Signing of contract

Belgrade, September 3 -The Serb Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic expressed expectations today that the building works would be completed by 2004 at the latest.

- An initial fund worth YUD60m has been collected through a joint donations project involving 31 home firms, which is a sufficient sum to speed up the works - Djindjic said when signing the contract on forming a consortium to finance the completion of the construction of St Sava cathedral.

Touring the building site

In the circumstances where neither Church nor state is in a position to set aside substantial funds for the completion of the works, a donations project has been initiated in which as many as 31 firms, Djindjic claims, expressed interest within a rather short period of time.

He said that this was only the first stage of the project, which is entirely based on voluntary participation and which invites private donations. He expressed expectations that already in the next stage of collecting funds from the representatives of the Serb Diaspora, a considerable amount would be raised to contribute towards filling the initial fund.

According to his words, apart from the 31 beigest companies in Serbia, which together make up the Consortium, other interested potential donors have come forward, inquiring about the conditions of participation in the project.

Representatives of SOC, Serb government and donors under the dome

- It will soon be a hundred years since the first invitation to tender was made for the construction of St Sava Cathedral. Our national responsibility and strength is now being put to the test and we'll see how ready we are to carry through this task - Djindjic pointed out, observing that the first blueprints of the cathedral were made as early as 1905 and that the 21st century should be one of finished projects.

Djindjic expressed expectation that the St Sava cathedral would be completed within a year or two, no matter how much money would be needed, adding, "any sum was comparatively small when set against the benefit to the nation once the cathedral is completed."

- We will be able to say proudly that one of the greatest churches is situated in Belgrade - Djindjic stressed.

The Serbian Religions minister Vojislav Milovanovic noted that the building works , begun back in 1935, had been disrupted twice, 1941-1985 and 1995-2000, when the construction was resumed.

He said that St Sava Cathedral would comprise a crypt, a treasury, gallery and exhibition space. He announced the beginning the first stage of the works as of Wednesday, which consists in the digging of the crypt to be carried out by "Trudbenik."

The signing of the contract on forming the Consortium was attended, besides the directors of the 31 home companies, His Holiness Pavle Serbian Patriarch, who expressed gratitude to the donors, "by whose good will the construction was resumed."

The signing was also attended by the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of SOC, as well as Bishop Vasilije of Tuzla, in charge of the construction of St Sava Cathedral, who remarked on the occasion, "by collecting donations, the bequest-leaving spirit of the Serbian people has been demonstrated."