19 November 2009.

The dominating topic in all Serbian media today is the funeral of Serbian Patriarch Pavle, where his great renown among the Serbian people is stresses, as well as the attendance of many guests from around the world at the funeral. Zorica Regeljac prepares the Press Review.

“With people until the end” is the headline in the DANAS daily, and the article reads that about today’s funeral of the 44th patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Other papers also report that many people have arrived from all over Serbia, Montenegro and the Republic of Srpska, as well as many religious dignitaries from around the world. First among the equals, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has come from Constantinople to Belgrade for the funeral. Also saying the last farewell to the Serbian patriarch are the heads of Romanian, Czech and Albanian Orthodox churches. Others that have confirmed the arrival are representatives of patriarchies from Jerusalem, Alexandria and Antioch, as well as the arch-bishopric of Cyprus. On behalf of Russian Patriarch Kiril, who was unable to come due to health issues, the funeral will be attended by Metropolitan of Minsk Filaret. The list of religious communities that have their representatives at the memorial service also have those from the Russian Cross-Border Church, arch-bishopric of Athens, Polish Orthodox Church, Georgian Patriarchy and American Orthodox Church. The liturgy and funeral itself are also attended by the 20-member delegation of the Catholic Church, headed by the envoy of the Holy See Angelo Sodano. The Conference of European Churches will be represented by its Secretary General Collin Williams.

The VECERNJE NOVOSTI daily writes that the latest report of Chief Hague Prosecutor Serge Brammerts is considered by  Serbia to be favorable and objective. Right now, it is the reaction of Holland to that document that is awaited with great impatience. Will this county find Brammertz’ note that “the improved cooperation with the Tribunal will soon result in the arrest of the indictees’ be enough for the unblocking of the Interim Trade Agreement? Dutch Ambassador Ron van Dartel expects that the stance will be announced quickly after the presentation of Chief Prosecutor’s report to the UN Security Council on December 3. Head of the national Action Team for the Cooperation with the Tribunal Rasim Ljajic told the VECERNJE NOVOSTI that the version of the report that he had seen is without any objections for the first time. It reflects absolutely truly the factual situation in the operational searches and other forms of cooperation with the Tribunal. Ljajic notes that for the first time the satisfaction of the Prosecution is emphasized, relating to the efforts aimed at locating the two fugitives, but he refrains, nevertheless, from the final assessment of this document. Namely, at the moment it is just a draft, but the final version will be heard on December, so there is enough time for potential changes, concluded the daily.

The POLITIKA reports that the first vaccines against the new flu in Serbia, although they still have not arrived to the country, have been received by members of the diplomatic corps in certain embassies, employees of some foreign representation offices, as well as some resourceful citizens who got their vaccines from friends or relatives who live abroad. The vaccination at the “private initiative” has begun in spite of the recommendation of Serbian Minister of Health Tomica Milosavljevic that citizens must take care and not buy the vaccines that have come to the country outside legal means, because there is a danger of fakes, which could cause more damage than good. Epidemiologist Radmilo Perovic says that giving the vaccine without the permission of the National Drug Agency is illegal and forbidden. Sanitary and other inspections are in charge of seizing such merchandise at the border crossings, and other places without adequate conditions, such as pharmacies without refrigerators, markets etc, and filing reports to the competent services, specifies the POLITIKA daily.