[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 56 (Tuesday, April 8, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H2885-H2887]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO ASSASSINATION OF
PRIME MINISTER ZORAN DJINDJIC OF SERBIA
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 149) expressing the condolences of the House of
Representatives in response to the assassination of Prime Minister
Zoran Djindjic of Serbia, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 149
Whereas Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic symbolized the hopes
of a new generation of Serbs exhausted by decades of war and
turmoil until he was felled by 2 sniper bullets in front of
his office in the center of Belgrade on Wednesday, March 12,
2003;
Whereas Djindjic's killing was a heinous attack on
democracy;
Whereas Zoran Djindjic was born on August 1, 1952, in
Bosnia and became politically active during his student years
at the University of Belgrade;
Whereas after spending several months in jail for
attempting to create an autonomous noncommunist student
organization with fellow students from Croatia and Slovenia,
Zoran Djindjic moved to Germany, where he earned a doctorate
in philosophy under Jurgen Habermas in 1979, and returned to
Yugoslavia in 1989 to teach philosophy at Novi Sad
University;
Whereas in 1989, Djindjic joined a group of Serb dissident
writers and intellectuals to found the Democratic Party;
Whereas one year later, Djindjic was voted the Chairman of
the Democratic Party Executive Board and in January 1994, he
was elected the party's president;
Whereas Djindjic became a member of the Serbian Parliament
in 1990, serving as the party's parliamentary group whip and
a member of the Republic's Council at the Federal Parliament
3 years later;
Whereas following 88 days of mass protests over electoral
manipulation during local elections in 1996, Zoran Djindjic
was elected Belgrade's first noncommunist mayor since World
War II;
Whereas Djindjic is widely believed to be the chief
strategist and main organizer behind the Yugoslav
presidential elections of September 24, 2000, and the
uprising of October 5, 2000, that resulted in the overthrow
and delivery of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic
to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former
Yugoslavia (ICTY), that was investigating atrocities
committed during the tragic and violent breakup of
Yugoslavia;
Whereas subsequent cooperation with the ICTY has been
judged to be less than optimal, but in recent months Prime
Minister Djindjic moved forcefully to fight the organized
criminal structures that Serbia inherited from the Milosevic
era and to arrest war criminals who have remained at large;
Whereas Djindjic is also credited with masterminding the
Serbian elections of December 2000, in which the Democratic
Opposition of Serbia (DOS), a coalition of 18 parties
spanning a broad range of the political spectrum, won 65
percent of the popular vote;
Whereas the DOS elected Djindjic to be Prime Minister of
Serbia on January 25, 2001;
Whereas during his 2-year tenure as Prime Minister, Zoran
Djindjic sought to advance democracy, human rights, free
market reforms, and the rule of law;
Whereas Djindjic's leadership raised desperately low living
standards and advanced the integration of Serbia into Europe;
and
Whereas Prime Minister Djindjic managed to maintain a
disparate 17-party coalition government with a narrow
majority in order to achieve these urgently needed reforms:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That--
(1) the House of Representatives offers its condolences and
deepest sympathy to the people of Serbia and the family of
Zoran Djindjic following the assassination of Prime Minister
Djindjic;
(2) the House of Representatives understands that organized
criminal groups within Serbian society continue to threaten
the free and democratic government of Serbia and Montenegro;
(3) the House of Representatives recognizes that while
implementing necessary reforms and cooperating with the
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia may
carry significant risks for the leadership of Serbia and
Montenegro, these reforms and this cooperation are necessary
and must continue; and
(4) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that
the United States should support continued democratic reforms
initiated by Zoran Djindjic, should urge his successors to
dedicate themselves to continue to support his road to
reform, and should pledge to assist Serbia and its new
leadership in accomplishing these necessary reforms,
including efforts to fight organized crime and corruption.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter).
General Leave
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Nebraska?
There was no objection.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this Member rises today in strong support of H. Res.
149, a resolution expressing the condolences of the House of
Representatives in response to the assassination of Prime Minister
Zoran Djindjic of Serbia. It is with sadness that this Member brings
this resolution to the floor of the House of Representatives today.
Prime Minister Djindjic was assassinated on March 12. This tragic event
was a shock to the people of Serbia, to the people of the Balkans, and
to people around the world.
If anyone represented the present state of the Balkans, all of the
changes that occurred in recent years, the hope for a free, democratic
and prosperous future, it was Prime Minister Djindjic. He was the
decisive leader who played a critical role in bringing democracy to
Serbia. He was probably the most visible and important proponent of
helping the Serbian people come to terms with the past, the destruction
and the injustices of the tragic events which have been happening in
the Balkans over the past decade. He was the leader most determined to
integrate his country into Europe and the community of Western
democracies, to provide a future of security, prosperity, and hope to
the Serbian people.
However, only 2\1/2\ years after the overthrow of Slobodan Milosevic,
let us not forget how fragile freedom and democracy in the region
really is. During this crucial period, Prime Minister Djindjic was the
leader who represented the best hope for the changes and reforms
necessary to lead the former Yugoslavia to a new and different
direction; but in the context of a country and a region of so much
violence, hatred and corruption over the past decade, anyone who would
have made these necessary forums would certainly make enemies and
endanger both himself and the path of reform in his country.
Prime Minister Djindjic sought to change the political system in
Serbia, sought to fight organized crime and official corruption, and
sought to bring suspected war criminals to justice. He
[[Page H2886]]
attempted to develop better political institutions, to establish an
independent judiciary, and to reform the police and the military.
Although not exempt from what may have been legitimate criticism,
perhaps even appearing to turn a blind or jaded eye to some of the
forces that are so prevalent in Serbian society, he was seen to be
making remarkable progress. He was the leader of a coalition and the
leader of a younger generation who were bringing their efforts to bear
to transform Serbian society. However, in the process, the forces of
the past proved remarkably entrenched and widely based.
Mr. Speaker, let us recognize how significant the tragic event of
March 12, 2003, is for Serbia and the Balkans. Let us recognize that
the path of reform and fighting the forces of the past is not easy.
Reformist leaders in Serbia and throughout the Balkans are vulnerable,
and reformist and newly-democratic governments are fragile.
President Bush said Prime Minister Djindjic will be remembered for
his role in bringing democracy to Serbia and for his role in bringing
Slobodan Milosevic to justice.
Mr. Speaker, let us also remember Prime Minister Djindjic for his
courage and bravery in fighting some of the most corrosive and virulent
forces of the past in Serbia and the former Yugoslavia. This resolution
shows that the House of Representatives supports the reforms that Prime
Minister Djindjic spoke about most energetically and upon which he
sought action. Reflecting upon the forces that brought his death must
cause our country and the international community to redouble our
efforts to assist the country of Serbia and Montenegro as it seeks a
new and different future.
We offer our strongest encouragement to the new leaders of Serbia and
Montenegro so that they may redouble their efforts in pursuit of
crucial reforms. They must have the courage, the resources, and the
support first of their citizenry and their country, but also the
international community to aggressively fight the forces of the past,
the forces of hatred and violence, the forces of organized crime and
the history of official corruption in their country.
Mr. Speaker, in offering this resolution and statement, this Member
offers his deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the family
of Prime Minister Djindjic and the people of Serbia and Montenegro.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. First, I
would like to commend the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde); the
chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe, the gentleman from Nebraska
(Mr. Bereuter); and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Emanuel) for their
leadership on this important resolution.
Mr. Speaker, the tragic assassination of Prime Minister Djindjic
happened just a few weeks ago, but the repercussions of this barbaric
act will be felt throughout the Balkans for years to come.
Prime Minister Djindjic was a courageous and bold political leader,
an anti-communist and a democratic activist. He was one of the leaders
of the ouster of dictator Slobodan Milosevic in the fall of 2000.
Djindjic was a Serbian patriot who clearly understood that Serbia's
future lay in Europe, not in the isolation nationalism that plagued the
Balkans at the sunset of the 20th century.
Prime Minister Djindjic will go into history books as the man who
made the brave decision to extradite former dictator Slobodan Milosevic
to The Hague for trial on war crimes. It is widely believed that the
renewed attempts by Mr. Djindjic and his government to go after
entrenched organized crime in Serbia and war criminals in that country
led to his assassination.
{time} 1430
Prime Minister Djindjic was also a pragmatic politician. While
pushing the Serbian nation towards Europe, Mr. Djindjic also tried to
appease nationalistic elements of Serbian society. His government's
cooperation with the International War Crimes Tribunal was uneven, but
on balance Mr. Djindjic was leading Serbia in a positive direction,
progress that will be set back as Serbia deals with the ramifications
of this horrendous assassination.
Mr. Speaker, today we mourn, together with the Serbian people and
with Mr. Djindjic's colleagues and loved ones. We know that the job of
leading Serbia is risky and difficult, and we pledge to offer support
to the continued democratic reforms initiated by Mr. Djindjic. That is
why today, Mr. Speaker, I want to call on my colleagues in Congress and
in our government to remain engaged in the Balkans and to offer
continued support to the reformers there. Our national interest will
suffer if this region backslides towards lawlessness and conflict.
The United States has unfinished business in the Balkans. The
establishment of a genuine rule of law and a system of justice that
benefits the citizens of these countries, the restructuring of local
economies, the establishment of a vigorous civil society, the creation
of independent media, and the resettlement of refugees are just a few
of the tasks that remain.
Mr. Speaker, with continued U.S. leadership and engagement in the
Balkans, these tasks can all be achieved. I urge all of my colleagues
to support the passage of this important resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Emanuel), one of the original movers of this important
resolution.
(Mr. EMANUEL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr.
Lantos) for yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise as an original cosponsor and in strong support of
House Resolution 149, expressing the sorrow of the House of
Representatives in response to the assassination of Serbian Prime
Minister Zoran Djindjic earlier this month.
On behalf of more than 1,000 of my constituents of Serbian descent, I
commend the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde); the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos) ranking member; as well as the gentleman from
Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), the Europe Subcommittee chairman; and the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Wexler), ranking member, for their
leadership in recognizing a truly remarkable reformer and a champion of
democracy in the Balkans.
The world has lost a great friend and a true democrat in the Prime
Minister. While our brave troops engage in another war-torn region, we
identify with the war-weary citizens of Serbia and Montenegro who lived
under Milosevic's cruelty.
Serbia has courageously demonstrated that it is willing to defeat a
brutal tyrant and will not allow its democratic progress to unravel. As
we mourn the Prime Minister's death, this resolution says loud and
clear that America will work with Serbia to ensure that its path to
democracy will never be deterred.
To all the young democracies of tomorrow, who, like Serbia, have also
thrown off the yoke of dictatorship and totalitarianism and embraced
the values of liberty and freedom, this resolution says to them that
the United States, the House of Representatives, the people's House
will stand with them no matter how many tomorrows it takes to achieve
democracy.
The Serbian people are our fellow countrymen and allies because they
embrace the values of democracy and freedom. Our nations share a mutual
admiration for democracy, which is never a guarantee or a foregone
conclusion. It is accomplished only through perseverance and courage.
Democracy requires the force of vision and determination endowed upon
great leaders like the late Prime Minister. His death at only 50 is a
great loss for his family and friends, and it is also a tremendous loss
for the democratic progress in the Balkans. The New York Times
editorialized on the day after his murder: ``In countries that lack
institutions, individuals matter greatly.''
After Yugoslavia fell apart following Marshal Tito's death, a common
line that the nation had been held together by the force of his
personality, Milosevic dragged Yugoslavia back to a darker time by
igniting human genocide not seen in Europe since Hitler.
[[Page H2887]]
But the brilliance, the charisma, the force of vision of Zoran Djindjic
steered Serbia away from an era of ethnic cleansing and towards liberty
and equality. The Prime Minister was a reformer who envisioned a free
and modern Europe. In less than 2 years he liberalized markets,
elections, the press, and parliamentary debate. He showed that the
human spirit and desire for freedom can never be extinguished.
Through calm persuasion he brokered a compromise with Montenegro,
helped prevent further bloodshed in Kosovo, restored human rights and
economic realization, the rule of law to a nation torn apart by four
wars and two rebellions started by his predecessor, Milosevic.
After extraditing Milosevic and other war criminals, the world
contributed more than $1 billion in economic aid which proved a
tremendous boost to a people whose standard of living had long been the
worst in Europe. He taught his countrymen to appreciate the rewards of
integrating into the Europe of tomorrow, the Europe of the 21st
century, and his steadfast pursuit of reforms gave democracy a foothold
in Serbia and the people of Serbia a hope of tomorrow.
In these difficult times, Mr. Speaker, we stand with our friends in
the Balkans as they mourn a fallen hero and search for a new leader
dedicated to fulfilling the democratic vision of modern Serbia who will
always be remembered in history for his honor, his greatness, and his
selfless commitment to the public good.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) for expediting the consideration of
this resolution. I want to particularly note the contributions of the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Emanuel) who had the major role in
drafting the legislation. I am grateful to have his assistance and his
cosponsorship along with a substantial number of other Members who
believe this is an important way for the House to recognize the
contributions of the Prime Minister.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my
deepest condolences to the nation of Serbia, the friends, family,
admirers and supporters or Zoran Djindjic. The Serbian prime minister,
who was tragically assassinated, was a leading proponent of democracy,
human rights, and progress for the country of Serbia.
The assassination of Prime Minister Djindjic was more than the
killing of an admirable leader; it was a heinous attack on democracy.
Mr. Djindjic was elected Belgrade's first noncommunist mayor since
World War II. He believed in the ideal and principles of maintaining a
democratic state, and dedicated himself to pursuing that cause.
We can thank Zoran Djindjic for being a chief organizer of the
Yugoslav presidential elections in September 2000. We also owe him
tribute as being a principal strategist for the October 2000 uprising,
which led to the delivery of Slobodan Milosevic to the International
Criminal Tribunal. Mr. Djindjic understood that horrific war crimes
were being committed, and was there to support his people to see their
persecutor punished.
Zoran Djindjic was elected Prime Minister of Serbia on January 25,
2001. In his two year tenure, he sought to advance democracy, human
rights and free market reforms. The United States values its democratic
cohorts, and we can appreciate even more the people who seek to bring
democracy to a region that has not had the privilege of maintaining it.
Mr. Djindjic was an effective democratic leader; he raised the low
living standard and opened the Serbian markets to precipitate trade
throughout Europe. He was a stable Prime Minister who effectively dealt
with the task of keeping a 17 party coalition government.
Zoran Djindjic understood the value of human rights, and worked
tirelessly to maintain equal opportunities in a country that had been
vacated of such leadership for half a century. He was an advocate of
civil liberties and individual freedoms. We should feel so lucky to
have had an ally of our American principles over in Eastern Europe.
The death of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic is a travesty on so many
levels. We have lost one of our democratic allies, someone who wanted
the best for his country. The Serbian people have lost one of their
greatest leaders. I stand firmly in support of this resolution, so the
United States Congress can show its sympathy in a time of great
mourning.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, we have no additional speakers, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Terry). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 149.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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