People may not be aware that two prominent members of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) just made a very important trip to Bulgaria. They met with representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the NATO governments at a so-called "donor conference." The purpose was to set the stage for NATO governments to takeover Yugoslavia.
The trip was announced the day after the Yugoslav elections. Mladjan Dinkic, the most likely Finance Minister in an opposition government, "said that representatives of his G-17 Plus will travel to Bulgaria this week for a donor conference on Yugoslavia with representatives of the International Monetary Fund." (United Press International, 27 September 2000)
Dinkic was accompanied by Dr. Dragoslav Avramovic, an economist in Zoran Djindjic's 'Alliance for Change'. These so-called "democratic opposition" groups have been paid huge sums by US government agencies.
Dinkic told United Press International that "Dragoslav Avramovic had drafted a letter of intent with a request to the IMF and World Bank. Dinkic said he expected that this would be followed by negotiations with creditor countries, the so-called Paris Club..." These are the NATO countries.
A "Letter of Intent" includes a "Memorandum on Economic and Financial Policies". This establishes the conditions under which all of Yugoslavia would be put under the control of Western donors and creditors. Only a Yugoslav Finance Minister, selected by Parliament, has a legal right to draft a "Letter of Intent." But Dinkic and Avramovic represent only the so-called "democratic" opposition. In what country is it legal for opposition elements to "negotiate" with enemy countries who finance their movement? This is an extreme act of interference by the NATO countries.
What measures do the NATO countries want to impose?
- End of all government price controls;
- Introduction of "free markets" without any protection for farmers or businesses from dumping of foreign goods;
- End to all social protection. No government help with medical care, transportation , food or heating;
- A freeze on credit to businesses
- Massive layoffs of workers and drastic pay cuts for workers and farmers;
- Forced liquidation of important businesses and industries, public and private
- Any future reconstruction work to correct bombing damage be entrusted to companies from the NATO countries. They would be paid with money Yugoslavia would be forced to borrow from international lenders.
The result of these policies would be: food prices would go fly high; enterprises would be driven into bankruptcy and liquidation; foreign capital would seize the entire economy.
The "Letter of Intent" would require the acceptance of Washington's political demands. These were just laid out in the so-called "Serbian Democratization Act," # HR1064. It was passed by the US House of Representatives on September 25, the day Dinkic announced his trip to Bulgaria. Good timing. This law states that for Yugoslavia to be free of sanctions, and for it to be "allowed" into the IMF it would have to:
- Negotiate independence (meaning secession) for Kosovo and probably Vojvodina
- Completely "democratize" the country. "Democratize" is a code word for carrying out all US government orders;
- Settle "all succession issues with the other republics". This would include the 50 billion (US) that the Croatian government and the Izetbegovic government in Bosnia are demanding as war reparations. The money would go right to these countries' creditors, which are NATO governments and Western Banks;
- Fully cooperate "with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, including the transfer to The Hague of all individuals in Yugoslavia indicted by the Tribunal." This means the Yugoslav Army would have to hunt down any person the Hague tribunal said was a war criminal. Any leader of resistance could be put on the Hague's secret list of phony war criminals..
All this makes perfectly clear that Mr. Kostunica's promise to work with the International Monetary Fund but at the same time "safeguard Yugoslavia" is hollow words: they sound good but mean nothing. In agreeing to draft a Letter of Intent, Kostunica's coalition has already deserted national sovereignty. They have sold Yugoslavia, its economy, its institutions and its people.
Meanwhile, the US law, HR 1064, authorizes the US government to immediately transfer another $105 million to the so-called "democratic" opposition and the secessionist government in Montenegro. American money – together with funds transferred from other sources – will not only pay for campaign expenses, it will finance payoffs.
Washington and NATO are openly paying key individuals in the opposition parties to do what they are told to do. They are on the NATO bombers' payroll.
Further reading:
'The International Monetary Fund And The Yugoslav Elections' by Michel Chossudovsky and Jared Israel. Summarizes devestating effects of World Bank/IMF intervention in several countries. Discusses link between Western financial takeover and social-political destruction. http://emperors-clothes.com/analysis/1.htm
'How the U.S. has Created a Corrupt Opposition in Serbia' By Jared Israel, Prof. Michel Chossudovsky, Karen Talbot, Nico Varkevisser and Prof. Petar Maher. http://emperors-clothes.com/analysis/scam.htm
“NY Times' Confirms Charge: U.S. Gov't Meddles in Yugoslavia' with comments by Jared Israel. "Suitcases full of cash" says the 'Times.' http://emperors-clothes.com/news/erlang.htm
'Emperor's Clothes Interviews Radio B292' Revealing interviews by Jared Israel with two staff members at the U.S. "independent" radio station in Belgrade. http://emperors-clothes.com/interviews/emperor.htm
'Criticism of Emperor's Clothes on the Yugoslav Elections, with Reply' Prof. Robert Hayden & Jared Israel http://emperors-clothes.com/letters/yugoltr.htm
'Will the US Get Their Money's Worth in Yugo Elections?' by George Szamuely at http://emperors-clothes.com/articles/szamuely/willthe.htm
'U.S. Law Passed by House of Represntatives on Funding Yugo Opposition and Harsh Terms for Lifting Sanctions' http://emperors-clothes.com/news/1064.htm (If this link gives you a server error please try a bit later; it is being set up.)
Michel Chossudovsky
Department of Economics,
University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1N6N5
Voice box: 1-613-562-5800, ext. 1415, Fax: 1-514-425-6224
E-Mail: chossudovsky
videotron.ca; (Altern. E-mail: chossudovskysprint.ca)