Latest posts by Sinisa Boljanovic
Serbia: Controversy Over Draža Mihailović's Rehabilitation
Draža Mihailović was a commander of the Chetnik movement during World War II. In 1946, he was captured by the communist Yugoslav authorities, convicted of war crimes and executed. The ongoing tribunal for his rehabilitation has been supported by some professors and politicians in Serbia, but the public is divided.
Croatia, Serbia: A Flag of Friendship
Two young adults from Croatia and Serbia have created a mixed Serbo-Croatian flag, as a gesture of reconciliation between the two countries. Some netizens have condemned the initiative, others seem to approve of it.
Serbia: First Reactions to Acquittal of Sandor Kepiro
On Monday July 18, 2011, a court in Budapest acquitted 97-year-old Sandor Kepiro, a Second World War Hungarian police captain who served in occupied Serbia and, until recently, was “the most wanted Nazi.” He was charged with war crimes against Serbs, Jews and Roma during the Novi Sad Raid –...
Kosovo, Serbia: Kosovo's PM Accused of Human Organ Trade
Allegations of Kosovo leadership's wartime involvement in the trafficking of human organs were first made public in 2008 - and have re-surfaced now, in a report prepared by a Council of Europe investigator. Sinisa Boljanovic translates some of the netizens' reactions, past and current.
Serbia: The Controversy of the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony
Sinisa Boljanovic writes about Serbia's initial decision not to attend the Nobel peace prize ceremony and the controversy it caused.
Serbia: Novelists Participate in “Blog Day” Project
On Dec. 8, one of the Serbian publishing houses launched an interesting project: called Blog Day, it represents a unique example of web activism in Serbia that will be taking place four times a year. The topic of the first Blog Day was Ecology, and over 20 Serbian novelists have posted their contributions.
Serbia: Children Get Military Training in Russian Camps
In the prime of the newest public discussion on patriotism and the origin of violence in the Serbian society, newspaper Danas reported that two years ago Serbian children, aged 11 to 15 years old, had spent 16 days in scout camps in Russia, where they were being trained to assemble and dismantle weapons, to throw bombs, and to fire rifles. Sinisa Boljanovic translates some of the reactions to the case.
Serbia: A Journalist Is Attacked on a Public Bus
Teofil Pancic, a well-known Serbian journalist, was beaten up on a public bus on Saturday. Sinisa Boljanovic translates some of the initial reactions by Serbian netizens.
Serbia: ICJ Rules Kosovo’s Independence Legal
On July 22, the International Court of Justice ruled that the declaration of independence of Kosovo did not violate international law. Sinisa Boljanovic reviews Serbian bloggers' reactions to the ruling.
Serbia: One Pair of Shoes, One Life
Charged with genocide by the Hague Tribunal for the brutal deaths of more than 8000 Muslims in this Bosnian town on 11 July 1995, General Ratko Mladic has not been arrested yet.
The Balkans: Violent Treatment of Animals
Almost every day, dogs or cats are exposed to torture by cruel people who record their cruelties and publish the videos on the internet. Since the war, crime and various forms of violence have become a regular occurrence in the Balkans region.
Serbia: Belgrade's Trees Fall Victim to “Chain Saw Massacre”
Belgrade city authorities are in the process of cutting down some 400 plane trees that were planted on Belgrade's longest street in the 19th century. Sinisa Boljanovic reports on the ongoing protest against what is now known as the "Belgrade Chain Saw Massacre."
Serbia: Threats to B92's Journalist
Serbian journalist Brankica Stankovic, the author of a recent TV show about Belgrade's football hooligans, has been receiving serious threats, including via Facebook. Sinisa Boljanovic reviews the response in the Serbian blogosphere.
Serbia: Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Pavle Dies
Head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Pavle, died on Sunday, November 15. On Monday, Serbia’s government declared a three-day mourning. Sinisa Boljanovic translates some of the reactions from the Serbian blogoshere.
Serbia: The Death of a French Football Fan
Brice Taton, a 28-year-old French citizen and a fan of the Toulouse football team, was brutally beaten by fans of the Partizan football team in downtown Belgrade on Sept. 17, before the Partizan vs Toulouse game. He died in a Belgrade hospital on Sept. 29.
Serbia: Gay Pride Parade Postponed
Sinisa Boljanovic writes about the cancellation of the gay pride parade in Belgrade and reviews bloggers reactions to statements made by politicians and ultra-nationalist groups regarding the event.
Serbia: Threats to LGBT Population
Serbia's gays are facing plenty of problems - and on Sept. 20, they are planning to hold a gay pride parade in Belgrade. Sinisa Boljanovic reviews some pro and contra reactions published on Serbian blogs and in other online venues.
Serbia: Torture or Therapy?
Last week, on May 21, a short film about torture in the Spiritual Rehabilitation Center "Crna Reka," located in south-western Serbia, was shown on the web site of Vreme, a Serbian weekly magazine. The patients of this center are drug addicts and its head is Branislav Peranovic, a Serbian Orthodox priest. Nearly all Serbian media have shown the horrible scenes from the short film, in which Peranovic is shown beating one of the patients brutally with a spade and with his fists. Sinisa Boljanovic reviews Serbian bloggers' responses.
Serbia: Thoughts on Doubt and Faith
Orthodox Christian believers will celebrate Easter on Sunday, April 19. On this occasion, some Serbian bloggers posted their thoughts about different legends and dogma related to Jesus Christ. Sinisa Boljanovic has translated two of these posts.
Serbia: Gypsies’ Houses Torn Down in Belgrade
This July, Belgrade will host the 25th World University Games, whose participants will stay in the newly-built University Village. There used to be some 350 Gypsy houses near that place, but, following an order of the City Department of Inspections, about 50 houses were torn down on April 3. A few dozen children, women, old and sick Gypsies spent the night without shelter, and were later attacked by the neo-Nazis. Sinisa Boljanovic translates bloggers' reactions to the incident and to the measures proposed by Belgrade's city authorities.
Serbia: Remembering NATO Bombing 10 Years Later
On March 24, 1999, NATO forces began attack on Serbia and Montenegro. The bombing went for 78 days. A few thousand people were killed, many buildings, bridges, railroads, roads and factories were destroyed. Also, many people still experience mental and psychic effects of the fear they had been through. Ten years later, Serbian bloggers are reminded of those terrible days. Below is a selection of some of their journal notes and recollections from the beginning of the war.
