Serbia Restores 19th-Century Symbols

AP ^ | August 17, 2004 | MISHA SAVIC

[OESY]

BELGRADE, Serbia-Montenegro - Serbia restored its 19th-century anthem and ancient coat of arms Tuesday, harkening back to its royal history as its people struggle with economic and social hardships.

The emblems represented Serbia before it merged in 1918 with its Balkan neighbors to form Yugoslavia.

The 183 lawmakers in Parliament voted unanimously to adopt the once-royal symbols, despite criticism they were inappropriate for the republic sharing sovereignty with Montenegro.

"These symbols are Serbia's true ones," said Parliament Speaker Predrag Markovic, who insisted Serbia needed to replace its current coat of arms featuring the five-pointed communist Red Star.

The historic coat of arms dates to the Middle Ages and features a cross, a crown and a double-headed white eagle.

The anthem — "Boze Pravde," or "God of Justice" — once contained lyrics referring to the Serbian king. It has been rephrased to avoid that reference, but for many it still symbolizes an oath to a monarch as well as to the country.

Markovic noted that Hungary, Bulgaria, Russia and Poland also are democracies with state symbols featuring historical royal insignia.

"The only peaceful and prosperous period for Serbia was when it was a monarchy and had this anthem and this coat of arms," historian Vladislav Pavlovic said.

Others saw the symbols as a prelude to the possible breakup of Serbia-Montenegro amid economic hardships. Despite international efforts to establish peace and cooperative governance, Serbia-Montenegro has been largely dysfunctional.

Separatist movements are gaining support in both republics and the country's joint parliament failed last week to agree on an anthem. Lawmakers in Montenegro adopted their own anthem and a new flag in July.

Under the European Union (news - web sites)-brokered agreement defining the union, Serbia and Montenegro can hold independence referendums in 2006.

For the past century, Serbia has been plagued by half a dozen wars, including the Balkan bloodshed of the last decade following the 1991 breakup of Yugoslavia.

The ouster of former President Slobodan Milosevic (news - web sites) four years ago ended the country's international isolation, but economic hardships persist.

"The parliament better do something about the economy," grumbled unemployed Jovan Bogicevic, 45, who watched the televised session. "We have changed so many state symbols in the last 100 years, and none seem to have brought us luck."

Market reforms launched by post-Milosevic governments have helped, but unemployment hovers around 30 percent and monthly salaries average about $300.

The symbol changes also irked Serbia's Socialists — Milosevic's renamed communists — who demanded state symbols be decided in a national referendum. Socialist lawmakers walked out of Tuesday's session before the vote.

Others said the new symbols may not be welcome in a multiethnic state where more than 30 percent of its 10 million people are non-Serb.

Sandra Valentic, 34, an ethnic Croat born and raised in Serbia, said, "Am I supposed to feel warmth when I hear the anthem?"

[OESY]

A broken wooden Serbian coat-of-arms from the Communist era is seen on the stand of Serbia's republic parliament in this May 27 2003 file photo. Serbia's parliament voted on Tuesday Aug 17 2004 to restore its ancient coat-of-arms and a 19th century anthem. Adopting symbols that represented Serbia before it merged with its Balkan neighbors in 1918 to form Yugoslavia, lawmakers voted 183-0 to make the anthem, Boze Pravde (God of Justice), and the once royal coat-of-arms official again. (AP Photo /Aleksandar Andjic

[MadelineZapeezda]

Sandra Valentic, 34, an ethnic Croat born and raised in Serbia, said, "Am I supposed to feel warmth when I hear the anthem?"

What's her complaint......she's never been cleansed from Serbia or had her land taken from her. Go back to Croatia if you don't like it.

[SedVictaCatoni]

What's her complaint......she's never been cleansed from Serbia or had her land taken from her. Go back to Croatia if you don't like it.

How could a person born and raised in Serbia "go back" to Croatia? They were never there in the first place.

[MadelineZapeezda]

ok..my bad..Go to Croatia!

[Decombobulator]

Others said the new symbols may not be welcome in a multiethnic state where more than 30 percent of its 10 million people are non-Serb.

That must be a mistake, there can't be that many non-Serbs living in Serbia, the Serbs are all racists who ethnically cleansed all the non-Serbs, I'm told. Clinton even said so, and I just know he wouldn't lie to me.

[Diocletian]

ok..my bad..Go to Croatia!

Can all the Serbs go to Serbia then?

[Marko37]

Sandra Valentic, 34, an ethnic Croat born and raised in Serbia, said, "Am I supposed to feel warmth when I hear the anthem?"

Well, I guess that there's no problem with Croatia's anthem and/or coat-of-arms, same as those used by Croat nazi puppet state in WWII, during which around 700,000 people were killed.

And it's not "God of Justice", but "God (give us) Justice".

[vooch]

The HDZ already took care of expelling all non-Aryans from the Dalmatia & Croatia. (those of course that weren't murdered outright)

[MegaSilver]

The HDZ already took care of expelling all non-Aryans from the Dalmatia & Croatia. (those of course that weren't murdered outright)

Actually, Croats and Serbs are of the same ethnic stock and speak the same language. The only difference is in the faith they follow, which actually has an effect on the writing. A Croat is Catholic of the Latin Rite and hence uses the Latin alphabet; a Serbs is Orthodox of the Slavonic Rite and hence uses the Cyrillic alphabet.