Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-05-05

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From: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] TRADE FACILITIES - BEGINNING OF FULLER NORMALIZATION

[02] YUGOSLAVIA DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE SHOWN AS A VILLAIN

[03] YUGOSLAVIA GAINS ACCESS TO E.U. MARKET

[04] EU PREFERENCES ENABLE EXPORT OF MEAT AND TEXTILES

[01] TRADE FACILITIES - BEGINNING OF FULLER NORMALIZATION

Tanjug, 1997-04-30

The Yugoslav Government informed itself at a meeting Wednesday, presided over by Prime Minister Radoje Kontic, about the content and possible effects of 'autonomous trade measures' undertaken by the EU towards the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the Federal Information Secretariat said.

Welcoming the adopted measures, the Government considered that the facilities should have been introduced much earlier, or immediately after the signing of the Dayton-Paris Peace Agreement.

It was assessed that the defined trade facilities represent the beginning of a wider and fuller normalization of relations between the FRY with the EU and the international community.

[02] YUGOSLAVIA DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE SHOWN AS A VILLAIN

Tanjug, 1997-05-03

Objective facts in fields essential for Yugoslavia and its communication with the world are such that it does not deserve to be shown as a villain, Yugoslav Information Secretary Goran Matic said for the Sunday issue of the Novi Sad daily Dnevnik.

Thanks to that, Matic said, we do not need to be defensive and our basic stand is to simply give the facts and show the international community a realistic picture of this country, of ongoing social, political and economic reforms and processes.

Matic said that due to the politicizing of the Yugoslav society, we are in a situation where information is assessed according to several papers, or several television channels, while in reality there are over 2,500 information institutions.

Announcing the adoption soon of a new federal law on information, Matic said that 'it will express truly democratic processes, rights and liberties, but also obligations in the Yugoslav information space.'

Matic added that there was a certain change for the better in the manner in which foreign corespondents reported about developments in Yugoslavia and that this was gradually changing the picture about our country in the world.

Matic pointed out that there have not been nor will there be any hindrances imposed on foreign correspondents reporting from Yugoslavia, adding that equal treatment was enjoyed by 25 journalists from the former Yugoslav republics, accredited in Belgrade.

Yugoslavia bases its relation towards them, Matic said, 'on professionalism, good will and our traditional hospitality, but also on principles of reciprocity in cases of departure from traditional conduct.'

He announced the formation of a Yugoslav radio-television station, as the Yugoslav Government considers that the federal state needs to have its television channel, which is at the same time a condition for joining the international program exchange.

Matic said that the FRY 'has always been heedful of the interests and rights of national minorities and ethnic groups and that, in that matter, public information has met all media standards.'

'There are over 80 papers published in the languages of minorities of which in Kosovo and Metohija - 49 papers in the Albanian language', The Federal Information Secretary said. 'All 49 papers in Kosovo and Metohija are privately owned and the state has no influence on them. Therefore, I do not think it is possible to attain a higher level of freedom in that field,' Matic said.

[03] YUGOSLAVIA GAINS ACCESS TO E.U. MARKET

Tanjug, 1997-04-30

The EU decision to grant trade preferences to Yugoslavia in 1997 means that Serbia and Montenegro will again enjoy preferences they had under the 1980 agreement between the then European Economic Community and the former Yugoslavia.

The preferences include a duty-free export of Yugoslav industrial products to the European Union, possibility to use the so-called general scheme of preference and facilities in the sales of Yugoslav produce on the EU market.

This means that Yugoslavia will again be able to sell its industrial products on the EU market up to a certain limit in value or quantity.

Also, the general scheme of preference, i.e. lower duties, will be applied to all Yugoslav goods sold on the EU market.

This will ensure an equal treatment of Yugoslavia and other former Yugoslav republics which restored similar facilities in 1992.

The move, which will lower the cost of Yugoslav goods by 20 percent on the average, will help Yugoslavia become more competitive on the EU market.

This will make the Yugoslav - EU trade more balanced and help reduce the Yugoslav foreign trade deficit.

Yugoslavia trades with about 100 countries, but the European Union is its most important foreign trade partner, because it includes Italy, the biggest individual buyer of Yugoslav goods, and Germany, which is the biggest seller of goods to Yugoslavia together with Russia.

According to all analyses, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia will realise half of its GNP through import and export, like the former Yugoslavia did, and trade with the European Union will account for more than 50 percent of this amount.

In 1991, or one year before the imposition of the UN sanctions against Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro exported goods worth 2.312 billion dollars to and imported goods worth 2.427 billion dollars from the EU countries.

Last year, Yugoslavia's export to the European Union amounted to 586 million dollars and import, 1.725 billion dollars.

In the first quarter of this year, Yugoslavia exported to the EU market products worth about 167 million dollars, or 56 million dollars more than in the same period of 1996, and imported products worth 363 million dollars (325 million in the same period of 1996).

[04] EU PREFERENCES ENABLE EXPORT OF MEAT AND TEXTILES

Tanjug, 1997-05-01

The decision by the EU granting customs preferences to products imported from Yugoslavia will boost the latter's exports and increase hard currency earnings, Yugoslav Deputy Premier Danko Djunic said on Wednesday.

Djunic told journalists it was impossible to expect that Yugoslav products would appear on the EU market overnight, but that chances for quicker appearance were high in particular for the textile industry and foodstuffs.

Djunic said the companies were obliged now to introduce international standards of quality and practice good hygiene.

The EU decision will open prospects for normal bilateral economic cooperation, Assistant Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic said on Thursday.

Jovanovic said the decision, though unjustly delayed, removed artificial customs and other barriers impeding free trade between Yugoslavia and EU members.

Customs for Yugoslav products will be reduced between four and twenty percent, said Jovanovic. He said the measures opened wide possibilities for boosting trade, which would revive and intensify production in foodstuffs and the industry.

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