WORLD BANK, SERBIAN GOVERNMENT AND NGO’s  AT THE WHITE PALACE

Belgrade, 13 June 2002. – Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Aleksandar II and Crown Princess Katherine, in a presence of Her Royal Highness Princеss Margarita, first wife of late HRH Prince Tomislav (uncle of Crown Prince Alexander), hosted a reception for representatives of World Bank, Serbian Government, local and international NGO’s tonight at The White Palace at Dedinje.

The reception was organized on the ocasion of the Assembly of NGO's from Central Europe, former countries of the Soviet Union and Turkey held in Belgrade from 14-16 June, under partonage of the World Bank, the Serbian Goverment, the European Commision, the Center for Development of non-governmental sector and several international organizations.

Among those invited were the Vice President of the World Bank for Europe and Central Asia Mr. Johannes Linn, the Executive Director of World Bank for Yugoslavia Mr. Pietro Veglio, the Serbian Republic Ministers of Labour, Economy and Privatization, and Science and Technology Mr. Dragan Milovanovic, Mr. Aleksandar Vlahovic and Mr. Dragan Domazet, the Vice Governor of National Bank of Yugoslavia Mr. Radovan Jelasic, UN representatives and 150 NGO’s.

The NGO’s came from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Byelorussia, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Livonia, Macedonia, Moldavia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Yugoslavia.

HRH Crown Prince Aleksandar warmly welcomed all guests to The White Palace and said he was very happy that Belgrade was chosen to be the venue.

Addressing those present Minister Vlahovic emphasised that role of NGO’s in the period of transition of our country was of great importance and wished participants of the conference successful work.

In the name of all guests the Vice President of World Bank for Europe and Central Asia Mr. Johannes Linn expressed his gratitude to Their Royal Highnesses for the warm welcome.