[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 8775-8778]
[From the U.S. 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

[[Page 8776]]

     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 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.

[[Page 8777]]

  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. 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. 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,

[[Page 8778]]

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.

                          ____________________