Croatia furious at U.N. court's sentencing of Serbs for wartime atrocities

ZAGREB, Croatia: Croatian officials criticized a U.N. court Friday for handing down what they called unacceptably low sentences to two Serb army officers convicted for their roles in a wartime massacre of Croatians, and acquitting another.

Prime Minister Ivo Sanader asked that the U.N. Security Council review the work of The Hague-based tribunal. A rightist party and war veterans demanded that Croatia stop cooperating with it. The opposition Social Democrats said the credibility of the court was "eroded."

"It's a mockery of justice," parliamentary Speaker Vladimir Seks said.

On Thursday, the U.N. court sentenced a Serb army officer, Mile Mrksic, to 20 years in prison for clearing the way for the 1991 torture and slaughter of nearly 200 Croatians seized from a hospital in the eastern city of Vukovar — a massacre that set a standard of brutality for the Balkan wars that were then just beginning.

Another officer was sentenced to five years in prison and the third was acquitted.

In his letter to the U.N. Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, Sanader said that "the time has come for the work of The Hague court to be seriously re-examined, especially in the light of its failure to serve the justice in a balanced and impartial way."

Croatia will bring up the subject at the U.N. general assembly session on Nov. 15, he wrote.

Even President Stipe Mesic, the most vocal supporter of the tribunal even when nationalists here vehemently opposed it, said "confidence in the court has now been seriously shaken."

Holding black-and-white photos of the victims, about 150 people demonstrated at Zagreb's main square Friday.

The court, charged with prosecuting war crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia, ruled 40 or so years in prison for some of the war crimes masterminds in the past — and Croatia expected at least that for the "Vukovar troika."

After a three-month siege and ceaseless bombardment, the country's Serbs, backed by the Yugoslav army that supported their rebellion against Croatia's independence from Yugoslavia, seized Vukovar on Nov. 18, 1991.

More than 200 men were dragged out from the town's hospital — packed with patients, hospital staff and civilians who had taken refuge in its corridors — and taken to a nearby pig farm in Ovcara, where Serb paramilitaries tortured and killed them.

On Thursday night, about 200 people gathered at Ovcara, putting candles at the newly built memorial, some of them crying. Sanader also went there, calling the convictions "inhumane."

It took years, and heavy political pressure from Western governments, for Croatia to begin cooperating with the war crimes court, which also has tried Croatians.

The convictions could set off a new wave of opposition toward the court and the West, as well — and possibly a resurgence of nationalism.

"I just wonder how we are going to build a joint European future on this kind of justice," said Branko Borkovic, a famous Vukovar fighter.

It also could affect the outcome of the November parliamentary elections: the ruling conservative Croatian Democratic Union has insisted on cooperation with the court because it is a key condition for its quest to make Croatia a part of the European Union.

"It would not be good if this convictions become an issue in the pre-election campaign," Mesic said, alluding that the rightists could profit from it.

A group of Croatia-based non-governmental organizations warned the convictions would have "deep effect" on the whole of the Balkans. In Serbia, where the nationalists are still strong, "it could be used for some to justify the crimes."

Ed Lu, Valery Tokarev and Greg Olsen- Live from Croatia!

Not since Yuri Gagarin’s visit 46 years ago has a space explorer come to this part of the world. Now Ed Lu, recently retired US Astronaut; Valery Tokarev, an active Cosmonaut who has flown on the Shuttle and Soyuz; and Greg Olsen, the third private space explorer to visit the International Space Station (ISS) are joining some of the newer suborbital space hopefuls for a panel discussion each evening on human space exploration.

After the Shuttle Columbia disaster, Lu was asked to launch on a Soyuz as the Flight Engineer (the first time an American had filled that role), since they needed to launch with a crew of two- not three. He had to learn a year and a half worth of material in nine weeks. After talking to him at dinner last night- I have no doubt he could pick up whatever he wanted in nine weeks. He ended up spending six months in space on that mission.

Tokarev was originally to be the pilot for the Buran, a Russian vehicle that looks very similar to the Space Shuttle. However the Buran only flew an un-piloted test flight before being moth-balled in the 90’s. Luckily Tokarev got a second chance and has flown and spacewalked with the Russians and the Americans. It was his Soyuz launch that brought Greg Olsen for his 10 day stay on ISS.

Olsen first got the idea to go into space reading about Dennis Tito and Mark Shuttleworth’s flights in a newspaper in Princeton, New Jersey. Olsen is an engineer and businessman and even worked to bring a few experiments of his own to space before getting derailed by US regulations and other logistical issues. Olsen was the third of five people to have paid to visit the space station. He was followed by space blogging sweetheart Anousheh Ansari and Microsoft millionaire Charles Simonyi.

They are all here thanks to the passionate efforts of a band of young Croatia astronomers and astrophysicists committed to creating a renaissance of science and technology in their country- a country whose constitution is only 17 years old. They see the future as up to them to build and they are not afraid to take it on.

Tune in and get inspired about what you can make happen in the future- no matter how old your country’s constitution is.

I Have Nothing to Do with Secret Croatian Accounts

Retired Croatian general Vladimir Zagorec testified on Monday in Vienna before the Austrian Parliamentary Committee which examines business of some Austrian banks, saying he had nothing to do with secret accounts of the Republic of Croatia in Austria or in any other country.

Answering to questions of the Committee president and members, Zagorec said he had bank accounts in several Austrian banks and dismissed suspicions of money laundering, stating that he had no privileges or authorisation for signing or taking money from the so called secret accounts of the Republic of Croatia in Austria.

He pointed out that he had no direct contact with the Austrian financial or police services in relation to money laundering. He confirmed that he had conducted several projects in co-operation with the Hypo Alpe Adria bank. According to him, “it was several projects”, but he did not wish to name them, because, as he said, they were “a business secret, but all the projects are legal and can be examined”.

He said of his credit in million amounts with Austrian banks that these are media speculation without any basis. HE confirmed that he was the owner, co-owner or advisor in several Austrian companies and one in Lichtenstein (mostly dealing with real estate). To the question where he got such capital from in Austria, he replied: “As a retired general, I refused pension in Croatia, came to Austria to link people, investors and projects with the know-how and it was financed by banks, it is logical, because I was at a good function in Croatia for 11 years and knew what can be done in Croatia”.

Zagorec dismissed all suspicion that there were jewels which he allegedly stole from the Ministry of defense safe, leaving from the duty of assistant minister, backing this up with information that German arms dealer Josef Rotchaichner recently said at the first hearing in Vienna, under oath, that “he did not deposit any jewels, that there was no bag with diamonds and that there were no diamonds”. Zagorec said this was made up.

Zagorec`s hearing before the Parliamentary Committee lasted for almost two and a half hours and he did not want to give any statements to journalists, saying: -My attorney will do so-.

His attorney Michael Dohr said that this was a political performance, where the point was not to find out about Croatia`s request for legal aid of Austria, nor of Zagorec`s extradition, but questions were attempted to be asked of his ties with Austrian politicians and others, “which failed”.

Zagorec`s attorney did not wish to talk about the contents of the audio DVD which was submitted by Zagorec`s defence at the first hearing, adding: - We have nothing to hide this is why we are here, at the Parliament and this proves that we are playing with our cards wide open-. Dohr repeated that the process against Zagorec was politically motivated, saying that “the DVD will confirm this, as evidence, which was approved by the Vienna investigating court to be brought out at the second hearing in Vienna on July 25-.

President of the Austrian Parliamentary Committee for banks Martin Graf said that today he wanted to find out details of the Croatian Attorney`s Office requesting legal aid in Austria: on Croatian opened accounts in Austria and transactions, as well as suspicions of money laundering.

Zagorec`s attorney gave a written statement to journalists with which he wanted to argument the thesis that the arrest of his defendant was politically motivated and constructed, in which he especially accuses Croatian President Stjepan Mesic that the Zagorec case serves him to charge his political opponents, thus empower his position in Croatia. Dohr said in the statement that Mesic personally intervened with Austrian politicians that Zagorec is to be extradited to Croatia, during his recent visit to Austria.
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Motorhead in Croatia

Few bands rival the legendary status of Motorhead. Their place in rock history is not just based on longevity, but on the dedication and adoration of their absolutely die hard fan base. They never sold records, having instead built their reputation on decades of touring and unapologetically staying true to their thrash metal roots. Their iconic front man, Lemmy Kilmister, is simply a rock god - revered as one of the greatest heavy metal musicians of all time. He’s become a pop culture figure, instantly recognizable by the mutton chops and glass-eating voice. In terms of idolatry, he’s right up there with another front man - this one gangly, bespectacled, and shrouded in black hair. The relationship between Motorhead and The Ramones is a long one, going back to 1976. The two bands are the most respected in their genres - with Motorhead doing for metal what The Ramones did for punk.

Fans packed the Double Door on a Monday night to see Lemmy’s new project, The Head Cat - a classic rock n’ roll trio consisting of Lem on vocals, Danny B. Harvey on guitar (13 Cats, Lonesome Spurs) and classic tomcat Slim Jim Phantom on drums (Stray Cats). Supporting their new record “Fool’s Paradise”, The Head Cat rip through a set of classics like “Somethin Else”, “Not Fade Away”, and a perfect “Big River”. It’s pure rock n’ roll - in Lemmy’s own words - with no ulterior motive. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and not a single artist has yet to catch up with the genius of Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly, and Johnny Cash. The Head Cat come close, packing the house with bikers, metal heads, and rockabilly girls and making them dance.

Hanging out with Lemmy before the show, I had to stop my questions three times - people kept coming up to him, wishing him a good show and shaking his hand. Most didn’t really have anything to say but hello, they just wanted to meet him and get a photo. Leaning against the bar in the basement at the Double Door (“I feel most at home at the bar,” he said when I asked him where we should go), it felt like one of those great rock n’ roll moments. Sharing a smoke with Lemmy an hour before he would rock a sold out show. We talked about Head Cat, Elvis, sequined jackets, and the state of rock n’ roll.

The Head Cat is a reintroduction of real rock n’ roll - simple, stripped down -

Having fun. Fun for the sake of it. No ulterior motive. No politics. No gender. No fucking around! (laughs)

Do you think that’s real rock n’ roll?

Real rock n’ roll is to piss your parents off, basically. I mean, I realize I’m the same age as your grandpa is now but that’s what it’s for. I mean, if your parents like it, you ain’t doing it right. It’s supposed to outrage the civil dignitaries. There’s no particular idea of it, but it’s really about rebelling.

And that’s a concept that keeps repeating. It always comes full circle.

We get the younger ones at our gigs. Not just in Europe but here, too. We get three generations. We get the originals, and their kids, and their kids.

Tell me a little about your relationship with The Ramones. (Lemmy wrote a song called “R.A.M.O.N.E.S” for the band, and performed it with them at their last show in 1996).



I met them back in 1977 when they came to England, actually I think it was 1976. I just fell in well with Joey and Dee Dee, you know. Johnny wasn’t so friendly but then he never was. The other two I got on really well with. And, terrible they’re all gone. I couldn’t believe it. I mean, Johnny and Dee went within seven months of each other? Ridiculous. Bang, bang, bang, they’re all gone. I think they kind of died when Dee Dee left, you know, in a way. I think that crippled Joey, because he had no buddies in the band then.

You had the strongest personal relationship with Joey right?

Yeah, I guess. Well, Dee Dee as well, you know. But Dee Dee was … you didn’t always get much from Dee Dee because he was kind of busy in his head. He was very damaged, you know, Dee Dee, damaged goods. So there was always that baggage he was carrying around with him, you know. I never really got the thought that he was ever happy, that he had the opportunity to be happy with his life. Did you read that book, Poison Heart? (Dee Dee’s autobiography). It was awful, the bitterness. That’s what his whole life was about.

What does each member of The Head Cat bring to the sound of the band?

I don’t know. You’d be the one to tell me that!

Do you want me to write that part?

Well, you’d have to, because I can’t judge it, because I’m in it! (laughs) You can’t judge what you’re in the middle of. It’s for the outsiders to judge that. It’s for the fans to interpret a song, you know. You can write a song and three different people will write three different stories. I can’t tell you what we bring to it. We bring what we got, you know.

When did The Head Cat first start playing together?

About five years. We were all busy doing other stuff and then it just came up that we had a few days off all at the same time.

I wanted to ask you about your version of “Big River”. That’s a different way of using your voice - something fans have never heard from you in Motorhead. Was that challenging?

That’s a Johnny Cash song. I got that record when I was 14. I’ve always loved that song.

Whose version of Eddie Cochran‘s “Something Else” do you prefer? Yours or Sid Vicious’?



Well, we’re both doing the same version basically! There’s only one way to do that song. Cochran still did the best version of it. But the drum sound on that is fucking ferocious for 1958, that’s ridiculous! I bought that back then when it came out. I think the b-side was something like ‘have I told you lately that I fucking love you’! He’d be schmaltz by now, Cochran! He’d be in Vegas, do you know what I mean? Seventy years old, going “Hello, everybody! Here’s another one of my greatest hits!”

What’s going on with Motorhead right now?

We’re going to do a French tour for three weeks. In a couple of days we start that. We’re doing festivals in Europe through the summer. We’re going to Sweden, Croatia. Usually in the fall we’re going to Germany and Britain, but I don’t know if we’re doing both of them this time. Probably doing a tour with Alice Cooper and Joan Jett in Europe. That will be good, right?

Are you coming to the United States with that?

No, it’s just for Europe. We should. That’d be a good tour - Alice, Motorhead, and Joan.

When’s the last time you played in the States?

Two years ago. It wasn’t a big tour. On our own we don’t sell a lot of tickets. And we don’t sell albums, you know. People got their head up their ass about us.

It doesn’t seem like people buy albums at all anymore.

Well, they don’t listen to them, you know. I think if they listen to them they might buy them but they don’t. You can’t do nothing about that. Just keep playing for the people who do listen to them.

And most fans don’t start out buying records. They listen to their parents’ records or their friends’.

Well, it’s alright for you, but when I was growing up and I wanted to listen to a record, my parents had “The Pirates of Penzance!” So you kind of made your own amusement, you know what I mean?

Do you plan on doing another record with The Head Cat?

Yeah, soon. We’ll probably get in the studio maybe in September when we get some time off.

Do you listen to contemporary music?

Yeah, sometimes, not as much as I did. I’ve been listening to Evanescence a lot, I think they’re fucking excellent. Excellent production, excellent songs, excellent arrangement. The girl’s got a great voice, you know. And I don’t even fancy her, which is a big part of girl singers, you know what I mean? I think they’re just great. I went to see them in Vegas.

Do you think newer bands like Evanescence give kids as much to look up to as bands like Motorhead?

Kids will work it out. Kids are always going to like rock n’ roll. You can’t stop them. They’ve been trying to since 1958. You can’t stop them. No matter how much schmaltzy crap they put out, whatever’s on the charts. Hip hop now is a joke, and rock n’ roll will always rear up again. It always has, in some form or another.
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Americans Flock to Croatia

Visitors from the USA are expected to flock to Croatia in record numbers this summer as a survey by U.S. Tour Operators revealed the country was tied at second for hottest places to visit this year. Only two years ago 200,000 Americans visited the beautiful country bordering the Adriatic Sea, and this year the Croatians are expecting double that number. So, what do the canny Americans know that us Brits don't?

Most obvious are the financial considerations. With the dollar taking a hammering in the international money markets Americans are finding it increasingly expensive, to the point of prohibitive, to visit their traditional European stomping grounds of the Italy, Greece and the French Riviera. Searching for cheaper alternatives has led Americans to Croatia, eager to establish itself as a top European destination. Outstanding quality food and drink at incredible value combined with the clean water, less-than-crowded beaches and friendly, helpful approach of the locals immediately makes the Croatian Tourist slogan of: "The Mediterranean as it once was" ring true. It also helps their ambition to be big on the European tourist map.

Picking up the pieces from the horrendous four-year conflict that saw the disintegration of Yugoslavia in the mid-1990s, Croatia emerged with a spectacular 1,100-mile coast and almost 2,000 islands. Add the imposing and historic city of Dubrovnik to the mix and you already have the basic ingredients for an enticing country. Inland is found one of the country's biggest tourist attractions: Plitvice Lakes National Park. A series of waterfalls joins 16 beautiful turquoise colored lakes between the Mala Kapela and Pljesevica Mountains. This gorgeous natural attraction, mixed with the coastal hot spots, the friendly locals and the amazing value all make Croatia one of Europe's great undiscovered destinations. It is easy to see why the Americans are flocking here in their hundreds of thousands; it is the antithesis of their crowded, busy and expensive culture.

To make the most of a trip to Croatia, especially those planning on island hopping or traveling up the stunning coast will find that car hire is not essential as the country is well-served by buses and ferries. However, those who prefer to drive, like most things in the country, will find incredibly cheap car hire in Croatia . Most major airlines operate directly to Split which is centrally located on the Adriatic coastline, and also has one of the highest concentration of car rental offices in Croatia.

Croatia, China and Japan Advance at World Cup of Pool

The PartyPoker.net World Cup of Pool got underway today at Outland in Rotterdam, Netherlands as Croatia, China and Japan all advanced to the second round of the $250,000 event.

In the opening game of the tournament, Croatia stunned the 16th seeds Russia with a shock victory in an error-strewn encounter. Both sides looked nervous with all four competitors playing below their best.

However, the Croatian pairing of Philipp Stojanovic and Ivica Putnik did enough to book their place in the last 16 and set up a match against Philippines or Scotland.

In a scrappy opening rack, 15-year-old Ruslan Chinakov, the youngest player in the tournament, and partnered by European No.1 Konstantin Stepanov, scratched and that enabled Croatia to move through the balls with Stojanovic sinking the 9-ball.

With the winners-break format, Croatia had the upper-hand, but this did not last long as Russia was soon back at the table. They had a piece of fortune when Chinakhov nearly scratched with the cue-ball hanging over the left middle pocket.

But it did not drop and that enabled Russia, the tournament's 16th seeds, to claim the second, before Croatia restored their lead by winning the third.

For the first time in the competition, a team successfully ran out a rack as Croatia moved 3-1 in front. Each side shared one of the next two racks to make it 4-2.

It should have become 4-3 but Russia missed a glorious chance when Stepanov failed with an attempt on the 9-ball, before Putnik banked it into the bottom right pocket.

Croatia suffered a painful 8-9 defeat in the opening round against Vietnam in 2006, but were looking a good bet to make round two this time.

It was proving to be a tough match for Chinakhov as he missed yet another pot, this time on the 4-ball as the scoreboard ticked over to 6-2. The Russians pulled one back, although Stepanov had a heart-stopping moment as the 9-ball rattled into the jaws of the pocket before finally dropping.

In the next, Croatian Stojanovic produced a good effort to bank the blue-2, although later brought the opponents back to the table with a failed attempt at the long range 4-ball and it was 6-4, as the Russians won two successive racks for the first time.

This match was proving to be a comedy of errors and Croatia moved to the hill after Stepanov produced a poor shot that failed to sink a routine-looking shot on the 3-ball.

The 12th rack seemed to be one that neither side wanted to win as the 1-ball was repeatedly missed, but Russia kept their slim hopes alive as they eventually downed the 1-ball and held their nerve for 7-5.

Stepanov then played the last shot Russian shot of the competition and the disappointment was clear to see as the blue-2 stayed out once again and Croatia did the rest for an 8-5 victory.

China eased into the second round with an emphatic 8-1 victory against South Africa.

The Chinese pair of Li He-wen and Fu Jian-bo were not at their best though as they gained a big slice of luck on three occasions and profited from some errors from the outclassed South Africans.

China won the lag but gave the South Africans a chance when Li He-wen, a semi-finalist at the 2006 World Pool Championships, missed a shot at the brown 7.

But Juan de Beer failed with an attempt at the 9-ball into the right side pocket before Fu Jian-bo held his nerve with a stunning long pot to put his country ahead.

It was a similar story in the second as another Li error went unpunished as Clinton Roussouw this time failed to down the 9-ball before Li made up for his mistake.

Many people had dismissed the South Africans as having little chance of winning but Li, for the third time in this match, failed with a crucial shot as South Africa recorded their first rack of the game.

China were not performing at their best but three successive flukes showed it was going to be their day.

Li He-wen enjoyed good fortune on a number of occasions as the ball failed to make the intended pocket, but then bounced off into another.

Despite Li He-wen struggling with his game, he was repeatedly helped out by his team-mate, although the South African's were finding it hard to spend any length of time at the table.

China eventually won 8-1 and will now play either France or Italy in the second round on Friday, September 28.

Japan looked good value as their team of Naoyuki Oi and Satoshi Kawabata made light work of the strong looking Spanish pairing of David Alcaide and Antonio Fazanes to record an 8 – 2 win.
Japan looked good value as their team of Naoyuki Oi and Satoshi Kawabata made light work of the strong looking Spanish pairing of David Alcaide and Antonio Fazanes to record an 8 – 2 win.
Japan looked good value as their team of Naoyuki Oi and Satoshi Kawabata made light work of the strong looking Spanish pairing of David Alcaide and Antonio Fazanes to record an 8 – 2 win.

The crucial moment in the opening rack came when Naoyuki Oi fouled to give the Spaniards ball-in-hand. A stunning 4-6 combination from David Alcaide set up Spain and they made it 1-0 with a flawless rack one.

However, Japan was helped by a lucky shot that saw the scores become 1-1. Satoshi Kawabata was at the table and smashed an attempt at the blue-2, which missed by some distance but the ball then cannoned into the 9-ball and it slowly crept into the bottom left pocket.

Oi did the business in the third to seal the rack and give Japan a 2-1 lead but that was harsh on the Spanish duo as they had done little wrong but were still losing.

With both the 2 and 3 balls being made on the break in the fourth, Japan were well positioned to extend their advantage and they did so with Kawabata ending the rack.

A 2-9 combination from Alcaide made it 3-2 before the pivotal moment of the whole encounter.

Fazanes went for power with his break shot but hit the balls so hard that the cue ball flew into the air and one of the balls out the pack ended up on the carpet.

Commentator Jim Wych, the Voice of Pool, stated that he had never seen that happen in the time he has been commentating, and Spain hardly had another shot in the entire match due to the sometimes-brutal nature of the winner-break format.

The Japanese pair raced through the racks, including the first golden break of the tournament when Naoyuki Oi struck gold in the ninth as Japan moved into a 7-2 lead an on to the hill.

In the decisive rack, Kawabata left Oi with a tough cut into the bottom right pocket so decided to bank the 9-ball instead into the left side pocket for a convincing 8-2 success.

But the scoreline was extremely harsh on Spain, who made fewer errors than the other two winners so far - Croatia and China - but were on their way out of the tournament.

Classy Croatia raise game to see off late British rally

Great Britain were beaten 74-64 in Rijeka by Croatia, a team already qualified for next month's European Championship finals, in a low-scoring opening game of a three-day, four-team tournament.

Great Britain trailed 52-39 at the end of the third quarter but closed to within three points with 4:51 remaining after three three-pointers from Julius Joseph, Nate Reinking and Mike Lenzly and a pair of baskets from Andrew Sullivan. Croatia's class showed in the remaining time and Britain could not complete an unlikely win.

Andrew Betts led the scoring with 13 points and Sullivan added 12 points despite spending long periods on the sidelines being treated for a knee injury.

Croatia Hall celebrating 75th anniversary

Years ago, Schumacher's main street was filled with the sounds of celebration and traditional music that flooded through the doors of the Croatian Hall.

Today that sound is quieter, but the celebration of tradition and culture continue as families return to the area to celebrate the hall's 75th anniversary.

"There is a lot of history here," said Croatian Hall Society president Frank Sebalj looking up at pictures taken during the hall's earlier years. "But not a lot has been changed, a lot of the building is original."

Croatian families began arriving in Canada during the late 1920s to the early 1930s looking for work. Some went west to try their hand in the lumber industry, while others settled in the still young Porcupine Camp.

Once a theatre, a group of three Croatian men in Schumacher started raising funds to purchase what would become the Croatian Hall in 1932.
John Kovich, Joe Jakovac and Frank Banich finally raised the money and purchased the hall as a recreational place for Croatian families, and 75 years later it still belongs to the people.

"Every Sunday night there was a social with dancing, singing and food," said Sebalj. "At that time half the population of Schumacher was Croatian."

Today, the hall is not as lively as it once was, something Sebalj said happened when the "older people started fading away and the younger people were moving south."

At one time the society had more than 300 members, a number that dropped to 50 in recent years. The society managed to get the membership numbers up to about 120, but more is always better.

"We're really struggling right now," Sebalj said. "We have high gas bills and high hydro bills.

"All that adds up to quite a bit of money."

Sebalj said it costs about $20,000 to operate the hall every year and relies on rentals, banquets and stags to pay the bills.

Memberships bring in some money, but with membership costs only $25 a year, it's just not enough.

But that's not the way it always was.

Once the Croatian Hall took over the former theatre, plays were put on, Croatian dancing was taught and every Croatian child in Schumacher played in the society's orchestra. There were picnics for Croatian Day every July and a ladies club.

"It was a great place for Croatian kids because we always had a place to go," said Sebalj. "I grew up here."

The society is trying to spread the word to Croatians who may not currently live in the area presently and those who may be friends of Croatians who once lived in Schumacher to ensure the hall stays open for generations to come.

Only those with Croatian backgrounds can hold positions of office within the society, whereas, those who are not Croatian can still join and participate in functions.

"As long as we can maintain it, we're not talking closing yet," Sebalj said. "If we have to start borrowing money, we'll have to make a decision.

"But hopefully it won't come to that."

The Croatian Hall Society of Schumacher will be celebrating its 75th anniversary throughout the long weekend.

Croatia's politics

The opposition leads the polls as an election nears

Ahead of the parliamentary election, now expected on November 25th 2007, the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) has consolidated its poll lead over the incumbent Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). The SDP first opened up a clear lead over the HDZ during the first half of 2007, following the illness and subsequent death of its leader, Ivica Racan. Under his successor, the 40 year-old Zoran Milanovic, the SDP has maintained its popularity, and in many polls appears to have built an even stronger advantage.

Mr Milanovic says he would nominate Ljubo Jurcic as the party's candidate for prime minister. Mr Jurcic, a professor of economics, has only recently joined the SDP and is popular in his own right. Mr Milanovic's recent statements on the importance of parliamentary control of elected governments have led to speculation that he might be coveting the role of speaker of the house in an SDP-led legislature. There have been suggestions that potential conflict between the political ambitions of the two men might produce some tension within the SDP. Nevertheless, the party is in a strong position in terms of support among voters.

Not there yet

Even if November's election results reflect current polls, the SDP will need to secure the support of several other parties to form a viable government. According to the latest monthly poll carried out by the PULS organisation for Croatian television, the SDP commands the support of 29% of the electorate, compared with 24% for the HDZ. If this pattern were repeated in a national election, the SDP could win as many as eight out of ten electoral districts and have 56 MPs, as against 42 for the HDZ. There is an 11th electoral district, composed of the Croatian diaspora, which traditionally elects HDZ MPs. Parliamentary representation from this district will depend on the number of votes cast, but in the previous election in November 2003 the votes of the diaspora secured four MPS for the HDZ.

The poll shows three groupings competing for support behind the SDP and the HDZ. Foremost among these is a coalition—between the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) and a smaller regional party—that has the support of 9% of the electorate (implying 14 seats in an election).

This coalition is closely followed by the right-wing Croatian Party of Rights (HSP), with 8% (which is likely to translate into 13 seats in parliament), and the Croatian Pensioners' Party (HSU), also with 8% (although the national distribution of the HSU's support points to just eight seats in parliament).

Backing for the centre-left Croatian People’s Party (HNS), the most likely coalition partner for the SDP, has declined, although it is still above the 5% minimum threshold for parliamentary representation. The HNS's attempt to promote Radomir Cacic as candidate for prime minister does not appear to have helped the party, and the HNS seems to have lost support to the SDP in recent months.

Coalition required

The polls suggest that the SDP will emerge as the largest single party following the November election. However, the SDP will need to build a multi-party coalition in order to form a viable government. Aside from its traditional political ally, the HNS, the SDP will probably need to secure the support of the HSLS-HSS coalition. Although the SDP has worked with these parties in government before, the HSLS-HSS coalition has refused to commit to any pre-election co-operation with the SDP, the HDZ or the HNS, and has suggested that it is willing to work with any party that offers concessions in areas that it considers most important, such as securing the interests of agriculture in EU membership negotiations.

CROATIA: Retail Market Grows Strongly

CROATIA: Retail Market Grows Strongly The Croatian retail market continues to boom, with growth in new retail stores and sales, according to the Croatian Statistics Bureau (DZS). In the year to June 2007, a total of 5,303 new retail outlets were opened in the country, creating around 28,000 jobs.

Retail sales for the January-June 2007 period rose 17% to 126.4bn kuna (E17.3bn), up from 108bn kuna (E14.8bn) last year. In the same period, consumers spent an average of 1.1bn kuna (E150.6m) per month more on goods purchased in retail outlets.

Exploring Croatia

Croatia sits on the east coast of the Adriatic Sea, with its many islands, mountains and stunning coastline, its attractiveness has been the envy of many a nation. The capital city of Zagreb lies inland and is arguably as fascinating as Prague and Budapest. The city is pretty much divided into three parts, the Upper Town which dates back over a thousand years and houses the Croatian Parliament and Presidential Palace. The Lower Town is 19th century and is the cultural hub, with many bars, cafés, shops and theatres. The New Town is mostly post WWII and in all honesty is just a business district with its many high rise buildings.

My love affair with Croatia began with the depressing sights of the Serb-Croat war. In 1991, Croatia declared itself independent from Yugoslavia. Belgrade was not amused and this decree would eventually lead to full scale war, which would hold the entire world captive as live images beamed across news channels showing the carnage and in-humanity of modern warfare. One of the most visual battles was the shelling, during a ceasefire, of the historical port town of Dubrovnik. The war would last until December 1995, when normal life could finally resume.

Upon my arrival in Dubrovnik, I found an enchanted town, squeezed between the rolling mountains and the open sea. This former trade rival of Venice was full of romance, open squares and smiling faces. Despite the post war restoration, some scar’s remain which serve to remind the locals and tourists of the price paid for independence.
The town itself is full of little alleyways that lead you on an adventure around hidden shops, taverns and churches hosting mass in the open air. The perfect way to end the day is to take a walk along the old town walls as the sun sets over the ocean. There are many day trips on offer from Dubrovnik to smaller islands, secluded beaches and the island of Mljet which is mostly National Parkland. Most comprise a fish lunch of some sort and enjoyable amounts of local wine or beer.

Moving on from Dubrovnik, one has many choices to make. Each island has something special and if one has time, all deserve to be explored. Here are just a few tips on some places to visit.

Korcula – the birthplace of Marco Polo - is a personal favourite. The town walls rise up from the crystal clear water and as no surprise, its been dubbed ‘Little Dubrovnik’ with thanks to its medieval look. Not wanting to go overboard on the sunsets, but there is a cocktail bar situated on part of the town wall, which is the ultimate place for a romantic setting.

A short ferry ride from Korcula, one finds Hvar. Said to be the sunniest island in the Adriatic, it has a very relaxed feel about it. The port of Hvar Town is spectacular with what could be a hundred small islands welcoming you. The island is known for its Lavender and as one strolls the many streets, this becomes blatantly obvious. However there is a limit as to the amount of Lavender one is prepared to buy! There are many secluded beaches where one can just get away from it all with a good book. Even in the remotest area, a bar is never more than a few minutes walk and a cold beer is always welcome.

A rival to Hvar’s tag as the sunniest island is Brac. Perhaps one of the most photographed beaches is Zlatni Rat, a short walk from the town of Bol. Known as the Golden Horn, this sandy beach is very much a tourist beach and has many water sports available as well as hotels with the usual package holiday extras. This aside, it is a must visit, even if just for the day. Brac itself is famous for its stone, which was used to build the White House in Washington, D.C. The island lies close to the main coastline and is a short ferry ride from Croatia’s second city, Split.

During the height of summer, Split is a traveller’s metropolis with ferries arriving and departing at all hours. The city itself offers a solid base and some great shopping. The market has bargains on fresh fruit as well as local delicacies. For football fans, it is home to the great Hajduk Split football club and for the historian, one cannot miss a trip to Roman Emperor Diocletian’s palace. Despite the many football and basketball players, Split’s favourite son and local hero is none other than Goran Ivanisevic, the 2001 Wimbledon champion.

My final favourite and jewel of the islands is Vis. Not as accessible as the other islands, but with the right planning, you will be well on your way. Vis is the most westerly island of the larger Croatian islands. Formerly used as a naval port, it was closed to Western tourists during the Yugoslav years. The towns are small, but very idyllic. Vis Town wraps itself around the harbour and one is never short of a great meal at the many restaurants available.

A good way to get around is to hire a moped, as Komica must be visited. From Komica, you can take a charter for the day to the island of Bisevo. Arriving in Bisevo was interesting, the bar was rocking to the sounds of Boney M’s Christmas album. Despite the music, it is here that you will find the Modra Spilja - Blue Grotto - which rivals that of Capri. Heading north from Split, there are more islands to be visited, historic cities and superb coastline.

The best way to travel around is by ferry. There are a few smaller companies, but Jadrolinija Lines will become your most trusted travel companion. Make sure you take into account the ferry times, as despite the demand for travel, certain islands have limited accessibility. Getting to Croatia is simple with Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik amongst others all receiving flights from the UK. The interesting factor is accommodation. Booking ahead is helpful, but you never know when your trip will become compromised by the beauty of certain places. Arriving into port, one will find locals advertising rooms in their homes. Choose wisely or for a small fee, you can head to the tourist office and they will set you up with a bed.

Money wise, Croatia is not too expensive. Compared with Western Europe, your money will definitely go further. The local currency is the Kuna and currently one pound will get you around ten Kuna. Supermarkets and general markets are never far away, even on the islands. Eating out is easy on the wallet. Fish is a firm favourite, however meat, pizza and pasta are readily available. Local wines are surprisingly tasty along with the choice of beers. Karlovasco and Ozujsko Pivo were among my favourites.

As far as the beaches are concerned, most are sandy however to make sure you find the right spot, just ask the locals. And something to take into consideration, nude bathing is acceptable on most beaches, so bear this in mind when heading off for your first day in the sun. Simply said, Croatia is stunning and is a place where your travel dreams will come true.