75th birthday for Count Ingolf af Rosenborg

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75th birthday for Count Ingolf af Rosenborg
By Baron Henri Estramant 
 
 
His Excellency Major Count Ingolf af Rosenborg fêted his landmark 75th birthday on 17 February 2015. Count Ingolf is a first cousin to Her Majesty The Queen of Denmark who also shall celebrate her 75th birthday on 16 April 2015; celebrations throughout the Kingdom of Denmark have been arranged by the Royal Court as well as the Royal Government to celebrate the ebullient occasion throughout the year. 
 
Count Ingolf is the eldest son of the late Hereditary Prince Knud (1900-1976) and Hereditary Princess Caroline-Mathilde (1912-1995) of Denmark. He was born as “His Highness Prince Ingolf to Denmark” in Sorgenfri Castle nevertheless lost his royal status after he wed a commoner in 1968. Upon his morganatic marriage he became was granted the noble title in the first rank “Count af Rosenborg” with the style of “Excellency” by King Frederik IX. By virtue of being the eldest son of the then Hereditary Prince Knud to Denmark, the then Prince Ingolf was for a long time deemed as an heir presumptive because females were barred from the throne until a constitutional reform in 1953. The new Act of Succession brought about a male-preference, cognatic primogeniture; meaning females from senior lines were given preferences if there was no brother, hence paving the way for the then Princess Margrethe to become “tronfølger”, however, not “Crown Princess” as she was heiress “presumptive”, not “apparent”. Had the law not been changed, then Count Ingolf could likely had become Denmark’s sovereign. 
TE Countess Sussie and Count Ingolf af Rosenborg
 
The title “Count af Rosenborg” has been customary for “deposed” princes of the Royal House Glücksborg in Denmark, that is, for those who entered unequal marriages. 
 
Albeit Count Ingolf af Rosenborg forfeited his membership into the Danish Royal House upon his morganatic marriage he still receives an annual allowance of 1,3 million kr (174,228.84 EUR) from the Danish state. The monies are viewed as a sort of compensation for his displacement in the line of succession in favour of the now Queen Margrethe II. Since 1998 he is married to HE Countess Sussie af Rosenborg (née Hjorhøy Pedersen). Count Ingolf has no children. He is still the protector of several military and social organisations as well as a reserved major for Den Kongelige Livgarde (Royal Life Guards). 
 
Count Ingolf’s older sister, Her Highness Princess Elisabeth to Denmark (b. 8 May 1935), is the only of the three children of Hereditary Prince Knud and Princess Caroline-Mathilde to remain “royal”. She occupies the twelve and last place in the line of succession to the Danish throne, yet she is single, and has no issue. Remarkably she is also the only Danish royal to have entered her country’s Foreign Service professionally. Princess Elisabeth was employed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1956 to 2001. The princess was posted in Washington D.C. (1973-76 and 1981-85) as well as at the Danish UN Mission in Genève (1989-1993). She will celebrate her 80th birthday this year. 
NYTAARSKUR
 
From 17 to 19 May 2015, the Dutch royal couple shall pay a State Visit to the Kingdom of Denmark. 
 
For more information: 
Interview with HM The Queen and HRH The Prince Consort of Denmark about the upcoming Dutch State Visit:

Doha Jewellery and Watch Exhibition 2015

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Doha Jewellery and Watch Exhibition 2015
  Doha Jewellery & Watches Exhibition 2015 opens a stunningly beautiful theatre of spectacular pieces from across the world   After a year-long wait, the XII edition of the Doha Jewellery & Watches Exhibition was declared open on 23 February 2015. Hosted by Qatar Tourism Authority, qmedia Events and Fira Barcelona at the Qatar National Convention Centre, the exhibition was an impressive collection of jewellery and timepieces from the most famous and reputed international brands. Visitors were in for an impressive visual journey, admiring the master craftsmanship and creativity of the collections on display. The beautifully themed venue will be glittering with exquisite pieces that celebrate the love and passion behind centuries of jewellery and watch making. The five day exhibition is also the event of choice for many regional and international brands to unveil their new collections in the Middle East. Mr Hamad Al Abdan, Director of Exhibitions, Qatar Tourism Authority, said “It is an immense sense of achievement for us that His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior of the State of Qatar, graced the exhibition. His presence reinforces the importance of Doha Jewellery & Watches Exhibition on the annual calendar of Qatar.” He added that, “Our new facility of assigning personal assistants to VVIPs whilst touring the facility will be very well received by dignitaries who will join us at the opening ceremony.”   For full photo album of this event, please click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/sets/72157650682939120/ IMG_5225 With online registration offsite and onsite, VIP visitors on the opening day were surprised at the express check in and appreciated the shuttle bus service provided between the parking area and the main entrance. Visitors were seen using the golf carts to visit different areas, thereby speeding up their time between pavilions. According to Mr.  Ibrahim bin Abdullah Al Malki, Chief Enterprise Officer, q.media, “Our special services for VIPs delighted visitors and the media as we have not only valet parking, but also a VIP lounge dedicated for VIPs to rest and relax in, whilst the media have a well-appointed media room at their disposal.” With over 500 participating brands representing the best of the global industry, the media were given bespoke tours earlier in the day and were given time with exhibitors to discuss and photograph the latest collections. Qatar leading retail and corporate bank, QNB is the official bank partner and the contemporary luxury hotel W Doha is the official hospitality partner at the “Doha Jewellery & Watches Exhibition 2015”. Talking about QNB’s role in Doha Jewellery & Watches Exhibition 2015, the General Manager for QNB’s Group Communications, Mr. Yousef Darwish said, “QNB is pleased to sponsor this prestigious event which attracts numerous visitors from worldwide. The Group’s sponsorship of this exhibition comes as testament to its importance in the world of jewelry. It will mark Qatar as a global hub for professionals and those interested in this field and truly shed light on our beloved country as a truly global destination for great events.”   IMG_5497 Mr.  Safak Guvenc, Area Manager for Qatar and the General Manager of “W Doha Hotel” & residences said on the occasion of the launch, “We are honored to be the official hotel partner of the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition 2015. This distinguished exhibition showcases the best international brands from the world of jewelry and watch designs and manufactures and is one of the greatest events taking place in this country. The W Doha team is delighted to be part of this leading event and looks forward to welcoming its guests to Qatar’s first luxury lifestyle hotel.” The Doha Jewellery & Watches 2015 commences its 12th edition with great fanfare and is ready to surprise and amaze visitors with its gorgeous displays.     IMG_5524 About Qatar Tourism Authority As the Qatari government’s tourism planning and promotion arm; Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) works in partnership with stakeholders to plan, regulate and promote the development of a sustainable and mature tourism sector that contributes to Qatar’s future and positions the country as a leading tourism destination. Chaired by H.E. Mr Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi, QTA works on showcasing all that Qatar has to offer, reinforcing the country’s position on the world tourism map as a premium destination for authentic experiences, business facilitation, and family-focused recreation.   About q.media Events q.media Events, a part of Qatar Media Services, is a team of seasoned professionals who provide full MICE event planning, logistics and professional support to clients, creating breakthrough productions that inspire thousands. The team has implemented major live events and exhibitions that produce impact and drama, amaze audiences and exceed client expectations such as the internationally acclaimed Qatar Motor Show, Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition and World Chamber Congress. q.media Group, owned by Qatar Development Bank (QDB), was established in 2004 with the vision, set by the Qatari Government, to work in outdoor, audio and visual advertising, events and conferences and the film industry. Whilst q.media has a healthy business portfolio within Qatar it owns a number of operations globally. These global companies cover numerous business sectors including the largest film distribution and screening company in the Middle East and the largest media printing house in Australia which operates outdoor advertising in Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.   About Fira de Barcelona Fira de Barcelona is the Spanish leading trade and industrial show organizer and boasts a preeminent position in the European trade fair market. With a portfolio of over 70 shows of different frequencies that bring together 30,000 exhibitors, both direct and represented and receive 2.5 million visitors from over 200 countries. 15 of its trade show feature among the European and international benchmark events. The institution has 400,000 m² of exhibition floor space, one of the largest areas in Europe, spread over 2 venues: Montjuïc and Gran Via. It is one of the finest platforms to do business, share knowledge and hold major international events, twinned with the unmatchable Barcelona brand, one of the most dynamic and creative cities in Europe with over a century of tradition in the organisation of big events. As an economic driver it contributes to the promotion and international outreach of companies and provides support for the productive sector, trade professionals and entrepreneurs, as well as spreading knowledge and entrepreneurial culture. For more information:   Qatar Tourism Authority: www.qatartourism.gov.qa/ q.media: www.qmediame.com/english/Pages/default.aspx Fira de Barcelona: www.firabarcelona.com/en/

Responsible journalism

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Responsible journalism
By Peter Knoope, Associate Fellow ICCT – The Hague.   It so happened that I addressed a meeting on violent extremism in Cape Town, South Africa. One of the other speakers, a journalist, discussed the role of media in terrorism and counter terrorism. It is not my favourite topic. In fact it is a pretty rough and always a tough topic. Simply because counter terrorism is not a duty or the role of the media. The media have a very clear, yet different, assignment and should never be instrumentalised by law enforcement or government, let alone by counter terrorism professionals. The media are there to discover and uncover. It is their role to do research and report on their findings. Following their own agenda. Nobody else’s. Still some interesting points were made. Interesting enough to make me think twice. One of them is the speed of media these days. `Breaking news´ is the thing of today. You´ll see it floating at the bottom of your TV screen. It is in headlines only. Bumper-sticker-like text messages. The more concise, the better. The faster the better. There seems ever less time or space to analyse, let alone to give profound background to the one liners of the day. The news is brought to us in sound bites. This stems from the competition between media outlets to be the first. It is a competitive environment, the media, where speed has become as important as thorough knowledge. This new and growing trend seems contradictory, or at least at odds, with the assignment of media to discover, analyse, educate, unveil and inform. There is a real risk that fast news and sensational events take the upper hand and that depth of analytical coverage of the news loses out. So during the discussion the term `responsible journalism` was introduced as a concept. Because when you think about it, Journalists do have responsibilities. They are our eyes and ears. When they uncover and expose and place events into context we expect them to be informed and balanced and open minded. So far so good. Then some-one in the audience raised his hand and claimed that western journalists and media are biased and are all anti-Muslim. They, the media in the West, connect a religion to violence and killing. They go along in the frame offered to journalists on a platter by the ISIS, AQ, Boko Haram and other violent organisations. There is no responsible journalism in the West and the blame for Charlie Hebdo, and similar incidents, is put on Muslims and their religion. Whenever other (read non-Muslim) perpetrators are responsible for killings or incidents, the religious background is never mentioned. It only happens when the suspect is a Muslim. All this according to the person that asked the question. In my answer I came to the defence of the press. Because I know from my own experience that most European journalists are trying to be balanced and well informed. I know that many journalists prefer and are trying hard to stay away from the competition, the race to be first, and try to be as balanced as humanly possible. Even now, a couple of days later, I still think that such is generally the case. But the inverse does happen. Media can sometimes be forced to work at a very high speed when judging or quoting without allowing enough time for proper analyses. Let us face it. Judgements are sometimes made in split seconds, quotes are published without a proper check on their relevance or their impact, language is used that may incite or create the wrong picture. And the risk of that happening is increasing when time is limited. When speed is more important than analytical depth and when the race is about `who is first´ and not ´who is most precise, informative and analytical´. And if the effect of the media race and the need for speed, the competition and modern journalism, if the effect thereof is that people on the other side of the planet get the impression that Western media are anti-Muslim than we have a real challenge. In that case something needs to be fixed. For the very reason that we must prevent to fall into the trap of going along in the frame of ISIS, AQ and Boko Haram, that this is about `us` against `them`. Too much damage has been done to social relationships in many countries by identity politics and `us` versus `them` thinking and talking. Language matters. We all must be precise and responsible when we choose our words. And especially journalists. They are our eyes and ears. We depend on them to be properly informed. By the end of the day we all agreed on this one thing. Which seems to be that the media should want to be part of the solution and not part of the problem. I guess that is what responsible journalism is all about. Peter Knoope, Associate fellow ICCT – The Hague.        

An International Classroom

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An International Classroom
By Richard T. Griffiths, Leiden University.   As you read this column, about eight thousand people from almost every country in the World will have watched at least one of my lectures in a course entitled “Configuring the World: A Political Economy Approach”. It runs until the end of March, so there is still time to take a look, but it will run again in its entirety next September. The course is hosted on a platform called Coursera to which 120 universities are affiliated, including Leiden. Over twelve million students have already followed one of the courses. There is no charge. Welcome to the World of MOOCs – Massive Open Online Courses. There is a great on-going debate about MOOCs. One end of the spectrum predicts the end of traditional universities. Why pay for a second rate education when you can get one free from some of the top universities in the World? At the other extreme there are those who dismiss MOOCs as all hype and no substance. How can one boast about replacing universities, when only about ten per cent of those registered ever complete a course? My own position is that traditional universities are safe. They are no more likely to disappear now than they were when the printing press was invented. Why go to classes, when you can read the book? The answer is also the same now as it was then – good teachers can help, explain, explore and inspire. Even so, MOOC lectures can enhance the learning experience. Some advantages are built into the MOOC itself. The MOOC videos are usually short, bite-sized expositions of a topic, which can be watched where, when, and as often as they desired. They are accompanied by English language subtitles and, in my own case, by subtitles in another eight languages. This bonus is entirely the result of those who followed the first run of the course and who volunteered to translate the transcripts, which speaks volumes for their identification with and commitment to this particular MOOC and to MOOCs in general. Within each MOOC there is a built-in forum where participants from many different backgrounds and with different experiences can explore issues. We have also used visualizations to breakdown and reconstruct maps of World data, something that is difficult to convey in a lecture and impossible to do in a book. MOOCs can also enhance classroom teaching. Videos can be used to frame class discussions. They can also link classes in different parts of the World together. For example, last year we had a Skype session with university students in Kenya. Finally, they can give students thinking of following a course at university a taste of what they can expect, to help them make the correct choices for themselves and prepare for an exciting future where university class-rooms coexist in cyberspace .

The future of think tanks

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The future of think tanks
By Barend ter Haar. On January 22 2015, the University of Pennsylvania published its annual ranking of think tanks: the Global Go-To Think Tanks Report. Many readers might have gone directly to the lists, to see how their think tank is ranked among the 6681 think tanks in the world. But if they did so, they missed the much more thought-provoking first part of the report. The good news is that think tanks are becoming a worldwide phenomenon. The best think tanks are still to be found in the United States and Europe, but the quality of think tanks in other parts of the world is growing steadily. In more and more countries the need of independent thinking is recognized. This development is of course closely connected with the demise of autocratic governments that pretend to have a monopoly on the truth. The worrisome message of the report is that as funding becomes scarcer, think tanks are increasingly tempted to take the views of their funders into account. As a result it is now difficult “to tell the difference between truly objective advice on the one hand, and high-priced advocacy for political or private profit on the other”. As “many politicians choose to focus on short-term issues and crises rather than addressing the large looming crises that are just ahead”, think tanks “are increasingly viewed as part of the problem in not forcing policymakers to address these issues”. The report also warns against the tendency of specialisation. When all think tanks are looking for their own niche, who is keeping the overview? Everybody seems to agree that health, development, environment and education are linked, but who is trying to put these links into perspective? Apart from Clingendael, that moved from the 15th to the 11th place on the list of the best of the west-European think tanks, eleven other Dutch think tanks are mentioned in the report. Two of them are newcomers: – The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (no 79 on the list of Top Defense and National Security Think Tanks) – The Hague Institute for Global Justice (for its report on The Hague Approach: six guiding principles for achieving sustainable peace in post-conflict situations). The following list of the other nine Dutch think tanks that are included in the report illustrates the problem raised in the report: their fields of enquiry clearly overlap, but do they even read each other’s reports? – Centraal Plan Bureau (CPB) – Socires (Education Policy) – Stichting Natuur en Milieu – Philips Center for Health and Well-Being – Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation – European Center for Development Policy Management – Wiardi Beckman Foundation – Max van der Stoel Foundation/Evert Vermeer Foundation – European Research Center on Migration and Ethnic Relations A final sobering thought is that the influence of think tanks should not be overstated. The World Bank recently revealed that nearly one third of its reports had never been downloaded, not even once.

Elections in March

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Elections in March
By Jhr. mr. Alexander W. Beelaerts van Blokland, Justice (Judge) in the Court of Appeal and Special Advisor International Affairs of the City of The Hague.   In March there will be two elections in The Netherlands on the 18th. Not for  the national parliament, not for the local municipal council, but for two other democratic institutions. I will explain briefly. Although The Netherlands is a small country, we do have between the national State and the local cities and towns twelve ‘provinces’. In the past they were much more powerful and important than nowadays. Untill the French occupied us in 1795, this country hardly existed as a national state: the provinces were more or less independant in many fields. Some provinces were powerful, others were not. In the 17th century the most powerful province was Holland. That’s why many people in the world ever since confuse ‘The Netherlands’ with ‘Holland’: a lot of people think that they are the same. The elections of March 18th are about the governments of each of the twelve provinces. But something else is much more important. The members of the province’s parlement who will be elected on March 18th, will elect in May the members of the (national) Senate, the ‘Eerste Kamer’ (First Chamber). And that is of huge importance for the national politics. The parties of the coalition -now the liberal VVD and the social democratic PvdA- do have a majority in the ‘Tweede Kamer’ (Second Chamber) but not in the Senate and most people expect that after May they will have even a smaller minority in the Senate than they have now. If that happens, it will be for those two parties even more difficult to govern than it is now. And on the same day we will have other elections as well. As you probably will know The Netherlands is mostly situated under sea level. In this country there has always been a struggle against water . We have special institutions for that: the ‘Hoogheemraadschappen’, the ‘Waterschappen’ etc. and even those are controlled by democratic elected counsils. One can wonder what the difference is between a socialist dike, a liberal dike and a christian democratic dike, but nevertheless we can elect representatives of our own favorite political party in those democratic bodies about water.   a.beelaerts@planet.nl        

Tulips, cheese and ….. insurance

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Tulips, cheese and ….. insurance
By Khaossou Diallo.   Working as a diplomat in a foreign country can be very exciting. Besides to new adventures such as meeting new people and learning about another culture, there are several financial matters to take care of. One of them is your insurance package. Perhaps not always exciting, but often wise to arrange well in order to work and live carefree. Insurance you need to consider in the Netherlands:   Health Care Insurance According to the Dutch Health Insurance Act (Nederlandse Zorgverzekeringwet) all residents in the Netherlands, and everyone working and paying for social security in the Netherlands are required to be insured for healthcare. Exceptions are made for diplomats or employees who work for international organizations (‘volkenrechtelijke organisaties’, e.g. NATO, EUROPOL). In that case you are not entitled to the Dutch Basic Health system and it is important to find out whether your employer covers (all) the necessary costs for healthcare. If not, you can apply for a private insurance from an insurer in the Netherlands. Tip: An insurance broker will compare several offers and advise you which one fits your personal situation best.   Car Insurance You can take out insurance for business vehicles as well as for personal vehicles. In the Netherlands you are obliged to insure ‘Legal Liability’ for motor vehicles. This insurance provides coverage for damage to third parties caused with your motor vehicle. In addition, you can choose to insure damage to your own motor vehicle(s) (caused by fire, theft or even broader) with a ‘Limited or Fully comprehensive insurance’. Besides that, you can also insure your passengers for financial consequences of injury or damage to their belongings. Tip: An insurance broker gives advice about the insurance you should take out for both your business and personal vehicles and will arrange this for you. Tip: Not all insurers insure vehicles with a CD (Corps Diplomatique) license plate! Most insurance brokers (e.g. Kröller) are equipped to insure vehicles with CD and CDJ license plates.   Other insurance Besides for its tulips and cheese, The Netherlands are well known from the many insurance possibilities. The Dutch in general are risk avoiding people. You can literally insure everything. The main question to bear in mind is: Am I able to bear the costs resulting from an unfortunate event such as an accident or fire? For example: Can I pay for a new house if it burns down (Building insurance)? Can I buy a new car in case of theft (Car insurance)? Or can I pay for the damage that my kids caused to my neighbor’s TV (Liability insurance)? Tip: Virtually everything can be insured! It is wise to inform yourself properly in order to save costs while having peace of mind.   Mortgages When buying a house in the Netherlands there are a lot of things to be arranged. From financing the house, to notary and requesting a valuation report. A mortgage advisor can help you with all these issues. More information > Mortgage: The Kröller Ten-Stepplan, please click here for additional info kroller.brochure For quick download please click here:  https://kroller.nl/~/media/files/kroller/hypotheken/10stappenplan-hypotheek.pdf?la=en   Concluding tip: Contact an insurance broker who is well acquainted with staff of international organizations. He/she knows the exceptions that apply to your specific situation.   More information: Köller Assurantiën B.V. at The Hague. Contact person: Mr. Khaossou Diallo (Account Director International, speaking French, English and Dutch) Phone number: 070 302 89 06 or 06 12 06 42 60. E-mail: k.diallo@kroller.nl Website: https://kroller.nl/en/international

Fixed-term contracts

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Fixed-term contracts
The tightening of the regulation regarding successive fixed-term contracts.   By Jan Dop. Jan Dop, LL.M. is a partner and Head of the Embassy Desk at Russell Advocaten (embassydesk@russell.nl). More information about the expertise at Russell Advocaten for Embassies, Consulates and Diplomats can be found on our website: www.russell.nl.   There has been and will be major changes to employment law in the Netherlands in 2015. These changes include strengthening of the legal position of flex workers, reforming dismissal law, and amending the Unemployment Insurance Act. Some of the changes will have serious consequences for the locally hired personnel of Embassies, Consulates and Diplomats. We will discuss these amendments in a series of articles in Diplomat Magazine. The first of these articles dealt with a number of changes to fixed-term employment contracts which became effective on 1 January 2015. This article deals with the tightening of the regulation regarding successive fixed-term contracts (ketenregeling) as of 1 July 2015. Employment contracts for an indefinite period will arise at an earlier stage The ketenregeling for employees with fixed-term employment contracts will be tightened so that employees will be entitled to an employment contract for an indefinite period at an earlier stage. In case of fixed-term employment contracts concluded in succession within a period of six months (currently: three), the fourth contract or a period of two years (currently: three) will by operation of law bring about an indefinite employment contract. Transitory law The old ketenregeling will remain applicable to fixed-term employment contracts concluded before 1 July 2015 that pass the term of two years after 1 July 2015. In the event a fixed-term employment contract will be concluded on or after 1 July 2015, the new ketenregeling will apply. In that case, the ketenregeling will not apply if the period between the employment agreement concluded on or after 1 July 2015 and the previous employment contract has been longer than six months. Intervals of more than three months between employment contracts concluded before 1 July 2015 will remain valid as an interruption of the regulation regarding successive fixed-term employment contracts. Our next contribution to Diplomat Magazine will deal with the new mandatory routes for dismissal: subdistrict court and UWV. Lunch meeting Russell Advocaten will host a lunch meeting titled “New Dutch Employment Law and your company” on these and other new employment law issues on 16 March 2015. This meeting can be useful for representatives of companies of your home country.  

Bosnia and Herzegovina: new unexplored destination

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Bosnia and Herzegovina: new unexplored destination
By H. E.  Ahmet Halilovic, Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia and Herzegovina is the heart shaped land that lies in the centre of southeast Europe. It is here that eastern and western civilizations met, sometimes clashed, but more often enriched and reinforced each other throughout its long and fascinating history. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a melting pot of many different cultures, a bridge between what we call today East and West. At the intersection of two great empires – the Austro-Hungarian and the Ottomans – Bosnia and Herzegovina has huge historic appeal. The traveller’s experience is like nowhere else; from Roman times to the reign of the Bosnian Kings; from the Ottoman Period, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Yugoslavian era. Bosnia and Herzegovina is also a paradise for nature lovers. Soaring mountains, untouched forests, real “natural“ nature, wild rivers invite you to come for rafting and canoeing or for long walks. The Olympic skitracks offer the opportunity of enjoying the snow for affordable prices. With its natural beauties, good geographical location, wonderful hospitality of Bosnian people, rich heritage and history, gastronomy offerings, and its status as a still unknown tourism destination for major markets, B&H has all pre-determinants for an extremely successful story of tourism industry. According to the World Tourism Organization, Bosnia and Herzegovina is defined as one of only three tourism destinations in the world with overall tourism market growth potential in excess of 10% annually through 2020. Also, Bosnia has been awarded the leisure destination in the outside world by the National Geographic. The Rough Guides have chosen Sarajevo as their second best city to visit in 2014. Following their motto ‘Make the most of your time on earth’ their experts on 200 worldwide travel destinations put Sarajevo on a second place in their Top 10 Cities list after Rio de Janeiro, in the year Brazil hosted the World Cup, and Sarajevo was described as ‘a mini-Istanbul’. This beautiful country has so much to offer for those people who seeks different experiences, away from the crowds, either they are lovers of skiing, rafting, hunting or patient bird-watching. Perhaps the greatest asset is the wonderful hospitality of Bosnian people, along with the traditional Bosnian coffee and cakes, the irresistible “ćevapi” (grilled minced-meat fingers), wines, our lively urban promenadesand small cosy places. And as the old cliche goes ‘people make the place’ – and Bosnia and Herzegovina prides itself on its hospitality and treating our guests as if they are family members. World Economic Forum has published the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report for 2013 and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Attitude of population toward foreign visitors Competitiveness Index for 2013 is 6.6, which gives the country a rank of 8 out of 140 countries with comparable data. Also, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Quality of the natural environment Competitiveness Index for 2013 is 5.5, which gives the country a rank of 20 out of 140 countries. The B&H tourism industry has recorded positive trends in all major growth indicators over the past ten years, with still considerable room for further utilization of its unquestionable potential. Moorisch proverb says that He who does not travel does not know the value of men, we would add does not know the value of places too. So to make long story short, visit Bosnia and Herzegovina, enjoy life in Bosnia and Herzegowina, explore Bosnia and Herzegovina, take a rest and refresh yourself in Bosnia and Herzegovina. You are more than welcome and we promise you will not regret it. “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end. ” Ernest Hemingway Land of incredible beauty “… you’ll be amazed to find that B&H is one of the most culturally and naturally diverse lands in all of Europe…”  Green Visions “Bosnia-Herzegovina is one of Europe’s most visually stunning corners.”   Rough Guide “This country has something that is hard to find and impossible to mimic – it offers tourists and travellers a time warped experience where you will feel as though you have stepped back in time (in a good way).”  World of Wander Lust “But it’s just as rewarding to walk streets of churches, synagogues and mosques, browse oriental-style shops, and see the bridge where Gavrilo Princip shot Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914. ”    The Guardian “But today visitors will more likely remember Bosnia and Hercegovina for its deep, unassuming human warmth and for the intriguing East-meets-West atmosphere born of fascinatingly blended Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian histories. ”    Lonely Planet  

Bulgaria and the Netherlands

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Bulgaria and the Netherlands
By H.E. Mr. Nikola Ivanov Kolev, Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria.   The diplomatic relations between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Kingdom of the Netherlands have been established in 1909. The Second World War interrupted the diplomatic relations between the two countries, but after the war they were re-established. The division of Europe by the Iron Curtain in which the Bulgarian nation and state had no sovereign rights of choice, influenced the bonds between the two countries, but the end of the Cold War and the Revolutions of 1989 gave Bulgaria the opportunity to come back to the family of the democratic European countries to which it culturally and geographically belongs. Today Bulgaria is a member of the European Union and NATO and it shares with the Netherlands common democratic values and principles of the market economy. We observe a stable development of the bilateral relations, both in political and in economic terms. There has been reached a high level of cooperation and coordination between the institutions of the two countries not only within the EU and NATO, but also in the other international organizations. We meet together the common challenges of security and sustainable development. Bulgaria is a country located in southeastern Europe, in the central part of the Balkan Peninsula. It was established in the VIIth century by the Bulgarian people on a territory inhabited by Thracian and Slavic tribes. In 681 it was recognized by Byzantium as a sovereign state and despite the reversal of fortune and history, despite all the rises and national failures, it has been existing with its own script, religion and language for more than 13 centuries. Bulgaria is one of the few countries that has preserved its name since its establishment in 681 until now. On a territory of 111 000 km2 with a population of 7 million people, God has blessed our country with a wonderful nature – sea beaches, mountains, forests, fertile fields, rivers and lakes, mineral springs, rich and unique flora and fauna. Bulgaria is a successor of ancient cultures and civilizations and along with Greece and Italy it forms one of the richest countries in Europe with regard to the historical and archaeological monuments from the pre-Christian era and the Early Christianity. The world’s oldest gold treasure, artefacts, dating back to 5000 BC, has been found in Bulgaria. Bulgaria is a developed industrial and agricultural country. The sectors determining the economic structure are the ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, machine-building, shipbuilding, car industry, the chemical, electrotechnical, electronic, pharmaceutic, textile, food and arms industries, transport, logistics and services. Furthermore, Bulgaria is a big producer and exporter of electric power generated by nuclear, heat, water, wind and solar installations. The agricultural sector produces wheat, corn, sunflower seeds, fruit, vegetables, grapes, oil-bearing crops, meat, milk, meat and dairy products. Bulgaria produces more than 70% of the rose oil in the world – highly important fragrance substance used in brand perfumes. The nanotechnologies and IT sector, which provides one of the most high-speed internet connections in the world, are developing fast. Bulgaria is proud of its achievements in the Space exploration, the inventor of the first electronic digital computer – the American of Bulgarian origin John Atanasoff, the world’s first pocket electronic calculator and electronic wrist watch constructed by Bulgarian engineers. Moreover, Bulgarian people are proud of their ethnic and religious tolerance and the rescue of all their 49 000 fellow-citizens of Jewish origin from being deported to the death camps during the Second World War, as well as the salvation of other 15 000 Jews from other European countries who have received a transit visa to Palestine by the Bulgarian diplomatic representations in Europe and have been rescued from a certain death. With its more than 50 universities and higher education institutions, its research institutes and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, its extensive network of professional and general secondary schools, the Bulgarian government provides a high level of education for its citizens. The geographical location, infrastructure, developed banking sector, energy security, highly skilled workforce, low taxes and low operating costs make Bulgaria an attractive place for business. Dozens of Dutch or foreign companies registered in the Netherlands find their partners in Bulgaria or start their own business there. The Netherlands occupies a stable first position in the list of the foreign investors in Bulgaria. The volume of trade between the two countries is constantly increasing. Being part of the 5 million tourists who annually visit Bulgaria, the number of Dutch nationals who consider Bulgaria to be one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Europe is growing. With its seaside, mountain and spa resorts, thousands of mineral springs, its excellent healing and rehabilitation centers, unique historical and natural attractions, museums, art galleries, amusement centers and festivals, culture, delicious food, wonderful wine – produced observing the experience gained over the millennia – traditional hospitality and tolerance, attractive prices and a high level of service, Bulgaria is an excellent place for recreation, treatment, sports and all kinds of tourism. The number of foreigners who buy land and houses in Bulgarian cities, resorts and rural areas and settle in the country is also increasing. The daily direct flights from Amsterdam and Eindhoven to Sofia and some Bulgarian coastal cities, the bus lines as well as the convenient air connections to other European capitals offer a fast and pleasant journey.  
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