I

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1064

To authorize a coordinated program to promote the development of democracy

in Serbia and Montenegro.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 10, 1999

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. HOYER, Mr. PORTER, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. ROHRABACHER, and Mr. MORAN of Virginia) introduced the following bill;

which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

A BILL

To authorize a coordinated program to promote the

development of democracy in Serbia and Montenegro.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION. 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Serbia and Montenegro

5 Democracy Act of 1999’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 The Congress makes the following findings:

8 (1) In multi-party elections held in the Republic

9 of Serbia in 1990, 1992, 1996 and 1997, inter-
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1 national observers found considerable evidence of

2 election fraud and the manipulation of state-run

3 media, allowing the ruling Socialist Party of Serbia

4 led by Slobodan Milosevic to maintain power.

5 (2) On many occasions, and specifically in

6 1991, 1996 and 1997, the Serbian authorities dem7 onstrated a clear willingness to intimidate and use

8 force against citizens of Serbia who were peacefully

9 exercising their rights by protesting publicly against

10 the undemocratic practices of the regime.

11 (3) Beginning in 1991, the Serbian Government

12 formed by the Socialist Party of Serbia sought to

13 enhance its power and counter democratic pressures

14 by fomenting extreme nationalism and instigating

15 conflict within the former Socialist Federal Republic

16 of Yugoslavia, which, by the time peace was restored

17 in 1995, resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thou18 sands, the torture and rape of tens of thousands and

19 the forced displacement of nearly 3,000,000 people.

20 (4) In 1992, the republics of Serbia and Mon21 tenegro asserted the establishment of a new ‘‘Fed22 eral Republic of Yugoslavia’’, the government and

23 institutions of which have been dominated by those

24 holding power in Serbia and their political allies in

25 Montenegro, enabling Serbian President Slobodan
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1 Milosevic to become the President of the new Yugo2 slav state in 1997, when his final term as President

3 of Serbia ended.

4 (5) In 1997 and 1998, forces within the ruling

5 Democratic Socialist Party of Montenegro which

6 supported the building of democratic institutions

7 separated from those allied with the ruling party in

8 Serbia, cooperated with opposition parties, including

9 those representing minority communities, and suc10 ceeded, despite threats and intimidation on the part

11 of Serbian officials, in holding elections reflective of

12 the will of the citizens of Montenegro and bringing

13 increased openness and tolerance in Montenegrin so14 ciety.

15 (6) In 1998, conflict in the area resumed with

16 an assault by Yugoslav military and Serbian police

17 and security forces on innocent civilians in Kosovo

18 which have resulted in more than 1,000 people dead

19 or missing and the forced displacement of tens of

20 thousands before a tentative ceasefire was reached

21 which has been threatened by further atrocities in

22 1999.

23 (7) The ethnically Albanian majority of the

24 population of Kosovo has established its own politi25 cal, medical, education and media institutions in re-
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1 action to the illegal revocation in 1990 of Kosovo’s

2 autonomy as a province in the former Socialist Fed3 eral Republic of Yugoslavia and the subsequent

4 years of repression of the people living in Kosovo.

5 (8) In 1998, new, draconian laws on informa6 tion and higher education placed further restrictions

7 on the independent media and academic freedom in

8 Serbia.

9 (9) The chronology of events in Serbia and

10 Montenegro since 1990 indicate a clear and close re11 lationship between the instigation of conflict and the

12 denial of democratic development.

13 SEC. 3. POLICY TOWARD SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO.

14 It is the policy of the United States to promote the

15 development of democracy in Serbia and Montenegro and

16 to support those who are committed to the building of

17 democratic institutions, defending human rights, promot18 ing rule of law, and fostering tolerance in society.

19 SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORT DEMOCRATIC EFFORTS

20 IN SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO.

21 (a) ASSISTANCE.—In carrying out the Support for

22 East European Democracy (SEED) Act of 1989, the

23 President shall provide the following assistance to support

24 democratic efforts in Serbia and Montenegro (excluding

25 Kosovo):
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1 (1) OPEN MEDIA.—

2 (A) IN GENERAL.—Assistance to improve

3 infrastructure and programming, to provide ad4 vice, technical support and education, and to

5 help provide legal protection.

6 (B) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA7 TIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated

8 $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 to carry out

9 subparagraph (A).

10 (2) NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS.—

11 (A) IN GENERAL.—Assistance to train, to

12 develop regional networks, to encourage multi13 ethnic focus on issues of common concern, and

14 to help provide legal protection.

15 (B) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA16 TIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated

17 $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 to carry out

18 subparagraph (A).

19 (3) INDEPENDENT LABOR UNIONS.—

20 (A) IN GENERAL.—Assistance to promote

21 membership, to facilitate contacts and coopera22 tion with labor unions elsewhere in Europe, and

23 to help provide legal protection.

24 (B) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA25 TIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated
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1 $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 to carry out

2 subparagraph (A).

3 (4) EDUCATION.—

4 (A) IN GENERAL.—Assistance to assist

5 independent education networks, to help provide

6 support for those fired for political reasons, and

7 to develop improved teaching materials on de8 mocracy and civic responsibilities.

9 (B) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA10 TIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated

11 $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 to carry out

12 subparagraph (A).

13 (5) JUDICIARY.—

14 (A) IN GENERAL.—Assistance to train

15 judges on international judicial standards, to

16 support a trial monitoring program, and to help

17 provide support of those fired for political rea18 sons.

19 (B) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA20 TIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated

21 $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 to carry out

22 subparagraph (A).

23 (6) POLITICAL PARTIES AND COALITIONS.—

24 (A) IN GENERAL.—Assistance to expand

25 training in grassroots organization, to develop
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1 coalition-building and campaign skills, and to

2 develop party leadership below the state or re3 public level.

4 (B) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA5 TIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated

6 $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 to carry out

7 subparagraph (A).

8 (7) LOCAL GOVERNANCE.—

9 (A) IN GENERAL.—Assistance to provide

10 support to democratically-oriented local govern11 ments to provide services, to establish local eco12 nomic development plans, and to increase the

13 transparency and accountability of decision14 making.

15 (B) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA16 TIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated

17 $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 to carry out

18 subparagraph (A).

19 (8) ELECTION ADMINISTRATION.—

20 (A) IN GENERAL.—Assistance to train

21 election officials in transparent election proce22 dures, to provide tamper-resistant electoral sup23 plies, and to develop sound registration and vot24 ing procedures.
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1 (B) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA2 TIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated

3 $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 to carry out

4 subparagraph (A).

5 (9) YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS.—

6 (A) IN GENERAL.—Assistance to promote

7 student organizations and to develop and pro8 vide for study programs in Europe and the

9 United States.

10 (B) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA11 TIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated

12 $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 to carry out

13 subparagraph (A).

14 (b) ADMINISTRATION OF ASSISTANCE.—Assistance

15 described in subsection (a) shall be provided to institu16 tions, nongovernmental organizations, and persons that

17 are eligible organizations designated in accordance with

18 section 5, by the President, acting through appropriate

19 Federal agencies and the National Endowment for Democ20 racy, based on a determination by the President of the

21 potential effectiveness of the agency or entity in providing

22 the assistance.
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1 SEC. 5. ELIGIBILITY AND DESIGNATION OF ORGANIZA2 TIONS AND INSTITUTIONS.

3 (a) ELIGIBILITY.—An institution, nongovernmental

4 organization, or person shall be eligible for designation

5 under subsection (b) if such institution, nongovernmental

6 organization, or person—

7 (1) clearly advocates democratic principles in its

8 programs (if a nongovernmental entity) or in the im9 plementation of its policies (if governmental entity);

10 (2) has membership which does not discrimi11 nate on the basis of ethnicity and is open to dialogue

12 across state and republic lines; and

13 (3) has no known direct involvement in, nor

14 open support for, atrocities associated with the con15 flict in the former Socialist Federal Republic of

16 Yugoslavia or any of the independent states which

17 have emerged therefrom, since 1991.

18 (b) DESIGNATION.—The President shall designate 1

19 or more institutions, nongovernmental organizations, or

20 persons that meet the requirements of subsection (a) as

21 eligible to receive assistance under this Act.

22 SEC. 6. DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL CONTACTS RELAT23 ING TO SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO.

24 (a) SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the

25 Congress that political contacts between United States of26 ficials and those who, in an official or unofficial capacity,
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1 represent a genuine desire for democratic governance in

2 Serbia and Montenegro and designated in accordance with

3 section 5, should be developed through regular and well

4 publicized meetings.

5 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is

6 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of State

7 $350,000 for fiscal year 2000 for a voluntary contribution

8 to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Eu9 rope (OSCE) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly—

10 (1) to facilitate contacts by those who, in an of11 ficial or unofficial capacity, represent a genuine de12 sire for democratic governance in Serbia and Mon13 tenegro and designated in accordance with section 5,

14 with their counterparts in other countries; and

15 (2) to encourage the development of a multilat16 eral effort to promote democracy in Serbia and Mon17 tenegro.

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