Jansa Has Little Time To Solve Issues With Croatia

[IVY]

“Jansa has a unique opportunity to move Slovenian-Croatian relations from a standstill”, wrote Franco Juri in a Ljubljana newspaper.
The Slovenian premier Janez Jansa has “an ideal opportunity” to move the solving of open issues with Croatia from a standstill, but he does not have a lot of time for that, and the current initiative of the Slovenian government is linked to Slovenian chairmanship of the European Union, which wants to keep a neutral stance in the dispute, it says in the commentary of Saturday’s issue of the Ljubljana newspaper “Dnevnik”, mentioning the dialogue between Slovenia and Croatia and open issues, and Jansa’s request of a consensus with Slovenian political parties.

“Jansa has a unique opportunity to move Slovenian-Croatian relations from a standstill, but must hurry in order to preserve their credibility and reputation. The meeting with political parties at which he received the declarative support as far as synchronising their approach is concerned, would not mean added problems in seeking a agree upon arbitration, a court solution to the dispute, or an agreement about the problem”, it says in the commentary by Franco Juri, in the newspaper “Dnevnik”.

“Jansa knows that synergy and a positive mood is required for a neutral European Union, so that the Slovenian chairmanship of the European Union would be as successful as possible. Jansa knows that Sanader must at least partially dismiss the awkward consequences of the doubt that Ropov’s allegations about pre-election incidents in 2004 were founded”, said Juri.

He added that the presidents of the Slovenian Social Democrats (SD) Borut Pahur, and the president of the Croatian SDP (Social Democratic Party) Zoran Milanovic, made a “great move” by holding a meeting in Mokrice, at which, according to Juri, in-between the lines, they announced that they will not use bilateral issues in their pre-election campaigns (SDP and SD next year) to raise their party ratings, and that they will avoid incidents.

“Jansa’s Cabinet will have one year to place the conditions for further solving the disputes in the dialogue with the Croatian premier Ivo Sanader, who is probably leaving, and Zoran Milanovic is probably coming. This is a long term operation which requires mature and realistic behaviour. Good relations with an important neighbouring country, Croatia, can only be a national project, and not the domain of any party or coalition”, said Juri. He added that this is probably clear to Jansa as the president of the Cabinet, as well as to the president of SD, Borut Pahor, who is expecting a win in the parliamentary elections next year.

“We should hope that the new spirit of the times have been perceived by the other parties, and of course, that Croatian politics also realises this. The described chances are not only Jansa’s, but Sanader’s as well, with the only difference being that Sanader has only three months”, said Juri in his comment in the Ljubljana newspaper “Dnevnik”.

[Freak U Full]

Owner of a Brussels company was arrested last night, without any reason, who was hired by the Croatian State Attorney`s Office this March.

When asked if he knew Suzanne Di Mauro Bunjevac by reporters today in Omisalj, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said he did not know her and that it is possible her met with her just like he had met with many reporters today.

Attorney arrested for no reason

Suzanne Di Mauro Bunjevac, the mystery woman who was supposed to reveal to reporters today information about the involvement of President Stjepan Mesic and Croatia in the case of former general Vladimir Zagorec, did not turn up at the news conference because she was arrested on Wednesday night, Zagorec’s attorney Zvonimir Hodak said.

According to Hodak, Suzanne Bunjevac, who owns a financial transactions and research company in Brussels, was in 2003 hired by the Croatian State Prosecution to track down General Zagorec’s alleged secret bank accounts.

State Attorney`s Office dismissed claims this afternoon that Bunjevac was hired to investigate secret accounts of Vladimir Zagorec, while Zagreb police confirmed she was brought in yesterday and arrested for prevention of proving a criminal offence.

Zagorec is a great patriot

Commenting the fact that not all property of retired general Zagorec in Croatia was blocked, Mesic said that this is a question for the State Attorney`s Office and the courts.

--Everyone who had appeared as investors and the source of money was not really transparent, these are not the names of real investors – said President Mesic, adding that – Zagorec owns 11 companies, he is a great patriot, this is what I was written to from Russia and that we should not lay a hand on him because he is one of the greatest patriots in Croatia – he explained.

Taxation of large transfers

Mesic said that he proposes a large rate of taxation on inheritance is introduced, because a lot of capital was created during the chaotic time of war, i.e. “plundering was performed in accordance or with the authorities present”.

He believes that one type of taxes should be introduced for amounts of one or two million dollars, while another for larger sums. This would not refer to smaller amounts, for instance, upon purchasing shares for 1,000 or 2,000 euro.

He pointed out he supports taxation of “large transfers”, mentioning the example of selling companies owned by Luka Rajic and general Ivan Cermak.

Zagorec has the most medals in Croatia

President Mesic said that Zagorec has the most medals in Croatia, but that he has also registered his companies in Lichtenstein and other countries as well.

-Before the war, he worked as a geodesy assistant with geodesy secondary school degree, and afterwards, during the war he graduated from the university – Mesic reminded.

According to him, many have graduated from university during the war, because – These are capable men, of a certain type, to have managed to do so during the war, they have even become millionaires- Mesic said.

He added that “what is placed under their name and the closer family can be confiscated, but property that is hidden and masked must be taken into account as well”.

[Freak U Full]

Results from the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that currently there are 1.3 billion of smokers in the world. The same data show that every 8 seconds somewhere in the world one person dies from consequence of smoking. Smoking is the leading cause of premature deaths in the world.

Experts calculated that the number of deaths caused by smoking will increase by 10 million annually till 2020. In Croatia, every thirs person is a smoker, of which 33.8% are men and 21.7% are women.

Smoking is often considered just a habit, but it is actually a much more serious problem. Smoking is an addiction on three levels – psychological, emotional and physical. The World Health Organisation prepared an International Classification of Diseases which includes smoking addiction as a mental organic disorder.

How does nicotine lead to addiction?

Nicotine has psychoactive effects. It links to nicotine receptors in the brain, and in this way it increases the release of neurotransmitters, especially dopamine which gives a sense of pleasure. That’s why the majority of smokers feels satisfaction when smoking.

What are the consequences of smoking?

One of the most fatal results of smoking is lung carcinoma, of which one person dies every 30 seconds. Around 90% in men and 80% in women of lung cancers are caused by smoking.

Smokers have 22 times greater possibilities of getting lung cancer that non-smokers.

More than 600,000 people die of cardiovascular illnesses that appear as a consequence of smoking every year. Apart from that, smoking can damage the sperms, but also the DNA which can cause abortions or congenital deformations of the smokers’ descendants.

Also, sterility happens more often to smokers that non-smokers, because it reduces the number of sperms and the flowing of blood into the penis.

Quitting smoking

The benefits of quitting smoking are huge and they are immediately visible. However, those who ask for expert advise have the biggest chances to stop smoking. Those who stop on their own, rarely manage to succeed in their intention, because it is an addiction that hits people emotionally, physically and psychologically.

[Freak U Full]

Croatia's young new political star, Zoran Milanovic, is to lead his Social Democratic Party (SPD) to a clear win in late November elections, pollsters predicted.

"The authorities are corrupt," Milanovic - with an image of a clean politician - accused Prime Minister Ivo Sanader's government.

In an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa in Zagreb, he
said that the ruling Christian Democratic Union (HDZ) is "embroiled in corruption scandals," its finances buried in the dark.

Sanader himself was exposed in a bad light late last year with his collection of 15 valuable watches, worth around 210,000 dollars, or the premier's five annual salaries.

A lawyer specialized in European rights, Milanovic says that the rehabilitation of Croatia's parliament is the central point of the SPD programme.

"HDZ has degraded the legislature into a voting machine," he says, describing the deputies as "party soldiers only dependant on their leadership."

In "an oriental system," after only two years as legislators they are rewarded with a pension twice as large as the average Croatian salary, currently in the equivalent of 920 dollars.

"We envisage a parliament set up on the German or Austrian model," Milanovic said.

SPD plans to introduce a capital gains tax of 10-15 per cent, as "justice" for the low-income majority - as opposed to "people who by dubious means amassed billions in the (1991-1995) war."

Milanovic's party advocates "re-industrialization" of Croatia and the strengthening of its regions by discontinuing the policy of undisputed central rule by the almighty Zagreb. As is it, economic policy is drawn by "powerful businessmen and lobbyists."

Milanovic also wants to address a "marginal," but hotly contested issue which may interest the hundreds of thousands of tourists on Croatia's Adriatic Coast more than any other.

"The zero-tolerance policy for drink drivers will be scrapped, because it has brought nothing," said Milanovic. In his opinion, drivers should be allowed to stay on the road with under 0.5 or 0.8 pro mils of alcohol in their bloodstream.

[Freak U Full]

Fuel prices on Arran have reached an all time high, cranking up the financial pressure on businesses and motorists.

As The Arran Banner went to press, prices on the island reached £1.10.7 a litre for diesel and £1.09.1 for petrol.

The surge follows a 2p rise in fuel duty. The increase, in line with inflation, was first announced in Gordon Brown’s 2007 budget when he was chancellor.

Bob Haddow, a director of Arran Transport, which sells fuel from the garage in Brodick, said: ‘We are horrified that the price of petrol is going up again. The chancellor is taking the money this time rather than the oil companies. Unfortunately there’s nothing we can do about him. Maybe it’s a case for Scottish independence. The price of petrol in Croatia is 30 per cent cheaper than here and that’s a very small country.’

Mr Haddow added: ‘We think it’s putting the cost of living up, especially to all those who have to go back and forward to their jobs. They are the ones who really suffer. They need to use more petrol than anyone else.’

Donald Bannatyne, of Arran Haulage, said: ‘What we are paying for fuel at the moment is quite unacceptable. It’s the customer that ends up paying in the end. We can’t absorb these increases. It’s putting our costs up. We still have to operate, we’ve still got to buy diesel.’

He added: ‘I don’t think the government will make any changes. I don’t think they understand what they are doing to the economy.’

The duty rise comes amid soaring oil prices and high borrowing costs. The 2007 Budget also outlined another rise of 2p a litre next April and a further increase of 1.84p in April 2009.

[Freak U Full]

Q: I’m having a problem with a hotel honoring a room price. I tried to book three nights at the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik in Croatia, but for some reason the site wouldn’t accept my dates. So I phoned Hilton’s toll-free number, and was offered a rate of 181 euros a night. They never asked me how many people were staying in the room.

Hilton e-mailed me a confirmation and I prepaid the entire three-night stay for the room by credit card. Then I realized that I needed to add another night to my stay for the night before our return flight, so I called back. I was told that I could get an extra night at the same rate. They didn’t send an e-mail confirmation this time.

When my credit card statement arrived, I was surprised to see that the charges from Hilton were more than $260 higher than what they had originally quoted. I tried to call and e-mail Hilton, but the best explanation they could offer was that there was a “different rate” for two people in the room. That didn’t make any sense, because I had always known and planned to travel with my husband. There had been no mention of a “double” rate, and my reservation indicates nothing about number of people in the room.

A: I can think of several reasons why you were charged more for your room than you expected. None of them are valid.

Clever computer programs that set room rates according to demand manage hotel reservations. Maybe the fourth day of your stay fell on a holiday or weekend, and the price of your room went up. But if that happened, a phone agent should have told you about the upgraded price.

It’s also possible that the hotel has a different rate when a room is shared. Some resorts in Europe do that. But if that were true, then the hotel would need to disclose the information when you called. I couldn’t find any evidence of a special double-occupancy policy on the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik Web site, and an online search for its room rates found that they were quoted for two.

A third possibility is that the phone agency misunderstood what you were saying or just typed your reservation wrong, maybe booking you in a bigger class of room. But if that had happened, Hilton would have been able to fix it easily.

You could have prevented this misunderstanding by asking for a new confirmation to be e-mailed to you instead of relying on the word of a phone agent. If you’d had a confirmation with your room rate, you could have easily adjusted your credit card charge. And if that didn’t work, you could have initiated a successful credit card dispute.

I contacted Hilton on your behalf. A hotel representative apologized to you for the misunderstanding. You were told that the hotel charges a different rate for two guests, which is why your bill was higher. Still, since that wasn’t clearly disclosed when you booked your room, Hilton will honor the 181 euro rate and has even upgraded your room.