"United Balkan Publishers"

["Dk" <dragomir_k@libero.it>]

Udruzeni izdavaci Balkana - United Balkan Publishers
from: http://www.danasnews.com/20010327/kultura.htm#4

The publishers from Belgrade, Zagreb, Sarajevo, Skopje and LJubljana, 
founded an Association of balkanian publishers, and are making first 
steps in their inter-regional collaboration, and towards the world. For 
next year, they plan a group presentation on the book saloon in Paris.

"There's nothing jugonostalgic nor the pathetic of the brotherhood-and-
unity type. Simply, we are pragmatic," says Zoran Hamovic, director of 
the publishing company "Clio" from Belgrade. While explaining how the 
"Balkanian Association of publishers" was founded, he points out: We 
were forced to enter into the union, by the same publishing problems, 
and by a mutual interest", and explains that, on a concrete example. 
The rent of the fair space in the fair zone at the Versailles gates is 
so expensive, so that there are no publishers from the south-slavic 
region, capable to present themselves singularly on the Parisian book 
saloon. "We are here solely for the purpose to get informed with the 
new production in French language and to make contacts with authors and 
publishing houses. Next year in this united form, we shall participate 
on the Saloon and present ourselves. It would not be possible to do it, 
for anyone of use, alone," says Hamovic.

Publishing is an activity that requires continuous investments and 
costs. In the circumstances of five new states created of one, and when 
the quantity of languages, at least officially speaking, increased, 
publishers encountered an unpleasant situation mostly for the 
enormously decreased the area for books placement, so that each new 
edition is a real adventure. Due to this precise publishing problems, 
on the conference bout the cultural co-operation in Balkans, which had 
been held upon the initiative of the Stability Pact for Southeast 
Europe, held in Sarajevo in December 1999., the idea of founding an 
balkanian association of publishers, was born. That idea got realised 
so that already on the last years' Frankurt's book fair, several 
independent publishers were present under the name of "Balkan 
Association of Publishers" [BAP], such as:
Durieux from Zagreb, Geopoetika from Belgrade, Omnibus from Sarajevo, 
Beletrina from LJubljana, Templum from Skopje. "Literaturen vestnik" 
from Sofia joined them as well.

"The point is in a joint presentation in order to change the imagine 
that Europe has about us. That imagine is generally speaking a very 
ugly one, in spite of the fact that life circumstances in each of the 
south-east European country, differ. We are still looked upon as a 
region that possesses some mutual characteristics, so this kind of 
political openness and stimulation by side of the Europe, towards a 
regional unity, should be exploited. This was what countries of Latin 
America had already done. They presented themselves in the form of 
Latin-American literature, and entered "on great doors" into Europe. I 
do not see a reason why we shouldn't attempt the same," says Hamovic, 
but as well ads that there are a series of very practical reasons for 
the union. For example, the association will deal with acquisition of 
authors' rights, instead of each publisher, the editions of all members 
will be placed onto the linguistically similar areas, and electronic 
publishing will commence, as well as joint editions.

One of them is "Balkan express", where books of eminent south-European 
authors  will be printed. The edition in fact is already started. 
Belgrade's "Geopoetika" and Sarajevan "Omnibus" are preparing a book of 
essays by Dubravka Ugresic. The book will be distributed in Croatia 
through its Croatian members, where Dubravka Ugresic did not have 
anything since her voluntary exiles in 1993. godine.
Dz. Sabljakovic (Sense)
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