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FACES & PLACES
07/09/2021 Premiere Of The Movie “Skok”
The biographical film “Skok” (Jump” is dedicated to the life of the young basketball player Natasa Kovacevic, who lost her leg in a car accident, at a time when her career was in its infancy. She was only 19 at the time. The entire film crew, led by Natasa Kovacevic, producer and screenwriter Aleksandar Miletic and director Ivica Vidanovic, bowed to the audience, to the applause of the entire hall. In addition to the central figure of the story, basketball legends of the Red Star and Partizan, as well as foreign officials, including the president of the Basketball Association of France, Jean-Pierre Sita, who also appears in the film, walked the red carpet.
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09/09/2021 IWC Meeting AT The Residence Of Pakistani Ambassador
The International Women’s Club of Belgrade held its first Coffee Morning event of the 2021-2022 club year on Wednesday September 8th. There was an unusually large crowd 76 people, a mix of members and guests. There were many ladies from the diplomatic community in attendance. IWC president Sonia Shehryar hosted the event at her residence, home of the Pakistani ambassador. Mrs. Shehryar spoke to the crowd, sharing interesting facts about Pakistan and thanking many people for their contributions to the IWC and to the book the club published to raise money for charities, Belgrade Through the Eyes of Foreigners.
The embassies of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, with the support of the Nordic Council of Ministers, have started the project “Strengthening the circular economy in Serbia - Nordic experiences”. The project was presented during a reception in the garden of the residence of the Ambassador of Norway to Serbia. H.E. Jørn Gjelstad. The intention of the embassies of the Nordic countries is to support Serbia in continuing to implement the principles of the circular economy, to share the experiences of their countries and raise awareness of local partners about the importance and benefits of circular economy, which affects each individual and society as a whole. Speaking about the importance of the circular economy, the Ambassador of Finland to Serbia, H.E. Kimmo Lähdevirta, said “Key actors in this area, including the business sector and citizens, need to understand how the circular economy works, in order to be part of the transition from a linear to a circular economy.”
14/09/2021 Western Balkans Rail Summit
In the European Year of Rail, at the beginning of the summit, “Connecting Europe Express” arrived at the Belgrade Center railway station, a train that travels through more than 100 cities, symbolically connecting Europe. The European Year of Rail is part of the EU’s efforts, and within the framework of the European Green Deal, which aim to transition to a sustainable economy through achieving climate neutrality by 2050. The event was organised by the Transport Community Permanent Secretariat, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and under the auspices the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure of Serbia.
On the occasion of the celebration of the National Day of Mexico and 75 years of diplomatic relations between Mexico and Serbia, the Embassy of Mexico in Serbia hosted a special ceremony at premises of the Embassy, attended by friends of the Embassy and the Mexican people.
President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic stated at a ceremony marking the Day of Serbian Unity, Freedom and the National Flag, that this is a holiday of identity, who we are as Serbs, where we come from and where we are going. Speaking on the Sava Square, near the monument to Stefan Nemanja, Vucic pointed out that King Petar Karadjordjevic the First handed over 51 regimental flags to his army in June and November 1911, and underlined that none of them had been captured, which is a precedent in the history of modern warfare. According to him, the date chosen, 15 September, is the date of the breakthrough of the Thessaloniki Front – the day in which both our pain and our glory lie.
FACES PLACES&
15/09/2021 NALED Marked 15 Jubilee Years Of Work At Its September Gathering
NALED members and partners gathered on at the traditional September gathering at the White Palace, to celebrate 15 years of successful work on creating better living and working conditions in Serbia. Respecting all epidemiological measures, NALED hosted more than 500 state and local leaders, businessmen, representatives of the international community and the diplomatic corps at the White Palace. The event was opened by the Executive Director and the first NALED employee, Violeta Jovanović and the President of the Managing Board Vladislav Cvetković.
16/09/2021 International Networking Cocktail
The event was held at the Metropol Hotel in Belgrade, which gathered over 200 members of 11 bilateral chambers of commerce in Serbia, with the aim of improving mutual cooperation. The International Networking Cocktail has already become traditional and is organized for the fourth time. The goal of this event is to improve the cooperation between foreign bilateral chambers in Serbia and their members, which is already at an enviable level. The guests were greeted by the presidents of the chambers.
17/09/2021 Japan Bestows The Order Of The Rising Sun Decoration To Goran Ciric
In the April of this year, the Government of Japan has made public the recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun, conferred by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan on foreign nationals who have made distinguished contributions to enhancing friendly relations with Japan. The Embassy of Japan led by Ambassador H.E. Katsumata Takahiko awarded the honorable decoration to the former chairman of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Japan, Mr. Goran Ciric.
18/09/2021 Italian-Serbian Film Festival
The Italian-Serbian Film Festival, organized by the cultural association Excellence International in cooperation with the Italian Embassy in Belgrade, the Italian Institute of Culture in Belgrade, the Yugoslav Cinematheque and the Italian Experimental Center for Cinematography, is being organized for the sixth time. Under the auspices of the Italian Ministry of Culture and the Luce Cinecitta Institute, the Festival was held in accordance with current epidemiological measures, in the striking ambience of the Yugoslav Cinematheque. At the conference announcing the event spoke H.E. Carlo Lo Cascio, Ambassador of Italy, Gabriela Carlucci - Artistic Director of the Festival, Marjan Vujovic - Director of the Museum of the Yugoslav Cinematheque, Roberto Cinkota - Director of the Italian Institute of Culture in Belgrade and Andjelka Jankovic - Representative of Iervolino Studios.
20/09/2021 Embassy Of Korea Hosts Concert Of Korean Traditional Music And Dance
The Embassy of the Republic of Korea hosted a concert of Korean traditional music and dance at the Terazije Theater on 8 September. Six Korean traditional performers associated with the Berliner Korean Cultural Center (Berliner GaMuAk) have been invited to this stage. Various Korean traditional music and dance performances were presented on the stage, such as Samulnori (Korean quartet with traditional percussion), Gayageum Sanjo (Korean zither performance accompanied by Yanggua) and SeungMu (dance of Buddhist nuns). H. E. Hyong-chan Che, thanked the guests for attending the event despite the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, and expressed satisfaction that a concert of Korean traditional music and dance is being held again in Serbia and Montenegro.
FACES PLACES&
20/09/2021 Wreath Laying In Honor Of Dr. Elsie Inglis And Members Of The Scottish Women’s Hospital
The Deputy Ambassador of the British Embassy in Serbia, Chantel Kerr, and the military attaché, Colonel Sasa Toumes, laid a wreath at the Crkvenac memorial fountain in Mladenovac, built in 1915 by soldiers of the Moravian Division in gratitude to Dr. Elsie Inglis and other members of the Scottish Women’s Hospital. Elsie Inglis (1864-1917) was a British humanitarian worker and activist for the social emancipation and political rights of women. She was one of the first women to complete her medical studies at the University of Edinburgh.
21/09/2021 Exhibition Marks The Jubilee Of The Non-Aligned Movement
A part of the celebration of six decades since the first conference of the Non-Aligned Movement was held in Belgrade at the Museum of Yugoslavia. The exhibition “Prometheus of the New Century” was inspired by the relations between the founders of the movement, Yugoslavia and India, in the field of art and culture. The exhibition, whose authors are Ana Panić and Jovana Nedeljković, paid special attention to the works of the great Yugoslav painter Petar Lubarda.
25/09/2021 Closing Ceremony Of The 54/55th Bitef
The closing ceremony of the 54th and 55th editions of the Bitef Festival included a rerun of the play Flash, on the stage of Oliver and Rade Markovic at the Belgrade Drama Theater. After the performance-installation by the French artist Frank Vigrou, a solemn announcement of the award winners was held, after which the guests enjoyed music and socializing. The Grand Prix “Mira Trailović” equally went to the two performances “I enchanted you” and “Cement Belgrade”.
It Pays TO BE GREEN
Serbian citizens are painfully aware of climate change, biodiversity loss and resource scarcity, and – regardless of their political aspirations – they strive to have a country where each and every business, public body or fellow citizen will feel a responsibility to preserve the environment. This makes us at least a little bit Nordic.
The Danish Embassy in Belgrade recently became a buyer of the green energy provided by state Power Company Elektroprivreda Srbije. Symbolically, this represents one more step in confirming that Nordic countries are eager to support the Serbian economy’s transition to the circular model.
Many more examples that lead in the same direction have been evident throughout Serbia. Those interested in Nordic solutions for waste and biowaste management had the opportunity to talk to Danish and Norwegian experts in Novi Sad. Sweden and Finland facilitated similar conferences in Kragujevac and Niš, while the final conference will be held in Belgrade on 12th October. This last event is related to policies and legislation related to the circular economy.
This series of events has been co-organised by the four Nordic Embassies in Belgrade, under the patronage of the Nordic Serbian citizens, as demonstrated all over the country, are in need of more trees, better air, much better water and sustainable and responsible waste management solutions
Council of Ministers, and covers all aspects of support that Nordic countries may provide to Serbia to help it transition from a country that sets a record in Europe for pollution-related deaths measured per capita, according to the 2019 report of the Global Alliance for Health and Pollution, to an environmentally friendly place.
It would be superfluous to state that a lot can be learnt from the global champions of green transition, in terms of adequate polices and commercial solutions that foster innovation, smart growth and the creation of new jobs.
Indeed, Nordic companies from both the public and private sectors have expertise and technology to resolve different environmental issues. For example, Denmark is a global leader in district heating, where connecting as many households as possible to district heating networks may significantly reduce air pollution. In Serbia, where the individual heating of households represents an important source of pollution, this experience is worth considering. The same applies to the example of food waste solutions, where lots of initiatives are mushrooming in cooperation between NGOs, the start-up community and large supermarkets.
This publication is dotted with first-hand examples of good practices from municipalities, public company experts and the like, and offers a glimpse into ideas that may lead the state, municipalities, businesses and citizens toward sustainable, environmentally-friendly solutions.
Serbia recently took some steps towards embracing a circular economy: the Ministry of Environmental Protection laid the groundwork for the strategy and developed a three-year action plan that must, step by step, lead Serbia along the often-challenging path towards a circular economy.
Serbian citizens, as demonstrated all over the country, are in need of more trees, better air, much better water and sustainable and responsible waste management solutions. In contrast to many other issues where citizens have often opposed visions, motivations and expectations, the preservation of the environment is a topic that reconciles voices from each and every side of the spectrum. This would certainly provide strong motivation for any government to sincerely embrace the green future. And, as the Nordic examples show, such a future creates stronger GDP growth, new jobs and a better society for all.
Pollution Doesn’t Have A NATIONALITY
The Nordic countries understand that pollution doesn’t respect borders and that environmental cooperation among countries can benefit all. That’s why we are eager to exchange views and cooperate with countries like Serbia.
Serbia recently received a new donation of Danish humanitarian aid in the form of protective medical equipment that was provided via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, but this is only one example of the support that the Danish government provides to the Western Balkan countries, including Serbia. We spoke with our interlocutor, H.E. Susanne Shine, Ambassador of Denmark to Serbia, about different areas of support, exchanges of knowledge and possible areas of cooperation related to foreign direct investments and the circular economy, where Denmark and other Nordic countries have superb knowhow and practises.
“Denmark has been keen to support Western Balkan countries in their efforts to medically combat COVID-19. For example, at the request of the Serbian authorities, Denmark recently donated FFP2 protective masks valued at more than €350,000 to Serbia and, similarly, medical equipment worth €1 million to North Macedonia. Additionally, Denmark has offered to donate a million vaccines to countries in the Western Balkans, such as Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia and others. While I’m proud of Denmark’s eagerness to help the Western Balkans, I particularly want to thank the Serbian authorities for their well-organised response to COVID-19 and the exemplary way in which they provided vaccinations to diplomatic staff in Serbia,” says Ambassador Shine.
Danish companies operate successfully in Serbia. Have their experiences helped convince other Danish investors to consider Serbia as a destination for their investments? - As you point out, a number of Danish companies are already operating successfully in Serbia, and I believe there are many more opportunities for Danish companies. In my work to attract more Danish companies, I use the success of Danish companies that are already operating in Serbia to illustrate the opportunities that exist here. Serbia provides excellent support to foreign investors, along with a qualified workforce, and increased global freight costs have also made it more relevant for Danish companies to relocate their foreign production operations to Europe. Nearshoring and shorter supply chains have become important factors for companies worldwide. The actions of Danish companies are the best indication of how they perceive Serbia. For example, Danish company Grundfos started production in Serbia a decade ago and today employs over 900 Serbian citizens and has become one of the country’s top 10 exporters. Grundfos has now started building
SUPPORT
Excellent support to foreign investors, along with a qualified workforce, have made Serbia attractive to Danish companies that are eager to relocate their foreign production operations to Europe
SUPPORT
Denmark has been keen to support Western Balkan countries in their efforts to medically combat COVID-19
a new production facility next to its existing factory. In July of this year, I was happy to join Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić and others in breaking the ground for this new building, which will be fully equipped with solar panels and a Bio-Booster for cleaning its wastewater. Other examples of booming Danish companies are Better Collective and Kentaur, which have both grown to almost 200 employees in less than five years.
Denmark has spent years investing in researching sustainability and green solutions, while you also conscientiously care for the environment. What advice would you give to Serbia and its citizens, who are increasingly gathering to fight to protect their rivers, forests and air quality? - The green transition in Denmark began with the oil crisis back in the 1970s. Decades of development have progressively transformed the Danish economy into a green one and given Denmark an environmental position that it uses to share experiences and help other countries on their own green journeys. Hopefully, other countries can learn from our experiences and, thus, cut years off their journeys. Grassroots initiatives have also been integral to Denmark’s green transition, and we have also seen many public-private partnerships, such as State of Green (stateofgreen.com), which gather not just state institutions and companies, but also universities, municipalities and civil society.
Your predecessor once said that Denmark isn’t rich enough to discard anything. But what are your experiences when it comes to food recycling, which represents an important part of the circular economy? - In recent years, Danes have become increasingly conscious of the economic and environmental costs of food loss and waste, and have become more focused on reuse and recycling.
There is no governmental regulation preventing people from wasting food in Denmark. However, as part of Denmark’s nationwide recycling programme, unused food is separated from other recycling and collected from households for use in biogas production. Danes have also supported a number of sustainable and innovative initiatives to reduce the amount of biowaste. For example, there is an app called “Too Good To Go (https://toogoodtogo.
com)” which supermarkets, restaurants and bakeries use to offer perfectly fresh food in goodie-bags at the end of the day, at substantially reduced price. Check out similar websites, such as “Eatgrim (eat ugly) (https://eatgrim.com)” a subscription service for food that is perfectly good but does not comply with the standard size, shape etc., and https://foedevarebanken.
RECYCLING
Danes have become increasingly conscious of the economic and environmental costs of food loss and waste, and have become more focused on reuse and recycling
dk/, which delivers surplus food to poor and vulnerable people in need.
The circular economy, of course, encompasses a very broad area. Which topics will the upcoming October conference focus on exploring? - The first in a series of four Nordic conferences just took place in Novi Sad on 15th September. Danish and Norwegian experts spoke about Nordic solutions for the management of waste and bio-waste. It was a fascinating conference that included highly constructive discussions with Serbian stakeholders. Later in September, Sweden and Finland will facilitate similar conferences in Kragujevac and Niš. The final conference will be held in Belgrade on 12th October and will focus on policies and legislation related to the circular economy. This series of conferences has been organised jointly by the four Nordic Embassies in Belgrade, under the patronage of the Nordic Council of Ministers.
What kinds of opportunities exist for greater cooperation between Serbia and Nordic countries in this area? - The Nordic countries are frontrunners in many areas, not least the environment. We can offer expertise and technology, from both the public and private sectors, to solve different environmental issues. One potential area of cooperation is district heating, where Denmark is a global leader. During our conference in Vrdnik in May, representatives of the Danish Board of District Heating discussed the advantages of connecting as many households as possible to district heating networks in order to reduce air pollution. They also discussed constructive ways of switching to greener sources of energy, such as biomass. The Nordic countries understand that pollution does not respect borders and that environmental cooperation among countries can benefit all. That’s why we frequently have regionally aligned policies and are eager to exchange views and cooperate with countries like Serbia.
KIMMO LÄHDEVIRTA,AMBASSADOR OF FINLAND TO SERBIA
Along with other Nordic embassies in Serbia and the Nordic Business Alliance, but also the Nordic Council of Ministers, Finland is sharing its vast expertise in digitalisation and the development of the IT sector and the circular economy, where Serbia is showing some promising results but also faces some tough challenges related to environmental protection.
We’ve seen continuing dynamic political dialogue and a high degree of mutual understanding between Finland and Serbia over the previous few years, particularly in the context of Finnish support to Serbia’s European integration process. As such, our first question for Finnish Ambassador to Serbia Kimmo Lähdevirta was how much has this process has advanced since the period of your country’s 2019 EU presidency?
“Being aware of all the benefits of EU membership, Finland is a strong supporter of Serbia’s EU accession and we hope it will speed up in the coming period. At the moment, the main reason the process is lagging behind is the lack of results in the field of the rule of law,” says our interlocutor. “We therefore encourage Serbia to concentrate on rule of law reforms, especially the fight against organised crime and corruption, media freedom and providing a safe environment for the work of journalists and civil society organisations. In addition, the outcome of the ongoing interparty dialogue, facilitated by EU mediators, is of great importance when one considers the dire need to increase trust in the electoral process in Serbia. All these efforts, regardless of how we name them, are essential for advancing the EU integration process.”
The trade exchange between our two countries hasn’t been hit significantly during the pandemic, although it remains at a fairly low level. In your opinion, what’s the key to further progress? - There has been a positive trend in the trade exchange between Finland and Serbia year on year, even during the pandemic. However, there is still a lot of potential for trade growth. In my opinion, it is of key importance to raise awareness among Finnish companies about business opportunities in Serbia and vice versa. The Embassy of Finland has supported the sharing of knowhow in different fields that are important for improving the business environment in Serbia. We usually operate as part of the Nordic team, by joining forces with other Nordic embassies in Serbia, the Nordic Business Alliance and the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Direct, face-to-face contacts usually yield the best results, and thus we should work on creating opportunities where our people and companies can meet and start developing
EXPECTATIONS
I very much hope that the steps currently being taken by the Government of Serbia will translate into tangible results in the areas of the rule of law, media freedom and interparty dialogue
business relations. In this regard, we are happy to announce that the Embassy team has a new member as of this summer: Mr Janne Sykkö, whose task is to promote trade between Finland and Serbia, as well as other Balkan countries.
How is bilateral cooperation unfolding in the domain of digitalisation and IT sector development? - Finland is the most digitalised country in Europe and one of the global frontrunners in 5G mobile communications technology. Therefore, cooperation with other countries in the fields of digitalisation and IT are high on our agenda. Our goal in Serbia has been to maintain a continuous public-private dialogue between the Nordic companies and institutions and the most relevant local stakeholders. In this context, together with other Nordic embassies, we have organised seminars and conferences focused on the digitalisation of public administration in Serbia, digital solutions to make public procurements more efficient and transparent, smart cities and related digital tools and solutions.
During the course of the COVID-19 Pandemic, all countries have undergone a swift transition to working online, including in the field of education. When it comes to the field of digitalising education, which of Finland’s experiences could Serbia utilise? - When the pandemic forced schools to operate fully online, the expertise and flexibility of Finnish teachers were crucial in handling the crisis. The principles of Finnish education are equality, high quality and respect for every student’s right to learn and grow to become the person they are – and achieving and maintaining that requires relentless work every day. I believe that all education systems should uphold the same principles, while instruments to do so have to take local contexts into account.
The process of building an institutional framework for the environmental sector has been underway in Serbia since 2018. What kind of
DIGITALISATION
We cooperate with the Serbian authorities in the fields of digitalisation and IT, as well as on promotion of the use of artificial intelligence
COOPERATION
There has been a positive trend in the trade exchange between Finland and Serbia year on year, even during the pandemic
progress has been made in this sphere, in your opinion, and what does the very energised activity of Serbian citizens in terms of protecting water sources and forests, and the struggle for clean air, tell you? - It is very encouraging that Serbian citizens are increasingly active in the field of environmental protection. Globally, citizens are often the first to react to ecological risks in their surroundings, and that’s why it’s important to
The Nordic embassies, in cooperation with the Nordic Council of Ministers and local stakeholders, are organising a series of events on the circular economy that are taking place in Novi Sad, Kragujevac, Niš and Belgrade during September and October
have a high level of awareness regarding these issues among the population. In addition, when citizens demand green policies, politicians and authorities have to uphold and apply them in practise.
We have to admit that there are still significant challenges when it comes to environmental protection in Serbia. There is a need for the wider use of renewable energy sources, to transition from the linear to the circular economy and a stronger commitment to fighting climate change. Finland, along with other Nordic countries, can assist Serbia in this green transition.
To what extent is the circular economy part of Finland’s day-to-day reality and which experiences from this area could find applicability in Serbia? - Finland has a history of developing circular solutions, which include new business models and new ways to consider an item’s life cycle. It was the first country in the world to prepare a national circular economy roadmap in 2016. Our cities are already working on solutions to become carbon neutral and implement circular economy principles in practise. For example, the City of Lahti is the European Green Capital for 2021 and it serves as a great example of how circular economy solutions can be applied. Having this in mind, we can really say that the circular economy is a Finnish day-to-day reality and that we are honest when it comes to promoting it worldwide. From 13th to 15th September, Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, together with Canada, organised the World Circular Economy Forum 2021. It was hosted in North America for the first time and focused on the system-level changes, or “game changers,” that are needed to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.
Here in Serbia, the Nordic embassies, in cooperation with the Nordic Council of Ministers and local stakeholders, including the Ministry of Environment, NALED and the Circular Economy Hub of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, are organising a series of events on the circular economy. These events, which are taking place in Novi Sad, Kragujevac, Niš and Belgrade during September and October, aim to share the Nordic experiences in this field, increase the awareness of local stakeholders regarding the circular economy and provide proposals on how to continue the implementation of these principles in Serbia.
We believe that we can together turn problems into opportunities and achieve results for a cleaner and brighter future. Those of us in the North started earlier, so we have learned some lessons the hard way. And we want to share those lessons with Serbia, so that this society can avoid our mistakes and reproduce our success stories.
Norway is a consistent supporter of the socioeconomic development of the Western Balkans, and it cooperates closely with local and national governments, international organisations and civil society to achieve the best possible results.
“I would particularly highlight our model for support to local businesses, especially in the less developed municipalities in Serbia,” says Jørn Eugen Gjelstad, Ambassador of Norway to Serbia.
The applied Norwegian model is actually quite simple: public calls for support are announced and the best proposals are awarded grants for implementation, with substantial technical assistance and guidance provided over the course of the project.
“One of the most successful calls was targeting business support entities, enabling them to support local businesses in a coordinated manner,” says our interlocutor. “We see time and time again that small businesses, through relatively minor financial support from our side, are able to increase their production capacity and productivity, employ more people, identify new markets or production technologies, and obtain certificates that open the door to exports to the European market.”
Norway’s assistance to Serbia is directed towards SMEs in relation to energy efficiency. How many of these kinds of projects were instigated in 2020? - Norway is focused primarily on increasing the compliance of SMEs with the industrial emissions directive of the European Union, which relates to the improvement of their competitiveness, performance and resilience. However, we have implemented a number of energy efficiency projects in the public sector in Serbia, including the Centre for Social Work in Bela Palanka, a nursery school in Babušnica and a library in Golubac. Norway also supported the reconstruction of the Dositej Obradović Primary School in Bela Crkva and the Veljko Dugošević Culture Centre in Kučevo. All these projects improved the energy efficiency of the public institutions in question.
From the perspective of Serbian enterprises, energy efficiency and the circular economy are mostly viewed as being primarily connected to expensive investments. What does Norway’s experience in this area tell us in that regard? - Industrial transformations are always costly, but virtually all experts agree that we need to cut emissions drastically. The alternative is catastrophic for the globe, both for the environment and for societies. Green energy, energy efficiency and the circular economy represent the backbone of the path forward. And I believe you are right in pointing out that it should be seen as an investment, rather than a cost. Investments in technology tend to yield excellent results in the long run, and the future is green. Businesses and societies that don’t invest in the future will fall behind. In today’s global markets, going green is a matter of competitiveness. I believe that Norwegian businesses are not willing to accept the risk associated with not investing in the green future. The proposed European carbon border adjustment mechanism is a clear signal that the EU is serious about the green transformation, and that its trading partners need to follow suit. This is an additional reminder and incentive, both
RECOGNITION
Making a big impact in local communities is precisely the aim of the “Norway for You” project, which in itself has become a recognised development brand both in Serbia and around the region
for Norwegian and Serbian businesses, to speed up the green transformation in both countries.
We will have an opportunity to hear more about this topic in early October, at the conference that you’re preparing. What will be the main messages of this event? - The main message is that we are enthusiastic about the future of Serbia! We believe that we can together turn problems into opportunities and achieve results for a cleaner and brighter future. And this is exactly what the green shift and the circular economy are about! We take the waste and turn it into a resource, into “gold”, so to say. Climate change has forced us all to realise that what we have been doing over the last century or so is not sustainable. We must limit pollution too. We cannot endanger the lives of our children and jeopardise their future. We must preserve nature while creating jobs and prosperity. Those things do not need to be mutually exclusive! There are a lot of opportunities there. We just need to do things differently. Let’s work together. Those of us in the North started earlier, so we have learned some lessons the hard way. And we want to share those lessons with Serbia, so that this society can avoid our mistakes and reproduce our success stories. Free of charge!
Norway has been providing assistance to Serbia’s healthcare system for many years, as well as the healthcare systems of other Western Balkan countries. To what extent has this support helped Western Balkan countries navigate the pandemic with relatively high success? - Norway has a highly developed capacity to respond quickly to crises and disasters by allocating targeted resources for dire needs. I was both proud and happy to see that we managed, during the first phase of this outbreak, to act accordingly and make significant funds available for Serbia to mitigate the effect of this crisis, including the procurement of respirators, PCR tests and protective equipment. This was an immediate act of solidarity, deeply rooted in the long-term friendship between our two countries. Nevertheless, I
COMMITMENT
Norway will continue its close engagement with the health authorities in Serbia and the Western Balkan region in order to enhance the overall efficiency and capacity of the healthcare systems
COOPERATION
The concept of regional cooperation has long traditions in all Nordic countries. It is therefore encouraging that a similar cooperation model is being developed for the Western Balkans
think it’s important to stress that no country was fully prepared or equipped to handle, or even predict, the immediate consequences of the pandemic. Furthermore, the procurement of sophisticated equipment was complicated by the extremely high demand and limited capacity on the side of suppliers. - The “Open Balkans” initiative was launched just recently with strong political support by the leaders of Albania, Serbia and North Macedonia. Like its predecessor, the “mini-Schengen” initiative, Open Balkans aims to further strengthen regional cooperation in the Western Balkans, through increased
Norway sees regional initiatives like “Open Balkans” as being complimentary to the ongoing EU accession processes, and stands ready to support tangible initiatives that can facilitate cooperation across the region
Your country has repeatedly supported the “mini-Schengen” concept, which has now been renamed the “Open Balkans”. How much progress has been made on this cooperation and are there elements that are beginning to resemble cooperation between Nordic countries? economic cooperation, the free movement of people, dissemination of technology and access to higher education, services and culture. The concept of regional cooperation has long traditions in all Nordic countries. Nordic cooperation is based on a set of shared norms, values and a common history, and stands out as one of the oldest, most comprehensive and successful partnerships we have today. It is therefore encouraging that a similar cooperation model is being developed for the Western Balkans, and I believe it has strong potential to improve quality of life for ordinary citizens. Some progress has been made, but a lot remains to be achieved. It is time to focus on implementation.
Great Room FOR PROGRESS
As friends of Serbia, we want to cooperate with and support Serbia in meeting the conditions for its EU integration. I believe in particular that there is great room for progress on environmental issues, and we are working with the Serbian government on many projects aimed at improving the quality of life of the Serbian people.
Sweden has provided strategic, predictable and long-term support to Serbia’s EU integration process for over two decades. This assistance has a number of strands that come together to support processes that are indeed building blocks to full membership: rule of law, public sector governance and accountability, economic performance and employment generation, the protection of natural resources and fundamental rights.
With a total value of eight per cent of Serbia’s GDP (approximately €3.8 billion in 2019), public procurement is a very powerful tool to direct public spending towards better services where the citizens need them.
“For citizens, it matters how the economy fares and how resources are distributed and spent,” says H.E. Annika Ben David, Ambassador Designate of Sweden to Serbia. “Citizens want value for their tax money, but this value does not literally translate into how little you spend. It also includes a measure of effectiveness and efficiency in the use of public resources. We exert additional effort to harness this purchasing power to buy more sustainable goods and services, and both the environment and society will benefit.”
The project “Effective public procurement for economic growth”, which is being financed by Sweden and implemented by NALED (National Association for Local Economic Development), aims to help Serbia strengthen its knowledge base and streamline its public procurement procedures through further digitalisation and an inclusive public-private dialogue.
As our interlocutor explains: “a dialogue between the public and private sectors was launched this summer, with July being dubbed “the month of public procurement”. However, we want this dialogue to continue every day until we reach an average of 3.5 bids per tender, instead of the current 2.5. The momentum for an open dialogue about moving environmental considerations higher up the list of criteria is here and we should use it”.
Early October will see the staging of Nordic conferences dedicated to promoting the circular economy in Serbia. Which conference topics would you single out for the special attention of our readers? - I believe that would be the issue of waste management. We are aware of the problems that many Serbian cities are having with landfill sites and waste treatment. The Nordic countries had similar problems and have learned to view waste as a resource; a resource that can be used to create energy, fuel, heating
DEMOCRACY
Quality of life can’t be improved without strong institutions and a vibrant democracy. Strong institutions and their accountability are essential elements of any democracy
SUPPORT
Sweden is a strong supporter of Serbia’s EU integration. Our countries have strong ties, not least because of the large Serbian diaspora resident in our country
OPPORTUNITY
By keeping products and materials in use and recycling energy and waste, we will create new jobs and hatch new businesses in a resilient and inclusive way
and many other components that can make our cities function in an environmentally-friendly way. This marked the start of an important change in our societies.
Instead of discarding waste, it has become a resource that creates jobs and innovative industries. Together with the Serbian Government and more than 17 local municipalities, and through financing from the EU (the IPA project Source Separation in Four regions), we are now preparing for large scale source separation reform to be launched in Serbia. This investment covers more than 800,000 citizens! And it will boost the circular economy in the years to come.
The Nordic countries responded to the need to control the spread of infection in quite different ways during the pandemic. Which of your positive experiences would you share with our readers? - I am aware of the widespread international attention the Swedish response to the COVID-19 pandemic has generated, including in the Serbian media.
The Swedish national strategy was set up by the Swedish Public Health Agency. The strategy was designed to consider public health from a broader perspective than just the pandemic. Considerations such as mental health, obesity and the socioeconomic impact of regulations were considered. The model was not perfect, and like many countries we failed to protect groups among the elderly and most vulnerable. I think evaluations on best practices should be conducted primarily by experts. Thanks to a successful vaccination campaign and low levels of hospitalisations, we are this month lifting most of the remaining restrictions.
Currently, 75% of the Swedish population aged over 16 has been vaccinated with two doses. Looking back, we can see that the pandemic created a situation with no ready answers. I’m glad that we decided to keep our primary schools open. This proved not to lead to any increasing contamination, but to kids not having their education interrupted. For their health and wellbeing, going to school meant psychological normalcy, a hot meal and psychosocial problems not going unnoticed. Moreover, their parents were able to continue working, including in sectors that have been under great stress: hospitals and elderly care, for example.
All in all, I believe that even though our model wasn’t without problems, it still seems to have worked very much thanks to the general public’s strong trust in our institutions, experts and science. It has allowed us to keep our society open.
Together with the Serbian Government and more than 17 local municipalities, and through financing from the EU, we are now preparing to launch large scale source separation reform in Serbia
Sweden has established good cooperation with the Serbian Ministry of the Environment and the City of Niš regarding wastewater treatment, and your country’s greater engagement in this area has also been announced. Do you agree with your predecessor, Ambassador Lundin, that this is among the crucial topics for Serbia’s European integration? - It is often said that pollution knows no borders – and clearly combatting air and water pollution is a shared purpose for all EU countries. The focus of Sweden’s development cooperation in Serbia – strengthening EU integration – is right on target. We have strong cooperation on the environment and climate.
Serbia has high ambitions to increase wastewater treatment over the coming years. Together with the Government, municipalities and the EU, Sweden is preparing for large scale investments in waste treatment, for example in the City of Niš, but also in the City of Čačak. We also have inter-municipality cooperation between Swedish and Serbian municipalities on water and waste-water management, for example preserving the quality of water in Lake Ćelije!
In order to create successful projects and investments, we work actively with our Serbian partners to: achieve EU environmental standards, strengthen intermunicipal cooperation and build projects in close cooperation with the local administration and citizens. This is important for us to gain sustainable projects that improve the quality of life in Serbia.
Which other areas provide great room for progress within the scope of Serbia’s EU integration? - Quality of life can’t be improved without strong institutions and a vibrant democracy. That’s why a third of our development assistance goes towards strengthening institutions and their accountability, the rule of law, anti-corruption and media freedom. These are all essential elements of any democracy.
DEJAN LAKOVSKI, COUNTRY CLUSTER DIRECTOR, ASTRAZENECA
Proud To SAVE LIVES
AstraZeneca is among the leaders in the research and development of innovative medicines, as part of efforts to deliver the most advanced therapies and scientific achievements. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries, while its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide
This company has delivered over 1.3 billion doses to over 170 countries in the space of just one year! Nothing on this scale has ever previously been attempted, but AstraZeneca managed, in a matter of months, to do what would normally take years. And it has done so for the benefit of all, without any financial interest.
In which therapy areas are you most dominant? - AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company. Our business is organised to deliver our strategic priorities sustainably, supporting continued scientific innovation and commercial success. We focus on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines in Oncology and BioPharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. In addition to our core therapy areas, we added a fourth engine of growth recently, with the addition of Alexion’s rare disease business.
The financial results you published recently were quite good, as covered widely by the media. Could you share more details? - AstraZeneca is on a strong growth trajectory. We have grown at a double-digit rate for the last two years. We are accelerating our double-digit growth this year and expect the company to continue growing in double digits until 2025. Growth is robust across all regions and disease areas, as we continue to advance our portfolio of life-changing medicines.
With increased investment in R&D, we continue to invest in the future of AstraZeneca and build on our already significant achievements.
AstraZeneca in the Balkans is no exception and contributes strongly, with 12.7% growth this year to date, while introducing innovations to meet significant need across the area.
Serbia is equally positioned within our Balkan cluster and is doing very well in a challenging environment. We have a great team in place and will continue and accelerate our growth and investement plans moving forward.
AstraZeneca has become very well known globally over the last year. Is this due to the fact that you quickly developed an effective vaccine against the novel coronavirus? - The company has been present for well over a century. Astra was founded in Sweden in 1913. And it was in 1999 that it merged with Zeneca Group PLC, which was formed when ICI Pharmaceuticals (a UK-based company founded in 1926) demerged three of its businesses.
The Vaxzevria vaccine was developed by Oxford University’s Jenner Institute, working with the Oxford Vaccine Group. The partnership with Oxford University is unprecedented. It was negotiated in just 10 days, as an urgent response to the escalation of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The team at Oxford recognised that a partnership with AstraZeneca would accelerate global clinical development, scale up manufacturing and crucially drive broad and equitable access around the world.
Are you proud that AstraZeneca was among the leaders of this global, life-saving project? - Yes. We are incredibly proud of what we’ve done and the difference we’ve made. We save lives. This is a vaccine for the world and AstraZeneca has done more than any
other company to make the vaccine available, at no profit, to countries regardless of income level. The majority of our vaccine doses have gone to low- and lower-middle-income countries, accounting for more than half of all COVAX deliveries, which we were the first to sign up for across the entire industry.
The pandemic has shown that continuous and wise investments in healthcare are important for both the life and health of the people, but also for the economy and stability of a society. Have we learned our lesson for the future? - While the vaccine is the key element that will help the world return to normal, we must also look beyond and at the way in which we rebuild our health systems. The broader issue of the resilience and sustainability of healthcare systems must be where our attention shifts once we overcome the immediate challenges of the pandemic. That’s why, alongside our partners at the World Economic Forum and London School of Economics, we initiated the Partnership for Health System Sustainability and Resilience (PHSSR).
From new models of care to innovative financing mechanisms and breakthrough technologies, the PHSSR aims to identify solutions with the greatest potential across multiple healthcare systems and assess ways to support their adoption, with the ultimate ambition of better understanding the policy options and other tools that can build healthcare system resilience and sustainability.
We brought together policymakers, academics and the private sector to discuss how to implement these findings to really make a difference on the ground. The first phase of the PHSSR concluded successfully in March 2021, while the second phase has just begun.
AstraZeneca has specially designed programmes for the youth. Could you tell us more about that? - Wherever we work in the world, we aim to have a positive impact on people and their communities. An example of that is the Young Health Programme (YHP) that was launched 10 years ago. This is a global non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention programme with a unique focus on young people aged 10 to 24. In partnership with UNICEF, the YHP has reached more than 30 countries and 12 million young people with information about NCD and risk factors for mental health issues and obesity. This also includes acting on smoking prevention among the youth, which is the focus of the YHP that we’ve had in Serbia since 2018.
You invest a great deal of your time and finances on promoting illness prevention and healthy lifestyles, but your business is manufacturing and selling medicines. Are these two areas not contradictory? - We believe they are not, as we recognise health as a human right. Our approach goes beyond our medicines. We provide healthNordic Countries & Serbia 2021 15
care solutions along a continuum of care - from prevention, awareness, diagnosis and treatment, to post-treatment and wellness.
Healthcare is our core business; we seek to prevent disease and support people on their path to better health. For those who have been diagnosed with a condition, we strive to ensure access to effective treatment.
At AstraZeneca, we truly place patients‘ benefits at the heart of everything we do. One of the many examples of our values being put into action are our efforts in Oncology. Our focus is on some of the most hostile and hard-to-treat cancers. Our bold ambition is to find a cure for cancer, by first transforming it into a chronic disease, but that is just a transition step and is already a reality. AstraZeneca has medicines that are already established around the world and which provide, for example, more than five years with no signs of deterioration following a devastating ovarian cancer diagnosis, or three years of additional life for a person with lung cancer, both in the case of positive genetic predispositions.
And this is the type of reality that we also want to see being advanced in Serbia, through the improving of access to healthcare and investments in personalised medicine, as well as the implementing of
principles of initiating treatment during earlier stages. The innovative medicines that allow earlier treatment of cancer are saving and improving patients‘ lives and also supporting the general efficiency of the healthcare system. We believe that we are working towards a future where all people in Serbia have access to sustainable healthcare solutions for life-changing treatment and prevention.
Tell us something about you, your career... - I joined AstraZeneca at the beginning of March 2021 as Cluster Country Director, Balkans, which encompasses Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and other Western Balkan countries. I have over 20 years of experience in the pharma industry and an extensive background in successfully leading teams across countries in this part of Europe. Being a medical doctor by education, placing patients at the heart of every decision and action is my nature, so joining the patient-focused AstraZeneca was an intuitive step. In my new role, I look forward to building a diverse, strong and forward-looking team that plays a key role in accelerating the company‘s growth in the Balkan region, focusing on new launches and raising organisational capabilities by implementing an innovative model of customer and patient engagement.
DRAGAN RAJKOVIĆ,TETRA PAK REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR, EUROPE & CENTRAL ASIA
Fully Committed To Serbia’s GREEN TRANSITION
It’s been 70 years since we started producing a beverage carton that should save more than it costs. Serbia is one of the key spots on our global map, and our Gornji Milanovac factory is one of the best in class. The COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated how important it is to have a resilient food system and to make food safe and available everywhere. Serbia and its major food manufacturers have done an excellent job of keeping the dairy and juice infrastructure going during these very challenging times.
Today, more than ever, our business is very dedicated to climate neutrality, biodiversity preservation and effective waste management. Plant-based raw materials, such as wood and sugar cane, are essential to our low-carbon circular economy approach.
The recycling rate of beverage cartons in Europe has increased from just over 5% in 1993 to more than 51% in 2019. And our aim is to collect 90% of all used beverage cartons by 2030.
AN EFFECTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR SERBIA Over the past 10 years, we have worked hard to increase the level of beverage carton recycling in Serbia and invested significantly in collection systems and a local paper mill. However, if we want more recycling, there must be more waste collection supported by adequate infrastructure. Increasing the collection rate is possible through improved Extended Producer Responsibility, as a scheme based on the shared responsibility model for everyone in the value chain and, as part of that, Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) like the one the Serbian government aims to introduce. In practise, a DRS system would require Serbian consumers to pay a small deposit at the point of purchase, which they would get back when returning the empty container for recycling. The best results are achieved when this includes all packaging formats. Our recent project in Kragujevac shows how a DRS system can also reward consumers via public transportation or mobile communications financial recompense. With innovations in reverse vending machines and smart bin technologies and digitalisation, Serbia has an opportunity to set up a broad DRS that will improve packaging waste collection and recycling results significantly. A deposit system model needs to be set up in a broad way from the perspective of products types, packaging material types and packaging formats and sizes. The introduction of so-called “smart” or “digital” DRS, with broad scope, allows high collection results and the high quality of various collected packaging as a raw material for recyclers. A broad system will result in reduced costs per unit, reduced consumer confusion on how to contribute to the collection, a much higher influence on achieving climate goals and conditions to use collected material as recycled content for new production, which will also support the development of local recycling capacities.
Tetra Pak welcomes the government’s commitment to sustainability and looks forward to helping Serbia achieve its ambitious environmental goals.
The estimate of packaging placed on the Serbian market in 2020 is at 66 kg per capita, while the projection for 2030 is 78 kg per capita. The main recommendations for the Serbian packaging waste management system include: the obligation for households to sort waste, the inclusion of the informal collection sector, ensuring equal rules for all actors, a well-functioning monitoring system and for the full net cost of waste collection, sorting and treatment to be covered by all producers and brand owners.
Proven Business Across THE NORDIC MARKET
Elnos Group is a domestic company that considers Sweden, Iceland and Norway as its second home. Headquartered in Southeast Europe, it operates throughout the continent in the field of electrical energy, specialising in facilities of up to 400 kV
With a scope of work that encompasses participation in the most challenging and complex energy projects, Elnos Group has to date confirmed its professionalism and expertise on multiple occasions. Employing more than 600 workers, it operates in 14 business centres in Southeast, Central, Northern and Southern Europe.
NORDIC SPOTLIGHT
Over the ten years of its work on the Nordic market, Elnos Group has successfully implemented more than 90 projects. With engagements in Sweden, Norway and Iceland, the company’s teams have so far reconstructed and built thousands of kilometres of transmission lines and dozens of substations in these countries.
Through an expert approach to projects, the staff of Elnos Group have repeatedly left the public breathless with their implementing of (im)possible missions. They constructed the 220 kV Kröflulína 3 transmission line across Icelandic lava fields, participated in the construction of the Búrfell 2 hydroelectric power plant (270 MW) that’s located 100 metres underground, built a 100-metre-high transmission line on the shores of Sweden’s Lake Mälaren, participated in the construction of the longest HVDC interconnection in Europe and much more.
According to Elnos Group Management Board Vice President Branko Torbica, “Elnos Group is today one of the leading service providers in the Nordic countries, and to date we’ve left our greatest mark by working on the Swedish and Icelandic markets. Our future plans include strengthening our existing portfolio in these two countries, with the intention of expanding it in the segment of infrastructure and industry. We also aim to develop further on the market in Norway, the country where we formed part of the capital project for the construction of the NordLink HVDC interconnection”.
Adding that the company is also making increasingly significant strides on other European markets, Torbica explains: “We are increasingly working in Germany and the Netherlands, and during the previous few months we’ve signed our first contracts in Portugal and the UK, while we also plan to enter the Danish market by the end of this year”.
This Group today works in cooperation with local Scandinavian partners on the implementing of projects for companies Svenska Kraftnät, Vattenfall, E.ON, Elevio, Landsnet, Landsvirkjun and many others.
Elnos has such strong business links with the markets of the Nordic countries that it even broke down barriers during the pandemic. It was then that Elnos Group teams travelled to Iceland and Sweden on special charter flights, despite the complete shutdown of European airports then in force, in order to continue implementing capital projects that had previously been initiated in these countries.
According to Elnos Nordic Director of Operations Nenad Vukomanović, “with the establishing of site management at the level of Elnos Nordic, we contributed to the creating of all necessary conditions for even more intensive cooperation with our partners. The Nordic market is one of the most important markets of the Elnos Group and I’m convinced that we’re now on the threshold of a new and even more successful stage of our operations in this part of Europe”.
Elnos Group teams travelled to Iceland and Sweden on special charter flights during the period of the complete shutdown of European airports, in order to continue implementing capital projects previously initiated in these countries
Dedicated To ENERGY TRANSITION
It was a full 11 years ago that Windvision, as a company engaged in wind farm construction projects and wind farm operations in Belgium and France, recognised Serbia’s potential, although adequate legislation was not then in place. And it didn’t regret that choice
We’ll spend the next five years busily realising, constructing and commissioning the Alibunar 1 and 2 and Banat 1-6 wind farms, as well as developing solar power plants, with which we’ll contribute to Serbia’s energy transition, as one of the country’s national goals - says WV International Emergy Country Manager Neda Lazendić.
It was 11 years ago that Windvision recognised Serbia as an attractive environment for doing business, despite conditions being far from ideal. Do good conditions for developing wind farms exist in our country today? - It was way back in 2010 when Windvision recognised the potential of Serbia, although there was then no adequate legislation and other conditions for large-scale investments. After just two years, in 2012, construction of the Alibunar 1 (99MW) and Alibunar 2 (75MW) wind farms was launched, though they didn’t receive the status of a temporary privileged electricity producer within the scope of the feed-in tariff incentive model and the first quota of 500MW, despite having valid permits. From 2016 until today, we’ve been working to obtain permits for roads, transformer stations and transmission lines, whilst also working on new projects for the construction of the Banat 1-6 wind farms, with a total installed
In 2020, we began developing new projects for the construction of the Banat 1-6 wind farms, on the territory of South Banat, with a total installed capacity of 690 MW
capacity of 690MW, but also on expanding our portfolio in terms of technology – solar power plants with an installed capacity of 80MW.
What has happened with the Alibunar 1 and 2 wind farms in the meantime? - We’ve just obtained new building permit solutions for both projects, which enables us to install the latest technology wind turbines, or more precisely the wind turbines of manufacturer Vestas, V150 model with a unit capacity of 4.2 MW. Their construction depends on the implementation of a new model of subsidies that’s envisaged by the Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources, and those are auctions. The first are expected to take place at the end of this year, and we are currently working to ensure Alibunar 1 and 2 emerge with the most competitive price. We believe that green electricity from these wind farms can be available on the network by as early as 2023.
Serbia turned out to be the right place for you, both because of the good wind and because of the great local team. Does that mean you will expand your operations? - In 2020, we began developing new projects for the construction of the Banat 1-6 wind farms, which consist of clusters of wind farms that are being developed in several South Banat municipalities, with a total installed capacity of 690MW. The projects are at various stages of development, from planning preparation to detailed project-technical documentation, resolving legal property ownership relations and preparing environmental impact studies. Considering that this relates to several wind farm projects, their construction and commissioning will unfold successively, from 2024 to 2026.
You have knowhow, experience and a reliable partner. Does that guarantee that the projects will be implemented successfully? - Under the scope of our corporate restructuring, projects in Serbia remained the property of Dutch founder WV-International, which was joined in early 2021 by Norwegian company NBT AS, or Emergy, as it is now called. Funds were thus provided for the realisation of the complete portfolio in Serbia within the planned deadlines. Our partnership with such an experienced investor will certainly help us in most effectively realising our common goals, but I would particularly like to welcome the great cooperation and support of the Norwegian Embassy in Belgrade, H.E. Jørn Eugen Gjelstad and the entire team, as well as cooperation with the Nordic Business Alliance.
A Long And EXCITING JOURNEY
Sweden aspires is to become one of world’s first fossil-free nations, as part of its commitment under Roadmap 2050, and a circular economy should play an important role in reaching this goal. In July 2020, the Swedish
government introduced a national strategy for the circular economy, outlining the country’s determination to accelerate its transition to a circular economy. This should help achieve Sweden’s ambitious environmental and climate change objectives.
Time will be needed to transition from a linear economy, where valuable material is used only once and then discarded, to a circular economy that is smart and much better for the environment. In general, the timeline describing the evolution of Swedish waste management over the last 50 years can
be described as following: - 1970s and ‘80s: recycling processes introduced, leading to less than 1% of Swedish household waste ending up in landfills today. The other 99% is recycled in various ways. This is in stark contrast to 1975, when only 38% of household waste was recycled. This is referred to as the Swedish Recycling Revolution, as the rapid increase in environmental awareness and recycling over the last several decades has led to something of a ‘revolution’. - 1990s: eco-cycling, which is aimed at waste prevention, changing consumption habits and introducing more efficient production methods. Swedish towns and municipalities developed a tradition of using a systematic approach by taking into account that municipal practises and functional policy areas are interrelated and impact one another. - 2000s: sustainability has been successfully introduced in Sweden by combining citizen engagement, high ambition levels, set by both the public and private sectors, and international solidarity. As a result, Sweden has repeatedly ranked as the world’s most sustainable country over recent years. - 2010s: the circular economy takes off in Sweden, as a country that is particularly well placed to take a leading role in enabling the production and delivery of resource-efficient goods, solutions and services. Sweden’s national strategy for the circular economy was introduced in 2020.
It is important to note that if the Swedish transition to a circular economy is to succeed, it needs to be implemented jointly by politicians, the business sector, the public sector, academia, private citizens and civil society. The role of government is to create the necessary conditions to encourage and support the good work that is already underway in the country’s regions and municipalities, the business sector, universities and civil society.
Each strategy should have a vision at its core. The Swedish government hopes that this strategy will lead to “a society in which resources are used efficiently in toxin-free circular flows, replacing new materials.” As such, work on a national circular economy strategy will focus on the following key areas: • Sustainable production and product design. • Sustainable ways of consuming and using materials, products and services. • Toxin-free and circular eco cycles. • The circular economy as a driving force for the business sector and other actors, through measures to promote innovation and circular business models.
Known for being one of the world’s most innovative countries, Sweden has good prospects to be at the forefront of circular economy practises. From the perspective of business, this can create many new advantages and opportunities for Swedish companies operating on the global market. It should also lead to the creation of new companies and jobs, while contributing to reducing environmental impact.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ronny Arnberg has worked at Borlänge Energi AB since 1972, where he currently holds the position of President of Development and International Division. Borlänge Energi is a public utility company wholly owned by the Municipality of Borlänge, which is located some 200km northeast of Stockholm. The company delivers a whole range of services to its customers, such as tap water, electricity and district heating, waste handling, broadband access and management of all green areas within the municipality. Ronny helped to develop and implement the municipality’s first ever waste plan, which included a 100% waste sorting system for recycling.
Since 2012, he has also been involved with IVL - Swedish Environmental Research Institute, serving as project manager and sales coordinator. In his work at IVL, he is focusing on the following key areas: - Coordination and supervision of projects related to waste management technologies and approaches, including business models and management aspects; - Carrying out feasibility studies and strategic planning related to recycling and the use of waste materials in efficient and environmentally sound ways; - Mentoring and supervising master thesis students in international projects.
Ronny’s participation in international projects ensures that he has extensive experience of working in international, multi-cultural and multi-language settings. In this part of Europe, he assisted and advised on the creation of Albania’s National Energy Plan in 2013. Since 1998, he has played an advisory role in multiple EU-level projects related to water, sewage, waste and energy in Romania. He maintains several professional memberships, such as serving in the role of Vice President of Swedish Environmental Technology since 1999.
Smart Way To Get STARTED IN SERBIA
Biowaste management is a starting point and a prerequisite for all waste management in a circular bioeconomy. It preserves the environment, creates new green jobs and enables Serbia to meet the recycling targets and requirements of the EUs new Green Deal and waste directives.
Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, with the support of the Nordic Council of Ministers, have launched the project “Boosting Circular Economy in Serbia - Nordic Experience”.
The embassies invited experts from the Nordic countries to present good practice examples and show the importance and benefits of a circular economy. The first conference was held in Novi Sad on 15th September, and I was invited from Avfall Norge to share experiences from Norway.
Status of waste management in Serbia - My knowledge of Serbia was very limited before this visit. I thus really appreciated learning more about the country and meeting many engaged Serbs and people who are now involved in developing the country in a circular direction. This includes the Nordic ambassadors and staff at the Nordic embassies. Serbia has significant production of coal and steel, with high emissions. Environmental regulations and their enforcement, including following up on environmental violations, are insufficient to meet today’s expected standards. This results in a lot of pollution, together with emissions from traffic, coal power plants, heating with lignite and wood in houses, apartment and office buildings. In addition, there are the constant fires at landfills and dumpsites, as well as discharges due to a lack of waste management. Only 11 of around 160 Serbian municipalities have some form of sorting and waste treatment. In practise, virtually all waste heads to landfill sites untreated. And most of these sites are not “sanitary” landfills, and are thus categorised as dumpsites.
Landfill fires - a big problem - Belgrade and other cities in Serbia and the Balkans regularly top lists of the most polluted cities in the world. A report from the Global Alliance for Health and Pollution from 2019 stated that Serbia has set a record in Europe for pollution-related deaths measured per capita.
In August this year, fires again broke out in Vinča, a mega landfill located 12-15 km from the centre of Belgrade. The toxic smoke could be felt throughout the city. Unfortunately, this is not an unusual phenomenon in Serbia.
Biowaste must be sorted and treated separately - In 2025, landfills will account for 8-10% of man-made greenhouse gas emissions, according to international waste organisation ISWA’s pioneering report from 2016. Today, Serbia does not have adequate landfill fees or other incentives to reduce the amount of biowaste discarded at landfill sites. The renovation fee for households is artificially low (about a tenth of Norway’s), which is far from enough to secure investments in infrastructure and solutions for waste management. The experience from Norway and other Nordic countries is that positive change comes through legislation and the enforcement of regulations, national objectives, municipalities’ own goals, climate- and waste management plans and market requirements, including the demand of inhabitants for a better environment.
Over recent years, development has also been largely driven by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, transition to a circular economy - new ambitious goals and regu-
lations from the EU, including the Green Deal and “Fit for 55” and taxonomy - sustainability criteria for investments.
Waste management provides renewable energy - An investment in sustainable waste treatment and recycling is also a great opportunity for more renewable and local energy production and new green jobs in Serbia. For example, biowaste can be converted into sustainable biogas that replaces fossil natural gas or diesel, but also into biofertilizer that replaces fossil fertilizers. The residual waste, i.e., products that cannot be reused, repaired or recycled, can be incinerated with energy recovery and district heating. Even the ashes from the incineration process can eventually be used as a resource. Precious metals can be extracted in “urban mining” processes and the salts from the ash can be utilised in new industrial processes.
Norwegian company NOAH will soon start building a pilot plant for salt recycling on the peninsula of Herøya in Norway. The project is called Resalt and the goals are to reduce the amount of hazardous waste that is stored and produce high-quality salts from a number of industrial streams.
Biowaste must be handled as a resource, sorted out at source and treated separately. All other material recycling and utilisation of household waste as a resource into new products depends on wet biowaste being sorted. In Serbia, as much as 50% of household waste consists of biowaste. This waste has up to 70% water-content and will contaminate all other waste streams if not separated at source. Moreover, due to its low calorific value, this wet biowaste is not suitable for waste incineration. Nor will incineration of biowaste meet the EU standard for recycling.
You cannot make new high-quality recycled materials from a dirty and contaminated starting point. ‘Shit in - shit out’ applies just as much in the recycling industry as it does in many other industries.
New green jobs in the circular bioeconomy - The first treatment plant in Norway (incineration) was built in Oslo in the late 1960s. The country today has as many as 16 industrial biogas plants, 50 composting plants and 20 incineration plants of varying sizes. Norway and other Nordic countries are considered as being very
advanced and have world-leading companies in deposit return schemes of empty bottles (PET and aluminium, with 90% collection rates) as well as advanced sorting systems (Tomra) and advanced biogas systems for sewage sludge (Cambi). Still, the country needs to improve collection and recycling rates from today’s level of around 35-40% for biowaste on the whole. From the value chains of biogas and biofertilizer from biowaste, Norway can - with its 5.3 million inhabitants - create 20,000 new green jobs within 10-20 years, according to a study by Avfall Norge. Additionally, value creation comes from all other materials and value chains in the circular economy, reuse, repair and new business models and business opportunities in almost all product types, deliveries and services.
Another study from Norway has shown that the transition to a circular economy in general can contribute to the creation of 50,000 new jobs, reduce CO2 emissions by about seven per cent and improve the trade balance by more than two percentage points.
The programme proposal includes five regions with 25 municipalities. Garden waste from households is planned to be treated by home composting, assisted by local training programmes conducted by NGOs and communication arrangements. The government will then support and tender the purchase of composting bins, collection solutions with “big bags”, collection vehicles and open composting plants (windrow composting) for the collection and treatment of green waste.
Improved biowaste management
is key to recycling household waste and diverting such waste away from landfills, with all the associated environmental problems. This programme can therefore be a smart way to get started in Serbia.
If Serbia is to achieve the goals and requirements of the EU’s circular economy targets, the country must make major improvements to the whole waste system
Serbia begins with garden- and park-waste - Biowaste, i.e., green waste, garden/ park waste and food/kitchen waste, accounts for 50% of total waste production in Serbia, with over a million tons annually.
Speaking at the Novi Sad conference, Assistant Minister Sandra Dokić, responsible for strategic planning and European integration at the Ministry of Environmental Protection, presented a draft of a programme for the collection and treatment of garden- and park-waste. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jens Måge is a circular economist specialising in the circular bioeconomy, biowaste collection and treatment and textiles. He is an advisor at Avfall Norge and a board member of the European Compost Network, ECN
Stepping Boldly Towards A CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Since the creation of Finland’s roadmap to a circular economy, ever more countries have recognised the importance of advancing a circular economy to mitigate climate change and tackle a host of crises, from resource scarcity to biodiversity loss and climate change.
By Laura Järvinen, Sitra Leading Specialist, and Riku Sinervo, Sitra Specialist
On a planet that’s being ravaged by the climate crisis and biodiversity loss, wellbeing can no longer be based solely on the manufacturing of new goods and introducing of new natural resources. The circular economy is an economic model that aims to optimise the system as a whole and tackle the root causes of biodiversity loss, climate change and natural resource depletion.
Rather than producing more and more goods, in a circular economy we get more value from what we have, and we retain that value within the economy for as long as possible, through smarter designs, digital solutions and a shift from owning products to using services.
But how can we actually make the transition to a circular economy? In 2016, Finland was the first country in the world to prepare a national circular economy roadmap, under the leadership of the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. This roadmap provides a plan to move the country away from a ‘make-take-waste’ linear economy model to one that protects resources and eliminates waste along value chains.
The roadmap has proven to be a strong tool in launching a circular change and creating a strong commitment throughout Finnish society. Finland today has a variety of ongoing circular economy activities in several sectors, a governmental programme for advancing the circular economy, and the highest number of circular economy higher education courses in the world.
Since the creation of Finland’s roadmap, ever more countries have recognised the importance of advancing a circular economy to mitigate climate change and tackle a host of crises, from resource scarcity to biodiversity loss and climate change.
Circularity is even shaping many visions for the future. For instance, the EU’s new Circular Economy Action Plan featured as a key element of the European Green Deal, which is itself an ambitious plan to build a carbon-neutral economy. The roadmap can be an important route to kickstart new circular initiatives.
Here is a selection of Finland’s key lessons learned from the creation of its circular transition roadmap.
CONTEXT IS KEY
The most important aspect of creating a circular economy roadmap is to design solutions that work for a particular context and that keep a country’s particular perspective in mind. Circular solutions cannot simply be imported from other countries without alteration. They must make the most of a country’s capabilities and resources.
To that end, Finland brought together a core working group that included 50 changemakers from all sectors of society. In addition, hundreds of participants took part via workshops and online commenting. With everyone around the same table, it was possible to create a shared mindset regarding a path towards a sustainable future.
COOPERATION IS REQUIRED
FOR PROGRESS
Winning solutions are not simply created using the old ‘top-down’ way of doing things, but rather by demanding diverse cooperation and persevering with effort and commitment. Expertise from government, business, academia, civil society and the public are all needed for change to take root and grow.
A just transition to a circular economy also requires cooperation across borders. According to Circularity Gap Report 2021, the world economy is only 8.6% circular. As most countries are too small to be entirely self-sufficient in circularity, it is essential to find ways to make global resource extraction and processing more sustainable. It will also be crucial for circular principles and practises to be adopted globally.
INVEST IN EDUCATION
System-wide change is not possible without a major investment in education. Professionals, experts and decision-makers, both now and in the future, play a decisive role in building a new future.
Knowing the importance of education, it was back in 2017 that Finland created an education initiative for students to study the circular economy. This was a new initiative that ranged from primary schools to universities. The study packages and teaching materials were developed together with schools in a series of projects for circular economy education in 2017-2019. Since then, circular economy teaching has established itself as a permanent part of the Finnish curriculum.
Moving forward, education will come in the form of upskilling, as the principles and practises of the circular economy will impact almost every job. Vocational education, and lifelong learning in particular, need new solutions, allowing professionals in different sectors to apply the principles of a carbon-neutral circular economy to their own work. LEARNING FROM
FINLAND
Finland’s road map was more than just an official document. Several projects of significant importance to Finland’s circular transition were agreed on during the road map process. For instance, governmental innovation and funding organisation Business Finland launched a four-year, 300-million-euro circular economy programme. Technology Industries of Finland, together with Sitra and Accenture Strategy, created a playbook for circular economy business development
for Finnish SMEs operating in the manufacturing industries.
Such efforts led to one-of-a-kind experiments, such as the regenerative agriculture pilot project called Carbon Action, which gathered more than 110 farms to tests different farming methods for enhancing soil carbon sequestration. This experiment then evolved into the Carbon Action Platform, which develops and researches ways of accelerating soil carbon sequestration and verifying the results scientifically.
With a roadmap in place, the circular economy has established itself in the public discourse and materialised at a practical level as tangible actions.
Good initiatives have been generated, for example in the areas of mobility services, nutrient cycle and promotion of the use of waste materials from the construction sector. The Finnish Government’s Circular Economy Programme, published in early 2021, represents an important milestone in Finland’s circular economy work. Finland aims to reduce the use of natural resources by 2035 and has committed to achieving climate neutrality by the same year. Such goals are only possible when the growth of the economy and people’s wellbeing are no longer based on the wasteful use of natural resources.
Supported by research institutes, small and agile companies have been able to develop solutions that use resources in a more efficient manner than was the case before. The circular economy also has strong support among Finnish citizens. According to a 2021 Sitra survey, 82% of Finns believe that a circular economy creates new jobs and wellbeing in Finland.
The Finns don’t have all the answers – they are learning as they go, like the rest of the globe. However, they have learned first-hand the importance of adapting and scaling up existing solutions, investing in a participatory process, working together and investing in education. These factors – sparked by their roadmap – have been the key elements of Finland’s transition to a circular economy.
A longer version of this article was originally published on 9th June 2021 on the website of the World Economic Forum Nordic Countries & Serbia 2021 27
The Circular Economy Is AN INSPIRING JOURNEY
Climate change, biodiversity loss and resource scarcity oblige us all to rethink our businesses and our responsibility. The fact that we, at Odense Waste Management, have amassed so much knowledge over so many decades gives us a special obligation to actively use this knowledge to, among other things, encourage the implementation of a circular economy. We invite you to make use of our knowledge, and we look forward to assisting in the development of the circular economy in Serbia, as well as in other countries.
There is a worldwide need to manage waste in a much better way by being innovative and finding new paths, so that we can make better use of our resources. Circular thinking must be integrated into the entire consumption and production chain. Companies and consumers must find ways of using resources in a far better way than we do today.
In Odense, Denmark, the City Council is about to approve a new waste management plan that contains several initiatives supporting a circular economy. The 200,000 citizens of Odense are encouraged to upcycle, reuse and recycle more. The plan also contains actions that support new business within the circular economy.
These initiatives link to the recently released “Climate Action Plan 2022”, which will, among other things, make Odense climate neutral by 2030 through the removing of 490,000 tons of CO2 in Odense Municipality.
Serbia is also embracing the circular economy: a roadmap has been developed by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and a three-year action plan is currently being developed. Odense Waste Management participated in the recent conference “Boosting Circular Economy in Serbia – Nordic Experiences”, which was organised by the embassies of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden in Novi Sad and presents initiatives from Odense to inspire local actions in the circular economy in Serbia.
3 EXAMPLES OF CIRCULAR PROJECTS IN ODENSE
Odense Waste Management is a limited company owned by Odense Municipality. We have been collecting municipal waste since 1885. Apart from having collected waste from citizens and small enterprises for decades, we have also collected experience and knowledge about all aspects of waste management. The fact that we have accumulated so much knowledge through so many decades gives us a special obligation to actively use this knowledge to encourage the implementation of a circular economy.
The last decade’s focus on the cradle-to-cradle concept, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the circular economy has given us the opportunity to capitalise on our knowledge with concrete projects producing tangible results. Let us present three of them here.
DONATION OF EQUIPMENT:
FROM WASTE PREVENTION
IN DENMARK TO BETTER
RECYCLING AND BETTER
WORKING CONDITIONS IN
BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND
SERBIA
In 2019, Odense Waste Management was set to replace outdated equipment due to the introduction of a new waste collection system. The fibreglass containers no longer met the required standard or the needs of Odense and were originally intended to be shredded. However, a request from the City of Prijedor in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which was in need of new equipment for waste collection, encouraged us to rethink and take a more circular approach. We decided to send 2,000 old containers to Bosnia-Herzegovina and this donation made it possible to introduce the collection of more waste fractions in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Requests soon followed from nine other cities in Bosnia-Herzegovina and from Serbia’s Guča and Lučani. In total, Odense Waste Management was able to donate 8,602 waste containers.
According to the Head of the Transportation Department at Odense Waste Management, Lars T. Hansen, “it was a big job to get the containers to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia, but having seen what a difference they make I have no doubt that it was worth the effort”.
PROMOTING CIRCULAR
CONVERSATIONS THROUGH
THE SECOND-HAND SHOP,
REUSE WAREHOUSE AND
COLLABORATION PLATFORM
FOR GREEN ENTREPRENEURS
IN ZIRKEL
In 2020, Odense Waste Management opened its doors to zirkel, a house of circularity where items collected from recycling centres’ containers for “Reusable effects” are collected, distributed, exhibited or sold.
The zirkel second-hand shop aims to shows the beauty and possibilities of many discarded items in a different With Serbia embracing the circular economy, there is a lot that it can learn from Danish experiences. Representatives of Odense Municipality’s Odense Waste Management participated in the recent conference “Boosting Circular Economy in Serbia – Nordic Experiences” and showed their knowhow
and creative setting. zirkel is not a traditional second-hand shop, but more of a showroom for the better use of discarded materials, upcycling and circular thinking. Visitors to the zirkel second-hand shop are inspired to be creative and to see discarded materials in new contexts.
The zirkel reuse warehouse is packed with items that the second-hand shops of humanitarian organisations have access to and are able to pick up and sell in their own shops. Several filled containers are transported every week from recycling centres to zirkel, where they are sorted and neatly stacked on shelves for collection by humanitarian organisations. The zirkel warehouse is a resource bank for entrepreneurs, artists and educational institutions. zirkel is also a platform for collaborations with entrepreneurs, artists, local enterprises and educational institutions that want to work together to promote upcycling, redesign and circular thinking. zirkel is an example of how items from recycling stations can be used in numerous ways, as opposed to being incinerated, deposited or recycled. It is also an example of how we can promote circular thinking by collaborating and experimenting.
“CIRCULAR IN ODENSE” – CREATING GREEN
ENTERPRISES AND
PRODUCTS
The EU-funded “Circular in Odense” project aims to help green entrepreneurs, from idea to prototype, and at best also to business. Over the three years of this project, Odense Waste Management has succeeded in helping 10 partners work with different circular issues, from textile recycling to a packaging-free grocery store and social urban furniture. The project runs until the end of 2021 and offers everyone a business idea, based on the circular economy, assistance with business development and the possibility of becoming a partner and receiving financial business start-up support.
The “Circular in Odense” project has initiated new circular prototypes and new circular businesses, while it has also inspired others to seek green business opportunities. This provides an important contribution to the circular conversation locally and globally. The 10 partners’ business cases are an excellent source of inspiration for other entrepreneurs who aspire to make a difference by establishing a circular production chain.
“Circular in Odense” is an example of how a company can use its knowledge and passion to speed up circular development. It is our experience that, by being willing to invest time and share materials from the recycling centres, our relatively small contribution is a catalyst for many emerging entrepreneurs with ideas of how to make circular production and consumption chains.
COOPERATION IS KEY FOR
US AND FOR THE CIRCULAR
ECONOMY
For many people, waste collection and waste management are associated with a low status. However, for our 180 employees, waste management is associated with high importance: our employees are proud to be waste collectors, waste guides and waste experts. We think it is very interesting to be able to use the knowledge we’ve accumulated over many years to make a difference in the green area. We invite you to utilise our knowledge and look forward to assisting in the development of the circular economy in Serbia and other countries.
Michael Dino Hansen is Waste Management Specialist at Odense Waste Management Ltd. Dorthe Lind Christensen is Senior Advisor, CSR and Sustainability, at Odense Waste Management Ltd. Nordic Countries & Serbia 2021 29
IVA PETROVIĆ,EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NORDIC BUSINESS ALLIANCE
We Learn FROM THE BEST
We believe that we can together turn problems into opportunities and achieve results for a cleaner and brighter future. Those of us in the North started earlier, so we have learned some lessons the hard way. And we want to share those lessons with Serbia, so that this society can avoid our mistakes and reproduce our success stories
Serbia is facing great challenges in the field of environmental protection, which was neglected during the previous period, due to the low level of environmental awareness in the society. Weak institutions, the failure to implement regulations and very low investments in public utilities infrastructure over the last 20 years have led to Serbia today being among Europe’s most polluted countries – which poses a serious threat to the health of citizens and impinges on their quality of life. The first step in resolving environmental problems demands the strengthening of the state’s institutional capacities, but also huge public investments in communal infrastructure totalling almost 10 billion euros.
“There has already been a lot of talk about that and the good news is that, in the last year, there have been encouraging indicators that the state is now more prepared to get to grips with resolving these problems, at least when it comes to increasing investments in communal infrastructure – we have announcements of larger investments in the sewerage network, wastewater treatment plants, sanitary landfills and the like,” says Nordic Business Alliance Executive Director Iva Petrović. “What is less known is that the construction of the lacking infrastructure would simultaneously pave the way for changing the growth model in Serbia and shifting from a linear model of the economy to a circular one. That in itself represents a step towards a greener future for Serbia, because it implies less pollution, more efficient production and reduced use of resources.”
These are this year’s key topics for the European Union, the Nordic countries and their embassies, and also, to a certain extent, for Serbia. What activities have you planned and what will be in your focus? - That’s right. At the heart of the European Green Deal, which is the EU’s new strategy for long-term economic development, are the fight against climate change and low-carbon development, more efficient production and a toxin-free environment by the middle of this century. The Nordic countries, as pioneers of sustainable development in Europe, fully share the vision of such a Europe, and that vision is also extremely relevant for Serbia, as an EU membership candidate country and a country with an economy that is closely connected to
the European common market. Given that Serbia is at the very beginning of its transition to a circular economy, the basic idea of this project is to propel this process forward by transferring the many decades of successful experience of the Nordic countries in the areas of waste management, wastewater treatment, reliance on renewable energy sources and other activities that simultaneously enable economic growth and a cleaner environment. Through several workshops to be held in Novi Sad, Kragujevac, Niš and Belgrade, experts from the Nordic countries will present best practice examples and point out the incontrovertible benefits brought by a circular economy.
When it comes to developing a circular economy in Serbia, which areas could primarily absorb the technological knowhow of Nordic companies? - The management and processing of waste, as well as wastewater treatment, are areas where Nordic countries have extremely rich experience, which is why these two areas naturally impose themselves as potential very fertile ground for future cooperation. Specifically, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden are practically leaders of Europe as a whole when it comes to all forms of waste treatment – incineration, recycling, composting – as reflected in the fact that only about 1% of municipal waste generated in these countries ends up in landfill sites. On the other hand, we have a completely different picture in Serbia, where only about one per cent of municipal waste is processed, with the remaining 99% discarded at landfill sites. A large part of that waste ends up in one of the approximately 3,000 illegal dumps in the country or in municipal landfill sites that often don’t satisfy even the minimum environmental requirements. We need strategic solutions for some important segments of waste management, such as recycling and packaging waste, which is also an area where we can learn a lot from the Nordic countries.
You recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with representatives of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s Centre for Circular Economy that aims to strengthen these two business associations in the area of developing the circular economy. What are the next steps? - Apart from the Nordic Business Alliance, the Nordic embassies’ partners in the implementation of the project “Boosting circular economy in Serbia - Nordic experiences” also include NALED, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Chamber of Commerce of Vojvodina and the cities of Novi Sad, Kragujevac and Niš. As such, a natural need arose for cooperation between the two business associations, in which the key contribution of the CCIS Centre for Circular Economy in this phase is to identify domestic companies for which the workshops that we organise are relevant – whether those are companies that the transfer of the technology and experiences of Nordic partners should be directed
towards or domestic innovative companies and start-ups that are just starting to engage in the circular economy. Further cooperation
Political decision-makers and local institutions must be the leaders of this transition, which will result in the better management of waste and wastewater, improved air quality and greater reliance on renewable energy sources
should enable the fortifying of existing links within the scope of the established network between the Nordic embassies, domestic institutions, experts and local partners – all with the aim of providing support to Serbia in the development of a low-carbon and permanently sustainable circular economy.
What do you expect from the upcoming conference on the circular economy? - I believe that, after this conference, all key actors in Serbia will have a better understanding of the concept of the circular economy - how it works and what their role is in the transition process. That is extremely important, because although there’s been a lot of talk about the circular economy in Serbia lately, it seems that the general public still isn’t fully aware of what’s actually meant by this model of economic development. Apart from providing an overview of the technological solutions that the Nordic countries have implemented successfully, an important stride forward should also be made by overcoming the prejudice that environmental protection is just an economic expense and developing an understanding that transitioning to a circular model brings tangible opportunities for economic growth and job creation. It is precisely this fact that should provide additional motivation for the Government and local authorities in Serbia to intensify their efforts when it comes to strengthening all elements of the state system for environmental protection, as well as launching an investment cycle in this area.
In cooperation with the Belgrade Running Club’s Nordic Walking School, you recently promoted this sport. What makes it attractive during these days when it seems that the pandemic will again confine us to four walls? - It is no coincidence that Nordic walking was the Nordic Business Alliance’s first public event after last winter’s wave of the pandemic abated. After a long and difficult year, we all had a need to move, socialise, connect, try new things, gain new experiences and build new friendships. But the first step is for us to be healthy. And Nordic walking distinguishes itself as the most inclusive form of training, because everyone can join, regardless of their age and level of physical fitness, which is also an ideal combination of the values that we nurture at the Nordic Business Alliance.
POST-MERKEL COOPERATION
Some of the topics that top the bilateral agenda include strategic cooperation in the field of climate change, as well as in the field of research and innovation. These themes are of lasting importance to mutual cooperation between the two countries and will hopefully outlive any election outcomes
Germany’s 25th September elections were from the very beginning dubbed “the most unpredictable elections in years”, as they indeed usher in a new era after Chancellor Angela Merkel’s 16 years in office. The outcome, which was watched closely around the globe, is of particular importance for the Western Balkans, and probably for Serbia in particular, as Chancellor Merkel’s policy had a strong impact on all aspects of political and economic life in Serbia. Some observers, such as Simon Ilse, director of the Heinrich Böll Foundation’s Belgrade office, think that her objective of eventually bringing Serbia closer to the EU has failed and state that “it is now high time for a fresh, new start to Germany’s relationship to the key enabler or blocker of a European future for the region – Serbia”.
Indeed, Merkel’s attitude towards the Western Balkans was a key shaper of European Union policy towards the six countries of the region. It will obviously take some time before we can discern how the European and Balkan policies of Markel’s successor will look and whether the Western Balkans will remain a German strategic interest.
Merkel certainly intrigued many with her decision to devote one of her last foreign visits in her capacity as chancellor to Belgrade and Tirana.
German investors increasingly see the Western Balkans and Serbia as places to invest in more complex activities
Some believe that she wanted to deliver a critical message regarding future bilateral relations between these two countries, while others are of the opinion that she wanted to support President Vučić ahead of upcoming elections. Some interlocutors emphasise in particular her message related to the exploration of lithium. It remains to be seen which of these reasons is correct.
If one turns to hard data, there is one area that shows strong and unambiguous evidence in all aspects: over recent years, German companies have invested around €3 billion in Serbia, creating more than 65,000 jobs and turning a significant number of Serbian SMEs into supplier companies of the German car industry. As a result, the trade exchange between the two countries is growing constantly, reaching 5.3 billion euros in 2020.
According to the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, German investors see Serbia as a suitable destination for investment. According to the results of the opinion poll that’s regularly conducted among German companies in Serbia, the investment climate is good and the business environment is slowly but surely improving.
Another sign of progress in mutual relations is the shift from labourintensive activities to those that are at a higher technical level. Furthermore, suppliers are today working on much more complex projects than they were previously, while the topics occupying the interest of political leaders from both sides include cooperation in the field of climate change and in the field of research and innovation. These are all good news items.
CONTINUITY IS A GERMAN TRADEMARK
There is no doubt that the Western Balkans and EU enlargement will remain high on Germany’s agenda. Whoever becomes the next Chancellor will certainly have a significant interest in democratic, prosperous and stable Western Balkan countries that are part of the European family and will be part of the EU as soon as possible ~ Thomas Schieb
Angela Merkel’s stepping down from the political scene was followed closely in Serbia and the other countries of the Western Balkans, with attention that reflected the common belief that this German Chancellor has had a decisive influence on the policy pursued in this region by the European Union. With assurances that Germany will remain committed to the EU enlargement process, regardless of who becomes the new chancellor, German Ambassador Thomas Schieb insists that “the speed of enlargement remains in the hands of the respective countries. When you deliver on reforms, the EU will also deliver,” says Schieb in this interview.
Your Excellency, departing German Chancellor Angela Merkel has chosen the Western Balkans as the last region that she will visit prior to concluding her professional career. What kinds of messages do you think should be drawn from that fact?
To start with, I’d like to say how grateful we were for the very warm welcome Chancellor Merkel received in Belgrade. With her trip to Belgrade and Tirana, Chancellor Merkel once again underlined the great significance that the German government attaches to Serbia, the region as a whole and its EU integration. In Belgrade, she had excellent talks with the President about all relevant issues. Chancellor Merkel also exchanged views with civil society representatives from all Western Balkan countries. She then met all six heads of government in Tirana. She underlined the great importance that the Berlin Process, launched by Germany in 2014, continues to bear fruit. Serbia and the region will remain high on our agenda.
To what extent will Chancellor Merkel’s final visit to Serbia and the messages she gave be binding for her successor? Do you expect new developments in German relations with Belgrade?
A trademark of German foreign policy is continuity. There is no doubt that the
EU ACCESSION
Germany is, and will remain, a strong supporter of Serbia’s EU accession. Our position is clear: clusters can and will be opened contingent on reform progress, particularly in the area of the rule of law
Western Balkans and EU enlargement will remain high on Germany’s agenda. Whoever the next Chancellor will be, whether Armin Laschet or Olaf Scholz, they will certainly have a significant interest in democratic, prospering and stable Western Balkans countries that are part of the European family and will be part of the EU as soon as possible. The speed of enlargement remains in the hands of the respective countries. When you deliver on reforms, the EU will also deliver.
Federal elections were held in Germany at the end of September, marking an historic change of chancellor, with the departure of Angela Merkel. However, you have noted that there will be no major changes to German foreign policy. Do you nonetheless expect some new directions in terms of the topics or policies that will be prioritised?
Indeed, Germany elected a new Bundestag on 26th September. This heralded the end of an era in a way, as Angela Merkel will leave office after 16 years – only Helmut Kohl served for a similarly long period. But, as I said before, I don’t expect any major changes in Germany’s foreign policy. In principle, all political parties that have a realistic chance to form a new government agree that European integration is of key importance, as are the transatlantic partnership, the promotion of multilateralism and an international rules-based order. One issue that will certainly be an even higher priority for every new government is the fight against climate change.
During Chancellor Merkel’s visit, we once again heard that Germany supports Serbia’s EU integration path. However, the fact remains that Germany and other EU member states don’t currently support
INVESTMENTS
Since the year 2000, German companies have invested approximately 3.1 billion euros in the country and created around 70,000 jobs. This is impressive indeed
the resumption of the opening of EU accession negotiation chapters, i.e., clusters. Why is that?
Germany is, and will remain, a strong supporter of Serbia’s EU accession. Our position is clear: clusters can and will be opened contingent on reform progress, particularly in the area of the rule of law. It is true that Serbia
has delivered on some relevant opening benchmarks, but there was not enough time for the EU to assess that before the June conference. I am quite optimistic for December. I strongly encourage all relevant stakeholders to remain committed to the reform path. OPEN BALKAN
The Open Balkan initiative, in our understanding, provides an important impulse to ongoing efforts to realise the regional economic integration of all WB6 countries
Should the current European integration deadlock be attributed to a lack of results in the dialogue with Priština or the poor assessment of the situation in Serbia with regard to the rule of law?
Both areas are relevant for EU integration. Justice reform, progress with other relevant legislation and – even more importantly – the implementation of laws in the rule of law, e.g., with regard to the fight against corruption and for the improving of media freedom – are key elements for the progress of accession talks.
You’ve spoken about the excellent cooperation between Germany and Serbia on the economic front. How would you explain the continuous interest in investing in Serbia among German investors, despite Serbia’s slow progress on EU accession?
Since the year 2000, German companies have invested approximately 3.1 billion euros in the country and created around 70,000 jobs. This is impressive indeed.
The “quality” of German investments is also improving, i.e., German companies are investing more and more long-term, helping to transfer knowhow and technology, as well as fostering innovation potentials, generating higher ‘added value’ in Serbia. The close proximity to the European Union, the availability of a skilled workforce and an environment that’s generally supportive of foreign direct investments are among the main factors contributing to Serbia’s attractiveness as a destination for investments by German companies. Moreover, those German companies that are already present in Serbia are satisfied – according to the annual survey of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, AHK, around 90% of its members would invest in Serbia again.
At the same time, it is important to note that reforms to foster competition and improve the provision of public services, as well transparency and legal security, will further contribute to promoting a strong and competitive private sector in this country. Sustainable economic growth in Serbia, based on a strong private sector, is crucial when it comes to making Serbia’s economy fit for EU accession. Investors are very well aware of this and they are counting on Serbia’s path towards the EU.
How would you assess the regional initiative that was recently renamed Open Balkans?
The Berlin Process, initiated by Germany in 2014, aims at improving regional cooperation among the WB6 countries and thereby facilitating their path towards EU accession. One concrete endeavour is to create a Common Regional Market in the Western Balkans, thus boosting economic relations among the WB6 countries. At the last Berlin Process summit meeting in It is true that Serbia has delivered on some relevant opening benchmarks, but there was not enough time for the EU to assess that before the June conference. I am quite optimistic for December
July, leaders of the Western Balkans reconfirmed their commitment to this important project. The Open Balkan initiative, in our understanding, provides an important impulse to ongoing efforts to realise the regional economic integration of all WB6 countries. It is very important that any regional initiative is inclusive, i.e., open to all WB6 countries.
What do you expect from the Bosnia-Herzegovina mission of your countryman Christian Schmidt?
Since its establishment, the Office of the High Representative (OHR) has contributed substantially to peace and stability in B-H. And yet, challenges remain. The OHR still has an important role to play in maintaining stability and security in the country, and to ensure the implementation of the civilian aspects of the Dayton Peace Agreement.
Given the experience and expertise of new High Representative Christian Schmidt, I expect that he will keep Bosnia-Herzegovina high on the international agenda. Besides that, he will focus on achieving progress in the implementation of the 5+2 Agenda, which is a precondition for the successful completion of the mission of the OHR – also with a view to speeding up the country’s journey “from Dayton to Brussels”.
Elections will also be held in Serbia next year. Do you believe that the interparty dialogue will prove successful and provide conditions for free and fair elections, preventing another opposition boycott of the elections?
Plurality of opinions is obviously very important in every democracy. A parliament should reflect the opinions of its citizens and allow for constructive political debates. We therefore hope that the interparty dialogue, which is facilitated by the European Parliament, can contribute to providing the conditions for free and fair elections and, thus, the participation of opposition parties in the elections.
One of the key elements of this dialogue, which also includes the participation of representatives of the European Parliament, is media freedom. Do you think the current situation in the Serbian media can ensure the fair representation of all participants in the elections?
We share the assessment of the EU Commission that more needs to be done to ensure media freedom in Serbia. The goal must be to enable an environment in which freedom of expression can be exercised without hindrance. This includes journalists being able to work without threats, media laws being fully implemented, the independence of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media being strengthened and transparency in media ownership increased.
COOPERATION GROWING WIDE AND DEEP
There are great opportunities for cooperation between German and Serbian companies, and both sides are ready to use those opportunities. German companies that currently operate in the country are satisfied with the productivity and motivation of their employees, while new prospective investors are increasingly looking for Serbian suppliers specifically
German companies are increasingly considering Serbia under the scope of their strategies to secure nearshoring suppliers, says Udo Eichlinger, President of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (AHK Serbia). Indeed, he notes, over the past year AHK has observed that more German companies are looking specifically for suppliers from Serbia. “This is certainly done from two points of view: on the one hand, we have positioned Serbia as part of the Western Balkans purchasing initiative as a supplier market for Germany. On the other hand, we find that German companies base their purchasing strategy on different pillars,” says Eichlinger. “Here again, the proximity to the EU and good quality structure of Serbian products offer themselves”. According to our interlocutor, the focus is currently on the metal processing industry, mechanical engineering, IT and the food industry. The metal processing industry accounts for almost 40% of Serbia’s manufacturing exports and is experiencing continuous growth. In the IT industry, Serbia has established itself as an outsourcing location for software, telecommunications and consulting services. Serbia has very favourable climatic conditions for a wide variety of agricultural products, experienced and quality-conscious manufacturers, suitable expertise and food technicians, as well as a globally recognised selection of various plant products. “We should continue to mar-
PROGRESS
In the latest survey conducted by the German-Serbian Chamber, the list of positive factors cited by German-Serbian companies includes the tax system and tax management for the first time
ket these positive aspects in order to use the advantages of a realignment in the purchasing area,” says Eichlinger.
What criteria would you cite as being decisive in choosing an investment destination?
The availability of professional staff is nowadays one of the most important factors in a company’s decision to invest in a particular country. This is exactly the chance for Serbian education to turn learning through work into a competitive advantage in attracting foreign investments, which contribute greatly to the Serbian economy. In addition to that, a concentration of sectors in the same area can ease efforts at developing the required talents. Training and school resources can be bundled and a joint definition of required skills can improve the content of curricula.
If you were to rank the factors that attract investors in terms of importance – from an improved business environment, the rule of law, good geographical connectivity and others – how would subsidies rank on your list and why?
Thanks to the demanding economic reforms it has implemented in the previous period, Serbia has positioned itself as one of the most important investment destinations in Central and Eastern Europe. Attracting foreign direct investment, mainly through the investments of multinational companies, is seen as a way to transfer knowhow, technology and business organisation to domestic companies, as well as to increase labour demand and increase exports. Due to the connection of domestic companies with foreign investors and their inclusion in the value chain, their productivity and product quality increase. It is necessary to make the most of the key advantages of Serbia, which are embodied in its regional position and preferential access to the markets of FOCUS
The focus of German companies in Serbia is on the metal processing industry, mechanical engineering, IT and the food industry
East and West, human resources, and to persevere in improving the business environment. For many major investors, in their final decisions concerning investment location, infrastructure, the education of workers, the proximity of the market and the possibility of protecting contracts and property were more important than subsidies.
At Siemens we are particularly proud of our Mobility factory in Kragujevac, which produces trams and components for light rail vehicles. Many projects are underway and a lot of trams will be produced here and used throughout Europe
It also needs to be noted that subsidies are also available to Serbian companies in the same way. Taking subsidies or not is definitely a business decision and a need of both foreign or local companies. For example, Siemens in Serbia did not take subsides, due EDUCATION
Serbian education has to turn learning through work into a competitive advantage in attracting foreign investments that contribute greatly to the Serbian economy
to our business concept of having sustainable operations. But where there is a different approach, it is definitely beneficial to have this kind of support and commitment to the EU principles of free competition and equality.
According to the Government of Serbia, we are no longer a country of cheap labour. Does this concur with the perspective of German companies doing business in our country? What do they see as being the most important criteria?
Serbia is of great interest to the German economy, both as a procurement and sales market and as a production location. There are great opportunities for cooperation between German and Serbian companies, and both sides are ready to use those opportunities. Numerous factors that could be of great interest to potential German partners are noteworthy, including the free trade agreement with the EU, a productive and high-quality labour market, state subsidies and good logistical connections to Central and Western Europe. Having said that, we also find it important that jobs are also created for less skilled people to achieve inclusive growth of the economy.
Your member survey for this year showed that AHK Serbia member companies are extremely satisfied, while the list of key challenges that they identify still includes the business climate, legal framework and corruption. Have your members noticed any positive shifts in these areas, and, if so, where?
Exactly, the results of the latest survey conducted by the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce in March and April show optimism. Satisfactory assessments of German-Serbian companies were given to criteria related to the labour market in Serbia: companies are satisfied with the productivity
and motivation of employees, their qualifications, academic education and dual education, and for the first time the list of positive factors includes the tax system and tax management. Unfortunately, it needs to be noted that Transparency International’s research shows no change in the corruption index. We have addressed this with the Serbian government on various occasions and offer our assistance to improve the business environment to a sustainable level.
Serbia has an ever-increasing problem when it comes to retaining its educated and talented young workers. What do you think is the cure to this brain drain?
German companies are committed to Serbia. German companies transfer certain values to their way of doing business. I just want to mention that we run an additional health programme that gives a great benefit to our employees. We find that a working healthcare system and good infrastructure – not only in the larger cities, but also in rural areas – are key to avoiding a certain brain drain.
How do you attract educated personnel at Siemens specifically?
Nowadays it isn’t always easy. It became a challenge to attract engineers to our area of business, since it is predominantly one of the most in-demand
occupations of the last decade. But, to tell you the truth, we consider ourselves lucky, as employees choose us on many occasions. That’s not just a phrase, but something that Siemens has been working on for more than 170 years. We have almost 400,000 employees worldwide and we’re all bound by the same principle: to work for a company that cares about people, about the work-life balance, about society. Needless to say, our company is among the world’s most innovative companies. Using innovation, we can truly change people’s lives with solutions for the future, which really makes us an attractive employer, wouldn’t you agree?
We are increasingly seeing German companies heading to Serbia’s interior. With the exceptions of Belgrade and Novi Sad, which of the country’s industrial centres would you single out and why?
German industry is present in all parts of Serbia – more than 70,000 people are employed at about 400 German companies. For example, more than 50 German companies operate in Vojvodina alone. Each region brings with it some benefits. There are numerous opportunities to establish cooperation with Niš, Čačak, Zaječar and Kragujevac, and here we are primarily referring to areas like the automotive, textile, IT and some other industries. At Siemens we are particularly proud of our Mobility factory in Kragujevac, which produces trams and components for light rail vehicles. Complete trams are manufactured in Serbia. Many projects are underway and a lot of trams will be produced here and used throughout Europe.
Do you consider Serbia as being on the right track when it comes to keeping pace with the Fourth Industrial Revolution and digitalisation? Apart from the building of eGovernment structures, do you see any domains of the industrial sector that could represent good examples of this transformation?
I must say that the Government of the Republic of Serbia has recognised the importance of digitalisation, which has contributed to significant development in this area over the past few years. The Government has acknowledged the importance of investing in this as great capital for economic stability and future growth. Digitalisation, as one of the priorities of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, transforms everyday work in the public sector and raises its economy, transparency and quality of work.
I believe Serbia should just maintain the good direction it is taking by nurturing a positive business climate in the country, which proved to be extremely stable, even under the conditions of the coronavirus pandemic last year, which means a stable GDP this year and certainly the creation of even better conditions for young people and talented individuals who live and work in Serbia, as well as to entice our people who have left Serbia to come back and have good and stable jobs. One aspect of the new normal we have all been living in over the past year and a half is remote working, and with this model it is possible to work from any part of the world in some business areas, so why not use this opportunity and stay in Serbia?
GROWING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION
Serbian companies are very well positioned to attract the interest of German investors seeking to diversify their supply chains or find alternative sourcing destinations. This trend mirrors an upsurge in bilateral business relations
The Delegation of the German Economy in Serbia and the German-Serbian Economic Association celebrated their 20th anniversary in Serbia this year, while the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (AHK Serbia), which unites them, celebrated its fifth anniversary this April.
“There have always been good business relations between Germany and the Western Balkan countries,” says our interlocutor Frank Aletter, Managing Director of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (AHK Serbia). These business relations have increased over recent years, not only in terms of trade, but also with regard to German FDI. This trend started around 2012 and, according AHK data, the COVID situation has only marginally slowed the interest of German investors.
“Due to the disruption of the supply chain from Asia, interest of German investors who want to diversify their supply chains has been picking up again. At the same time, companies based in Germany are also seeking alternative sourcing destinations and Serbian companies are very well positioned in this regard,” says Aletter. “These developments are also reflected in the number of members of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, which started with 30 member companies and now stands at 370 corporations.”
How do you see the chamber’s future operations and activities? What has changed, or has yet to change, when it comes to the way AHK Serbia delivers its services?
The German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce regularly provides information and networking events for its members. At the same time, it also addresses current economic topics and provides a public-private dialogue. The challenges of doing business have, however, increased over the previous years when it comes to climate and environmental protection, digitalisation and finding the right talents for companies. These topics need to be addressed with strategic partners and stakeholders. The chamber has established working groups in these areas to provide knowledge support for its members.
The AHK Road Show has been held in cities that are considered as being Serbia’s new centres of innovation, such as Novi Sad and Čačak, for example. How attractive are these centres to German companies that have a higher technical level of operations?
During the roadshow to Novi Sad and Čačak, it was particularly interesting to meet Serbian companies in the IT sector or in the field of digitalisation and robotics. These are certainly areas that are very interesting for the German market. In addition to that, there is high demand for skilled and experienced personnel in the field of digitalisation. Thus, companies in these two cities are very attractive for potential partnerships
INTERESTS
Climate and environmental protection, digitalisation and finding the right talents for companies are emerging topics that need to be addressed with strategic partners and stakeholders
with German companies. The AHK Road Show has proven to be a good marketing tool to promote these two locations.
AHK Serbia has an important role to play in supporting dual education in Serbia. To what extent are your members involved in dual education today; and how has the COVID-19 Pandemic impacted this area of their work?
Currently, one of the main pillars of AHK Serbia is the support and implementation of dual education as vocational training and dual studies in Serbia, especially when it comes to guidance and practical training provided by our members. Our chamber built a “Dual education” working group – to support members through the implementation and conducting of dual education in their companies. AHK enables a strong network amongst members and stakeholders for sharing experience, monitoring the implementation of the dual education law and bylaws in Serbia, building synergies for cooperation with VET schools, using linkages to Serbian VETs, universities, training and science centres, as well as to German dual education institutions and providers like the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIPP), the international AHK network, the German IHK network and to German VET schools as well. We also gather feedback from our members regarding the implementation phase of dual education and its success and challenges, and then forward the main issues of that feedback to leading bodies like the Serbian Ministry of Education, the local chamber of commerce in Serbia, other stakeholders and key players in the country.
After being introduced to secondary schools, dual education is now gaining a more prominent role in tertiary education in Serbia. How important is tertiary dual educa-
INVESTMENTS
Various German companies are investing in the R&D field, particularly in the areas of the automotive sector, energy solutions and artificial intelligence
tion for German companies, both at home and abroad?
Our members are in the process of restructuring and updating their industrial processes in line with new technologies, furthering digitalisation through the use of, for example, AI, 3D printing, or augmented reality, and thus complex digitalised technologies demand spe-
AHK enables a strong network among its members and stakeholders for sharing experiences, monitoring the implementation of the dual education law and bylaws in Serbia, as well as building synergies for cooperation with various partners
cialised knowledge and skills based on further education and qualification, and the higher education of their employees. As it is essential to educate young people at an academic level that can provide solutions to complex and abstract questions, the helpfulness of also hiring young people who have already been exposed to practical tasks can’t be overlooked. In Germany, the concept of dual education POTENTIALS
Companies in Novi Sad and Čačak that hail from the IT sector or operate in the field of digitalisation and robotics are very attractive for potential partnerships with German companies
also transferred to tertiary dual education. This has been proven as a working tool to provide the right personnel for the relevant job profiles. The future will show whether this is a concept that will work in Serbia. AHK Serbia offers a wide network and the support of an expert in the development of dual study programmes, thanks also to the international network of the GIZ programme “Business Scout for Development”.
You’ve noted the fact that fostering cooperation in science and research, and in business areas, would benefit both countries. Could you be more specific with regard to areas and fields of cooperation?
Various German companies are not only investing in the area of production in Serbia, but also in the field of R&D. This has been seen in particular in the areas of the automotive sector, energy solutions and artificial intelligence. There are flagship projects on the way, in which those companies cooperate with universities. Such initiatives are welcome, but can certainly be increased in the aforementioned sectors or other areas of activities.
Some foreign and bilateral chambers of commerce in Serbia are involved in supporting Serbian start-ups or pairing start-ups and traditional companies from their own countries with innovative companies from Serbia. Have you considered such an option?
This has already been practised for the last several years. AHK Serbia is a bilateral organisation that also supports Serbian companies in matching with German companies in Serbia, as well as providing support to enter the German market. If a start-up company approaches us, we provide all relevant services and open access to our network. As mentioned above, demand is very high, particularly in the IT sector, and creates opportunities.
KNOWLEDGE LEAPS BORDERS
TeleGroup system is one of the leading technology companies in the field of information and communication technologies, the modernisation of the electricity industry, technical and Cyber security, intelligent transportation systems and the construction of telecommunication infrastructure in Serbia
Deutsche Telekom assessed TeleGroup as a modern, structured company with excellent potential and that, with our expertise, working discipline, experience and references, we are worthy of their attention and trust in becoming their partner - proudly notes TeleGroup system’s CEO Mr Milomir Gligorijević.
Over the past 20 years of operations on the Serbian market, TeleGroup has succeeded in gaining an enviable reputation in our region and abroad. What makes you particularly proud?
I’m primarily proud of our many years of operations and survival on such a dynamic market. We have been operating in Serbia for 20 years, and in BosniaHerzegovina for 25 years, while we are also present in other countries of the region, where we operate to the highest standards of the sector. Our success is precisely the fact that we know what we’re doing and that we always keep pace with modern technologies. Thanks to our knowhow, competencies and our personnel, we are today participating in the development of strategic projects. I’m proud of the entire families that have grown up and work at our company today, and I’m also happy about the frequent returns of the best staff after they’ve worked on foreign markets and projects. Our results, our people, our courage and knowhow have built a reputation that has stood the test of time and earned the attention of foreigners.
It was five years ago that you recognised the potential to expand
your operations to the territory of Central Europe. How did Germany distinguish itself on that large market of huge opportunities?
Germany is the economic locomotive of our part of the world. We analysed the development of telecommunication and saw that our expertise would be important in the future, particularly in the area of building optical infrastructure. That future is already unfolding today, as we talk. Germany has strongly, and with huge resources, launched the implementation of a huge project – FIBER OPTICS TO EVERY RESIDENT – and we are part of that. Deutsche Telekom, as one of the world’s leading telecom operators, is striving to become a leader in building Europe’s digital sovereignty. It is a special honour for us that – alongside the infrastructure investments that we’ve agreed to make over the next five years, as well as maintenance – we are today jointly discussing great ideas and opportunities to engage highly qualified personnel for future project planning, optimisation and design projects in telecommunications. We are today working and thinking together with the teams of Deutsche Telekom.
How did your cooperation with Deutsche Telekom come about? What recommended you to them – was it your strong references, expertise, experience?
The initiative originated with our company. We are fortunate that, in addition to wonderful engineers, we have excellent experts working in communications and international relations, who recognised that our knowhow can leap borders. With clear communication and the presenting of our expertise, Deutsche Telekom gave us the opportunity to prove ourselves on pilot jobs in the German cities of Kiel and Braunschweig. We’ve proven ourselves and met expectations in the domain of our working method, knowhow and quality. Next came a chance to cooperate further on the building of future networks over the next five years and in maintaining existing infrastructure. My dream, which I initiated five years ago while working with Siemens, has now blossomed with new energy
with the launch of Deutsche Telecom projects development. I have enjoyed the way they discuss, do business and plan, because their procedures, rules and business culture were things that attracted and encouraged us to endure on the difficult path of proving our competencies.
How does your cooperation with Deutsche Telekom function? Directly or through subsidiaries? Do you have subcontractors?
Our cooperation with Deutsche Telekom is totally direct and open. We create it mutually. We easily agreed that, due to simplicity and legal regulations, the cooperation would be led by TeleGroup GmbH, as a German legal entity. Deutsche Telekom is acquainted in fine detail with the personnel and all other capacities and resources at TeleGroup system’s disposal, and it accepted to enable other companies in our system, apart from TeleGroup GmbH, to participate in projects: TeleGroup Belgrade and TeamEnergo from Serbia, Tech Team from Croatia, TeleGroup Banja Luka, TeleGroup Sarajevo, G&T Inženjering Banja Luka from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Diagram from Slovenia.
All of our companies are involved in this project, yet even all of us are not enough, we strive to cover the vast needs and as a key partner of Deutsche Telekom Technik in Balkans we are broadening our human resource capacities to meet the groving needs of the work in the next five years in the North of Germany.
Is it true that you have the best teams in the area of copper and optical infrastructure, and that your cooperation with Deutsche Telekom provides an opportunity for TeleGroup employees to train and develop?
Yes, that’s correct. We really have high-quality teams. These are people who’ve been working together for a long time and have been engaged in projects with almost all telecom companies in the region. Our people are really top masters of their craft, ennobled with knowledge and, even more importantly, vast experience. We love our home, family, friends from the neighbourhood, our cafes and musicians. That’s precisely what brought us all back from the abroad to our homeland. However, in order for our region to be modern and competent, we must sometimes stretch our seven-league boots. That’s why we consider the model of work in Germany and at home as being optimal for our mentality. For us, cooperation with Deutsche Telekom represents, among other things, a chance to train and improve our people and to work at home, but also in Germany, with a have the ambition to be the first in the development of fiber optics, which is why we are happy to have arrived at the right time! TeleGroup GmbH is growing and developing through ever more projects, the technological equipment we have at our disposal, the expansion of our human resource capacities and expansion to new offices in Hamburg and Kiel.
We are currently concentrating on the north of Germany, where we were welcomed very collegially and with great respect. We independently, as a system,
Ivana Kojadinović Žižić (Telegroup), Borislav Tadić (Senior Vice President Deutsche Telekom ), Annett Berthold (Senior Vice President Calculation Deutsche Telekom), Milomir Gligorijević
reliable employer that keeps pace with the ambitions of the market.
Are you proud of the fact that your cooperation with Deutsche Telekom has opened the door and provided an opportunity for other Serbian companies to work on this demanding market?
TeleGroup is the first company from Serbia to have direct cooperation with Deutsche Telekom, and we consider that a great success and a true privilege. Germany and Deutsche Telekom covered the areas of Braunschweig, Kiel, all the way to Lubeck.
We are happy with the fact that we have justified the trust of our German partner and thus enabled other companies from our market to demonstrate their expertise and knowhow. We are impressed that we are in the company of serious companies from Serbia, that we are together defending and raising the reputation of our country and profession.
Our company’s doors are constantly open to all interested engineers, technicians and fitters who have knowledge of the German language and accept discipline and apply the rules of the profession, and who strictly respect the organisation and wish to shoulder with us, work “side by side”, to build something great together!
ROMAN STRAKOŠ,MANAGING DIRECTOR, BROSE SERBIA
READY FOR THE NEXT STEP IN SERBIA
Brose is the world’s fourth-largest family-owned automotive supplier. In 2021, the company’s new site in Pančevo started its operations - and the next development steps are already being prepared
In his interview for CorD, Brose Serbia Managing Director Roman Strakoš expresses his satisfaction with the decision to set up a new location near Belgrade and describes his plan for the next years.
Is everything in your new plant in Pančevo progressing according to plan? What exactly will be produced at this facility located near Belgrade?
We struggled with COVID restrictions over recent months, just like
other companies. We were particularly hard hit regarding the training of our new employees abroad, due to various, changing regulations. The situation also had a negative impact on the availability of the necessary construction workforce and material. Despite those negative effects, we were able to cope well thanks to close cooperation with our partners.
Brose Serbia achieved every important milestone on time or even quicker than originally planned. Our plant has been in operation since 1st July. We are currently producing electronics and cooling fan motors, while preparing to increase our capacity as planned. The next step will be the start of our production line for electric oil pumps in early 2022.
How would you assess your company’s cooperation with representatives of the City of Pančevo and the Republic of Serbia? Have they done everything required to ensure that this largest German investment in Serbia to date is being implemented to the mutual satisfaction of all involved?
I see Serbia as a great place for our production and development location, with many people qualified and willing to take part in creating the future of mobility. This was the reason we chose Serbia in the first place, and good cooperation with the local and national government confirmed our decision. So far, we have always been able to find a way to together resolve every issue that came up.
How much assistance in the implementation of this project have you received from representatives of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and the Serbian Development Agency - RAS?
We received major support and guidance from RAS, which was and is very helpful. The commitment of the entire RAS team is outstanding, and the Republic of Serbia can be really proud of them. With the Chamber of Commerce, we mainly cooperate with regard to educational topics and in order to get in contact with other German companies.
How much have you invested in Serbia to date and what is the total value of this latest investment?
Until the end of 2021, we will have invested a high double-digit million euro amount here, which is about three quarters of our investment for the first phase of the new location.
Alongside the constructing of the factory and procuring of equipment, you’ve also worked to identify the best possible personnel. Are you satisfied with the quality of the workforce that’s available? How many workers will be employed?
In general, we are very satisfied with the technical qualification of people, as well as their ability to speak English. At the moment, more than 350 people are working at Brose Belgrade. This number is supposed to grow to 1,100 by 2025. Of course, this growth will depend on the further development of the automotive industry, which is still rather volatile due to the pandemic and the shortage of semiconductors.
Are you perhaps planning to collaborate with local schools, colleges and institutes on identifying and promoting talented individuals at an early stage and encouraging the development of research projects?
We are in intensive discussions with local high schools in Pančevo to set up a dual education programme. There is also close cooperation with the universities of Belgrade and Novi, Sad specifically the faculties of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Technical Sciences. This autumn, we will also start our internship programme: 19 students will be working at Brose, with some of them even staying in Germany for a couple of months.
How realistic is your plan to achieve revenue of around €440 million in Serbia by 2025?
With our long-term planning and order situation, that goal is still realistic. However, as already mentioned, our business development is closely linked to the situation of the automotive market in general, which is still facing several crises today.
ZF SERBIA
HOW THE VISION BECAME REALITY
The story of ZF Serbia began in 2018, when the foundations of this important greenfield site of ZF’s youngest and innovation-driving E mobility division were laid in the city of Pančevo, in Vojvodina, Serbia
ZF was then already leading the transformation to new mobility and taking major steps to advance new technologies and products, with the strong conviction that electromobility is the future of the automotive industry, and all strategic decisions were made with the aim of developing, expanding and accelerating this change.
With ambitious future plans, ZF decided to come to Serbia and invest in a new production site, and by the time this modern production facility was officially opened, in June 2019, the investment had already increased and the extension of the plant and research & development centre were already under construction.
A significant investment of 160 million euros was agreed for the construction of phases I and II of the Pančevo plant, as an expansion of ZF’s global production
FROM LEFT: MILAN GRUJIĆ, MICHAEL STAUCH
network, and additional funds amounting to 35.6 million euros were allocated in the second phase of the investment for the construction and equipping of the ZF Serbia engineering centre Pančevo.
This marked the biggest German investment in Serbia, initiated the new industrial zone in Pančevo and was a signal for other investors to come to Serbia. ZF understood and recognised the positive change in the investment climate, local efforts that will secure long-term political and economic stability, and also adequate infrastructure and workforce potential, but also the most important factor: the existence of credible and consistent local and national government support and understanding that will enable the desired progress of this project.
Today, just three years on, we can have a realistic view of the impressive results that ZF Serbia has achieved here and state that this location is an evident example of strategic thinking, correct decision making, great visons, promises kept and the joint effort of ZF team members and successful cooperation, but also great friendship between Serbia and Germany, company ZF and the City of Pančevo, which will continue through new plans and future challenges.
ZF Serbia’s Pančevo location is today the biggest E-mobility location outside Germany, covering the entire design and production process from the first customer product to serial production, bringing the advantages of all those processes being instigated at the same time and in the same location. The growing team of highly skilled, trained and educated employees at this 58,000m2 production facility is currently working mainly on the production of starter generators for Volvo vehicles, electric motors for the third generation of hybrid transmissions for BMW and electric axle drives for Mercedes-Benz. Furthermore, microswitches and gear shift systems are also produced at the Pančevo plant.
The state-of-the-art engineering centre, comprising 3,000m2 of office space and 3,600m2 of its high-tech testing area, currently employees 100 engineers. A cross-functional engineering team deals with the development of new products of the Division Electrified Powertrain Technology, the design of electric motors, the development of electric axle drives, as well as software calibration, testing and validation.
Within the scope of the testing centre, in which approximately €20 million has been invested for modern testing equip-
ment, there are 16 test rooms for testing and verifying electric motors, as well as endurance and performance tests in active and passive operations, but also for validating the overall system. It was in January 2021 that the first tests began being conducted at in this most modern research centre in Serbia, and they have been in operation ever since, while also supporting serial production at the Pančevo Plant.
The ZF Serbia Pančevo plant, together with the associated research & development centre, currently employs close to a thousand people.
We, as the new E Division, are convinced that now is the time to put sustainable mobility at the heart of everything we do. We contribute by electrifying mobility globally, with ZF technology inside.
Our goal is very clear: for us to become a world leading company in electrified mobility!
WORD FROM THE MANAGEMENT
Michael Stauch,
ZF Serbia, Managing Director - Technical
The Engineering centre in Pančevo is the final improvement of this ZF location. On the one hand, we have current serial production, while on the other, we now have everything in one place. This is authentic for us and a great opportunity for the location in Pančevo,
Here we have a young team that’s motivated, well-educated and able to absorb the knowledge of new technologies, which is why ZF is developing the location faster and into more areas than what we initially intended. We are now a complete plant, we are able – from the first contact of a customer, via development and production – to deliver everything to any automotive customer with regard to E-mobility, and that’s something we didn’t initially think we would be able to achieve so quickly, after just two or three years.
Milan Grujić,
ZF Serbia, Managing Director - Technical
We have invested significant resources and all our knowledge, provided support for this project to proceed at incredible speed and, realistically, have managed to do more than we planned. ZF is the most modern trend in the automotive industry. This has been recognised by our clients, partners, employees, the entire company and the division within which we operate.
We now know that ZF’s innovative and courageous vision of the future and well-conceived strategy have yielded results and we remain on the right track as inspirers and leaders of change when it comes to the development of the automotive industry.
ZF is a global technology company that supplies systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology, enabling the next generation of mobility.
With its comprehensive technology portfolio, the company offers integrated solutions for established vehicle manufacturers, mobility providers and start-up companies in the fields of transportation and mobility. ZF continually enhances its systems in the areas of digital connectivity and automation in order to allow vehicles to see, think and act.
The company has a global workforce of 153,500, with 271 locations in 42 countries. In 2020, ZF achieved sales of €32.6 billion.
Founded in 1915, ZF has evolved from a supplier specialising in aviation technology to a global mobility technology company. With the acquisition of WABCO, the company significantly increased its competence, especially in the field of technology for heavy commercial vehicles, buses and trailers. ZF last year spent more than seven per cent of its turnover from sales on research and development.
With its innovative portfolio, ZF focuses on “Next Generation Mobility” for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial applications. Group shareholders include the Zeppelin Foundation, administered by the City of Friedrichshafen, holding 93.8% of shares, and the Dr Jürgen and Irmgard Ulderup Foundation, Lemförde, with 6.2%.
MESSER TEHNOGAS
GASES FOR LIFE
Messer Tehnogas AD, a part of Messer SE & Co. KGaA, a leading international family-owned company in this field, is the largest producer of industrial, medical and specialty gases in Serbia and the Balkans, and it’s 92 years of tradition guarantees the reliability and quality of delivered products
Messer Tehnogas supplies over 4,000 customers in Serbia and abroad, selling over 650,000 tons of products in Serbia and throughout the Balkan region. Its clients have at their disposal professional and responsible teams for technical and logistic services 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year, using over 50 trucks and tank trailers.
MEDICAL GASES
Messer Tehnogas AD has been at the forefront of the fight during the COVID-19 Pandemic, as a producer and distributor of liquid and gaseous medical oxygen, which the WHO has declared an essential medicine for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
During the state of emergency, at a time when virtually nothing was known about the virus and most of the economy had ground to a halt, this company was working every day, with increased capacity for the production of medical oxygen. In order to meet the requirements to increase the oxygen supply capacity, the company has invested significant funds: 14 stable storage tanks were mounted and more than 20 mobile storage tanks were made operational; central gas supply systems were installed in seven hospitals, sometimes even while patients were already admitted; thousands of seamless cylinders for compressed gases were procured or repurposed, while production switched from one-shift operation to three-shift operations, at all five Messer locations. Logistics, under extraordinarily dynamic engagements, made deliveries around the clock, without breaks for weekends and holidays.
Through constant communication, Messer Tehnogas performs the regular By implementing over 300 applications of different gases in everyday life, Messer Tehnogas constantly shows how important its business is for everyday life and work!
and reliable distribution of medical gases to all necessary institutions on the territory of Serbia.
SPECIALTY GASES
The Messer Tehnogas specialty gases portfolio consists of several product lines: high purity gases; standard and individual gas mixtures; specialties like some inorganic gases, refrigerants and liquid helium, as well as high purity liquid gases. All of these products are delivered from the Pančevo production plants to customers in Serbia and across the SEE region.
The applications of special gases are very diverse. Many modern analytical methods require pure gases or gas mixtures as working gases, while analysers must be calibrated by high precision gas mixtures. Gaseous Helium is used for filling of balloons and aircrafts, to detect leaks and in liquid phase as an MRI coolant reaching superconductivity state. Resonators in CO2 lasers work using specific, precisely defined gas mixtures. Noble gases or their mixtures with other components are used to charge halogen bulbs, for insulation in windows or for production of plasma display panels.
As different applications of specialty gases mixtures are, so are the industry areas: for quality control in the fields of petrochemical, chemical, pharmaceutical or food industry, specialty gases are used for analytical purposes. In hospitals, calibration gases are used from blood gases analysis to lung function diagnostic. Simulations of natural gas mixtures are used for the calorific control and composition of natural gas; gas mixtures are used in biogas plants for the control process, as well as for quality control when adding biogas to the natural gas grid. Approvals for placements of new motor vehicles on the market, as well as regular technical inspections for the control of exhaust fumes, are based on high-precision calibration gases. Low concentration calibration gases are used to control emissions of exhaust fumes from various industrial plants, as well as for the continuous monitoring of air quality.
ZORAN ĐURIĆ, MIELE SERBIA GENERAL MANAGER
QUALITY AHEAD OF ITS TIME
Since its founding in 1899 until today, when it employs almost 21,000 people, Miele has remained a family company which has at its core commitment and responsibility towards the founders, employees, customers, suppliers, the natural environment and society
Miele Serbia achieves excellent sales results that rank it alongside economically stronger markets, and thus, from year to year, it records double-digit growth in terms of turnover and increases its network of showrooms and its local Miele team
Miele is a beloved brand in Germany, as the world’s leading manufacturer of premium home appliances that also operates successfully in Serbia. What else do we need to know about your company?
Miele is today synonymous with highquality, durability, innovation and service values in all markets where it operates. Our dedication to our customers is reflected primarily in top quality and the guarantee of a long service life of appliances. At a time when there is lots of talk suggesting that products from the consumer electronics segment are nowhere near as reliable as they used to be, each of our appliances is tested for a 20-year service life. In addition, led by the needs of users, we strive to continuously improve, implementing the latest technologies and creating appliances that will ease users’ daily lives.
When it comes to Miele in Serbia, more than a decade of successful operations has shown us that customers in this area really know how to recognise and value quality.
Your brand’s motto is “Immer Besser (forever better)”. Does that mean forever better than others, because you don’t give way to the competition? Or forever better than yourself, because you provide your customers with only the best?
The fact that we strive to be better than ourselves leads to us being “Immer Besser (forever better)” in everything we do. It is actually this guiding idea that was imprinted on the first machines by the company’s founders, Carl Miele and Reinhard Zinkan, that motivates us, on a daily basis, to redefine the notion of excellence in doing business and enables us to advance year on year when it comes to quality and innovation in our range. This is also expected of us by consumers, who traditionally set higher criteria for Miele than they do for other brands. For me personally, being “Immer Besser (forever better)” means providing full support to consumers and going a step further than what they already expect. With this goal, at the beginning of this year we opened an exclusive Miele sales salon or, as we call it, the Miele Experience Centre, in the Belgrade Waterfront area, which provides customers with the opportunity to utilise the professional help of advisors and the widest range of appliances that they can try at the sales salon to select the one that best suits their lifestyle.
Miele is known as a company that sets standards when it comes to quality and design, but also when it comes to care for resources and sustainability. Is it time for long-life devices in the field of home appliances?
Although sustainability only recently came into the focus of the general public, with us it is a corporate principle that has been applied since the company’s founding, primarily through the longevity of appliances, which is the ultimate form of sustainability and a counterpoint to the current culture of discarding.
The desire for us to also be “Immer Besser (forever better)” in this segment is at the heart of the brand’s current global campaign, through which we want to show how Miele offers its customers “Quality ahead of its time”, in terms of product design, performance and sustainability. It is very important for us that – through this campaign on our local market, now with a focus on sustainability – we will be one of the pioneers and will impact on the world being a better place to live.
DUŠICA, NEVENA, SLOBODAN AND DUŠAN JANKOVIĆ, INMOLD PLAST
QUARTET FOR A SECURE FUTURE
The core business of Požega-based company Inmold Plast is the production of high-quality tools for injection moulding of plastics and non-ferrous metals. It specialises in tools for injection moulding of thin-walled packaging and tools for injection moulding of technical parts, while it is additionally engaged in the production of IML robots
Inmold Plast is a family-owned company that has changed a lot in the 15 years since it was founded. Apart from the uncompromising quality of its products, of which founder and owner Goran Janković is extremely proud, he is equally proud of his four children who are already involved in the business.
As a graduate mechanical engineer, Goran started his private business in a 1994 partnership. He then became independent in 2006 and founded family company Inmold, which has become a serious company over the past 15 years, growing at an average rate of more than 30 per cent annually. He and his wife, Milka, began including their children in the company’s work to a greater or lesser extent, with daughters Dušica and Nevena and sons Slobodan and Dušan joining the business. Although they were all educated abroad, they see their future in Serbia, in this family company that employees don’t leave. Their parents are their role models in both work and life, while they are each other’s greatest support.
What compelled you to decide to stay with the family company, despite having the clear possibility of working abroad?
Dušica: Our father started gradually including each of us in the work before our studies. We travelled a lot with him and met many people from the business world. I quickly realised that a job with the family business would allow me to travel and study.
How much of the knowledge that you acquired during your studies have you managed to apply at the company?
Dušica: I apply a lot of what I learned during my studies on the job, mostly at fairs, trips, conferences and meetings.
Nevena: At work I currently mostly use the way of thinking that I acquired during my studies.
Slobodan: I had the good fortune to study in a country that has a very developed industry, where we also operate, so I learned many things that we’ve applied in our company. One of the main advantages of studying abroad is that a person matures more than they would by studying in their home country.
And how useful was the knowledge you acquired at the company during your studies?
Dušica: Everything I’ve ever learned could also be applied during my university education at some point.
Nevena: Working at the company during my summer holidays changed the way I viewed my studies - I acquired a better notion of what work I wanted to do and how to apply the knowledge I gained at university.
Slobodan: The way of thinking and professional knowhow that I mastered at the company helped me to initially pass exams in production engineering.
Dušica and Nevena, what is it like to work together in the same company with your sister?
Dušica: Work has been easier and more relaxed for me since Nevena joined me, because from that moment I’ve had someone to share the responsibility that we bear on our shoulders, as children of the owner.
Nevena: Dušica broke the ice, so it was easier for me. I work with her like I do with every other colleague in the company.
Slobodan and Dušan, how did you end up studying at the same faculty? How much was your brother a factor?
Slobodan: We were influenced the most by our father, of course in a positive way. If I’d been asked, I would have suggested that Dušan study something else.
Dušan: My decision to enrol at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering was influenced by the whole environment, not only my father, but great “credit”, or “blame”, for that belongs to Slobodan.
Is there anything you would change at Inmold Plast?
Dušica: The company is growing ever more year-on-year, which is why I think we need better organisation and an amendment of the current system and way of working. But we’ve already started working on that...
Nevena: With us there is constantly something that’s changing, in accordance with the growth of the company. I also have some new ideas that we’ll work on in the period ahead.
Slobodan: We’ve become an extremely complex system over the years, which must be viewed as a whole and constantly improved as a whole. All the knowledge acquired abroad – at fairs, in visits to other companies and working with suppliers, customers and partners – should be adapted to our company and implemented to bring us growth and progress.
Dušan: I wouldn’t comment on this topic as yet. The others have more knowledge and experience than me.
Is there anything that you’re particularly proud of when it comes to your family business?
Dušica: I’m very happy that we invest a lot in young personnel and employees generally. Inmold Plast really offers many opportunities for further development, for travel, participation in conferences, fairs etc. I’m proud of the fact that we collaborate with many companies that are synonymous with quality, not only on the European market, but also worldwide, but I’m also proud of our membership in the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce.
Nevena: I’m proud of the fact that, unlike our peers who study here and then move abroad, we did the opposite – we returned to Serbia to work for ourselves. I’m proud of the way our company works with students. I’m proud of the employees who view this company as their home, the people who participate in changes, the organisation of the company, the list of customers who place their trust in us over many years etc.
Slobodan: I’m proud of the fact that my father, with his knowledge, work
and experience, succeeded in developing such a successful company in a small community like Požega.
Dušan: I constantly think about the rhythm at which we’re developing and the ambitions of my family that drive us forward, and that makes me very proud.
Do you have a motto or something that guides and directs you?
Dušica: You shouldn’t go through life, but grow through life.
Nevena: If you can dream something, you can also make it happen.
Slobodan: There’s no way I could decide on just one... I have multiple lessons: whatever happens, a solution can always be found, you just don’t need to panic. Whoever stops advancing starts regressing. Work, work and only work! One needs to move forwards at all costs.
Dušan: Hard work pays off.
What is the most precious thing in your life?
Dušica: My family is my most precious thing: my husband and my son Matija. Knowhow, family upbringing, dear people.
Nevena: Family, proper friends, honest advice and the positive people around me.
Slobodan: A family that I can always rely on and that I know wants the best for me. In the first place are my daughter Dunja and my wife, who is a great pillar of support for me in everything.
Dušan: Family and friends.
What have you learned from each other?
Dušica: That we should fight if we want something and not give up easily.
Nevena: We are constantly learning from each other and pointing out each other’s flaws and mistaken moves, but we also know how to offer praise when someone does something well. I learned to more quickly and easily accept constructive criticism. We learned tolerance and how to work together to solve problems. We apply that both in life and work.
Slobodan: That each of us, with our own characteristics and abilities, is unique in this community of ours. We differ from each other greatly, which provides us with lots of room to learn from each other.
Dušan: I learned from my three older siblings to be tenacious and persistent in everything I do.
What are your plans?
Dušica: I plan to work on myself, to improve, and thus contribute maximally to the further development of the company.
Nevena: On the business front, I intend to dedicate myself to learning and improving my knowledge, and on the personal front I want to travel a lot and meet new, interesting people.
Slobodan: I want to continue developing Inmold, together with my family.
Dušan: My plan is to contribute as much as possible to the progress of our company with my knowhow and fresh ideas.
FRANK BAUMANN,DIRECTOR, GOETHE-INSTITUTE BELGRADE
CULTURE IS ESSENTIAL IN PANDEMIC TIMES
Like other cultural institutions, Goethe-institute is facing lots of challenges during the still ongoing pandemic. Nevertheless, it has adapted to the new reality, establishing its COVID relief fund and changing the way projects are implemented. Here we speak to Goetheinstitute Director Frank Baumann to discuss various topics, including the importance of culture during a crisis, how to act against disregard for culture, relations between official institutions and the sphere of culture, and mainly the Goethe-institute’s past, current and upcoming projects.
During past months we’ve seen lots of analysis and discussion about the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, on education and even on international relationships. In your opinion, what is the most significant impact that the pandemic has had on the culture and creative sector?
As is known, all cultural events had to be cancelled in the previous period, all institutions in the field had to be closed and all artistic projects were postponed or cancelled. The same applied to the cultural and creative industry and, of course, to us at the Goethe-institute. That was the effect of 2020. We tried, like everybody else, to switch and change formats, but some of us cannot stand to hear the word “streaming” any longer, because it has become too much. Everything is streamed, everybody produces, but where is the audience?
If we reflect on the period behind us, what could be concluded about the importance of culture during a crisis?
If we’re talking about the lockdown situation and the complete shutdown that was unnecessary, my impression is that places of culture should be among the first to reopen, and not among the last. And the question is: with which institutions or spheres of live do we compare culture and cultural institutions? The importance of culture is evident, as it can help people overcome their fears. And fear is palpable when a life-threatening virus is waiting just around the corner. The problem is that there are people who regard art, music, literature, and film as something almost superfluous, something you can easily do without, which is wrong. All these people who see the fundamental relevance of culture as being in line with leisure activities, comparing it with fitness studios and casinos, must allow themselves to be accused of being too lightly discrediting everything that defines our democracy. Because culture is essential in pandemic times.
In Germany, we have the term “Systemrelevanz” - what is relevant for a society and what is not. And culture was obviously not relevant.
There were a bunch of artists who used this and said: “We ARE systemically relevant”. It cannot be that system relevance includes only that which is countable and that which is measured in prices, numbers and values. The filling station is relevant, but the cinema is relevant as well, for other reasons.
How can we combat the serious undermining of culture that you mention?
By speaking about it further and, as a cultural institution, by trying to reopen platforms, rebuild stages, make even bigger projects, increase the budget and support local artists and the culture sphere.
The Goethe-institute and the German Federal Foreign Office, together with some other organisations, established the International Relief Fund which has, for the second time, provided support to mainly NGOs in dealing with the negative consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. And we could support local NGOs not just by coproducing projects, but by supporting them in a tangible, budgetary way, including by purchasing the technical equipment that they need or, for example, covering staffing costs. This fund is present in several countries – Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and a couple of others – and it could serve to prove that this is situation where even dinosaurs like the Goethe-institute are able to react quickly and adequately.
At least two of your projects – “Playing Narratives” and the platform “Next Generation” – are aimed towards the youth. Could you tell us more about this and the responses you’ve received?
“Playing Narratives” is a project that targets young professionals and those who want to become professionals in the gaming field. It is about bridging the gap from a comic story to a game i.e., how to develop it. The idea originated with our French colleagues and is our joint project. For us, it was interesting to see how immense the support was from Serbian companies that operate in the gaming business. These companies have been really interested, because they also know that they can get a grip on these talented youngsters through such a project.
“Next Generation” is the creative platform that we established in 2010 in order to deepen our communication with the youth. We have been focused on a few projects over the last several years. In cooperation with visual performance artist Darko Dragićević from Berlin, we realised the projects – “Failure as Practice”, “Lie & Theft as Practice” – the book will be presented soon – and we are now in the third phase, “Inequality as Practice”. The young artists who participate in this platform have a possibility to attend workshops
with Darko and other visiting professors, mainly from Berlin, sharing the specific experience of connection in the collective body and working on a given topic.
Before the pandemic, this project was well noted in Berlin, and the cooperation we’ve already established with the Tanzfabrik Festival will continue. For us, this means the building of bridges between Berlin and Belgrade.
Among other programmes within the scope of the “Next Generation” platform, we currently have a programme in which
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a group of ten young artists and visual artists are dealing with the issue of commons. The topic they are working on is the institution of the future.
Speaking in some previous interviews, you mentioned that you see “a certain threat wherever culture and history are presented (and financed) top-down.” How would you describe the relationship between officialdom and the sphere of culture?
The relationship between official, state institutions and the cultural scene is always asymmetrical. That happens because the first one should partly finance the second, which is something that’s demanded in our contemporary societies. We have the right to demand this – that the state finances culture. But, of course, it is not just a deal like any other, because in culture you never know what you’ll get. In my eyes, that is something that should be accepted as being part of the game. That’s because culture is not financed for those who pay for it, but for society as a whole. I’m now speaking about artistic freedom, which is a very important value. We have the idea that art is basically allowed to do everything, which doesn’t mean “Playing Narratives” is a project that targets young professionals and those who want to become professionals in the gaming field. It is about bridging the gap from a comic story to a game i.e., how to develop it
that it must do everything. But it is generally allowed to do so. I then found this quote by a former German constitutional judge and high-ranking lawyer: ‘the liberal and secularised state lives on the condition that it cannot guarantee itself’. This is an interesting philosophical approach we should reflect on.
One of the Goethe-institute projects is the transnational exhibition “Missing Stories. Forced Labour under Nazi Occupation. An Artistic Approach”, as an issue that presents one of the forgotten memories in regional history education. What have reactions to the exhibition been like and are you planning similar projects in this field in the future?
We staged this exhibition in cooperation with the EVZ foundation (The Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future) and the preparatory phase alone lasted almost three years.
We are very satisfied that we could continue this exhibition’s international tour. Namely, the initiative originated in Belgrade but included five other cities – Novi Sad, Podgorica, Tirana, Augsburg and Berlin - and also four curators and around 10 artists who dealt with the issue of forced labour under Nazi occupation. We consider this topic as being very important and so many families have their personal stories, but we noticed that those who were impacted very rarely speak about it, nor is that present in the public sphere. That’s why the exhibition is entitled “Missing stories”. It encompasses different perspective from several countries. It has to date been organised in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Podgorica and Tirana. Every place has brought something that was peculiar to that city, and the accompanying programmes have been different. Hopefully, the exhibition will be presented in Augsburg and should end its tour in Berlin.
What are your plans for the coming months?
We are once again collaborating with the Belgrade Jazz Festival and the BITEF festival. We also have our own Goethe Film Festival, organised together with KC Grad.
I have to say that, unlike in the other countries where I’ve worked, Serbian partners always know who they would like to present and invite from Germany. Awareness of what is going on in Germany is at a very high level here.
Is there any (dream) project that you would really like to do, in terms of cultural exchanges between our countries, but which you have not yet implemented?
PIERLUIGI GHIONE, MANAGING DIRECTOR & HEAD OF HEADPLANT, LEONI WIRING SYSTEM SOUTHEAST
EMPLOYEES ARE OUR GREATEST ASSET
With its global production network and technological expertise, Company Leoni is one of the leading manufacturers of wiring systems that help customers build next-generation vehicles. Its Kraljevo production facility is the largest Leoni plant in Serbia
Leoni Serbia takes care of, and invests in its employees, as human resources are seen as the company’s biggest asset. That’s why Leoni organises numerous internal and external training courses and programmes aimed at developing and enhancing talent, but also to encourage the hiring of highly qualified staff
Is it true that Serbia is the only European country in Leoni’s global production network that has four production plants? Have you already become the largest employer in our country’s manufacturing industry?
That is correct. Leoni Serbia is currently the only European entity with four production facilities within the Wiring Systems Division. The company’s management recognised Serbia as not only a great investment destination, but also an opportunity to build and operate at four production plants within a single country. Our first plant, in Prokuplje, was opened in 2009, then came Malošište plant in 2014, and Niš factory in 2017 and, finally, our Kraljevo plant, the construction of which began in 2018. Leoni Serbia currently employs around 13,000 people, which makes us the largest private industrial employer in the country. Moreover, this strengthens Leoni’s position as a high-performance supplier to the international automotive industry.
Is Kraljevo factory, where 50 million euros have been invested, among your largest plants? What kind of capacity does it have?
The construction of the plant began in August 2018 and we have just now, in September 2021, marked its official opening. The entire building spreads over an area of more than 60,000sqm, 45,000sqm of which represents the production area. The business produces harnesses for one of the world’s premium carmakers, with a capacity and planned production of up to 2,000 cable sets per day. Leoni has to date invested 55 million euros in the building and equipment for its newest production facility. Leoni Kraljevo plant currently employs 3,728 people, while at its full capacity (by year’s end 2023), the factory will be employing around 5,000 people. This also makes our Kraljevo production facility the largest Leoni Serbia plant when it comes to the number of employees.
You are proud of your investments in your people and their continuous professional advancement. Does this mean that you consider employees your greatest and most important resource when it comes to ensuring good operations and excellent results?
Leoni Serbia won the People Development Award at our Wiring Systems Division Summit, which also confirms our efforts and the company’s dedication to its employees’ professional advancement and overall progress. The most important share of our successful business operations on a daily basis falls under the category of individual and team accomplishments, without which we would not have reached the company’s scale and business performance that we have today.
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PETER WOLF, SECTOR FUND MANAGER, GIZ
RIGHT ON TRACK
As a provider of international cooperation services for sustainable development, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is dedicated to building a future that’s worth living in for around 120 countries worldwide
The results that we’ve achieved over previous years, such as the introduction of digital solutions for better public services and the improvement of framework conditions and capacities for water and waste management in many local communities, instil us with confidence that we are on the right track - says GIZ Sector Fund Manager Peter Wolf.
GIZ has spent a full decade working around the world, on behalf of the German government and its international partners, to shape the future. Are you satisfied with what you’ve achieved?
The GIZ Open Regional Fund for Southeast Europe – Modernisation of Municipal Services (ORF MMS) that I am allowed to introduce today is conceived as a cooperation and networking platform for all relevant stakeholders in the six Western Balkan countries (WB6) who want to use the benefits of stronger regional cooperation and improved local economic development. Together with our partners, we are creating better living conditions and perspectives for the local population across the region.
With the development of an e-registration system for seasonal workers in agriculture, over 46,000 people could work with full social security benefits, while the government generated 4.8 million euros in additional taxes and contributions from 2019 to 2020. The overarching framework for all the activities of our 23,600 employees, cooperation partners and commissioning parties is the 2030 UN Agenda, with its Sustainable Development Goals.
You are currently focused on the new 2021-2024 project cycle. What can you tell us about this cycle?
We managed to reform the system for issuing building permits that led to the country climbing 177 places on the World Bank’s Doing Business list
In the upcoming project phase, a strong focus will be placed on further strengthening regional networks and their capacities to create a businessfriendly environment. Based on the transfer of knowledge between governments, civil society and the private sector at the local, national and regional levels, as well as the exchange of best practices from EU member states, this project will facilitate cooperation and develop innovative approaches to fostering economic reforms.
The efficient dissemination and transfer of knowledge will be implemented throughout sector-specific network organisations.
The project will provide support for the development of concrete reform proposals to national authorities and intensive capacity building measures to local governments aimed at fostering economic development and improving the business climate.
The transfer of best practices, such as the e-registration system for seasonal work from Serbia to other WB6 countries, will be facilitated, including further digital transformation in local communities, COVID- 19 post-pandemic recovery and the promotion of inclusiveness through the support of vulnerable sections of the population following the principle “Leaving no one behind”.
You work to improve conditions for the development of municipalities and local economies in the six countries of the Western Balkans. Who are your partners in this important work?
In order to meet these challenges, our ORF MMS constantly strengthens the capacities of regional sector-specific networks, such as the Network of Associations of Local Authorities in Southeast Europe (NALAS), the Regional Capacity Development Network for Water Public Utilities in Southeast Europe (RCDN) and the Network for Business-Friendly Certification Southeast Europe (BFC SEE). These are the strategic partners of our work in the region.
The ORF MMS additionally promotes cooperation between these regional networks and national decision makers. Beside the involvement of ministries, municipalities, public utilities enterprises and their regional umbrella organisations, as well as international and bilateral donor programmes, the constant growth of the commitment of the private sector is duly noted and highly appreciated.
DRAGAN SIMOVIĆ, MEMBER OF THE SUPERVISORY BOARD OF M&M MILITZER & MÜNCH SERBIA; MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE SERBIAN-GERMAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (AHK SERBIA)
NEW INVESTORS ARRIVING
The policy of the Government of Serbia plays one of the crucial roles, because subsidies encourage the arrival of investors. With the connecting of the Serbian-German Chamber of Commerce and the Government of Serbia, the bringing in of foreign investors is being implemented successfully, which represents a recipe for success
The Militzer & Münch Group employs approximately 2,100 workers in 27 countries. And over the course of just two years, M&M Serbia has reached a level of six branches and more than 160 employees in the country. M&M places its focus on complicated markets and demanding customers who expect the best prices, shortest deadlines and top professionalism.
Are you satisfied with the results that you’re achieving?
I am satisfied with the increase in the number of workers, because a larger number of workers shows that we have ever-more work. I estimate that we will not stop here when it comes to achieving our goals, i.e., the jobs that should be implemented over the next year. With the concluding of new contracts, there will also be an increase in the number of employees. The current forecast for the next year is that we will have around 250 employees in Serbia.
What distinguishes your company from the competition the most?
What currently sets us apart from our competition is automation and the use of modern technologies, in order to conduct work better and faster. We offer our clients faster and more efficient handling, i.e., realising work in the warehouse, with the installing of lifts and conveyor belts with a capacity of 500 to 700 cartons per hour. Likewise, under the scope of the automation of our warehouse, included in our latest investment is a so-called sorting machine, which sorts up to 1,500 cartons We offer our clients faster and more efficient handling with the installing of lifts and conveyor belts with a capacity of 500 to 700 cartons per hour
per hour, thus shortening the time needed to unload, separate or sort goods by destination, which reduces errors to a minimum.
To what extent does the SerbianGerman Chamber of Commerce encourage cooperation between our countries and businesspeople; and how much does it contribute to the arrival of new investors in Serbia?
The Serbian-German Chamber of Commerce has great significance in contributing to the arrival of new investors in Serbia. The first contact that a potential investor company makes, apart from with the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, is with this chamber. The SerbianGerman Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors comprises successful businesspeople whose companies have invested in Serbia and serve as role models.
I could take as an example the ZF Friedrichshafen factory, which, apart from employing a large number of people, has brought high technology to Serbia. In that sense, this factory represents a paragon for other potential investors from Germany, with which interest in coming to Serbia has increased greatly.
What changes were brought to you by the pandemic?
During the time of the pandemic, we saw what was happening with transport and logistics, and how much the pandemic impacted the business. The ban on movements accelerated online commerce in a way, which was demonstrated during the first days of lockdown in Serbia. A trend of increasing online business still exists and is expanding. An important element of e-commerce is the courier service, i.e., the logistics sector, to ensure the timely delivery of a shipment, which can also be specific. I believe this trend will continue and increase in our country, because online commerce is currently undergoing expansion.
BRANKA PERIĆ ŠLJIVIĆ, DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTS AT PERIĆ TRANS COMPANY
EVERY CHALLENGE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH
Perić Trans Company was founded almost three decades ago. It has been providing international transport services since 1996, while it has also been selling and leasing used construction machinery and equipment since the 2000s. This company has been patiently conquering new markets for years, growing and developing to the position where it today has 160 employees
Thanks to its wide range of construction machinery and equipment, state-of-the-art fleet, mobile services and professional personnel, this family company is able to offer and guarantee the fast and high-quality implementation of works for its clients
Your company celebrates its 30th birthday during next year. What has your development path looked like? Your portfolio surely wasn’t as rich and diverse at the start...
Perić Trans Company is a family company that was founded in 1992, and we’ve been engaged in international transport services since 1996. The company has grown gradually over the years, developing and conquering markets. We currently have 160 employees.
New business opportunities on the market encouraged us to develop another sector of operations: sales and hiring of used construction machinery and equipment. This proved to be another excellent business move, as shown today by the more than 250 different units in stock that are available for to buy or hire.
In late 2016, due to the need to expand our business and function more easily on the European market, we founded a subsidiary company, Perić Trans Company in Slovenia. I can state unreservedly that we are in that group of companies that have taken great strides forward from year to year and from decade to decade, so that today, after almost thirty years
of operations, we have become a modern company with the latest generation haulage vehicles and a wide range of construction machinery and equipment.
Our core business is international transport to the European market, while a large part of our operations comprises the selling and leasing of construction machinery and equipment, as well as civil engineering works. We are among the top players in every segment of our operations and invest constantly in the company’s development.
What is your recipe for success? How important was the fact that Perić Trans Company is a family company when it came to expanding your business, increasing the number of employees and securing a leadership position in your branch of industry?
One of the main factors is persistence and perseverance in achieving plans set, as well as responsibility and a desire to respect everything agreed upon. The proper selecting of clients was certainly a crucial factor, because our company has developed and advanced gradually thanks precisely to our clients, to their needs and requirements. The long-term commitment of the family spawned Perić Trans Company as it is today.
What are the biggest challenges you face and how do you handle them?
Considering the turbulent years behind us, we have grown accustomed to challenges and resolve them as we go. We consider large projects that force us to leave our comfort zone as challenges, and we see them as opportunities for the company to grow. Our primary advantage is the exceptional flexibility and readiness of the company to respond to inquiries and implement works quickly and to a high standard of quality. When it comes to the renting of equipment, we cover the whole of Serbia, and one of the biggest jobs currently is linked to the construction of the Moravian Corridor, from Pojat – Kruševac to Čačak.
NEMANJA ĆIRIĆ, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, GP GRADJEVINAR
SATISFIED PARTNERS ARE KEY TO SUCCESS
Since its founding more than three decades ago, GP Gradjevinar has been, and remains, a company that insists on the high quality of every project phase, respect for agreements with partners, the constant educating of employees and the application of the latest technologies. And all of this in combination has led to it building an enviable reputation
GP Gradjevinar received numerous messages of commendation from German partners for its work constructing the new buildings of the German Embassy and the German School in Belgrade, as well as for the reconstruction of the building of the Goethe Institute, which proves that GP Gradjevinar satisfies Europe’s most stringent standards of quality.
After three decades of operations, GP Gradjevinar is today a recognisable brand not only in Serbia, but also abroad. What forms the basis of your excellent reputation?
The very fact that GP Gradjevinar has existed as a company for more than three decades is one of the factors proving that we’ve become a recognisable brand. From the very outset, one of the most important principles that has been present in our operations is the inclusion of high quality in every part of a project’s implementation. That is one of the key elements of our brand. Moreover, by respecting all agreements with all our partners, both domestic and foreign, we have gained great trust, which wasn’t easy to maintain during the previous difficult decades. Of course, in order for us to be able to continue providing that high quality, we also pay great attention – apart from quality and respect for deadlines – to the constant educating of our associates, thus enabling us to monitor and apply all new technologies. All of this together helps to rank us among the most serious construction companies operating on the market of the Republic of Serbia, and thus also a recognisable brand.
Your company’s motto is “ Satisfied partners are the key to our success”. Are satisfied partners also the best advertisement and the best recommendation?
We think it is. When we say “partners”, we aren’t only referring to our investors/ clients, but also our long-term suppliers, subcontractors and others who participate together with us on the implementation of all projects. With dedication, expertise, commitment and serious work, the results must be positive and our investors/clients satisfied. This kind of recommendation is very important for us, because our investors are very pleased to continue collaborating with us and are happy to recommend us to their partners who are planning activities in Serbia. In short, works are the best advertisement and recommendation
Is the fact that you were engaged on the construction of the new buildings of the German Embassy and the German School in Belgrade, as well as the reconstruction of the building of the Goethe Institute, proof that you satisfy even the most stringent European standards of quality?
The constant education and training of all associates in our company enabled us, as a general contractor, to implement even the most demanding projects when it comes to high standards in the field of construction, and to implement them to a high quality in the projects that you listed. The realisation of these projects was a great and beautiful challenge for us, in which we showed that we can satisfy the most stringent European standards envisaged by these projects, especially when taking into account the specific nature of the construction industry, and of course all with respect for agreed deadlines. As such, there was no lack of either satisfaction or praise among our partners – the German Federal Foreign Office, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Belgrade, the German Federal Ministry of Construction and the German Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture.
Our motto also simultaneously describes the history of our company - the brand that we’ve created: “Satisfied partners are the key to our success”.
LJILJANA TOPIĆ, DIRECTOR, GALENIKA PHARMACIA
NURTURING IT’S OWN LEADERSHIP POSITION
Galenika Pharmacia produces more than 50 different medical devices - sterile and non-sterile compresses, plaster strips, bandaid plasters, bandages and sanitary materials, vehicle first aid kits, cabinets and first aid packs - and last year it also supplied us with surgical masks when they were most important
This renowned domestic company supplies all healthcare institutions in the country, from health centres, pharmacies and pharmaceutical facilities, via private and state hospitals and clinics, to large health centres
Your company had stable production and the certain placement of its products of unquestionably high quality for years, and then came the pandemic. And everything changed overnight, right?
Yes, that’s right ... The Coronavirus changed everything. Until then, our factory had produced the complete range of sanitary consumables - compresses, gauzes, bandages, disinfectants, and then, practically overnight, surgical masks became the number one product. The pandemic also taught us how to react at lightening speed and how to switch to products that we’d previously only had as a supplement to our portfolio. We switched machines that hadn’t previously had that purpose to the function of producing masks 24 hours a day, and during that period, when things were at their toughest, our employees exerted superhuman effort. Drivers worked for 24 hours, all employees were on call 24 hours a day, in readiness to respond to every call. Work was done in three shifts, with invoicing and deliveries also carried out at night. We should also make special mention of the fact that the pandemic led to the establishing of excellent cooperation between competing companies, which wasn’t the case before, particularly not in this form or scope. Galenika Pharmacia is a member of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, which is yet more confirmation for us and our work, because the German market only accepts goods of the best quality
It wouldn’t be strange if the speed of production, changes to the production programme and work around the clock had led to a fall in quality, but that didn’t happen at your company...
Believe it or not, we managed to maintain quality, which is testified to by the fact that, for example, the “Beograd” Pharmaceutical Institution, as the country’s largest such institution, didn’t have a single complaint. We are very proud of our contribution to the struggle against the pandemic, which is unfortunately continuing. We also made 200,000 protective masks for children at our new plant in Petrovac na Mlavi, produced masks with silver nanoparticles for the Novak Đoković Foundation and protective masks with five protection filters.
Our surgical masks were initially distributed to the four largest clinical centres in Serbia - Belgrade, Kragujevac, Niš and Novi Sad, with the remainder sent to other health institutions. If we were able to produce millions of masks, we would have sold them, which is why I feel the need to emphasise the fact that not a single mask was sent abroad.
As we’re already on the subject of foreign trade, which are your traditional export markets? Do you stick to old partners or have you established new collaborations in recent years?
Galenika Pharmacia has for years been recording excellent export results with the B-H Federation, North Macedonia and Montenegro, while we also sell products to Nigeria and Iraq, and we’ve also been cooperating with Germany for the last two years. Our company has become a member of the GermanSerbian Chamber of Commerce, which is yet more confirmation for us and our work, because it is well-known that the German market is one of the world’s most demanding and that they only accept goods of the best quality. I’m proud of the fact that we managed to secure our market leadership position and to maintain it successfully.
TIMO STEGELMANN, INTERIM MANAGING DIRECTOR OF HELP - HILFE ZUR SELBSTHILFE – SUSTAINABLE AID WORLDWIDE STRIVING FOR A WORLD BEYOND POVERTY
Help is present in 21 countries, has 8.1 million beneficiaries, 636 employees and 83 projects with a volume in excess of 35 million euros. Its primary mission is emergency relief, followed by developmental assistance to create resilient communities and individuals
We at Help share our expertise and work together with national and local partners, as well those in need, providing tools and assets to build regional networks and structures to empower people and secure a decent living - says Help interim MD Timo Stegelmann.
For 40 years, Help has been striving to create a world free of poverty and social injustice, in which everyone can live freely and with dignity, peace and security. What prevents us from collectively achieving that?
As our primary mission is emergency relief, followed by developmental assistance to create resilient communities and individuals, we respond to people’s needs, whether caused by nature or man.
Every action undertaken by Help contributes to the improvement of individuals’ and communities’ quality of living and supports them in moving towards self-reliance. In 2020 alone, we managed to touch the lives of, and empower, over 8.1 million people worldwide.
Sadly, human-induced climate change sends us a few steps back in our mission. But that only compels us to regroup and respond in an agile manner to the everchanging world. Backed by the donor community, Help works in partnership with national and local stakeholders and communities to jointly bring and create synergies to secure sustainable and efficient collective growth.
The numbers testifying to your work are impressive. Has the pandemic led to any changes in your work?
Photo Credit: ©“Help - Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe”
The pandemic led to many changes globally that impacted heavily on everyone and forced us to adapt swiftly to support those in need. Micro and small businesses shook under the unexpected burden. Many had stopped working by the end of 2020, and the Western Balkans is no exception. Every fourth person in this area is at risk of poverty.
Help responded rapidly on-site to support marginalised groups with food and hygiene, hospitals with the equipment required to treat COVID-19 patients, communication tools for school pupils, persons with disabilities, prison inmates and the elderly. We provided face masks and disinfectants. And we continued supporting self-employment, employment and the building of skills and knowhow.
We have always taken care to ensure that our projects have the lowest possible eco-footprint, and we now do even more by encouraging innovative green ideas that will further contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. As an organisation, we constantly learn and improve internally and externally through responsible and transparent project management. On an equal basis, we endeavour to efficiently strengthen resilience and create a better tomorrow for all.
Your latest projects in this region are dedicated to the economic and social empowerment of the Western Balkans. Which areas demand special attention when it comes to empowering people?
We have many projects in this region and the German-funded socioeconomic empowerment of the Western Balkans is focused on job creation, building personal and professional skills and small-scale initiatives. The goal is to create mechanisms and networks for the empowerment of marginalised groups, including COVID-19 recovery measures and the facilitation of inclusion and social prosperity. We expect to have empowered 5,000 people by the end of this project.
That’s because we at Help share our expertise together with national and local partners, and with those in need, providing tools and assets to build regional networks and structures to empower people and secure them with a decent living.
CRISTIAN SALLAI, DIRECTOR OF THE GERMAN NATIONAL TOURIST BOARD’S BELGRADE OFFICE, REGIONAL OFFICE OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, BULGARIA, CROATIA, MONTENEGRO, ROMANIA AND SERBIA
THE DANUBE CONNECTS SERBIA AND GERMANY
The Belgrade office of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) will celebrate the tenth anniversary of its operations next year. Having advanced from 1.4 million trips in 2010 to 3.2 million in 2019, this region has seen above-average growth compared to Germany’s other source markets
Germany is full of hidden gems and treasures that can be found once you agree to stray from the beaten track. This was one of the elements that determined this year’s main topic: German Local Culture - showing the world a different side of Germany
Are the citizens of the six markets of the region that you cover acquainted with the offers of German tourism?
They certainly are! The German National Tourist Office in Belgrade is promoting Germany as a travel destination on six Balkan Markets: Serbia,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro and Romania. Our Belgrade Office promotes the diversity of Germany’s tourist products and we strive to be a pioneer when it comes to using immersive technologies (virtual, augmented and mixed reality), voice assistants and other conversational interfaces, as well as artificial intelligence applications like chatbots, as our marketing tools.
Germany has been among the world’s most visited tourist destinations for decades. What deserves the credit for this fact?
With its 51 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Germany is among the countries with the highest density of natural and cultural treasures. The international recognition of Germany as the number 1 cultural travel destination in Europe also gains further impetus during this year, from the latest decisions of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. The Mathildenhöhe artists’ colony in Darmstadt is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the health resorts of BadenBaden, Bad Ems and 2 Bad Kissingen, along with eight other locations, have also been awarded the World Heritage title of “Major Spa Cities in Europe.”
We think that the diversity of the offer – from major cities to small villages, natural sites to spa and luxury travel – is the key to our success.
Which are the most popular German cities that have attracted the most tourists for years? Are trends changing?
It is really hard to single out one or two particular cities. There is basically something for everyone in Germany’s diverse selection of over 10,000 towns and cities. There are countless different sides to Germany and German cities. The vast spectrum of different architectural
styles and art forms have shaped the country and bestowed a distinctive character on every region. You can discover the museum scene, street art, medieval centres of small towns, maritime cities etc. A third of the world’s opera performances take place in Germany, at over 80 opera houses. There are castles, parks and gardens at the heart of the country’s cities, and much more.
So, as you see, before being able to single out any of the cities I would have to know if you prefer a small town or a metropolis, culture or nature, street art or museums. From Munich to Hamburg, via Berlin and Frankfurt, there is something for everyone.
Are there any lesser-known or completely unknown destinations, events or other places and manifestations in Germany that are worth seeing, visiting, touring...?
We would like to take our guests off the beaten track, beyond the standard checklist of tourist hotspots, to discover the unique atmosphere of Germany’s towns and cities, and to meet the people who live there. We’ll introduce them to traditional professions and the artisans who are redefining centuries-old handicrafts for the modern age. In short, we invite you to join us on a journey through a Germany that is sure to amaze.
Over previous years we’ve been promoting different aspects of the variety of German tourism: for example, Bauhaus, UNESCO, Nature etc.
Sustainability has become one of the most important topics that we’ve been highlighting recently. And the COVID-19 Pandemic has led to travellers around the world becoming even more concerned about sustainability. Unspoilt nature, the careful use of resources and a focus on wellbeing are gaining in importance. So, we are picking up on this trend and expanding the scope of our ‘Feel Good’ campaign in 2021. At the same time, during this year and next, GNTB is promoting German Local Culture with a focus on the road less travelled, beyond the standard checklist of tourist hotspots.
If you had to single out something that connects Serbia and Germany, what would that be?
The Danube is definitely the first thing to cross my mind. This river that is known as the “source of Europe” for a very good reason.
Serbia and Germany are attached to one another at all levels: naturally by the Danube, culturally and also economically. So, it is also very hard to single out a single aspect that bonds our countries.
As a tourism expert, you would certainly know what Serbia could do to raise the profiles of other places to ensure their inclusion on the list of the region’s most popular destinations... What tourism potentials are waiting for us to exploit?
Serbia has a lot of treasures to offer visitors. From nature to culture, from amazing rural areas to amazing cities and towns, from wines to amazing culinary experiences. I believe that these treasures that distinguish Serbia from its neighbours should be the ones to focus on.
But I would not underestimate the developments of previous years. I’ve now been living here for 10 years and I’ve witnessed huge developments. Belgrade is a highlight for everyone in Europe. Everybody wants to come here and has heard of Belgrade, but also Novi Sad and its surroundings, or the country’s festivals. But Serbia’s amazing nature has also started to be discovered by foreign visitors. There has been evident development of the tourism sector over the past 10 years, and a lot of projects are unfolding. And I think they are doing so in a very successful way!
I would say that sustainability should be one of the priorities.
www.germany.travel
BY KARL MATHIESEN AND ZIA WEISE
CLIMATE IS THE KINGMAKER IN GERMAN COALITION-BUILDING
The two parties crucial to forming a post-election government differ starkly on climate and energy policy
Climate policy is one of the keys to forming a new German government.
But with the two smaller parties crucial to forming a post-election majority coalition having utterly different philosophies on how to reach Germany’s climate goals, the issue will be a major faultline in upcoming talks. The election of 25th September saw the Social Democratic Party (SPD) take a narrow win with 25.7 per cent over 24.1 per cent for the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU). The Greens came third with 14.8 per cent, while the liberal Free Democrats (FDP), according to preliminary official figures, were fourth with 11.5 per cent.
Now the Greens and FDP are planning a common approach to bargain more effectively with the two bigger groupings.
It won’t be easy. The Greens have more in common with the SPD, while the FDP and the CDU/CSU overlap on many issues.
“The next government must be a climate government,” said the Greens’ coleader, Annalena Baerbock. She added her party wants “massive investment” in infrastructure aimed at greening and modernising the country, and favours a higher level of government intervention in the economy.
The FDP believes the free market will deliver climate goals. “The election result makes one thing clear,” Volker Wissing, the party’s General Secretary, told the broadcaster ARD on the morning after the election, “People don’t want climate protection at the expense of prosperity, and people also don’t want prosperity at the expense of nature and the environment. That’s why we need to bring these things together and work out a solution as to how we can reconcile climate protection and prosperity.”
Both the FDP and the Greens want the finance ministry in any coalition — currently occupied by SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz. The Greens also want to create a climate ministry with the right to veto any other ministry’s decision to ensure all government policy is in line with the Paris Climate Agreement. The FDP has signalled it would be fine with a climate ministry, but without the veto rights.
The finance job will be “crucial for issues like public spending programmes, EU debt-and-budget questions and carbon pricing,” said Georg Zachmann, a senior fellow at the Brugel think tank. “That will be very important for moving from climate targets to actual climate policies.”
The climate affected the election through the catastrophic floods of July, but it wasn’t a clear factor in the election outcome. Almost half of voters polled beforehand said it was the most important issue for them, but fewer than a quarter actually based their vote on it.
The absence of a real debate over climate change highlights a broad consensus on the issue; every likely coalition member backs reaching carbon neutrality by between 2040 and 2050.
But the question of how to achieve that, an issue mostly too boring or complicated for stump speeches, divides Germany’s parties.
POLES APART
A battle over the future of the car sector shows the distance between the FDP and the Greens on Germany’s largest industry, and is a crucial factor in hitting the country’s upcoming climate targets. The European Commission has proposed 2035 as an end date for the sale of polluting vehicles, a date the Greens want to move forward to 2030.
A battle over the future of the car sector shows the distance between the FDP and the Greens on Germany’s largest industry, and is a crucial factor in hitting the country’s upcoming climate targets. The European Commission has proposed 2035 as an end date for the sale of polluting vehicles, a date the Greens want to move forward to 2030
The FDP opposes any vehicle ban.
The Greens are critical of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia, of which the FDP is also sceptical. But he election also saw the Social Democrats overwhelmingly reelected in the state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, where the pipeline makes landfall, and whose SPD leader has been supportive of the project.
Another critical divide is how to cushion households from the impact of climate policies.
The Christian Democrats and FDP favour pricing carbon emissions and relying on market mechanisms to spur companies to slash their products’ carbon footprint.
In a speech in the Bundestag earlier in September, Baerbock criticised the FDP and CDU for their free-market approach to climate and social policy. Relying on a high CO2 price alone “is deeply socially unjust,” she said. “The market won’t regulate the climate crisis, because the market does not care about people.”
The SPD also favours greater redistribution. But Baerbock repeatedly attacked Scholz for supporting Germany’s 2038 coal phaseout date even as he travelled to the flood-stricken areas in July. The Greens want to exit coal by 2030.
The division over carbon pricing could have major consequences for EU policy. The European Commission recently proposed extending its Emissions Trading System to cover fuels for road transport and heating — a system already in place in Germany, championed by the CDU in Brussels and supported by the FDP. But both the German Greens and SPD are wary of the idea.
Nevertheless, the reemergence of Social Democrats in Germany boosted the spirits - and potentially the political fortunes - of the EU’s Green Deal chief, Dutch Socialist Frans Timmermans, who tweeted: “Social justice, climate protection and the green transformation of our economy and society go hand in hand and the election result underscores this.”
“Ahead of the election, the parties liked to talk a lot about the climate,” said Ottmar Edenhofer, chief economist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. “If they mean it, they have to get serious now no matter what coalition. All parties are facing the same challenge … Whoever procrastinates now is driving up the costs and risks to all people.”
AN EXAGGERATED TREND?
In line with Germany’s historical competitiveness strategy, which focuses on quality and not cost when it comes to considering nearshoring, German companies prefer countries that have a reputation for being innovative and having an environment that fosters innovation. This is an important piece of information for Serbian policymakers who hope to attract more FDI by tapping into this trend
It is widely believed that the COVID-19 lockdowns disrupted global supply chains and pushed many to consider nearshoring. Euler Hermes, a global leader in trade credit insurance, recently surveyed a sample of high-level executives in 1,181 companies in the U.S., the UK, France, Germany and Italy, covering a wide array of industries, from IT, tech and telecoms, machinery and equipment, chemicals, energy and utilities, to the automotive and agrifood sectors.
According to the results, between 13 and 18 per cent of French companies consider reshoring in the medium to long term, vs. three to six per cent In the recent survey, German companies stated that they might consider nearshoring and that the Western Balkans might benefit from this, but that this remains unclear
in Italy and six to 10 per cent in Germany. This is the result of the survey sample showing that 76 per cent of German companies report that less than half of their suppliers are located outside the country, as opposed to an average of 65 per cent for other countries.
German companies said that they’d rather move their production to, or find new suppliers in, Austria, which is likely because a third of German companies’ suppliers are already in Austria. In choosing other countries where they would move their production, about 30 per cent stated that the (selected) country has to have a reputation for being innovative and having an environment that fosters innovation”. This reason shows up among the top three reasons, behind choosing supplier locations. In comparison, only an average of 20 per cent chose the same answer.
Marcus How, head of Research & Analysis at ViennEast Consult-
ing, a Vienna-based investment risk advisory company specialising in the CESEE regions, recently wrote an opinion piece for SEE News in which he claims that “Central Eastern and Southeast Europe (CESEE) is in pole position to benefit from industrial nearshoring in particular, given its safe haven status, the skillset of its workforce relative to its cost, legal protections and access to Western European hubs”.
Yet, as noted previously, instances of nearshoring are relatively rare. Eurofound recorded only 15 instances of reshoring in EU member states in CESEE between 2014 and 2018, of a total of 250 in the wider bloc. In comparison, there were 25,000 cross-border investments during the observed period.
Such modest numbers are the result of two major trends: first, the process is slow and expensive for companies; and second, CESEE countries differ strongly in terms of being fit for such a process. How believes that industrial capacity and infrastructure quality are key to attracting companies that are considering nearshoring. He outlines Serbia and North Macedonia as having developed limited manufacturing that is systematically integrated into GVCs. But this is not enough. Neither low labour costs and taxes, nor deeper integration into GVCs on account of increasing trade and convergence with the rest of the EU, will be sufficient, claims How.
According to him, “governments will need to be strategic in courting these investments, where currently they are blandly managerial, even under populist or otherwise authoritarian elites. This can partly be done through improvements to the business environment, including through institutional reform, an area in which most countries in the region are badly lagging. In this sense, the same old lessons still apply”.
How prizes Serbia as a possible viable alternative for companies seeking nearshoring options, as the country combines tax relief measures with customs waivers on machinery, and cash grants to subsidise investment in its manufacturing sector, while maintaining an effective system of technical education for its labour force. “It has emerged as a leading destination for greenfield FDI, partly as a result of this, and partly because of other unique advantages – and all in spite of its institutional regression,” writes How. The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies offers a
While some experts praise Serbia for combining tax relief measures with customs waivers on machinery, and cash grants to subsidise investment in its manufacturing sector, as attractive points for companies considering nearshoring, German companies already operating in the Western Balkans give more weight to the quality of the workforce and institutions
slightly more nuanced and optimistic view on nearshoring in the Western Balkan countries. In a survey conducted in November and December 2020 by the Chamber Partnership Western Balkans, the Delegation of German Economic Affairs in BosniaHerzegovina, the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in North Macedonia, the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Germany Trade and Invest, companies stated three main reasons for investing abroad: relatively lower labour costs (32%), entering new markets (21%)
and finding workers who cannot be easily found at home (18%).
WIIW found that the quality and availability of labour is the main reason for investing abroad. Contrary to How’s claims, this survey showed that lower taxes abroad are of minor importance, as well as incentive schemes that governments provide to foreign investors. Instead, stability, governance and institutions of the country were rated as the second most important reason to invest. Interestingly, relocation due to the pandemic was rarely mentioned, at least among companies included in the survey. Asked how COVID-19 has affected their plans to invest in the Western Balkans, most companies stated that they were not affected (60%), while about a fifth said that they postponed their plans until after the pandemic, while 6% say they cancelled their investment plans completely.
MODERN ARCHITECTURE IN GERMANY
German architects are very conservative when they are designing new buildings, however in some places where the surrounding area allows them (and, of course, the authorities) they build modern buildings, which is something that is welcome by some and rejected by others. In this article you will see some interesting new buildings from Germany that you will surely like
BY JOE BAUR ORDNUNG MUSS SEIN
For centuries, Germany has been synonymous with order. So how can a rule-abiding nation also have an anything-goes spirit?
On the high-speed train gliding smoothly from Berlin to Düsseldorf, a young man started chatting to me. He eventually asked, “What are some of the cultural differences you’ve noticed between Germans and Americans?”
As if on cue, a middle-aged woman hovered over us and gave a harsh, “Shh!” with her finger pressed against her lips. She pointed to a sign of a mobile phone with a cross through it, indicating that we were in the Ruhebereich, the quiet carriage of the train.
“You must be quiet,” she said, before returning to her seat.
In the nearly four years I’ve lived in Germany, that woman’s reprimand was just one of many examples I’ve experienced of Germans strictly adhering to the rules in the name of preserving Ordnung (order). Because in Germany, as the famous expression goes, “Ordnung muss sein” (“there must be order”). In fact, this proverbial saying is so well-ingrained in the German psyche that it’s become a cultural cliché for Germans around the world, and a way of life for them at home.
In Germany, your brown bottles must be recycled separately from your clear ones. You must be quiet after 10pm. You must always obey the red man at a crossing, even if no cars are coming. And if you want to get anything done in this country, you need to print and fill out the proper forms, make an appointment, take your number and wait to be called to find out if you followed the rules or missed something in the fine print – which you probably did.
On the surface, “Ordnung muss sein” seems to be the foundation of German personal and social conduct. But, stereotypes aside, is Germany really “orderly”?
many of the humble Reformationist’s personal preferences (from a love of beer to books to severe Bauhausinspiring design) have continued to shape German culture for the last 500 years. In fact, according to volume 67 of his Sämmtliche Werke text, it was the jowly monk himself who appears to have first written the earliest iteration of the expression.
Luther wrote, “Ordnung muss sein unter den Leuten” (literally: “There must be order among the people”). But Dr Wolfram Pyta, director of the Department of Modern History at the University of Stuttgart, contends that Luther wasn’t referring to the virtue highlighted in the contemporary use of “Ordnung muss sein”.
While there’s not much documentation of the phrase in the centuries after Luther, a 1930 article published in The New York Times claimed that Paul von Hindenburg, the last president of the Weimar Republic, had made the phrase “world famous”. The expression became further tied to German culture when Hindenburg graced the cover of TIME magazine in 1934 with the exclamation “Ordnung muss sein!” printed underneath his photo. The cover story, “Germany: Crux of Crisis”, quotes Hindenburg shouting his “useful aphorism which serves him on all occasions” at Adolf Hitler while discussing politics.
“Order is considered to be a Prussian value on equal standing with fulfilling obligations, punctuality, hard work and honesty,” said Christina Röttgers, a German culture expert who helps international companies understand the German mindset to work with them effectively.
Whatever the expression’s true origins, “Ordnung muss sein” is certainly embedded within the fabric of German society. But interestingly, Germans don’t discuss it, because according to Röttgers, the values and rules associated with it have already been internalised. Nobody needs to talk about the rules because it’s assumed everyone already knows them.
“Ordnung is in the water supply,” quipped Joachim Krüger, a German professor of psychology at Brown University. “Every child learns this saying in the context of cleaning their room,” added Röttgers. “For Germans themselves, it’s part of their everyday lives, but they don’t think about it any more than someone thinks about grammar while they’re speaking.”
Verena Netscher, a personnel consultant from Cologne, agreed. “I think
WAREHOUSE DISTRICT IN HAMBURG
it’s something that exists in the minds of people in Germany,” she said. “But I don’t think anyone is especially striving to achieve this ideal.”
Around the country, every German I asked agreed with Netscher’s sentiments. “There’s order and that’s a good thing,” Lukas Pietrek, a law student in Düsseldorf, wrote to me. “But a lot of people are nevertheless too orderly and stuffy.”
Needless to say, Ordnung has slipped into everyday German vocabulary. If you seem distraught, a passerby might ask, “Alles in Ordnung?”. In English, that’s, “Are you OK?”, but literally, they’re asking, “Is everything in order?”. If everything is as it should be, then you’re “in Ordnung”.
It’s also stitched on uniforms of the men and women who work for the Ordnungsamt (Germany’s Public Order Office). This is essentially a special police force that focuses on misdemeanours, which in Germany includes playing loud music during quiet hours, parking violations and enforcing when and how long your dog is allowed to bark (10 minutes at a time and no more than 30 minutes a day outside of quiet hours, according to a court decision). If you’re caught on the wrong side of the Ordnungsamt, you’ll get an Ordnungswidrigkeit – a misdemeanour.
Yet, whenever you mention “Ordnung muss sein”, Germans are quick
to mention another expression, “Ordnung ist das halbe Leben” (“Order is half of life”). And when they tack on the rest of the expression, it turns Germans’ trademark tidiness on its head: “Unordnung die andere Hälfte” (“And disorder the other half”).
Nobody will deny that there are splashes of disorder in Germany. Commuters across the country burst onto trains before people have a chance to get out; people routinely vandalise rubbish bins bearing the word, “Ordnung!” on them; and the nation’s “newest” airport is finally set for take off in October after a nine-year delay due to design flaws, scandals and general chaos.
In fact, for more than 100 years – from the hedonistic parties of the Weimar Republic to the boho-squat raves before unification to the techno temples of today – my home of Berlin has been renowned around the world as an anything-goes lab of cultural experimentation. Nearly 20 years after the city’s former mayor called it “poor but sexy”, people from around the world still move here precisely to free themselves of rigid life plans and to be whoever and whatever they want without a judgmental glance. But even in a city legendary for its libertine tolerance and anarchistic spirit, there are still strict, unwritten rules. Want to grab spray paint and tag part of the Berlin Wall? There’s a designated section of Mauerpark
As with many things “German”, the answer may go back to Martin Luther. In addition to forever changing how Germany (and the world) worships, many of the humble Reformationist’s personal preferences have continued to shape German culture for the last 500 years
where you can do that. Want to go au natural? There are unmarked swaths of the city’s central Tiergarten park and surrounding lakes where clothing is severely frowned upon. And want to do drugs and have sex with strangers? No-one will bat an eye at most Berlin clubs – so long as you do your business in the right room.
Berlin may be a special beast, but the deeper you dive, the more you’ll see this carefree cultural attitude across Germany. Frankfurt has its growing Bahnhofsviertel neighbourhood full of brothels and clubs. Hamburg’s St Pauli area is one of Europe’s most raucous red-light districts. Even the most conservative corners of Bavaria and the former East Germany embrace the Freikörperkultur (free-body culture) of relaxing in the buff at certain campsites, beaches and resorts.
Of course, each of these examples still fits neatly within Germany’s specific sense of order: it’s less about
banning certain things and more about making sure you’re doing them in the proper, assigned place. Chat softly on the quiet carriage of a train and you’re likely to get scolded. But drink a beer on Berlin’s subway and no-one will say a word because of another unwritten rule that public drinking – and even public transit drinking – is generally deemed acceptable.
Of course, if you run afoul of someone’s interpretation of the rules, many strangers may gladly let you know
But even in a city legendary for its libertine tolerance and anarchistic spirit, there are still strict, unwritten rules. Want to grab spray paint and tag part of the Berlin Wall? There’s a designated section of Mauerpark where you can do that. Want to go au natural? There are unmarked swaths of the city’s central Tiergarten Park and surrounding lakes where clothing is severely frowned upon
that you’ve disrupted their Ordnung. “Germans aren’t shy about pointing out when others break the rules,” said Röttgers. “Strangers will rebuke you because there’s an expectation that everyone will follow the rules.” That explains why a neighbour of mine shared a video of how to properly deconstruct a cardboard box for the recycling bin in my apartment building’s WhatsApp chat. “In five seconds, a box is made small. If I can do it, you all can, too.” The message was signed with a kissy-face emoji. But on the whole, German order is rather pragmatic. “Ordnung muss
sein” doesn’t mean building a false reality. It means Germans demand that systems are in place to prevent the worst from happening, like Kurzarbeit (short work) – a programme that allows businesses to decrease the hours of their employees during times of crisis (like the 2008 financial crash and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic) and the government will pay 60% of the remaining salary to avoid mass unemployment.
Having travelled extensively through all of Germany’s 16 states, I have seen Ordnung operate swiftly and smoothly, from the Black Forest to the Baltic Sea. But I’ve also seen Germans throwing this order overboard at “acceptable” times – be it embracing their carnal core at Carnival, screaming at hordes of armoured guards at football matches or launching fireworks from crowded streets and balconies on New Year’s Eve.
In the end, Germany – like any country – is more than just one phrase. “There are a lot of expressions that, when put together, build a picture of a culture,” Röttgers said. “‘Ordnung
PALACE OF JUSTICE, MUNIC
THE BERLIN WALL
muss sein’ is just an excerpt.”
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some cardboard boxes to “make small” and ensure my dog isn’t barking more than his daily allotted limit.
GERMAN CAR BRANDS ENGINEERED TO PERFECTION
German car brands are known for manufacturing high-class vehicles that consistently exceed driver expectations as far as performance and appearance are concerned. This reputation makes these brands the leaders in automotive production worldwide, with many of their marks ranking higher than similar American, Japanese, and Korean car brands
And German car brands also feature a long history of innovative technologies and cutting-edge engineering — advances which were subsequently adopted by other European car companies. Plus, many of these vehicles just look stellar. From supercars to SUVs, these manufacturers have made some of the models that serious gearheads covet.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF GERMAN CAR BRANDS
German car history began in 1870 when Nikolaus Otto and Karl Benz invented the 4-stroke internal combustion engine. These two mechanical engineers helped Germany launch into the automotive production business. By 1901, about 900 cars were being produced annually in Germany.
Today, Germany has one of the largest automotive workforces in the world. According to Worldometers, Germany is
the third-largest auto manufacturing country after China and Japan. And these brands aren’t just about quantity, as they also routinely claim top-marks for quality too. In 2021, German car brands claimed three World Car Awards, including the World Car of the Year (Volkswagen ID.4), the World Luxury Car (Mercedes-Benz S-Class), and the World Performance Car (Porsche 911 Turbo).
TOP GERMAN CAR BRANDS: THE TITANS, SLEEPERS, AND HAS-BEENS
When most people think of German car brands, companies such as Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz obviously come to mind. While these are a few of the most well-known German car brands, there are several other manufacturers that you might not have heard of. We’ve rounded up some of the top German car brands currently in operation and a few that have, sadly, ceased production.
AUDI
Audi began production in 1909. Currently headquartered in Ingolstadt, Germany, the company received its name, which means “listen” in German, from its founder, August Horch. In 1932, Audi merged with Horch, Wanderer, and DKW to form Auto Union UG. The four linked rings in the Audi logo come from these four companies. Then, in 1966, Audi became part of the German automobile giant: the Volkswagen Group. In the United States, Audi continues to become more popular each year. They offer a wide variety of vehicles in the American market. Sedans and sportbacks include the A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, RS 3, RS 7, S3, S4, S5, S6, and S7.
They also sell numerous crossovers and SUVs including the Q3, Q5, Q7, Q8, and e-Tron. As far as their coupes and convertibles, they are known for creating sporty, performance vehicles including the TT and R8 with special runs like the Panther Edition R8 aimed at Audi enthusiasts.
MERCEDES-BENZ
Mercedes-Benz has been in business since 1926. The car manufacturer operates out of Stuttgart, Germany and was founded by Gottlieb Daimler who also worked with Karl Benz. Since its inception, Mercedes-Benz has had a reputation of being a manufacturer of luxury cars. The Mercedes-Benz logo has become synonymous with quality, emblazoning some of the best cars in the industry.
Over the years they’ve produced numerous types of vehicles including trucks, limousines, vans, and buses. In fact, the Mercedes-Benz 600 was a luxury vehicle that became a popular limousine model that was produced from 1964 through 1972. Mercedes offers some unique car models. Their sedan lineup includes the A, C, E, and S-Class as well as the Maybach. Coupes also include some from the C, E, and S-Class plus the AMG-GT. Their SUV lineup has also grown to include the GLA, GLC, GLE, and GLS. Several of their vehicles are also produced as convertibles. These include the C-Class, E-Class, AGT-GT, plus the SL Roadster.
BMW
BMW has been around since 1916 and is headquartered in Munich, Bavaria. Founded by Franz Josef Popp, BMW stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke (Bavarian Motor Works) and is often recognized instantly by its iconic blue and white roundel logo. Their greatest successes over the years have come in the realm of handling, horsepower, and performance, solidifying their place amount the best German car brands in the world.
Since its inception, BMW has released many luxury passenger cars, sports cars, and SUVs. BMW USA offers a wide variety of luxury vehicles. They range from the X1-X7, 2-Series to 8-Series, Z4, M Models, i3, i4, and i8.
From comfy daily drivers to modified track-day beasts, the various iterations of BMWs lineup have found a faithful following in both casual drivers and motorsport enthusiasts around the world.
VOLKSWAGEN
Volkswagen has been one of the most popular German car brands since 1937 when Ferdinand Porsche started the company. This automotive giant is currently headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Over the years, Volkswagen went on to acquire other iconic brands such as Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Skoda, and SEAT.
Though not as flashy or luxurious as some of the other German car brands, Volkswagen has created some wellknown vehicles including the Beetle and the Vanagon. They don’t have as many models as some of the other German car brands, but buyers still have a decent selection of reliable vehicles to choose from.
Volkwagen’s sedans include the Arteon, Passat, Jetta, and Jetta GLI. They also make the Tiguan, Taos, and Atlas SUV models; or if you’re looking for an EV, check out the ID.4, winner of the 2021 Car of the Year. Hot hatch enthusiasts can opt for the Golf or the souped-up Golf GTI.
PORSCHE
Porsche is another well-known German automaker. Founded in 1931 by Ferdinand Porsche, its current headquarters are in Stuttgart, Germany.
Porsche mainly specializes in highperformance sports cars and has gained a lot of its reputation from its factoryracing team. Many older Porsches are worth a good deal of money today. The Porsche 911 has been a mainstay in the sports car world for years.
Current sports car models include the 718 Cayman, GTS, Boxster, and Spyder as well as the 911 Carrera, Targa, Turbo, and GT3. Across the board, you have your pick of high-end trim packages and can even opt for a cabriolet (convertible). Porsche also produces a Panamera sedan plus the Macan and Cayenne SUVs as well as its debut play in the EV market, the Taycan.
OPEL
You might not be familiar with this German car brand as Opel currently does not sell any models in the U.S. However, the brand, also known as Adam Opel AG, is popular in Germany with its headquarters in Rüsselsheim.
Founded in 1862 by Adam Opel, the company began by manufacturing bicycles but quickly branched out to release the first vehicle in 1899. Opel grew in popularity from there. At present, the company and its parent brand, Vauxhall, are currently owned by PSA Groupe.
Opel came to the States branded as Buicks. It’s possible you’ve seen some Opel cars in old gangster movies. And you’ve likely spotted the 1969 Opel GT in “Starsky and Hutch” to the 1970 Opel GT in “Criminal Minds.”
At present, the brand makes a solid lineup of cars, SUVs, and even a van. The European market has a choice of the Astra, Corsa, Crossland X, Grandland X, Insignia, and Zafira.
ALPINA
Alpina has been around since 1965 and is currently owned by BMW, with its headquarters in Buchloe, Germany. Though you might not know about this brand, you’ve possibly seen the badging on a BMW. Alpina works closely with BMW to produce high-performance versions of BMW and Mini cars.
The brand is recognized as an automotive manufacturer as opposed to an aftermarket tuner as each Alpina vehicle leaves the assembly line with a unique serial number that differentiates it from its Bimmer counterpart.
Self-branded as “cars for automotive gourmets,” Alpina isn’t one to churn out a huge quantity of models, but if you do spot one in the wild, it’s sure to turn heads with its bespoke touches — namely their 20-spoke alloy wheels, Alpina Blue metallic paint, the thin, pinstripe styling, and, of course, the Alpina badging. Alpina currently crafts seven sedans (D3 S, B3, XD4, D5 S, B5, B7, and B8) and two SUVs (XB7 and XD3) all finished out with posh touches inside and out.
GUMPERT AIWAYS
Founded in 2004 by Roland Gumpert, Gumpert was originally based in Denkendorf. This niche German car brand had a unique mission from the get-go — to usher in the new generation of sports cars.
Though seemingly ambitious, Gumpert did just that with the Apollo, a streetlegal car that drew praise for its speed and driving feel. Unfortunately, Gumpert never branched out into mass production of the Apollo.
The company filed for bankruptcy in 2013, which ended the production of the Apollo. But 2020 saw the resurgence of the Roland Gumpert name with the Nathalie, which holds the distinction of being the first hydrogen super sports car with a methanol power cell.
This eye-catching EV, coming out of Ingolstadt, has a similar cutting edge vision: “To develop the world’s first electrically-driven super sports car with racing performance and intelligent energy technology.”
ISDERA
This privately-owned German car brand began in 1969 under the direction of Eberhard Schulz. Based in Hildesheim, Germany, the company is also known as “Ingenieurbüro für Styling, Design und Racin” which means “engineering company for styling, design, and racing.”
Their main focus is on manufacturing sports cars, but not in the same way most automakers do. Instead, they utilize a small team of automotive craftsmen to build each car. This has led to a fleet of some of the most unique (and rare) cars you can find on the road, including the legendary Isdera Commendatore 112i built in 1993. At present, the company has shifted its focus to 100% EV with the eye-cathing Commendatore GT as the most recent example of their handiwork.
GERMAN CAR BRANDS: GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
In addition to the current German car brands, a few brands are longer in production but are still worth reminiscing about. Consider yourself lucky if you spot one of these classics on the road.
ADLER
Adler was a German car brand that also produced motorcycles and, before World War II, typewriters. The word Adler means “eagle” in German, and the brand produced vehicles from 1900 to 1957. In their cars, they utilized De Dion 2 and 4-cylinder engines ranging from 1032 to 9081 cc. In fact, in 1930, Adler created a lightweight VW prototype featuring a tubular chassis, independent wheel suspension, and a mid-mounted engine. After WWII, they did not resume production of cars but went on to make motorcycles for eight more years. The Adler motorcycle designs were eventually given to Britain and became associated with Triumph.
AUTO UNION AG
Auto Union AG vehicles were in production from 1932 through 1966. The brand later became Audi. Prior to that, Volkswagen owned them for a short time. In the original vehicles, the company focused heavily on two-stroke engines which became less popular during the 1960s. As customers began looking for four-stroke engines, Auto Union AG started selling off shares of the company with help from the West German government.
DKW
You might recognize DKW as one of the German car brands that merged with Auto Union AG. Known as the “steampowered car” or “the little wonder, these vehicles were built from 1916 through 1966. Originally founded by a Danish engineer, DKW’s last car was the F102. Audi then built the four-stroke F103, its successor. The trademark for the company is still owned by Auto Union GmbH, which is part of Audi AG.
BORGWARD
The Borgward car company was based in Bremen and founded by Carl Borgward. The automaker produced vehicles from 1929 through 1961 and had four brands: Borgward, Goliath, Lloyd, and Hansa. All were sold to international customers. The Borgward Isabella was a popular premium model during the 1950s, often driven by the working-class. In 1961, some controversial insolvency proceedings brought the company to an end. The brand saw a revival during the 21st century through the Borgward Group AG, with manufacturing and design in China instead of Germany.
EISENACHER MOTORENWERK (EMW)
Eisenacher Motorenwerk was a shortlived German car brand, only existing from 1945 through 1956. Most people knew the company, which was based in Eisenach, as EMW.
They produced sports cars plus some Formula One cars during the 1950s. EMW was one of the Formula One car builders in 1952, but they didn’t race in more than one event. The vehicle only made 12 laps before ending the race due to exhaust trouble. Prior to WWII, the EMW plant was a BMW factory. After the war ended, the Soviets took over the location. They attempted to continue under the BMW brand but were sued and forced to change the name to EMW. In the end, they closed down due to bankruptcy.
KEINATH
Founded by Horst Keinath in 1983, Keinath was once headquartered in Reutlingen. With a special focus on building race cars, they received some attention while in production for creating a variant of the Opel Monza. They also created a GTR that was stylish, powerful, and sporty for which the boutique automaker was best and last known for.
THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE: DRIVERS LOVE GERMAN ENGINEERING AND PERFORMANCE
If you take a look at current and recent global car sales numbers, it’s clear that the German car brands aren’t going anywhere in Germany or in the United States. And for good reason, as these German car brands are known for producing high-performance automobiles loved by the general public. They also tend to rank high on reliability and often are leading the field in innovative features. So next time you’re out shopping for a new car, don’t forget to book a test drive with the Germans.
RELIABLE PARTNER TO THE SERBIAN ECONOMY FOR 20 YEARS
Germany has been one of Serbia’s largest investment partners for years, and this year has special importance – as it marks the 20th anniversary of the establishing of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce. Approximately 400 companies with German capital currently operate in Serbia. They have created more than 70,000 jobs and contribute to modernisation and the introduction of European norms and international standards on a daily basis
The German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (AHK Serbia) is part of the system of German foreign trade and industrial chambers, which has 140 offices in 92 countries worldwide. AHK Serbia represents the interests of its member companies, providing them with informational support for their operations and striving to develop and improve German-Serbian trade and cooperation in all aspects of the economy.
JUBILEE OF THE GERMAN-SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
With the long tradition of its presence and sustainable operations, the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce is a stable partner of Serbia that has and will always focus on improving bilateral economic relations between Serbia and Germany, through the constant intensification of cooperation in the economic, cultural and educational-technical spheres.
Testifying to the quality of this cooperation is the fact that the volume of bilateral trade has increased by 250% over the last eight years, reaching a new maximum of more than five billion euros in 2019, and that level of €5 billion of bilateral trade was maintained in 2020, despite the year having been marked by the Coronavirus pandemic. In the aspects of educational and technical cooperation, the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce has played a decisive role, together with other partners, in introducing a system of dual education to secondary schools in Serbia.
AHK Serbia identified three main strategic directions for this year that are already well into the process of being implemented: green business, digitalisation/innovation and vocational education – life-long learning.
AHK ROAD SHOW
To commemorate this year’s significant jubilee for the association, AHK Serbia has been working in cooperation with the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Belgrade and organisation Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) to organise the special “AHK Road Show” event, which aims to further bilateral economic cooperation through promotions in four Serbian cities. Within the scope of the AHK Road Show project, gatherings of business leaders and institutional partners of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce were held in Subotica (14th May), Novi Sad (20th May), Čačak (1st June) and Niš (3rd June).
Representatives of these German organisations exchanged experiences on important topics and issues arising within the framework of bilateral economic cooperation, while presentations covered the work of the Chamber, types of support available, potential opportunities for cooperation and entry to the German market, leading trade fairs in Germany and many other significant projects. Comprising the German delegation were Frank Aletter, managing director of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Anne-Kristin Piplica, head of the Economic Department of the German Embassy in Belgrade, and Martin Gaber, Germany Trade and Invest correspondent for the Western Balkans. Business gatherings were attended by municipal presidents/mayors, local government representatives, representatives of regional and local chambers of commerce, representatives of AHK Serbia member companies and numerous local business leaders. According to the accounts of participants, the events held within the scope of this AHK tour symbolise the very close relations between Serbia and Germany that lead to the opening of new topics and opportunities to further improve foreign trade cooperation to the benefit of both countries. Assistance in the organising of the event was provided by companies DHL Serbia, JugoImpex, Tehno-Coop, ComData, MerkurXTip, Siemens and the Stanković Law Office.
AHK CSR ACTION “TREE FOR BELGRADE”
Representatives of GSCC member companies, with Belgrade Mayor Zoran Radojičić in attendance, planted 329 trees on the right bank of the Sava beside the Belgrade Fair, as part of the “Tree for Belgrade” action. Thanks to the responses of 37 member companies, an area of 10,000 square metres of land situated alongside the Belgrade Fair has been greened. Within the framework of this action, the largest number of seedlings was planted through the “Tree for Belgrade” challenge.
The GSCC would like to thank the following member companies for their participation and donations in the “Tree for Belgrade” action: Lawyer Damir Petrović, B. Braun Adria RSRB d.o.o. Belgrade, Brose d.o.o., Delta Motors d.o.o., DHL, Health Centre “Vizim”, Eldisy Serbia d.o.o., Gebrüder Weiss d.o.o., GP Građevinar d.o.o., Hemofarm AD, Henkel Serbia, HÖDLMAYR Zastava d.o.o., Holleman, IB Interbilanz Consulting & Audit d.o.o. Belgrade, Klett publishing house d.o.o., Knauf Insulation d.o.o. Belgrade, LIDL Serbia KD, Linde Viljuškari d.o.o., Messer Tehnogas, Nes Communications, Phoenix Pharma, ProCredit Bank, Profine d.o.o., Quadra Graphic, Radisson Collection Hotel, Old Mill Belgrade, Unija Smart Accounting d.o.o. BG, Robert Bosch d.o.o., Schmitz Cargobull d.o.o., Siemens Serbia, Star Import (Mercedes Benz), Structura Concept d.o.o., TNation d.o.o., TPA Serbia d.o.o., Vorwerk Autotec Serbia d.o.o., Vorwerk Drivetec Serbia d.o.o., Vossloh – Schwabe Serbia d.o.o. and ZF Serbia d.o.o.
YOUNG ENERGY EUROPE 2.0 - ENERGY SCOUTS IN SERBIAN COMPANIES – THE BUSINESS SECTOR IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION MISSION
During the 2021-2024 period, the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce – under the patronage of the German Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conversation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) – will implement the project Young Energy Europe 2.0, which will enable professionals in Serbia to make improvements in the areas of energy ef-
ficiency and the optimisation of resources, thereby providing a great contribution to advancing both the economy and the environment.
The project’s aim is for future energy scouts to recognise and utilise the potential to make energy savings and optimise the use of resources within their companies. Within the scope of training each year, participants will acquire basic knowledge on the topic of energy – from its production and importance to environmental protection, to its efficient use. They will apply their newly acquired knowledge within their companies, thereby providing a great contribution to both companies and environmental protection. The training courses will help companies become more energy efficient and reduce their CO2 emissions. Adapted to suit companies, the YEE programme serves to strengthen climate protection and reduce companies’ climate costs, thus showing that economic activities and climate protection can go hand-in-hand. The Young Energy Europe project is being implemented in Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Poland, Slovakia, Czechia and Hungary.
The project is funded under the auspices of the European Climate Initiative (EUKI) of the German Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). Participation in training courses is free. The German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce invites all interested companies to participate in the project and thus receive numerous benefits for their operations while contributing to the strengthening of environmental awareness and environmental protection.
2021 BUSINESS CONDITIONS IN SERBIA SURVEY
The German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce conducted its 16th annual survey of the economic environment in Serbia among AHK Serbia member companies. The results of the survey were presented at a press conference by GSCC President Udo Eichlinger and Managing Director Frank Aletter, but were also analysed by State Secretary at the Serbian Ministry of Economy Milan Ljušić, German Ambassador Thomas Schieb and Director of Strategic Analysis, Services and Internationalisation of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce & Industry Mihailo Vesović.
GSCC members companies gave a positive assessment of the economic climate in Serbia and expressed positive expectations within the scope of their own operations. Moreover, despite the year of the pandemic, 90 per cent of participating companies said that they would invest in Serbia again. Pointing out the greatest threats and risks to the development of their companies over the next twelve months, respondent business leaders cited falling demand, the economic framework and legal security, as well as the labour shortage. The GSCC worked in cooperation with member companies to prepare a Position paper with proposals for eliminating these threats, which it submitted to the competent institutions.
DUAL EDUCATION
The GSCC provides its member companies with an opportunity to join the group for dual vocational education, dual studies and professional qualifications, and to play an active role in working to improving related topics. The first meeting of the AHK Serbia “Dual Education” working group was held in June 2021.
The aim of the first meeting was to identify the main challenges confronting companies in dual vocational education, dual studies and qualifications, as well as to provide tangible suggestions for their improvement. Discussions among participants and representatives of various economic activities led to the identifying of three topics for which a real need for further discussion exists. These include the lack of a skilled workforce for industry, insufficient interest among students
in dual education and increasing the number of hours they spend learning through practical working engagements in companies. In accordance with this, AHK Serbia will thematically adapt the upcoming meetings of the “Dual Education” working group.
WESTERN BALKAN PURCHASING INITIATIVE
As the seventh consecutive event co-organised by the German Federal Association of Materials Management, Purchasing and Logistics (BME e.V.) and representative offices of the German economy in the Western Balkans (AHK), under the patronage of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), the Western Balkan Purchasing Initiative will take place from 28th September to 15th October 2021. The goal of the event is to promote the Reverse-Procurement concept (B2B matchmaking), enabling German customers to meet with selected suppliers from the Western Balkan region: Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania. This event will focus on the metals industry, cast and forged parts and other direct groups of materials.
ONLINE CONFERENCE “ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN BUILDINGS INCLUDING GEOTHERMAL”
The GSCC, under the patronage of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, and in partnership with German consulting and service company energiewaechter GmbH, held an online conference on the topic “Energy efficiency in buildings including geothermal”. Conference participants received relevant information on the financing of projects in the field of energy efficiency for buildings in Serbia and Montenegro, the potential and use of geothermal energy and energy efficient buildings in Germany and Eastern Europe. The event was also attended by representatives of German companies, who presented their range of products and services in the area of energy efficiency.
AHK BOARD TALKS
The AHK Board Talks represent a new format of online AHK Serbia events at which participants discuss current topics with experts from the Management Board of the GermanSerbian Chamber of Commerce. Two panel discussions have so far been held on the topics of digitalisation and transport & logistics. The panel on the topic of digitalisation was hosted by GSCC President Udo Eichlinger, while the host of the event addressing the topic of transport & logistics was GSCC Management Board member Dragan Simović.
SPEED BUSINESS MEETING
The Radisson Collection Old Mill Belgrade hotel provided the venue for a meeting that included more than 60 representatives of the member companies of three bilateral chambers: the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber of Italian-Serbian Businessmen. After a break of more than a year, and with all applicable epidemiological measures respected, the participants had a opportunity to meet in-person and initiate potential business cooperation. The event was held under the patronage of the Radisson Collection Old Mill Belgrade and companies Messer Tehnogas, Sky Express, Gebrüder Weiss and Rhenus Logistics.
SERBIAN VISIONS
The sixth consecutive Serbian Visions Multicongress, this year held in an online format, took place from 1st to 5th February 2021. Under the new format, the multicongress ran for five days and included six manifestations per day. Help in the organising of the event was provided by companies Tahograf and Messer Tehnogas.
- 30 online events within the scope of the multicongress - 30 participants and event organisers: NGOs, institutes, guilds, associations, universities, faculties, professional associations, companies etc. - 30 different forms of presentation: discussions, forums, presentations, online workshops, webinars, film screenings etc. - 30 interesting topics covering the fields of human rights, economics, education, culture, innovation, healthcare, security, environmental protection and animal welfare, EU integration etc.
WEBINARS, DIALOGUES AND ONLINE PANEL DISCUSSIONS
The German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with its member companies and partners, organises numerous online events that address current topics. AHK Serbia has closely monitored developments and the changing needs of members since last year, organising a large number of webinars in cooperation with member companies, experts, GSCC partners, competent institutions and other bilateral chambers both in the country and abroad.
