CorD magazine 74

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AND WHAT AWAITS US Dr Tanja Miščević, Professor, Faculty of Political Sciences, Belgrade

REBEL WITH A CAUSE Biljana Srbljanović, Dramatist

SEP. ‘10 / ISSUE NO. 74

www.cordmagazine.com

STEP BY STEP TO THE EU H.E. Ms. Denise De Hauwere, Ambassador of Belgium to Serbia

interviews opinions news comments events PRICE 250 RSD NORDIC BUSINESS ALLIANCE IN SERBIA

NORDIC - SERBIAN Business Synergy

THIRTYEIGHT US BILLIONAIRES HAVE PLEDGED AT LEAST 50% OF THEIR WEALTH TO CHARITY

PHILANTHROPISTS at Their Best

OVER 800 PRIVATE SURGERIES, HOSPITALS AND CLINICS

PRIVATE CLINICS &HOSPITALS Special Edition

DEJAN ŠOŠKIĆ, GOVERNOR OF THE NATIONAL BANK OF SERBIA

TARGETING Inflation as Monetary Strategy

CorD 74 / September 2010 1

2 CorD 74 / September 2010

CorD 74 / September 2010 3

September 2010

20 VERBAL FIGHT WITH CORRUPTION

6

emanja Nenadić, N Programme Director of the nongovernmental organisation Transparency Serbia

TARGETING INFLATION AS MONETARY STRATEGY

8

Dejan Šoškić, Governor of the National Bank of Serbia

STEP BY STEP TO THE EU

12

H.E. Ms. Denise De Hauwere, Ambassador of Belgium to Serbia

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE, AND WHAT AWAITS US

16

Professor Dr. Tanja Miščević, Faculty of Political Sciences, Belgrade

SERBIA 2010: “STILL DIGGING”

20 23

Dejan Jovović, scientific adviserexpert in international finances;

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Tatjana Ostojić, tostojic@cma.rs EDITOR: Vera Didanović, v.didanovic@cma.rs ASSISTANT EDITOR: Philomena O’Brien, p.obrien@aim.rs ART DIRECTOR: Ilija Petrović, i.petrovic@aim.rs CONTRIBUTORS: Jelena Mickić, Ilija Despotović, Vojislava Vignjević, Zorana Stakić, Jelena Jovanović, Bojana Bošković, Ljubomir Đorđević

4 CorD 74 / September 2010

58

consultant to Serbia

BUSSINES NEWS

INVESMENT IN THE FUTURE

26

M.A. Branislav Simović, Regional Director and member of the International Board of Directors of ‘Mace’ Company

PHILANTHROPISTS AT THEIR BEST

30

Thirty-eight US billionaires pledge at least 50% of their wealth to charity

AMPLE OFFERING

34

elgrade as a city-break B destination

REBEL WITH A CAUSE

36 40

iljana Srbljanović, B dramatist

ontenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and M Herzegovina, Slovenia

LIFE BREAKS THE BORDERS

44

Cooperation of Ex-Yu Republics

PHOTOS: Darko Cvetanović, Časlav Vukojičić TRANSLATION: Goga Purić. Snežana Bjelotomić Editorial Manager: Tanja Banković, t.bankovic@cma.rs Project Manager: Vesna Vukajlović, v.vukajlovic@aim.rs; Marija Savić, m.savic@ aim.rs; Snežana Terzić, s.terzic@aim.rs Financial Director: Ana Besedic, a.besedic@cma.rs

46

Bosnia and Herzegovina

NOT SO REVOLUTIONARY?

58

Jovan Ćirilov, artistic director and selector of the Bitef festival

CULTURE NEWS & CALENDAR

60

NO CRISIS IN SPORT

64

IOC sponsorship deals

CULTURAL SHOCK

REGION

artin Sletzinger, former director M of the East European studies program at the Wilson Center

SERBIA PAID $1.2 BIL KOSOVO DEBT

23

General Manager: Ivan Novcic, i.novcic@cma.rs Printing: Rotografika d.o.o., Segedinski put 72, Subotica CorD is published by: alliance international media Kneginje Zorke 11b, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Phone: +(381 11) 308 99 77, 308 99 88

70

Youtube folk singer Ekrem Jević

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW

76

Restaurant review - Public Wine and Dine

WHERE THERE’S A WILL, THERE’S A WAY

82

Profile

Fax: +(381 11) 244 81 27 E-mail: cordeditorial@cma.rs www.cordmagazine.com www.allianceinternationalmedia.com ISSN no: 1451-7833 All rights reserved alliance international media 2010

This issue is audited by

ABC Serbia

CorD 74 / September 2010 5

comment

Verbal Fight with Corruption The national strategy for fighting corruption is deficient, but even as such, it could lead to serious changes, if the authorities bothered applying it

O

ver the last ten years, which I have spent dealing with matters of corruption and fighting corruption, journalists and representatives of international organisations have asked me many times whether there is a will to fight corruption in Serbia.

I must say that there is a will. If I did not believe in it, I would not be spending my time trying to make that fight more successful. It is no coincidence that before 2000, incomparably less people and organisations tackled matters of fighting corruption. No doubt, back then, there was also the need to get engaged in this area, but there was no faith that a shift in the behaviour of authorities could be influenced.

However, when one looks in the eyes of reality, beyond the observation that there is a will to fight corruption in Serbia, it is obvious that there are far less reasons for satisfaction.

The large majority of citizens and businessmen oppose corruption, condemn it and comprehend the harm it causes. They think of all its side-effects as wrong - even when they actively participate in corruption, because they do not have any other or equally efficient means at their disposal. Both common citizens and lower state officials think that political corruption is the most dangerous and wide spread form, and they easily find justification for their deviant behaviour in the problematic behaviour of the political elite. Of course, these elite neither think nor act always in the same way.

Since corruption is a serious and long-term problem, fighting it is most efficient when there is a clear plan - when it is determined where the problems lie, possible solutions are considered, the best options among them are chosen, it is determined who will be responsible for their application and there is a close inspection of the work done. Ser-

Fighting corruption is every government’s priority. However, mandate holders do not give a clear representation of what the governments are really going to do in this area and how citizens are able to measure their efficiency at the end of their mandates bia adopted the Act which refers to this matter – the National Anticorruption Strategy - as late as the end of 2005. Disregarding the fact that both the strategic plan and the later action plan are deficient - but even in that state they could have led to serious changes if only the authorities bothered applying them. Out of the predicted measures, only those which would have been put into action anyway, with or without the Strategy, have been performed. The only exception is the foundation of the Anti-corruption Agency, which started working at the beginning of this year. The application of anti-corruption measures has not been previously monitored, not even to simply meet form. The 6 CorD 74 / September 2010

Agency now has this responsibility and we shall see how it performs.

Fighting corruption is every government’s priority. However, mandate holders do not give a clear representation of what the governments are really going to do in this area and how citizens are able to measure their efficiency at the end of their mandates. In these documents, one may perhaps come across a promise that some law will be adopted or that any ‘doers’ of corrupt criminal deeds will be prosecuted - like it is not already every government’s job. Similarly meagre are the parties’ pre-election programmes, although corruption holds an important place in their campaigns and mutual accusations. Lacking precise landmarks, of course is that everyone has a point: politicians who at the end of their mandates say they fought corruption successfully because the police have arrested many wrongdoers, and some useful laws have been adopted; their opponents are also right when they point out to the fact that many wrongdoers still have not been arrested and that many laws have not been adopted.

For years, the most visible anti-corrupProgramme Director of tion activity, apart from making arrests, the non-governmental has been the foundation of independent institutions. Although there are certain organisation risks in this area, one might draw a general Transparency Serbia conclusion that the political will to apply these laws and to allow for the institutions to do their jobs without being disturbed, is way below the required level, and often below minimal level. The success of this undertaking mostly depends on chance – that is, whether a person dedicated to their job, who does not shield themselves behind the lack of jurisdictions and who knows when they are required to fight against the government’s and assembly’s obstructions with the help of the public, and who, while doing so, ‘hits’ politicians’ in their most sensitive spot (their image), is elected as head of some institution.

It does not mean that among politicians there are not any of those who sincerely want anti-corruption laws to succeed and institutions to become active. Some politicians elbowed these laws through parliamentary procedure (even under the pressure of international organisations and the local public), and some of them were willing to propose good quality candidates to run independent institutions. Still, the number and the force of those who truly stand for reforms are insufficient. That lack is especially observable in situations when the application of some anti-corruption measure threatens to seriously jeopardise the interests of parties’ sponsors, or the stability of the multi-party coalition in power. It has been shown that such coalitions often create mutual policy as a result of individual and group interests, and not of programme principles. n

By Nemanja Nenadić,

CorD 74 / September 2010 7

interview Dejan Šoškić, Governor of the National Bank of Serbia

Targeting Inflation as

Monetary Strategy

Via the gradual depreciation of the dinar, monetary policy has already created a stimulus to enforce the domestic economy’s competitiveness on both the domestic and international market. Moreover, I feel that in the future the NBS should try to avoid the appreciation of the dinar without the prior increase of the productivity and competitiveness of the Serbian economy

By Vera Didanović Photo: Darko Cvetanović

D

ejan Šoškić, a professor at the Faculty of Economics in Belgrade and an expert in financial markets, had no obvious reason for optimism when on June 28th he was elected as Governor of the National Bank of Serbia. On that day the dinar reached a historical low against the euro, and economic analysts were practically competing to state the problems the new governor was bound to face. Despite all this, and since being elected as governor, Šoškić in his public appearances has given the impression of a man who was glad to ‘pick a fight’ with new challenges. Only ten days after coming to office he received positive reviews in the media: “Šoškić prevented plunge of the dinar” was one of the headlines in a daily newspaper on August 10th, in which it was said that the Central Bank, for the first time since 2008, had to buy foreign currency to prevent excessive strengthening of the domestic currency. In his interview with CorD magazine, Šoškić explains his further plans and intentions, and what he observes as the latent dangers he, as the Governor of the NBS, will have to face.

maintaining financial stability

A

fter several weeks of information about the decrease of dinar’s value, which the NBS has been trying to prevent by selling foreign currency, the Central Bank took a contrary step – buying foreign currency for the first time in two years, in order to prevent the excessive strengthening of the dinar. What would qualify as excessive strengthening, or in other words, within what boundaries of the dinar’s fluctuations will the NBS intervene?

- By participating in the foreign-exchange market as a buyer, the NBS has just reaffirmed its consistency to the policy it has been leading, meaning that it intervenes in the foreign-exchange market to ease excessive daily course oscillations, no matter if it involves the strengthening or weakening of the dinar, and not to influence the dinar’s rate level or trend. There is not any specific level which determines the NBS’s participation in the foreign-exchange market. The NBS intervenes to prevent excessive volatility and provide financial sector stability, and its interventions depend on the expert appraisal of the concrete market situation related to the turnover volume, the market’s solvency and depth, the number of participants on the supply and demand side, trade spreads, and so on. In short, the actions of the NBS in the foreignexchange market are conditioned by its basic goal of inflation targeting and maintenance of financial stability.

n Experts in the public arena have suggested that as the Governor of the NBS, you will come across bigger temptations and pressures than your predecessor Radovan Jelašić. prices will rise 7- 11% in the current year, and 5-9% in 2011. It What are your starting points for standing up to the tempis expected that the Serbian Government will respect the agreetations which are so frequently mentioned, and where do ment, which will, without a doubt, have a positive effect on you expect the most powerful pressures to come from? meeting the targeted inflation rate. r I believe that Serbia has to significantly change its course if it wants to move out onto ‘a limb of fresh growth’. I n According to official As long as I hold the seat of Governor, would like to hear the opindata, June inflation was ions of all those who wish I will try to work according to professional 6.4%. Can you make any to contribute to the counpredictions about the fubeliefs and in the long-term interest of the ture course of the inflatry’s economic recovery.

As long as I hold the seat of tion rate? development of our economy Governor, I will try to work r The figure that you have according to professional beliefs and in the long-term interest of mentioned was in terms of the year on year increase of retail the development of our economy. prices (RPI). However, we measure inflation with consumers’ prices (CPI) as a standard international measure, and this index was lower, and in June, on the year on year level it was n You have marked the preservation of the stability of 4.2%. According to NBS projections, inflation in the forthcomprices as your basic goal. Considering the fact that it has ing period will be within the limits of the allowed target aberalready been announced that prices of bread, milk, petrol, ration. However, analyses show that we can expect an increase electrical power, gas, public transport, and public utilities in inflationary pressures, which exist in both the domestic and will increase, how do you intend to fulfil your goal? international markets, so probably one should not anticipate a r The majority of the prices you have mentioned are so-called further relaxation of monetary policy until financial investment regulated prices. The NBS, aware of the fact that the influence channels are opened further. Also, I would like to stress that the of the monetary policy on these prices is relatively small, has frozen domestic demand in the area of public sector salaries and reached an agreement with the Serbian Government that these

Inflation According to NBS projections, inflation in the forthcoming period will be within the limits of the allowed target aberration

Requests I do not expect that the executive power will make any unprincipled or unreasonable requests to the NBS

Dinar Our national currency is the dinar and it is the only legal tender, which should be respected and encouraged by everyone CorD 74 / September 2010 9

Those businessmen who cannot harmonise their incomes and their obligations in the same currency, should try to protect themselves from foreign-exchange risks as much as possible pensions is a significant shock-absorber in the preservation of the stability of prices. But in due course, if fiscal policy gives in, a more restrictive monetary policy, aimed at maintaining inflation within projected limits, will be called for. n Judging by your previous statements, Serbia should continue to have a (controlled) fluctuating dinar. Is it possible to give up that policy, and under what conditions? r I think that currently this is the best solution for Serbia, because our country does not have a strong export sector, or other permanent and abundant sources of foreign currency inflow.

The prerequisite for a shift in the current regime would be a change of economic structure in the form of a significant increase in exports, which would provide our country’s financial system with much needed and stable foreign currency inflow in the future. The alternative is to finance stability on the foreign currency market with taking on additional debt to finance foreign currency reserves, or with over restrictive monetary policy. Of course, we do not think that either of these options is a sustainable solution in the long run.

targeted limits, or a destabilisation of financial systems due to the increase of debtors’ credit risks. n One of the aggravating circumstances in relation to the mandate of Governor Jelašić is a new law under which Council members are chosen by political parties. In well organised countries, governors are ‘untouchable’, as well as judges. How do you intend to preserve independence under such conditions, especially considering the fact that the Government is entering the second half of its mandate, when it is logical to expect its resistance to unpopular measures? r The jurisdiction of the Council is clearly defined by the law on the NBS, which has increased the Council’s jurisdiction in certain areas, but not in the sense of any significant changes in the Governor-Council relationship. Personally, I do not see any ‘danger’ as suggested by your question. Let me remind you that monetary policy is not the decision of the Council, but of the Executive Board as a collective body made up of the Governor and Vice Governors. The Executive Board reaches decisions by a majority of votes, relying on independent macroeconomic analyses made by the NBS research sector. And the Council of the NBS is being elected by the Parliament in the way that each year one Council member is being elected. In that way, the Council itself is additionally protected from any short term Parliament majority. n What is the line that cannot be crossed when it comes to the possible demands of executive power? r First of all, I do not expect that the executive power will make any unprincipled or unreasonable requests to the National Bank of Serbia. What I expect is full cooperation of all institutions on common tasks. Even if there are opposing opinions on certain solutions and measures which are to be taken, collective efforts must be taken in order to promote the system’s functioning and secure economic recovery, based on the export oriented development model. The NBS has clear goals, jurisdictions and instruments defined by laws and bylaws. In its efforts to preserve the macroeconomic and financial stability of the country, there cannot be compromises.

n Do you intend, like the previous governor, to defend the course of dinar by selling foreign-exchange reserves and how much manoeuvring space do you have for such a strategy? r First of all, I would like to stress that the NBS is not defending any planned level of the exchange rate of our local currency the dinar, and that in a managed float exchange rate regime, changes for the better and worse are possible.

A gradual depreciation, which has been taking place until recently, can be stopped in two ways - by interventions from foreign-exchange reserves and by a restrictive monetary policy. In any case, artificially, the dinar would have been n Businessmen have already sent you word that a stable made a scarce commodity. Spending of foreign-exchange redinar is needed, what is your response to them? serves is often followed by r I can repeat what the a further increase of the National Bank has been We are preparing an analysis of all country’s debt, while resaying so far - those busimonetary policy transmission channels, nessmen who cannot harstrictive monetary policy might lead to lower liquidmonise their incomes and so we can determine ‘bottlenecks’ and ity in the economic system, their obligations in the suggest adequate solutions and it might push the gross same currency, should domestic product to lower try to protect themselves levels than economy’s real capacity. What we have to attempt from foreign-exchange risks as much as possible. The NBS has in the forthcoming period is to maintain a fine balance. On already started activities which should bring hedging instruthe one hand to send a clear signal that a recovery of exportments closer to their future users and get them acquainted with oriented production is possible and necessary, and on the othforeign-exchange risk protection options provided by those iner, that fluctuations do not influence the inflation-exceeding struments. In addition the NBS will engage itself with creating 10 CorD 74 / September 2010

the required regulative framework and initialising market transactions, so that the economy will apply hedging instruments in its business dealings to a greater extent than has been the case so far. To be honest, those hedging instruments are sometimes expensive, but ‘gambling’ with the exchange rate could be much more expensive. At the same time, businessmen should reduce their dependency on imported products by trying to produce them in Serbia, independently or with the cooperation with their foreign partners. n Governor Jelašić said, on leaving office, that much more could have been done on deEuroization. What are your plans in that area? r More can and must be done. The more dinars used in the financial system, the bigger and more efficient the influence of the monetary policy is. Our national currency is the dinar and it is the only legal tender, which should be respected and encouraged by everyone. What the NBS will do is to de-stimulate taking credits in foreign currency or in dinars with an indexed foreign-exchange clause, to stimulate savings in dinars, as well as to stimulate market activities which will enable a simpler foreignexchange risk control, that is to say a better application of already mentioned hedging instruments, via derivatives. In addition, the NBS will encourage primary and secondary market development for securities denominated in dinars.

It should be expected that the Serbian Government will respect the agreement, which will, without a doubt, have a positive effect on meeting the targeted inflation rate with some measures to ease the selling of government securities, without exposing it to foreign-exchange risk, and will engage itself in boosting a secondary market of dinar securities.

There is a lot of work in a lot of areas which can and has to be improved so to, above all, help investments and the export orientation of the Serbian economy. n Do you agree with the opinion of Minister Mlađan Dinkić that the only way out of the crisis is bigger expenditure? r The sustainable development model for Serbia calls for growth through exports. That obviously more difficult road ahead is the only viable solution to our structural problems. It is important to succeed in increasing competitiveness of our companies on both domestic and international markets and especially to boost the areas of so called tradable goods in the structure of our GDP. I feel that we should stay true to our strategy to first secure the growth of gross domestic product in this way, and then to increase domestic expenditure via higher salaries and pension cheques. I believe we cannot spend more before we raise investments and increase our export oriented production.

n You have announced the continuation of cooperation with state institutions with the aim of changing the country’s economic structure. What can the NBS concretely do in that field? n Where will your office be, and will the NBS keep its premises in Kralja Petra Street? r The NBS can make the biggest contribution by maintaining macroeconomic stability and the stability of the financial system, r The Governor’s Office is in the building in Kralja Petra Street, which it does in accordance with its legally-set goals. By adoptwhich was purpose-built for the needs of the National Bank of ing inflation targeting as its basic Serbia, and the National Bank has strategy, monetary policy has already always used it.

I believe that Serbia has to created a stimulus to enforce the domestic economy’s competitive ability significantly change its course n You are a native of Belgrade, on both the domestic and foreign maryou were born and schooled if it wants to move out onto ‘a here, and you have many friends ket, via the gradual depreciation of the dinar. Moreover, I feel that in the here. Your predecessors used relimb of fresh growt’ future the NBS should try not to allax at his family farm, how do low the appreciation of dinar without you spend weekends? prior increase of the productivity and competitiveness of Serbian I like nature and I often spend time at my country house. I like economy. We are also preparing an analysis of all monetary polirivers, and when I have time, I relax with my friends or family cy transmission channels, so we can determine ‘bottlenecks’ and on the Sava and Danube. I enjoy water activities which allow a suggest adequate solutions. Also, the NBS will present the state man to ‘stretch’ both the body and the mind.

■ CorD 74 / September 2010 11

interview H.E. Ms. Denise De Hauwere, Ambassador of Belgium to Serbia

step by step to the EU

When Serbia started its European integration process a few years ago, well-specified criteria were established for each phase in this process, and each time Serbia fulfils these criteria, it can access the next step

By Vera Didanović Photo: Darko Cvetanović

W

hen she arrived in Belgrade in 2006, H. E. Ms. Denise De Hauwere became the Ambassador of Belgium to Serbia.

A few months later, the country went through the process of division with Montenegro, and Belgrade became the capital of Serbia.

Once again the discussion of a country’s division is on the agenda - this time the country at stake is Belgium where, after the elections on June 13th, Flemish separatists have substantially strengthened their position. This is the motivation for CorD magazine’s interview with H.E. De Hauwere, in which she discusses the plans of Belgium associated with its six-month presidency over the EU, relations between Serbia and Belgium, and other topics, with questions relating to the destiny of the country from where the Ambassador originates.

12 CorD 74 / September 2010

n After the elections, the leading Belgian-French lan-

guage daily newspaper Soar asked the question “What will Belgium become after the 13th of June?” What is your answer to that question? r When Belgium was created, in 1830, it was a country with a centralised government. Since then, we have changed our constitution several times, and Belgium has slowly become one of the most federalised states in the world. We did this without taking up arms, without violence, but we discussed a lot amongst ourselves, sometimes we even quarrelled, but always only verbally. We always reach a compromise, always through dialogue, and every time it has turned out to be a new step forward together. This is the Belgian way of living together and we are very proud that we can achieve this peacefully. n Initial doubts about the ability of Belgium to chair

the EU were withdrawn after the presentation of its programme for the six-month presidency. What will, in

your opinion, be the main characteristics of the Belgian presidency of the Union? r Belgium has the presidency of the European Union at a crucial stage in the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty which partially changes the European institutional architecture and therefore also the way in which we work. As one of the founding fathers of the EU, Belgium will do all it can to make the new European institutional machinery work, so that the EU will remain the most important regional organisation in the world and one of the main actors for peace and stability.

On top of this, the present economic environment is extremely difficult. Therefore the Belgian Presidency will make great efforts to fight the economic crisis, to strengthen the stability of the Eurozone and to restore budgetary discipline within the EU, so that confidence will be restored.

Concerning the external relations of the EU, the Belgian presidency will be characterised by its neutral role as an honest broker. This means that Belgium will use its experiences in national political compromise to act as mediator within the EU. The Belgian presidency will not push its own agenda but will strive for consensus amongst the 27 member states.

At the moment a few companies are already quite a way into in their investment projects in Serbia.

These include projects in wind energy, renewable energy through the use of biomass, mining, and in medicinal plants, to name but a few

n In Belgrade, there are opinions that the Belgian presi-

dency could slow the European integration of Serbia. Is there any reason for such fears? r Belgium fully subscribes to the European perspective for all countries in the Balkans, including Serbia. As the Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Steven Vanackere, said in Sarajevo on June 2nd: this is a historical moment to maintain the momentum for further stabilisation and European integration of the region. Together with its EU partners, Belgium encourages all Western Balkan countries to continue to improve their regional cooperation and to use all the instruments at their disposal, particularly those in the framework of the Stabilisation and Association process.

For Serbia, the important progress in recent months has been successively rewarded by the coming into force of the interim agreement and the start of the ratification of the Association and Stabilization Agreement, as well as with visa liberation. Significant steps have been taken, for example the adoption by the Serbian Parliament of the declaration on Srebrenica, but more still needs to be done, including by way of increased cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

n Why is Belgium opposed to the approval of the rati-

fication of the Agreement on Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) of Serbia in the EU, and the beginning of the process of Serbia acquiring the status of candidate, taking place on the same day? r Upon the unanimous decision of the Council of Ministers of the EU in June to go ahead with the ratification of the SAA, the ratification procedure in Belgium has started. This was an important achievement for Serbia. You must bear in mind that European integration is a slow process, with its own specific procedures and phases that develop step by step. All member states that recently joined the EU, will confirm that this process is slow and sometimes painful, but they will also tell you that in the end they were all satisfied with its outcome. Each country has its individual fate in its own hands and will only progress on the basis of its own merits.

When Serbia started its European integration process a few years ago, well specified criteria were established for each phase in this process, and every time Serbia fulfils these criteria, it can access the next step. Belgium encourages Ser-

P r o g r ess

P e r spec t ive

M edi a t o r

Each country has its individual fate in its own hands and will only progress on the basis of its own merits

Belgium fully subscribes to the European perspective for all countries in the Balkans, including Serbia

Belgium will use its experiences in national political compromise to act as mediator within the EU CorD 74 / September 2010 13

Some Belgian companies are willing to invest in Serbia, but the realisation of these projects goes very slowly as often procedures in Serbia are not transparent, or in some fields – like for example new technologies like green energy – legislation is still lacking bia to stay the course of recent years, both in terms of internal reforms and intensified cooperation with the ICTY. This path which has already benefitted Serbian citizens is also the path leading towards European integration. n In your opinion does the decision

of the International Court of Justice on Kosovo’s independence, and the reaction of Belgrade, affect the further European integration of Serbia? Will the EU insist that the Kosovo issue be resolved before continuing the integration of Serbia? r The European Union is closely monitoring Serbia’s reactions to the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on Kosovo’s independence declaration. It is of the utmost importance to keep peace and stability in the Balkans. Belgium hopes that Serbia’s attitude will be a wise and moderate one, and that all involved parties will react constructively. It is necessary for Serbia to enhance good relations and cooperation with all countries in the region and thus a modus vivendi in its relations with Kosovo. n How do you rate the political and economic relations

had strong economic ties, since the middle of the 19th century, although in the last decades this has come to a standstill. Lately relations have been picking up again, but there is still room for improvement. I’m happy to say that Belgian companies are increasingly interested in doing business with Serbia. Some Belgian companies are also willing to invest in Serbia, but the realisation of these projects goes very slowly as often procedures in Serbia are not transparent, or in some fields – like for example new technologies like green energy – legislation is still lacking. Still, the number of Belgian companies has increased lately and we have even set up a Belgian-Serbian business association. n The arrival of the Belgian company Delhaize on the Serbian market has been announced.

Do you know if the business plans of Delhaize in Serbia are for the long term? There have been estimations that Delhaize could possibly sell Delta Maxi soon after buying it? r Mr. Miskovic of Delta Holdings himself has publicly announced that he is in negotiations with a number of foreign companies, amongst others with Delhaize. Of course I do hope that these negotiations will end in favour of Delhaize, and I would applaud its arrival on the Serbian market. If that does happen, I am convinced that it would be in Delhaize’s intentions and interest to stay in Serbia for the long term, and that Delhaize would be a very reliable business partner.

n Are there are any indications of the arrival of other of Belgium and Serbia? Do you see room for improveBelgian companies on to the Serbian market? ment in these relations and in what areas? r Delhaize is a big company, but the Belgian economy is structured in pretty much the same way as the Serbian econr Our political relations are excellent and cordial. Quite a omy: in Belgium, like in Serbia, most of the companies are number of high level visits took place last year: the President small or medium-sized. So when some of them arrive in Serof the Belgian parliament came to Belgrade, so did our Prime bia, or have plans to invest, this in general does not attract Minister as well as our Minister of Foreign Affairs. Only as much attention in the press. Yet, they are the backbone of recently as last month did your President go to Belgium on our economic relations! At the moment a few companies are an official bilateral visit, accompanied by Vice-Prime Minalready quite a way into their investment projects in Serbia. ister Djelic and your Minister of Foreign Affairs. Also, for These include projects in wind energy, renewable energy the first time in many years, political consultations on a high through the use of biomass, mining, and in medicinal plants, level of officials have again started and three of them have alto name but a few. There is also ready taken place. A number of You must bear in mind that the new industrial zone of Smeimportant bilateral agreements derevo which apparently has athave been signed. The Serbian European integration is a slow tracted the attention of a few comand Belgian police and justices panies in Belgium – let’s see what cooperate closely and to each process, with its own specific will come out of this! I am quite other’s satisfaction. procedures and phases that optimistic that our business relaOn the economic field Beltions are in an upward trend. ■ gium and Serbia have always develop step by step 14 CorD 74 / September 2010

Belgrade 23rd September, 2010 Continental Hotel Belgrade

The Internet NewS Evolution

&

Key lecturer Steve Herrmann, Head of BBC Online News, will share his knowledge and experience gained managing one of the world’s top news websites - “News Website Content” The seminar will be held in front of more than 200 pre-booked attendees in addition to several hundred others who will use live online streaming.

Seminar agenda “News website content in Serbia”, Aleksandar Mitić, Director of the Web Journalism School, Journalist Association of Serbia “Building a website”, Dejan Restak, Director of Business Development Wireless Media, and long-time director of www.b92.net “Attracting investors”, Jovan Protić, Director of Ringier Online “Ensuring sustainability”, Vladimir Aranđelović, Digital Account Manager, Direct Media “Web auditing”, Ana Novčić, Director of ABC Serbia “Providing continuous income”, Bojan Rendulić, Director of FastBridge “Youth and New Media 2010 Survey”, Jasna Milošević-Đorđević, Media Research Director, Ipsos

Thanks to the generous support of USAID and IREX, this seminar is free of charge for all invited parties.

CorD 74 / September 2010 15

comment Dr Tanja miščević: 10 Years of the European Integration Process in Serbia

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE

And What Awaits Us

Accomplishing membership in the EU can be divided into five steps, and we are only at step one. Still, when we look at what has been done at the internal reforms level, the results are much more positive: Serbia is not what it was at the end of 2000!

By Professor Dr. Tanja Miščević Faculty of Political Sciences, Belgrade

O

ctober this year marks ten years since Serbia, then a federal unit of the SRJ, became part of the just founded Stabilization and Association Process, a new policy of the EU for countries in the Western Balkans region. This approach was primarily to enable the Union to become acquainted with these countries, just out of war conflicts, civil riots and international interventions, and then to help them stabilise, commence reform processes and someday become members of the EU.

Certainly, that is why ones first impression after reading the title of this article may be - a whole decade, yet we haven’t moved very far! It is becoming obvious to us that Serbia is at the back of the line for the European integration process in the Western Balkans region - and Croatia leads the pack. Macedonia is ready to start negotiations; Montenegro and Albania are ready to get candidate status...Serbia was the last one to enter the process, and over the years it has been constantly facing significant inner political problems, which caused it not to move faster towards the EU, despite its capacities. A big burden for Serbia during all these years has been status issues (the formation of the state union and the dysfunctionality of relations between Serbia and Montenegro, the question of Kosovo and Metohija) which took a lot of time and political capacities away from the European integration process. So it comes as no surprise that in such conditions, the political elite failed to reach the right consensus for this process. Not only that - Serbia had its Prime Minister killed, election processes almost never stop, and as if this wasn’t enough, we are feeling the powerful effect of the global economic crisis.

But, nothing is black-and-white in life, and the same goes

16 CorD 74 / September 2010

for the claim about the sluggishness of the European integration process. The problem with it is the way we look at it. If we observe it as Serbia moving closer to EU membership, then the results cannot be positive: on the way to the EU, we have to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement, to gain candidate status, to commence membership negotiations, and finally to sign the EU Association agreement.

Accomplishing membership in the EU can be divided into five steps, and we are only at step one.

If we observe Serbia’s European integration as accomplishing inner reforms which will change the economy, law and society, thus reaching the position of a normal, developed, stable and progressive country which can function without any problems within the EU (which is basically what this is all about), the results are much more positive.

Serbia is not what it was at the end of 2000! Unfortunately, it is not perceivable at first glance - an ordinary man would not even see it - and more detailed analyses are needed to identify the changes. Also, an additional problem is the impression that the changes are partial, incomplete, or have been started with the intention of them never being completed.

Positive aspects

Let us try to clarify the positive side of Serbia’s European integrations. From a state of totalitarian regime, a ruined economy and low standards, Serbia should be transformed into a society with stable economic institutions which rest on the rule of law principle, with a market economy in which competitiveness is the basic postulate, via the European integrations process. At the same time, these are requirements which need to be fulfilled for EU membership. This can be primarily accomplished by creating legislative, legal framework, then enacting (coming to power) and applying the adopted laws (the possibility for people to protect their rights guaranteed by the legal framework before courts) - this is called the harmonisation process, or harmonisation with the EU law. This process in Serbia was started in 2003, voluntarily, as a country is not obliged to do so until they start applying for the Stabilization and Association Agreement (do not forget, this happened only in February 2009!). From then on, each year, the Serbian Government has been developing its Harmonisation Action Plan, which annually has about 40 laws in various areas, mostly the economy, finances, trade, services, agriculture, as these are the areas where harmonisation takes place first.

Unfortunately, the level of completion of these plans has not been great - in five years, which is how long these plans have been made, there has never been more than 10 laws adopted in any year. But, to be completely precise, these are systematic laws we are talking about, such as the foreign trade law

Membership in the EU should be a mere confirmation that Serbia has done its job and became a progressive and stable European country (needed for filtration into global economic ways), competition law (fighting against monopolies), law for passports (necessary for the cancellation of visas), the Ombudsman law (human rights protection). Of course, one should not forget that Serbia enacted a new Constitution in 2006, which was necessary for its constitutionalisation - but the objections to some of its solutions (e.g. owning mandates, independence of holders of judicial functions) must not be disregarded.

Exactly for the purpose of fixing that low score (below 30%) of adopting laws necessary for harmonisation, in 2007 the National Integrations programme was adopted, as a long-term strategy of how to fulfil all the obligations in the European integration process by 2012. This plan contains a clear list of the necessary laws, divided by years, the necessary institutions which must be created for the application of those laws, as well as the funds which have to be appropriated. It started very well with the application of this plan - the application rate in the first two years was never under 60%, which resulted in some very important laws and institutions. These include alternations in the competition law, the National Integrity Agency, safety in traffic, quality control of products, and information, to a large number of laws which regulate matters of environmental protection and the rounding up of security sector reforms. Extraordinary success was accomplished with the legislative activity which followed fulfilment of the conditions which put Serbia on the White Schengen list and the cancellation of visas for its citizens.

‘European’ laws

It is difficult to name all those laws which can be classified among those considered to be ‘European’ laws, adopted in 2003, with the purpose of harmonisation with EU standards. One should certainly stress the significance of adopting laws on such areas as consumer protection, on financial services and the securities market, customs laws, laws on mediation and banking services. Also, EU standards have been brought to Serbia by laws covering broadcasting, the Ombudsman, the prevention of money laundering, health protection and insurance, the ban on discrimination, equality of the sexes, higher education, accounting and revision, restoration of church property, and asylum. One should certainly mention laws adopted due to the new Constitution: the law on local administration What Serbia really needs is to speed-up the and local elections, territorial organisation and European integration process, and thus speed- capitol, court structure, judges, the Prosecutor’s Office, High Judicial Council and the State up the process of inner reform and change Prosecutors Council. Before the Stabilization CorD 74 / September 2010 17

and Association Agreement came to power, laws which are What next an important element of its application were adopted includThere are three basic conclusions which can be drawn ing laws for veterinarian medicine, standardisation, food from the 10-year-long process of Serbia’s European integrasafety, cattle breeding, brandy, wine, state help control, and tion. The first one applies to the fact that although this procstatistics. In the fight against organised crime, corruption, as ess lasts for such a long time, we actually do not know much well as in the matter of national security, a legislative frameabout it. The lack of knowledge and understanding of this work has been created and harmonised by the adoption of the movement is high, not only among citizens, but also among money laundering and terrorism prevention act, deprivation the political elite. This can be observed among citizens by of property gained by criminal activities, secrecy of informaway of public polls - although 64% say they support EU tion, protection of state borders, foreigners, conflict of intermembership, more than a half do not want to change, work ests prevention, the military and defence law, and the law on on themselves, study and try to make themselves competiforeign politics. One should not neglect to mention the adoptive. What this really means is that we are not ready to use the tion of the environmental protection law, nature and air proopportunity given to us by joining a huge market - the EU. tection, water, energetics, tourism, and many other laws.

When it comes to the political elite, there is a high level of However, it is not only the number of laws being adoptlack of knowledge about the EU and the terms for membered which counts - of more importance and significance is ship to it create the situation that every day we are surprised the way in which these laws are applied and give us, as by new requirements. There are no new requirements. The citizens, the opportunity to call upon them. Unfortunately, criteria is the same for everybody, but we have to observe there are too many examples of there being no progress in them out of those considered to be political requirements this area, especially when you can hear us say “our laws are then we would see that standards have to be brought into all fine, but they are not put to into action”. It seems that there the areas where the state works - not only at the central levis no prevalent awareness that this is the only true measure el, but also at local and regional levels, from the economy, of our success, not only of our way toward the EU, but alhealth-care and social politics, to industry, the environment so of the changes in Serbia. It is neither a good nor serious and safety policy. It is necessary to create awareness about approach to reform if our recently-adopted laws are being these requirements as soon as possible, so as to understand checked in the Supreme Court and fail there, if they are althem and to comprehend the volume of work required - huntered so that they lose their point and change the standard dreds of new laws and thousands of subordinate regulations according to which they were created, or if independent orwhich Serbia needs in order to function normally are waiting. ganisations have serious remarks on their adoption. All that Also, we must understand why we need these new laws - not as a consequence causes a negative attitude of both the EU only because of our EU membership, but primarily because and citizens of Serbia: the EU gives a bad rating to the reforms Steps toward EU Explanation Dates process and thus the (already membership slow) process becomes slower, Signing the SAA Through the period of transition, limited to six April 28th, 2008 while citizens have less faith in years, a free trade zone between the EU and state institutions.

Serbia is created, and the country is prepared for membership

Serbia was the last one to enter the process, and over the years it has been constantly facing significant inner political problems, which caused it not to move faster towards the EU, despite its capacities 18 CorD 74 / September 2010

Enactment of the SAA

After ratification in all 27 member-countries of the EU and Serbia, the Agreement is enacted, which is necessary for the beginning of membership negotiations

Serbia ratified the SAA in September, 2008 and so far three EU members have done the same

Winning candidate status

After a positive opinion from the European Commission based on Serbia’s answers to a questionnaire, the Council of Ministers recommends, and the Council of Europe grants Serbia the status of ‘candidate- country’

On December 22nd, 2009 Serbia applied for membership, which still has not been considered by the EU

Commencement of membership negotiations

Negotiations are held in 35 areas of EU law- requirements from each of these areas will need to be fulfilled

Concluding the as- Anything agreed during the negotiations is sociation agreewritten down in this agreement and reprement sents the terms under which Serbia becomes a member of the EU Joining the EU

After ratification of the association agreement by all member-countries of the EU and Serbia, a referendum is needed for its ratification!

not for a moment, think that this speedof ourselves, to allow us to have a more ing-up of reforms, that is to say of the normal life. Who of us would have anEuropean integration process, will be ything against living in a country where easy. It will still be the object of politdiscrimination is outlawed, where instiical negotiations and different conceptutions do their jobs, and we trust them tions, misunderstandings and problems, completely and go to them when we need both from our side, and the EU side, eshelp, and where there is no monopoly or pecially because in the next phase of our corruption? Those are all EU standards, reforms and getting closer to EU memwhich we must embrace as our own - not bership, things will become much more because of the EU, but because of ourcomplicated and harder to achieve. In selves. However, we cannot do that withconclusion then, all the areas in which out the EU, not because we are Serbia, the state functions, must be harmonised but because we, like any other country in with EU rules and at the same time, we the process of transition, need their help. must continue fulfilling obligations, conThe second important conclusion tinue reforms and even enforce them. It is the necessity of existence of political is not impossible, but it is rather all-enwill for the European integration process. compassing, difficult and demands a lot There are two examples which demonof work. strate how significant this is for the proExperiences of the countries who motion of the European integrations prochave been down this road before us ess. One is cooperation with the Tribunal show that the decision about association in The Hague, and the other is visa liberalisation. For a long, long time, the requirement of cooperation was a problem for Serbia. One of those problems which It is neither a good nor serious approach to reform has significantly slowed down its integraif our recently-adopted laws are being checked in the tion process - the end of that cooperation is still a requirement, but there is not a sin- Supreme Court and fail there, if they are altered so that gle person who can say that Serbia is not they lose their point and change the standard according to cooperating with The Hague. On the contrary, its good cooperation in the exchange which they were created, or if independent organisations of documents and witnesses availabilihave serious remarks on their adoption ty now serves as example to the countries that are way ahead of us in the European is always a political decision, but that the Union’s response integration process. The other example is achieving the visawill always be positive and that it will be opened toward the free regime. This experience showed us that when a clear pocountry who does well with its internal work meeting the crilitical interest (cancellation of visas) is seen, there is a clear teria. We do not have to mention that the countries that join consensus that the work has to be done, so the position and the the EU more readily will use this position to protect their opposition come to agreement over it, and then it is possible own interests in the best possible way, which is not applicato do in few months what took years in the past! The concluble to those countries who are just adjusting to the surroundsion is that nothing can be done regarding such a complex and ing developed countries. Such messages are being constantall-comprising job if there is no will, no consensus of the poly sent from European officials - the question is whether the litical elite, which comes from the national consensus of cititime has come to get and use them in a good way? ■zens who say they want to see Serbia in the European Union.

Finally, the European Union integration process should not be seen only as a goal per se, but also as a means of acThree conclusions complishing inner peace and stability, strengthening democracy and the rule of law, economic prosperity and general 1. A high level of lack of knowledge and of understanding of the progress in the country. Membership in the EU should be a processes and movements of European integration - both with mere confirmation that Serbia has done its job and became a citizens and the political elite progressive and stable European country, over which hope2. The significance of the existence of political will for the fully there is a political consensus. That is why what Serbia European integration process really needs is to speed-up the European integration process, 3. The integration process is not a goal, but a means for accomplishand thus speed-up the process of inner reform and change. ing inner peace and stability, strengthening democracy and the rule But, even if we observe things in this way, we must never, of law, economic prosperity and general progress in the country.

CorD 74 / September 2010 19

comment FEATURE TOPIC: KOSOVO

Serbia 2010:

”Still Digging” Instead of insisting on the highly unlikely proposition that Kosovo remain physically part of Serbia, a nuanced policy might have saved the day and might still

By Martin Sletzinger

T

here is a folk saying in the Balkans which seeks to encapsulate the centuries of frustrations the Balkan peoples have labored under for 500 or more years, first under the Ottoman Empire, then as part of a new Yugoslav state created in the aftermath of World War I and finally under the Communists and their successors. The saying goes something like this “We have reached rock bottom, but we continue to dig.” In other words, no matter how bad things are they can still get worse.

How we got into this mess

In this same vein, the post-Yugoslav Serbian flag contains the old Serbian insignia, a Cyrillic “S” in each quadrant of a cross which is supposed to stand for “only unity can save the Serbs” with each “S” depicting a Serbian word or phrase. A proud and staunch position, yet unfortunately seldom if ever practiced in Serbian history. And it has often seemed that the greater the tragedy or the challenge confronting the Serbian nation, as for instance now, it seems this necessary unity is in even shorter supply. Of course, all of Serbia’s problems are not of its own making; it has had a good deal of help from former “friends” and traditional opponents.

Yet it must be admitted that Serbia has seldom been in such dire straits, so isolated as it is now in the wake of the recent nonbinding, advisory decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to find that Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence (UDI) is in accordance with international law. This comes after a full court diplomatic press led by the Serbian foreign minister to convince the court and wavering UN members that the UDI was in 20 CorD 74 / September 2010

(The author was the Director of the East European studies program at the Wilson Center from 1999-2009. Prior to this he was a Fulbright student in Yugoslavia and then worked in Congress for 22 years as a specialist on Russian, East European and Balkan issues) violation of international law. The minister and his team must have logged hundreds of thousands of frequent flyer miles and even more Serbian taxpayer money in what turned out to be a quixotic and hopeless quest. Yet another diplomatic and political failure to place alongside Serbia’s continued exclusion from the EU. To the outside observer it would seem the Serbian leadership has been shooting itself in the foot (if not higher) ever since the debacle of the collapse of the former Yugoslavia in 1991 and the subsequent bloody wars of secession.

Because of the bloody and violent Serbian reactions to the secessions of Croatia and Bosnia – both with sizeable Serb minorities who had suffered greatly and died in the tens, even hundreds of thousands in World War II only about 50 years earlier - the United States and its leading NATO partners Great Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands and others immediately labeled the Serbs as aggressors and blamed them as the main cause of the violations and killing. The allies and Western public were horrified at the violent ethnic cleansing of Muslim Bosnians, from the Drina valley, the siege of Sarajevo witnessed daily by the international press corps and the murder of 6000 Muslim men and children in and around Srebrenica, just to mention some of the worst offenses.

Despite these actions, the US and its friends should have known better. Nothing in the Balkans is ever so clear-cut or simple. Unlike in World War II, in the early 1990s the shoe was on the other foot. This time it was the Serbs doing most of the killing and destruction. Arguably, the Serbs of the old Yugoslavia had every right to be upset and frightened with the collapse of Tito’s Yugoslavia; after all Serbs did comprise 40% of the popu-

lation of that country and had done by far the most in terms of blood fighting and diplomacy to help create a new Yugoslavia after World War II. In other words, they had by far the most to lose in a disintegrating Yugoslavia and reacted accordingly.

Due to the rantings, lying, and general mendacity of Serb leader Slobodan Milosevic, and many of the unsavory personalities around him, the international community led by the US found it easy to take a black and white, simplistic view of these inter-ethnic conflicts. Unfortunately, this simplistic view continues to infect US policy in the Balkans to this day, spanning three different presidential administrations from both parties. This US anti-Serb bias, coupled with a clear preference and support for the Kosovar Albanians and the Bosnian Muslims has helped to divide world wide opinion on Balkan issues and has immersed the US and its allies in difficult nation-building exercises in Kosovo and Bosnia for the simple reason that neither of these two entities ever existed as self-governing polities within their own borders in the entire history of Europe since the early Middle Ages i.e. before Islam was in the picture.

The US and its friends without wanting to admit it have burdened themselves with difficult nation-building projects in Kosovo and Bosnia which are still continuing to this day 15 years after the Dayton peace agreement ended the Bosnian war. Only now have the Balkans been forced into the background by even larger and more complex nation-building burdens in Iraq and Afghanistan.

As observers of post-Milosevic Serbia know all too well, his demise at The Hague tribunal did not usher in a period of sweetness and light in Serbia. The Serbian political spectrum continued to run the full gamut from left to right with quite a few snake oil salesmen, as only the Balkans can produce them, in

between. Most importantly, the post-Milosevic leadership failed to reach consensus on the most important and pressing goals and challenges confronting Serbia. Such consensus on these critical issues still does not exist in the year 2010. This is the core of Serbia’s problems and none of this can be blamed on anyone or any people but themselves. Ironically, the only issue upon which most Serb leaders can unify is the proposition that Kosovo must always be part of Serbia, and that unfortunately for the Serbs, is not going to happen on the ground.

The political spectrum today has many divisions but is essentially divided between those, more European looking, who see eventual membership in Euro-Atlantic institutions, especially the EU, as the savior of Serbia. Others, while not rejecting the Europe option, insist that first Serbia needs to clarify and control its own history and borders, in the first place Kosovo and in the second the Republika Srpska in Bosnia.

Virtually the entire leadership has joined hands in insisting that despite former Finnish president Ahtisaari’s plan for stabilising Kosovo, the UDI and the recent ICJ position, Kosovo has always been and always will be part of Serbia. There has been little or no public debate on this issue and such concerns, according to the more nationalistic leaders, are more critically important for Serbia than even EU or NATO membership.

The upshot of this collective delusion is that not a single credible Serbian leader has yet dared to come forth with the real-life observation that Kosovo is already lost. Much of the Serbian population buys into this delusion because it wants to believe it, but in the end analysis, truth be told they really don’t care all that much about Kosovo.

It didn’t have to be this way. Instead of insisting on the highly

CorD 74 / September 2010 21

and optimism, but at least as much evidence points to continuing problems. Serbia remains isolated, without close friends who can offer substantive help, and who are willing to effectively champion Serbia’s continued efforts to enter the EU. Serbia’s EU efforts still remain thwarted, or delayed in large part because of its continued failure to abide by the demands of The Hague court and to turn over the remaining two fugitives, especially General Ratko Mladic.

In addition to this, the new slimmed-down Serbia hardly, geographically or strategically, can maintain and sustain the kind unlikely proposition that Kosovo remain physically part of Serbia, of international attention and interest of that enjoyed by its preda nuanced policy might have saved the day and might still. Such ecessor, Tito’s Yugoslavia. On another front, with the departure a policy would entail insistence that Kosovo has always been an of Montenegro, Serbia does not even have direct access to the integral part of Serbia, in fact its historic hub. Added to this would sea. It will have to settle, like Hungary, to being a riparian state be the fact that this sentiment is enshrined in the new Serbian cononly, but the Danube, large as it is, is a poor substitute for the stitution, and therefore makes it necessary for Serbs everywhere Adriatic and the Mediterranean. to give real support to the tens of thousands of Serbs who still live This relative and unaccustomed diminution of status for Serin Kosovo. Finally, links between Serbia and Kosovo must rebia is compelling. The Serbs are a very proud people. They esmain strong due to the presence of hundreds of Serbian churches tablished an early medieval empire based around Kosovo and and monuments, many of them protected by UNESCO. over the centuries have stood up to nearly every great empire These practical facts taken together and artfully integrated by with which it has been confronted. Most recently, it withstood a brave and talented politician could have given at least many of nearly three months of continual, unilateral bombing by the US the Serbian people the strong sense and inspiration that Serbia and NATO over Kosovo. has a vital role to play and in fact still belongs in many ways in This is not the history of a weak-kneed people, but of an Kosovo, despite demographics which put the Serbs at less than ambitious, hard-nosed people that need to be taken seriously.

10% of the population.

Serbia remains, even without Kosovo, the single largest nation But no one in Serbia’s leadership has seen fit, or had the courin the Balkans and as has been stated many times, there will age to admit such things out loud. It is reputed to be bad for the be no stability and security in the Balkans unless the legitimate health, both politically and existentially. And so, the process conconcerns of Serbs are addressed. tinues with Serbia still insisting on the maximalist positions and And here is where there can be a light at the end of the tunnel. on the unobtainable. As a for instance, US intelligence, back in With the US and the international community working arm in 1998, reported that Serbia had already lost control of 60% of Koarm and continuing to serve on the ground in Bosnia and Kossovo to the KLA, and this was prior to the NATO bombing which ovo, by and large in an even-handed and positive manner, Serbia followed a year later. After the NATO bombing, the UN and the has the opportunity of transforming into a more moderate, soEU together with the US have tried mightily to do what they can ber, and helpful position on both Kosovo and Bosnia. to make Kosovo look, act, and operate like a real self-governing In the same vein, instead of taking the maximalist and inflexcountry, a task which has turned out to be a tall order indeed. ible line on Kosovo, Serbia should agree to negotiate directly Serbia’s stubborn insistence of its control of Kosovo has irwith the Kosovar government on a whole range of political, ecoritated many in the international community, most ominously nomic, and cultural issues under international supervision. Just for Serbia most of the European Union, and has increased its about anything can be on the agenda, but it will have to be unisolation backed only by a few EU members with important miderstood that practical issues linking the two states such as econority issues of their own and the large nations of Russia, China, nomic ties, minority rights and education would be tackled first. and India which themselves face nightmares of possible ethnic More contentious issues such as border demarcations, the right chaos, but frankly have little of substance to offer Serbia besides of secession, and the status of predominately Serbian Northern vetoes in the UN Security Council.

Mitrovica could be furthered in special negotiating sessions, but All this points to the impornot allowed to block cooperation tance of the Serbian leadership in concrete, daily lives.

Not a single credible Serbian of breaking through this repeated One could well argue that Sercycle of demands on Kosovo and leader has yet dared to come forth bia and Kosovo are best rid of each to rise above long-held political other but must establish at least a differences for the national good with the real-life observation that modicum of real, concrete, everyand for the national interest in day cooperation as countries that Kosovo is already lost such times of crisis. It will take a will be living next to each other person or group of persons of exfor a long, long time. This will be traordinary good will and foresight to convince Serbia that its what the European Union wants and the region needs. current relative isolation on Kosovo (and even Bosnia) must end By cooperating on simpler, everyday issues which involve and that Serbia must join the community of European nations virtually daily contact both sides could gain a healthy respect which most agree provides the best possible future for Serbia. for each other’s position, and for Serbia in particular such negotiations could serve to demonstrate its new-found flexibility Finally: Time to Stop Digging and cooperative spirit and hence help advance the all-important As we review Serbia’s situation today in early September talks towards EU membership. For Serbia, there is nothing more 2010 we can see that it is not too good. There is cause for hope to lose, only to win. Rock bottom can be finally left far behind.

It will take a person or group of persons of extraordinary good will and foresight to convince Serbia that its current relative isolation on Kosovo (and even Bosnia) must end and that Serbia must join the community of European nations

22 CorD 74 / September 2010

comment Economic Cooperation Serbia- Kosovo

Serbia paid $1.2 bil Kosovo debt The attitude of the Serbian Government is to respect the clauses of the CEFTA Agreement which was signed by UNMIK, in the name of Kosovo, as a customs territory

By Dr Dejan Jovović (The author is scientific adviser-expert in international finances; consultant to Serbia’s Chamber of Commerce’s bureau for regional cooperation)

I

n the last 11 years Kosovo and Metohija (KiM) have been under international protection. After the NATO bombing of FR Yugoslavia in 1999, KiM has been under UN (UNMIK) administration. According to the 1244 Resolution of UN SC from June 10th 1999, KiM is a part of Serbia, but under UN control. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of FR Yugoslavia (that is to say, its legal descendant Republic of Serbia) have been preserved, but Serbian authority over the province has been suspended. The resolution established mechanisms for the actions of UNMIK and KFOR, as well as for EULEX at the end of 2008.

The economy of KiM is characterised by highly liberalised trade, firm monetary politics, a low inflation rate and the euro as the de facto domestic currency (the dinar is used in areas populated by Serbs). Agricultural production has been significantly increased; the most apparent increase being in the production of wheat, beef and dairy.

Over three decades Serbia has invested around $18 billion in KiM. In the former SFRY after 1966, between 1.5 and 2% of domestic product were invested in the development of underdeveloped areas, above all, KiM. Serbia, via the former Development Fund of the SFRY, invested $5.5 billion in thermal power plants and distribution networks in KiM (owned by ‘Elektroprivreda Srbije’).

Companies from central Serbia have over 1,350 locations in KiM; PTT alone has 130 locations, ŽTP 55 locations, EPS 18, and Srbijašume 45 locations. The property of EPS alone is estimated at €3 billion.

The value of private property belonging to more than thirty thousand Serbian families (expelled from the province after the arrival of international troupes in 1999) is at least $4 billion.

The property of companies in KiM belonging to Serbian firms which are now being privatised is estimated at over $1.5 billion.

Due to having to sell at a price much less than the real one, based on illegal privatisation, around €280 million was raised, which shows that little has been done to protect the property of Serbian

firms. The companies’ privatisation process was conducted by the Kosovo Trust Agency, independent to the Privatisation Law of the Republic of Serbia, meaning that all the companies of trustees from the Serbian territory were stripped of their rights.

Serbia, as a debtor and as a warrant, paid back all Kosovo’s foreign debts totalling around $1.2 billion, without collecting taxes at KiM. In August 2009 the World Bank wrote off $500 million of Kosovo foreign debt from Serbia.

Circulation of goods with Serbia is free, and customs fees are not charged, if the goods have been manufactured in Serbia.

If the goods imported into KiM have been produced in some other country which is subject to customs in Serbia, then a 10% customs fee is charged. A fee corresponding to the UNMIK customs set rates is charged for goods imported from other countries which then transit through Serbia (and are not subject to customs in Serbia). No VAT is charged for goods made in Serbia. Goods from Serbia have a so-called evidence sheet, which is stamped excluding the goods from VAT, at the administrative border with KiM. In this way double taxation is avoided.

Trade is basically the only form of economic cooperation between Serbia and Kosovo which is showing a growth trend.

However, not all forms of trade are recorded, for there are unregistered products, or ‘underground methods’ of trade exchange (cigarettes, petrol, medicines, food, cement, and other articles which attain a high value in small amounts).

Circulation of goods with Serbia is free, and customs fees are not charged, if the goods have been manufactured in Serbia. If the goods imported into KiM have been produced in some other country which is subject to customs in Serbia, then a 10% customs fee is charged CorD 74 / September 2010 23

Serbia, as a debtor and as a warrant, paid back all Kosovo’s foreign debts totalling around $1.2 billion, without collecting taxes at KiM. In August 2009 the World Bank wrote off $500 million of Kosovo foreign debt from Serbia

Dealings between Serbia and KiM in 2009 amounted to $339 million – two percent less than in 2008. Shipping from Serbia in 2009 totalled $336 million, and $2 million worth of goods was imported from Kosovo. A surplus of $334 million was realised.

The dealings of Serbia with KiM in the period between JanuaryJune 2010 totalled $178 million, a growth of 15% compared to the same period in 2009. Shipping from Serbia was worth $177 million, while the acquisitions of Kosovo amounted to a mere $0.6 million. There is a $176 million surplus in trade with Kosovo.

The most significant goods exported to Kosovo are: electrical power, roofing tiles, paper and cardboard, ceramic blocks, food products, medicines, cement, biscuits, petrol, detergents and dishwashing detergents, diesel fuels, soft drinks, wheat, spices, flour, and so on.

Items imported from KiM include: edible bolete mushrooms,

electrical power, pipes, lead, zinc- oxide, wines, alcohol, radiators, zinc, edible mushrooms, bottled brandy, balloons, bottles, and so on.

In December 2008 Kosovo authorities ended the practice of putting the UNMIK CUSTOMS mark on documents relating to the trade of goods between Serbia and Kosovo, and started applying the KOSOVO CUSTOMS mark. Serbian customs could not accept such a mark, as according to the 1244 UN Resolution, Kosovo is a constituent part of Serbia under the UNMIK authority. Kosovo authorities limit the import of Serbian products to KiM territory, which is a direct breach of the CEFTA Agreement. The attitude of Serbian Government is to respect the clauses of the CEFTA Agreement which was signed by UNMIK, in the name of Kosovo, as a customs territory. In addition, the matter of the EULEX mission and its jurisdiction over resolving these problems is a topic for discussion.

The KiM market is rather significant for the Serbian economy, especially bearing in mind the value of profit made.

Serbian businesses expressed their willingness to enforce economic cooperation between companies from KiM and other parts of Serbia with the aim of reactivating production, opening new working posts, and creating a real economy in KiM. Relating to this, they highlighted the need for establishing an economic strategy for KiM in cooperation with authorised state institutions, starting with the newly formed political situation, the needs of people, and the difficult economic situation in KiM. The ‘Working Team’ for KiM has been formed, and it is made up of representatives of chambers of commerce and ministries of the Republic of Serbia, who continuously follow the problems of economic cooperation with companies from the Province. In difficult conditions of work and cooperation at the territory of KiM, there are numerous problems: • There are underground ways to trade. Also high margins and administrative procedures with trading and the placement of goods and services at KiM; • The Veterinarian and Inspection Service of Serbia do not function reliably in KiM, which makes it difficult to register agricultural estates; • One-sided measures applied by EULEX at the administrative border - crossings are not in line with the official attitude of Belgrade and the Serbian community in KiM; • The property of businesses from Serbia in KiM is not protected, and the privatisation of state and public companies is not conducted under the laws of Serbia. It should be carried on with the activities of regaining power over illegally privatised public companies and property found there, which are owned by companies from other parts of Serbia.

■

Who buys goods from Kosovo?

Who sells goods to Kosovo?

METAL-HEMIKO, Šabac, JEEP COMMERCE, Belgrade, PAMS, Belgrade, GEN-I, Belgrade, EUROTEST, Novi Pazar, EKSIM, Loznica, STATUS, Svrljig, UNIVERZALTONI, Preševo, IGOR ČA, Čačak, JUROFUNGO D.O.O, Kuršumlija

RUDNAP GRUP, Belgrade, POTISJE KANJIŽA, Kanjiža, TETRA-PAK PRODUCTION, Belgrade, HOLCIM, Popovac, NAFTA, Belgrade, SWISSLION MARKETI, Novi Sad, KONCERN BAMBI-BANAT, Belgrade, HENKEL-MERIMA, Kruševac, KONCERN SWISSLIONTakovo, Belgrade, SLOGA, Novi Pazar

24 CorD 74 / September 2010

quotations One does not become a believer just by standing in a church, just like one does not become a Mercedes by standing in a garage.

Nenad Čanak, President of the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina

The conflicts of Serbia with the world have brought us to the political and biological edge, and those politics must not be continued. I do not hold anything against minister Jeremić.

He represents a bad state strategy for Kosovo in the best possible way.

Vuk Drašković, President of the Serbian Renewal Movement

So far, about two billion dinars have been provided toward the aid of pensioners. A part of that money comes from the budget, and the rest comes from other sources. Which sources?

That is irrelevant.

We baptised our third son and I asked the priest how much money I owed him, and he told me: “The more you pay, the less embarrassed you will be!”

Emir Kusturica, director Radovan Jelašić, former Governor of the National Bank of Serbia

Anyone claiming anything to the contrary is lying to you, willingly or unwillingly! No matter what they do, Serbia will not be part of the EU before 2018, maybe not even then.

What scares me is that we want the publicly announced ambition of Serbian authorities to be a ‘predictable’ factor. Well, hail is a predictable storm, yet people do not respond to it with acceptance, but with hail-dispensing cannons. Čedomir Jovanović, President of Liberal Democratic Party

Europe washed its hands of us; it would be nice if it lifted its foot from us!

And why don’t we want to admit that they don’t want us?! We haven’t been tortured enough! We’ll admit it - there’s plenty of time.

Matija Bećković, writer

William Montgomery, former US Ambassador to Belgrade

It isn’t a phrase, but pure political and metaphysical reality when we say that Kosovo will definitely be independent, only when we agree to it. Đorđe Vukadinović, Editor of New Serbian Political Thought

I am a polyglot; I like animals.

Jovan Krkobabić, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister

same as when Mira Marković (wife of former Serbian president Slobodan Milošević) said that ‘peace has no alternatives.’

Zorica Marković, folk singer

We will live better in seven years.

Slobodan Milosavljević, Minister of Trade

‘Europe has no alternatives’ is a made-up phrase. That is the

We have been doing business in Russia since before Gorbachev. It all started with my astonishment on central television at the fact that in the country of astronauts, citizens queue for hours to buy shoes. I was invited to the Kremlin. The then Prime Minister Nikolay Rishkov and president Gorbachev had a great understanding of the development of family companies. Since then, ‘Braća Karić’ started doing business in the Soviet Union.

Bogoljub Karić, businessman

Nobody opposes the Democratic Party, or dares to criticise it, because everybody is hoping to be its ‘bride’ and to form a coalition with it.

Vesna Pešić, MP of the Liberal Democratic Party

I do not plan to deal with politics. I will use my office for other purposes. You know, people write letters, offer suggestions…

Milan Milutinović, former Serbian President

Before the end and saying goodbye, we sneaked a peak just for a moment, on our way through into Judas’ plate. There we saw, next to a knife and a fork, Kosovo being served. Well, bon appétit Serbs!

Milorad Vučelić, editor-in-chief of ‘Pečat’ weekly

Just how much being in labour is a good thing is proven by the fact that whenever I am experiencing difficulties of any kind, I think of it!

Mina Lazarević, actress

I think that the real result of the ‘EU has no alternatives’ politics will not be either the EU or defence of Kosovo, but it will turn out, as they like to say, that we have to accept the reality of joining NATO first. We will be rewarded, like Turkey, with the status of the eternal candidate.

Vojislav Koštunica, President of Democratic Party of Serbia CorD 74 / September 2010 25

interview Branislav Simović, Regional Director and member of the International Board of Directors of ‘Mace’ Company

Invesment in the Future The state should insist on the construction of industrial halls and the development of resources in the south of Serbia. Prerequisites for this are good infrastructure and clear ‘rules of the game’ which are to be respected by all construction companies involved in the game

By Zorana Stakić

C

ivil engineering is a dynamic and highly-accumulative economic sector which has multiple effects on other sectors of the economy. Each euro invested in civil engineering produces three euros of investments in other economic sectors.

Each new job in civil engineering creates four new jobs in sectors related to it. Yet still, the global economic crisis in developed countries has strongly shaken this industrial sector. It has been estimated that civil engineering has suffered its most powerful blow in the last nine decades. According to statistical data of the ILO (International Labour Organization), in 2008 alone, five million builders lost their jobs. Until recently, Serbian civil engineering employed 200,000 people and it contributed up to 40% of gross domestic product. Unfortunately, these statistics are now followed by the data that in 2009 about 500 businesses in this area were extinguished. Such an unfavourable trend continued in the first months of the current year when in the area of Belgrade alone, which is the biggest and most dynamic market in the country, a decrease of 92% in construction activities has been noticed. In April 2010 construction activities in Serbia had decreased by 11.3% compared to the same month last year.

26 CorD 74 / September 2010

Investments in Serbian infrastructure are investments in the future, says M.A Branislav Simović, Regional Director and a member of the International Board of Directors of ‘Mace’ Company. In this interview for CorD magazine, he gives his appraisal of the situation in this economic sector and tries to answer the question of how to help the Serbian civil engineering industry, as a sector of special national importance, to overcome the effects of the economic crisis. n ‘Mace’ is contracted on all continents and is one of the most successful companies in the world in the area of civil engineering and project management. What is the current global image of this industry, and what is it like in Serbia? r MACE has engagements in 22 countries around the world, and thus we have a precise image of the situation in the civil Bellvile Project (Universiada): entirely completed prior to the deadline engineering industry and related fields. According to our assesspower of citizens, and thus the demand for apartments, is lower, ment, certain domains are already exiting the crisis, while those since the credit conditions are less favourable. Moreover, banks domains which entered the period of recession later, will exit it have cut credit lines because at one point, they made no diflater. In general, the crisis in civil engineering is a consequence ferentiation on whether a company was solid or it had problems of several factors, but the recession mostly applies to the sector due to bad production capacities, or lack of machinery, and they of project financing. effectively put all the firms in the same basket.

The situation is the same in Serbia. Investments have failed to meet their planned budgets by as much as one billion euros compared to last year. It is The Government To make themselves competitive in the market, nof Serbia a good thing that the has enactRepublic of Serbia re- domestic companies must make consortiums, as ed a law stimulating alised its share of recivil engineering has been proven by the example of Corridor 10 the sponsibility in the unindustry in Serbia. timely commencement of certain infrastructure projects, and that Can this act help Serbian builders save the domestic civil it is working on not repeating the situation with Corridor 10, for engineering industry? which a part of the funds have been granted by the World Bank r In practice, the law can play favourites with domestic conand EBRD, but it is on standby due to the delays of turning in instruction companies when building objects of public significance complete documentation. (construction of schools and kindergartens, hospitals, apartments, highways, sport facilities, and objects for cultural purposes).

However, certain ‘rules of the game’ have to be defined, as well n Apart from the obvious influences of the global economic as who exactly can join the game. ‘Rules of the game’ for projects crisis, what other reasons do you see for such bad condifinanced with funds from European financial institutions are very tions in the Serbian civil engineering industry, bearing in clear and precise, and the same goes for joining European funds. mind that according to the Statistical Office of the RepubTo make themselves competitive in the market, domestic compalic of Serbia, in April 2010 civil engineering decreased by nies must make consortiums, as has been proven in the example 23.1% compared to April 2009. In high-rise construction of Corridor 10. Besides, it is necessary to introduce adequate fithe decrease was 49.1%? nancial controls so that investors feel secure that those assets will r The market has narrowed; the number of construction combe used properly. Banks should play a key role in this. panies has dropped drastically. A large number of firms had to restructure and go from high-rise to low-rise construction; there was a reassignment according to infrastructural projects. It n Do you agree with those who feel that there are some was obvious that the demand for business and residential space clauses in this Law which clash with the Public Purchasing would drop, because at the time of the crisis the purchasing Act, on the basis it favours domestic companies regardless

State Help An investor will not come to a location without electricity, water and a wastewater disposal solution - and the state can help with this

Wisdom With more favourable Government credits and guarantees, approved foreign funds should be used ‘wisely’

Players Around the world any surplus in extra profit is invested in real-estate, but not everyone can be a player in the civil engineering industry CorD 74 / September 2010 27

of the clauses stated in the Public Purchasing Act? r In the time of crisis, laws of crisis are enacted, and we are not nor shall we be the only ones in the region or world who do so. Those are the rules of the game allowed in the times of crisis. Many countries often reach such decisions to protect the domestic industry or products, so on this matter; I do not expect any ‘outer’ criticism, but only an ‘inner’ one coming from some opposition structures. n Is there a division between ‘domestic’ and ‘foreign’ construction companies in Serbia? r Unfortunately there is, but I think there is no use in talking about it. One should not be a priori against foreign companies, because they are only foreign by name; they contract 95% of the domestic work force and they pay taxes and fees in Serbia. They aim to locate themselves well in the period of market stabilisation, so they can apply for tenders for some larger jobs, and that is why they invest in their personnel.

Big foreign companies can transfer socalled know how to our engineers, subcontractors and employees. ‘Mace’, for example, in this region has 110 employees, only four of whom are foreigners.

domestic subcontractors, though foreigners may be in top management. So both knowledge and experience can be ‘put aside’, but everything has to be well-organised at the local level, and this is the only way for them to be successful and profitable.

industry Stimulation

T

o stimulate the civil engineering industry, the Serbian Government is able to provide credit arrangements and guarantees with favourable interest rates granted by the European Investment Bank for certain projects. Besides, the state must have some reserves in companies, e.g. Telekom, and most of those assets should be invested in infrastructure. A good example is that of Croatia which debited itself to construct roads, but that money is now being reflected in tourism income, as it now takes less than two hours from Vienna to the Adriatic Coast.

n What is your comment on statements that foreign companies in Serbia are suppressing Serbian companies, and that some companies ‘are snatching’ jobs from Serbian construction companies? r All around the world, big foreign companies apply to big projects. The way to ‘limit’ them is to set certain prerequisites that they have to use domestic materials and to contract domestic subcontractors during the construction. ‘Mace’ has cooperated with numerous companies in the world, and our experience has shown that the mere name of a large company does not mean it will do a good job. It has to have a strong basis in Serbia, strong

Project Financing

W

hat the law does not regulate is providing assets for projects. For each project, it is necessary to recognise the way in which it will be financed, whether through funds, investor’s assets, or bank loans.

Only then can we have an 80% certainty that the project will be completed. Confirmation of financial construction is the basis of the project, so that completion of documentation and the commencement of construction works will not be questioned.

28 CorD 74 / September 2010

n After his recent visit to Bulgaria, president Tadić announced the construction of a joint nuclear power plant in Belene. Do you think that in this project, worth billions of euros, there will be some work for your construction companies? r These are sizeable infrastructure projects of great significance. Responsibility for performing the fieldwork is substantial, and it has to be done by a globally recognised company with a lot of experience in the area. I believe that there are fields in which we can apply with a certain level of quality, like concrete works and construction, but I do not see a single firm in Serbia which could come to the project as an independent contractor. The market economy has to do its thing - good offers and capacities will be the decisive factor. n Does president Tadić’s statement that “in the future, Serbia will be recognised as the country with the tallest bridges and buildings” bring more optimism to the Serbian civil

engineering sector? r Maybe, but the point is to make a bridge where we need it.

Here, before other things, I refer to the Beška Bridge (which is a bottleneck), two or three other bridges planned for construction in Belgrade so the city will develop and investor-friendly locations will be opened up, and finally to the highway. Serbia should develop industrial halls for industries such as car production (e.g. in Kragujevac), then in the south, plus also for areas such as tourism, medical tourism, and the production of organic food. But for such development, good traffic infrastructure and access roads are needed. There is a danger that, due to the congestion on our corridors, investors may turn to other destinations and avoid us.

Infrastructural projects are our future, but the assets that have already been approved for these must be used ‘wisely’. Serbia still has a chance to fulfil its plans over the next two years – namely 80% of Corridor 10, renovation of the railroads, including electrification and the southern extension toward Montenegro. As much as some have claimed this is only important for the development of Montenegro, it is also important for Serbia as 90% of food products in Montenegro come from Serbia.

■

CorD 74 / September 2010 29

interview BELGRADE AS A CITY-BREAK DESTINATION

Ample Offering

The Serbian capital is a city of culture with a fascinating history, a city of entertainment and sports, a favourable business destination, and a recognised conference centre within the region

By Ljuba Đorđević

F

oreign tourist visitor numbers to Belgrade have increased despite the economic crisis. Word about what great fun Serbia’s capital is has been spread by its previous visitors, as well as by respected world media. This has presented the Tourist Organisation of Belgrade with an interesting challenge - how to fulfil the expectations of the growing number of visitors and create the conditions to continue this positive trend? CorD magazine asked Jasna Dimitrijević, director of the Tourist Organization of Belgrade if the tourism potentials of Belgrade can satisfy the demand.

n Belgrade has been promoted as a city-break destina30 CorD 74 / September 2010

tion, a city of culture and sport, and a desirable location for conferences. Is this the platform on which further touristic activities should be based? r Yes. In regards to international touristic fairs until the end of this year, and in 2011, we will continue to further develop this platform with concrete offers. n To what extent have the opportunities offered by the Danube and the Sava Rivers been used? r Not very much, but this is a big subject and a potential which will be very important in the economic, touristic and cultural development of Belgrade in the forthcoming period.

Desired developments include: water activities, as a prerequisite for further promotion, an arranged and regulated utility infrastructure, good sightseeing activities and programmes with

tour guides, more longer sailing tours to neighbouring cities, and visits to the galleries on water near Belgrade, and so on. n What is Belgrade missing to help attract as many guests as possible? r A larger number of more diverse flights at affordable prices, a modern railway, better and more solid campaigns in all of the major European cities. This year, the Tourist Organisation of Belgrade has organised publicity campaigns and promotions of the “Belgrade City Break” in Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, London, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Berlin. Until the end of this year and into next year, we will continue working on a bigger scale, with more diversified presentations in other cities (Milan, Vienna, Riga, Warsaw, Budapest, Paris, etc.). We are offering the bait of - cultural events, good fun, and ideal weekend nights-out.

is a story which is important in the estimation of touristic product’s value, and that there are plans regarding opening these spaces for touristic visits. It is realistic to accomplish this in various phases in the years to come, beginning with next year. n One of the good ideas for promoting the capital and the entire Serbian tourism offer is Exit. Is it possible to continue this, and could other similar events, e.g. Guča, be ‘tied to’ Belgrade? r Many visitors who came to Guča also visited the Belgrade Beer Fest, and the other way around. There are other events, such as the Niš Jazz Festival, the Carnival in Vrnjačka Banja, and others which imply a connection with Belgrade in the form of a prolonged stay in Belgrade, during these events.

n Is there an option to expand the offer through a mutual touristic offer between Belgrade and some other regional capital, for example organising sporting events in several n What would an ideal one-day tour around Belgrade cities and countries? look like, from the point of view of foreign visitors who dock at Sava pier? r I think that the concept of cooperation with other capitals in the region is more dominant at the level of cultural coopr Tours for guests who dock with their ships on Sava pier eration and exchange. Cooperation in festivals, promotions are organised by domestic touristic agencies. While they are of cities from the region in staying in Belgrade, we do Belgrade and the other way research about their satisThis year the Tourist Organisation around is something which faction levels during the of Belgrade has organised publicity exists and will develop furstay and their impressions, ther. Organisers of sporting which is hoped to guide us campaigns and promotions of the events are those who estifor the next season. This “Belgrade City Break” in Rome, mate whether it is possible, research will be over by the end of October. The ideal Barcelona, Madrid, London, Amsterdam, and under what conditions to organise a sporting comone-day exploration of Brussels, and Berlin petition in several cities, Belgrade involves walking and it is our role to make around Belgrade fortress sure that, in the course of those competitions, Belgrade scores and Knez Mihailova street, with a stop in Skadarlija, in the first the biggest benefit in the number of overnight stays and in usfour hours; a one and a half-hour sightseeing tour of central ing the tourist services. The ultimate goal being bringing the parts of the city including Topčider, New Belgrade, Zemun, participants in those competitions back to Belgrade, but this and back; a visit to a museum chosen from the range of the time as tourists.

Museum of Ethnography, Pedagogy, of Natural History, the Residence of Princess Ljubica, the Museum of Applied Arts, or the Museum of the History of Yugoslavia and Museum of n Souvenirs are an important ‘detail’ of the touristic ofNikola Tesla. A stop for lunch would be in an old or modfer. Has the engagement of young artists to create them ern restaurant, as preferred. If the Hippodrome is of interest been considered? to someone then it is possible to, alongside lunch, get to know r Most souvenirs in Belgrade souvenir shops are designed another interesting segment of life in Belgrade. On top of that, by young people. I do not think that we can sing our praisone should add two hours to visit Avala, and then enjoy dinner es enough in that field. The diversity of ideas, originality, in one of the restaurants close to the water. presence of both modern design and old, traditional ideas, crafts and handiwork create a rich souvenir offering. A bigger problem is that a few symbols that will be recognised by n Without a doubt, caves, wine cellars, reservoirs, tuneveryone, especially the citizens of Belgrade, as symbols of nels, and other underground chambers, could became a Belgrade, presented in different forms, shapes, and products, first-class tourist attraction. So far, none of these have have yet to be singled out. On the other hand, producers and been put into working order for regular tourists’ visits. sellers of souvenirs must have an interest in selling a specific Has this idea been given any thought? souvenir. At this moment, a major problem is determining r Yes. There are many prerequisites and preliminary works sufficiently attractive locations to sell the souvenirs, all the needed for the tunnels to become available for tourist use. The while respecting all utility requirements.

■ important thing is that there is a recognised potential, that there CorD 74 / September 2010 31

interview Biljana Srbljanović, dramatist

Rebel with a Cause

I firmly believe that each change, even the slightest one, is created by first changing something in oneself, one’s environment, one’s engagement

By Vera Didanović

S

he is not only a successful dramatist, a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts (soon to be an associate professor) and a laureate of numerous prestigious awards. Biljana Srbljanović is a rebel with a cause - she is prepared to defend her liberal and humanitarian perspective of the world, without compromises, at any given moment. Ever since marrying French diplomat Gabriel Keller, Belgrade has not been her permanent place of residence, but it is still in the spotlight of her attentions and in her fight against injustice and inhumanity. n You currently live in Azerbaijan. What does your life in Baku (Azerbaijan) look like, and what do you do there?

32 CorD 74 / September 2010

r I live in Azerbaijan because of my husbands’ job; he is the ambassador of France here, and I am only his wife. Although I have decided, not without hesitation, to spend couple of years in these conditions, sometimes (actually, it is better to come clean right away - not sometimes but very frequently) I view my own life and everything revolving around it ‘from a distance’. As if it is not entirely and actually me, but some role I was given as part of a cast, which I, as a nerd, thoroughly carry out, with a great deal of energy, but without too much passion or any emotion.

Having the ‘function’ of a marital partner, being by vocation someone’s, anyone’s, wife, even to the most wonderful husband in the world, stands in opposition to everything I believe in life. First of all, I do not have some excessive fascination with marriage; I consider it to be an anachronism and, in my book, humanely impermissible

that almost by default, exclusively heterosexual ‘legal’ communities in the diplomatic world outside the Western one, accept it as official, and that the role of the marital partner, in most cases that of the wife, is reduced to the role of a movable flowerpot. So the flower may be more or less wizened, more or less pretty, fragrant, unusual or repulsive, and the decoration of the serious, hard and responsible work the husband is doing depends on that.

By nature I am quite rebellious. All my life I have been carrying out some sort of mini revolution, followed by the ridicule and disapproval of those around, but I still firmly believe that each change, even the slightest one, is created by first changing something in oneself, one’s environment, one’s engagement. I just do not accept the traditional view of a woman ‘by function’, which is promoted by representatives of the most modern countries in the world. And this is where I make a small earthquake in my small world. I do not accept being referred to as ‘Madame l’Ambassadrice’ - it is simply grotesque in the 21st century. I do not accept the traditional role of a wife; I have met many women who, although having PhDs, who are professionally satisfied and personally interesting individuals, still have ‘wife of the ambassador’ printed on their business cards, which I consider particularly dire. This is not just the case in Azerbaijan. We are all perfectly aware that there are such instances in Serbia too, that representatives of the diplomatic corps often live by some more conservative rules coming from a world which no longer exists anywhere. n What does this non-acceptance of yours look like in practice? r Although I prepare speeches for small talks at official dinner-parties and have mastered the art of talking so that I say absolutely nothing at all. I still speak freely about my political and intellectual convictions, which are not in accord with the reality of the country in which we are in. I meet a lot of artists and intellectuals; I am interested in people from the civilian sector; I carefully follow the level of compromise of human rights, just as I have everywhere I have lived so far. I think of it as of my elementary right to the freedom of thought, to which I add my invented human right to the freedom of aggressive persuasion, and this is what drains my current life.

What does that look like in practice? For example, for me it has been exceptionally important, from the very beginning, to include equally both married partners and those ‘out of wedlock’, both heterosexual and homosexual communities, in the official protocol for the National Day celebrations, and it

Non-acceptance I do not accept being referred to as ‘Madame l’Ambassadrice’ - it is simply grotesque in the 21st century

A country whose political elite is bribable to such an extent, cannot know where its borders are, because even such elementary geographical information has a potential price has been surprisingly well-accepted, without strong words or any judgement. When I say this, I am fully aware how insignificant and pathetic I may sound, but this is how the world is changed, most often by small moves, and rarely by huge undertakings, so I don’t care about the mockery or contempt I might invoke. n We know very little about Azerbaijan. What are we missing out on? r To answer your question properly: Azerbaijan is a beautiful and friendly country, with a great level of development and even greater potential. However, I am more interested in my country, whose citizenship I wear. And in Azerbaijan I have the strange feeling of living on ‘repeat’, just this time I have this interesting outside perspective, or rather a perspective from within an outside world which is substantially involved in the life and destiny of that country. Not a single day passes by without me thinking of how many misconceptions (and the disappointments that have been produced from those misconceptions), we have all had in the faulty evaluation of the roles and interests of diplomatic offices of even the friendliest countries in the world. In Serbia, the role of foreign, especially Western and Russian ambassadors, has been taken to an almost to a mythical level; it is most normal that citizens know their names, it is most regular that they love them or hate them, they have a relationship of excessive expectations or condemnation, as if the countries they represent owe them something in life, and as if they are here to deal with those interests in or against our favour, and not in the interests of their countries. That is the origin of this crazy emotional relationship which I constantly came across in Belgrade - embassies are always expected

Diplomacy As a society, we have a rather immature and utopian understanding of how and why diplomacy works

The political elite There is no responsibility of the political elite; everything is jumbled up and replaceable CorD 74 / September 2010 33

to do something and are always accused of something. They are being asked for money, financing this and that, and at the same time, being condemned for not giving or giving money. Embassies are being set on fire in Serbia, and at the same time, even the most serious people are fighting tooth and nail to obtain an invitation to a reception, to July 4th or 14th. In Belgrade, people are willing to do almost anything, and when the national team losses a match, the police have to guard their premises, and more prominent diplomats regularly run the gauntlet in high-circulation newspapers. In short, as a society, we have a rather immature and utopian understanding of how and why diplomacy works. In Azerbaijan I observe that from a different, more internal point of view and I find it very interesting to establish, to my utter amazement, the number of misconceptions I have had myself. The fact I have had them is of course completely insignificant, but it is still a paradigm for our society and I certainly do not stand alone in it. n While we were arranging this interview, you were travelling from Baku, via Paris, to another location. Did you at that time, as you have previously, keep up with the news from Serbia? r I have actually not lived in Serbia for more than seven

years. Prior to Azerbaijan, where we are now at the beginning of our third year, we were stationed in Paris. Still, regardless of the concrete address, I completely live in the world of modern communications. I am completely addicted to the Internet and I cannot live offline. News from around the world is within easy reach, and my day always starts with going through newspapers from Belgrade, France and Azerbaijan - in that particular order. So, I cannot take any rational or objective stand. The only difference is that in a way, through this long-term expatriation of mine, I have become particularly insensitive to topics and events that are capable of suddenly and fervently setting Serbia on fire. The media and public scene in Serbia functions in intervals between two great scandals. Sometimes, it is some big corruption affair, sometimes voting on an impermissibly undemocratic yet important act, sometimes simply a jet-set offense, no matter how pathetic that jet-setter is. Either way, I am under the impression that people exist in the dynamics between a short-lived and fervent interest in a particular case (which always, always, always finishes without any consequences or any conclusion) and a complete indifference for most of the time. Serbia is permanently occupied with the Kosovo matter and the matter of corruption, and after all these years of more or less the same authorities, people cannot under-

I still speak freely about my political and intellectual convictions, which are not in accord with the reality of the country in which we are in stand the serious, unbreakable, almost organic relationship between those two things. In a society which is not based on solidarity, which is disloyal, where corruption is fully accepted, even with the most progressive political movements, everything on the inside is rotten. Such a state, whose foundation is crumbling, and who is staggering under the burden of the economic crisis and permanent corruption, cannot handle anything, not even matters of its own sovereignty.

A country whose political elite is bribable to such an extent, cannot know where its borders are, because even such elementary geographical information has a potential price.

So, they will say that Kosovo is Serbia and we will win that battle as long as it is payable. As long as it lights the imagination of impoverished people that it is better to fight the Kosovo battle than the battle for their own salaries - there, that is how an irresponsible and immature society functions.

Of course, all those foreign officials in both business and diplomacy have contributed a lot to it. Money has no colour, we all know that, and the interests of a country are always reduced to the interests of a large industry or the companies represented by those industries. So ‘the world’ would just as easily cope with Milošević‘s former right wing, if Ser34 CorD 74 / September 2010

bia votes for it and if it does not jeopardise the economic interests of this and such a world. For example, the battle which is being fought in the media and in Parliament over the new image of the former Radicals - whether they are pro-European or not, whether Brussels gave them the Papal bull and indulgence or not - all of it is one big nonsensical story masking the large-scale corruption which lies beneath the surface.

And every single one of the political factors in the country is willingly participating in it.

At the moment I feel that there is not a single formal political force which has a clear rogramme and sticks to it n In over a year, you have gone from maximum activism, personified in your candidacy for mayor of Belgrade, to the claim that you would just cross out the ballot paper. What has caused such resignation? r Yes, of course, this resignation is more of a gesture and a political stand. At the moment I feel that there is not a single formal political force which has a clear programme and sticks to it. So, that is my principled stand: I cannot vote for somebody that I cannot be sure will not, after the elections, represent a stand diametrically opposed to that for which they got my vote in the first place.

There is no responsibility of the political elite; everything is jumbled up and replaceable. It is a hotchpotch of signs and events, and neither of them means anything - that is how I see Serbia today. Well, Toma Nikolić goes to Brussels, and Čedomir Jovanović grooves in Guča and vice versa, depending on the mood and what will captivate people the most. Basically, everything is exhausted, everything is void of serious meaning, there are no politics actually - there is only some combinatorial analysis, some barren and devastating scheme, throwing dust in the eyes, but what defeats me the most is that nobody is even complaining. It is a big defeat and the realistic image of all our efforts, throughout all these years.

n When in the foreign press you read articles describing Belgrade as an excellent party destination, with cheap beer and wild raft-clubs, what emotions does it provoke in you? r Nausea and anger. Belgrade is sinking into that image about itself as the ‘Eldorado for getting wasted’. Each taxi driver will ecstatically tell you how he drove one drunken foreigner or the other back from raft-clubs, and how the foreigner ‘went gaga’ for Serbia. Even philo-serb writers and intellectuals in the world will gladly write about the amazing time and nonchalant attitude towards life they observed here, with an undisguised thrill, and with light contempt. I recently read in a French newspaper an article about the visit of the Parisian trashy author Frederic Beigbeder, who promoted his books in Belgrade, accompanied by another author known for his love toward Serbia in the 90s, Patrick Besson.

In fact, what is all so sad and so degrading is the intellectual snobbery of Besson, who in the French right-wing newspaper discreetly mocks the Serbs and their Such a state, whose foundation is crumbling, n You say you sense of hospitality, embodied in the fact and who is staggering under the burden of the write about ‘scars that those raft-club that heal on all of economic crisis and permanent corruption, girls throw themus without being selves into the arms cannot handle anything, not even matters of its healed’, referring of Beigbeder, who to ‘disappointments own sovereignty can probably only in and missed illuBelgrade still get a sions’. Which scars date. It is a humiliating image we ourselves stress, that we ofand missed illusions are you currently dealing with? fer about ourselves. We have ‘soul’ and we know what a good r I am writing a play commissioned by a German theatre time is, so when we get them all nice and drunk, high and and I have to hand it in by November 1st and I suffer a lot, laid, then they will realise what Kosovo is the cradle of. On I struggle a lot, as I always do when I write. This hardship second thoughts, maybe that could be the next logical step of does not emerge from the writing itself - I love writing and minister Jeremić - to take groupie-girls on his never-ending it is not a problem. It emerges from the very fact that I pick ‘Kosovo is Serbia’ tour, as is done on real tours. The image those badly healed scars, I pick and poke until the blood of a drunken and cheap country, of a silicone La La Land is starts running. I write about myself, my land and the death probably the only thing which still might help. of my father which I cannot get over.

■

CorD 74 / September 2010 35

feature Thirty-eight US billionaires have pledged at least 50% of their wealth to charity

Philanthropists

at Their Best

A campaign has been set up by investor Warren Buffett and Microsoft founder Bill Gates. Other contributors include New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, CNN founder Ted Turner and entertainment executive Barry Diller

T

he campaign was started in June to convince US billionaires to give away at least half of their fortunes either during their lifetimes or after their deaths. Those who pledge their money to “philanthropic causes and charitable organisations” must publicly state their intention through a letter of explanation.

However, according to Forbes’ digital company Investopedia, the question is whether the “giving pledge” is a good idea, and there are a numerous speculations and rumours currently in circulation. Here are some examples: Enter the Cynics While critics are careful not to be seen attacking the idea of billions of dollars going towards foundations and charities, there has been an undercurrent of grumbling. Some of this grumbling seems to surround the fact that many of these donations are going to foundations created by (and presumably still influenced by) the donors themselves.

Bill Gates and Warren Buffet 36 CorD 74 / September 2010

What if it’s a Scam?

On one hand, there is reason for some modest concern there are plenty of stories of wealthy individuals using “charitable” foundations and organisations as a means of side-stepping taxes and paying fat salaries to friends and family members. Generally speaking though, there has been a pretty substantial improvement in external oversight of these organisations, not the least of which by the IRS. Consequently, this concern is largely moot - or a true cynic can simply resolve that a sufficiently motivated and wealthy individual will find a way to contravene any system.

Will the Money be Effectively Managed?

There is also some debate as to whether charities can responsibly manage and distribute the billions of dollars that these individuals can bestow upon them. This is a fair point - managing money is not easy. While having a large pool to distribute can allow for more impact, it can also be frittered away more easily before anybody notices. Is it efficient, then, to have multiple foundations all hiring staff to review proposals and projects, losing some of every endowment to administrative costs?

Who Should Control the Money?

The other issue seems far less legitimate - that of allowing these so-called “plutocrats” to call the shots with their charitable giving. Apparently there is something wrong with wealthy people deciding where their money should go upon their death.

This line of reasoning (and I use that term loosely) goes something like this - the “public” was ultimately the source of this wealth, so the public should have a say in the distribution of it.

In other words, these wealthy individuals should hand over their money to, presumably, the government and let “the people” decide where it should go.

Is Self-Directed the Best Path?

There are numerous strong arguments for why foundations and self-directed giving make sense for these people. By and large, the people involved in The Giving Pledge are businessmen who made their fortunes in some part because of their vision, their judgment and their ability to allocate capital effectively. It should stand to reason, then, that if someone like Oracle’s Larry Ellison, eBay’s Omidyar or Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett is smart enough to make the money, they are smart enough to decide how and where to spend it.

Moreover, successful individuals like these often tend to have a rather well-earned distrust for governmental organisations and an impatience for bureaucracy and politics. With a foundation then, they can put the money to work quickly and with a minimum of “horse trading”. If Bill Gates thinks malaria in Africa is a major problem, he can address it without having to compromise with those who want to fund their own pet projects.

Better a Foundation than Junior In terms of pure social good, it is difficult to argue with the fact that putting billions of dollars into charitable foundations is going to do more good than putting that wealth into the hands of the next generation.

Moreover, if people see well-known names standing up and committing money to charitable causes, perhaps they will be influenced to donate money as well. The U.S. is already an extremely generous nation, but perhaps people can give more, or be influenced to establish wills that earmark charitable giving as a priority.

Whatever the case may be, people are stepping up to make sure their fortunes do some good after their death, and they are to be applauded for it.

The news that the owner of DM had renounced his wealth.

Who are the Billionaire Philanthropists?

Eli Broad (worth $5.9 billion) - the real estate and construction billionaire who founded home builder Kaufman & Broad (KOF.PA) worth $5.7 billion, has already given more than $2 billion to The Broad Foundations.

John Doerr (worth $1.7 billion) - venture capitalist with Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers who made millions with early bets on Amazon, Netscape and Sun Microsystems and became a billionaire with Google.

Gerry Lenfest - the media entrepreneur has already given away more than $800 million, or about 65 percent of his fortune, a spokeswoman said.

John Morgridge (worth $1.6 billion) former Cisco Systems (CSCO.O) chairman who now focuses on philanthropy.

Paul Allen (worth $13.5 billion) - founded software giant Microsoft with Gates.

Laura and John Arnold (worth $4 billion) - John Arnold worked as a high-flying trader at Enron and then founded hedge-fund Centaurus Energy.

Michael Bloomberg (worth $18 billion) - the mayor of New York City made his fortune by founding the news and information company which bears his name, Bloomberg LP. Michele Chan and Patrick SoonShiong (worth $5 billion) - Patrick is the son of a village doctor in China who made his fortune on cancer treatments and generic drugs.

Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg (worth $1.2 billion) - Diller made his fortune on the Home Shopping Network while his wife von Furstenberg, is a renowned fashion designer.

Larry Ellison (worth $28 billion) - founder of database giant Oracle (ORCL.O).

Barron Hilton (worth $2.5 billion) - son of hotel legend Conrad Hilton who built his father’s hotel empire.

Jon and Karen Huntsman (worth $1 billion) – made his fortune by turning Huntsman Corp (HUN.N) from a fast-food container supplier into America’s largest private chemical company.

Joan and Irwin Jacobs (worth $1.2 billion) - founded Qualcomm (QCOM.O), which commercialised CDMA digital wireless technology.

George Kaiser (worth $10 billion) - his Kaiser-Francis Oil is among the world’s biggest private energy producers and owns $2 billion stake in the Bank of Oklahoma.

John Doerr

John Morgridge

Michael Bloomerang

Larry Ellison

George Kaiser

CorD 74 / September 2010 37

feature

George Lucas

Thomas Moghan

Roland Perelman

Peter Peterson

Elaine and Ken Langone (worth $1 billion) - Ken is an investment banker who took Ross Perot’s Electronic Data Systems public in 1968 and was an early investor in Home Depot (HD.N).

Lorry Lokey - founded Business Wire, which disseminates press releases and was bought

by Berkshire Hathaway, freeing Lokey to focus on philanthropy.

George Lucas (worth $3 billion) - the “Star Wars” movie maker and owner of famed Hollywood special effects company.

Alfred Mann - has made $1.4 billion in medical devices.

Bernie and Billi Marcus (worth $1.5 billion) - Bernie started Home Depot (HD.N) after getting fired by the now defunct Handy Dan. Thomas Monaghan - founded Domino’s Pizza (DPS.N) and one-time owner of the Detroit Tigers. Sold Domino’s in 1998 and has since worked on philanthropy.

Pierre and Pam Omidyar (worth $5.2 billion) - Pierre made his fortune launching online auction company eBay (EBAY.O).

Bernard and Barbro Osher - Bernard was a founding director of World Savings, which merged with the Wachovia Corp and bought auction house Butterfield & Butterfield, which he sold to eBay. He has been a long-time philanthropist.

Ronald Perelman (worth $11 billion) made his fortune in leveraged buyouts of companies such as Revlon.

Peter Peterson (worth $2 billion) - cofounded private equity outfit Blackstone Group and the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.

T. Boone Pickens - made his $1.1 billion in oil and gas investments.

Julian Robertson Jr - made $2.2 billion in hedge funds.

David Rockefeller Sr (worth $2.2 billion) -

$600 billion could flow to U.S. charities

F

ortune magazine estimates that if everyone on the Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest Americans took the “Giving Pledge”, an additional $600 billion could flow to U.S. charities. While this is exciting to contemplate, the real question at hand is whether this increase in philanthropic dollars will have an impact on pressing issues in local and global communities. A lot will hinge on the payout approach taken by donors. Will they choose to “spend down” their endowments within a specified timeframe thus providing funds directed at current needs? Or will they make sizeable contributions to their foundations, most of which pay out only a small percentage of their assets every year, around five to six percent while preserving the rest in perpetuity?

38 CorD 74 / September 2010

philanthropist grandson of oil baron John D. Rockefeller.

David Rubenstein (worth $2.5 billion) - cofounded private equity giant Carlyle Group CYL.UL. Herb and Marion Sandler - the couple were co-CEOs of thrift Golden West, which was sold to Wachovia in 2006. They owned a ten percent stake in the company and gave $1.3 billion away to their Sandler Foundation.

Vicki and Roger Sant - Roger co-founded global energy company AES and the couple have long been Washington philanthropists, known for bringing Chinese pandas to the National Zoo, among other highprofile donations.

Walter Scott Jr - made his $1.9 billion in construction and telecoms.

Jim and Marilyn Simons (worth $8.5 billion) - Jim founded quantitative hedge fund Renaissance Technologies.

Jeff Skoll (worth $2.4 billion) - eBay’s first president and full-time employee.

Tom Steyer and Kat Taylor (worth $1.2 billion in 2008) - the asset manager and his wife founded OneCalifornia Bank, a community development bank, and have donated to research on sustainable and renewable energy.

Jim and Virginia Stowers - Jim is the mutual fund tycoon who started what became the American Century fund family. The couple have given $1.9 billion to the Stowers Institute for Medical Research which performs genetic research.

Ted Turner - founded CNN cable news channel and is worth $1.8 billion after already giving $1.5 billion to charity.

Sanford and Joan Weill Sanford is the former chief executive of Citigroup; the couple have given more than $250 million to Cornell’s medical school, now known as the Weill Cornell Medical College.

Shelby White - New York philanthropist and widow of late billionaire investor Leon Levy.

By Mark Egan

Owner of DM donates all his wealth

European Echo

RECOMMENDED – NEWLY OPENED! Njegoseva 28a, 11000 Belgrade Exclusive range of the famous Jamie Oliver Kitchenware, under special prices.

The owner of supermarket chain Drogerie Markt (known as DM), Germany’s Werner Götz, has decided to donate all of his wealth to a charitable foundation, and has left his descendants without an inheritance

T

DM is also one of the few he news that the owner of DM had renounced his wealth companies where wages during has stunned the world. At a time the recession were not reduced when harsh capitalism has reached but were even increased. Werner the ceiling and when the business founded DM in 1973, and there world has become a place of sur- are now 2200 retail outlets across vival, a successful businessman Europe, with 34,000 employees has decided on this rather unusu- and annual sales of around five billion euros. al move.

He seems to be one of the few Götz has disinherited his seven children, and in donating his wealth who seriously know what it means to a charity foundation explained it to have satisfied employees.

Götz is co-author of the book all with one sentence: “There is no shame to become rich, but it is a ‘A Thousand Euros for Everyone’, and a Professor of Entrepreneurship disgrace to die rich”.

Götz will provide his children in Karlsruhe. The book advocates that every citizen with a quality education and give The value of his assets should receive a basic income of them the foundations to become is estimated at more 1000 euros so as contribute to rich themselves. than one billion euros ‘to the liberation of “Children have a man’. He is critiright to a good start in life, but it is not for their parents cal of the system of social welfare in Germany, on the basis it supto provide lifelong well-being.”

The value of his assets is esti- ports the long-term unemployed mated at more than one billion eu- and gives aid to the poor and has ros. DM is one of the few super- called it ‘imprisonment for sleepmarket chains in which employees ing at home’ and says it is, to him, a human rights violation.

■ have 14 days paid annual leave.

Lavender is not native in Serbian, but it is commonly grown as an ornamental and medicine herbal. Since May 2010 it grows at Lavanda shop at Njegoseva 28a (in between of Prote Mateje and Alekse Nenadovica Streets)

● The newly opened chain of small shops offers wide range of fresh foods, healthy sandwiches, natural products based on herbs, soy, integrated pasta, all kinds of breads (with no yeast) various kinds of oils, integral flour, organic products and bio growing. ● Special offer of gluten free program and programs for diabetics. ● Wide selection of local sugar free jams and juices CorD7174/ May / September CorD 2010 39 2010 39

|

region Bosnia and Herzegovina

Independence after the Elections Does the rhetoric of Prime Minister Milorad Dodik on what the influence the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the Declaration of Independence of Kosovo might have on the future of the Republic of Srpska, have a real stronghold?

By Vojislava Vignjević

T

he Declaration of the Independence of Kosovo is not a violation of international law. This advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, stated by its judges on July 22nd, stirred some severe reactions from the Republic of the Srpska (RS), stating that it too might proclaim its independence just like the Albanians of Kosovo. Such a reaction was not unexpected on the basis that the question of a referendum of independence is being raised quite frequently lately, and Banja Luka like Belgrade, deems the opinion of the ICJ as a ‘severe blow’.

On this occasion the Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska, Milorad Dodik, commented that hypothetically, the Republic of Srpska could now do the same thing as the Albanians and warned that ‘the opinion of the International Court of Justice in the Hague would influence the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina’. Dodik said that the opinion of the IJC that the Declaration of Independence of Kosovo was not a breach of the international law exposed a hypotheti40 CorD 74 / September 2010

cal situation in which the Republic of Srpska directives on the comportment of Serbs in would do as the Albanians from Kosovo did. Bosnia and Herzegovina, thus showing it has He also commented that such a thing would a key role in making decisions and concrete political moves in the Republic of Srpska. be considered after the elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the Republic of Accordingly it is not difficult to conclude that officials in Serbia would not be comfortable Srpska this fall.

Turning to the willingness of the Republic with even the hypothetical possibility that the Republic of Srpska follows in Albanian of Srpska to make the same move the Kosovo Albanians had made ‘should the footsteps, especially at the moment when the complication of the situation in Bosnia and Kosovo issue moves from legal to political Herzegovina continue’, the Prime Minister ground. This is supported by the complexof the Republic of Srpska remarked that so ity of the situation in which Belgrade finds far it had not been the practice to, as it had itself. Especially with the danger that this always been claimed that it could not possi- fall, at the General Assembly of the UN into whose court the Kosovo issue was (again) bly be the right way to go about it. transferred after “However, this It is unlikely that Belgrade will the opinion of the opinion of the International Court allow itself to get into the situation International Court of Justice, Belgrade of Justice, secondof depriving one entity might experience a ed by the most powof independence (Kosovo fiasco just like the erful countries in the one in the Hague. world and one part of Albanians) and granting it to the It is unlikely that the European Union, other (the Republic of Srpska) Belgrade will alsays it is a viable action. So why would it be a problem for any- low itself to get into the situation of deprivone? Let’s hypothetically say for Bosnia and ing one entity of independence (Kosovo Herzegovina in the future? We are disappoint- Albanians) and granting it to the other (the ed that this is happening to Serbia, and I am Republic of Srpska). Besides, the officials certain that there will be some consequences here do not miss the chance to strongly support the territorial integrity and sovereignty in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Dodik said.

However, the real question is wheth- of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is indicative er Dodik’s rhetoric has a real stronghold. that the president of Serbia, Boris Tadić, recently stated that Serbia would never recogIt should not be forgotten that Banja Luka closely follows everything that happens in nise a referendum for the independence of a n Belgrade, which more often than not issues part of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

croatia

Split Boat Wash

Next year ships of the US Navy might be stopping in Dalmatia for a wash on their way back from the Persian Bay

S

plit might soon become a location for the washing and cleaning of American war ships of lengths to 200 metres and which can transport 1.000 marines, writes the Slobodna Dalmacija.

Additionally, equipment that is being carried onboard such as tanks, helicopters, artillery, armoured vehicles, guns, and munitions might also arrive in the Split port as part of the ‘washdown’ operation.

Until January 2008 the ships were being docked at a port in Spain, but due to renovations they were moved to Kuwait, and according to the Croatian newspaper, the next permanent port might be Dalmatia.

The paper states that representatives of Croatian ministries, police, state borders, and the Split port have met with American military envoys, and at this meeting the Americans proposed the idea of their army ships docking four times a year in Split.

Globus Weekly makes comment that the logistical possibilities have been considered, and that it has been agreed that the

American party should deliver a rough plan of ships’ arrival and other information as soon as possible.

The ‘washdown’ operation will be conducted with the port providing space, equipment such as electricity generators,

and agricultural and customs inspections.

Everything else will be handled by the marines - unloading equipment, cleaning it and loading it back onto the ship. The entire operation should last no more than seven days per ship. n

MACEDONIA

A song about Bin Laden in Albanian A song dedicated to Osama Bin Laden has been posted on a forum of Albanian Islamists in Macedonia, as well as on the YouTube portal

A

song dedicated to the leader of the terrorist organisation Al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, sung in Albanian, which had previously appeared on a forum

for Albanian Islamists in Macedonia, has emerged on the You Tube Internet portal, the MINA news agency stated.

There is no information about the composer or the songwriter in the video, nor is it known who posted the song on YouTube. MINA quotes unnamed sources from the Macedonian Islamic Religious Community (IVZ) who say they do not know of any song. A source from the Islamic Community did not deny the possibility that the Wahhabis group (a conservative Sunni Islamic sect) sing that same song in several mosques in Skopje,

which are still under their control.

Officials of the IVZ have clashed with the Wahhabis group which, as stated by the Macedonian media, intends to take over a number Skopje mosques and preach Islam in their own way.

The latest incident occurred in July, when Skopje a ‘mufti ‘ was expelled from a mosque so that a ‘mufti’ close to the Wahhabis group could preach in the mosque instead.

Macedonian authorities have not officially confirmed the existence of a Wahhabis group in Macedonia. n CorD 74 / September 2010 41

|

region MONTENEGRO

A Republic with Traits of a Kingdom The one-hundredth anniversary of the proclamation of the kingdom gives good reason for comparing the ruling styles of current Prime Minister Milo Đukanović and King Nikola

By Ilija Despotović

T

his summer, those Montenegrins who are fond of history and who might prefer dealing with their national past to dealing with their future, had the opportunity to take an emotional ride back through

history. August 15th marked the one-hundredth anniversary of the proclamation of Montenegro as a kingdom. The actual event occurred in 1910 on the 50th anniversary of prince Nikola Petrović’s (the seventh ruler of that dynasty), accession to the throne.

Just as Montenegro renewed its state independency in May 2006; so too it renewed its kingdom status a century earlier. In the second half of the 11th century, Doclea, the state antecedent of Montenegro, was a kingdom. After the Vojislavljević, Balšić and Crnojević dynasties, the Petrović dynasty

was the fourth empire from the end of 18th century until 1918, when king Nikola was dethroned and independent Montenegro was abolished.

The kingdom jubilee this year finds Montenegro a state, constitutionally defined as a republic - although that is not mentioned in everyday association with the country’s name. Thus the chief state office is the President of Montenegro, and not the President of the Republic, as was the case until 2007. The country’s emblem also bears a royal crown and a two-headed eagle, which

Half-a-million-euro passport The media are already speculating that, after former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Eddie Jordan and Roman Abramovich will also receive Montenegrin citizenship Businessmen from all over the world will be able to gain Montenegrin citizenship if they are ready to invest at least half a million euros into Montenegro, a part of which goes directly into the state budget.

Within the ‘economic citizenship’ programme, the government of the country has prepared instructions which determine the criteria for Montenegro‘s business and economic interest in granting Montenegrin citizenship.

The government has stated that similar programmes are being prepared by Austria, Canada, and the USA, and that the programme is aimed at encouraging the most successful businessmen in the world to relocate the headquarters of their companies to Montenegro, to introduce new technologies and knowledge, and create employment options.

42 CorD 74 / September 2010

The decision has produced differing reactions amongst the Montenegrin public, and a severe criticism has come from Germany. The Christian Social Union (CSU) from the ruling coalition of federal Chancellor Angela Merkel has sharply criticised the decision of the Montenegrin Government and demanded a reinstatement of visas for citizens of a country who are entering countries within the Schengen area.

The media recalled that controversial former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who announced that he wanted to invest money in hotels on the Montenegrin coast, has already received a Montenegrin passport. There are also speculations that Montenegrin citizenship will soon be given to the former majority owner of Formula 1, Eddie Jordan, the owner of Chelsea Football Club, Roman Abramovich, and ten other billionaires from around the world.

are typical symbols of a monarchy. The country’s flag is also dominated by heraldic features.

The matter of dynastic inheritance, that is to say of the position of descendants of the royal monarchy, was formally resolved just this summer. It was settled in July when the Montenegrin government established the Proposal of the Act on the Status of the Petrović dynasty, which allows its descendants property ownership and some protocolpolitical rights. According to the proposal, Prince Nikola Petrović, the great-grandson of King Nikola, will be granted certain ownership rights, including a monthly salary, as well as some protocol-political affairs in the name of Montenegro.

slovenia

‘Delo’: Bring the Soldiers back!

The Slovenian daily has appealed to authorities to follow Holland’s decision regarding bringing soldiers back from the war

So far the prince has not shown any political ambitions, although he was indirectly warned that the rights which the Montenegro National Assembly would soon grant him will be taken away from him if he starts dealing in politics So far the prince has not shown any political ambitions, although he was indirectly warned that the rights which the Montenegro National Assembly would soon grant him will be taken away from him if he starts dealing in politics. He lives in Paris and his primary profession is an architect. This descendant of the Petrović dynasty announced that he would rather engage himself in the preservation of the natural environment of Montenegro, and that he sees the title of a prince in the light of its usefulness.

King Nikola, who was one of the most prominent figures of Montenegro, is commonly ‘used’ nowadays by the opposition to reprimand the Prime Minister Milo Đukanović. He is said to be a long-time ruler, politically almighty, more powerful than the state, and he has converted his political position into a significant amount of cash for himself and his family. Đukanović‘s charisma is an additional reason why, in one part of the public arena, he is often referred to as ‘the master’, which was also King Nikola’s official title. n

A

t the beginning of August, the most will have a more difficult time than the earrespected Slovenian daily ‘Delo’ lier ones, in that they will be exposed to a appealed to the authorities to reach larger degree to rebel attacks.

“Holland’s stand sets an example (for a decision in regards to bringing Slovenian Slovenia) - it is possisoldiers back from the war as soon as possible. According to 'Delo', Slovenian ble to leave Afghanistan without apocalyptic con“Let’s follow the soldiers will be exposed to a sequences”, the comDutch” is the title of the text which recalls larger degree to rebel attacks mentator of ‘Delo’ says and pleads for “the fastHolland’s decision to bring back the members of its army from est possible” retreat of Slovenians from Afghanistan, where international forces are Hindukus, which saw June and July as the encountering an increasing number of prob- bloodiest months of the nine-year war.

“When the first crosses arrive from lems with fighting the Taliban movement.

As the singular reason for the retreat Afghanistan, it will be too late. One should from Afghanistan, ‘Delo’ quotes the ration- fear that this day is approaching”, the comn ale of new contingents of Slovenian soldiers mentator of ‘Delo’ concludes.

CorD 74 / September 2010 43

feature COOPERATION OF EX-YU REPUBLICS

Life Breaks the Borders

A regional lottery and a railway company - the establishment of which was announced over the summer - are based on clear economic interests of republics which do not have spotless political relations

By Bojana Bošković

T

his summer, lottery organisations from within the territories of former Yugoslavia announced they would form a ‘joint game of chance’, and by the end of the year a joint railway company between the Serbian, Croatian, and Slovenian railways should be operational.

Once again, life has proved itself to be stronger than politics: regional ties, which have been thoroughly destroyed over the years for ‘a greater political good’, have been re-estab-

The aim is to achieve the more efficient, lucrative, and faster transportation of goods and people. It has been said the journey from Ljubljana to Istanbul will be reduced from 57 hours down to 35 hours lished in a growing number of areas. It started with culture and show-business, then sport, and next various forms of economic cooperation. The cooperation of criminals, according to information available to the public, has never fully ceased.

The two latest areas of regional bonding

44 CorD 74 / September 2010

have been motivated by obvious economic interests. This calculation is particularly obvious in the case of the announced foundation of a joint lottery offering unique payments, a prize fund and jackpots which would be applicable to all the countries that were former members of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia. According to announcements, if the regional lottery makes a strong start, membership may be offered to other surrounding countries; Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria have been mentioned. It could be a Balkans-Easter Europe’s double of ‘Euro Millions’ game organised in nine European countries - Great Britain, France, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Luxemburg, Portugal, and Switzerland.

The initial jackpot value of the mutual ex-YU lottery (in which around 20 million inhabitants from six former Yugoslav countries will be able to take part), should be about two million euros. The jackpot should increase from one round to the next - until there is a lucky winner. According to some media calculations, a head-spinning jackpot of €20 million could even be reached. This projection was made based on data involving record winnings which have been paid out over the last decade. In Croatia, the record jackpot winning totalled €7.5 million (2009); a €4.7 million jackpot was drawn in Serbia this year; while in Montenegro the highest level ever won was €1.5 million.

The idea of founding a joint lottery was mentioned by the Slovenian Lottery and Lottery of Bosnia and Herzegovina as early as 2001. A more serious step toward the realisation of this idea occurred in Sarajevo in July, when the directors of lottery organisations from the territory of former Yugoslavia arranged the main details of the game, its concept and the way it would be organised (the game will be based on a lotto system, with weekly rounds). The final version of the contract should be completed by the end of September, and after that it needs to be approved by each lot-

tery’s state regulators, in some instances state governments, and by some ministries of finance. One should also take into account the time needed for marketing, so the launch of the exYU ‘pursuit of happiness’ is expected by mid- 2011.

Much sooner, as early as September, a new joint company made up of the Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian railways is expected to commence operations. The declaration establishing the new company was signed on July 30th in Belgrade by the Serbian minister of infrastructure Milutin Mrkonjić, the Slovenian minister of transport and communication Patrik Vlačić, and the state secretary of the Croatian ministry of the sea, transport and infrastructure Danijel Mileta. The aim is to achieve the more efficient, lucrative, and faster transportation of goods and people. It has been said the journey from Ljubljana to Istanbul will be reduced from 57 hours down to 35 hours. This will enhance the competitiveness of Corridor 10 - only 700 trains yearly use this route which partially goes through the republics of former Yugoslavia, while at the same time Corridor 4 which passes through Hungary, is used by 7,000 trains. Corridor 10 (Ljubljana-Zagreb-BelgradeDimitrovgrad-Istanbul) is almost 900 kilometres shorter than Corridor 4, which basically takes the same route.

The fulfilment of the plan will create for each of the three railways an annual income of €50 million. A substantial financial gain should be expected even before the necessary modernisation of the dated railroads, all thanks to the promise of the ministers who signed the declaration saying that the three countries would work on removing administrative limitations in the course of the transportation of goods and people over the borders.

The worst part is the situation in Serbia, where in the 21st century trains are moving slower than they used to in the 19th century It will take a lot of time and money to create the technical conditions for reaching the desired speed of transportation on Corridor 10. The worst part is the situation in Serbia, where in the 21st century trains are moving slower than they used to in the 19th century!? When the railroad between Belgrade and Niš opened in 1884, the journey between two cities lasted five and a half hours, with an average speed of 45.5 kilometres per hour. Today it takes about half an hour longer to cover the same distance, and passenger trains move at the average speed of 44 kilometres per hour. The transportation of goods is much slower. The locomotives are about 20 years old, while the wagons are much older. Certain railway sections (e.g. from Niš to Dimitrovgrad) have not even been electrified. Based on calculations, it will take about €4.5 billion to build a modern double-track railway, which will allow for two speeds.

The situation in Croatia is better – of all the Corridor 10 railroads, the best are in this country. Still, the average speed of cargo trains is 39 kilometres per hour, while the passen-

The initial jackpot value of the mutual ex-YU lottery (in which around 20 million inhabitants from six former Yugoslav countries will be able to take part), should be about two million euros ger trains ‘speed’ at 70 kilometres per hour. The Croatian railway will bring 6,000 wagons and 350 locomotives that are 30 years old into the new company.

Slovenia, with its four-decade old locomotives and wagons, cannot brag about its current situation either. That is why the first country member of former Yugoslavia which succeeded in joining the EU has made plans to invest eight billion euros into railroad modernisation over the next five years.

The ministers of Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia have announced that a team of experts from their railway companies has been formed, and that they will work on the realisation of the project. It was agreed that the company will be located in Ljubljana, according to European Union regulation.

Another ex-YU republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, may join the project in the future. Representatives of this country participated in the early stages of negotiations, but the removal of administrative barriers is needed for their full participation in the project.

The achievement of agreements concerning these new regional projects is clear evidence of the progress in relations between the members of this former united country. However, media need to analyse all the potential implications of these planned undertakings to show that these businesses are not created easily. The Croatian press led the pack, by giving sociologists, ‘politicologists’ and psychologists the chance to discuss the possible consequences of these newly established partnerships. So, for example, sociologist Dražen Lalić got the chance to calm his fellow citizens intimidated by any possibility of the renewal of the former state: “Croatia is getting closer to the European Union with each day that passes, and there is no mention of the simultaneous revival of Yugoslavia.

That would be plain bigamy,” Lalić said for www.business.hr, when talking about the possible consequences of the foundation of a mutual lottery.

■ CorD 74 / September 2010 45

First six months profit - 554 million dinars Total assets in relation to the end of the second quarter of 2009 increased by 31%, from 38,118 million to 49,877 million dinars Piraeus Bank in Serbia continued its upward trend, and for the first six months of operations in 2010 achieved a profit of 553.7 million dinars. Despite the global economic crisis and a very competitive Serbian banking market, the Bank recorded a loan portfolio growth of 24% in the period June 2009 - June 2010. Total assets in relation to the end of the second quarter of 2009 increased by 31%, from 38,118 million to 49,877 million dinars.

Commenting on the results achieved, Neoclis Neocleous, Chairman of the Executive Board of Piraeus Bank said: “Piraeus Bank has continued to improve performance in its operational and financial services, as well as to achieve a satisfactory level of profitability which has resulted in an earnings increase, as can be seen from the financial results for the first half of 2010. In line with our long-term strategy of growth and development, Piraeus Bank will continue to invest in business in

Serbia, especially in core banking activities which offer the greatest potential for growth.”

Loan portfolio growth of 11% during the first semester of 2010 indicates that Piraeus Bank is recognised as a stable bank that provides significant support to both the retail and business sectors. Piraeus bank deposit potential increased by 16% in the first half of 2010 as well.

Piraeus Bank Serbia has been following the main guidelines of Piraeus Bank Group: liquidity, capital adequacy, asset quality and cost containment, which assure achieving good business results. In the future Bank will continue to follow these directions, but also to improve its product portfolio and internal organisational structure. The first step towards achieving this goal will be including experts from all areas of banking operations in the work of branches. That will help finding the most appropriate so-

Goldman Sachs interested in NLB?!

Goldman Sachs, one of the American banks held responsible for the crash of the secondary mortgage market in the USA, is interested in taking over ‘Nova Ljubljanska Banka’ (NLB), Reuters has reported. The Slovenian government would grant the takeover not only to Goldman Sachs, but also to the Belgian Banking and Insurance KBC Group.

The takeover involves a 48% share of NLB, which is owned by Slovenia.

KBC, which already has a 30.6% share in NLB, is seeking a larger share which would give it majority ownership of the Slovenian bank. However, Slovenian share-holders of the NLB have rejected such an option.

Reuters obtained information about the possible takeover from an unofficial government source.

After passing the European Endurance test, Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor said that the government was still considering recapitalisation of the NLB with their own assets or by selling their share in the bank.

46 CorD 74 / September 2010

lution for any financial problem that clients may have, to ensure client satisfaction and achieve good business results.

Jat and Airbus agree new negotiations

Serbian flag carrier ready to cooperate on the renewal of its fleet Jat Airways, the Serb national carrier and Airbus signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to enter into discussion on modifications to the Purchase Agreement of A319 aircraft signed in May 1998. The document was signed by Srdan Radovanovic, Jat Airways Managing Director and Dr Andreas Kramer, Vice President Sales Eastern Europe and CIS, at the Farnborough International Air Show.

Soon after the air show the airline and the manufacturer will enter into preliminary discussions that will be followed by the renegotiation of the 1998 contract.

“Eastern Europe, representing 20.6 percent

of the European population, will experience a traffic growth of 6.4 per cent on average per year over the next 20 years which is much faster than the world average of 4.7 per cent for the same period. In this dynamic market, Airbus is ready to support the strategic development of Jat Airways as a leading airline”, said Vice President Sales East Europe and CIS Dr Andreas Kramer.

Owner of ‘Fimi media’ arrested

Owner of the Croatian media agency ‘Fimi media’, Nevenka Jurak, was arrested and given a one-month sentence, on the suspicion that she had conspired to submit false bills to the state for nonexistent services to the tune of 16.5 million kunas (€2,285 million).

Jurak was winning state business not by applying to tenders, but by using her political contacts The Croatian media pointed out that this affair might affect even the former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, whose name so far has been mentioned in some other affairs which involved certain directors of state companies, as well as the Deputy Prime Minister Damir Polančec, being to prison.

Ms Jurak, her associate Anita Lončar-Papeš, and Bojan Dimić, were under investigation for illegal actions in the dealings between ‘Fimi media’ and several state-owned companies. From 2005 to 2009, Jurak was winning state business not by applying to tenders, but by using her political contacts, and was then laundering money via Dimić’s company by using fictitious bills.

Nevenka Jurak’s attorney, Krešimir Vilajtović, said that the office was not investigating the dealings of ‘Fimi media’ with state, but with private companies. The office itself will be announcing further investigations and arrests.

According to the Croatian media, a long-time friend of Nevenka Jurak, the Director of Customs Mladen Barišić, and former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader are also involved in the affair.

In 2007 Sanader called a government meeting which was attended by 20 directors and heads of state companies. Sanader and Barišić told them it would be a desirable move if they did business with Nevenka Jurak; after that, ‘Fimi media’ started winning state contracts worth several million kunas.

The flourishing of ‘Fimi media’ started with HDZ coming to power in 2003, and ended in 2009 when Jadranka Kosor issued an order to stop all contracted business dealings with this company.

€590 million invested in Serbia

In the first quarter the total income from foreign investments was €590 million. It is expected that investments in Serbia will amount to one billion euros by the end of the year. The director of the Serbia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SIEPA), Božidar Laganin, commented to the media that currently, there are more than 80 active projects in different sectors which are in pursuit of a good location within Serbia. He also stated that until now more than 17,000 jobs have been successfully created in 114 supported projects, and that the average stimulus was about €2,600 (per employee). According to Laganin, foreign investors are mostly interested in the car, metal, textile and wood industries, then in the food and drink industry, as well as in information-computer technologies.

Boško Živković, new President of the Governors Council of the National Bank of Serbia Boško Živković has been appointed President of the Governor’s Council of the National Bank of Serbia (NBS). Živković (born 1954) is a professor of the Faculty of Economy, an expert in business finances, the asset market and banking. Previously he has been president of the Securities Commission of the FRY and Serbia, a member of the NBS Council (20032004), and the assistant of the Minister of the Economy and Privatisation responsible for the finance markets’ development (2003). He was part of the expert group which formulated the basic concepts of the law on privatisation, economic societies, finance markets, banks, and so on.

Vadim Jakovljev, President of the Board of Directors of NIS Vadim Jakovljev has been re-elected as President of the Board of Directors of NIS. Jakovljev (born 1970) worked as a consultant at PriceWaterhouse Coopers from 1995, where in 2000 he became a financial expertise manager. From 2001 to 2002 he served as deputy manager of the financial-economic office of JUKOP EP a.d. From 2003 to 2004 he was financial director of Jugansknjeftgas NK JUKOS office. From 2005 to 2006 he was deputy general director for economy and finance at SIBUR- Ruske Gume d.o.o. From December 2006 he was head of the planning and budget office at Gaspromnjeft a.d., and from January 2008, he was deputy president of the Board of Directors and deputy general director for economy and finance. Since February 2009 he has been a member of the Board of Directors of NIS, and he was first elected as president of the company’s board in July 2009.

Xavier Bout de Marnhac, Head of EULEX from October Former KFOR commander Xavier Bout de Marnhac will replace Yves de Kermabon as the head of the EU Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) from October 15th, according to EULEX. The retired General de Marnhac was the KFOR commander in 2007 and 2008. He graduated from military academy at St Cyr and pursued further studies at the American Command-General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and the General staff Academy and Institute of National Defence in Paris. Before and after his time in Kosovo he has held various commanding positions in the French army, and has served in missions in the Balkans, Middle East, central Asia and Africa. He retired this year from the position of the commander of the French military area of the South-East with its headquarters in Lyon.

CorD 74 / September 2010 47

appointments

According to Croatian media, the Director of Customs, Mladen Barišić and former Prime Minister, Ivo Sanader, are also involved

Each month, keeps you up to date with the most important changes at the top of business, politics and diplomacy in Serbia

CARLSBERG SRBIJA

Increase in market share

MERCEDES E-Class Cabriolet

Four seasons, four passengers The E-Class is one the safest vehicles in its segment, a fact which has also been proven by independent crash tests and the specialist press A number of technical innovations have been incorporated into the new E-Class which no other car in this class is able to offer - from drowsiness detection to automatic emergency braking when an accident is recognised as imminent, and from adaptive high beam assist to the active bonnet. The E-Class is one the safest vehicles in its segment, a fact which has also been proven by independent crash tests and the specialist press.

In addition, there is a wide selection of powerful and efficient engines which is set to be systematically extended over the coming months. Depending on the model, these range from the innovative E 200 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY producing 100 kW (136 hp) up to the E 500 producing 285 kW (388 hp). There are also AMG versions producing 386 kW (525 hp) and the all-wheel drive system 4MATIC. In addition to the innovations, the individual variants have a number of new products and features to enhance the comfort, safety and appeal which are specific to this model.

With the new AIRCAP® feature, enhanced AIRSCARF® and also the standard acoustic soft top, the new E-Class Cabriolet for example provides all-year-round comfort which is unique in the segment of open-top vehicles.

Despite a nine percent drop in beer consumption in Serbia compared with the same period last year, Carlsberg Srbija has scored an increase in market share. In the first six months of 2010, the company enjoyed a 26.5% share of Serbia’s beer market, which is 2.5% more compared with the same period last year.

The general director of the company Aleksandar Radosavljević said when talking about the achievement, that regardless of the challenges dictated by the global economic crisis, the company was putting a lot of effort into maintaining further development trends. “Continuity of investments, which by the end of the year should amount to €12.5 million, is an indication of our business goals”, Radosavljević said.

He remarked that, since their arrival on the Serbian market, the total investment of the Carlsberg Company has totalled up to €165 million.

EUROBANK EFG SCHOLARSHIPS’

‘NeftegasInCor’ in republica srpska

This is the fifth jubilee year that Eurobank EFG will award 50 scholarships worth €1,000 each to the best students of the final years of basic/ integrated studies at state universities in Serbia.

The contest is administrated by the Institute of European Education, one of the oldest international organisations in the area of higher education. Applications are evaluated by an independent international expert committee, composed of professors and experts from non-governmental institutions.

‘Eurobank EFG Scholarships’ project is a part of ‘We Invest in European Values’, an all-encompassing corporate social responsibility programme of the Bank, which is aimed at the support of education, health-care, inclusive society, and environmental protection. The programme has received over €3.5 million-worth of investments so far.

The Petroleum Industry of Serbia and ‘NeftegasInCor’, a daughter-company of Russian company ‘Zarubezneft’, will start a joint venture company for research and petroleum production in the Republic of Srpska (BiH).

The memo on the foundation of the joint venture company was signed in Banja Luka by the vice-president of the Board of Directors of ‘Gazprom Neft’, the general director of NIS Kiril Kravcenko, and Yuri Belov, an authorised representative of ‘NeftegasInCor’, in the presence of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska, Milorad Dodik, members of the Cabinet, the ambassador of the Russian Federation in BiH, Aleksander Bocan-Harchenko, and the minister of Mining and Energetics of Serbia, Petar Škundrić.

According to preliminary assessments, the volume of geological reserves in the territory of the Republic of Srpska equals about 50 million tons of petrol. Should the geological-research works (which are scheduled for the beginning of 2011), be successful, mining of oil and gas in the Republic of Srpska can begin as early as 2014.

The maximum level of production at the deposits will be reached by 2020, and it will amount to one million tons per year.

It is expected that in the first phase of project realisation, the volume of mutual investments into geological-research works will be about €20 million.

€1,000 each for the best students in Serbia

48 CorD 74 / September 2010

Foundation of joint venture company in RS

‘Dytech’ and ‘Yura’ in Niš

Serbia reconstructs ten football stadiums The government, authorised ministries, local administrations and the Football Federation (FS) of Serbia have made an agreement that in the next year, Serbia will get 10 modern football stadiums with reflectors.

The government and city authorities will invest almost €30 million modernising the stadiums’ infrastructure. Apart from Red Star and Partizan, Serbia does not have other facilities with reflectors, and most of them are in a state of ruin and way below UEFA standards.

Applications and registrations by cities for this project are due on October 1st, but documents have already been sent in by the regional centres of Subotica, Novi Sad, Inđija, Kragujevac, Niš, Jagodina, Kruševac, and Belgrade.

In the course of reconstruction of the stadiums, the Government of the Republic of Serbia and local administrations have agreed that the contractors (including the construction firms etc) will come from the cities where the works are to be undertaken.

The project of the Government of the Republic of Serbia does not involve the reconstruction of the Red Star and Partizan stadiums, which have their own reconstruction projects.

Erhard Buehler, General Erhard Buehler Heading KFOR German general Erhard Buehler will take over command of the international KFOR forces in Kosovo in September. General Major Erhard Buehler (54) will replace fellow German, General Marcus Bentler, as the commander of the 10,000 soldiers of KFOR from 30 countries. KFOR now comprises of 1,500 German soldiers. Since July 2009 Buehler has commanded the German 10th Armoured Division stationed in Sigmaringen – this is also where he inherited Bentler. The new head of KFOR has been in Kosovo since November 2004 as commander of German troops in Prizren, and as deputy commander of the Multinational Brigade South- West.

The KFOR commander’s mandate is for the period of one year.

Vukašin Obradović, new President of the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia Vukašin Obradović, editor-in-chief of Vranjske Weekly and until now the vicepresident of the association, has been elected as the new president of the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS). After Đorđe Vlajić resigned from the post, Obradović has been acting as the NUNS president for the last six months. Obradović was born in Vranje in 1962 and graduated from the Department of Journalism, Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade in 1987. During his college years he contributed to the editorial boards of youth papers such as Student, NON, Mladost, and Stav. By the end of 1994 he had started a local weekly, Vranjske, which by 2000 was the only independent media in southern Serbia. Currently he is editor-in-chief of this publication.

Aleksandar Tijanić, General Director of RTS... again The RDU Radio-Television of Serbia Board of Directors has once again chosen Aleksandar Tijanić as the general director of RTS. This is Tijanić’s second term at the head of the national public media service. Tijanić’s new mandate will last four years, and he has already been at the head of Serbia’s Radio-Television for six years.

Tijanić (61) was born in Đakovica and has lived in Podujevo and Priština. He studied journalism at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade, and started his professional carrier at the weekly, NIN. He worked as the editor-in-chief for Interview’magazine, and then as the editor-in-chief for Sportski Žurnal. He has published political columns in Slobodna Dalmacija in Split, Danas and Start in Zagreb, Mladina in Ljubljana, and Oslobođenje in Sarajevo. He has also been the director of Politika Television and was the creator of BK Television.

CorD 74 / September 2010 49

appointments

Italian company ‘Dytech’ and South Korean company ‘Yura’ plan to construct factories in the industrial zone of Donje Međurovo near Niš, where the city has granted them land for free.

In the middle of August, ‘Dytech’ registered its business in Niš, and is a step closer to the construction of a factory for the production of fluids used in the car industry. The Italian company will invest €12 million in the construction of the factory. When completed, it will employ 400 workers.

Prior to this, the city of Niš and ‘Yura’ signed a contract on the cession of land, which created conditions for the commencement of the construction of a factory which will employ 1,500 workers. It was announced that production will commence in May 2011.

The city could gain €70 million from these investments over the next 10 years, whereas the investment into supplying utilities to the land and the granting of the free land has been estimated at about €2.5 million, according to the office of the mayor, Miloš Simonović.

Each month, keeps you up to date with the most important changes at the top of business, politics and diplomacy in Serbia

Messer Tehnogas

New Centre in Nikšić

Stefan Messer, owner of German company Messer, officially opening the Center of Technical Gases in Nikšić

At the beginning of July 2010, Mr. Stefan Messer, owner of the German company Messer, and Mr. Ernst Bode, regional manager for South-Eastern Europe, officially opened the Center for Technical Gases in Nikšić, located within the Steel Mill in this city. In 2009, Messer Tehnogas concluded a long-term supply agreement with the Steel Mill for the supply of technical gases and has to date invested 0,8 million Euros. Mr. Messer and German Ambassador H.E. Peter Plate did not hide their satisfaction concerning the positive developments in the Steel Mill and the readiness of the Republic of Montenegro to support this important industrial giant in these difficult times. Messer Tehnogas in Montenegro has an oxygen and nitrogen production plant, filling stations for technical gases and acetylene, as well as several distribution centers.

On the evening of the plant opening, as a gift of Messer to Nikšić, Željko Samardžić held a concert in the main city square, which was attended by 20.000 people.

Messer Tehnogas is also the owner of the air separation plant in Bor, taken over at the public auction in June 2009. It took over the existing employees of the plant and now produces 100 tons of gaseous oxygen per day (3.000 Nm3/h) as well as nitrogen for supplying the mining and smelting basin of Bor (RTB Bor). Messer has invested into four large oxygen tanks at the location and has a sales point for technical gases. The construction of a new smelter in RTB Bor is planned, and therefore also a new air separation plant with a larger capacity for supplying the new smelter.

Every 5th privatization cancelled Data of the Privatisation Agency has shown that since the beginning of privatisation in Serbia, contracts for more than 20% of the companies sold have been cancelled, and this year alone, by the end of June, 86 such documents were cancelled. This is the highest number over the last 10 years. From the beginning of privatisation until the end of June this year, 563 contracts were terminated.

Data from the Privatisation Agency shows that, on a regional level, the largest numbers of privatisation contracts were cancelled in the territory of Vojvodina, followed by Niš, Kraljevo, Belgrade, and Kragujevac.

Reasons given for the termination of contracts with the new owners of companies have remained the same during the entire period of privatisation – non-fulfilment of obligations related to investments and not respecting the social programme, cessation of production, not paying the purchase price, and selling the company’s property regardless of contract terms.

50 CorD 74 / September 2010

‘Sirmium Steel’ starting in September Currently the biggest Greenfield investment in Sremska Mitrovica, the smelting plant ‘Sirmium Steel’, will start working on September 15th.

Initially, ‘Sirmium Steel’ will have 250 employees, but the expansion of production capacities and an increase in the number of employees is planned.

Mayor of Sremska Mitrovica Branislav Nedimović said that €35 million was being invested in the smelting plant, and that these funds had come from Italy.

The smelting plant will process iron as secondary raw material, whereas the basic production programme will be the manufacture of steel beams used in the construction industry. Production is primarily aimed at the foreign market.

Export to Germany - €364 million In the first six months of this year, exports of Serbian products to Germany stood at about €364 million.

The value of total exports was 15.5% greater than in the same period in 2009, whereas German exports to Serbia dropped by 10.8%, or €620.9 million.

The Serbian Chamber of Commerce’s office in Berlin stated that the exchange of goods between Serbia and Germany dropped by three percent compared to the same period last year.

Based on the total exchange of goods, Germany is still Serbia’s most important trade partner, ahead of both Russia and Italy.

Banca Intesa

For the third year in a row, the Bank has maintained the leading position in the Serbian market

Manojlo Vukotić, Still at the Head of Večernje Novosti At the regular meeting of shareholders of Večernje Novosti Manojlo, Vukotić was elected general director and editor-inchief of the company. This is Vukotić‘s third term after being first elected as director in 2000. Vukotić (born 1938) studied world literature at the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade. He started taking an interest in journalism with Belgrade Student, and then began his professional career in 1963 at Beogradska Nedelja. He was the long-term editor-in-chief of Borba, Blic, and the Glas Javnosti. At Večernje Novosti daily he worked as a journalist, editor and foreign correspondent. Vukotić has been the director of ‘Novosti’ Company for the last eight years.

Sava Dalbokov, Overseeing the International Business Sector at Steiermärkische Sparkasse

Maja Kolar, Head of Marketing and Communications Department of Banca Intesa, Clive Harwood, Editor of Euromoney and Draginja Djuric, President of the Management Board of Banca Intesa

Euromoney the world’s most gy of banks and insurance comprestigious financial and banking panies. Strong management vimagazine declared Banca Intesa sion, innovation and a recognisa“The best bank in Serbia in 2009”, ble market identity are the mutual at its annual event “Awards for qualities of all those awarded.

For the third year in a row, Banca Excellence”.

This is the first time that Banca Intesa has maintained the leadIntesa has received this remark- ing position in the Serbian marable award from Euromoney. To ket according to the most significant sucdate the bank has been honoured For the third year in a cess indicators with the same ti- row, Banca Intesa has of banking business. With a totle by two other maintained the leading tal of 3.4 billion reputable finanposition in the Serbian euro on the balcial magazines - London based market according to ance sheet, total Finance Central the most significant deposits of 1.8 Europe ( f i v e success indicators of billion and total banking business investments of times), and The 2.3 billion euro, Banker, a publication from the renowned Financial Banca Intesa leads the list of the strongest banks in Serbia. From Times Group (two times).

Since 1992, Euromoney has been the beginning of the global fiassigning recognition in banking nancial downturn, Banca Intesa excellence using global categories first joined the national procovering 110 countries around the gram of subsidised loans and to world. Every year, the jury analy- date has approved a third of toses in detail the business strate- tal sales.

The inspecting committee of Steiermärkische Bank und Sparkasse AG have named Sava Dalbokov as the new member of the Board of Directors for the period between October 1st 2010 and May 31st 2014. Dalbokov will be in charge of the international business sector and of the South-east European market. Sava Dalbokov (born 1973, Bulgaria) studied at South Carolina University in Columbia, and Massachusetts University in Boston, USA. Upon completion of his studies he worked as a tax inspector at the public revenue office of Massachusetts, Boston, USA and as analyst at Moellendorf & Company in Budapest, Hungary. In September 1997 he started his career at Erste Bank as the director for Central and Eastern Europe. From March 2002 to March 2006 he was a member of the Board of Directors responsible for IT and operative affairs, risk management and assets management at Erste & Steiermärkische Bank from Rijeka, Croatia. From April 2006 to December 2008 he was the president of the Board of Directors of Erste Bank a.d. in Novi Sad, Serbia. Since January 2009 Dalbokov has been general director of good.bee Holding GmbH Company of Austria.

Borislav Kostadinov, new President of the

Management Board of ProCredit Bank in Serbia

Kostadinov was elected to this post in early August, replacing Doerte Weidig, who has been transferred to new duties within ProCredit Holdings in Frankfurt.

Kostadinov has had close to 10 years in management of the ProCredit Group, and over the last six years he been in several management roles in ProCredit banks in the region, and in 2002 in ProCredit Bank in Serbia.

CorD 74 / September 2010 51

appointments

EUROMONEY RECOGNITION

Each month, keeps you up to date with the most important changes at the top of business, politics and diplomacy in Serbia

& faces

places H.E. Mr. Kamal Faqir Benaissa, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of The Kingdom of Morocco and Vuk Jeremic, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, at a reception held on the occasion of the eleventh anniversary of the coronation of King Mohammed VI, on 30 July at the Hyatt Hotel.

H.E. Denise de Hauwere, Ambassador of Belgium to Serbia; Sonja Licht, President of the Foreign Ministry’s Foreign Policy Council; Jasna Matic, Minister of Telecommunications of Serbia; and H.E. Mary Warlick, U.S. Ambassador to Serbia at a reception marking the beginning the Belgian EU presidency, held on 9 July at the Embassy of Belgium.

The traditional summer gathering of the Serbian Business Club was held on 30 June at their Club House.

Those attending the reception included prominent businessmen, representatives of diplomatic missions, members of government agencies and international financial institutions, and the media.

Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt Aly Galal Bassioun and his wife, with Tomica Milosavljević, the Minister of Health of Serbia and his wife, at the function the occasion of the National Day of Egypt on 23 July.

52 CorD 74 / September 2010

US Ambassador to Serbia H.E. Mary Warlick, and husband James Warlick, who is the US Ambassador to Bulgaria at the “4th of July “ celebrations held at their residence, pictured here with British Ambassador to Sebia, H.E Stephen Wordworth and his wife.

H.E. Mary Warlick welcomes Russian Ambassador H.E. Alexandar Konuzin to the “4th of July “celebrations.

... and Ivan Tasovac, Director of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra.

faces & places

Charge d` Affaires of the Republic of Indonesia H.E. Eko Himawan, organised a reception marking the occasion of the 65th Anniversary of Independence on 19 August at the Continental Hotel. Guests included the Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković. Guests were entertained by an Indonesian cultural group.

CorD 74 / September 2010 53

& faces

places On the 14th of July, French Ambassador to Belgrade H.E. JeanFrancois Terral organised a reception to celebrate the French national holiday in the gardens of his residence in Belgrade.

British Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Stephen Wordsworth enjoys a moment of humour with French Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Jean Francois Terral.

H.E. Mr. Jean Francois Terral, French Ambassador to Serbia accompanied by his wife Mrs. Marie-Pierre Terral.

H.E. Jean Francois Terral, French Ambassador to Serbia; Prime Minister of Serbia, Mirko Cvetković; and H.E. Vincent Degert, head of the European Union Delegation in Serbia.

Invited guests enjoy the French national holiday celebrations.

President of the Belgrade Assembly Aleksandar Antic, former Japanese Ambassador to Belgrade H.E. Tadashi Nagai and Belgrade Mayor Dragan Djilas awarding charters to Japanese diplomats for what they have done for the citizens of Belgrade, on 19 August at the Assembly.

54 CorD 74 / September 2010

after work

United Serbian

breweries

Nenad Šarenac from Heineken and Bojana Lekić, NIN weekly

Miroslav Prokopijević, economist and Francois Xavier Mahot, Director General of United Serbian Breweries

Milica Milša, actor and Žarko Jokanović, playwrite

after work

Dr Alexander Teutch, Director General of company "Adria Media Serbia" and Francois Xavier Mahot, Director General of United Serbian Breweries

United Serbian Breweries – a member of the Heineken Group, organised this year’s Belgrade Beer Festival VIP Cocktail Party which was attended by local and foreign businessmen and economists. The theme of the party was “The Big Trip - Both Serbia and the World.” Visitors were able to have a photo taken on the Amstel stand and from here travel through the cities of the world. By visiting the Pils Plus stand they could travel through Serbia.

Belgrade journalists with Francois Xavier Mahot CorD 74 / September 2010 55

chill

out!

Bears guard DOPE CROP Police have uncovered two separate illegal marijuana crops of about 2,300 plants near Christina Lake (just a few kilometers from the Canada-U.S border), being guarded by 14 black bears.

“They were tame, they just sat around watching. At one point one of the bears climbed onto the hood of a police car, sat there for a bit and then jumped off,” said

PRESS OPPRESSION

Royal Canadian Mounted Police sergeant Fred Mansveld.

The property’s two owners were arrested on charges of production and possession of a controlled substance. It is unclear if they used the bears to guard the ‘pot’ fields or just liked having them as pets.

The photo shows police with one of the bears that were guarding the crop.

(Source: www.telegraph.co.uk)

Gordon Brown Is Looking For ‘$100,000-A-Night Speeches’

According to The Spectator, former PM Gordon Brown is preparing to earn tens European journalist groups and press freedom of thousands of pounds on the interwatchdogs have sharply criticised the Hungarian govnational after-dinner speakernment for its new media laws. Critics have described ing circuit, and has asked a the new rules as returning the country to “Communist” London speaking agency times. The most controversial element of the plans is the creto find engagements for ation of a government-controlled “media presidaeum”, which will supervise public media, who will now have to guaranhim in the Middle East tee “balanced reporting” and obliged to supply the information and Asia. deemed by the regulators as “necessary for society”. All subjects The venture would of articles will now have a guaranteed right of reply. Additionally, mark a surprising turn in the head of the presidaeum is to be appointed directly by the the career of Mr Brown, prime minister for a nine-year term. who has always stressed (Source: www.euobserver.com)

that he is interested in “good works” rather than financial gain. Mr Blair, who has embarked on a number of different money-making ventures since leaving office, was reported to have been paid £240,000 for one 20minute speech in Japan.

Bus Over Traffic

(Source: www.telegraph.co.uk)

Equipment company is developing a “3D Express Coach” that will allow cars less than two meters high to travel underneath the upper level which carries the passengers.

(Source: www.thechive.com)

China may have found an environmentally friendly way to save money while easing congestion on city roads.

Instead of spending millions to widen roads, the Shenzhen Huashi Future Parking

new ceo for News International Rebekah Wade, editor of the Sun, will become chief executive of News International from September. James Murdoch, News Corporation chairman and chief executive Europe and Asia, who has been running the company’s UK newspaper subsidiary News International since December 2007, will stay at Wapping and become executive chairman of the business. Wade will report to Murdoch.

Wade will be in operational charge of News International’s four national titles – the Sun, News of the World, the Times and the Sunday Times – and freesheet, the London Paper.

(Source: www.guardian.co.uk)

56 CorD 74 / September 2010

The last wind The world’s oldest working mechanical clock is to be fitted with an electric motor for the first time after being wound by hand every week for more than 600 years. The clock at Wells Cathedral in Somerset, UK, will be set manually for the last time next week, following the retirement of the last member of a

The sequel will cover the travels of an American Borat fan who arrives in Kazakhstan expecting a post-Soviet wasteland, but finds instead a prosperous petro-state - will combat negative stereotypes, the director says. “We want to ride on the wave of success of Borat to show people the real Kazakhstan, not Baron Cohen’s Kazakhstan,” Rakishev said. Shooting for the film will begin later this year, Rakishev says, with a likely release date of 2011.

(Source: www.abc.net.au)

(Source: www.telegraph.co.uk)

Powerful women

Kazakhstan Plans Borat Sequel A director in Kazakhstan is set to shoot an unofficial sequel to Sacha Baron Cohen’s unflattering 2006 send-up of the ex-Soviet state. Filmmaker Erkin Rakishev will direct My Brother, Borat as a follow-up to Baron Cohen’s hugely successful mockumentary.

family who has maintained it for almost a century.

Experts say the clock, which tracks the sun across the sky and records the stages of the moon, is a marvel of medieval craftsmanship. Over the past 90 years the clock, the world’s oldest continually-working mechanical timepiece, has been wound by five different generations of the Fisher family.

U.S. first lady Michelle Obama is among the world’s 100 most powerful women in a list topped for the fourth consecutive year by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to a recently Forbes ranking. The list is based on factors such as economic impact, media reach and career accomplishments.

Obama debuted at No. 40, coming in ahead of talk show host Oprah Winfrey at 41 and The Queen at 42.

The chief executives of Pepsi, Anglo American, Temasek, Kraft Foods, WellPoint, and Areva all remain in the Forbes top 10.

(Source: www.uk.reuters.com)

Middle class pooches Dog owners are ditching traditional pet names such as Patch, Scamp or Lassie in favour of “middle-class” baby names such as Alfie, Poppy and Molly.

The trend has emerged from a study by insurance giant www.protectyourbubble.com of names given to 80,000 dogs (Source: www.telegraph.co.uk) over the last 12 months which experts

INTELLIGENCE REDUCING BREW

(Source: www.uk.reuters.com)

chill out!

Job applicants who drink alcohol are perceived as less intelligent and less hireable by American bosses, according to a recent study. In a series of experiments researchers from the University of Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania found that an association with alcohol caused observers to “expect cognitive impairment” in a job seeker. “Merely holding an alcoholic beverage may reduce the perceived intelligence of the person,” say researches Scott Rick and Maurice Schweitzer.

CorD 74 / September 2010 57

interview Jovan Ćirilov, artistic director and selector of the Bitef festival

Not so revolutionary?

Mainstream theatres are now more revolutionary in an artistic sense than what is conventionally defined as experimental theatre

By Philomena O’Brien

T

he celebrated Belgrade theatre festival Bitef is due to kick off its 44th year on the 15th of September.

Founded in 1967, the festival has been known for embracing the latest trends and methods of the stage. CorD magazine talks with the artistic director and selector of the Bitef festival, Jovan Ćirilov, to see what path is being trod these days and what this year’s festival has in store for us. n In the early years of BITEF, during the 1960s and 70s, the festival was known for its courageous and revolutionary approach to experimental theatre. These days the festival, while not strictly mainstream, certainly has tendencies more in this direction. What is the reason for this change in approach? r The 1960s, and to some degree the 70s, were revolutionary years in many senses, mainly social and artistic. In addition to offering cutting-edge experimental theatre, from the very first year of the festival we also presented what was new in permanent theatres, for example Krejca in Divablo za Branou in Prague and in many German theatres. In these locations innovative directors such as Zadek, Stein, and Peymann etc were changing world theatre practices, and applying new tendencies in the sometimes not so perfect forms of experimental theatres. In the more recent decades such as the 80s, 90s, and the first decade of the twenty-first century we have presented the theatre innovations of this period such as post-modern drama, nonverbal, and post-dramatic. Extreme experimental performances on a profession58 CorD 74 / September 2010

ally high level have practically have not existed subsequent to the 60s. Mainstream theatres are now more revolutionary in an artistic sense than what is conventionally defined as experimental theatre; perhaps because current experimental drama is frequently based on new technologies and these can be very expensive. So-called poor experimental companies cannot be any more revolutionary in the theatrical sense. It is a shame, but it is unfortunately true. n Is there an underlying theme or concept that connects the performances in this year’s Main Programme? r It is very often misunderstood that all the performances in the festival are connected to the chosen topic or theme, so this year we decided to omit the use of one defining slogan. During the very early days of the 44th Bitef we had a sort-of round table discussion regarding the matter of whether to take the path of ‘with or without a slogan’. Notwithstanding the opinions of the invited participants to the festival, next year we will continue formulating the topics of our programme. n The Main, Side and Special Programmes consist of 17

different plays. What do you consider to be the highlights or ‘must sees’ from this year’s selection? Are there any big international names in terms of directors, actors or choreographers featured in this year’s programme? r The biggest name this year that has not been previously presented at Bitef is Jan Lauwers. This year he is bringing to Bitef his two innovative shows “Isabella’s Room” and “Deer House”.

There is also the example of a new approach to the riddle of Chekhov, 150 years after his birth in Russia -“Three Sisters” directed by Yuriy Pogrebnitchko. Yuriy will be accompanied by the ensemble of his theatre, the name of which celebrates the famous Russian actor and theatre director Stanislavski (Theatre Okolo Doma Stanislavski). Yuriy however uses a new approach to the heritage of Stanislavski, as well.

■

CorD 74 / September 2010 59

FAQ SERBIA IN NEW YORK

A

n exhibition titled Frequently Asked Questions - Serbia (FAQ Serbia), will be showing in the Gallery of the Austrian Cultural Forum in New York (11 East 52nd

Albania, Croatia, Slovenia and Greece will participate.

The exhibition is being organised with the full support of the Austrian Cultural Forum, and will be presented in partnership with the Belgrade Museum of Contemporary Art. The project is being supported by the cultural centres of Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Slovenia, as well as the Harriman Institute of the University of Columbia, which will organise a symposium during the exhibition.

as Felix Romuliana and of the porphyric head of Galerius which was found in 1993.

It is believed the discovery may help them

DISCOVERY AT GAMZIGRAD

T

Street, NY) from September 21st to January 9th.

After outstanding presentations of Serbian contemporary art at the ‘On Normality’ exhibition in Washington last year, and the last years’ project for the Serbian pavilion at the Venice Biennale, Serbian contemporary art alongside works of foreign artists related to Serbia, will now be presented in New York. Twenty contemporary visual artists from Serbia, Austria, Romania, Turkey, Great Britain,

his summer a marble sculpture has been discovered just outside the walls of the Imperial Palace at the archaeological site of ’Felix Romuliana’ at Gamzigrad, near Zaječar. The discovery was made during excavations by an international group of archaeologists, and was announced by Gerda Zomer von Bulow, a representative of the German Archaeological Institute of Frankfurt.

It is a unique sculpture and is presumed to be part of a statue of a Thracian horseman or of the goddess Diana. Other parts of the sculpture are expected to be recovered during further excavations of the researches. The style of the piece, as well as the high quality of marble used, suggests the sculpture dates back to the mid third century BC. Experts are unanimous that this is the most significant discovery subsequent to the 1984 discovery of the archivolt known

zepter museum opens

‘Z

epter’ museum, the first private museum in Serbia, owned by Mrs Madlena Janković Zepter, was opened in Belgrade on 1st July. The museum is located at 42 Knez Mihailova in a renovated building erected in 1922. More than 350 canvases, sculptures, graphics, drawings, and installations of 132 Serbian artists from the second half of 20th century are on display over an area of over 1,200 square metres.

The founders also hope the museum will function as a cultural centre where exhibitions, tours of other museums and galleries from Serbia and from abroad, concerts of chamber music, video projections, forums, promotions, lectures, discussions, and themed and expert meetings will all take place.

To mark the opening of the ‘Zepter’ museum a representative monograph of over 350 pages in Serbian and English, presenting all the authors and their works, has been published.

60 CorD 74 / September 2010

reveal some new details about the history of the Imperial Palace of ‘Felix Romuliana’, which has been under UNESCO protection since 2007.

extended art triennial 2010 belgrade media

T

he first International Extended Art Triennial 2010 BELGRADE MEDIA, with the participation of about 200 artists from Serbia and 28 countries around the world, opened on 5th August and will run until 20th September.

The Triennial, organised by the Association of Fine Artists of Serbia (ULUS), is on show at several exhibition spaces – the art pavilion ‘Cvijeta Zuzorić’, the Students Cultural Centre, Postal Museum Belgrade, Gallery Icarus Zemun, and Art Gallery Trstenik. Works on display include video art, performance art, digital art and other new artistic media.

‘world heritage - serbia’ in london

Retrospective of Goran Paskaljević in London

T

A

he monograph titled ‘World Heritage - Serbia’, published by the Ministry of Culture of Serbia, was unveiled mid-July at the Serbian Embassy in London. The monograph was presented by the Serbian Minister of Culture, Nebojša Bradić, and in addition to this there was also the presentation of the translation of the contemporary Serbian literature into English. Translator Zoran Paunović and special adviser of the Minister of Culture Zoran Hamović spoke about the translations of the contemporary Serbian authors. The promotion was part of the ‘Ambassador’s Choice’ project as part of the Year of the Book and Language Project - a systematic international presentation of Serbian authors and publishers.

Some Other Stories

retrospective of films of the Serbian director Goran Paskaljević was held at the British Film Institute (BFI) in London from the 1st to 15th July. Fifteen of Paskaljević’s motion pictures were shown and the director of BFI, Geoff Andrew, stated that the retrospective of Paskaljević’s films was an opportunity for British audiences to discover a rich, exciting and remarkable film signature style and opus.

During the retrospective, Paskaljević had his ‘author night’, which involved a meeting and talks with the director of the British Film Institute and numerous visitors.

There was also a presentation of the 140-page monograph ‘Film Works of Goran Paskaljević’, which includes reviews of his films, a collection of texts of the most influential contemporary film theoreticians, and critics on Paskaljević and his film opus.

(Bosnia and Herzegovina), Marija Džidževa (Macedonia), and Hana Slak (Slovenia) directed the stories. The film shows five dramatic stories of five young women in five countries covering pregnancy and motherhood and explores life and the problems of the younger generations. Sergej Trifunović, Nataša Ninković, Gordan Kičić, Svetlana Bojković, Lucija Šerbedžija, Nera Stipičević, Goran Bogdan, Nina Violić, Feđa Štukan, and Iva Zendelska also appear in the film.

.

T

he special plaque of the ‘Artistic Council of 17th Festival of European Film Palić’ was awarded to the film omnibus ’Some Other Stories’, directed by several female directors from former Yugoslavia.

‘Some Other Stories’ is based on the idea of Serbian film critic and producer Nenad Dukić and was created in cooperation with Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, and Serbia. Ana Marija Rosi (Serbia), Ivona Juka (Croatia), Ines Tanović

Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra in Italy

T

he Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra completed a six-day tour of Italy in July, and participated in festivals in the cities of Bassano del Grappa, Modena and Ravello.

The first concert was held on 21st July in Bassano del Grappa within the walls of the ‘Ezzelini’ fortress. The orchestra performed Wagner’s overture Master Singers and Tchaikovsky‘s 4th Symphony with the famous Italian violinist Uto Ughi and Canadian conductor Michelle Bruso.

This concert was held as a part of the Musical Summer Festival, in which, over two months, musicians from 19 countries participated in 400 musical, dance and theatrical events in the region.

On Thursday, 22nd July the orchestra with the same conductor, soloist and

programme, performed in Modena, in the stylish ambience of La Meridiana Villa.

The final concert of the mini-tour was held on 24th July in Ravello, at one of the oldest traditional festivals in Italy, where some of the best regional orchestras participate.

Serbia - Cultural Bond between the East and the West

T

he exhibition ‘Serbia - Cultural Bond between the East and the West’ opened in Vienna on 30th June and will run until 30th October.

The exhibition was created as a celebration marking the 150th anniversary of the Serbian Orthodox Municipality of St. Sava in Vienna. It presents Serbian cultural heritage from the last twelve centuries - the works of which are found in the collections of the National Museum

in Belgrade, the Gallery of Matica Srpska in Novi Sad, the Library of Matica Srpska in Novi Sad, the Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the National Library in Vienna, the Historical Museum of Serbia, the Museum of the City of Belgrade, the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Art, and the Museum of Srem in Sremska Mitrovica.

Among the exhibits are icons that were made in the period between the 14th and 17th century, remarkable copies of frescoes, representative examples of fresco-painting and icons from Serbian Medieval monasteries made under the influence of Byzantine culture, works from the Baroque period, art from the time of liberation from the Turks, and so on.

Sponsors of the exhibition are the President of the Republic of Serbia Boris Tadić and the President of Austria Heinz Fischer.

By Jelena Jovanović

CorD 74 / September 2010 61

ANNUAL EVENTS Belgrade Theatre Festival - BITEF

F

ounded in 1967, Bitef continuously follows and supports the latest in theatre trends, and has become one of the largest and most important European festivals.

THE BACCHAE 23 September, 20.00

National Theatre Belgrade, Serbia Euripides: Directed by Staffan Valdemar Holm Venue: National Theatre, Belgrade (Main stage)

THE THREE SISTERS 24 September, 20.00 25 September, 20.00

Moscow Theatre OKOLO the house of Stanislavsky, Moscow, Russia Anton Chekhov: Directed by Yury Pogrebnichko Venue: Atelje 212

A selection from the MAIN PROGRAMME

ISABELLA’S ROOM 15 September, 20.00 16 September, 20.00

Needcompany, Brussels, Belgium Jan Lauwers & Needcompany: Director, script, set design: Jan Lauwers Venue: Yugoslav Drama Theatre (“Ljuba Tadić” stage)

FRANKENSTEIN-PROJECT 16 September 17 September

+ Side programmes - Showcase, Enparts, Bitef Polyphony, Bitef on Film + Workshops, presentations, round-tables, theoretical symposia, multimedia exhibits and other performing arts exhibits Tickets available from BILET Servis, Trg Republike 5. Phone: (011) 303 3311 For more information check out www.bitef.rs Phone: (011) 324 5241

CLASSICAL MUSIC BOlYKI BROTHERS 11September, 20.00 Gospel a cappella vocal quartet

Kornél Mundruczó - Yvette Bíró, Budapest, Hungary Directed by Kornél Mundruczó Venue: Special venue

BOGDAN ĐORĐEVIĆ, piano 08 September, 20.00

Programme: Bach/Liszt, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, Scriabin, Kovačević Đorđević is an artist with an exquisite stage charisma, and his performance is characterised with a great sound and excellent technique.

Venue: Guarnerius Art Centre Ticket available from the Guarnerius Art Centre, Džordža Vašingtona 12 For more information check out www.guarnerius.rs Phone: (011) 334 6807

ETHNO MUSIC

BILJA KRSTIĆ and the BISTRIK ORCHESTRA 18 September, 20.00

The music performed by Bilja Krstic and the Bistrik Orchestra is an integration of traditional improvisational ethnic melodies with a modern perspective. Their aim is to translate conventional folkloric rhythms into contemporary sounds. Organised by Jugokoncert in co-operation with the Sava Centre Venue: Sava Centre, Great Hall Tickets available from the Sava Center For more information check out: www.jugokoncert.rs Phone: (011) 323 9916/ 324 0478 www.savacentar.net Phone: (011) 220 6060

Concert “POLISH IMPROART” 04 September 20.00

UNCLE VANYA 19 September, 20.00

Deutsches Theater, Berlin, Germany Anton Chekhov: Directed by Jürgen Gosch Venue: Yugoslav Drama Theatre (“Ljuba Tadić” stage)

WHO WOULD WANT A MOM LIKE MINE 20 September, 20.00

STATION Service for contemporary dance Concept and choreography: Dalija Aćin Venue: Little Theatre “Duško Radović“

T.E.O.R.E.M.A.T. 21 September, 20.30 22 September, 20.30

TR Warszawa, Warsaw, Poland Based on the work of Pier Paolo Pasolini Direction and script: Grzegorz Jarzyna Venue: National Theatre, Belgrade (Main stage) 62 CorD 74 / September 2010

T

he Bolyki Brothers quartet is made up of four brothers who are members of the Budapest Festival Orchestra, and the Erkel Ferenc Chamber Orchestra. Since 1988 they have given more than a hundred gospel concerts, and performed at music festivals and church music events all over Europe and the world. The Brothers sing ‘unplugged’ at concerts, and impress their audience with their sense of humour and strong evangelical message.

Venue: Kolarac Hall

Tickets available from Kolarac Foundation Hall, Studentski Trg 5 For more information check out www.kolarac.rs Email: biletarnica@kolarac.rs Phone: (011) 263 0550

Rafal MAZUR (acoustic bass guitar) and Mikolaj TRZASKA (saxophone) are stars of the Polish music scene and are also internationally recognised jazz musicians.

Venue: Guarnerius Art Centre

ART

HYBRID ITEMS - exhibition 06 September - 25 September

P

resenting the works of 12 young French and Serbian sculptors.

Featuring artists: Toma Bulnije, Marine Klas, Predrag Keselić, Danijela Mrsulja, Jean-Batiste Moneti, Marko Marković, Ana Petrović, Matie Pilo, Dragan Rajsić, Andres Ramires, Elise Vandeval, Veljko Zejak Venues: French Cultural Centre, Knez Mihajilova 31 Student Cultural Centre, Kralja Milana 48 Pavilon Cvijeta Zuzoric, Mali Kalemegdan 1

REAL PRESENCE - exhibition Until 07 September

GUNS N’ ROSES 23 September, 21.00

G

uns N' Roses were formed in Los Angeles in 1985.

The band, led by frontman and co-founder Axl Rose (born William Bruce Rose), has gone through numerous line-up changes and controversies and sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, including over 46 million in the United States. Their phase from the mid-to-late eighties to the early nineties has been described by music industry insiders as the period in which "they brought forth a hedonistic rebelliousness and revived the punk attitude-driven hard rock scene, reminiscent of the early Rolling Stones."

Venue: Belgrade Arena Tickets available from the Belgrade Arena, Bulevar Arsenija Čarnojevica 58 For more information check out www.arenabeograd.com Phone: (0900) 11 0011, (011) 307 77 86 Email: callcenter@cs.rs

Going the Distance Starts: 02 September

T

his exhibition marks the 10th anniversary of the ‘Real Presence’ project, the biggest international workshop for the emerging generation of artists currently in the Balkan region. The basic concept is to create a meeting point for emerging artists giving them the opportunity to exchange experiences, and take part in collaborations and joint projects.

Venues: Konak Kneginje Ljubice, Kneza Sime Markovica 8 and Belgrade City Library, Knez Mihailova 56

Directed by Nanette Burstein Starring: Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Christina Applegate Genre: Romantic comedy

Machete Starts: 03 September

Despicable Me Starts: 09 September

Directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud Voices: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews Genre: 3D animation, comedy, family

Directed by Robert Rodriguez, Ethan Maniquis Starring: Danny Trejo, Jessica Alba, Robert De Niro, Michelle Rodriguez, Lindsay Lohan, Steven Seagal, Don Johnson Genre: Action

The Killer Inside Me Starts: 16 September

Grown Ups Starts: 09 September

Charlie St. Cloud Starts: 16 September

FILM PREMIERES

AT BELGRADE CINEMAS IN SEPTEMBER

The Karate Kid Starts: 02 September

Directed by Harald Zwart Starring: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan,Taraji P. Hensonmit, Genre: Adventure, action

Starring: A. Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock Genre: Comedy

Directed by Michael Winterbottom Starring: Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson, J. Alba Genre: Crime, drama, thriller

Directed by Burr Steers Starring: Zac Efron, Amanda Crew, Kim Basinger, Ray Liotta, Donal Logue, Charlie Tahan Genre: Romantic comedy

Plavi Voz (Blue Train) Premiere: 22 September Directed by Dennis Dugan

Žena sa Slomljenim Nosem (The Woman with Broken Nose) Premiere: 01 September

Drama directed by Srdjan Koljević Starring: Nebojša Glogovac, Branka Katić, Anica Dobra, Vuk Kostić, Nada Šargin Venue: Sava Centre www.savacentar.net Phone: (011) 220 6060

Drama directed by Janko Baljak Starring: Sanja Popović, Ljubomir Bulajić, Aleksandar Radojičić, Lena Bogdanović, Nebojša Milovanović, Genre: Drama Venue: Sava Center www.savacentar.net Phone: (011) 220 6060

Resident Evil: Afterlife Starts: 23 September Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson Starring: Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Wentworth Miller Genre: Horror

■

CorD 74 / September 2010 63

sport IOC Sponsorship Deals

no crisis

in Sport

Marc Pritchard, P&G Global Marketing Officer (left); Jacques Rogge, IOC President; and Gerhard Heiberg, IOC Marketing Commission Chairman, during the P&G and IOC partnership announcement in London

After almost three years without adding a new sponsor, the International Olympic Committee has closed not one but two new worldwide partnerships in July. The first deal, signed at the beginning of July, makes Dow Chemical Company the official chemistry partner of the Olympics through to 2020. The second deal was finalised on 28th July with Procter & Gamble.

Both agreements are the most far-reaching global partnership for the next five Olympic Games - from London 2012 through to the 2020 Olympic Games 64 CorD 74 / September 2010

T

he world's largest consumer products company Procter & Gamble has signed on as a global Olympic sponsor, the second multi-million-dollar marketing deal in July this year for the International Olympic Committee.

IOC president Jacques Rogge confirmed the 10-year agreement with American-based giant Procter & Gamble Co. (P&G) at a news conference in London.

P&G becomes the 11th global sponsor of the 2012 London Olympics, matching the number from the previous cycle that covered the 2006 Turin Winter Games and 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

Cincinnati-based P&G also announced an extension of its Team USA sponsorship through to 2020. The company was a U.S. Olympic sponsor for the 2010 Vancouver Games and was already committed to sponsoring the team in London. P&G's global brands include Pampers, Gillette shavers and Pantene shampoo.

IOC President Jacques Rogge said, “Procter & Gamble is a first class company and we are absolutely delighted to announce we will be partnering with them through to 2020. P&G’s

global reach and consumer insight will be a real boost in our efforts to communicate the Olympic values to a worldwide audience and their financial support over the next decade will benefit the entire Olympic movement including the athletes themselves.”

It's the second Olympic sponsorship announcement in only two weeks. Dow Chemical Company was confirmed as a global sponsor on July 16th in a deal that also goes through to 2020. American giant Dow signed a new 10-year deal with the International Olympic Committee, making it the official "chemistry company" for the games. The American giant became the 10th top-tier sponsor through to 2020. Olympic and Dow officials declined to reveal terms, but IOC marketing commisProud mums pose during a gift presentation at the press conference in London following the sion chairman Gerhard Heiberg said the value announcement of P&G’s partnership with the IOC of deals was increasing even with the global financial crisis. Each four-year IOC sponsorship contract usu"The five Olympic rings are the only medium that we ally goes for up to $100 million.

"The five Olympic rings are the only medium that we have have in the world that is recognised by 95% of the global in the world that is recognised by 95% of the global popupopulation," said Dow vice president Heinz Haller. lation," said Dow vice president Heinz Haller. "Developing "Developing countries, developed countries, mature countries, developed countries, mature economies, emerging economies." economies, emerging economies" "We have set very strict environmental rules that the builders and contractors must follow. We know that Dow is also hoping to break the $1-billion mark.

Other global sponsors for the London Games are Cocavery committed to that," IOC president Jacques Rogge said.

Cola, Acer, Atos Origin, GE, McDonald's, Omega, Panasonic, "We want the games to be a sustainable legacy."

The IOC also has been negotiating with Procter & Gamble Samsung and Visa. Atos Origin, Panasonic and Samsung are and BMW as it tries to match or exceed the 11 sponsors it had signed up through to 2016. Coca-Cola, Omega and Visa are in the last four-year cycle. Rogge said additional deals could signed up through to 2020.

IOC sponsors have exclusive worldwide marketing rights be announced in the next couple of months.

Financial terms aren't announced, but each IOC sponsor- to the Olympics.

P&G sponsored the U.S. Olympic team for this year's ship deal usually sells for up to US$100 million for four years.

The IOC said this year it had secured close to $900 million in Vancouver Winter Games.

The new global sponsorships are expected to help solve sponsorship revenue for the current four-year cycle, and was some of the long-standing financial issues between the United State Olympic Committee DISPUTE (USOC) and IOC. The sides are trying to reach agreement on how much the USOC The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and US Olympic should pay toward the administrative costs of Committee (USOC) are still negotiating an agreement in principal conputting on the Olympics. Adding new sponcerning future financial participation in the Olympic Games. On one sors puts more money into the pot and makes side, USOC are looking for more money to stimulate their Olympic proit easier for the USOC to contribute to the gram, while IOC members are frustrated that the USOC has received Games costs. more than its fair share of sponsorship and television revenues.

Beyond that, the two organisations are to According to a joint statement, the USOC agreed to the principle of begin negotiations in 2013 on a new revenuekeeping participation in the Games costs at an appropriate level. The sharing formula to go into effect in 2020.

IOC and the USOC also agreed to enter into discussion in 2013 to reThe USOC gets a 20 per cent share of solve the issue of revenue sharing for the period after 2020 “in the best global sponsorship revenue and a 12.75 per interest of the Olympic Movement and Olympic Solidarity”. cent share of U.S. broadcast rights deals.

IOC president Jacques Rogge denied at a press conference that the ongoing dispute had any impact on Chicago’s 2016 Olympic bid, saying Many international officials think it's too “the two issues are separate … the linkage has been made by the media.” big a portion.

■ CorD 74 / September 2010 65

Ultimate summer

66 CorD 74 / September 2010

party Belgrade Beer Fest attracts a large number of visitors due to its basic principle of free entrance, a varied music programme, and most importantly an ample offering of domestic and foreign beers

A

bout 800,000 people visited Belgrade Beer Fest, held at Ušće, between 18 and 22 August.

One of the biggest festivals of its kind in Southeastern Europe, over five nights the event featured some 40 Serbian and foreign musicians and bands including: Bajaga i Instruktori, Riblja Čorba, Dejan Cukić, Biljana Krstić, SARS, YU-Group, Legends, and Sunshine, as well as stars from the region - Italian DJ Benny Benas, Panktri and Sidartha from Slovenia, and Neno Belan from Croatia.

Each year the festival attracts an increasing number of visitors due to its basic principle of free entrance, a varied music programme, and most importantly an ample offering of domestic and foreign beers. This year, for the first time, there were also two VIP areas. People who paid for tickets to enter these zones were given the unique opportunity to experience the festival with a great view of the stage and less crowds.

Belgrade Beer Fest was founded in 2003. Over the last seven years more than three million visitors have seen more than 350 free concerts, consumed over 70 brands of beer and participated in numerous social campaigns. At this year’s festival the ecological campaign “I choose to recycle” was conducted.

The festival has received numerous awards, and also a recommendation from the British newspaper the Independent, who included the Belgrade Beer Fest amongst 20 international “must see” events.

■

CorD 74 / September 2010 67

50th GuÄ?a Festival

68 CorD 74 / September 2010

Trumpet Madness More than half a million visitors listened to two thousand musicians from around the world

T

his year marked the 50th anniversary of Guča - a music festival that each year involves a small town in western Serbia becoming the “trumpet capital of the world”. The “10-day trumpet madness”, as some media have labelled it, was visited by more than half a million people from all around the world. The music didn’t let up, and guests were able to enjoy traditional Serbian meals and drink traditional Serbian brandy, rakija.

The sound of the trumpet traditionally accompanies every major landmark in people’s lives in Serbia: births, baptisms, weddings, funerals, state and church festivals. This year, alongside the trumpets, visitors were also able to hear the buzzing of the vuvuzela, which locals were selling on almost every corner.

Visitors to Guča enjoyed listening to 2,000 musicians playing brass trumpets, including the popular artists Goran Bregović and the Boban Marković Orchestra.

The festival in Guca also has a competitive side and, until 2010, only Serbian bands were able to compete. This year, 15 bands competed and 13 of them were foreigners. Competitors came from England, the USA, Russia, Poland, France, Germany, Austria, Slovenia and Macedonia.

■

CorD 74 / September 2010 69

feature YouTube folk singer Ekrem Jevric

Cultural

SHOCK

Croatia’s main daily newspaper calls him “the Balkan Borat”. In Bosnia he is the topic of heated debate among music critics. Serbia’s largest commercial TV station reports his exploits in its main news. In Montenegro he gets a hero’s welcome at Podgorica airport, where he is besieged by press from all over former Yugoslavia

E

krem Jevric is a Muslim labourer from northern Montenegro who left Yugoslavia in the 1980s to find work and happiness in New York, a city which boasts a strong community from his hometown of Plav.

Living in the West has been much tougher than Ekrem and his compatriots expected, but he has finally found a way out of the rat race through his love of Yugoslav turbo-folk music.

He expresses the culture shock experienced by immigrants in his song Home, Work-Work, Home. It mourns the demise of communal life and the breakdown of other traditional values which are so important in his conservative northern Montenegro.

Ekrem Jevric

To Western ears his cry that a woman’s place is in the home is likely to jar painfully with the backdrop of liberal New York life. It is another facet of the immigrant struggling to adapt - and may remind some of Borat, a comic fish-out-of-water.

70 CorD 74 / September 2010

Friends made a video of Ekrem singing his song in the New York streets, dressed like one of mafia mobster Tony Soprano’s junior associates, and posted it on YouTube.

The rest is history. Within three months Home, WorkWork, Home had received almost four million hits and Ekrem’s other videos notched up another three million viewings.

Yet Ekrem sings in a language spoken by only about 20 million people in the world - and in a crowded, highly competitive market dominated by English.

Whole World in his Hands

In a BBC interview Jevric said his next project would be to record his hit in English. “Once someone sends me a good translation, which I can cope with vocally, I will make Home, Work-Work, Home a huge international hit. Maybe I will finally earn some money, because these people from YouTube haven’t paid me a cent.”

Money might be pouring in soon, as Ekrem made a triumphant return to Montenegro “and all of Yugoslavia” on 11th July, after a 22-year absence.

Hundreds of fans and dozens of journalists squeezed into the tiny airport in the Montenegrin capital to greet their internet hero.

Ekrem’s wife Igbala stayed in New York with their four sons, unaware of the media sensation her husband’s return was about to trigger.

“He’s been a very good husband and father, didn’t shy away from the toughest jobs to keep the family going. I just hope his health doesn’t suffer from all this travel. He’s been staging weekend concerts in Yugoslav clubs all over the USA and he’s still working in the building trade,” Igbala Jevric told the BBC.

Model for Dolce Gabbana

Ekrem’s sudden stardom was helped by a role he recently secured in Dolce & Gabbana’s latest underwear campaign.

“I was sitting sipping coffee in New York when some people approached me and asked if I would take part in a photo shoot for five hundred dollars. They said they were from this famous company, sounded like Doggana or something like that. I got one thousand dollars for two

The Independent: ‘Borat of the Balkans’ He works as a labourer, sings (in a cracked voice) about the “dogs and concrete” of New York and his earnings from the glamorous world of entertainment have hitherto been limited to $1,000 for appearing in an underwear ad. But Ekrem Jevric – or the “Borat of the Balkans” as he is becoming known – has succeeded where many others have failed by uniting the former Yugoslavia with his song about the lonely and confusing world of an immigrant abroad.

With his missing teeth and skinny frame, Jevric, a Muslim labourer from the northern Montenegrin town of Plav, does not look like a Balkans folk music hero. But viewers have praised “the living truth” of his song, which expresses the emotional troubles of people living outside the Balkans, where little is similar to home. days’ posing,” Ekrem said.

News of his exploits in the world of fashion spread like wildfire through his homeland, where world-famous brands and glamour are held in high esteem after the austerity of communism.

One of his foreign fans is Daniel Winfree Papuga, a Norwegian social anthropologist, who linked Ekrem Jevric’s poetry to the work of David Emile Durkheim, regarded as the principal architect of modern social science.

Durkheim wrote about the state of despair and hopelessness resulting from the breakdown of norms and social networks in industrial society.

“Ekrem Jevric would agree with Durkheim completely, if he had ever read him. Jevric’s song describes disillusionment with life in the big city. He sings that he only goes back and forth from home to work among the giant skyscrapers of New York, the city where battalions of women walk the street, but have forgotten their children,” Papuga wrote on his blog.

Top Montenegrin writer Andrej Nikolaidis is also a big fan.

In an article published by E-novine, a leading Serbian news portal, Nikolaidis says that people “do not want to reduce themselves to the modern Westerner as described by Ekrem Jevric in his moving protest song Home, Work-Work, Home. The type of person who, as Ekrem says, is ‘living, working, but only working’, the one who asks ‘What do I know? I don’t know anything, and how could I?’” Nikolaidis draws a parallel with the ancient philosopher Socrates, who said: “As for me, all I know is that I know nothing”.

■

Ekrem Jevric (left) during a photo shoot for the Dolce & Gabbana Winter 2011 Collection

One of his foreign fans is Daniel Winfree Papuga, a Norwegian social anthropologist, who linked Ekrem Jevric’s poetry to the work of David Emile Durkheim, regarded as the principal architect of modern social science CorD 74 / September 2010 71

techno

talk

GET READY FOR THE NEW CAR MODELS OF 2011 Mustang 3.7

For 2011, the Blue Oval is introducing a new 3.7-litre V6 Mustang that should give it the firepower and refinement needed to take on Chevrolet’s six-cylinder Camaro and Hyundai’s upstart Genesis Coupe. But it isn’t just the spanking-new all-aluminium powerplant and its 305 horsepower and 280 foot-pounds of torque that’s making the scene for the forthcoming model year. In addition to the Cleveland-sourced mill, there is a pair of fresh gearboxes, a new V6 performance package, and a host of nip and tucks to the interior and elsewhere.

Price: €17,000 – €29,000

Tesla S Electric Sedan

Even in this crazy economy there is a ton of demand for the 2011 Tesla Model S - taking a whopping 520 reservations in one week. Tesla is claiming some high speculative (and unconfirmed) specs for the vehicle, the most notable being a 300 mile travelling distance per battery charge.

Seating five adults and two children, boasting a 5.6 second 0-60 acceleration and a quick 45 minute rapid charge, this could be the future for family commuting.

The biggest draw-back at this point is the proposed price tag, which critics are claiming is still far too low of an estimate considering the battery would have to be much larger, more expensive and efficient to be able to reach the 300-mile mark.

Price: €38,500 – €44,500 Scion iQ

The all-new 2011 iQ premium micro-subcompact and the second-generation 2011 tC sports coupe are scheduled to go on sale in early 2011.

Toyota has yet to disclose full specifications, but the iQ will initially offer a choice of two gasoline engines and a small diesel engine.

With a 78.7-inch wheelbase and a unique suspension design, the three-door hatchback can deftly manoeuvre through city traffic. The iQ’s functional “3+1” seating equates to the world’s smallest four-passenger vehicle and will be rated as an ‘ultra low emission vehicle’.

Expected price: from €9,200.

72 CorD 74 / September 2010

Mercedes-Benz CL550

In mid July this year, Mercedes-Benz released information and photos of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, including the Mercedes-Benz CL550 4Matic.

The continuation of CL550 4Matic as the model designation masks the replacement of the naturally-aspirated 5.5-liter V-8 engine with a new twin-turbo V-8 with a displacement of only 4663cc. This eight-tenths of a litre reduction in engine size, however, is accompanied by a jump in horsepower from 382 hp to 429 hp!

Mercedes predicts a ten to fifteen percent improvement in fuel economy, and the new CL550 4Matic will blitz the old model in the dash to 100km/h: 4.9 seconds for the new compared to 5.4 seconds for the old. We can’t wait for the showdown on the country club drive.

Price: Not officially announced Volvo S60 Sedan

The Swedes claim that the new S60 has 30mm more knee room for the rear passengers while boot opening has been made 107mm wider than in the previous S60 model. This summer Volvo will release Dynamic and Comfort options with the differences relating to the dampers and the front and rear sub-frames.

At its launch the car will be available with two diesel and two gasoline units. The S60 2.0T with manual gearbox uses 7.9 litres of fuel per 100km.

Volvo said that during the first year of production, the all-new S60 will also be offered with a 2.0 GTDi variant (T5) producing 240HP and torque of 320 Nm and a 1.6-litre GTDi engine available in two versions with 180HP (T4) and 150HP (T3).

Price: from €28,000

technoTALK

Nissan Juke

The 2011 Nissan Juke is described by Nissan as a combination SUV/sports car. It is a crossover vehicle that comes in front and four wheel drive.

Specifications include a front-engine, FWD/ AWD, five-passengers, four-door SUV, Engines 1.6L, turbocharged, direct-injected DOHC 16valve I-4; Transmissions six-speed manual, continuously variable auto. From 0-100km in 9.0 seconds.

Expected “base” price: from €19,000 CorD 74 / September 2010 73

techno

talk

2011-2012 Bugatty Veyron

The public debut for the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport took place last month at Pebble Beach. The 16-cylinder engine on the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport at 199 horsepower is more powerful than the regular Veyron model, and the car’s body makes extensive use of carbon fibre. With the upgrades on board, the Veyron will sprint from 0-100km/h in just 2.4 seconds and will go back to zero in just 2.2 seconds. The Bugatty Veyron Super Sport can reach an average of 425 km/h which will be limited to 415 km/h for safety reasons. The first five cars – known as the World Record Edition – are in a special black exposed carbon and orange finish and have already been sold.

Price: Not disclosed (Note: The 2009 – 2010 Bugatty Veyron was priced at €1,300,000)

Range Rover Evoque

The 2011 Range Rover Evoque, was unveiled following an exclusive preview in London for 300 guests attending a 40th birthday celebration of Range Rover held in partnership with Vogue magazine.

The Evoque will go on sale next summer in 2WD & 4WD versions and is the lightest, smallest and most frugal SUV in the firm’s line-up. The greenest Evoque will emit no more than 130g/km of CO2.

Prices are expected to start at £35,000 for the 2WD and £40,000 for the 4WD. This would mean that the Evoque is at least £10,000 cheaper than the larger Range Rover Sport

Expected price: from €36,000

Audi A7

One of the most anticipated cars in the coupes division, the Audi A7, was officially unveiled last month at the Moscow Motor Show. The 2011 Audi A7 will go on sale most probably at the end of 2010, or the beginning of 2011.

In the beginning, all cars will come with standard Quattro all-wheel drive transmission, but most probably a 3.0 diesel - 206 horsepower connected to front wheels only via a manual six speeds or tiptronic will be available.

Price: from €34,000

74 CorD 74 / September 2010

Ferrari 599 GTO

The new Ferrari 599 GTO is an extreme V12 Berlinetta developed to a specific performance-oriented brief and is the company’s fastest ever road car. It is an exclusive limited edition special which, in true Ferrari tradition, is a completely new concept, albeit inspired by a production car. In fact the Ferrari 599 GTO is based on the 599XX, the advanced experimental track car, and can be considered almost a road-going version.

The Ferrari 599 GTO is reserved for just 599 clients who seek the maximum expression of highperformance driving. The Ferrari 599 GTO benefits directly from the technological transfer from racing and set a record lap time at Fiorano in 1’24”.

The Fiorano lap time provides just one indication of the potential of this car. Just as significant are the technical specifications - 670 hp in a 1495kg car represents a weight-to-power ratio of just 2.23 kg/hp, and ensures a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of just 3.35” as well as a top speed of over 335 km/h.

“Base” price: €319,495

McLaren MP4-12C

The 2011 McLaren MP4-12C has many fresh features that will excite aficionados of the brand. Every part of the sports car is manufactured and designed by the car company itself. With all these features and design ingenuity, it is clear that the 2011 McLaren MP4-12C has the makings of a classic.

The chassis is now made using a Carbon MonoCell called 12C MonoCell. The Maclaren is powered by a twinturbo 3.8-litre V8 engine producing around 600 horsepower and 433 lb-ft of torque.

The engine is coupled to a McLaren seven speed seamless shift dual clutch gearbox (SSG). It sprints from 0 to 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds and can hit a top speed of more than 200mph.

Price: €150,000 – €210,000 Maybach 62

technoTALK

While the Maybach engineers have increased the production of the Maybach 57 S and 62 S 13 kW (18 hp) to 463 kW (630 hp), they have managed to reduce the consumption figures (6.4 to 15.8 s / 100 km) and CO2 production (390-368 g / km CO2) at the same time. Results of the 57 and 62 models have remained unchanged, but consumption (15.0 versus 15.9 l/100 km) and CO2 production (350 compared to 383 g / km) has been reduced. All twelve-cylinder Maybach engines meet the EU5 standard/LEV2.

The 62 model can be fitted with an electro-chromatic tinted glass roof panel, and customers can also specify a 19-inch rear screen instead of the individual 9.5-inch monitors, on which they can view camera feeds from around the vehicle. The perfume atomiser from the Zeppelin model can also be ordered from the rest of the range, and there is the option of wireless internet and the choice of either braided or Swarovski crystal-embedded seat piping also available.

The warranty covers eight years or 200,000 miles

Price: €315,000 – €350,000 CorD 74 / September 2010 75

RESTAURANT “PUBLIC” RESTAURANT

Something Old, Something New “Public” as it is at the moment is more of a “to see and be seen” spot where you come for a calorie bust before hitting the town

By Jelena Mickić

A

t the previous location of the former upscale seafood restaurant Langouste a new eating place, Public, has emerged. Compared to the previous eatery, Public has taken on a different concept embracing a more relaxed and contemporary direction in food and ambience. Located at one of the most historically and architecturally engaging parts of the city, Kosancicev Venac, in the yellow building of the University of Arts and its academies, Public boasts one of the most appreciated and sought after views of the river and across to New Belgrade.

With conceptual and creative ideas inspired by Northern Italy and its local produce, Public is not your typical Italian restaurant, particularly not to the average restaurant punter who expects spaghetti, pizza, the smell of garlic and a chirpy atmosphere.

We booked our table for five o’clock in the afternoon on a

76 CorD 74 / September 2010

Saturday to find upon arriving that our reservation had been misplaced. After waiting for several minutes, the still baffled waiter gave us a two hour time constraint on the basis that the table we were being given had already been booked by a party coming later.

Public’s interior is airy, minimalist, simple and light. The tables are mostly set next to each other, so you can share space and dine with foreigners next to you. The place is stripped of unnecessary decor accessories, and the light wooden furniture and almost communal eating space give it a canteen look. An open plan kitchen enables you to have a peek into the chef’s world.

The Public menu comes printed on a piece of paper that gets torn off a paper block hanging on the restaurant wall. It is short and lists several classical pasta and simple meat dishes such as: ossobuco (veal shanks cooked in meat broth), tagliata con rucola (beef steak on rocket), lamb and sausages.

There are a few fish dishes too, but these are available only on Thursdays and Fridays.

The wine list includes mostly Italian reds, whites and roses, with a small selection of domestic and regional wines. There is a satisfying selection of wines by the glass.

A restaurant “kick off” typically consists of a bread basket and butter. Public served us with Italian style grissini, cornflower and wholegrain multi-seeded bread with a creamy kajmak and broccoli dip. We appreciated that the bread was heated but did not appreciate the fact it and the dip arrived at the same time as our starter, meaning it came late. The bread was served on a wooden cutting board. Traditionally Tuscan bread is not unsalted - some may like it, some may not. The dip was creamy and mild in taste, milky sweet, but had it not been so runny in texture it would have been a much greater success.

The aperitif was one of our standard choices: quince or apricot brandy. Brandy as an excellent digestive is a good start lifted up the flavours of the beef. I had a Public homemade to almost every meal, but not this time. It is not the first time sausage that came with three types of stuffing: mushrooms, that we have been served with an industrialised product in resham or cheese. The one I tried was with cheese. The sautaurants - heavily aromatised in smell and sweetened in taste. I sage was a serious bite, nicely piquant but with a distinctively honestly do not understand restaurateurs who overlook the imchewy taste and the texture of a medium-hard yellow cheese portance of a stocking high quality products, brandy included. in the stuffing. The accompanying two smaller jacket potaNote to self for future reference: avoid any kind of rakija untoes were an unmemorable addition. An interesting and lively less it clearly states the producer. condiment was a jar of white For starters we ordered a medium-sized domes- With conceptual and creative ideas inspired and black grapes dipped in a mixture of honey, mustard tic produce platter of sliced

by Northern Italy and its local produce, and some other ingredients ham and white cow cheese adorned with a sliced pear. Public is not your typical Italian restaurant, a pleasant and different kick The pear’s fruity sweetness particularly not to the average restaurant to the food served. I noticed enhanced the contrast of the punter who expects spaghetti, pizza, the smell small jars of differing contents on the tables around savoury ham and cheese flaof garlic and a chirpy atmosphere and I hope they all tasted as vour. For the mains we had: good as ours. This was obvitagliata con rucola and a ously the chef’s own personal touch. Unfortunately this was homemade sausage with cheese stuffing. The smallish piece the only magic we experienced. of beef cooked medium rare, pink and tender in the middle The food in Public is straightforward and simple in preswas a juicy bite that went very well with fresh peppery rockentation, served on cutting boards, giving it a rustic feel. et. The paper wrapped potato chips, as a side, on the othConceptually Public is a new place, modern and contemporary, er hand were greasy, hard and unappetising. My companion which gives it room to play with food; however it fails to do had a Public salad, which was a simple vegetable mix that so. Tagliata con rucola might be a newcomer to most Belgrade eateries’ menu, but is definitely not something new and modern in the culinary world. I expected some creative originality and a highly appreciated twist on some traditional dishes, instead Public played it safe.

Speaking of the service, the waiters obviously failed to impress. At times their attitude and body language signalled their absent-mindedness and indifference. The clientele we encountered were familiar hipster city faces. As the tables at Public are cramped you can easily overhear other people and it can get quite loud. This is neither a romantic dating spot nor is it a place for business luncheons. Public as it is at the moment is more of a “to see and be seen” spot, where you come for calorie bust before hitting the town. Prices are higher than average in Belgrade. Reservations are a must. Parking is provided. ■ CorD 74 / September 2010 77

78 CorD 74 / September 2010

It is time for the “vintage vibe” to make an appearance in our wardrobe. The silhouettes of the 1950s and 1960s make a strong return, with shapes that accentuate curves and foster femininity. When we talk about the 60s dress or skirt in this context, we’re not talking about the later, mod 60s movement of miniskirts and teeny shift dresses. We’re talking about early 60s ladylike dressing that flowed on from the late 1950s. The return to 70’s has several variants - from ‘70s boho to a more sophisticated

‘70s look. By day it’s all about clean yet voluminous silhouettes and earthy 70s colour palettes. By night the 70s sophisticate turns into the ultimate socialite, with look-at-me shimmering fabrics and cuts that either tightly hug or sensually drape over the body.

What else? Velvet, double breasted jackets, over-the-knee boots...of course whatever appeals to your personal inspiration and taste.

CorD 74 / September 2010 79

80 CorD 74 / September 2010

CorD 74 / September 2010 81

profile profile

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way Intelligence, knowledge and experience don’t stand for much without persistence, determination and a clear vision of what needs to be achieved

A

lthough she did not necessarily intend to, Maja Šahbaz got the opportunity to validate her views on the fundamentals important for professional success, at the beginning of her role as General Manager of Colliers International, Serbia.

“Keeping in mind that I became the General Manager of Colliers at the end of 2008 and the crisis was already on the horizon from the beginning of 2009, I didn’t have much time to enjoy the peak of the real estate market in Serbia. My main focus quickly became maintaining a profitable organisation with excelling professionals while decreasing costs and maintaining the highest level of service for our clients,” Maja says.

Both professionally and personally, the General Manager of Colliers believes in the saying “where there’s a will, there’s a way”, Maja comments, “Intelligence, knowledge and experience don’t stand for much without persistence, determination and a clear vision of what needs to be achieved. Another important factor for success in my opinion is being ready to face challenges while always focusing on the solution, not the problem. I also think it is essential to be able to keep a balance between professional and private life.”

Ms. Sahbaz joined Colliers in 2004. Since then she has specialised in management, structural organisation, client service ex-

When choosing the people I will work with, professionalism and knowledge as well as natural curiosity and a willingness to always learn more are the qualities I admire the most cellence and the company’s operations thanks to the company’s internal employee education system, Colliers University. In 2008 Maja became the General Manager of Colliers in Serbia. Owing to her keen interest in green/eco building, Maja joined the team at Colliers who have as one of their main goals, the education clients and employees of the importance of this practice in building and other processes.

Colliers’ goal in Serbia is to lead the market using their knowledge and experience, strong client relationships and effective 82 CorD 74 / September 2010

real estate solutions. “My personal goal is to assist everyone in the team to reach their highest potential and motivate them through enthusiasm, encouragement and appreciation,” Maja says.

So far, Maja has also been able to confirm her attitude that good team work is necessary for success. “When making decisions, I strive to hear the opinions of the team members concerned but I think sometimes it is also important to pay attention to one’s intuition. Colliers has many offices in the region and of course globally, so it is easy to network within the company and tap into decades worth of real estate experience,” she says.

“When choosing the people I will work with, professionalism and knowledge as Maja Šahbaz, well as natural curiosity and General Manager of a willingness to always learn more are the qualities I adColliers in Serbia mire the most. I think that a ‘hunger’ for knowledge is one of best qualities that people can posses”, says the general manager of Colliers International, a global leader in real estate services with more than 15,000 professionals operating out of 480 offices in 61 countries. As a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation (NASDAQ: FSRV; TSX: FSV and FSV.PR.U), Colliers offers the stability of a strong financial partner and significant local ownership, providing clients with accountability and enterprising real estate solutions The Lipsey Company and National Real Estate Investor magazine ranked Colliers International as the world’s number two commercial real estate brand. Colliers International has operated in Serbia since the beginning of 2001. Since then, it has become the unquestionable market leader offering a full range of services to its clients on the real estate market. Colliers has two offices in Serbia: Belgrade and Nis. n

Politics, Diplomacy, Business & Lifestyle Magazine in English

Subscribe NOW!

and receive your copy

for only

造 26

CONTACT US WITHOUT DELAY!

011.3089.977 011.3089.988 011.2448.127 office@cma.rs www.cordmagazine.com

CorD 74 / September 2010 83

84 CorD 74 / September 2010