Stan, what you suggest may make sense from the point of view of the nation/state of Serbia.
However, for Erin I believe, the issue is not one of financing. They did have, and to the best of my knowledge, still do have, a financing partner lined up and eagerly waiting in the wings.
Rather, for Erin, the issue holding up progress is the embargo currently in place against Serbia by the European Union. This prevents any foreign trade with Serbia. We need to have all sanctions and trade restrictions lifted before Erin can begin to develop that property.
As further info on the latest situation, I have cut and paste a few recent news items from Reuters below ....
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Greece And Italy Call For End Of Serbian Sanctions
ATHENS, Jan 12, 2000 -- (Reuters) Greece and
Italy on Tuesday called for early democratic
elections in Serbia and an eventual lifting of the
embargo that has been imposed on their Balkan
neighbor.
Prime Minister Costas Simitis and his Italian counterpart Massimo D'Alema,
who is on a two-day official visit to Greece, urged the European Union and
the United States to support efforts for Serbian democracy.
The two leaders also backed Serb opposition calls for early elections with
international guarantees for their transparency and an eventual lifting of the
embargo.
"Greece has always supported the view that the embargo cannot solve the
problems. If there is not economic development in the region, there will not
be calm in the Balkans," Simitis told reporters after a one-hour meeting with
D'Alema.
"The point is not to help one side or the other. We must pursue democracy,"
Simitis added.
D'Alema also called for the lifting of sanctions against ordinary Serbs,
especially in the fields of air transportation and the supply of natural gas.
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Italy's Dini Says EU Reviewing Serb Sanctions
ROME, Feb 5, 2000 -- (Reuters) Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini said on Friday the European
Union was reviewing sanctions against Yugoslavia affecting ordinary people and urged Serb opposition
parties to stay united.
He issued a statement after a meeting with Vladan Batic, leader of the Yugoslav opposition umbrella
group Alliance for Change.
Dini welcomed a January 10 decision by the Serb opposition to adopt a common platform, saying it
would help speed up democratization in the Balkan region.
"(Dini) noted that Italy agrees on the need to support the efforts of the opposition - which must remain
united and develop a common program for the future democratization of Serbia," the statement said.
"(He also told Batic) that a process of review of the measures that affect the civil population was under way within the
European Union and was backed by Italy."
Serbia has been subject to various sanctions since 1992, first for its role in the 1992-1995 war in neighboring Bosnia and later
over Belgrade's repression in Kosovo.
The sanctions keep Yugoslavia, which consists of Serbia and Montenegro, away from financial bodies and foreign capital
markets, ban investments, flights and crude oil deliveries.
The statement said Batic told Dini the swift suspension of the sanctions on flights and crude oil was a top priority for
economically-battered Serbia and would help opposition efforts.
Dini said the opposition could play an important role in the democratization of Yugoslavia.
"The international community expects that the forces of change in Serbia work together concretely in the direction of reforms to
create a more liberal and democratic economic and social system," he said.
Italy has repeatedly called for the sanctions against ordinary Serbs, especially in the field of air transport and the supply of
natural gas, to be lifted. |
