CorD magazine 82

more transparency

Reconstruction of Japan

H.E. Michael Davenport,

H.E. Nils Ragnar Kamsvåg,

H.E. Mr. Toshio Tsunozaki,

Ambassador of Great Britain to Serbia

Norwegian Ambassador to Serbia

Ambassador of Japan to Serbia

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mAy ‘11 / issuE NO. 82

EU Needs to See Progress

interviews opinions news comments events price 250 rsd SPECIAL EDITION

"Prospect for Partnership" U.S. Business Sector in Serbia 2011 NENAD PROKIĆ, PROFESSOR, MEMBER OF THE LDP’S PRESIDENCY AND SERBIAN PARLIAMENT

Copernican turn

We need hardcore realistic politics, in tune with the rest of the world and our neighbours VLADIMIR STANKOVIĆ, JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR OF THE BOOK ‘MONTEVIDEO, BOG TE VIDEO’

A feel-good Story

The renowned journalist and CorD contributor Vladimir Stanković says that the success of the film, which is based on his book, is the result of a positive atmosphere and encouraging messages CorD CHARITY MASTERS 2011

two Hundred Run for Humanity

Representatives of major companies responded to CorD’s invitation and donated their money to the worthy cause of the country of Japan

H.R.H. CROWN PRINCE ALEXANDER II KARAĐORĐEVIĆ

Great Day

GREAt mEmoRiES

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Early Elections

Absolution of Crime

Great Day – Great memories

together to the EU

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Cvijetin Milivojević, General Manager of Pragma, public relations agency

H.R.H. Crown Prince Alexander II Karađorđević

EU Needs to See Progress

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H.E. Michael Davenport, Ambassador of Great Britain to Serbia

more transparency

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H.E. Nils Ragnar Kamsvåg, Norwegian Ambassador to Serbia

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Slobodan Šoškić, Chairman of the Belgrade Bar Association

The Leaders of BiH, Serbia And Turkey Hold a Second Summit

New Arrangements With the imf

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Dejan Jovović, Scientific Advisor and International Economic Relations Expert

Business Dialogue

Reconstruction of Japan

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Critical years: 2013 and 2014

Natural Driver of Economic Growth

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H.E. Toshio Tsunozaki, Ambassador of Japan to Serbia

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Bureaucracy

Government Budget Jeopardised

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Copernican turn

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Nenad Prokić, Professor at Belgrade Faculty of Dramatic Arts, member of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Presidency and a member of the Serbian Parliament EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Tatjana Ostojić, t.ostojic@cma.rs EDITOR: Jelena Aleksić, j.aleksic@aim.rs ASSISTANT EDITOR: Philomena O’Brien, p.obrien@aim.rs ART DIRECTOR: Ilija Petrović, i.petrovic@aim.rs CONTRIBUTORS: Slavka Kovač, Marija Damjanović, Petar Škorić

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A feel-good Story

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Vladimir Stanković, Journalist and Author of the Book ‘Montevideo, Bog te Video’

two Hundred Run for Humanity

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Life Behind the Scenes

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Christos Tsemperas, Managing Director of Grand Casino Beograd

PHOTOS: Darko Cvetanović, Zoran Raš, Zoran Sinko, Boško Karanović TRANSLATION: Goga Purić, Snežana Bjelotomić EDITORIAL MANAGER: Tanja Banković, t.bankovic@cma.rs PROJECT MANAGERS: Vesna Vukajlović, v.vukajlovic@aim.rs; Marija Savić, m.savic@aim.rs; Jelica Lepori, j.lepori@aim.rs Nataša Popović, n.popovic@aim.rs

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Top 10 Undiscovered Islands

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Aja Jung, Director of the Belgrade Dance Festival

island Escape

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CorD Charity Masters 2011

Culture Calendar & News

Douglas Lafferty, General Manager, British American Tobacco Serbia and Montenegro

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Leaders

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Classic Contentment

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Stojan Stamenković, coordinator of the ‘Macroeconomic Analyses and Trends’ research study conducted by the Institute of Economics

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tELECommUNiCAtioN

20 ECoNomy

May 2011

A manager Has to Predict Miroslava Nešić Bikić, Marketing & PR Director of Piraeus Bank Serbia

Fax: +(381 11) 308 99 88 E-mail: cordeditorial@cma.rs www.cordmagazine.com www.allianceinternationalmedia.com ISSN no: 1451-7833 All rights reserved alliance international media 2011

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comment

Early Elections If not now, then by year end, Serbia will need to hold early elections - and that has very little to do with the hunger and thirst strike of the Serbian Progressive Party President

Cvijetin Milivojević, General Manager of Pragma, public relations agency

you to Europe”); dangling the candidacy issue in front of our eyes and using it as a preventive threat has achieved just the opposite in he current government has failed to fulfil a single the eyes of most citizens who were already in favour of the crowning promise it gave pre- and post-elections; European integration process. This political hypocrisy has gone hence there is no reason to ‘reward’ it with staying in so far that the Democratic Party and the Serbian President power full term. have said that he needs another two full terms in office to The social and economic results achieved by the PM’s cablead Serbia to the European Union. Hence, the influential opininet, which declared itself “the government of social justice”, ion-makers have been spinning the story that Tadić will schedare disastrous. On the other hand, public opinion and politule elections once he finds out whether Vojislav Šešelj is going ical ratings surveys show that, at this moment, the Serbian be released from the Hague prison this year, fearing that the Progressive Party enjoys a broader constituent support than Radicals, riding on their new-found zeal following the return the entire governing coalition together, and this party actualof their leader, would do what the Democratic Party has been ly has no representatives in power. failing to do, i.e. to win over the votes of the people who are To a certain pragmatic politician, who is the head of the followers of the Serbian Progressive Party. state, and to most citizens who will not vote for his political While the Democratic Party has been lobbying in the highparty, all of the above should be more than enough to ‘kindest European institutions ly ask’ the Prime Minister to resign. Particularly when we Following ‘several punches below the belt’ against early elections in Serbia, claiming that dembear in mind that the Deputy exchanged between Tadić and nikolić, the ocratic elections are “detriPrime Minister, Mlađan mental to reforms”, the leadDinkić, who stepped down in projections that their two parties could er of the Socialist Party of January, is on a pre-election form a joint post-election government Serbia and Interior Minister, campaign and that this govIvica Dačić, has given a reernment’s term can be consounds like a ‘mission impossible’ al slap in the face to the parsidered only ‘technical’. ty’s coalition partner by sayTomislav Nikolić has giving: “If I were Tadić, I would immediately schedule elections!” en Boris Tadić a lot of leeway and, ever since the rift in the By saying this Dačić has undoubtedly won a few more votSerbian Radical Party, he has been a very cooperative parters, just like the collapse of the Democratic Party’s identity ner to the parties in power. Even now, Nikolić is not insisting and their giving in to blackmail directly swings voters to the on the elections being held today or in autumn but is allowLiberal Democratic Party. ing the ruling coalition to exploit yet another important elecFollowing ‘several punches below the belt’ exchanged betion argument – Serbia obtaining EU candidacy status. Boris tween Tadić and Nikolić, the projections that their two parTadić insisting on keeping this government together at any ties could form a joint post-election government sounds like cost is politically destabilising the country more than the opa ‘mission impossible’. At least voters will understand in adposition parties demanding that elections be scheduled earvance that, by voting for the two most influential political lier than planned as a way to resolve political, social and ecoparties, they are not voting for the post-election ‘betrayal’ of nomic conflicts in Serbia. their political convictions.

■ The government claiming exclusivity (“Only we can take

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interview H.R.H. CRoWN PRiNCE ALEXANDER ii KARAĐoRĐEviĆ

Great Day

GREAt mEmoRiES I have never seen so many people lining the streets, rows deep. Westminster Abbey was amazing – it was the first time I’ve seen trees inside the Abbey

exclusive

By Philomena O’BRIEN

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.R.H. Crown Prince Aleksandar II Karađorđević and H.R.H. Princess Katherine were among 1,900 guests invited by the British Royal Family to attend the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. A day earlier, the Serbian Royal couple had attended a reception held by Queen Elizabeth for other Royal guests. It is for this reason that we decided to interview Crown Prince Aleksandar II who revealed the details of ‘the wedding of the decade’ exclusively for CorD from London on the day of the ceremony. He talked about the atmosphere, the mood, the details and the protocol. When we spoke to Crown Prince Aleksandar he was looking foward to attending the postwedding party orgainsed for the older guests and told us he was not that keen on attending the disco being put on for the younger guests at Buckingham Palace.

■ Your Highness, can please tell us a little of your impressions from the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton?

- It was one of the great weddings; I think it was the wedding of the century so far. We are often invited to functions like this... weddings, birthday parties, etc. This is one of the occasions where the relatives are able to get together, and this was a big occasion. It was an amazing wedding due to the immense level of interest in Prince William and Princess Catherine. I have never seen so many people lining the streets, rows deep.

Westminster Abbey (www.westminster-abbey.org) was amazing – it was the first time I’ve seen trees inside the Abbey. It was like Spring with all the live trees decorating the interior.

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Prince William arrived with Prince Harry and they looked impeccable in their uniforms. They made their way to the front of the altar which was very close to us. Then Kate arrived; she was actually wearing a veil and when she took it off there was an audible sigh. It was beautiful. The attention of the people was amazing, and I think the Queen, who was seated near us, must have been very We were seated happy for her grandson.

Lords, and behind this was the large area where all the other guests were seated.

■ What impressed you the most at the wedding?

- I think the most impressive part was when they said “I will”. They were both absolutely firm when they said it. By the way, when you shake Prince William’s hand he gives you a very firm handin the next row shake and looks you straight in the eye. It’s really very nice. behind the British Royals with ■ Where exactly were you seatHe is very confident. He is ed, and who did you sit with? the Queen of denmark, the Queen really a fine young man and - Looking from the altar to- of Spain and the Crown Prince of she is so sweet. I think they ward the back of the Abbey are very well suited. the netherlands we were seated on the left ■ Although the guest list for this ‘wedding of the dechand side. At the front, the British Royals (www.royalfamily.org) including the Queen, and Prince Charles, ade’ was significantly reduced, according to the British Prince Andrew and Edward were seated. We were in media, you were one of the first people to be invited to the next row with the Queen of Denmark, the Queen the wedding. Could you please explain your connecof Spain and the Crown Prince of the Netherlands tion with London and the British Royal Family? and so on. Behind us was the British Prime Minis- I was born on 17 July 1945 at Claridge’s Hotel Suite 212 (www.claridges.co.uk). The British government under the ter David Cameron with members of the House of NotABLE i think the most impressive part of the wedding was when they said “i will”.

ECoNomy The wedding will also have helped the United Kingdom economically.

Prince William and his wife Catherine, now known as the Duchess of Cambridge, wave from their opentopped carriage as they leave Westminster Abbey after their wedding ceremony.

BELGRADE it is always very nice to be home, particularly in the Spring. cordeditorial@cma.rs

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orders of the then Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill declared Suite 212 at Claridge’s Hotel to be Yugoslav territory. His Holiness Patriarch Gavrilo of Serbia officiated my christening in Westminster Abbey, with my Godparents King George VI and HRH Princess Elizabeth, now Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. ■ Did you have the opportunity to meet with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth at all?

- Yes. We had dinner with her the night before the wedding at the Mandarin Hotel, formerly the Hyde Park Hotel. It was a lovely dinner – a family affair with friends and so on. About 200 to 250 guests attended.

■ The bride and groom asked for donations to be made to their favourite charities in lieu of wedding gifts. Did you accommodate their request?

- Yes we did however like members of the other Royal families we also gave them a small traditional wedding gift.

rived at Lancaster House we gathered and had coffee. They then loaded us into buses to take us to Westminster Abbey – there must have been about 10 buses altogether.

■ As members of a Royal family, did you have any specific obligations?

- No we didn’t; it was a modern wedding. We just had to make sure we turned up on time.

■ Royal weddings have always been an imporNowadays there is a tant social and hisThis royal wedding will have lot more security and torical event, but the so they bussed every- certainly strengthened the image marriage of Prince one into the wedding.

William to Kate Midof the United Kingdom as a great We drove ourselves dleton is also a fandestination with a rich culture, to Lancaster House tastic example of the which is next-door history, architecture and tradition added positive tourto where the Queen ism and marketing Mother lived. On the way we had to go through benefit it provides to the United Kingdom. a number of security points which were highly - Analysts have predicted that the Royal wedorganised and at each point they had books with ding will have benefited the economy of the pictures of all the royals and they matched the United Kingdom by nearly one billion pounds picture to our faces as we passed through. I’ve (1.6 billion dollars), mainly through retailers, never been to a wedding before with a special hotel bookings, shopping, etc. guard every ten yards or so with a sub-machine However, the real prize for the tourism ingun. The security was immense. Once we ardustry is arguably the estimated two billion peoH.R.H. Crown Princess Katherine: Wedding fashion

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t was magic. They say it has been 30 years since the last big Royal wedding and they have waited for a long time to celebrate. Kate’s dress was just beautiful and featured very delicate lace. It was quite fitted on her body with long sleeves – it really suited her. Kate entered the Abbey very modestly and sweetly with her veil down, and then she put the veil behind her and we could see the tiara she wore. She was just full of smiles – I hope they will be as happy for the

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rest of their lives as they were today.

We were required to dress formally – I wore a dress with a coat, a hat and of course gloves. My dress featured Swarovski beading and the entire outfit was of a champagne-colour. I had the hat made with matching lace. People made a lot of effort to look good at the wedding. My husband wore a morning suit and looked very smart.

- Yes, many asked about Serbia, enquiring whether the economic situation is as bad as is it is there. Questions also included those about how we travelled from Belgrade to London, what it is like living in Serbia, what sort of condition the Royal Palaces are in, things like that.

■ How did you answer these questions?

- In term of the palaces I told the relatives that it has been pretty tough. When we first arrived in Serbia we financed the repairs of many problems, then we were put on the budget and then we were sort-of forgotten. Just recently the government has approved a law to go through parliament to help restore these historical palaces.

They have the same problems – I remember Buckingham Palace used to have lots of leaks many years ago but they are more careful now.

■ What are your thoughts in regards to the Montenegrin government’s initiative in resolving the status of the Petrovic Dynasty? ple who were watching Prince William and Kate - I welcome the initiative of the Montenegrin live around the world on television. This royal government to resolve the legal and formal stawedding will have certainly strengthened the tus of the Petrovic Dynasty. As I have stated beimage of the United Kingdom as a great destinafore, I sent my warmest congratulations to Prince tion with a rich culture, history, architecture and Nikola and his family. However the Serbian govtradition, but will also have raised the profile of ernment has not approached us so far with any the Royal Family. It proposal. It is probThey served champagne and will also have helped able that after the resthe United Kingdom some extraordinary juices – one titution law this issue economically – proshould be resolved as I was particularly impressed viding a needed marwell as the transfer of with was a combination of keting boost during the remains of my fathese tough economic pomegranate and elderberry juice ther His Majesty King conditions. London Peter II of Yugoslavia was expected to gain the biggest tourism boost and my grandmother Her Majesty Queen Marbut other regions will also have benefited. ia of Yugoslavia to the Mausoleum at Oplenac, where the Royal Family is buried. Currently ■ After the wedding there was a canapé reKing Peter is buried in Libertyville Illinois, the ception for 650 guests at Buckingham Palace only king to be buried in the United States. hosted by the Queen. Did you attend this and Queen Maria is buried in Frogmore, Windsor what was it like? next to Queen Victoria. It would be only proper - Yes, we went from Westminster Abbey straight and dignified for the Serbian government to put to Buckingham Palace (www.royal.gov.uk). This to rest this issue since it involves a former head of reception was initially just for the Royals and it state and the widow of a former head of state. was then opened up to other guests. In the beginning there were just 50 or 60 of us. They served ■ What are your first thoughts whenever you champagne and some extraordinary juices – one return to Belgrade?

I was particularly impressed with was a combi- Is the roof still leaking? No seriously, it’s alnation of pomegranate and elderberry juice. ways very nice to be home, particularly in the Spring. I think it is one of the best times of the ■ Did people at the wedding or dinner hapyear in Belgrade. We are lucky to have a nice pen to ask you about Serbia at all? What sorts garden in Dedinje and when the roses start of questions did they ask? coming out, it is beautiful.

■ cordeditorial@cma.rs

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comment

EU Needs to See Progress Britain’s new coalition government believes that the European Union has an essential role in the Western Balkans, promoting reformed states and institutions and entrenching stability through offering a path to membership

H.E. Michael Davenport, Ambassador of Great Britain to Serbia

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cial and technical support in harmoext year Britain and Serbia will mark 175 years of offinising laws and making them work cial diplomatic relations. Journalist and diplomat David properly in the interests of Serbian citizens.

Urquhart was the first Briton to realise the importance Stefan Fuele returned to Belgrade in March. He brought a of the then principality of Serbia. He visited Serbia twice in the message of encouragement, backed up by a conviction that 1830s and took part in the discussion of the first Serbian conSerbia can do what is necessary to earn a positive Opinion on stitution of 1838. And in 1837 a Colonel Lloyd Hodges was candidacy this October. In a keynote address to the National the first representative of the Crown to present credentials – Assembly he set out the priority areas where the Commission to Prince Milos as General Agent of the United Kingdom. needs to see progress.

Few other countries can match our longstanding bilateral I welcome this encouragement and share the same conlinks. During World War One hundreds of British soldiers and viction. President Tadic’s leadership has shown that Serbia nurses launched humanitarian missions in Serbia, including can make decisions requiring both strategic vision and leadthe Scottish Women’s Hospital. I have been struck by the arership. The National Assembly’s declaration on Srebrenica dour with which their valiant efforts to relieve the suffering of last summer, in recognising the enormity of the crimes comSerbian sick and wounded are remembered here to this day. mitted there sixteen years ago, has opened the way to recSince the break-up of the former Yugoslavia the whole reonciliation. The President’s visits to Croatia, in particular to gion has experienced conflict and untold human suffering.

Vukovar last November, have opened a new chapter in reEach of the countries of the region has sought to grapple with lations between Serbs and Croats. President Tadic has imthe legacy of the wars of the 1990s and find a way towards pressed on me his unshakeable commitment to cooperation reconciliation, lasting peace and renewed prosperity. with the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague.

Britain’s new coalition government believes that the European Making a reality of Serbia’s vision Union has an essential role in the Western will take similarly strong political will Balkans, promoting reformed states and Media freedom is under right across government over the next institutions and entrenching stability through offering a path to membership. constant threat from vested six months. In co-sponsoring with the EU a UN General Assembly resolution on As Minister for Europe David Lidington and criminal interests Kosovo last September Serbia signalled said in February, the British government its readiness to align its regional policy with the EU. We now “is unequivocal in its support for all the countries of the Western look to Serbia to engage constructively in the Dialogue beBalkans achieving future membership of the EU.” tween Belgrade and Pristina.

The day I arrived in Serbia in November last year coincidSerbia’s challenge is all the greater in view of the bleak ed with EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele’s visit to economic situation and a dearth of new foreign and domestic present the EU’s Questionnaire to PM Cvetkovic. Welcoming the investment. But economics is also what is driving European progress Serbia had made towards greater integration with the integration forward. Over 60 per cent of Serbia’s trade is EU, my government was pleased to support referring Serbia’s with countries of the EU, which has also been the source membership application membership to the Commission. of over 90 per cent of direct foreign investment in Serbia.

The Serbian government is now implementing an amGrowth in trade and investment will come overwhelmingly bitious Action Plan and the National Assembly has been from developing business between Serbia and the EU. So the working flat out to adopt necessary new legislation. The EU is right to be providing support to the tune of 600 million EU and its Member States are providing large-scale finan-

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Belgrade Pride Parade. This is a good base on which to build euros every year. And Serbia is right to be making EU memin fostering greater respect for diversity in Serbia. bership its number one policy priority.

Having myself worked both inside and closely alongside My government is supporting Serbia through contribcivil society organisations throughout my career, whether as a uting 17 per cent of the funding for EU programmes and lawyer or as a diplomat, I am persuaded that Serbia stands to projects. The British Embassy is also active in backing benefit from creating a legal and social environment which alprojects in priority areas which complement both EU and lows non-government bodies to thrive. other bilateral programmes.

I am proud that the British Council recently celebrated its A truly independent judiciary is essential in ensuring im70th anniversary in Serbia. The Council is working with the partial justice for all, as well as for creating a legal frameSerbian Ministry for Youth and Sport in support of its “Active work which encourages investment, entrepreneurship and job Citizens” programme, training youth leaders from all over creation. Serbia’s new High Judicial and State Prosecutorial Serbia and running international exchanges with counterCouncils can become effective guarantors of independence parts in Britain and elsewhere. and impartiality. It is welcome that a review of judicial apWhen I visited Novi Pazar in April I met pointments will be carried out, based on reca group of youth leaders on a six month ognised and transparent criteria. The British diploma course. Asked why the British Embassy will support judicial reform through Embassy was investing in Sandzak youth building capacity and sponsoring the reform I told them it was because they were the of Serbia’s appellate courts. future. Quick as a flash, one of them reSerbia’s prosperity also depends on estabtorted that they were not just the future, lishing a stable political framework in which but also the present. Action to improve political parties are able to flourish, electortheir environment and bring hope and inal processes enjoy credibility and human and spiration was, he said, needed right now. minority rights are protected. Building on reSuch impatience is understandable, but cent decisions to reform the electoral law in reforming Serbia’s education system will line with recommendations from the Venice require investment of human and finanCommission, I am sure Serbia will pursue social resources over a sustained period of lutions which take account of Serbia’s parliatime. We are working with the Ministry mentary traditions. There is agreement on of Education and Science the importance of abolishing Serbia’s prosperity depends on to help raise standards, esthe discredited system of blank establishing a stable political framework pecially in the teaching of resignations and ensuring the English in Serbian schools. I transparency of party lists: votin which political parties are able to was impressed by the dediers need to understand the baflourish, electoral processes enjoy cation, commitment and exsis on which their representapertise of Serbian teachers of tives will be elected. credibility and human and minority English at the annual conferSerbia and other countries rights are protected ence of the English Language of the region have a long hisTeachers Association in Novi Sad this April. tory of struggling for fundamental freedoms. Great strides Each year we sponsor a small number of future leadhave been made over the last ten years, but respect for huers under the Chevening scholarships programme to purman and minority rights can never be taken for granted. sue Masters courses in the UK. There is an active and enerMedia freedom is under constant threat from vested and getic Chevening Alumni Association, bringing together leadcriminal interests. All the more laudable are the efforts of ining Serbian policy-makers and opinion-formers. Together, dependent media outlets in Serbia to ensure impartial reportwe are optimistic that progress can be made in facilitating ing. Many brave journalists have died as a consequence of the recognition of foreign degrees, so those with experience seeking out the truth and exposing corruption. We all owe from abroad can more easily contribute their expertise in key it to them to redouble our efforts to create a legal framepositions in the Serbian government. work and a mood in society which foster free expression. The I expect to see some 15,000 British visitors at this year’s British Embassy has been working with the OSCE and the EU Exit Festival. Next year, London is looking forward to hosting to help develop a national media strategy in partnership with athletes from all over the world, including Serbia, at London journalists and media outlets.

2012. Britain won the bid for 2012 on the strength of plans The right of minorities to express themselves peacefully involving civil society and young people in the renewal of inand freely, especially when their views clash with those of the ner city areas and leaving a sporting and social legacy for fumajority, is enshrined in international human rights law. The ture generations. London will be an even more exciting place Belgrade authorities and police are to be congratulated on an to visit next year. Come and see for yourselves.

■ effective operation to protect those taking part in last year’s cordeditorial@cma.rs

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interview H.E. NiLs RAgNAR KAmsvÅg, nORWEGiAn AMBASSADOR TO SERBiA

more tRANSPARENCy There has for a long time been interest from Norwegian energy companies to invest in Serbia. However, some of the companies chose to invest elsewhere in the region. The Norwegian companies had different reasons for choosing to invest elsewhere, but one reason which has been given has been not sufficient transparency in the processes

By Jelena ALEKSIĆ Photos: Zoran RAŠ

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orway and Serbia signed a new agreement in April which covers Norwegian assistance to Serbia for 2010.

At the same time it was announced that the value of the planned Norwegian bilateral assistance to Serbia this year will be about 13 million euros. CorD talks with H.E. Nils Ragnar Kamsvåg, the Norwegian Ambassador to Serbia about economic cooperation between the two countries, the relationship between the state and private ownership and the priorities of bilateral cooperation in the future.

■ Norway and Serbia had a long-standing friendship, which came to be very strong following World War II. Is this traditionally good Norwegian-Serbian friendship still being fostered?

- Although most of the veterans who survived the internment in Norway during World War II now are dead, the friendship developed during those difficult years is still very much alive through friendship associations and through sister municipalities in Serbia and Norway.

■ A business forum was held during last year’s official visit of President Tadić to Norway with forum participants discussing the strengthening of economic cooperation between the two coun14

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tries. Do you have any feedback as to the impact that this visit has had on the development of bilateral relations?

- An event like the forum is well suited for bringing attention to the potential for economic cooperation, but does not normally in itself bring direct concrete results. However, I am in contact with Norwegian firms which are following up contacts made during the forum. Hopefully these contacts will result in concrete co-operation.

the possible privatisation of Electric Power Industry of Serbia (EPS)?

- I do not feel I am in a position to give the Serbian government public advice about these issues. We have very different political and economic traditions and circumstances regarding state ownership, making it difficult to compare experiences.

I do not quite agree with the underlying premises in the question indicating that there may be a contradiction between high living standards and Norwegian ■ In the last fifteen years, Norway has invested close to 1.5 authorities being the majority owner in some of the billion euros in Serbia. What are the experiences of Norbiggest Norwegian companies. One may argue as perwegian companies in terms of investing in our country? suasively that the fact that the government has had ma- My general impression is that most of the relatively jor stakes in many of the strategically most important few Norwegian companies operating in Serbia are reaNorwegian companies, may have contributed to the sonably satisfied with their operations here. There are of high living standard in Norway. course occasional challenges, red tape and bureaucratic It is correct that the Norwegian government owns challenges, being two of them. one hundred percent of energy producer Statskraft (www.

■ In addition to the single biggest foreign investor – Telstatkraft.com), is a majority owner in oil and gas company enor – there were hints that Norwegian companies might Statoil and in Telenor, while it has substantial minority also invest in the energy stakes in metal producer sector. Could you please Norsk Hydro and in One may argue persuasively that the elaborate on the posDnB NOR (www.dnbnor. fact that the government has had major com), Norway’s biggest sible direction that the stakes in many of the strategically economic collaboration bank. Some of these between the two coun- most important norwegian companies, ownerships are the retries might take? sult of strategic decisions, - There has for a long may have contributed to the high living while the government’s time been interest from share both in Norsk Hystandard in norway Norwegian energy comdro and DnB NOR are panies to invest in Serbia. However, some of the comparesults of political situations forcing the government to step nies chose to invest elsewhere in the region. For instance in. Although there occasionally is some domestic politiis Statskraft, the biggest European producer of sustainacal discussion regarding how big a share the government ble energy, making major investments in Turkey and Alshould own in these companies, the companies are, as you bania. The Norwegian companies had different reasons point out, profitable and it is of broad agreement that the for choosing to invest elsewhere, but one reason which companies generally have been successful. It is, however, has been given has been not sufficient transparency in important to note that although the State is the majority the processes. I am, however, happy to say that we lately owner in many of these companies, the companies are run have seen renewed interest to invest in Serbia from Norby professional managers without political affiliation to the wegian energy companies. Thus concrete projects are government and overseen by boards, mainly constituted of currently being considered. experts, quite a few of them non-Norwegians. The government generally exercises its influence as an owner at the ■ Despite the country’s residents having a high livyearly general assembly, but may very occasionally intering standard, Norwegian authorities are still majority vene if it feels it has to secure its interests as an owner. owners of the biggest profit-generating companies like Statoil, Statkraft, Norsk Hydro, DnB NOR, Telenor etc.

■ Although Norway has had comprehensive cooperaWhat is your view of the sale of Telekom Serbia and tion with the EU, the country is not an EU member, but

SERBiA’S fUtURE i am convinced that serbia can and will be able to better the lives of its citizens. it will take vision and political will.

NoRWAy mEmBERSHiP norway is not a full eu member, but norway is a member of the eeA and our experience is that we have profited from this.

PRESS CoUNCiL we’re ready to transfer money, and understand the board of the press council has plans ready, so the project should be up and running pretty soon. cordeditorial@cma.rs

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is providing political and economic support to Serbia on its path to the EU. How do you explain this?

- Norway is not a full EU member, but Norway is a member of the EEA (European Economic Area) (www.eunorway.org/about/eeaforside), which covers most of the economic aspects of the EU cooperation (fisheries and agricul-

■ For years, Norway has been number one on the UNDP’s Human Development Index list, which surely makes you very proud. What is your explanation for such a successful ranking?

- We are of course very proud of that, although we are aware of the fact that the UNDP’s methodology is but one way of putting together an index of human development.

Having said that I think it is interesting to note that all the five Nordic countries generally are ranked at the top of this ranking, reflecting the fact that we share common political systems based on a set of social and political values and practices which have contributed to strong economic growth and relatively small social differences.

A strong focus on children and education, health, social security, environmental protection and equality, is probably the main explanation for our and the other Nordic countries’ high score on this particular index.

■ In respect of this position, do you think that Serbia has a realistic chance of improving the lives of its citizens and climbing up the UNDP list?

- I am convinced that Serbia can and will be able to better the lives of its citizens. It will take vision and political will. Ensuring a rapid integration into the EU will hopefully be a major contribution to this. Having the ambition to climb the UNDP list may also be in itself an ambition which usefully could contribute to focusing on the areas which are most important to furthering the life quality of the country’s citizens.

ture being the exceptions). Norway and Norwegian businesses do thus profit from having free exchange of goods, H.E. Nils capital, services and persons within the whole EEA. Ragnar Our experience is that we have profited from this. It Kamsvåg is therefore natural for us to support the aspirations of likes jogging in his Serbia and the other countries in the region to join the neighbourhood EU. Although the majority of the Norwegian people in and hopes to find two referendums have resome good ski jected full membership in We think the rapid EU-integration of ■ Negotiations between slopes next year. the EU, the government all the countries in the region would Belgrade and Priština are pending. What do you exis of the view that the EU be important for peace, political pect from this dialogue? is a vital organisation for peace and economic devel- and social stability, cooperation and - I think that the talks in Brussels will function as opment in Europe. Particuconfidencelarly in the Balkans, given economic development in the region important building measures, hopethe region’s turbulent past, fully contributing to the parties being able to find a suswe think the rapid EU-integration of all the countries tainable agreement. in the region would be important for peace, political and social stability, cooperation and economic develop■ The Norwegian government has offered to help Serment in the region, something which is also stressed in bia with establishing the Press Council. How far along a White Paper on Norway’s cooperation with South East is this project?

Europe, published in early April this year.

- We are ready to transfer the money, and underFour Priorities stand that the board of the Press Council has the plans ready, so the project should be up and run■ You moved to Belgrade in September 2010. What would you say ning pretty soon. are the priorities of bilateral cooperation and what is your view of the current state of relations between Norway and Serbia?

■ How do you, as a Norwegian and an ambassa- The priority areas in our bilateral cooperation are rule of law - focusdor, spend your spare time here? ing on the courts, the police and independent supervisory bodies like the - I like to know the place better; the country, the state auditor, anti-corruption body and the Ombudsman; defence and security sector reform; energy and the climate; and furthering gender equalfood, the wine, the culture and the history. That ity, women’s rights and minority rights. Our bilateral relations are good, means travelling, going to restaurants and to conbut in the economic area there is considerable room for improvement. certs and exhibitions and reading.

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interview H.E. mR. tosHio tsuNoZAKi, AMBASSADOR OF JAPAn TO SERBiA

Reconstruction of Japan

In devastated areas, people’s needs are changing with each passing hour.

In the beginning food and water were necessary but now we have more or less enough. We have begun to build prefabricated houses for people who have lost their homes in the earthquake and tsunami. However, the problem of the lack of housing is still serious

exclusive

By Petar ŠKORIĆ

so disciplined, dignified and rational in terms of dealing with this disaster?

- Firstly, I would like to express sincere gratitude to the citizens of the Republic of Serbia for the heartfelt sympathy and their offers of various kinds of assistance. These things are very encouraging.

In Japan we have many earthquakes,

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However, this massive earthquake with the violent tsunami following was greatly beyond our expectations, so we suffered a lot of damage. We have to take much stronger measures in the future, having this catastrophe in mind.

n early March, Japan suffered the most powerful earthquake to hit the island nation in recorded history, which then resulted in massive tsunami. Images of the devastation in Japan continue to ■ The country was struck by an earthtravel around the globe while the world quake and a tsunami in close sucpopulation waits in fear of a potencession, and there is now the loomtial nuclear disaster. Even now the The biggest problem at present ing threat involving the nuclear country is still experiencing tremors. is that some countries have reactor. Can the Government of JaIn an interview for CorD H.E. Mr. introduced unnecessary pan keep all of this under control?

Toshio Tsunozaki, the Ambassador - The Government of Japan (www. of Japan to Serbia talks about the measures based on rumours kantei.go.jp) is putting in every effort biggest problems facing the Japanese to calm down the situation in all the fagovernment at this time and the levels of so we are usually trained adequately in cilities of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear assistance required by the country. preparation for them. The Japanese peopower plant with a great deal of help ple are also traditionally inclined to help from the Self Defence Forces, fire fight■ Japan has been hit by an earthquake each other in difficult situations. These ing forces and all the government instiof catastrophic proportions, however are probably the reasons the Japanese tutions, as well as the relevant people in the people of Japan are fighting back. people have been so organised in dealthe private sector. As a result, we have How is it that the Japanese people are ing with this disaster.

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achieved certain advancements regarding the cooling down of the nuclear reactors, the restoration of electricity and so on.

In any case, there are no serious harmful effects being inflicted on the health of the population at this moment.

If we continue our endeavours in this direction, I am sure that the situation will improve.

Japanese are fighting to survive, Japan is adamant about continuing to provide donations to Serbia, Croatia and other countries.

- We accomplish around ten grass-root assistance projects each year in the fields of medicine, education, environmental protection, and so on. We intend to continue working on them, as well as on the project for the construction of the de-sulphurisation system of the Nikola Tesla Power Plant, which we have pledged to complete for the occasion of the visit of the President of Serbia, Boris Tadić, to Japan in March.

itude to the Government of the Republic of Serbia, the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, the many local self-governments and the citizens of Serbia for their generous financial assistance. We are enormously encouraged knowing that they are greatly concerned about the present situation in Japan. This financial assistance is very precious to Japan and very important to the devastated areas, so we accept it with great gratitude.

■ What are the biggest problems that the Japanese government is currently facing?

■ How do you personally feel about - The biggest problem at present is this disaster that your country and nathat some countries have introduced tion are having to deal with? unnecessary measures based on ru- To be honest, I could never have imagmours. According to travel informa■ Could you tell us what will happen to ined that an earthquake and tsunami of tion issued by the IMO (www.imo.org), the engineers who chose to stay in the such a magnitude could occur. I am quite ICAO (www.icao.int) and sure that many Japanese peoIATA (www.iata.org), there ple were not prepared for an is no scientific basis which earthquake of such intensity. requires the limitation of In any case, I would like to travel to Japan, as well as express my sympathies to the the screening of passengers people who have suffered the and goods coming from the consequences of this catastrocountry. The stagnation in phe. We are resolutely deterthe exchange of people and mined to restore our country goods due to these kinds of and normalise the daily lives measures based on rumours of citizens in devastated areas will pose a serious problem as soon as possible with the in relation to providing necassistance of international essary help to people in devastated I could never have imagined that support. I think it is essential that we areas and the rebuilding effort. make our country stronger against an earthquake and tsunami of such a type of natural disaster.

■ It seems that the rest of the world such a magnitude could occur has never been so unified in its de■ Do you believe that a nuclear dissire to help the people of Japan. What Fukushima nuclear power plant in oraster will be avoided and what needs to do Japanese people need the most at der to try to prevent the radiation from be done in order to achieve this? this moment? spreading?

- I think it necessary to avoid a nuclear - In devastated areas, people’s needs are - The situation in the Fukushima Daidisaster by any means. In my opinion, changing with each passing hour. For ichi nuclear power plant remains preit is crucial to develop nuclear reactors example, in the beginning food and carious, but necessary efforts are being and nuclear power plants to be more water were necessary but now we have made by around 500 engineers who are resilient to earthquakes and tsunamis, more or less enough. We have begun to deliberately conducting their work in reflecting deeply why this accident build prefabricated houses for people shifts taking great care in regards to the was not prevented. who have lost their homes in the earthlevels of radiation. I am sure that their I often see news reports which conquake and tsunami. However, the probcourageous efforts will result in the sucnect this nuclear accident with the one lem of the lack of housing is still serious. cessful cooling down of the nuclear rein Chernobyl. As experts from various I think that the most encouraging thing actors, as well as preventing the spread countries have pointed out, there are is the solidarity of people all over the of radiation. fundamental differences between the world who are united in their desire to two accidents – for example, in the help the people of Japan.

■ What was the reason that Japan destructure of the reactors and in the cided to accept help from Serbia and its situation after the accidents. So, it is ■ Despite everything that has hapcitizens? not appropriate to simply compare the pened and at a time when thousands of - I would like to express my sincere grattwo accidents.

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interview stoJAN stAmENKoviĆ, COORDinATOR OF THE ‘MACROECOnOMiC AnALYSES AnD TREnDS’ RESEARCH STUDY COnDUCTED BY THE inSTiTUTE OF ECOnOMiCS

Critical Years: 2013 & 2014 If Serbian authorities continue to borrow at the current rate, in 2013 and 2014 we are going to face huge problems in repaying loans which will result in a high inflation rate, the appreciation of the euro and a drop in foreign currency reserves. Finally, the economy will stagnate

- At the end of March, the interannual inflation rate stood at 14.1 percent. The NBS (www.nbs.rs) is obliged to do everything in its power to keep the inflation rate within the target, but, realistically speaking, that is not possible despite the fact that consumer prices might fall in the latter part of the year, dependent upon the agricultural results. I think that inflation will exceed the projected rate of six percent in April. Food prices will continue to increase until the new agricultural season, not only in our country, but also around the world. The main reasons for the inflation hike are an increase in state-controlled prices and, of course, food.

By Jelena ALEKSIĆ

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that case, let’s go back to communism where everybody, with the exception of the people in power, will be given the same treatment and where you won’t be able to buy what you heart desires.

I am dreading the shortages, like those from this and last year. These food shortages are not a result of agriculture failing but of market monopolies and cartels running amok.

coordinator of the ’Macroeconomic Analyses and Trends’ research study conducted by the ■ The government has banned the export Institute of Economics, Stojan of wheat. What is your take on this?

Stamenković warns of the pre-election - Instead of eliminating market cartels year when governing parties usually disand creating more room for competitribute money to the constituents and tion, which will fight ‘tooth and nail’ to then borrow those same funds in order offer the best prices and quality possible, to patch-up budget holes. In an interview the state is limiting prices and banning for CorD magazine, Mr. Stamenković wheat exports. The mills didn’t know also talks about the state authoriwhat to do in this situation beThe worst thing that the state ties limiting the price of bread and cause they had already contractcould have done was to determine banning the export of wheat, as well ed certain quantities for export. the maximum price of bread Serbia’s high inflation rate, investThe anti-market measures, that ments and unemployment. the Serbian government has ■ State authorities have limited the been applying, achieved nothing good ■ We ended last year with the highprice of bread. What is your view of the several decades ago, let alone today. To est inflation rate in Europe. The price state intervening in this matter? add insult to injury, last year during of electricity has risen recently, and - The worst thing that the state could the harvest, wheat was sold way below there are indications that heating have done was to determine the maxithe correct price. The state did not care prices will follow. Do you agree with mum price of bread. What does this enough to buy sufficient quantities of the National Bank of Serbia’s (NBS) mean?! Does it mean that tomorrow, it wheat and it failed to intervene in the projection that the year-end inflation could also limit the price of cooking oil market. This would be the proper solurate will be six percent? and sugar. There is no end to this. In tion and not banning exports.

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■ What is your view of the government’s economic policy? It seems that the government sometimes runs around in circles, with no proper plan or programme.

- I wouldn’t put it that way. I would say that all of these politicians who have been promising that the situation would improve once they came to power, that they would introduce new investors and improve living standards, need to be asked one question and this is: “How are you going to do that?” I have many objections to the way this government operates, but the crisis was created by the previous government and we should not forget this. Vojislav Koštunica was the Prime Minister when most of the Serbian companies were sold and the money generated from their sale was spent on current expenditure. We would have gone into recession this way or the other, but the global economic downturn has just pushed us into the abyss of crisis earlier than anticipated.

money immediately, but the IMF won’t let us.” However, despite the arrangement concluded with the IMF and the reduction of public spending, which would be a direct result of the arrangement, I am dreading the pre-election year. Every single pre-election year has brought huge increases in spending that were not backed up by production.

■ How many investments can we expect to be made this year?

- If we consider that, in the last two years, we recorded a sharp 30 percent drop in investments, the situation is not optimistic at all. At the beginning of this year, we had some good signals with the

land and this is what scares investors away. The illiquidity problem hasn’t been tackled as yet either. European standards state that you need to pay for goods purchased in 30, or a maximum of 60 days from the date of purchase. In Serbia, goods are paid for after many months, instead of days, and that is not an environment suitable for doing business. Last but not least, our judiciary is also important. The present judicial system does not provide adequate protection of investors’ rights and assets. If we don’t clean up this mess in our judicial system, no foreign investors will come here as they will not come to a country that will not guarantee them their rights and protect their assets.

■ Recently the government has calculated that, at the end of 2010, Serbia’s public debt stood at 41 percent of the national GDP while the IMF’s figures showed 44 percent. The upper limit for public debt is 45 percent. Are we going to have difficulties repaying loans and are ■ The government agreed to fulwe heading for a Greek/Portufil the requests put forward by guese scenario?

Food shortages are not a trade unions and increase civil serv- The 2009 GDP statistics have come ant salaries. Negotiations are also result of agriculture failing but of out just recently, and the figures pending in regards to raising the show that GDP was 3.5 percent market monopolies and cartels minimum wage, which is yet anlower than what we had anticipatother excuse to increase public seced. That means that we are already running amok tor salaries. Do you think that the in danger of exceeding the upper overall production, importation of capiSerbian budget can handle this? limit of 45 percent. Yes, that means that tal goods and cement production grow- The teachers’ strike was anything but we may have problems with repaying ing, but no investments followed. moral or justified since nobody was takour loans if we continue to borrow at ing care of our children’s educational the present rate. I really don’t like saying ■ Why are foreign investors hesitant to needs while the teachers were receivthis out loud, but 2013 and 2014 will be invest in Serbia? ing salaries on a regular basis. The pubcritical as these are the years that we will - There are several reasons for that with lic sector does not share the destiny of have to start settling our debts. the first one being inadequate infrathe private sector where salaries are structure. Instead of spending the monsporadic and rarely increase. By raising ■ What can we expect to happen? ey from privatisation on the constructhe minimum wage, the government - We are not Greece so we cannot expect tion of infrastructure, the state spent it could breach one of the rules imposed that the EU will jump in and bail us out. on civil servant salaries and pensions. by the IMF (www.imf.org). I believe that We are probably going to start applying humouring Serbian citizens is one of Foreign investors do not want to come the pro-social format which entails econthe reasons why the Serbian executive to a barren plot of land that has no elecomy stagnating. We are going to create powers want to conclude a new arrangetricity and water supply or main roads unproductive jobs, the inflation rate will ment with the IMF. The government nearby. The second reason is the endgrow, the euro will appreciate (in order cannot say: “Look, we don’t have enough less, unnecessary and quite tiring profor the country to maintain its foreign money.” It would rather say: “If it were cedures. Also, there are many problems currency reserves), with the end result up to us we would disburse the budget with the ownership of construction being the stagnation of our economy. ■ cordeditorial@cma.rs

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Bureaucracy Due to complicated procedures and unnecessary regulations, the Serbian economy loses almost 100 million euros on an annual basis. Only three of all the recommendations for the reduction of administrative procedures from the National Alliance for Local Economic Development have been adopted. Last year, only six recommendations were completely enacted, whereas 10 were partially realised.

We asked businessmen and economists which bureaucratic procedures should be cancelled and what the effect of such measures would be?

Rodoljub Drašković, Director of ‘Swisslion Takovo’

Requirements are Demoralising

takes away both time and money. Today in Serbia, it is easier to build a factory, open it, and master the technology than to obtain a construction permit. Every day, we meet with huge problems and impassable procedures in the food production sector. The amount of permits and agreements which have to be obtained in Serbia is demoralxtensive and unnecessary procedures when ising for an employer. You need veterinarian permits, customs licenses starting and doing business burden the and finally, those from Tax Administration. The truth is that in Serbia, economy and slow down business dealings. We meet with that in our In Serbia, jobs are being made jobs are being made up and then, new bureaucratic procedures, which should be albusiness every day. On one hand, there is a up and then, new bureaucratic legedly tackled by those people, are bebunch of administrative regulations which will be cancelled in two years, but on the procedures, which should be ing introduced. That is why at the counters there are often people unable to explain to other hand, there is the process of getting allegedly tackled by those you what step you should take next. They closer to the European Union which sets new people, are being introduced are taking both time and money from the standards and employers’ legal obligations economy, they cost all of us, and truth be told, they do not do any which cost a lot of money. At the same time, the purchasing powwork. If the state administration is to be reduced by 40 percent, as er of citizens is dropping due to the devaluation of the dinar and rewell as, in accordance, the existing procedures, we will all be relieved. al wages, which increases the drop in profits. In such a situation, the Finally, foreign investors will be quicker on deciding to come to a state must make an effort as soon as possible to ease the situation for country where it is easy to start up a business. companies and set them free from unnecessary administration which

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Goran Pekez, Head of Corporate Affairs and Communications JTI, Adriatica

Alteration to Customs Law

to note that last year we faced an unexpected change of excise tax on tobacco products, as well as the introduction of several special taxes or fees (e.g. the Law on Sums).

It is very important for the Government to here are a great keep the dialogue with investors going, parnumber of suggesticularly on the key tax changes in the years to tions for an all-encomcome. On the other hand, the introduction of passing reform or a ‘guilspecial taxes is against the IMF recommendalotine of regulations’ which have not yet been tions due to its lack of transparency and repaccepted or implied. Those suggestions may resents both an extra fibe found in, for example, the Grey Book of NALED, The introduction of special nancial burden for the taxes is against the IMF economy and an exand we are still hoping that there is the goodwill recommendations due to tra administrative burof the Government and its lack of transparency den, which clashes with the idea of an all-encomthe National Parliament passing reform of regulations (SPR). The efto adopt them. The economy has given nufects of accepting the economy’s suggestions merous suggestions for alterations and would not only be financial, but they would amendments to the Law on Customs, such as also increase the interest of businessmen in the article which states that an appeal postSerbia as an attractive investment destination. pones the execution of verdict. It is important

Danilo Šuković, economist

Serbia a Bureaucratic Black Hole

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n order to promote the competitiveness of the Serbian economy, the most important short-term tasks are related to the promotion of administrative infrastructure, or the guillotine of unnecessary regulations and procedures, which has stopped on state institutions. The ‘guillotine of regulations’ project was started in September 2008 but

Miloje Kanjevac, Director of the Institute for Market Research

Stevan Santo, Adviser to the CEO of ‘Pionir’ Company

Reform Bureaucracy

there has been no progress. In Germany, for instance, inspectors do their job in the period of a month, in Switzerland all inspectors go out to the field in a single day and seven days later, they reach a decision which enables the employer to start working. In Croatia, this process was reduced to 45 days by the last reform, and in the Republic of Srpska to 55 days. Serbia remains a bureaucratic black hole in this part of Europe, where politicians say daily that everything should be subordinated to the economy which brings progress to a country, and in practice, they do but a few things to enable

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am convinced that long and complicated procedures are primarily the result of the bad work of employed clerks who have been put in those positions by the ruling parties. The administrative system is ideal for employing incompetent staff who, once they get their hands on their clerk chairs, do not work for the citizens but they behave as if the citizens should work for them. Both foreign and domestic investors would be doing business in a much more efficient manner if the people in administrative roles knew how to do their jobs, instead of send-

I am convinced that long and complicated procedures are primarily the result of the bad work of employed clerks ing people from one counter to another. If administration was reduced by a third and newly educated and quality staff were to be appointed, there would not be a great need for the cancellation of the these procedures, because the state has to have some rules. The fact is that in Serbia, there is an overlap among jurisdictions of various institutions so for a single item, you must visit at least three places, instead of finishing everything in one place.

All the procedures which pose an expense should be cancelled, and if the state does not know which procedures those are, it can look to businessmen the economy to achieve normal progress.

So, all the procedures which create an expense should be cancelled, and if the state does not know which procedures those are, it can look to businessmen.

Owners of private companies know very well how to save money on their labourforce and in some shops in Serbia, there are no cashiers but machines. The same

In a world of computers and technology, we still go from one counter to another looking for a pile of papers

thing can be done by the state. If I have an identification number, why isn’t it used by all the institutions I go to, instead of the situation where I have to repeatedly prove who I am wherever I have to get some piece of paper from. Moreover, in Serbia, electronic databases are practically not being used at all. In a world of computers and technology, we still go from one counter to another looking for a pile of papers. That is what should be cancelled first, so that good databases, which could be exchanged amongst institutions, can be created. cordeditorial@cma.rs

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sands working positions lost in do not exthe mazes of bureaucratic proceaggerate dures. Still, our biggest problems when I say are the bureaucrats who control that half of the procedures and make them the adminiscomplicated because complicattrative proceed procedures are the source of dures here should be cancelled. their influence. Politicians are a Unfortunately, domestic busipart of this problem in as much nessmen have grown accusas they are incapable of being a tomed to the fact that everypart of the solution to this probthing that is done with the state lem, meaning to enact reforms takes a lot longer than it norwhich should mally would.

The bureaucratic often be imUnfortunately, apparatus is a much posed onto the the bureaucratbureaucratic mechanism is bigger burden for ic mechanism. a much bigger potential foreign However, I beburden for potential foreign ininvestors who are lieve that the key problem vestors who are used to a healthy used to healthy and of Serbia is the and efficient efficient business high level of public expendbusiness envisurrounding iture, which ronment. Finally, goes hand in hand with the pilein Serbia, nobody has ever paid up of procedures. If we removed the political price for businesscertain rules, we would cancel men unnecessarily losing tens certain working posts, thus reof thousands of working hours ducing public expenditure. at various counters, for thou-

Reduce the Number of Clerks

interview NENAD PRoKiĆ, PROFESSOR AT BELGRADE FACULTY OF DRAMATiC ARTS, MEMBER OF THE LiBERAL DEMOCRATiC PARTY’S PRESiDEnCY AnD A MEMBER OF THE SERBiAn PARLiAMEnT

Copernican tURN Serbia needs to cut ‘the umbilical cord’ that ties it to empty myths, lost battles and politics that are so quickly branded as nationalistically Serbian. Civilisation has dealt a huge blow to such policy.

We need hardcore realistic politics, in tune with the rest of the world and our neighbours, so that we are never again able to ‘cook a warmongering soup’ on the fire that engulfed our neighbours and destroyed the cities that we were supposed to defend

By Jelena ALEKSIĆ Photos: Zoran SINKO

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rom theatre to culture, from opposition political parties to NATO...these were just a few of the various topics we discussed with the Professor at the Belgrade Faculty of Dramatic Arts, Nenad Prokić.

Bearing in mind that Professor Prokić is one of the founders of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and is a volunteer member of the Serbian Parliament, we talked to him about Serbia’s road toward the EU, the crisis in government and the overall situation in Serbia which he characterises as a ‘historical regression’.

■ Several prominent members have left the party, including Vesna Pešić who was the Chairwoman of the

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party’s Political Council.

- Many people have left the LDP (www.ldp.rs), since we are no longer a small party so the circulation of people in and out of the party is substantial. If we are talking about prominent members, they left for private reasons.

■ Vesna Pešić did not have a private reason for leaving. She left following the statement of Čedomir Jovanović.

- Who is going to believe that the President of the Liberal Democratic Party is a racist? I think that what we are talking about here is the inability to stay loyal to the group you belong to. In the past, Vesna Pešić was known for leaving the circles of politically like-minded people. With all due respect, you cannot be a member

of a parliamentary caucus one day, and a politically independent intellectual the next. Her behaviour is common amongst today’s political dissidents. When faced with a choice – me or a group – they often choose ‘me’.

That would be all right if they hadn’t agreed to hold a political function since, if you don’t belong to a certain political group, you cannot be a member of the Serbian Parliament. The way they behave will not bring changes to Serbia. They are still valuable to the society that has unsuccessfully gone through transition, but, bearing in mind their attitude, they shouldn’t have taken on high political functions, i.e. they shouldn’t have consented to belonging to a political group. You can’t have both.

■ What are relations within the party like following the aforementioned statement made by Mr. Jovanović and the subsequent public uproar?

- Čedomir Jovanović was maliciously misinterpreted in the public sphere, and he did apologise. We keep ‘mum’ like clowns when Gaddafi kills Libyan civilians and we didn’t say a word when Obama started to do the same with his military jets. Does Belgrade have any opinions of its own? We have been bombed in a similar way and we all know how wrong that was.

We ought to speak up. Having an occasional cleanup is good, so, now, communication between party members is much better than before.

■ So, who should we consider our partners?

- I really cannot tell you who we should consider our partner. You forgot to mention Putin, although, only verbally, we think of Brussels as our partner. But, I guess, this is a part of Belgrade’s charm. Nobody knows what Belgrade actually wants. If it wants anything at all...

nikolić’s irresponsibility

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omislav Nikolić’s actions are the result of his own inability to change himself. His hunger strike just shows us that real political change inevitably involves a fundamental change of policy mechanisms. During his entire political career Nikolić has behaved in an irresponsible manner, so I can only conclude that he hasn’t changed a bit. At the same time, his actions demonstrate just how feeble we are with resolving our problems in a way that will not damage Serbia’s reputation. It is clear that Serbia’s agony, following Koštunica and Tadić’s government, is just continuing with the fake metamorphosis of the former Radicals, now the so-called ‘Progressives’.

The majority of people in Serbia are held captive to this embarrassment. In Tito’s time, the nationalists had their own comfortable condition that they still haven’t come out of despite many years of aggressively trying to. The democratic circles have also stayed in their own condition whether we are talking about their activities inside or around political parties or in public. So, everybody is remasticating their own weakness and time is passing by.

Hence, the LDP wants Serbia to get ready for a U-turn. We need energy, not the blackmail, agony and continuous suffering of this fallen society, which is what Nikolić is actually doing.

to accept the direction in which society overall is taking. Why should we be a deserted island in the ‘NATO sea’? Finally, if we do join NATO, there will no longer be any wars here. I would like to remind you that, on two consecutive occasions, the LDP urged the Serbian Parliament to consent to Serbia becoming a fully-fledged NATO member. It is simply not true that people in Serbia don’t want to hear anything about NATO.

■ You are insisting on Following the governmental crisis, differences with all other ■ Who is our partner in opposition parties. How the eyes of the LDP? that Mlađan dinkić instigated, he do you consider politi- The European Union is now praising Koštunica. I find it (www.europa.eu). Brussels cal opposition in Serbia is the future capital city today, is it capable of inridiculous, but it is true of our joint European stigating change? country, not Moscow. I really cannot comprehend how - We have been supportive of Tadić concerning the matsomebody like a foreign country can be better on its ter of European affairs. That’s what we promised and own. Before we join the EU, it would be good if we that’s what we have done. In other matters, we have were to join the North Atlantic integrations too. clearly been in opposition and have been constantly reprimanding the government. We have very little in ■ You are one of the advocates of Serbia joining common with other opposition parties.

NATO. It seems that Serbian citizens are still not keen on their country becoming a NATO member.

■ Your party has been insisting on appointing people - That is not true. People are just not informed enough who are not politicians to public functions and as exabout the issue, they don’t know the benefits of being a ecutives in public enterprises. This and previous govmember, and the state has done a lousy job with educaternments have failed to do that. ing them. If we do join NATO (www.nato.int), the coun- Out of the 70 people that we have nominated for public try’s credit rating will automatically go up. We need to functions in Belgrade, 69 were not members of our or join NATO for economic purposes and because we need any other party. When you bear in mind that you cannot cordeditorial@cma.rs

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get a decent job in today’s Serbia without being a political party member, since we live in a party-run-state, you will start to comprehend just how serious we are when we say that we are determined to change Serbia.

■ Let’s suppose that everything in Serbia does change in the near future. Are there enough professionals in the country, regardless of their political involvement,

ing his term in office and we do support his stand on NATO. The Serbian President, Boris Tadić (www.predsednik.rs), has also made a few moves that we respect, primarily in terms of improving Serbia’s relations with Croatia. We have put a stop to several decades of conflicts and bad blood between the two countries which has been detrimental to the entire region.

■ When do you think elections will be scheduled?

- This government cannot survive the full term and I believe that elections will take place late this year. Whatever the next government is like, it will not be able to avoid conflicts and altercations, since Serbia is still in the early stages of social metamorphosis.

■ Which party or parties will form the next government?

- The best thing would be if the LDP, DS and SPS were to form a new pro-European government. Such a coalition has been formed at the local level, in Belgrade, and it has accomplished a lot. It has proven that it can function. Any other combination would not be good for Serbia and would stall the country on its way forward.

■ Have you discussed this issue with anybody?

- No, these are only presumptions of what solution would be best for the new government in line with Serbia’s current capacities.

Nenad Prokić: The best thing would be if the LDP, DS and SPS were to form a new pro-European government.

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■ Is that the only acceptable post-election option for the LDP? We keep ‘mum’ like clowns when - Yes, the only one.

to create a truly democratic government?

Gaddafi kills Libyan civilians and we - Unfortunately not. But ■ What about G17 Plus? that is what we have to didn’t say a word when Obama started - There are too many unwork with... knowns when it comes to to do the same with his military jets G17 (www.g17plus.rs). Following the governmental crisis that Mlađan Dinkić ■ So where are those people? instigated, he is now praising Koštunica. I find it ri- They left Serbia. In the following decades, we are godiculous, but it is true. ing to have to deal with semi-literate people. Maybe they won’t be sitting in government, but that is the price that ■ If you were to form a government together with the society is yet to pay. We should be straightforward and DS and SPS, how would you overcome the differences say that our country has no resources, production or instiin views in regards to the Kosovo issue? tutions, in addition to not having adequate professionals.

- This catchphrase ‘Both Kosovo and Europe’ is doomed Do we have any other alternative for obtaining funding to fail and I am really surprised that the minister, who than the EU pre-accession funds? When you look at the had been propagating this idea, is still a minister. After situation in an unbiased way, you will see that Serbia has all, if we cannot reach a political agreement with Kosno other alternative than joining the EU and NATO. ovo, why are we using Kosovo as a trade-off? The only thing that is flourishing down there is smuggling while ■ You have often been very supportive of the Governordinary people are living in poverty. Even Serbs from ment. What are the Government’s weaknesses and Kosovo have given up on Serbia. what results has it achieved so far?

- We salute the work done by Minister Šutanovac and ■ What would be your solution to the problems in such especially in the abolishment of compulsory military coalition? Would somebody have to compromise? service. The army is becoming fully professional dur82 May 2011

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- Kosovo is problem that will be resolved by life itself, since we have obviously failed. The myth about Kosovo, as being the cradle of our culture for thousands of years, is full of numerical mistakes. Since the beginning of mankind, Kosovo has been an integral part of Serbia for only 204 years, i.e. two hundred years during medieval times and from 1912 to 1915. The problem will be finally resolved when Albanians and Serbs shake hands. That is the only way forward.

a solution. It is quite heart wrenching to see that Serbian cinematography is regulated by laws dating back to 1912, which speaks volumes about the way the state authorities treat the film industry here.

■ What are the consequences of such a situation?

- Serbia is at an advanced stage of historical regression, and that is not a result but the cause of the overall situation in the country which affects cinematography too.

■ Do you think that Serbia On RTS what is clearly visible is the ■ You have been managing could be granted EU canthe BITEF Theatre for quite outright promotion of the powers didacy status by October some time. What do you that currently rule Serbia at the current pace we are think of theatre these days? progressing?

- Theatre has failed, both - Hardly, but it will have to be. If the European Comethically and aesthetically, to provide answers to ismission does not give a positive opinion about Sersues that have been pressing Serbian society for many bia’s candidacy in October, the Democratic Party will years. Last time I saw an important play was back in not fare well at the elections. It would be good if the 1980s when plays provided you with substantial Mladić were to be arrested. and aesthetically exciting answers to current issues.

Since then, theatre has been just giggling over the ■ You lecture at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts. What events that have been destroying us, or it keeps comis your view of current TV production in Serbia both pletely ‘mum’ and lacks the courage to tackle awkward commercial and public service? and difficult questions. Since ancient times, theatre, as - RTS (www.rts.rs) is not doing what it was originally a social and culture generating institution, could not supposed to do. It is not a public service broadcaster have survived by being in a sycophantic position to as, for example, the BBC is. RTS collects the subscripthe current socio-cultural format.

■ tion fee in a rather shady way, and bear in mind that they broadcast as many commercials as any other TV station that does not enjoy the protection that RTS does. Also, the biography and social activism of the person who runs RTS – Aleksandar Tijanić – is such that it collides with his position at the national TV station. On the other hand, there is no high quality production and there are too many reruns. However, what is clearly visible is the outright promotion of the powers that currently rule Serbia. It took Serbian society over twenty years to accept the ‘European idea’. RTS is no different. When is this TV station going to come to grips with what is essential? If we cannot arrest Ratko Mladić (the Hague Tribunal indictee – author’s note), how can we debunk the myth about him?! I see RTS investing no effort in this matter, just like the current government.

■ According to your colleagues Serbian cinematography is drawing its last breath. The Law on Cinematography has still not been enacted.

- The whole of Serbia is drawing its last breath. Is there anything that functions properly in this country? We are not producing anything, films included. We are not capable of passing the Law on Cinematography since nobody knows where the funds for Serbian films are going to come from. If a draft law goes against somebody’s interests then it is very difficult to come up with cordeditorial@cma.rs

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interview sLoBoDAN ŠoŠKiĆ, CHAiRMAn OF THE BELGRADE BAR ASSOCiATiOn

Absolution of Crime The plea bargain that the state made with singer Svetlana Ražnatović sends out a message to criminals that crime does indeed pay off

plea bargain, she will repay the Serbian state 1.5 million euros and will be put under house arrest for a year. We asked Slobodan Šoškić, the Chairman of the Belgrade Bar Association (www. akb.org.rs), to give his expert opinion on the matter.

■ Is this kind of plea bargain legal at all?

- Yes, it is. The Law on Criminal Procedure stipulates the plea bargain as one of the legal tools. However, the public thinks that the sum of money that the folk singer needs to repay is far from being fair.

she embezzled?

- This plea bargain is contrary to the basic postulates of crime prevention. By agreeing that only 1.5 million euros of the embezzled money to be repaid, the state has sent a message to criminals everywhere that crime actually pays off. In their eyes, crime is an excellent moneymaking opportunity. If you steal a lot of money, you will repay some of it, spend some time under house arrest and that’s it. This is pardoning the crime and not fighting against it.

■ However, this agreement is not final.

A court is supposed to debate it in May. What would be the fairest solution, in your opinion?

By Petar ŠKORIĆ - I am not in a position to answer that question since I don’t know whether she n mid-April, the Serbian public was is guilty. She did admit to being guilty, astounded by the plea bargain that but it is quite possible that she did that folk singer Svetlana Ražnatović made only to get a plea bargain, i.e. to take the with the prosecution. Intellectuals load off her back since media have Our judicial system is and experts think that the prosecubeen reporting about her guilt and intion ought to be ashamed of cutting politicised and depends on the dictment for the past eight years. If the such a deal, while Mrs. Ražnatović’s court rejects this plea bargain, then she coalition in power fans are convinced that she is innowould have to prove her innocence in cent. She did actually admit to being court and the prosecution would have guilty of embezzling 2.3 million eu■ What do you think of the decision to prove that she was guilty. ros generated from the transfer of the that she has to repay only 1.5 milplayers of FC Obilić. In line with the lion euros out of the 2.3 million that ■ What if the court finds her guilty?

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- She will have to repay the entire sum of 2.3 million euro and serve time in prison in rather brutal conditions.

■ Is this the way for a country to implement the rule of the law?

- The real problem here is actually the plea bargain format. It was copied from the U.S. justice system although the Serbian judiciary cannot even compare to the American one. There are over two million prisoners in America and if they put everyone deserving to go to prison in prison, there would be five million prisoners. One of the ways to deal with crime in America is to have tools like plea bargaining and house arrest. This is perfectly profitable for the state since, both financially and physically speaking, there aren’t enough available capacities in prisons.

■ Why is plea bargaining more efficient elsewhere than in Serbia?

- Because the U.S. Attorney General (www.justice.gov), for example, would never look for financial gain from a plea bargain, and would insist on the full amount, to the last dollar. In this way, they are saying loud and clear to criminals that they will not profit from crime.

to be passive observers, sitting on the side and looking at a prosecutor and a defendant cutting a deal. If a lawyer is competent and skilful enough, he will win this game and justice will not prevail. Prosecution will find itself in the position of being able to beat only those defendants who don’t have enough money to pay for a good lawyer.

members can form certain organisations in line with the Articles of Association.

This is selective freedom and we ought to be entirely independent.

■ Certain members of the Serbian Bar Association have filed a lawsuit against you, protesting against the way the Chairman of the Belgrade Bar Association was appointed. Could you please elaborate?

- Nobody knows what they are actually talking about, not even those people who have filed a lawsuit, yet they are very vocal about the appointment being illegal. Nothing has been proven as yet, nobody has been caught cheating and, for months, our profession has been put to shame with such claims and altercations between lawyers.

■ In the meantime, you’ve held several assembly meetings. How many lawyers have actually supported you?

- Out of the 3,300 lawyers in Belgrade, 600 of them, on average, attended four assembly meetings. The quorum was 100.

■ Can’t you reach some kind of agreement? After all, you are defenders of justice.

- I have tried to reach out to If a court proves that Mrs. them several times, but they ■ Is there any chance of this plea Ražnatović is guilty, she will have to have declined. Each of them bargain being changed? has a person they want to see repay the entire sum of 2.3 million - Yes, it can be changed up until appointed as Chairman. If we euro and serve time in prison the case reaches the court. After continue along this path, the that, no changes can be made. The Association will fall apart and court could sentence her to prison and ■ Based on your suggestions, the draft we are going to be in a permanent demand that she pays back everything.

Law on Advocacy has been changed. state of elections. I am not going to enThere were several lawyers who considdorse something that is indecent and ■ This legal tool is stipulated in the Law ered this law rather controversial. constitutes swindling. on Criminal Procedure, a law that will - Yes, luckily, certain amendments will be amended soon. What is your view be adopted so law practice is no longer ■ Is there rule of law in Serbia and on these amendments? going to fully depend on the state, but could we say that our courts are inde- There will be problems with certain inwill rather just be from time to time. pendent? dictments and people will plead guilty That’s all that we can get for now.

- The judiciary reform was a complete even when they are not. Simply put, the failure and we have been very vocal amendments to the Law could result in ■ Can you compare the new draft law about it, as the European Union has over 30 percent of court rulings being to the previous one? been. Our judicial system is politicised unjust, i.e. for people who are guilty to - The amendments have improved the and depends on the coalition in power be let off and vice versa. Legal experts law to a certain degree. The state authorwith each coalition member having are very critical of these amendments ities can nominate people who will be its own judge. Political criterion was and I sincerely hope that they are not appointed to organisations running the probably the most decisive factor in going to be adopted. Courts are forced Bar Association, but also the Association judiciary reform.

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region THE LEADERS OF BiH, sERBiA AnD tuRKEy HOLD A SECOnD SUMMiT

together to the EU (from left): Members of BiH’s tripartite presidency Bakir izetbegović, Željko Komšić, and Nebojša Radmanović, Serbian President Boris tadić and Turkey’s President Abdullah gull

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Serbia and Turkey agreed, during a trilateral summit on 26th April, to assist each other’s efforts towards joining the EU, but in a way that does not impinge on each other’s internal affairs

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t the meeting of the leaders of Turkish counterpart, Abdullah Gul, and Turkey, Serbia and Bosnia and the members of BiH’s rotating tripartite Herzegovina in Karađorđevo, presidency, Nebojsa Radmanovic, Bakir the presidents agreed that the Izetbegovic and Zeljko Komsic. future of the Balkans lies in overcomSerbia would “never support a refering prejudices, reconciliation and It was agreed that the third non-interference.

“We have to act together in the trilateral summit should be held fight against prejudice that origiSarajevo next year nated from our difficult history, because if we leave room for prejudice, we endum that would lead to the breakup will come to face numerous problems in of Bosnia-Herzegovina and in any way the future,” said Serbian President Boris bring into question the integrity of Tadić, who hosted the meeting with his that country”, he told reporters during

a joint news conference.

He also noted that Serbia has extradited 44 out of 46 war crimes suspects indicted by the Hague Tribunal (www. icty.org), and said that “everything was being done to arrest the remaining two fugitives”.

Boris Tadić, his Turkish counin terpart Abdullah Gul, and Chairman of the Bosnian Presidency Nebojša Radmanović stressed the need to “improve bilateral and trilateral cooperation”, and said the three countries were working toward the goal of seeing

BALKANs

Human RIGHTS T

he State Department (www.state. gov) published in April its 2010 report on global Human Rights Practices, which also includes the situation in the Balkans. Some of the key problems in almost all the countries in the region involve excessive force used by police, poor conditions in prisons, corruption, discrimination against minority members and those with disabilities, as well as human trafficking.

In Albania, the document cites re-

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ported cases of police violence against suspects during interrogation and detention, as well as discrimination. There are similar issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), where the harassment and intimidation of journalists and members of civil society are cited. In Bulgaria, the report urges authorities to better address violence against women and children, and raise the level of education for Roma children. Croatia faces a “large backlog of unresolved criminal and civil cases” as well as the ineffective prosecution of some of the domestic war crimes trials.

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In Cyprus and Greece, a specific issue is related to the treatment of asylum seekers. “Trafficking of women to Cyprus, particularly for sexual exploitation (www. medinstgenderstudies.org), continued to be a problem, and labour trafficking was also reported,” the document said. Kosovo was criticised for “government interference in the security forces and the judiciary; lengthy pre-trial detention and lack of judicial due process”. In Macedonia, the report cited that “tensions between ethnic Macedonian and ethnic Albanian populations continued to influence individuals’ opportunities for education, employment,

Croatia

Abdullah Gul: “All three countries wish to see increased cooperation in order to solve the burning issues”.

the Western Balkans “integrated into the EU as soon as possible”.

Abdullah Gul also maintained that the Balkans “is not on the margins of Europe, but is rather at its heart”, and spoke in favour of the region “gathering under a wider EU and NATO umbrella”.

The Turkish president also stated that “all three countries wish to see increased cooperation in order to solve the burning issues”, and that this should come “along with respect for principles of preservation of sovereignty and integrity and without interfering in other countries’ internal affairs”.

Leaders stressed the need to “improve bilateral and trilateral cooperation” Nebojša Radmanović noted that the meeting also addressed the issue of war crimes indictments raised by Serbia and Croatia against citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina, saying that this “created political problems in Bosnia”.

This summit is the second of three meetings initiated by Turkey to maintain the fragile peace-keeping process in the Balkans.

The last trilateral meeting was held in Istanbul on 24th April last year, between Tadić, Gul and the then Bosniak member of Bosnia’s presidency, Haris Silajdžić.

It was agreed that the third trilateral summit should be held in Sarajevo next year.

The gathering, held under the chairmanship of Turkish President Gul, ended with the signing of the Istanbul Declaration (www.oecd.org), which confirmed the countries’ commitment to preserving Bosnia and Herzegovina’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and legal identity within the bounds of international law.

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and political participation.”

Romania is being faced with police violence and the mistreatment of Roma detainees and human trafficking for labour, sexual exploitation and forced begging. Serbia was criticised for failing to apprehend the two remaining war crimes fugitives - Goran Hadžić and Ratko Mladić. In the section on Turkey, the authors cited unlawful killings by security forces, problems in the judiciary, the limited freedom of expression, and violence against women, including “honour killings”.

Aiming for June

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rime Minister Jadranka Kosor reiterated that June remains the target date for completing EU accession talks. She added that calling parliamentary elections right now, as requested by the opposition, would mean prolonging negotiations with the bloc. On the eve of a visit by European Commission (EC) President Jose Manuel Barroso (www.ec.europa.eu) and EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele to Zagreb, the government adopted the first report on meeting benchmarks needed for the provisional closure of Chapter 23 on Judiciary and Fundamental Rights. The report was in response to EC demands that Croatian authorities show more determination to achieve requirements needed for closing the chapter.

Macedonia

Snap Elections on June 5th

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s expected, parliament voted on April 14th for its dissolution. The motion was backed by 79 of the 120 lawmakers, as the main opposition party SDSM boycotted the session. Parliament Speaker Trajko Veljanoski signed a decision calling for snap elections on June 5th. The last parliamentary elections were in June 2008.

Romania

Emergency Procedures?

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he Romanian government has decided to initiate accountability procedures over a planned wage cap in public education. This means that the law will be approved by the government, without parliamentary debate, after Prime Minister Emil Boc (www. boc.ro) addresses parliament on the issue. In such cases, the opposition then has the opportunity to file a no-confidence motion against the government. The cabinet has survived several such motions in the past. Boc has explained the government cannot afford a 50 percent salary increase for professors who sued the government and won. That 50 percent increase was decided on by parliament at the end of 2008, right before the elections, despite warnings by former Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu that the budget could not bear such hikes. cordeditorial@cma.rs

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region Kosovo

gREECE

Pristina is Cut EU Poised for Greece Crisis Talks Down to Size Preliminary results from Kosovo’s first census in 30 years show that the country’s capital is home to 200,000 people, well below the sometimes quoted figure of half a million

A delegation of leading European and international monetary officials are planning a crisis summit in Athens in May amid growing fears that Greece may default on its sovereign debt

By Paul ANASTASI, The Telegraph

the future, featuring an extension of the enior officials from the European repayment period for the loan, as has Union, the European Central Bank been granted for other countries”. and the International Monetary European officials are determined Fund are expected to make a “lightning to avoid the need for Greece to change visit” for two days to ensure Greece can the terms of its debt repayments. Jurmeet plans to cut its deficit by €24bn gen Stark, an executive board member (£21bn). The trip is being planned for of the ECB, warned that a restructuring May 9, although insiders said this could of debt in any of the troubled eurozone be brought forward to May 5. countries could trigger a banking crisis George Papandreou, the Greek even worse than that of 2008. prime minister, and other Greek offiFears among the international comcials have this weekend strongly denied munity have been met with increasing rumours that Greece may be forced to anger in Greece. Mr Papandreou lashed restructure its debt imminently – posout at the credit rating agencies. In a sibly as early as this weekend. piece posted on a Greek government A year after Greece was forced to website, the prime minister said the accept €110bn (£97bn) of financial aid agencies were “seeking to shape our desfrom the EU and tiny and determine the IMF, Greek govern- The Greek government future of our children”. ment spokesman Meanwhile, GreeGeorge Petalotis unveiled plans to raise ce’s finance ministry denied “the persisthas asked the local €50bn over the next ing international prosecutor to launch reports about a re- two years from a sale an investigation after structuring of the a banker at Citigroup of national assets debt”. George Pawarned clients of the including palaces, paconstantinou, potential need for a the Greek finance marinas and beaches debt-restructuring. The minister, said that a Greek government unrestructuring or an extension of any of veiled plans to raise €50bn over the next the €340bn national debt, which is set two years from a sale of national assets to hit 160pc of GDP by next year, was including palaces, marinas and beaches. out of the question.

Athens has said it will also impleHowever, Greek news channels have ment fiscal measures worth €26bn in continued to broadcast the rumours. an attempt to reduce the budget deficit The biggest network, Mega TV reported to 1pc of GDP by 2015. The plans have a government official saying that “in the sparked a fresh wave of anger in Greece worst of cases, a rearrangement rather and more threats of strikes and marchthan a restructuring will take place in es from trade unions.

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By Kanarina SHEHU, Balkan Insight

B

etween April 1 and 12, the number of residents registered in the municipality of Pristina reached 200,000.

Those gathering the census said they do not expect that figure to change greatly when the final result is tallied up after the count ends on April 19, a week later than expected after the process was extended.

“The reason why these figures are not expected to change profoundly is that until April 12, about 95 per cent of residents of Pristina are already registered,” the Statistical Office of Kosovo told the newspaper Zeri.

Municipal coordinator for the census, Halim Halimi, said in a press conference that “we must take into consideration the fact that the Pristina territory does not include the part of Gracanica anymore”.

He was referring to the creation of a new municipality of Gracanica, which is believed to be home to around 50,000 people.

He added: “Gracanica with a small part of Caglavica and even with the residents of some other villages will be included in the registration for the municipality of Gracanica.”

The overall figure for Kosovo is expected to be below two million, also lower than predicted.

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comment

New Arrangements With the IMF It is a coerced move which was made because of the difficult economic situation that Serbia has found itself in and the weak financial discipline in the country

D

Dejan Jovović, Scientific Advisor and International Economic Relations Expert

turn, will create “a good perception uring the seventh round of negotiations with the IMF among foreign investors” and oppormission (www.imf.org), it has been agreed, in principle, tunities for additional financing, i.e. that once the current standby arrangement expires, Serbia withdrawing funds from the IMF, if required. the Serbian government will ask for a new arrangement to Many politicians do not look favourably upon this kind of cobe approved, as a precautionary measure. This arrangement operation with the IMF, since in an environment of widespread does not entail the withdrawal of funds, i.e. for the country to populism, any agreement with the IMF is perceived as a drawgo deeper into debt, just like a regular standby arrangement. back that limits the discretional powers of the government.

In line with IMF recommendations, such an arrangement could Regardless of what kind of agreement is going to be last for two years, which would have the effect of helping the reached apropos future arrangements, the IMF will still monigovernment gain more authority amongst Serbia’s populator and control the goings-on in Serbia after April 2011, i.e. as tion, while the IMF would keep a watchful eye on the macrlong as Serbia does not fully repay its debt with the IMF. oeconomic situation in the country and offer advice, if needAccording to earlier research, every dollar of the loan we ed. This is actually a coerced move which was made because take from the IMF enables the borrower, which is, by the way, of the difficult economic situation that Serbia has found itself deep in debt and having to in and the weak financial discipline in the country. The IMF is meddling in the political processes deal with payment balance problems, to obtain an addiThis could also send posiof countries that have concluded financial tional $3 to $5 from another tive signals to foreign infinancial sources. We could vestors to start investing arrangements with the institution, although say that the IMF is meddling in Serbia, since Serbia’s that is not in the IMF’s ‘job description’ in the political processes of economic policy will gain countries that have concludcredibility. The plan is for ed financial arrangements with the institution, although that negotiations regarding the new arrangement to commence is not in the IMF’s ‘job description’. By doing so, the IMF has at the IMF and World Bank’s (www.worldbank.org) Spring meetbecome a political player in many countries, including Serbia, ing in Washington and for the arrangement to be concluded since it is involved in short- and long-term structural, social

by June or July 2011. and economic reforms at a time when the crisis has become The IMF has voiced its concern about the Serbian governvery serious and money is in short supply. ment actually succumbing to the pressures from trade unions The IMF’s doctrine - and let’s not forget that the US has to raise salaries in the public sector, which would constitute a the veto right in the institution - is based on neo-liberalism, breach of the agreement with this institution. The IMF again where countries are asked to reduce their regulatory influunderlined that the 2011 budget deficit should not exceed the ence in the economy as much as possible. The countries that 4.1 percent agreed upon, and fiscal rules ought to be observed are in debt are coerced into liberalising their economy, changin the sense of limiting state spending and borrowing. If the ing their prices, the national currency exchange rate, interbudget revenue is higher than originally projected, ‘the surplus’ est rates, foreign investments, privatisation, to reduce public (i.e. 10 billion dinars at the most) could be spent on civil servspending etc. The IMF’s role is to grant loans to certain counant salaries and pensioners as one-off financial assistance. tries on condition that they agree to implement neo-liberal The National Bank of Serbia (www.nbs.rs) and the Ministry economic doctrine, which, in the end, according to many critof Finance say that the IMF’s presence will be beneficial as ics, boils down to ‘economic neo-colonialism’.

■ it will increase the country’s credibility and ratings, which in 34

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www.cordmagazine.com

Business Dialogue new issue

telenor

Eugene Goh, Boston Consulting Group

Natural Driver of Economic Growth British American Tobacco

Douglas Lafferty, General Manager, BAT Serbia and Montenegro

Government Budget Jeopardised grand casino beograd

Christos Tsemperas, Managing Director of Grand Casino Beograd

Responsible Gaming

Business Dialogue 01

A Reuters poll showed analysts believe there is a 60 percent chance Greece will have to restructure its debt in the coming years. They put the chances for Ireland at 40 percent and Portugal at 30 percent.

02

pirAeus BAnk

the new-generAtion c-clAss

A Way to Enjoy Your Studies

Dynamic Appearance – Inside and Out

The Student Account Package is a set of modern banking products and services that include a DinaCard Debit and a Visa Electron card which are free of issuance and maintenance charges, free ebanking, m-payment services and an SMS notification service. In addition the account offers standing order facilities, foreign money transfers from abroad and a card-to-card transfer service from one DinaCard card to another via SMS. The student tuition consumer loans can be used to pay tuition fees for both graduate and postgraduate studies.

These loans are available for approval for up to 500,000 dinars, or 5,000 euros, with a maximum repayment period of 60 months.

The interest rate for RSD loans is 2-week REPO + 6.5 percent, with an effective interest rate from 19.56 percent, i.e. for loans in euros the interest rate is 15.75 percent, while the effective interest rate is from 16.76 percent.

Together with the optional highresolution colour display in the instrument cluster, the new dashboard with its elegant, grained surface and prominent decorative trim emphasises the premium character of the interior. Fuel consumption has been lowered by up to 31 percent.

Efficiency-enhancing measures include new engines, the improved 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission and the ECO start/stop function. Ten new driving assistance systems ranging from ATTENTION ASSIST drowsiness detection to DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control are now available for this model series. The new-generation telematics include internet access and a 3D navigation display with plastic city views. A total of more than 2000 new components distinguish the latest generation of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class from its predecessor. In addition to the standard appointments – which now include a leather steering wheel – the two design and equipment lines ELEGANCE and AVANTGARDE are the basis for the individualisation range for the C-Class.

The two lines are now more readily distinguishable from each other.

The C-Class is the highest-selling model series, and therefore of particular importance for Mercedes-Benz. The current series has found well over one million buyers worldwide since its launch in March 2007. Since the market launch of the first C-Class in 1982 (then known as the 190 model), MercedesBenz has sold more than 8.5 million vehicles in total in this segment. In 2010, too, the C-Class was repeatedly topping the registration statistics. Since 2008 the saloon has been the unbeaten world market leader in its segment.

In order to fully accommodate student’s needs and provide them with quality education and a secure future, Piraeus Bank (www.piraeusbank.rs) has updated it’s Student Account Package ‘Straight 10’ with student tuition retail loans

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gdp

Restructuring the Public Sector

Restructuring the public sector and introducing a reform of the pension system, will cause an increase in inflation

“This year Serbia should have GDP growth of three percent and gradually increase to five percent in 2013. The exchange rate will remain stable during this period. On the other hand, to meet the requirements of the EU and IMF conditions for a new arrangement, the Serbian government must continue to restructure the public sector and introduce a reform of the pension system, which will cause a short-term increase in inflation and unemployment,” Stephen Fish, Managing Partner at Ernst & Young Serbia.

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eXporter

Open Letter

Zoran Drakulić, co-owner of East Point sent an open letter to the Serbian media “The current policy of Prime Minister Cvetković and Governor Soskić is going to kill the few remaining healthy parts of the economy as they are putting themselves in the function of the banking and importers lobby, instead of supporting an export economy. If the policy from the last ten years continues, we will become addicted to the importer and the ownership of banks,” Zoran Drakulić, coowner of East Point in an open letter to the Serbian media.

business dialogue

The new C-Class being launched in spring 2011 is a comprehensive modernisation. The front and rear sections of this bestselling model have a more striking design

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profit

Profit Growth of 57%

The achieved net profit of Grawe osiguranje a.d.o. in Serbia in 2010 was 299 million dinars (about 2.8 million euros), which represents an increase of 57 percent Christoph Czettl, President of the in comparison with the previous year Board of Grawe osiguranje a.d.o.

“Income from written premium reached a level of 1.955 billion dinars in 2010, and the balance sheet sum went above nine billion dinars. This clearly shows that Grawe osiguranje a.d.o. (www.grawe.rs) strengthened its position amongst the leaders within the life insurance market in Serbia”, President of the Board of Grawe osiguranje a.d.o. - Mr. Christoph Czettl, said at the presentation of business results of this company in Serbia.

Mr. Christoph Czettl explained that the portfolio of insurance contracts at Grawe osiguranje a.d.o. reached a number of 43.494. He pointed out that the balance sheet sum of Grawe osiguranje a.d.o. in Serbia had increased by 30 percent, compared to 2009; technical reserves are 6.862 billion dinars; guarantee reserves are 1.338 billion dinars and additional reserves of 662 thousand euros have been added to provide even higher security for the clients. In 2010, Grawe osiguranje a.d.o. in Serbia reduced its business expenses by five percent and profitability amounted to a remarkable 43 percent.

“The promotion of the new property insurance product “Grawe Preduzetnik”, dialogs with the authorities aimed to develop the insurance market, primarily to provide tax relief for life insurance, further improvement of risk management, and further activities in the area of social responsibility, are planned for 2011” - Mr. Christoph Czettl indicated.

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inflAtion

Google’s total UK advertising income in the year will be between £2.4bn and £2.55bn. Figures released by the search giant reveal that the UK generated $969m (£593m) of revenue in the first quarter of 2011.

The State Should Provide Stability

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Appointments@cmA.rs

www.cordmagazine.com/corporate/appointments.html

Božidar Đelić, head of the negotiating team for Serbia’s EU integration

Božidar Đelić, Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister, was born in Belgrade in 1965, and graduated from HEC business studies and the Institut d’Etudes Politiques, Paris, in 1987. Božidar Đelić was the Minister of Finance and the Economy in the Serbian government between 2001 and 2004; from May 2007 until July 2008 he was the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European Integration; and was then the Minister of Science and Technological Development until March 2011.

It is not logical to provide budgetary subsidies for agricultural production, said Dejan Soskić, Governor of the National Bank of Serbia

“The projection of the National Bank of Serbia is that inflation in the first three months of this year is expected to be 5.5 percent, which is higher than planned. The NBS is not giving up the planned annual inflation rate of six percent, provided that the state provides stability in food prices, which is still the most important component of inflation. It is not logical to provide budgetary subsidies

Placements & Postings

Dragana Milićević Milutinović,

for agricultural production, which goes to exports which leads to the shortage of goods and increases the prices in the domestic market. This is only a benefit for brokers and customers abroad, while the citizens of Serbia lose out,” said Dejan Soskić, Governor of the National Bank of Serbia.

donAtion

A Home as a Gift

Wanting to help the most socially disadvantaged families in Kraljevo, who lost their homes in the devastating earthquake, British American Tobacco (www.bat.com) donated two apartments in the city centre, with a total of 120 square metres and valued at about 80,000 euros

The Kraljevo Municipality contributed to the project of renewing and furnishing the donated apartments.

At a special event to mark this occasion, Rasim Ljajić, Minister of Labour and Social Policy, and Miloš Bugarin, President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, handed over the keys to the Maksimović and Rudinac families.

The festivities began in the assembly hall of the Kraljevo City Hall with the signing of the conSrdjan Lazović, Head of Corporate tracts by Srdjan Lazović, Head of and Regulatory Affairs Serbia & Corporate and Regulatory Affairs in Montenegro, in British American Tobacco, and Rasim Ljajić, Serbian British American Tobacco, and Ljubiša Minister of Labour and Social Policy Simović, Mayor of Kraljevo. After the signing, they shortly addressed the attendees.

“By donating these apartments, British American Tobacco, as a responsible member of the tobacco industry, extended a helping hand to those who are most in need. Since its arrival in Serbia, British American Tobacco has worked on having a good cooperation and a friendly relationship with the community in which it lives and works in. With this donation we wanted to show that our priorities have not changed and that this represents our permanent tendency. I also want to thank Kraljevo Municipality, which aided us in our intention to make the donated apartments look as best as possible for the families who will live in them,” said Srdjan Lazović.

new State Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Information and Information Society Dragana Milićević Milutinović is new State Secretary responsible for information and media. She was born in 1956 in Belgrade, where she graduated from the criminal justice department at the Law School. She speaks Russian and English, and uses Spanish. From 1991 until 1997, she was a journalist, editor of the editorial board and editor of Studio B programmes. Between 1997 and 2002 she was editor at PG ‘Mreža’. She was employed in the capacity of Editor-in-Chief and General Director of Studio B from 2002 to 2007, and was the General Director of ‘Jugodrvo Holding’ from 2007 to 2011.

Svetlana Ristić, new member of the Executive Board of Piraeus Bank and member of ALCO Mrs. Svetlana Ristic has been officially appointed by the Executive Board of Piraeus Bank as member of the Executive Board and member of ALCO. Mrs. Ristic commenced her successful managerial career in 2003 at the National Bank of Greece, based in Belgrade, where she was engaged in the position of Corporate Banking Department Manager between 2003 and 2006.

Following this she worked at Volksbank, Belgrade, as the Head of Department for major international corporate clients. During this time, she also became a member of the loans committee. Since 2008 Mrs. Ristic has been employed at Piraeus Bank Belgrade in the capacity of Credit Department Director.

Dragan Đilas, new president of the Basketball Association of Serbia

Dragan Đilas, the Mayor of Belgrade, was born on February 22nd 1967 in Belgrade. He graduated from the Mechanical Engineering Faculty, in the air force department. He has been a member of the Democratic Party since 2004. Dragan Đilas has been a member of the Executive Board and the Main Board of the Democratic Party. From 2004 until the establishment of the Government of the Republic of Serbia in 2007, he served as the Director of the Serbian President’s People’s Office. From May 2007 until July 2008, he was a minister in the Serbian Government and was in charge of the implementation of the National Investment Plan.

Žarko Trebješanin, new member

of the Board of RTS

Žarko Trebješanin was born in 1950 in Belgrade, where he graduated in 1974 from the department of psychology in the Faculty of Philosophy. He currently works at the Faculty for Special Education and Rehabilitation in Belgrade.

He was elected as an assistant for the General Psychology with Psychology of Personality course in 1982, as an associate professor in 1992, and in 1995 he became the emeritus professor. He also teaches Psychology of Personality at the Faculty for Education of Teachers in Belgrade. business dialogue

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The Internet

Business Dialogue telenor Eugene Goh, Boston Consulting Group

“It (the internet) is not a technology that favours freedom of speech. It is not a technology that favours human rights. Rather it is a technology that can be used to set up a totalitarian spying regime, the likes of which we have never seen.” — Julian Assange, founder of the website WikiLeaks.

- Financial inclusion is a measure of the percentage of adults who have access to financial services, such as savings, credit, or remittances. In addition, we can distinguish between those who are fully banked, i.e., have access to all the services they need and want, and those who are under-banked, who have some, but not full, access. These ratios vary significantly, from around 20 percent in emerging markets like Pakistan, up to the 95 percent range in the most advanced countries. Access to financial services is important as it enables households to plan for the future and to cope with unexpected income or expenditure surprises, such as illness or a death in the family.

Natural Driver of Economic Growth

According to the new study on the “Socio-economic impact of mobile financial services” which Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has conducted on behalf of Telenor, the introduction of mobile financial services could increase Serbia’s GDP by two percent by 2020, create 23,000 new jobs and reduce corruption. The survey covered five countries: Pakistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, India and Serbia By: Slavka

Kovač

O

n the occasion of the presentation of the Telenor study, the “Socio-economic impact of mobile financial services”, held April on 18th April in Belgrade, CorD spoke with Eugene Goh from the Boston Consulting Group.

■ The study showed that 73 percent of adult Serbian citizens are ‘financially connected’. What does this mean exactly and how does this percentage compare to other countries?

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business dialogue

■ What are the main prerequisites for the further growth of mobile financial services in Serbia and what services are you going to offer in the future?

- Four key elements need to be in place for ‘mobile financial services’ (MFS) to take off in Serbia. From the commercial perspective, providers will need to develop robust partnerships and business models, as MFS often requires the combined capabilities of the telcos, banks, and other players. A large distribution network is also critical. Consumers need to be educated on the benefits and usage of the products. And most importantly, the regulatory environment needs to enable and support the services. Telenor Serbia (www.telenor.rs) recently launched the PlatiMo service, which covers most of the remote payments. Via the PlatiMo service, customers can pay for their utility bills, complete prepaid top-ups, send money to other customers and make purchases via the Internet. The number of merchants included in this system is constantly growing.

In addition to payments, the PlatiMo service also allows customers’ authentication on the e-Uprava portal and for them to be able to order personal IDs such as birth certificates or citizenship documents. Other than PlatiMo we can expect new services which will close the gap in proximity payment (ticketing, POS payments etc.).

Companies can also use MFS to disburse salaries to their staff, thereby reducing cash handling and transaction costs

The Best Year in History “In 2010 Henkel’s sales were €15.092 bln, operating profit €1.862 bln. The shares have been included in the German stock index DAX, while the company is on the Fortune 500 list of leading global companies. Sustainability goals planned for 2012 have been already achieved by late 2010.” — Kasper Rorsted Chief Executive Officer of the Henkel Management AG.

■ The study has shown that the development of mobile financial services could increase Serbia’s GDP by $2 billion by 2020, which is a two percent increase, as well as create 23,000 new jobs in the country. What needs to be done in order for this to be accomplished and how realistic are these projections?

- Studies show that increasing financial inclusion is a natural driver of economic growth. For example, providing credit to entrepreneurs with good business ideas will lead to the creation of new businesses, and hence jobs and profits. We argue that MFS will increase financial inclusion and hence kick-start the value creation cycle. Good regulation can help maximise the upside while protecting against risks, for example, by setting up a body to track loans so that individuals do not take on too much debt. Making it easier for entrepreneurs to succeed will also increase the benefits.

handling and transaction costs. Companies which offer services that require small and frequent transactions, or regular payments such as subscriptions, can also increase their reach, especially amongst people who previously had no bank account and hence would have had trouble making these payments.

■ The study has also shown that only three percent of Serbian citizens have never bribed anyone, so

In addition to payments, the PlatiMo service also allows customers’ authentication on the e-Uprava portal and for them to be able to order personal IDs such as birth certificates or citizenship documents. Other than PlatiMo we can expect new services which will close the gap in proximity payment (ticketing, POS payments etc.)

■ You have also projected that, through the use of mobile financial services for the collection of corporate profit tax and income tax, the state’s revenue could increase by $400 million by 2020. Could you elaborate on this section of the study?

- This reflects the increase in economic activity throughout the economy, in terms of profits generated by businesses and incomes earned by individuals. This should trigger a proportionate increase in revenues for the government.

■ In your opinion, what economic sectors are compatible with the development of mobile financial services and how have certain sectors reacted to your initiative?

- Many industry sectors will benefit from the widespread adoption of MFS. We have discussed rural entrepreneurs who now have access to funds to start and grow their businesses. Companies can also use MFS to disburse salaries to their staff, thereby reducing cash

financial services could directly contribute to the reduction of corruption since they entail cutting out the middleman. What experiences have other countries included in the study had in this segment?

- This statistic came from the Serbia Corruption Benchmarking Study in 2009. MFS is still in its early stages in most countries, but small pilots have had promising results, e.g., in the disbursement of salaries to policemen in Afghanistan. Prior to the MFS disbursement, they sometimes lost 30 percent of their salaries to middlemen, including their superiors. Enabling direct, traceable transfers should be part of the solution to these challenges.

■ To what extent can these services improve the insurance sector?

- MFS can serve as low-cost distribution for various forms of insurance. This will help increase the number of those insured, which should lower the cost of insurance for all parties. ■

(LEFT): Jasna Matić, State secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Media and Information Society (right): Kjell-Morten Johnsen, CEO of Telenor

Harmonisation

■ It is expected that most EU

countries will adopt the new E-money directive in 2011. Do you know whether Serbia has harmonised its legislation in this respect?

- Serbia hasn’t harmonised its legislation toward the E-money directive (www.ec.europa.eu).

Legislation is rather restrictive and conservative when it comes to non-financial institutions in the financial services environment.

However, we have received some input from the National Bank of Serbia, that Serbian legislation could be harmonised with the EU E-money directive in the next two to three years.

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Media

Business Dialogue 01

“The media is too concentrated, too few people own too much. There’s really five companies that control 90 percent of what we read, see and hear. It’s not healthy.”

—Ted Turner, Media Mogul and CNN Founder

02

aviation

Airbus A320neo

AIRBUS will launch its new fuel-saving jet six months early because of “exceptional market demand”

The A320neo model of Airbus’s best selling aircraft will now be available in October 2015. Moves to speed up the introduction of the A320neo came as Boeing decided whether to launch a new version of its successful 737 passenger jet.

Together the two aircraft compete in the largest segment of the market, which is worth an estimated $1.7 trillion over 20 years.

John Leahy, Airbus’ Chief Operating Officer, Customers, said: ”Together with our engine partners, Pratt & Whitney and CFMI, we’re making every possible effort to bring the first A320neo aircraft into service for our customers as quickly as possible.”

The A320neo incorporates new more efficient engines and large ‘sharklet’ wing tip devices, which together will deliver up to 15% in fuel savings. Airbus sold 69 aircraft in the first quarter and delivered 119.

In the latest available figures, Boeing sold 135 planes between January 1 and March 29, and took 88 net orders after adjusting for cancellations.

appointment

Deloitte Elects New Global CEO Barry Salzberg is announced as the next leader of the global organisation, effective June 1, 2011

Barry Salzberg (57) has been elected to the position of global chief executive officer of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited DTTL. Salzberg will assume his new role and responsibilities on June 1, 2011, the start of the new fiscal year.

Salzberg succeeds Jim Quigley, who is completing his term, and who will transition into a senior client service role as a senior partner. Salzberg’s leadership appointment is part of a rigorous and comprehensive nomination and member firm partner ratification process that occurs every four years and includes all member firms of the

03

DTTL worldwide network.

As the new DTTL CEO, Salzberg’s responsibilities will encompass working across a network of 53 member firms operating in 150 countries, with more than 170,000 people worldwide.

Salzberg joined Deloitte U.S. in 1977 and was admitted to the partnership in 1985. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in accounting from Brooklyn College, a Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School, and a Master of Laws degree in taxation from the New York University School of Law.

American Airlines CEO

'We're Facing a Fuel Crisis'

American and other airlines face the daunting task of dealing with rising energy costs

04

05

LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS

Rio Tinto to Supply Medals

Rio Tinto, one of the world’s leading mining companies, has secured the exclusive rights to supply the gold, silver and copper used for the London 2012 Olympic medals.

As the official mining and metals provider to the Games, Rio Tinto will contribute towards 4,700 medals under the terms of the ‘tier three’ domestic sponsorship. The raw materials will come from Rio Tinto’s Utah Copper and Oyu Tolgoi mines in Salt Lake City and Mongolia, respectively.

The design and composition of the medals is being worked on at the moment and details will be finalised later this year, while the medals themselves will be produced by the UK’s Royal Mint.

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JPMorgan

The Race With Wells Fargo & Co

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), the second-biggest U.S. bank by assets, said it plans to win the race against rival Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) to bring microchip-embedded credit cards to the wealthiest consumers.

“Absolutely, we would beat Wells Fargo to market,” David Porter, general manager for Chase Card Services, said in an interview yesterday, after Wells Fargo announced its plan to distribute chip cards later this year.

business dialogue

Just as major airlines have started getting their balance sheets back in order, they’re bracing for the impact of skyrocketing oil prices.

“We’re facing another fuel crisis, and crisis is not too strong a word,” said American Airlines CEO Gerard Arpey, speaking at a conference of business journalists in Dallas. Last year, airlines had their best year in a decade, carving out a slim 2% profit margin. But oil prices have soared more than 20% in 2011, and that will increase jet fuel costs, which claim a large chunk of airline operating costs.

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apple

Can Apple Reach $1 Trillion?

In the past five years Apple stock rose 18% in 2006, 133% in 2007, it fell 56% in 2008, but then added 147% in 2009 and 53% in 2010, an average increase of 59% a year Hitting the $1 trillion mark for market value would be an accomplish-

ment of historic proportions, as no company has ever done it before.

The most valuable company of all time was Microsoft (MSFT) , which was worth $604 billion in 2000.

Could Apple be different this time around? To be worth $1 trillion, shares of Apple would need to hit $1,085 a share based on the company’s current 921.3 million shares outstanding.

If the average 59% annual growth continues, the company could be worth $1 trillion in as little as three years. That’s the optimistic case. If using the analysts more conservative 23% price target for 2011 and apply that going into the future, then Apple will hit $1 trillion in six years.

Numbers

192 07

pipeline

There are 192 members of the United Nations and that number commonly used to represent the number of countries in the world.

08

South Stream May Replace Austria Gas Link The OAO Gazprom-led South Stream naturalgas pipeline may replace an existing link through Austria to supply Russian fuel to Italy, according to East European Gas Analysis

Italy’s gas import capacity may exceed demand by at least 69.5 billion cubic meters in 2025 should South Stream and at least two new liquefied natural gas terminals be built, Mikhail Korchemkin, head of Malvern, Pennsylvania-based EEGA, said “The northwestern section of the South Stream pipeline ends at the Austrian-Italian border near Arnoldstein,” Korchemkin said. “TAG delivers gas to the same place. Even in case of the South Stream pipeline and the two LNG terminals under construction being the only completed projects, there is no need for supplies via the TAG pipeline.”

South Stream plans to start building the link across the Black Sea to south and central Europe in 2013 and ship the first gas in late 2015. The pipeline, whose route is still being drafted, may carry as much as 63 billion cubic meters of gas a year to the European Union.

194 Retail

However, the United States’ State Department recognises 194 independent countries around the world. Their list of 194 countries reflects the political agenda of the United States of America and its allies.

Tesco Selling Used Cars Tesco has launched second-hand car sales

The site will offer cars freed up from large vehicle fleets and other car-leasing arrangements.

Analysts said consumers had been reluctant to buy cars online from large scale dealers in the past, although Auto Trader, which advertises cars for sale by private drivers and small trade operators, has made a successful conversion from print to digital.

Simon Harris, deputy editor of the magazine Fleet News, said: “Buying a used car online from a trader is a tiny proportion of the number of used car transactions in the UK,

09

so it will be interesting to see whether having a trusted brand such as Tesco attached to it will have an impact.”

He said he thought the new site would have greater impact on car supermarkets than on Autotrader.

Meanwhile, Tesco has said it wants to cut carbon emissions in its global supply chain by 30 per cent by 2020. In the future, carbon reduction will form part of the joint business plan that is agreed with its suppliers.

Buyers in some categories are already talking to suppliers about being more sustainable, with trials in canned vegetables, wine and milk.

However, John Scouler, commercial director for packaged foods, beers, wines and spirits, insisted that this was not a way to put pressure on suppliers.

“We have deliberately not set any financial targets against that. It is [about] understanding where the carbon is emitted,” he said.

Richard Brasher, the new chief executive of Tesco’s UK business, last year wrote to 1,200 of Tesco’s top suppliers asking them to reduce the carbon emissions on products that Tesco sells.

electric car batteries

The World's Largest Plant

LG Chem has completed the construction of the world's largest plant for electric car batteries, with a capacity to produce lithium-ion batteries for 100,000 cars per year

The completion of the plant in Ochang, North Chungcheong Province has drawn the attention of the global auto industry with the expectation that it will become a stronghold to lead the production of green vehicles.

LG has been working to have a stable production system for electric car batteries in place since it began supplying lithium-ion cells for GM’s Chevrolet Volt hybrid last September, one of many similar deals with global major carmakers.

“Our company has struck deals with more than 10 global automakers so far, including GM, Ford, Renault Samsung and Hyundai-Kia,” an LG Chem spokesperson said, adding that it is aiming for a 25 percent share of the global market by 2015.

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LUXURY

Spending on Luxury Goods $26.6 bln

11

Volkswagen

Record Profit

German car giant Volkswagen revealed record annual profits and pledged further improvement for 2011

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dispute

Throat Singing and Milk Vodka

During a meeting between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and cultural figures in Moscow, Kongar Rich Americans are expected to Ondar, a throat singer from Tuva, comspend an extra $26.6 billion on lux- For the first time, the company sold plained to the president that China ury goods this year but they will do over seven million cars in 2010. and Mongolia often “falsely” claim that so with an eye toward value as the Volkswagen announced record “throat singing and milk vodka” origicountry recovers from recession, a poll released last month found.

Spending on luxuries, excluding cars and travel, is set to rise 8 percent to $359 billion compared to 2010, according to the sixth annual American Express Publishing and Harrison Group survey.

net profits of 7.2 billion euros for 2010, a jump of over 700 percent compared to the previous year.

“The 2010 fiscal year was the best year in the history of the Volkswagen group,” VW chairman Martin Winterkorn said in a statement.

nated from their countries.

He immediately got a reaction from Mongolia.

“My grandma used to make milk vodka from cow and horse milk. It is something she learned from her mom.

Milk vodka is original in Mongolia for centuries. We lack fruits and berries.

All we have is milk and much of it. So how can milk vodka be not native in Mongolia land of five animals!

I also know that throat singing in Kovd and Uvs, most western provinces of Mongolia is a tradition and people from all over the world come to Mongolia to learn throat singing.

How can Kongar Ondar say these things? How can he put Mongolia in line with China?”

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Nuclear Power “It is impossible to speak about a global energy balance without the nuclear power industry,” —Vladimir Putin, Russian Prime Minister.

British American Tobacco Douglas Lafferty, General Manager, British American Tobacco Serbia and Montenegro

Government Budget Jeopardised

As a result of the inadequate Excise Law, today there is a price war on the cigarettes market in which the biggest loser might be the government budget

B

ritish American Tobacco (BAT) has been present in Serbia since 1996, and following the acquisition of a factory in Vranje it became one of the leading investors in the country and, by far, the biggest UK investor to date. The BAT investment and their experience with doing business in Serbia gave good reason to talk with Douglas Lafferty, General Manager, of BAT Serbia and Montenegro.

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■ BAT has been in the Serbian market since 1996. How did you come up with the idea of buying the Vranje factory in 2003 and why?

- As you have said, BAT (www.bat.com) has been present in Serbia since 1996, and following the acquisition of the factory in Vranje, we became one of the leading investors in the country and, by far, the biggest UK investor. BAT has always believed that the Serbian market was very important in South-East Europe, and that is the reason we decided to take part in the privatisation of the local tobacco industry in 2003. With its reform-oriented policy the government deserves the main credit for this, because it clearly stated its readiness to create the necessary conditions for foreign investments - setting up the legal framework, a stable financial sector and ensuring the functioning of market mechanisms. We regarded Serbia as a country and market with a safe and developed business environment and an improving infrastructure. We also saw the significant potential for export to the region as a logical result of consolidating the core market of Serbia. Unfortunately, due to certain limitations in the neighbouring countries, we have so far been unable to take any advantage of this potential.

■ What were BAT’s major investments and how much money did BAT spend on them in order to achieve today’s capacity and the quality of production?

- British American Tobacco has invested more than 115 million euros in the Vranje factory since 2003. This has included the building of a new factory and installation of infrastructure and production equipment. Since 2003, production volumes have increased four times and during this time Vranje has started to produce the leading BAT international brands such as Kent, Lucky Strike, Pall Mall and Viceroy. The investments we’ve made have had a huge positive impact on our results and performance on the market, but there is certainly still room to grow further, provided that the business environment develops in a predictable and sustainable way. If we include our commercial investment in the last eight years, total BAT investment in Serbia has been around 200 million euros.

■ What are BAT’s volume and market share results in Serbia? Are you satisfied with these results and are you going to try to expand them?

- Since BAT acquired DIV in 2003, we have kept a strong number-two position in the Serbian market. Throughout the last seven years, there have certainly been ups and downs in our performance, but the most important thing for me at this moment is that we have put in place a sustainable and strong strategy which, I’m sure, will enable

Strike Three members of the New Serbia Party (NS) went on a hunger strike at the Valjevo Town Hall calling for early parliamentary elections. Velimir Ilić, President of the NS Party has not joined the hunger strike due to the fact that he has been banned from doing so by the doctor who performed his brain surgery”, —Dubravka Filipovski, Deputy of the NS.

BAT to reach the highest market shares since 2003.

Having said that, I could conclude that with the new strategy in place the progress we have made in Q1 this year is obvious, and we’ll give our best to further improve our performance and market share.

■ What are the main problems that you face in the Serbian market today?

- As we always underline, apart from the political stability of the country, predictability of the regulatory environment is of crucial importance because it is a precondition for any kind of additional investment. Having in mind the importance of the excise on the tobacco industry, a predictable excise and tax environment is a key prerequisite for business planning and future investments in this market. In that respect, last December’s decision of the government to increase excise without consultations with the industry came as a very unwelcome surprise for us. As a result of the inadequate Excise Law, today there is a price war on ------ the cigarettes market in which the biggest loser might be the government budgetin ---this year. Let me remind you that the government’s projection for 2011 is that the cigarettes will contribute with over 90 billion dinars or 13 percent of the state budget in 2011. With the ongoing price war in the market, the achievement of this target is at significant risk.

■ What is BAT’s position on the new Excise Law? - BAT strongly believes that the new Excise Law should go towards the further harmonisation of Serbia with the EU. As a result of the current Excise Law, Serbia today has some of the cheapest cigarettes in Europe.

Just to illustrate the size of the issue, the minimum excise tax today in Serbia is 28 euros per 1000 cigarettes while the EU is heading towards 90 euros per 1000 cigarettes. As a result of such excises and pric-

British American Tobacco has invested more than 115 million euros in the Vranje factory since 2003

■ What then is the solution for this situation?

- The only solution for this situation is for the new Excise Law to kick in sooner rather than later. This Law should be a result of a constructive dialogue between the government and the industry, the same way it has been many times in the past. As a result of this approach in the past we have achieved very impressive results when it comes to cigarette revenues – from 10.8 billion dinars just from cigarette excises in 2003 we have reached 62 billion in 2010.

More important is the growing share within total government revenues from less than four percent in 2003 to, as already stated, the projected 13 percent of the state budget for this year. Therefore, the current situation in the market and with the ongoing price war will probably, if not fixed by the government, trigger lower government revenues in 2011 than the ones stated in the state budget.

ing on the market, there is a substantial outflow of cigarettes from Serbia towards EU member states, such as Romania and Bulgaria. This is a potential reputation issue within the EU which is of particular importance given the desire to become a candidate member country in the short term. If Serbia wants to be harmonised with the EU on tobacco excises, the current pace of the harmonisation can’t be achieved prior to 2030. Hence, there is a need for a more radical approach in this area. On the other hand, having in mind the huge dependence of the state budget on cigarettes, this can only be achieved by decreasing the proportional element and increasing the specific excise element and through the introduction of the EU methodology, Weighted Average price (WAP). By having a higher percentage of specific excise elements and WAP in place, the government would be less dependent on the pricing strategies of the tobacco companies, which is not the case now. ■

Well-balanced regulation

■ Late last year, the new law concerning smoking in public places came into force. What are your views on the law itself and its further impact on all the stakeholders involved?

- While BAT supports total smoking bans in the premises of cultural, health and educational institutions, in other areas such as the hospitality industry a compromise should be reached.

We are pleased that Serbia has adopted a well-balanced and enforceable regulation, addressing the needs of both smokers and non-smokers.

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the Automobile at 125

Business Dialogue 01

125 02

Advice

"People Who Make an Impact are Like Thomas Edison, not Nikola Tesla"

“The automotive industry is facing major challenges on its 125th birthday. The car of the future is expected to be carbon-neutral, and may eventually need to function without burning fossil fuels. That would mean that the internal combustion engine, could soon become a fossil in its own right.” —Dieter Zetsche, Daimler CEO.

New Environmental Project

U. S. Steel Serbia has started the construction of a new facility for industrial waste management which is to occupy a surface of 37 hectares.

The value of this investment is over USD 22 million

“This is the first industrial waste management facility in the Republic of Serbia. It has been designed similarly to a unit already operating in the U. S. Steel Kosice steelworks located in Slovakia. It is going to be built in accordance with the rules on Environmental Protection in both the Republic of Serbia and the European Union,” Matthew Perkins, the General Establishing the cornerstone for the new U. S. Steel Serbia facility Director of U. S. Steel Serbia stated.

In the U. S. Steel Serbia (www.cs.uss.com) project, it is planned to have multi-layered bottom isolation and ramp on formed trough of cells for waste disposal, which is to serve as a protective layer for preventing percolated water from penetrating into the ground.

Within this plant, there is also going to be a facility for the recirculation of filtered water. Owing to this, there will be no discharging of waste waters outside of this system, which means that there will be no impact on the soil and waters.

Around 100 contractors will be engaged in the construction of this facility, and 16 new job placements will be opened within U. S. Steel Serbia after its completion.

Since its arrival in Serbia, U. S. Steel has invested around USD 80 million into environmental projects. With the construction of the industrial waste management facility this figure will exceed USD 100 million, which makes this company the Serbian leader when it comes to investing into environmental protection.

“If you look at the people who have high impact, they have pretty general knowledge. They don’t have a really narrowly focused education.

You also need some leadership skills. You don’t want to be [Nikola] Tesla. He was one of the greatest inventors, but it’s a sad, sad story. He couldn’t commercialize anything, and he could barely fund his own research. You’d want to be more like Edison. If you invent something, that doesn’t necessarily help anybody. You’ve got to actually get it into the world; you’ve got to produce, make money doing it so you can fund it.” Larry Page, Google founder and New CEO

04

‘dunAv insurAnce’

Car Show

Larry Page,

‘Dunav Insurance’ presented itself again this year at the 49th International Car Show, which was held at Belgrade Fair from 25th March to 3rd April

Google co-founder and New CEO

In the vehicle insurance sector, ‘Dunav Insurance’ is the leading company in the domestic market. Supporting this claim is the fact that this insurance house is first based on the number of drivers who put their trust in it, as it has insured about half a million vehicles.

The biggest national company and the leader in the vehicle insurance sector, ‘Dunav Insurance’ (www.dunav.com), created a range of advantages on the occasion of its presentation at the significant fair event, which has a tradition of attracting massive public attention. The advantages apply to vehicle insurance for individuals and legal entities, in the period from 21st March to 30th April, 2011.

Right after the grand opening of the show, the stand of ‘Dunav Insurance’ was visited by Dušan Petrović, the Minister of Agriculture, Trade, Forestry and Water Management. In the presence of numerous journalists, he talked to the advis-

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eps plAnned

Invest EUR 80 Million The Electric Power Company of Serbia (EPS) announced that it plans to invest about EUR 80 million in the revitalisation of 17 old and the construction of 18 new mini hydroelectric power plants, with a total power of 80 MW

As it was announced, part of the money that will be invested in the revitalization of old and the construction of new hydroelectric power plants, about EUR 45 million, will be provided from a loan of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), for the funds of which Serbia’s national power company has applied with 26 projects.

People at the EPS say that Prvonek hydroelectric power plant on the Banjska river near Vranje will be built the first and it will have two generators, one of 100 kW and the other of 800 kW, meaning that its annual production capacity will range between 2.5 and 3 million kWh of electricity.

As it was added, the EPS will invest EUR 1.4 million in the construction of Prvonek, which should be put in operation in September 2011.

ers of ‘Dunav Insurance’, General Manager, Tomislav Bušetić and Milorad Eskić, as well as with Rade Badža, Director of the non-life insurance sales department.

This year’s presentation of ‘Dunav Insurance’ at the Car Show, in addition to presenting numerous advantages, was also marked by various activities including the participation of visitors to the stand in themed interactive games.

Jugloslava Smiljković Stojanović, PR Dunav Insurance , Dušan Petrović, Minister of Agriculture, Trade, Forestry and Water Management and Milica Slijepčević, director of Public Relations sector 'Dunav Insurance'

One hundred percent of its revenue is achieved via the export of its products to West European markets

T

he company of Progetti from Vladimirci was established as a result of the long term tradition of footwear production in the Rossi family from the Italian city of Perugia.

Since the late 1980s, when they started their business in Serbia, it has been led by the faultless instinct of finding and putting into place the best possible combination of labour and capital.

Prada, Gucci, Nero Giardini, Louis Vuitton, Janet and Janet are just some of the famous customers of Progetti from Vladimirci.

After many years of working in Serbian factories, the Rossi brothers, Romano and Enrico, made the decision to set up their own company for the production of footwear in the northern parts in Serbia. The company of Progetti was established in 2000, with its head office based in Sombor. Being highly satisfied with their results in this location, in 2002 they rented a factory in Sabac with 350 employees. At an auction in 2004 the company of Mladost in Vladimirci was purchased and 350 workers were employed from both Sabac and Vladimirci.

Another important step has been the purchase of the Sombor production facility, its total renovation, and the finalisation of one the most advanced and modern factories in Serbia where the work environment and logistics have been considered as a top production priority - the result has been highly appreciated by the top-brand customers who have as a result continually increased their orders from Progetti. Their ISO 9001 licence will granted by the end of 2011.

Nowadays, Progetti has 1,009 employees, mostly women, in

the cities of Sombor, Vršac, Vladimirci and Belgrade. One hundred percent of its revenue is achieved via the export of its products to West European markets. By maintaining the continuity of production the Rossi family has provided jobs for approximately 4,000 employees in several factories in Serbia. At the same time, they have adapted the production systems of the latest global trends by investing into equipment and personnel training.

Company management is planning to float the company on the Belgrade stock exchange as of the end of 2012, putting into the market 25-30 percent of its entire capital; as per B.O.D represented, the full income will be reinvested in Northern Serbia production units and into the reinforcement of existing structures with the implementation of finished shoe production programmes. As a matter of fact, among the two million pairs of shoes produced annually, the quantity of 350,000 pairs are finished product. The increase of this quantity is one of the strategic development goals for the company over the next two years.

Along with finished shoes, they will also commence a components and accessories production programme – initially with belts and bags.

In 2010 the company was presented with the ‘Giuseppe Leonardi’ prize, from the Italian-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, with the achievement of being the top exporter amongst all the organisation’s members, and for the important steps achieved in terms of competitiveness, quality and employee satisfaction.

In 2010 the company was presented with the ‘Giuseppe Leonardi’ prize, from the Italian-Serbian Chamber of Commerce

Business Dialogue

+2,6 %

Prices of the products used for personal consumption and services increased in March in relation to February 2011 by 2.6% on average. Consumer prices in March 2011 increased by 14.1% in relation to March 2010 and by 5.5% relative to December 2010.

Grand Casino Beograd Christos Tsemperas, Managing Director of Grand Casino Beograd

Responsible Gaming

It is one of the cornerstones of best practices in the gaming industry. It is a concept that includes a set of principles and regulations, in most cases self-imposed By: Marija Damjanović

O

ne of the plans presented at the time of the opening of Grand Casino Beograd, was for the casino to become a regional entertainment hub. At the beginning of our interview with Christos Tsemperas, Managing Director of Grand Casino Beograd, we talk about the realisation of this plan.

■ How much of this plan has been realised?

- Grand Casino Beograd was awarded in 2005 by the Serbian government, a casino license with 10-year exclusivity for the area of Belgrade. In line with the promises of the investors and the obligations undertaken towards the state of Serbia, an investment of 90,000,000 euros in total has been realised.

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Apart from the space for live gaming and slot machines, Grand Casino Beograd has developed a choice of top class dining and event facilities. Grand Casino has become a focal point of the city’s social life, precisely because it is not just a casino but a place where people may experience excellent service, enjoy and entertain themselves.

In addition to infrastructure, what makes us a leading entertainment centre is our constant effort to offer ‘new’ products, interest and excitement. Many performances take place in our premises either as part of our regular entertainment programme or on special occasions such as the Jazz Festival opening and welfare events. Last February, on the occasion of our three-year anniversary, we presented two internationally acclaimed shows.

The investment plan was realised in a timely manner and we are realising the operational plan as well. But in order to become a regional-level entertainment venue, Belgrade city must also become a tourism destination and position itself on the touristic map.

■ How do you evaluate the 2010 business year and do you expect better or worse conditions in 2011? How much has the crisis changed your long-term investment planning?

- As an entertainment industry we operate in a market that requires an excess of disposable income. In 2010 obviously this did not exist in the local market. Serbia is experiencing the effects of the economic crisis with a delay, as is the case with many SEE countries. Within such an environment where available income for high elasticity products decreases, it is difficult to materialise further investments and even sustain the existing operation and job positions.

But economy is also a matter of psychology. In that respect the government must take all necessary steps and create confidence in the private sector and amongst investors, establishing Serbia as a safe investment country with a properly regulated market with positive prospects, fair competition rules and most importantly, without surprises. The support of the government to the businesses that strive to sustain job positions in the times of crisis must be constant and obvious, as well as support to employers and employees. For example, personally I was disappointed that not one representative

+5,8 %

The greatest increase of prices in Serbia: alcoholic beverages and tobacco (5.8%), food and non-alcoholic beverages (5.3%), health (1.6%), hotels and restaurants (0.7%). – Source the Consumer price index by COICOP in the Republic of Serbia, March 2011.

from the state authorities honoured us with their presence at the celebration of our third anniversary and even more disappointed were our 420 employees who were celebrating.

We will continue implementing our operational plan adjusted to new parameters. We want to believe that the government will take the right steps towards economic recovery and market stabilisation by initiating all necessary structural changes.

The candidature for EU membership together with the realisation of some of the already announced investments are able to improve the psychology and provide a boost for a better 2011.

■ You have been mentioning the gaming industry playing its role in the tourism offer. Can you please elaborate?

- The tourism development of Belgrade and Serbia must be a primary goal for the government. The multilevel gains from incoming tourism will help

and soon we will be organising our own poker tournament.

■ What is the concept of ‘responsible gaming’ which is being promoted by Grand Casino?

- Responsible gaming is one of the cornerstones of best practices in the gaming industry. It is a concept that includes a set of principles and regulations, in most cases self-imposed. Our company within the context of its corporate social responsibility programmes fully endorses this concept and has incorporated it in its philosophy and its operations. The concept includes practices to protect players that show signs of addiction, such as self-barring, the responsible service of alcohol, and professional advice. Grand Casino in cooperation with the City of Belgrade is funding an SOS helpline that operates through the call cen-

We want to believe that the government will take the right steps towards economic recovery and market stabilisation by initiating all necessary structural changes change the picture of the country’s economy and life.

Belgrade is presently absent from the touristic map of Europe. The potential is there but the authorities responsible have to put together both a plan for promoting the existing touristic product and a medium term tourism development plan.

Casinos, as part of the leisure industry, enhance and contribute heavily to such development as is the case in many cities around the world. Usually casinos constitute a supplementary tourism product.

In other cases casinos are the main attraction for a specific market of high calibre visitors; i.e. poker tournaments are organised in most major cities, contributing to revenues and to marketing through the exposure in electronic and printed media that these events command.

As Grand Casino we are already organising international events such as the European Dealer’s Championship in May 2011, an event organised by the European Casino Association which will bring to our city delegations from 20 European countries

tre of the City of Belgrade, offering professional assistance to citizens in the cases of potential gambling addiction.

We have been trying to work with the government in order to develop a regulatory framework for the gaming industry in Serbia that will include issues such as responsible gaming and will minimise the gaming addiction phenomena. In a legally structured market where the government exercises proper controls, companies have to observe regulations and follow proper practices such as honest and non-misleading advertising, protection of minors, etc. These practices make gaming a form of entertainment and an industry that creates jobs and contributes to local economies.

Serious casino operators invest in a long term presence in a given market and to do that, they need proper corporate governance practices, business ethics codes, corporate social responsibility programmes and most of all, a market governed by rules and not addictions of any kind. ■

Corporate social responsibility Other components of our corporate social responsibility programmes are our presence as an active member of local society, with strong involvement in the social, cultural and business life of the city. We support sporting and cultural events; with the organisation Naša Srbija we have built playgrounds for children around Serbia, with H.O. Divac we have also supported building houses for displaced Serbian citizens. In an indirect way all the above actions are leading towards the same goal.

Having a healthy society.

At Grand Casino it is our strong belief that a company can progress only within and together with a healthy society.

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A moonwalking Romanian politician Edmond Talmacean (40) has been ordered by leaders of his political party to tone down his antics, following his Michael Jackson—inspired moonwalk on a television. Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc declared the routine was more suited to “showbiz” than politics.

Porto Montenegro, the Balkan Riviera

The resort is courting Russian oligarchs and minigarchs as it prepares to open for its first season

by Peter Savodnik, BW Magazine

T

he black-and-white-tiled infinity pool at Porto Montenegro stretches 70 metres and features panoramic views of the Bay of Kotor. It’s believed to be the longest infinity pool in the five-year history of the Republic of Montenegro, and a construction crew is currently at work on a surrounding teak deck, rows of cabanas, and a DJ platform. On the opposite shore is a cluster of squat gray houses where Yugoslav Army officers once vacationed.

The pool, now empty, is expected to be filled by July. That’s when British exhedge-fund manager and Rothschild scion Nathaniel Rothschild will celebrate his 40th birthday with 400 of his closest friends.

According to Colin Kingsmill, Porto Montenegro’s sales and marketing director, Rothschild’s guests will include the ritziest, wealthiest, and most photogenic people on earth.

Kingsmill won’t say who’s coming, exactly, but he claims the “least interesting” person on the invite list is Tony Blair.

The soiree is the highlight of what local officials predict will be the most exciting summer in the history of Porto Montenegro. Three years after breaking ground, the resort town—located in the western city of Tivat—is preparing to celebrate its first fully functional season. Porto Montenegro encompasses 60 acres of beachfront real estate and has water rights to 160 acres along the Bay of Kotor, which, local officials note, leads to the Adriatic Sea, which leads to the Mediterranean Sea. When all the construction is completed in five or six years, Porto Montenegro will include a luxury hotel, a casino, 700 apartments, and 650 yacht berths.

In the meantime, according to Kingsmill, condominium prices have already risen from $600 to nearly $2,000 per square foot. If all goes as planned, Rothschild could celebrate his 50th birthday there, too.

Montenegro has one particular advantage over other powder kegs of the nou-

Peter Munk, the founder and chairman of Barrick Gold (ABX), the world’s largest gold mining company

Inside the gates of Porto Montenegro, however, the atmosphere is Miami-meetsVenice with a healthy dollop of Soviet chic: models in thongs, men with spray tans, and four-story apartment buildings.

Locals like to brag that the casino from the 2006 James Bond movie Casino Royale is supposed to be in Montenegro. “This has been very good for branding,” says Branko V., who does not use a last name and studied marketing in the capital city of Podgorica before becoming a taxi driver.

However, Phil Méheux, Casino Royale’s director of photography, says the casino scenes were actually shot in the Czech Republic. Regardless, Tivat is blessed with a deep port, which was once the home of Soviet warships—and will now welcome Russian superyachts.

Naturally, the resort town is the brainchild of an octogenarian Canadian billionaire. Peter Munk toured the undeveloped area by helicopter in 2004 and decided it was the perfect site to build a new French Riviera, albeit from 50 years ago—before, he says, the French Riviera became too expensive, too congested, and too French. “The French are a bunch of goddamned spoiled kids,” says Munk, the founder and chairman of Barrick Gold (ABX), the world’s largest gold mining company. “I was in Monaco in the Fifties, when they were hungry and kissed the ass of the British—kissed the ass!—and they did what they had to do to please them, to feed them, to go to bed with them. They were poor then, and the pound was ruling.” No longer, says Munk: Now, “they think the water belongs to them.” ■

The soiree is the highlight of what local officials predict will be the most exciting summer in the history of Porto Montenegro. Three years after breaking ground, the resort town—located in the western city of Tivat—is preparing to celebrate its first fully functional season

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veaux riches: Not only is it gorgeous, it’s also very poor. Just beyond Porto Montenegro’s gated walls is a broken country littered with rusting Yugos and a lot of tall people with unfortunate dentistry. Until 1991, Montenegro was part of communist Yugoslavia; then it was part of Serbia, and in 2006, after war ravaged nearly all of former Yugoslavia except Montenegro, Montenegro achieved independence.

25%

csr

google's uk ad income will be between £2.4bn and £2.55bn Google’s total UK advertising income in 2011 will be between £2.4bn and £2.55bn, depending on whether one assumes 20% or 25% growth this year – well beyond the £1.7bn ITV will manage if it achieves a 15% rebound during 2011. cArlsBerg

Greening of ADA HUJA Young Researchers of Serbia, representatives of the Municipality of Stari Grad and employees of KPMG, Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young organised a joint volunteer action for the greening of Ada Huja. More than 100 volunteers planted about 100 cypress and maple seedlings.

Somersby APPLE CiDER

Action Greening Serbia

Ana Milicevic, International Brand Manager, Carlsberg, Serbia

Carlsberg launched its new, refreshing alcoholic beverage, Somersby Apple Cider, at the Belgrade café ‘Villa Mask’.

“Somersby is a cosmopolitan drink that has very quickly won over the world’s urban hot-spots, and we are proud we can now offer it to the domestic market,” said Ana Milicević, International Brand Manager of Carlsberg Serbia.

pirAeus BAnk

Responsibility CAmPAiGN

(from left) Andrejić Alexander, Director of the First Belgrade High School, Miroslava Nešić Bikić, Head of the Marketing Department & PR of Piraeus Bank and Mira Damjanić, Vice-president for the environmental sector of Stari Grad municipality

In acknowledgement of Earth Day (www.earthday.org), Piraeus Bank donated a package of containers for collecting electronic waste to the First Belgrade Gymnasium within its social responsibility campaign of ‘Going Green’. First Belgrade Gymnasium students, representatives of the Municipality of Stari Grad and Piraeus

Bank (www.piraeusbank.rs) with a combined effort filled the containers with old computers, CDs, mobile phones and other electronic waste.

On the occasion, a short public lecture was given in the Gymnasium hall, covering the subject of ecology and the socially responsible behaviour of companies, individuals and institutions.

AwArds

Energy EURoPE AWARDS

ikeA

Press conference about the donation held by IKEA

after work

A group of Belgrade University students, creators of the first public solar-powered mobile device charging station, have won the European Commission’s Sustainable Energy Europe Awards Competition. The winning project has been placed in front of the building of the European Parliament.

Milos Milisavljević, a student of the Faculty of Electrical Student team of "Strawberry Energy" Engineering in Belgrade, explained that the solar charger, invented by himself and his colleagues, was declared the best in Brussels in the category of projects, activities and services designed to help reduce energy consumption.

A Helping HAND On the occasion of the Great Easter charity event, IKEA Serbia donated more than 200 beds for the children of Kraljevo kindergarten, which was damaged in the Kraljevo earthquake late last year. In addition, IKEA also presented 36 households who were affected by the quake, with gifts in the form of necessary furniture. With these donations, worth 40,000 euros, IKEA Serbia wanted to contribute and assist with the efficient rehabilitation of the city in the light of the consequences of earthquake.

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faces

& places Celebrations for the British Royal Wedding of 'William and Kate' were held at the Residence of the British Ambassador to Serbia on 29th April. The many guests who enjoyed the entertainment provided in the gardens of the residence included diplomats, politicians and business people.

(left to right) Australian Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Helena Studdert and her husband Martin, Ambassador of Ghana to Serbia, H.E. Samuel Valis-Akyianu, and British Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Michael Davenport watch live coverage of the celebrations for the British Royal Wedding of 'William and Kate' at the British Ambassador's Residence on 29th April. (left to right) Goran Muftić, Co-founder of Solvent Rating, Pavle Vlajčić, Cofounder and Director of Solvent Rating, Maria Anselmi, Member of the Managing Board of Bisnode Sweden, H. E. Christer Asp, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden in Belgrade and Mirko Holbus, Co-Founder of Solvent Rating at the presentation of a digital platform called ‘Boniteti’ devised by ‘Solvent Rating’ which was held on 11th April.

The Danish Ambassador to Serbia H.E. Mette Kjuel Nielsen chats with guests at the cocktail party held at the Danish Embassy on 5th April celebrating the launch of the new design of the Carlsberg beer bottle.

The Serbian Patriarch Irinej presented the Order of St. Sava, the highest award of the Serbian Orthodox Church, to Novak Đoković, the best Serbian tennis player on 28th April.

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(left to right) His Highness Crown Prince Aleksandar with his wife Her Highness Princess Catherine and the Japanese Ambassador to Serbia H.E. Toshio Tsunozaki and his wife, at an auction of chocolate eggs held at the Royal Court Library on 13th April. Proceeds went to benefit the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

PR Manager of Centroproizvod Company, Aleksandra Memedović, presents the award to the best chef at the Second Balkan Culinary Cup which took place on 13th April.

Mexican Ambassador to Serbia H.E. Mercedes Felicitas Ruiz Zapata, Serbian Culture, Information and Information Society Minister, Predrag Marković and Italian Ambassador to Serbia H.E. Armando Varricchio at the Risorgimento concert held in honour of the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy at the National Museum on 5th April.

faces & places

French Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. François-Xavier Deniau and his wife Alexandra at a performance held inside and in front of the French Institute on 20th April celebrating the Institute’s 60th anniversary.

Dutch Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Loren Luis Stokvis and U.S. Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Mary Warlick at a cocktail party held at the Residence of the Ambassador of Netherlands, on the occasion of the performance of the Nederlands Dans Theater II in Belgrade on 9th April.

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& places Peter Thompson, Chief Operation Officer at Begej Shipyard, Zrenjanin and Australian Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Helena Studdert. On 15th April, Australian citizens, members of the diplomatic corps and business people gathered at the Australian Ambassador’s residence to honour Anzac Day.

H.E. Aly Galal Bassiouny, Ambassador of Egypt and Zdravko Ponoš, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs at the reception in honour of the visit of H.E. Egyptian Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and the 2nd round of Serbian-Egyptian political consultations on 8th April.

(left to right) Savchenko Vadim, General Director of the Folk and Crafts Association of the St. Petersburg and Leningrad region, Nikola Đuran, President of the Association of Old Artistic Crafts and Home-made Products of Serbia, H.E. Alexander Konuzin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Serbia and Belgova Dinara, Director of the ‘Joyride’ agency, the organiser of the Russian-Serbian Culture Festival which ran from 18-27 April at the ‘Progres’ gallery.

The Commercial Attaché of the Embassy of the United States of America Bradley Harker, met on 21st April with representatives of the largest foreign and local companies in Serbia, members of AmCham, and presented President Obama’s National Export Initiative and talked about how he sees cooperation with Serbia in achieving proclaimed objectives.

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(left to right) His Highness Crown Prince Aleksandar, Chairman of the Serbian Olympic Committee, Vlade Divac, His Highness Prince Filip and the Secretary General of the Serbian Olympic Committee, Đorđe Višački at the reception held at Olympic House on 14th April.

(left to right) Mark Harrison, James Thornley and David Webb, founders of the Serbian-British Business Club, at the promotion held at Privrednik Business Club on 14th April.

The Head of the UK Trade and Investment at the British Embassy Belgrade, Alex Brooks, was host to many renowned British and Serbian businessmen.

Serbian Foreign Minister, Vuk Jeremić presenting famous Serbian tennis player, Novak Đoković with a diplomatic passport at the official ceremony held at the Novak tennis grounds on 25th April.

Diplomatic passports were also given to Serbian tennis players Nenad Zimonjić, Viktor Troicki, Janko Tipsarević, Ana Jovanović and Bojana Jovanovska, while Ana Ivanović and Jelena Janković will be given theirs at a later date.

Belgrade Mayor Dragan Đilas addresses guests and the winners of the Belgrade City Award 2010 at the Belgrade City Assembly on 19th April. During the ‘Days of Belgrade’ event, the winners from eighteen out of a total of nineteen categories were awarded, while, following a jury decision, the award for ‘invention’ was not presented.

faces & places

Italian Ambassador to Serbia H.E. Armando Varricchio, academic Nikola Hajdin and Professor Giuseppe Ghisalberti of the Serbian Academy of Arts and Science at the celebration dedicated to the Italian Risorgimento called ‘Italy – Serbia – 1861’ on 6th April.

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interview vLADimiR stANKoviĆ, JOURnALiST AnD AUTHOR OF THE BOOK ‘MOnTEViDEO, BOG TE ViDEO’

A Feel-good Story The renowned journalist and CorD contributor says that the success of the film, which is based on his book, is the result of a positive atmosphere and encouraging messages that were successfully translated from the book to the silver screen

A

journalist who often writes for CorD, Vladimir to find the money (a lot of it, actually), for professional film Stanković, is also the author of the book actors to do their job properly and, in the end, for the audi‘Montevideo, Bog Te Video’ (Montevideo, God ence’s response to be nothing short of overwhelming.

Bless You) which served as the basis for the film Since everything is possible in Serbia, I have managed of the same title. To date, 550,000 people have seen the film to ‘tend to those small matters’ despite the overall crisis which had its premiere at the Sava Centre on 20th December, and ‘Montevideo, Bog Te Video’ (www.montevideoproject.

2010. This is a truly record breaking movie – bearing in com) was released on 20th December to become part of mind that Serbia doesn’t have many cinemas – as well as the Serbian film and sporting culture, as well as a part the most watched Serbian movie in the past few years. In of Serbian history; a nicer history that we can be proud his interview with CorD magof. The film has already won azine, Vladimir Stanković dismany awards at home and will While I was writing the book, I cusses the lesser-known details be showcased abroad soon. The tried not to write it in a sense that actors are constantly on the of this large-scale project. would provoke hard feelings in front pages of magazines, spe■ Honestly speaking, did you sons, daughters or grandchildren cial TV shows are made about expect the movie to be so sucthe descendants of the heroes of the book’s heroes cessful? portrayed in the movie, news- It might sound too audacious, papers are writing about them but, trust me, from the moment I decided to write the book in special supplements, charity events are being held. about the Serbian national football team competing at the ‘Montevideo’ has become a phenomenon of a sort which is World Football Championship in Uruguay in 1930, I was not only talked about among film critics, but also among confident that a film, based on the book, would be a sucsociologists, psychologists and various analysts. cess. However, there were several ‘small’ matters that I had to tend to first – I had to write a fitting story, I had to con■ What is the secret of the ‘Montevideo phenomenon’? vince a film producer that the book would be excellent ma- I think there is no one answer to that question, but if terial for a movie and a TV series, for that producer to agree I have to sum up its popularity in two words, I would

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TV movie called ‘The Game of Their Life’ about the say - good storyline. Having said that, I have to go back American national team who beat Brazil 1:0 at the World to what I said at the beginning of this interview – I don’t Championships in Brazil in 1950. The Americans made know if you ever had a feeling that something would turn a great film that was easy to watch, a film about a sensaout well, but, in my case, when it comes to Montevideo, I tional win that did not help the team much, but was rathhad that feeling all along. Simply put, I felt that this was er remembered as a wonderful and big surprise. While I a good story, and the more I consulted various books and was watching the story about how old newspapers, the more details I the team came together, the troudiscovered, I was convinced that my bles they went through, the jouroptimism was not unfounded. ney to Brazil and the game, I came Many people have had good stoup with an idea. I said to myself: ries or good ideas, but were not able “If Americans, who were football to realise them. I was lucky to have a ‘newbies’, made such a movie about friend and a colleague called Zvonko a single game, why shouldn’t we Šimunec who immediately recogrevive an epic football event from nised a good story and the many 1930 which I had heard of many wonderful opportunities it offered. years ago, but had no idea that I He was the one who referred me to would write about it back then. the Intermedia Network (www.intermedianetwork.rs) production company.

■ All of the movie protagonists are Thanks to my good fortune, Dejan no longer alive. How did you manPetrović from Intermedia Network age to put the story together? trusted me immensely and, with- Honestly, it wasn’t easy. I started out actually having a concrete manuwith a book called ‘A Long Journey script in his hands, he agreed to supthrough Football and Medicine’ port my idea. He did rush me to finwritten by Doctor Mihailo ish the book so that his company Andrejević, who was travelling could have more time to prepare for a with the team to Montevideo. shoot. The secret of Montevideo’s sucLater, I got many useful books cess lies, above all, in the fact that an from Vasa Stojković, the virtuoso important event in Serbian football The next thing to do will of our sports journalism, a sport history has been taken out of oblivbe to film a sequel that will historian, a man who documention and narrated in a way that did not resemble this tide of ‘film noir’ show the most interesting ed many sporting events and carefully preserved these documents, in Serbian cinematography in any part of the story and for that I am forever grateful to way. There is no violence, no corruphim. Unfortunately, he did not live long enough to see tion, no drugs, no politics, but there are plenty of ideals, my book come out, but he did know that I was writing it ideas, patriotism and visionaries, friendship, loyalty, honand he even read the first thirty or so pages while encouresty and sublime purity of spirit. Above all, there are exaging me to continue. The memoirs of Danilo Stojanović, ceptional actors, both established and new ones, who were known also as Čika Dača, and the famous footballer Jovan still students at the Film Academy. This is Montevideo’s Ružić helped me a lot. The son of the famous sports jouradded value – a Serbian film with a new generation of nalist Ljubiša Vukadinović and my colleague and friend, beautiful and talented young actors.

Miša Vukadinović, who is also a reporter for the Novosti, gave me an unpublished manuscript written by his fa■ How did you come up with the idea to write a book? mous father called ‘The Blue Decade 1920-1930’ where he Were you inspired by something special? provides detailed chronicles of the history of the Belgrade - I got my inspiration during a winter night in Moscow.

Sport Club (BSK). Still, my main source of information I think it was early 2007. I was watching this American was the newspapers from that time, above all Uruguay Decision the Politika daily which The Championships in I decided to have imaginary was the only newspaper Uruguay provoked an characters along with real to send its special reportunprecedented level of footballers and football er to the World Football interest about football in officials that made history Championship – Bora Jovanović.

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■ How did you come up with the book title, which turned out to be a great motto?

- I found it in the aforementioned book by Dr. Mihailo Andrejević, who wrote that, on the day of the semi-finals, our national football team got a telegram of support from Belgrade with a deliberate typing mistake (in order for the text to rhyme) which went: “Yugoslavia in Montevideo, God Bless You, Shake up, Uruguay”.

Unfortunately, Dr Andrejević did not mention who wrote this humorous telegram, but I am quite chuffed that I found it and used it.

upside down – they did not come from football, but they came to football from crime, thinking of football as an easy money-making opportunity. As a rule of thumb, people who talk the most about the irregularities and rigged matches are the ones who have failed to meet their professional goals so they need somebody to blame.

■ Could we say that football in Serbia became so popular as a direct result of our team competing at Montevideo, bearing in mind that, following the Championships, the popularity of the game shot through the roof?

- Undoubtedly. The Championships in Uruguay provoked an unprecedented levAfter the premiere, Aleksandar el of interest about football in Serbia. Before the match■ How did the relatives of the Tirnanić’s daughter Gordana es, droves of people waitlate Serbian footballers react to said to young Miloš Biković, ed in front of the headquarthe film and the book?

- Their reaction was really good, be- who played her father Tirke in ters of daily newspapers, eagerly anticipating some inforyond expectations. While I was writthe movie: “Well done, dad” mation about the results, foling the book, I tried not to write it lowing our team beating in a sense that would provoke Brazil and Bolivia, which hard feelings in sons, daughcaused such exaltation. ters or grandchildren of the People were so proud of book’s heroes in a sense that the young men from the they could turn around and Belgrade Sport Club (BSK), say: “That is not an accurate Yugoslavia and Sokol. Let’s portrayal of my father/grandnot forget, only the Serbs father.” Some reactions were played in Montevideo, really lovable. For example, afnot because that’s what ter the premiere, Aleksandar they wanted, but because Tirnanić’s daughter Gordana the Croatians, who were said to young Miloš Biković, angry because the counwho played her father Tirke Co-producer Zvonko Šimunec (left), Vladimir Stanković try’s Football Association in the movie: “Well done, and producer Dejan Petrović moved its headquarters dad.” Dr. Andrejević’s daughfrom Zagreb to Belgrade, boycotted the national team. ter, Smiljka Baljozović, who lives in Canada, joked about her maternal great-grand-father, who owned an inn, playing golf.

■ What were you especially fascinated by during the writOverall, everybody was very happy and grateful that the triing of the book? What details should readers pay special umphant story about their ancestors came alive and was so attention to? tellingly presented to today’s generations.

- The whole story is fascinating in itself, but, above all, the trip to Uruguay was a truly historic one. First, the play■ What do you think of the corruption and rigged matchers travelled three days to Marseille by train, with severes in the football of today? Is our football as rotten inside al layovers, and then they spent eighteen days on the ship as many suspect or believe? called Florida. There is this anecdote that the footballers - There is double-dealing in football, but no more than in used the ship’s decks to train, but they only used the decks other areas. Corruption is an evil that can ruin any societo warm-up, no ball was used. Aside from the physical limty, and corruption is present in politics, health, education, itations (because they were on a ship), the good food that and various administrations, from the local level upwards. was served on the ship did not help either. Some players, The problem is that football is more popular, more visible, and especially the goalkeeper Jakšić, put on weight, but everybody knows about football. Football is like a woman that did not prevent them from beating the famous Brazil with a bad reputation. Once you lose respect it is very difteam with 2:1 on 14th July. There isn’t a single recorded ficult to win it back. I don’t want to come across as an adstatement made by our footballers as to them complainvocate for football, but I get really frustrated when I read ing what a difficult time they had had on this journey. that ten or more directors of various football clubs have They were pretty stoical, ready to sacrifice for the country been killed. Yes, that is a fact, but the whole thesis is turned 58

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they were representing. The nation appreciated that, and, on 1st September, after being away for 75 days, our national team was greeted by 5,000 people who carried them on their shoulders out of the railway station.

throughout. The national team failed to compete at the 1934 and 1938 World Championships. However, there were several important wins, like the one over Greece in 1932 (7:1) or England in 1939 (2:1) despite Stanley Matthews and Tommy Lawton playing for the English team. Footballers also played an important role in boycotting the Berlin Olympic Games in 1936, while some of them were volunteers in the Spanish Civil War.

■ What will happen next with the film?

- The next thing to do will be to film a sequel that will show the most interesting part of the story, i.e. the three-week-journey by train and ship and the games at the World Championships. Also, a TV series, with twenty ■ You are known as a basketball reporter. Why did you or so episodes, will be aired in autumn. In the meantime, choose to write a book about football? the film will be showcased at various festivals. In June, it - People who read my articles, and I’ve been a reportwill be shown at the Moscow feser for 42 years, know that, since the very beginning of my career, I have tival (www.moscowfilmfestival.ru), Football is like a woman and there is a plan to have two with a bad reputation. Once devoted an equal amount of time to writing about football and basketAmerican premieres – one in you lose respect it is very ball. Unintentionally, in the last ten New York in late August and or so years, and especially between one in Los Angeles in October. difficult to win it back 2000 and 2006 when I was a media The Intermedia Network prodirector at Euroleague (www.euroleague.net), I was more duction company is still negotiating with the biggest global distributors, and there is no doubt that ‘Montevideo’ involved in basketball, but I have never stopped writing will cross Serbian borders. about football. When I was young, I played football for FC Timok from Zaječar and I admit I was not too good, but I ■ You have said previously that you wrote “a documentadid play in the club’s junior team for several years. As a rery novel about football”. Could you elaborate? porter, I have covered six world and five European cham- Before I even started to write, I had been thinking pionships, as well as hundreds and hundreds of matches long and hard about what format the story should take. of our national team and our clubs in European cups. ■ Essentially, I wanted to stick to the facts, but I was afraid that, in that case, all I would get would be a ‘factography’ which would be interesting only to football lovers, sport historians and reporters, i.e. a very small circle of people.

Hence, I decided to have imaginary characters along with real footballers and football officials that made history for Serbia. These imaginary characters were ordinary people who would tell you a lot about Belgrade, Serbia, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, events in Europe and the world...

Through having the owner of the inn, the fans of BSK and their next-door-neighbour the barber, who is a fanatical supporter of Yugoslavia, bickering about football every day, I have portrayed the rivalry between the two clubs, tantamount to the rivalry that we have today between FC Red Star and FC Partizan. This is how my ‘documentary novel about football’ came about.

■ This project is by no means finished. Will you write a sequel?

- Yes, definitely. Of course, I am talking about what I can do.

I plan to start researching and writing again in September, since the period between 1930 and 1940 offers an abundance of material. After the Championships in ‘Montevideo’, the popularity of football in Belgrade and Serbia exploded, and, in the decade after World War II, BSK would go on to win five state championships and become the best club in the kingdom, with many great players like Moša Marjanović and Aleksandar Tirnanić-Tirke who had been brilliant cordeditorial@cma.rs

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sport CorD CHARiTY MASTERS 2011

Two Hundred Run FOR HUMANITY

The seventh annual charity race organised

by CorD magazine as part of the Belgrade Marathon attracted about 200 runners this year.

Representatives of major companies responded to CorD’s invitation and donated their money to the worthy cause of the country of Japan 60

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he 24th Belgrade marathon was held on 17th April with the record-setting participation of 1,836 marathon and half-marathon runners from 35 countries, as well as almost 20,000 joy-runners who took part in the ‘Race of Pleasure’. The seventh annual charity race of the ‘CorD Charity Masters’ was held during the Marathon. The organiser of this race was CorD magazine, and its participants included employees from some of the largest and better known companies in Serbia. Companies sent along their representatives and for each kilometre they achieved in the race, the companies donated a minimum of five euros.

Prior to the beginning of the race, participants were greeted by this year’s

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PR manager for the Belgrade Marathon, one of the greatest marathon-runners of all time, Rosa Mota from Portugal. Dejan Nikolić, the director of the Belgrade Marathon, wished CorD’s charity runners the best of luck.

Not one of the participants in this year’s charity race ran less than five kilometres, even though most were accompanied by the youngest members of their families. At the end of the race, in a friendly and cheerful atmosphere, they received diplomas for their charity effort, which naturally provided the most pleasure to the youngest ‘runners’.

This year, many well known firms delegated large groups of employees – including Coca-Cola who was represented by 21 participants and Henkel who

Representatives of Henkel just before the start of the charity race

had 16 – to express their humanity and take part in the race. Aid to Japan also came from companies such as BAT and Plaza Centre, on whose behalf 15 people took part. There were 15 participants running in the name of Victoria Group, and the marketing agency McCann PR, which had 10 representatives, also gave its contribution to collecting aid for Japan. Alvarion Company had three participants, and a great deal of individual runners rounded up the total number of charity runners to 200 people in the CorD Charity Masters.

The participating companies chose not publish the amounts of their donations, believing this event to be a charity gesture, and not a marketing stunt.

Over the seven years that the ‘CorD Charity Masters’ race has been organised, in excess of 110,000 euros has been collected.

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Dejan Nikolić, Director of the Belgrade Marathon, Tatjana Ostojić, Editorial Director of CorD magazine and famous Rosa Mota, the promoter of the 24th Belgrade Marathon

Over the seven years that the ‘CorD Charity Masters’ race has been organised, in excess of 110,000 euros has been collected

Employees of Plaza Centre ready for the charity race

Participants of CorD’s marathon at the finish line

McCann charity team

The youngest runners of the CorD Charity Masters with the Chairman of the Serbian Olympic Committee, Vlade Divac

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culture calendar CONCERTS SHAKIRA Belgrade Arena, 09 May@20.00 Colombian singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and dancer, Shakira has won two Grammy Awards, seven Latin Grammy Awards, twelve Billboard Latin Music Awards and has also been Golden Globe-nominated. She has sold more than 60 million albums worldwide. “Hips don’t Lie” is the best selling single. In 2008 Shakira was the fourth highest earning female singer in history.

SENSATION WHITE Belgrade Arena, 21 May@21.00 An eight hour DJ spectacle at Belgrade Arena. Some of the World’s leading DJs will perform in Belgrade on 21st May - Sander van Doorn, Sebastian Ingrosso, Fedde Le Grand, MC Gee, Mr. White and DJ Chuckie to name a few.

RICHARD MARX Sava Center 22 May@21.00 A pop/rock singer from US, who is mostly known for his late ’80s and ’90s hits ’Hazard’, ’Right Here Waiting’ and ’Now and Forever’, will perform for the first time in Belgrade.

LACE IN FORM AND SOUND 18th May@20.00 The third concert in the cycle TREE FACES OF SERBIAN MUSIC, LACE IN FORM AND SOUND presents the women's (music) inscription Belgrade's group of composers. The program will include the piano works of Belgrade's female composers, chosen by performer NADA KOLUNDŽIJA, a pianist.

The concert will be followed by the exhibition THE DRESSES - sculptures created by Marijana GVOZDENOVIĆ.

Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra Kolarac Foundation Hall 13 May@20.00 Conductor: Muhai Tang; Soloist: Jens Peter Maintz, cello Program: H. Berlioz - Le Damnation de Faust op.

24 - Three orchestral pieces; F. J. Haydn - Violoncello concerto in D major, Hob. VIIb:2; N. Rimsky-Korsakov Sheherazade op. 35 20 May@20.00 Conductor: Ernst Hecl Solists: Culhe Jun, piano and Sanhi Cong, violin Program: Sarasate, Rachmaninov,Tchaikovsky 27 May@20.00 Conductor: Muai Tang Solist: Oliver Schnyder, piano Program: W. A. Mozart - Don Giovanni, overture K.527; W. A. Mozart - Piano concerto no. 23 K. 488 A major; P. I. Tchaikovsky Symphony no. 6 op. 74 B minor BALLET

HURTS Belgrade Arena 25 May@21.00 Electro-pop duo from Manchester, Hurts picked up the prestigious ‘Best New Band’ award at the NME Awards 2011.

The National Theatre of Belgrade 12 May @19.30 La Bayadere - Premiere 19 May @19.30 Swan Lake Joe Cocker Belgrade Arena 29 May@20.00

CLASSICAL MUSIC TREE FACES OF SERBIAN MUSIC, The Center of Arts Guarnerius OPENING THE CHOIR TREASURY 04 May@20.00 This is second concert in the cycle TREE FACES OF SERBIAN MUSIC. Concert OPENING THE CHOIR TREASURY will present the sacred and profound treasure of the Serbian choir music, performed by the CHOIR "KIR STEFAN SRBIN", with conductor Milan MILIJANOVIĆ. The program of the concert includes pieces by Stevan Stojanović Mokranjac, Miloje Milojević and Vojislav Ilić.

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An English rock/ blues musician and composer who is best known for his gritty voice and idiosyncratic arm movements while performing cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles. He is the recipient of several awards, including a 1983 Grammy Award for his song "Up Where We Belong". He was ranked #97 on Rolling Stone's 100 greatest singers list.

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27 May @19.30 Triple Bill 31 May @19.30 Don Quixote ’Zorba The Greek’ Mikis Teodorakis, Sava Center, 27 May@20.00 Leading roles - Alexis Zorbas and Constantine Kostjukov OPERA The National Theatre of Belgrade 07 May@19.00 Il Trovatore 14 May@19.00 The Marriage of Figaro 21 May@19.00 Werther 28 May@19.00 Atilla MOVIES BELDOCS 2011 Sava Center 04-11 May International Documentary Film Festival, BELDOCS. 05 May @13.30 O Gringo, Darko Bajić, Serbia, @16.00 Who Killed Santa Clause, Miloš Milošević, Nenad Tesla, Serbia, @18.00 Run For Life, Mladen Matičević, Serbia, Japan, @20.00 Nostalgia for The Light, Patricio Guzman, France, Germany, Chile, Spain, @22.00 Boxing Gym, Frederick Wiseman, USA. 06 May @13.30 Look at Me, Laris Harma, @16.00 Balkan Diaries, Bulgaria, Goran Gocić, Serbia, @18.00 Balkan Curtain, Ruggero de Virgilis, Serbia, Italy, Slovenia, @20.00 Mama Africa, Mika Kaurismaki, Germany, South Africa, Finland, @22.00 An African Election, Jarreth Merz, Switzerland, USA, Ghana, 07 May @16.00 U spomen na Dragišu i Ivanku (Memories of Dragiša and Ivanka), Bane Milošević, @18.00 Mila in search for Senida, Rober Tomić Zuber, Serbia, Bosnia&Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia @20.00 Barzakh, Mantas Kvedaravicius, Finland, @21.00 Genocide of Memory, Andonis Papandopulos, Greece, @22.00 The Green Wave, Ali Samadi Ahadi, Germany, 08 May @16.00 Without Cloud, Bojana Starčević, Serbia, @17.00 Mica and other stories, Milan

Nikodijević, Serbia, @18.00 I will Marry the Whole Village, Željko Mirković, Serbia, @20.00 Position Among the Stars, Leonard Retel Helmrich, Holland, Indonesia, @22.00 What's in a Name, Eva Kupper, Belgium, 09 May @13.30 Cinema Komunisto, Mila Turajlić, Serbia, @16.00 Hydrogenic jubox, Mihajlo Ristić, Serbia, @18.00 Micić’s Suitcase, Slobodan Simojlović, Serbia, @20.00 How to Make a Book With Steidl, Gereon Wetzel, Jorg Adolph, Germany, @22.00 Steam of Life, Joonas Berghall, Mika Hotakainen, Finland, 10 May @13.30 Tarot Srbija, Ivan Ikić, Serbia, @16.00 Cinema Komunisto, Mila Turajlić, Serbia, @18.00 Problem with Perception, Ivan Mandić, Serbia, @20.00 Vodka Factory, Jerzy Sladkowski, Sweden, @22.00 A Film Unfinished, Yael Hersonski, Germany, Israel, 11 May @13.30 Inkubator, Vasja Stanković, Serbia, @16.00 Boye: first real female sound, Brankica Drašković, Serbia, @18.00 Awakening, Irena Samardžić, Serbia, @20.00 People I Could Have Been and Maybe Am, Boris Gerrets, Holland, @21.00 Announcement of the winners and the closing ceremony @21.15 Khodorkovsky, Cyril Tuschi, Germany, For May Movie Premieres go to www.expat.rs ART MUSEUM NIGHT venues to be released, 14 May During Museum Night on 14th May, doors of more than 150 cultural institutions in nearly 60 cities throughout Serbia will be open for browsing and inspiration.

Cultural centers and embassies who have previously supported ' A Night of Museums' are: The French Cultural Centre, Goethe Institute, Cervantes Institute, British Council, Italian Cultural Center, Greek Cultural Center, Embassy of the Netherlands, the U.S. Embassy and the Embassy of Brazil.

Museum Night is art-production group that brings together prominent artists, art historians, sociologists of culture and all those who are in a creative way linked with dealing with culture More information soon on www.nocmuzeja.rs

MIKSER FESTIVAL Danube industrial complex 25 - 29 May Mikser Festival presents various creative disciplines: Design, Architecture, Visual and Performing Arts, Technology, Environment, Business, Media, Music, Film, etc.

Key words for Mikser 2011 will be: workshops, new technologies, experiment.

Arrested Development Dom Omladine, 11 June An American band, Arrested Development is an Atlanta based group that disbanded in 1996 after releasing two albums of socially conscious songs mixing hip-hop, soul, blues and Sly Stone-inspired funk.

Zucchero Belgrade Arena 19 June

His music is largely inspired by gospel, blues and rock music, and alternates between ballads and more rhythmic boogie-like pieces. In his career, spanning three decades, this artist has sold over 40 million records around the world.

European review of Serbian Folklore Sava Center, 11-12 June This European review of Serbian folklore of the diaspora, according to its program content, goals and number of participants is the largest and most important cultural event of Serbian youth who live outside their home country. The two-day competition and the show program, presents folk dances, songs, music, customs and traditional costumes from the territory of Serbia and other territories inhabited by the Serbian people and its culture, national traditions, language, and important factors of a people. The main objective of the event is that young people of Serbian descent who live all over Europe, who thus cherish their rich cultural heritage, demonstrate their talents and skills.

Buskerfest - International street performers festival 18 June

Buskerfest is a street festival of entertainers such as magicians, acrobats, and various other street performers, like jugglers, clowns, comedians, and musicians.

The festival features some of the best street performers from around the world. It will offer a variety of street fun where viewers will be as active as the performers. Through this, the city of Belgrade will be treated to innovative and energetic entertainment. At the same time it raises the awareness, regarding the importance

Amy Winehouse / Moby Belgrade Fortress, 18 June Amy Winehouse, an English singer-songwriter, is known for her eclectic mix of various musical genres including R&B, soul, and jazz. Best known for her powerful contralto vocals, Winehouse's 2003 debut album Frank was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize.

Her 2006 follow-up album Back to Black led to six Grammy Award nominations and five wins, tying the record for the most wins by a female artist in a single night, and made Winehouse the first British singer to win five Grammys, including three of the "Big Four": Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year. In 2007 she won a BRIT Award for Best British Female Artist; she had also been nominated for Best British Album.

She has won the Ivor Novello Award three times, one in 2004 for Best

Contemporary Song (musically and lyrically) for "Stronger Than Me", one in 2007 for Best Contemporary Song for "Rehab", and one in 2008 for Best Song Musically and Lyrically for "Love Is a Losing Game", among other prestigious distinctions. The album was the third biggest seller of the 2000s in the United Kingdom.

Moby is an American DJ, singersongwriter, and musician, who achieved eight top 40 singles in the UK during the 1990s. In 1999 he released the album Play, a mix of melancholic chill-out, ambient music, and upbeat electronica, that became a commercial success, selling over 10 million copies worldwide.

and value of street art, and of course promotes Serbian art in front of a national and international audience. The festival is organized

by Association Monocikl in partnership with the Tourist Organization of Belgrade. It will take place on in five locations throughout Belgrade center and in front of the shopping mall Ušće.

This is a free festival for the entire family. There is no admission fee or tickets; the only cost is an appreciative contribution to the performer’s hat at the end of the show.

BELEF venues to be released 14 July-03 August Belgrade’s soul during the summer is defined by the Belgrade Summer Festival, BELEF. This festival combines three large artistic fields: stage

performing arts (theater and artistic plays), visual arts (video art, installations, performances and prints) and music. Through numerous travelling tours, its own productions and co-productions with cultural institutions and kindred summer festivals, BELEF incites to futher involve, cultivate, and develop creative potentials, curiosity, exploratory strength of an individual, but also nurture the needs of the auditorium and the public.

Boat Carnival 18-20 June The Belgrade Boat Carnival will be held between June 18 and 20, and it will last for three days for the first time this year. The central event, that is, the carnival programme, will be held on Sunday, June 20, in the center of Belgrade and on the Sava

river, in a part of the aquatorium and on the banks from Branko's Bridge to the mouth of the Sava.

The programme will include the review of water sports, a ride on the carnival-style decorated ships, performances by children and other carnival groups from Serbia and abroad, dance groups, majorettes.

The organizer of the seventh Belgrade Boat Carnival is the Tourism Organization of Belgrade, while the patron is the Belgrade City Assembly.

Zdravko Čolić, Ušće, 25 June Pop singer popular across the entire area of former Yugoslavia. During his music career spanning four decades he has released 13 studio albums.

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culture calendar & NEWS

BELGRADE DESIGN WEEK venue to be released, 25-28 May Belgrade Design Week is a three-day educational conference. This year, under the name FUTURE, will once again present the leading global creative thinkers of the 21st century. The sixth traditional Belgrade Design Week will be partnering with the "Belgrade 2020" project, which focuses on the capital of Serbia's candidacy for the title of European Capital of Culture in 2020. The organizers of the Belgrade Design Week will do their best this year to justify the epithet of "most creative conference in the world" according to the Financial Times.

British and Israeli / French designers Tom Dixon and Arik Levy, most award-winning Croatian architects Vinko Penezic and Kresimir Rogina, U.S. director of films about Gary Hustwit design, the Japanese studio nendo, most prestigious design award red dot Award from the German and Swiss music group Yello with their virtual concert, as well as the most successful Serbian designers who work around the world like Dejane Kabiljo and Roksanda Ilincic, are just some of the names of the creative industries that will introduce themselves during the festival.

Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy lectures, performances and exhibitions of famous creators and brands from Germany, Finland, Sweden, Holland, Russia, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Japan, Czech Republic, Canada, Australia, Spain, Finland, Portugal, Russia, Norway etc.

culture NEWS

interview AJA JuNg, DiRECTOR OF THE BELGRADE DAnCE FESTiVAL

Life Behind the Scenes We, behind the scenes, will remember the goldfish we prepared for the first performance, the white cake and carrots we bought for Maguy Marin’s play, the megaphone which had its own plane ticket on a Brussels flight, or over a dozen trucks bringing lighting and equipment from all over the world to Belgrade

By Jelena ALEKSIĆ

changed, and the responsibility towards sponsors and cultural institutions, as well as toward the media and the he does not have an audience, has increased. office, a secretary or a As fragile as the art it represents, the event has develcourier! And yet, she oped thanks to the support of embassies and the cultural has been successfulcentres of participating countries, the Ministry of Culture ly organising the Belgrade Dance Festival, which is now of the Republic of Serbia (www.kultura.gov.rs) and the City of Belgrade. The more substantial funding in the affirmaone of the biggest theatre-rhythmical dance events in the tion of artistic dance, meaning the realisation of a part country, for eight consecutive years. In her interview with of the festival programmes in the cities of Vojvodina has CorD, the Director of the Belgrade Dance Festival talks been supported by the Vojvodina Executive Council. about the enjoyment of Belgrade’s audience at this year’s The presence of sponsors is of enormous importance, plays, her personal impressions, sponsors and the beauand I sincerely believe that together with the marketing ty of movement of which the Belgrade Dance Festival is a teams of large companies, we are creating a new model constant reminder. for investing into Serbian cultural and artistic projects.

The company of VIP Mobile (www.vipmobile.rs) has been ■ The eighth Belgrade Dance Festival is now over. What the general sponsor of the are your lasting impressions?

It gives the greatest pleasure Belgrade Dance Festival for - When the Festival’s (www.belto be able to convince the great four years in a row, whereas gradedancefestival.com) curtains open for the audience, this is long-term support to the festinames and choreographers to it for the organisers. When val programme has been proaccept the special prices and announcing this year’s provided by many companies: gramme, we had already con- keep one eye closed in front of the Bambi- Banat, Doncafe, Grand firmed the dates of next year’s Casino Belgrade, Nestea, numerous obstacles festival. Timely organisation is Alcatel Lucent, Vojvođanska a great portion of success. It is important to always have Bank, as well as some new friends of the event, such as the strength for the race in which you predict the hits or Merkur Insurance, Actavis Company and Frey Wille. the book with the best titles. This is the way in which the much older festivals in the world function.

■ Has the audience changed in the meantime?

Still, the pleasure is there after this year’s event as the - The audience has been formed over the last eight years halls were filled to capacity, and the programme was interand it is an enormous joy to realise that the structure has esting and appealing. After numerous performances, there been completely changed, meaning that some new facare always piles of paper and lots of bills, as well as the es have appeared. In the beginning, we counted on our hope that the negatives created by this year, will not pose friends, associates and the well-known circle of those who a burden for the next one. attend public events, and today we can brag about a really large and new audience, amongst which there are the ■ What has changed compared to eight years ago? true lovers of contemporary dance who we have nurtured, - The relationship toward the selection of titles has with their previous knowledge and expectations. The pro-

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■ In your opinion, what did Belgrade’s audience love the most this year and why?

- I believe that many people will remember for a long time the elusively dynamic and twisted movement of William Forsythe, the Jewish Wedding of Barak Marshall, Kilian’s superior dancers and the marvellous curtain of beads, Jasmine Goddard’s intelligent performance, Wayne McGregor’s futurism or the disco ball and the music of the 80s to which the dancers of the Göteborg Ballet and our audience danced. We, behind the scenes, will remember the goldfish we prepared for the first performance, the white cake and carrots we bought for Maguy Marin’s play, the megaphone which had its own plane ticket on a Brussels flight, or over a dozen trucks bringing the lighting and equipment from all over the world to Belgrade.

of the numerous obstacles. Of course, it was much harder in the beginning. Now the festival is being recommended by those already listed in the older catalogues, from Misha Baryshnikov, the Scala di Milano Ballet, the Parisian Opera Ballet, the Cullberg Ballet and the Monte Carlo Ballet Theatre, to choreographers such as Killian, Echo, McGregor or the increasingly popular Benjamin Millepied.

■ The BDF is often compared to other, older festivals.

What are the differences and what are the similarities?

- Many festivals which are now being compared to the BDF have been established in different times, under other social, political and material conditions. Those are gigantic teams which cost ten times more than the programme for which they exist, where responsibility for a potential lack of success is divided amongst millions of players, and

Photo: Aleksandar Zec

gramme we show deserves attention. These are productions whose value can be confirmed by looking them up on the Internet. Those same titles head to Venice, Lyon, Montpelier, or to stages in London, New York and Paris from Belgrade, and they are covered by the world’s leading newspapers. The audience recognises quality, and I honestly believe that soon a swan’s pond, instead of a lake, could not be sold to it. At least not in Belgrade.

■ Which performance did you personally enjoy the most and I often publically criticise the older festival why?

- When you are in this business, ‘brothers’ for devaluating the artistic product in there is little room from true en- Serbia with the infinite handing-out of free tickets joyment. There is no relaxation because the team is small, and each omitted detail or brief there is never the implication of being thrown of the field moment of carelessness could pose a problem which is difor the investment of their own assets and real estate. Those ficult to solve later. Before every show there is a great deal are some major differences; it is like comparing bathing in of excitement and responsibility, and this lasts until the a thermal, shallow pool and swimming upstream in the thunder of the applause. I believe that it is the knowledge Danube. My team and I are swimming upstream, withof the dancers’ fragility and everything that is going on beout a ship, meaning an office, secretary or a courier. In this hind the curtains. sense, no comparisons are possible.

From the standpoint of someone creating a festival, I ■ How would you characterise the tastes of the Serbian often publically criticise the older festival ‘brothers’ for deaudience? What types of movements do the people of valuating the artistic product in Serbia with the infinite Belgrade like? handing-out of free tickets. It is hard to send a great part of - There is no secret. All the successes of this festival come the audience to the coffer, and it is a hard fact that festivals from the sincere relationship toward the audience and the and theatres have to live of their coffer’s income, which is dedicated work involving what is best and the most attracthe measure of their success at the same time. The success tive on the world dance scene. It gives the greatest pleasure of a theatre or dance project is measured by the number of to be able to convince the great names and choreographers tickets sold, just as a painter is recognised and appreciated to accept the special prices and keep one eye closed in front for the price of his canvases.

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restaurant

Classic Contentment A nice touch at Madera is the ‘daily specials’ menu that sits inside a pocket of both the regular and dessert menus

By Philomena O’BRIEN Photos: Darko CVETANOVIĆ

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s a Belgrade stalwart, Madera has been welcoming the well-heeled crowd and ‘business lunchers’ looking for an agreeable dining experience for decades. Ask any long-term local and they will happily relay at least one story from the days when the city’s bohemians and artistic types would gather here.

So well known was this ‘Madera crowd’ that they were fondly referred to as the ‘Maderasi’.

We arrive at a civilised hour for a Sunday lunch and already there is a happy buzz of diners and the restaurant is half full. I’m surprised to see a number of mature gests dining solo – and guess they are of the mind to have a wellcooked Sunday meal.

I explain to our waiter that I am after a lighter option from their menu – fresh, tasty and clean flavours are my only prerequisites. Oh, and something Madera is known for. “But madam that will be a half-portion of the beefsteak tartare”. Done! My companion opts for the beef tournedos

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with Madera sauce, chicken liver and mushroom.

A nice touch at Madera is the ‘daily specials’ menu that sits inside a pocket of both the regular and dessert menus, which also includes wines of the day. The day of our visit there are around 10 specials on the main menu.

Right alongside us sits one of the solo diners, Stevan, a fifth generation Belgrader, who has been coming to Madera for 50 years. While we await our meals we take the time to chat. His faculty being located nearby resulted in him becoming a ‘regular’ here in his twenties, dining here two to three times a week. He comes here now, he says, for the great food, but the modern interior of the restaurant is not so much to his liking. His recommendations from the menu include the stekovi (steaks), the salmon, pasulj and calamari.

Our meals arrive. The beefsteak tartare is, of course, very simply presented – just a small rucola garnish sits alongside.

Legend has it that steak tartare originated from the Tartare tribes who when on fighting journeys, didn’t have time to stop and cook their meat – keeping it under their saddles thereby mincing it. I daresay that Madera does not use this

method of preparation and with the soft and tender, melt-inmeal we decline our waiter’s offer of a dessert menu. It the-mouth qualities of the meal, it is no doubt a little freshis not until Stevan our ‘neighbour’ prompts us with a er than the tribes’ version. It is also wonderfully moist. As is few recommendations that we weaken. Specials include the tradition a dry-toast basket is also included but the fresh nut strudel, pita od bundeve (pumpkin pie), cherry pie, onion rings that are often part of the presentation seem to be zito with cream, chestnut puree and then all the classic lacking. I don’t mind, I find they are often way too overpowfare such as walnut and sugar sweet, Serbian walnut pie, ering for the delicate flavours of the raw beef. cheesecake, apple stuffed with walnuts and honey, chocMy companion’s tournedos consist of a good-sized poolate and nougat cake, crème brulée... and wait for it... tion of beef fillet, accompanied by a side of potato wedges, even a diabetic dessert. luta paprika, zucchini and eggplant. The sauce accompanyThe pumpkin pie we decide to share is juicy and moist, ing it is of just the right consistency and the meaty flavours sweet without being sickly. It’s a little like an American of combined mushroom and pumpkin pie in terms of flaMy companion’s tournedos chicken livers make the meal vour but in respect of presenconsist of a good-sized potion of complete. I wonder about the tation it is somehow more name tournedos as I do evebeef fillet, accompanied by a side like a baklava. Thin sheets of ry time I see it on a menu. It filo pastry contain a pumpof potato wedges, luta paprika, seems that one explanation for kin puree with just the right the origin of the name, which amount of nutmeg. Our only zucchini and eggplant first made its appearance in complaint is that there is too the mid 1800s, comes from the much of it. This is definitely a Parisienne food markets. In the dessert to be shared! last century, the stalls backing Crème brulée is one of my onto (tournant les dos) the cenfavourite desserts and if it is tral alleys of the fresh fish paoffered on a menu I will most vilion, in the Paris Halles [maroften select it to round off my kets], were assigned fish of meal. The dessert is such an doubtful freshness. By analogy, unpretentious classic beauthe name tournedos was givty - I love the simplicity of en to pieces of fillet of beef that the favours and the fact that were kept for a few days in storit should only come from age. An indiscretion is said to the vanilla bean. The crème have led to the word’s appearbrulée’s toffee top is perfect, ing on a restaurant menu one and the crème beneath is day; the public, not knowing its origin, adopted it. smooth, gently flavoured. I appreciate that it has none of What is interesting with my companion’s meal is that that gelatinous texture that I often seem to come across. they have taken great care to only just cook the vegetables, It is almost perfect... except for the slag. It has been ‘slagso they still manage to retain both their shape and origiised’. I really don’t like this non-cream. I know it is popnal fresh flavours. It may be a small thing, but vegetables ular here but I really can’t see the point of it. cooked until they are ‘just right’, shows a kitchen who is All in all our meal at Madera has been a satisfying exprepared to make the extra effort to get small things right. perience. We have been very well looked after and the I look around. Diners are contented, there is a happy food has been tasty and well presented. I could not say that chatter and everyone seems upbeat and happy to be with it has been ‘exciting’ however but I realise that this is not friends and family. Madera must be doing something right why diners come here. Madera is safe, secure and ‘known’. to be rather full on a beautiful early-Spring afternoon. Their A guest can be assured of being well looked after and well ‘basta’ or garden is open and there are a number of guests fed. What more can one ask for?

■ who have decided to brave the early Spring I have been temperatures, and with such a lovely area, who can blame them. While I could never describe warned that Madera as being cosy (the restaurant seats 170), Madera’s my guess is the place to be on a beautiful warm deserts are Belgrade day would be in their summer garden ‘to die for’ with the beautiful view of Tasmajdan Park.

Hmmm... onto dessert. I have been and to leave warned that Madera’s deserts are ‘to die for’ some space and to leave some space but with a perfect cordeditorial@cma.rs

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travel TOP 10 UnDiSCOVERED iSLAnDS

Island ESCAPE Head to these 10 undiscovered islands around the world where you’ll find that dream beach vacation – minus the crowds

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veryone loves a little slice of island paradise! Unfortunately, that’s the problem with an island beach vacation – you’re often forced to share your stretch of sand with countless others in search of a little R & R. If you’re looking for an island getaway minus the crowds, we’ve rounded up 10 undiscovered islands around the world where you’ll find just that – and while you may have to work a little harder and travel a little longer to get there, you’ll be rewarded with deserted beaches, fascinating culture, exotic cuisine, and the satisfaction of “discovering” a fabulous, off-the-beaten-path island destination.

1. Anegada, British virgin islands

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small airport and ferry service makes getting here from one of the other British Virgin Islands fairly easy, but Anegada still feels a world away. The only coral island in the volcanic BVI chain and surrounded by the largest coral barrier reef in the Caribbean, this undiscovered island is a haven for beach bums, fly-fishermen, and wildlife enthusiasts alike.

The north shore boasts nearly deserted white-sand beaches, the south is home to a huge population of bonefish, and the west end lays claim to large salt ponds and exotic birds.

Spend your nights feasting on local lobster – rumoured to be the best in the Caribbean – and rest your head at one of the island’s few hotels and quaint guesthouse inns.

2. Cat Ba island, vietnam

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f you needed another reason to visit Halong Bay – often hailed as the world’s Eighth Wonder – the limestone outcropping that is Cat Ba Island is it. The best way to explore the natural wonders of this undiscovered island – home to the remarkable Trung Trang Cave, cascading waterfalls, plummeting cliffs, and awe-inspiring National Park – is via motorbike. An hour-long ferry ride from Halong Wharf will get you there, where you can opt for accommodations that range from sparse and basic affairs to full-fledged four-star resorts. You’ll have no problem staying awhile on this untouched, unspoiled masterpiece of Mother Nature.

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3. Fakarava, French Polynesia

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vershadowed in popularity by neighbours Tahiti, Bora Bora, and Moorea, Fakarava – a pristine Polynesian island enveloped by a coral reef and blue lagoon waters – is so remote, it’s not even found on most maps. Yet, it’s part of a UNESCO nature reserve and rich in natural fauna, offers pink-sand beaches, and is rife with rare aquatic life that includes loach, meru, and barracuda – not to mention hammerhead and tiger sharks.

Not surprisingly, scuba diving is the undiscovered island’s top draw, but other attractions include the ancient village of Tetamanu, where you’ll find a Catholic church made of coral that dates back to 1874, and pearl farms, where rare black pearls are shelled.

5. Ischia, Italy

4. Iles de la Madeleine, Quebec

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emote, beautiful, and altogether unique, the stellar Iles de la Madeleine (or Magdalene Islands, in English), 130 miles off the coast of Quebec, are the ultimate off-the-path escape. Of the dozen undiscovered islands that comprise this windswept archipelago, only seven are inhabited, six of which are connected only by sand dunes and long grassy reeds. The islands boast 200 miles of virgin beaches, the freshest seafood, and an uncomplicated atmosphere that make them a joy to visit. Given their northern location, summer is, not surprisingly, the best time to go. Of all the settlements here, Ile du Havre aux Maisons is our favourite for its colourful houses, charming boardwalk, and salty pubs and restaurants rife with local character.

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hough well-known to certain travellers, the island of Ischia, Italy, is oft-overlooked in favour of nearby Capri. Though you’ll hardly have Ischia to yourself, you will find fewer crowds and a less-pretentious attitude on this volcanic island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Though predominantly green and mountainous, beach bums will have no trouble scoping out a stretch of sand. And, when the sun sets, you’ll have your choice of accommodations for every budget to rest your head, plenty of al fresco perches that are primed for aperitivo, and some of the world’s best food – this is Italy after all. cordeditorial@cma.rs

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6. Lamu, Kenya

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enya’s oldest living settlement, Lamu boasts golden sands fronting the Indian Ocean, tiny villages, and a breezy, slow-moving pace of life. It’s an undiscovered island that offers a glimpse into the past – a place where donkeys are the main mode of transportation and residents still keep their arms and legs covered out of respect while out in town. The rich atmosphere and history alone makes Lamu worth the trek, but so do its beaches: Shela Beach offers the best swimming, while excursions to ruins and coral reefs could have you snorkelling alongside frolicking dolphins.

7. Monhegan Island, Maine

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8. Terre-de-Haut, Guadeloupe

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es Saintes, a spectacular cluster of eight undiscovered islands situated just off the coast of Guadeloupe and accessible only by ferry or private yacht, is the very essence of French West Indies life – without the crowds, to boot. Terrede-Haut is the most appealing of them all, with its attractive beaches, mouthwatering Creole cuisine, and laid-back French-speaking locals; it also has the most options for overnight accommodations of Les Saintes’ islands. Beach bums will love the powdery white sands of the palm-lined Plage de Pompierre, while the spectacular underwater world of colorful reefs and exotic fish (attracting divers as renowned as Jacques Cousteau) makes scuba diving and snorkelling another huge drawcard.

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hough artists have sought out this remote, car-free destination for over a century, Monhegan largely remains an undiscovered island. Full-time residents number around 75, whose main occupation is fishing or lobstering, supplemented by an artists’ colony and tourism. Visitors who make the hour-long ferry ride from the Maine mainland can discover firsthand the beauty and simplicity of the village and surrounding landscape. Lobster Cove in particular draws nature lovers for its bird-watching and coastal views.

9. Vis, Croatia

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ith its medieval villages, deserted beaches, ancient ruins, rambling olive groves, and the best vineyards in Dalmatia, Vis is poised to become the next ‘it spot’ for sun and fun on the Adriatic. The winding streets of the two main towns – Vis and Komiza – are brimming with restaurants serving delicious seafood and Italian-style fare, while miles of sandy beaches, pebbly enclaves, and glittering shores attract sunbathers (Srebrna, a beautiful beach covered in large flat stones that appear silver in the sun, is one of the most beautiful). At just 2 hours by ferry from Split, Vis offers only three modest hotels, but visitors can also opt to rent apartments and villas.

10. Yap, Micronesia

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art of a remote tropical archipelago in the midst of the Pacific, Yap is the most intriguing destination in the island nation of Micronesia. Having managed to escape most outside influences, like colonisation and mass tourism, the undiscovered island’s traditional way of life remains both authentic and distinct: Legends are portrayed in colourful dances; village women dress in grass skirts, the men in brightly coloured loincloths; and ancient stone money discs are still used as local tender (though the U.S. dollar is the official currency). Spend your days hiking among the island’s rolling green hills, mangrove forests, and antiquated stone paths or, go off and explore the ocean’s coral reefs and swim with dolphins and magnificent manta rays.

(Source: www.shermanstravel.com) cordeditorial@cma.rs

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chill

out!

HILTON WON’T RETURN JEWELS Paris Hilton is holding $60,000 of jewellery that does not belong to her and should give it back, a new lawsuit contends. German insurer Allianz has sued the socialite, saying she has ignored attempts to recover the borrowed jewels. According to an April complaint filed in a New York state court, Hilton borrowed the jewellery from Manhattan jeweller Damiani, promising to store it in a safe when

JAPAN POOCH RESCUED

not using it. But Allianz said the gems sat unguarded in a closet in Hilton’s unlocked Los Angeles mansion when they and some $2.7 million worth of other jewellery were stolen in a burglary while Hilton attended a Hollywood party. Allianz said Los Angeles police found and returned the jewellery to Hilton after it had already paid Damiani’s insurance claim. It said it has been asking Hilton to return the jewellery, but that phone calls and email messages have been ignored. Allianz’s lawsuit accuses Hilton of negligence and breach of contract. (Source: www.reuters.com)

BRITAIN’S UNLUCKIEST WOMAN?

A woman who dumped her truck-driver boyfriend for being ‘dull’, only to see him scoop a Lotto fortune, has been branded Britain’s unluckA dog that survived in a house swept iest woman. Kerry Graves, 31, has known self-confessed ‘Mr Boring’ away to sea by the devastating Japan tsunami Matthew Breach, 37, since schooldays. They were a couple for 14 was saved by a coast guard rescue team flying over years but Ms Graves then walked out. She is now in a dingy bedsit an island of debris three weeks after the disaster occurred. with failed web cafe owner Travis Mains-Marten, 28, and their baLocal television showed an aerial view of a brown mediumby Blake.

Meanwhile Mr sized dog trotting around the roof of the house - the only part Breach, who admits his of it floating above water - before disappearing inside through a hobby is sleeping, is workbroken section of the roof. The coast guard rescuers, thinking there ing out how to spend his might also be people alive inside the house, lowered one of their jackpot, which was worth team onto the roof. He tried to coax the dog out, but then went almost $30 million. A in after tearing a wider opening. He came out with the dog in his friend said: “Kerry’s got arms and they were transported back to safety by boat. to be the unluckiest womDomestic media said no people were an in the country.

She was found inside the house. with Matthew through all (Source: www.reuters.com) the hard times and that inevitably caused strains - but after she walked out on him he struck it rich.” His mum Sandra, 67, added: “It’s a shame because she was a lovely girl and we really liked her.”

(Source: www.news.com.au)

CLOSE TO HOME British detectives are hunting for thieves who broke into one of their own police stations and stole their uniforms and radios. The crooks burgled the police station in Uddingston, not far from Glasgow in Scotland, in the early hours of

LOWER YOUR SKIRTS With the sun out and temperatures rising, the young women of the City law firm Allen & Overy decided it was time to do the same for their hemlines. Unfortunately, the sight of dozens of trainee solicitors arriving for work in “very short skirts” did not fill senior partners with the joys of spring.

After several complaints about the amount of flesh on show, an email was sent to the company’s 105 trainees reminding them of the sartorial 72

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Tuesday morning when the office was shut.

“At no time has the safety of the public or any officer been jeopardised as a result of this break-in,” said a spokeswoman for Strathclyde Police. She declined to say how the audacious criminals had got into the building but added the radios had been disabled and could no longer be used.

(Source: www.reuters.com)

standards expected by their employer - one of the five leading firms in the City known as the ‘Magic Circle’. Women were told to increase the lengths of their skirts and reduce the height of their heels or face “uncomfortable discussions” with the human resources department. “The main problem seems to be very short skirts and high heels and generally looking like we’re going clubbing instead of to the office,” stated the email from Allen & Overy’s trainee solicitor liaison committee.

(Source: www.telegraph.co.uk)

INTEREST IN ETTIQUETTE A mayor in Germany is attracting interest from other cities after he installed a special park bench for town teens who refuse to sit properly. After residents of the south-western city of Eppelheim complained that teenagers always sat on the top of benches, rather than on the seat itself which they dirtied

FORBES ‘FICTIONAL 15’ A miserly duck and a vampire are among the richest fictional characters, according to a ranking by Forbes. Scrooge McDuck, the ‘penny-pinching poultry’ with a fortune in gold coins whose estimated worth is $44.1 billion, headed the list of Forbes’ ‘Fictional 15’ wealthiest imaginary characters - but despite his riches, McDuck still trails Microsoft founder Bill Gates’ $53 billion.

Vampire-themed franchises have become big business, so it’s no surprise that Carlisle Cullen, the 370-year-old vampire from the ‘Twilight’ books and films who has been accruing interest on a small savings account since 1670, came in second with $36.2 billion. To qualify for the list the characters must be known in their fictional stories and by their audiences for being rich.

The full list, with character profiles and sources of their wealth, can be found at www.forbes.com/fictional15 (Source: www.reuters.com)

(Source: www.reuters.com)

KATE DOLL ON SALE The limited edition ‘Princess Catherine Engagement Doll’

by Arklu, is fashioned to resemble Prince William’s fiancée and features her famous blue Issa dress. On sale for £35, the toy is a little on the expensive side. Seven British fashion and design leaders who together form the rather regal sounding ‘Champions of British Style™’, have dressed and accessorised the doll, which, to their credit, bears a greater resemblance to Middleton than the Royal Mint’s commemorative £5 coin (on which the heroine looks more like Victoria Beckham’s sister, Louise Adams). Lucie Follett, director of Artklu, said: “The British fashion industry contributes 22 billion pounds to the UK economy. That’s a big figure, so in some sense what we’re doing here is promoting British designers and putting them out there and saying - hey it’s all about British style - and that explains the brand’s name.”

(Source: www.telegraph.co.uk)

LIBERAL VS CONSERVATIVE BRAINS Everyone knows that liberals and conservatives butt heads when it comes to world views, but scientists have now shown that their brains are actually built differently. Liberals have more grey matter in a part of the brain associated with understanding complexity, while the conservative brain is bigger in the section related to processing fear, says the study in Current

BANK-ROBBERY FRIDAY

with their shoes, Mayor Dieter Moerlein came up with the idea of putting the seat on top. The first of Moerlein’s benches was installed in April and he is already fielding calls from interested cities in Germany, he told Reuters.

“The reception has been overwhelming,” Moerlein said.

“Whoever wants to build one, be my guest.” The mayor of 17 years calls them ‘no-interest’ benches because teens have “no interest in following etiquette.

Biology. Other research has shown greater brain activity in those areas, according to which political views a person holds, but this is the first study to show a physical difference in size in the same regions. The study was based on 90 ‘healthy young adults’ who reported their political views on a scale of one to five from very liberal to very conservative, then agreed to have their brains scanned.

(Source: www.news.com.au) Texas with 464. North Dakota, where there were two bank robberies, had the least. Overall, there were 5,628 reported bank crimes - the 5,546 robberies along with 74 burglaries, eight larcenies and 13 extortions of financial institutions. That marked a decrease from 2009, when there were 6,065 such crimes reported, the FBI said.

Nearly all of the $43 million haul was cash, and about $8 million was later recovered, the FBI said.

cordeditorial@cma.rs

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chill out!

Bank robberies in the United States take place most often in mid-morning, on Fridays and in southern and western states, according to government statistics released in April. Robbers stole slightly more than $43 million last year nationwide in 5,546 robberies of banks, credit unions and other financial institutions, statistics released by the FBI showed. The South led the way with 1,790 bank robberies, followed by the West with 1,691. California had the most robberies at 805, followed by

techno

talk

Gizmos

Gadgets

The keyboard is often the unsung hero of the computer world, but if more were like the cool keyboards in this cluster, it would be a different story.

Brando Slim keyboard The Brando Slim Bluetooth keyboard is an iPhone-sized keyboard that’s meant for use with the Apple iPad. The keyboard can be used with one hand to type out messages, text messages and other forms of keyboard-based writing.

THE DAMAGE: €16

Altug Toprak convex design Looking like it should be flying its way around the Milky Way, the rounded remote control featured here was designed by Altug Toprak.

This little gadget gives us a view of what keyboards could look like in the future, however we’re not sure how easy typing a resume would be on this little gizmo..

THE DAMAGE: Concept design only

Keyless Glass Qwerty keyboards Keyboards with actual keys are so last decade. All the hip gadgets have already eliminated physical keys (iPhone, Surface…), and even notebooks seem to be ‘over’ keys. Designer Kong Fanwen brings the same keyless concept into external keyboards with the ‘No-key Keyboard’, a flat full size Qwerty keyboard that features a glass surface, camera and embedded lighting. The design utilises motion capture technology to follow your finger movements and translate them into input.

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Luxeed U5 keyboard LED is hot right now in the technology world.

It seems that everything now is made with LED light. The Luxeed U5 Keyboard features a beautiful illuminated keyboard with 430 LED lights that light up and sparkle when typed upon.

Coming in either a sleek black or chic white, you can even customise the brightness of the lights.

THE DAMAGE: €150

Fast Finger keyboard For all of you out there who are not yet comfortable with layout of the QWERTY system, the Fast Finger keyboard is here to help you and your woeful WPM speed. Designed mainly for kids who are still learning to type, the Fast Finger keyboard features an alphabetical layout and allows for one button LOL, L8R or BRB execution. It may sound lazy but has the potential to make life so much easier.

THE DAMAGE: €22

Razer Nostromo keypad This keypad is designed for the small subset of gamers that would classify themselves as ‘hardcore’. It has a unique design that allows it to save space and increase efficiency. With only 16 keys, the Razer Nostromo Keypad can be mapped to fit specific games. Settings can be changed on-the-fly while the thumb pad can be used for movement or other commands.

THE DAMAGE: €50

technotALk

Keyboard skins Daily computer users understand how gritty a keyboard can get. Make sure your keyboard stays as clean and germ-free as possible with the iSkin keyboard cover. The cover is a silicone skin that is treated with Microban, a bacteria-fighting ingredient added during the manufacturing process. In addition to keeping your keyboard germ-free, the iSkin keyboard cover is washable and will also prevent crumbs, grit, and sticky spills from settling in between the keys..

THE DAMAGE: €18 cordeditorial@cma.rs

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techno

talk

Apple iPhone 4 Shinier, faster, slicker. Still the greatest gadget ever, but even more so.

THE DAMAGE: €620

HTC HD7 The pick of the first wave of WP7 handsets, the HD7 is a worthy champion of Microsoft’s new intuitive OS.

THE DAMAGE: €590

HTC Desire HD Size issue aside, the multimedia hungry Desire HD is Android’s most complete and feature-rich phone to date.

THE DAMAGE: €600

Google Nexus S Though the styling tends more to flashy than chic, this is a highly desirable Android phone.

THE DAMAGE: €500 76

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HTC Legend The little it lacks in ability, it makes up for in style. A worthy son of Hero.

THE DAMAGE: €320

Nokia E72 Vastly improved multimedia moves make this slimline messaging smartphone a worthy successor to the brilliant E71.

LG Optimus One P500 The overall best of the budgets – for the moment at least.

THE DAMAGE: €255

THE DAMAGE: €250

HTC Mozart Another top-class Windows Phone 7 handset from HTC and a worthy alternative to the big-screened HD7.

THE DAMAGE: €280

Great messaging and media, but the retro screen and lack of apps mean it lags behind the smartphone big boys.

technotALk

Blackberry Torch 9800

Nokia N8 Nokia’s latest serves up a fresh spin on an ageing formula, but ultimately fails to ace the new smartphone competition.

THE DAMAGE: €420

THE DAMAGE: €350

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Spring 2011

Bright is the new black

Colour is king Spring 2011 fashion is all about bold colours, colour-blocked knits, and monochrome, simple shapes.

The 70s are back, once again, but with chic silks that scream, ‘spring!’

Minimal trends make use of maximum colour - pile on vivid, colour-blocked hues with simple shapes and high-impact accessories. Or try wearing a hip A-line-shape coat in a bright, cheeky yellow.

Monochrome is having its moment. You can’t go wrong with head-to-toe coral on red. Looking for extra spark? Throw on day-glo accessories such as a citrushued handbag and heels.

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All mixed up The whole anything-goes look continues to be a winner this spring. Stick to one or two colours (or a few in the same family) when mixing and matching to avoid the crazy-lady look. You can choose eclectic prints, sorbet and candy colours and pair with contrasting pieces like leather dresses worn with argyle sweaters! Try dragon prints with sheer lace layering looks and even embroidery.

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Jumpsuits & playsuits It was only a few short years ago that cutesy playsuits and rompers were a must-have (albeit a short lived one). Well, as fashion would dictate it, one-pieces are back in style.

From overalls to jumpsuits, to playsuits and rompers, these one-piece cuts are a great option for your spring wardrobe.

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Bright shoes We’re seeing everything from chunky, wooden sandals to suede lace-up boots this spring. Sporty wedges, strappy wedges - lemon, sunshine and saffron are all big colours for spring. Some of the platform sandals are reminiscent of Japanese traditional shoes - only higher and trendier, with colourful blocks and monochromatic contrasting colours. Bright heels are also making a statement this spring. Pattern heels are also a big hit - no more plain and boring!

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profile

A Manager Has to Predict The dynamics of business, while often causing headaches, become a lifestyle.

Miroslava Nešić Bikić, Marketing & PR Director of Piraeus Bank Serbia

Any working day is never the same as the previous one, there is always adrenaline

100th anniversary of the civil aviation authority and JAT, the changpumping, as well as the satisfaction of ing of the entire visual identity of the having the knowledge of doing the job right company,” and what she considers as the ‘cherry on top’ of her time at JAT the fantastic concert by Jose Carreras iroslava belongs to the generation in which education in 2003 in a packed ‘Sava Centar’. was a must. The question asked at that time was not “Everything was managed to world class standards: the organwhether you had knowledge but how much: what was isation, communication and the concert itself, which has not your level of understanding about music and languages, what been repeated here to this day,” she proudly states. books you have read, what movies and theatre plays you have Then the politics, people and circumstances changed. If she seen - and how many languages you spoke. had not left JAT in 2004, she feels she would be rueing it today.

“This led me to choose to study and to graduate from the From the time of her arrival at Piraeus Bank in Serbia, she has University of Philology, in the department of Yugoslavian and worked as the Marketing and PR Director. This is another imporworld literature. I felt that this course would provide me with tant chapter in her career. an extensive education that I could then utilise in my future life “The dynamics of this job cannot compare to my previous while still being involved in my interests. I still think I made the experiences, but previous experiences allow me to bring a new best decision,” Miroslava Nešić Bikić states. quality. The current conditions of the market are far more unA month after graduating she landed her first job in a seccertain than those we have been used to, and what is in the fuondary school. It was a useful and interesting experience for her ture is in the most part completely unknown,” Miroslava Nešić because she immediately realised that this was not what she Bikić estimates. should be doing. She became a journalist by accident.

She feels that we are living in times when problems of the “I met up with a friend who was a famous journalist at the future, ones that we are yet to experience, should be prioritised then ‘Politika Ekspres’. It turned out not only to be fun, but alabove the existing problems, ones that we are currently facing. so decisive for me. I had found my true profession,” our interIt is necessary to always be one step ahead. locutor says.

“A manager is as good as their ability to be able to predict She feels that, while working as a journalist, she gained valincoming future problems. The dynamics of business, while ofuable experience. However... she moved on. ten causing headaches, become a lifestyle. Any working day is “It was by accident that I found out that JAT was looking for never the same as the previous one, there is always I believe in the mantra that employees should be adrenaline pumping, as well as the satisfaction of able to move ahead of a good manager in time having the knowledge of doing the job right,” the Marketing and PR Director of Piraeus Bank says.

Of course, there are employees. Behind every successful an ‘experienced’ journalist. Back then, it was unusual for somemanager there are responsible, intelligent, educated and loyone, who was making obvious progress in journalism, to go and al employees. work for a company as a ‘journalist’. It was something complete“I am constantly burdened by my need to be an authority of ly different, but yet another valuable experience,” Miroslava knowledge to my employees and that they should always learn Nešić Bikić explains. something new from me. I believe in the mantra that employShe remained at JAT for 17 years - starting in internal PR, latees should be able to move ahead of a good manager in time,” er becoming the editor of ‘JAT Revija’ in-flight magazine, editor she states. of JAT radio and eventually Director of the JAT Media centre with Miroslava’s job does not have regular working or office about 75 employees reporting to her. This was probably the first hours, which is a characteristic of a creative job in her opinion. and only media centre of this type in former Yugoslavia.

Still, if she was to choose her path again, she would choose the “We did all the work ourselves, and I am proud of some of same one.

■ the projects that I worked on, such as the celebration of the

M

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