July 4, 2006
Embassy of the United States of America
Belgrade

Independence Day Remarks by Ambassador Michael C. Polt

Mr. President, Mr. Prime Minister, Your Holiness, Your Royal Highnesses, Excellencies, Dear Guests. Welcome to America's 230th birthday party! Thank you for joining my wife, my daughter, and me to celebrate a very special day for all Americans.

Today we commemorate and recommit ourselves to freedom, democracy, and that special quest for individual fulfillment we call "the pursuit of happiness." This "pursuit of happiness" we believed then, and we believe now, is the inherent right of all people on this earth.

Americans recognize that the liberty for which we are so grateful often comes with a high price – a price that we remain prepared to pay. We know that we can never take our freedom for granted. Amidst all the exuberance of our Independence Day celebrations, through all the smoke of the barbecues and fireworks, we take the time to remember that there was a time when our freedom was anything but certain.

Two hundred thirty years ago, American patriots fought for ideals that many found hard to grasp, but knew deep within their hearts were right. People from disparate backgrounds and origins united in a new land to overcome overwhelming odds, and to create a new future for themselves.

Then, ninety years later, in our devastating civil war, over 600,000 Americans perished on that new American soil, because two Americas had emerged that could no longer agree on the "inalienable rights" enshrined in our Declaration of Independence -- life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Our nation was nearly torn asunder, but in the end one America prevailed, one country - yes, but even more importantly, one commitment to a successful future.

Now in 2006, we are still struggling to protect that future -- on the battlefield -- as well as in the hearts and minds of our own people and those across this fragile planet.

Usually on a birthday, you receive gifts, but on our birthday I wish to share a message with you that the President of the United States addressed to all Americans just two years ago:

"Americans are a free people, who know that freedom is the right of every person and the future of every nation. The liberty we prize is not America's gift to the world, it is God's gift to humanity."

Today, on our birthday, here in Belgrade, we ask for God's gift for Serbia. Liberty is not a selfish ideal. Liberty is a universal and a generous concept. We thank you for joining us in celebrating our nation’s democratic spirit and our journey to freedom.

That same democratic spirit reawakened in Serbia in October of 2000 and I believe is alive in Serbia today.

But democracy is not simply a phrase and an automatic cure for the ills of a society. Democracy is merely the tool that gives citizens the opportunity to shape their lives and their future. Democracy accommodates change well, even difficult change. Democracy empowers citizens, but it does not work without the citizens it empowers.

So now then, just like last year, I would like to introduce to you some empowered Serbian citizens, Serbian democrats. Good people who don't bemoan the past. Good people who don't stand still. Good people who are moving in only one direction -- forward. They are some of your country's “Everyday Heroes.”

First, EVA BERENJI, who is an English teacher in Novi Sad. Eva founded an information and support center for cancer patients, building on the work she began in 2002. She translates American information pamphlets about cancer for her community. S he has done, and continues to do, all of this work on a volunteer basis.

Next is ANA JOVANOVIC. Ana came to Serbia from Croatia as a refugee in 1991. She is a hairdresser. With a small grant from the American people she carved out some space in the family garage for a small beauty salon. Her business supports her extended family, and it is going so well that she is looking to expand to new quarters.

PREDGRAG JOVANOVIC is the director of the Serbian Government's Public Procurement Office. He is also a co-founder of Transparency Serbia, a group that advocates against corruption in government. He has been a leader in promoting anti-corruption measures in the government since the fall of Milosevic.

Next we recognize KADA AND ISMET TOPLICA. The Toplicas are a mixed-faith couple who escaped from the 1999 Kosovo conflict. With a small American grant, they have established a successful coffee roasting business in their new town. Mr. Toplica has overcome great odds by running a business despite being afflicted with muscular dystrophy.

MAURICE TURKOVIC is the owner of a slaughterhouse and meat processing plant in Western Serbia. Starting from nothing, over the past five years he has grown his business into an important player in the industry, and he has been instrumental in promoting cross-border industry and trade.

Our final “Everyday Hero” is actually a group: THE FIRST AGRARIAN ASSOCIATION OF MEDVEDJA. The Association was created in 2002 to help the community of Medvedja continue to recover from the Balkan conflicts. The Association has sought to acquire modern agricultural production techniques. It currently has 12 members who are producing and selling a variety of vegetables across the country.

In a completely selfless act, the Association donated $500 to American survivors of the Hurricane Katrina disaster in our country last year.

Ladies and gentlemen, these are Serbian heroes! Through hard work and without special privileges, they have made their lives and the lives around them better.

The American people stand with them and thousands like them to help secure a better future for Serbia's next generation, such as the wonderful young people standing up here with us, who are the first graduates of our new Serbia-U.S. High School exchange program.

Please join me in a big round of applause.

And now we come to the cutting of our birthday cake. As in previous years, it comes to us courtesy of the Hyatt Hotel and one of our great Americans, the Hyatt's General Manager, Ed Andrews! Thank you, Ed! And thanks to all the generous American corporate contributors to this year's celebration. A very special thanks from Hallie and me also goes out to our exceptional organizing Embassy team. Without them, this celebration could not have happened.

Conclusion by U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Rod Moore: Ladies and Gentlemen, as we now cut the cake and share the first pieces with your heroes, your young people, and our guests of honor, this concludes the formal part of our celebration. Please continue to enjoy the rest of your stay.

4. jul, 2006
Ambasada Sjedinjenih Američkih Država
Beograd

Govor Ambasadora Majkla K. Polta povodom Dana Nezavisnosti

Dobro došli na proslavu dvesta tridesetog rođendana Amerike! Hvala vam što ste se pridružili mojoj supruzi, kćerki i meni u proslavi dana koji ima posebno mesto u srcu svakog Amerikanca.

Danas proslavljamo i iznova se posvećujemo slobodi, demokratiji i posebnoj potrazi za pojedinačnim ispunjenjem koje zovemo „traganje za srećom“. Verovali smo onda, kao što i sada verujemo da je ovo „traganje za srećom“ prirodno pravo svih ljudi na zemlji.

Amerikanci su svesni da sloboda zbog koje smo tako zahvalni ne dolazi besplatno – ali smo mi i dalje spremni da platimo cenu. Znamo da nikad ne možemo da uzimamo slobodu zdravo za gotovo. Usred veselja povodom proslave Dane nezavisnosti, kroz sav dim roštilja i vatrometa, sećamo se vremena kada se naša sloboda nije činila tako izvesna.

Pre dve stotine trideset godina, američke patriote borile su se za ideale koje su mnogi teško razumeli, ali su duboko u srcu znali da su ispravni. Ljudi različitih profesija i porekla ujedinili su se u novoj zemlji kako bi savladali velike nedaće, i krenuli u stvaranje nove budućnosti.

A onda, devedeset godina kasnije, tokom našeg razornog građanskog rata, ugasilo se preko 600.000 američkih života na toj novoj američkoj zemlji, jer su se pojavile dve Amerike koje se više nisu mogle složiti oko „neotuđivih prava“ utkanih u Deklaraciju nezavisnosti – život, sloboda i traganje za srećom. Naša nacija je skoro razorena, ali je na kraju pobedila jedna Amerika, jedna zemlja da, ali, što je možda još važnije, jedna i jedinstvena posvećenost ka uspešnoj budućnosti.

Sada, 2006. godine i dalje se borimo da zaštitimo tu budućnost – na bojištu – kao i u srcima i glavama našeg sopstvenog naroda i naroda širom ove krhke planete. Običaj je da za rođendan dobijate poklone, ali za svoj rođendan želimo da sa vama podelimo poruku Predsednika Sjedinjenih Američkih Država koju je uputio Amerikancima pre samo dve godine:
„Amerikanci su slobodan narod, koji zna da je sloboda pravo svake osobe i budućnost svake nacije. Sloboda koju cenimo iznad svega nije poklon Amerike svetu, ona je Božji dar ljudskom rodu.“

Danas, na svoj rođendan, tražimo od Boga da daruje Srbiju i sve narode širom planete. Sloboda nije sebičan ideal. Sloboda je univerzalan i velikodušan koncept. Hvala što ste ovde da zajedno sa nama proslavite demokratski duh naše nacije i naše putovanje ka slobodi.

Takav se isti demokratski duh ponovo probudio oktobra 2000. u Srbiji i verujem da i danas živi u Srbiji. Ali demokratija nije samo reč i automatski lek za sve društvene bolesti. Demokratija je samo oruđe uz pomoć koga građani oblikuju svoje živote i svoju budućnost. Demokratija dobro podnosi promene, čak i teške promene. Demokratija osnažuje građane, ali ne funkcioniše bez građana koje osnažuje.

I tako bih, kao i prošle godine, želeo da vam predstavim neke od tih osnaženih građana Srbije. Srpske demokrate. Dobre ljude koji ne oplakuju prošlost. Dobre ljude koji ne stoje u mestu. Dobre ljude koji se kreću u samo jednom pravcu -- napred. Mi njih smatramo „svakodnevnim herojima“ vaše zemlje.

Prva je Eva Beranji, nastavnica engleskog jezika iz Novog Sada. Eva je osnovala Informativni centar za podršku obolelima od raka nastavljajući tako rad koji je započela još 2002. godine. Za potrebe Centra, Eva prevodi pamflete sa informacijama o ovoj bolesti koji stižu iz Amerike. Svoj raniji, a i sadašnji rad obavlja bez ikakve nadoknade.

Sledeća je Ana Jovanović. Ana je kao izbeglica došla u Srbiju iz Hrvatske 1991. Po zanimanju je frizerka. Uz pomoć donacije američkog naroda, uspela je da u porodičnoj garaži otvori mali salon. Ona izdržava svoju veliku porodicu, a posao joj ide tako dobro da je u potrazi za novim prostorijama za svoj salon.

Predrag Jovanović je direktor Uprave za javne nabavke vlade Srbije. On je takođe i jedan od osnivača Transparentnost Srbija, grupe koja se bori protiv korupcije u vladinim institucijama. On je glavni promoter mera protiv korupcije u vladi još od pada Miloševića.

Ovde su i Kada i Ismet Toplica. Bračni par Toplica je mešoviti par koji je napustio Kosovo 1999. Uz malu donaciju američkog naroda, otvorili su uspešnu pržionicu kafe u svom novom gradu. Gospodin Toplica je uspeo da prevlada velike nevolje u svom poslu uprkos činjenici da boluje od distrofije mišića.

Muriz Turković je vlasnik klaonice i fabrike za preradu mesa u Zapadnoj Srbiji. Iako je počeo od nule, njegova fabrika je u poslednjih pet godina prerasla u važnog predstavnika ove oblasti proizvodnje, te postala glavni promoter proizvodnje i trgovine sa susednim državama.

Naš poslednji "svakodnevni heroj" zapravo je grupa osoba. Radi se Prvoj poljoprivrednoj zadruzi u Medveđi koju danas ovde predstavlja gospodin Saša Beljić. Ova zadruga je otvorena 2002. godine s ciljem da pomogne opštini Medveđa u oporavku posle balkanskih sukoba. Zadruga se zalaže za moderne poljoprivredne proizvodne metode. Ova zadruga ima trenutno 12 članova koji proizvode i prodaju razne vrste povrća u čitavoj zemlji.

Potpuno nesebično, ova Zadruga je priložila 500 dolara preživelima u uraganu Katrina koji je pohodio našu zemlju prošle godine.

Dame i gospodo, ovo su Srpski heroji! Vrednim radom i bez posebnih privilegija oni su uspeli da poboljšaju svoj i živote ljudi oko sebe.

Američki narod je na njihovoj strani i na strani hiljada drugih poput njih kako bi im pomogli da obezbede bolju budućnost sledećim generacijama u Srbiji. Predstavnici tih generacija su i ovi divni, mladi ljudi koji su učestvovali u našem novom programu razmene učenika srednjih škola Srbije i Sjedinjenih Američkih Država.

Molim vas, pozdravimo ih aplauzom.

A sada, dolazimo do poslednjeg čina naše današnje ceremonije, rođendanske torte. Kao i prethodnih godina, ona je poklon hotela Hajat i jednog od velikih Amerikanaca, generalnog direktora hotela Hajat, Eda Endrjusa! Hvala, Ed! I hvala svim velikodušnim američkim firmama koje su pomogle ovogodišnju proslavu. Moja supruga Hali i ja se naročito zahvaljujemo našem timu u Ambasadi koji je teškim radom omogućio ovako uspešnu proslavu.

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