TRAVEL REPORT The Hon. Michael Atkinson MP Attorney-General ...

will take time to change . Change is proving to be a very slow process evenwith their best intentions and efforts to become more efficient .Serbia wants to enter Europe even though the Minister believes that Serbia isalready part of Europe and but acknowledges that they need to change thelaws to reflect that . They accept that many changes are required but becausethere are many laws and regulations it will take time to bring them into linewith Europe .These delays have occurred because there is still a lack of unity and politicalwill in the Serbian Parliament . The political parties are not decisive enough .People from the previous regime still have influence on the process as it is notin their interest to effect change . The human conscience is the hardest tochange . Even if the people of Serbia are aware of the lack of progress, theyseem to accept this as inevitable . However, there are people who want tochange, but they are often criticised and condemned .A great percentage of the population is against co-operation with The Hagueand I.C .T.Y. Those who appeal for greater co-operation are considered asnational traitors . Serbians have seen themselves as victims throughouthistory and they feel everything works against them . The biggest problem isto change people's attitudes . There are people like Vuk Draskovic whoappealed to the Generals to go to The Hague to prove their innocence if theywere really concerned for the Serbian people . The Generals continue torefuse to give themselves up .There is a requirement for males of Serbian nationality who were born abroadto do nine months national service training . There have been manyrepresentations from these people, especially those who hold a job or go tocollege, to change that requirement . There have been suggestions for theArmy service to be made easier and that there be the option to offer paymentor to spend a couple of months in Serbia working in the Civil Service in lieu ofArmy service . The parents of these young men feel it is not right to have thisrequirement to serve, but the boys themselves are patriotic and want to paytheir respects to the Serbian nation . They can wait until they turn 35 and thusavoid serving but the procedure is in the process so that they won't bedisadvantaged by their patriotic fervour.Other issues of interest to the Diaspora are de-nationalisation and the returnof private property to its original owners, the return of civil rights and rights ofownership and also the expunging of criminal convictions imposed by the Titoregime which where imposed for political reasons . They also want legal andeconomic security, especially for investments . The Diaspora has helped thehomeland greatly-somewhere around $5bn (U .S . dollars-official figure fromthe Ministry of Finance) comes into Serbia every year as remittances fromSerbs overseas and any Serbs live off that money .Travel Report, Hon. Michael Atkinson, M.P. and Ms. vini Ciccarello M.P ., August, 2004 100