GLAS JAVNOSTI, 03 JUNE 2006.

EUROPA WANT’S MONARCHY

HRH ALEXANDER II FOR GLAS:

MONARCHY WOULD BE SUITABLE FOR EU

By Diana Milosevic

What Serbia is missing the most in this moment is “more stability, resolution of our international obligations and improvement of everything that we have to improve in order to enter European Union”, says Crown Prince Alexander II. In his interview for Glas, Crown Prince marks constitutional monarchy as the best path towards European integrations, also usable for preservation of Kosovo in Serbia.

- Our Future is to become the member of the European community. I don’t want our country to be in the sandwich. We are bordering Bulgaria and Romania, new members of the EU from 2007, and Croatia that might become an EU member in 2008. Interesting situation is in Slovenia as well, country that will move to Euro Zone in 2007. What are we doing here? Our people are seeking for the new future and more jobs, and that will improve our social services. I am glad that we have some investors, but we miss two or three thousand investors more! As a Serbian, I am very proud; I want us to be strong and to go to Brussels together with everyone when we become EU member.

Would EU support restoration of monarchy in Serbia?

- Yes, of course! I have been in many countries and I can tell you that there is a large interest for monarchy. Many EU members are monarchies, while it is a good solution. Many people think, not only abroad but in our country as well, that it is better to have one man who is not a member of any political party, who respects that all, and also the government that rules the country. There are elections in constitutional parliamentary monarchy with the exception of the elections for the president. I think our politicians would be happy if they had one set of offices and good relations with the head of the state. Spain, once dictatorship now got the King, established democracy, became EU member and has a good economy.

Is there an interest among the Serbian people for the restoration of the monarchy?

- We are at the beginning. Our very clever people do not know exactly what Constitutional Parliamentary Monarchy actually is. Our goal therefore is to explain how is it working and what the benefits are. And that is the beginning.

Can the Crown preserve Kosovo within Serbia?

- Perhaps. I am not sure, while in case of the monarchy government would be in charge of the negotiations. I have connections. In cases like this one we have to work on our Western political contacts, and with that I might help, but the government would be still in charge. I would like to encourage and support networking, and that is what we are missing. Year after year I am getting new contacts that might be important and useful. I don’t want us to be in the ghetto. I have good relations with all the ethnic communities and religions, and I am proud to be orthodox. Kosovo is in my heart. I am always saying abroad that Kosovo is a Serbian Jerusalem. It is important that our team in Vienna is doing a good job protecting our interest and it is important that we have a good solution. They are working well and their task is a hard one, just like the situation that we inherited. I have visited Kosovo many times and I was always very emotional due to the very, very bad situation there. I want our people to have the future on Kosovo, and to have good relations with Albanians. Serbian future on Kosovo is of the mutual interest. Everyone must understand that the key interests of Kosovo are democracy and human rights.

Is the leading economy structure an obstacle for restoration of the monarchy?

- They shouldn’t be afraid. It is in our best common interest to develop economy. And if the market is growing, so is the opportunity for economists. If you have a large market that includes everyone, and if everyone is working according to the law, than it is OK. Monarchy would not jeopardize interests of the leading economy structures, on a contrary, monarchy would enhance further development. On the bigger market there is a space for everyone. 

What is your best achievement?

I have returned to my roots. I never thought I would have that chance, and I was totally surprised when I had an opportunity to come back home. I live in the house where my father and grandfather used to live. But, I am sad while there is a lack of future now. We have good politicians, but I appeal that they work together, not against each other.

MEDIA AND ME

- After 5^th October we have free media. Media has changed their relations toward my family. They are showing a great interest for our humanitarian endeavours. We have travelled all around Serbia and distributed humanitarian help, and when some hospital would receive for example a new apparatus, people would be informed about that thanks to journalists. I am using this opportunity to thank them all. I am proud of our tradition to have Media Reception every year. This year it was at The White Palace, last year it was on The Royal Palace. It is very important, because a good relationship with media is of a great importance, and that is also an opportunity to thank them for their care and interest and to invite them to work together on a better future of all our citizens – said Alexander II.