Recently in Stroppy (in) Serbia Category

...When Sarkozy arrived that night for a small dinner at the house of advertising mogul and left-wing political adviser Jacques Séguéla, he was not in a happy mood.(...) Carla, who had asked Séguéla if he knew anyone she could meet who was “free,” found herself seated to the president’s left. She had not voted for him, and at first she did not feel comfortable. “I wasn’t thinking of that,” she tells me. “I was thinking of someone more related to my life.” Séguéla reminded her that she had stipulated only that the person be free.(...) Carla asked Sarkozy for a ride home and gave him her number. “Then I called Jacques and said, ‘What did you do? Why did you introduce me to this man? He is so charming! And now what is going to happen? He didn’t even call me.’ ” Séguéla says he told her, “He only left you five minutes ago!” Carla concludes, “Actually, Nicolas did call a little later that same night.”..(Vanity Fair)

This is a press release from the European Commission

Ceci est un communiqué de presse de la Commission Européenne

18/01/2008

DECLARATION OF VICE-PRESIDENT FRANCO FRATTINI ON THE LAUNCH OF A VISA FREE DIALOGUE WITH SERBIA

Vice-President Franco Frattini, Commissioner responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security announced today that the European Commission launches a visa free dialogue with Serbia. The first meeting at technical level will take place in Belgrade on 30th January 2008.

Graffiti across the Temple of Saint Sava, Vracar, Belgrade

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Poor air and water quality, and environmental changes blamed on global warming, have cut Europeans' life expectancy by nearly a year, Europe's environmental agency warned Wednesday. More must be done — fast — to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to improve air and water quality, the European Environment Agency said in a 400-page report presented at a ministerial conference held in Serbia. (Oct 10, 2007)

Today I've sold my tickets.

It's long, complicated and interesting story, but never mind.

Davis Cup will start within one hour, nevertheless.

From the NYT:

"The Davis Cup resumes on Friday, and the premier team event in tennis is again sending mixed signals.
The matches that matter most at this late stage of the season are supposed to be the semifinals: the United States versus Sweden in Gothenburg and Russia versus Germany in Moscow.
But the matches with the bigger buzz, larger crowds and more intriguing lineups are actually being played in Prague and the Serbian capital of Belgrade.
(...)
The Cup still generates pockets of passion, as was evident when Croatia won its first title in 2005, and it will be evident when Djokovic takes the court in Belgrade and tries to put Serbia in the World Group for the first time since Yugoslavia broke apart."

*** 

Instead of Novak Djokovic I decided to put this photo of Boba Zivojinovic who was kind of idol in my childhood.

Maybe our museums are not spectacular, but we have trams. Old trams. Oooold. And there is even a poem. It's an exotic brand, but still...

Now Belgrade 2007- A record-breaking temperature of 43 degrees Celsius in the shade was measured in Belgrade on Tuesday, the warmest day since the beginning of recorded measurements in Serbia. The previous record high was measured on July 4, 2000 at 40.5 degrees, the Serbian Meteorological Institute said. Even higher temperatures were reported Tuesday in other parts of the country. Meteorologists said that the heat would continue throughout the day with the possibility of reaching up to 45 degrees, though slightly cooler air was expected in the evening with chances of scattered showers in northern and western regions of the country. Also: Beyond the Beyond

 

Could Serbia's powerful offering win the contest? (BBC)

update:

Yes.