Court puts "price tag" on champagne

Although I look upon this ruling as a little bit farcical,one law for all, no amnesty, even for government officials is detrimental to good functioning of any democracy. Now if the courts would do something about the rampant corruption within the legal system and stamp out hooliganism too then Serbian politicians can, once again, have the true respect and admiration of it's citizens.

I'm just glad Tadic didn't ask Bernard Koucher to bail him out.

An excellent propaganda piece! No one is above the law in Serbia and justice is equal.
Take an unpopular law, throw in the excitement of the moment. No one thinks he really did any thing bad, opposition would not use it against him in future elections because he was caught up in the Serbian glory.
The one question is out of which government coffer does the fine come from???

Had Mr. Tadic gone to a theater instead of a football game, he could have drunk more than "a gulp" of champagne, avoided embarrassment in court and made a much better impression at home and indeed abroad.

Hi, Kate - this is probably the first time that I disagree with your way of thinking - nothing is ridiculous about the case. It is funny, though, most people have a good laugh about it, some are glad (Aha, hit them where it hurts - in the pocket!) and that's all.
But what would be the general feeling if there was not a trial? Politicians can break the law? Blown out of proportions, anyway! Here I think of some pretty important message sent to young people who very often find excuses for some of their socially unacceptable behaviour in the very same behaviour by celebrities. "Such and such did too" - used drugs, broke the law.
Ever heard a statement from a kid: "Einstein had a bad mark in math, too"? None of them became "Einstein" ever.
Some presidents, great actors, singers, used drugs, too, but it is not the drugs that made them successful. In contrary,drugs ended many successful lives.
As for dear Mr. Tadic - it is irrelevant that he was not aware of the law:the fact is, he broke it.Guilty!That too is an even more important message to every one.

What a petty and ridiculous case.

600 dollars! That's an expensive glass of champaign!

I didn't know that a local cop is runing Serbia ,rather then Mr Tadic. It is a shame that Tadic had to deal with corrupt local cop and minor court judge.God knows how much this cop and/or cops got paid from politicaloponents of Tadic to file charges agaisnt its own president. I bet you the same cop/s see ordinary citizens consuming alkohol in public on daily bases and do nothing.

An excellent propaganda piece! No one is above the law in Serbia and justice is equal.
Take an unpopular law, throw in the excitement of the moment. No one thinks he really did any thing bad, opposition would not use it against him in future elections because he was caught up in the Serbian glory.
The one question is out of which government coffer does the fine come from???
(duh, 8 December 2009 16:54)

So do tell us what you think should've happened.
If Tadic did not get charged, I'm sure you would be screaming all over the place that he was above the law.
If he is charged then this is all propaganda. Obviously with biased feelings like yours nothing the police or courts could've done to satisfy you.

AS far as this being in the news for this long is concerned, I find it too trivial to be of interest for this long. Who cares? It's not as though he drank a barrel of whiskey. He had a glass of champagne. Big deal.

One thing is for sure, he is not Yeltsin. I don't normally support Tadic but give the man a break.

I didn't know that a local cop is runing Serbia ,rather then Mr Tadic. It is a shame that Tadic had to deal with corrupt local cop and minor court judge.God knows how much this cop and/or cops got paid from politicaloponents of Tadic to file charges agaisnt its own president. I bet you the same cop/s see ordinary citizens consuming alkohol in public on daily bases and do nothing.

An excellent propaganda piece! No one is above the law in Serbia and justice is equal.
Take an unpopular law, throw in the excitement of the moment. No one thinks he really did any thing bad, opposition would not use it against him in future elections because he was caught up in the Serbian glory.
The one question is out of which government coffer does the fine come from???

I'm just glad Tadic didn't ask Bernard Koucher to bail him out.

Hi, Kate - this is probably the first time that I disagree with your way of thinking - nothing is ridiculous about the case. It is funny, though, most people have a good laugh about it, some are glad (Aha, hit them where it hurts - in the pocket!) and that's all.
But what would be the general feeling if there was not a trial? Politicians can break the law? Blown out of proportions, anyway! Here I think of some pretty important message sent to young people who very often find excuses for some of their socially unacceptable behaviour in the very same behaviour by celebrities. "Such and such did too" - used drugs, broke the law.
Ever heard a statement from a kid: "Einstein had a bad mark in math, too"? None of them became "Einstein" ever.
Some presidents, great actors, singers, used drugs, too, but it is not the drugs that made them successful. In contrary,drugs ended many successful lives.
As for dear Mr. Tadic - it is irrelevant that he was not aware of the law:the fact is, he broke it.Guilty!That too is an even more important message to every one.

Although I look upon this ruling as a little bit farcical,one law for all, no amnesty, even for government officials is detrimental to good functioning of any democracy. Now if the courts would do something about the rampant corruption within the legal system and stamp out hooliganism too then Serbian politicians can, once again, have the true respect and admiration of it's citizens.

Had Mr. Tadic gone to a theater instead of a football game, he could have drunk more than "a gulp" of champagne, avoided embarrassment in court and made a much better impression at home and indeed abroad.

What a petty and ridiculous case.

600 dollars! That's an expensive glass of champaign!

An excellent propaganda piece! No one is above the law in Serbia and justice is equal.
Take an unpopular law, throw in the excitement of the moment. No one thinks he really did any thing bad, opposition would not use it against him in future elections because he was caught up in the Serbian glory.
The one question is out of which government coffer does the fine come from???
(duh, 8 December 2009 16:54)

So do tell us what you think should've happened.
If Tadic did not get charged, I'm sure you would be screaming all over the place that he was above the law.
If he is charged then this is all propaganda. Obviously with biased feelings like yours nothing the police or courts could've done to satisfy you.

AS far as this being in the news for this long is concerned, I find it too trivial to be of interest for this long. Who cares? It's not as though he drank a barrel of whiskey. He had a glass of champagne. Big deal.

One thing is for sure, he is not Yeltsin. I don't normally support Tadic but give the man a break.