Nobel Prize for the EU

When it was announced in autumn this year that the EU will be awarded the Nobel prize for peace, it took many by surprise.
On monday, the prize was officially handed over to the EU in Oslo. This needed to be celebrated, also in Tripoli. So I followed the invitation of the EU Ambassador to Libya to hold a ceremony at the Corinthia hotel. Peter Zsoldos told the audience about the European sucess project of maintaining peace in Europe for so many years and about assisting other countries in need.

European politicians stressed out during the last few days that the prize was awarded to each and every citizen of the EU and it was also those people who deserved the prize.
So I was confident that also the prize money (roughly 1m million Euros) would be distributed among the EU citzens. I took my wallet with me, but figured out that in the end the  money went elsewhere.
Too bad......
I guess I will have to win the prize myself.

Corinthia vs Radisson Blu in Tripoli

Interestingly, when it comes to hotels with international standards, Tripoli can offer only two of such kind:
The Corinthia Bab Africa hotel and the Radisson Blu. Of course, if you ask the management of either hotel, then the reply must be "There is only on hotel fulfilling international standards".
For me, it is still an open battle. At the beginning of the economic boom (2006/7), Corinthia was the only top end hotel in town. That´s also why they could charge rates of 350 EUR and above. No discount. For anybody. However, as of 2010 other hotels entered the market: Intercontinental with the Waddan, Rixos (Al Nasr), Four Points by Sheraton Hai Andalus and of course Radisson Blu Mahari. Oh, I nearly forgot, Mariott also opened a hotel. Actually it was opened on 17 February 2011. Great day for a grand opening. Too sad it was closed the next day again. I dont want to give a Tripoli hotel history lecture here, but rather compare the two only remaining int´l hotels in town:
When it comes to price, Radisson is up by at least 10-20% over Corinthia. However, I consider amenities more or less the same. In both hotels you have gyms, spas, outdoor pools, restaurants, etc. Radisson claims to have the best Italian restaurant in town (I must admit, it is good...) while Corinthia has the largest buffet style lunch and dinner (and a brunch at weekends). From the location it depends what you need to do. Traffic has become a nightmare and both hotels are equally convenient located. However, Corinthia definitely does have better parking facilities. If you have an appointment in Radisson, you rather go by Taxi, or you have to take the car with you inside the lobby.
During the sunny months, Radisson has a nicer atmosphere, sitting on its terrace either overlooking the pool (in the restaurant) or just having the chillout feeling on the outside terrace in the coffee shop. But this was not always like this, as it opened only 2010 after a complete refurbishment of the old Mahari hotel.
And the future ?
Well, lets see: Two days ago I was attending the handover ceremony from the current Marketing & Sales Manager, Unay Turkoz and his succesor Silvia Jurecka (see also photo). Listening to the words of the Director Generall of Radisson, Silvia shall continue the succesful way of her predecessor who started in Libya over a year ago.
I wish her good luck.
She will need it. 

Austrian Airlines in Tripolis gestrandet

Offener Brief, im Namen der österreichischen Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft in Libyen, 

an Austrian Airlines

Liebe Entscheidungsträger, Mitarbeiter, Piloten, Flugbegleiter bei Austrian Airlines !

Als Eure Fokker 100 heute in Tripolis gerade auf das Rollfeld fahren sollte, war die österreichische Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft in Libyen in Gestalt der Niederlassungsleiter gerade bei einem der regelmäßigen Koordinierungstreffen versammelt. Schon rasch waren die Vorfälle rund um den Flughafen Gesprächsthema Nummer eins.

Nicht zuletzt, weil der ein oder andere einen seiner Mitarbeiter im Flugzeug hatte.

Es tut uns allen sehr leid, was passiert ist, und vor allem, dass die Crew heute im Corinthia übernachten muss und nicht bei ihren Familien in Wien sind. Aber die Familien müssen sich keine Sorgen machen, das Corinthia Tripolis spielt alle Stückerln....

Dass sich eine Miliz heute gerade den Flughafen als Ziel ausgesucht hat. Beim letzten mal war es zumindestens der Sitz des Premierministers, oder ein anderes mal ein Spital. Naja, was eben gerade so im Weg liegt. Heute soll der Flieger ja nach Wien geschickt werden - und glaubt man denjenigen die gestern Abend am Flughafen waren, so soll ja wieder alles in Ordnung sein. (zum Nachlesen: Financial Times: Militiamen surround airport )

Aber deswegen gleich die Route Tripolis bis auf weiteres einstellen, wie es von Eurem Unternehmenssprecher gestern angekündigt wurde, ist dann doch etwas traurig.

Vor allem (aber nicht nur) für uns Österreicher hier (immerhin sind bereits wieder 15 Firmen vor Ort). Wie sollen wir denn in Zukunft nach Wien kommen? Denn wenn ihr nicht fliegt, fliegt ja Lufthansa auch nicht (oder doch ?). Sollen wir wieder in 8-10 Stunden über Istanbul fliegen ? Oder in einer Zweitagesreise über Djerba und Tunis in die Heimat kommen ?

Neinnein, überlegt es Euch nochmals.

Wir haben auch mit ein paar Aufständischen gesprochen - und die haben uns hoch und heilig versprochen sie werden so etwas nie, nie, nie wieder tun. Und schon gar nicht wenn Euer Vogel gerade starten will. Und ganz sicher werden sie während dem Startvorgang keine Granaten mehr auf die Start- und Landebahn werfen. Sie meinten, das sei ein wenig unüberlegt gewesen.

Ok, jetzt habe ich ein wenig geschwindelt, denn mit dem "heilig" bin ich mir nicht so sicher.  

Und wenn es etwas hilft - wir würden auch auf das Do&Co Essen verzichten und unsere eigenen Kebabs oder Schawarmas mitnehmen.

Und wenn das alles nichts hilft, dann unterschreiben wir alle eine Petition an den Verteidigungsminister, dass er uns seine Hercules zur Verfügung stellt. Kann ja auch nicht soviel kosten, so einen Flieger zu chartern ;-)

No weapons during business meetings

What a dreamer I am. How can I even dare to think that I could publish my blog entry in the evening at home easily ?
Internet was down on all systems (WIFI, Libyana, Madar...) and did only come back very weak now. Anyhow, it´s a bit like Lotto these days. Without too much evening activities going on, I would like to have at home:

- Electricity
- Internet
- SAT TV
- Mobile Telephones working

When the day comes where all of the four work, I will open a bottle of....Rauch Grape Juice...and celebrate.
Otherwise I just count how many of the above mentioned I can achieve. Tonight it is 2 out of four (ok, now 2,5 / 4), because due to the storm and heavy rain, the SAT dish gave up working. However, not the best day for Libya today: While on a meeting in the Radisson hotel, a gunbattle erupted and we still joked during coffee about all the "celebratory gunfire" these days. Back to my office, some demonstrators in front of my neighbours, the Tunsian Embassy demanded the extradition of the former Prime Minister Baghdadi to Libya (he is currently in custody in Tunis). I would not comment on political and military issues, but today they really messed up my afternoon plans: the two meetings I would have had in the afternoon were cancelled. After it became very quiet in the afternoon in my neighbourhood (many people decided to stay home), I also decided to drive home before sunset.
So unfortunately, somebody (or many) did not the have the sign at the entrance of the Radisson in mind (see above photo) - maybe that sign should be placed at the entrance to each Libyan city.

Driving home, heavy rain poored down, and - as usual - streets got flooded. Especially the "Regatta roundabout" is tricky when it rains. It seems like having to master a special stage at the Dakar rally (see photo).
There is one good thing when it rains: Not many gunshots heard at night.
But, water enters through some parts of my house.

Last, but not least, thank you, my dear readers for your comments on my last entry regarding German/English language:
The main question is: Who is the target of this blog: Well, we have two groups: Austrian enterprises, Austrians interested in economic issues in Libya, AND of course also libyan enterpreneurs or officials, wanting to know what is going on between Austria and Libya from an economic / commercial point of view (sorry, my dear German and Swiss neighbours, you are not a target group, but I am happy to have you as my followers and readers. Austrians are well known for their hospitality :-)
I understand that the German speaking target group prefers having Blog entries in their mother tongue, and I thought it would be nice in 2012, to do most of my Blog entries in German (yes, the "Wiener Schmäh" is hard to express in English), but would at the same time, write an entry in English when I feel, this would also be interesting for my Libyan readers !
For the English speaking readers: There is a new label called "English" - if you only want the English entries, pls. click it.

Special Luggage Service Hotel Corinthia

In Hotels gibt es dieser Tage ein spezielles Gepäcksservice. Im Hotel Corinthia hat man sich schon daran gewöhnt, dass ein Libyer der etwas auf sich hält nie ohne Mobiltelefon (am besten mehrere) und Kalashnikov (Standardmodell AK47) unterwegs ist.
Aber in Hotels: Mafish, keine Waffen. So gibt es ein spezielles Service, und als Waffenträger erhält man am Eingang des Hotels einen Sticker auf seine Waffe und einen Gepäcksabschnitt. Beim Verlassen des Hotels wird einem die Waffe wieder ausgehändigt. Wäre ja blöd, wenn man die gleich aussehenden Kalashnikovs verwechselt.