Here’s the list in easy cut ‘n paste format:

service@bmwa.gv.at;
services@parlament.gv.at;
office@tiroler-seniorenbund.at;
susanne.neuwirth@salzburg.co.at;
jweiss@vol.at;
barbara.prammer@parlament.gv.at;
michael.spindelegger@parlament.gv.at;
eva.glawischnig-piesczek@parlinkom.gv.at

Dr. Martin Bartenstein
Federal Minister of Economics and Labour
Republic of Austria
Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Arbeit
A-1011 Wien, Stubenring 1
Tel.:+43/1/711 00-0
service@bmwa.gv.at

Austrian parliament
Dr. Karl-Renner-Ring 3
A-1017 Wien
Tel.: ++43-1-40110-0
Fax.: ++43-1-40110-2537
E-mail: services@parlament.gv.at

President of the Federal Council
Helmut Kritzinger
++43-1-40110-2204
++43-1-40110-2434
office@tiroler-seniorenbund.at

Vice President of the Federal Council
Mag. Susanne Neuwirth
++43-1-40110-2208
++43-1-40110-2435
susanne.neuwirth@salzburg.co.at

Vice President of the Federal Council
Jürgen Weiss
++43-1-40110-2209
++43-1-40110-2333
jweiss@vol.at

President of the National Council
Barbara Prammer
++43-1-40110-2201
++43-1-40110-2345
barbara.prammer@parlament.gv.at

Second President of the National Council
Michael Spindelegger
++43-1-40110-2202
++43-1-40110-2309
michael.spindelegger@parlament.gv.at

Third President of the National Council
Eva Glawischnig-Piesczek
++43-1-40110-2203
++43-1-40110-2308
eva.glawischnig-piesczek@parlinkom.gv.at

Eu Parliament Citizens contact page:

https://www.secure.europarl.europa.eu/parliament/public/citizensMail/secured/cmRequest.do?cmLanguage=en

2. High security features here mean patterns and swirls, NOT watermarks. The press seem to be confusing this. Can anyone verify?

3. Jura DO seem to be implying that it is somehow in their power to stop the high-security features;

“We’re not asking Jura to stop the government producing banknotes - we’re asking that they help us prevent them from producing banknotes that have value? No?” - Totally!! In fact, were it not for Jura JSP devilishly clever PR spin, one might even say that a banknote which can be printed out on an inkjet printer on toiled paper is no longer a banknote, (any pragmatic comparisons with the current low quality of **currency** - which is a different thing - aside.)

I guess that I define as a banknote that thing they use to pay the war vets, militias and soliders, or that thing the the same take out of their bank accounts to buy stuff. [switching to an electronic economy would not work]

4. Fidelity will be unable to print banknotes of higher denominations without software (not clear if unsecured or no); this has been claimed by two papers, but is unverified.

5. If Fidelity are worried about it, we do it, hehe; (I can’t think of why this story would be misinformation, although it may be Fidelity staff misunderstanding the stituation. Who cares. Panic about pay is good.)

6. They may be shooting themselves in the foot by declaring a national emergency, you’re so right Sally! However, even if it were to come to that, this article of TRIPS doesn’t necessarily imply that Jura would have to assist the regime to make the software work; basically, if the Bank/Fidelity can’t figure out the technology, and Jura can stop the high-security features, there’s nothing much the Bank can do about that. At this point we can confidently lobby the EU and Jura itself to stop all the software functionality they can.

7. We mustn’t stop pressing for more information or encouraging journalists to do so. Jura JSPs press statement isn’t just denial, it’s a completely lame attempt at denial; this is the lamest PR statemet I ever heard. Q I don’t understand. Fidelity Printers in panic but why when there is nothing to prevent (see statement of Jura JSP). Can somebody explain it? - A: Because Jura are rubbish at PR and not very good at denial. Because they are avoiding, as conscientious individuals and world citizens, HONESTLY CONSIDERING WHAT THEY ARE DOING. They are trying to fob this off, in terms which reveal that there IS still something they can do.

We are informing them that the spotlight of attention is on them because of their relationship with Fidelity Printers and will remain on them while we have concerns that they are extracting commercial advantage directly from Zimbabwe’s distress.

It is entirely up to them. But we will continue to highlight their relationship until they show that they are not taking any action that leads directly or indirectly to the murder and torture of our friends and relatives.

I believe, as I said before, that the last press statement is just step one from a standard PR handbook. Deny.

They haven’t said clearly that they receive no payment at all from Fidelities (via the Reserve Bank! probably). They haven’t said they have withdrawn the license and Fidelity are printing illegally.

Really, if they were committed to good relationships they would be willing to return the license fee. Even at the rate we print money, I doubt it is very high. We are a small country after all! Quite possible Zimbabwe has a lower turnover than they do!

Generally, I think it is a poor strategy to tell business what to do. We must put pressure on business to be proactive and tell us what they are doing a) not to be associated with the violence and destruction of Zimbabwe - inflation at this level is obviously destructive and b) to bring the situation in Zimbabwe to a satisfactory resolution. First do no evil. Then, do good.

If we get specific, businesses, go yeah and duck and dive. They are making money in Zim and paying their rent, their mortgages, feeding their children. Let them tell us how they are helping us.

The principle is that they must satisfy us that their business practice is responsible. I think all parties to our national dispute will agree on that! Zimbabweans are the arbiters of whether foreign business in Zimbabwe is up to scratch!

We’re still stewing on this one at the moment.

My perception - correct me if I am wrong - is that a banknote without security features is about as useful as a piece of paper run through an inkjet printer (although, in Zim, the inkjet verson would probably be worth more than the banknote!). In which case arguing that the security features must be stopped is still a worthwhile call to make.

We’re not asking Jura to stop the government produvcing banknotes - we’re asking that they help us prevent them from producing banknotes that have value? No?

What do you all think?

If anyone does manage to find more info on the way forward, please let us all know here.

In the meanwhile I am talking and thinking and will come back to this.

Thanks for all your help so far!

Hope

As for the “national emergency”, no such condition has yet been declared by Mugabe’s Government. Although there is in very truth a national and regional emergency as the whole world is aware, the ability securely to print billions of trillions of worthless Zim dollars primarily to succour the military, is completely irrelevant to the Zimbabwean people at this time since what they need is hard currency and a viable food supply.

It shouldn’t take too much legal argument for the EU to jump through that particular hoop, if there’s political will to do so.

Now we write to confirm that the last time they contracted with Fidelity was 2001 and that they currently have no commercial agreement with Zimbabwe.

What do you think?

Maybe someone with more expertise could comment? What international IT company, these days, issues and installs software with no time limit or local control to ensure an income stream? At the very least they could state that they will no longer provide security patches, service support, upgrades or whatever.

If they did withdraw the license (which is what we heard the Fidelity staff were afraid of, assuming that’s not just a wild rumour), then they could at least take legal action of some kind and get a court order, which might make no practical difference but symbolically shoves the Mugabe regime just that little bit more out in the cold.

Looks like we need to seek out more detailed information (or encourage journalists to do that), and keep up the pressure. What a pity one of those antisocial young people gifted with excess grey cells hasn’t yet thought to hack the Fidelity system and fix the problem at source!

TRIPS is trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights;

http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/TRIPS_e/TRIPS_e.htm

While this gives the author of software rights to withhold usage of their product, and Jura-JSP may have a claim to stop continued usage, another article can be cited, that in ‘times of national emergency’, any intellectual property right can be temporarily overridden, and this is what the article to which you refer, Tara,

Introduction:
http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/wha … grm7_e.htm

The actual TRIPS agreement:

http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal … s_01_e.htm

Article 31: Other Use Without Authorization of the Right Holder

see also
Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, Including Trade in Counterfeit Goods

We need a lawyer’s opinion. However it seems clear that Jura JSP are trying just to brush this off under the pretense of being pragmatic. That is all the defence they are actually citing. This will not stand. There seems every reason to think that this will be scrutinised by EU officials, under the sanctions bracket. Furthermore, they may look at WTO law which may be on the side of parties wishing to withdraw use of their intellectual property; however, in ‘times of national emergency’, any intellectual property right can be temporarily overridden.

The issue of whether Jura JSP CAN still stop production of high-security banknotes is only very ambiguously expressed and I’m sure they’ll be facing a lot more questions about this in coming days.

Hugely complex issues with TRIPS, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agreement_on_Trade-Related_Aspects_of_Intellectual_Property_Rights

http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/2008/07/zimbabwe-currency-under-threat.html

So that’s it then. There’s nothing to stop them printing legal tender to their heart’s content. The security features can’t have much significance anyway as the notes themselves are virtually worthless within a few days of issue. I don’t suppose a cashier could be bothered to hold these notes up to the light to check its authenticity anyway. The main headache for the authorities must still be the increasing shortage of notes in circulation due to the lack of paper. The army and the police don’t care about designs or watermarks, they just want to be paid. It’s going to be fun to see what happens when they can’t be.

24 July

Claims Austrian software is fuelling Zimbabwean Dictatorship

http://www.austriantimes.at/index.php?id=7719

See release on their site:

http://www.jura.at/en/press/PR_Jura_JSP_Zimbabwe.pdf

but at least this keeps the issue in the European public eye!

Tony
Bermuda