  Aims: To investigate structure of the hot object in the symbiotic prototype Z
And during its major 2000-03 active phase. Methods: Analysis of the far
ultraviolet, optical low- and high-resolution spectroscopy and UBVR photometry.
Reconstruction of the spectral energy distribution (SED) during the outburst.
The Raman scattering process. Results: At the initial stages of the outburst
the hot object was characterized by the two-temperature spectrum (a warm
stellar radiation and a strong nebular emission) with signatures of a
mass-outflow at moderate (100-200 km/s) and very high (1000-2000 km/s)
velocities. The corresponding structure of the hot object consists of an
optically thick, slowly-expanding disk-like material encompassing the accretor
at the orbital plane and a fast optically thin wind over the remainder of the
star. A striking similarity of [FeVII]6087 and Raman 6825 profiles at/after the
dilution of the disk suggested their origin within the interaction zone where
the winds from the binary components collide.
