August 23, 2007 – Kosov@News - UEFA has increased the fine it originally imposed on the Serbian football association following racist chanting at a recent under-21 European Championship match.

UEFA's appeals body said it had increasing the fine from 40,000 Swiss Francs to 100,000 Swiss Francs. Half of the fine will be suspended, pending any further incidents in the next two years.

The Serbian FA was handed the original punishment by UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Body, following racist abuse Serbian supporters and improper conduct by the team's players during their 2-0 defeat by England on June 17.

Serbia has seen a surge of anti-Semitism and racism in recent years fueled by Serb nationalists. Fearing that it will lose the nationalist vote, the current Serb government is refusing to stop these groups from operating.

Serbia had a 30,000-strong Jewish community before World War II, but less than half survived the Nazi occupation. Many later moved to Israel or to the West.

City of Belgrade was the first Judenfrei city in Europe during World War II.

There is a growing Serbian Skinhead scene in Serbia. The Skins' focus is on Serbian nationalism, but they also embrace the racism and anti-Semitism of their comrades around the world.

A Serbia-based branch of a United States gang called United White Skinheads is run by Branko Kunovki of Belgrade. Kunovski, in a letter he wrote, took credit for vandalizing a Belgrade synagogue with Nazi stickers from Gary Lauck's Nebraska-based NSDAP-AO and boasted that he booby-trapped them with hidden razors.

Kunovski also runs _Predskaanje_ (Prediction), a skinzine, and distributes Serbian Skinhead music internationally.