19 minute read
JELENA BOJOVIĆ
Biotechnology Will Define Our Future World
Biotechnology is crucial to advancing solutions in fields like medicine, agriculture and the food industry. Growing investments and technological advances have served to accelerate its development and application possibilities, which is why biotechnology will define our future world
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As a country that has recognised the importance and potential of biotechnology, we founded the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, together with the World Economic Forum, with the aim of identifying opportunities brought by new technology, primarily in the field of biomedicine, and to work on the development of an ecosystem that will stimulate the development of biotechnology and bioengineering - says Jelena Bojović, director of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, speaking to CorD Magazine.
Biotechnology is today one of the key areas that we mention when considering areas that could accelerate Serbia’s economic growth. Where are we today on this front and in which direction should we develop our capacities? The Government of the Republic of Serbia recognised the opportunity to become the region’s driver of the development of bioeconomy and, together with the World Economic Forum, founded the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Serbia. This is the first such centre in the region and only the third in Europe, while it is the 16th to be founded by the World Economic Forum worldwide. The centre began operating in March 2022, under the auspices of the Office for IT and eGovernment of the Republic of Serbia and with UNDP support. The Government of the Republic of Serbia and the World Economic Forum, in cooperation with the UNDP, are organising the first International Conference, entitled “The Future of Biotechnology”, to be held at Belgrade’s Palace of Serbia on 20th and 21st October. This conference will be officially opened by Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić and World Economic Forum President Borge Brende. This is the first such event to be organised by the Government of the Republic of Serbia in cooperation with the World Economic Forum.
What can we discover about these development directions at this upcoming international conference? The goal of the Conference is to bring together in one place the three sectors of society that have the greatest influence on the development of biotechnology: the public and private sectors and the academic community, to encourage cooperation and exchanges of knowledge
and experience. Apart from biotechnology, the topics that will be represented at the Conference relate to bioinformatics, bioengineering, the use of data in development of healthcare and biotech development, encouraging public policies and scientific achievements and their application possibilities, especially in the field of medicine and healthcare.
Given that this event is a high-level international conference, which of the panellists and sessions would you draw our attention to in particular? The conference’s two-day programme comprises several sessions: a ministerial panel, expert thematic sessions, as well as visits to our most famous institutes: the State Data Centre in Kragujevac and local businesses. Apart from Serbian participants, panellists and speakers will be coming from all over the world, including Singapore, Rwanda, Norway, the UAE, U.S., UK and many other countries, representing leaders in this field and examples of good international practice. It is precisely due to the diverse content and prestigious participants that I believe all the panels that we’ve organised will be very interesting to the scientific community, because we haven’t previously had so many prominent experts in this field in one place. I will use this opportunity to invite members of the scientific and business communities to register and attend the panel discussions that are the most interesting to them. All information and ways to apply can be found on the website biotechff.gov.rs.
What are this conference’s long-term goals? The long-term goals are for the “Future of Biotechnology” conference to become a regular annual gathering of the new biotechnology community in Serbia, and to position Serbia as a country of new technologies, knowledge and innovation. Any cooperation with countries that have already recognised biotechnology as one of the priorities is important to us for any kind of cooperation and the dissemination of knowledge in this area,
as we have laid the foundations for the development of this area in Serbia.
How important to Serbia is it to cooperate with the World Economic Forum, given that this cooperation extends far beyond the conference itself? We are all witnessing the extremely rapid advancements of science and technology, which we can utilise to make our everyday life simpler and easier. This is precisely the role of the Centre: to use the connecting of science, new technologies, knowhow and business to help us receive better and more effective medical treatments, to ensure innovative new medicines and devices are made available to us, to live in a healthier society thanks to technological solutions. Cooperation with the World Economic Forum is very important to us, particularly through cooperation with all centres around the world and with the leaders of the World Economic Forum. Serbia has been given an opportunity to utilise the latest scientific achievements, while at the same time enabling the promotion of our own science, economy and knowhow.
How does the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution facilitate activities related to Serbia’s innovation potential and which partners does it cooperate with the most? The projects dealt with by the Centre encompass the development of a unique repository of genetic data, with the aim of being able to quickly diagnose rare diseases, make smarter choices of medicines through personalised medicine (it is known which medicines are more effective for patients on the basis of genetic markers), the use of artificial intelligence in fast and smart diagnostics, as well as the use of new technologies in the pharmaceutical industry, applications of cell and gene therapy, and the development of fast-growing high-tech companies in the health sector. We will bring together scientists and researchers, as well as representatives of the state, industry and civil society, in order to create conditions for the development, testing and improvement of new technologies, while we will also strive to develop cross-sector partnerships in an effort to encourage innovations that benefit society. We are already cooperating with all other centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution around the world, as well as international companies in the area of biotechnology, Serbia’s scientific community, the Institute for Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, the Faculty of Biology of the University of Belgrade, associations of patients in Serbia, as well as international organisations that deal with the development of biotechnology.
REGIONAL NEWS
“The chamber requested, and the government has adopted, measures that also include thermal energy consumers, who will now be included in the same way as gas buyers were until now” ~ LUKA BURILOVIĆ, PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF CROATIA
MONTENEGRO BUYS 3.34 MILLION EPCG SHARES
The Government of Montenegro bought 3.34 million shares of Elektroprivreda (EPCG) on the Montenegro Stock Exchange for almost EUR 15 million. The amount of shares sold corresponds to a share of 28.27 per cent of the offered package. Finance Minister Aleksandar Damjanović announced that the state plans to buy EPCG shares for EUR 15 million through a stock market sale. Ten per cent of EPCG shares were offered for sale, i.e. a total of 11.81 million shares. The price per share is 4.49 EUR. The seller and buyer of the shares was the brokerage house VIP Broker Montenegro.
INFLATION IN CROATIA 12.3%
Inflation in Croatia was 12.3 per cent in August, and in that month food and non-alcoholic beverages went up the most, almost 20 per cent compared to August last year, announced the Croatian State Statistics Institute. The inflation rate of 12.3 per cent in August is the same as in July of this year. At the beginning of this year, inflation was less than six per cent, and then due to the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis, prices exploded, reports Mina. In the last three months, inflation has remained at more than 12 per cent, reports HRT. When the prices of food and drinks in August last year are compared to this year, the growth is an incredible 20 per cent.
BANCA TRANSILVANIA PLANS EUR 1 BLN BOND ISSUES OVER NEXT TEN YEARS
The Managing Board of Banca Transilvania invited shareholders on 18 October to approve a programme of bond issues, with “a flexible structure, through several separate issues,” worth a total of EUR 1 bln, to be carried out over the next ten-year period. The individual issues would be denominated in euros, local currency (RON) or another currency, as the case may be, under market conditions in terms of interest rate, with a maturity of not more than 10 years, with the coupon frequency of the annual or semi-annual. The first bonds will be offered under a private placement to qualified investors and/or up to 150 natural or legal persons other than qualified investors per Member State in accordance with the applicable legislative framework, with the delegation of powers to the Board of Directors on the offer of bonds for subsequent tranches.
“At the Open Balkan Wine Vision event, most of the buyers were distributors and importers, and also representatives of the HoReCa sector, retail chains and wholesalers from Serbia and the region” ~ MARKO ČADEŽ, PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE & INDUSTRY OF SERBIA
The indicator measuring consumer confidence in Slovenia declined for the fifth consecutive month in September to drop to the level it was in early 2020, the latest Statistics Office figures show. Declining by one percentage point to -40, it was 19 points below the level in the same period last year owing to a 5-point decline in consumer expectations about the future state of household finances and a 2-point drop in expectations about the state of the economy. Consumers were slightly more optimistic than last month about major purchases (up by one point), whereas the subindicator measuring the current state of household finances remained level.
NORTH MACEDONIA DONATES TANKS TO UKRAINE AS IT MODERNISES ITS OWN MILITARY
North Macedonia plans to donate an unspecified number of Soviet-era tanks to Ukraine as it seeks to modernise its own military to meet NATO standards, its defence ministry said. In a statement, the ministry said Ukraine will receive tanks belonging to the western Balkan country’s tank battalion which is in the process of being upgraded. “Taking into account this situation and the requirements of the Ukrainian defence ministry, the government has decided that a certain quantity of these (tank) capacities will be donated to Ukraine, in line with its needs,” the statement said.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE BIJELJINA-RAČA HIGHWAY HAS BEGUN
The construction of the section of the highway from Bijeljina to Rača, 20 kilometres long, has begun in Velika Obarska, and the entire work should be completed in two and a half to three years. The Bijeljina-Rača section is a continuation of the highway from Belgrade to Sarajevo. That highway will be continued to the new bridge on the Sava on the border with Serbia and the Kuzmin-Sremska Rača section of 18 kilometres in Serbia, writes Beta. The ceremony on the occasion of the opening of the works was attended by the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, the Serbian member of the BiH Presidency, Milorad Dodik, and the President of the RS, Željka Cvijanović.
Driven By A Good Team & Strong Vision
Merošina has always occupied an ideal geographical position, with the City of Niš on one side and the City of Prokuplje on the other. However, as of two years ago, it has also had great leadership, which has utilised the close proximity of two highways – Belgrade-Skoplje and Niš-Priština – to entice numerous investors and improve the lives of residents
Prior to being appointed municipal president, Saša Jovanović – as a member of the then temporary governance body – kept abreast of all happenings, problems, plans and projects. This ensured that he was able to immediately launch the implementation of existing projects, but also to create major plans, which he reveals in this CorD interview.
Following many years of stagnation, Merošina is finally striding forward with assured steps. What has changed in that respect?
It is true that everything started to improve as of two years ago, but we don’t deserve all the credit for that, because we also had major support from the state. Admittedly, we had well-worked projects that we used to apply to all ministries and we received funds, but workers’ income taxes remain our main source of revenue. Over the course of just one year, revenues generated from income tax increased by 30 per cent, which also means that employment is on the rise, while tax collection is increasing, as are revenues from property taxes and our own and ceded revenue. However, I must stress that no leader – whether in business, medicine, culture or local government – can achieve anything on their own if they don’t have a good team. And in Merošina we have a good team.
It seems as though the entire municipality is a major construction site. Are we being deceived by the impression?
No, you are correct... A lot of work and construction is happening in our city, and we also have big plans. Construction permits have been secured for the reconstruction of the Jastrebački Partizani Primary School and the building housing the social work unit, but also for the reconstruction and extension of the Municipal building. Strategic importance is given to the construction of a faecal sewer network covering approximately 67 kilometres, while we’re also planning to construct a water supply network on the territory of the municipality.
Priorities also include the infrastructure equipping of the Mramorsko Brdo business zone, covering an area of 55 hectares. In the meantime, we’ve reconstructed Industrijska Street, the settlement of Batušinac is being tarmacked and we’ve secured 34 million dinars from the budget for new works. I also have to mention the construction of a preschool institute, increasing the capacity of the wastewater treatment system, improving energy efficiency, the “Help at Home” project, wastewater management, as well as two capital projects: reconstruction of the highway section from Merošina to Prokuplje and the Niš-Pločnik section of the Niš-Priština highway.
Has the example of your municipality also shown that investing in infrastructure is the best way to entice investors?
We are also preparing two industrial zones for investors, which already have the required road and water infrastructure, while work on the sewer system is underway. We have mostly attracted domestic companies and one mixed Italian-Serbian firm, MING Kovačnica [MING FORGING], which should employ 60 workers in its first year of operations. They plan to increase their capacity in the year ahead, so they’ve already established cooperation with the dual education department of the Technical School in Prokuplje. Another Italian-Serbian company is building a 2,500-square-metre production facility and will manufacture recycling machines. They buy the land – we don’t give it to them for free. There’s also a company from Niš that’s purchasing five hectares and will employ another 100 workers. Miktronik, the general representative of Bosch for Serbia, has already launched its operations in Merošina, while two more Serbian companies have also entered the industrial zone and we’re awaiting the arrival of Fero Stil, Livnica Stil and some other companies, so we have no problem with unemployment. Anyone wanting to work can find a job.
New Logistics Epicentre Of The Region
Transfera’s new logistics centre (TLC1) opened ceremonially on 11th September 2022. with more than 250 associates and friends of the company in attendance. This investment, worth over €14 million, was realised in a record nine-month period, in the industrial zone in Novi Banovci, on the outskirts of Belgrade. This massive logistics centre forms part of a much larger scale project: Transfera Logistics Park (TLP).
This state-of-the-art centre is equipped with the most sophisticated technology for warehouse operations – the Warehouse Management System (WMS). TLC1 also applies the highest FM global standards and the Customs administration is present in all operations. Another top priority met from the outset was the use of renewable energy sources. TLC1 covers over 30,000m2 of space, with 3,000m2 of office space intended for administrative purposes and the remaining 27,000m2 mostly divided between the warehousing area and accompanying facilities for rest and recreation, such as restaurants, cafes, staff canteens and fitness tracks. Transfera currently has over 360 employees and will have an estimated turnover of €100 million by year’s end. “During this extremely challenging period, and in the midst of current events that have impacted transport and logistics worldwide, we managed to construct one of the largest logistics centres in the region in record time. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire team for the hard work shown during this period, without which these results wouldn’t have been possible. Our plans don’t stop here. Our goal is to continue developing and expanding our business to other markets, as well as to continuation construction of the logistics park,” said Transfera CEO Duško Radović, speaking at the opening ceremony.
WORLD NEWS
“We are in a period where things are accelerating; we have multiple crises to manage” ~ GUILLAUME FAURY, CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF AIRBUS SE
Boeing will pay $200 million and then-CEO Dennis Muilenburg will pay $1 million to settle charges over misleading investors in the wake of two deadly crashes of 737 Max jetliners, the Securities and Exchange Commission said. Shares fell about 2% in premarket trading Friday. “In times of crisis and tragedy, it is especially important that public companies and executives provide full, fair, and truthful disclosures to the markets. The Boeing Company and its former CEO, Dennis Muilenburg, failed in this most basic obligation,” SEC Chair Gary Gensler in a statement. The two crashes — one in October 2018 and another in March 2019 — killed all 346 people aboard the two flights and led to a worldwide grounding of the jetliners. The grounding was first lifted in late 2020.
CHINESE COMPANY APPOINTS ITS FIRST VIRTUAL CEO
NetDragon, a Chinese company, has announced that Ms Tang Yu, an Al-powered virtual humanoid robot, has been appointed as the Rotating CEO of its flagship subsidiary, Fujian NetDragon. Tang Yu The appointment is a move to pioneer the use of Al to transform corporate management and leapfrog operational efficiency to a new level. Her colleagues, also members of the board, will use her as a data centre and analytical tool. Also, Tang Yu should ensure a quality work environment for employees, the company’s statement reads.
ALIBABA PLEDGES $1 BILLION TO CLOUD COMPUTING CUSTOMERS TO REIGNITE GROWTH
Alibaba said it will invest $1 billion over the next three fiscal years to support its cloud computing customers as the Chinese e-commerce giant looks to reignite growth after a historical slowdown. The investment consists of “financial and non-financial incentives, such as funding, rebates and go-to-market initiatives,” Alibaba said in a press release on Thursday. The company said it is also setting up a program to help its customers localize their cloud computing business needs depending on the market. Alibaba is the world’s third-largest cloud computing player behind Microsoft and Amazon, according to Gartner.
“We are not delivering airplanes to China. We certainly wish we could. We are remarketing a small portion of them. We continue to defer the production of any Chinese airplanes” ~ DAVID CALHOUN, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE
BOEING COMPANY
VOLVO STARTS SERIES PRODUCTION OF HEAVYDUTY ELECTRIC TRUCKS
Volvo Trucks announced that production of three heavy-duty electric truck models was now underway, with its president saying that the news represented “a big moment” for the firm. In a statement, Volvo Trucks said the electrified Volvo FM, Volvo FMX and Volvo FH vehicles could run at a weight totalling 44 metric tons. According to the company, the range for the electric FM is up to 380 kilometres or just over 236 miles. Ranges for the FMX and FH are up to 320 km and 300 km, respectively. The company said production was beginning at a facility in Gothenburg, Sweden. Next year will see production commence at a site in Ghent, Belgium.
DENMARK AND GERMANY NOW BUILDING THE WORLD’S LONGEST IMMERSED TUNNEL
Descending up to 40 meters beneath the Baltic Sea, the world’s longest immersed tunnel will link Denmark and Germany, slashing journey times between the two countries when it opens in 2029. The tunnel, which will be 18 kilometres (11.1 miles) long, is one of Europe’s largest infrastructure projects, with a construction budget of over 7 billion euros ($7.1 billion). It will be built across the Fehmarn Belt, a strait between the German island of Fehmarn and the Danish island of Lolland, and is designed as an alternative to the current ferry service from Rødby and Puttgarden, which carries millions of passengers every year. Where the crossing now takes 45 minutes by ferry, it will take just seven minutes by train and 10 minutes by car.
TURKEY CUTS INTEREST RATES AGAIN IN THE STRUGGLE UNDER 80% INFLATION
Turkey’s central bank surprised markets once again with its decision Thursday to cut its key interest rate, despite inflation in the country surging beyond 80%. The country’s monetary policymakers opted for a 100 basis point cut, bringing the key one-week repurchase rate from 13% to 12%. In August, the Turkish inflation rate was recorded at 80.2%, quickening for the 15th consecutive month and the highest level in 24 years. Turkey also cut rates by 100 basis points in August and gradually lowered interest rates by 500 basis points at the end of 2021, setting off a currency crisis.
