"1941 – 70 YEARS LATER“ EXHIBITION AT THE WHITE PALACE

"1941 – 70 YEARS LATER“



EXHIBITION AT THE WHITE PALACE


Belgrade, 22 March 2011 – Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine opened today an exhibition “1941 – 70 YEARS LATER” at the White Palace. Exhibition is launched on the occasion of the marking the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the Second World War on the territory of the former Yugoslavia, and was organized in collaboration with the Institute for Modern History and with the support of the Archive of Yugoslavia.

At the official ceremony speeches were delivered by HRH Crown Prince Alexander, Mr. Dusan Babac, member of the Privy Council and Prof. Dr. Momcilo Pavlovic, Director of the Institute for Modern History.

While addressing the present the Crown Prince emphasized:” Tonight we are opening here at the White Palace one small exhibition. Small in size but huge in theme and meaning. We would like to remember the people, documents, testimonies and the period marked by the events from the beginning of 1941, as from the signing of the Tripartite Pact, the feverish efforts to avoid joining the war which had been raging through Europe and the whole world for a couple of years, up to the beginning of the invasion and break up of the territory and people of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. In brief, the theme of this exhibition is the disappearance of an era and the emergence of the new society and the world which has been following and managing our lives over 70 years. Almost everyone has its own truth about those events, its own notion, understanding and its own interpretation”.

Afterwards guests were addressed by Mr. Dusan Babac, who pointed out: “For the first time in our country uniform of free Yugoslavs officers, which were part of Allied forces, will be shown at this exhibition. Free Yugoslav soldiers had fought side by side next to units of free Dutch, Belgians, French, Polish, Czechoslovak and other, who were then under occupation. From today's point of view, situation in Yugoslavia was not all that different than in all above mentioned states, where the heads of state went to Britain, at that time the only country in Europe that resisted the German military forces. What then happened was not fundamentally different comparing to suffering through Albania in World War One. The only thing different was the significantly different circumstances, a method of warfare and the layout of the map of Europe, because it was only possible to evacuate a much smaller military cash”.

Earlier today, a panel discussions and press conference took place after which, His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia served a memorial for the victims of the tragic events took place in 1941 at the Royal Chapel St Andrew the First Called.

This exhibition wouldn’t be possible without a help of Institute for Modern History, Archive of Yugoslavia, Historical Museum of Serbia, Military Museum of Belgrade, Museum of Yugoslav aircrafts, Belgrade City Library, National Library, Filmske Novosti Archive, Oplenac Foundation and Modelling Club Belgrade.

The exhibition will be open every day until Saturday, 26th March from 11am and 2pm. Anyone interested should contact the Office of HRH Crown Prince Alexander one day in advance by calling 011/ 306 4014.

http://www.royalfamily.org/statements/state-det/state-2371_eng.html
http://www.generalmihailovich.com/2011/03/exhibition-1941-70-years-later-at.html

Kosovska Mitrovica bojkotuje Eulex

29. mart 2011. u 10.50

Odbornici opštine prekidaju saradnju i komunikacije sa misijom EU na Kosovu i pozivaju Srbe i one koji nisu Albanci na bojkot popisa.

Saradnje neće biti „sve dok ova misija ne počne da se ponaša i radi u skladu sa dodeljenim mandatom”.

Na šestoj redovnoj sednici, odbornici opštine Kosovska Mitrovica pozvali su Srbe i ostalo nealbansko stanovništvo da bojkotuju predstojeći popis stanovništva, koji organizuju kosovske vlasti u Prištini, jer će u suprotnom, kako su naveli, samo legalizovati etničko čišćenje koje se na Kosovu i Metohiji sprovodi od 1999 godine.

Sa sednice je upućen apel svim republičkim i lokalnim preduzećima i ustanovama, privatnim kompanijama i pojedincima da ne sarađuju sa USAID, jer je izašla sa terena političke neutralnosti i „počela da radi za račun tzv. opštinskog pripremnog tima”.

Odbornici su pozvali predstavnike Međunarodne zajednice da ne preduzimaju jednostrane poteze vezane za otvaranje suda u Kosovskoj Mitrovici, jer će u protivnom odgovornost za destabilizaciju situacije u gradu.

Odbornici su osudili i ponašanje pripadnika Kfora ističući da izlaze iz okvira svog mandata i daju „podršku nelegalnim albanskim institucijama i Eulexu”.

Pripadnicima Kosovske policije srpske i nealbanske zajednice poručeno je da preispitaju svoje postupke i da se opredele čije će interese zastupati u budućnosti. (Tanjug)

Srbija bojkotuje samit SAD - Balkan

Zamenik pomoćnika državnog sekretara SAD Tomas Kantrimen izjavio je da je pogrešna poruka koja se šalje iz Beograda bojkotom konferencije političkih lidera i poslovnih ljudi država Zapadnog Balkana sa sadašnjim i potencijalnim partnerima iz SAD zbog učešća predstavnika Kosmeta.


Srpski predsednik Tadić i premijer Cvetković neće sa ostalim Balkancima u SAD

Politika iznad ekonomije
"Tim bojkotom politika se stavlja iznad ekonomije i umanjuje se ono na šta se gledalo kao na iskren napor Beograda i Vašingtona da se među nama izgrade bolji ekonomski odnosi", preneo je reči Kantrimena list "Danas".

On je ukazao da bojkot konferencije, kao i odvraćanjem srpskih biznismena od učešća u njenom radu, zajedno sa više stotina biznismena i investitora iz SAD i Zapadnog Balkana, razočarava ne kao političko pitanje, već kao ekonomsko pitanje u vreme kad SAD - kao što je potpredsednik Bajden naglasio prilikom posete Beogradu, 2009. godine - nastoje da izgrade ekonomske i poslovne veze sa Srbijom.

Vlada federalne države Merilend u ime savezne administracije SAD organizovaće 23. i 24. marta u Baltimoru samit političkih lidera i poslovnih ljudi država Zapadnog Balkana sa sadašnjim i potencijalnim partnerima iz vodeće ekonomske sile sveta (između ostalih, tu će biti i “Boing“ i “Lokid Martin“).

Svi dolaze, samo Srba nema.
Prema najavi organizatora, na toj konferenciji, prvoj te vrste, pojaviće se gotovo svi pozvani lideri iz regiona - Pahor iz Slovenije, Josipović i Kosorova (Hrvatska), Izetbegović (BiH), Vujanović (Crna Gora), Gruevski (Makedonija), Tači (Kosmet) i Topi (Albanija).

U Baltimoru, međutim, neće biti najviših predstavnika Srbije, Tadića niti Cvetkovića, a veoma je neizvesno koliko će - među najavljenih nekoliko stotina učesnika, zbog kojih se i organizuje ova konferencija - tu uopšte biti prisutni i poslovni ljudi iz Srbije, piše "Danas".

Amerikanci razočarani, ne i iznenađeni.
Američki domaćini, koliko se moglo videti i čuti ovih dana, razočarani su, mada ne i posebno iznenađeni otkazom sa najvišeg mesta u Beogradu. Jer, shodno uhodanoj praksi vlasti Srbije da u poslednje vreme, gde god je to izvodljivo, bojkotuju međunarodne manifestacije na čijem se spisku punopravnih učesnika nalaze i predstavnici Kosmeta, i organizatorima iz Merilenda stavljeno je do znanja da se na samitu u Baltimoru ne računa na učešće predstavnika Srbije, navodi "Danas"

Delhaize Group Becomes a Leading Retailer in Southeastern Europe through Acquisition of Serbian Delta Maxi Group

BRUSSELS, Belgium – March 3, 2011 - Delhaize Group (Euronext Brussels: DELB - NYSE: DEG), the Belgian international food retailer, announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of the retail company Delta Maxi Group, operating approximately 450 stores in five countries in Southeastern Europe. Combined with its existing operations in Greece and Romania, the acquisition of Delta Maxi Group will make Delhaize Group a leading retailer in Southeastern Europe. We expect the acquisition, including transaction costs, to be immediately earnings accretive as of 2011.

“We are very excited about this transaction that fully supports the acceleration of our sales growth rate, a key priority of our New Game Plan. Delta Maxi Group is a strong retailer built very dynamically in five countries in Southeastern Europe, a region that Delhaize Group has thus far focused on with Alfa Beta in Greece and Mega Image in Romania,” commented Pierre-Olivier Beckers, President and Chief Executive Officer of Delhaize Group. “We foresee significant revenue growth and synergies potential from integrating these new markets in our existing European business. The Southeast of Europe continues to be a very promising region in terms of economic and consumer spending growth, both supporting the roll-out of modern retailing. In 2011, we will be well positioned to capture these growth opportunities as our operations in seven Southeastern European countries together are expected to generate revenues of approximately EUR 3.4 billion and to cover a network of more than 800 stores. This transaction is an important step in rebalancing our geographic portfolio between our U.S, European and Asian operations.”

Kostas Macheras, Executive Vice President of Delhaize Group and Chief Executive Officer of Southeastern Europe said: “We have a lot of respect for what Delta Maxi Group has achieved over the last decade. We are particularly impressed with the strength of the brands of Delta Maxi Group, the level of execution and innovation in the stores, the breadth of the store network and the talent of Delta Maxi management teams. We are excited that strong management teams and associates will soon join Delhaize Group. Delta Maxi’s millions of customers can count on us to continue the first class service they have been enjoying in their favorite stores. Additionally, Delta Maxi Group customers will be able to benefit from our operating companies’ expertise in assortment and merchandising.”

Delta Maxi Group began operations in 2000 and is headquartered in Belgrade, Serbia. Today, the group operates more than 450 stores in Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania. In Serbia, Delta Maxi operates approximately 350 stores and is the largest food retailer. Also in Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Montenegro Delta Maxi Group holds important positions.

The Delta Maxi Group network consists primarily of 4 food retail formats, ranging from convenience stores (under the banners Mini Maxi, Piccadilly Express and Euromax), supermarkets (under the banners Maxi, Piccadilly and Euromax), discount stores (Tempo Express) and hypermarkets (Tempo). Estimated annual revenues of Delta Maxi Group for 2011 amount to EUR 1.35 to 1.4 billion and estimated 2011 EBITDA amounts to EUR 85 to 90 million. Delta Maxi Group employs approximately 15 000 associates across its markets.

Under the terms of the agreement Delhaize Group will acquire 100% of Delta Maxi Group at closing for a purchase price of EUR 932.5 million including net debt of approximately EUR 300 million. This results in an acquisition multiple, excluding the positive effect of planned synergies, of 0.67x to 0.69x 2011 expected revenues and of 10.4x to 11.0x 2011 expected EBITDA. We expect the acquisition, including transaction costs, to be immediately earnings accretive as of 2011. The transaction includes the real estate ownership of more than half of the stores in Serbia and seven of the distribution centers of Delta Maxi Group.

As from the end of 2013, Delhaize Group plans to realize more than EUR 16 million net annual synergies, particularly from improved procurement, better inventory management and optimized IT and supply chain systems and processes.

The acquisition of Delta Maxi Group is subject to mutually agreed upon and customary conditions, including the approval by the merger control authorities in Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Albania. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2011.

Delhaize Group has retained Lazard, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Raffeisenbank as financial advisors for this transaction. CMS in Brussels, London and Serbia, with assistance from other CMS offices and other local lawyers, is acting as legal advisor to Delhaize Group.

http://www.delhaizegroup.com/en/PublicationsCenter/OtherPressReleases/OtherPressReleasesView/tabid/301/Article/1088/delhaize-group-becomes-a-leading-retailer-in-southeastern-europe-through-acquis.aspx