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Kurir , 17 February 2004
Intervirew : Crown Prince
Alexander Karadjordjevic
THE PRINCE FOR THE
GOVERNMENT
Alexander
Karadjordjevic: Monarchy is a good solution for us. We could
learn a lot from the Spanish model
Belgrade – In the
situation when our politicians have not been able to agree
and form any government for two months, the issue of state
system and reestablishment of monarchy in Serbia is becoming
talked of again. In the interview for the “Kurir”, His Royal
Highness Crown Prince Alexander Karadjordjevic says that at
this moment it is most important to make up the new
government as soon as possible, and that there will be time
to discuss the reestablishment of monarchy in the future:
The government must be
made up as soon as possible. A country with out the
government can not function and it is a huge problem, for we
have already lost a lot of time. Jobs, investments, economic
developments of the whole country... everything is in
question now. When there is no stability in the county we
can not expect foreign business and capital, nor can we
expect to put our economy on the solid foundations. A
solution must be found, and soon. Politicians have tolled me
the agreement will be made soon and I hope it will be so.
Every day I hope for that. Two centuries after the First
Serbian Uprising we should finally, straightforward and
without delay, move directly to Europe.
Do you believe that
Serbia will be parliamentary monarchy one day?
- I have always said that
constitutional parliamentary monarchy is a good solution for
our problems. I believe that a neutral head of state would
have respect of all political parties and options and that
in such conditions, the government would have a chance to do
a better job. That can be seen from the example of other
European counties. Spanish model, I would say, is the most
interesting. We could all learn a lot from their example.
So, do you expect to be
the King of Serbia one day?
- I hope so, yes. I work
on that.
Have you adapted to the
life in Serbia?
- I am very happy to be
here. My wish and my aim have always been to come back to my
country and to be with my people. I am a Serb, of course I
am happy to be here. I have spent many years living abroad.
I have been a refugee until now. Now I am not anymore.
When you communicate
with ordinary people, what do they usually ask you?
- I take every opportunity
to make direct contacts with our citizens, because I want to
know how they live, so that I could do something, so that I
could help. People have many questions for me, but it seams
to me I have more questions for them. Most of the time they
ask me why they do not live like people in other, developed
countries, why our factories don’t work, why there is no
production.... I do as much as I can, particularly for the
hospitals and health care system in general, where their are
really huge problems. Our doctors and nurses are the best in
the world, but they have extremely difficult conditions for
their work. They lack equipment sometimes the basic, let
alone up-to-date, modern equipment. That is a tremendous
problem.
What do you ask the
people when you meet them?
- I ask them how they
live, if they have jobs, if they have heating .... which is
very important, because winters are very cold in our
country, and mazut is expensive. A lot of people don’t have
basic living conditions.
OPEN AND
STRAIGHTFORWARD
- I have always been very
open and straightforward. It is my nature, and I appreciate
that from the others, and I believe I own that to the
others. I want to work for our people, I am happy to finally
have the chance to do as much as I can, and I try to do even
more. That is why I have to be open. I have to listen to
everything what the people have to say. I am aware of my
heritage, of the historical importance and the position of
my family and that is a part of my and our tradition. That
is the way my father and my grandfather used to work, and
that is the way I want to work.
N. Devic
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