Doctor's Day U.S. - M a r 3 0
The first Doctors Day observance was March 30, 1933 in Winder, Georgia. Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond, decided to set aside a day to honor physicians. This first observance included the mailing greeting cards and placing flowers on graves of deceased doctors. The red carnation is commonly used as the symbolic flower for National Doctors Day. On March 30, 1958, a Resolution Commemorating Doctors Day was adopted by the United States House of Representatives. In 1990, legislation was introduced in the House and Senate to establish a national Doctors Day. Following overwhelming approval by the United States Senate and the House of Representatives, on October 30, 1990, President George Bush signed S.J. RES. #366 (which became Public Law 101-473) designating March 30, 1991 as "National Doctors Day." Doctors Day marks the date that Crawford W. Long, M.D., of Jefferson, GA, administered the first ether anesthetic for surgery on March 30, 1842. On that day, Dr. Long administered ether anesthesia to a patient and then operated to remove a tumor from the man’s neck. Later, the patient would swear that he felt nothing during the surgery and wasn’t aware the surgery was over until he awoke.
HUNGARY J e wis h a nd C hr is t ia n c om m unit ie s ne e d dia logue : Zolt á n B a log
Hungary performing better than EU average: Orbán
Liberation Shouter Day - Mar 30 Trinidad & Tobago
Spiritual/Shouter Baptist Liberation Day is an annual public holiday celein the brated Trinidad and Tobago on March 30. The holiday commemorates the repeal on March 30, 1951, of the 1917 Shouter OrdiProhibition nance that prohibited the activities of the Shouter or Spiritual Baptist faith. Trinidad and Tobago is the only country in the world that celebrates a public holiday for the Spiritual Baptist faith.
Cesar Chavez Day (California) U.S. - Mar 31
César Chávez's birthday, March 31, is celebrated in California as a state holiday, intended to promote service to the community in honor of Chávez's life and work. Many, but not all, state government offices, community colleges, and libraries are closed. Many public schools in the state are also closed. Texas also recognizes the day, and it is an optional holiday in Arizona and Colorado. Although it is not a federal holiday, the President proclaims March 31 as César Chávez Day in the United States, with Americans being urged to "observe this day with appropriate service, community, and educational programs to honor Cesar Chavez's enduring legacy."
National Day Malta - Mar 31
March 31, 1979 is remembered in the Maltese calendar as Freedom Day (Maltese: Jum il-Ħelsien). This is the anniversary of the withdrawal of British troops and the Royal Navy from Malta. On taking power in 1971, the Labour Government indicated it wanted to the lease re-negotiate agreement with the United Kingdom. Following protracted and sometimes tense talks, a new agreement was signed whereby the lease was extended till the end of March 1979 at a vastly increased rent. On March 31, 1979 the last British Forces left Malta. For the first time in millennia, Malta was no longer a military base of a foreign power and it became independent de facto as well as de jure. A monument on the Birgu (Vittoriosa) waterfront commemorates this event.
Transfer Day - Mar 31 US Virgin Islands
Transfer Day is a holiday celebrated in the U.S. Virgin Islands on March 31. It marks the transfer of the islands from Denmark to the United States that took place in 1917.
Photo: Ministry of Human Resources (Online 24 Mar) We must have dialogue, as silence is the worst thing possible – Minister for Human Resources Zoltán Balog said on Thursday at the “Common future – Common responsibility” conference about JewishChristian relations in the Tihany Abbey near lake Balaton. The conference was organised by UNESCO’s Hungarian National Committee and the speakers included politicians and both Jewish and Christian religious servants of several denominations. Mr. Balog said the young generations must be brought up in an atmosphere in which they are able to regard the others with greater empathy and initiate an honest dialogue. He also reminded those present of
the Nostra Aetate Declaration of the second Vatican Synod, which stressed that “it did not wish to reduce the dialogue with the Jewish people to the topic of the Holocaust.” Prior of Tihany Abbey Rihárd Korzenszky also quoted from the Nostra Aetate, saying that “all nations form a community and share a common origin, as God populated the Earth with the human race.” Gusztáv Bölcskei, Clerical Chairman of the Synod of the Reformed Church in Hungary and bishop of Debrecen, brought up the biblical example of Joseph and his brothers, saying that the conference should end on a note that would radiate beyond the walls of the Abbey. Slomó Köves, Executive Rabbi of Unified Hungar-
Photo: Szilárd Koszticsák ian Jewish Congregation EMIH, said that seventy years after the Holocaust the goal was not to reawaken pangs of conscience but to learn from the mistakes of the past and reach a common understanding towards a common future. He said that the horrors the Jews suffered towards the end of World War II in Hungary made many of them question whether they should remain in the country. Despite that, there is still a sizeable Jewish community in Hungary, composed of those who think this is where our common future lies, he said. Despite our differences, we have the joint responsibility to not only talk about the past, but to also formulate a common future, Rabbi Köves said.
Origins
Precursors of April Fools' Day include the Roman festival of Hilaria, held March 25, and the Medieval Festival of Fools, held December 28, still a day on which pranks are played in Spanish-speaking countries. In Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (1392), the "Nun's Priest's Tale" is set Syn March bigan thritty dayes and two. Modern scholars believe that there is a copying error in the extant manuscripts and that Chaucer actually wrote, Syn March was gon. Thus the passage originally meant 32 days after April, i.e. May 2, the anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia, which took place in 1381. Readers apparently misunderstood this line to mean "March 32", i.e. April 1. In Chaucer's tale, the vain cock Chauntecleer is tricked by a fox. In 1508 French poet Eloy d'Amerval referred to a poisson d’avril (April fool, literally "April fish"), a possible reference to the holiday. In 1539, Flemish poet Eduard de Dene wrote of a nobleman who sent his servants on foolish errands on April 1. In 1686, John Aubrey referred to the holiday as "Fooles holy day", the first British reference. On April 1, 1698, several people were tricked into going to the Tower of London to "see the Lions washed". In the Middle Ages, New Year's Day was celebrated on March 25 in most European towns. In some areas of France, New Year's was a week-long holiday ending on April 1. Many writers suggest that April Fools originated because those who celebrated on January 1 made fun of those who celebrated on other dates. The use of January 1 as New Year's Day was common in France by the mid-16th century, and this date was adopted officially in 1564 by the Edict of Roussillon.
Other prank days in the world
Iranians play jokes on each other on the 13th day of the Persian new year (Norouz), which falls on April 1 or April 2. This day, celebrated as far back as 536 BC, is called Sizdah Bedar and is the oldest prank-tradition in the world still alive today; this fact has led many to believe that April Fools' Day has its origins in this tradition. The April 1 tradition in France, Romandy and French-speaking Canada includes poisson d'avril (literally "April's fish"), attempting to attach a paper fish to the victim's back without being noticed. This is also widespread in other nations, such as Italy, where the term Pesce d'aprile(literally "April's fish") is also used to refer to any jokes done during the day. In Spanish-speaking countries, similar pranks are practiced on December 28, día de los Santos Inocentes, the "Day of the Holy Innocents". This custom also exists in certain areas of Belgium, including the province of Antwerp. The Flemish tradition is for children to lock out their parents or teachers, only letting them in if they promise to bring treats the same evening or the next day. Under the Joseon dynasty of Korea, the royal family and courtiers were allowed to lie and fool each other, regardless of their hierarchy, on the first snowy day of the year. They would stuff snow inside bowls and send it to the victim of the prank with fake excuses. The recipient of the snow was thought to be a loser in the game and had to grant a wish of the sender. Because pranks were not deliberately planned, they were harmless and were often done as benevolence towards royal servants. In Poland, prima aprilis ("April 1" in Latin) is a day full of jokes; various hoaxes are prepared by people, media (which sometimes cooperate to make the "information" more credible) and even public institutions. Serious activities are usually avoided. This conviction is so strong that the anti-Turkish alliance with Leopold I signed on April 1, 1683, was backdated to March 31. In Scotland, April Fools' Day is traditionally called Hunt-the-Gowk Day ("gowk" is Scots for a cuckoo or a foolish person), although this name has fallen into disuse. The traditional prank is to ask someone to deliver a sealed message requesting help of some sort. In fact, the message reads "Dinna laugh, dinna smile. Hunt the gowk another mile". The recipient, upon reading it, will explain he can only help if he first contacts another person, and sends the victim to this person with an identical message, with the same result. In Denmark, May 1 is known as "Maj-kat", meaning "May-cat", and is also a joking day. May 1'st is also celebrated in Sweden as an alternative joking day. When someone has been fooled in Sweden, to disclose that it was a joke, the fooler says the rhyme "April April din dumma sill, jag kan lura dig vart jag vill" (April, April, you stupid herring, I can fool you to wherever I want") for April 1st jokes, or "Maj maj måne, jag kan lura dig till Skåne" (May May moon, I can fool you into Scania) for May 1st jokes. Both Danes and Swedes also celebrate April Fools' Day ("aprilsnar" in Danish). Pranks on May 1, are much less frequent. Most Swedish news media outlets will publish exactly one false story on April 1, for newspapers this will typically be a first-page article but not the top headline. In Spain and Ibero-America, an equivalent date is December 28, Christian day of celebration of the Massacre of the Innocents. The Christian celebration is a holiday in its own right, a religious one, but the tradition of pranks is not, though the latter is observed yearly. After somebody plays a joke or a prank on somebody else, the joker usually cries out, in some regions of Ibero-America: "Inocente palomita que te dejaste engañar" ("You innocent little dove that let yourself be fooled"). In Spain, it is common to say just "Inocente!" ("Innocent!"). Nevertheless, in the Spanish island of Menorca, "Dia d'enganyar" ("Fooling day") is celebrated on April 1 because Menorca was a British possession during part of the 18th century.
(Online 24 Mar) More concrete steps are needed to bolster Hungarian-Polish relations, Hungarian Foreign Minister János Martonyi stated in a radio programme on Sunday. There is still plenty of potential in bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries, he added. Speaking on public radio, Mr Martonyi said one cannot disregard history when talking about Hungarian-Polish friendship. Poland is a
large country, but the core of emotional and cultural ties between the two countries can be found in Krakow, and this is why the Hungarian Consulate General has been reopened here, he said. In addition to the symbolic message, the move also has great importance for the economy as well as for trade and tourism, he stressed. The Hungarian Foreign Minister said that the Consulate General in Krakow has very impor-
tant duties, since tourism and economic and trade relations must be expanded. Hungarian-Polish economic relations still hold great opportunities; trade statistics show there is still much greater potential in twoway trade, he said. Education and cultural ties should also be strengthened further, he said. Mr Martonyi reopened the Hungarian Consulate General in Krakow, which was closed in 2009 as part of austerity measures, on 14 March.
H unga r ia n- Slov a k ga s int e r c onne c t or ina ugur a t e d
History The Iranian people were unified by a common purpose were able
to oust the Pahlavi administration and restored the Islamic laws and the country’s sovereignty. This regime was established under the ruling power of the British and was supported by the Americans as well. The Iranian Revolution started on 1978 all aiming to bring down Shah, the King. Because of this revolution, followed by a series of rallies and strikes, the Iranian economy deteriorated so badly and the country underwent a national economic catastrophe. The country then conceded and declared its government to be neutral against any war which subsequently resulted to the abolishment of the Pahlavi Dynasty. On the 30th and 31st of March which is the 10th and 11th of Farvadin to the Islams, the government passed a referendum aiming to replace the monarchy with an Islamic Republic. The referendum was a success since almost 98.2 percent of the people voted for its approval. April 1, 1979 was the official affirmation of Iran as an Islamic Republic and since then, the 1st of April has been observed yearly by the people to commemorate the Islamic Republic Day.
Celebrations
The people look to this day with honor and salutation because it is considered as one of the triumphs and accomplishments of Iran as a nation. Several rallies and activities are also held nationwide during this special day. Some civic groups organize educational campaigns that educates the youth about the history and culture of the country. Declared as an official non-working public holiday, the Iranians also celebrate the Islamic Republic Day as a family day or a chance to meet up and be reunited with friends and loved ones.
Children's Book Day Worldwide - A p r 0 2
International Children's Book Day is a yearly event sponsored by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), an international non-profit organization. Founded in 1967, the day is observed on or around Hans Christian Andersen's birthday, April 2. Activities include writing competitions, announcements of book awards and events with authors of children's literature.
History
International Children's Book Day is an annual event, which is held on around April 2, the birth date of Hans Christian Andersen. It is sponsored by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). According to the IBBY Web site, "International Children's Book Day (ICBD) is celebrated to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children's books." Each year, one of the 70 National Sections of the IBBY around the world serves as the international sponsor of ICBD. It selects the theme and oversees the development of promotional materials for ICBD. The materials are then used to promote reading and children's books. Often, schools and libraries hold events in conjunction with International Children's Book Day. The 2011 international sponsor is Estonia and the theme is "The Book Remembers." You can see the stunning 2011 International Children's Book Day poster here. The theme of the 2010 International Children's Book Day, which was sponsored by Spain, was "A book is waiting for you, find it!" The 2009 international sponsor was EBBY, The Egyptian Section of IBBY, and the 2009 theme was "I am the World." See the 2009 poster above. The theme of the 2008 International Children's Book Day, which was sponsored by the Thailand IBBY National Section, was "Books Enlighten: Knowledge Delights." There are wonderful children's books being published around the world. ICBD is a good time to make a point of sharing books originally published in other countries with your children.
Declaration of the 2nd Republic Guinea - A p r 0 3
Guinea is one the countries in West Africa also known as Republic of Guinea which is also often called French Guinea or Guinea-Conakry. Republic of Guinea is different and should not be confused with Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Bissau, New Guinea and Papua New Guinea. Every year, the country commemorates the anniversary of the declaration of its 2nd Republic which was held on 1984. This public celebration happens every 3rd of April.
History
Soon after Guinea achieved its independence from Spain on 1958, the government was put into dictatorship ruled only by a single party. During these times, under the ruling power of its president then which is Sékou Touré, the country had no tolerance for human rights like the right to speech, oppression and political freedom. Touré’s administration became a nightmare for the people as there were thousands sent to prison and more than a million were expelled. Because of the way the president handled the country, Guinea lost its reputation and devastated its good relationship with other countries which contributed a lot to the downfall of the country’s economy. Soon after the death of Touré on 1984, Lieutenent Colonel Lansana Conte instituted a government by the army called the Military Committee for National Recovery or CMRN. Conte, taking over as president immediately abolished the constitution along with its sole political party. And on April 3, 1984, President Conte officially proclaimed the establishment of Guinea’s Second Republic. The second republic aimed for the quick development and recovery of the country. The victims of the old administration were also set free and human right was given much attention.
Celebrations Since the country was re-born under a new republic, Guinea, along with its people never fails to remember and look
back at their history by celebrating the anniversary of the Declaration of the Second Republic every April 3. As one way to educate the youth with their memorable history, several offices from the government hold parades and activities all throughout the country. Most politicians also hold speeches about their mission and vision for the country in the future.
Independence Day Senegal - A p r 0 4
Senegal officially the Republic of Senegal (République du Sénégal) is a country in West Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north. Senegal is externally bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south; internally it almost completely surrounds the Gambia, namely on the north, east and south, except for Gambia's short Atlantic coastline. Senegal covers a land area of almost 197,000 square kilometres (76,000 sq mi), and has an estimated population of about 13 million. The climate is tropical with two seasons: the dry season and the rainy season. Dakar, the capital city of Senegal, is located at the westernmost tip of the country on the Cap-Vert peninsula. About 500 kilometres (300 mi) off the coast lie the Cape Verde Islands. During the 17th and 18th centuries, numerous trading posts, belonging to various colonial empires, were established along the coast. The town of St. Louis became the capital of French West Africa (Afrique occidentale française, or AOF) before it was moved to Dakar in 1902. Dakar became its capital in 1960 at the time of independence from France. The country is part of The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Integrated with the main bodies of the international community, Senegal is also a member of the African Union (AU) and the Community of Sahel-Saharan States. Since 2 April 2012, the country's president has been Macky Sall.
History Archaeological findings throughout the area indicate that Senegal was inhabited
in prehistoric times. Senegal was part of the kingdom of Takrur in the 9th century and the Jolof kingdom, during the 13th and 14th centuries. In the mid-15th century, the Portuguese landed on the Senegal coastline, followed by other countries including the French. Eastern Senegal was once part of the Empire of Ghana. Modern Senegal has always been occupied by various ethnic groups. Around the 11th Century Islam became the religion of some Senegalese tribes, though not in great numbers. In the 13th and 14th centuries, the area came under the influence of the empires to the east; the Jolof Empire of Senegal was also founded during this time. In the Senegambia region, between 1300 and 1900, close to one-third of the population was enslaved. Various European powers—Portugal, the Netherlands, and Great Britain—competed for trade in the area from the 15th century onward, until in 1677, France ended up in possession of what had become a minor slave trade departure point—the island of Gorée next to modern Dakar, used as a base to purchase slaves from the warring chiefdoms on the mainland. Some kingdoms were created around the 7th century: the Tekrour, the Namandirou Slave traders in Gorée, kingdom and then the Djolof with distant ties to the Ghana empire. In the 14th century the Djolof kingdom became a powerful empire having united Cayor, and the 18th century. kingdoms of Baol, Sine, Saloum, Waalo, Fouta-Toro and Bambouk. The empire was a voluntary confederacy of various states rather than an empire built on military conquest. The empire was founded by Ndiadiane Ndiaye, a part Serer and partToucouleur, who was able to form a coalition with many ethnicities, but collapsed around 1549 with the defeat and killing of Lele Fouli Fak by Amari Ngone Sobel Fall. French colonialists progressively invaded and took over all kingdoms except Sine and Saloum under governor Louis Faidherbe. Islam was introduced in Senegal during the 8th and 9th centuries by Berber merchants. They peacefully converted the Toucouleurs and Sarakholles who in turn propagated it. Later on, in the 11th century, the Almoravids, with the help of the Toucouleurs used Jihad as a mean of conversion. This movement faced resistance from ethnicities of traditional religion, the Serers in particular. Eventually, Berbers won a peaceful conversion among the Wolofs with the intervention of leaders like Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, El Hadj Malick Sy, and Seydina Limamou Laye who were able to convince their followers. They saw Islam as a way to unite and fight against colonial power. The populations were getting weary of repeated jihads and forced colonization. Europeans missionaries introduced Christianity to Senegal and the Casamance in the 19th century. An emblematic figure of Colonial Saint Louis c. 1900. Europeans and Casamance is Aline Sitoe Diatta, a woman who led the Africans on the Rue Lebon resistance movement against European colonialists. It was only in the 1850s that the French began to expand onto the Senegalese mainland (by now rid of slavery and promoting abolitionist doctrine), adding native chiefdoms such as Waalo, Cayor, Baol, and Jolof. Senegalese chiefs' resistance to the French expansion and curtailing of their lucrative slave trade was led in part by Lat-Dior, Damel of Cayor, and Maad a Sinig Kumba Ndoffene Famak Joof, the Maad a Sinig of Sine, resulting in the Battle of Logandème. On 4 April 1959 Senegal and the French Sudan merged to form the Mali Federation, which became fully independent on 20 June 1960, as a result of the independence and the transfer of power agreement signed with France on 4 April 1960. Due to internal political difficulties, the Federation broke up on 20 August, when Senegal and French Sudan (renamed the Republic of Mali) proclaimed independence. Léopold Senghor was proclaimed Senegal's first president in September 1960. Senghor was a very well read man, educated in France. He was a poet, a philosopher and personally drafted the Senegalese national anthem, "Pincez tous vos koras, frappez les balafons". He was very pro-African, and also advocated a brand of African socialism. In 1980, President Senghor decided to retire from politics, and he handed power over in 1981 to his handpicked successor, Abdou Diouf. Mamadou Dia ran for reelection in 1983 against Diouf but lost. Senghor moved to France where he later died at the age of 96. Senegal joined with the Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia on 1 February 1982. However, the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a southern separatist group in the Casamance region had clashed sporadically with government forces since 1982. Senegal has had a long history of participating in international peacekeeping. Abdou Diouf was president between 1981 and 2000. He encouraged broader political participation, reduced government involvement in the economy, and widened Senegal's diplomatic engagements, particularly with other developing nations. Domestic politics on occasion spilled over into street violence, border tensions, and a violent separatist movement in the southern region of the Casamance. Nevertheless, Senegal's commitment to democracy and human rights strengthened. Abdou Diouf served four terms as president. In the presidential election of 1999, opposition leader Abdoulaye Wade defeated Diouf in an election deemed free and fair by international observers. Senegal experienced its second peaceful transition of power, and its first from one political party to another. On 30 December 2004 President Wade announced that he would sign a peace treaty with the separatist group in the Casamance region. This, however, has yet to be implemented. There was a round of talks in 2005, but the results have not yet yielded a resolution.
dustry. There is still a lot to do in primary education, but the foundations of a good public education system have been laid down, he said. Regarding plans for the future, he highlighted the importance of full employment and further cuts in household utility prices, adding that changing the trend that most people do have not enough savings is even more significant. He concluded that families must be supported and the country needs to be strengthened economically to achieve a more peaceful, balanced way of life.
Hungary, Austria ready to support BosniaHerzegovina’s EU integration
Photo: Károly Árvai (Online 28 Mar) Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico inaugurated an important phase of the first Central-European northsouth gas corridor, the Hungarian-Slovak gas interconnector, which connects the two countries’ gas networks. The gas pipeline is a priority for both countries and also for the European Union. Thanks to the exemplary cooperation between the two nations, new gas sources will now be available for the region’s markets, as a result of which the new pipeline greatly contributes towards enhancing energy security in Central-Europe, the diversification of the route of gas supply and reducing the gas dependence of the region’s countries. The investment greatly strengthens Hungary’s regional gas-transit position and the utilisation of domestic gas storage units.
Photo: Károly Árvai (Online 28 Mar) Hungary and Austria are ready to support Bosnia-Herzegovina’s EU integration because it seems to have come to a standstill, Foreign Minister János Martonyi declared following the talks that he and his Austrian counterpart held with Foreign Minister Zlatko Lagumdžija on March 27, 2014. Mr Martonyi and Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz paid a visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina in order to explore the situation there before the upcoming EU foreign ministers’ meeting in April. The Hungarian Foreign Minister pointed out that the majority of the citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina were in favour of
EU integration. However, Bosnia-Herzegovina would need to carry out significant reforms in order to advance the country’s integration process. Hungary and Austria are ready to support the process with all means available. The two foreign ministers also held a meeting with the joint Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina and visited EU petition campaign posts that collect signatures in favour of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s European integration. Before meeting Zlatko Lagumdžija, the Foreign Minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina, János Martonyi paid a visit to the EU's EUFOR Bosnian peacekeeping mission in Camp
Butmir, near Sarajevo, together with his Austrian counterpart Sebastian Kurz. The role of Hungarian soldiers in Bosnia-Herzegovina is vitally important, since what takes place in the country and the region is not indifferent from the point of view of Hungary's security, Foreign Minister Martonyi declared. Hungary's peacekeepers, their commitment, knowledge and training are needed not only for the sake of Hungary but for the whole of Europe and the world, he said. Hungary's armed forces currently contribute 160 servicemen to the EUFOR mission, the second largest force at the moment.
Hungary raised the issue of Bolivian violation at the UN Human Rights Council “From the point of view of Hungary's energy supply, the Hungarian-Slovak gas interconnector is of historic significance. Whatever happens to the east of us, gas will arrive in Hungary in any event," said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, referring to the fact that with the new gas pipelines, new gas sources have become accessible to Hungarian consumers. This event fits into the Hungarian Government’s policy chain for ensuring Hungary has the cheapest household and industrial energy in Europe. Thanks to the Hungarian Government's earlier repurchase of gas storage facilities and a stake in oil and gas company MOL, the state has all the means to guarantee safe and predictable gas supplies to both households and businesses, whatever may happen in the world. According to the Slovakian Prime Minister, the
interconnector will increase energy security significantly. A test run of the interconnector will begin on 1 July this year, while the pipeline would operate fully from 1 January 2015. The interconnector is a 111km long pipeline – 92 kms of it between Vecsés and Balassagyarmat on Hungarian territory, 19 kms in Slovakia -- and can be switched to work in both directions. At the ceremony, Prime Ministers Viktor Orbán and Robert Fico also signed an agreement on building 11 new road border crossings and 8 bridges to connect Hungary and Slovakia. By 2020, the number of such crossings will be doubled. Hungarian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations Péter Szijjártó, announced that this is one of largest ever joint development project between the two countries.
Eight Hungarian employers receive award for disability-friendly workplace
(Online 27 Mar) On March 26, the United Nations Human Rights Council, among others, discussed the annual report on Bolivia prepared by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. At the meeting, on behalf of the Hungarian government, András Dékány, Hungary’s UN Ambassa-
dor in Geneva, referred to the case of a Hungarian citizen, Előd Tóásó, arbitrarily detained in Bolivia. Recommendations had been so far ignored and Hungary called on Bolivia to free Előd Tóásó in compliance with its international obligations, in particular those concern-
ing pre-trial detention. Hungary thanked the local bureau of the Office of the High Commissioner concerning the legal and human rights aspects of the case. Hungary hoped that the Government of Bolivia would respond constructively to this case and open new beneficial avenues.
D om e s t ic c ons um pt ion gr owt h a ls o boos t s H unga r ia n e nt e r pr is e s (Online 27 Mar) The Government policy aiming to leave as much money as possible at people has been effective, Minister of State for Economic Regulation Kristóf Szatmáry said at a session of the Hungarian Association of Craftsmen’s Corporations. Thanks to the Government measures implemented over the past years, such the relief programmes for foreign currency debtors, the cutting of utility prices or the family tax allowance, the savings of Hungarian households have increased and the subsequent upswing of domestic consumption is contributing to the expansion of Hungarian enterprises. Kristóf Szatmáry pointed out that there was a profound change in 2010 regarding the relation between the state and
enterprises. As formerly the budget of state institutions had been drafted in a way to ensure that some operating costs are covered by future fines, enterprises had felt to be the potential enemies of the state. The current Government has put an end to this practise and enacted regulation which stipulates that fines shall flow into the state budget instead of to state institutions, the Minister of State emphasised. Speaking about the financing options of enterprises Kristóf Cséfalvay said that while following the crisis lending had almost come to a halt in Hungary, over the past years the Government has unblocked resources for enterprise financing. Thanks to this effort, enterprises have become capable of implementing several development or investment projects
which they had previously been forced to shelve, he added. Along with the importance of domestic consumption growth, the Minister of State also placed emphasis on the significance of exports as this sector is another growth engine for enterprises. The Minister of State called exports one of the most successful areas for SMEs, as their share within the total volume of exports increased parallel to the overall increase of this sector over the past four years. The network of economic diplomats, the Hungarian Investment and Trade Agency, several economic joint committees and the Carpathian Region Business Network, he added, are also contributing to the success of Hungarian exporters.
Géza Poprády discusses agricultural and environmental cooperation in Qatar
Republic Day Iran - A p r 0 1
The country of Iran holds a yearly gathering every April 1st in remembrance of the country’s Islamic Republic constitution that was officially proclaimed on 1979. Islamic Republic Day is one of Iran’s most historic celebrations. It was proclaimed to be a national holiday approximately two months after the success of the Islamic Revolution on 1979.
ministration offers them work. The Prime Minister stressed that last year there was a breakthrough as real wages could increase thanks to public utility cuts and low inflation. Hungary has fared better in terms of employment, economic growth, inflation and its foreign account balance than the average of the European Union, he added. Regarding education, Prime Minister Orbán underlined that there are promising signs in vocational training and courses are better adjusted to the needs of in-
More concrete steps are needed to bolster Hungarian-Polish relations: Martonyi
April Fool's Day Worldwide - A p r 0 1
April Fools' Day is celebrated around the world on April 1 every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is not a national holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when many people play all kinds of jokes and foolishness. The day is marked by the commission of good-humoured or otherwise funny jokes, hoaxes, and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends, family members, teachers, neighbors, work associates, etc. Traditionally, in some countries such as Canada, New Zealand, the UK, Australia, Cyprus, and South Africa, the jokes only last until noon, and someone who plays a trick after noon is called an "April Fool" and taunted "April Fool's Day's past and gone, You're the fool for making one."Elsewhere, such as in France, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Russia, The Netherlands, Germany, Brazil, Ireland, and the U.S., the jokes last all day. In France and Italy children (and adults, when appropriate) traditionally tack paper fish on each other's back as a trick and shout "april fish!" in their local language ("poisson d'avril!" and "pesce d'aprile!" in French and Italian respectively). The earliest recorded association between April 1 and foolishness can be found in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (1392). Many writers suggest that the restoration of January 1 as New Year's Day in the 16th century was responsible for the creation of the holiday, but this theory does not explain earlier references.
(Online 28 Mar) Hungary is performing better than the European Union average with regard to all key economic indicators, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on public Kossuth radio on Friday. The Prime Minster noted that of one million new jobs promised over a period of ten years more than 250,000 have already been created, more than anyone would have imagined in 2010. He highlighted the difference that during previous governments unskilled, unemployed workers living in disadvantaged regions received benefits, whereas the current ad-
Photo: Károly Árvai (Online 25 Mar) Eight employers, including the municipalities of two Budapest districts, received awards for disability-friendly workplaces on Monday; the award was founded in 2010 and is jointly managed by the Ministry for Human Resources, the Salva Vita Foundation and the Hungarian-American Chamber of Commerce. Minister of State for Social and Family Affairs Miklós Soltész said at the award ceremony that hiring peo-
ple with disabilities is not only beneficial to the society and employers, but it also contributes towards a better atmosphere at the workplace. He also encouraged employers to be receptive towards disabled people, saying that in the long term this attitude has its own rewards. He also said that during the past four years, since the current government took office, 16,000 people with disabilities have found jobs thanks to the administration’s initiatives.
The awards went to the municipalities of Budapest’s 11th and 16th districts, the Special Education Faculty of the Budapest Science University and five private companies: Evopro Informatics and Electronization Ltd., Iron Mountain Hungary Ltd., Jabil Circuit Hungary Ltd., Work Force Ltd. and Borhy Palace Garden Co. The winners can use the “Disability-Friendly Workplace” logo for two years as a result of receiving the award.
Memorial Day of Chiang Kai-shek Taiwan - A p r 0 5
Chiang Kai-shek (October 31, 1887 – April 5, 1975) was a 20th-century Chinese political and military leader. He is known as Jiang Jieshi (蔣介石) or Jiang Zhongzheng (蔣中正) in Mandarin Chinese. Chiang was an influential member of the Kuomintang (KMT), or Nationalist Party, and was a close ally of Sun Yat-sen. He became the Commandant of the Kuomintang's Whampoa Military Academy, and took Sun's place as leader of the KMT when Sun died in 1925. In 1926, Chiang led the Northern Expedition to unify the country, becoming China's nominal leader. He served as Chairman of the National Military Council of the Nationalist government of the Republic of China (ROC) from 1928 to 1948. Chiang led China in the Second Sino-Japanese War, during which the Nationalist government's power severely weakened, but his prominence grew. Unlike Sun Yat-sen, Chiang Kai-shek was socially conservative, promoting traditional Chinese culture in the New Life Movement and rejecting western democracy and the nationalist democratic socialism that Sun Yat-sen and some other members of the KMT embraced in favor of a nationalist authoritarian government. Chiang's predecessor, Sun Yat-sen, was well-liked and respected by the Communists, but after Sun's death Chiang was not able to maintain good relations with the Communist Party of China (CPC). A major split between the Nationalists and Communists occurred in 1927; and, under Chiang's leadership, the Nationalists fought a nation-wide civil war against the Communists. After Japan invaded China in 1937, Chiang agreed to a temporary truce with the CPC. Despite some early cooperative military successes against Japan, by the time that the Japanese surrendered in 1945 neither the CPC nor the KMT trusted each other or were actively cooperating. After American-sponsored attempts to negotiate a coalition government failed in 1946, the Chinese Civil War resumed. The CPC defeated the Nationalists in 1949, forcing Chiang's government to retreat to Taiwan, where Chiang imposed martial law and persecuted people critical of his rule in a period known as the "White Terror". After evacuating to Taiwan, Chiang's government continued to declare its intention to retake mainland China. Chiang ruled the island securely as President of the Republic of China and General of the Kuomintang until his death in 1975. He ruled mainland China for 22 years, and Taiwan for 26 years.
Qingming Festival China, Taiwan - A p r 0 5
The Qingming Festival (simplified Chinese: 清 明 节 ; traditional Chinese: 清明節; pinyin:Qīngmíng Jié; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chheng-bêng-cheh or Chhiⁿ-miâ-choeh, Ching Ming Festival in Hong Kong, Vietnamese: Tết Thanh Minh), Pure Brightness Festival or Clear Bright Festival, Ancestors Day or Tomb Sweeping Day is a traditional Chinese festival on the 104th day after the winter solstice (or the 15th day from the Spring Equinox), usually occurring around April 5 of the Gregorian calendar. Astronomically it is also a solar term. The Qingming festival falls on the first day of the fifth solar term, named Qingming. Its name denotes a time for people to go outside and enjoy the greenery of springtime (踏 青 Tàqīng, "treading on the greenery") and tend to the graves of departed ones. Qingming has been regularly observed as a statutory public holiday in Taiwan and in the Chinese jurisdictions of Hong Kong and Macau. Its observance was reinstated as a nation wide public holiday in mainland China in 2008, after having been previously suppressed by the ruling Communist Party in 1949. The transcription of the term Qingming may appear in a number of different forms, some of which are Qingming, Qing Ming, Qing Ming Jie, Ching Ming (official in Hong Kong) and Ching Ming Chieh.
Introduction The holiday is known by a number of names in the English language:
• All Souls Day (not to be confused with the Roman Catholic holiday, All Souls Day, of the same name) • Clear Bright Festival • Ancestors Day • Festival for Tending Graves • Grave Sweeping Day • Chinese Memorial Day • Tomb Sweeping Day • Spring Remembrance Tomb Sweeping Day and Clear Bright Festival are the most common English translations of Qingming Festival. Tomb Sweeping Day is used in several English language newspapers published in Taiwan.
Origin Qingming Festival is when Chinese peo-
ple visit the graves or burial grounds of their ancestors. Traditionally, people brought a whole rooster with them to the graves visited but the occasion has become less formal over time. The festival originated from Hanshi Day (寒食节, literally, Day with cold food only), a memorial day for Jie Zitui (介子推). Jie Zitui died in 636 BC in the Spring and Autumn Period. He was one of many followers of Duke Wen of Jin before he became a duke. Once, during Wen's 19 years of exile, they had no food and Jie prepared some meat soup for Wen. Wen enjoyed it a lot and wondered where Jie had obtained the soup. It turned out Jie had cut a piece of meat from his own thigh to make the soup. Wen was so moved he promised to reward him one day. However, Jie was not the type of person who sought rewards. Instead, he just wanted to help Wen to return to Jin to become king. Once Wen became duke, Jie resigned and stayed away from him. Duke Wen rewarded the people who helped him in the decades, but for some reason he forgot to reward Jie, who by then had moved into the forest with his mother. Duke Wen went to the forest, but could not find Jie. Heeding suggestions from his officials, Duke Wen ordered men to set the forest on fire to force out Jie. However, Jie died in the fire. Feeling remorseful, Duke Wen ordered three days without fire to honour Jie's memory. The county where Jie died is still called Jiexiu (介休, literally "the place Jie rests forever"). Qingming has a tradition stretching back more than 2,500 years. Its origin is credited to the Tang Emperor Xuanzong in 732. Wealthy citizens in China were reportedly holding too many extravagant and ostentatiously expensive ceremonies in honour of their ancestors. Emperor Xuanzong, seeking to curb this practice, declared that respects could be formally paid at ancestors' graves only on Qingming. The observance of Qingming found a firm place in Chinese culture and continued since Ancient China.
Celebration
The Qingming Festival is an opportunity for celebrants to remember and honour their ancestors at grave sites. Young and old pray before the ancestors, sweep the tombs and offer food, tea, wine, chopsticks, joss paper accessories, and/or libations to the ancestors. The rites have a long tradition in Asia, especially among farmers. Some people carry willow branches with them on Qingming, or put willow branches on their gates and/or front doors. They believe that willow branches help ward off the evil spirit that wanders on Qingming. On Qingming people go on family outings, start the spring plowing, sing, and dance. Qingming is also the time when young couples start courting. Another popular thing to do is to fly kites in the shapes of animals or characters from Chinese opera. Another common practice is to carry flowers instead of burning paper, incense or firecrackers. The holiday is often marked by people paying respects to those who died in events considered sensitive in China. The April Fifth Movement and the Tiananmen Incident were major events on Qingming that took place in the history of the People's Republic of China. When Premier Zhou Enlai died in 1976, thousands visited him during the festival to pay their respects. Many also pay respects to victims of the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 and the graves of Zhao Ziyang and Yang Jia in areas where the right of free expression is generally recognized, as in Hong Kong. In most areas of China observance of sensitive events are suppressed and all public mention of such events is taboo. In Taiwan this national holiday is observed on April 5 because the ruling Kuomintang moved it to that date in commemoration of the death of Chiang Kai-shek on April 5. Despite having no holiday status, the overseas Chinese communities in Southeast Asian nations, such as those in Singapore and Malaysia, take this festival seriously and observe its traditions faithfully. Some Qingming rituals and ancestral veneration decorum observed by the oversea Chinese in Malaysia and Singapore can be dated back to Ming and Qing dynasties, as the oversea communities were not affected by the Cultural Revolution in Mainland China. Qingming in Malaysia is an elaborate family function or a clan feast (usually organized by the respective clan association) to commemorate and honour recently deceased relatives at their grave sites and distant ancestors from China at home altars, clan temples or makeshift altars in Buddhist or Taoist temples. For the oversea Chinese community, the Qingming festival is very much a family celebration and, at the same time, a family obligation. They see this festival as a time of reflection and to honour and give thanks to their forefathers. Overseas Chinese normally visit the graves of their recently deceased relatives on the nearest weekend to the actual date. According to the ancient custom, grave site veneration is only feasible ten days before and after the Qingming Festival. If the visit is not on the actual date, normally veneration before Qingming is encouraged. The Qingming Festival in Malaysia and Singapore normally starts early in the morning by paying respect to distant ancestors from China at home altars. This is followed by visiting the graves of close relatives in the country. Some follow the concept of filial piety to the extent of visiting the graves of their ancestors in mainland China. Traditionally, the family will burn spirit money and paper replicas of material goods such as cars, homes, phones and paper servants. In Chinese culture, it is believed that people still need all of those things in the afterlife. Then family members start take turns to kowtow three to nine times (depending on the family adherence to traditional values) before the tomb of the ancestors. The Kowtowing ritual in front of the grave is performed in the order of patriarchal seniority within the family. After the ancestor worship at the grave site, the whole family or the whole clan feast on the food and drink they brought for the worship either at the site or in nearby gardens in the memorial park, signifying family reunion with the ancestors. Hanshi, the day before Qingming, was created by Chong'er, the Duke Wen of the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period. The festival was established after Chong'er accidentally burned to death his friend and servant Jie Zhitui (介之推) (or Jie Zitui) and Jie Zitui's mother. Chong'er ordered the hills in which they were hiding set on fire in the hope that Jie Zitui would return to his service, but the fire killed Jie and his mother. Because of this, people were not allowed to use fires to heat up food and the date became named Hanshi. Eventually, 300 years ago, the Hanshi "celebration" was combined with the Qingming festival and later abandoned by most people.
In Chinese tea culture
The Qingming festival holiday has a significance in the Chinese tea culture since this specific day divides the fresh green teas by their picking dates. Green teas made from leaves picked before this date are given the prestigious 'pre-qingming' (清明前) designation which commands a much higher price tag. These teas are prized for having much lighter and subtler aromas than those picked after the festival.
(Online 26 Mar) Hungarian Minister of State for Public Administration Géza Poprády met with Qatar's Minister for the Environment Ahmad Ibn Amir Muhammad al-Humaidi on 24 March to discuss opportunities for cooperation between the two countries. Mr. Poprády is the first high-level Hungarian politician to have visited the State of Qatar, where he held negotiations with the head of the country's Ministry of Environment, which is also responsible for agriculture and food supply. The primary goal of the visit was to discuss possible Hungarian involvement in Qatar's national Food Security
Programme. Minister of State Poprády stressed that one of Hungary's priority goals is to cooperate with the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to contribute to the security of their food supply. Our primary long-term goal is to enable the injection of Arab capital to both facilitate the development of Hungarian agriculture and food industry enterprises and to increase the food security of the GCC countries by exporting part of the good produced. Mr. Poprády undertook to provide a report summarising Hungary's agriculture and food industry and invited representatives from the
Ministry, the Food Security Programme supervised by the Ministry and from the enterprises involved to visit Hungary. Recalling the meeting between Mr. al-Humaidi and Hungarian Minister of State for Environmental Affairs Zoltán Illés last autumn, Mr. Poprády offered to pass on Hungarian experience within the fields of environmental legislation and regulation. Mr. al-Humaidi welcomed the Hungarian offer and is awaiting a concrete proposal form the Hungarian party, which he hope will soon lead to the beginning of cooperation in all areas.
US ready to export LNG to Central and Eastern Europe (Online 26 Mar) The United States is ready to assist countries in Central and Eastern Europe by exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the region, Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner said late on Tuesday after meeting Hungary's Ambassador-at-Large for Energy Security Anita Orbán. Noting President Barack Obama's recent attendance of the Nuclear
Summit in The Hague, Mr. Boehner told Ambassador-at-Large Orbán: "I hope he uses this as an opportunity to discuss how we can help the Europeans reduce their dependence on Vladimir Putin. Expediting the approval of US natural gas exports would send a clear signal that Russia's energy stranglehold on Europe will not continue." "The best way we can help them is to circumvent their vulnerability by
meeting their energy needs," Mr. Boehner said, referring to Central and Eastern Europe. "There is now a historic opportunity ahead of us, because the situation in Ukraine is a wake-up call," Ambassador Anita Orbán stated. Before their meeting, Ms. Orbán testified before the US Congress with regard to the geopolitical implications of LNG export liberalization.
Agriculture is the Engine of Economic Production (Online 26 Mar) "Last year, agriculture was the engine of Hungarian economic growth, its output increased by 22 percent compared to the previous year and the sector contributed 4.8 percent to gross added value", the Ministry of Rural Development's Minister of State for Agricultural Economy György Czerván said at a farmers' forum in western Hungary. With regard to expected European Union funding for the next 7-year financial period, Mr. Czerván said that while funding for agriculture and rural development will be falling by 48 billion euros within the EU as a whole, Hungary has succeeded in achieving an increase of 1.9 billion euros, which will improve the country's competitiveness. According to the further details provided by the Minister of State, areabased SAPS funding is expected to be 127 e u r o s / h e c t a r e / y e a r, which may be supplemented by a further 77 euros if farmers conform
to environmental criteria, the so-called "greening" requirements, in addition to which young farmers can count on receiving a further 64 euros per hectare in funding. At the farmers' forum in Őriszentpéter, the Ministry of Rural Development's Minister of State for Rural Development and the region's Fidesz Party candidate for the upcoming elections, Zsolt V. Németh, said that rural development priorities include facilitating knowledge transfer and innovation, helping local products reach the market, near-to-nature farming and reducing poverty. Mr. Németh added that although the funding directly available for rural development will decrease somewhat during the upcoming financial period, the plan is to enable supplementary fund to be available for rural development purposes via other programmes for which agricultural businesses have not been able to apply until now. He mentioned as an example the EU's energy
efficiency and environmental programmes. Several farmers at the forum voiced their opinions regarding the fact that farmland rental prices are too high, and suggested that a maximum level should be determined for such fees wither centrally or regionby-region. One farmer in particular complained that he was paying much more than the market price because he had no choice but to rent the land he uses for farming from its Austrian owner. Minister of State Czerván said that it was conceivable that a region limit could be set to prevent the increase of rental prices, which, according to Mr. Czerván, are currently determined by supply and demand. The concrete case mentioned at the forum in which a Hungarian farmer rents the Hungarian farmland he uses from its Austrian owner will be investigated by the Ministry, because it is unlikely that a transaction of this kind can have a legal basis.
Standards of the Military Hospital have significantly improved: Csaba Hende (Online 24 Mar) Thanks to the changes implemented over the last few years, the financial situation and the professional standards of the Hungarian Defence Forces Medical Centre have by now significantly improved, the Minister of Defence said on Monday, March 24 while giving an assessment in the institution. The Minister reminded his audience that when the MoI hospital, the Szabolcs St. hospital and the Military Hospital had been merged in July 2007 – “supposedly with the purpose of saving money” –, a single institution had been burdened with all the tasks, and the performance volume limit had been reduced to half. In 2010, they took over a hospital which had been established with a wrong concept, burdened with huge tasks and insufficiently financed. Csaba Hende said that from 2010 on, the Ministry of Defence regularly notified the State Secretariat for Health Care that the available funding was not enough for fulfilling the tasks assigned to the institution. In order to deal with the situation, the Ministry of Defence appointed a ministerial commissioner in 2012 to review the task system and financial management of the hospital. The government set the Military Hospital the goal of achieving a saving of HUF 1.5 billion, while the scope of patient care for the hospital was increasing further, in accordance with the Semmelweis Plan. Regarding some professions, for example the treatment of burn patients, potentially 4.5 mil-
lion people are assigned to the hospital, and many other professions have patient numbers around 1.5 million. Despite all these, and with its funding reduced to half, the hospital performed 17 per cent more last year – besides, it was also able to reduce the deficit by half, with around HUF 4 billion, the Minister pointed out. In addition to these results in financial management, considering the standards and complexity of treatment, the Military Hospital reaches the level of university clinics, Csaba Hende added. The Budapest Military Hospital has a staff of 3600 – including 662 soldiers –, which provides health care for 1.2 million outpatients and 60,000 in-patients every year. The running costs of the hospital total around HUF 26 billion per year. At the same time, the Minister pointed out that the developments would continue into the future. He noted that the institution had not received any EU funds at all during the previous EU funding cycle. This situation has to be changed, too, the Minister stated, and went on saying that the plans include, among others, the development of cardiology care, and the still existing, irrational patient pathways will be corrected too. Csaba Hende added that with further effective support from the State Secretariat for Health Care, the Military Hospital will occupy an outstanding role in providing health care services for the region and the country. The president of the Hungarian Hospital Association said that the
institution has by now reached a certain order of functioning. György Velkey pointed out that he considers the Hungarian Defence Forces Medical Centre an asset of enormous professional value from the point of view of the Hungarian health care system. Maj.-Gen. István Szabó, the commandant of the hospital said that they had gone through an eventful period full of changes. There was an especially remarkable change in 2012, when, under a ministerial commissioner, an audit started to review the organizational structure, tasks and financial management of the hospital, and, as he said, this audit would end in April this year. During this period, they have been continuously providing patient care as well as force health protection for soldiers from Afghanistan to Mali, and from Cyprus to the Balkans. In his speech, Gen. Tibor Benkő, Chief of the Defence Staff pointed out that the Hungarian Defence Forces have important health care tasks both in peacetime and periods other than peacetime, so the Budapest Military Hospital was put back to its place when it became an element in the TOE of the Hungarian Defence Forces again. This transformation has been successful, so now they can keep track of the soldiers from their admission to their final rehabilitation, and are able to perform periodical screenings and aptitude tests more effectively, in a well-organized system, the Chief of Defence stressed.
Hungary-Croatia meeting on EU funds for public administration (Online 24 Mar) A two-day Hungarian-Croatian meeting focusing on the use of EU funds available for public administration programmes started on Friday. Opening the event in the town of Veszprem, in west Hungary, Tibor Navracsics, the minister of public administration and justice, said that Hungary had carried out its state public administration reform in the main by drawing
on EU funds. As part of the process, in 2010 the government cut the number of ministries to eight from 13-15 and restructured and modernised the system of public administration on several levels, he said. Hungary is a good example of how EU funds can be best used not only for economic developments but in other areas as well, Navracsics said, adding that the OECD
has recommended Hungary's reform of public administration as an exemplary model. Navracsics, also a deputy prime minister, offered to share Hungary's experience with Croatia. Orsat Miljenic, Croatia's justice minister, said his country had been working on revamping its public administration system since its EU accession and welcomed the availability of EU funds.