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O izdanju:
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CONTENT
introductory epistle
p.5 Of Popes And Fiends
fortnightly news
p.6 The Economy
p.7 Of General Interest
fortnightly feature
p.8 General Mladić Finally Apprehended
in perspective
p.10 Crimes of War and Peace
feature interview
p.12 His Excellency Burak Özügergin: lluminating Answers to Difficult Questions
editorial
p.16 Benedictus Qui Venit!
financial
p.18 BICRO – The Business Innovation Centre of Croatia
industry profile
p.20 Ten Minutes with the CEO of Tele2
technology
p.22 RIP, Business Cards?
real estate
p.24 Zagreb’s Office Market in 2011
entertainment
p.26 Festival Spirit
lifestyle
p.28 Picigin - the Next Olympic Sport?
to do list
p.30 Danger: More Festivals Ahead
introductory epistle
Of Popes And Fiends
As is common knowledge nowadays, many popes throughout history were also fiends, but this one, now back in the Vatican after last weekend’s visit to Croatia, is not. One of the ultimate fiends, however, has just been apprehended, and as far as our toil for this issue is concerned, the dominant topic hung in the balance. Should we concentrate on the Pope, or on the fiend? Judging by the cover and by what is to come, it is obvious that we have opted for the fiend. Which is precisely why we shall dedicate this introductory epistle to the Pope.
While on board the papal plane, en route to Croatia, Pope Benedict XVI must have mused on the moment. Croatia will soon celebrate 20 years of independence and stands on the brink of its formal political initiation into Europe. The papal tour would be coinciding with the Croatian “Day of the Family.” And, perhaps most importantly, of course, this was to be the current Pontiff’s first official visit to Croatia, a chance to forge the same kind of relationship with the people – nearly 90% of whom are registered Catholics – and yes, the State, as his much-beloved predecessor once did.Critics have had a field day over the 4 million Euro cost of two-day weekend visit, but its timing was by all accounts impeccable: a crucial opportunity for the leader of the world’s 1.1 billion Catholics to embrace Croatia, encourage its families, give moral purpose to its bid for EU entry and assert this nation’s “special relationship” with the Vatican.
To cut a long and protocol-heavy story short, Saturday’s itinerary was about highlighting Europe’s Christian roots, asserting Croatia’s place in Europe, and inspiring the Catholic youth in a ceremony of praise on the main square. Sunday’s homily, held at the Zagreb Hippodrome, firmly focused on family values. The Pope acknowledged, in comments to reporters that many in Croatia feared that their national identity could be lost within the larger bloc of Europe – feared “an overly strong, centralised bureacuracy.” He urged Croatians to make it their “mission” not to succumb to these sorts of hesitations, but to take up their proper place as citizens of a wider European community. Upon alighting at Zagreb’s airport to address the delegation of Croatian dignitaries who had gathered in welcome, the Pope continued on the theme of European integration: “From its earliest days, your nation has formed part of Europe, and has contributed in its unique way to the spiritual and moral values that for centuries have shaped the daily lives and the personal and national identity of Europe’s sons and daughters.” According to Vatican officials, some 400,000 faithful – carrying flags and bedecked in the Vatican’s white and yellow colours – attended Sunday’s mass celebrated in the same Zagreb Hippodrome as was used by Pope John Paul II in 1994 while the Balkan wars were still raging. The 84 year-old Pontiff’s homily was heard by pilgrims of all ages and from across Croatia, neighbouring Bosnia and beyond. (Some worshippers arrived at three o’clock in the morning for the 10:00 am service.)
Even in the heavily Catholic land of Croatia, as in other parts of Europe, the Church has la-mented that young people ignore its teachings on family and sex, and this was the theme taken up by Benedict XVI. “Unfortunately we are forced to acknowledge the spread of a secularisation which leads to the exclusion of God from life and the increasing disintegration of the family, especially in Europe,” the Pope said. He warned: “Freedom without commitment to the truth has been made into an absolute. ... Love has been reduced to sentimental emotion and to the gratification of instinctive impulses without a commitment to build lasting bonds of reciprocal belonging and without openness to life…We are called to oppose such a mentality!” It was a stirring defence of the traditional Christian nuclear family.
I shall not criticise any of this, merely state that I couldn’t get to my office, which is located literally next door to the Archdiocese of Zareb, for more than two days. I had also left my car in the centre, and though I couldn’t remove it from there for all the protocol, you had better believe that I got a parking ticket on Saturday.
Now we may redirect our attention to the fiend, Ratko Mladić, as well as to other types of fun and games.
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O časopisu:
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Croatia: a Fortnight in Review (CR) is the first publication of its kind in Croatia: a twice monthly national English language newspaper for all those seeking high-level analysis of contemporary business, legal, political and cultural affairs and events in Croatia. The editorial office is well-rounded and, of course, international, and draws on the extensive experience of a composite of full-time professionals and outsourced experts.
News in all its insightful and banal forms is everywhere nowadays, but no newspaper should be solely about the news; the task of every self-respecting broadsheet is to provide and create meaningful context. This, simply, is our mission.
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