Saopštenje

Village Life, October 2002

POLITICAL STABILITY AND ECONOMIC REVIVAL

· Your Royal Highness, we salute your final arrival to the homeland and we rejoice the return of the Karadjordjevic family. How do you feel in the homeland?

It has always been my dream to come home. It was very emotional come home. I am very happy to be home after living in exile so many years. I can’t believe it that I am living with my family in the home of my grandfather and father close to our people.

· The citizens in many towns are spontaneously establishing associations for the return of Monarchy. The one like that has been founded in Omoljica too. What do you think about this kind of expressing support to Your Highness?

I am deeply touched by the love and interest our people have shown for my family. Non political associations that take an interest in constitutional monarchy and the history of our country are very positive.

· Your Highness and Princess Katherine have devoted yourselves to humanitarian work. Will the range of your humanitarian activities be expended to villages, where there is great need for restoration of schools and kindergartens, and where many talented children are waiting for someone to give them a chance?

The needs are tremendous throughout our country in all sectors and we will always try and seek help for education and our youth who are the future.

· Is there a possibility for Your Royal Highness to appeal to your business acquaintances for larger projects that would secure providing modern machinery for villages, with more favorable loans?

During the last year my wife and I have brought friends to visit our country and it is our intention to increase frequency of these visits. We are lucky to have a fine economic team in our government and more and more meetings with prospective investors are very important. We also have to work hard on the public relations and communications of our country image abroad.

· At the celebration of the first anniversary of the Royal Family’s return to Yugoslavia and the White Palace some serious thoughts and ideas about restoration of monarchy could be heard, the more so because memories have been refreshed of King Petar I, who was the first democratically elected King in the world, and the one that parliamentary democracy in our country had started with. In circumstances of great confusion at our political scene, there is a growing confidence in your readiness and ability to be the legitimate representative of Serbian interests, by the will of the people. What is your attitude on that?

There is no doubt that constitutional monarchy has proven itself to be a vital stabilizing factor as proven in so many countries such as Spain, United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway, Holland, Sweden, Luxembourg, Belgium, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc. I believe we need constitutional monarchy because it is the defender of democracy, it provides unity and continuity, and it allows the government to function properly since the king does not belong to a political party and has to defend everyone’s rights. The King does not take sides. The government is elected in free and fair elections and the prime minister rules and the king reigns. We would do well as a constitutional monarchy earn the respect of many nations both republics and constitutional monarchies, interestingly just under half of the European Union members are constitutional monarchies. I believe that our political parties should adopt constitutional monarchy for their political platform as the way forward for democracy, stability, respect for all citizens regardless of their ethnic origin, religion and political preference and economic development.

· There is an open interest of the public for the establishing of the Crown Cabinet on Vidovdan this year. The institution of Crown Cabinet did not exist during the reign of your father and your grandfather. So far it is known that this body will deal in effectuating the program and goals of the Crown. Are you preparing a platform for the next elections?

Constitutional monarchy does not take part in elections as it is neutral and does not take sides. The Crown Cabinet is an effort to be more efficient and to get closer to the people.

· In the polls about influence of the politicians, your name is not on those lists. Why is that so, and do you think your media presence is modest?

I am not competing with our politicians or political parties who must be given full freedom to campaign. Certainly my public relations can and must be improved.

· The policy of great powers has doubtless enormous influence in creating of our political scene, and there is more and more talk about the distinct support from the West, the United States and Great Britain above all, to your coming to the Throne. Is nominating Predrag Markovic, who is the most important member of G17, for the Crown Council a confirmation of the theory about western support and serious plans of the West regarding the Crown?

We are a sovereign country and fully responsible for our actions and future. Naturally we as a people and the government who is elected by the people must act in the best interest of our nation. We must have political stability and thus the base and opportunity for economic revival, jobs and be a beacon for investments. Nominating Pedrag Markovic as a member of the Crown Council is an honour as I have much admiration for him.

· In your teams, beside monarchy supporters, there are also people from different positions in our political scene. Can connecting of the Crown and G17 attract foreign investments in Serbia and could that be the way for some serious lobbying of the Crown?

Everyone can contribute to the wellbeing of our nation and work together respecting everyone, there must be no revenge and full respect for the rule of law. We all need each other to make our country a great one.

· Te present Serbian and Federal governments do not have any serious results in lobbying for Serbian interests in multinational companies. Is the Crown a warrant of the British and American investments in the region?

Public relations and communications are very important for the revival of our country and image. Serious iInvestments from all countries are warmly welcome and we are proud to have, as mentioned before, a fine economic team in our government that is the envy of many foreign governments.

· The problems of Bulgarian King Simeon II who improved the image of Bulgaria in the west but at the same time made unpopular restrictive moves at home, are getting bigger every day, for Bulgarians are eager to get out of poverty as soon as possible, in the same way as we are. How can Serbia be transformed into a modern and civilized country in the least painful way?

The economic revival of our region as a whole is important to make our efforts a success. We are firmly on the route to recovery although the world economic climate is not favourable at this time, but we must stay the course and not go backwards. We have to cut out the bickering. As I have said before constitutional monarchy would ensure the government a better way to get on with affairs of running the country.

· Have you got any message for the people of Omoljica who have great respect for Karadjordjevic family? There is a story that has been told until our times – near the end of the WW I, in 1918, when Serbian troops were to enter the village, in almost all Serbian houses, Serbian flags and icon lights were put in the windows, and in wealthier houses portraits of King Petar the Liberator, too. The German troops who were still in the occupied village did not react.

It is wonderful to hear about the people of Omoljica and our Serbian troops. My message is that I look forward to hear first hand the stories of our great heritage from the people of Ormoljica. My great grandfather Petar I would have been proud of you just as I am proud of you.

· Our villages have great number of problems and neither the former, nor the present authorities have dealt with them. And chances for Serbia to prosper are, above all, in villages. Does the Crown see the interests of villages within Serbian national interests and in what way?

During my travels across our country I have seen the numerous problems and I am saddened by the suffering deprivation and our villages are going through. The saying is “Rome was not built in a day”. All our villages, towns and people are important and deserve full attention and understanding, but we must not forget how much our country has suffered from sanctions, bombing and poor leadership in the past. Now at last we can move forward.

· Will Princes Petar, Aleksandar and Filip join their father soon, and apply their knowledge gained in the world in their homeland?

Absolutely, we decided as a family that the boys would come home for their holidays but complete what they had started when we came home last year and that is education and some job experience. Breaking education would have been a mistake. We have come home to give and not take.