This Cat Knows

november 8th

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politics / Slovenian Presidential Election 2012: The Usual Suspects in a Few Odd Scenarios the industry / The Smederevo Steel Mill: Or a Fistful of Rubles in medias res / Is Serbia Going Organic? financial / HNB Governor Vujčić on a Quaint Offensive

southeast europe · a fortnight in review

event horizon / A Croatian Watergate Scenario

no.16 / subscription only / 8th november 2012

lifestyle / AristoCats’ Zagreb Cameo

This Cat Knows

www.see-magazine.eu

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november 8th

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content

introductory epistle

This Cat Knows

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Cat, in this instance, not necessarily being an animal... fortnightly news

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The Economy Of General Interest

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politics

Slovenian Presidential Election 2012: The Usual Suspects in a Few Odd Scenarios

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Left is right, right is left...topsy turvy indeed...

Montenegro Closer To the New-Old Coalition

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Or how Milo Đukanović gets to form a Government yet again. the industry

The Smederevo Steel Mill: Or a Fistful of Rubles 18

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More talk of the Russians, bus is 'talk' all there is to it?

No Smoking In Banja Luka: Can It Be?

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Of course not, but the local tobacco factory is in the dire straits. financial

HNB Governor Vujčić on a Quaint Offensive

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Which is it? The banks don't want to lend, or customers to borrow? in medias res

GMO or No GMO: or Is Serbia Going Organic?

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Food on 'steroids'? To be or not to be, is the question.

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event horizon

Smoke & Mirrors: A Croatian Watergate Scenario

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Former spies, spies, all spies, gangsters...is a reckoning afoot? legal

JPM’s ‘Big Deal’: Breeding the Next Generation of Legal Experts

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Ladies and gents, this is precisely what the profession needs. in memoriam

A Tomcat's Final Sail

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Joža Horvat. a true legend, passes. May his legacy live on.

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culture

The mimika Mak Murtić Ensemble: Jazzing it Big

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SEE interviews a seriously up-and-coming jazzer. Check out why. lifestyle

AristoCats’ Zagreb Cameo

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You don't want to read about feline Olympics? Shame on you. goog stuff

Feline Friendly

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Louis Vuitton, futuristic litter boxes...it's all there. did you know?

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Kurban Bajram, or the Greater Eid

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Or, in this case, a corner where the cultured infidel can learn. blast from the past

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to do list

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november 8th

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capsules boosts the erection and the libido, and are intended solely for men!

www.see-magazine.eu

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introductory epistle

editor-in-chief Igor Dakić executive editor Lee Murphy lee@see-magazine.eu graphic editor Ivor Vinski art editor Stiv Cinik country editors Miša Milošević (Serbia) Aida Tabaković (b&h) Sebastijan Maček (Slovenia) Miroslav Tomas (Croatia) contributors Dylan Alexander (Permanent) Mark Ferrris (Permanent) Michael Devaney (Permanent) Đorđe Novičić (Legal) photography Mens-Libera Photo, Shutterstock, IStock, Wiki Commons unless otherwise specified printer Stega tisak d.o.o.

Zavrtnica 17, Zagreb Croatia issn 1848-4107

director Igor Dakić igor.dakic@see-magazine.eu sales & marketing (cro & slo) Miroslav Tomas miroslav.tomas@see-magazine.eu + 385 95 63 99 702 sales & marketing (serbia) Milan Milošević misa@see-magazine.eu + 381 63 224 223 sales & marketing (b&h) Amela Tanović amela@see-magazine.eu + 387 63 691 393 publisher Mens Libera Media d.o.o.

Ksaver 215, 10000 Zagreb tel/fax +385 (0)1 46 77 165

This Cat Knows It is difficult to say exactly at which point, probably back in the groovy sixties, certain and obviously quite ingenious members of the African American community decided that the word ‘cat’ could – and indeed should – be used in reference to a male or a group of males, but we can only thank them. ‘Them cats is allright’ is mighty fine slang, and no doubt can be used only to qualify some pretty ‘cool’ people. Even Austin Powers has been known to use to such admirable language, in ‘Goldmember’ no less. ‘You wanna hang out with that cat.’

And there are definitely a few ‘cats’ that deserve mention hereabout. For one, Borut Pahor, the former Slovenian PM and currently a candidate in the upcoming Presidential elections, is doing some pretty cool stuff in his campaign: doing janitorial work, making pizzas, serving drinks…who would have thought, especially after his poorly concealed semidalliance with former Croatian pm Jadranka Kosor, that he had a single ‘cool’ bone in his body, but he obviously does. He is probably not going to win, but he does rather come across, finally, as someone who knows what he’s doing. So much for politicians.

Then we have a certain Nikola Aleksić, the leading anti-gmo activist in Serbia, who, though also allegedly somewhat of a conspiracy theory buff, has made major headway in his efforts to have buffed-up food in his polity completely banned. He also must know what he’s doing, and we are glad to give him our support, as we too aren’t exactly the champions of gmo. So much for social activists.

And there’s Mak Murtić, the youthful Croatian Jazz virtuoso who’s managed to land a gig at no less an event than the London Jazz Festival.

We interviewed him, photographed him – and that’s one cool cat, I can tell you, artsy hairdo and retro glasses and all. His look, in fact, is so wonderfully dishevelled and ostensibly spontaneous that it leaves no doubt in one’s mind that a considerable amount of painstaking work must have gone into it. For, as the coolest cats know, few things are more difficult to achieve than the appearance of effortlessness. So much for up-and-coming artists.

And then, sadly, we witnessed the passing of Joža Horvat – resistance fighter, writer, screen writer, director, political dissident, sailor, adventurer – the ultimate Tomcat. The man who was surely in the know, at least as regards a few crucial things in life, one of them undoubtedly being friendship. This much for legends, and may he and his legacy live in memory for a long time to come.

And, finally, lo and behold, in this past fortnight Zagreb actually hosted the fife World Cat Show, or Feline Olympics, if you will.

More than a thousand pedigree cats on display, more than twenty thousand people in attendance, and here we are, finally with an excuse to put the very coolest of cats on the cover of this issue.

And remember this. This author is rather sick of that oft heard, pedestrian division of humans into cat people and dog people. Rubbish. For there are only the ‘cool cats’, and those who are not. And yes, dog people too can fall into the former category.

www.see-magazine.eu

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fortnightly news / the economy

world bank: balkan business environment improves

hup moves against ‘black list’

A new report from the World Bank says that it is becoming easier to do business in the Balkan region, as Governments are pushing forward with reforms – looking to reduce red tape and improve transparency so as to attract foreign investment. While progress varies from country to country, the report clearly indicates that Serbia has made the greatest advances in the past year, followed closely

by Bosnia and Herzegovina. Credit was given to Sarajevo for their efforts in reforming the taxation system and overcoming difficulties in the registration of property. Some further reforms are still required, said the report, but all countries are moving in the right direction.

slovenia looks to ‘fuel’ the economy

restis group debt allegedly equals investment

The price of petrol and diesel has dropped in Slovenia, with regular unleaded costing just under 1.50 Euros per litre, Premium costing just under 1.52 Euros per litre, and diesel costing just over 1.05 Euros per litre. Slovenian prices are adjusted nationally on a fortnightly basis, using data from the global oil markets and taking into account the strength of the Euro against the US Dollar.

What makes this news all the more interesting is that Petrol, Slovenia’s largest fuel retailer, has announced profit figures of almost 42 million Euros, which is an increase of 16% on the first nine month period of 2011.

The Montenegrin Network for Affirmation of Non-Governmental Sector (MANS) has issued further complaints about the Greek Restis Group, who are currently the main investors in the Sveti Stefan town/hotel complex. MANS have drawn attention to the fact that, again, Restis has avoided paying all due tax, bringing their debt to the State to over 2.5 million Euros. According to MANS, this is an equivalent figure to the amount the group has thus far invested in their operation on Sveti Stefan, a statement one must take with considerable reserve. In any event, earlier this year MANS filed criminal charges, for abuse of office, against several Ministers within the Montenegrin Government for their part in aiding Restis Group to avoid making good on their liabilities. However, charges were dismissed by the Attorney General in Kotor as being “without grounds”. In the meantime, hotel resources at Sveti Stefan remain only partially open, due to unfinished reconstruction, while “the State suffers losses measured in millions of Euros”, according to MANS.

carnex and delhaize at war in serbia Carnex, a company operating in the meat industry, and the Delhaize supermarket chain (formerly Delta Maxi) are currently engaged in a quiet war, due to the latter’s demand for lower prices and higher retail margins. At the moment Carnex are refusing to deliver goods to Delhaize because the chain’s demand would result in a loss for the supplier. At the same time, Carnex are accusing Delhaize of increasing their margins on Carnex products by as much as 45%. Delhaize has a number of Carnex delicatessen products on their shelves, but all of these have been obtained through other suppliers and not from the original producer. While the new Government has limited retail margins on the category of essential, or Giffen, goods, to 10%, retailers in Serbia are looking to compensate on other categories. Salami, paté, and other deli meats do not fall within the protected category.

The Croatian Employers Association (HUP) has filed a petition for a Constitutional review regarding changes to the Tax Law which came into effects on the 1st of July. The changes, which are being looked at, refer to the so called ‘Black List’ of tax debtors. HUP claim that the publishing of tax debtors’ names is in direct violation of the Constitutional rights regarding protection of basic human rights and privileges. Employers are making their case by claiming that no safeguards have been put in place for the protection of privileged information regarding their inclusion on the black list. Moreover, any debtor has a right to dispute the tax claim before the Administrative Court prior to payment, before the claim becomes enforceable - a fact not taken into account by the changes to the Tax Law.

new croatian revolver for u.s. market The company HS Produkt from Karlovac, Croatia, who made their name through the production of the HS series of automatic pistols which were marketed in the United States under the brand of Springfield Armories, are now launching a new product – a revolver which will be known as RHS. This particular weapon has spent two years in testing and production is scheduled to commence shortly, with the US market remaining their primary target (pun unavoidable in the circumstances). This latest product boasts several original, and patented, features, and will be (to start with) designed to support a 9mm Parabellum calibre, something quite uncommon for a revolver. HS Produkt has taken America by storm, especially since the introduction of a subcompact pistol earlier this year. They have recently taken on an extra 300 workers, bringing their total workforce to 1,400. They are one of Croatia’s best performing companies.

november 8th

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linić foretells further cutbacks

nova agrobanka & poštanska štedionica The Agrobanka case continues to unfold, with new arrests taking place on an ongoing basis, but fresh controversy has struck. Carl Bildt, the Swedish Foreign Minister, was one of Agrobanka’s minority shareholders, who might now sue the Serbian Government for their re-registering Nova Agrobanka as being wholly State-owned. If the situation is not settled in a favourable manner by November 26th, we can expect further action to be taken. This date heralds the six month deadline upon which an amount of 70 million Euros is due to EU shareholders. Meanwhile, newly adopted laws have enabled the transfer of those healthy assets and obligations of Nova Agrobanka to Poštanska štedionica, without jeopardising its stability. Poštanska štedionica will assume ownership of these assets, as the most stable bank in the market with a wide business network and firm deposit structure.

new credit line from hbor HBOR, the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development, has signed a contract with the World Bank allowing for a 50 million Euro loan. The funds in question will be used to finance a credit line intended to support export oriented programmes within the private sector. The loan to HBOR has been issued with State guarantees, signed by Finance Minister Linić, with an interest rate of 1.3% and a grace period of seven and a half years. The funds will be added to an existing CEFIL project, and will be used to finance long term investments in export oriented industries and tourism. As stated by Minister Linić, “the funds in question may not seem as much, but a means of further financing will be looked into through the course of next year - through further loans and other forms of co-operation”.

Slavko Linić, Croatian Minister of Finance, has stated that, due to engagement on implementation of structural reforms, the Government has failed to make any headway in the field of attracting new investments. Linić made an optimistic play, saying that in the year to come the progress made on structural reforms will start to pay off and allow for progress to be made in attracting investments to Croatia, which are badly needed. On a negative, and somewhat contradictory, note, Linić added that since “all the cutbacks possible” have been made in the current budget, the Government will have to start making cuts in capital investments, raising the need for the influx of foreign and private capital. The statements

by Linić came on the eve of an expected 2012 budget rebalancing, with a negative GDP outlook casting its shadow. EBRD projects a fall of 1.9 %, worse than the 1.4% drop projected in the previous quarter. EBRD also projected that if any rise in GDP does occur in 2013, it will be by no more than 0.5% - 1%.

pliva closes deal with teva Pliva and Teva, its parent company, have closed a deal which will make Zagreb the base of financial operations for Teva’s European sister companies. Pliva will be starting a financial service, employing over 100 people during H1 of 2013, which will be dedicated to Teva’s European holdings. This contract was won through fierce competition, primarily with the Irish branch of Eli Lilly. Teva have indicated that Pliva won because of their “use of SAP software, professional approach, know-how and knowledge of foreign languages”, as stated by Pliva CEO Tihomir Orešković. The deal in question will make Zagreb the first city in South Eastern Europe to be the centre of European financial operations of a large multi-national company.

jat on its last landing gear At one point this year it seemed as if SEE was reporting on the state of the regional airlines at every opportunity. Well, now it appears as if JAT, the Serbian national airline, could be wound up so as to allow a new, debt-free, entity to rise in its place. JAT had sought a loan from the State so as to be able to remain in business, but this was denied. The current thinking is that it might be more fiscally prudent to start from scratch rather than attempt to alter business models which are clearly outdated and outmoded for the modern business environment. If Serbia was to create a new airline, then they would have the option of taking delivery of new aircraft from Airbus, a contract which is over 15 years old but never acted upon. Already a number of operational partners, all Middle Eastern, have been mentioned in connection with a new airline. Partners had been sought for JAT in 2011, but no airline was interested at the time.

new members appointed to ina supervisory board The Government has finally appointed three new members to the INA Supervisory Board, to replace the three members, Davor Štern, Gordana Sekulić, and Damir Vanđelić, who had recently called for the resignation of INA CEO Zoltan Aldot. The Croatian Government has intended to let Radimir Čačić and Slavko Linić, Ministers of the Economy and Finance, respectively, to join the board, but a number of protests from many sources, including the European Union, it was decided instead to appoint three non-party individuals. The three to join the board are lawyer Siniša Petrović, consultant Željko Perić, and former INA official Mladen Proštenik.

www.see-magazine.eu

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fortnightly news / of general interest

dačić meets thaçi in brussels

new head of croatian television named Goran Radman has been named as the new Director of HRT, a move which has met with mixed reaction across the political and civic spectrum. Radman, who formerly held positions such as Regional Director (Zagreb) of Yugoslav Radio and Television (JRT) and Director of Microsoft Croatia, and later Director of Microsoft Southeast Europe, has expressed his intention to reorganise HRT in accordance with modern radio and television standards, already in use across Europe.

While HRT employs 3,000 people, many feel that the company is as yet underdeveloped and could be operating much more efficiently.

Nova TV has been stealing viewers away from HRT over recent years. Radman will hold office for five years, but he is seen in some circles as being a relic of the former regime, or as unfit to adequately re-energise HRT so as to be able to compete in the 21st century. Perhaps Radman will have access to some Steve Ballmer techniques and surprise everyone.

The first official meeting between the Prime Ministers of Serbia and Kosovo took place in Brussels under the auspices of the EU's Head of Diplomacy, Catherine Ashton. The meeting was held behind closed doors, and no photographs or statements were released after the event. Dačić claimed that an alleged handshake, which took place between the two men, was “not historical” but merely “polite”, and that the occasion was simply a “talk about the talks”, presuming that the future dialogue regarding Kosovo's status will be of a neutral nature, and that recognition of Kosovo is out of the question. For Hashim Thaçi, the meeting fell entirely within the Constitution and legislation of the Republic of Kosovo, as the normalisation of mutual relations would also lead to mutual recognition. This close encounter will probably be remembered by Dačić’s soundbites: “Kosovo is mine as much as his [Thaçi's] because I was born there”, and “I fought the war against Thaçi, why wouldn't I negotiate with him”.

It could be the case that several dangerous criminals could soon be at large, but not because of any concerted jailbreak; the Serbian parliament is currently debating a proposed Law on Amnesty. The legislation, if passed, would reduce the total number of prisoners in Serbia in order to relieve pressure on the State budget. As things stand, Serbian prisons are operating at 120% of capacity. The draft law suggests the release and/or reduction of sentences for some 3,600 inmates, and while those serving time for serious crimes such as aggravated murder, organised crime, bribery, terrorism, drug trafficking, and domestic abuse would be generally excluded, it could apply to such infamous characters as Joca Amsterdam (incitement to commit murder), Andrija Drašković (murder), Miladin Kovačević (assault in the United States and subsequent escape), and Uroš Mišić (grievous bodily harm of a policeman at a football match). The debate is sure to remain heated.

hillary clinton visits the region US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has just left the Balkan region after five days. The reason for her journey was to discuss Croatia’s role within NATO as well as to underline US support for the country in its odyssey towards membership of the European Union. In addition to visiting Croatia the wife of former President Bill Clinton spent time in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, and Albania.

rallies in pristina following thaçi's meeting with dačić The Kosovar “Self Determination” movement held a violent rally in Priština following the meeting of Thaçi and Dačić in Brussels. Beginning in front of Government and parliament buildings in the capital, it quickly got out of hand as the gathered crowds hurled rotten fruit and stones at the special police force responsible for maintaining order. The authorities responded by attempting to break the rally by means of force, but this resulted in injuries to a number of police and protesters. Albin Kurti, the leader of the movement, called an end to the rally, but immediately announced a new one. Kurti claimed that this rally was a notable victory in their push towards self determination.

new amnesty to release serious criminals in serbia?

istrian environmentalists sue the state swedish royalty to visit croatia King Carl XVI and his wife Queen Silvia have accepted an invitation from President Ivo Josipović to visit the Republic of Croatia, and will spend three days there, from April 16th to 18th. A number of Swedish Ministers are to accompany the Royal couple, as well as a business delegation, in the hope that stronger economic ties might be possible. H&M and Tele 2, and Ikea, all Swedish, already operate in Croatia.

Members of the two environmental preservation NGOs, Zelena Akcija and Zelena Istria, have filed a law suit against the Ministry of Environmental Preservation and Nature before the Administrative Court in Rijeka, regarding the construction of Plomin 3 Thermal Power Plant. This suit is aimed directly at the ecology licence, issued by the Ministry, since it allows for the use of coal as fuel rather than natural gas, something which is contravention of zoning regulations within Istria County. Both NGOs have also filed a claim to halt the work on Plomin 3 until such time as the Court can issue a decisive ruling.

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baby boom the goal for macedonia

serbian foreign minister visits albania Ivan Mrkić, Serbian Foreign Minister, has made his first official visit to Tirana, where he met his Albanian counterpart, Edmond Panariti. “The Serbian Government is determined to develop strong bonds with Albania, and find points of common interest which will bring us closer, in spite of fundamental differences which contrive to push us apart”. Panariti referenced the recent meeting of Dačić and Thaçi in Brussels, and stated that Albania would welcome Serbia's recognition of Kosovo. On the other hand, Panariti strongly advocated the integration of ethnic Albanians from the Preševo Valley with the existing Serbian establishment, and expressed his hopes that Serbia would facilitate the same. Both Ministers agreed that both Serbia and Albania should adopt strategies of integration for the sake of regional stability and wider integration into the EU. This is Serbia's first official visit to Albania on a Ministerial level since 2004.

It’s a common theme throughout much of Europe that the population balance is tending more and more towards a higher percentage of pensioners. Macedonia, however, is facing a population crisis which could, if not tackled, become a disaster for the country. The country currently possesses a birth rate of 1.4, which is below the necessary 2.1. In order to rectify this the Government is considering a number of programmes which will affect the educational system, infrastructural access, and other aspects of social inclusion, so that couples are no longer punished financially for having children.

Of course, it would not be the Balkans without some controversy, with a number of groups claiming such moves are, in fact, designed further to marginalise civil liberty causes, such as gay rights and women’s lib. Past efforts to boost the birth rate were quashed in the courts, as almost all the provisions were biased in favour of ethnic Macedonians, rather than the populace as a whole (i.e. the Albanians as well).

Following the heavy rain which lashed the region over recent weeks the nuclear depot in Krško, Slovenia, has been forced to cease operation. The high water levels had deposited “leaves and other impurities” into the water system. In addition, the unusually high levels had threatened to flood the cooling system, something which triggered a number of failsafe systems. The plant, which has been open since 1981, has only been forced to shutdown once before, and that was in 2005.

While not related to the Plomin 3 plant in Croatia, this incident will likely refocus media attention on non-green energy sources.

incident marks basketball match in podgorica

serbian football faces suspension threat A number of incidents, which took place during an U21 match between Serbia and England in Kruševac, could well have lasting consequences. The Serbian FA stands accused of racism against a number of the visiting team, and calls from their English counterparts could lead to a suspension from International competition for as long as two years. Sanctions were called for

by David Cameron, British Prime Minister, as well as Michel Platini, but the Serbian FA, specifically President Tomislav Karadžić, responded by claiming that the “Serbian people have never been, nor will be, racist.” The matter is being investigated by officials from UEFA, as video and photographic evidence is being consulted. The Serbian FA have already suspended some of their players for their part in a post match brawl, but UEFA are under pressure to take further action. Already, Serbia was issued a 16,000 Sterling fine in 2007 following racist chanting during a match with England.

slovenian nuclear power plant shutdown (for now)

foreign minister to contest zagreb mayoral election In somewhat of a shock move, Vesna Pusić of the Croatian People’s Party (HNS), currently the Croatian Foreign Minister, is allegedly to contest the position of Mayor of Zagreb in next year’s local elections. This move is considered to be political manoeuvring on the part of HNS, a member of the ruling Kukuriku Coalition, who are hoping to convince Zoran Milanović’s Social Democratic Party to enter the elections as part of a coalition pact.

If Pusić is to enter the race then it would become far more high profile than ever imagined, and she would likely become a firm front runner, alongside SDP’s Davor Bernardić and the incumbent Milan Bandić, also formerly of SDP.

A huge clash between supporters and police marked the ABA League derby between Budućnost (Podgorica) and Partizan (Belgrade) recently. Rather unusual, as such ‘events’ usual occur when Croatian and Serbian teams face one another, not Serbian and Montenegrin. Before the match began, Montenegrin supporters (‘the Barbarians’) ran across the pitch towards Partizan’s ‘Gravediggers’, and these were quickly followed by others, carrying chairs, who had further mischief on their minds. The police were forced to intervene physically, with batons and shields, in an attempt to move the Partizan supporters towards the exits. This use of force was justified by the police on the basis that one of their number had been struck on the head by a burning torch, flung from the Montenegrin side. The home supporters did not get off lightly, receiving a line charge from the police, and suffered a total of eighteen injuries. The ‘Morača’ area now emptied, the game could begin, which Partizan won 81 – 62.

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Milan Zver gave his wife a prominent role within his campaign, so prominent in fact that some might wonder which of the two is actually running for office.

november 8th

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politics

Slovenian Presidential Election 2012: The Usual Suspects in a Few Odd Scenarios If there is anything that pundits can agree upon these days, it is that the Slovenian Presidential race is the most boring of election campaigns to date; old faces, stale ideas, and the run-of-the-mill media circus – all of which seems to be leaving people cold. But a closer inspection begs the question: is there more to it, in spite of everything?

by Sebastijan Maček

N

ot for any lack of trying, but Danilo Türk, incumbent President of Slovenia, has been using the privileges appended to his office to reach the voters directly. Thus far his Presidential itinerary has been so packed with events in far flung and remote villages that one could almost forget that his primary voter base resides within urban Slovenia. Of course, it may be that this is by design, so that he might ‘reinvent’ himself, given his reputation for being somewhat aloof and enamoured of the lavish trappings and perks which come with high office.

Similarly, the campaign of Milan Zver, the centre-right candidate who is backed by two of the coalition parties – Slovenian Democrats (sds) and New Slovenia (nsi) – could be taken word for word from any us campaign handbook. He’s been organising a series of carefully choreographed ‘conventions’, at which the party faithful eagerly wave the Slovenian flag, sing traditional songs, and listen to heart rending testimonies which extol the virtues of their candidate. In a further nod to the us, Zver also gave his wife a prominent role within his campaign, so prominent in fact that some might wonder which of the two is actually running for office.

Borut Pahor, former Prime Minister and current Social Democratic candidate, is running what might arguably be called the most original of campaigns. For the past few months he has been working full daily shifts at a variety of companies, as a means of “connecting with the voters” and “seeing how work gets done”. So far he’s packed socks, made pizza, sold cars, performed janitorial tasks, and even penned an op-ed for a business newspaper; all of

So far Pahor has packed socks, made pizza, sold cars and even penned an oped for a business newspaper.

these are valuable experiences for a career politician, of this there can be no doubt, but perhaps of dubious value for an individual seeking the highest office in the land.

On reflection it becomes obvious why these three campaigns appear so personable, and highlighting the ‘moral authority’ which the President must be seen to be: in Slovenia the President has very limited powers (at least during peacetime, long may it last), beyond proposing candidates for the Constitutional Court, the position of Human Rights Ombudsman, and a handful of other institutions. Oh, and don’t forget rubber-stamping legislation: the President gets to wield that particular power with abandon.

all talk Although there has been no shortage of debate, and in varying formats, thus far the campaign has failed to inspire those who watch on. To date it has been nothing but a rehashing of views about post-war history, support versus opposition to Government policies, and bickering over who is, or is not, the “unifying force” which Slovenia needs in order to overcome the

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worst economic crisis since independence. Indeed, the fuzzy notion of ‘unifying’ the nation has been the overarching theme, though it has never been satisfactorily explained how exactly the only legitimate President is “the President of all Slovenians” when the plurality of political views is inherent to the very fabric of democracy.

So far, form has got the better of content. But below the surface, and behind the scenes, this Presidential race offers an honest glimpse into a polity in flux, a postSocialist country amidst political turmoil where old political concepts and divisions have been relegated to the trash heap and new ones are yet to emerge. It also provides a telling insight into the brutal reality of party politics and the short halflife of alliances.

Take the current President Danilo Türk, for instance. He is formally running as an Independent although he has been endorsed by Zoran Janković’s Positive Slovenia, the largest opposition party in the country.

As could only be expected, however, Türk appears ill at ease with the support

a few odd scenarios Borut Pahor, on the other hand, ought to be the candidate of the Social Democrats, the most leftist party in parliament, but his campaign so far could easily fool you.

However, when he takes time off doing blue-collar jobs actually to do some conventional campaign work, he seems to be more comfortable courting voters on the right: he has made it a centrepiece of his campaign to criticise his record as Prime Minister between 2008 and 2011 – letting it slip in a recent debate that “my Government failed because of my folly and my mistakes” – and defending the policies of Prime Minister Janez Janša, including some controversial reforms.

This has naturally put the Social Democrats in an awkward position and, beyond providing token support; the party is weary of putting its full weight behind the candidate. This is understandable, especially considering that Pahor was kicked out as Party President just months ago. Most analysts are of the opinion that less than half of the party’s rank and file support him as candidate for President.

In the absence of an October Surprise, polls suggest Türk will win by a wide margin on the 11th of November, although…

from the controversial Mayor of Ljubljana, who just weeks ago was targeted in a police raid and looks likely to face formal corruption charges soon. Although he has been trying hard to come across as bipartisan or even non-partisan, the association with Janković places him firmly on the left, much more so than he might perforce desire. A second endorsement, from the influential Association of Veterans of the Second World War, has probably given Türk an edge amongst older voters, but it has also opened him to the charge – no points for guessing here – that he simply cannot be the President of all Slovenians if he is affiliated with a group which the anti-Communist right, that wields huge influence with the Government, deplores.

Some order, finally Voters will get to choose from only three candidates, compared to nine in 2002 and seven in 2007. Smaller parties refrained from fielding their own candidates and the usual illustrious array of minnows vying to copy the Monster Raving Loony Party failed to pass the hurdle of collecting 5,000 signatures in order to be put on the ballot. They included a former priest excommunicated from the Catholic Church and a young woman whose previous career highlight was having a nude photo taken for a calendar.

The Social Media All campaigns have bet big on social media, flooding Twitter and Facebook with a barrage of messages and updates, but that may have limited value in the campaign beyond providing information to existing supporters. Borut Pahor has 6,000 Facebook ‘likes’ and 2,000 followers on Twitter. But a spoof Twitter profile, @HipsterBorut, has almost twice as many followers – and is infinitely more fun. Similarly, Danilo Türk, a latecomer to social media, has fewer than 1,000 followers on Twitter, whereas a spoofer going by the moniker @HRH_Danilo boasts almost 1,900 followers.

Even more awkwardly, the Social Democrats endorsed Türk five years ago and do not seem to have changed their opinion since, but Pahor practically forced their hand by independently deciding to seek the Presidency and only then asking for their support. It was difficult to say no to a person who had led the party for 15 years and was practically begging for endorsement. It took some mental acrobatics to get around that, but the President of the Social Democrats, Igor Lukšič (yes, the namesake of the Montenegrin pm), finally rationalised his choice by making a distinction between the “old left” around Türk, and a “new left” rallying behind Pahor. To make things even more odd, Pahor was endorsed by the Citizens’ List, a member of the central-right coalition that is trying desperately to come across as centrist but has instead earned a reputation for flip-flopping on an unprecedented scale.

Milan Zver too has his own set of problems. He might enjoy the full support of the two main centre-right parties, but polls show him trailing in third place. His particular problem seems to be an inability (or unwillingness) to distance himself sufficiently from the policies of an unpopular Government. In leftist circles he is being billed as some sort of Manchurian candidate for Janša, a charge that seems to have stuck. But he has got even bigger problems than that: Pahor, who has shown time and again that he can work perfectly well with Janša, albeit in a subordinated position, has made clear overtures to the right, which now faces a dilemma: does it mount an attack on Pahor to try and push Zver up in the polls, or does it focus on attacking Türk,

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Danilo Türk

Milan Zver

Borut Pahor

Born February 19th, 1952, Maribor

Born May 25th, 1962, Ljubljana

Born November 2nd, 1963, Postojna

Education M.A. from the Belgrade Faculty of Law

Education M.A. in sociology from Graz University

Education B.A. in political sciences from Ljubljana University

Party affiliation Independent (nominally left)

Party affiliation Slo Democratic Party (nominally centre right)

Recent career President of Slovenia

Recent career Party Vice-President, former Minister of Education and Sports

Recent career former Party President, former Prime Minister

spare Pahor, and hope that Türk does not win in the first round so that it may then endorse Pahor in the run-off without having eroded his reputation too much.

This scenario appears to be playing out, but it risks making the election a confidence vote for the Government, which is the last thing Janša wants, considering that Government ratings have hit rock bottom.

It also assumes, optimistically, that centre-right voters will actually vote for Pahor in the second round, though that is far from certain given that the right had spent three years trying to ease him out of office by making him look unfit for the job of Prime Minister. Conversely, Pahor could bleed support on the left if he is seen as an overly Janša-friendly candidate in a possible second round. Add to that the general impression that Zver is an underwhelming

candidate at best, and that his party boss Janša may not actually want him to win for fear this might create a powerful rival on the right, and Zver looks doomed.

In the absence of an October Surprise, polls suggest Türk will win by a wide margin on the 11th of November, though he may yet have to endure a second round. Barring a major upset, Pahor’s long and illustrious political career will come to an end, and Zver will return to Brussels as a member of the European Parliament. All back to normal then?

Not quite. If Türk wins, the Government will have a much stronger counterbalance in a term-limited President, unencumbered by re-election. Türk has grudgingly, and with caveats, endorsed the general direction of the Government’s reforms, but this does not mean he can be considered an ally.

Boozing on Election Day? Underlining the dullness, the campaign has so far produced none of the memes that another closely watched race with its finale in November, the US Presidential election, has an abundance of. However, it has a unique twist: voting will take place on St. Martin’s Day, a vastly popular celebration of must turning into wine, which involves heavy binging on new wine. This has been the source of countless predictable jokes, but it may, in fact, affect the turnout – or just produce more than the usual number of invalid ballots.

Party affiliation Social Democratic Party (nominally centre-left)

www.see-magazine.eu

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politics

Montenegro Closer To the New-Old Coalition Two weeks after the General Election, things are still boiling in the Montenegrin political kitchen, and, having whet the appetites of the electorate, both opposing parliamentary forces believe that they have just the main course to serve…

by Dylan Alexander

M

ontenegro's State Election Commission (dik) has published the official results of the General Elections (less those for Head of State) held on October 14th. These figures merely serve to copper fasten the preliminary numbers, which suggest that the ruling, Milo Đukanović-led coalition, dps-sdplp, remains the main victor with 39 seats in parliament, followed by the Democratic Front (df) with 20, the Socialist People’s Party (snp) with nine, and Positive Montenegro with seven seats. The Bosniak Party (bs), Albanian Coalition, Forca, and the Croatian Civic Initiative (hgi) each won a solitary seat, bringing to 81 the total number of seats in the new Montenegrin Assembly.

The Democratic Union of Albanians (dua) had sought to appeal the early results, but the Constitutional Court in Podgorica dismissed the group’s action as being without foundation. Dua, which won only 0.15% of the vote, claims it was deprived of one parliamentary seat due to a selective interpretation of the Montenegrin Law on elections. Unofficial sources in the State Election Commission claim that the Commission's president, as well as some members, tried to sneak dua, a long-time ally of the ruling coalition, into the Parliament and ensure one seat for them. This would have had a two-fold effect: the Democratic Front (df) of Miodrag Lekić would lose one seat, the one which dua would be given, and that would not only make it easier for European Montenegro, the coalition of dps-sdp-lp, to find another mp so as to form a majority

Government; they are currently short by two. Also, were dua to secure a seat, it would increase the total count of Albanian representatives to three, which would enable a small block to wield a disproportionate amount of power when it comes to future voting.

The two Albanian parties, Forca and Albanian Coalition, see the ruling coalition as their “natural partner”, and have dismissed the possibility of voting against European Montenegro. This means that dps-sdp-lp could even form a minority Government without the Bosniak Party, whose positive inclination was underlined by b&h’s President, Bakir Izetbegović, who said that the party should continue their collaboration with the ruling coalition. This act has been seen by many as open interference in Montenegro's internal affairs (and let’s be honest, it is), although it is impossible to say whether Izetbegović said it in the capacity of President, or as one of the leaders of sda, a fellow Bosniak party.

At the same time, the Democratic Front continues to plead for a Government of

National Unity, which in Miodrag Lekić's view would exclude the ruling coalition and involve pcg, snp, bs, hgi and the Albanian parties. It is highly improbable that this mix can be brought together, with many mutually exclusive political positions existing amongst the theoretical allies; all of this in spite of Lekić declaring that he would not revoke Montenegrin recognition of Kosovo, and his demands of snp to distance themselves from the legacy of Slobodan Milošević. The option of coming to power, even if just on the theoretical extreme of the political axiom “everything is possible”, would not be beneficial to df, as it would place this relatively new political force in the unenviable position of having to tackle the accumulated problems created by the former Government.

Still, such analyses did not stop df from initiating coalition talks in Nikšić with pcg and snp. Pcg has already informed sdp about their intention to refuse their offer to form a local majority in Montenegro's second largest city, and are currently negotiating with df and snp on ten principles, which are supposed to smooth over any speedbumps and harmonise any possible coalition agreements.

In other words, if df is eventually take over the reins of power, they will have do so first on the local level.

Every river begins as a stream. At least this is what they hope is the case, They must also hope that the urge for political change will mature, together with the new political alternatives which they feel they can provide, at least in time for the next elections, whenever they might be.

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the industry

The Smederevo Steel Mill: Or a Fistful of Rubles Serbia has put its sole steel producer up for sale yet again, attempting to save not only the company, but also the economy of the city of Smederevo and, by extension, the entire country. Could the Government's compromise for this rescue be as cheap as one dollar (and not even a crisp one at that) - the same amount for which us Steel sold the mill back to the State - or even less?

by Miša Milošević

A

new public tender for Železara Smederevo, formerly us Steel Serbia, is currently open, following the withdrawal of the American steel giant from Serbia in January this year due to business losses, and the subsequent reacquisition by the Serbian Government for one solitary us Dollar.

The steel mill in question had been the number one export company in Serbia until recently, and had been operating there for nine years, but was forced to cease its activities due to the falling price of steel on the international market and the rising price of coke (a type of ground charcoal, not the illegal drug), which had to be imported.

This is the Government's second attempt, in six months, to sell the Smederevo mill - whose production stopped completely in July. The previous tender, which started in April, wasn't successful because none of the three applicants United Pilsen from Luxemburg, Donetsk Steel Group from Ukraine, and Ural Mining and Metalurgical Company from Russia - put in a finalised bid.

In an attempt to forestall a repeat of this incident, the Government established contacts with two important steel players so that they might make a sale by direct bid: talks were initiated with Rinat Akhmetov, Ukrainian steel and electricity tycoon, and with London-based Indian magnate Lakshmi Mittal. The latter had enjoyed a bad reputation in Serbia due to the unsuccessful

privatisation of Magnohrom from Kraljevo, which saw the ruination of the factory over the course of five years and the forced sale of company assets due to illiquidity and unpaid payroll for several months – all of which eventually lead to the termination of the privatisation agreement. None of the two bought the mill, nor did they even come close to doing so.

devaluation of political currencies There are obvious reasons why the Government is so eager to see Železara Smederevo back on its feet again. Beyond the fact that one can count usable industry combinates in Serbia with the fingers of one hand, Smederevo had made some impressive contributions to the national economy under us Steel's management. Its share in Serbia's total exports was around 14% in its heyday, while their percentile contribution to the country's gdp was as high as 5%.

In addition, us Steel was the country's biggest industrial spender, notably of electricity, gas and railway transport - 30% of the latter's turnover was earned from us Steel alone. The company had become not only the motor of the Serbian economy, but also the life support of Smederevo, employing some 5,500 people with an average net salary of 550 Euros per month, which also perpetuated the growth of the extended region, counting more than 230,000 inhabitants.

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The Government therefore decided to value Smederevo mill quite highly, and to raise the bar for whatever future owner: bidders on this tender must be involved in the fields of metallurgy and exploitation of ore, production of raw iron, coke or steel, and must have realised at least 2.5 billion us Dollars of revenue in 2011. Moreover, the bidders should present a business plan with a minimum investment plan of 50 million us Dollars in the next four years, budgeting for production, revitalisation and a new investment cycle. Under these conditions, so far, only one bidder has expressed interest – without, however, putting in the bid as of yet: the Russian Uralvagonzavod (uvz).

The talks with the Russian conglomerate actually began earlier this year, as a part of intense political and business contact between Belgrade and Moscow. Serbian shuttle diplomacy, which has put the

Has the Serbian shuttle diplomacy offered Železara Smederevo almost for free, as a political concession to Russia? economy to the fore, and essentially leaving the status of Kosovo off top of its international agenda (not that anyone in the Serbian hierarchy considers Kosovo to be anything other than ‘domestic’), offered Železara Smederevo almost for free, as a political concession to Russia.

Although this would undoubtedly enable Moscow to extend its presence in the region, selling the mill for just one us Dollar (or ruble) would still be a good deal, so long as the new owner took on the burden of operational costs and total liabilities, estimated at over 600 million Euros.

One of the biggest issues that still remain to be tackled in negotiations is the improper shutdown of one of the furnaces, suspected to have been performed by the Americans as they were leaving the plant.

The re-ignition process would cost a lot of money. This is probably the point where direct negotiations stalled, as both sides were optimistically announcing that the deal was “almost done”, and that “some small details remained to be fixed”.

In response to this singular impasse the Government decided to open a tender on October 7th, which uvz did not like at all, as it immediately meant the bargaining was over and new terms and conditions had to be met by bidders.

does smederevo make any sense?

Is Železara Smederevo really such a national gem and business opportunity?

Some figures regarding its business operations over the past few years may suggest a less than successful story. The bottom line, which hadn't been published by the time the Government repurchased the mill, shows that the company's liabilities were two times higher than its assets - some analysts, such as Milan Kovačević, independent foreign investments consultant, even say that someone should go to prison for approving the one dollar state re-acquisition.

Going into further details, Smederevo had never reached its designed production capacity of 2.2 million tonnes. But even with its lower-than-maximum production (some say it never went beyond half of capacity) contributing significantly to the country's gdp, the iron ore and coke were imported from abroad, thus diminishing the company's total role in gdp to an insignificant stake.

It is clear that the future of Železara Smederevo is almost exclusively in the Government's interest, but keeping it on artificial life support seems to be unjustifiable.

Milan Kovačević has a radical point of view: “It is inevitable that Serbia needs to shut down Smederevo, sooner or later. The burden of debt should have been left to the company, which had to go into liquidation. The workers should have been sent home and paid for doing nothing, instead of keeping the mill running with a skeleton crew and producing losses. It would be better to shut Smederevo down and let go of this illusion which has only been creating problems since the very beginning”.

According to Kovačević, we shouldn't expect a serious bidder on the tender, due to the fact that steel prices are still in decline and because of the tender criteria, which are almost impossible to meet.

“Chances that the tender is successful are slim, almost none”, Kovačević concludes.

Although the only bidder, uvz, meets all the imposed criteria, Russian analysts state that the mill’s production capacities may be superfluous for uvz's foreign operations, while the import of steel into the Russian Federation would simply be too expensive, thus putting in question the viability of the operation in the first place.

And what about the political price?

Other Russian business ventures in Serbia, such as Gazprom and Rosneft, seem to be at least more profitable. A hint arrived just days ago: though it has been optimistically announced that the deal is almost done, the Ministry of Finance and Economy extended the tender deadline until December 26th. A bad sign?

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the industry

No Smoking In Banja Luka: Can It Be? Last September pm of Republika Srpska Aleksandar Džombić stated that he would be working closely with the Minister of Agriculture to preserve jobs in the Banja Luka Tobacco Factory. Since then, however, the situation has only taken a turn for the worse.

by Mark Ferris

T

he Tobacco Factory Workers’ Union has called on the Government of Republika Srpska to react promptly so as to preserve some 260 jobs, and insure the lasting preservation of the factory. The factory has apparently been mismanaged by its parent company, Antonić Trade, and has seen a veritable halt to production.

The factory’s main brand name products - Long and Morava cigarettes - have all but disappeared from the market. The company, which is now facing receivership, has been in dire straits for quite some time now, and this has the Government of Republika Srpska mulling over two options. The first, a termination of the contract of sale made with Antonić Trade; or, secondly, the possibility of attracting investment to revitalise the factory. Aleksandar Džombić also talked to representatives of Bulgartabak, who are looking to expand into the region – but nothing concrete has been agreed as of yet..

A potential sale of Antonić Trade’s share in the factory to the German Tobacco Group (gtg) did not go through earlier on in the year as Nebojša Antonić refused the offer made by gtg's Thomas Schuman. This offer, which would have moved all company debt onto the German’s balance sheet, would only have seen a paltry amount of actual money change hands. Had gtg assumed control, they would have recapitalised the company and introduced their own brands into local production. But this scenario was in nobody’s interest.

From the beginning, the factory was a cautionary tale: Fabrika Duvana Banja Luka had been taken over, in 2006, by Antonić

Trade, who bought a 55% share for just over one million Euros. In the agreement, Antonić Trade pledged to invest 2.4 million Euros over a period of three years, and to raise the number of employees to 350.

From the very beginning the workers were claiming that their new boss was in breach of contract, but the Investment and Development Bank of Republika Srpska, who were overseeing the entire process, continued to report that Antonić Trade’s actions were fully compliant. At least until recently, when, just two months prior to the expiration of this contract, Džombić began entertaining the notion of terminating it due to non-fulfilment of contractual obligations.

Antonić’s company is the importer of tdr’s (Rovinj Tobacco Factory) products for Republika Srpska, and, what is now becoming evident (or at least most likely), is that the purchase of the Banja Luka factory was designed to remove competition within the marketplace. Antonić acquired disused production machinery from the Zagreb Tobacco Factory – the machinery, which cost 1.8

million Euros, was never installed as it apparently could not fit inside the Banja Luka factory’s infrastructure. Antonić claimed that his petition for a licence to expand these facilities was denied by the Government, as the buildings in question are actually protected structures.

The Unions, of course, are taking a different line, and say that Antonić knew that the machinery would be useless to him, and that he made the purchase only to meet the conditions in the contract. On top of this, instead of purchasing raw materials directly from the wholesale suppliers, the factory was forced to purchase everything through Antonić Trade, allegedly at inflated prices.

While their own production volumes dwindled, Antonić took up the slack within their distribution network by substituting in cigarettes provided by Antonić Trade, and produced by tdr. So, from 2007 until 2010, Banja Luka Tobacco Factory amassed losses of 1.6 million Euros, while Antonić Trade saw a net profit of 6.5 million Euros.

Once all the numbers are crunched, it would seem as if the land on which the factory is situated, right next to the new Governmental complex, is worth somewhere between five and eight million Euros, and Antonić is indeed reportedly planning to develop a business complex on the site, which might explain why he refused the offer from gtg back in April.

So, more of the Balkan usual, one might say, and the remedy is nowhere in sight.

And no, we do not perforce advocate the smoking of cigarettes as something desirable. Then again, this article is not about cigarettes, is it?

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financial

HNB Governor Vujčić On a Quaint Offensive One thought for a while that, all due complexities notwithstanding, the Croatian politico-economic pantheon had been figured out. At least when it came to the banking sector, which has always been inviolable.

Is this still the case?

by Igor Dakić

C

oncerns voiced over the recent recessionary years by all the key actors, such as they were, have been more than justified. Between the start of the global crisis in 2008 and the end of 2011, Croatian gdp had declined by 8.3%; and if we add to this figure the projections for 2012, it means that, in four years, the Croatian economy will have contracted by a cumulative of 10%.

As we have written time and again, a number of measures were (and are being) taken: cuts in the public sector (though not nearly enough), introduction of new taxes and increases of existing ones (vat in particular), partial restructuring of the biggest companies, road privatisation schemes – and the list goes on. It took everyone a while, apparently, to start looking at the banking sector from a comprehensive perspective. Namely Governor Vujčić.

Occasional minor shocks aside, the relatively recent history – the last ten-odd years or so – of Croatia’s banking sector has been marked by exemplary performance. Highly liquid, the biggest banks saw (especially Zaba and pbz) – and are in fact partially still seeing, at least for the nonce – healthy growth and hefty margins, definably eliciting the impression that Croatia has attained a high level of banking maturity; or at least stability. The most recent developments, however, though still in their incipient stage, have created major cause for concern, as capital, large sums of money, appear to be ‘leaving’ the country; and such a reflux of capital, as Vujčić himself intimated, could have disastrous consequences: it could endanger the exchange rate and put the entire financial system at risk.

In other words, major banks are choosing to divert some of their capital elsewhere, whether to service their own debts to other institutions such as the ecb, or to buy up bonds, or to return cash to their parent companies. Put simply, though sitting on plenty of money, the banks do not seem to be of the opinion that lending in Croatia is the way to go. Naturally, by way of response, Vujčić immediately called for a gathering, which was held last week in hnb, of the leading local bankers and their foreign owners on one hand, and their regulators on the other.

Hnb’s official statement was customarily trite: “In open discussion opinions were exchanged regarding the potential of the Croatian financial market and further development of Croatia’s major banking institutions, all with the aim of preserving financial stability.” Special focus was placed on the role of regulators, “who are to ensure the proper functioning of the Croatian financial system, in accordance with the needs of the economy.”

A similar scenario was averted in 2008, when hnb even considered implementing a ban on the withdrawal of deposits and early repayment of loans to parent companies – which, of course, would have run counter to eu regulations – but ultimately decided not to take that course of action. But 2012 is not 2008. For the question is: can we, in 2012, trust bankers to place stability at the forefront, possibly at the expense of profit?

Indeed, some statements are quite contradictory. Less than a year ago Franjo Luković, President of the Board of Zaba, the largest Croatian bank, warned the public and the profession that we might soon be witnessing a shortage of capital needed to perpetuate the lending cycle, which is exactly what we appear to be witnessing now.

However, the mass of deposits have gone up (by 6.9 billion Kuna, or roughly 900 million Euros), not down, which should have not only maintained, but increased, the levels of lending (in this category the drop registered was in the amount of 2.8 billion Kuna, or roughly 370 million Euros). In short, the banks do have the money to lend, but do not wish to. Or rather, which is perhaps closer to the truth, they are operating in a market in which they do not have a critical mass of customers who are willing to borrow, at least not under the current terms and conditions.

The main thing that can be deduced is this, and it comes in the form of a question: is a degree of liberalisation of the market inevitable, and will we finally see, soon, some real competition between the key players?

www.see-magazine.eu

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in medias res

GMO or No GMO: Or is Serbia Going Organic?

With Serbia's membership of the World Trade Organisation all but ratified, domestic public opinion has raised a strong and almost unanimous voice against Genetically Modified (gm) food. But what does this mean? Is Serbia turning away from the eu and looking more after itself, or is it just a pseudo-political spin involving (someone’s) economic interest of sorts?

by Miša Milošević

S

erbia's accession to the World Trade Organisation is back on the agenda.

Following the long and slow process of market and trade reform and harmonisation with the Organisation’s regulations, which began back in 2005, and a series of bilateral trade agreements with individual member states, Serbia remains one of the last European countries to be on the waiting list, together with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Andorra and Belarus.

Now it appears that one of the last obstacles for Serbia, whose admittance to wto has been announced for the end of 2012, is its current legislation, which bans the import and production of gm organisms. More specifically, the law bans commercial import and production of such plants and animals, but allows such operations for research purposes. In addition, the presence of gm ingredients, up to 0.9%, is allowed in alimentary products.

The problem is that the wto trade principles do not know any kind of limitation, and require that the markets of member countries be entirely open.

Another factor to have in mind is that the United States has put certain pressure

on Serbia to change its legislation – for economic reasons, of course, as some American companies appear to have ‘an agenda’.

yes or no?

The reaction of public opinion to such announcements was immediate and very loud. The ‘Greens of Serbia’ organised a petition for a new, modified law on gmp, which would remove all potential holes in the existing version and make the country completely impermeable to any kind of genetically modified organisms, whether for commercial or experimental purposes. The Greens reminded all involved that a couple of years ago agriculture inspections destroyed acres of gm soy crops, but never found the origin of the seeds used, or who had sold them to the farmers involved.

The Serbian market, however, might already be overwhelmed with gm crops, according to Jan Boćanski, head of Direction for Plant Protection of Vojvodina, a group who claim that 33 out of 36 crop samples taken across 100 acres in Vojvodina tested positive to gmo.

Although the official science did not establish any direct connection between gm foods and any effect on human health, environmentalists are alarmed that the consequences of such foods are already visible, particularly in children: premature puberty, increased obesity rates, physical mutations, and diseases such as cancer.

Professor Miladin Ševarlić of the Faculty of Agriculture in Belgrade says that nobody has investigated yet if the gm crops found in Serbia are only soy or other species too. “We know that gm soy is grown on several thousand acres in Serbia. There is a great risk that other species in neighbouring fields are contaminated, naturally or intentionally, by gm plants”, says Professor Ševarlić. “Nobody can tell for sure if these are the only gm species in Serbia.”

aleksić vs. mk group Nikola Aleksić is the leader of the Novi Sad Ecological Movement and an unforgiving environmental activist. His authority has been partially discredited for his constant warning regarding the alleged chemtrail threat over Serbian airspace, which many

In 2011, every crop field in Hungary which was known to contain gm corn was ploughed under and destroyed by the Government.

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lobbying, and they have every right to do so. But lobbying to achieve exactly what?

As always, we shall find out in due course.

a trade-off?

Not all GM crops are necessarily evil If you have a background in agricultural science or even if you watched The West Wing you may well recall the name Norman Borlaug, or the man whose work during the mid-20th century resulted in countries such as Mexico, Pakistan, and India being able to produce more wheat, thus averting potential famine on more than one occasion.

Norman Borlaug won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for this work, and has been accredited with

consider to be nothing more than a conspiracy theory. Nevertheless, his persistent public voice for a green and healthy country, and his documented uncovering of the Government’s allegedly secret consent to gmo, Codex Alimentarius and other health and environmental issues which he sees as threats, almost put him in prison.

Earlier in October, Aleksić was sentenced to three months of imprisonment (with one year probation), after a lawsuit regarding the gmo presence in Serbia: mk Group, the Serbian representative of Monsanto, which is the World’s largest bioengineering company, sued Aleksić for damaging the reputation of the company and its owner, Miodrag Kostić, by accusing the company of secretly importing gm seeds and crops. Nikolić, however, has shown what seems to be undeniable proof that genetically modified soy crops have been continuously imported into Serbia since 2007, in spite of the existing law, which strictly forbids that. Moreover, Aleksić claims that Monsanto is already marketing other genetically modified products, big time, with false declarations and under a different brand name - that of ‘Dekalb’.

On the other hand, Ómk Group denied all of these allegations and claim that their

saving the lives of over one billion people worldwide. His work did not end there, however, and he applied his skills to other areas in Asia and Africa. Of course, where Borlaug used his knowledge to benefit the masses, Monsanto have used that legacy to line their pockets. He was never an environmentalist, at least not in the way we view them today, and his main goal was always to alleviate hunger and suffering. Borlaug died in 2009.

import activity is limited exclusively to Monsanto’s hybrid products. See tried to get in touch with the Group’s media representatives and provided a list of questions regarding their relations with Monsanto and products it marketed in Serbia; however, after ten days of silence, we decided that mk Group did not want to speak to us on this subject.

What about the Ministry of Agriculture?

The answer we got was straightforward and nothing more than expected: “The Ministry has no jurisdiction over Monsanto’s operations in Serbia. We control the production of seeds and crops, processing facilities and seed trade. Regarding the import of these goods, we perform gmo tests on hybrid corn, rapeseed, soy and sugar beet.”

No further details or data regarding experimental fields were disclosed or shared with the public.

Meanwhile, Monsanto is recruiting agricultural experts in Serbia. In September, the company, or its Serbian subsidiary of the same name, advertised jobs for Technology Development Representatives whose job description covers a wide range of duties, from basic agronomy to facilitating the acceptance of Monsanto products and technologies by key influencers. They’re

Although wto membership is not first on the list of the Government’s current priorities, the gmo issue will have to be tackled soon. Meanwhile, scientists, experts, the social media, bloggers, and those with some level of influence continue to keep the public up-to-date on all developments regarding this particular farrago. Examples of countries such as Bulgaria and Hungary, who are members of wto but who still don’t allow gm foods to be imported or grown, might be an encouraging signal that Serbia shouldn’t necessarily make what seems, apparently, a big trade-off.

The political meaning of refusing the gmo could be the victory and defence of the will of the nation - and possibly its health.

For it obvious that Serbia, or at least the civic aspect of Serbia’s society, wishes to see the so called Hungarian scenario: in 2011, every crop field in Hungary which was known to contain genetically modified corn was ploughed under and destroyed by the Government. Under Hungarian law, gmo seeds are illegal and authorities there have been working hard to ensure that no illegal plantings or sales of the same can take place anywhere in the country. Hard to add anything to that.

Monsanto & their lawyers Monsanto might well play the hard-done-by business in the popular press, but their actions speak for themselves. Their GM crops are very much patented and licensed to the hilt. A farmer who buys their seeds may only benefit from them for that particular season, and may not hold any over for a later plant. Of course, whether such a late plant is by design or by accident is of little import to Monsanto’s lawyers. Any farmer whose fields become contaminated, and contaminated is very much the word to use here,

by Monsanto crops, will suddenly find himself in breach of Monsanto's patents. It would be one thing if farmers were stealing these crops, but all it takes is a gust of wind to deposit a GM seed in your field and eventually your harvest will ‘magically’ become the property of Monsanto. A far cry from the vision and dreams of Borlaug.

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event horizon

Smoke & Mirrors: A Croatian Watergate Scenario It is an affair that has captured the attention of all of Croatia, and in an effort to determine who is responsible for the leaking of classified information into the public domain the whole mess is being dragged out before a parliamentary comity. The most important question, however, is likely to remain unanswered: just why was the information leaked in the first place?

by Miroslav Tomas

T

he scandal first broke when the Croatian daily newspaper Večernji List published an article which alleged that the Police National Office for Combating Organised Crime and Corruption (pnuskok) had been tapping, illegally, the phones of some individuals in Agrokor and the Security and Intelligence Agency (soa). The Police, under existing Croatian law, must obtain a court order so as to be able to monitor phone calls, but can observe phone numbers called, the duration of those calls, and extrapolate the locations of both caller and receiver – but only against an individual who is a suspect in an ongoing investigation.

It appears, however, that the Police have been overstepping their mark, and their legal boundaries, by indiscriminately adding names to their warrants, names of people who are not suspects in any investigation. One such name was the former head of soa, Josip Buljević.

The scandal was used by Tomislav Karamarko, President of the Croatian Democratic Union (hdz) and hence leader of the Opposition, who was himself formerly a major figure in the intelligence community, to call for the resignation of Ranko Ostojić, the current Minister of Internal Affairs (and hence, by the by, Karamarko’s successor on the job). The Minister simply replied that matters of surveillance did not fall under the scope of his jurisdiction.

Still, Prime Minister Zoran Milanović and President Ivo Josipović held a joint

press conference, in response to the allegations against pnuskok and Karamarko’s attack on the Government Minister. Both men stated that though it was true that surveillance had been undertaken against Buljević, no laws had been broken. However, that did not prevent them from relieving Petar Mišević from his position as Head of the Office of the National Security Council, which is the body responsible for the oversight of surveillance procedures: it was also from this office that the leak appeared to have originated. As a result,

Even if it’s all just a case of ‘former spooks’ bickering internally, we can only hope for the best. Then again, former spooks… can such a thing exist?

an investigation before the Parliamentary Comity for Internal Affairs and National Security has been called for. Or, in other words, who exactly was it that allowed the editors and journalists of Večernji list to glimpse at highly classified documents of some import to national security?

the ‘community’ Miroslav Tuđman, recently repatriated (or shall we say ‘repartied’) to hdz and the man who headed the Intelligence Community during the reign of his father Franjo, is heading the Comity, and they will look into the whole affair with emphasis on how exactly the information was leaked. They will also look into the fact that various reports on the matter, from several different services, differed significantly. No matter their findings, however, what is certain is that there will remain a shadow over Croatian politics, a shadow of what is called the ‘para-intelligence underground’.

Several issues have already been raised, the first of which is a question of the public’s right to privacy, given that the Police can seemingly perform surveillance without having to obtain a Court Order through proper channels – something which only came to light recently. There are also questions over the involvement of the hdz President, Karamarko, as there are many conjectures stipulating it was precisely he who engineered the leak, with the ultimate

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aim of exacting Ostojić’s resignation.

There is also the fact that this investigation comes in the wake of a recent mole hunt within the Police, which revealed that sensitive material had been leaked to interested parties within the organised crime milieu – it just may be that this fresh scandal is a diversion, designed to obfuscate matters and to hinder any definitive result in the mole hunt. It is speculated that those ultimately responsible are members of the so called ‘construction mafia’, already involved in a number of high profile corruption cases – which makes them people of both significant financial resources and political influence.

smoke & mirrors?

The Ostojić Flat Affair While his resignation was being called for, Ranko Ostojić found himself in another unenviable spot, this time regarding the flat which he currently calls home. The flat in question is owned by a daughter company of the publishing company EPH, which is in turn owned by Nino Pavić, the oft mentioned publishing magnate and a household name throughout the region.

Prior to entering politics Ostojić held a position with Slobodna Dalmacija, which is now held by EPH, and it was at this time that he first took up residence at the address at which he still resides. The daughter company in question, com.com, which is listed as the owner of the flat, owes 350,000 Euros in back taxes to the State, and its accounts are all currently blocked. The rent on the property, which amounts to 350 Euros per month, is being paid for by the State, which is nothing unusual, as all ministers are entitled to such an arrangement.

Certain elements within the media, namely Večernji list, the main competitor of EPH’s

Jutarnji list, have alleged that this represents conflict of interest, since no Government official should be allowed to have any kind of business dealings with owners of media outlets – more so in light of the incidents surrounding leaked information. The Minister of course has already stated that he sees nothing wrong with his lodgings, and considers the media circus to be a further distraction from more important problems. The Minister has a very valid point; there exists a specific legal distinction between a company and its owner, or in this case a company which owns another company. The flat is not being used free of charge, and is being paid for in the same fashion as any other Minister’s. Also, the media outlets to which the information appears to be leaked in this instance tend not to be owned by Pavić’s EPH, but their rivals.

Even Karamarko defended Ostojić on this score – mere days after he called for his resignation to boot – although, wicked tongues are wont to say,

Even despite the Sanader & Co. show trial(s), there has been very little real headway made when it comes to cracking down on endemic corruption and especially organised crime. Indeed, ever since those proceedings held against the so-called ‘Criminal Organisation’ over a decade ago, a serious contention could be put forth that there have been next to no efforts made to combat organised crime, apparently the main beneficiary of most ‘leak’ scandals. And when we say ‘organised crime’, we do not speak of the ‘cleaning’ of a few former ministers and other actors in, say, the (in)famous hdz slush fund case which took place under Jadranka Kosor’s Government, but of those ‘proper’, old-school, run-of-the-mill gangsters – cappi, major racketeers, drug lords etc.

For yes, they are still around.

And when we say ‘show trial’, we mean it in every sense. For it cannot be that a mere group of mid-level gangsters from a decade ago – and then their progeny and offshoots – have been responsible for all the crime ever to have taken place, whereas in fact they are only one of several groups operating in the Zagreb area alone. In other words, are these Comity hearings and Croatian Watergate-style scandals simply a puff of smoke, meant to blind the public eye to what’s really taking place? All we can do right now is cross our fingers and hope that they are more than that – that the institutions indeed are acting in earnest and with all due authority.

Even if it’s all just a case of ‘former spooks’ bickering amongst themselves.

Then again, former spooks…can such a thing exist?

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legal

JPM’s ‘Big Deal’: Breeding the Next Generation of Legal Experts One of the leading law firms in Serbia and see’s occasional partners in content production, Janković, Popović & Mitić (jpm), have, in association with the Faculties of Law from Belgrade and Kragujevac, bestowed laurels on twelve law students during a training programme which ended in the successful merger and acquisition of two companies - although only in simulation. Still, due pun indeed, it was all something of a ‘Big Deal’.

by Michael Devaney

R

emember how our parents used to tell us: “Finish University and the world is your oyster?” Well, now, in the harsh light of day, we know that wasn’t exactly true. But some professional initiatives can help students prepare for the world as soon as they are done with their cap and gown. This is where jpm’s programme comes into its own.

Big Deal is a professional training project, organised by Faculties of Law in Belgrade and Kragujevac, as well as by Janković, Popović & Mitić law firm. It is a unique six month long project culminating with a case study in corporate law and a simulation of a merger and acquisition, where our twelve law students are divided into two groups, acting as the relevant contracting parties, displaying the practical skills which they had acquired during

their half year of professional practice.

The course was overseen by Assistant Professors from both Universities and by a number of skilled lawyers from jpm, all of whom shared their respective academic knowledge and on-hand experience in corporate law. The aim of the project is to raise the educational level of young law practitioners, and to offer the opportunity for Serbian Universities to access this training method for their own law students. In addition, this will equip candidates, initially, with the necessary knowledge and skills to cope with professional challenges such as they might encounter upon entering the ‘real world’. Finally, employers will have the opportunity to recruit interns who already have the necessary experience to make their internship a successful one.

and so to our merger…

Vienna Auto intended to buy 100% shares of Auto Delovi Kragujevac. The latter had been audited to the value of 15 million Euros. However, the Kragujevac company had lots of business problems, the biggest being that 100% of their shares had already been deposited as a guarantee for a bank loan. In addition, it had two legal cases still open; one of these was in International Law and was regarding the breach of a foreign registered trademark.

However, the company has an excellent business relationship with Fiat Srbija and they have plans to develop their business within the eu. The company lacked investments, but sought a foreign partner to take over the company and pursue investments in their production facilities. After some

Witness a unique six month long project culminating with a case study in corporate law and a simulation of a merger & acquisition…

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“So much of what we do in practise cannot be taught without hands-on assistance, and this is what we hope to achieve here.”

hard negotiations, Vienna Auto - hereby represented by students from Belgrade's law school - ultimately bought Auto Delovi Kragujevac for 11.5 million Euros, which happened to be the exact amount that both parties had budgeted for.

responses “We are glad to see the final result of our joint work and the knowledge displayed by the students, which is based both on theory and practice shared by our firms’ lawyers”, said Nikola Janković, Senior Partner at jpm. “We congratulate both teams, especially as they represented their faculties to the best of their ability. They have all excelled in knowledge and I believe that they will all have brilliant careers in the field of company law”.

“The Big Deal project is an excellent way to develop the concepts of corporate law practice amongst the student body.

This project definitely provides additional knowledge and a unique experience. So much of what we do in practise cannot be taught without hands-on assistance, and this is what we hope to achieve here”, said Borko Mihajlović, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law in Kragujevac. “This final project has clearly shown how students, advanced in practical knowledge and skills, can put that knowledge to use in their chosen field”.

“The knowledge which the students acquired in the Big Deal project will be useful not only during their studies, but also in their efforts to find a job, and in starting on their career”, said Jelena Lepeti, Assistant Professor at the Belgrade Law School.

“I hope that Big Deal will become common practice in our country and that future generations of students will have the same opportunity as this group”.

Big Deal officially concluded with a panel discussion called ‘Professional

Opportunities after Graduation’, where the students could hear experts in law talking about their own experiences and exchange ideas which could inspire them after graduation. The panellists were Nikola Janković of jpm, Dušan Protić, Assistant to the Minister of Foreign and Domestic Trade and Telecommunications, Oliver Živković, lawyer, and Marijana Poznan, Head of the Legal Department of Fresenius Medical Care Serbia.

Two of the Big Deal participants won three-month contracts with jpm, time which will be all the more productive for their experiences in this programme. Big Deal 2013 has already been announced, but this time the organisers intend to make it a regional project. Now parents, at least those of law students, can feel more optimistic about their children’s job prospects, and so too is this good news for prospective employers.

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in memoriam

A Tomcat's Final Sail A man who was a living monument to a time long since past, has died at the young age of 97, in the city of Zagreb, just recently, on the 26th of October. An author, a thinker and a sailor, someone who will be remembered as a tomcat; whether it be under helmet or sail.

He passes from existence into legend.

by Miroslav Tomas

T

here exist few men like the one to whom we pay homage on this page.

Our humble words do little justice to the man whose own words would certainly spin a more impressive tale. And yet we will try as best we can, as no doubt will many others for a long time to come.

The man in question, Joža Horvat, was born on February 10th, 1915, in Kotoriba, which is a small town in Međimurje. Now it is the northernmost part of Croatia, but then it was just a rural part of continental Austro-Hungary. At that time, there was no hint of what life lay ahead for Joža, other than the star sign under which he was born.

After his family moved to Zagreb a young Joža attended the Philosophical Faculty and it was in 1939 that he published his first work, a novel entitled ‘Sedmi B’. This was a story which recounted his experiences in high school, wherein he shunned the false authority and petty bourgeois bigotry that he encountered.

Miroslav Krleža reviewed the novel, and having read the work asked Horvat what else he was working on. Our protagonist replied “nothing, I am not a writer”, to which Krleža simply riposted, “by the looks of this I would beg to differ”.

World War II followed and during this time Horvat took up arms as an early member of the Partisans. He saw combat and simultaneously acted as a political commissar – though he also worked as an editor of various Partisan publications.

In the immediate aftermath of the war Horvat took up the position of Secretary General of Matica Hrvatska, and then worked as Executive Director of the Jadran Film Production Studio; it was in

this capacity that he began to write film scripts. One of those films, the 1952 ‘Ciguli Miguli’, landed him in trouble with the Communist authorities, as the film was satirical in nature and ridiculed, however subtly, the ruling class.

What was to result from this has been viewed by many as a blessing in disguise: stripped of his various functions Horvat, then only in his early 40s, chose sailing as a means of escape from it all. This blessing, however, came at a price. While avid readers looked forward to his travelogues, published in the now defunct Vjesnik daily newspaper, Horvat, during his second circumnavigation of the globe in 1975 on the vessel ‘Blue Swallow’, lost his son Marko

in a diving accident off the coast of Venezuela. Radovan Horvat, his other son, had already died in a car crash in 1973.

Horvat would later recount what Krleža had once told him, one writer urging another not to set sail because of some “ominous foreboding”. Still, despite the tragedy, Horvat never lost his love of the ocean and was sailing well into his early eighties.

Joža Horvat will be remembered for his numerous novels, film scripts, and newspaper articles, as well as being the first Croatian to circumnavigate the globe on a sporting vessel. His works were translated into nine different languages (Russian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Albanian, Chinese, and even Esperanto), the most memorable of which - or at any rate the most widely known - is an anti-war novel, ‘Tomcat Under a Helmet’ (‘Mačak pod šljemom’). Later adapted into a feature film and mini series, this is the story of an uncouth but resourceful Bosnian logger who gets conscripted into the Partisan forces against his will and, though his exploits are entirely aimed at preserving his own skin, finds his human side and learns to put the interests of many above his own.

And perhaps it is precisely the above stated quality that might best describe the ideals of Joža Horvat - and, by the by, the man himself - someone who was once a Communist, for the sake of humanism, only to witness disillusionment at the hands of dogmatic hypocrites instead of the ideal world he first envisioned – an ideal world, harsh as it was at times, that he found on the open ocean. In this way, he will remain with us as an ideal and an inspiration, always.

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· · · · ·

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“...even though the logistics have proved to be more difficult to manage over here, I decided to start composing music for an expanded orchestra, which allowed for a wider spectrum of music styles.�

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culture

The MIMIKA Mak Murtić Ensemble: Jazzing it Big This year’s London Jazz Festival, which starts on the 15th of November, will be seeing a performance by Croatian musicians for the very first time. The young and talented artists in question are Maja Rivić, lead singer, and Mak Murtić, saxophonist, composer, and band leader of mimika, the Mak Murtić Ensemble. Mimika performs a fusion of world music influences and jazz, combining it with the memorable vocals of Rivić alongside avant garde arrangements. We’re rather fond of a bit of Beiderbecke in the see office, so we jumped at the chance to meet up with Mak Murtić ahead of his London debut.

S

EE I think we can start with an obvious question - what led to the formation of the Mak Murtić Ensemble?

MM Mimika is in fact a continuation of my work with the Croatian ensemble Kreol, which, amongst other artists, included the vocalist Maja Rivić, who now performs alongside me in mimika. Kreol started in 2008 and was a learning experience, as we tried to fuse different musical genres with scenic performances. Upon my arrival in London I realised I had to form a similar ensemble, and so we held an audition for the rhythm section on our second day there. It immediately became apparent that one can find talented musicians far more easily in London than in Zagreb, and even though the logistics have proved to be more difficult to manage over here, I decided to start composing music for an expanded orchestra, which allowed for a wider spectrum of music styles. Thus mimika was formed in the autumn of 2010, and the ensemble performed for the first time in February of 2011. Mimika continued to grow and so today we number fourteen instrumentalists, Maja Rivić as lead vocal, and an occasional vocal quintet as a choir. Mimika also performs as a six member street band.

SEE And what about the mimika Ensemble Theatre Project?

MM As the name implies, this is an expanded mimika orchestra, which at present includes a Chinese choreographer, Julia Cheng, Scottish producer James Greer, French costume designer Claire Nicolas, and an Argentinean video artist, Emiliano Pasini. James, outside of this project, works with the grandson of Sergei Prokofiev and various English theatrical performers. He became interested in

“My biggest inspiration continues to be Duke Ellington, especially his later works with Billy Strayhorn.”

my suites upon seeing one of our performances and suggested that we start a company together. The three of, including Maja, are working on a production based on my suite ‘A Place Glowing Brilliant Red’, which also involves an orchestra; an orchestra which also plays a narrative role – specifically performances by five contemporary dance artists, led by Julia and accompanied by projections of Emiliano's visual art screenings. We plan to premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe next summer, but will see how we preview at the London Jazz Festival, with just one dancer and basic costumes, but also a fully finalised art video. The project is aimed at presenting the possibilities of jazz theatre, which also includes the improvisations both by the collective and the soloist. The reactions to our previews at various clubs have thus far been excellent.

SEE Which styles does your music fuse together, and which artists have inspired your music?

MM Time Out magazine, after the premiere of ‘A Place Glowing Brilliant Red’, called my music Balkan Space Jazz. I find the name appealing, though at the same time I can honestly say that my music is

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the contemporary world, which are represented through the play on future events.

still evolving and can hardly be qualified by any one specific music style. Apart from Balkan music and some specific Macedonian and Bulgarian influences, my expression takes from African, Indian Konakol, and Hip Hop. My biggest inspiration continues to be Duke Ellington, who played in Zagreb only recently, perhaps the greatest jazz composer of the 20th century, especially his later works with Billy Strayhorn.

There is also Charles Mingus, Gil Evans - a composer who worked with Miles Davies to fuse folklore music with jazz. David Bowie too has always been a strong inspiration, which can be observed in our scenic performances. Since my arrival in London I have become interested in East Asian music as well, especially through my work with the Grand Union Orchestra. Some excellent fusion results came from my collaboration with various Bangladeshi artists.

SEE As to the matter of Balkan Space Jazz, what could you say prompted such definition of your music? You mentioned David Bowie, but Major Tom doesn’t sound particularly jazzy.

MM The name does make some sense, as it explains a framework of style and concepts explored – although many have little or nothing to do with the Balkans or space.

I do find scientific predictions and futurology very inspirational for my suites, however. Many stories, of humanity migrating to Mars, genetic drift, etc, are based on realistic predictions of future events. All of my compositions are closely tied in with specific socio-political circumstances of

“…only after we saw our names in a brochure did we realise we’d been selected to perform at the London Jazz festival…”

SEE Who are the artists you work with and how did those particular collaborations come about?

MM As you know, I held auditions when I arrived in London, and of course that was where I met the majority of those who went on to form mimika. I also work with Ed Babar, a contrabass player who is very much acclaimed on the London jazz scene, as well as the pianist Steve Parker who composed the music for the opening of the O2 Arena, and he himself has worked with many recognised musicians.

Then Rohit Nijawan, an exceptionally talented guitarist and follower of the Gypsy Swing scene. I met those musicians who now work with mimika either through my studies at the London Centre of Contemporary Music, or through more casual jam sessions. Once you’ve settled into the scene you find out that everyone is connected and ready to cooperate, so long as you have a good idea. I think this is best highlighted by the fact that members of mimika have worked with, and performed alongside, artists such as Gorillaz, Macy Gray, Cinematic Orchestra, and David Murray. Phil Meadows, our flute player, also leads the saxophone section of the National Jazz Orchestra, which is the biggest of its kind in England. Those are only a few, however, and I think you’ll find that an eclectic bunch such as we can chop and change at a moment’s notice. It’s all very fluid.

SEE How can you describe the life of an aspiring artist in London and what successes have you had so far?

MM Ah, the life of an artist... In that regard, London is not that much different from anywhere in Croatia. At first nobody makes a lot of money, at least we didn’t, and right now we’re just making ends meet.

However, those musicians who have been present on the scene for a long time can live in relative comfort, even exceptionally well, since London is such a great platform from where you can connect with the international music scene and make lucrative deals – there’s a lot of one-off gigs for a talented musician if you’ve been able to get your name known. As for mimika, most of what we earn goes into the development of the ensemble, and it’s paying off: we’ve hired a new manager recently, Jerome

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Scratch to Structure’, which propelled us further along our journey, earning us some important engagements, especially at the London Jazz Festival. The album continues to sell well and is available on iTunes for any reader wishing to have a listen. Our second album will be going to the studio soon, with an expanded ensemble.

Harper, who was one of the founders of the Young Blood Brass Band, and thanks to his efforts we’re able to charge more for our services than before. And success follows too – we’ve performed at a number of festivals and events related to the Olympics and Paralympics, including ‘The Mayor of London Presents’. We’ve had the honour of

performing at all the major clubs including Brixton Jam, Hootananny’s, Rich Mix, Kingston Festival, and Charlie Wright’s Jazz Club. Back home my suites have been performed and recorded by the hrt Big Band, under the leadership of saxophone player Saša Nestorović. And it was our album, independently published last year, ‘From

SEE Was it solely down to the success of the album? Or was it a series of events that led to mimika being included in the programme of the London Jazz Festival?

MM Our debut album did play some part.

It had been spotted by the production and promotion company Serious, who are one of the co-organisers of London Jazz Festival, and it picked up second place in a secret competition they held. Even then we knew we were on their radar, but it was only after we saw our names in a brochure that we realised we’d been selected to perform. Ljf strives to include several aspiring bands and artists each year, and they need to be well known around London; I guess we fit that bill nicely. Right now we’re rehearsing some new pieces for the festival, so we’re hopeful that will serve us even further.

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lifestyle

AristoCats’ Zagreb Cameo Aslan, Tigger, Garfield, Mr. Mistoffelees… Tom Jones sang about them, and so did Freddie Mercury. We are, of course, talking about cats, whether felis vulgaris, the common moggy, or the more refined, pedigree creature. The fife World Cat Show has just been staged in Croatia, which, among other things, gives us an opportunity to run a sort of 'Cats 101' section. There are any number of cat breeds around the world, and if we were to include them all (Cornish Rex, Manx, Balinese etc.), then we would never finish. So below are, by most accounts, six of the most popular cat breeds in the world today.

by Lee Murphy

T

he first thing that one should note is that all those cat breeders who operate in Croatia, and indeed across the wider region, do so for the love of the animal rather than for the money which can be made from selling pedigree kittens.

The main reason for this is that the market simply does not exist, in the Western Balkans, for such animals. While breeders

in Germany, France, Britain – and beyond in Japan and America – can turn a tidy profit, the same is simply not the case here. It would be easy to point the finger at economic causes, but anyone walking the streets of, say, Zagreb, and indeed Belgrade or Ljubljana, can see many citizens out walking their pet Pug or Scotty.

If people can afford a pedigree dog, then

it stands to reason that pedigree cats are equally an affordable commodity. Not so.

Our organisers, Marina Han and Amelija Leopoldović, are inclined to believe that this is simply the case because the region has yet to adjust to the idea of owning a cat for something more than just catching mice; although, of course, pedigree cats can catch mice as well.

The Birman

The British Shorthair

The Siamese

The Birman is a medium-long haired cat, with a pale coloured body and darker points, and piercing blue eyes. First recognised in 1925, it has only become widely accepted as a breed in the last 30-40 years. A beautiful animal, but also very docile: it would suit anyone who might not have a massive amount of garden space. Just be careful, they’re an incredibly friendly cat and would just as easily walk off with an absolute stranger. Not to be confused with a Balinese or Himalayan cat.

This cat is a descendent of the very same cats which the Romans bred, crossed first with stray wild cats, and later with Persians with the aim of making their coat more luxurious. Extremely self-sufficient, it is ideal for owners who find themselves out of the house more often than not. The Cheshire Cat, from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, was a British Shorthair, though that might not be immediately obvious from either the Disney or Tim Burton films.

The Siamese cat is arguably the most recognisable breed in the world. It is a slim bodied cat and possesses a pointed coat colour and a distinctive personality. The Siamese had produced a number of other offshoot breeds, including the Snowshoe and the Oriental. This cat is generally active, athletic, affectionate, loyal, and people-orientated – of course, they also seem to be villains whenever they appear on the silver screen; just consult ‘The Aristocats’.

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The Germans, for their own reasons, decided to pull out, and fife had no choice but to move Croatia up into the vacated slot.

for the love of cats Both Marina and Amelija, just like other Croatian cat breeders, have their own full time jobs, tending to their feline friends in what little spare time they have. Just how they find the time to run a cat show is a mystery, but find the time they did.

For 33 countries were represented at the 22nd fife (Federation Internationale Feline) World Cat Show, although, truth be told, it all could have been a disaster. Like any global event (think the Olympics or the fifa World Cup, only cat sized), it takes time to win the right to host, much less organise. Croatia was scheduled to host it in 2013, with Germany having the honour

this year – but the Germans, for their own reasons, decided to pull out, and fife had no choice but to move Croatia up into the vacated slot. So, apart from losing twelve months of planning and advertising time, the Croatian team were faced with another logistical problem – Croatia is not yet a part of the European Union, something which they had planned for with their original date.

The Russian Blue

The Bengal

The Maine Coon

This is a naturally occurring breed, and was likely introduced to the rest of Europe by Russian sailors out of Arhangelsk. The Blue is an intuitive and playful cat, but is also exceptionally shy around strangers. They can often be mistaken for a British Blue (which is simply a blue shorthair) or a Chartreux. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the Russian Blue triggers fewer allergies than any other breed, although the reasons why are as yet not understood very well.

If you think that this cat looks somewhat like a leopard, then that’s because it’s bred from an Asian leopard cat and a regular domestic cat.

New Bengals are still being bred in this fashion, but for the first four generations it is very difficult fully to domesticate them. However, from that point on, they acquire a similar temperament to other domestic cats. Arguably just as classically beautiful as other cats on this list, the Bengal’s markings alone make it striking.

This fluffy fellow is often the subject of debate, but only to determine how the cat came into being. Likely a relation of the Norwegian Forest Cat, the Maine Coon is a large breed, and known to many as the American Longhair. Although slow to mature, the Maine Coon is a ‘loud’ cat and will often ‘talk’ to its owner. It is relaxed around children and other animals, but is not inclined to be pampered too closely. Don’t expect this cat to act as a lap warmer during the winter months.

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Amelija, who has been in the cat business for over two decades, was less than impressed with that particular development: “We had expected Croatia to be a member of the European Union when we first applied to host the World Cat Show, but since Germany pulled out we’ve been forced to take their spot, and this had impacted on our original projections. A lot of companies who would have attended, and a lot of breeders, have simply said that they won’t come because of the difficulties involved in bringing animals through Croatian customs. We had hoped we’d have open borders with the rest of Europe by now, and exhibitors from abroad already have arrangements with European customs controls for bringing their animals in from outside Europe. To put this into context, Poznan in Poland, the city which hosted the event last year, saw over 100 trading stands, but we should be so lucky to break 20.”

a few numbers But that was before the event itself, and as the saying goes, things are always darkest before the dawn. Visitor numbers exceeded 20,000 individuals, far outstripping

Journalists from as far afield as China made the trip as well, and there were 1,020 cats on display…

even the organiser’s most optimistic expectations, and the media coverage was unprecedented for an event of this sort in Croatia: in addition to all the national television stations attending, Reuters and National Geographic sent teams along as well. Journalists from as far afield as China made the trip as well, and there were 1,020 cats on display, not that they were overly aware of anything, since they spent much of their time fast asleep in the warm halls of the Arena Centre. The cats, that is, not the journalists.

Marina and Amelija are board members of sfdh, the Association of Croatian Felinological Organisations, and once the hubbub of the World Cat Show has died down, they will be back to organising the Croatian International Cat Show, which will no doubt benefit from the success of this most recent affair. It was far from being the cat-astrophe that it might have been.

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good stuff

Feline Friendly Many a dedicated cat owner has most certainly, at one point or another, wished they could be treated as their pet is, to come and go as the fancy takes them, be treated like royalty and to atone for any mishap with a gentle purr. It is in this spirit that we give you a selection of some products your beloved pet most certainly deserves, because rather than being their masters we more often than not prove to be servants to their undying charm. treat

whiskas anti-hairball

litter box

€ 1.20

With their playboy/supermodel mentality any cat puts its good looks above all else other than, perhaps, food. Of course, such self-grooming rituals as a cat must perform – ad nauseam it might appear at times – not only produces the desired impeccable look, but also, on occasion, that harsh cough which telegraphs the imminent arrival of a hairball. This affliction, which ails over 60% of all household cats (there’s only so much brushing an owner can do), can be treated somewhat easily and in a welcome fashion, by means of a cat treat. Adding this crunchy, softcentred delight to the diet of your pet will significantly help their system move hair through the intestines, thus reducing the irritation caused to your angelic pet. This is something which almost removes the downside to their rigorous beauty regimen, and if they knew what it was that they’re eating, they’d hardly want anything else.

litter robot ii

cat carrier

louis vuitton

€ 1,200

Ever since that day when the gentlemen of Europe took up travelling for the sake of travelling, there has been but the one craftsman of choice to turn to, to get the most supreme of quality luggage. That craftsman was Louis Vuitton, a Parisian bag-maker. It is widely known just how successful that particular brand has become, with it now being part of the World’s leading luxury goods conglomerate LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy), and the fact that it is often the subject of counterfeiting speaks of the name’s, or the brand’s, exclusivity. So, if one must call the lion King of the Jungle (though they don’t live in jungles), then let us confer the title of Dandy upon the cat – and does not a dandy deserve the most opulent of transport available? This carrier is made in the French capital from the finest hand-stitched leather. The only downside is that the product is marketed as a ‘pet carrier’, since it can apparently also be used to accommodate a small dog. Perish the thought!

€ 300

You could be forgiven for thinking you had walked onto the set of Silent Running or that of Star Wars for the level of technology on display here. This futureal object actually serves a far more mundane role than anything performed by Huey, Dewey, or R2D2; it is in fact a fully automated, self-cleaning litter box. All one needs to do is fill the device with kitty litter and the rest is taken care of by the machine – the litter is evened out without you needing to do it, and once your royal pet has taken care of their business the litter is deposited into a plastic lined waste container in the base of the box. After that, all that needs to be done is simply picking up the plastic bag from the container and taking it to the dustbin. This is ideal for the cat owner who must often be away from home for business, as the contraption significantly reduces the likelihood of the house succumbing to foul odours. It comes in beige, grey, and a Darth Vader black. What’s most unusual about it is that is it made in America, rather than Japan.

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did you know?

Kurban Bajram, Or the Greater Eid The greatest of Islamic holidays just having passed (October 25th-27th), congratulations are in order to all our Muslim readers; also, however, why not use this opportunity to acquaint the rest of us a bit more closely with the minutiae of the Greater Eid. the name · Greater Eid (Eid ul-Adha in Arabic) is the most important Muslim religious holiday, known regionally as Kurban Bajram or Hadžijski Bajram.

In English it is also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice or the Major Festival.

the background · Kurban Bajram honours the willingness of prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his first-born son Ismail as an act of devotion to God and so as to obey His command to sacrifice his own son. We all know how the story continues: reassured of Ibrahim's faith, God ‘softens’ His command and allows Ibrahim to sacrifice a ram instead.

the date · Greater Eid is celebrated two months and ten days after Ramadan, for two nights and three days, falling on the 10th, 11th and 12th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth and last month of the Islamic year, marking the end of Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. Since the Islamic calendar is lunar, unlike the international Gregorian calendar, which is solar, the date shifts by falling approximately eleven days earlier each year.

the terme ·

Kurban originates from the Persian word Qurban, meaning sacrifice. In B&H and these parts, for instance, one traditionally sacrifices a ram, but the sacrificial animal varies from region to region and can also be a calf, camel, lamb or goat. The word ‘bajram’, in turn, is of Turkish origin and may be translated as a ‘feast’ or ‘festivity’.

meaning travellers, genuinely sick people and menstruating women, who are nonetheless welcome to witness the gathering as onlookers. After the prayer congratulations are exchanged, prior to visiting the graves of deceased loved ones. It is only then that the faithful return home and perform the ritual sacrifice, after which follows a feast and the exchanging of gifts.

the outfit · On the eve of Kurban Bajram, Muslims are instructed to perform the ritual ablution and other aspects of personal hygiene, to put on new clothes, or, if this is not possible, the best outfit available before offering three pre-sunrise prayers.

the meat ·

The meat of the sacrificed animal is divided into three portions: one goes to the immediate family, the second one to relatives, friends and neighbours, and the third one to the poor and those in need. If one is not willing or able to sacrifice an animal, the offering can be given in money, but if one has no means to perform an offering it is not considered a sin to default.

stoning the evil one · The prophet Ibrahim drove away Iblis (or Shaytan, or simply the Devil) when he tried to dissuade him from making the sacrifice by throwing pebbles. In commemoration of his rejection of the evil one, stones are thrown at symbolic pillars that ‘stand in’ for Shaytan during the Hajj rites.

who is welcome? · The faithful await Bajram in

the economics · Some 100 million heads of cattle are slaughtered world-

their homes. Come morning everyone goes to partake of prayer, held in a field adjoined to a mosque. The morning prayer cannot be attended by non-residents,

wide each year on Eid, with ten million in Pakistan alone. The value of sacrifice is estimated at no less than three billion USD.

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a blast from the past

the golden bull of zagreb · On the 16th of November 16th 1242

treaty of rapallo signed ·

the Hungarian King Bela IV issued an edict granting Gradec the status of a Free Royal City. These privileges, defined in a document called the Golden Bull (Zlatna bula), were granted to the inhabitants as thanks for sheltering the King during the Mongol invasion of 1241. Gradec eventually evolved into Zagreb, and is nowadays the part of the city known as Gornji grad. With this newly acquired status, Gradec came out from under the authority of local feudal lords and became answerable directly to the Crown, which brought along many privileges, starting with municipal self Governance, the right to name judges, holding of weekly and yearly fairs, free passage through the Croat-Hungarian Kingdom, and, most important of all, significant tax benefits. The municipality was in turn obliged to fortify the city and provide the King with ten fully armed horsemen, if any need should arise. The rights thus granted enabled Gradec to develop into an important market town and, ultimately, into what is now the capital of Croatia.

Following the Versailles Peace Conference and the nullification of the London Pact, the territorial allowances and the border between the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and the Kingdom of Italy was finally agreed upon by the Treaty of Rapallo, signed on the 12th of November 1920. The Kingdom of Italy was promised territories in the Eastern Adriatic, and on the insistence of Woodrow Wilson Italy and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes went into mediation. The latter party reluctantly relinquished Istria, the Slovenian Littoral, the city of Zadar, the islands of Cres, Lošinj, Lastovo and Palagruža to the Italians, and also agreed to allow the formation of the independent state of Rijeka (Fiume) under Italian control. The Treaty ushered a subsequent fascist tyranny over the Slovene and Croat population, which lasted until the end of Second World War, when the territories were occupied by Tito's partisans – an event, need we say it, that in turn prompted the exodus of the native Italian population.

crusaders besiege zadar · The Fourth Crusade, assembled on the

serbia declares war on bulgaria · Following the unification of

call of Pope Innocent III, set sail from Venice in October 1202. However, the Crusaders fell short on their contract with the Republic of Venice, which stipulated transport of 35,000 men to the Nile Delta, and in the end only 12,000 were deployed. Despite the Pope's explicit instructions against attacking Christians, the Crusaders, forced by the Venetian doge Enrico Dandolo, agreed to atone for the damages caused by breach of contract by besieging Zara (Zadar), at the time an independent city under the protection of the Croat-Hungarian king, a rival of Venice. The siege began on the 10th of November 1202, and the city's defences were overrun not a fortnight later, after which Zara was pillaged and burned. The ill fated Crusaders never reached their destination, but rather ended up sacking Constantinople, which in turn resulted in a whole host of excommunications and an even more complex geo-political situation in the Mediterranean and the Levant.

Bulgaria and the semi-autonomous Ottoman province of Rumelia in 1885, the Serbian court held that the newly enlarged Bulgarian state represented a threat to the balance of power in the Balkans, as agreed upon during the Berlin Congress of 1778. In that respect, on the 14th of November, 1885, King Milan Obrenović of Serbia, prompted by Austro -Hungarian promises of territorial gains, declared war on Bulgaria. The relations between the two countries had been strained for some time, especially due to the fact that Bulgaria was sheltering the members of the Radical Party lead by Nikola Pašić ever since the Timok uprising of 1883, and sponsored their anti Obrenović campaign. Though the Serbian army counted on the element of surprise, relying on the fact that Bulgarians expected the assault to come from the Ottomans, the fate of war saw the Serbian forces routed with the Bulgarians occupying the southern Serbian town of Pirot. Peace was sued for in the spring of 1886, with the Serbo-Bulgarian border remaining unchanged.

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to do list

Ambient Ljubljana

November 6th - November 10th

Ambient Ljubljana

Interliber

November 12th - November 17th

Nu:Write Festival

Jennifer Lopez in Belgrade

November 15th - November 18th

Food & Beverage Fair

Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre /

Teatar &TD /

Zetra Centre, Sarajevo /

International Furniture and Industrial Design Fair

International contemporary and avant garde theatre festival

32nd International food and beverage fair

November 8th - November 11th

November 12th - November 18th

November 16th

Shine Fair

Fair Grounds, Novi Sad /

Furniture Fair

Fair Grounds, Belgrade /

Teška Industrija

17th International Jewellery and Horology Fair

50th International Furniture, Interior Design and Industry Fair

Old (eighties') regional rock legends give it their best

November 7th - November 18th

November 13th - November 18th

November 19th

Interliber

Variations in F.ado Minor

LIFFe

Cinemas Club, Sarajevo (22h) /

/

Zagreb Fair Grounds /

HNK Zagreb (19:30h) /

23rd International Ljubljana Film Festival

International book fair Croatia's biggest

Ballet by Hugo Viera inspired by Portuguese fado music

November 8th - November 10th

November 14th

November 20th

Euro Ice Hockey Challenge

Giuseppe Devastatoa

Jennifer Lopez

various venues, Ljubljana

/

Bosniak Cultural Centre (20h) /

Kombank Arena, Belgrade (20h) /

International ice hockey tournament

Classical music concert Italian piano maestro

Jenny from the Block, J.Lo, in concert

November 9th

November 14th - November 17th

November 22nd - November 23rd

Steve Vai

Novi Sad Jazz Festival

Slovenia Wine Festival

Hala Tivoli, Ljubljana

Tvornica Kulture, Zagreb /

Novi Sad Cultural Centre, Novi Sad /

Grand Hotel Union, Ljubljana /

Maybe one of the greatest axe warriors of all time

International Festival jazzing in Vojvodina

Gathering of Slovenian winemakers and their colleagues from abroad

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