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Serbia Today, 97-04-30Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>Serbia TodayCONTENTS
[01] NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND FRYYesterday in Luxembourg EU Foreign Ministers approved trade preferentials for FR Yugoslavia, as a "recognition for a number of moves" that Belgrade did for the democratization and peace building in the region. The foreign ministers of the Fifteen reinstated the status Yugoslavia was stripped of on November 25, 1991, allowing it to export its products under preferential conditions specified by the Agreement signed by the European Community and former Yugoslavia in April 1980. Trade preferentials accorded to FRY, including the custom-free access to the EU market, and the elimination of a number of restrictions on industrial products were indispensable for stimulating the development of the Yugoslav economy, reads the statement issued after the session. The same document specifies that the preferential regime applies to 1997.Serbia Today, 1997-04-30 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-30[02] STRONGEST CRITICISM OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITYMr. Hrvoje Sarinic - Chief of Office of the Croatian President, stated that criticism against Croatia coming from all over the world, especially due to infringement of the rights of the Serbs, constitutes a specific pressure on Croatia to accept regional integration. In a statement for Zagreb TV, Mr. Sarinic - considered to be one of President Tudjman's closest and most trusted advisors - strongly accused the international community of: "trying to force Croatia into integrations it barely managed to get out of with enormous sacrifices." He also threatened that Croatia "will continue to conduct its policy based on its own decisions." This is the harshest official reply of the Croatian political leadership to the US and EU initiative for integration of Southeastern Europe that should ensure political and economic stability of the entire region.Serbia Today, 1997-04-30 ; Vecernje novosti, 1997-04-30[03] STANIMIROVIC: THE JOINT COUNCIL OF MUNICIPALITIES WILL HAVE A LEGAL STATUSThe Joint Council of Municipalities (ZVO) will have a legal status and certain competencies, even though Croatian government officials keep insisting on the counseling quality of this body - said today in Vukovar the leader of the Independent Democratic Serbian Party (SDSS) - Mr. Vojislav Stanimirovic. The Joint Council formed in the Srem-Baranja region in accordance with the Erdut Agreement, will include 41 to 43 delegates, namely SDSS candidates that took part in the recent local elections. Mr. Stanimirovic also indicated the urgent need to constitute the ZVO, because: "according to indications I have received from Gen. Klein, the Regional Assembly will cease to function on May 1st." The SDSS leader also revealed that along with this measure, Gen. Klein is also preparing a transitional status for the Regional Executive Council which is to remain operational until new administrative bodies are formed according to election results.Serbia Today, 1997-04-30 ; Ekspres, 1997-04-30[04] POTENTIALS FOR AUSTRALIAN-YUGOSLAV BUSINESS COOPERATIONAustralian businessman of Yugoslav origin Milan Mandic - founder and Chairman of the Australian-Serbian Federal Chamber of Economy, that recently opened its office in Belgrade, stated that great possibilities for business cooperation between the two countries have been opened, ranging from the exchange of business information to foreign trade and joint ventures. According to Mr. Mandic, the Chamber office in Belgrade has been opened because of the major interest shown by the Australians - especially by those of Serbian origin - to do business with Yugoslavia. "Judging by reception we have been given in local companies, banks, chambers of commerce and by high federal and republican officials, I can only conclude that here too there is a desire to cooperate with Australian firms", said Mr. Mandic. He also stressed that it is even more important that concrete business negotiations have been initiated immediately. "We have managed to coordinate the introduction of several Yugoslav firms on the Australian market such as "Simpo", "Trajal", "Zorka", Belgrade Beer Industry... High quality agricultural and food products from Yugoslavia will also hit the Australian market. Our Chamber will do its utmost to help establish business ties and limit the number of intermediaries, said Mr. Milan Mandic.Serbia Today, 1997-04-30 ; Borba, 1997-04-30[05] VOJVODINA REFLECTS A FREE AND OPEN MEDIA ENVIRONMENTDuring a meeting with Serbian Minister of Information - Prof. Dr. Radmila Milentijevic, the Chairman of the Vojvodina Executive Council - Mr. Bosko Perosevic stressed the long tradition and diversity of the information system in this province. As far as the implementation of world standards in this sphere is concerned, Yugoslavia is one of the leading countries -said Mr. Perosevic, adding that state budget financing is used to ensure the publishing of various newspapers; dailies: "Dnevnik" in Serbian, and "Magyar Szo" in Hungarian; weeklies: "Hlas Ludu" in Slovakian, "Libertateu" in Romanian, and "Ruske Slovo" in Ruthenian; as well as several other specialized publications. Radio Novi Sad broadcasts in seven languages, whilst the Novi Sad studio of the Serbian Radio Television has programs in six languages. Stressing that the developed information system in Vojvodina reflects a free and open media environment, Ms. Milentijevic said that the approval of the new Law on Information will introduce norms harmonized with existing European standards in the already existing pluralist practice.Serbia Today, 1997-04-30 ; Politika, 1997-04-30[06] OUR REFORMS SUPPORTEDThe fact that trade preferentials have been accorded at this specific time, indicates that the EU ministers have backed our economic reform Program, and this acknowledgment will have a major effect upon the Program - said Federal Deputy Premier Danko Djunic. In his opinion, trade alleviation will have a direct positive effect on our national economy since Yugoslav companies will be granted equitable treatment on the western markets. The indirect effect in international business circles is probably even more important, remarked Mr. Djunic, since they have been given the signal that the integration of Yugoslavia in the normal economic flows is a process following its own course.Mr. Mihailo Milojevic - Chairman of the Yugoslav Chamber of Economy, remarked that the latest EU decision represents a major incentive to further efforts made by the Yugoslav economy in building an open market economy. He also indicated that Yugoslav products will now be exported in greater quantities to the picky Union market, helped by the reduction of customs and other levies. This represents a chance and a challenge for Yugoslav companies, to affirm their potentials, technology and economy in a strongly competitive environment, said Mr. Milojevic. After European Union decision our economy can count on a direct increase of annual revenues of about 100 million dollars - said the Director of the Federal Statistics Institute - Mr. Milovan Zivkovic. Such a decision will also increase the credibility of Yugoslav companies which will result indirectly in an increase of Yugoslav exports and an additional annual effect of about 300 million dollars, added Mr. Zivkovic. The Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) hailed the decision passed by the EU Council of Ministers as a rational and positive step towards the creation of conditions for an equitable economic cooperation. Even though it is a delayed and long-awaited move, the removal of customs duties, and other administrative obstacles and the opening of the EU market to Yugoslav products, establishes FRY as an important and dependable trade partner, and a factor of peace, stability, neighborliness and economic integration in Southeastern Europe. SPS believes that this EU decision will help establish normal economic ties based on the principle of equality, mutual interests, free flow of goods and capital, without political limitations and conditions - reads the statement issued by the SPS Main Board. Serbia Today, 1997-04-30 ; Politika, 1997-04-30[07] DRAFT LAW ON CONCESSIONS BEFORE THE SERBIAN PARLIAMENTYesterday, the Serbian Government submitted the draft Law on Concessions to the Republican Parliament. The document defines the modalities, conditions and procedures in granting concessions for the use of natural resources and state property. Concessions are to be granted for all sorts of research and utilization of mineral deposits and raw materials, the utilization of forests, construction of hunting facilities and the management and utilization of game in hunting reservations, the utilization of waters, water-processing and irrigation plants. Local and foreign concession users can also be entrusted with the construction, maintenance and use of roads, energy production plants, railroads, aviation installations, airports, oil and gas pipelines. Concession can be also given for municipal facilities, telecommunication, river and lake banks, construction of facilities in spas. Concession rights will be granted with the condition of rational use of natural resources, technical-technological improvements of a given sector, and environment protection. Concession rights can be acquired for a maximum of 30 years. The draft Law also anticipates the creation of an expert agency managing the concessions and controlling their implementation.Serbia Today, 1997-04-30 ; Politika, 1997-04-30[08] RECOGNITION FOR THE EFFORT MADE BY BELGRADEGreat Britain fully supports the decision of the EU Council of Ministers to grant trade alleviation to FR Yugoslavia - stated a Foreign Office representative in London. According to the same official, this decision constitutes another step towards the complete return of the Yugoslav economy on the international market and a contribution to its revitalization. In the light of the importance Yugoslavia has for peace and stability in the region, states the Foreign Office, it is in the interest of no one in the world for it to be economically unstable, hence the EU trade preferentials represent only part of the international community to normalize the relations between the Yugoslav economy and the global financial market.Comments in Paris indicate that the decision made in Luxembourg reflects the EU stands regarding this issue. Even before the vote, France was part of the majority of 11 EU countries that endorsed trade alleviation for Yugoslavia, in order to help the development of the Yugoslav economy and enhance the economic cooperation between our country and the EU. The decision adopted by the Fifteen will be a good incentive for overall improvement of cooperation between FRY and EU, both on the bilateral and multilateral level, affirm Paris circles. The German news agency DPA remarks that the EU decision as a "reward for the initiated reforms". In the past several days Bonn had already given signals that it would agree with the motion. Germany was the second highest importer of Yugoslav goods last year (146 million dollars), preceded only by Italy. With the help of the trade preferentials Yugoslav exports will grow at least twofold or threefold. In Austria, the decision of the EU Council of Ministers has been interpreted as a "recognition for a number of moves" made by Belgrade to promote democratization and peace in the region, as well as an effort to help the overall economic revitalization of FR Yugoslavia. Serbia Today, 1997-04-30 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-30Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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