a novel by Biljana Krstović
NOT IN HEAVEN, NEITHER ON EARTH
-“Allahu akbar!”- A melodic voice howls from the
minaret of a local mosque in Hrasno, a small district of
Sarajevo.
My unopened luggage is still sitting on the kitchen floor.
Light shines on the white Yugoslavian Airline sticker
which hangs motionless from the black bag. I listen
to the imam’s voice while smoking a bitter “native”
Sarajevska Drina cigarette and watching the world go
by below the balcony of my sister’s flat. The view of the
town appropriately coloured grey like smoke.
Sarajevo. Look at it- the smallest thing ever. There is
nothing to see. Is it really a town? It used to seem so big
to me. Squeezed between the mountains, in a valley,
from the East to the West, just like its people. From the
East, the Trebević mountain presses, once an Olympic
star. Forests glow almost blue in the afternoon sun.
Northeast are the Pofalići hills, its people and houses
I used to know, not long ago. Long indeed; but it feels
just like yesterday. Close to the “Socijalno” tram stop
people walk by as if nothing happened. Walk. Just like
that! Trams in a hurry, running to Čaršija - the Old
Town. Metal boxes looking pale, washed out paint,
unwashed dirt. They used to be red. Trees are missing
everywhere…
Lighting up another bitter stick, I inhale its smoke with
hope it will bring me closer to this picture that envelops
me. I hope to connect to my surroundings. Somehow.
What went wrong with this daring little town? It isn’t
really that important; all dirty and unsightly. Is it? Tall
blocks of flats shelled with bullets, cut by shrapnel,
burned by grenades, dirt on them so old it could even
34
l Vaskrs 2009
tell tales of happiness before the war, to those who had
forgotten. The war. Every now and then, a huge, brandnew building with its supermarket and half empty car
park, shoved without order or plan in such a small space,
it is hard to breathe. Shopping centre. Look at it. Huge,
new and insensitive among the surrounding destruction.
What is so important in this little town for it to be
known throughout the centuries? Why has it borne
so many strange people? It’s gift to the World. Gavrilo
Princip. His foot prints, as if fossilised, still stand silently
by the river. What happened to Franz Ferdinand to
pick on us and this little town, this shallow river? What
did he need us for? And they killed him! (“I am not a
criminal, for I destroyed a bad man. I thought I was
right.”—Princip after he performed the assassination)
Gavrilo shot him and started The First World War. Right
there by river Miljacka. Bang! Franc Ferdinand; the
duke. Dead. He really didn’t need that! Why does anyone
need this town? What do I need it for?
The heart jumps uncomfortably in my chest as I stop
looking for the answer. I am looking for excuses instead.
-“Look, you have been to Paris, London, Amsterdam,
Barcelona, Budapest, Belgrade and Prague, to cut the
story short. Cities – each one more beautiful than the
next. Huge. But how come not so important as this small
exhausted Sarajevo? How come?”- the inner voice is
now starting its usual torture. I can’t get it into my head.
Connect. Connect. Don’t analyse!
It’s cold in my chest. I am scared of this little town, scared
to walk on its streets. A cold sweat chills the back of my
neck. “And why are you scared? What are you scared of?”Me asking me. “Can’t you still hear your childhood giggle
around a corner? Can’t you? Yes, yours, you silly woman?
What are you afraid of? They don’t eat people here you
know. War is over. Over! There it is… 2005 my dear!
What’s the matter with you? There it is – “Dove” soap
and “Fairy liquid” in your sister’s kitchen. Civilisation has
arrived! Can’t you see?”
The cold sweat soaks off my palms into the white cigarette
paper. “What do you think will happen? Go back
downstairs and have a little walk, just a little one. Nobody
knows you anyway! Nobody will notice you are here.
There are all these new people, different ones.” the inner
voice is not giving up. Well, that as well. That is scary; far
more scary than the scars that sneer at me from the walls.
More terrifying than those walls are these people that the
town itself does not recognise. Who are they? Why did
they come here? ”It’s not their either”-the voice is boring
me now. Nor are they the problem. Is it something else…
inside? “Is it those who have gone? Gone for good. Like
you. Run away. Aha! Run away! Ha, ha! Those wretches…
Belong neither to one nor the other world. The other, you
know it well, the civilised one. Hanging off the beanstalk
dear, that’s where you are, you and Jack. Neither on Earth
nor in the Heaven! Where have you ended up? In a story!
That’s where you belong, you and all the others who ran
away. That foreign passport you are flashing about, is
not good enough either. No point pretending you have
no business here. It’s not a club my dear. Membership
here is for life. That plastic card of yours will never have
enough credit to pay your ransom out of this club. Out
of this little town. You are neither foreign nor of this
land. Neither. Shame on you! Are you listening? Are you
hearing this? Are you!”
SMELL OF APPLES
“Flowers! Flowers! Madam, just one mark, just one!” - A
woman in a long grey skirt and a sunken face squats on
the floor at the market in Otoca. In front of her are three
plastic tubs crammed with several kinds of kaleidoscopic
flowers and aromatic herbs all wrapped in newspaper.
The flowers are joyful with their large bobbing heads.
Lilies or some such, I think. Surely I don’t know more
flower names in English than Serbian? I can feel panic in
my head at the prospect.
The market’s burnt-out smashed roof; a disgrace for all
to see. It’s apparent it was once painted green, back when
it was still possible to paint in such a bright colour. Back
then you knew someone would clean it if it got dirty.
Everywhere you look is teeming with people. Brightly
coloured fruit, vegetables, underwear, corn, carrots,
figs, eggs, thick woollen socks…The market floor is
strewn with all manner of wares from onions to fake
Ray-Bans. On it stands a man with an armful of packs
of cigarettes. A woman sells finely ground coffee for a
fresh Turkish brew. Someone shouts: “Foreign currency!
Dollars. Foreign currency.” An old man standing in front
of overturned boxes loaded with precious herbs. Just
by looking at his clothes you can tell he has just arrived
from some village deep in the mountains. By his manner,
by the way he takes care while moving his herbs, by the
way his lips move each time he does it as if he speaks
to them, you can tell he has picked them himself, you
can tell he knows what they are for. Women’s cat grass
for fertility, cat grass for heart complaints, basil this,
basil that, valerian for quiet nights, elderflower queen
of winter for fragile lungs, dried cherry stalks, beards
of corn, celery, dill seeds… The August sun sears. Some
people are under an umbrella. Unrecognisable boxes of
perfume in a row. Under the leftovers of the market roof
are unwashed shop windows carpeted with wedding
dresses. The dresses are white, the bombed out roof
is black, punctured with holes in the rusted girders,
vulgarly thrust to the sky like some kind of threat or
warning. Wedding dresses and the roof. One is the
promise of happiness and the other a witness to misery.
I can smell apples from somewhere…
“Let’s have a look. Saša, what do you think of these? Any
good?” – I turn towards my sister’s kid. At 16, she is as
pretty as a picture only too young to realise it yet (this
bit is too large, this too short, this too little....). It seems
just yesterday we brought her back from the hospital. We
had waited for her to be born, as if waiting for the sun
to ripen her. She is the apple of my eye. My dear Saša. an
angel from heaven!
“They’ll be fine, tetka, super. Extra!” (I can never get that
new word “extra”. It hurts my ears every time I hear it).
“They will go lovely under the gladioli.”
“We’ll take two. No, better get three bouquets, please.
Two is somehow not enough.- Are they from your own
gardens?”- I ask the woman on the stand, but I know
they are. Again, the smell of apple, sweet...
I look at this woman, so weak and gaunt and ask myself
how much effort has she invested in these bunches of
flowers for three marks. Marks. Not those old Deutsche
Marks, these are new “convertibles”.
One mark – just one loaf, no more no less. Did she plan
on standing in this heat the whole day for those three
marks? So long that the midday sun singes her sprigs of
parsley and lets them wither? Who will buy them in an
hour or two? Maybe someone will. Maybe it’s just me
who has got used to vacuum-packed, odourless spices
on the shelves in England? (“Basil, tarragon, parsley or
thyme madam?”) Maybe it does not matter. Maybe our
home grown parsley will season food just as well even
if a little withered and dry. Maybe spice is more than a
glossy look and glittery packaging. Did I forget?
“Yes madam, those all come from my garden.” Her face
shows genuine joy. Her eyes light up as if someone had
switched on a bulb behind them.
“They are beautiful flowers, just what we were looking
for.” Those words cannot express what I want to say to
her, even less can the marks I pay her. I feel as if I should
apologise for this small sorrow I place in her hand. Her
hand! Black, coarse, a farm labourer’s hand. A hand
strong and a hand that toiled in wind and cold, a hand
gentle to her flowers and strong to her animals. The
hand, skilled with a cooking spoon; gentle with a child’s
delicate skin. A woman’s hand.
“My flowers might be pretty but so are the two of you!
Even without any makeup you look naturally lovely,
mašala, anyone can see that, madam. She smiles broadly,
her mood lightens. Maybe she is not that old after all?
“Let’s go, tetka, or we’ll be late, baka is waiting!” Saša’s voice
jolts me from my thoughts. What a lovely smell of apples!
Vaskrs 2009 l
35
Novella
WHO’S THAT FIRING
We rush to Vojkoviće. My mother is waiting for us to
go shopping. We are all four in the car, Ivana, Vedrana,
Saša and me. It has been a year since my father died
and the whole family will get together the day after
tomorrow. That is the reason for my visit. We jostle
in the car. I always seem to come for funerals or their
annual memorials; I wish I could come for a wedding or
a celebration. These children only go to funerals, I am
thinking. Saša has never been to a wedding. Except once
when she was a baby, which she cannot remember. She
said to me, in a car bound for Brighton last week:
“Tetka why don’t you tell me all about weddings since I
have never been to one.”
“What do you mean you’ve never been?”
“I haven’t!”
“What, never?”
“Never tetka?”
“In sixteen years?”
“Well no one’s got married in sixteen years.”
“Lord help us! By the time we were sixteen, we’d been
to so many weddings we could arrange one ourselves.
I think we even budgeted in case the family were
unexpectedly invited to one. Weddings were a really big
deal. We come from a big family. When you were of age
to “enter society” you could barely count the surnames
of relatives you’ve never met. There were loads of them.
They would say, don’t fall for anyone with this and that
surname, that’s your family!”
“How can you not know your own relatives?”
“You just didn’t. When your mum and dad got married
there were three hundred people, and they partied for
three days!”
“But where were mum and dad?”
“They were on their honeymoon in Dubrovnik. They
stayed at the Libertas hotel I think. That was five-star
at the time. They went off but people still carried on
partying for two days.”
“Tell me everything tetka from the beginning, don’t miss
a single thing!” – Saša was excited.
She has no father, he went missing in the war. Vedrana,
Saša’s mum now lives with Bojan, from Krajina, and
they had Saša’s sister Ivana. Saša’s father disappeared in
the May of 1992. We never found out what happened to
him. During one day 360 of them simply disappeared.
That is what they say. I do not know if it is true. Nor do
we know what to tell the child. Whether this happened
or that happened, when we ourselves hardly know. And
he was a handsome daddy, as pretty as a picture. You
can see it in her. His smile, his walk… There was never a
lovelier couple, even if I do say so myself. It’s not because
it is my sister. Others will say it too. Young, beautiful
and in love. They were so in love! Saša wants to know it
all. She cannot remember her father. She loves it when
I speak of him and I love it to. He was dear to me from
childhood. I still light a candle for him. I never know
where to put it in the church -above or below, low or
high, for the dead or for the living….
“What first?”
“Since you budgeted for weddings did you have to
always go?”
“We didn’t have to go. It’s not like that. It was like a
tribal, primeval thing, everyone looking out for their
own. You go to theirs, they come to yours. You get to
know your family. I always loved weddings! I could go in
the evening and stay out as long as I wanted just as long
as I let them know I’m off with my kin and my clan. It
wouldn’t matter if I got back the next morning. Even the
budget wasn’t strict. You just left a little on the side.”
“What did you need the money for?”
“The money was for all sorts of traditions. When the
groom’s family came for the bride (they are the svatovi)
they are decorated by the bride’s family.”
“How?”
“Young cousins, sister or one of the numerous tetki
or strina would decorate their clothes with white
handkerchiefs and pinned flowers. They’d order this in
special material at the shops. All white, crisp and fresh,
just like the bride! This isn’t free! The svatovi would
leave money under an embroidered tablecloth on a large
platter on which all the decorations are carried. That all
goes to the bride. The closer the family, the more money
they leave.”
“Wow and what then?”
“Then they decorate the car with beautiful fresh flowers
so when they go around the town (and they do so very
slowly tooting their horns very loudly all the time)
everyone knows the procession is for a wedding.”
“But tell me about mum’s and dad’s wedding.”
“Well, your deda made all the arrangements for this huge
wedding in Vojkoviće.”
I feel myself drifting to the past. Memories first faint
then loud and heavy. The smell of meat on the spit and
fresh šljivovica floods my nostrils. A sea of plates and
36
l Vaskrs 2009
large cakes. Pies everywhere...Omnipresent accordion
music brings flashes of images of traditional dancing.
Muddy new shoes…
“They had it in a big marquee with musicians and dish
after dish of food being served. The women cooked
for days in advance; pastries, tarts, soups, stews, cakes,
kajmak, cheeses, meats, sarme, salads, sauerkraut, dried
meats, lamb, chicken…whatever the heart desires!
Drinks were flowing from home-brew šljivovica to
Scotch whisky and wine. It was a fine summers day. Your
mum got herself ready at the summerhouse with her
cousins and strine. We didn’t tell the svatove. It doesn’t
do to let them see the bride too early. But when they
finally did she was a sight to behold. She had the loveliest
white wedding dress and headdress. A lace veil drawn
over her face. A real stunner. Her brunette hair, her dark
eyes. Like two burning coals! I’ll never forget the words
her late strina said to her – “Vedrana, my darling, empty
out your handbag. Even the lipstick! You’re going to
need all the space you can get, your uncles are loaded!”
“What do you mean? Why uncles?”
“Wait, honey, all in good time.”
“So when the svatovi arrive at the gate, the uncles come
out to greet them, along with your deda. They start with
the rakija and bellow to those inside. The accordion
music blares out, everyone is singing and dancing. Real
kolos, Čačak and Moravac. After a while they take a seat
the old fashioned way where the seats nearest the bride
are supposed to be for the elders and they are served
dinner while waiting for the bride.”
“And mum?”
“Ah..she is not ready to be revealed yet. Her chair is still
empty. No, let them wait! They can’t just grab the girl
from her home and make off with her. When its time
for the bride to be brought out, they start playing their
mind-games with the svatovi. They start asking – what
exactly did you come for? – got a puncture did you, just
outside? - where were you going? – aren’t you supposed
to be off by now? And so on.. Stričevi cannot get enough
of it! Everyone loves this bit as the svatovi are trying to
get to see the bride and are clearly being messed about.
They laugh at it as well. They can’t help it.
“Ha, ha, ha! Oh that is so funny..!”
“There’s loads of funny stuff. When the bride is taken
out, there is a hushed silence… The musicians play some
apt song, flattering the bride (it’s really quite cheesy, it is
usually about her “doe eyes” or “swan neck” etc.) or about
weddings and happy marriages. It’s somewhat touching,
melancholic, sad even. It’s got that old-time romance
about it. The tetke and strine usually start crying, with
happiness and pride. The family raised the girl for such
a long time, and there she is so lovely and she is leaving
them. To go to someone else’s home, someone else’s
family who will give her a different surname so any
children she might have will be theirs too. That is why
women cry and men have a few shots of strong drink.
But then, they celebrate. Good fortune and good luck to
the couple. After a while, when it is nearing time to go to
the registry office the bride’s family line-up on each side
of the bride’s path to the gate. She is expected to walk
between them. There’s stričevi and strine, tetke and teči,
ujaci and ujne, cousins all in a line for the bride!”
“Is that where the handbag comes in?”
“You’ve got it! Now you need a handbag, if at all possible,
very large and very empty!” I am laughing. Most of
all because of the expression on Saša’s face. She looks
like she’s about to burst with excitement. She is already
there, at the wedding, she can see it all in her mind’s eye,
perceptive, daydreaming, soaking it in like a sponge.
“And?”
“And… the girl slowly makes her way through the
garden, kissing them one by one saying goodbye. As they
kiss her and give her their good wishes they also press
money into her hand or pretend not to and sneak it into
her bag. At the time they were mostly Deutsche Marks.
By the end of the path there was no space in her bag
at all, as her late strina had foreseen, even for lipstick!
Soon the bride is in the car and the svatovi follow after
her in theirs. That’s when the gunfire starts!”
“Gunfire! What gunfire? Who’s firing?”
“Anyone with a gun. Usually the stričevi” – I am now
laughing loud.
“What are they aiming at?”-Saša’s eyes are enlarging as
we speak.
“It’s not like they are aiming at someone, honey, up in
the air!” I gesture a handgun upwards.
“But why gunfire?” Her eyes are like Turkish coffee cups
now.
“It’s an old custom. Serbs were always at war with
someone, they were hajduks like Robin Hood. Fighters,
they always carried their guns with them through good
times and bad. They fire so everyone around knew they
were escorting the bride from her home, that the girl is
now taken.
Vaskrs 2009 l
37
Novella
“Did the police come?”
“No honey, what police? Everyone knew when it was a
Serb wedding. Like when cars blare out their horns in
the streets after the registry office, after the wedding. You
just know it’s a wedding.”
“Did they fire for mum’s wedding?”
“Of course they did! I cannot remember who fired, but
yes they did. It was a proper old fashioned do.”
“Is that the end? What happened at the registry office?”
“Ah, then to the registry office…”
“Wait, wait! Do all these people go in the registry office?
All of them? Three hundred?”- She spreads out her
hands.
“Not all of them. Just the nearest and dearest with
svatovi, family, sisters and strine and stričevi. Then there
are tetke and teči and cousins. There are a lot of svatovi.
And some revellers must stay behind at the newlyweds’
house. It doesn’t do to slow down the party even for an
hour. It is an old belief.
After the ceremony the newlyweds both get in one car.
The entire procession will then go the other way across
the town. Its the old custom is to do that as it is believed
that it’s no good if you go the same way you came. You
need to plan the route to the registry office, then from
the registry office to the party venue. That way, you end
up skirting round the whole city making an unbelievable
racket on the way.”
“But why is it no good to drive the same way back?”
“It’s no good if the svatovi just head straight back.
Another old tradition.”
“And? What’s all the noise? Why are they tooting?”
“Then the svatovi beep their horns and drive very slowly
so any passerby can stop the car and have a swig of rakija
if they like and a little chat; usually to wish the couple
a happy marriage. The drinks are offered from the very
special flasks. Those flasks are bottles filled to the brim
with rakija, beautifully decorated for the wedding. Some of
them are hundreds of years old and more. I have seen one
which was claimed to be a hundred-and-fifty-years old by
it’s owner. The passersby congratulate the couple and the
svatove at the lights and take a swig from as many flasks
38
l Vaskrs 2009
as they wish, this sometimes can really slow the traffic.
Saturdays can be a nightmare to get around in the car.
“So who would stop in the middle of the street?
Anyone?”
“Anyone. You would party and share with anyone who
wanted to join in.”
“I still can’t see what they needed all that money for?”
“That’s another story. In Serb weddings there’s a guy they
call čajo. He is handpicked for the wedding. It’s quite an
honour to be asked to be the čajo. Nor can anyone do
it. The čajo has to be asked well ahead of the wedding
as he might be booked by someone else. They really are
artisans of the traditions. You need to really know the old
customs. You wouldn’t want to water down tradition. It
might lose its magic. It all needs to be done according to
the old ways, as our ancestors did hundreds of years ago.”
“What do you mean? What kind of magic?”
“The ancient customs were very powerful. Like
magic. They are written in our genes. Our ancestors
were not literate people, reading and writing was not
commonplace. But that does not mean they were not
cultured. They had culture a plenty! That ancient culture
is recorded in those rituals, which are holy to all Slavs,
especially to us, Serbs. We have been through many
bad and good times and the stories and epics told in
those customs awaken the old in us. When we repeat
them in our traditions it’s as if we invoke the spirits of
our ancestors from our own blood. That is magic! A
continuation of something that started long ago, before
anyone can remember, a link to the oldest peoples. If
we forget these customs, we forget our ancestors too.
A people without its ancestors are a lost people, alone
and cursed. A people so astray there is no one to show
the way back, so the way forward is without goal or
destination. Just like a ship on the way to nowhere, any
harbour will do.. . That’s why čajo is vital, as a symbol, a
small token of what was before us and what we endow to
future generations.”
But what does he do at the wedding? What customs
does he perform?” –Saša’s voice became quiet. A solemn
atmosphere bound the three of us in the car.
“He’s in charge of nearly everything that happens but
especially for the long table set by the groom’s family.
That table is ceremonial.
The custom is all about the bride. That lovely young girl
in their family is by no means worthless. You can’t just
receive this lovely young woman into your family and
not show you appreciate it indeed. The table is prepared,
empty, without food. All concerned sit around it and
prepare to lavish gifts upon the bride. That is a sweet
and ancient tradition that’s funny too. Those close to the
newlyweds give all the more money and gold. No one
wants to be disgraced. Čajo goes from one to the other
thumping a wooden hammer on the table, shouting until
his voice gives in.”
“What’s he got to shout about?”
“For example: Mašala, mašala, svekar (so and so)
presents a golden necklace and a golden ring to his
snaja. But I’ll bet there’s more to come!”
“Everyone laughs. The svekar would seize his pockets
and shake out more money bit-by-bit onto the plate.
Then čajo would start again: - Mašala, mašala, svekar
presents to you a hundred marks more! Mašala, mašala,
svekar clutches hold of his wallet and won’t let go! But
the wallet is full! - He usually shouts again so that all
the svatovi can hear. And everyone else for that matter.
So the rebuked svekar again reaches for his pockets
and finally delivers all that he was going to give in the
first place. The idea is to let čajo barter and give the
svatovi a bit of fun. Even after the svekar has coughed
up, čajo still has a laugh. Mašala, mašala svekar presents
a thousand marks more and has finally opened up his
wallet! He doesn’t look too good now mind you, his
hands are shaking! Čajo usually goes in order around
the table from person to person. That custom is called
poljevačina” but you’ll have to ask baka what it means. I
don’t know.”
“They give it all to the bride?”
“They do. The poljevačina can last for hours, particularly
for a large family. Anyone can sit around the table.
“And the bride’s family?”
“The bride’s family are not there. Only her sisters, brothers
and first cousins are there. And then not for the whole
day, but they go a little earlier. They leave the bride to
her new family, so no one thinks they are still hankering
after her or don’t trust her new family. I said my goodbyes
to your mother as they left for their honeymoon and I
went off. As for all the money… Other relations from
both sides of the family, who did not get a chance to sit
at the poljevačina table are spending their money on the
wedding list. The newlyweds write a list of everything
they need in their house and the family buy it.”
“Everything?”
“Everything! Your parents got everything from beds and
fridges to crystal glasses, toasters and silverware. They
moved into a bursting house. That’s how everyone does
it. That’s not only good manners it’s tradition. That’s how
both families show their love for the newlywed union.
So don’t you ever marry a foreigner because you’ll miss
out on all of this just like I did!” We both laughed out
loud. Everyone sinks to their own thoughts.
“What was that all about? What did you
talk about?” My Englez takes an interest.
Extract of a novel by Biljana Krstović “Seven Days in Sarajevo ”
His eyes ask me as he drives through
the heavy motorway traffic.
“About Serb wedding.”
“I could have sworn you pointed a gun
in the air earlier on.”
“Yes, I did. That’s what happens during
a Serb wedding.”
“Oh, well, I should have guessed! Serbs
and guns! Inseparable!”
He laughs and shakes his head. Oh
Europe, our wicked stepsister, can you
ever understand us? I look out of the
window. The black and white cows
graze in English meadows…
Vaskrs 2009 l
39
Opinion
Mixed Blessings
Blessed
by Ilija “ili ti” Kadionica
Y
ou may recall my article
in the last issue which
recognised the problem of
Orthodox Serb brides marrying
outside the tradition and thereby
“Whilst the non Serb husband
may well bring with him a
respect and appreciation of his
wife’s ethnic background, and a
willingness to uphold that identity,
what he cannot bring to the table
is a slava.”
Peter from London writes,
“this long winded, sexist and
beaurocratic approach to slava
is just what we do not want,
another form of red tape and
committee to advise. It is not
‘doctrine’, slava is merely a
tradition, you can change it
whenever you want. Sexist, as
why cannot the girl simply keep
the slava that she has had all her
life, before she married?”
Typically the girl does in fact
keep her family slava and most
often continues to celebrate it
with her parents. The problem
actually strikes later when the
parents die or pass the slava
onto a son. Then the girl is left
in limbo.
We suggested that the Church be
proactive in this matter and at
the time of the wedding help the
new couple chose a new slava
that is personal to them. Having
seen the article Vladika Dositej
thinks that the idea is excellent
and has given his blessing
to the initiative, he will be
allocating somebody to that task
immediately. We shall report
details when we have them.
AGONY POP
We have been delighted with
the number of responses we
have had asking for more
information about our Church.
It would seem that people are
interested in any number of
themes that range from the
Church’s position on certain
issues to the mechanics of how
the Church is run in this country.
We intend from the next issue
onwards to have a regular
column designed purely to
answer readers questions
in relation to the Serbian
Orthodox faith.
We are very pleased with the
response of Bishop Dositej who
has assigned two priest who will
provide answers to these issues
for us to publish. Please put your
questions to us either by Email
to [email protected] or by post
to PO Box 1379, Bedford MK40
9DE. Watch this space!
Earl of Lauderdale,
Friend of Serbs
Obituary
P
atrick Maitland, who
died on 2 December 2008
aged 97, lead a distinguished
career as a Balkan journalist,
former Conservative MP,
clan chief and the 17th Earl
of Lauderdale. The youngest
40
l Vaskrs 2009
son of an Anglican minister
(himself the youngest son),
his accession to the earldom
was quite unanticipated, and
happened in later life at the
age of 57. He had no great
fortune when he attended
Brasenose College, Oxford
where he met and fell in love
with Stanka Lozanitch, whose
father was a Belgrade professor
and mother a lady-in-waiting
to Princess Olga of Yugoslavia.
Stanka’s father forbade the
match on the grounds
of his heterodoxy.
Maitland started his
lifelong study and love
of the Orthodox Church
under the instruction of
Patrijarh srpski Varnava
(Maitland also embraced
traditional Anglicanism
and Anglo-Catholicism
throughout his life). At
a chance meeting, the
Patrijarh prevailed upon
the professor who finally
gave his consent and
the couple were married
in 1936 in a Serbian
Orthodox temple. Whilst
in Oxford he also started Earl Lauderdale (centre) standing alongside multidenominational clergy
a lifelong friendship with
Knez Pavle of Yugoslavia. He
which included his capture in
His anti-American imperialist
always contended countries
WWII Belgrade. He determined
views were hardly socialist but
loyal to the Orthodox Church
never to speak of politics until he
traditionalist – lamenting the
formed an integral part of
had become expert – indeed he
waning influence of the British
Europe.
became fluent in six languages.
Empire. He proposed, for
He started a career as a foreign
correspondent for Fleet Street,
Thus at 40 he stood and won
as Conservative MP in Lanark.
Earl Lauderdale was the president of the “Friends of Gradac” society
and helped raise funds for the construction of the konak. Photo
published under GNU license 1.2
example, that Greece should join
the Commonwealth as a means
to solving the Cyprus problem.
He famously supported the
Suez rebels in the 1950s. In the
House of Lords he teamed up
with his daughter Conservative
MP Lady Olga Maitland to lead
the campaign “let’s not be too
beastly to the Serbs”. Indeed,
he was an active supporter of
the Serb cause in the 90s, both
politically and boosting morale of
pro-Serb activists in this country.
He attended sv Sava Church in
London for Vaskrs and Božić with
Stanka. Indeed, his excellent links
within the Church of England
were instrumental in securing the
site of sv Sava in London.
Stanka died in 2003. He is
survived by their two daughters
and two sons.
Vaskrs 2009 l
41
Church Services
Bedford (parohija sv. Andreja)
St. Paul’s Church, St. Paul’s Square
APR 17 Fri Evening, Veliki Petak
19 Sun 11.45am VASKRS
MAY 3 Sun 11.30am
JUN 14 Sun 11.30am
JUL 5 Sun 11.30am
JUN 8
9
14
21
28
Birmingham
Bedford (parohija sv. Trojice)
98 Little Horton Lane
APR 16 Thu 10am Veliki četvrtak
4pm
17 Fri 7pm Veliki Petak
18 Sat 10am
19 Sun 11am VASKRS
20 Mon 10am
26 Sun 11.30am
MAY 3 Sun 11.30am
Coventry
6 Wed 9am sv Georgije
MAY 10 Sun 5pm
10 Sun 11.30am
17 Sun 11.30am
24 Sun 11.30am
Derby (parohija sv. Apostola)
Sv. Apostola Petra i Pavla,
31 Sun 11.30am
Normanton Rd.
JUN 7 Sun 11am Parohijska
APR 16 Thu 6pm Veliki četvrtak
Slava
17 Fri 5pm Veliki Petak
14 Sun 11.30am
19 Sun 11am VASKRS
21 Sun 11.30am
MAY
28
Thu 11am Ascension
JUL 5 Sun 11.30am
30 Sat 11am Memorial
service at cemetry
31
Sun
11am
Cardiff (parohija sv. Vaznesenja)
JUN 3 Wed 11am sv Konstantin
St. Luke’s Church, Cowbridge Road
& Jelena
East, Victoria Park
JUL 7 Tue 11am Ivanjdan
APR 19 Sun 3pm VASKRS
12 Sun 11am Parohijska
MAY 17 Sun 11am Parohijska
Slava
Slava
12.30pm Slavski
kolač
1pm Luncheon
Corby (parohija sv. Andreja)
3pm Event
Crkva sv. Proroka Ilije,
(parohija sv. Kneza Lazara)
131 Cob Lane, Bournville
APR 13 Mon 9.30am
14 Tue 9.30am
15 Wed 9.30am
16 Thu 10am Veliki četvrtak
6.30pm
17 Fri 4pm Veliki Petak
8pm
18 Sat 10am Velika subota
8.30pm
19 Sun 10am VASKRS
5pm
20 Mon 9.30am
4pm
21 Tue 9.30am
4pm
22 Wed 4pm
23 Thu 4pm
24 Fri 4pm
26 Sun 10am
27 Mon 9.30am Zadušnice
(after Liturgy a
service at Brandwood
End Cemetry)
MAY 3 Sun 10am
6 Wed 9.30am sv Georgije
10 Sun 10am
12 Tue 9.30am sv Vasilije
Ostroški
17 Sun 10am
24 Sun 10am sv Ćirilo &
Metodije
28 Thu 9.30am Ascension
31 Sun 10am
JUN 3 Wed 9.30am sv Konstantin
& Jelena
6 Sat 9.30am Zadušnice
7 Sun 10am Pentecost
42
l Vaskrs 2009
Mon
Tue
Sun
Sun
Sun
9.30am
9.30am
10am
10am
10am Parohijska
Slava sv Lazar and
Vidovdan
47 Rockingham Rd
APR 13 Mon 10am
14 Tue 10am
15 Wed 10am
16 Thu 10am
18 Sat 10am
19 Sun 5.30am VASKRS
APR 26 Sun 10.30am Osvećenje
zvonika
MAY 2 Sat 6pm
9 Sat 6pm
16 Sat 6pm
17 Sun 10am
22 Fri 10am
23 Sat 6pm
JUN 6 Sat 9am Zadušnice at
Cemetry
13 Sat 6pm
20 Sat 6pm
JUL 4 Sat 6pm
11 Sat 6pm
18 Sat 6pm
19 Sun 10am
Halifax (parohija sv. Jovana
Krstitelja)
Heap Street, Boothtown
APR 19 Sun 11am VASKRS
26 Sun 11.30am
MAY 3 Sun 11.30am
MAY 6
10
17
24
Wed
Sun
Sun
Sun
11.00am sv Georgije
11.30am
11.30am sv Nikolaj
11.30am sv Ćirilo &
Metodije
31 Sun 11.30am
Leicester (parohija sv. Apostola)
Sv. Đurđica, Rutland Street
APR 17 Fri 8pm Veliki Petak
19 Sun 8am VASKRS
26 Sun 11am
MAY 3 Sun 11am
10 Sun 11am
JUN 6 Sat 11am Zadušnice at
Gilroes Cemetery
14 Sun 11am
JUL 5 Sun 11am
Letchford (parohija sv. Andreja)
MAY 24 Sun 11.45am
JUL 26 Sun 11.45am
London (parohija sv. Save)
Crkva sv. Save, 89 Lancaster Road
APR 16 Thu 10.30am Veliki četvrtak
7pm
17 Fri 10.30am Veliki Petak
7pm
18 Sat 10.30am Velika subota
midnight
19 Sun 11am VASKRS
20 Mon 10.30am
23 Thu
25
Sat
26 Sun 10.30am Tomina
nedelja
30 Thu 8.30pm
MAY 2 Sat 6pm
3 Sun 10.30am
6 Wed 10.30am sv Georgije
7 Thu 8.30pm
9 Sat 6pm
10 Sun 10.30am
MAY 12
14
16
17
21
23
24
28
30
31
JUN 3
4
6
7
8
9
11
13
14
18
20
21
25
27
28
JUL 2
4
5
9
11
12
Tue 10.30am sv Vasilije
Ostroški
Thu 8.30pm
Sat 6pm
Sun 10.30am
Thu 8.30pm
Sat 6pm
Sun 10.30am
Thu 10.30am Ascension
8.30pm
Sat 6pm
Sun 10.30am
Wed 10.30am sv Konstantin
& Jelena
Thu 8.30pm
Sat 6pm
Sun 10.30am
Mon 10.30am Duhovi
Tue 10.30am Duhovi
Thu 8.30pm
Sat 6pm
Sun 10.30am
Thu 8.30pm
Sat 6pm
Sun 10.30am
Thu 8.30pm
Sat 6pm
Sun 10.30am
Thu 8.30pm
Sat 6pm
Sun 10.30am
Thu 8.30pm
Sat 6pm
Sun 10.30am
Peterborough
(parohija sv. Andreja)
JUN 6 Sat 1pm Zadušnice at
Cemetry
21 Sun 11am
Reading (parohija sv. Vaznesenja)
St. Batholomew’s Church,
St. Batholomew’s Road
MAY 24 Sun 11am sv Ćirilo &
Metodije
Stoke (parohija sv. Apostola)
St. Marks Church
MAY 17 Sun 11am
JUN 21 Sun 11am
JUL 19 Sun 11am
Waltham Cross
(parohija sv. Save)
St. George’s Church, 706 Hertford Rd,
Enfield, EN3 6NR
MAY 3 Sun ~10.30am
JUN 7 Sun ~10.30am
JUL 5 Sun ~10.30am
West Wycombe
(parohija sv. Vaznesenja)
St. Paul’s Church, High Street
APR 19 Sun 10am VASKRS
MAY 3 Sun 10.30am
28 Thu 10.30am Ascension
31 Sun 10.30am Parohijska
Slava
Northampton
(parohija sv. Andreja)
APR 19 Sun 5am VASKRS
MAY 10 Sun 11.45am
Oxford (parohija sv. Vaznesenja)
St. Alban’s Church, Charles Street
APR 17 Fri 7pm Veliki Petak
JUN 10 Sun 11.30am
14 Sun 11.30am
Vaskrs 2009 l
43
Key Dates
Church Calendar
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
APRIL
Velika 19
subota
26
Vaskrs
MAY
JUN
14
15
20
21
22
16 Veliki 17 četvrtak 23
24
27
28
29
30
4
5
6 Đurđevdan 7
11
18
12 sv Vasilije 13
Ostroški
19
20
25
26
27
1
2
5
6 Zadušnice 7 Pentecost
8
9
3 Sv. Konstantin 4
& Jelena
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28 Vidovdan
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Ivanjdan 8
9
10
11
12 Petrovdan &
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26 Sabor sv
Arh. Gavrila
27
28 Fiery 29
Mary
30
31
1
Veliki 18 Petak 25
Sun
13
2
8 Markovdan 9
14 Jeremijin 15
dan
21 Jovan 22
Bogoslov
28 Ascension 29
3
10
16
17
23
24 sv. Ćirilo
& Metodije
31
30
Pavlovdan
JULY
Fasting guide:
Vegan
Vegan, no oil
Vegetarian ( diary allowed)
Vegan, fish and wine allowed
No food, or bread and water only
See www.sv-luka.org for more information about fasting.
Events Diary
APR
MAY
44
25 Sat
London
7.30pm Vaskrs concert performed by young Serbian musicians
Grosvenor Chapel – Mayfair, South Audley Street W1K 2PA.
Contact the Serbian Society for advance tickets
020 8740 4109
or 01273 694 117 or 077 5424 0394 [email protected]
26 Sun
Corby
10.30am Osvećenje zvonika Blessing of the new church bells
Crkva sv. Proroka Ilije, 47 Rockingham Rd, Corby
9
London
7.30pm Emir Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra (ex-YU gypsypunk - trust us, you’ll love them) ft. Bulgarian clarinetist Ivo Papasov
Barbican Centre Tickets: £15 / 20 / 25
020 7638 8891
www.barbican.org.uk
Sat
l Vaskrs 2009
MAY 31 Sun
High
Wycombe
JUN
28 Sun
Birmingham 10am Vidovdan - Parohijska Slava celebrations
JUL
4
Sat
London
12pm-5pm Fair at Parsons Green. The Serbian Society invites you
to visit their stand at this annual event where traditional Serbian
cuisine will be available including sweet and savoury specialities
Olgi Gaković on 0208 740 4109 or 0775 424 0394
or Nataša Kočiš on 07930 959 669
10 Fri
London
7.30pm Boban Marković perhaps the greatest trumpet player in the
Balkans today and winner of Gučа’s “First Trumpet” award in 2001
Barbican Centre Tickets: £10
020 7638 8891 www.barbican.org.uk
12 Sun
Derby
from 11am Petrovdan - Parohijska Slava, blessing of the new
iconostasis and celebration of 30 years of Proto Radmilo Stokić in
service for the Church ft. Oktet sv. Serafim (opera singer group led
by Prof. Dirigent) and with Preosvećeni Vladika Dositej and Princess
Katarina Karađorđević in attendance Sv. Apostola Petra i Pavla,
Normanton Road, Derby
30 Thu
London
10.30am Church Slava
St. Paul’s Church, High Street, High Wycombe
131 Cob Lane, Bournville
7.30pm Goran Bregović and the Funeral and Weddings Band and
Orchestra Barbican Centre Tickets: £15 / 20 / 25
020 7638 8891
www.barbican.org.uk
See www.britic.co.uk, www.serbiansociety.org.uk and www.serbiancouncil.org.uk for latest events information.
Serbian City Club organise a monthly event see www.serbiancityclub.org for details.
Email [email protected] for free events listing (first 20 words) or see page 28 by 16th June 2009 for events
after Petrovdan on 12th July 2009
1
2
3
4
5
Britic iPod Top 5
Ederlezi Goran Bregović and the Funeral and Weddings Band
Bregović plucks this lovely gypsy song from obscurity and creates an anthem for a dying nation. Returning to its
haunting themes – first in Bijelo Dugme’s Đurđevdan (by the way St. George’s Day is the actual meaning of Ederlezi, one
of the most important Roma festivals) then later as a powerful theme for Kusturica’s movie Time of the Gypsies.
Bijelo Dugme
Tajna Veza I can still remember the yellow Bijelo Dugme T-shirt I got for my birthday; and how many of my sister’s shoes I had
to polish in my pre-teenage years to bribe her to take me to their concert. But the thing I remember most is the
ear bursting uproar in the Sarajevo football stadium after the first four words came from the stage: “Ima neka tajna
veza...” Interestingly Tajna Veza is not about a secret intimate romantic connection as is often believed. Goran
Bregović explained to Britić it is about a prison warden and how he is paradoxically in prison himself too, doing
time with everyone else.
Na Zadnjem Sjedištu moga Autа Bijelo Dugme
The signature cowbells and scruffy rhythm guitar settle into a laidback funk marking a departure from the earlier
progressive rock. Synthesised folk panpipe responses meld with post Motown brass. Here on in, ex-YU music takes
a rather clumsy lurch to towards New Wave, before rediscovering itself with New Primitivism
Lipe Cvatu Bijelo Dugme
This compelling track appears on the so-called Kosovska djevojka album. Heralded by Macedonian gajda (bagpipes)
and Croatian prima (like a balalaika) this placed folk as the central musical theme ever since. It has an immediacy
we recognise from Bregović’s own advice for composing love songs “a clear and direct address” and its heartbroken
theme might have been a metaphor for Yugoslavia “Lipe cvatu (sve je isto k’o i lani) Samo srce moje i srce tvoje, U
ljubavi više ne stoje”
Napile se ulice Goran Bregović and the Funeral and Weddings Band
Originally an infectious Bijelo Dugme track, this surprising reinterpretation appears on his newly released Alkohol
perhaps best illustrating his adage “the material is the same, but it’s like changing clothes”. Well, these are lovely
folk embroidered waistcoats and šajkače, the Gučа trumpet band veering gloriously between narodni (folk) and
nevaspitani (unruly) punctuated by comically shrill female folk backing kuc, kuc, kuc…
Vaskrs 2009 l
45
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l Vaskrs 2009
30
Fergie’s Trinity
Manchester United can now boast
three of Serbia’s finest footballers
after scooping Zoran Tošić and
Adem Ljajić, both from Partizan in a
deal which could gross £17 million.
They join Nemanja Vidić, himself
tipped to snatch the coveted
“footballer of the year” title from his
teammate Ronaldo.
Serbian football is on the up and
Vidić suggests the deal is “good for
Serbia”. He took the pair out for
dinner before they signed although
he said they needed no persuasion
from him to join “the best team in
the world”. Vidić has been linked
to a possible transfer to AC Milan
this summer but Alex Ferguson is
unlikely to countenance such a loss
to the squad that has already won
the League Cup and is World Club
Champions this season.
Ferguson has earmarked Vidić as a
father figure for the new recruits.
All the more surprising since in a
recent interview Vidić admitted that
at first he struggled to make sense
of Sir Alex’s heavy Scottish
accent, convinced he was
speaking in German. Vidić
will have no such problem with
his teammates who he has already
taken out for a tour of the city.
Adem Ljajić, 17, was born in Novi
Pazar makes no secret of his
football idol Kaka and his style has
earned him the nickname “new
Kaka” at home. Ljajić relished the
opportunity to practise at Old
Trafford remarking on the pace of
the English game. Faced with the
prospect of having his new star
being on the bench this season,
Ferguson agreed to loan him back
to Partizan with a view to debut
him in Old Trafford in 2010. Ljajić
previously had offers from the
likes of Inter, Arsenal and Ajax but
decided to stay in Serbia and build
his experience at Partizan before
joining Manchester United.
Tošić, 21, made his Manchester
United debut in January against
Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup
TENNIS ROUNDUP
Jelena Janković ended 2008 as World No.
1 rank but has currently slipped to third.
She came second in last year US Open and
won finals in Rome, Beijing, Stuttgart and
Moscow.
After last year’s Wimbledon
doubles triumph, Nenad
Zimonjić went on to
win the Canada Masters
and Tennis Masters Cup
doubles in Shanghai
ranking him World No. 1
doubles until February.
Mina gave birth to their
first children, twins Leon
and Luna. Congratlauons
and good luck!
Serbia currently tops the World Cup
group 7 qualifiers with an excellent
prospect of reaching the final in
South Africa in 2010.
Novak Đoković won last
year’s Australian Open (the
first Grand Slam for a singles
tennis player representing
Serbia) but failed to repeat
that success this year when
he was forced to retire in
the quarterfinals. He did
win the Tennis Masters
cup in Shanghai as well as
tournaments in Indian Wells
(California), Rome
and Dubai.
Rank 3
Rank 4
fourth round and has played for
Serbia over 20 times. He threatens
Nani for a permanent place in the
squad line-up. He has nothing but
praise for Ljajić who he describes
as a “very good player with great
technical ability”.
Rank 3
Rank 7
Ana Ivanović was last
year’s French Open
champion and went
on to win three further
finals in Linz, Paris and
Indian Wells (California).
By the time you read this,
she may have repeated
her Indian Wells success
(she is in the final four at
time of writing) where
she loves to take in the
mountain views and
fresh desert air.
Your Rewiew
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THROUGH MONTENEGRO
NEW
MONTENEGRO
history
wildlife
food & drinks
sailing
“And I wonder of the sun how it can
set, when a beauty such as this
nowhere will be met.”
Ljuba Nenadović, poet
Archaeological
site
Castle,
fortress
Wine
region
Festival site
Spa
Wildlife reserve
Cave
Tourist office
Local event
Info
Harbour
Green market
Bus info
Museum
Railway
station
Post office
Rural tourism
Airport
info
Railway info
Airport
Bus station
Beach
Orthodox
church
Catholic
church
Air
conditioning
Wheelchair
access
TV
Private
beach
Swimming pool
Internet
Parking
Restaurant
Ski resort
[email protected]
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All you need for travelling through Montenegro in one guide
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ISBN 978-86-86245-08-3
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Population
MONTENEGRO
over 100 destinations
more than 450 colour photos
20 panoramic maps
5 regions
A publishing team from the region brings you a new, authentic and
definitive in-depth guide to wild and beautiful Montenegro. It portrays the
marvelous geographical setting of Montenegro’s majestic mountains,
astonishing coastlines, intriguing history and unique architecture.
Our guide presents you with easy to follow instructions to both the major
attractions and hidden gems while guiding you through a truly authentic
Montenegrin experience. Numerous photos, illustrations, and panoramic
maps of the major sights ensure that all the information you need will be in
your hands.
"The most beautiful contact between
the earth and sea took place at the
Montenegrin littoral. When the pearls
of nature were sown, handfuls of
them were cast on this soil."
Lord Byron
If you are interested in distributing
our books please contact us on
[email protected]
Tel. +381 11 32 38 894
in your hands
in your hands
history
accommodation
9 788686 245083
“...the real beguiling Balkan spirit,
it has to be Belgrade. It is a city
where you can dance until sunrise
seven nights a week, where
hospitality crackles in the air, and
where looking good is a birthright
and a religion in one...”
Please send Your comments
and suggestions on the Guide:
[email protected]
Sou
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Syna
P
BELGRADE
practical help
travel info
Let Belgrade in Your Hands be your guide through the turbulent history of this
vibrant city, where European and Oriental cultures have clashed and merged for
centuries. Allow Belgrade’s effervescent nightlife to sweep you off your feet or
simply find a restaurant or bar where you can sit back and watch the world go by.
If you are thinking of visiting Serbia’s energetic capital, Belgrade in Your Hands is
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Bristling with insightful local knowledge, Belgrade in Your Hands will take you
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Explore new locations with this unique series of
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You will enjoy exploring every page, whether you are looking
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We wish you a fun and pleasant stay in Serbia and invite
you to share your experience with us on our website.
48
l Vaskrs 2009
www.serbiainyourhands.com