Gift I

The Badge of the Serb Republic with the ribbon was awarded to Karadzic by himself. Montenegrin President Momir Bulatovic had to be content with the Nemanjic Badge of the First Order, while Bosnian Serb Army Commander Gen. Ratko Mladic was presented the Karadjordje Star.

It is unclear both in the TV and newspaper reports of the session whether any of the ordained, above all Milosevic, showed up to receive their badges from Karadzic. The Evening News on January 9 (TV Novi Sad), mentioned "numerous guests, dignitaries from Serbia", but carried only Karadzic's speech. The following day, the daily "Vecernje Novosti" said that the badges were presented to the "honoured guests", but failed to cite their names; the other heralds merely noted the event.

It is easy to understand why a head of state might feel uncomfortable if he were publicly seen (and taped) at the moment at which he is receiving a badge from a leader of a state his country has not recognised and with which it officially does not have diplomatic relations even on the charge d'affaires level, particularly if the badge credits the recipient for helping create the unrecognised state. Also, such a scene might induce some people, particularly some people in New York, Geneva and the Hague, to begin asking some uncomfortable questions about Serbia's and Montenegro's role in the "civil, ethnic and religious" war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. It is also interesting that no-one in Yugoslavia's Federal leadership, Yugoslav Army or the Republic of Serb Krajina received even a plaque.

Present II

Lazar Kovacevic, a businessman temporarily employed abroad, arrived before Christmas in Belgrade in a Volkswagen Venta. The car is a present for Serbian Patriarch Pavle. In addition to the 40,000 DM worth car, the Patriarch also received 1,000 litres of fuel as a gift from the firm "Autoremont", as well as Gen. Mladic's wristwatch, which Kovacevic insists should be exhibited in the Orthodox Church Museum with the caption "Gift of Lazar Kovacevic".

During the solemn presentation of the gifts, Kovacevic had on his own and the Patriarch's behalf, thanked the Bosnian Serb Assembly Chairman Momcilo Krajisnik, for "helping with the car's registration": the Patriarch's "Venta" has Sarajevo licence plates.

Patriarch Pavle received the present (the Church is not in the habit of rejecting gifts), but has continued going by foot.

Ticket

The sign "Open" has been replaced by the sign "Inventory" on the entrances of Nis clothing and footwear shops. Nis merchants, talented in automatic adjustment, have found a way to make use of the whole situation and a fast buck. To enter the stores still accepting checks, one must pay 10 DM. The price covers only the entrance into the store, and the buyer faces the risk of not finding in it what he needs (the size, colour, material and similar qualities of the goods are no longer important). It is possible to reach a longer-term agreement with the salesperson and get a discount if the whole family is shopping. Once you enter the shop, you may remain in it all day, which is just about enough time to fill out the necessary amount of checks.

Sabotage

There was a lot of chance that the miners and railway workers, who went on strike before the New Year and so brought upon themselves the wrath of the state TV and other pillars of the regime, be joined by the police. Over the past months, the policemen's salaries had nearly been as low as the Serbian average wages and discontent grew. Although the Constitution practically forbids employees in this type of state service to go on strike and set up their own trade unions, they nevertheless organised themselves, reached an agreement and began seriously preparing to go on strike. This would have caused the authorities a lot of trouble, particularly since professional police solidarity is most often greater than loyalty to the regime and they would have a hard time finding men to arrest "their own". There was also the danger of the strike's spontaneous spreading. At the last moment, however, pressures in the form of informal talks began on the one hand, while, on the other, the policemen started receiving kilos and kilos of pork meat each, and the problem was happily (and temporarily) resolved without too much ado.

A group of Interior Ministry workers tried to set up an independent trade union in the police over two years ago, but the initiators were, however, transferred to the provinces and Kosovo.