30

Saturday, 05.06.2010.

15:33

“Serbia not attractive to U.S. companies”

President of the U.S.-Serbia Business Council John Saylor said that “Serbia is not offering anything that would attract American companies and investments.”

Izvor: Beta

“Serbia not attractive to U.S. companies” IMAGE SOURCE
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Aleks

pre 15 godina

Israeli company to open spice factory

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/business-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=06&dd=07&nav_id=67657


Curious is it not that Serbia is supposedly unattractive to US business but many others don't seem to have this problem.

Israel/is has/have a fantastic record in setting up successful companies.

And what of the deal above? Should it be sniffed at because it is not a multi-billion dollar investment? Go ask any economist and they will tell you that SMEs are the biggest employers, the most dynamic enterprises in the business world.

If you want doom and gloom you will find it but you will miss all the very good things that there are out there too.

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Jovan

pre 15 godina

well, US-steel Serbia is very likely only a "fata morgana"... such as numerous others, who are indeed investing...

but nevertheless, our american friend will come to senses sooner or later.

they didn´t occupy our southern province for no reason.

so, this isn´t much more than disinformation. but a quite stupid one, of course.

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Ataman

pre 15 godina

So you decided to move to Serbia because the infrustructure he is so much superior?
(Danilo, 7 June 2010 10:13)

My move was motivated 70% by family obligation(s) and 30% by finance advantages. The move was to Hungary and not Serbia, but I deal with certain companies in Serbia extensively. You have the answer to your question and now you can see why your question is somewhat pointless.

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Danilo

pre 15 godina

"The infrastructure in 2010 is way behind what the country does need and way behind (relatively) to the level where it was in the year 1960"


So you decided to move to Serbia because the infrustructure he is so much superior?

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Ataman

pre 15 godina

You went back to Europe...you tought it is the land of honey and milk. Judging from some of your recent comments you badly miscalculated.
(Joe, 6 June 2010 22:16)

Nonsense. Please ask first than make comments. As usual - again the old Joe. The topic is about Serbia being attractive for USA business and v.v.: USA being attractive for European / overseas tourism. My answer is: neither and as overseas tourist destination USA is a dwarf. The domestic tourist business is on the other side thriving.

You are at the family life dissection. I vehemently oppose this kind of style. Please stay at the topic. Be assured, I did not miscalculate anything, I had to do what I believed is my duty, do I like it or not.

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Ataman

pre 15 godina

Others have given the numbers, but to say our highway system and air system is dismal is way off base, probably the best in the world.
(pss, 6 June 2010 21:00

PSS, at first, please perform following experiment.

1) find an Interstate stretch of your liking with several curves, say, 10 curves. I-95 is OK, probably I-280 is a good example where speeds are high, trucks are banned and not much CHP around.

2) try to drive with a constant speed of 80-85 mph and try to turn the steering wheel at minimum: once before entering a curve and once as you exit it.

Can you? The answer is NO. American Interstate system is not engineered for that. Most importantly, the radius of curves does varies as you drive in the curve and you have to adjust the steering wheel.

Contrast: not just the newer Hungarian or Croatian (save German) freeways feature constant radius curves - but even the old, much lesser maintained freeways in Serbia.

I did and do drive both systems, also driven in Taiwan. The American system is pretty extensive - but the quality of the pavement and the quality of engineering is behind of the freeways in Europe, Taiwan and probably Japan.

It is not best in the world.

-----

American air system is very dense - but the level of the service both on ground and in the air is extremely poor.

http://www.worldairlineawards.com

More importantly:

http://www.worldairlineawards.com/main/2010Awards.htm

Not a single North American airline is on the list. The world's best airport is usually Changi in Singapore.

And what a shame: the best North American company is not even American - it's Canadian.
Please look at the list. It is very consistent since at least a decade or two.

BTW: seeing "MALÉV" Hungarian on the list of awards and not a single American does hurt, I know. Sorry, not my fault that the best low-cost American airline is British-owned "Virgin America" and best staff is of Canadian WestJet.

I wold call American (USA) airline circus a major embarrassment of the country.

-----

As for railway system, for human travel it is almost nonexistent, Americans do not like to travel by train or bus.
(pss, 6 June 2010 21:00)

Americans DO like travel by train. In Summer you can't book AMTRAK sleepers for many month ahead. American government does not know how to handle train travel properly. My mileage with Amtrak is probably into six digit.

-----

Most Americans rarely go outside the US for vacations because there is such a variety here, vast beach areas, mountains for hiking or skiing, lakes for fishing and camping. Cities for nightlife, and then the usual tourist traps you speak of Disneyland, 6 flags, various studios, Hollywood etc,etc,etc.
(pss, 6 June 2010 21:00)

And for most, the big world outside of USA is a huge challenge because it does not speak English. I did travel for years extensively in New England and on the West Coast and we crossed the continent several times by both car and train. Nice, nice - but I can't really name a place which is unique enough to drive there a crowd extensively.

-----

Europe has a lot of history and most wish to go there once in a lifetime.
(pss, 6 June 2010 21:00)

And they fail to see it by trying to squeeze everything in few weeks. Many of us volunteer to help these unlucky souls, increasingly with success.

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Aleks

pre 15 godina

US infrastructure IS decrepit. Read the links and weep!

http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/01/28/infrastructure.report.card/index.html

http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=us-infrastructure-crumbling-2009-01-28

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/02/AR2007080202410.html

Khruschev's buds indeed.

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Joe

pre 15 godina

"It was my free choice due family reasons unrelated to anything"
Ataman

As you explained once you were making $70,000 per year and you have a family of 5. I don't know how much you payed for rent but a lot of people live from 70,000 or less. Food and a lot of thinks are cheaper than in Europe. You went back to Europe...you tought it is the land of honey and milk. Judging from some of your recent comments you badly miscalculated.

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pss

pre 15 godina

(Ataman, 6 June 2010 00:47)
Usually don't agree with your posts but always thought you were pretty knowledgeable about your travels. Now very doubtful.
Others have given the numbers, but to say our highway system and air system is dismal is way off base, probably the best in the world. As for railway system, for human travel it is almost nonexistent, Americans do not like to travel by train or bus.
Most Americans rarely go outside the US for vacations because there is such a variety here, vast beach areas, mountains for hiking or skiing, lakes for fishing and camping. Cities for nightlife, and then the usual tourist traps you speak of Disneyland, 6 flags, various studios, Hollywood etc,etc,etc.
Europe has a lot of history and most wish to go there once in a lifetime.
Interesting comment about the rise in the value of the dollar, probably won't hurt tourism but will dampen foreign investments.

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Ataman

pre 15 godina

Indeed it will be very painful .The only snag is that mainly for Yanks and even more for jews who seem to be loosing their only true ally of the last few centuries the turks.
(szemi, 6 June 2010 15:33)

Oh, no, Szemi - how come - I had impression, everything on the Planet Earth is controlled by these Elders of Zion who are sitting in the crater of Moon and having the remote control unit in their hands...

As with other things - please chose carefully...

a) either Khazar-Huns, the inventors of first REAL iron-clad cavalry and aiming their recursive bow to everyone
b) or little hook-nosed, greedy, dishonest, cowardly creature counting the stolen money

OK, next one

c) the all-powerful Elders of Zion who know precisely when and why you go to the toilet and having your bowel function programmed on the remote control unit
d) the losers who got their @ss kicked by these bollahs and haja-tolla (I mean, ayatollahs) who survived only because some Chief Ottoman Mullah helped them.

;-)

About the case a) I am sure you know the story of the hapless and not very bright Bishop of Freising (that's near of Munich) who was given by Hungarian King a detachment of "Басурманы" (Böszömény, muslims from Horezm) and these Khazars to protect him during the first crusade.

If you know the Russian word "Басурман" ("someone of wrong faith") - now not a single Russian can explain you the etymology. Of course, it's just archaic form of "Fierce Armenian" (Bösz Örmény), the yearly gift of Horezmian ruler to King of Hungary in form of a cavalry detachment being confused with Armenians.

Now since you are interested in military history - what do you think, why on Earth the ruler of Horezm who is a muslim would regard himself voluntary being the vassal of Catholic Hungarian Kingdom good 2500 km away and send yearly a gift in form of his best cavalrymen?

I feel, Hungarians are stolen a part of their history - "thanks" to late manipulations of both Catholic Church and the Hapsburgs but here only questions arise, no definitive answers.

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Ataman

pre 15 godina

Oh really?? I don't think you are so ignorant about US tourism. You just make it up for personal reasons. Here is some statistics:

Rank Countries Amount
# 1 France: 67,310,000
# 2 United States: 47,752,000
# 3 Spain: 43,252,000
# 4 Italy: 34,087,000
# 5 United Kingdom: 25,515,000
# 6 China: 23,770,000
# 7 Poland: 19,520,000
# 8 Mexico: 19,351,000
# 9 Canada: 17,636,000
# 10 Hungary: 17,248,000
# 11 Czech Republic: 16,830,000
# 12 Germany: 15,837,000
# 13 Russia: 15,350,000
# 14 Greece: 10,070,000

In number of tourists second place in the world. In money
spent by foreign tourists - what is the most important - it is number 1.

(Joe, 6 June 2010 15:20)

The numbers you provided look familiar, except that they include ALL arrivals, that is - business + tourist + other visitors.

See here:

http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/f-2000-99-001/forecast/Arrivals.pdf

Now if you look in details - than you will discover that from the ca. 54,884,000 projected visitors this year 31,128,000 will be from Canada and Mexico - and Mexican... well, visitors (whatever does it mean) will be 13,164,000. You can add 2,742,000 projected visitors from South America, 1,206,000 from Caribbean, 872,000 from Oceania and 758,000 from Africa.

Looking at these numbers it is very likely that the number of REAL tourists is probably 15,000,000 - 20,000,000 at best, placing USA with the same category as Russia-Hungary-Canada... i.e. "dwarf" compared with Spain or Italy.

The statistics looks even worse if you look by country:

http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/f-2000-99-001/forecast/Forecast-COUNTRIES.pdf

Remember, most of Canada's population lives within 100-or-so miles from the U.S. border. I would not include a Canadian who visits his buddy over the border for a drink as a "visitor" - but they and the Mexicans are the bulk of the visitors!

From the statistics is obvious, the "quality" tourists (German, Japanese, UK, NL, Swiss, Argentina, etc) are really just very few millions and their total won't even reach Greece.

----

"and the infrastructure (quality of interstates, railways, quality of air travel) is in dismal state."

I don't even discuss this because this is so false like some of Khruschov's polemic statements.
(Joe, 6 June 2010 15:20)

If you say that - you never travel within the country by car, train or airplane. The "quality" of US-based airlines is legendary. Take a trip on the Merit parkway one direction and on I95 the other direction and you will understand what I mean about the roads. And as for trains - this is also well-known, that sorry Amtrak included.

I wish, times of Khruschov would be back: than PanAm was world's #1 airline, passenger trains were of unsurpassed quality and the interstate system pretty fresh. All this in a state today which is a shame. If you do not feel it that way - just go out and take a closer look.

----------

"Look at the number of tourists USA receives each year and be shocked."

Look at my numbers displayed above and you will be shocked of your misstatement.

(Joe, 6 June 2010 15:20)

I looked and they proved what I said - because the devil is in details. What looks terrific at first sight is pathetic at the second.

----------

The number of people visiting relatives is pretty low - same for business travalers - compared to the total.
(Joe, 6 June 2010 15:20)

Show the links, please. I assume, these Canadian + Mexican + Caribbean + Central American crowds are not for Metropolitan museum and Grand Canyon.

----------

I would understand your comments if you would be completely ignorant about the US but you lived here for 7 years and you got the US citizenship. What makes you so sour? For not be able to live here anymore?
(Joe, 6 June 2010 15:20)

More than twice of that "7". 16 bloody years, man. I can live if I want, at this moment I don't want. It was my free choice due family reasons unrelated to anything. But at the moment if it would be of advantage I would move back. I calculated - it's just not the time.
I am not sour - just factual. The infrastructure in 2010 is way behind what the country does need and way behind (relatively) to the level where it was in the year 1960 you referred to "Khruschov" time.

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Dan

pre 15 godina

“There are very few people here who know about Serbia or Serbian products,” he said, adding that the Serbian government needs to open new economic headquarters outside of just Chicago and include one in Washington, because that is where the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and many larges businesses are located.

True that’s because Tadic is preoccupied with Eu membership, there is a massive Serbian Caucas in the US that should be able to help and be a go between.
------------------------
Saylor said that Serbia cannot allow “political questions, such as Kosovo, to dominate bilateral relations.”

Then Ditto on the Vice Versa.
----------------------
He said that Serbia “in looking for direct foreign investments, must define its most attractive products as a supporting factor for foreigners.”

He said that Serbia must also improve its infrastructure, since companies that come to Serbia will not only be selling their products in Serbia.

Potential for US investment is further development in food processing and manufacturing, i.e. Kellogs, Kraft, PepsiCo etc.
Serbia has the corn, wheat, dairy, berries; it could serve as a centre to regional markets, if successful could serve as a larger regional production centre for Europe and Eurasia.
Joint ventures with DuPont for seeds and pesticides in farming, also Pfizer, J&J for pharmaceutical exports.
The infrastructure needs some investment but is there and functional, labor costs very reasonable, cheap logistic access to EU and Eurasian markets, so for the US companies it would be attractive, for the Serbian companies the advantage would be easier and stronger presence on worldwide western markets(recognised brands),employment,increase in GDP and tax revenues. Manufacturing HQ Serbia, focusing on exports get it happening all part of being unaligned.

Preporučujem 6 Ne preporučujem 0
szemi

pre 15 godina

Adjustment to the new world will be very painful.
(Joe, 6 June 2010 01:04)
Indeed it will be very painful .The only snag is that mainly for Yanks and even more for jews who seem to be loosing their only true ally of the last few centuries the turks.

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Joe

pre 15 godina

Let's face it: from touristic point of view USA is a dwarf
Ataman

Oh really?? I don't think you are so ignorant about US tourism. You just make it up for personal reasons. Here is some statistics:

Rank Countries Amount
# 1 France: 67,310,000
# 2 United States: 47,752,000
# 3 Spain: 43,252,000
# 4 Italy: 34,087,000
# 5 United Kingdom: 25,515,000
# 6 China: 23,770,000
# 7 Poland: 19,520,000
# 8 Mexico: 19,351,000
# 9 Canada: 17,636,000
# 10 Hungary: 17,248,000
# 11 Czech Republic: 16,830,000
# 12 Germany: 15,837,000
# 13 Russia: 15,350,000
# 14 Greece: 10,070,000

In number of tourists second place in the world. In money
spent by foreign tourists - what is the most important - it is number 1.
Also some of the European countries have very high numbers because they include people in transit (1 day in France for Belgiens, Germans, Dutch, etc travelling to Spain for example).

"and the infrastructure (quality of interstates, railways, quality of air travel) is in dismal state."

I don't even discuss this because this is so false like some of Khruschov's polemic statements.

"Look at the number of tourists USA receives each year and be shocked."

Look at my numbers displayed above and you will be shocked of your misstatement.

" The main reason people go is business-related travel, visiting relatives and shopping. "

over 67 million travalers visiting relatives or on business???? Wow!! The number of people visiting relatives is pretty low - same for business travalers - compared to the total.
I would understand your comments if you would be completely ignorant about the US but you lived here for 7 years and you got the US citizenship. What makes you so sour? For not be able to live here anymore?

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BalkanUpdate

pre 15 godina

I know many people in Europe, Serbia included who do not have any desire to visit USA for much more simple reason. Let's face it: from touristic point of view USA is a dwarf and the infrastructure (quality of interstates, railways, quality of air travel) is in dismal state.

Look at the number of tourists USA receives each year and be shocked.
(Ataman, 6 June 2010 00:47)


Last year United States received 55 million tourists, second only to France (74M).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Tourism_rankings

You have no clue what you are talking about. U.S is a top tourist destination, but most cannot afford it.You are insane if you don't think United States has majestic things to see. Doesn't sound like you visited much of the country when you lived here.

U.S companies don't want to invest in a country with so much uncertainty and hostility. It's really that simple.

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VK

pre 15 godina

One of the best news this year. Who need US, they will soon (hopefully) go bankrupt!¨
Go for trade with China, India, Russia, Brazil.. They will bring the future, they will bring the money.

Preporučujem 6 Ne preporučujem 2
mihai

pre 15 godina

Ha Ha. This actually translates in: "Until we transform you in our de-facto economic collony and supress all serb interests, we are not going to "Invest" in Serbia".

This is what happened in Romania. And it's the "american way".

Preporučujem 4 Ne preporučujem 2
lowe

pre 15 godina

Saylor would be wise to ask the American companies to look at themselves in the mirror first. I wouldn't exactly call many of these Yankee firms "attractive"

Preporučujem 5 Ne preporučujem 2
sj

pre 15 godina

(Joe, 5 June 2010 20:00)
The US has close to 90 million living on or below the poverty line and 60 million (officially recognized, but this number tends to be higher) are unable to feed themselves properly, then how my US citizens can travel overseas again?
Mr Saylor’s statement is very funny considering that the world’s biggest manufacturer of motherboards has its European HQ in Belgrade. The problem here is that Serbia is not giving anything away to the US multinationals. Perhaps the US can do something for the Albanians in Kosovo. This statement should be the biggest wake up call for the Albanians.

(lids, 5 June 2010 22:28)
China lends money to the US to maintain its living standards. The Chinese whan is being kept at very low levels by it government, but you have to go there and see what this “cheap labor’ is doing there. Just Shangai alone makes New York look like a dump.
India is a creation of the west to counterbalance China, but with little success.

Preporučujem 5 Ne preporučujem 3
Paolo

pre 15 godina

Hmmm...there are possibilities of running and developing businesses in Serbia, one example :
http://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Regions-and-countries/Serbia/Heat

Preporučujem 4 Ne preporučujem 2
Charli

pre 15 godina

Always so easy to trash the US. Serbia isn't getting significant investment from ANYONE. The country has sold off most of their profitable companies and then squandered the money. Even Serbs are finding ways to have company money outside of the country. Serbia's greatest enemies are from within, not without.

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Aleks

pre 15 godina

Has this guy actually bothered to look at the resume of the new US ambassador to Serbia, Mary Warlick???

http://www.ncsj.org/AuxPages/Warlick_bio.shtml

Ms. Warlick is currently Director of the Office of Russian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. A career Foreign Service Officer, and member of the Senior Foreign Service, she joined the State Department in 1983. Her Washington assignments include Director, Office of Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus Affairs (1998-2000); Senior Watch Officer (1992-1994); Economic Officer in the Office of Textile Negotiations (1990-1992); and Staff Assistant to the Director of the Foreign Service Institute (1985-1986).

Ms. Warlick’s overseas assignments at U.S. Embassies in Asia and Europe include Manila, Philippines, where she served twice, first as a Consular Officer (1983–1985) and later as an Economic Officer (1988-1990). She also served as an Economic Officer in Dhaka, Bangladesh (1986-1988); as Economic Officer and Global Affairs Counselor in Bonn, Germany (1994-1998); and, most recently, as Minister-Counselor for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow (from August 2001- July 2004). During her assignment in Moscow, Ms. Warlick traveled extensively in Russia and worked actively on a wide range of trade, investment and energy issues, including Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organization and the protection of Intellectual Property Rights.
**

What possible interest could the US have in posting an ambassador with such strong economic credentials?

In case you have missed any news:

B92 - News - Politics - New U.S. ambassador in mid-January

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2009&mm=12&dd=23&nav_id=63965

B92 - News - Politics - Ambassador: U.S. wants Serbia in WTO:

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=04&dd=16&nav_id=66508

B92 - News - Politics - U.S. envoy: America wants Serbia in EU

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=03&dd=05&nav_id=65601

B92 - News - Politics - U.S. embassy to issue 10-year visas

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=05&dd=21&nav_id=67282

***
So, Serbia in the WTO, EU, 10 year visas. Oh no! What about the massive expansion of Belgrade airport with major funds by US companies looking to make it the Balkans air traffic hub? Or maybe Zastava under lisence to produce millions of rounds of ammunition for the US armed forces for their freedom wars in I-Rak and I-Ran (not to be confuse with practical and affordable storage solution from IKEA)?

That there is not a lot of investement by the US in Serbia is not a suprise, but it is not for Serbia's want of trying to attract investment, rather that of years of sanctions and threats and warning off US companies doing business.

Better still, why doesn't Washington just let its companies choose (without its interference) whether it wishes to invest in 'Kosova' or Serbia (2 million v. 8 million) and see what they do?

Preporučujem 7 Ne preporučujem 0
Joe

pre 15 godina

Most of the big companies are already on the cheapest labor slaving in India and China.
US right now survives on that cheap labor with big returns,they simply cannot afford EU labor..
lids

And Chinease and Indian labor is as good or even better than European one but much, much cheaper. I work in the software area of a big brokerage firm. More than 2/3 of our depatment is in India. No communication problem and great productivity. European workers got too spoiled in the last 30-40 years with 5-6 weaks of vacation, lot of sick days and all other benefits (extremely expensive to fire them). Many of them expect royalty treatement. So it is not a question of affordability but financial smartness ("bon sens" as the French would say) to stay away from European labor. Big companies do not work as charitable institutions. They have to make a profit to survive. With European expensive and spoiled labor this would suicidal. But with the current economic situation and very high unemployment rate in Europe the golden spoiled years of European labor are over. It was a "dolce vita" while it lasted. Adjustment to the new world will be very painful.

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Ataman

pre 15 godina

I agree because ordinary people in Serbia - and in most of Europe - are to busy to survive on a day to day basis. For them a visite to the US or anything similar is out of question.
(Joe, 5 June 2010 20:00)

Joe,

I know many people in Europe, Serbia included who do not have any desire to visit USA for much more simple reason. Let's face it: from touristic point of view USA is a dwarf and the infrastructure (quality of interstates, railways, quality of air travel) is in dismal state.

Look at the number of tourists USA receives each year and be shocked. The main reason people go is business-related travel, visiting relatives and shopping. With Dollar going up the shopping tourism will go down.

USA is not a tourist destination and it's made clear. I would say - this country has the highest density of tourist traps on Planet Earth.

No wonder, the visa rejection statistics for Serbia are pretty low. Same for Russia.

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lids

pre 15 godina

Most of the big companies are already on the cheapest labor slaving in India and China.
US right now survives on that cheap labor with big returns,they simply cannot afford EU labor..

Preporučujem 10 Ne preporučujem 6
Joe

pre 15 godina

"I doubt most ordinary people would want to have anything to do with the United States.
Pete

I agree because ordinary people in Serbia - and in most of Europe - are to busy to survive on a day to day basis. For them a visite to the US or anything similar is out of question.

Preporučujem 13 Ne preporučujem 14
sandra kiala

pre 15 godina

Well the Americans dont know Serbia, Serbia has a lot to offer..
I'm from Belgium and i opened a bussines in tourism. come to Serbian and be surpised.

Preporučujem 31 Ne preporučujem 8
Pete

pre 15 godina

Hardly surprising when you consider the US has been instrumental in doing everything in its power to destroy Serbia. From the most brutal sanctions of modern times, which did nothing to punish the ruling elite, to bombing civilian infrastructure, then occupying Kosovo and turning it into your own military base, free of charge. I doubt most ordinary people would want to have anything to do with the United States.

Preporučujem 35 Ne preporučujem 19
Pete

pre 15 godina

Hardly surprising when you consider the US has been instrumental in doing everything in its power to destroy Serbia. From the most brutal sanctions of modern times, which did nothing to punish the ruling elite, to bombing civilian infrastructure, then occupying Kosovo and turning it into your own military base, free of charge. I doubt most ordinary people would want to have anything to do with the United States.

Preporučujem 35 Ne preporučujem 19
sandra kiala

pre 15 godina

Well the Americans dont know Serbia, Serbia has a lot to offer..
I'm from Belgium and i opened a bussines in tourism. come to Serbian and be surpised.

Preporučujem 31 Ne preporučujem 8
Joe

pre 15 godina

"I doubt most ordinary people would want to have anything to do with the United States.
Pete

I agree because ordinary people in Serbia - and in most of Europe - are to busy to survive on a day to day basis. For them a visite to the US or anything similar is out of question.

Preporučujem 13 Ne preporučujem 14
Joe

pre 15 godina

Let's face it: from touristic point of view USA is a dwarf
Ataman

Oh really?? I don't think you are so ignorant about US tourism. You just make it up for personal reasons. Here is some statistics:

Rank Countries Amount
# 1 France: 67,310,000
# 2 United States: 47,752,000
# 3 Spain: 43,252,000
# 4 Italy: 34,087,000
# 5 United Kingdom: 25,515,000
# 6 China: 23,770,000
# 7 Poland: 19,520,000
# 8 Mexico: 19,351,000
# 9 Canada: 17,636,000
# 10 Hungary: 17,248,000
# 11 Czech Republic: 16,830,000
# 12 Germany: 15,837,000
# 13 Russia: 15,350,000
# 14 Greece: 10,070,000

In number of tourists second place in the world. In money
spent by foreign tourists - what is the most important - it is number 1.
Also some of the European countries have very high numbers because they include people in transit (1 day in France for Belgiens, Germans, Dutch, etc travelling to Spain for example).

"and the infrastructure (quality of interstates, railways, quality of air travel) is in dismal state."

I don't even discuss this because this is so false like some of Khruschov's polemic statements.

"Look at the number of tourists USA receives each year and be shocked."

Look at my numbers displayed above and you will be shocked of your misstatement.

" The main reason people go is business-related travel, visiting relatives and shopping. "

over 67 million travalers visiting relatives or on business???? Wow!! The number of people visiting relatives is pretty low - same for business travalers - compared to the total.
I would understand your comments if you would be completely ignorant about the US but you lived here for 7 years and you got the US citizenship. What makes you so sour? For not be able to live here anymore?

Preporučujem 12 Ne preporučujem 1
lids

pre 15 godina

Most of the big companies are already on the cheapest labor slaving in India and China.
US right now survives on that cheap labor with big returns,they simply cannot afford EU labor..

Preporučujem 10 Ne preporučujem 6
Aleks

pre 15 godina

Has this guy actually bothered to look at the resume of the new US ambassador to Serbia, Mary Warlick???

http://www.ncsj.org/AuxPages/Warlick_bio.shtml

Ms. Warlick is currently Director of the Office of Russian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. A career Foreign Service Officer, and member of the Senior Foreign Service, she joined the State Department in 1983. Her Washington assignments include Director, Office of Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus Affairs (1998-2000); Senior Watch Officer (1992-1994); Economic Officer in the Office of Textile Negotiations (1990-1992); and Staff Assistant to the Director of the Foreign Service Institute (1985-1986).

Ms. Warlick’s overseas assignments at U.S. Embassies in Asia and Europe include Manila, Philippines, where she served twice, first as a Consular Officer (1983–1985) and later as an Economic Officer (1988-1990). She also served as an Economic Officer in Dhaka, Bangladesh (1986-1988); as Economic Officer and Global Affairs Counselor in Bonn, Germany (1994-1998); and, most recently, as Minister-Counselor for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow (from August 2001- July 2004). During her assignment in Moscow, Ms. Warlick traveled extensively in Russia and worked actively on a wide range of trade, investment and energy issues, including Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organization and the protection of Intellectual Property Rights.
**

What possible interest could the US have in posting an ambassador with such strong economic credentials?

In case you have missed any news:

B92 - News - Politics - New U.S. ambassador in mid-January

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2009&mm=12&dd=23&nav_id=63965

B92 - News - Politics - Ambassador: U.S. wants Serbia in WTO:

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=04&dd=16&nav_id=66508

B92 - News - Politics - U.S. envoy: America wants Serbia in EU

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=03&dd=05&nav_id=65601

B92 - News - Politics - U.S. embassy to issue 10-year visas

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=05&dd=21&nav_id=67282

***
So, Serbia in the WTO, EU, 10 year visas. Oh no! What about the massive expansion of Belgrade airport with major funds by US companies looking to make it the Balkans air traffic hub? Or maybe Zastava under lisence to produce millions of rounds of ammunition for the US armed forces for their freedom wars in I-Rak and I-Ran (not to be confuse with practical and affordable storage solution from IKEA)?

That there is not a lot of investement by the US in Serbia is not a suprise, but it is not for Serbia's want of trying to attract investment, rather that of years of sanctions and threats and warning off US companies doing business.

Better still, why doesn't Washington just let its companies choose (without its interference) whether it wishes to invest in 'Kosova' or Serbia (2 million v. 8 million) and see what they do?

Preporučujem 7 Ne preporučujem 0
VK

pre 15 godina

One of the best news this year. Who need US, they will soon (hopefully) go bankrupt!¨
Go for trade with China, India, Russia, Brazil.. They will bring the future, they will bring the money.

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Dan

pre 15 godina

“There are very few people here who know about Serbia or Serbian products,” he said, adding that the Serbian government needs to open new economic headquarters outside of just Chicago and include one in Washington, because that is where the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and many larges businesses are located.

True that’s because Tadic is preoccupied with Eu membership, there is a massive Serbian Caucas in the US that should be able to help and be a go between.
------------------------
Saylor said that Serbia cannot allow “political questions, such as Kosovo, to dominate bilateral relations.”

Then Ditto on the Vice Versa.
----------------------
He said that Serbia “in looking for direct foreign investments, must define its most attractive products as a supporting factor for foreigners.”

He said that Serbia must also improve its infrastructure, since companies that come to Serbia will not only be selling their products in Serbia.

Potential for US investment is further development in food processing and manufacturing, i.e. Kellogs, Kraft, PepsiCo etc.
Serbia has the corn, wheat, dairy, berries; it could serve as a centre to regional markets, if successful could serve as a larger regional production centre for Europe and Eurasia.
Joint ventures with DuPont for seeds and pesticides in farming, also Pfizer, J&J for pharmaceutical exports.
The infrastructure needs some investment but is there and functional, labor costs very reasonable, cheap logistic access to EU and Eurasian markets, so for the US companies it would be attractive, for the Serbian companies the advantage would be easier and stronger presence on worldwide western markets(recognised brands),employment,increase in GDP and tax revenues. Manufacturing HQ Serbia, focusing on exports get it happening all part of being unaligned.

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Charli

pre 15 godina

Always so easy to trash the US. Serbia isn't getting significant investment from ANYONE. The country has sold off most of their profitable companies and then squandered the money. Even Serbs are finding ways to have company money outside of the country. Serbia's greatest enemies are from within, not without.

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sj

pre 15 godina

(Joe, 5 June 2010 20:00)
The US has close to 90 million living on or below the poverty line and 60 million (officially recognized, but this number tends to be higher) are unable to feed themselves properly, then how my US citizens can travel overseas again?
Mr Saylor’s statement is very funny considering that the world’s biggest manufacturer of motherboards has its European HQ in Belgrade. The problem here is that Serbia is not giving anything away to the US multinationals. Perhaps the US can do something for the Albanians in Kosovo. This statement should be the biggest wake up call for the Albanians.

(lids, 5 June 2010 22:28)
China lends money to the US to maintain its living standards. The Chinese whan is being kept at very low levels by it government, but you have to go there and see what this “cheap labor’ is doing there. Just Shangai alone makes New York look like a dump.
India is a creation of the west to counterbalance China, but with little success.

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lowe

pre 15 godina

Saylor would be wise to ask the American companies to look at themselves in the mirror first. I wouldn't exactly call many of these Yankee firms "attractive"

Preporučujem 5 Ne preporučujem 2
Paolo

pre 15 godina

Hmmm...there are possibilities of running and developing businesses in Serbia, one example :
http://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Regions-and-countries/Serbia/Heat

Preporučujem 4 Ne preporučujem 2
mihai

pre 15 godina

Ha Ha. This actually translates in: "Until we transform you in our de-facto economic collony and supress all serb interests, we are not going to "Invest" in Serbia".

This is what happened in Romania. And it's the "american way".

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Ataman

pre 15 godina

Oh really?? I don't think you are so ignorant about US tourism. You just make it up for personal reasons. Here is some statistics:

Rank Countries Amount
# 1 France: 67,310,000
# 2 United States: 47,752,000
# 3 Spain: 43,252,000
# 4 Italy: 34,087,000
# 5 United Kingdom: 25,515,000
# 6 China: 23,770,000
# 7 Poland: 19,520,000
# 8 Mexico: 19,351,000
# 9 Canada: 17,636,000
# 10 Hungary: 17,248,000
# 11 Czech Republic: 16,830,000
# 12 Germany: 15,837,000
# 13 Russia: 15,350,000
# 14 Greece: 10,070,000

In number of tourists second place in the world. In money
spent by foreign tourists - what is the most important - it is number 1.

(Joe, 6 June 2010 15:20)

The numbers you provided look familiar, except that they include ALL arrivals, that is - business + tourist + other visitors.

See here:

http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/f-2000-99-001/forecast/Arrivals.pdf

Now if you look in details - than you will discover that from the ca. 54,884,000 projected visitors this year 31,128,000 will be from Canada and Mexico - and Mexican... well, visitors (whatever does it mean) will be 13,164,000. You can add 2,742,000 projected visitors from South America, 1,206,000 from Caribbean, 872,000 from Oceania and 758,000 from Africa.

Looking at these numbers it is very likely that the number of REAL tourists is probably 15,000,000 - 20,000,000 at best, placing USA with the same category as Russia-Hungary-Canada... i.e. "dwarf" compared with Spain or Italy.

The statistics looks even worse if you look by country:

http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/f-2000-99-001/forecast/Forecast-COUNTRIES.pdf

Remember, most of Canada's population lives within 100-or-so miles from the U.S. border. I would not include a Canadian who visits his buddy over the border for a drink as a "visitor" - but they and the Mexicans are the bulk of the visitors!

From the statistics is obvious, the "quality" tourists (German, Japanese, UK, NL, Swiss, Argentina, etc) are really just very few millions and their total won't even reach Greece.

----

"and the infrastructure (quality of interstates, railways, quality of air travel) is in dismal state."

I don't even discuss this because this is so false like some of Khruschov's polemic statements.
(Joe, 6 June 2010 15:20)

If you say that - you never travel within the country by car, train or airplane. The "quality" of US-based airlines is legendary. Take a trip on the Merit parkway one direction and on I95 the other direction and you will understand what I mean about the roads. And as for trains - this is also well-known, that sorry Amtrak included.

I wish, times of Khruschov would be back: than PanAm was world's #1 airline, passenger trains were of unsurpassed quality and the interstate system pretty fresh. All this in a state today which is a shame. If you do not feel it that way - just go out and take a closer look.

----------

"Look at the number of tourists USA receives each year and be shocked."

Look at my numbers displayed above and you will be shocked of your misstatement.

(Joe, 6 June 2010 15:20)

I looked and they proved what I said - because the devil is in details. What looks terrific at first sight is pathetic at the second.

----------

The number of people visiting relatives is pretty low - same for business travalers - compared to the total.
(Joe, 6 June 2010 15:20)

Show the links, please. I assume, these Canadian + Mexican + Caribbean + Central American crowds are not for Metropolitan museum and Grand Canyon.

----------

I would understand your comments if you would be completely ignorant about the US but you lived here for 7 years and you got the US citizenship. What makes you so sour? For not be able to live here anymore?
(Joe, 6 June 2010 15:20)

More than twice of that "7". 16 bloody years, man. I can live if I want, at this moment I don't want. It was my free choice due family reasons unrelated to anything. But at the moment if it would be of advantage I would move back. I calculated - it's just not the time.
I am not sour - just factual. The infrastructure in 2010 is way behind what the country does need and way behind (relatively) to the level where it was in the year 1960 you referred to "Khruschov" time.

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Ataman

pre 15 godina

You went back to Europe...you tought it is the land of honey and milk. Judging from some of your recent comments you badly miscalculated.
(Joe, 6 June 2010 22:16)

Nonsense. Please ask first than make comments. As usual - again the old Joe. The topic is about Serbia being attractive for USA business and v.v.: USA being attractive for European / overseas tourism. My answer is: neither and as overseas tourist destination USA is a dwarf. The domestic tourist business is on the other side thriving.

You are at the family life dissection. I vehemently oppose this kind of style. Please stay at the topic. Be assured, I did not miscalculate anything, I had to do what I believed is my duty, do I like it or not.

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szemi

pre 15 godina

Adjustment to the new world will be very painful.
(Joe, 6 June 2010 01:04)
Indeed it will be very painful .The only snag is that mainly for Yanks and even more for jews who seem to be loosing their only true ally of the last few centuries the turks.

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Ataman

pre 15 godina

Indeed it will be very painful .The only snag is that mainly for Yanks and even more for jews who seem to be loosing their only true ally of the last few centuries the turks.
(szemi, 6 June 2010 15:33)

Oh, no, Szemi - how come - I had impression, everything on the Planet Earth is controlled by these Elders of Zion who are sitting in the crater of Moon and having the remote control unit in their hands...

As with other things - please chose carefully...

a) either Khazar-Huns, the inventors of first REAL iron-clad cavalry and aiming their recursive bow to everyone
b) or little hook-nosed, greedy, dishonest, cowardly creature counting the stolen money

OK, next one

c) the all-powerful Elders of Zion who know precisely when and why you go to the toilet and having your bowel function programmed on the remote control unit
d) the losers who got their @ss kicked by these bollahs and haja-tolla (I mean, ayatollahs) who survived only because some Chief Ottoman Mullah helped them.

;-)

About the case a) I am sure you know the story of the hapless and not very bright Bishop of Freising (that's near of Munich) who was given by Hungarian King a detachment of "Басурманы" (Böszömény, muslims from Horezm) and these Khazars to protect him during the first crusade.

If you know the Russian word "Басурман" ("someone of wrong faith") - now not a single Russian can explain you the etymology. Of course, it's just archaic form of "Fierce Armenian" (Bösz Örmény), the yearly gift of Horezmian ruler to King of Hungary in form of a cavalry detachment being confused with Armenians.

Now since you are interested in military history - what do you think, why on Earth the ruler of Horezm who is a muslim would regard himself voluntary being the vassal of Catholic Hungarian Kingdom good 2500 km away and send yearly a gift in form of his best cavalrymen?

I feel, Hungarians are stolen a part of their history - "thanks" to late manipulations of both Catholic Church and the Hapsburgs but here only questions arise, no definitive answers.

Preporučujem 3 Ne preporučujem 2
Aleks

pre 15 godina

US infrastructure IS decrepit. Read the links and weep!

http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/01/28/infrastructure.report.card/index.html

http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=us-infrastructure-crumbling-2009-01-28

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/02/AR2007080202410.html

Khruschev's buds indeed.

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Ataman

pre 15 godina

Others have given the numbers, but to say our highway system and air system is dismal is way off base, probably the best in the world.
(pss, 6 June 2010 21:00

PSS, at first, please perform following experiment.

1) find an Interstate stretch of your liking with several curves, say, 10 curves. I-95 is OK, probably I-280 is a good example where speeds are high, trucks are banned and not much CHP around.

2) try to drive with a constant speed of 80-85 mph and try to turn the steering wheel at minimum: once before entering a curve and once as you exit it.

Can you? The answer is NO. American Interstate system is not engineered for that. Most importantly, the radius of curves does varies as you drive in the curve and you have to adjust the steering wheel.

Contrast: not just the newer Hungarian or Croatian (save German) freeways feature constant radius curves - but even the old, much lesser maintained freeways in Serbia.

I did and do drive both systems, also driven in Taiwan. The American system is pretty extensive - but the quality of the pavement and the quality of engineering is behind of the freeways in Europe, Taiwan and probably Japan.

It is not best in the world.

-----

American air system is very dense - but the level of the service both on ground and in the air is extremely poor.

http://www.worldairlineawards.com

More importantly:

http://www.worldairlineawards.com/main/2010Awards.htm

Not a single North American airline is on the list. The world's best airport is usually Changi in Singapore.

And what a shame: the best North American company is not even American - it's Canadian.
Please look at the list. It is very consistent since at least a decade or two.

BTW: seeing "MALÉV" Hungarian on the list of awards and not a single American does hurt, I know. Sorry, not my fault that the best low-cost American airline is British-owned "Virgin America" and best staff is of Canadian WestJet.

I wold call American (USA) airline circus a major embarrassment of the country.

-----

As for railway system, for human travel it is almost nonexistent, Americans do not like to travel by train or bus.
(pss, 6 June 2010 21:00)

Americans DO like travel by train. In Summer you can't book AMTRAK sleepers for many month ahead. American government does not know how to handle train travel properly. My mileage with Amtrak is probably into six digit.

-----

Most Americans rarely go outside the US for vacations because there is such a variety here, vast beach areas, mountains for hiking or skiing, lakes for fishing and camping. Cities for nightlife, and then the usual tourist traps you speak of Disneyland, 6 flags, various studios, Hollywood etc,etc,etc.
(pss, 6 June 2010 21:00)

And for most, the big world outside of USA is a huge challenge because it does not speak English. I did travel for years extensively in New England and on the West Coast and we crossed the continent several times by both car and train. Nice, nice - but I can't really name a place which is unique enough to drive there a crowd extensively.

-----

Europe has a lot of history and most wish to go there once in a lifetime.
(pss, 6 June 2010 21:00)

And they fail to see it by trying to squeeze everything in few weeks. Many of us volunteer to help these unlucky souls, increasingly with success.

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Joe

pre 15 godina

Most of the big companies are already on the cheapest labor slaving in India and China.
US right now survives on that cheap labor with big returns,they simply cannot afford EU labor..
lids

And Chinease and Indian labor is as good or even better than European one but much, much cheaper. I work in the software area of a big brokerage firm. More than 2/3 of our depatment is in India. No communication problem and great productivity. European workers got too spoiled in the last 30-40 years with 5-6 weaks of vacation, lot of sick days and all other benefits (extremely expensive to fire them). Many of them expect royalty treatement. So it is not a question of affordability but financial smartness ("bon sens" as the French would say) to stay away from European labor. Big companies do not work as charitable institutions. They have to make a profit to survive. With European expensive and spoiled labor this would suicidal. But with the current economic situation and very high unemployment rate in Europe the golden spoiled years of European labor are over. It was a "dolce vita" while it lasted. Adjustment to the new world will be very painful.

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BalkanUpdate

pre 15 godina

I know many people in Europe, Serbia included who do not have any desire to visit USA for much more simple reason. Let's face it: from touristic point of view USA is a dwarf and the infrastructure (quality of interstates, railways, quality of air travel) is in dismal state.

Look at the number of tourists USA receives each year and be shocked.
(Ataman, 6 June 2010 00:47)


Last year United States received 55 million tourists, second only to France (74M).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Tourism_rankings

You have no clue what you are talking about. U.S is a top tourist destination, but most cannot afford it.You are insane if you don't think United States has majestic things to see. Doesn't sound like you visited much of the country when you lived here.

U.S companies don't want to invest in a country with so much uncertainty and hostility. It's really that simple.

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Ataman

pre 15 godina

I agree because ordinary people in Serbia - and in most of Europe - are to busy to survive on a day to day basis. For them a visite to the US or anything similar is out of question.
(Joe, 5 June 2010 20:00)

Joe,

I know many people in Europe, Serbia included who do not have any desire to visit USA for much more simple reason. Let's face it: from touristic point of view USA is a dwarf and the infrastructure (quality of interstates, railways, quality of air travel) is in dismal state.

Look at the number of tourists USA receives each year and be shocked. The main reason people go is business-related travel, visiting relatives and shopping. With Dollar going up the shopping tourism will go down.

USA is not a tourist destination and it's made clear. I would say - this country has the highest density of tourist traps on Planet Earth.

No wonder, the visa rejection statistics for Serbia are pretty low. Same for Russia.

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Ataman

pre 15 godina

So you decided to move to Serbia because the infrustructure he is so much superior?
(Danilo, 7 June 2010 10:13)

My move was motivated 70% by family obligation(s) and 30% by finance advantages. The move was to Hungary and not Serbia, but I deal with certain companies in Serbia extensively. You have the answer to your question and now you can see why your question is somewhat pointless.

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pss

pre 15 godina

(Ataman, 6 June 2010 00:47)
Usually don't agree with your posts but always thought you were pretty knowledgeable about your travels. Now very doubtful.
Others have given the numbers, but to say our highway system and air system is dismal is way off base, probably the best in the world. As for railway system, for human travel it is almost nonexistent, Americans do not like to travel by train or bus.
Most Americans rarely go outside the US for vacations because there is such a variety here, vast beach areas, mountains for hiking or skiing, lakes for fishing and camping. Cities for nightlife, and then the usual tourist traps you speak of Disneyland, 6 flags, various studios, Hollywood etc,etc,etc.
Europe has a lot of history and most wish to go there once in a lifetime.
Interesting comment about the rise in the value of the dollar, probably won't hurt tourism but will dampen foreign investments.

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Joe

pre 15 godina

"It was my free choice due family reasons unrelated to anything"
Ataman

As you explained once you were making $70,000 per year and you have a family of 5. I don't know how much you payed for rent but a lot of people live from 70,000 or less. Food and a lot of thinks are cheaper than in Europe. You went back to Europe...you tought it is the land of honey and milk. Judging from some of your recent comments you badly miscalculated.

Preporučujem 0 Ne preporučujem 5
Danilo

pre 15 godina

"The infrastructure in 2010 is way behind what the country does need and way behind (relatively) to the level where it was in the year 1960"


So you decided to move to Serbia because the infrustructure he is so much superior?

Preporučujem 0 Ne preporučujem 5
Jovan

pre 15 godina

well, US-steel Serbia is very likely only a "fata morgana"... such as numerous others, who are indeed investing...

but nevertheless, our american friend will come to senses sooner or later.

they didn´t occupy our southern province for no reason.

so, this isn´t much more than disinformation. but a quite stupid one, of course.

Preporučujem 0 Ne preporučujem 1
Aleks

pre 15 godina

Israeli company to open spice factory

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/business-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=06&dd=07&nav_id=67657


Curious is it not that Serbia is supposedly unattractive to US business but many others don't seem to have this problem.

Israel/is has/have a fantastic record in setting up successful companies.

And what of the deal above? Should it be sniffed at because it is not a multi-billion dollar investment? Go ask any economist and they will tell you that SMEs are the biggest employers, the most dynamic enterprises in the business world.

If you want doom and gloom you will find it but you will miss all the very good things that there are out there too.

Preporučujem 0 Ne preporučujem 0
Pete

pre 15 godina

Hardly surprising when you consider the US has been instrumental in doing everything in its power to destroy Serbia. From the most brutal sanctions of modern times, which did nothing to punish the ruling elite, to bombing civilian infrastructure, then occupying Kosovo and turning it into your own military base, free of charge. I doubt most ordinary people would want to have anything to do with the United States.

Preporučujem 35 Ne preporučujem 19
Joe

pre 15 godina

"I doubt most ordinary people would want to have anything to do with the United States.
Pete

I agree because ordinary people in Serbia - and in most of Europe - are to busy to survive on a day to day basis. For them a visite to the US or anything similar is out of question.

Preporučujem 13 Ne preporučujem 14
sandra kiala

pre 15 godina

Well the Americans dont know Serbia, Serbia has a lot to offer..
I'm from Belgium and i opened a bussines in tourism. come to Serbian and be surpised.

Preporučujem 31 Ne preporučujem 8
lids

pre 15 godina

Most of the big companies are already on the cheapest labor slaving in India and China.
US right now survives on that cheap labor with big returns,they simply cannot afford EU labor..

Preporučujem 10 Ne preporučujem 6
BalkanUpdate

pre 15 godina

I know many people in Europe, Serbia included who do not have any desire to visit USA for much more simple reason. Let's face it: from touristic point of view USA is a dwarf and the infrastructure (quality of interstates, railways, quality of air travel) is in dismal state.

Look at the number of tourists USA receives each year and be shocked.
(Ataman, 6 June 2010 00:47)


Last year United States received 55 million tourists, second only to France (74M).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Tourism_rankings

You have no clue what you are talking about. U.S is a top tourist destination, but most cannot afford it.You are insane if you don't think United States has majestic things to see. Doesn't sound like you visited much of the country when you lived here.

U.S companies don't want to invest in a country with so much uncertainty and hostility. It's really that simple.

Preporučujem 2 Ne preporučujem 5
Joe

pre 15 godina

"It was my free choice due family reasons unrelated to anything"
Ataman

As you explained once you were making $70,000 per year and you have a family of 5. I don't know how much you payed for rent but a lot of people live from 70,000 or less. Food and a lot of thinks are cheaper than in Europe. You went back to Europe...you tought it is the land of honey and milk. Judging from some of your recent comments you badly miscalculated.

Preporučujem 0 Ne preporučujem 5
Danilo

pre 15 godina

"The infrastructure in 2010 is way behind what the country does need and way behind (relatively) to the level where it was in the year 1960"


So you decided to move to Serbia because the infrustructure he is so much superior?

Preporučujem 0 Ne preporučujem 5
Charli

pre 15 godina

Always so easy to trash the US. Serbia isn't getting significant investment from ANYONE. The country has sold off most of their profitable companies and then squandered the money. Even Serbs are finding ways to have company money outside of the country. Serbia's greatest enemies are from within, not without.

Preporučujem 5 Ne preporučujem 4
Ataman

pre 15 godina

Oh really?? I don't think you are so ignorant about US tourism. You just make it up for personal reasons. Here is some statistics:

Rank Countries Amount
# 1 France: 67,310,000
# 2 United States: 47,752,000
# 3 Spain: 43,252,000
# 4 Italy: 34,087,000
# 5 United Kingdom: 25,515,000
# 6 China: 23,770,000
# 7 Poland: 19,520,000
# 8 Mexico: 19,351,000
# 9 Canada: 17,636,000
# 10 Hungary: 17,248,000
# 11 Czech Republic: 16,830,000
# 12 Germany: 15,837,000
# 13 Russia: 15,350,000
# 14 Greece: 10,070,000

In number of tourists second place in the world. In money
spent by foreign tourists - what is the most important - it is number 1.

(Joe, 6 June 2010 15:20)

The numbers you provided look familiar, except that they include ALL arrivals, that is - business + tourist + other visitors.

See here:

http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/f-2000-99-001/forecast/Arrivals.pdf

Now if you look in details - than you will discover that from the ca. 54,884,000 projected visitors this year 31,128,000 will be from Canada and Mexico - and Mexican... well, visitors (whatever does it mean) will be 13,164,000. You can add 2,742,000 projected visitors from South America, 1,206,000 from Caribbean, 872,000 from Oceania and 758,000 from Africa.

Looking at these numbers it is very likely that the number of REAL tourists is probably 15,000,000 - 20,000,000 at best, placing USA with the same category as Russia-Hungary-Canada... i.e. "dwarf" compared with Spain or Italy.

The statistics looks even worse if you look by country:

http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/f-2000-99-001/forecast/Forecast-COUNTRIES.pdf

Remember, most of Canada's population lives within 100-or-so miles from the U.S. border. I would not include a Canadian who visits his buddy over the border for a drink as a "visitor" - but they and the Mexicans are the bulk of the visitors!

From the statistics is obvious, the "quality" tourists (German, Japanese, UK, NL, Swiss, Argentina, etc) are really just very few millions and their total won't even reach Greece.

----

"and the infrastructure (quality of interstates, railways, quality of air travel) is in dismal state."

I don't even discuss this because this is so false like some of Khruschov's polemic statements.
(Joe, 6 June 2010 15:20)

If you say that - you never travel within the country by car, train or airplane. The "quality" of US-based airlines is legendary. Take a trip on the Merit parkway one direction and on I95 the other direction and you will understand what I mean about the roads. And as for trains - this is also well-known, that sorry Amtrak included.

I wish, times of Khruschov would be back: than PanAm was world's #1 airline, passenger trains were of unsurpassed quality and the interstate system pretty fresh. All this in a state today which is a shame. If you do not feel it that way - just go out and take a closer look.

----------

"Look at the number of tourists USA receives each year and be shocked."

Look at my numbers displayed above and you will be shocked of your misstatement.

(Joe, 6 June 2010 15:20)

I looked and they proved what I said - because the devil is in details. What looks terrific at first sight is pathetic at the second.

----------

The number of people visiting relatives is pretty low - same for business travalers - compared to the total.
(Joe, 6 June 2010 15:20)

Show the links, please. I assume, these Canadian + Mexican + Caribbean + Central American crowds are not for Metropolitan museum and Grand Canyon.

----------

I would understand your comments if you would be completely ignorant about the US but you lived here for 7 years and you got the US citizenship. What makes you so sour? For not be able to live here anymore?
(Joe, 6 June 2010 15:20)

More than twice of that "7". 16 bloody years, man. I can live if I want, at this moment I don't want. It was my free choice due family reasons unrelated to anything. But at the moment if it would be of advantage I would move back. I calculated - it's just not the time.
I am not sour - just factual. The infrastructure in 2010 is way behind what the country does need and way behind (relatively) to the level where it was in the year 1960 you referred to "Khruschov" time.

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sj

pre 15 godina

(Joe, 5 June 2010 20:00)
The US has close to 90 million living on or below the poverty line and 60 million (officially recognized, but this number tends to be higher) are unable to feed themselves properly, then how my US citizens can travel overseas again?
Mr Saylor’s statement is very funny considering that the world’s biggest manufacturer of motherboards has its European HQ in Belgrade. The problem here is that Serbia is not giving anything away to the US multinationals. Perhaps the US can do something for the Albanians in Kosovo. This statement should be the biggest wake up call for the Albanians.

(lids, 5 June 2010 22:28)
China lends money to the US to maintain its living standards. The Chinese whan is being kept at very low levels by it government, but you have to go there and see what this “cheap labor’ is doing there. Just Shangai alone makes New York look like a dump.
India is a creation of the west to counterbalance China, but with little success.

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szemi

pre 15 godina

Adjustment to the new world will be very painful.
(Joe, 6 June 2010 01:04)
Indeed it will be very painful .The only snag is that mainly for Yanks and even more for jews who seem to be loosing their only true ally of the last few centuries the turks.

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Joe

pre 15 godina

Most of the big companies are already on the cheapest labor slaving in India and China.
US right now survives on that cheap labor with big returns,they simply cannot afford EU labor..
lids

And Chinease and Indian labor is as good or even better than European one but much, much cheaper. I work in the software area of a big brokerage firm. More than 2/3 of our depatment is in India. No communication problem and great productivity. European workers got too spoiled in the last 30-40 years with 5-6 weaks of vacation, lot of sick days and all other benefits (extremely expensive to fire them). Many of them expect royalty treatement. So it is not a question of affordability but financial smartness ("bon sens" as the French would say) to stay away from European labor. Big companies do not work as charitable institutions. They have to make a profit to survive. With European expensive and spoiled labor this would suicidal. But with the current economic situation and very high unemployment rate in Europe the golden spoiled years of European labor are over. It was a "dolce vita" while it lasted. Adjustment to the new world will be very painful.

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Paolo

pre 15 godina

Hmmm...there are possibilities of running and developing businesses in Serbia, one example :
http://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Regions-and-countries/Serbia/Heat

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lowe

pre 15 godina

Saylor would be wise to ask the American companies to look at themselves in the mirror first. I wouldn't exactly call many of these Yankee firms "attractive"

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mihai

pre 15 godina

Ha Ha. This actually translates in: "Until we transform you in our de-facto economic collony and supress all serb interests, we are not going to "Invest" in Serbia".

This is what happened in Romania. And it's the "american way".

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VK

pre 15 godina

One of the best news this year. Who need US, they will soon (hopefully) go bankrupt!¨
Go for trade with China, India, Russia, Brazil.. They will bring the future, they will bring the money.

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Ataman

pre 15 godina

Indeed it will be very painful .The only snag is that mainly for Yanks and even more for jews who seem to be loosing their only true ally of the last few centuries the turks.
(szemi, 6 June 2010 15:33)

Oh, no, Szemi - how come - I had impression, everything on the Planet Earth is controlled by these Elders of Zion who are sitting in the crater of Moon and having the remote control unit in their hands...

As with other things - please chose carefully...

a) either Khazar-Huns, the inventors of first REAL iron-clad cavalry and aiming their recursive bow to everyone
b) or little hook-nosed, greedy, dishonest, cowardly creature counting the stolen money

OK, next one

c) the all-powerful Elders of Zion who know precisely when and why you go to the toilet and having your bowel function programmed on the remote control unit
d) the losers who got their @ss kicked by these bollahs and haja-tolla (I mean, ayatollahs) who survived only because some Chief Ottoman Mullah helped them.

;-)

About the case a) I am sure you know the story of the hapless and not very bright Bishop of Freising (that's near of Munich) who was given by Hungarian King a detachment of "Басурманы" (Böszömény, muslims from Horezm) and these Khazars to protect him during the first crusade.

If you know the Russian word "Басурман" ("someone of wrong faith") - now not a single Russian can explain you the etymology. Of course, it's just archaic form of "Fierce Armenian" (Bösz Örmény), the yearly gift of Horezmian ruler to King of Hungary in form of a cavalry detachment being confused with Armenians.

Now since you are interested in military history - what do you think, why on Earth the ruler of Horezm who is a muslim would regard himself voluntary being the vassal of Catholic Hungarian Kingdom good 2500 km away and send yearly a gift in form of his best cavalrymen?

I feel, Hungarians are stolen a part of their history - "thanks" to late manipulations of both Catholic Church and the Hapsburgs but here only questions arise, no definitive answers.

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Ataman

pre 15 godina

I agree because ordinary people in Serbia - and in most of Europe - are to busy to survive on a day to day basis. For them a visite to the US or anything similar is out of question.
(Joe, 5 June 2010 20:00)

Joe,

I know many people in Europe, Serbia included who do not have any desire to visit USA for much more simple reason. Let's face it: from touristic point of view USA is a dwarf and the infrastructure (quality of interstates, railways, quality of air travel) is in dismal state.

Look at the number of tourists USA receives each year and be shocked. The main reason people go is business-related travel, visiting relatives and shopping. With Dollar going up the shopping tourism will go down.

USA is not a tourist destination and it's made clear. I would say - this country has the highest density of tourist traps on Planet Earth.

No wonder, the visa rejection statistics for Serbia are pretty low. Same for Russia.

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Joe

pre 15 godina

Let's face it: from touristic point of view USA is a dwarf
Ataman

Oh really?? I don't think you are so ignorant about US tourism. You just make it up for personal reasons. Here is some statistics:

Rank Countries Amount
# 1 France: 67,310,000
# 2 United States: 47,752,000
# 3 Spain: 43,252,000
# 4 Italy: 34,087,000
# 5 United Kingdom: 25,515,000
# 6 China: 23,770,000
# 7 Poland: 19,520,000
# 8 Mexico: 19,351,000
# 9 Canada: 17,636,000
# 10 Hungary: 17,248,000
# 11 Czech Republic: 16,830,000
# 12 Germany: 15,837,000
# 13 Russia: 15,350,000
# 14 Greece: 10,070,000

In number of tourists second place in the world. In money
spent by foreign tourists - what is the most important - it is number 1.
Also some of the European countries have very high numbers because they include people in transit (1 day in France for Belgiens, Germans, Dutch, etc travelling to Spain for example).

"and the infrastructure (quality of interstates, railways, quality of air travel) is in dismal state."

I don't even discuss this because this is so false like some of Khruschov's polemic statements.

"Look at the number of tourists USA receives each year and be shocked."

Look at my numbers displayed above and you will be shocked of your misstatement.

" The main reason people go is business-related travel, visiting relatives and shopping. "

over 67 million travalers visiting relatives or on business???? Wow!! The number of people visiting relatives is pretty low - same for business travalers - compared to the total.
I would understand your comments if you would be completely ignorant about the US but you lived here for 7 years and you got the US citizenship. What makes you so sour? For not be able to live here anymore?

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Aleks

pre 15 godina

US infrastructure IS decrepit. Read the links and weep!

http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/01/28/infrastructure.report.card/index.html

http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=us-infrastructure-crumbling-2009-01-28

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/02/AR2007080202410.html

Khruschev's buds indeed.

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Jovan

pre 15 godina

well, US-steel Serbia is very likely only a "fata morgana"... such as numerous others, who are indeed investing...

but nevertheless, our american friend will come to senses sooner or later.

they didn´t occupy our southern province for no reason.

so, this isn´t much more than disinformation. but a quite stupid one, of course.

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Aleks

pre 15 godina

Has this guy actually bothered to look at the resume of the new US ambassador to Serbia, Mary Warlick???

http://www.ncsj.org/AuxPages/Warlick_bio.shtml

Ms. Warlick is currently Director of the Office of Russian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. A career Foreign Service Officer, and member of the Senior Foreign Service, she joined the State Department in 1983. Her Washington assignments include Director, Office of Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus Affairs (1998-2000); Senior Watch Officer (1992-1994); Economic Officer in the Office of Textile Negotiations (1990-1992); and Staff Assistant to the Director of the Foreign Service Institute (1985-1986).

Ms. Warlick’s overseas assignments at U.S. Embassies in Asia and Europe include Manila, Philippines, where she served twice, first as a Consular Officer (1983–1985) and later as an Economic Officer (1988-1990). She also served as an Economic Officer in Dhaka, Bangladesh (1986-1988); as Economic Officer and Global Affairs Counselor in Bonn, Germany (1994-1998); and, most recently, as Minister-Counselor for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow (from August 2001- July 2004). During her assignment in Moscow, Ms. Warlick traveled extensively in Russia and worked actively on a wide range of trade, investment and energy issues, including Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organization and the protection of Intellectual Property Rights.
**

What possible interest could the US have in posting an ambassador with such strong economic credentials?

In case you have missed any news:

B92 - News - Politics - New U.S. ambassador in mid-January

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2009&mm=12&dd=23&nav_id=63965

B92 - News - Politics - Ambassador: U.S. wants Serbia in WTO:

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=04&dd=16&nav_id=66508

B92 - News - Politics - U.S. envoy: America wants Serbia in EU

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=03&dd=05&nav_id=65601

B92 - News - Politics - U.S. embassy to issue 10-year visas

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=05&dd=21&nav_id=67282

***
So, Serbia in the WTO, EU, 10 year visas. Oh no! What about the massive expansion of Belgrade airport with major funds by US companies looking to make it the Balkans air traffic hub? Or maybe Zastava under lisence to produce millions of rounds of ammunition for the US armed forces for their freedom wars in I-Rak and I-Ran (not to be confuse with practical and affordable storage solution from IKEA)?

That there is not a lot of investement by the US in Serbia is not a suprise, but it is not for Serbia's want of trying to attract investment, rather that of years of sanctions and threats and warning off US companies doing business.

Better still, why doesn't Washington just let its companies choose (without its interference) whether it wishes to invest in 'Kosova' or Serbia (2 million v. 8 million) and see what they do?

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Dan

pre 15 godina

“There are very few people here who know about Serbia or Serbian products,” he said, adding that the Serbian government needs to open new economic headquarters outside of just Chicago and include one in Washington, because that is where the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and many larges businesses are located.

True that’s because Tadic is preoccupied with Eu membership, there is a massive Serbian Caucas in the US that should be able to help and be a go between.
------------------------
Saylor said that Serbia cannot allow “political questions, such as Kosovo, to dominate bilateral relations.”

Then Ditto on the Vice Versa.
----------------------
He said that Serbia “in looking for direct foreign investments, must define its most attractive products as a supporting factor for foreigners.”

He said that Serbia must also improve its infrastructure, since companies that come to Serbia will not only be selling their products in Serbia.

Potential for US investment is further development in food processing and manufacturing, i.e. Kellogs, Kraft, PepsiCo etc.
Serbia has the corn, wheat, dairy, berries; it could serve as a centre to regional markets, if successful could serve as a larger regional production centre for Europe and Eurasia.
Joint ventures with DuPont for seeds and pesticides in farming, also Pfizer, J&J for pharmaceutical exports.
The infrastructure needs some investment but is there and functional, labor costs very reasonable, cheap logistic access to EU and Eurasian markets, so for the US companies it would be attractive, for the Serbian companies the advantage would be easier and stronger presence on worldwide western markets(recognised brands),employment,increase in GDP and tax revenues. Manufacturing HQ Serbia, focusing on exports get it happening all part of being unaligned.

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pss

pre 15 godina

(Ataman, 6 June 2010 00:47)
Usually don't agree with your posts but always thought you were pretty knowledgeable about your travels. Now very doubtful.
Others have given the numbers, but to say our highway system and air system is dismal is way off base, probably the best in the world. As for railway system, for human travel it is almost nonexistent, Americans do not like to travel by train or bus.
Most Americans rarely go outside the US for vacations because there is such a variety here, vast beach areas, mountains for hiking or skiing, lakes for fishing and camping. Cities for nightlife, and then the usual tourist traps you speak of Disneyland, 6 flags, various studios, Hollywood etc,etc,etc.
Europe has a lot of history and most wish to go there once in a lifetime.
Interesting comment about the rise in the value of the dollar, probably won't hurt tourism but will dampen foreign investments.

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Ataman

pre 15 godina

You went back to Europe...you tought it is the land of honey and milk. Judging from some of your recent comments you badly miscalculated.
(Joe, 6 June 2010 22:16)

Nonsense. Please ask first than make comments. As usual - again the old Joe. The topic is about Serbia being attractive for USA business and v.v.: USA being attractive for European / overseas tourism. My answer is: neither and as overseas tourist destination USA is a dwarf. The domestic tourist business is on the other side thriving.

You are at the family life dissection. I vehemently oppose this kind of style. Please stay at the topic. Be assured, I did not miscalculate anything, I had to do what I believed is my duty, do I like it or not.

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Ataman

pre 15 godina

Others have given the numbers, but to say our highway system and air system is dismal is way off base, probably the best in the world.
(pss, 6 June 2010 21:00

PSS, at first, please perform following experiment.

1) find an Interstate stretch of your liking with several curves, say, 10 curves. I-95 is OK, probably I-280 is a good example where speeds are high, trucks are banned and not much CHP around.

2) try to drive with a constant speed of 80-85 mph and try to turn the steering wheel at minimum: once before entering a curve and once as you exit it.

Can you? The answer is NO. American Interstate system is not engineered for that. Most importantly, the radius of curves does varies as you drive in the curve and you have to adjust the steering wheel.

Contrast: not just the newer Hungarian or Croatian (save German) freeways feature constant radius curves - but even the old, much lesser maintained freeways in Serbia.

I did and do drive both systems, also driven in Taiwan. The American system is pretty extensive - but the quality of the pavement and the quality of engineering is behind of the freeways in Europe, Taiwan and probably Japan.

It is not best in the world.

-----

American air system is very dense - but the level of the service both on ground and in the air is extremely poor.

http://www.worldairlineawards.com

More importantly:

http://www.worldairlineawards.com/main/2010Awards.htm

Not a single North American airline is on the list. The world's best airport is usually Changi in Singapore.

And what a shame: the best North American company is not even American - it's Canadian.
Please look at the list. It is very consistent since at least a decade or two.

BTW: seeing "MALÉV" Hungarian on the list of awards and not a single American does hurt, I know. Sorry, not my fault that the best low-cost American airline is British-owned "Virgin America" and best staff is of Canadian WestJet.

I wold call American (USA) airline circus a major embarrassment of the country.

-----

As for railway system, for human travel it is almost nonexistent, Americans do not like to travel by train or bus.
(pss, 6 June 2010 21:00)

Americans DO like travel by train. In Summer you can't book AMTRAK sleepers for many month ahead. American government does not know how to handle train travel properly. My mileage with Amtrak is probably into six digit.

-----

Most Americans rarely go outside the US for vacations because there is such a variety here, vast beach areas, mountains for hiking or skiing, lakes for fishing and camping. Cities for nightlife, and then the usual tourist traps you speak of Disneyland, 6 flags, various studios, Hollywood etc,etc,etc.
(pss, 6 June 2010 21:00)

And for most, the big world outside of USA is a huge challenge because it does not speak English. I did travel for years extensively in New England and on the West Coast and we crossed the continent several times by both car and train. Nice, nice - but I can't really name a place which is unique enough to drive there a crowd extensively.

-----

Europe has a lot of history and most wish to go there once in a lifetime.
(pss, 6 June 2010 21:00)

And they fail to see it by trying to squeeze everything in few weeks. Many of us volunteer to help these unlucky souls, increasingly with success.

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Ataman

pre 15 godina

So you decided to move to Serbia because the infrustructure he is so much superior?
(Danilo, 7 June 2010 10:13)

My move was motivated 70% by family obligation(s) and 30% by finance advantages. The move was to Hungary and not Serbia, but I deal with certain companies in Serbia extensively. You have the answer to your question and now you can see why your question is somewhat pointless.

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Aleks

pre 15 godina

Israeli company to open spice factory

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/business-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=06&dd=07&nav_id=67657


Curious is it not that Serbia is supposedly unattractive to US business but many others don't seem to have this problem.

Israel/is has/have a fantastic record in setting up successful companies.

And what of the deal above? Should it be sniffed at because it is not a multi-billion dollar investment? Go ask any economist and they will tell you that SMEs are the biggest employers, the most dynamic enterprises in the business world.

If you want doom and gloom you will find it but you will miss all the very good things that there are out there too.

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