CorD Magazine No.10

interviews | opinions | news | comments | events

10

November 2004

Editor in Chief: Dragan Bisenic d.bisenic@cma.co.yu Assistant Editor: Mark Pullen m.pullen@cma.co.yu Editorial: Milan Culibrk, Dragan Bisenic, Nina Nicovic, Nebojsa Kotlajic, Jelena Grujic, Maja Vukadinovic,Vesna Musulin, Zoran Milosavljevic, Slobodan Kostic, Dragan Novakovic, Jelica Putnikovic, Lela Sakovic

DOORS OPEN TO SCG The EU is now a direct neighbour of Serbia & Montenegro.

This should provide encouragement to the entire region of South-eastern Europe

Romano Prodi outgoing President of the European Commission

Translators: Milos Milosavljevic, Dejan Zubac Photo: Danka Ninkovic, Dragan Milosevic, Andy Dall, Stanislav Milojkovic Photo Agencies: FoNet, Tanjug and Beta Art & PrePRESS Director: Branislav Ninkovic b.ninkovic@cma.co.yu Marketing Director: Sasa Maric s.maric@cma.co.yu Advertising: Milos Krstic m.krstic@cma.co.yu Office Manager: Sonja Rados sonja.rados@cma.co.yu General Manager: Ivan Novcic i.novcic@cma.co.yu Director: Ana Novcic ana.novcic@cma.co.yu Printing: Politika AD CorD is published by CMA (Consulting & Marketing Agency), Kneginje Zorke 11a, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro.

Phone: +(381 11) 308 73 35 +(381 11) 444 72 70 +(381 11) 38 07 066 Facsimile: +(381 11) 456 564 E-mail: office@cma.co.yu ISSN no.: 1451-7833 All rights reserved Š CMA 2003/2004

26 NORMALITY NEEDED FOR SERBIA After spending five years in Kosovo, the problem is not only a Serbian problem, but also a European problem. If something nasty happens it would be dramatic for us too, not only for you, because we would be asked by our own people "what have you been doing there for five years?

H.E. Antonio Zanardi Landi Italian Ambassador to SCG

62 LIVING THE HOLLYWOOD DREAM "Ronald Regan, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton used to come. Monica Lewinski came three or four times a week during the affair. I got to know Regan before he became the Californian govern.

Dobrivoje Tanasijevic Football legend aka Dan Tana

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CorD | November 2004

contents 16 THE KEY TO EUROPE The investigation will show whether it was an indictee or some other offender. If it was one of The Hague indictees, I will personally ask for responsible individuals to be held accountable, regardless of their position.

28 S E R B I A ’ S Harald Hirschhofer P R O S P E C T S H I G H Head of IMF Mission to Serbia Discussions with Serbia & Montenegro are quite complex because we effectively have to deal with two different fiscal and monetary authorities, and, like in any transitional economy, economic reform touches upon many sensitive issues.

Svetozar Marovic SCG President

30 NO REGRETS There are things I would change during my mandate.

What I would change would be the earlier reaction in Rwanda. I feel sorry that we did not conclude peace in the Near East. I do not feel sorry, however, for anything we did in the Balkans. I am very proud of what the U.S. did in the Balkans while we were in power.

Madeleine Albright Former U.S. Secretary of State

I AM THRUE COMPETITOR I hope to be in good health and in form for the tournament. I would not consider playing in Euro 2005 if I didn't think I could contribute with my game and not just my presence.

Aleksandar Djordjevic European basketball playing great

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DOING THE RIGHT THING

H.E. John Oliver Ambassador of Australia to SCG

What I do see happening in neighbouring countries is that Australians of Romanian or Macedonian origins go back to those countries and do business.

76 86 SHOOPING Horology & the Moon

CorD | November 2004

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Comment

European juxtaposition hat which appeared easy Here in Serbia the word "Europe" (in an inteon 5th October 2000 now gration context), generally serves as a markseems almost unattainer to identify two social groups that are able. Sadly, citing European standards has not strengthened mutual and perhaps irreconcilably oppodemocracy, respect for human sed. The first group comprises those who rights, dialogue and tolerance of believe that achieving the standards of, and differences, but rather led to a new unification and an attempt accession to, the EU will cure all that ails to usher in a new era of Serbian Gordana Susa Serbia. The second group is determined to single-mindedness. prove to the nation that the EU nurtures Looking principally at the structure and organisation of the political parties themselves - the left and double standards and a two-tier union and the right, conservative and liberal, democratic and that Serbia, as a nation, should fight to prenon-democratic - it is clear that they are all conserve national identity and dignity by refustrolled authoritatively, with a revered leader, party subjects and strict disciplinary code. Those individing to bow to the blackmailing tactics of the uals who are closest to the leader progress with 'West'. These two contrasting groups are greater haste in the public sector. Public works are fighting to dominate Serbia's current politinot divided on grounds of expertise or capacities, but rather by party affiliations, suitability and the cal scene and future orientation. The evenwill of the party leader and his ability to impose his tual winner will shape the new Serbia. man in the "trade-off" with other leaders. This model of party political structures also manifests when Darwin's theory of evolution was dropped from the itself in society by way of the generally negative connotacurriculum. tion regarding citizen participation, through the NGO secHuman life is cheap here. For the past thirteen years tor, in the civil control of the police and the army - the the country has been spiralling downwards. There is an mainstays of the fallen Serbian dictatorship. Four years increase in domestic and social violence, increased levels after Milosevic's ouster, his spirit and ideas are being sysof poverty, values have suffered and the post-war syntematically revived to the extent that anyone not properly drome grips the country. This, the worst model For the past thirteen years the country has been spi- of transition which lacks any consensus on ralling downwards. There is an increase in domestic strategy, has indeed connectedth us to Europe, and social violence, increased levels of poverty, values albeit the Europe of the early 19 century.

The disappearance - through death or deparhave suffered and the post-war syndrome grips the ture - of the most eminent names from Serbia's country. This, the worst model of transition which lacks only small, yet important, civil party is one facany consensus on strategy, has indeed connected us tor that has lead to the splintering and subseto Europe, albeit the Europe of the early 19th century. quent vastness of the local political scene. Also influencing this, as somebody recently said, is "the worn-out nature of the civil idea that is not in informed would have reason to doubt that he sits in The demand in Serbia and really does not enjoy any signifiHague at all. The creatures of his creations and his "agitcant support from our European friends". Moreover, the prop" flood the public eye: populist stories about world generations of young people who are to lead this country anti-Serb conspiracies, traitorous figures, foreign hirelings in a few years time have never crossed the state border or and the Serb State Union are again to the fore, accompaflown by aeroplane, but they do know the realities of war nied by the pungent scent of incense and the Serbian and violence.

Orthodox Church.

In the meantime, Europe as a marker of the country's The education system's abolition of the experimental division will, for some, remain a dream while, for others, curriculum and 'learning through play', coupled with the it will stay an inevitable neighbourhood. Missionaries decision to scrap compulsory foreign language courses in from Europe will have a tough job ignoring the fact that schools, are not aimed at educating creative individuals, many things have changed within the EU itself and that difbut rather the new members of the "Serbian Orthodoxy" ferences with regard to us have almost evaporated.• with whom evolution will stop, as it did for a short time

T

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CorD | November 2004

Interview

Romano Prodi, outgoing President of the European Commission Exclusively for CorD

Doors open to SCG

By Dragan Bisenic

Prior to his departure from the office of the President of the European Commission after a five-year term, Romano Prodi granted CorD what he described as "his last interview as president". Amongst issues discussed were the Kosovo situation, Serbia & Montenegro's ambitions to join the EU, specific problems of the region and his strong belief that "without the Balkans, the European Union will not be complete".

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CorD | November 2004

P

resident Prodi emphasized that "The European Union has strongly supported the West Balkans countries in making headway towards Europe over recent years. Gradual integration is our common strategic goal. Of course, much remains to be done, but we should not forget where we started. We now have democratic institutions in all countries of the region, economic reforms have started to bear fruit and progress in European reforms has been made".

Prodi considers that, during his tenure as Commission President, "the European Council has approved the Thessalonica agenda, in which we clearly gave all the countries of the region a clear perspective for membership.

"Everything is ready to start negotiations for the accession of Croatia, while the Macedonian government has applied to become a member of the Union. I want to stress finally that all the Balkan countries, thanks to this work, have now been moved into the Commission Directorate dealing with enlargement, alongside Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. In summary, we have decisively moved from Association to membership."

You have mentioned a few times that the EU has to turn its focus Serbia & Montenegro, as well as South-eastern Europe.

What is needed to realize this focusing?

1st May was a great day for the EU, but also for the West Balkans: Ten new countries joined the EU that day. The European zone of democracy, peace and prosperity has been extended eastwards and southwards. The EU is now a direct neighbour of Serbia & Montenegro.

This should provide encouragement to the entire region of South-eastern Europe. The European Union's ten new Member States have shown over recent years that undivided political commitment to European integration and hard work throughout a difficult phase of transition does pay off.

MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF SCG There is no need for pessimism. The European Union has confirmed repeatedly that its doors remain open to South-eastern European countries, including Serbia & Montenegro. Of course, acceding to the EU requires long-term political commitment, stamina and a consensus throughout society. But I know that the vast majority of the citizens of your country are committed to European integration. Therefore, I am confident that Serbia & Montenegro's leaders will tackle the remaining key issues, continue structural reforms and hence make rapid progress.

Together, we will make this European perspective a reality.

Drawing on your experience, what would you advise a country like Serbia & Montenegro to do in order to achieve the necessary standards required for realisation of its EU ambitions?

The EU has been watching the malfunctioning of the State Union of SCG with growing concern. Internal disagreements on the implementation of the Constitutional Charter act as a serious obstacle to SCG's progress towards the EU. The EU simply needs to have a functional partner.

Therefore, in order to re-energise bilateral relations and to help SCG make progress towards a Stabilisation and Association Agreement, the European Commission has proposed a so-called double-track approach, which was endorsed by EU Foreign Ministers at their informal meeting on 3rd and 4th September.

How would you assess the achievements of reforms in Serbia & Montenegro? Ending your period as EU president, what do you consider as the most important results and what has been particularly problematic with regard to SCG? The EU's policy aimed at bringing the countries of the West Balkans into the European Union fully applies to SCG. We are fully committed to this objective. The doors of Europe are open for you.

What we do need is a strong pro-European consensus among all democratic political leaders to tackle the key issues at hand.

This concerns political and economic reforms, but also compliance with international obligations including cooperation with The Hague Tribunal, an area where, unfortunately, too little has been done.

It is really up to you to do what is needed in order to go through that door. Renewed reform efforts are needed, concentrating time and energy on a positive agenda. I am happy to say that the pace of reforms, in particular in the economic field, has picked up again over the course of this year.

However, what we do need is a strong pro-European consensus among all democratic political leaders to tackle the key issues at hand. This concerns political and economic reforms, but also compliance with international obligations including cooperation with The Hague Tribunal, an area where, unfortunately, too little has been done.

The EU Council of Ministers has adopted a "twin-track" approach in negotiations with Serbia and Montenegro.

Prodi proves he’s a men of the people CorD | November 2004

11

Interview

“The Kosovo Serb community must play its part in building a multi-ethnic Kosovo�

This approach would include dealing with the two republics on policies for which they are competent, for instance on trade, economic affairs and other sectors. At the same time, the EU remains committed to the State Union of SCG. We now need to make this new approach work and to remove obstacles on Serbia & Montenegro's path to the European Union. It is in everybody's interest to make rapid progress. I am encouraged by the first positive reactions of leaders in both Belgrade and Podgorica.

The European Union has emphasized to SCG that the Constitutional Charter must be respected, including the morato-

branch, in particular in the fight against organised crime.

How do you appraise the politics of the international community in Kosovo, especially considering the March attacks against Serb homes and religious buildings in the province?

The International Community is strongly committed to Kosovo and has invested massively, both in financial and political terms. Much progress has been achieved since the end of the conflict in 1999, even if some of it doesn't make the headlines but only involves improvements to daily life. But, obviously, much remains to be done.

The events of March were terrible, a disgrace, an The stabilisation of the West Balkans is important both to affront to European values. A Kosovo in the EU's own security and to helping the region approach which such things could happen still has the EU. For this reason, there are already EU police missions a long way to go.

To further advance towards a secure, in FYR Macedonia and in Bosnia & Herzegovina. The EU is democratic, multi-ethnic and prosperous now also taking over from SFOR in Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Kosovo, the active and constructive participation of all players is indispensable. rium, until the review date of February 2006.

The Kosovo Government must take account of the interests of all Therefore, I trust that all leaders will show a constructive attitude communities. The Kosovo Serb Community is an integral part of and work together to reach our joint goal - bringing both Serbia a multi-ethnic Kosovo, like any other community. Both the and Montenegro closer to the European Union.

International Community and, in particular, the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Kosovo must ensure their secuRespect of law and corruption are the greatest problems in rity and right to free movement.

Serbia & Montenegro, despite establishing institutions to fight Yet, by the same token, the Kosovo Serb community must play organised crime. What is the most efficient way to fight them? its part in building a multi-ethnic Kosovo. They belong in Kosovo The respect of the rule of law is critical to making progress and their voice should be heard in Kosovo, which is why it is so towards the EU. In fact, this is one cornerstone upon which the important that they participate fully in all democratic opportuniEU itself is built. And it is in the very interest of the region to ties - such as the forthcoming parliamentary elections. We need tackle the roots of this issue. to see a government of all of the people, by all of the people, for Therefore, knowing the special challenges in the region, the all of the people.

EU has continuously emphasized the need to strengthen the rule of law in the West Balkans. We have provided policy advice and I had the opportunity to gauge the reactions of the internaspecial financial assistance to support the police and the judicial tional community to similar actions of the Serbian side, which

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Interview

Even President use public transport were completely different from the last time. People are expelled, churches burned, there have been no reconstructions, no return of expelled people‌ no regret - just forget.

How is this approach possible and justifiable?

The reaction of the international community was swift and strong. The March events were condemned at the time and at every meeting since then, publicly and privately, in the strongest way, as a disgrace and an affront to European values. The Kosovo authorities are working hard to repair the political and physical damage - progress has been seen on both fronts.

The guilty are being pursued and will be brought to justice.

Everyone is equal before the law.

It is wrong to claim that there is no reconstruction. The international community was clear that it expected the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government to reconstruct the damaged property and this is indeed happening, with funds from the Kosovo Budget. The schools have already been reconstructed and the houses should be finished by the end of this year. The Commission, through the European Agency for Reconstruction, has provided valuable advice, based on our experience from the 1999-2000 reconstructions.

Concerning the churches and cultural monuments, which are an important part of European heritage and a subject dear to my own heart, the European Commission is part of an international committee, with the Council of Europe and UNESCO, which is working on this issue. Since the funds available from the Kosovo Budget are insufficient, we hope that we might be able to find some additional funds to contribute to this important work.

How do you see the future of Kosovo and what does a "European Kosovo" mean if Kosovo can't be open for all people?

We have made it very clear that Kosovo's future, whatever its status, lies within Europe. This is why we have ensured that, despite its unresolved status, Kosovo is treated in the same way

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as the rest of the region - in order to make sure that it does not fall behind as that would be a disaster for all its people. It receives large sums of aid. It has free trade access to European markets, in order to help spark its economy. It receives technical and policy reform advice.

All this is designed to ensure that Kosovo's future is with the EU. However, like the rest of the region, Kosovo can only make its way closer to the European Union if it shares European values:

The March events were condemned at the time and at every meeting since then, publicly and privately, in the strongest way, as a disgrace and an affront to European values. democracy, the rule of law, respect for human and minority rights, market economy reforms, regional cooperation and respect for international obligations. The Kosovo that we hope one day to welcome into the EU will be a functioning multi-ethnic, tolerant democracy with a functioning market economy, at peace with itself and its neighbours. Truly a part of Europe.

How do you see the future of EU military engagement in Kosovo and Bosnia?

The stabilisation of the West Balkans is important both to the EU's own security and to helping the region approach the EU. For this reason, there are already EU police missions in FYR Macedonia and in Bosnia & Herzegovina. The EU is now also taking over from SFOR in Bosnia & Herzegovina. EU Member States continue to contribute the lion's share of the personnel and costs of the international forces in the Balkans. For the longer-term, looking to when such missions will have left, we are providing assistance for police and security reforms throughout the region.•

Interview

Exclusively for CorD

ThetoKey Europe O

ur interview took place immediately after the SCG leader's meeting with the president of the Independent Commission investigating the suspicious deaths of two soldiers in Topcider, Belgrade. President Marovic is of the belief that this case, which sparked much domestic controversy, was more than merely an accident.

At your request, the Supreme Defence Council convened to discuss the deaths of two soldiers at their army post in Topcider.

Defence Minister Davinic said there was new evidence about the case that had previously been unknown. What are the facts?

Some new facts were discovered during the ongoing investigation into the deaths of the two recruits. What I am permitted to say is that

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CorD | November 2004

Svetozar Marovic, SCG President CorD spoke exclusively with State Union President Svetozar Marovic this month about Kosovo's recent elections and the potential for state union elections; the chances of the state union surviving, the notion of an official visit by Pope John Paul II to Serbia and many other issues.

By Dragan Bisenic, Photo Stanislav Milojkovic the [Defence] Minister informed us of the latest findings of the investigation at the meeting of the Supreme Defence Council.

Will someone be held responsible for the statements claiming the two soldiers shot at each other, issued immediately after the tragic event took place?

My impression was that the officers with command authority should have been temporarily suspended during the investigation.

Minister Davinic decided to replace the Commander of the Guard Brigade 15 days after the tragic incident, which raised more suspicion that more compromising evidence had been uncovered, something that would have pointed towards the involvement of the army's command or individuals who are in active military service.

If we were confident that the initial statements had provided enough information to close the case, we wouldn't have formed the investigative commission. After the commission issues its final report, there is a possibility that other persons in the army's chain

not apply a sufficient amount of pressure, I am afraid that a series of one-sided, irrational and aggressive actions could destabilise the entire region. The new institutions will have to demonstrate that they are indeed trying to attain standards before status, standards that foresee a multiethnic and not purely We have the key to Europe, we can open that door and Albanian Kosovo. Serbs, Montenegrins and all others must not feel wretched in Kosovo, nor enter, but we keep refusing to do so and ponder whether the should they have to be escorted by armoured it is too risky to use it. The name of this key is The Hague vehicles to events they are entitled or obliged to take part in. Their houses and holy sites must not be set ablaze or destroyed. of command will have to account for their actions. The full truth about this case is of utmost importance and we are determined to follow through until the very end. The significance of this case is What is happening with the elections in SCG? such that we will investigate every secret, hidden or underground It would be quite bad if the elections didn't take place. I am putchamber, every road, document or individual until we uncover the ting in a personal effort, within the framework of the Constitutional whole truth. No one shall be exempted from responsibility, even if Charter, to forge an agreement over scheduling state-wide elections. that is the Chief of General Staff of the Ministry of Defence.

The state union leadership is having a meeting next week at which we shall try to push the debate towards accepting the necessity of Has the presence of a Hague indictee on the site of the inciholding elections. As prescribed by the Constitutional Charter, the dent been ruled out as a possibility? elections are direct, but the member states have to provide a legal I cannot say that it has, but we should trust Mr. Prelevic, who is framework for organising them. the head of the investigative commission, when he claims that the incident has no links to The Hague Tribunal. If it should turn out that What conditions have to be met for the elections to take a Hague indictee used the army premises as a hideout while the army place? had been under the leadership of a democratic government, I would The members of the state union have to pass election laws. My demand the responsibility of the Army Chief of General Staff. He had hope is that both Serbia and Montenegro will do this in due time. assured us, and we believed him and continue to do so today, that offiThere are diverging opinions over whether the elections should be cial statements claiming that Hague indictees were not using military direct or indirect. The Constitutional Charter does say that the elecfacilities as a hideout were true. In the event of the truth contradicting tions are indirect, but the most sensible solution that would accomthat statement, one would have to conclude that the Army Chief of Staff provided us with false No one will state it out loud by saying "no, we don't want information. We have to be patient and see what the Pope in Belgrade". Rather, they say it another way: the investigation uncovers.

"No, the time is not right. Let's wait for a better time"

The elections in Kosovo passed in a somewhat disharmonious political atmosphere between political subjects in Serbia. You have suggested that the situation in Kosovo should be resolved with some new kind of Dayton Conference?

I read this piece of information, just as you, in the Financial Times. I was trying to be descriptive when I said that we should organise Dayton, or something similar. Kosovo demands a permanent dialogue between Belgrade, Pristina, Brussels, Washington and Moscow, while the situation will have to be resolved at the international level sooner or later. The international community's stand towards the independence of Kosovo will be crucial for the process.

The Albanians have the right to ask for independence, Serbs and other non-Albanians have to defend their human rights and liberties, while SCG must keep referring to Resolution 1244 in an effort to create a solution. These are the initial standpoints, but the question is what kind of solution will result from them? I don't see a solution without the involvement of the West, the Contact Group, Moscow, Washington and Great Britain. If international actors do

modate the way the state union is organised would be to have each state independently decide how to elect their representatives to the common government. Most importantly, the elections have to be legitimate and reflect the political will of the majority and the minority in each member state.

Do you think the state union can survive in the long term?

I am confident that Serbia and Montenegro have to take the road to Europe. If Europe feels that a state union is the fastest way to integration, then it is my opinion that we should try to make a partnership with Europe and not distance ourselves. Some say that Serbia and Montenegro should decide upon the issue of their independence as soon as possible. This would call for a state-wide referendum in order to ease the tensions and resolve the issue of whether the state union will continue to exist. We just have to avoid creating conflicts and insist on an atmosphere of political rationality. Every referendum, including one on the future status of the state, demands a

CorD | November 2004

17

Interview "no, we don't want the Pope in Belgrade". Rather, they say it another way: "No, the time is not right. Let's wait for a better time". We have to create these better times. God might give us fortune to achieve something more quickly, but we have to make an effort in order to make it happen. I will put this proposal of mine to the test, but I don't want to cause trouble. I thought a visit by the Pope would be another confirmation of SCG's dedication to European values and integration.

This sounds as if it is possible your idea might not come to fruition?

I am prepared to fight for it, but if the invitation and subsequent visit by the Pope should turn out to be more harmful than useful, then it's only natural not to pursue the idea. It could bring more harm if the visit creates a host of problems, divisions, doubts and tensions, or if our eminent guest, his followers and escort fell into an awkward situation that would compromise the sincerity of my invitation.

President Svetozar Marovic high level of consensus between all political actors, generally accepted rules that will guarantee the results of the referendum will in turn be accepted by everyone and a solution that secures the stability of both Serbia and Montenegro. We must keep all this in mind when we bring up the issue of referendum.

The institution of referendum is not a sweet shop where everyone can take what they please. It requires mutual trust, respect of the rules and a result that will not yield a destabilising and destructive outcome.

You said on several occasions that we were well behind in the process of European integration. What do you think of our efforts to join the EU? I am optimistic and doubtful at the same time. Doubtful because we have the key to Europe, we can open that door and enter, but we keep refusing to do so and ponder whether it is too risky to use it.

The name of this key is The Hague. Full compliance with our obligations to The Hague Tribunal would cast away the dark clouds and obstacles that lie in our way and change the image of SCG within a month. We have to realise that The Hague is this key. This also implies risk. I am prepared to take full responsibility as the President of the State Union, along with prime ministers Kostunica and Vujanovic and presidents Tadic and Djukanovic, to fulfil these obligations. People in Serbia say: "Yes, but this could jeopardise our stability". However, avoiding these responsibilities jeopardizes not only the stability of Serbia and the state union, but also their very existence. Thus, we are letting days spent in Europe pass us by and remain deep in the Balkan fog.

Do you think, in principal, that the independent commission formed to investigate the deaths of the two army recruits in Topcider is a step towards the implementation of this key?

Considering that no commission has ever uncovered or solved anything here to this day.

This is the first independent commission to my knowledge. It is a commission comprised of people who are bound only by the facts

You have announced an invitation to the Pope to visit SCG. Could you explain with more detail what this We will investigate every secret, hidden or undermeans, since there is an impression it was put forth ground chamber, every road, document or individwith a plan rather than out of courtesy?

The proposal was indeed well thought out, although it ual until we uncover the whole truth. No one shall has not yet been officially made. The invitation does not be exempted from responsibility, even if that is the have as its aim to polarise the society in SCG. I would like Chief of General Staff of the Ministry of Defence us to make an agreement with Serbian institutions and the Serbian Orthodox Church over this issue. In Montenegro, there is a consensus in favour of this proposal. In the process of and the truth. No one will sack them or punish them. They answer affirming a multiethnic and multi-confessional society, it is only natto no one but their collective conscience and what they find at the ural that we should be open to all religious confessions. The fact is scene of the tragedy. that citizens with different religious confessions have equal religious rights in this country. Hence, I don't understand why someone What happens if a Hague indictee was indeed hiding at the would oppose a notion to allow people with different religious conlocation of the incident? fessions to host their religious heads in their own country, or fail to The investigation will show whether it was an indictee or some see the majority, in this case people belonging to the Orthodox other offender. If it was one of The Hague indictees, I will personalChristian faith, show due respect to the minority of a different faith. ly ask for responsible individuals to be held accountable, regardless I am afraid that my arguments are not in accord with the overof their position. whelming sentiment.

I am aware that the Orthodox Church feels the time is still not Does this mean that individuals wanted by The Hague right, although it was quite right for the Pope to visit Banja Luka in Tribunal will soon be extradited to stand trial?

Bosnia & Herzegovina. I cannot understand why it's right for Banja This is not within the jurisdiction of the army, but rather the Luka and not for Belgrade?

Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Serbian Government and the Serbian judicial system. All efforts should be made to see the Does that mean there has been resistance to your proposal? indictees surrender to the Tribunal of their own free will. It is better There is subtle resistance. No one will state it out loud by saying to achieve this by agreement.•

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Finance

Serbia's prospects high

By Dragan Bisenic, Photo Stanislav Milojkovic

With domestic attention fixed squarely on the national debt and the calls of international financial institutions for the country's budget deficit to be drastically reduced, CorD spoke exclusively to Austrian Harald Hirschhofer, newly appointed Resident Representative of the International Monetary Fund in Serbia and Montenegro, about what can be done to stabilise the economy and control Serbia's troubling rise in inflation.

Harald Hirschhofer, Head of IMF Mission to Serbia

A

n IMF mission has just successfully ended talks with the authorities of Serbia and Montenegro and Mr. Hirschhofer, who has most recently held the post of IMF senior economist for Colombia, believes some key moves could turn the fortunes of Serbia around and bring prosperity back to the former Yugoslav republic.

Having just arrived in Serbia, what are your first impressions about the economic situation here?

I think this country has great potential. I was very impressed how educated the people are, how many languages they speak, how welcoming it is. I see genuine potential. You have an infrastructure that is not very good and needs to be upgraded, but it exists so, provided you have the right policies, this country has a great future.

Regarding our budget deficit. Deputy PM Labus said that it would prove almost impossible to immediately cut such a large amount as is being sought by the IMF. It has certainly not been politically easy, but the Government has put together a strong fiscal policy package which the Fund supports.

Some of the measures are being implemented already and the passage by parliament of the revised 2004 budget was an important achievement. The government has also proposed a strong fiscal plan for 2005 which contains a lot of reform elements both on the revenue as on the expenditure side.

We have learned that the IMF team for Serbia & Montenegro is preparing a major report. What is the overall goal of this report?

Well, we have a review of our programme, as you know, and we wanted to understand better what the fiscal plans for 2005 are; the structural reforms for next year, income policies and what is planned in the monetary policy area and with respect to the reform of the financial sector. We have discussed these issues with the Government and made great progress.

One of the concerns of your predecessor was that consumption is growing at a pace that is unsustainable in comparison to export, production levels and economic activity in general.

The economy is growing quite well but, unfortunately, a lot of this growth is coming from consumption and it would be better if growth would be based more on investment and exports. To achieve that, structural reforms are needed and private sector initiative - in form of foreign direct investment and domestic enterprises - needs to increase. People need to be motivated to save and I think it is very important to implement the right policies to ensure well-founded and sustainable growth over the medium-term to deal with the large unemployment problem.

Specifically what kinds of structural reforms would you recommend?

Some progress has already been made in structural reform and now more steps have to be taken, for example, in the area of telecom, which I really think is important: improve the quality, reduce the prices of service, etc. Since coming here I still haven't managed to get broadband Internet access from my home. In today's world it is really a drawback in attracting those who want to set up their businesses;

It's common knowledge here that the budget deficit is the problem of the country and is the aim of the IMF to change. How do you see that problem and, in your experience, what methods can be employed to solve that problem?

The country has a very large current account deficit and that is worrisome. One way to address this problem is to have a strong fiscal policy. Now, if you look at the expenditure and The economy is growing quite well but, unforturevenue situation you see that spending in relation to the nately, a lot of this growth is coming from conwhole economy is very high and I think one of the key efforts sumption and it would be better if growth should be targeted towards making spending more effective, but also bringing it slightly down in relation to GDP. would be based more on investment and exports.

There have been some complaints that the IMF is not so flexible when negotiating with our government. What rules does the IMF have when it comes to being flexible with countries?

I think this is not true. In general, we discuss all proposals which the government brings to the table and sometimes we make suggestions, drawing from the Fund's international expertise. Discussions with Serbia & Montenegro are quite complex because we effectively have to deal with two different fiscal and monetary authorities, and, like in any transitional economy, economic reform touches upon many sensitive issues. But my experience during the last few weeks has been that both sides showed all the necessary flexibility to ensure the advance of economic reform.

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CorD | November 2004

telephone bills are also huge. So, in this area one needs to achieve something. One should also work to strengthen the quality and service of the railroad to make it possible for producers to transport their goods out of the country reliably and at a good price.

I recently spoke with Governor Jelasic about the country's debts. He said it is necessary to improve export levels significantly and markedly increase foreign investments by 2007 if the country is to be able to pay the required billion per year. How realistic is this goal, considering that 2007 is just around the corner?

I read your interview with Mr. Jelasic and I agreed with many of his points. With respect to exports, the agricultural sector of this coun-

try has a huge potential. But what the country lacks are agricultural brands and good international marketing: For example, Italy has been successful in this field. Here you have some huge export potential.

You know, I've only been here three weeks and I still have to learn a lot about this country, but that's the way I see it at the moment.

If the country continues with the current strong fiscal policies, I think that it will reliably service all its debt in the future. There is still a lot of time until 2007, but the Government is aware of the challenge and because of this has already been taking difficult decisions right now. But the country also needs to grow, to provide employment for people. You need to give people an opportunity to live the lives they want to live so they don't feel obliged to move to other countries to work.

Serbia needs entrepreneurs who have initiative, take risks, and allow the country's dedicated and skilled workforce to fully exploit its possibilities. The government's role should be to create more flex-

The NGO sector, I believe, has developed some proposals that are worth looking at and I think it's very important to provide these loans for people who have perhaps just lost their jobs and have a good idea and want to try their luck in the market as an entrepreneur‌there is a lot of pessimism on every level of society and people don't really see the potential and I think one needs to look where there is potential for growth. I have already met with a number of representatives of trade unions and some shared interesting reform proposals with me and are lobbying for re-training programmes, etc. I think that it is important to establish a maximum amount of common ground, focus on common interest.

It seems that the culture here is a little bit different. The people look more to the government rather than towards themselves with the readiness to take a risk and show initiative. What is the

Harald Hirschhofer shares his thoughts ibility, ensure the provision of cost efficient and reliable public services, and a secure legal environment to allow entrepreneurs and workers to compete internationally.

best environment to encourage people to think for themselves?

Initiative is on the level of the individual. There are many young, talented people, many experienced people who have been working in specific markets for years and have developed skills and knowledge.

Currently, it is very difficult and unrewarding for them to work hard and make use of their talents and skills. I think society should try to take advantage of their initiative. But in order to do so, many existing structures need reform and institutions need to be strengthened.

Assets which are currently controlled by the public sector and political interests need to be transferred to privates which have the neces-

One of the current issues is certainly the restructuring of big public enterprises like the railway, the air carrier, and so on. How can we ensure that this restructuring contributes significantly to the country's economic output?

As I said before, you need to increase the reliability and quality of key services. Whether that be in railroads, electricity or telecommunications it is the same principal. I think these companies employ many talented people and have a lot of underused Serbia needs entrepreneurs who have initiative, 'human capital'. The key now is to develop policies and postake risks, and allow the country's dedicated and sibilities to really allow these people to use their initiative and skilled workforce to fully exploit its possibilities. skills and help increase productivity. I think there are many different ways to achieve that. sary skills and incentives to manage them effectively and the means People in these industries are concerned because they know that to invest. The legal framework needs to be strengthened in many there is over-employment in some areas. However, one can address areas. Property rights need more effective protection, for example by over-employment, to a large extent, through growth and that is exactspeeding up the electronic registration of land ownership. It is always ly what we need to establish on a firmer basis than it is right now, a mistake to look solely at the structures, wait for the state to do through solid investments and export performance. things. In the end, it is private initiative which makes the biggest difRegarding the social risks that some people are facing, I think it's ference to well-being. Many people I met told me that Serbia has still important to develop policies that help those who are laid off and to a long way to go on this issue; a cultural change is needed and that empower them to reintegrate into the labour market. I know older will not be achieved overnight. Perhaps they are right, but experiworkers have problems finding jobs again and the country needs ences from other central and eastern European countries make me specifically to assist those people by helping them to help themoptimistic that change can come very fast. selves. One needs to think about how one can activate micro-credits.

CorD | November 2004

21

Finance

Open IMF

issues

By Milan Culibrk, Photo CorD

D

espite a general agreement being reached with regard to the permitted 2005 budget deficit, Serbian chief negotiator Dinkic and National Bank Governor Radovan Jelasic declined to reveal precise figures. They suggested that they would only do so once the Government finalises its draft budget for 2005.

The only member of the Serbian Government choosing to publicly react to the demands of the IMF mission was deputy PM Miroljub Labus. The G17 Plus leader said the IMF Mission had left

Speaking after the latest round of talks between the Serbian Finance Ministry and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Serbian Finance Minister Mladjan Dinkic told press that Serbia has reached an agreement with the IMF over this year's budget and next year's deficit. He added that the end of October should mark the culmination of negotiations over the agreement's structure.

exchange rate), 40% less than this year. The only extenuating circumstance is that the IMF does not add the costs of servicing the principal of previous loans to the deficit total.

According to Jelasic, Some of the debt servicing commitments and old foreign currency savings payouts, which are expected to increase by 10billion dinars in comparison to this year, will not be formally included in the deficit. However, it remains to be seen how much will be used to service the principal debt and how much will be put aside for covering interest.

Dinkic's headaches will not disappear, however, if some of the expenses are not formally included in the deficit.

Either way, he insisted, the state budget needs financial assets to service the foreign debt and old foreign currency savings. Dinkic has rebutted criticism and claims that the Serbian Government is a step away from an arrangement with the IMF and explained that the heart of the problem is not in the budget, but rather in the foreign exchange deficit that has to be resolved through other means and not by reducing the budgetary deficit.

The Serbian Government has already taken the first concrete steps in that direction. Though an extremely unpopular move among the citizenship, they have banned the import of damaged and second-hand vehicles that are more than three-years-old. The Government expects the decree to reduce the foreign exchange deficit, since a billion dollars was spent on car imports in the first 8 months of the year and 700 million went on secondhand vehicles. To the same effect, Dinkic Deputi PM Miroljub Labus National Bank Governor Radovan Jelasic announced the possibility of raising customs tax for 50 commodities to their August level, when they were reduced the state with an impossible task. He explained that the IMF wantbecause of the Action Plan for economic harmonisation with ed the national deficit to be reduced by 10million dinars, which he Montenegro. described as "ridiculous".

Jelasic confirmed that there has been a general agreement on "The IMF wants us to reduce the annual deficit by 20 billion the ceiling of next year's budget deficit, adding there would be dinars," said Labus. "If we add the 20 billion needed to service formore discussions over budget structure. This, he explained, is eign debt, we'll have a 40-billion-dinar monetary shock that will because the IMF insists on further considerations over salaries and make accommodation of the budget within one fiscal year impossubsidies financed from the budget. sible".

Jelaisc said: "The key point of the agreement with the IMF is Speaking ten days later, Dinkic and Jelasic said the deficit the balance of trade and payments. A reduced budget deficit is one would not be limited to 10 billion dinars, but would decrease well way of lowering national consumer demand, which is fed by bellow the 32.7 billion dinars projected for this year's deficit. Last imports to a considerable degree. The result is a high foreign trade year the deficit was 43 billion, while the IMF reportedly insists that deficit that worries the IMF". the GDP share of the deficit should drop to a little more than 1% Pirita Sorsa, outgoing Head of the IMF Mission to Serbia, agreed (last year it was 3.6%, this year it is projected at 2.2-2.5%) If Serbia that the surge in consumer demand, due to the increase in real manages to negotiate a 1.5% share in a $20million GDP, the deficit wages and the availability of loans along with a modest growth of should not be over $300million (18 billion dinars at the current export, is the thorn in the side of the Serbian economy. Since export

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CorD | November2004

growth is a long-term issue that can only be resolved through structural reforms, Sorsa said that they are now resorting to other measures, such as limiting consumer demand through budgetary policy.

The strategy is justified by an estimate that the budgetary deficit and structural reforms aimed at increased productivity are the key issues to resolving the payments deficit.

Dinkic sees the situation from another angle. The current deficit is at the lowest possible mark and it certainly isn't to blame for the high foreign trade deficit. The largest deficit in foreign exchange was recorded in the first quarter, before this government came to office, because the previous government had overstepped the public expenditure budgetary framework by 18 billion dinars in 2003. The deficit was exacerbated by the leap in prices of crude oil and metals, as well as a large amount of imported vehicles, old and new, Dinkic claimed. He added that demands for levelling the deficit would lead to the halting of regular payment of pensions and salaries funded from the budget.

Jelasic specified three issues that have remained open in negotiations with the IMF. The first issue is structural reforms and these come down to reducing the size of the state administration apparatus and uptake of salaries and subsidies in the entire budget. This would open avenues for investments in the public sector

ury hotel, located in Belgrade's Slavija Square, because the income would go straight into the budget. The question is how much longer will a policy of increasing retail prices be used to solve the financial problems of major public enterprises, which shifts the burden caused by the inefficiency of several state monopolies onto the entire economy and, thus, increases its expenses. The price of electricity is now almost at European Union levels, while foreign companies are up to 10 times more efficient than the national power supplier".

An upbeat Dinkic said that "finally, we have an agreement to speed-up privatisation." Dinkic stressed that the process of privatisation has already accelerated, with income from privatisation reaching 1.7 billion dinars this year and 1.04 billion in August and September alone. The Finance Minister announced that 15 companies will be tendered and 170 auctioned for sale in the last quarter of 2004.

Jelasic, however, added that the IMF insists that privatisation should also be accelerated though bankruptcy procedures. Jelasic pointed out that the new Bankruptcy Law has been adopted in Parliament, but has yet to come into effect.

Rising inflation has caused more upheaval in Serbia than in the IMF, reaching 9.2% in October and projected by the National Bank to hit 11.5% by the end of the year. Though inflation will be around 3% higher than planned, the issue was not raised during negotiations with the IMF, claim Dinkic and Jelasic.

Dinkic said: "Inflation has risen above the projected level, due to external factors, and if it weren't for the surge in the prices of crude oil and metals that caused a general 3 percent increase in retail prices, the inflation would have risen to 6% by October and would not have surpassed 8.5 percent at year's end". Jelasic agreed by adding that the oil crisis had had a negative impact on economic growth and jeopardised monetary stability on a global level, which is why the issue was on the agenda at the Annual Meeting of the IMF and the World Bank.

“Rising inflation has caused more upheaval in Serbia than in the IMF, reaching 9.2% in October and projected by the National Bank to hit 11.5% by the end of the year. Though inflation will be around 3% higher than planned� - M. Dinkic

Mladjan Dinkic, Serbian Finance Minister and boost economic growth, but also secure funds for coping with growing commitments for servicing the foreign debt and old foreign currency savings. Jelasic noted that foreign lenders would have to receive more than $1billion by 2007.

According to the National Bank governor: "The second issue is restructuring large public enterprises that will have to be reduced to concentrate on their main activities, while hotels, tourist agencies and other peripheral activities should be separated and privatised, which would provide additional income to the budget.

Instead of taking this course of action, the state has awkwardly taken over the debts of these companies in Russia and China, which has created a situation in which NIS is the owner of several luxurious hotels, while taxpayers are forced to pay off their debt.

The story is similar with JAT Airlines, which refuses to sell its lux-

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CorD | November2004

Rumours are rife regarding the possible devaluation of the Dinar in light of arrangements that have been made with the IMF. However, according to Jelasic, "Devaluation is out of the question since exports wouldn't be boosted even by larger shifts in the national currency exchange rate. The eventual impact on the stability of prices has convinced the IMF to adopt the same policy towards currency devaluation. In the long run, export levels can only grow with the support of a stable exchange rate, which has been in accord with the inflation rate in Serbia and price fluctuation on the global market. Exports should be stimulated by other means, which are under government auspices. This is a crucial step towards boosting production and maintaining positive foreign debt management".

IMF Mission head Sorsa also suggested increased productivity to people who claim that current policies do not stimulate export.

Serbia can count on support from the IMF and an extension of the three-year arrangement, signed in 2002, by succeeding to negotiate a harmonised policy to resolve the open issues. Serbia also has to continue moving in this direction in order to receive two more $40million instalments from the World Bank. Otherwise, he warned, not only can the Serbian budget miss out on the muchneeded financial injection, but it could also have the Paris Club rescind the decision to write off $650million of debt in May 2005 if Serbia fails to follow through on its commitments to international financial institutions.•

Interview H.E. Antonio Zanardi Landi, Italian Ambassador to SCG

This October saw the staging of an extremely successful business conference, organised by the Italian Embassy in Belgrade. The event, which brought current and potential investors from Italy to the state union capital, could herald a new era of Serbo-Italian economic partnerships. through Confindustria which is a confederation of big industrialists in Italy, and Union cameres, which is the federation of the chambers of commerce.

Feeling very ambitious, we were thinking then of about 80 to 100 businessmen coming here in October and, in fact, we were worried because we didn't have many people who expressed an interest in September. However, one month before the event we saw the numbers growing and growing, particularly in the last

‌it's a very positive signal toward Serbia in general and the Serbian people. It means that Italians are eager to start working again with this country and are ready to take a risk and to be imaginative and develop new ideas about cooperation between our two countries.

Normality needed for Serbia

By Dragan Bisenic and Mark Pullen, Photo S. Milojkovic

W

e visited the grand Italian embassy in central Belgrade to speak to Ambassador Zanardi Landi about the event and issues ranging from the potential visit of Pope John Paul II to Belgrade, Kosovo and the future of the state union.

Could you tell us what prompted you to stage the recent event in Belgrade and how the conference was realised?

The idea came to us at the beginning of July after receiving quite a number of small missions of Italian chambers of commerce, industrialists and banks. They were so numerous that we decided to suggest to them to come all together in a much bigger number to enable us to gather a number of your representatives at a large roundtable examining the possibilities of investment in this country. So, we launched an open invitation through I.C.E , which is our office managing trade around the world, and

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CorD | November 2004

week. We received more than 250 applications so we understood it would have been impossible to hold the event here at the embassy, which we were planning, and so we had to find a suitable venue very quickly. It was then that we thought about the Yugoslavensko Dramsko Theatre. In the last ten days the number of reservations grew from 250 to 470. It really rocketed and we decided to try to cope and not to close the list, but rather to accept what was coming.

It has been quite a brave step from our people. Both the people from the trade commission office and the embassy worked very hard in trying to manage the event, which comprised close to 500 attendees. We were, in fact, very lucky. Everything went very smoothly. We had very good coverage from both the Serbian and Italian press. A fantastic participation from the Serbian side, including the president of the republic, who received all 470 people in the presidential palace, staged a reception and gave a very interesting and encouraging speech. From the State Union Government we had minister Draskovic opening the event on Sunday night, in addition to around 11 Serbian ministers. Prime Minster Kostunica and Deputy Prime Minster PM Labus came to open the plenary session on Monday morning. It was really a great sign of appreciation on the Serbian part; also a minister from Montenegro, Mrs. Gordana Djurovic, attended the event. We consider that the event went much beyond our expectations. People were very interested and very happy. Our trade commission has been able to arrange almost a thousand bilateral meetings between our businessmen and Serbian businessmen who would like to establish cooperation with them. Overall, the fact that the magnitude of the event was four or five times bigger than we had expected is a very good sign. That gives us hope and, I think, it's a very positive signal toward Serbia in general and the Serbian people. It means that Italians are eager to start working again with this country and are ready to take a risk, to be imaginative and

The Majestic Italian Embassy & Residence, constructed at the behest of Montenegrin - born Italian Queen Jelena develop new ideas about cooperation between our two countries.

So, in a way, it's an _expression coming not only from the government - which was represented by the minister for foreign trade and the deputy minister for foreign affairs - but also from the Italian people and the business community in general. It means that Serbia, after a number of years in which its image was tarnished by the events of the '90s, has again become a very interesting and appealing partner for Italy.

SCG President Marovic is preparing an invitation for the Pope to come to Serbia. How would you comment on that?

That's fantastic news‌From a personal point of view, being a catholic and having worked for four years at our embassy to the Holy See, it sounds great. The fact is that the Orthodox Church was, in a way, rather distant from the Catholic Church in this historical moment. In the sense that, as you know, the majority of people are catholic, Italy was heavily engaged in Kosovo and has been so for the past five years. We have almost 3,500 soldiers there and many of them are tasked with protecting Pec and Decani and there is a great feeling of brotherhood between our soldiers and the people living in Pec and Decani. So any move that can show divisions [between the Churches] are lessened and fading away is a good signal for us.

people in Italy do believe in a future in which Serbian churches and Serb communities will have a place in Kosovo.

As you said, Italy is, of course, very much involved and engaged in Kosovo. How do you see the future position of Kosovo, considering that speculation is rife that the final sta-

We have almost 3,500 soldiers there [in Kosovo] and many of them are tasked with protecting Pec and Decani and there is a great sentiment and a great feeling of brotherhood between our soldiers and the people living in Pec and Decani. tus of Kosovo must be decided next year; is the notion of an independent Kosovo acceptable to Italy?

Well, as ambassador here in Belgrade I am not the best placed to talk about the future of Kosovo. It is true that Kosovo is under my area of responsibility, but the future of Kosovo is, at present, discussed in other fora. It is discussed in New York [UN], by the countries of the contact group, in Brussels.

Could that visit possibly effect the position of the Catholic Church towards Kosovo?

I cannot speak for the Catholic Church, only as a Catholic.

However, I think from our side there is a full participation in what is happening in Kosovo and our country has exerted a lot of energy and employed a lot of means to restore peace and allow for interethnic coexistence, and the very fact that our soldiers are around Pec and Decani shows that we do believe in the future of coexistence between Kosovo Albanians and Kosovo Serbs. It also shows that we are investing, in a way, in the future of a multi-ethnic Kosovo. There are still a lot of question marks, but Italy has, in recent months, been sponsoring a big effort in order to restore Pec and Decani. That is not only important as far as the amount of money is concerned, but it is important because it shows that

After an 11-year wait for a child, Ambassador Zanardi Landi and his expectant wife meet the Pope, who offers to pray for the child with the couple.

CorD | November 2004

27

Interview going on. Evidently, the problems that are raised by Mr. Kostunica and others concerning security and protection of monuments are fully shared by us. After spending five years in Kosovo, the problem is not only a Serbian problem, but also a European problem.

If something nasty happens it would be dramatic for us too, not only for you, because we would be asked by our own people "what have you been doing there for five years? Wasting quite a huge amount of resources and endangering the lives of your people?" So, the problem of Kosovo has become, in a way, a common problem. It's not only a Belgrade problem anymore because we have become too deeply involved over the last five years. That said, the Serbian Government's plan for Kosovo has a great merit simply by providing a base for discussion. It has been something put on the table in front of the international community and it has to be discussed and considered and that has been an important step forward. It also had a great merit because it managed to be able to garner approval from every political force in Serbia. We do admire the fact that your prime minister has been able to have this plan approved by the parliament with something like only 20 votes against - just a tiny minority. That's also important.

Another important element is that the discussions made in Pristina are considered to have incorporated a good amount of ideas contained in the Serbian Government's plan.

The garden of Belgrade’s Italian Embassy Does Italy have a unilateral position at all on things of this nature or do you take the lead from Brussels?

We definitely don't [have a unilateral position]. We are working to find common stance in the Contact group and also what Brussels thinks is very important. As you know, we have been strongly supporting a more visible and active European presence in Pristina. One of our best young diplomats, Mr. Gentilini, has been sent to Pristina as the personal representative of Mr. Solana [EU Foreign Policy and Security Chief, Javier Solana].

Unfortunately, he was in a very bad car accident last week and is now in hospital in Rome. He was severely injured, but we do hope he will be able to return to Pristina soon.

With informal talks regarding the future of Montenegro, what is your position on the future existence of the state union?

We believe that a final decision on the status of Serbia & Montenegro is up to the Serbian and Montenegrin people. It is your business and not our business. However, I confess that we have some cultural difficulty understanding why the need is felt for the integration process - expanding European space to Serbia & Montenegro - to coexist with another separation in the area. It's difficult for us to understand why, but we do recognise that if Montenegro wants to become fully independent they can do so, particularly if there are people in Serbia who think that Serbia would do better alone.

It is particularly difficult for us, as Italians, to understand because we consider the diversities of our country as a factor of richness. The fact that Sicily and Friuli, Tuscany and Piedmont are so different is considered by Italians, in general, as a great asset of our country. Thus, we cannot understand why, in this part of the world, people tend to have mono-ethnic or mono-cultural entities.

How big an investor in Serbia is Italy and what will result from the huge number of meetings that have been scheduled?

I could only say with any certainty in six months time. Whilst we are a very good commercial partner - placed second or third selling a lot of our goods in SCG, we are lagging behind as far as direct investment is concerned. According to contrasting statistics, we can be considered between the fifth or eighth biggest investor in Serbia and our event was particularly We firmly believe that a final decision on the status of Serbia meant to enable your people to speak to & Montenegro is up to the Serbian and Montenegrin people. Italian businessmen and enhance the chances of investment. Evidently, I am not It is your business and not our business‌ It is particularly a businessman. I'm representing my govdifficult for us, as Italians, to understand because we con- ernment and have a more politically oriented view. What is particularly interestsider the diversities of our country as a factor of richness. ing for me is all that concerning joint ventures because, if they are successful, joint ventures always have a Italy really believes that Europe should have a bigger say in political effect. We would like to see much more Italian entreprethe future of Kosovo, also because Europe is going to be called neurs and investors here in Serbia working with your people and upon to sustain Kosovo, from a financial, operational and develmany more of your people travelling to Italy to deal in some field opmental point of view. We would like to give our contribution to because that would have a very strong political effect. I've been discussions within the Contact group and in all other fora. As a here only a few months, but from my first impression is that, I Contact Group we have been insisting with your government for think, what Serbia needs more than anything is a feeling of normalan invitation to the Kosovo Serbs to go to vote and Mr. Tadic has ity and sentiment of confidence and hope for the future.• accepted that. We asked because we would like to see this process

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CorD | November2004

Interview Madeleine Albright, Former U.S. Secretary of State,

By Dragan Bisenic

Speaking exclusively to CorD this month, former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright insisted, “I do not regret anything the U.S. did in the Balkans�. She went on to evaluate the development of the Balkans, especially the former Yugoslavia, over the course of the last four years, noting that "general progress" had been made, but that the U.S. "should be more present in the region".

No regrets S

peaking to us in Vienna, Albright said "general progress has been made in the Balkans, but it could be better and stronger in some areas. I am very concerned about what is happening in Kosovo, but I think that it is more or less under control now that a democratic government exists. I followed the elections in other parts of the former Yugoslavia, in Croatia and Slovenia. The general direction is good. I would like the USA to be more present in the Balkans than they currently are. I believe that all the things we did in the Balkans were absolutely correct".

What do you mean when you say that the U.S. should be more present in the Balkans?

That means to be present to the extent where we are sure of the progress of democratic processes, renewal, the attrac- No tion of foreign investors and domestic economic activity.

I think that it is very important that this trial continues and is not interrupted. Justice must be done. The Hague Tribunal, therefore, must work as fast as possible.

What about Karadzic and Mladic?

They also have to be brought to justice as soon as possible.

Is there anything you regret doing in the Balkans?

There are things I would change during my mandate. What I would change would be the earlier reaction in Rwanda. I feel sorry that we did not conclude peace in the Near East. I do not feel sorry, however, for anything we did in the Balkans. I am very

single president has, essentially, ever been able to dramatically change the foreign policy of the previous administration, but in the case of Senator Kerry's victory, the Balkans would be on a higher step of foreign affairs priorities.

Will that be a policy in the case that the presidential candidate you are supporting - Democratic Party candidate Senator John Kerry - wins the election?

No single president has, essentially, ever been able to dramatically change the foreign policy of the previous administration, but in the case of Senator Kerry's victory, the Balkans would be on a higher step of foreign affairs priorities.

According to media reports you were in The Hague recently. What are your comments on Milosevic's trial?

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proud of what the U.S. did in the Balkans while we were in power.

The U.S. presidential elections, which are carefully followed all around the world, are almost upon us. Which global changes in American policy towards the rest of the world

would Senator Kerry's victory bring?

On the eve of the presidential elections in the U.S. it is not up to me as a former official to criticize the current administration abroad, but it cannot be allowed that Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein achieve what neither Hitler nor Stalin managed - to separate Europe and the USA. I was always especially occupied with the relationship with Europe. There are many common subjects and Europe is closer to America than any other part of the world. It would be completely irresponsible if, because of mistakes on both sides, they did not cooperate closely in solving numerous global problems.

In what way do President Bush and Senator Kerry differ regarding that issue?

Both candidates have a different philosophy regarding certain issues. President Bush makes his decision and takes up a position and then expects others to accept such a decision. Senator Kerry is prepared for wider consultations with alliances and potential partners in any action which would concern them too.

What kind of relations did you nurture with your European partners while you were in the U.S. administration?

Firstly, as the Ambassador to the UN and later as the State Secretary I cooperated very closely with European Foreign Ministers. During the crisis in Bosnia, while I was Ambassador to the UN, I was in regular contact with them. During the war in Kosovo I was in daily contact with European Ministers. We had regular contact at meetings of the Contact Group and NATO meetings, and everywhere where it was important to establish a mutual policy. That was not always easy, it demanded patience, but the result was very encouraging.

During the war in Kosovo I was in daily contact with European Ministers. We had regular contact at meetings of the Contact Group and NATO meetings, and everywhere where it was important to establish a mutual policy.

That was not always easy, it demanded patience, but the result was very encouraging.

Do you expect a post in the administration if Senator Kerry wins?

I do not think I will have any post in the administration in that case. There are even legal limits for some posts. However, there are different ways of becoming engaged in work and the implementation of policy.

Recently, you were one of the signatories of an open letter which criticizes President Putin's policies. Russian television

BELGRADE UPBRINGING Former US State Secretary, Madeleine Albright, spent several years after the end of the Second World War in Belgrade, where her father, Jozef Korbel, was the Czechoslovakian Ambassador to Yugoslavia. After the victory of the Communist party in Czechoslovakia, he left with his family to London, and later to the U.S., where he worked for many years in the United Nations.

Miss Albright still speaks good Serbian. In response to our first question "How are you?" she replied in Serbian, in the way children are taught they should reply "Dobro sam. Hvala lepo".

She tried to use her language knowledge during conflict negotiations in Rambouillet, in order to cheer the confronted sides in

Albright promoting her latest book in Vienna named you and Richard Holbrook as those who were behind that letter signed by various famous people and called you a prisoner of the Cold War. How do you comment on that?

I only expressed the view that what was happening in Russia cannot be ignored. If we talk about facts, I am not a prisoner of the Cold War because the Soviets were the ones who occupied Czechoslovakia, which I had to leave. I have to say that nurturing good relationships with Russia is a great achievement of the end of the Cold War. In all matters such as the war in Iraq, trade with nuclear materials and the fight against terrorism, the Russian contribution is irreplaceable. That is a real fact. But that cannot prevent us from opening eyes to what is happening in Russia. President Putin is pragmatic, not democratic. Russia has many problems. They too are leading the fight against terrorism, but I am very concerned about what is happening in Chechnya, the limitations of the free press and the way of appointing local governors which prevents free elections and political pluralism.

The way President Putin is going is not a positive way. That has an unusual echo in the American electoral campaign. Therefore, Bush criticized President Clinton for not having adequate relationships with Boris Yelzin just to nurture a similar relationship with President Putin. In any case, any distancing from democracy is a great mistake.•

such a charming way and persuade them to sign the treaty before the clashes escalated any further. As a child, Mrs. Albright used to live in the current building of the Czech Embassy. In response to our question as to whether she remembers her childhood in Belgrade, Mrs. Albright said that she does, and with pleasure. "I used to go to school with the other children and then I went to Kalemegdan for a walk every Saturday."

While she was visiting Belgrade, always with some diplomatic mission regarding the Yugoslavian crises, she wished to visit the place of her childhood. She asked to pop into the Czech Embassy, which was, of course, permitted to her. "Some things were still there from when I lived in that building. It only seemed smaller than it did at that time", said Mrs. Albright.

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Faces & Places H.E. Hugues Pernet, ambassador of France to SCG, pictured with internationally acclaimed Serbian political cartoonist Predrag "Koraks" Koraksic, who was awarded with France's order of the Merit of Honour at the French ambassadorial residence on 15th October. Koraks said he was indeed honoured to receive the award, which has been presented to many distinguished world figures for achievements in different creative fields. The famous cartoonist said: "It is nice to be in such company, among other awarded persons, and to see that other countries value our work and our creations, although I was not given any kind of award in my country until now".

British Ambassador H.E. David Gowan (left) at the River Sava launch of a specially tasked boat to deal with the needs of the Customs Administration on 8th October.

Funds for the boat were donated by the British Government and the EU Mission for Assisting Customs (CAFAO). Britain donated a total of â‚Ź600,000 for onboard technical equipment and staff training.

Camelia Fawzy (left) and Anastasia Primbas - Jelasic of the newly formed EXPAT Foundation pictured at the official launch of the foundation's new website at a reception in Belgrade's Hyatt Regency Hotel on 27th September.

The website www.expat.org.yu is aimed at providing the foreign community in SCG with key information. The Foundation is to organise a number of humanitarian activities in cooperation with domestic and domestically-based organisations.

German Ambassador H.E. Kurt Leonberger and Mrs. Leonberger (far right) pose for photographers at a reception at their ambassadorial residence on 5th October to mark the Day of German Unity and the 15th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Leonberger spoke optimistically about a brighter and happier future for SCG

and a fully united Europe. Those in attendance included members of the diplomatic corps and a number of senior politicians, including, amongst others, SCG Minister for Foreign Affairs Vuk Draskovic, Serbian Culture Minister Dragan Kojadinovic and deputy president of the German Parliament Wolgang Sojble. Subotica's German National Choir also performed at the event.

Erhardt Busek, Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe, addresses the Danube Summit held this month between 13th and 15th October at Belgrade's Intercontinental Hotel. The event dealt with many issues related to the Danube Corridor - last discussed at the 2002 Danube Summit in Constantza.

Belgrade was selected as the venue for Danube Summit 2004 because of its location on the axis of Corridors VII and X and its historical role as a pivotal transport hub.

The scope of Danube Summit 2004 was expanded to incorporate discussion of Southeast Europe's Ports and the further development of port, shipping and intermodal services in the Balkan and Black Sea Area. Particular focus was also given to transport logistics in Southeast Europe and the accessibility to Europe via the region's ports, rail and road networks.

Faces & Places H.E. Dr. Fara Milimono, Ambassador of Guinea to SCG (far right), and embassy staff greet guests at a reception at Belgrade's Vila Jelena Club. The 1st October reception

marked Guinean National Day. The event at this pleasant venue was attended by a number of Belgrade-based diplomats, friends of the embassy and other respected guests.

U.S. Ambassador to SCG, H.E. Michael Polt, pictured addressing attendees at the official opening of the Belgrade Faculty of Political Sciences' Centre for American Studies on 27th September.

Also pictured at the event (from left) are Deputy Serbian PM Miroljub Labus and Professor Mijat Damjanovic, Dean of the Faculty. The centre is to facilitate studies of U.S. history, society and politics, as well as establishing a permanent forum for academic, public and political debates on key global issues.

Belgrade University Dean, Dejan Popovic, pictured speaking at a colloquium held to mark the 200th anniversary of France's City Code. As the first modern codification system in Europe, the City Code has inspired legislators worldwide and has strongly influenced the legal system in Serbia. The celebratory colloquium, organised by the Embassy of France to SCG and the Gide Loyrette Nouel European Law office, was held at the Belgrade University on 8th October. Among other speakers at the event were French Ambassador H.E. Hugues Pernet and Francois d'Ornano, director of Gide Loyrette Nouel's Belgrade office.

CORRECTION In the 'Faces & Places' section of the September issue, on the occasion of the celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Libyan Revolution, staged by the Libyan People's Bureau in Belgrade, we published a photograph with the wrong signature. In fact the published picture showed Mr. Nourddin O.M. Abulaid, Charge de Affairs A.I., greeting guests with embassy officials. CorD apologises for this mistake.

Korean Ambassador H.E. Kim Soo-Dong, his wife and other embassy officials, pictured welcoming guests at their festive reception in the Belgrade Hyatt Regency Hotel's Crystal Ballroom on 30th September.

The reception marked the National Day and Founding Day of Korea. According to legend, on the 3rd October 4,336 years ago God sent his son to create a kingdom in the image of the kingdom of heaven. The son fell in love with the beautiful landscape and a beautiful local girl. He decided to build his kingdom there and Korea was born. Guests at the Hyatt event were treated to traditional Korean fare and traditional dance, performed to the Korean song Salpuri.

Faces & Places Terazija's Bezistan Place pictured during the opening day of the Autumn Manufacturers' Fair that is being staged by the Belgrade Tourist Organisation every Saturday between October and November. Items on display include works of ceramics, pottery, knitted clothing, woven goods, floral displays, sculptures, paintings and many other items. The fair provides the opportunity for visitors to view and buy original and unique art and craft items.

National Bank of Serbia governor, Radovan Jelasic (centre), hosts a farewell reception in honour of the IMF's Joshua Charap (right). Mr. Charap is set to leave Belgrade after three years representing the IMF Mission to SCG. Guests at the event, which was held on 25th September in Senjak's Colonial Sun Club, were treated to the "musical speech" of guitar-playing Serbian Finance Minister Mladjan Dinkic.

'Ikebana' flower arranging master Saga Stiglic pictured demonstrating her trade at the opening event of October's official Month of Japanese Culture in Serbia. The 'month' began with a demonstration of Japanese fighting skills on 1st October and a number of cultural events, including concerts, theatre performances and film screenings were also staged. The Embassy of Japan organised the 'month' with the aim of educating the people of Serbia about Japanese culture and customs. The cultural month also saw Ambassador of Japan to SCG, H.E. Ryuichy Tanabe, give a lecture at the Megatrend University of Belgrade.

Wives of the ambassadors of Malaysia, Germany, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands and Turkey, pictured modelling the exclusive leather designs of the Mona fashion house at the Dutch Embassy's 24th September reception.

The event, staged in honour of excellent cooperation between the Netherlands and Serbia & Montenegro by Ambassador of the Netherlands, H.E. Barend van de Heijden, was held at the Hyatt Hotel's Ellington's Bar.

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Faces & Places

This month the Austrian embassy in Belgrade organised its senior school competition for the fourth consecutive year under the title "SCG and Austria: partners in Europe". This year children were preparing artistic works on the theme of the two nations' partnership. Winners received computers, telephones, DVD's and CD players. The award ceremony was held in the Austrian ambassadorial residence on 21st October and prizes were presented by Austrian Ambassador H.E. Hannes Porias.

Speaking to CorD, Marinkovic said: "I have to admit that I was very surprised when I received the award. I have been in Ottawa for two and a half days, so for me it was only the ceremony to attend and then I had to come back. The ceremony was organised in the morning and lots of my colleagues who have supported my nomination came, as well as other colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Arts Council and the Association for the export of Canadian books".

"I was very touched," said Olgica, "and I have to admit that even the way of my speech came right from the bottom of my heart. It was not a written speech and everybody was surprised, because it is not a usual practice [to talk without written material]. Canada is a bilingual country, so probably the reason they were all thrilled was that my speech was also bilingual. I consider it very important because my team from Belgrade deserves this kind of tribute."

Olgica was one of fifty nominees. According to staff at Belgrade's Canadian embassy, the most important factor of Marinkovic's award is that it is the first time such an award has gone

Canada's driving force Mrs. Olgica Marinkovic pictured while recently receiving the Deputy Ministers' Award for Locally Engaged Staff in Ottowa, which officially marked her as Employee of the Year among all foreign officials employed by Canada's two hundred embassies worldwide.

Mrs. Marinkovic has been employed at the Canadian Embassy in Belgrade for fourteen years. Currently employed as Academic and Cultural Relations officer, she received the prestigious award given in recognition of outstanding contributions of locally-engaged staff - following her nomination by Canadian Ambassador to SCG, H.E. Donald McLennan.

Ambassador McLennan nominated Marinkovic early this year in acknowledgement of her efforts to promote Canadian literature at last year's Belgrade International Book Fair; and for establishing the first conference for Canadian studies in Serbia. It was noted at the award ceremony in Ottowa that Marinkovic had been "the inspiration, the driving force and the organiser behind these hugely successful events in Belgrade".

to an officer from a small country.

Olgica said: "I don't think that this award is my personal award. It is an award for the whole team of the Canadian embassy in Belgrade because all those great projects couldn't have been done by one person alone. I think this is a significant award also for this country, because it shows the positive effects of Serbian and Canadian relations".

Marinkovic is now working on new projects aimed at promoting Canadian culture in Serbia & Montenegro. In addition to her victorious feelings, Olgica also sees the award as adding to her responsibility for the future: "This award is only a sign that, from now on, I will have to work more and more and even better, because now there cannot be a job reduction."

By Aleksandra Sekulic-Stojanovic

Adolfo Urso, deputy Italian Minister for Foreign Trade, addresses more that 400 Italian businessmen at a two-day Conference staged in Belgrade between 18th and 19th October. "This was the biggest delegation ever to leave Italy", said Italian Ambassador H.E. Antonio Zanardi Landi. The opening reception was held in the White Palace, where Prince Aleksandar Karadjordjevic II welcomed the Italian delegation. President of Serbia, Boris Tadic, also received the entire delegation and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica opened the meeting in Yugoslav Drama Theatre. More than 1000 meetings between Serbian and Italian partners were held. The Friuli Venezia Giulia region has opened a Belgrade-based "connection office" in cooperation with finance company Finest, the majority of which it owns. The office will assist all businessmen from the northeast of Italy who intend to establish new economic initiatives in the Serbian Republic and in Montenegro.

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Interview Australia was one of the fastest developing countries after a World War II. With commodity exporting and very developed service industry it has contributed to quality of life that is reflected in low cost of living and excellent health services. With such a profile its fast growing cities have become home to many immigrants from all over the world, who came to the Island nation as a result of every major world crisis.

Now, as a multicultural society, Australia has a unique perspective of how every country can find a way to settle differences between people and work in the interests of national prosperity. Baring that in mind, CorD spoke exclusively to H.E. John Oliver, Ambassador of Australia to SCG.

W

hat do you see as the most attractive branches in Serbia & Montenegro for investments from Australia?

I think the most attractive branches for possible Australian investments in Serbia & Montenegro are mining, agriculture, wine making, education and services in general.

There are not many Australian companies here at the moment, but as time goes by I would expect more Australian companies to get to know the market here better and possibly to consider investing in it. But it will depend on whether investors from Australia feel they can make profitable, long term and safe investments in Serbia & Montenegro.

H.E. John Oliver, Ambassador of Australia to SCG

Have trade links between Australia and this country, which were halted in 1991, been renewed?

We enjoyed substantial trade with Serbia, Montenegro and the whole former Yugoslavia before 1989. We used to export food, wheat, wool, coal and minerals. Those are the things that we tend to do best. But with the break-up of Yugoslavia the market collapsed. Trade fell away and has not yet recovered. I would not expect to see former trade levels revived. Serbia & Montenegro is looking more towards the European Union and countries in its own region for trade and development. And that's the way it should be. Australia is long way away. If we are to succeed here we need to be competitive in your market. But distance is an issue. More importantly, perhaps, we need to make your market

By Nina Nicovic, Photo Mirjana Kotlaja

Doing the right thing 36

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better known to businesspeople and investors in Australia and vice versa. I think the substantial Serbian business community in Australia could lead the way. For example, what I do see happening in neighbouring countries is that Australians of Romanian or Macedonian origins go back to those countries and do business.

I would like to see that happening here, because people of Serbian and Montenegrin origin understand the local market well, they know how to do business here and they are willing to take more risks than Australian businessman who don't know the language or the community so well. I'm reasonably optimistic that if the economy here picks up our trade will grow.

Considering that Australia's market of food and wine is very well developed, is there likely to be any sort of co-operation between Australia and Serbia & Montenegro on that level?

I don't expect to see an Australian wine company here in Serbia & Montenegro, coming in and buying up vineyards and developing and investing in them. I think it is more likely to see Australian wine makers come here to work with your wine producers to help to diversify the quality and improve the marketing of your wine. Because, I think, most of your wine is drunk and consumed in the country and is less well known outside. I think that the key to building the wine industry in SCG is to build the industry that is export oriented. There are some very good wines here and Australia may be able to help expand the industry.

Ambassador Oliver speaks to CorD’s Nina Nicovic

Most experts have rated Australia's cities and quality of life as being among the highest in the world. What do you think are the real prospects for cities in Serbia & Montenegro?

Australia has been lucky. We are a young country. Most of our cities have been established in the last couple of hundred years. There has been particularly rapid urban expansion since

"Australia is long way away. If we are to succeed here we need to be competitive in your market. But distance is an issue. More importantly perhaps, we need to make your market better known to businesspeople and investors in Australia and vice versa." the last war. We are also a country that has an incredible environment and a beautiful coastline. Belgrade is an older city with a longer history. It has also suffered from war and conflict much more than we have. So your cities need a huge amount of redevelopment and renovation. I have seen so many impressive developments here since I came to Belgrade 15 months ago. I hope the city authorities will remain committed to the modernisation and development of Belgrade and provide the capital to make it happen. If I would be critical at some point of Belgrade it would be the environmental management that needs improving. Also, essential services are very important. Our experience in Australia is that cities function better and people are happier if there are good essential services - like public transport, education, health services and the natural look of the city. The more tourists and visitors you have the more you will see cities like Belgrade thrive and shine. Belgrade is a big city and a natural attraction that has a lot to offer with its history and people. It will take time, but it will be worth it in the end.

The Australian emblem with kangaroo and emu

After signing the Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of Serbia & Montenegro and Australia

The Australian Embassy’s bar

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Interview other countries in the region. The purpose of the office is to develop co-operative links with SCG and neighbouring countries in a whole range of areas dealing with trans-national crime. So far, we are very pleased with the progress of this co-operation.

How is your country coping with the everyday threat of terrorism, particularly from Southeast Asian terrorist cells?

Terrorism is a global challenge. It is probably the single largest threat to our safety and security. We have institutions in our government that deal with the problem of terrorism and co-ordinate the work of a number of Australian government departments and agencies. We have introduced special legislation in our parliament to deal with the threat. We have restructured our defence and security services to focus on terrorism. We also give high priority to working closely with governments in our region and throughout the world. We also consult with the government of Serbia & Montenegro. No country can deal with the threat of terrorism alone. We need to work together. We have also encouraged public debate on terrorism. It is terribly important for governments to consult people so that they know what is going on and what threatens them. If people understand the threat of terrorism better they will be more prepared to make the personal sacrifices needed to combat it effectively.

"The presence of Australian troops in Iraq and Afghanistan has not had a negative impact on Australia or our security. Terrorism is about destroying our way of life and about undermining government institutions and confidence. The deployment of the troops in Iraq is not the real issue. The real issue is terrorism." considering exchange of information on combating human trafficking, a very important part of security issues was safeguarded. Do you know of any fresh developments concerning this co-operation?

When we signed this agreement a couple of years ago we were very much concerned about the issue of people smuggling, that is to say the illegal arrival of people in Australia. The reason we were concerned about this is that there are tens of thousands of people who wait patiently in refugee camps and resettlement centres and are applying to go to Australia in legal ways. We had a very big problem with illegal immigrants and we have worked hard to bring this problem under control. Our concerns with people smuggling was a part of a wider process of dealing with transnational crime, narcotics, money laundering and human trafficking. Since signing the memorandum we have opened an office within the embassy of Australian Federal police. This office has responsibility not only for Serbia & Montenegro, but also for

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How did the war in Iraq affect your country's security, considering deployment of Australian troops there?

The presence of Australian troops in Iraq and Afghanistan has not had a negative impact on Australia or our security. Terrorism is about destroying our way of life and about undermining government institutions and confidence. The deployment of the troops in Iraq is not the real issue. The real issue is terrorism. I suppose that terrorists would still target us if we weren't present in Iraq or Afghanistan.

We felt that Australian support for allied efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq was the right thing to do and we would do it again. Terrorists would use this as an excuse for their actions, but at the end of the day they would threaten us anyway no matter what our country decided.

As a multicultural country that has integrated many immigrants after almost every major world crisis, how is Australia going to cope with the one that can result from the growing Middle East conflicts; could that disrupt the equilibrium of your society?

In Australia, as in other countries, conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Middle East, coupled with the growing danger of terrorism, do sometimes give rise to the public perception that Islam poses a threat to our society. One of the things that we are trying to do in Australia is to deal with the threat of terrorism in a transparent way; to have as much dialogue and public discussion as possible. What our government is trying to do is to reassure people that the overwhelming majority of Muslims in our country hate terrorism as much as you or I. We must not allow Muslim communities to become the object of public disapproval or dislike. It is a very easy emotion to stir up in people and we have to be very careful to make sure that we do not allow that to happen.

I believe we have been successful in building a multicultural and multiethnic society. We must not allow terrorism or other prejudices and hatreds to undermine it.•

Corruption

Billions lost in bribes

By Milan Culibrk

T

Experts believe that $400billion is lost worldwide each year as a result of political corruption. Latest research carried out by leading NGO in the fight against global corruption, Transparency International (TI), revealed that the spectre of corruption is out of control in a total of 60 countries, the public sector of which is contaminated with bribery practises. Perhaps not surprisingly, SCG was included on the list of corruption nations, though not among the 60 worst. Of the total list of 146 corrupt nations SCG is placed 98th, as is Algeria, the Lebanon, FYR Macedonia and Nicaragua.

not only the job of the Council for the Fight Against Corruption, it is noteworthy that the initial sum of 20 million dinars, earmarked for anti-corruption initiatives this year, was reduced in the budget rebalancing to just 9.85 million dinars (around €130,000). As a percentage of the total annual budget expenditure of around €3.85billion, the annual anti-corruption funding does not even equate to a "statistical error".

De Spevil insisted: "Political will, appropriate anticorruption laws and strategies and the full coordination in its implementation, as well as public support and persistence, are all preconditions for the successful fight against corruption. Before elections, the majority of parties are in favour of the fight against corruption, but when they come to power they realise that this is a difficult problem, which is easiest to push to the back of the drawer. Political will is, therefore, a candle light that can easily be

he CPI - Corruption Perceptions Index - rates countries on a scale of one to ten (ten representing less corruption and one showing the highest level of corruption). SCG's Index rating is as low as 2.7. The countries with the biggest corruption problems are Haiti and Bangledesh - CPI 1.5 - while the least corrupt nations are New Zealand - CPI 9.6 - and Finland - CPI 9.7.

Of the former Yugoslav republics, Slovenia is the least corrupt ranked 31st, while Croatia is 67th and Bosnia & Herzegovina is 82nd.

According to Dr. Vladimir Goati, who heads TI - Serbia, though the situation is far from rosy, certain progressive steps have been made. He noted, in particular, that SCG has improved its index rating since 2000 from 2.3 to 2.7. Goati also considered systematic institutional measures as positives. These include the adoption of laws governing public purchasing, financing political parties and conflicts of interest; as well as Nemanja Nenadic, TI executive director, streengagement of the civil society, NGO sector and the ssed that the biggest obstacle to the fight Council for the Fight Against corruption, which have all contributed to the improvement. The TI head also against corruption was the lack of seriousness emphasised that public pressure had led to political par- displayed by the state, which, he said, was failties branding themselves as anti-corruption fighters. ing to fully implement appropriate laws even Nemanja Nenadic, TI executive director, stressed that the biggest obstacle to the fight against corruption was after they had been fully ratified and adopted. the lack of seriousness displayed by the state, which, he said, was failing to fully implement appropriate laws even after blown out by a breeze". He sent the message that success demands prevention (strict criminal laws) and education (to they had been fully ratified and adopted.

Considerable financial resources are needed for a serious change the personal attitude of every individual) and that the fight against corruption, claimed Bertran de Spevil, one of the public should understand why corruption is bad and in which world's leading experts in this field. Speaking at a meeting of the way they can fight against it.

As far as the last decade of the last century is concerned, working group for the creation of the national anticorruption strategy in Serbia, he noted the example of Hong Kong, which some things in Serbia have definitely changed. Until quite recentsets aside 0.32 percent of its budget to fight corruption. He noted ly corruption was a "taboo subject" and now it is a "hit", which similar examples, such as Madagascar - 0.45% and Mauritius - increasingly occupies the headlines in the domestic media, along 0.55%. Ninety per cent of these funds, he explained, cover the with the fact that numerous corruption scandals pull "tails" from the past. One such company is Bogoljub Karic's flagship firm salaries of anti-corruption agency employees.

If Serbia had set a side a mere 0.5 per cent of this year's Mobtel. Mobtel became the focus of attention after being budget, the figure would have been 1.8 billion dinars (almost declared by London-based Finance Central Europe as the best company in SCG for 2004, in terms of its gross income. According €240million). Considering that the battle against corruption is

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to Finance Central Europe, Mobtel is the best telecommunications company in the whole of Southeast Europe, is in 12th position of all companies in terms of its gross income and is 25th according to capital value. Under normal circumstances, such a rating would be worthy of praise. However, the problem is that Mobtel, of which the BK Group, through Moscow-based sister company BK Trade, formally owns 51% of shares and the state through public company PTT Serbia - owns 49% of shares, has never paid the second co-owner (PTT Serbia) a single penny in dividends, even though it is highly rated according to the gross income. By "crossing" those two facts, Serbian Minister of Finance, Mladjan Dinkic, claimed that it is "logically impossible and only shows that former governments did not seriously control the final balances of Mobtel's accounts if the income and expenditure of this company were correctly presented.

Dinkic said that his predecessors looked the other way when it came to Mobtel and Bogoljub Karic: "We all know that this company makes a profit, but the accounting machinations presented losses. Voluminous control is now under way. It started several months ago and we will establish the actual state and, as the min-

The Belgrade District Attorney's Office has finally received a request to bring criminal charges against the most responsible individuals in Mobtel and PTT, thus, claims of corruption in this case will finally be determined. ister of finance, I do not want to exert any influence on the tax officers and everything will be known when they finish their job".

Vladimir Ilic, director of the Tax Administration Office (Inland Revenue),claimed that money from Mobtel's account is being transferred to other companies owned by the Karic family, and then abroad, to the accounts of their founder. He said that the tax inspectors established that enormous amounts were paid from Mobtel's account for author's royalties, blown up rents, insurance and other services to the members of the Karic family, six of whom are employed in the company, and as many engaged on different grounds.

The state did not receive dividends with the rationale that there were no profits, or that the profit was re-invested. But some media have published a "scheme" which explains how Mobtel's money is moved out of Serbia. Firstly, it is transferred to Astra Simit and then to the accounts of Yusico, Sesico and JKJ Trading from Cyprus, all established by the Karic family. At a cost of 172.8 million dinars, Mobtel purchased from BK Telekom 300.000 "Krovovi i oblaci" CDs by Danica i Danijela Karic (daughters), who were paid 32.4 million dinars in author's royalties. 1.4 million dinars was paid for car rental to Family Tourist, a company owned by the sister of Bogoljub Karic, and 252 million dinars was paid in sponsorship for TV series Jelena.

JP PTT Serbia will no longer sit with crossed arms and will demand its part of the profit, said company general director, Dragan Kovacevic, with the announcement that they will retroactively analyse all notes from the Mobtel Managing Board sessions, which will show whether PTT representatives were protecting the interests of this public company and the state or not.

Kovacevic said that they will also hand over proof to the Arbitrary Council in Zurich, in front of which BK Trade is currently filing suit against PTT regarding ownership. The suit was filed after a Serbian Government Commission announced that PTT is the major Mobtel stock holder, with 58% of shares and not the 49% claimed by Mobtel management. Karic's ownership is being disputed because of suspicions that he did not invest the whole established capital, as stipulated in the contract, and that he achieved the major stock shares by artificially invoices for imported equipment purchased from Eriksson.

Corruption

Vladimir Goati It is estimated that the state has suffered losses totalling as much as €250million so far. PTT's Workers' Union demanded an investigation into all of Mobtel's Managing Board members and PTT representatives. Vladimir Ilic also thinks that they are

According to Goati, the process that sees enormous state capital go into private hands is the most fertile soil for corruption. the most responsible ones, "because they knew what was going on, but did not protect the state's interests". However, the Belgrade District Attorney's Office has finally received a request to bring criminal charges against the most responsible individuals in Mobtel and PTT, thus, claims of corruption in this case will finally be determined.

Sadly, Mobtel is not the only case. Due to suspicions of accepting bribes from Siemens, in order to secure the contract for restoration of the Nikola Tesla power station from Obrenovac, (worth €50million), OLAF has begun an investigation against a European Agency for Reconstruction and Development (EAR) official, Siemens and MG Technologies.

EAR's Belgrade office has confirmed that, in January 2003, the Agency initiated an investigation and that one of its employees was immediately suspended on suspicion of receiving a car and money from Siemens. EAR gave the reconstruction job to German consortium Siemens-Lurgi, even though the offer made

by British consortium Inogi-Alstom, by means of international tender, was five million euros cheaper. The choice of the worst offer was the reason for the complaints, including the British Embassy's protesting letter to the EPS (Serbian Electric Industry). Belgrade's daily Blic reported that police arrested the corrupted EAR employee when he was picking up a bag containing €767,000, which he extorted from the Lurgi Company in

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exchange for not making public the proof for fixing the tender.

Even though the damages incurred by EPS for not repairing the station on time are estimated at millions of euros, nobody from Serbia was called to account.

EPS is involved in yet another suspected corruption case.

With only two days before the deadline in the tender for the purchase of 1.5 million electric meters worth €150million, the deadline was suddenly cancelled. The decision came after the Siti company from Belgrade delivered a request for the protection of the bidder's rights, with the rationale that no domestic company could fulfil the tender's conditions.

Again, speculation in the city was rife that the conditions most suited Siemens. Additional "dust" was raised when it was announced on the same day that the Cable Factory from Zajecar, owned by Zoran Drakulic's Yu Point and Slovenian Iskrameko, had established a joint company called Iskramenko Serbia, which would produce electrical meters and would therefore be able to participate in the new EPS tender.

The list is supplemented by the scandal connected with the reconstruction of Belgrade's Airport terminal. The Ministry for Capital Investments requested that the Internal Affairs Department for Organised Crime, the financial police and the Council for the Fight Against Corruption clear up this case completely. On 11th November 2003 the job was given to the Montagna, Syntesis and Kolubara building investment companies consortium for €18million. However, the price was later increased, by different annexes, to €47million, claimed Minister Velimir Ilic. According to this price, the reconstruction would cost €1,200 per square metre. In comparison, London's Heathrow was done for €690 per square metre, claimed deputy director of Aerodrom Beograd, Goran Kalicanin. He emphasised that this "adding mistake" ensured the final settlement was 70million dinars greater than envisaged.

In addition, utilities and some other work, without which the airport cannot operate, are not included in the offer and that was the reason why those companies offered the lowest price and won the tender, thinks Ilic. According to the New Serbia leader, some other investments should be investigated because, in some of them, the agreed price was more than doubled later by different contract annexes. He suspects that some are "built in" and said that it is known exactly who signed every contract and who was in the commissions when they were choosing the contractors.

Any further attempt to count the number of suspicious cases of corruption during privatisation would demand much more space. If it is any consolation, it could be expected that this problem will be smaller when privatisation reaches completion.

According to Goati, the process that sees enormous publicstate capital goes into private hands is the most fertile soil for corruption. For the time being, suspicions that there is corruption in privatisation are increasing daily, while the number of members of the Council for the Fight Against Corruption is decreasing. The resignation of former Council President Ivan Lalic is the eighth since the council was established in December 2001.•

Legislation

Richard Danicic

Christof Greussing

Slobodan Lalovic

Investors against amendments Existing legislation regulating labour was adopted and implemented during the mandate of the former DOS Government. It received the excellent appraisals and the full support of both domestic and foreign experts, as well as those directly effected by the law. It may have come as something of a surprise, then, that the new ruling coalition in Serbia immediately began changing the legislation once they found themselves in office.

By Marica Vukovic

The initial reaction of those opposed was that the suggested amendments would have a negative influence on the commerithin just a few months of coming to power, the new cial environment in Serbia in terms of attracting fresh foreign DSS-led Serbian Government began, semi-covertly, investments, overall competitiveness of the economy, continuadrafting a newer law to replace the new law. The initia- tion of the privatisation process and of generating new employtive to overhaul the Labour Law came from the Ministry of ment opportunities. This is primarily because the suggested Employment, which is looking to change the legislation to facil- amendments call for a limitation of employers' rights in the division of company profits and introduce Representatives of the Foreign Investors Council, the Ame- the obligation of employers to organise labour unions. rican Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Minor ShareThe wave of criticism led to the pubholders and the Association of Serbian Employers were unit- licising of a second version of the draft. public presentation of the White ed in their stance that not a single justifiable reason existed The Paper was attended by members of the that required a single detail of the existing law to be changed. Foreign Investors Council, the American Chamber of Commerce, the Association itate innovations that it is supporting. However, criticism was of Minor Shareholders and the Association of Serbian Employers. quickly levelled and, just a month after initial draft amendments Representatives of these organisations were united in their stance were made public, any amendment to the positively-assessed that not a single justifiable reason existed that required a single law is being opposed by employers, minor shareholders and detail of the existing law to be changed. However, once it became abundantly clear that the Serbian Government would not drop Serbia's foreign investor community.

W

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CorD | November 2004

their plans to change the law, the interested parties made a decision to attempt to ensure the amendments would equate to "the least harmful solution".

Richard Danicich, executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce, told CorD that association members are focused on ensuring the best, or least damaging, version of the draft Labour Law be put before MPs of the Serbian Parliament. He confirmed that the Ministry of Employment had accepted comments that the time limit for explanation and discussion of the draft was too short and that the meeting, at which all remarks on the suggested innovations will be expressed, would take place in mid-October.

According to Danicich, the Ministry of Employment has not yet given due consideration as to what extent the new law could negatively affect recovery of the Serbian economy. He noted that 135 members of the American Chamber of Commerce have so far invested a total of $1.3billion in Serbia.

Una Stajcic, deputy director of the Foreign Investors' Council, also emphasised that the procedure for changing the law remains unclear because there have been no remarks from either employers or employees. She said that the proposed amendments, which are being opposed, are being studied in detail.

Former president of the Foreign Investors' Council, Christof Greussing, is of the opinion that the Labour Law has an important role in investors' determinations. He warned that the proposed amendments would be a clear signal to investors not to invest in Serbia. In Greusing's opinion, the envisaged changes not only increase business costs in Serbia, but also put many limitations on companies and take away employers' rights. He stated that the decree that the workers decide about the use of profits represents a clear step backwards, whereas the current law was a great step forward, since it came close to the modern labour law, which protects not only workers' rights, but also the rights of the employer.

Serbian Minister of Employment Slobodan Lalovic rejected all comments that the flow of foreign investments and employment would be halted because of the proposed amendments to the law. He claimed that the new law would be on the "reformist course" and would not jeopardise employers' rights, but rather set up clear rules regarding the relationship between the employer and employee.

He told CorD: "All criticisms to the effect that this is a return to socialist self-management are only the appraisals of those people who are inclined to make them without knowing the ins and outs of the situation".

President of the Serbian Employers Union, Dragutin Zagorac, told CorD that the rationale of the Employment

Ministry that the amendments to the Labour Law are necessary because of the need to harmonise them with the European Union's recommendations is unacceptable.

Zagorac said that the recommendations are not obligatory and they do not prescribe to take care of the environment in which the law will be implemented. He emphasised that around 70 illogical steps had been identified in this law. According to him, it is also illogical that, in a situation where we are attempt-

Serbian Minister of Employment Slobodan Lalovic rejected all comments that the flow of foreign investments and employment would be halted because of the proposed amendments to the law. He claimed that the new law would be on the "reformist course" and would not jeopardise employers' rights ing to lower the Serbian Budget expenditure, they propose a new law, the implementation of which will create even greater expenses for the state treasury.

Zagorac pondered: "Who could possibly have come up with the idea of obliging the employer to set up workers' unions and to establish that 10 workers is the lower limit for setting up a workers' union in a company?" He warned: "That means that an employer who employs 12 workers can sack two workers and, in such a way, disable the work of the union". He also claimed that the new law will provoke worker protests, and asked "in whose interests is that?"

Milan Kovacevic, foreign investments counsellor, reminded us that the existing Labour Law marked the liberalisation of the employment market in Serbia and that attracting foreign investment essential for economic growth should be more important for the Serbian Government than the "satisfaction of some employees and giving in to the unions".

However, the proposed law has found one senior figure who is not among the detractors to the proposed amendments. Milenko Smiljanic, president of the Serbian Alliance of Independent Unions, positively appraised the proposed law, stating that the new law increases the protection of the worker, thus "the employer cannot simply and easily make dismissal lists any more".

Not all members of the Government are supporting the proposed changes. Most notably, Serbian Finance Minister Mladjan Dinkic publicly confirmed that his ministry does not support the proposals of his colleague, Lalovic, but he is obviously in the minority within the Government since the law will, perhaps even under urgent procedure, be sent through parliamentary procedures for adoption.•

CorD | November 2004

45

Balkan corridors Thanks to the Salonica - Istanbul Teheran railway line, the Rion Igoumenitsa - Brindizi high-speed road link and the Alexandroupolis - Burgas oil pipieline, Northern Greece is quickly becoming a modern day strategic crossroads for new international business initiatives in this corner of the globe.

With Greece benefiting from the integration steps of her Balkan neighbours, CorD spoke to representatives of Serbia's historical ally about what the future has in store for Salonica - the former Serbian frontier city of Dusan the Great's 14th century empire.

Nikos Tsiartsionis, The Greek Government's Minister for Macedonia and Thrace

Salonica at the core it will significantly reduce transit times from the Ionian coast to the Turkish border from 11.5 hours to 6.5 hours.

Often considered "the most difficult to construct, and most ccording to Nikos Tsiartsionis, the Greek Government's Minister for Macedonia and Thrace, "the focal attention modern, road in Europe", the Egnatia Motorway is set to extend of European integrations is turning more and more to the two crucial North-South European Corridors: IV (Vienna development of the Southeast region of the Continent. In light of Budapest - Salonica) and X (Salzburg - Ljubljana - Zagreb those new European realities, the sensitive region of the Eastern Belgrade - Nis - Skopje - Veles - Salonica). The only major road to run "horizontally" through Northern Greece, the Egnatia Mediterranean needs to re-brand itself.

"Very soon, Greece intends to play a decisive economic role Motorway, will link up with another major European corridor: IX in the regions of Eastern Europe and the Southeast (Helsinki - St. Petersburg - Kiev - Odessa - Bucharest Mediterranean. Northern Greece recognises this new opportuni- Alexandroupolis), which is vital to the future development of ty and has devised plans to establish itself as an economic cen- Southeast Europe's energy sector.

With congestion ever increasing on the narrow Bospherous tre of Southeast Europe."

He continued: "Salonica is the capital of Northern Greece Strait, the international community has spent years coming up and the second largest city in Greece, after Athens. It aims to with alternative routes to transport oil from the Black Sea to the consumers of the Aegean and the Mediterranean. As Northern Greece is becoming an important "‌Greece intends to play a decisive economic role such, potential transit route for resources originating from in the regions of Eastern Europe and the Southeast the Caspian and Caucasus regions. Also increasing the Mediterranean. Northern Greece recognises this chances that Greece could realise its ambitious goal of the Balkan Peninsula's major energy hub by new opportunity and has devised plans to establish becoming 2010 is the recent discovery of huge untapped crude oil itself as an economic centre of Southeast Europe." reserves near Salonica and Kavala in Northern Greece and in the Ionian Sea near the west coast of become the leading city in this Region, strengthening co-opera- Peloponisos.

Development of this area of Europe, centred around Salonica, tion with all Balkan neighbours and further afield".

As the 21st century unfolds, the geographical location of is being supported by major international institutions including Salonica serves to swell the city's potential political and eco- the European Agency for Reconstruction - Balkans, the World nomic role. Salonica is the closest major EU port to the countries Bank, the Southeast Europe Co-operative Initiative, InterBalkan of Southeast Europe, the Black Sea region and the Middle East. and the Black Sea Business Centre, among others.

One such institution is the Black Sea Trade and Development The as-yet-incomplete 680km-long Egnatia Motorway (from the port of Igoumenitsa, via Salonica to the Greek-Turkish border Bank, which is striving to establish a positive business environtown of Kipi) serves to link the large industrial centres of the ment from their Salonica headquarters. Established in 1999 by 'West' with the 'East'. Once the road link is completed in 2007, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece,

By Olivera Jankovic

A

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CorD | November 2004

Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey and the Ukraine, this international financial body has just earmarked $20million to support development of the Ukraine's energy sector.

Salonica's unquenchable thirst for success and development has also prompted the Greek Government, off the back of Olympic hosting success, to unveil plans for Salonica to host EXPO 2008 - the central theme of which will be "Terra Mater: knowledge of the Earth, Agriculture and Nutrition".

According to Mr. Tsiartsionis "The choice of Thessalonica comes as an attempt to counter-balance priorities in regard to the Olympics and as passing on the torch of development to northern Greece immediately after the Games. Thessalonica's candidacy has wider implications for the entire Region of Balkans and Southeast Europe. We would like our neighbours not to play a spectators' role, but to be active partners in preparing and organising this unique event."

As detailed in the official proposed programme, should the candidacy prove successful, "EXPO 2008 will provide an open forum for debate, communication and promotion of the achievements that will restore harmony between man and the earth; and redefine the reciprocity in their relationship, the standards and happiness that suit the human race".

If Salonica is to host the event, it must fend off the challenges of fellow candidates Trieste and Zaragosa, which have also announced their candidacies to the Paris-based Bureau of International Exhibitions (BIE). A final decision is to be made in December this year, following a series of follow-up presentations given by each candidate city. Zaragosa's proposed theme for EXPO 2008 is "Water; Water and sustainable development of cities", while Trieste proposes "Mobility: a boost into the

With congestion ever increasing on the narrow Bospherous Strait, the international community has spent years coming up with alternative routes to transport oil from the Black Sea to the consumers of the Aegean and the Mediterranean. future". The final decision will be made in accordance with the final votes of the 88 signatory nations of this powerful organisation.

Tsiartsionis explained: "EXPO 2005 is going to be held in Sete [Japan] and in 2010 Shanghai will be the host of the EXPO. Hopefully, in 2008, Thessalonica will be the host. This choice shows a complete and profound turn of the BIE towards East.

With Thessalonica's candidacy to host EXPO 2008, the entire region is coming to the attention of international business. That is a big stake for Thessalonica, Northern Greece, Greece and the entire Balkans. Within that frame we position our candidacy ‌" The plan is for EXPO 2008 to be staged in Salonica's western suburbs, 10km from the city centre and beside the off ramp of the main western road (Rio-Patras - Athens - Salonica), where the Evzoni Highway meets the Evzoni Motorway. The area has been selected purely for pragmatic reasons, as it lies on the central corridor connecting Salonica with southern and central Greece and the Balkans to the west, and also lies at the point the highly urbanised city meets rural countryside.

The site boasts Salonica's Technological Educational Institute, an industrial zone with more than 400 production units, a rapidly developing residential area with 7,500 residents and the protected nature reserves of the Gallikos River's lower valley and delta zone.

Mr. Tsiartsionis concluded: "the eastern Mediterranean has an absolute need for international initiatives that would boost its development. We believe with all our heart that Thessalonica deserves to win the right to organise EXPO 2008 and work as a bridge to the international promotion and prosperity of all our neighbours".•

Interview In an effort to promote Millennium Development Goals among interested parties, Professor Jerzy Osiatynski has visited Serbia & Montenegro to assist the state union government in creating SCG's first National MDG Report.

By Aleksandra Sekulic-Stojanovic

Long term sustainability P

rofessor Osiatynski has much to offer the state union at this current juncture, having served as Polish Finance Minister during the country's transitional period. This month he talks to CorD about political and economic challenges, the phenomenon of shock therapy, the road towards EU integration and other issues of importance to the future of both countries.

What is the real purpose of Millennium Development Goals, and your mission to Serbia & Montenegro?

One of the purposes of the mission is to raise awareness of the importance of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). I suggested to my partners and colleagues that they look at MDGs as a very useful instrument for elaboration of strategies of economic and social development in your country. It is useful because it is difficult to see a party that would consider reducing poverty or improvement in education, health or environment standards as irrelevant. Such a party would itself be irrelevant.

This requires participatory elaboration involving local govern-

Prof. Jerzy Osiatynski, UN regional Millennium Development Goals Advocate monitor and, in the process of monitoring, you must ensure that there will be public participation and the participation of the media, of NGOs and of local governments. This is the essence of MDGs and when you compare them with the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper approved by the earlier government and endorsed by the current government, you can see that the poverty reduction is simply an instrument to get to the MDGs.

In what way are Millennium Development Goals related to the European Integration Agenda, considering that this connection is important for the future of SCG? There is a large overlap between the European Union Social Inclusion Agenda and MDGs. We had a workshop earlier year at which we discovered the 90 per cent overlap For a country like Serbia, which has all these po- this between the two. For a country like Serbia, which has all litical problems with the European Union, there these political problems with the European Union, there is a need to show that the elaboration of MDGs is a need to show that the elaboration of MDGs and its is carried out openly. This is a participaand its implementation is carried out openly. This implementation tory democracy in daily practice. I have encouraged your is a participatory democracy in daily practice. government's members and the other people to look at Millennium Development Goals in these terms and conments, non-governmental organisations and the media. The sider them as a vehicle for reaching a political consensus. media is particularly important in explaining to the public the essence of the strategy, and also in making politicians aware of Political consensus was very important for Poland in the what they deliver. period of transition. What were the main points of that period and especially the purpose of so-called "shock therapy"?

There are eight general goals that need to be fulfilled by Earlier, there was a problem of restating macroeconomic stathe end of 2015. What is their essence for every country that bilisation and economic liberalisation. That was what the shock has signed the Millennium Declaration? therapy was about. In this context, it is worth remembering that The best thing about MDGs is that they are not a beauty con- the shock therapy was an exercise in achieving a macroeconomtest or a Tour de France. What we want to see is that the targets ic equilibrium. There were countries that didn't need it. There are set to address the specific issues of my country, your country, was a relative equilibrium between supply and demand on conany other of the 189 countries that signed the Millennium sumer markets in Hungary or in Czechoslovakia. They didn't Declaration. Therefore, we must know what we want to achieve need a shock therapy. But it was needed in Poland, as well as in by the year 2015 and what the intermediate targets for the year Romania, Bulgaria and many other countries. But if you want 2005 and 2010 are. So, you have the matrix with which you can the shock therapy to be successful you need not only to liberate

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CorD | November 2004

your pricing mechanisms and other parts of market, but you also need to commence structural changes immediately.

You were Polish finance minister during Poland's transition and transformation period. What were the most important economic challenges you faced?

To ensure the macro and the micro went hand in hand in order to advance in improving management, provide a good environment for establishing new small businesses, private businesses, and corporate management. Also, it was necessary to restructure industries like the shipbuilding industry, coal industry, steal industry etc.

Later on, Poland had to meet the EU Integration Agenda.

Were there any difficulties in establishing new economic and political platforms for further changes in your country?

Meeting the European Union Integration Agenda had to go far beyond "acquis communaitaire". This required institution building, as well as establishing and practicing European procedures relating to tender procedures. Unfortunately, there was far too much politicisation of many economic issues.

We can see the rise of radicalism in Poland and many countries of the region. Many politicians make false promises to the public. The public are sometimes misled by those promises and this is really dangerous because once they see the promises undelivered, they consider the politicians who misled them as a corrupt, untrustworthy elite. Consequently, they do not partici-

the economic sector and other changes that would make it different, like some of your neighbours that were offered an action plan for the EU integration road map. I would be rather optimistic if it weren't for the outstanding political issues and, particularly, those unsolved political problems. Moreover, advances need to be made in reducing poverty. The country is performing far below its potential capacity because political instability is hindering a satisfactory influx of foreign investments. If there are no investments there are no new jobs. If there are no new jobs, poverty will tend to increase. These are the problems I see in present day Serbia. There are, of course, economic problems with high levels of unemployment, an unclear economic sector that is far too large and shallow and does not contribute to tax revenues and financing the necessary functions of the state. There is perhaps too much politicisation of issues that are of a rather technocratic nature. Maybe we shall see some improvements in the future, but I am moderately optimistic.•

I think the roots of present problems in Serbia are political issues, especially the issues of The Hague Tribunal, Kosovo and Montenegro. These problems need to be solved successfully. We mustn't expect that only to be the task of Serbians. pate in the next elections and election participation decreases.

You will hear the people say that they are disillusioned with the process of democratisation itself and they will say "OK. Someone must come and bring law and order". First, it is a transition from an authoritarian state to a democratic state and radicalisation undermines the very core of this transition. I consider it very dangerous.

There are certain similarities between the experience of transition in Poland and in Serbia, especially in the rise of political and social tensions. As an expert, how would you compare these two states now?

There are many similarities: the fatigue more pronounced in Serbia, because it is combined with the war and everything related to it, and also the implosion that followed the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia. Discounting differences in GDP per capita and other standard measures of economy, I think the roots of present problems in Serbia are political issues, especially the issues of The Hague Tribunal, Kosovo and Montenegro. These problems need to be solved successfully. We mustn't expect that only to be the task of Serbians. I think the position of the European Union and of other important international players is clearer. So, we have a new vision of how these problems could be solved and it's not merely a case of Serbia needing to complete its homework. I think others need to do that as well if the result is to be sustainable in the long run.

You have seen the present situation in Serbia & Montenegro. What are your suggestions to the Serbian Government?

This is, of course, a very heavy assumption, but if you wait for a while, I would not see anything of your fundamental changes in CorD | November 2004

49

FRESH&CO

Next - The Best

N

ext...Raspberry has been declared the World's Best New Juice Product for the year 2004. On 12th October, at the World Juice Conference in Amsterdam, a jury of experts awarded Fresh&Co. with this top prize in juice industry.

Next…Raspberry is a new product with 100% fruit content and is a top quality juice made from the most carefully selected famous Serbian raspberries. It contains no added sugar, artificial flavours, or colours - just the fruit.

For potential health benefits, Next…

Raspberry distinguishes itself on the market. Apart from providing the consumer with the most delightful mouthful of taste and pleasure, raspberry juice abounds with antioxidants and is a potential anticarcinogenic.

Exclusivities in "Fresh&Co" assortment are BIO next - organic juices and NFC (notfrom-concentrate) juices. Next…Raspberry is a proud member of the NFC family.•

Excellent Results

A

t a press conference held in Raiffeisen Bank's premises on 6th October, the executive board presented results for the first-half of 2004. "Positive trends are present in all the business segments of this bank", stated Executive Board President Budimir Kostic.

The sector for commercial business achieved excellent results in the first six months, which shows an increase in the crediting portfolio of 40% in comparison with the end of 2003 or, to be more precise, an increase from €193.9million on 31st December 2003 to €279.3million; and an increase in deposits from €157.4million on 31st December 2003 to €181.7million as of 30th June 2004. Over 50% of the domestic companies and 80% of the foreign companies present in Serbia & Montenegro are clients of Raiffeisen Bank.

Oliver Roegl, Raiffeisen Bank's Managerial Board deputy president, noted: "According to Serbian National Bank figures, Raiffeisen Bank is convincingly the leading bank in comparison with those banks established with for-

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CorD | November 2004

eign funds, and the second bank in comparison with all banks on the domestic financial market in terms of balance assets". In the forthcoming period the bank is planning to continue with positive trends, which include ambitious network development plans, as well as the introduction of several new products and contributory services. One such service is that all owners of the first domestic credit card, the Dina card, are

Sponsors Cinemania

M

ercedes-Benz, one of Daimler-Chrysler's brands present in SCG, is to be one of the sponsors of the forthcoming Cinemania, which will take place in Belgrade, Vrsac, Novi Sad and Nis from 28th

now able to withdraw cash from Raiffeisen cash machines, as of 4th October.

In this way the bank has given its support to the Serbian National Bank's efforts to develop non-cash means of payments and has met the needs of Dina credit card users.•

RAIFFEISEN LEASING

Free motor insurance

R

aiffeisen Leasing d.o.o, in an action which will last until 31st December, is offering those clients who have taken advantage of financial loan services for the purchase of personal and commercial vehicles, free full-cover insurance for the first contract year. Raiffeisen Leasing is implementing this action in cooperation with renowned insurance company Wiener Stadische Osiguranje.

In cooperation with its business partners, Raiffeisen Leasing will facilitate the purchase of all personal and commercial vehicles from all foreign car producers. Through the leasing arrangements it is possible to pay off these vehicles within two to five years. Raiffeisen Leasing, which was established in Serbia in February 2003, currently boasts 42% of participation on the market and holds the leading position among leasing companies currently operating in Serbia.•

October until 4th November. Apart from good films, Cinemania visitors will also have the chance to see the new A-class MercedesBenz, which will be exhibited in front of cinemas in all the aforementioned towns.

Mercedes-Benz will be the official transport provider of this film festival and the famous ML all-terrain vehicle will be placed at the disposal of special guests. •

President Tadic visit

S

erbian President Boris Tadic visited U.S Steel Serbia On 27th September.

During the visit General Director Thomas Kelly presented President Tadic with the company's achievements in the last yearsince U.S. Steel Serbia d.o.o became owner of the Smederevo Forge. Discussions focused on the relocation of the old Smederevo port to a new location, which is set to help all users of rail transport in the region and especially U.S. Steel, since the increase in production requires the transport of a larger capacity.

President Tadic and Kelly also visited two installations - the number 1 Blast Furnace and the rolling mill.

The Number 1 Blast Furnace has not been operational since 1987 and U.S. Steel recently decided to invest $38million to reconstruct and restart this furnace by July next year, in order to reach annual production levels of 2.2 million tonnes of steel: the predicted capacity of this forge.

Speaking to journalists during the visit, Tadic said: "I have to say today that it was really impressive to see how the capacities have increased here at U.S. Steel Serbia.

"I think that this reconstruction of capacities tells us how much good man-

EUROSTAR D.O.O.

New Dealer

D

aimler-Chrysler's regional dealer for SCG - EuroStar d.o.o - officially opened for business in Nis on 20th October. The Euro Star Company, which was established on 31st January 2004, has opened its Nisbased showroom for Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler and Jeep in Vojvode Mišica Street.

The dealership, which covers an area of 480m2, was built according to Daimler-

agement can improve a factory and production that was experiencing great difficulties, and how quickly that production can become crucial for the whole industrial system and the Serbian economy."

Tadic added: "today U.S. Steel is the biggest exporter from Serbia... Therefore, I consider everything U.S. Steel's management has done in the recent period as cause for praise. The fact that it has achieved the first position of our exporters is, really, to be commended".

Also addressing gathered journalists, Kelly said he had invited the Serbian President to visit again when the Number 1 Blast Furnace becomes operational.

During the visit to the number 1 Blast Furnace, President Tadic said that he was delighted to have been given such an opportunity because the majority of people never get that chance ever in their lives.

"We have received a promise that he will come again when we set this installation in motion", said Kelly.

Chrysler's most modern standards of visual identity, while the service shop, near the Nis Hotel on Topionicki Road, spreads over an area of 2,200m2. According to DaimlerChrysler experts, this is one of the best and most equipped Mercedes-Benz service stations in the Balkan region, constructed and built in accordance with the strictest criteria of this company. The service station offers full services for the Mercedes-Benz programme. The sale and servicing of Chrysler and Jeep vehicles will also start this autumn.

EuroStar d.o.o. - Nis has around 5,000 original Mercedes' spare parts in stock, with the possibility of extending to 9,000.

For quick, top quality services we have to thank the most modern machines, computing diagnostics, motor testing and special tools for repairing the whole palette of models, as well as highly trained personnel specialised in training courses which Mercedes-Benz organised in Belgrade, in accordance with the highest standards of Daimler-Chrysler, lead by the expert from Germany, Mr Conrad Antebach, director of sales and services.•

ATLAS BANK

Eases housing problems

A

t the beginning of September, Atlas Bank - in cooperation with the Serbian Construction Council and JP Aerodrom Beograd (The Belgrade Airport public company) - signed a crediting contract for

the building of flats. The contract will enable 22 Belgrade Airport employees to resolve their housing problems. It is planned that another 52 employees will be able to move into new flats during 2005.

Atlas bank facilitates long-term mortgages with interest rates of 4.5% over fifteen years. The project predicts that in the second phase of realisation the price per square metre will be reduced from €900 to the more realistic price of €750.• CorD | November 2004

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Jefferson study

Performing below potential

By Aaron Presnall

Several recent studies suggest that Serbia's export is far less than its potential. The Jefferson Institute's recent research on the competitiveness of the Serbian economy, commissioned by the National Bank of Serbia, indicates that Serbia is on the 69th place of 76 countries analysed.

Aaron Presnall, Director of Studies at the Jefferson Institute

The aim of our project was to analyse the competitive position of the Serbian economy and to propose various paths for the positive development of that position. This study also examines the main channels through which competition affects aggregate economic performance in Serbia, e.g. the balance of payments and the regular servicing of foreign debt.

T

he gap between Serbia's real and potential trade, especially to the developed markets of the European Union and the United States, is a tremendous opportunity. The tenacity of that gap is among Serbia's greatest risks. Moreover, the moment of opportunity for Serbia to exploit its low cost labour position will quickly fade, erasing existing comparative advantages in agriculture, textiles and depletable natural resources. Serbia must strive now for more competitive firms, products, and sectors and to give the space for the propagation of product specialization if the country is to generate the exports over time necessary to sustain growth and development. Growth does not always facilitate development. Serbia's policy on competitiveness must address both.

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CorD | November 2004

The selection of a currency regime is of great importance for Serbia's economic growth. Unfortunately, this very technical question is too often politicised. There is no 'best' currency regime that will maintain a constant economic advantage over time and across geography.

A macroeconomic perspective does not tell us enough to understand the competitive position of a country. Firms and sectors are competitive, not countries. As such, our study places a strong emphasis on microeconomic analysis as well as on more traditional macroeconomic analysis. Alternative scenarios of economic politics - the dynamics and pace of institutional

reforms and the restructuring of privatisation of companies - are modelled and projected forward for five years to demonstrate the cost and benefit of various policy options for Serbia's competitive position.

Basically, the issue of increasing competitiveness comes down to choosing between two development strategies. The first strategy is to make profitable a critical number of enterprises that are 'below the margin' through depreciation of the domestic currency, in parallel with strengthening tariff and non-tariff protection. This strategy can be used to preserve and reproduce the existing economic structure. In the Serbian economy this structure is predominantly compatible with the market that existed two or three decades ago. While a popular strategy among those threatened by modern competitive environments, it is not a path to growth in Serbia.

The second strategy starts off from a market value exchange rate and from the liberalisation of foreign trade. It encourages the market to stimulate enterprises that are below the margin of profitability to increase productivity and efficiency, to change production programmes, and to enhance quality. Enterprises that cannot achieve this are closed down. At the same time, new enterprises emerge that are capable of profit under the given conditions. This way, investments are directed at establishing a modern economy; competitive both on domestic and on foreign markets. In this approach, state intervention in trade is directed at promotion, not protection.

The peculiarity of the Serbian economy is not that it produces little, but that its productive capacity is out-of-date. While

Serbia's work force is highly educated, Serbian enterprises produce labour-intensive low valueadded products. This is a striking misallocation of resources. Uncapping this pent-up labour productivity is one of the greatest challenges for the Serbian economy.

The Serbian government must approach this challenge in a comprehensive way. Much was achieved in the first three years of Serbia's transition. Yet, one of the largest problems for faster modernisation of the Serbian economy is still the poor and underdeveloped institutional framework for business. These major institutional preconditions for business include banking, company law, administrative barriers for business, tax policy, etc.

Maintaining Serbia's high skill workforce will require significant and long-term investment in education, especially primary education.

World Trade Organisation membership will allow for an initial brief window of active interventionist industrial policy in Serbia. This finite allowance for industrial policy must be targeted at sectors with real potential for export growth. The worst-case scenario would be to throw away these allowances on politically well connected, but hopeless industries, while industries with potential but more limited lobbying operations suffer.

Finally, as in the case of other transitional countries, the selection of a currency regime is of great importance for Serbia's

The first strategy is to make profitable a critical number of enterprises that are 'below the margin' through depreciation of the domestic currency, in parallel with strengthening tariff and non-tariff protection. This strategy can be used to preserve and reproduce the existing economic structure. economic growth. Unfortunately, this very technical question is too often politicised. There is no 'best' currency regime that will maintain a constant economic advantage over time and across geography. The successful development of a transitional economy (especially based on the experiences of Central European countries) is reflected in the real appreciation of the domestic currency. Increased productivity in the trading sector reduces unit costs of production, equivalent to the real appreciation of the exchange rate. The trick over time is to manage the level of exchange rate flexibility appropriate for the time and place.

Contact: apresnall@jeffersoninst.org•

Culture

Co-operative

Rusz beside Belgrade’s Vuk Karadzic monument

forum for

discourse

Regina Rusz, head of the Austrian Cultural Forum - Belgrade

By Nina Nicovic, Photo Andy Dall

The Austrian Cultural Forum, located within central Belgrade's Austrian Embassy, is tasked with establishing and preserving crucial connections between the scientific and cultural institutions of Austria and SCG; encouraging artistic exchanges and promoting traditional, contemporary and innovative Austrian art here in the state union.

The Belgrade-based Austrian Cultural Forum works in conjunction with other cultural centres to instigate projects aimed at enhancing the knowledge and education levels of Serbian and Montenegrin students, as well as facilitating exchanges of expertise in many fields.

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he Austrian Government re-establisheded both economic and cultural relations with Serbia & Montenegro immediately after the 5th October 2000 fall of the Milosevic regime. The Austrian Cultural Forum in Belgrade opened its doors in 2001 with the remit of supporting and promoting Austrian artists and scientists interested in cultural and scientific activities in SCG. In an effort to gain an insight into the progress made and future plans of this important institution, CorD spoke exclusively to Regina Rusz, Head of the Austrian Cultural Forum - Belgrade.

What is the scope and extent of cultural co-operation between Austria and Serbia & Montenegro? For example, how do exchanges between theatre companies and musicians of the two countries at major festivals work?

After the year 2000, cultural exchanges between our two countries grew enormously in all areas. For example, in the field of music, each year musicians from Austria participate in the major Music festivals of the country, such as the countrywide festivals BEMUS and BELEF, as well as local Jazz festivals in Novi Sad, Vrsac and Pancevo.

At the Festival of Electronic Music in Belgrade - DISPATCH that is currently taking place, two bands from Austria will play.

Moreover, there is very close co-operation between the Jazz department of the Music Academy in Graz and jazz musicians from Serbia & Montenegro. Some former students from Graz are now directors of major festivals in Serbia & Montenegro. Very close ties also exist in the field of classical music. In October, the Austrian Cultural Forum will organise a humanitarian concert in the Sava Centre in co-operation with the Belgrade Opera. Vesna Stankovic, Concertmaster of the Vienna Volksopera and originally from Serbia, will also participate in this event.

Considering that the Austrian Cultural Forum participated in organising the "Danube Conference of Art and Culture" in September 2003, what could you tell us was the most difficult issue to co-ordinate between so many participant countries?

The Belgrade Cultural Centre originally organised the Danube Conference. Austria was presented as special guest at Cultural exchanges growing enormously this conference. The artistic part of the conference was dedicated to contemporary visual arts. Under the theme "VEZAThe World University Service (WUS) Austria office is Connection" artists from Austria and Serbia & Montenegro realanother Austrian player in Belgrade in the field of culture. ized together exhibitions in the major galleries in Belgrade.

How is the office working in Belgrade?

"Veza-Connection" underlined, particularly, the close relations WUS-Austria is a regional organisation present in most of the between our two countries in the field of contemporary art. countries of Southeast Europe. WUS-Austria's activities are During the conference, participants discussed possible regional aimed at fostering regional co-operation between the countries cultural projects between the Danube countries. of Southeast Europe, in particular in the academic field. Young As a principle, the Austrian Cultural Forum organises activities in close co-operation with its local partners. The word "forum" stands for I think that sponsoring is a very important task of cultural interaction, partnership and co-opera- institutions in Serbia & Montenegro, as many of them are in tion. This means that the wishes, expeca very difficult financial situation. Austria has already invited tations and opinions of the local side are experts to SCG to raise awareness of cultural sponsorship. always taken into consideration.

"Trans European Picnic" - another project which has been supported by the Austrian Cultural Forum - has been a big success in promoting better exchange of education, skills and experiences of Western European countries with the people of the Balkan region. What programmes or bilateral agreements have come out of this meeting?

Media and art organisation "kuda.org", from Novi Sad, organised the "Trans European Picnic" in April 2004. At the "Trans European Picnic" artists, intellectuals and scientists from different European countries, including Austria, gathered to define the new role of SCG after the enlargement of the European Union. Another aim of the project was to discuss new multilateral cultural projects in the field of media art.

people of the countries of Southeast Europe benefit most from the programmes of WUS-Austria. One task of the WUS-Austria office in Belgrade is to implement the co-operation programme of the Austrian Government for universities in SCG. During the last few years, the Austrian Government has provided a total sum of â‚Ź2million to support universities in SCG. In the framework of this co-operation programme, there are different programmes such as the "Brain Gain Programme" or the "Balkan Case Challenge Programme". What are the characteristics of these programmes?

The main objective of the "Brain Gain Programme" is aimed at bringing university professors of Serbian origin from Austria CorD | November 2004

55

Culture back to Serbia & Montenegro in order to hold lectures at the universities. The Music Academy of Belgrade and many other university institutions have already benefited from this programme. The Balkan Case Challenge Programme supports stu-

dents to gain practical knowledge by carrying out case studies related to certain topics. Both programmes should promote scientific exchanges between Austria and SCG. What do you think could be done to stimulate and promote cultural enterprises by private investment?

Cultural sponsoring is an instrument very much used in Western European countries. In Austria, most cultural events can take place only with the support of major economic players. A cultural institution, which is successful in finding sponsors from the economic field, is also considered as working professionally. Cultural sponsoring can contribute to a lively cultural scene.

Besides, I think that sponsoring is a very imporCultural tant task of cultural institutions in Serbia & Montenegro, as many of them are in a very difficult financial situation. Austria has already invited experts to Serbia & Montenegro to raise awareness of cultural sponsorship.

sponsorship a must

tors that can slow down cultural exchange on many levels?

The European Union has been establishing scientific and educational programmes for the countries of Southeast Europe.

How can we introduce "know how" in cultural manageFor example, Serbia & Montenegro is very successfully particiment through the experience of your experts? pating in the TEMPUS programme, which supports exchanges at As far as I know, the University of Arts in Belgrade has university levels. The Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs initiated "Platform Central Europe", which promotes coAt the "Trans European Picnic" artists, intellectuals operation between Central European countries in the and scientists from different European countries, field of culture. Each year, common cultural events, like Jazz festivals or theatre festivals, take place in difincluding Austria, gathered to define the new role of ferent countries.

SCG after the enlargement of the European Union. already introduced cultural management courses. "Kulturkontakt Austria", an organisation located in Vienna, supporting and promoting cultural exchanges in Southeast Europe, has also contributed to cultural management courses in SCG. Eastern European countries that are not members of major Euro-Atlantic organisations often feel excluded from the basic cultural exchange, mainly because of their own inadequate institutions. What can be done to help Eastern European countries like Serbia & Montenegro to smooth the transitional fac-

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How can we promote the positive connotation of culture and therefore eliminate all the negative backlashes of the conflicts that have happened in the recent past?

Famous Austrian writer Stefan Zweig once said that he loved to be a citizen of Austria because it permitted him to be a patriot and a citizen of the world at the same time. Austrian cultural policy, therefore, sees one of its main tasks to act as a mouthpiece of European diversity. To a great extent Europe's strength lies in its cultural diversity. A community that focuses its efforts exclusively on its national culture will not succeed in generating enthusiasm for Europen, or in creating a truly democratic Europe.•

Auto Trade

Christmas Gift for Diplomats Daimler-Chrysler Serbia & Montenegro is to host a party for diplomats in its Belgrade show room on 12th November. According to Mercedes-Benz SCG sales and marketing director, Sanja Uzelac: "Considering diplomats have made a magnificent contribution to sales figures of Daimler-Chrysler vehicles, we are determined to offer them, for the New Year, better conditions for purchasing Mercedes - S - class".

By Rajka Sinik, Photo Andy Dall

S

peaking exclusively to CorD, Sanja Uzelac explained that the November event would include an exhibition of frescos, provided thanks to the cooperation of the Serbian National Museum.

According to Uzelac, diplomats attending the event will not only see quality cars, but also traditional items of Serbian art, exhibited under the slogan "the best for the best". The slogan was selected because the items on display will include the best of domestic art and the Mercedes S-class model, which is considered the best and most luxurious vehicle from the whole Mercedes-Benz range. Uzelac declined to divulge details of the new conditions under which vehicles will be sold to diplomats, though she emphasised that they will be much more favourable in comparison with current offers.

"This project is being carried out in cooperation with Volks Leasing, which will offer special conditions for this occasion. Moreover, the fact that Mercedes will be linked to local values is also important for our company", explained Uzelac, reminding us that Mercedes started this action at the beginning of the year with an exhibition entitled "the Impressive".

"This is going to be a multimedia event with traditional music to be performed that night. A literary publication in keeping with the whole idea of connecting with local culture will also be presented."

Pointing out how important diplomats are as clients of this company, Uzelac said that Mercedes-Benz sells around 300 vehicles in Serbia, of which 10 to 15 percent are purchased by embassies.

"Mercedes-Benz respects standards implemented on the level of the whole company regarding the sale of cars to diplomats and we strictly observe the level of discount on offer globally.

IN SCG SINCE 1996 The auto giant's local branch company was established in 1996 by Mercedes-Benz a.d. from Stuttgart and domestic company, Ineks.

The involvement of Ineks was due to the fact that the law at that time did not permit the establishing of companies with a hundred per cent foreign ownership. At that time the company was working under the name Mercedes-Benz Jugoslavija a.d.

In 2003 Daimler-Chrysler AG, based in Stuttgart, became the sole owner of the company in our country and since then the company has been called Daimler-Chrysler Serbia & Montenegro. Three brands are united on the domestic market under the umbrella of this company: Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler and Jeep.

According to Sanja Uzelac, in eight years operating here the company has invested magnificent resources in our country, as well as cooperating with numerous domestic companies.

Sanja Uzelac, Director of Sales and Marketing "For instance, diplomatic missions can purchase vehicles under the same conditions as in any other country in which our company has a business. Apart from that, the sister company in Serbia & Montenegro helps them with regard to bringing cars into the country and customs procedures which, even though they are not subject to custom taxes, they have to go through."

Uzelac gave a positive appraisal of the Serbian Government's regulations banning the import of cars older than three years, saying: "For us, as importers, that is certainly a good move because in that way we will be protected. So far, many purchasers were going for vehicles between three and six years old". She added that this regulation has drawn attention to the importers of new cars and should have an influence on the conscience of potential buyers, to whom it is now worthwhile buying a new car under the better conditions offered by banks and leasing companies.

Uzelac also emphasised that, apart from Volks Leasing - with whom they are working on the diplomat project, this company cooperates with almost all banks which deal on the Serbian market.

"Vehicles are being sold on credit with a repayment period of two to five years and interest rates vary from bank to bank.

However, it is significant that recently increasingly better conditions are offered because of competition among banks and leasing companies."•

Genetic science

To clone or made in serbia Antinori: "Serbs are the best human material for cloning" A question of scientific advancement is hanging over the nation: is a Serb going to clone a human being for the first time and is the first cloned person going to be a Serb? Until recently, most people in Serbia didn't really know what cloning meant, other than that it related to some Scottish sheep called Dolly.

However, thanks to the latest plot of one of the country's most popular Latin-American soap operas, the housewives and TV addicts of Serbia are becoming aware of cloning and gaining a knowledge of genetic science.

By Dijana Ivanovic, Photo Danka Ninkovic

I

t could be argued that without the awareness of women, particularly those responsible for the daily upbringing of the next generation, the engineers of human life can make little progress. Proof that this kind of second-hand informing through entertainment provides the best results was unambiguously provided by the example of Spain. A decade ago Spain was at the bottom of the list for organ transplants in Europe. Then the subject was addressed by Julio Iglesias and Pedro Almodovar, with the full support of the catholic Church and King Juan Carlos. In a short space of time Spain became one of the leading countries in Spain in terms of the number of transplants performed.

Why it seems more important for the citizens of Serbia to be better informed about cloning than citizens elsewhere remains an unanswered question, but the fact remains that the world's most controversial proponents of cloning did, perhaps coincidentally, visit Belgrade over a short period of time, grabbing the media's attention. First came Italian gynaecologist and promoter of human cloning, Severino Antinori. Then came representatives of the Realian Movement - a sect that propagandises the notion of human beings having extraterrestrial origins: more precisely, they claim that our ancestral Earthlings were clones of aliens who visited the planet 25,000 years ago. In 1997 the Realians created CloneAid - a company aimed at establishing human cloning.

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Father Dimitrije Kalezic would not baptise a clone Dr. Antinori made his first official visit to Belgrade on 6th December 2002 to lecture in front of the Congress of Fertility and Sterility. This, in itself, would have drawn little attention if Antinori - the most well known promoter of human cloning - had not stated in Rome, prior to his arrival in Belgrade, that "Serbs are the best human material for cloning". He repeated this claim for British national daily The Independent, insisting that the first cloned baby would, for sure, be born in Belgrade. Citizens of Serbia were aghast and surprised that a foreigner had finally "applauded their genes", but they quickly grew anxious. So much so that Serbian Health Minister Tomica Milosavljevic initiated urgent precautionary measures.

The measures included implementation of a methodological Decree regarding artificial insemination that, until then, had only been adopted at the level of clinical centres.

Following Antinori's visit, the decree was extended to all health institutions in Serbia to cover the interim period until such time as legislation banning cloning could be implemented. The Decree has the power of a law until further notice.

During his visit to Belgrade, Antinori met owners of the city's most prominent private gynaecology clinics, though after the decree was announced owners of these clinic began renouncing Antinori and denying any such private meetings had taken place - despite the media having covered the meetings extensively.

Antinori had no explanation for why he believed Serbs to be "the best human material for cloning". He denied having carried out genetic studies on Serbs and, thus, the question

Genetic science remains: why Serbs in particular? Is If we exclude the idea that it is posthis selection a good or a bad omen sible, anywhere in the world, for for the "marked" nation? Were Serbs "underground science" to exist, then short-listed for physical, mental, the situation in Serbia is as follows: spiritual or social reasons; or, indthere are no conditions enabling the eed, all of those reasons? And was it cloning of living beings. Cloning procoincidental that this happened to cedures could only be carried out in be a country that had plummeted to facilities with gynaecological/obstetthe bottom of Europe and remained rics departments, by specialist gynaeoutside the integrated world? cologists or obstetricians and althoThese days, scientific access to ugh Serbia has three registered prigenetic parameters allow scientists vate gynaecological hospitals and 140 to see the differences between popuregistered private gynaecological clilations and ethnic groups. However, nics, according to the Serbian health according to Professor Marko Andjelministry none of those institutions kovic, of Belgrade's Biology Faculty, has a permit allowing legal birthing. it is very difficult to identify the However, according to Serbian genetic predispositions of any one Health Minister, Dr. Tomica Milosavnation. He said: "If someone wants ljevic, many areas of the country's only to clone Serbs that is a different private medical industry are "semiquestion‌but objectively, biologicallegal", which leaves space for suspily and genetically, I do not know why cion and interests Dr. Antinori and Serbs would be more suitable for alike, whose "exhibitionism and sick cloning than people of any other ambition" probably will not be disnation. Somebody can desire to clone suaded even after all legal loopholes Serbs, but that does not mean that Prof. Marko Andjelkovic: have been closed.

Serbs are better for cloning than say, Asked how he would react if the Serbs genetically no different first cloned human did turn out to be for example, the French or any other nation. We are not a special species. a Serb, Dr. Milosavljevic said: "I All the problems connected with would think, first and foremost, that cloning Homo sapiens apply as had spent years and years disMany areas of the country's pri- we much to Serbs as to any other people. persing society and that it is possible I think this [Antinori's comment] vate medical industry are "semi- that things banned by the law and was a political statement: in other legal", which leaves space for sus- regulations still happen, especially in words, a display of good manners by state in which many behave accopicion and interests Dr. Antinori arding a well-bred guest". to the principle: we will not If, as professor Andjelkovic and alike, whose "exhibitionism stick to the law like a dog to a bone." insists, the genetic map of Serbs is and sick ambition" probably will Responding to the same question, naturally neither better nor worse Father Dimitrije Kalezic, of the not be dissuaded even after all Faculty of Orthodox Theology, insistthan any other race on the planet, then why specifically highlight legal loopholes have been closed. ed that he would not baptise a cloned Serbs for cloning? Perhaps because baby because it would not be a child Serbia's technical equipment and knowledge is better than in of God. He argued, God is original and man is a copy. A cloned most countries, at least in the non-integrated world? human being would only be a copy created by mechanically However, this is not so. The theoretical knowledge of combining natural elements and nothing more. He continued: Serbian scientists in this field is no less than elsewhere in the "My question to you is: would you marry such a man? Cloning world and practical knowledge is proportional to material as a phenomenon does not have any basis in the divine revelacapability and, thus, is almost nonexistent. So, why would tion, especially in the theory about man as a being. Those who anybody risk failure in a given experiment by starting from are entering such an adventure without measuring their posthe bottom, when it could be commenced from an advanced sibilities are directly entering the very bases of ontology, position in other countries? anthropology and cosmology. It is as if they are not aware that Therefore, it can only be assumed that any other European their authority does not reach there. country would prove much more appropriate than Serbia for "They do not have anything to get there with. The official cloning and that Antinori's fascination with Serbia's genes is position of the Serbian Orthodox Church regarding this matter purely a case of fickle flattery for a nation in which he hoped does not exist because is not a religious subject. The Church to acquire a forged permit for cloning in a state lacking adecan talk about anything only from the context of revelation. If quate legislative regulations. the Serbian Government were to pass a law to allow cloning Another factor prompting Antinori and the Realians is, the Church should react only from the context of revelation. quite possibly, the fact that Serbia has around 5,000 well Where God wants, the order of nature is being won. According trained and badly paid scientists: the country's molecular to this it would mean that those who want to clone human biologists and alike easily secure positions in world research beings are placing themselves above nature. They are making laboratories. For example, despite restrictions hindering the themselves into god because they are oppressing and cantravel of Serbian citizens to the West, Serbian scientist Dr. celling out the order of nature."

Miodrag Stojkovic received a permit to experiment with For those who think that the first steps in anything are paid embryos for therapeutic purposes in England with relative for with a high price, nothing in a material sense, or any other ease. Moreover, Serbia also has many healthy but poor women sense, is either expensive or impossible. Even though everyand it is common knowledge that egg donors are paid body is against it, it seems that science is not giving up its statbetween three and five thousand dollars. ed aim: the cloned man.•

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bulletin...bulletin...bulletin... national deficit by 12.6 billion dinars (roughly €170million).

A total of 96 representatives of the Democratic Party and the Radical Party of Serbia voted against the proposal.•

communities in Serbia and Montenegro.

They laid wreaths at the Holocaust Victims Memorial in the Belgrade suburb of Dorcol.•

New ministers appointed

B

T

Polt: Serbia lost $20million

U

.S. ambassador to SCG, H.E. Michael Polt, stated on 20th October that Serbia will not be able to use money from the new U.S. aid fund because U.S. officials

he Serbian Parliament has appointed three new ministers to the Kostunica Cabinet. The new appointments include Slobodan Vuksanovic, who will take the education portfolio, Predrag Bubalo, new minister for the economy, and Milan Parivodic, now minister for foreign economic relations.

The motion to appoint the ministers was carried with the support of the Socialist Party of Serbia, which continues to support the minority government coalition.

The Serbian Radical Party and Boris Tadic's Democratic Party did not support the appointments. Vuksanovic takes the education portfolio after a number of unsuccessful attempts to be elected to public offices in posts ranging from Serbian president to mayor of Belgrade.

He told media after his appointment that

New Karadzic novel published osnian Serb war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic published a historical novel in the Serbian capital Belgrade during October, even as NATO troops and local police claim to be hunting him down.

The novel is the latest in a series of literary works by the former psychiatrist who became the political leader of the Bosnian Serbs during Bosnia's 1992-95 war.

He has been on the run since being indicted by the ICTY in 1995 on charges including genocide for his alleged role in the slaughter that year of more than 7,000 Muslims in the eastern town of Srebrenica - the Srebrenica massacre was the worst atrocity in Europe since World War II. According to publisher Miroslav Toholj, the semi-autobiographical novel, entitled "The Miraculous Chronicle of the Night", is about a political prisoner during the last years of the Yugoslav federation.•

Del Ponte: No help in Kosovo

T

are dissatisfied with the Serbian government's work on fulfilling international obligations. "The fund will distribute $5billion in aid to countries which demonstrate clear dedication to good management and reform, and Serbia could have had use of it, but this is not possible now," he said at a working lunch at the Hyatt Regency hotel. He said Serbia already lost more than $20m in U.S. aid this year, since the state secretary, Collin Powell, was unable to confirm that Serbia was fulfilling its obligations to the ICTY.•

Budget rebalancing bill adopted

T

he Serbian parliament voted this month to adopt the budget-rebalancing proposal. The bill envisages a decrease in the

there would be no experimenting with school syllabuses during his mandate.•

he Hague Tribunal's chief prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, paid a visit to Belgrade in early October to meet senior SCG officials and discuss the issue of cooperation with the ICTY. According to local media, Del Ponte claimed she is receiving no help from the international community or the Kosovo-Albanian administration on war crimes probes in the province. After meeting European Union officials in Luxembourg, Kosovo daily Koha Ditore reports, Del Ponte said she faced enormous problems in the investigations of leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army.

"You cannot iamgine how many problems we have in investigations against KLA

World Jewish Congress in SCG

A

delegation of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), led by Chairman of the WJC Board of Governors, Dr. Israel Singer, visited SCG between the 11th and 13th October. The WJC delegation met with SCG President Svetozar Marovic and Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic, Serbian President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Dr. Vojislav Kostunica, as well as Serbia's Religious Affairs Minister, Milan Radulovic and Serbian Patriarch Pavle. Besides meeting the highest officials of Serbia & Montenegro, the visiting delegation also spoke with representatives of the Jewish

leaders in Kosovo," Del Ponte said. "There are serious threats against witnesses there and now they don't want to cooperate."• CorD | November 2004

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Interview

Living the Hollywood Dream

Dobrivoje Tanasijevic, Soccer legend aka Dan Tana

The business card of Dobrivoje Tanasijevic, better known as Dan Tana, is four pages long. That is because all the addresses and telephone numbers cannot all fit on one. He literally lives at four addresses: "Only my secretary Nada always knows where I am, even better than myself!" He lives from his restaurant in Los Angeles, in London he socialises and runs his business, In Switzerland there are the FIFA and UEFA football associations, and in Belgrade he enjoys himself.

By Slobodan Vucicevic, Photo Andy Dall

D

an Tana says: "I owe everything to soccer. I was born in Cibutkovica, near Lazarevac. My father was from Belgrade, but at that time he was a soldier, so my mother went to her parents to give birth. When I was 17-and-a-half I ran way from Yugoslavia. In 1952 I played football for Anderlecht in Belgium, then in Germany in Hanover, in Canada for a Jewish club and, in the twilight of my career, in Hollywood for the AmericanYugoslavian club. Therefore, I met people who loved soccer and were engaged in film.

"Before opening the restaurant I had an office with two partners, both American multimillionaires. In 1961 and '62 we set up a professional soccer league. At that time this restaurant came on the market and we bought it. The soccer league failed after a couple of years, but in October the restaurant celebrated its 40th anniversary. All Hollywood actors dream about having a restaurant, though many of them have tried and failed, such as Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Jerry Louis‌ "I was an actor at one time. Small parts - I was always the first to die - so I moved to film production and after that to distribution.

You prepared the first professional soccer league in America, which was not a soccer country at that time. The first president of the Soccer Association was Henry Kissinger. Did you meet him?

"We know each other very well and are friends", said Tana.

"Henry is of German origin and brought a love for with him from his fatherland. He is a great Today 17 million American children play soccer. Thanks soccer world politician. He was my guest when we to Hans Urlich, soccer is the most wide spread sport in played at the World Cup in Italy in 1990 at the America. At that time America was 178th on FIFA's list of game against Argentina, which we unfortunately after penalties. rankings, today it is eighth. In the next four or eight lost "When I came to America soccer was played very years America will be the World Champion in soccer little, mostly by emigrants. But, in 1963, a young man of German origin, Hans Urlich came to I was always doing several things at once and still am. Now I am America. He said: "If we want to bring Americans to the stadiums 69 and I should have been retired for four years, but I don't have they should learn how to play football, and it would be best if we time for that." taught kids how to play, both boys and girls". I told him to be serious.

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"Today 17 million American children play soccer. Thanks to him, fessionals, but in an amateur way. Politics is strangling sport soccer is the most wide spread sport in America. At that time America because they do not know where they are going. Or they do but do was 178th on FIFA's list of rankings, today it is eighth. In the next four not want to tell us. I love my country and nation, I come here, I send or eight years America will be the World Champion in soccer". people to do business here, but they come back and say: "we canSoccer, the most important secondary thing in the world, not do business because they are waiting for some laws." While we has also become interesting to politicians and businessmen. are waiting other people are working."

"I spent thirty years in English soccer. For ten years I was the president of Brentford and for anothClinton came before the bombing of Serbia. I sent a er twenty I was a member of the managing board and then the only foreigner in the English Soccer message through a friend asking him if they were Association. You do not have a clue how much the going crazy, and Clinton replied: Tell Dan Tana to British Government uses soccer to open the door to take care of his restaurant and I will take care of business and politics. Soccer opens all doors. Our America. Clinton once said: "I do not have anything politicians do not have a clue how much business is done through soccer. The Germans and the French against the Serbs. Vlade Divac is a Serb and I love him. do likewise. Japan has invested millions in soccer and established a professional league simply because they underWhat do you do in America now? stand that soccer opens all doors. The same is with South Korea", "I am in film distribution. Next month we are making a film in explained Dan Tana.

Canada, after thirty years, and that makes me happy. I have the Dan Tana's restaurant in Los Angeles and I work in our Soccer Changes have been announced in Serbia too, the Law of Association. I participate in many FIFA meetings and am a memSport and privatisation of the sport clubs is being prepared. ber of one of the UEFA commissions. I regularly play golf. I only "Many things are changing in the world, for better or worse, sleep five or six hours and that is it. Still, I am not tired." but it is changing. Here nothing is being done. All we do is talk. We cannot even change the national anthem, but we whistle at it all Are famous film and music stars regular guests at your around the world. We demand the investment of foreign capital restaurant? and our sport clubs are working like fifty years ago. The same "I don't like to talk about my restaurant. The guests should small groups of people are managing clubs and that cannot be talk about it. There are 21 tables in the restaurant and the meals done in modern times. are all ala carte. We make 57 main dishes, which very few restau"I became a Red Star supporter 60 years ago while I was cleanrants around the world do. The chefs are first-class and the service ing studs and I will remain a fan until I die. They ask me what I is top notch. There is no meal from the many that I have not tried would do if some sworn Partizan supporter bought Red Star. And I and I cannot wait to go back to Los Angeles. Regardless of whether reply, if he buys it and invests millions, do you think he will support it is spaghetti, fish, meat or chicken. The atmosphere is fantastic.

Partizan? He will do anything to make Red Star the best and the Ours is a restaurant, but its not like a restaurant. We are more like most successful. In the west, Manchester supporters purchase a private club, but we are not a private club. We are a private club Arsenal's stock shares, Arsenal supporters buy Tottenham's and without the membership fees. Every night we serve 250 dinners they are all trying to make a profit. Here, they want to become proand have to turn 500 people away. People get cross because they

Dan Tana talking to CorD

CorD | November 2004

63

Interview care of America. Clinton once said: "I do not have anything against the Serbs. Vlade Divac is a Serb and I love him."

"I am democrat, and a bit of a socialist, it remains from my youth. Schwarzeneger used to come when he was nobody. He used to drink juice and say how he would become the American Mr. Universe, and we laughed: there you go, he is a big star and a governor now."

Serbs are present in Hollywood production, but generally in a negative context. Is that not the case?

"There was huge propaganda, the worst I have ever heard.

Murderers, rapists etc… We will need a lot of time to change that.

Serbs in America have become united only in the last two years. We did not have our lobby while others were working."

Your restaurant has witnessed many deals, probably big decisions too. Is that right?

"In my restaurant Politika journalist Miroslav Radojcic persuaded Bobby Fisher to play a chess match with Boris Spaski on Sveti Stefan. Bobby was special. When he was supposed to come to the restaurant he demanded a car pick him up from some crossroads and asked me to tell him the plate number. The drivers stopped at the agreed place and Bobby jumped out from behind a bush, quickly sat in the car end asked to be driven to the restaurant car park. He would not leave the car until I personally came to take him in."

Dan Tana cannot come in. We have regular customers who come for dinner 4-5 times a week.

"They are all there: sportsmen come to see actors, actors come to see sportsmen, politicians to see both of them. We do not belong to any group. We belong to everybody, and that is the secret of our success."

One of your loves is sport. Do you go to NBA matches?

The Lakers is my team. For 25 years Jerry West has been my good friend and when I go to watch NBA I sit in his box. Vlade Divac has returned to the Lakers and it will be difficult for him since they do not have a good team. Stojkovic is the best in Sacramento. We have another dozen of our lads playing in NBA, doesn't that say how strong we are in collective sports? That is because we like to associate and socialise. That is why we are weak at individual sports."

When you return to Los Angeles, who can you expect to meet in your restaurant?

Cameron Diaz is an excellent and regular customer, Sharon Stone, Drew Barrimore, Elisabeth Taylor, Clint Eastwood, who

What are your contacts with customers? Do you Many things are changing in the world, for better or have any friends among them?

"I am closest with James Woods, he is like a broth- worse, but it is changing. Here nothing is being er to me. With Jack Nicholson I play golf, we have din- done. All we do is talk. We cannot even change the ner together, but are not close. Nobody is close to him. national anthem, but we whistle at it all around the He is a good man and actor, but he is very reserved. He is not such a good golfer as he claims. He hits the ball, world. We demand the investment of foreign capital misses it and places another one. We tell him: Jack you and our sport clubs are working like fifty years ago. cannot do that, and he says: Why not. Did I bet with loves our country a lot because he made a film here in the sixties, you? I did not. Then I can do whatever I want. We bet five or ten James Woods, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Jack Nicholson." dollars, but he never does, not even one cent."

It is not so rare that politicians, governors and state presidents come to your restaurant for dinner. Do you talk to them?

"Ronald Regan, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton used to come.

Monica Lewinski came three or four times a week during the affair…

"I got to know Regan before he became the Californian governor. He was an average actor and good politician. He was a leftwinger. During the McCarthy times he almost became a communist. 90 percent of Hollywood is against the Republicans. In Hollywood, Bush would not get even five percent of the votes.

American politics are known for the next twenty years and they cannot be changed in one mandate…

"Clinton came before the bombing of Serbia. I sent a message through a friend asking him if they were going crazy, and Clinton replied: Tell Dan Tana to take care of his restaurant and I will take

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You told us at the beginning that you owe everything to soccer. You are active in FIFA and UEFA. The elections for those associations will take place in two years time. The opinion is that Michel Platini is the most serious candidate for the UEFA presidency and that Dragan "Piksi" Stojkovic will be announced as the president of FS SCG (the Serbia and Montenegro Football Association).

One thing is for sure: Johansson will not run for the presidency after 2006. Platini is one of the most serious candidates, but there will be more. Piksi has had an excellent playing career and if he dedicates himself to administration, and not to coaching, he will be able to go far, perhaps even to become FIFA president. He is well behaved and respected, especially in France and Japan. If he were the ambassador in Japan he would have brought at least thirty companies to build factories around Serbia. That is what our politicians do not see."•

bulletin...bulletin...bulletin...

Marovic meets Solana

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tate Union President Svetozar Marovic and Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic this month received senior EU officials Chris Patten - External Relations Commissioner - and Javier Solana - High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policies. They discussed the possibilities of accelerating the process of Serbia & Montenegro's accession to the European Union, cooperation with The Hague Tribunal and the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, particularly in light of the forthcoming elections.•

Nikolic: First Tadic, then Kostunica

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cting leader of the Serbian Radical Party, Tomislav Nikolic, said this month that his party would first "take down" the president and then do the same to the Serbian prime minister.

Nikolic said that Deputy Serbian Prime Minister Miroljub Labus incorrectly accused him of wanting extraordinary par-

According to the OSCE, in 20 voting positions across Serbia-Montenegro, only 384 displaces Kosovo citizens had voted. Kosovo Serb representative Oliver Ivanovic said that there is a 90 day deadline for UNMIK to take care of decentralizing the Kosovo government. He also said that incidents are expected today around polling stations in Kosovo.

"Those who oppose the elections are prepared to use force in order to prevent others from participating. This is undemocratic and unacceptable," Ivanovic said.

Kosovo Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi said that his plan is for Kosovo to become an independent state no later than the end of next year.

"They need to finally realize that they can no longer rule Kosovo," Rexhepi said in reference to the Serbian government.

"Everyone knows that, even the international community, we just need to find the best solution."•

"Of course the independent commission of inquiry will also review this aspect of the case," he said.

Asked how long the investigation is expected to take and whether the public will be informed of its findings, Davinic said that the Supreme Defense Council wanted the matter cleared up as soon as possible.

"We don't want to put pressure on the investigating bodies, but on the other hand we have to point out to them that the Supreme Defence Council and the public expect results to be published as soon as possible. There's no reason for the truth to be concealed and for the investigation not to be conducted publicly and clearly," said the defence minister.

The Defence Council consists of federal President Svetozar Marovic, Serbian Pre-

Defence Council reviews army deaths

T

liamentary elections. Rather, he said, his party is interested in the recalling of President Boris Tadic and, after that is taken care of, the Radical Party of Serbia's next goal will be to initiate the fall of Kostunica's current government.

"Extraordinary elections are possible if the new constitution that is to be adopted in December calls for them, or if we call for an initiative to dismiss the government," Nikolic said.•

Elections held in Kosovo

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he Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe predicts that by the time the polls close at 8 pm, between 55 and 65 percent of registered voters will have voted.

he Supreme Defence Council sat in Podgorica to review the deaths of three young soldiers in recent weeks.

Sentries Drazen Milovanovic and Dragan Jakovljevic died in an unexplained shootout at an army facility in the Belgrade suburb of Topcider, while a third soldier, Dragan Kostic, died in another incident in a Leskovac barracks.

Defence Minister Prvoslav Davinic said that that the Defence Council has given full support to army and independent investigators trying to shed light on the Topcider incident. He added that there would be changes in personnel and responsibilities if any neglect of duty is established.

Davinic emphasized that there was no connection with any search for Hague Tribunal suspects, and in particular no connection with Ratko Mladic, the fugitive former Bosnian Serb military leader.

sident Boris Tadic and Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic. Also present at yesterday's meeting were Davinic, his deputy Vukasin Maras and the chief of staff of the army, Branko Krga. Almost three weeks after the deaths of the two Topcider sentries, the Defence Ministry on Thursday relieved long-term commander of the Guard Brigade, Radomir Cosic, of his duties. Senior Sergeant Marko Kovacevic and three civil servants working for the army were also replaced.• CorD | November 2004

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History feature

By Dragan Bisenic

At the end of the forties everything in the Balkans became complicated. British forces in Greece were outnumbered and needed help. Hitler demanded that Yugoslavia join the Tripartite Alliance in order to ensure his passage to Greece and the Mediterranean. The Yugoslavian region became the central point for the fight for Southeast Europe and the Mediterranean. The Government in Belgrade was surrounded on all sides: German pressure intensified, while promises from the British and the allies grew misty and vague. Britain requested that Knez Pavle Karadjordjevic declare war on Germany and participate in the war on the British and Greek side. When Pavle demanded military aid, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill knew that he would not be able to offer any. The decision to support a military coup if the Yugoslav Government did not stand by America and Britain was taken in summer 1940. The opinion among historians is that the events in Belgrade in March 1941 were created by the British secret services with the help of Anglophile circles.

William Donovan

CIA ’s in Belgrade T

that regard and if required, in the action to forcibly overthrow the Knez and the governing defeatist government. In fact, General Donovan's main tasks were to investigate the mood of the public, to establish connections with people and groups with pro-western affiliations who were ready - at a certain moment - for action on the line of the western powers and to offer them Anglo American support.

As Jacob Hoptner wrote in his book, "Yugoslavia in crisis 1934 - 1941", Donovan openly admitted after the war that the United States would not intercede for Yugoslavia if German forces were allowed to cross its border. That After the collapse of the Yugoslavian Kingdom, the American was the warning which the governcrew had already received. press attacked President Roosevelt because of the obligation he ing "If Yugoslavia were to accept the took on towards the rebels and Colonel Donovan was marked destiny of Romania, or commit a as the most responsible for American activities in the Balkans. crime like Bulgaria and become the accomplice in the destruction of Anglo-Saxon countries to the monarchy and monotheistic polit- Greece, its disaster would be certain and irreparable. Yugoslavia will not avoid, but only postpone the war temptations, and then ical groups, and especially towards the communists and Tito.

Apart from official meetings with governing politicians and its brave army will fight alone, surrounded and cut off from all visits to military schools and institutions, Donovan had a long hope and support. On the other side, the history of wars has conversation with the future executor of the military coup, rarely offered a better chance than that given to the Yugoslav General Dusan Simovic. Donovan offered him the full support Army, if it takes it while there is time. If Yugoslavia and Turkey and aid of the U.S. in any action directed against Hitler and, in unite with Greece, with support from the British Empire, the he American role is no less important and, in fact, is perhaps more significant than that of Britain. The last attempt to change things in the Balkans was the visit of OSS Colonel William Donovan, which took place at the request of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt and U.K PM Winston Churchill. After the war, Donovan was to become the first head of the OSS, later to become the CIA. During January 1941 Donovan visited the Balkan states, but the first aim was Belgrade. His visit and its results would have long-term political ramifications on Yugoslavian territory, on the relationship of

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German penetration will be stopped and final victory will be 27th May 1941 openly claimed that the American Government achieved as confidently and resolutely as the last time. I believe was directly involved in the military coup in Yugoslavia, "that that your Excellency will show on the level of the worlds’ American promises succeeded where British ones did not" events", wrote Churchill in March 1941 to Serbian Prime emphasising that those promises "lead to the American obligaMinister Dragisa Cvetkovic. The Allies did not have a lot to offer, tions to the Balkans, the consequences of which cannot be preapart from what the future would bring if they won. dicted".

"If you fail we will lift you up. Serbia failed in the last war At present we can more precisely, clearly and fully observe and we not only lifted her up, but supported the establishment the picture of the political development of the Balkans and of Yugoslavia. If Yugoslavia fails with us, we will lift her up", Yugoslavia and the importance of the warnings and advice sent said Minister Eden to Knez Pavle at a secret meeting on 7th March to the Yugoslavian political leaders with regard to historical 1941 in Salonica. Even the British King sent a similar letter to Knez Pavle. Knez Pavle and Donovan openly admitted after the war that the United the Yugoslav Government were not prepared States would not intercede for Yugoslavia if German to join the war under such circumstances and London and Washington had to have forces were allowed to cross its border. That was the Belgrade on their side. warning which the governing crew had already received.

Relation with Washington cooled even more after the Yugoslav demand for the transfer of its deposits choices. If that choice had been different, if the political estabin gold to Brazil. Roosevelt replied that there was no safer place lishment had been prepared for resistance and sacrifices, instead for Yugoslav gold then the Federal Reserves, but the of the communists, current political discussions would be differGovernment stuck to its previous decision. Roosevelt's reply to ent. But history cannot be undone.• that was: "the President shares sincere sympathy for Yugoslavia and is desirous to see its independency safe. But, it seems that the Yugoslavian Government has already set off on its way to capitulation".

In its Studies of war and peace, the American foreign policy establishment decided to support all groups, including communists, which were ready to fight against Nazism. Great Britain took an identical position. During Donovan's visit to Belgrade, the communist organisation did not miss his attention. It cannot be said for sure in which way he made contact with the communist organisation and its leader Josip Broz, but there is considerable evidence that, at that time, Tito was on the line of the Anglo-Saxon policy and not Stalin's and the Cominterna's. The Cominterna was demanding that the Communist Party organise strikes against all western factories and ports which were preparing for war.

One of the leading British agents in the Second World War, William Stephenson, known as "Intrepid", was William Donovan's partner. In his testimony in the book 'A man called Intrepid' Stephenson cited that Tito made contact with Donovan. "There was one group in Yugoslavia capable of resistance: Tito's Communists. Tito was only a name. Some said he didn't exist at all.

He had returned from the Soviet Union a year earlier, disguised as Spirodon Mekas and carrying a British passport issued in Canada. How this came about is still classified information. Tito had been deeply disturbed by Stalin's treatment of other East European Communist leaders. While other Communist leaders followed Moscow policy placating Hitler, Tito had spent the past few months preparing for war. He has getting no guidance from Stalin. He did get guidance through intermediaries from Donovan. Regardless of political allegiances, said Donovan, anyone resisting fascism would get outside support".

After the collapse of the Yugoslavian Kingdom, the American press attacked President Roosevelt because of the obligation he took on towards the rebels and Colonel Donovan was marked as the Tito’s false British passport, issued in Canada most responsible for American activities in the Balkans. Therefore, The Sunday Evening Post on CorD | November 2004

67

Privatisation

Selling culture When the term "privatising culture" is used in Serbia, particularly in reference to art, it is most often perceived as some sort of con. Indeed the notions of privatisation and theft often go hand-inhand in this society. However, leaving aside cultural insecurities born of the Serbian psyche and the nation's tendency to sugarcoat reality, what does the privatisation of cultural centres really mean?

By Tatjana Njezic, Photo Stanislav Milojkovic

D

uring a recent innocent lunchtime conversation, and with no idea that his comments would find their way into the newspapers, writer and former director of Prosveta publishing house, Milisav Savic, said he was very happy the House would be privatised because "at least we'll know who does what and who's in charge".

According to Savic, he sees his contribution (setting the privatisation wheels in motion) as helping to ensure the value of "the best" publishing house has significantly increased. However, is this really so considering the most well known privatisation model of dissecting and downgrading a public company in order to purchase it for the lowest possible price? Many significant "players" in the field have an opinion about the practice of selling centres of art and culture.

Gorica Mojovic, in charge of cultural matters for the Belgrade City Council, said that some articles of the Privatisation Law provide "exceptions" for institutions and organisations of special interest. She said: "In such cases the rules of privatisation are determined by the special laws for certain fields. However, we are missing a law for culture and that is why we have a serious problem. The law dating back to 1992, within which nothing is clarified from the current point of view, is still in effect.

From 1992 to the current time, masses of other laws have changed!

"In the law on culture there are many repetitions. I support the thesis that this law is more important than all the other, individual ones.

What is certain is that the culture industry works on an old fashioned model. Time is running out for public companies in culture and, according to my estimation, they have around two years left. In other words, they will have to transform themselves within that time."

According to Mojovic, the task of determining the conditions of privatisation is fact approaching. That, before all else, considers that national institutions must be protected. She explained: "That does not mean that they do not also have to be transformed from within and that new ones do not have to be established because if anyone is interested in dealing with national culture they should not be legally prevented from doing so. Belgrade has invested 2 billion, 610 thousand dinars in the reconstruction of cultural institutions."

Renowned theatre director Dejan Mijac said of the issue of privatising theatres that, in America, it is common knowledge that theatres are under private or shareholder ownership.

"In Europe, however," he said, "there are still theatres owned by the state or the public. In Europe there is still the sense that such things are

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of great importance for the nation and that they should not be left to market rule. Our theatres, regarding all changes, cannot remain the same as they were before. So far, they were made up of artistic ensembles, but this will not be possible any longer. One of the possible solutions is organising on the principle of projects. Of course, that can lead us to the point where we have only one theatre, one aesthetic, one group of artists moving from one house to another. That cannot become a brand. We should know what belongs to whom and what the public can expect and where. There is at least one more great danger and that is that, under the pressure of privatisation, culture in fact becomes pure amusement". He added that the current predicament makes him happy that he lived his life in the 20th and not in the 21st century.

Nebojsa Bradic, theatre director and Belgrade Drama Theatre manager, thinks that it should first be noted that the transformation of theatres to self-financing institutions is a utopian notion. In his view, on one side is the model of theatre repertoires that are highly subsidised by public authorities and, on the other side, there is the model of the private theatre which operates under the dictates of culture and entertainment.

Central Belgrade’s Yugoslavian Drama Theatre He said: "Between those two models there are numerous pos"For over ten years the most important books in the Serbian lansibilities for companies established by producers of commercial guage, almost without exception, have been published by pritheatres and some of them are implemented by the public authorvate publishers. They have gathered the majority of leading ities: the ownership principle (the producer is at the same time authors and are doing the most on the public presentation of the owner), stock companies (private and public cooperation), books. I even think that it would be good for the public publishfree and limited partnership (equal investors with limited securities), "In the not yet declared, but already finished, Third World investor foundations ‌ With all this the War, the concept of private property won, but all this multiterm 'commercial' does not exclusively mean profit, but the determination to national capital, democratic dictatorship of proletarian politfill the theatre halls. ical decency, united socialists of Europe, NATO pacts for sta"This principle is becoming one of bility, peace and other nice things, does not have, in itself, the the important criterion for the renewal of subsidies for public theatres and the slightest bit of wit and cleverness of the old Hollywood films." only way for private theatres to survive". Bradic also alluded to the need for adoption of the Theatre ers, the former socialistic giants, if they had already gone Law and changes to tax policy for the investors in theatre. He through the privatisation process before they sold the best parts concluded that the private initiative is waiting for better times. of their own tradition.

Gojko Bozovic, poet and editor of publishing house Stubovi "In the privatisation of public publishers it is necessary to Kulture (Columns of Culture) said that private publishing houscarry out the estimation of the real value, to have the most reales are the key to Serbian publishing: istic tenders, but is also a necessity to implement the corrective CorD | November 2004

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Privatisation

Theatre director and manager Nebojsa principal that the company's activity and work cannot be changed within the next five years because many would give up because of that principal, since they are only interested in the real estate value of publicly owned publishing houses", said Bozovic.

Inspirational film director Milutin Petrovic, director of Zemlja istine, ljubavi i slobode (Country of Truth, Love and Freedom), spoke rather cryptically on the subject, saying: "According to Marx, what I (we) do is counted as a superstructure. It means that after the caveman finishes his hunt for mammoths, as well

erness of the old Hollywood films. In fact, it looks increasingly like the conclusions reached at the party plenary sessions and Tito's self-management.

"Just to satisfy us, the old nostalgic film-ophiles have the good old imperialism remain the same as it was during the time of slavery. Recently, I heard about a Bulgarian conceptual artist, inspired by transitional processes, who started the process of transition of his body. For two years this wretch has been taking steroids and bodybuilding. However, apparently, he looks better than Bulgaria‌ The suma samarum of privatisation in the film industry in the little country of Serbia in 2004, does not look rosy. But, we will firmly continue on our road to Europe."

For example, Petrovic said that when we are standing in queues for visas, with every hour we will be closer and closer to the window, or by paying new taxes we will become more co-ordinated with modern civil societies.

Petrovic continued: "Thus, every one of our private companies will develop, trying to secure business for itself from some of the domestic moguls such as Bogoljub Karic (BK Group) or Zelko Mitrovic (TV PINK). They are successful businessmen who did a great job in the primary accumulation of capital and Bradic because of that they get on very well with the Ambassadors of western countries in Belgrade.

"Basically, when you are as small as Serbia then you have to follow behind like lost sheep. And, in contrast, the fact that you are small and weak does not automatically mean that you are stupid and untalented. That means that our small tribe too, in order to provide the food for their kids, will have to chase mammoths.

"In Europe there is still the sense that such things are of great importance for the nation and that they should not be left to market rule.

Our theatres, regarding all changes, cannot remain the same as they were before. So far, they were made up of artistic ensembles, but this will not be possible any longer." as other financial transactions, then it is our turn to draw the antelope on the cave walls. Everyone of us, in Belgrade City Council’s Gorica Mojovic old age, is going to go crazy, like Bogdan Tirnanic (writer and literary critic), but rare are those who can, like him, say that when they were young they wrote something And, OK, we will chase them chanting new slogans, just as the such as "every comedy should be Marxist, which means that boss says: "my tribe might be still in the primary school of politmust be in the spirit of the Marks brothers"". ical correctness, but it is also old enough to see off several great He continued: "What happens to us in this virtuous new empires which made promises of pie in the sky", said Petrovic. world comes mainly from America but, absurdly, has much Therefore, it is certain that privatisation is more than desirmore in common with the spirit of Marx and Engels than with able. However, it is even more certain that almost all models of the inheritance of Graucho, Harpo, Chico and Zep. In the not yet privatisation are undesirable. It is also certain that privatisation declared, but already finished, Third World War, the concept of will happen and that, in that process, some will get rich and many private property won, but all this multinational capital, demowill become poor. And yet, it will be 'as the boss says'. What cratic dictatorship of proletarian political decency, united socialremains is to believe in the power of creativity and art, which has, ists of Europe, NATO pacts for stability, peace and other nice throughout history, shown itself to be stronger than any privatisathings, does not have, in itself, the slightest bit of wit and clevtion, transition or other transient world powerhouse.•

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The arts

Forging a new identity This year saw the 36th anniversary of Belgrade music festival BEMUS. And it has proved to be a particularly successful year for the traditional festival, provoking great interest from admirers of contrasting streams of contemporary classic and providing a unique artistic spirit amid the traditionally over-booked autumn cultural programme.

By Maja Vukadinovic

O

rganisers of BEMUS 2004, which ran from 2nd to 16th October, under the slogan "New Generation", managed to create a new look and a transformed image for the annual event. The most noteworthy innovation was the fresh, modern facelift given to the event, which organisers - led by the executive producers of Jugokoncert - employed as the central guiding theme.

The festival opened with a spectacular performance of the Zora D opera in the Yugoslav Drama Theatre. The opera was attended by the cultural elite of Belgrade, who were curious to experience the work of composer Isidora Zebeljan. Zebeljan underwent something of a baptism of fire last year in the opera houses of Amsterdam and Vienna, and the conductor's success prompted BEMUS organisers to secure her participation. Foreign operatic artists, who have performed under the guidance of

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Scene from the Zora D opera Zebeljan for the past year, (since her Dutch debut) received a standing ovation from impressed fans here in Belgrade. Direction of the performance was signed by the world renowned David Pountney, one of the most prominent contemporary operatic directors, whose repertoire at the world's great opera houses has included the works of Verde, Mozart, Wagner, Debussy and many others. The BEMUS audience also gave a warm welcome to the excellent conducting of Premil Petrovic.

Many fans of the violin had to be turned away from the Kolarac venue, which proved too small to cope with the demand to experience the fiddling skills of acclaimed violinist Maksim Vengerov, who was accompanied by pianist Benjamin Yusupov.

Under the title "Voyage of the Violin", Vengerov - the first classi-

cal musician to be appointed as UNICEF Good Will Ambassador - treated those able to gain entry to his flawless interpretation of selected works of Brahms and Beethoven.

Vengerov, a true worldwide star, is set to open the 2004-5 season by performing with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Symphonic Orchestra, before embarking on tours of Europe and the Far East.

The return of the ballet Ballet has been missing from the BEMUS programme for many years, but this year it made an extremely successful comeback. The highly expressive art form, which combines theatrical performance with artistic dance and music, proved a hit at New Belgrade's Sava Centre. With the support of Spanish cultural forum, the Cervantes Institute, Madrid's Viktor Ullate Ballet gave a stunning performance.

Ullate, a choreographer who danced for many years as part of Morris Bezar's famous ballet company, established Spain's first classical ballet company with the support of the Spanish Government. He ran the company until 1983, when he established his own school of ballet. Ullate's performers combine contrasting aesthetics and choreography in tune with the developing trends of Spanish society.

Ivana Stefanovic, president of the 36th BEMUS Artistic Council, explained: "We were trying to move the festival from the spot which mainly considers traditional content, to give it a modern look in the context of what is happening in the creative and performance plain of our country and the world. It is very important for BEMUS to adhere to the tendencies of the contemporary. This new spirit refers to ensembles made up of performers from different countries, but also to the more modern plays in the programme. The twentieth century is behind us and we cannot see it in the light of musical innovations".

Addressing the overall concept of the event, Stefanovic noted that one concert of importance had been unjustifiably neglected. She described the concert "National Creative Work Balkans Between East and West" as an excellent example of cultural integration between the Balkans and the rest of Europe.

Regional performers also impressed BEMUS attendees this year. The audience at the National Museum Atrium enjoyed two-and-a-half hours of music performed by amateur musicians from the former Yugoslav republics, as well as Bulgaria and Greece. The event was organised under the patronage of UNESCO. BEMUS 2004 also provided the opportunity for up-andcoming artists to show their skills to the Belgrade public at Belgrade City Hall. According to Stefanovic, those particularly catching the eye were young harp player Varvara Ivanova - performing at BEMUS for the first time - and young Montenegrin violinist Roman Simovic, who performed in Kolarac to the accompaniment of pianist Itamar Golan.

The Zora D opera which opened BEMUS 2004 monic Hall accompanied by Mate Bekavac (clarinet) and Klaus Jackle (guitar). Miss Grafenauer, who has dedicated herself to a solo career since 1987 and has a respectable discography, has played with famous world orchestras in music centres all around Europe and Japan, and has been lecturing at the Mocarteum Conservatorium in Saltsburg for a long time.

Perhaps the icing on the BEMUS cake was a surprise concert by the Italian Radio and Television (RAI) National Symphonic Orchestra from Turin, which was held in the Sava Centre. The legendary Rafael FrĂźhbeck de Burgos conducted. The repertoire was marked by the works of Beethoven and Wagner.

Under the title "Voyage of the Violin", Vengerov - the first classical musician to be appointed as UNICEF Good Will Ambassador - treated those able to gain entry to his flawless interpretation of selected works of Brahms and Beethoven.

Summing up the achievements of the 36th BEMUS, Stefanovic said that, in terms of the programme, the festival was on the level of European and world classical music events. Renowned domestic and foreign performers provided confirmation of BEMUS's reputation and the organisers especially insisted on the equal presentation of domestic and foreign music. This was, it seems, the magic formula which characterises numerous current achievements, not only in the field of culture.•

Svetsko a nase (Worldly but ours)

PLANS AFOOT FOR BEMUS 2005

The climax of the festival was marked by the arrival of world famous instrumentalists performing under the banner "Percussionists from Strasburg". Prior to the arrival of the musicians, a lorry arrived in Belgrade with three tonnes of equipment required for the appearance of the sextet, which performs under the artistic management of Jean Paul Bernard.

This kind of music is a rarity on Belgrade's concert stages and adding to the appeal of the performance was the fact that the ensemble gave a completely modern meaning to a wide range of western, oriental and African instruments.

In an effort to fulfil the wish of the domestic audience to hear local artists who have already achieved recognition abroad, organisers of BEMUS hosted flute player Irena Grafenauer, who stood on the stage of Belgrade's Philhar-

A number of foreign and domestic artists have already been confirmed to perform at BEMUS 2005. Ivana Stefanovic promises that, next year, organisers will work tirelessly to satisfy the contrasting demands of the now expectant Belgrade audiences. Belgrade boasts a knowledgeable artistic audience, some of whom prefer choral music, some preferring orchestral music, some preferring ballet and some more eager to experience the performances of world renowned local performers, while others favour international artists.

According to Stefanovic, the key theme of the 37th BEMUS will be "Gathering" because, she noted, it is not important where the artists live or where they are from, just that they all gather to participate at BEMUS.•

CorD | November 2004

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Literature

This year’s book fair, held at Belgrade’s fair complex

Belgrade's 49th International Book Fair opened on the fine autumn eve of 19th October. The fair, which lasted until 25th October, gave pride of place this year to French literature. Milovan Danojlic and Alan Rob Grillet opened the event, with actress Paulina Manov playing the role of speaker.

By Tanja Njezic, Photo Mirjana Kotlaja

books follow

human destiny 74

CorD | November 2004

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ccording to Danojlic, the written word follows and reflects man's destiny and, he explained, it probably also suffers in transitional circumstances. However, despite circumstances, the existence of both man and book are mutually dependent. He referred to the UNESCO figures, which show that in this poor country around five thousand titles are being published per year, and compared that with "country of culture" France, where 45,000 books were published last year alone. He praised domestic publishers for "keeping in step with Europe" and emphasised the fact that SCG is seventeenth in the world when it comes to translated works. He said: "We have saved ourselves by saving the word, which is of divine descent".

Danoljic spoke about the current literary crisis in many rich and poor countries, but also praised the many governments that are attempting to counter this problem by liberating books from taxation. He also said that hyper production brings the sense of publishing into question, but only at first glance. This is because "time is the master sieve and it will sift all of it and divide the wheat from the chaff."

After Milovan Danojlic, great name in French literature and film, Alan Rob-Grillet, stepped out under the reflector's lights and, in his characteristic way, talked about the difference between making a public appearance and writing.

The profession of a writer is the profession of the loner, he said, because man is alone with himself and the language he writes in. And it is not pleasurable, in his opinion, when they drag you out to open such a celebration in front of such numerous crowds and under the lights pointed in your face just like during a police investigation. "Since this concerns a police investigation I would like to establish my innocence", said Rob Grillet upon closing.

The audience comprised many prominent writers, such as Dragan Velikic, Goran Petrovic, Vida Ognjenovic, Mileta Prodanovic, as well as numerous state officials. However, the majority of those in attendance were so-called "ordinary readers" who, with differing degrees of interest, follow the promotions and events at the stands and exhibits. This year 600 domestic and foreign publishers exhibited their latest books at the event.

Naturally, the greatest attention was paid to France, which was represented by eight prominent authors at this year's book fair, among which,

apart from legendary creator Alan Rob-Grillet, were Andre Makin, Olivier Rolen, Frederique Begbede and others. Canada too, as last year's guest country, showed us how the fruit of such cooperation is picked, with the translation of books between the two countries having increased by 30 percent. Apart from France, we should also mention that Italy, Switzerland, the USA and a further ten other countries participated in the 49th International Book Fair, as well as publishers from five former Yugoslavian republics.

It is difficult, in such a small frame, to single out just a few titles.

However, let us mention just a few major works such as the entire edition of Filozofija, the Psihološka biblioteka (Psychological Library), and the Leksikografija (Lexicography) of Dereta publishing house, which published high quality titles such as Hartman's Aesthetics, Oxford's History of Byzantium, and Mono & Manjana with The Encyclopaedic Atlas of the World, which contains 338 pages of excellent photographs and interesting texts about the geographical characteristics of certain areas. Also published were many,

According to Danojlic, hyper production brings the sense of publishing into question, but only at first glance. This is because "time is the master sieve and it will sift all of it and divide the wheat from the chaff." many other titles that may not yield a quick and easy profit, but are of special importance to the culture of a country and a nation.

However, what undoubtedly provoked unofficial attention were Radovan Kardzic's and Mirjana Markovic's books. Without any intention of appraising the value of those books, the question about ethical principles and morality was raised. What attitude should be taken towards books written by authors if The Hague Tribunal wants one of them, and the other is on Interpol's wanted list? There we were again on the slippery political games terrain. Different opinions, of course, could be heard ranging from the view that those are works that exist by themselves, regardless of their authors, to views that nobody should have published them, at least not in Serbia & Montenegro. Of the many remarks, one of the most

Literary enthusiasts browse the stands interesting was that of Mileta Prodanovic who said, not without irony, that if man has a moral or ethical dilemma he should follow the flow of money.

Perhaps Serbia would not be what it is if it did not have such incidental situations and phenomena. In any case this book fair showed, as Fair Council President Simon Simonovic pointed out, that the publishers, in spite of all their virtues and vices, are better than the country they work in.•

Newly Accredited The Russian Federation H.E. Aleksandr Aleksejev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Born 1951 in the former Soviet Union, Mr. Aleksejev graduated from the Moscow National Institute of International Affairs in 1973, after which he began a career in the field of diplomacy. He has served in Russian embassies in Switzerland (1973-'78) and Belgium (1982'87 and 1993-'98). In 2002 he was appointed director of the third department for Europe within the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was appointed Ambassador to SCG on 13th October 3004. Mr. Aleksejev is married and has one son. He speaks German, French and English.

Czech Republic H.E. Ivan Jestrab, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Born 1957, Strakonice, Czechoslovakia, Mr. Jestrab begin his diplomatic career as a Scandinavian specialist, and served as attaché in Copenhagen, Denmark (1983-'88) and Counselor and Chargé d'Affaires in Oslo, Norway (1990-'95). Mr. Jestrab's first ambassadorship came in 1997 when he was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in the Republic of India. During his time in the sub-continent he also served as ambassador to Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Nepal (1998-2001) and ambassador to Bangladesh (1999-2001). Prior to arriving in Belgrade, Mr. Jestrab held the post of Foreign Political Advisor to the Czech Prime Minister (2002-'04). He is a married father of two and speaks English, Russian, as well as possessing a working knowledge of Polish,, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish.

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Interview Aleksandar Djordjevic, European basketball playing great

I am true competitor This month CorD speaks exclusively to Aleksandar Djordjevic about his exciting life on and off the basketball court: his relations with Serbian President Boris Tadic; his upcoming retirement to follow next year's European Championships; his business activities in Belgrade and Miami; former team-mates and fellow living-legends Vlade Divac and Predrag Danilovic and his co-ownership of Europe's largest fitness centre with his Real Madrid team-mates.

Djordjevic enjoying the summer sun with wife Aleksandra

By Todor Milenkovic

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leksandar Djordjevic, 37-year-old basketball legend, has brought more joy to the people of Serbia & Montenegro than all the country's politicians put together. Everyone in this country will corroborate this, even the politicians. We are grateful for his "heavenly treys" in Istanbul, Barcelona and Athens; the 41 points scored in the unforgettable championship final game against Lithuania. We are thankful to him for bringing back the former gleam to the Belgrade Marathon, for the humanitarian organisation Group 7, for the appeals for peace in Barcelona 1999 during the bombing campaign against Serbia. We applaud him for becoming an idol to children by adhering to the principles of a true athlete.

In the past two decades Djordjevic has grown into an icon of Partizan Belgrade, bringing the European Championship title to the club in 1992 with a three point shot in the last second of the game, and a legend of the Yugoslav national team where he was the hero of the bronze medal game in Athens 1987 in his debut year. He holds the record for the number of points scored in great

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finals (41 points against Lithuania in Greece in the final of Euro 1995). He also played for Phillips (Milan), Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, continued in the NBA and now plays for Scavolini (Italy). He has been absent from the national team for the past six years, but intends to play in next year's European Championships, to be staged in Belgrade.

What do you expect from the European Basketball Championship in Belgrade next autumn?

My ambition is to achieve success with the national team. I would like us to win a medal and part with my professional career on a high note. I hope to be in good health and in form for the tournament. I would not consider playing in Euro 2005 if I didn't think I could contribute with my game and not just my presence.

The Serbia & Montenegro national team was unsuccessful at the last two major tournaments: the European Championship in Sweden (6th place) and the Olympic Games in Athens (11th).

Where is the problem?

It is not a simple problem. Firstly, we shouldn't evaluate our success on the basis of the national team's results during one year.

Our basketball game is a phenomenon and it will retain this quality despite the slump at the Olympics this year. We just have to be aware of the fact that other nations are constantly improving their game and some of them have reached a point that is equal to the greatest quality of our national team - a team spirit and complete dedication to the national team. Lithuania, Argentina, Spain and Italy have all managed to achieve this. We failed to preserve the core of the team that was triumphant in 2001 and 2002. Team managers Vujosevic and Obradovic faced new challenges that eventually snapped the winning streak.

One of the problems that specifically stands out is that our players are no longer game bearers in their clubs. Each one of them has to set this goal as a priority this season. The myth about the NBA has distorted the system of values. If someone plays in the NBA, this does not mean that he is a better player than his counterpart in our league. Many of our players have secondary roles in teams abroad, while our league has been left with young inexperienced players and older players who just dropped out in the race for a good contract. The emphasis has fallen away from young talents. Maybe the methodology in the youth schools and basketball clubs is good, but my question to all of them is whether they are truly dedicated to creating top-flight players.

You recently joined the Steering Committee of the Belgrade Marathon. What are your ambitions there?

I plan to bring our city into world focus through the Belgrade Marathon and with the help of our city authority. I want to promote Belgrade in style. We have already managed to restore the Marathon's place in the calendar of the International Athletics Federation, where it had a firm hold until three years ago. We want to make our city a recognisable brand name. I have no worries, since people such as the national athletics coach, Dejan Nikolic, are in charge of the project. I would also like to see teachers of physical education getting significant roles in the process. We need to boost their motivation by giving them a chance to be creative in our plans for the future.

An idea that I still haven't told my associates is to invite Italian runner Baldini, an Olympic gold medallist in the marathon, to take part in the event. I plan to talk to him and make this proposal.

Many foreign-based Serbian business operators are wary of starting up businesses in their homeland. What are your activities in that respect?

I don't have concerns when it comes to investing in my country.

On the contrary, I try to associate my business plans with my home, especially Belgrade. Seven years ago, when times were somewhat harder, I opened a discotheque in Belgrade called XL and it has remained an attractive nightclub to this day. Many young people are

You have been playing basketball at the highest level for the past two decades and your last season with Scavolini demonstrated that you have preserved the quality of your game.

Would you say that many similar aged players have lost the motivation to compete?

I am a competitor not only in sports, but in life as well. I give my best shot at everything I do. At one point in time I was the best

‌ I am trusting Boris Tadic now because he has shown that he is the right person for Serbia. The two of us have been friends for the past five or six years. We have similar visions and understand each other well. He is charismatic, wise and moderate. player in Europe in my position and one of the best in the World.

I am proud of that. However, as time goes by I keep thinking about something said a few years ago by my former teammate and team captain, Jimenez from Barcelona. One time, when the going was tough for the whole team, he spoke to all of us, saying: "I went through a whole lot in my life, from being a young talent and junior player, national team captain and a veteran, to working as an assistant coach. We all have ups and downs during our careers and it has always been this way". This piece of advice has kept me firm on the ground to this day. I know my limits. I am disciplined and maintain an athletic lifestyle. My life is full because I have a lot of interests. I am a true competitor and I want to part with basketball my way in Belgrade. This is where I grew up, took my first steps and achieved my first victories in the game. I would love to recognise all those familiar faces in the crowd, my friends and family.

Djordjevic with Serbian President Tadic

You missed out on the national team this summer because of an operation. How do you feel now?

After the operation I gave myself a task to lose weight and I lost four kilos. The operation went well. My tendon is still swollen a bit, but it's no big deal. I am optimistic about my physical condition.

also familiar with the cafe Monument. I also own a construction company called SAAS, an agency that mainly deals with internet services in Miami called Funkshion, but also stages fashion week events that feature celebrities such as Puff Daddy. In Madrid, along with team-mates from Real Madrid's basketball club and a couple of friends from its soccer division, I am a partner in Fisico, the largest fitness centre in Europe. It spreads over 8,500 square meters and includes a system of workout gyms, football pitches, swimming pools, saunas, Jacuzzis and 450 parking spaces. The male and female dressing rooms each have 1,000 compartments. More than 5,000 people are members of the centre. And that is not all...Interior design is my hobby. I follow trends in design and fashion and have even organised a competition for young designers in Belgrade, picking two of the best for a visit to a fashion week in Miami. I have to boast a little and say that some of my friends asked me to help them with the interior design of their homes. I love to do that".

Are you still considering a coaching career after ending your days as a professional player?

The idea of becoming a coach has always been on my mind.

However, I don't appreciate when others assign some role to me without asking my opinion. I know what's best for me. Whatever I do, I know I'll invest my whole being into the endeavour and try to be the best.

Your former team-mates from Partizan and the Yugoslav national team, Vlade Divac and Predrag Danilovic, have left the helm of their former club for well-known reasons. What is your opinion?

Divac and Danilovic had their reasons. I don't doubt that. They did a great thing for Partizan. It is a pity we lost them this way, CorD | November 2004

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Interview posal was initially set forth by FIBA, then it is the idea to pursue. It is akin to my previous notion that we are stronger when working together. The financial motivation will always be a priority for Serbs, Croats and Slovenians. We all remember what Sarajevo got from the Winter Olympic Games in 1984. We have to strive for mandates to organise major sporting events and use these to improve the image of our countries.

What do you think about the impact of politics on sport?

In Italy, the influence of politics on sport is limited. The statutes of the leagues suffer little changes and there are no machinations. I do believe that there is room for politicians in sport when their motives are sincere, while the doors should be shut for those who want to use sport to gain personal acclaim and satisfy their own narrow interests.

Do you believe in patriotism?

I do. Half of the basketball audience in Pesaro greets me the Serbian way, with three fingers raised, because when I run onto the court I scream "Serbia" at the top of my lungs. Italian fans who have known me for a while are also aware of what the three fingers mean. My team-mates greet me the same way. Basketball audiences in the U.S. use the same greeting when Divac is in focus on court.

That is how we express our attachment to our people. Many events have shown that patriotism has lost its value. I am confident, though, that the sentiment will endure, we only need to deepen it and provide it with a healthy foothold. This is how I want to raise my children. Serbs have a lot of reasons to be proud, but they also have the obligation to prove that the image of a warrior nation, dealt to them worldwide, does not represent their true colours.

Djordjevic meets Spanish King Juan Carlos

What do you think about the problem with the national anthem and do you recall whether you had similar troubles when the anthem was intoned during the medal giving ceremony in Athens 1995?

I knew the anthem "Hej Sloveni" by heart until midway through primary school. I sang the first line in Athens and then stopped. We were all euphoric because of what we achieved. Many of us don't know the second line of the anthem today. As for the present day situation, it was very irresponsible to discuss the issue of the national anthem just ahead of the Olympics. It was counterproductive. Why did our athletes have to bear this burden as well?

The idea to merge anthems was pure nonsense. I honestly like both anthems, Serbian and Montenegrin, but I can't imagine how their hybrid sounds. If the state union of SCG should survive, which is something I would like very much, there should be an open contest to choose a new anthem. If not, then each of the two anthems should respectively represent SCG as separate states.

since they are among our greatest basketball names. The people who made them leave should put a finger to their forehead and ask themselves: "Is it possible that it is our fault they left and that we let them go?"

All this is a result of accumulated problems in our national basketball association. I want to see a concrete initiative by the Association, to hear the top officials saying where they are leading us and specifying our goals. I want to see a programme for basketWhy do you support Serbian President Boris Tadic? ball and the entire sports community and hear officials say that I did not side with any political camp in the past, but I am trustthey will stay after their four-year mandate expires. Why should we accept a subservient role in our own house instead of taking a stand, why shouldn't our sport I do believe that there is room for politicians in sport have its own ministry in the government, why shouldn't we have significant influence in the shap- when their motives are sincere, while the doors should ing of the Law on Sports, why shouldn't we submit a be shut for those who want to use sport to gain percandidacy to host the Olympic Games in 2016? All this could be within our competence. We just have to sonal acclaim and satisfy their own narrow interests. be united. For instance, there are seven of us in ing Boris Tadic now because he has shown that he is the right perGroup 7. If each one of us can open seven doors, that makes 49. son for Serbia. The two of us have been friends for the past five or We are more powerful and efficient when we work together. six years. We have similar visions and understand each other well.

He is charismatic, wise and moderate. He is the only politician here Do you support the notion that SCG, Croatia, Slovenia and that has risen to the level of a brand, which is a true sign of his Bosnia & Herzegovina should put forward a joint candidacy to worth. I expect him to bring Serbia closer to Europe and the world. host the World Basketball Championship in 2010?

What I like about him is that he behaves like an ordinary citizen in The region can only gain from this. I am certain that SCG has everyday life. He goes to sporting events, sits in street cafes, has the capacity to organise the competition on its own, since we meet time to socialise and puts the family above everything else. These all the requirements. But if this is the desire of all the former are values that matter to me.• republics of what was once SFRY, regardless of whether the pro-

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Humans have been manipulating nature to suit their needs for millennia, and this area of the Balkans is no different. Long ago in the region comprising northern Macva and southern Vojvodina - known collectively as Srem early settlers dug ditches, drained swamps and lakes and irrigated the land in order to farm the fertile soil of the Panonian depression

The kingdom

of dragons

By Jelica Putnikovic, Photo Branislav Jovanovic

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he flows of the quiet Sava River and the temperamental River Drina were altered and the landscape was changed forever. Around 5,000 years have passed since that time and over the centuries the people of Srem have concocted myths and legends that insist the land was not reshaped by simple men, but rather giants and dragons. Believers in the myths go as far as to cite ancient Celtic maps as proof, noting that, according to the Celts, Zasavica was just one of eight places on the Balkan Peninsula where dragons could be found.

Nowadays, Zasavica is a rare natural oasis; an unspoiled haven for wildlife. According to legend, it was preserved by the dragons - guardians of eminence and legendary treasures - that

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can still be found today. However, they have taken new form and appear to mere mortals as beavers.

Thanks to the efforts of those assuming the dragons' responsibilities, ecologists from Sremska Mitrovica, the elusive beaver has returned to the Zasavica swamp, which covers an area of 1,825 hectares east of the Drina and south of the Sava and was preserved after 675m2 was declared a protected nature reserve.

Those who do not believe in myth of the dragons will tell you that, long ago, the waters of the Sava and Drina rivers mingled here and, depending where the most rain fell, the two great rivers stole riverbeds from one another. That was how Zasavica was created, the little river 33.1 kilometres long. Today it is one of the only unspoiled natural swamp areas, not only in Serbia, but throughout Europe. Ecologists claim that, even when the mud

Out of town

Natural resources

clouds the water, the Zasavica is so clean that it can be drunk without fear of infection.

Zasavica is easily accessible from Belgrade. The easiest route is to head past Sremska Mitrovica towards Macvanska Mitrovica.

Unlike most areas of interest to tourists in Serbia, road signs and information plaques mark the route in its entirety - thanks, once again, to enthusiastic, dedicate ecologists.

Zasavica's riverside and swamp ecosystems are interspersed with fields and forests. The 'little river' flows directly into the Sava and is saturated underground with water from the Drina. It actually belongs to the Black Sea's river basin. Yellow and white water lilies blossom here in the spring and, despite being referred to as such, it is not a swamp, but rather a quiet, slowflowing river that meanders through the plain. Many varieties of flora and fauna, around 200 species of plant and 120 types of bird prosper here in abundance, alongside a great assortment of insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. One of Zasavica's greatest natural treasures is the Umbra Crameri (Mrguda) fish, which is the only European of the Umbridae fam-

The long-term preservation of Zasavica and the surrounding area has been assured thanks to a 1997 declaration placing the area under state protection as a nature reserve of exceptional importance. This was prompted by a recommendation of the Serbian Institute for the Protection of Nature.

Moreover, Zasavica belongs to the Ramsara national network of protected areas - swamps and other water areas protected in accordance with the Convention for the Protection of Swamp Areas, which has been ratified by the Serbian state. According to IUCN classification, the area is also a Habitat and Species Management Area - category IV. Since 2001, Zasavica has been a member of the Europark Federation. The Centre for Responsible Tourism is currently working on a project entitled "Formulating a plan for management of tourism in the special Zasavica nature reserve". They are realising the programme in co-operation with international and domestic organisations and with the support of the United Nations Programme for the Environment: Sector for Biodiversity - European Office. Jovan Popesku, director of this organisation, confirmed that the project commenced in early July 2004 and would run until the end of the year.

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Out of town ily and represents a new species in evolutionary terms.

Naturalists insist the Mrguda is the most important resident of Zasavica because it is not only a rarity in local waters, but also appears on Europe's Red List of globally endangered species.

Of the areas birds, most attention is paid to the spotted eagles, swans, white and black storks and red herons. Thanks to a donation of European beavers, the natural structure of Zasavica has been fully restored. Beavers once prospered in this area but, sadly, they were exterminated at the beginning of the last century. However, this year German counterparts of local ecologists gifted 30 European beavers to Zasavica and they have already made themselves at home, busily building dams in preparation for the winter ahead.

After years of neglect, Zastavica is once again a paradise for nature lovers and experts and an idyllic location for anglers and wildlife photographers. Sport fishing is permitted and anglers can hire boats and spend long, lazy days tempting the wild carp and pike of the placid waters.

The magical, natural world of Zasavica is perhaps best explored from the vantage point of the waters. Organised boat trips regularly take to the river basin. The boat, the Umbra (named after the rare fish mentioned above), was specially constructed to handle the shallow, plant-rich waters of Zasavica after the Second World War and today it is sure to remain in the minds of travellers, after a two-hour trip through reeds, canes and blossoming water lilies, along the land of the dragonfly, where the tranquil silence is only broken by the cry of the hunting eagle and the splash of the dancing fish.

The resurgence of this ecological paradise has largely been achieved due to the commitment and efforts of Slobodan Simic, eminent ecologist and manager of the Zasavica reservation.

Along with his team of enthusiasts, Simic has ensured the protection of the area and constructed the Ceka - at 17 metres high, the largest wooden house in Serbia. From Ceka's balconies, one can enjoy views of the small nearby lake and Valjevac pasture, with its Mangulica pigs and black Podolsko cattle, which graze there and are farmed by the team of ecologists. The Mangulica pig is a local breed of wild pig, which has been bred for many centuries in Srem's oak forests. This pig is exceptionally resistant to all kind of illnesses and is capable of surviving in the extreme natural conditions. In the past, Mangulica pigs were fed with cobs in the autumn and have provided the meat and fat needs of local inhabitants for hundreds of years.

Podolsko cattle are an old plains breed historically used as working cattle. Fully grown bulls can weigh up to 1,000 kilograms, and the special characteristic of this breed is that their horns can grow up to a metre in length. The cows give exceptionally little milk, but are capable of surviving in extreme conditions and rearing healthy and resistant calves. The meat from these animals has a distinctive taste and the tourists will be offered specialties and roasts in the Ceka. Fish lovers will be served fish broth or Talandara - a fish speciality prepared on a disk harrow.•

The Organisers The Belgrade Tourist Organisation runs one-day group trips to Zasavica, the Bread Museum and the Sovljak Ethno Park. In addition to the provision of a well-informed tour guide, tourists can also request lunch, in advance, which will be served in Zasavica's Ceka and include Srem specialities.

Sremska Mitrovica's Sirmium Tourist Organisation runs weekend trips to Sremska Mitrovica and the ancient Roman settlement of Sirmium, as well as seven-day package tours, which include a stay in Sremska Mitrovica, a trip to Zasavica and a tour of Fruska Gora's monasteries.

Thanks to the close proximity of all these destinations to Belgrade, it is possible to go unaccompanied on an eco-ethno adventure of your own. Those choosing to stay overnight can find accommodation in Sremska Mitrovica's Sirmijum Hotel.

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Classified

Ushuaia, Patagonia Nothing can quite prepare one for arrival in South America's Ushuaia. After a three-hour flight from Buenos Aires, with a stopover in the unlikely Welsh enclave of Trelew, one is transported almost the entire length of Argentina to remotest Patagonia. The final 15 minutes of the flight are far and away the most breathtaking, as the plane swoops low over snow-topped hills and impassable mountains, before breaking free of the range and offering stunning vistas of the peculiarly fractured coastline of mountainous islands, scattered from the tip of the continent like an incomplete series of giant stepping stones heading towards Antarctica. Just as it seems land has run out and a ditch in the icy waters is inevitable, the plane suddenly dips as the pilot performs an acrobatic landing on a narrow peninsula that appears far too narrow for an airstrip.

Journey to Earth's end

By Uros Vasiljevic

I

n Bruce Chatwin's classic travel narrative, In Patagonia, Ushuaia is described as an "apparently childless town" where "blue faced inhabitants glare unkindly at strangers". However, much has changed since Chatwin's journey in the mid 1970s.

Thanks largely to government investments and tax incentives, the entire region has been transformed from a fishing and sheep farming backwater to a successful, growing centre of tourism, commerce and industry. Chatwin himself could be accredited with adding to Ushuaia's appeal. His book created the myth of Tierra del Fuego (the Land of Fire) as the ultimate des-

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tination for adventurous travellers who have grown weary of multi-storey hotels and over-hyped ruins.

The main street of Ushuaia is lined with Internet cafes and hiking equipment shops, to ensure visitors can first explore the rugged area then tell their friends all over the world. The town is now a base for thousands of visitors annually, who flock to South America's southern tip in search of unspoilt nature, exotic wildlife and, perhaps most of all, the sensation of feeling like they've reached the end of the Earth.

Actually reaching the end of the world, or rather the southernmost tip of South America - Cape Horn, is almost as tricky as it sounds. I was somewhat surprised to discover that Cape Horn is not a cape at all, but rather the most distant island of the archipelago that stretches from the Andes and plunges into the sea.

Cape Horn can be visited. The Chilean Navy maintains a lighthouse and small base on the island, but, judging from pictures displayed in Ushuaia's many tourist agencies, there doesn't appear to be much to see.

The trip to Cape Horn is only possible via a weeklong boat trip (the island is too small for an airfield). Winter trips are not recommended, but boats can be hired year-round from Ushuaia or the much larger Chilean port of Punta Arenas, 200 kilometres to the north. For those seeking an even greater Earth's end expe-

rience, summer cruises to Antarctica are available. However, without a scientific authority licence it is illegal to land on the frozen continent and one will have to settle for a tantalising glimpse of the icy coast from the comfort of your luxury liner.

Most modern-day followers in the footsteps of Scott and Amundsen - be they South Americans or international tourists fall far short of their illustrious predecessors and end their voyage in Ushuaia. Particularly as they quickly come to realise that the town has been transformed into little more than a giant dutyfree shop. The same government steps that transformed the region's economy ten years ago have transformed the inhabitants from subsistence farmers and fishermen into affluent designer-label clad, luxury-car driving townies - a phenomenon far removed from the reality of the greater part of the country, and indeed the continent.

Fortunately, there are still people around who remember what attracted the first explorers to the Land of Fire. Every morning, owners of small ships moored at the little pier next to the commercial harbour offer daytrips on the Beagle Channel, the narrow strip of water separating Isla Grande, Patagonia's largest island, from the first of the outlying isles, the Chilean Isla Navarino. These trips are geared towards the average tourist, not the adventurer or wildlife expert, and are about as likely to result in anything out of the ordinary as a bus ride in a city centre. That said, the sheer pleasure of sailing the mountain-fringed channel, dotted with low, stony islets, and seeing seals play in the water around the boat can make this the highlight of any trip to Patagonia. Along with a group of talkative Mexican tourists, I joined Juan, the guide on one of the boats, for a five-hour sail.

the world" in Jules Verne's novel of the same name. Guides are quick to point out that the lighthouse is actually not the one described by Verne, which in reality stands on an island in the Atlantic several hundred kilometres away. But the red and white tower - the archetypal image of a lighthouse - has a haunting beauty of its own, especially when it suddenly appears a hundred metres from your boat, out of the mists that come across the Channel from the Pacific and shroud it for most of the year.

Cormorants, white Antarctic doves, seals and sea lions now populate the other isles in the Channel. (Penguins, contrary to popular belief, migrate north to warmer climes in winter.) The seals are completely unafraid of human intruders and we saw dozens

Thanks largely to government investments and tax incentives, the entire region has been transformed from a fishing and sheep farming backwater to a successful, growing centre of tourism, commerce and industry.

Beagle Channel was named after the vessel that brought Charles Darwin here in 1830. Tierra del Fuego fascinated Darwin.

In his diaries, he tried to convey some of the exhilaration he felt for this remote corner of the world: "Why then - and this is not only my particular case - does this barren land possess my mind? … I find it hard to explain … but it might partly be because it enhances the horizons of imagination." The naturalist felt a profound admiration for the geography of Patagonia, but his feelings for the natives were not as positive. Darwin refrained from saying as much, but others were quick to apply his theories of evolution to humans. And the natives of Tierra del Fuego could be used as a prime example for such an approach.

In Darwin's time, Patagonia was a no-man's land, disputed between Argentina and Chile and settled by a race of natives who practically lived in their canoes (their legs were atrophied from the sitting, their arms disproportionately muscular from the rowing) and wore sealskins as their only protection against the region's fierce winters. The Onas, or Yamanas, had a language that is probably unique in the world in the way it builds words based on a complex system of associations, and a mythology populated by seal-deities and weather spirits. They shared the fate of other Argentine and Chilean natives and were first decimated by imported epidemics and then mercilessly hunted down and killed by early industrialists and sheep farmers. Today, only a handful remain, attended anxiously by anthropologists and linguists trying to save the remains of their culture from extinction.

The world once peopled by the Onas has changed little. The islets in the channel still show the holes where the natives' huts stood. The only modern-day addition is the famous lighthouse on tiny Isla Les Eclaireurs, celebrated as the "lighthouse at the end of

approach the boat, giving out little yelps. Most boat trips will give visitors some time on one of the islets; mine was no exception.

Juan moored the boat at a small wooden pier projected from a beautiful shingle beach and we took a short walk inland. The rock is covered by a thin layer of soil, suitable only for low, yellowish grass and "wild carrot", a bush resembling a moss-covered stone until you step on it and discover that it's so springy you could easily bounce a rock off it. Another survivor of the sheep-farming explosion of the past hundred years is the calafate, a gnarled, almost bonsai-like bush yielding bitter orange-red berries, once eaten raw by the natives. Juan had brought a wicker basket from the boat and we sat down in a circle on rocks and snacked on pieces of bread with calafate jam, and maté, the herbal tea enjoyed by Argentines everywhere. Our guide told not-very-comforting stories of ancient shipwrecks, even pointing out bits of rusted iron dotting the rocks around the islet and relating which ship they came from.

As we walked silently back to the pier, taking in the mountainous horizon encircling our small speck of land, I realised, with surprise, that I had found what I had come here for. The wind whistled in the grass and I knew the end of the Earth was not marked on a map. And, as the boat pulled away from the islet towards Ushuaia and I embarked upon my long journey back to Europe, I was certain I had found my own personal end of the world.• CorD | November 2004

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Horology & the Moon he focal point and inspiration for the following selection of fine clocks and wristwatches is that great mystical satellite of the T Earth and "celestial wanderer", our very own moon. The English

word "moon" is derived from the Old High German word mano, meaning "wanderer in the sky". And indeed, the moon has ceaselessly wandered around our planet since time immemorial, inspiring great wonderment and notions of cyclical time. No wonder then that horological pioneers of the past and contemporary designers of finest timepieces found inspiration in the moon and its lunar cycles.

TAG Heuer, Autavia Stainless steel, automatic, chronograph, Caliber 11.• Price : € 3,100

IWC. "Spitfire" pilot's watch

IWC, Fliegeruhr Stainless steel, automatic, perpetual calendar, moon-phase display, chronograph. Limited edition: only 50 available worldwide.•

Stainless steel, automatic, UTC. Universal time co-ordinated.• Price : € 3,330

Price : € 13,700

Rolex, Submariner Date Stainless steel, automatic chronometer.• Price : € 4,200

Distinctly different Breitling, Navitimer Olympus

750 red gold, automatic, moon-phase display, chronograph, four-year calendar.

Limited edition: 100 available worldwide.• Price : € 14,130

Rolex, Cellinium 950 platinum, hand-wound, small seconds subdial at the "6", folding clasp.• Price : € 11,825

Jaeger-LeCoultre, Atmos 3000

Hermetically sealed, liquid and gas filled, with calendar and moon-phase display.• Price : € 7,700

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Distinctly different Glasshütte, PanoMaticTourbillon 950 platinum, automatic, moon-phase display, panoramic date.• Price : € 17,500

Wempe chronograph 750 red gold, hand-wound, enamel dial, sapphire crystal back. Hand engraved movement, column wheel. Limited edition: only 30 available worldwide.• Price : € 9,750

Sattler, Regulator A moon for the living room: Erwin Sattler's domestic clock with calendar and moon-phase display.• Price : € 4,800

Breguet, Classique 750 white gold, automatic. 65 hour Powerreserve. Power-reserve display. Retrograde seconds, sapphire crystal back.• Price : € 15,750

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Distinctly different Jaeger-LeCoultre, Reservo Grande Réserve Stainless steel, hand-wound, 8-day power reserve as digital display on the back.• Price : € 5,750

Jaeger-LeCoultre, Reverso 24 hour moon 750 red gold, hand-wound, day/night display. Limited edition: only 25 available worldwide.• Price : € 11,500

IWC, Da Vinci 750 yellow gold, automatic, perpetual calendar, moon-phase display.• Price : € 17,800

Nomos, Tangente Stainless steel, hand-wound, powerreserve display, sapphire crystal back.• Price : € 1,650

CorD | November 2004

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Tradition

By Vjera Medic

National Costumes

Dress, Old Vlah, Southwest Serbia, XIX century

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Dress Skopska Montenegro, Macedonia, XIX century

Dress of married women Trebinje area, Hercegovina, early XX century

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Decorative belt of the eastern Hercegovina dress, early XX Century

ational costumes are one of the most important characteristics of traditional life and culture of the rural population. Due to differing climatic conditions and economic, historical and social realities, contrasting national dresses have developed through the centuries as a part of the specific entirety of the Serbian national culture. As well as here in Serbia, they were also worn in the wider south Slavic area where Serbs lived in the 19th and 20th centuries. Within the framework of contemporary field research in certain parts of Serbia, national costumes are still to be found these days.

“Women on the market� - Karol Pop de Satmaria (1812-1887)

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iffering national costumes were recently exhibited as part of the exhibition of the Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade, which showed a hundred years of activity of this institution as part of its drive to develop the civil custom of 'Sabor'(gatherings). This is the custom which sees people gather in a festive atmosphere on a certain day of the year. This is a festive occasion when all the best of the national costumes, jewellery and decoration are shown.

It was also a gathering of different milieus. In that way, the mutual characteristics of the Serbian national costumes from the different areas where Serbs lived

alone, or in multiethnic environments, are shown, as are the differences in costumes between certain smaller or larger areas. Thus, according to the name of certain cultural-geographical zones, special types of national costumes are determined. Groups are identified as central Balkan, Pannonian, Sop, Dinarian and coastal, with numerous types and subtypes.

Such a heterogeneous richness of garments hides within itself a whole chain of very archaic forms and meanings. Apart from the basic function of protecting the body in various climatic conditions, the national costumes clearly mark every social, sex and age staCorD | November 2004

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Tradition tus within the members of one community through their specific elements. National costumes, which to a large extent are the complete production of the women within the frame of home production and only to a very small extent a manufacturing product, clearly differentiate, for instance, the young lady from the married woman by the use of different kerchiefs, decoration methods and use of colour.

Winter wear

Winter dress, Dalmatia, late XIX century Winter dress, West Bosnia, late XIX century

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Tradition

Man’s costume with tokas, Lika area, late XIX century

Man’s summer dress, Backa, Vojvodina, late XIX century

Certain parts of the costumes, such as ornamentation and fabrics, have great significance within the magical ritual elements of the traditional life of the community or the individual. Therefore, wedding costumes or those costumes worn by the participants in different cult and ritual processions such as 'Lazarice' or 'Kraljice' (the girls who perform ritual songs on Lazarus Saturday and Pentecost) are particularly attractive.

All those varied meanings in national costumes are visible in the rich pictorial entireties. They represent the characteristics of the culture of the milieu and time in which they were worn and, today, they present the inherited value of our own history. • Traditional outfits, Kosovo, Serbia, late XIX century

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Turkish cuisine Soups also have traditional importance and are generally served as the first course. Turkish soups are nourishing, natural and varied.

Turkish cuisine has a large selection of vegetable dishes. They may be sautéed or fried, cooked in olive oil or served with meat. The simplest and most basic type of vegetable dish is prepared by slicing a main vegetable, such as a courgette or aubergine, which is then combined with tomatoes, green peppers and onions, and cooked slowly in butter and its own juices. There are many varying meat dishes in Turkish cuisine. Meat is flavoured with vegetables, fruits or milk, either by marinating or cooking together. Kebabs are dishes of plain or marinated meat either stewed or grilled. Lamb is the basic meat of the Turkish kitchen. Pieces of lamb threaded on a skewer and grilled over charcoal form the famous "Sis kebab", now known in many countries of the world. The "Doner kebab" is another famous Turkish dish, being a roll of lamb on a vertical skewer turning parallel to a hot grill.

Flour and everything made of flour is sacred in Turkey. A pastry is kneaded from water, flour and salt, then rolled into thin sheets called yufka, which is the basic ingredient in a börek.

Rice also has a very important place in Turkish cuisine. Rice pilaf with chicken and chick peas is so common that it is sold by street vendors. Turkish cuisine gives the same importance to pilaf as Western cuisines give to potatoes. There are varieties of pilafs cooked by adding onion, tomato, vegetables, nuts, herbs, poultry, meat or combinations of these, but it is generally cooked plain with butter, water and salt.

The most well known sweets associated with Turkish Cuisine are Turkish delight and "Baklava", but all desserts may be classified into three groups: syrupy pastries, milk puddings and fruit desserts.

Among them, the most popular are: "sütlac", "tavuk gögsü", "kazandibi", "helva"and "asure''.

Among the national drinks, Turkish coffee, ayran, shira, sahlep and boza should be mentioned. Turkish coffee comes thick and dark in a small cup and may be served without sugar, with a little sugar or with a lot of sugar. Whichever way, it is truly delicious.

the food of sultans T

urkish cuisine offers a tremendous selection of authentic dishes. For centuries, the chefs of the Ottoman created delicious dishes for the sultans in the culturally rich Middle East and left today's Turkey with an extraordinary culinary heritage.

Turks are purists in their culinary tastes; the dishes are supposed to bring out the flavour of the main ingredients rather than hiding it behind sauces or spices. Eating plays an important role in the lives of Turkish people. The evening meal is a particularly social occasion where all family members enjoy being together and conversing.

Every meal starts with mezes; although there is a conflict in Turkish Cuisine as to which dishes are mezes and which are salads.

However, there is one unequivocal fact admitted by everybody: raki is served with all of them. Raki is a traditional drink made from a distilled combination of grape and aniseed. It is referred to as the "lion's drink" because one must possess the strength of a lion to drink it.

Salads and mezes are eaten as appetisers to almost all meals, or as accompaniment to the main course.

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WHITE BEAN SALAD Ingredients ( for 10 persons): 500 g white beans, 4 medium sized tomatoes, 1 bunch parsley, 3 dry onions-medium, salt, 1 teaspoon red pepper, 4 eggs, black olives For dressing: ˝ cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon vinegar, lemon juice, salt Wash the beans and soak in cold water over-night. Cover with cold water and put on to boil. When boiling, remove from heat and leave aside. Return beans to the boil in their soaking water, simmer gently over low heat until tender but still intact. Add salt to taste after 1 ˝ hours cooking. When tender, drain and place the beans in a bowl. Crush onions with a little salt. A dd to hot beans with lemon juice, vinegar and combined oils. Add the chopped herbs and chill salad for 1-2 hours.

Garnish with sliced green pepper, qurted hard-boiled eggs, sliced parsley, tomatoes and olives.

PEPPERS WITH MEAT STUFFING Ingredients ( 10 portions): 20 bell peppers-medium, 6 tomatoes, 1 tablespoon butter, 3 onions, 1 teaspoon sugar, 2 cups water, salt For the stuffing: 3 tablespoons butter, 500 g butter, 150 g rice, 1 cup water, 1 kg minced lamb meat, salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, Remove the stalk of the pepper, the seeds and wash the pepper. Chop the spring onions, dill and parsley and mint. Wash and drain the rice. Peel the tomatoes and chop small. Place in a bowl the onion, rice, tomato, pepper, dill, parsley, minced meat, black pepper, salt and 1 cup of water. Fill the bell peppers with stuffing. Cut a small piece of tomato as a lid for each dolma. To prepare sauce wash and peel tomatoes and remove seeds then grate into a bowl. Cook until thickened and ppour over the dolamas.Add 3 cups of hot water, and cook over a medium heat for 45 minutes.

ASURE Ingredients ( for 10 persons): 400 g wheat grains, 125 g white beans, 125 g chick peas, 150 g dried apricots, 200 g raisins, 150 g dried figs, 1 tablespoon grated orange peels, 800 g sugar, 5 liters water, 1 table spoon sunflower oil, 1 cup milk Soak the wheat in warm water, the beans in cold water and the chickpeas in a warm salty water overnight. Drain the chickpeas and beans, rinse and place in separate saucepans. Add the cold water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer until very tender and then drain. Chop the dried apricots and figs into hazelnut sized pieces.

Pick off the stalks from the currants, wash and cover with water.

Boil for 10 min and drain. Place the wheat ina a large saucepan with 5 liters of water and 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer over a low heat, stirring occasionaly. When the wheat is tender to the point of mushy, add the currants, and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionaly. Stir in the grated orange peel, chickpeas and beans, stirring occasionaly. Simmer for another 5 minutes and add dried apricots and sugar.

TARAMA Ingredients ( for 10 persons): ˝ loaf white bread ( crumbs), 300 g Tarama ( aspread made with fish roe), 4 tablespoons lemon juice, 3 tablespoon water, 500g sunflower oil, salt Soak the white bread in plenty of water. Take out and press in your hands to leave excess water. Add tarama to the white bread puree. Stir and sieve into a clean bowl. Add lemon juice, salt and water to the mixture stirring continously. Trickle the sunflower oil in and stir.

Garnish with lemon juice and olive oil and serve.

Belgrade Directory

Theatres, Music & Museums

THEATRES • ATELJE 212, Svetogorska 21, tel. 324-7342 • BELGRADE DRAMA THEATRE, Milesevska 64a, tel. 2423-686 • BITEF THEATRE, Skver Mire Trailovic 1, tel. 3220-608 • DADOV, Djure Salaja 6/I, tel. 3243-643 • DAH THEATRE, Humska 12, tel. 2441-680 • ISTER THEATRE, Koste Glavinica 7A, tel. 650-757 • YUGOSLAV DRAMA THEATRE, Kralja Milana 50, tel. 644-447 • KPGT, Radnicka 3, tel. 3055-082, 3055-070 • NATIONAL THEATRE (Opera, Ballet, Theatre Plays), Francuska 3, tel. 620-946 • CHAMBER OPERA MADLENIANUM, Zemun, Glavna 32, tel. 316-25-33 • POZORISTE NA TERAZIJAMA, Trg Nikole Pasica 3, tel. 3245-677, 410-099 • SCENA RADOVIC, Aberdareva 1, tel. 323-8817 • SLAVIJA THEATRE, Svetog Save 18, tel. 436-995 • THEATRE T, Bulevar kralja Aleksandra 77a, tel. 403-570 • THEATRE BOJAN STUPICA, Kralja Milana 50, tel. 644-447 • THEATRE KULT, Bulevar kralja Aleksandra, 77a, tel. 242-860 • ZVEZDARA THEATRE, Milana Rakica 38, tel. 2419-664 CHILDREN’S THEATRES • BOSKO BUHA, Trg Republike 3, tel. 632-855 • MALO POZORISTE DUSKO RADOVIC, Aberdareva 1, tel. 323-20-72 • POZORISTANCE PUZ, Bozidara Adzije 21, tel. 2449-464 • POZORISTE LUTAKA PINOKIO, Karadjordjeva 9, tel. 2691-715 • THEATRE RODA, Pozeska 83a, tel. 545-260 CINEMAS • AKADEMIJA 28, Nemanjina 28, tel. 3611-645 • BALKAN, Brace Jerkovica 16, tel. 3343-491 • DOM OMLADINE, Makedonska 22, tel. 324-8202 • DOM SINDIKATA, Trg Nikole Pasica 5, tel. 323-4849 • 20. OKTOBAR, Balkanska 2, tel. 687-182 • DVORANA KULTURNOG CENTRA, Kolarceva 6, tel. 2621-174 • FONTANA, Pariske komune 13, tel. 602-397 • JADRAN, Trg Nikole Pasica, tel. 624-057 • JUGOSLAVIJA, Bulevar Mihaila Pupina bb, tel. 2676-484 • KOZARA, Terazije 25, tel. 323-5648 • MALA MORAVA, Spasicev pasaz, tel. 623-198 • MALI ODEON, Kneza Milosa 14-16, tel. 643-280 • MILLENNIUM, Knez Mihailova 19, tel. 2623-365 • MUZEJ KINOTEKE, Kosovska 11, tel. 324-8250 • ODEON, Narodnog fronta 45, tel. 643-355 • PALAS SUMADIJA, Turgenjevljeva 5, tel. 555-465 • RODA, Pozeska 83a, tel. 545-260 • SAVA CENTAR, Milentija Popovica 9, tel. 311-4851 • TUCKWOOD CINEPLEX, Knez Milosa 7, tel. 3229-912 • VUK, Bul. Kralja Aleksandra 77a, tel. 2424-860 • ZVEZDA, Terazije 40, tel. 687-320

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CULTURAL CENTRES • BRITISH COUNCIL, Terazije 8, tel. 3023-800 • CENTRE FOR CULTURAL DECONTAMINATION, Bircaninova 21, tel. 681-422 • STUDENTSKI GRAD CULTURAL CENTRE, Bulevar AVNOJ-a 179, tel. 2691-422 • BELGRADE YOUTH CENTRE, Makedonska 22, tel. 3220-127 • DOM VOJSKE JUGOSLAVIJE, Brace Jugovica 19, tel. 323-99-71 • FRENCH CULTURAL CENTRE, Zmaj Jovina 11, tel. 3023-600 • GERMAN CULTURAL CENTRE, Knez Mihailova 50, tel. 2622-823 • ITALIAN CULTURAL CENTRE, Njegoseva 47/III, tel. 244-23-12, 444-72-17 • KULTURNI CENTAR BEOGRADA, Knez Mihailova 6/1, tel. 621-469 • INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL CENTRE - JUBIN, Terazije 26, tel. 687-836, fax. 687-760 • RUSSIAN CULTURAL CENTRE, Narodnog fronta 33, tel. 642-178, 688-300 • REX, Jevrejska 16, tel. 3284-534 • STUDENTS CULTURAL CENTRE, Kralja Milana 48, tel. 659-277 • FOUNDATION OF ILIJA M. KOLARAC, Studentski trg 5, tel. 630-550 • GUARNERIUS, Dzordza Vasingtona 12, tel. 33-46-807 EXHIBITION GALLERIES • GALLERY OF SERBIAN ACADEMY OF ARTS & SCIENCES, Knez Mihailova 35, tel. 334-2400 • BELGRADE GALLERY, Andricev Venac 12, tel. 323-8789 • BAZALT GALLERY, Lazarevacki drum 7, tel. 553-689 • PAVILJON CVIJETA ZUZORIC, Mali Kalemegdan, tel. 2621-585 • DOMA OMLADINE GALLERY, Makedonska 22, tel. 3248-202, ext. 25 • THE GREAT GALLERY OF STUDENTSKI GRAD, Bulevar AVNOJ-a 179, tel. 2691-442 • GALERIJA FAKULTETA LIKOVNIH UMETNOSTI, Knez Mihailova 53, tel. 635-952 • FRESCO GALLERY, Cara Urosa 20, tel. 2621-491 • GALERIJA GRAFICKOG KOLEKTIVA, Obilicev venac 27, tel. 627-785 • GALERIJA HAOS, Cara Lazara 12, tel. 627-497 • GALERIJA KULTURNOG CENTRA BEOGRADA, Knez Mihailova 6, tel. 2622-926 • JUGOSLOVENSKA GALERIJA UMETNICKIH DELA, Andricev venac 4, tel. 3238-789; Dositejeva 1, tel. 627-135 • GALERIJA-LEGAT MILICE ZORIC I RODOLJUBA COLAKOVICA, Rodoljuba Colakovica 13, tel. 663-173 • GALERIJA-LEGAT PAJE JOVANOVICA, Kralja Milana 21, tel. 3340-176 • GALERIJA-PETRA DOBROVICA, Kralja Petra 36, tel. 2622-163 • SANU GALLERY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Djure Jaksica 2, tel. 3283-490 • GALERIJA PROGRES, Knez Mihailova 22, tel. 182-626 • GALERIJA PRIRODNJACKOG MUZEJA, Mali Kalemegdan 5, tel. 328-4317 • MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART, Pariska 14, tel. 630-940 • GALERIJA STARA KAPETANIJA, Zemun, Kej oslobodjenja 8, tel. 612-023 • GALERIJA SULUJ, Terazije 26/II, tel. 685-780 • GALERIJA 73, Pozeska 83a, tel. 557-142 • GALERIJA ULUS, Knez Mihailova 37, tel. 2621-954 • GALLERY OF THE YUGOSLAV ARMY, Brace Jugovica 19, tel. 323-47-12 • GALERIJA ZADUZBINE ILIJE M. KOLARCA, Studentski Trg 5, tel. 185-794 • ZEPTER GALLERY, Kralja Petra I no.32, tel. 328-1414

THE EMBASSY OF INDIA IN BELGRADE IS PROUD TO PRESENT

MEGA FESTIVAL OF INDIAN CULTURE From November 2004 to January 2005 10th November 20.00h Indian Dance Venue- Kolarac Hall 11th November 20.00h Indian Dance Dom Omladine, Belgrade 14th November 20.00h Classical Indian Music- Johar Ali's Sargam Classical Violin&Percussion Group Venue- Kolarac Hall 1st - 15th November Exhibition & Sale of Indian Handlooms & Handcrafts Venue- Hyatt Regency Hotel 3 -14 November Food Festival Venue-Hyatt regency Hotel rd

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19th November2004- 31st January 2005 Contemporary Paintings by New Artists Venue- Museum of Jugoslav History 21st - 27th November Film Festival Venue- kinoteka

8 November 17.30h Talk on Ayurveda Dom Omladine, Belgrade

13th and 14th December Indian Puppet Show Aakar Puppet Group from Rajasthan Venue- Pinokio Puppet Theatre

8th November 19.00h Talk on Yoga Dom Omladine, Belgrade

Dolls and Photographic Exhibition Venue-National Theatre Museum, N Sad Dom Omladine, Belgrade

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The Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra Concert season 2004 - 2005 (to year’s end)

DIAGHILEV CYCLE 5th November 2004

Dorian Wilson

N. Rimsky-Korsakov: Sadko, Orchestral fantasy A. Khachaturian: Concerto-rhapsody for violoncello and orchestra I. Stravinsky: Petrouchka Soloist: Yoko Hasegawa, violoncello

POPULAR CYCLE 19th November 2004 Dorian Wilson M. Mussorgsky: Night on Bald mountain S. Prokofiev: Concerto for violin No.1 op. 19 D minor A. Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 op.

95 E minor Soloist: Chloe Hanslip, violin 10th December 2004 Mladen Jagust B.Smetana: The Bartered Bride, overture D. Shostakovich: Concerto for violin and orchestra No.2 op.

129 C sharp minor P.I.Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 op.

64 E minor Soloist: Baiba Skride, violin

VOCAL CYCLE 29th October 2004 Uros Lajovic A. Dvorak: Stabat Mater op. 58 Soloists: Suzana Savic Suvakovic, soprano, Irena Zaric, mezzosoprano, Otokar Klein, tenor, Markos Fink, bass Choir "Obilic" AKUD "Branko Krsmanovic " 26th November 2004

Karl Anton Rickenbacher

L.v.Beethoven: Coriolan overture op. 62 F. Martin: Sechs Monologe aus Jedermann G. Mahler: Symphony No. 6 A minor Soloist: Konrad Jarnot, baritone 17th December 2004 G.Verdi: Soloists:

Peter Robinson Messa da requiem Katarina Jovanovic, soprano, Jelena Vlahovic, mezzosoprano, Marius Vlad, tenor, Gustav Belacek bass Choir "Obilic" AKUD "Branko Krsmanovic "

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Belgrade Directory internet cafes in Belgrade. We have two different types of net cafes, one providing good connections for surfing, mailing and other communication, and the other dedicated to network gaming. The best central Belgrade net cafes are: PLATO - Akademski plato 1, tel: 303-0633 IPS - Makedonska 4 - 323-3344

... obtain tickets for major sporting events?

How to...

CorD's editorial staff will attempt to find and give answers to questions of current interest to our readers, so please send in your questions for future editions. In this issue, we reply to the most frequently asked questions amongst newcomers to Belgrade.

• To obtain tickets for football matches and other sporting events, call the appropriate stadiums on the following numbers: Red Star FC: 367 20 62 Partizan FC: 648 222 Belgrade FC: 750 195 Obilic FC: 417 221 Zemun FC: 612 949

... secure a parking place? ... access road and traffic information?

• AMS SCG maintains a comprehensive network covering all major road directions throughout Serbia and Montenegro, as well as all major towns and important border crossings. AMS SCG information on road and traffic in Serbia and Montenegro is sent to European automobile clubs daily. Also, traffic information and other information on touring for motorists can be obtained from AMS SCG International Alarm and Information Centre by phone, 24-hours-a-day, everyday: +381 11 9800, or via the website at: www.amsj.co.yu

... enjoy good shoping?

• If you like to spend the weekends shopping 'til you drop, we recommend the Knez Mihajlova pedestrian area between Trg Republike and Kalemegdan. In addition to many small shops and boutiques, there are also excellent shopping centres such as the CITY PASSAGE and NEW MILLENIUM centre.

If you fail to find what you desire in the central zone, cross one of Belgrade's bridges to New Belgrade, where you can find maybe the most exclusive offer in the many shops of the SAVA CENTAR or the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

- Shopping centre CITY PASSAGE, Obilicev venac. Tel: 3031-234 - Shopping centre NEW MILLENIUM, Spasicev prolaz (entry from Knez Mihajlova) - SAVA CENTAR, Milentija Popovica 9. Tel: 2139-840

... find removal companies?

• Moving can be one of the most stressful events in life. However, by being organised and by planning ahead, you can prepare yourself for a smooth move. For moving into out of or around Belgrade, you can try one of these companies. In just a few easy steps, they'll help you make your relocation a successful one! Allied Pickfords 878-7744, Interdean 380-8140, Move One 311-4221

... find a good internet cafe?

• If you don't have a good internet connection from your home or you are a tourist in need of net access, you can find many

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• Parking regulations in Belgrade are the responsibility of the Parking Service. All information about securing a parking place can be obtained from this Service by calling: 303-1707 Information about the current situation and free parking places in garages and public parking lots can be obtained from the Parking Service Info Centre by calling: 353-7537.

... fix defective telephone lines?

• "Telekom Serbia" is responsible for the repair of defects on the domestic landline telephone network - tel. 977.

All information about special services for telephone subscribers can be found via the company website: www.telekom.yu

... buy medications at any time?

• You can purchase emergency medications at the three pharmacies that are open in the city 24-hours-a-day. For some medications, of course, you may need to have a prescription. The pharmacies that are open non-stop are: "1. maj" - 9 Kralja Milana Street, tel. 324 05 33 "Sveti Sava," 2 Nemanjina Street, tel. 643 170 "Zemun" in Zemun, 34 Glavna Street, tel. 618 582

... obtain emergency medial assistance?

• If you do not yet have a local doctor or medical institution and you need urgent medical assistance or the aid of a specialist, then you should dial 94 or call the Accident and Emergency Centre: tel. 3618 444. These facilities operate 24-hours-a-day, every day. For emergency dental treatment in the city, at any time day or night, visit or call: - 15 Ivana Milutinovica Street, tel. 244 14 13 - 30 Obilicev Venac Street, tel. 635 236 Besides numerous private specialist clinics for various branches of medicine, there are also the following first-class institutes in Belgrade: - for cardiovascular problems - tel. 3617 777 - for ear, nose and throat problems - tel. 3618 444 - for neurology and neuropsychiatry - tel. 658 355 - for dermatology problems - tel. 3618 444 - for pulmonary problems - tel. 3617 777