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Kostelici

Cijela Istina

www.tomislavbirtic.com

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JANICA D.D. - PRVI DIO
Obitelj Kostelić - tvornica novca

Od najvećeg sponzorskog ugovora - tri milijuna eura za dvije i pol godine - Ante Kostelić trazio je samo 5.000 dolara mjesečno

Pise: Tomislav Birtić

Tomislav Birtić, novinar koji je objavio 'aferu stitnjača', dvije je godine radio na knjizi o obitelji Kostelić koja će pod naslovom 'Kostelići - cijela istina' svjetlo dana ugledati u veljači. Neautorizirana biografija obitelji nastala je na temelju svjedočanstava vise od sto zivotnih suputnika bez premca najpopularnijih Hrvata, a poslovni tjednik Lider u nastavcima ekskluzivno donosi ekonomske aspekte njihove zivotne priče.


T-Mobile nije ni potvrdio ni zanijekao da je vrijednost sponzorskog ugovora s Hrvatskim skijaskim savezom 3,000.000 eura. Sektor za odnose s javnosću i interne komunikacije kaze: 'Ugovorom potpisanim u studenome 2003. godine HTmobile se obvezao da će do kraja trećeg mjeseca 2006. godine biti generalni pokrovitelj Hrvatskog skijaskog saveza, i to hrvatskih alpskih skijaskih reprezentacija te hrvatske snowboard reprezentacije.

Tata Williams odbio milijun i priskrbio 60 milijuna dolara godisnje

Kad se već vidjelo da će sestre Venus i Serena Williams napraviti velike teniske karijere, jedan je proizvodjač sportske opreme Williamsovima ponudio ugovor na milijun dolara. 'A sto kazete na 107 milijuna?' hladno je odgovorio otac Richard Williams. Nedugo zatim, potpisavsi ugovor za ne bas 107 milijuna, ali ni za mnogo manje, svojih je pet minuta, koje traju i danas, dočekao na Amerikancima najvidljivijem teniskom tlu, polufinalu US Opena u koje su se plasirale obje kćeri. U lozi namijenjenoj obiteljima i prijateljima sportasa, usred tog, kako su ga mediji nazvali Williams Showa, tata Williams je, okrenut prema sky-boxu kompanije kojoj je dao kosaricu, stajao s transparentom napravljenim od stijenke kartonske kutije: 'Jesam li vam rekao!' Samo od Pume obje sestre Williams zaradjuju 12,000.000 dolara na godinu, a reklamirajući proizvodjača reketa Wilson, McDonald s, mliječne proizvode... oko 60,000.000 na godinu.
HTmobile ujedno je osobni sponzor Janice Kostelić, a vezano uz navedenu suradnju u ime HTmobilea pregovarao je HTmobile tim. Vrijednost ugovora poslovni je podatak kompanije'.

Interes Hrvatskog telekoma bio je vrlo jasan. Postavsi 'suvlasnikom' jedne od najvećih hrvatskih dragocjenosti, dobivsi ujedno visegodisnji monopol nad telekomunikacijama, automatizmom je postao jedna od omrazenijih kompanija.

Kad udje na neko trziste, jedan od kraćih putova prema popularnosti za novoga je igrača sponzoriranje sporta.

Janica Kostelić ne samo da je svojim licem Hrvatski telekom učinila prihvatljivim hrvatskoj javnosti nego čak i simpatičnim, a bilo bi vise nego zanimljivo saznati podatke kompanijskih i neovisnih istrazivanja i analiza o svim konkretnim koristima Hrvatskog telekoma, danas T-Mobilea, od suradnje s Janicom i Hrvatskim skijaskim savezom.

Posebnu pohvalu, u ovom slučaju, zasluzuje onaj tko je čelnim ljudima kompanije sugerirao da poslovno suradjuju bas s Janicom Kostelić.

Vjerojatno ne postoji Hrvat koji nije njezin navijač, pa posredno i 'navijač' njezinih sponzora.

'Katkad cilj nije nastaviti rast, nego se zadrzati na dostignutoj razini poslovanja', kaze Alen Basić iz tvrtke za sportski marketing Hecron, savjetnik nekoliko kompanija u pregovorima sa sportskim drustvima koja te kompanije namjeravaju sponzorirati.

'Recimo, koliko je meni poznato, Hrvatski skijaski savez na koristenje je dobio 32 Renaultova automobila, a Renault je na trziste izbacio i model s Janičinim potpisom.

Partnerstvo mozda nije rezultiralo rastom prodaje, ali suradnja s Kostelićima, jer Hrvatski skijaski savez zapravo su Kostelići, najbolji je mogući potez za svaku tvrtku.'

Svojedobno mi se direktor marketinga Radenske zalio: 'Dok god Jamnicu reklamiraju Janica i Ivica, nijedan proizvodjač vode na hrvatskom trzistu nema nikakvih izgleda da im se suprotstavi. Toliko je jak njihov utjecaj na prodaju.

Konkretno, jedini način da se Jamnica pobijedi u Hrvatskoj sklapanje je sponzorskih ugovora s Janicom i Ivicom.' sto ne bi bilo nimalo lako jer je Jamnica jedan od prvih sponzora obitelji Kostelić pa iako je posao uglavnom samo posao, tesko je zaboraviti da ti je netko pruzio ruku u vrijeme kad je stotinjak tisuća kuna značilo vise nego danas milijun eura...

Hypo, OMV Istrabenz, Mizuno, Salomon - sve su to investitori koji, prije nego sto novac uloze u sport, sto puta promisle je li njihov 'maneken' od onih koji jedno lice imaju danju, a drugo noću.

Ćudljivost nekih sportskih zvijezda, lose ponasanje, kakav ispad u sekundi nepromisljenosti moze donijeti vise stete nego četiri godine koristi.

Ali odabravsi Janicu Kostelić, svi su njezini partneri počeli suradnju s posebnom djevojkom koja jednostavno ne moze ljudski pogrijesiti, pa tako ni naklonost publike ne moze doći u pitanje...

Posebna je cijela obitelj Kostelić predvodjena glavom Antom Kostelićem, koje se sve to gotovo uopće ne tiče. Dobro, tiče ih se u mjeri ostvarivanja slobode nesmetanog sportskog napredovanja, no isti izvor koji je donio vijest o ugovoru vrijednom 3,000.000 eura kaze da je Ante Kostelić, kad su ga pregovarači Hrvatskog skijaskog saveza pitali sto on zahtijeva od cijeloga kolača, lakonski odgovorio: 'Sve moje potrebe zadovoljava kuća, koju već imam, i 5.000 dolara na mjesec.'

Za sedam Tour de Francea i pobjedu protiv raka - 15 milijuna dolara na godinu

Lance Armstrong, sedmerostruki uzastopni pobjednik najslavnije biciklističke utrke Tour de France pobijedio je rak testisa. Godine 1993. Armstrong je postao najmladji pobjednik etapne utrke na Touru, tri godine zatim potpisao je s francuskom momčadi Cofidis ugovor vrijedan vise od 2,000.000 dolara na godinu da bi mu se svijet ukrasen predivnom kućom u Austinu i Porcheom u garazi srusio kad je osjetio bol u testisima. Nekoliko dana prije 25. rodjendana povraćao je krv. Operacijom mu je bolesni testis uklonjen, ali rak se već prosirio na pluća, abdomen i mozak. Craig Nochols, doktor koji ga je liječio, kaze da u zivotu nije vidio osobu snaznije volje: Armstrong je pobijedio rak.Prvi pokusaj povratka biciklizmu zavrsio je lose, iscrpljenosću i depresijom. Ali radost ponovnog rodjenja zasladjena je mahnitim treniranjem, a karizma nepobjedivog sportasa neslomljiva duha, plus pobjede na najnapornijem natjecanju koje sport poznaje, danas vrijede 15,000.000 dolara na godinu.
Usput rečeno, kad bi mu do toga bilo stalo, financijski savjetnik mogao mu je spasiti dio plaće sugerirajući mu da je dolar nestabilna valuta, pa ako već ne zeli ugovorenu ratu vezati za japanski jen ili svicarski franak, neka je bar umjesto za dolar veze za euro.

Ali Kosteliću je to nevazno, kao sto nije imao nista ni s Janičinim prijavljivanjem boravista u Monte Carlu...

Doista, neobična priča, sva sila nula  i otkvačena obitelj koja ih je, bit će, i zaradila jer nikad nije bila opterećena novcem.

Ante Kostelić, u mladosti rukometas Poleta (kasnije preimenovanog u Dinamo), Mladosti i Zagreba, o odnosu prema novcu odredio se jos kad se, osvojivsi sa Zagrebom prvenstvo Jugoslavije, domogao sanse da putuje u inozemstvo i, svercajući u socijalizmu trazenu robu, znatno popravi svoj standard.

Treba biti posten i reći: Ante Kostelić bio je dovoljno dobar za jugoslavensku reprezentaciju, ali pratio ga je glas osvijestenog hrvatskog domoljuba, a ta je karakteristika bila pogubnija od poznatoga 'ključa', sastavljanja reprezentacija tako da u njima budu zastupljeni svi narodi i narodnosti.

I kad se osvojenom titulom prvaka drzave izborio bar za pravo da kao vrhunski sportas moze putovati po svijetu, donositi u Zagreb britvice, najlonke i ostalo sto su sportasi preprodavali jer im je to vlast presutno odobravala, Kostelić se iz Zagreba vratio u sasvim prosječnu Mladost.

Jednostavno, nije bio zadovoljan minutazom. 'Čuj, stari, bolje je biti prvi u selu nego drugi u gradu', rekao je začudjenim prijateljima i vratio se u klub koji se nedugo zatim rasformirao.

Dok je bio rukometas, Ante Kostelić doslovce je isijavao volju da suigrače, sve oko sebe, istrgne porazu iz ruku, no njegova gorljivost bila je podjednako neshvaćena i kad je postao, jer od nečega se moralo zivjeti, trenerom.

Velimir Kljaić, kovač hrvatske zlatne olimpijske medalje osvojene u rukometu u Atlanti 1996. godine, i Zoran Gobac, mozda kontroverzni administrativac, ali u svakom slučaju glavni logističar svih hrvatskih rukometnih uspjeha, ne dvoje:

'Da je Ante Kostelić kojim slučajem bio Rus ili Ukrajinac, danas nitko ne bi ni znao za Igora Turčina.

Jugoslavija nije sustavno rjesavala pitanje uvjeta za treniranje niti se disciplina igrača podrazumijevala, sto je u Sovjetskom Savezu bio slučaj. Kostelić je, kao rukometni trener, bio znatno ispred svoga vremena, u ondasnjem je vremenu zahtijevao istinski profesionalizam ili, drukčije rečeno, nije shvaćao kako se netko moze baviti sportom, a da mu se potpuno ne preda.

Zato je mnogo puta 'izgorio', uprave bi ga potjerale jer bi se igrači pobunili. Njima je to bila puka zabava, a njemu smisao zivota.'

U doba kad je Ante Kostelić bio rukometni trener igračicama bi vise nego dovoljan razlog za prelazak iz kluba u klub bilo zaposlenje u nekoj tvrtki (fiktivno ili stvarno) ili upis na fakultet preko veze, no zakleti nepusač Kostelić nikako nije mogao prihvatiti da sportasica ili sportas puse.

Jednom postavsi trener Tresnjevke, već je na upoznavanju s Marinom Njirić, jednom od igračica na kojima je klub gradio nadolazeću sezonu (igrom slučaja danasnjom suprugom direktora rukometnih reprezentacija Silvija Njirića), igračicu najurio jer je pila kavu i pusila.

Ali mozda to i nije najbolji primjer... Jednom zgodom Kljaić mu je pronasao angazman u Njemačkoj, u nizeligasu Nürnbergu. Igračice navikle vjezbati dva ili najvise tri puta na tjedan jos su nekako i prihvatile svakodnevne treninge, ali Kostelić je u Nürnbergu 'trajao' samo sedam dana jer je, ni manje ni vise, iz ekipe izbacio zenu predsjednika kluba koji je ujedno bio i jedini financijer!

Naravno da je unaprijed bio svjestan posljedica svoje odluke, ali doista nije bilo, nema, niti će biti izgleda da taj čovjek prihvati kompromis na stetu njemu jedinoga svetog ideala  djevičanski čistog sporta.

Svjesno se iz vise nego snosljive, svojom odlukom, vratio u vrlo neizvjesnu egzistenciju... Jedna od knjiga o Michaelu Jordanu najboljeg kosarkasa svih vremena savrseno portretira već samim naslovom - When Nothing Else Matter - kad nista drugo, osim kosarke, nije vazno. Kostelića bi jednako dobro opisao naslov, ne knjige, nego cijelog zivota: Kad je samo olimpijsko zlato vazno!

Medjutim, kad mu je oduzeta prilika da smisao zivota ostvari kao sportas, a zatim i kao trener u nekom kolektivnom sportu (izrazena nacionalna crta bila je funkcija-eliminator i kad je riječ o izbornicima), sansu je dočekao kao trener svoje djece, Ivice i Janice.

'Bas me zanima kako će Austrijanci lomiti jezik izgovarajući I-vica Ko-stelić kad se bude penjao na pobjedničko postolje', zabavljao je svoje prijatelje izgovarajući sretni zavrsetak vizije kao da prepričava nesto sto se već dogodilo, a ne kao da je riječ o mastariji čija je vjerojatnost ispunjenja jednaka nuli.

Nakon silnih putesestvija po rukometnim klubovima, vrativsi se zauvijek u Zagreb, Ante Kostelić zaposlio se kao trener u skijaskom klubu Zagreb koji je krajem osamdesetih bio najbolji neslovenski klub u Jugoslaviji.

U Medvesčaku ga nisu htjeli jer ga je pratio glas da, zaludjen sportom, vise trenira sebe nego druge, a bio je i previse impulzivan. No predsjednik Zagreba Ivo Drinković zaključio je da boljega kondicijskog trenera od Kostelića nikako ne bi mogli pronaći.

Zagreb je imao pet trenera, a dobro poslujući, organizirajući turistička putovanja u inozemna zimovalista te ubirući članarinu od svojih tisuću članova, uprava je uspjela kupiti i dva autobusa i tri kombija, sto je znatno smanjilo cijenu vlastitih putovanja.

Novo radno mjesto Kostelić je preuzeo s odvaznom rečenicom: 'Čuj, Ivo, ja sam ovamo dosao napraviti svjetske sampione!' U Zagrebovoj upravi, naravno, nisu vjerovali u svjetske sampione, nadali su se konačnom priključivanju Slovencima i da bi s Kostelićem u ekipi mogli stvoriti bar jednog natjecatelja koji će se natjecati u Svjetskom kupu.

Kostelić je u trenu podigao kvalitetu suhih treninga, a upravu je začudio poznatom koncepcijom winning without technology - pobjedjivanje bez tehnologije: ne treba mu voki-toki, ni kolci, ni busilice... nista, on sve to ima u glavi.

Medjutim, ubrzo je enormno povećao broj snjeznih treninga, sa sto na sto i pedeset ili sto i sezdeset dana, pri čemu je morao svladati otpor dijela roditelja.

Zapravo, na kraju svake natjecateljske godine roditelji su ga pokusavali smijeniti, ali uprava nije dala trenera čiji je rad nagovjestavao ostvarenje dugogodisnjih snova, priključenje Slovencima.

Kostelić je, osim juniora, trenirao i svoga sina Ivicu, a Janica je sa strane gledala treninge i trčkarala uokolo.

- Kaj bus s malom? pitao je Kostelića jednom zgodom Drinković.
- Ona bu ili balerina ili tenisačica.
- Ma, jesi ti lud?! Ne vidis kakve motoričke sposobnosti ima?
- Ali, nemam novca za dvoje djece...

Ipak, uoči putovanja na Kaprun, gdje su zagrebasi trenirali, Drinković je 1988. godine Janici darovao skije svoga sina, rodjenog iste godine kao i Janica, 1982. Svi koji su vidjeli te doslovce prve Janičine skijaske korake bili su zaprepasteni njezinim talentom.

Poput Mise Talja, koji je kao sestogodisnji dječak, gledajući sahovske partije svog oca i njegova prijatelja, bez ičijih uputa naučio pravila i čim je i sam počeo igrati, pokazao zavidno razumijevanje igre, tako je i Janica prvi put stavsi na skije odmah i skijala.

Beskrajno talentirana djevojčica iz neskijaske zemlje vrlo je brzo, i to u serijama, počela sokirati svijet, ma kako 'svijet' zvučao samo hrvatski i slovenski. Skijajući na natjecanjima slovenskih vrsnjakinja, Janica je pobjedjivala s tolikom prednosću da su i suci i okupljena publika sumnjali da se elektronska stoperica pokvarila.

Jednom su malu Hrvaticu  sto je grubo krsenje pravila  jos umornu od voznje vratili na start i natjerali je da vozi ponovno, ali pomoći nije bilo. Iako zakinuta, i u tim je neravnopravnim uvjetima pobijedila.

Godine 1997. Janica je startala u dvadeset i dvije utrke i u svima pobijedila. U tom se pobjedničkom nizu nasla i najcjenjenija dječja utrka Troffeo Topolino koji, a to posebno vrijedi kad je riječ o skijasicama, gotovo nepogresivo predvidja seniorske prvakinje.

Svijet mozda i nije shvaćao da će Janica dominirati skijanjem najmanje idućih deset godina, ali sjeverni susjedi vise nisu sumnjali u njezine krajnje dosege.

Već su dovoljno dugo gledali kako se moćna hrvatska gomilica, odlučna da udje u povijest, muči iznad granica ljudske izdrzljivosti, i Slovenci su odaslali ponudu: 500.000 njemačkih maraka za 'transfer', to jest da Janica uzme njihovo drzavljanstvo, plus idealni uvjeti za trening i premije.

Otac modernog slovenskog skijanja Tone Vogrinec negira da je Slovenija to ponudila Kostelićima. Preciznije, kaze: 'Da je takve ponude bilo, ja bih za to morao znati. A ne znam.' No Vogrinec nije demantirao izjavu danu novinaru Danu Figenwaldu.

Takodjer, kad je autor ovog teksta kolegu Figenwalda suočio s Vogrinčevom tvrdnjom, novinar nije uzmaknuo ni za milimetar, a i sam Kostelić je, kad je tema naturaliziranih sportasa reaktualizirana stajanjem plivača Duje Draganje pod katarsku zastavu, rekao da se njegova obitelj imala priliku izbaviti iz nevolja uzimanjem drugog drzavljanstva...

Ante Kostelić je inzistirao da njegova djeca olimpijske i druge medalje osvajaju pod hrvatskom zastavom, a to se uskoro počelo i dogadjati. Janica je počela pobjedjivati i u seniorskoj konkurenciji.
Nakon niza dobrih rezultata u FIS utrkama, koje bi se mogle nazvati predvorjem elite, Janica je na Olimpijskim igrama u Naganu osvojila osmo mjestu u kombinaciji.

Sljedeću je sezonu, kako se to kaze sportskim zargonom, eksplodirala. Dana 5. prosinca 1999. godine u francuskom Serre Chevalieru prvi je put pobijedila u slalomu, i to ostavivsi drugoplasiranu Trinu Bakke čak 1,78 sekundi iza sebe. Nekoliko dana poslije u talijanskom je Sestrieresu opet pobijedila s prednosću većom od jedne sekunde.

Sa samo 17 godina bila je vodeća u Svjetskom kupu, a medju najboljih deset u svim disciplinama. Nazalost, serija veličanstvenih pobjeda prekinuta je jezivim padom na treningu spusta u St. Moritzu.
Liječnici su bili skeptični, čula su se i misljenja da će biti sretna bude li uopće mogla hodati. Ali vratila se u najvećem stilu.

U Svjetskom kupu 2000./2001. pobijedila je osam puta i usla u neizvjesnu zavrsnicu s Renate Goetschl, koja nije izdrzala psiholoski pritisak. U almanasima će ostati zapisano da je Janica u zavrsnici u Aareu bila u tako losem zdravstvenom stanju da se na startu utrka nije svom snagom sjurivala na stazu, nego se samo odgurivala stapovima.

Kako bilo, osvojila je Veliki kristalni globus, za pobjedu u ukupnom redoslijedu Svjetskoga kupa, i Mali, za slalom.

U proljeće i ljeto tri je puta operirana, sto je znatno skratilo vrijeme priprema za natjecanje koje je lajtmotiv cijelog zivota Kostelićevih.


Olimpijske igre u Salt Lake Cityju.

Sretna je okolnost bila sto je te sezone briljirao Ivica pa su oči domaće i svjetske javnosti, koje stalno moraju imati na oku bar nekoga iz obitelji Kostelić, bile uprte u njega.

Ante Kostelić je odlučio: sto se Janice tiče, Svjetski kup ide u drugi plan, sve će biti podredjeno pripremama za Olimpijske igre. Epilog: zlatne medalje u kombinaciji, slalomu i veleslalomu, srebrna olimpijska medalja u superveleslalomu!
I tako dalje i tako dalje...

Medju onime sto se Kosteliće savrseno ne tiče nije na odmet spomenuti ni čudjenje Ivice Vidovića, prvog čovjeka McCann-Ericksona Hrvatska, sto se čelni ljudi hrvatskog turizma jos nisu dosjetili Janicu i Ivicu Kostelića iskoristiti kao glavna lica medjunarodne kampanje Jadranske obale. Vidović smatra da bolji 'manekeni' za to ne postoje.

Kosteliće, junake priče o 'speku, luku i olimpijskom zlatu', nije previse briga postoji li uopće iznos koji, nekoć HTmobile, a danas T-Mobile ne bi trebao platiti u zamjenu za popularnost koju im je vjerojatno samo Janica mogla donijeti.

I tu treba biti posten pa se retorički zapitati: Postoji li ijedan sportas u Hrvatskoj koji bi ne bas omiljenu kompaniju mogao dovesti makar do 'pozitivne nule popularnosti', a kamoli je učiniti simpatičnom osim Janice Kostelić?!

I poznajući sposobnosti Vedrana Pavleka, stvarno bi bilo zanimljivo domoći se nekakvog stenograma pregovora vodjenih u studenome 2003. godine i prije jer u zraku je morala visjeti prijetnja prelaska najljućem konkurentu VIPnetu...

Često čujemo: 'Eh, da je, recimo, Talijanka ili Amerikanka, zaradjivala bi sav novac ovog svijeta.' Ali dovoljno je biti i Hrvatica pa da los menadzer Rosignola dobije po prstima ili da mu se 'odrubi glava' jer je bio u prilici sklopiti ugovor s Janicom Kostelić, sto je učinio netko pametan u Salomonu...


Podcijenjena Tamara Boros

Sportskim znalcima kristalno je jasno koliko su vrijedni njezini rezultati, ali ona druga priča, proizvodnja ekonomske vrijednosti, zahtijeva nekog Vedrana Pavleka u Hrvatskom stolnoteniskom savezu, a takvog čovjeka ondje, nazalost, nema.

Skromna djevojka rodjena je 1977. u vojvodjanskoj Senti, a 1993. s obitelji se preselila u Hrvatsku. Trnja, dakle, ne nedostaje, a ako su se okolnosti pobrinule za dramaturgiju, Tamara se napornim radom domogla zvijezda.

Samo, Tamara Boros je najveći hrvatski marketinsko-sportski grijeh: u njezinu se sportu nije nasao nijedan čovjek dovoljno uporan da naciji objasni koliko je ta djevojka zapravo veličanstvena sportasica. Ni u kojem slučaju ne umanjujući grandiozan uspjeh obitelji Kostelić, ne treba zaboraviti da Tamari Boros na putu stoji stotinjak milijuna suparnica vise - Kineskinja.

Tamara Boros je prva Europljanka koja je na nekom svjetskom prvenstvu uspjela osvojiti medalju, a u posljednjih trideset godina taj su pothvat izvele jos samo tri neazijke! Drugoplasirana na svjetskoj rang-listi u najmanju je ruku ravna Goranu Ivaniseviću, a to nije pravedno valorizirano.

Ne samo da se ne smije zaboraviti da su dva milijuna Kineskinja unutar 'dva boda razlike' nego ni da je jedan od temelja sportske metodike stolnoteniske velesile 'kloniranje' suparnica i suparnika.

To znači da najbolje Kineskinje, prije nego sto se za stolom susretnu s Tamarom Boros, imaju sate i sate treninga sa sunarodnjakinjama čija je igra do u detalje identična Tamarinoj.

U tom svjetlu ne smije se zaboraviti ni nepravda Tamarine 'podeksponiranosti' u hrvatskoj javnosti, a ni grijeh indolentnosti ljudi iz Hrvatskog stolnoteniskog saveza koji nisu uspjeli kapitalizirati sportsku heroinu veliku koliko i Janica Kostelić.


Š Lider press, 2005
www.liderpress.hr
 

BUY CROATIAN

Nenad,

Thanks so much for mentioning the BUY CROATIAN campaign. I can't help but feel that we are already being discriminated and taken advantage of by our European neighbors, and now this? Tourism is great but it isn't enough to improve the standard of living throughout the country. We need to promote our products in Europe as well as in the US.

Do you know of specific shops in NYC which specialize in Croatian products? I know there are some in Queens but I don't know the area well enough and have so little free time to go exploring. In particular we would like to buy Jamnica water and some Croatian wine. I can look up the addresses if someone can send me the shop names. Please feel free to forward this note to anyone who can give me some info.

Thanks again for spreading the word,

Marilyn Cvitanic

mcvitanic@nyc.rr.com

Gotovina Indictment is Flawed

The Gotovina Indictment is a clear-cut example of inequality before the law and it does not take a rocket scientist to see its flaws.

Article 51 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights refers to the inherent individual or collective right of self defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations.

Croatia, a United Nations recognized country, was attacked by Serbian-led terrorists for several years, in spite of the presence of UNPROFOR there. Indeed, it was the widely televised Serbian intransigence and Serbian aggression against Croatia which had prompted the United Nations to create the first resolutions about the former Yugoslavia.

First, in order to carry out those resolutions prompted by aggression against Croatia, the United Nations established its base in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina, thereby delaying peacekeeping efforts in Croatia .

Secondly, the Hague Indictments in reference to Bosnia & Herzegovina detail the international recognition of B & H in the Statement of Facts which is deliberately listed before the Charges against Serbian war criminals such as Mladic.

In contrast, it appears that in order to isolate the indictment charges against Croatian generals from any historically related context, both the United Nations Peacekeeping Missions in Croatia, and the ad hoc Hague court Indictments which refer to events in Croatia deliberately do NOT mention the international recognition of Croatia. In the Indictment against Gotovina for example the Statement of Facts inappropriately follows the list of charges instead of preceding them. In addition, after reading the Indictment against Croatian generals it appears as if the unlawfully Serbian-occupied territory within Croatia receives more legitimacy than the UN-member Republic of Croatia.

Finally, in the theme of the initial UN presence being first in Bosnia & Herzegovina instead of Croatia, the Hague indictments also first related to Serbian genocide in Bosnia & Herzegovina . Only later did Serbian-led terrorism in Croatia begin to be investigated by the Hague, although this did not receive as much media cover as other indictments.

Thus, the process of law ignored the first victims of injustice until after many had died, or permanently left their homeland as refugees. The Hague indictment charges which refer to Croatia mention the flight of 150,000-200,000 Serbs from Croatia but nowhere is the flight of 400,000 Croats from Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina mentioned.

In consideration of the above-mentioned inconsistencies in the indictments, in the case of Croatia, it appears as if Croatia is somehow an unwarranted aggressor against Serbian-occupied territory within Croatia--even though the opposite is a matter of public record. In contrast, in the case of Bosnia & Herzegovina the indictments clearly show the Serbian generals to be the aggressors by the content and placement of the Charges in relation to the Statement of Facts therein.


Jean Lunt Marinovic
January 2006
www.croatianviewpoint.com
 

Hrvatska prije svega treba viziju,

snaznu ideju i poticaj koji će pokrenuti sve njezine pozitivne snage.

Vlada je neozbiljna..

Dakle, da Vlada zeli ozbiljno provesti proces, ovakvu interent rubriku bi otvorili oni

Čestitam na inicijativi. To je angazirano novinarstvo: stati iza konkretnog projekta, pokrenuti javnost i istrajati do realizacije.

No, da se inicijativa ne utopi u prevelikim količinama ideja i materijala, sugeriram da kao posebnu rubriku otvorite dijalog o tome kakvu sliku Hrvatske zelimo stvoriti u EU i u svijetu.

Hrvatska prije svega treba viziju, snaznu ideju i poticaj koji će pokrenuti sve njezine pozitivne snage.

Tko će i na koji način definirati ciljeve i viziju Hrvatske kakvu zelimo? Kako će u to biti uključeni marketinski stručnjaci, PR-ovci, dizajneri, novinari, uspjesni poduzetnici...???

Hrvatski dizajn centar je u kratkom roku pokrenuo vrlo zanimljive inicijative - da li je pozvan da sudjeluje u osmisljavanju strategije? Niz malih poduzeća i poduzetnika imaju dokazane trzisne i izvozne rezultate - kako njih potaknuti da postanu lideri i lokomotive organiziranih reprocjelina? Neki novi klinci pokreću vrlo zanimljive poslovne projekte. Uključite ih.

Za značajne projekte EU primjenjuje standardnu proceduru subsidijarnosti: cofinance, tj načelo da nostelj projekta u proces odlučivanja mora organizrano uključiti sve subjekte na koje se određeni projekt odrazava na bilo koji način.

Dakle, da Vlada zeli ozbiljno provesti proces, ovakvu interent rubriku bi otvorili oni (a načelo cofinancinga im sigurno nije nepoznato).

Za ozbiljan nacionalni dokument, europska demokratska drzava morala bi osigurati ozbiljno, aktivno i institucionalizirano sudjelovanje svih relevantnih drustvenih struktura, od znanosti i poduzetnika (veliki, srednji i mali, svaki kao zasebna interesna skupina), novinara i medija, strukovnih udruga, sindikata, nezaposlenih..., a svaka faza donosenja strategije morala bi biti izlozena javnosti.

I na koncu, samo da se ne zaboravi, posebno poglavlje trebali bi biti organizrani sustavi poslovnih zajednica za potporu samozaposljavanja i mikropoduzetnistva.

Preusmjeravanjem malog dijela socijalnih transfera u konkretne poslovne servise moglo bi se nezaposlenima otvoriti sasvim novo područje aktivnog zivota i socijalnog zbrinjavanja. Samo ekonomska neovisnost pojedinaca omogućuje slobodno drustvo koje moze odgovorno i demokratski usmjeravati svoju budućnost - i svoju razvojnu strategiju.

Goran Kauzlarić

2.2.2006

http://www.liderpress.hr/Default.aspx?sid=902

Sudjeluj u izradi strategije razvoja Hrvatske

Svoja pisma vizije etc saljite na ppps@liderpress.hr

Op-ed. ovo je otvoreno do 19 veljace, ali mislim da bi to trebao biti otvoreni datum, tako da doznaju svi koji imaju sto za reci i imaju energije i volje i optimizam da se nesto moze promijeniti, a ne samo kukati kako se 'ionako nista ne mijenja'.
Nenad Bach

PISMO PREMIJERU
Postovani,

Premijer Ivo Sanader najavio je da će Vlada do oĹžujka izraditi strategiju razvoja i potom je usuglasiti sa sindikatima i poslodavcima. Kako Hrvatska ne bi ponovo dobila strategiju radjenu samo zato sto to traĹži Europska unija i da ona ne bi bila odraz posebnih političkih ili ekonomskih interesa, redakcija Lidera pokrenut će interaktivnu rubriku na svojoj web stranici „Pomozimo premijeru pisati strategiju“.

Na internet adresi www.liderpress.hr otvaramo mogućnost svima da iznesu svoje zahtjeve, ideje i prijedloge o tome sto bi u Nacionalnom razvojnom programu trebalo stajati. Prostor otvaramo i za rasprave o prijedlozima koje dobivamo. Očekujemo i komentare na aktualne vijesti ili procese prema kojima bi se strategija razvoja trebala odrediti.

Nas zajednički rad trajat će mjesec dana, od 19. siječnja do 19. veljače. Nakon toga sve ćemo priloge i komentare sistematizirati i proslijediti Vladi RH.

Bilo bi nam drago kada bi, u tijeku i nakon zavrsetka akcije, premijer Sanader ili netko od njegovih suradnika, koji će aktivno raditi na izradi Nacionalnog razvojnog programa, ocijenio i prokomentirao prijedloge koje smo poslali. Posebno bismo cijenili kada bi premijer to učinio u obliku intervjua, ali otvoreni smo i za sve druge mogućnosti, prema dogovoru.

Molim Vas da razmislite o načinu uključivanja autora razvojne strategije u nasu akciju i da nas o tome obavijestite.

Unaprijed zahvaljujem na razumijevanju.
Srdačan pozdrav,

Miodrag Sajatović,
glavni urednik poslovnog tjednika Lider

ppps@liderpress.hr

http://www.liderpress.hr/Default.aspx?sid=966

Showcasing Significant Accomplishments: 

The Recent History of the University of Zagreb and University of Georgia Partnership for Building a Foundation for a Strong Economic Future for Croatia

Rusty Brooks, Assistant Director and Professor[1]

The International Center for Democratic Governance

The Carl Vinson Institute of Government

The University of Georgia

Background

Almost eight years of cooperative work between the University of Zagreb and the University of Georgia now shows significant accomplishments that will positively contribute to building a sustainable economic future for Croatia.  Primarily these results were made possible through the diligent and persistent work of Dr. Bojan Baletic of the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Zagreb (UZ) and with the support of Vice Rector Vlasta Vizek Vidovic of UZ.  These recent accomplishments were facilitated through a three year project begun in 2002 between the University of Georgia (UGA) and the University of Zagreb (UZ) entitled “A Partnership for Sustainable Rural Economic Revitalization in Croatia.â€?  This project was funded by the Association Liaison Office for University Cooperation in Development in Washington DC with monies from the United States Agency for International Development.

This three year project focused on the Zumberak region of Croatia.  This region was selected because it had significant out-migration of people; little job creation and job retention; important land and forest resources; and is in close proximity to Zagreb.  The proximity issue was considered an important consideration if the project was to be able to entice faculty from UZ out to the region to assist in accomplishing the objectives of the project.  The stated objectives of this three year project were to have UZ and UGA partner in “outreach activitiesâ€? to generate jobs and improve quality of life in the Zumberak region of Croatia.

What the project actually served to do was to indicate the important institutional changes that would first have to occur at UZ to allow these “outreach activitiesâ€? to have support and financing.  These necessary institutional changes would be required to help alter the university culture to not only embrace and reward traditional teaching and research, but would create the institutional mechanisms to allow and endorse UZ to actively engage in organized applied research, technical assistance, and consultation activities that would positively improve the lives of the people, governments, and businesses in Croatia.

This three year project intended to demonstrate how to produce jobs and improve quality of life in the Zumberak through helping organize activities by UZ that emulated “outreachâ€? activities carried out at UGA.  Many U. S. institutions of higher education carry out outreach activities in addition to their primary missions of teaching and research.  U. S. universities have an organizational culture that sees outreach activities as equal in importance to their responsibilities of traditional teaching and basic research.

Outreach activities allow U. S. universities to actively engage themselves with their larger publics by addressing real world problems and issues that confront citizens, businesses, their state and local governments, and specific economic sectors such as agriculture, forestry, and tourism.  In this way, U. S. universities build valuable constituencies beyond only the traditional student.  By actively engaging with this larger public constituency, U. S. universities provide applied research, technical assistance, and consultation activities that make significant contributions to better governments, more successful businesses, improved quality of life for citizens, and large contributions to overall economic development.  In turn, U. S. universities receive significant financial and political support from these larger constituencies.  This broad-based support for outreach and engagement by U. S. universities comes about largely because they are seen as such important players in stimulating economic development and improving quality of life for the people they serve.  This is exactly the case at UGA and the state of Georgia benefits greatly from the university’s role in outreach scholarship.

What Happened at UZ?

Again, what this three year project served to clearly demonstrate was that it was going to be necessary to change the organizational culture of UZ to create internal institutional mechanisms that would support faculty roles and university structures (in addition to the traditional roles and disciplinary silos that serve to only facilitate and reward teaching and research) to support outreach activities.  Clearly, the reward and financing structure, as well as the promotion system, would have to be changed if UZ was to effectively engage itself in outreach in the Zumberak.  It became obvious that the first task would require making changes within the UZ laws and regulations to support outreach. 

This was the important role that Dr. Baletic assumed at UZ.  Over the three year period he worked tirelessly within UZ to:

Ground documents for UZ outreach:

1. Program document for the establishing of the UZ Council for the Support of Regional Development and Local Community (2003).
2. Program document for the establishing of the UZ Centre for Sustainable Regional Development (2004).
3. Donation of the school buildings by the Zumberak local government (2003).
4. Articles regarding the outreach mission of UZ and the optional formation of the Office for Regional Development in the new UZ Statue (2005).

In addition, he managed to provide leadership to other activities that also supported the grounding of outreach into the UZ organizational structure and to engage UZ faculty in developing projects that would support outreach activities.  For example:

Documents were produced that outline the strategy and subject of UZ outreach in the rural development domain:

1. Project proposal: Socio-economic models of rural sustainable development (submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry).
2. Project proposal: Sustainable tourism in rural Croatia (submitted to the Ministry of Tourism).
3. Project proposal: Development of a web-based system for sustainable development knowledge distribution (submitted for Croatian telecom donation).
4. Project proposal: University integration and regional development support (submitted to Tempus program).
5. Project proposal: Sustainable tourism in continental Croatia (submitted for Interregional cooperation).
6. Power point presentations at the ALO Synergy in Development Conferences in Washington DC in 2003 and 2004.
7. Participation and support of the Zumberak plan of local development based on EU criteria (Interregional project).

All these changes at UZ have worked to assist the university in more formally structuring activities that help create in Croatia avibrant agricultural economy; improve public health; help create new jobs and businesses; organize significant new rural development activities and programs; protect and preserve traditional architecture; train officials for better functioning local governments; and, move to better manage the increasingly fragile natural resource base with sustainable management practices to help Croatia clearly demonstrate the characteristics of a country ready to assume a place within the European Union.

In sum, the collaborative work between UGA and UZ, with Dr. Baletic’s and Vice Rector Vizek’s strong support, has resulted in creating at UZ a model of higher education that transfers the relevant and appropriate technology of UGA’s land grant model of public service and outreach to Croatia’s citizens, civic society, governments, and businesses, and positions UZ to now become a major catalyst for improving quality of life and sustainable economic development in Croatia.

Where are we now?

            Dr. Baletic continues to lead efforts at UZ to move the collaborative work with UGA in Zumberak forward.  Vice Rector Vizek recently completed an agreement between the local governments in Zumberak for the donation of the old school in Mrzlo Polje to become the UZ Centre for Sustainable Development.  The recent generous contribution of Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Phillips to UGA for work in Croatia will allow UGA and UZ to utilize this abandoned school facility, when remodelled and furnished, as a locus of joint activities that can serve as a model for outreach activities across Croatia.

UGA has committed to work to obtain donor monies to rehabilitate and reconstruct the abandoned old school into a viable and quality facility with the expectation that UZ and government in Croatia will furnish, supply, staff, maintain, and support the activities that will take place there.

UGA has also committed to bring salary monies to create a Director of Outreach in Zumberak at this Centre contingent upon UZ and Croatia government providing the necessary infrastructure to support the position, including staff, equipment, and supplies.  UGA has also committed to funding UZ faculty to carry out activities at this Centre for Sustainable development if UZ and the relevant Ministries agree to recognize, support, and reward outreach activities and outreach scholarship by participating faculty at UZ.

The Phillips contribution to UGA is being set up as an endowment to insure the long term involvement of UGA in Croatia.  The Phillips endowment will allow students and faculty from UGA to travel to Croatia to use this facility in Mrzlo Polje jointly with colleagues from UZ.  The Phillips monies will also allow funding for joint projects between UGA and UZ faculty and students to carry out activities at this centre.   It is envisioned that activities including public health education and promotion; short courses on preserving and protecting architectural heritage; agriculture and forestry improvement courses and technical assistance; small business development; tourism development; activities for the preservation and utilization of traditional handicrafts and art for local economic development; local government training and applied research activities; and youth recreation and education are just some examples of the types of activities that will be conducted at this centre by UZ and UGA faculty and students.

All along, Dr. Baletic and colleagues at UZ have continued with an ongoing plan of activities to build institutional support at UZ for outreach scholarship.  As a result an impressive list of activities has been accomplished this past year including:  

Documents and activities that build UZ – local government ties and identify specific needs in Zumberak:

1. ALO project promotion with local government.
2. Losinj conference that hosted the representatives of local governments.
3. Interregional project Enerwood – sustainable management of wood resources in Zumberak.
4. Participation and support of the Zumberak plan of local development based on EU criteria (Interregional project).
5. Study trip for local government representatives from Zumberak to UGA.
6. Assistance in creation of the Homeland collection for Zumberak in Sosice as a means of cultural identification and tourist attraction.

Along with this, Faculty of Architecture at UZ did their own research and activities that will be of use to the future outreach work of the UZ Centre in Mrzlo Polje:

1.      Analysis of the regional and urban plans for Zumberak.

2.      Creation of a GIS database on the 2001 statistical data on population, cultural and natural attractions and tourist offer.

3.      Documentation based on three thorough study trips around Zumberak to establish real situation in regard to Zumberak tourist appeal.

4.      Analysis of the Croatian rural tourism offer and distribution as means to direct this development in Zumberak.

5.      Establishing a relationship with the Natural park of Zumberak and organizing two summer student workshops in Budinjak.

Special activities regarding the future UZ Centre for sustainable development that will provide the direction for reconstruction of the old school:

1. Photo documentation on the school buildings.
2. Measured drawings of the present state of the buildings.
3. Design proposal for the possible functional organization of the school buildings for the centre.
4. Rough cost estimate.

Most importantly, Faculty of Architecture and their students conducted interviews with the inhabitants of Mrzlo Polje as to their needs and views. This was done to establish the possibility of their future engagement in the UZ Centre activities and to identify what specific educational programs and activities should be conducted at the UZ Centre for Sustainable Development. 

The activities as implemented by UGA/UZ at the UZ Centre for Sustainable Development in Mrzlo Polje will have as their mission the task of improving the quality of the lives of the region’s citizens through providing education and training programs that address existing public health issues; help create new business enterprises and strengthening existing ones; and, build strong and effective partnerships with local governments and NGO’s in the region.  Building effective multi-sector partnerships between UZ, local and national government, NGO’s, citizens, and international aid agencies will be an important task of this centre and its staff.

If the limited financial and human resources that work out of this centre are to be most effectively leveraged it will require strong multi-sector partnerships between all these relevant parties.  Expertise in building these critical multi-sector partnerships is strong skill that UGA can share with colleagues at UZ.  All the activities identified for the UZ Centre for Sustainable Development will serve to improve the overall livability of the region while building the capacity of these local governments and NGO’s to function in an effective and sustainable manner for the benefit of their constituents and clients.

Why is UGA/Georgia/U.S. Interested in Croatia?

Regional rural development activities implemented by UZ through a directed, successful outreach program can be a significant impetus for political stability, improved public health, economic development; and improvements to overall quality of life for people of Croatia.  The benefits to UGA are a continued internationalization of the curriculum; additional research, teaching, and outreach outlets for UGA programs; increased international prestige for the university and its overall academic and outreach programs; and, recognition by political interests in the U. S. of support for foreign policy goals that contribute to stability in south central Europe.

Benefits to Georgia potentially include new business opportunities and relationships that can facilitate the entry of Georgia enterprises into the regional and local markets.  Croatia is poised on the border of the EU and markets to the east.  Croatia has significant port facilities that could provide accessibility for Georgia products to these markets. 

The U.S. gains better regional security and stability and assistance in combating terrorism and direct and indirect threats to the U. S. from the region.  Croatia is a major entry point for contraband of all types into Western Europe from points south and east of Croatia.  Activities that serve to address economic development problems in rural Croatia will serve to stabilize the rural areas and provide more control of rural border areas by repopulating these areas.  As this project serves to revitalize and repopulate these areas, more political, economic, and social control can be exerted by locals over illegal smuggling activities, especially trafficking in people.  When Croatia can gain better control of border areas in rural places, the US will gain from greater overall international security and the EU will benefit from increased security as well.

Wrapping Up

UGA typifies U. S. state universities and land-grant colleges that have always provided critically important benefits both to the states that fund them and to the nation as a whole. Some of the benefits—lives ennobled by exposure to the arts, improvements to society made by people using what they’ve learned, and current applications of research breakthroughs, etc.—are intangible and hard to express in dollars and cents. Others, however, show quite clearly that public higher education is an invaluable investment that returns a very high yield on every state dollar spent and has tremendous economic development value and outcomes.

In the first project between UZ and UGA, it was apparent to the visiting Croatian delegation to Georgia that UGA played a major role in economic development in the state.  More importantly, it was obvious that UGA was seen as a trusted source of non-biased information on economic development; provided invaluable training and applied research services to local and state government alike; served to provide expertise and research to both small and large businesses; provided a mechanism to commercialize relevant technology for new business start-ups; developed applied research programs to address specific Georgia problems in agriculture, forestry, biotechnology, industrial development, food processing, fisheries, and an entire host of other areas; and utilized this economic good will for the benefit of the university, its citizens, businesses, and governments.

By extending itself beyond the traditional classroom and out into the state of Georgia, UGA was seen by the visiting UZ delegation as a respected, responsible, and formidable player in economic development for the citizens of the state.  More importantly, UGA was seen by the UZ visitors as an institution which valued and rewarded this outreach mission by those faculty and staff members who provided this invaluable service to the people, businesses, and governments around the state.  

This is where we are today.  UZ and UGA are positioned to create in Mrzlo Polje the Centre for Sustainable Development that can serve as a model of how UZ and other institutions of higher education in Croatia can engage in outreach activities that serve to enhance the lives of people, improve the business climate, and make governments more efficient and effective.   UGA is committed to working with partners in Croatia to make these things happen.  At the same time, UGA believes that Croatia can serve as a leader and role model for all of southeast Europe.  By showcasing successful programs and activities at the Centre for Sustainable Development, Croatia can demonstrate a leadership role for the region in addressing similar problems and concerns.  In fact, UGA sees this project in Croatia as serving as a model for countries around the world.  What better legacy for Croatia than creating the model that can serve as the demonstration site for best practices in community and rural development for the entire world!       

CROATIAN BOOK CLUB OF NEW YORK

In honor of Valentine’s Day, our monthly selection is one the greatest Croatian love story recorded to date, Goodbye Dear Old Homeland – The true story of a young refugee couple’s flight from Croatia and their journey to freedom, written by their daughter Yasna Sikic Hood.

Goodbye Dear Old Homeland and other Croatian books are available at www.amazon.com for as little as .87 cents and up.

Meeting place: Croatian Cultural Center
Address: 502 West 41st Street, New York, NY (between 10th & 11th Avenues)
Dates: Every Third Wednesday in the month, February 15th, 2006 at 6 p.m.
Next book selection: Goodbye Dear Old Homeland by Yasna Sikic Hood

Please read the book in advance.

A Croatian Book Club is meeting in New York City to promote Croatian culture. Our club offers readers the opportunity to participate in spirited discussions considering diverse viewpoints about unique subject material.

Each month, the facilitator will choose a “book of the month” that will be read by members in advance and discussed later at the monthly meeting. The monthly meeting will last from approximately 1-2 hours, depending on the vitality of the discussion, size of the group and availability of space.

Below is a partial list of books that will be discussed:

* The Stone Fields by Courtney Angela Brkic
* Infidelities – stories of War and Lust by Josip Novakovic
* How We Survived Communism and Even Laughed by Slavenka Drakulic
* Neither Red nor Dead by Stevo Julius
* The Museum of Unconditional Surrender by Dubravka Ugresic
* The Banquet in Blitva by Miroslav Krleza
* The Bridge to Dalmatia – Search for the Meaning of Place by Francis Violich
* Delightful Dalmatia by Alice Lee Moque
* The Turk and My Mother by Mary Helen Stefaniak
* Sarajevo Marlboro by Miljenko Jergovic
* Croatian Tales of Long Ago by Ivana Brlic Mazuranic
* Anna Marinkovich by Edward Ifkovic
* Carrying the Farm on Her Back-A portrait of Women in a Village by Eva Skold Westerlind
* Healing the Heart of Croatia by Joseph Kerrigan
* Goodby Dear Old Homeland by Yasna Sikic Hood
* American Dream - a Guy from Croatia by Boris Miksic
* Thorn Lace – Mojmir – A Migrant’s Lot by Ina Vukic
* Moments of Truth: Real Stories of Life Changing Inspiration Mike Celizic
* The Labyrinth by Blanka Raguz www.blankaraguz.com
* You’re Hired: How to Succeed in Business and Life from the Winner of the Apprentice by Bill Rancic
* Lovers and Madmen – a True Story of Passion, Politics and Air Piracy by Julienne Eden Busic
* Fix Our United States by Krist (Chris) Novoselic www.dwstudios.net
* Necessary Targets: A Story of Women and War by Eve Ensler
* www.admit2.net Natalija Grgorinic & Ognjen Raden
* The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andric
* Don’t Call Me Rosie by Kathleen Thomas www.thomaswright.com
* Louis Adamic www.synapse.ne.jp/saitani/ or www.alibris.com
* A Single Step by Heather Mills McCartney (chapters on Croatia)
* Can You Hear Me Screaming? by Eric Obenauf www.twodollarradio.com or www.CroatiaGifts.com
* First Service by Andrea Jaeger (Maja Muric) www.firstservicebook.com
* Celestial Dancer by Anthony Shafer alias Peter Celich
* Letters to My Daughters by Mary Matalin (Tomasevich)
* Croatia: Travels in Undiscovered Country by Tony Fabijancic
* The Passion to Skate: An Intimate View of Figure Skating by Sandra Bezic
* Return with Honor by Scott O’Grady
* Pixletown: The World Found by Marija Miletic Dail
* The Survival League by Gordan Nuhanovic
* Tesla: Man Out of Time by Margaret Cheney
* Zagreb, Exit South by Edo Popovic
* American Scream & Palindrome Apocalypse by Dubravka Oraic Tolic
* King of the Confessors by Thomas Hoving
* Mother’s Memoirs – Lucy Majnaric Marincel by Emily Marincel Amberg
* The Education of a Coach by David Halberstam re: Bill & Steve Belichick
* Zinka Milanov and Flora Tosca: Art, Love, and Politics by Bruce Burroughs
* Inlaid Pearl by Stacie G. Vesolich
* Bogdan Radica – out of print


Most of the above books are available free of charge at the Public Library or may be purchased at www.amazon.com .

Book Club discussion questions and topics:

· What specific themes did the author emphasize throughout the book? What do you think he or she is trying to convey to the reader?
· Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to their predicaments? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or someone you know?
· What was unique about the setting of the book and how did it enhance or take away from the story?
· How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?
· In what ways do the events in the books reveal evidence of the author’s world view?
· Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why did you feel that way? Did this lead to a new understanding or awareness of some aspect of your life you might not have thought about before?
· What did you find surprising about the facts introduced in this book?
· How has reading this book changed your opinion of a certain person or topic?
· Does the author present information in a way that is interesting and insightful, and if so, how does she or he achieve this?
· If the author is writing on a controversial issue, does he or she give proper consideration to all sides of the debate? Does he or she seem to have a bias?
· How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?

Facilitator:

Katarina Tepesh is a member of the International Women’s Writing Guild. Her essays, “Father’s Funeral” www.quietmountainessays.org/Tepesh and “Babin Kuk” were published in Caprice and Quiet Mountain Essays. “Yearning for Freedom in a Land of the Free” at http://freeriverpress.org/Tepesh.htm Free River Press. A short story, “Anica, a Mail Order Bride from Croatia” at CROWN www.CroatianWorld.net . “Kolo Danced by Hundreds in New York City” www.puredance.org/pressNada.html ; “Josip Novakovich - Infidelities – Stories of War and Lust” www.lijepanasadomovinahrvatska.com/folder/tepesh_280905.htm
Katarina is also a member of the Storytellers - International Toastmasters Club, promoting writing, public speaking and leadership skills. Katarina comes from Zagorje region and now lives in New York City.

If you are interested in joining The Croatian Book Club (CBC) of New York, please contact Katarina by email tepeshk@aol.com  or telephone 212-744-1985.

New York-based journalist searching for

Croatian publications and media opportunities

Hello,

I am a New York-based journalist with previous experience reporting from
Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. I would be very interested in hearing from
any journalists currently working at English language publications/programs
in the region or from people with information
about media opportunities in the region.

Thanks very much.
Sincerely,
Joscelyn Jurich
jsj237@nyu.edu


CroNetwork: The Croatian-American Organization for Young Professionals.