Madonna in Pozarevac

It's been a long time since we saw the opening of a disco that was as glamorous as the Madonna in Pozarevac ("... girls in tight dresses swaying to the music while the boys lean against the bar sipping their drinks. Hundreds of young people are crowding in singing and laughing and for a moment they block out the music. Outside another 500 kids are having fun..." - Vecernje Novosti, Monday, June 3).

It's also been a long time since the state media gave so much space and time to a fun place ("the disco is special not only because of its size and Greek styling but also because it's the first here with specific light effects. It costs five dinars to get in, a Coke costs six." - Vecernje Novosti).

The reason for all the press is simple: Madonna is owned by Marko Milosevic, son of President Slobodan Milosevic. Part of the press reported that five year's rent for Madonna costs 60,000 DEM and added that payment was in advance. This was a big deal which was proved by the countless posters that covered Pozarevac and the ads on all radio stations.

Marko's parents did not attend the opening nor did folk star Dragana Mirkovic, so the floor show was just the Beat Street dance company. A number of impressive cars with Belgrade plates were there proving Milosevic junior is a popular guy. (Marko, although under the shadow of his father's popularity, is still just an ordinary guy, like many others. He talks to everyone. Vecernje Novosti of course).

To get to Madonna you have to go from Pozarevac past the women's prison and memorial park; the other approach is out because the local authorities don't have the money to repair a bridge. Traffic on the only road to the disco is causing a problem for the town but salvation is on the way. Marko is reported to have insisted on the bridge being repaired and unofficial sources confirmed it's just a question of days.

Since Novosti titled its article "Fun Till Dawn", it's interesting how that fits into a decision by Pozarevac local authorities to limit working hours for discos, restaurants, casinos and others to midnight. The town council promised publicly that it would resign "unless order is maintained and the decision is respected".

One night inspectors tried to close the Rolex cafe owned by Marko's close friend Zoran Ivanovic. The inspectors brought along a local TV crew to turn the event into a media spectacle but withdrew when a guest named Marko Milosevic explained that he disagrees with the decision. The local authorities soon changed their mind and agreed to let restaurants and discos stay open till 2:00 a.m. during the summer and that means till dawn in Pozarevac.