January 2023, Issue No. 219

FINANCE: Dragana Skrobonja finance@aim.rs

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:

Maja Vidaković m.vidakovic@aim.rs

DIRECTOR: Ana Novčić a.novcic@aim.rs a.novcic@cordmagazine.com

PUBLISHER: Ivan Novčić i.novcic@aim.rs

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The actual space of that new responsibility would imply the idea of adapting to new living conditions and the need to reconsider how the world we want to inhabit should look, and what kind of relationship we would have with nature and our living world around us, and, first and foremost, how our interpersonal relationships would look.

But, paradoxically, instead of the arrival of changes for the better, we are today living in something that could be referred to as a regression. There are many signs pointing to that.The nostalgic desire for anarchic and unilateral deglobalisation, the expansion of identity movements, spreading racism and Islamophobia: increases in the number of “hate crimes”, the political culture of conflict and the ever-increasing power of authoritarian demagogues. And, finally, wars.

The cosmopolitan worlds that my generation dreamt of never materialised. On the contrary. We are bearing witness to the revival of ethnic, national and religion divisions. The end of history discussed by Fukoyama has been replaced by a culture war with a logic that replicates the friendenemy structure of the time of the Cold War.

What can we, in this global crisis, do for ourselves? What can awaken within us the need for solidarity, what can help us unite around shared issues; what can make our lives better, despite all the crises, including the existential crisis?

I would say culture, i.e., art.

If we have forgotten what solidarity means, what it means to unite around common causes, we are always and everywhere reminded of that by the culture that we are form part of and which makes us who we are. The very nature of culture and art is to unite and not divide. As it was defined by Max Weber, culture is a set of conceptual structures that allow the individual to be admitted into the collective. Culture is the entirety of artistic creation and the spirit. It is not inherited, but rather acquired. That imaginary element that unites us must be guided by values; it primarily contains the

Culture As A Saviour

When, this time last year, I was trying to imagine what the year that’s now coming to an end would look like, I hoped that we would have emerged from the general crisis of the pandemic and had time and space to ask questions of ourselves and consider the meaning of our life and its humanisation. I’d thought that the year ahead could be the year of articulating new responsibility, the “new normal”

power of metamorphosis that’s possessed by art. Its essence is freedom and courage – freedom to interpret the past and create the present. Through familiarisation and reorganisation, the world can be fixed and institutions reformed.

Why do I mention culture? Culture is a concept that includes refinement and abstraction; it is a veritable reservoir of the best that has been thought and known in a society, as Matthew Arnold stated. As an extraordinary domain of creative endeavour, the possibility to change a society qualitatively doesn’t lie in the realm of politics, but rather in the sphere of culture. Modern politics is a system of the speech and knowledge of the given moment, of the contemporary time. The democratic experience is also the experience of a certain aesthetics of politics. A democratic person

One of the tasks of culture could be the nurturing of taste, because if we want a healthy and successful society, we must nurture taste, and support the efforts of people who are devoted to perfecting the spirit, or improving the personality

is a being of speech, that is to say that he is also a poetic being capable of adopting the distance of words as it relates to things. One should read a lot, and often books that contradict each other, in order to know precisely what one is reading when one reads. “

However, the real affliction of today’s society, as viewed from the perspective of culture, is the issue of taste. In discussing ecology, Guattari also mentions the ecology of the spirit, or mental ecology. In today’s inundation with the chasing of money, we are living with the absence of taste. Possessing taste has become very important, because it impacts the relationship that we have, or don’t have, with meaning; the very meaning

of form and language itself. This is no longer merely about the bad use of code, but rather is an issue of the relationship towards beauty, i.e., the cultivation of nuance against the ideology of clichés. The war of taste is violent. We spend time with people who see nothing, feel nothing and experience nothing. Someone who believes taste can be bought is gravely mistaken. There’s nothing more kitsch than the notion that taste can be formed beyond the framework of education. Literature, for example, is one of the routes. If you don’t read, you see nothing. As such, one of the tasks of intellectuals and culture is to use the medium of intellectual debate to deconstruct stereotypes and narrowed categories of thought and communication. A mistake in taste is even worse than breaking the law or violating morals. The language of conflict, as well as those of revolution and religion, are triumphal speeches; the creating of a procession of victors and vanquished foes. Violence is always staged.

Among other things, stupidity would be the tough kernel of taste and nothing can be done to resolve that. If it was possible to scientifically analyse stupidity, the entire world of television would collapse. “Stupidity fascinates me, it is intractable. Nothing prevails over it,” wrote Roland Barthes.

Speaking with regard to a certain personality, Voltaire says: ask yourself why he is always right. It is because he has taste. The word taste summarises all the properties of the perception and sensation of a given time. The loss of taste also represents the loss of the consistency of the very style of a society and its relationship to language. Lautréamont says that taste is the fundamental quality which sums up all other qualities, it is the ne plus ultra of the intelligence.

I think one of the tasks of culture could be the nurturing of taste, because if we want a healthy and successful society, we must nurture taste, and support the efforts of people who are devoted to perfecting the spirit, or improving the personality. A badly used book can be pernicious, destructive. Unused, unread books are dangerous weapons.

That’s why I’m giving the floor on this year to culture.

Peace, Dialogue And Cooperation

In a year when it appeared as though one crisis – the one caused by the COVID-19 pandemic – was ending, war broke out in Ukraine. Europe has entered a new period of instability in 2022, marked by the devastating images of the casualties of war. The conflict in Ukraine also resulted in huge disruptions on the food and energy markets, the effects of which have also become evident far beyond the

EU

H.E. EMANUELE GIAUFRET EU DELEGATION HEAD

borders of the European continent. In preparing our first issue for 2023, CorD Magazine posed diplomatic interlocutors a single question: ‘taking into consideration the complex global situation, what provides us with reason for optimism as we enter 2023?’ Convinced that “it is always darkest before the dawn”, representatives of the diplomatic corps in Serbia remind us of the courage and resilience with which citizens hit by

unprecedented crises are coping with the latest challenges.The unity and solidarity demonstrated in both the struggle against the pandemic and efforts to counter the consequences of armed conflict are cited as reasons to nonetheless enter this new year, which is certain to be another difficult one, with measured optimism, but also hope that 2023 will be a year when peace will be achieved through dialogue.

WATERSHED MOMENT IN EUROPEAN HISTORY

The EU once again proved resilient and able to adapt to the new challenges and respond to citizens’ needs, to me this is reason for great optimism for 2023…There is more clarity on the choices ahead of us and it is up to Serbia to use that clarity to make the right choices in 2023 ~ Emanuele Giaufret

Over the course of the year that’s coming to an end, the EU proved, once again, to be resilient and able to adapt to new challenges and respond to citizens’ needs, to me this is reason for great optimism for 2023, as in Europe we all need a solid anchor in the troubled waters of today’s world. After overcoming the COVID-19 crisis, in February we faced the unjustified and unprovoked Russian aggression against Ukraine that brought war back to the European continent. A watershed moment in European history. This war, which seeks to annex part of a neighbouring country, brought destruction and suffering in Ukraine and beyond, provoking worldwide energy and food crises and undermining European and global peace and

security. The EU reacted firmly by sanctioning Russia to stop the war, providing humanitarian, financial and military assistance for Ukraine to defend itself against the Russian aggressor. The EU was united and effective, deepened its security cooperation, responded to the energy crisis by rapidly decreasing its energy dependence on Russia and accelerating the green transition, while continuing to disburse funds to Member States to recover from the COVID economic crisis. We are now much better prepared to face 2023. The new geopolitical context has also created new momentum for enlargement, which is also a source of optimism. Ukraine and Moldova were recognised as candidate countries in June, and we opened a path towards membership for Georgia;

the first Intergovernmental Conferences to negotiate the membership of Albania and North Macedonia took place in July, and with the visa liberalisation decision on Kosovo*, the whole of the Western Balkans will soon be visa free, while roaming telecoms tariffs with the EU will start decreasing next year, to be eventually phased out entirely. All these key decisions clearly point to a new opportunity to accelerate enlargement, an opportunity that Serbia should not miss out on in 2023, and for this it must accelerate reforms and increase its policy alignment. There is more clarity on the choices ahead of us and it is up to Serbia to use that clarity to make the right choices in 2023. Let me wish everyone a happy and prosperous year! Srećna nova godina!

The world belongs to optimists, pessimists are only spectators ~ Francois Guizot

Considering the complex global situation, what provides us with reason for optimism as

AUSTRIA

BELGIUM

H.E. CHRISTIAN EBNER AMBASSADOR OF AUSTRIA

H.E. CATHY BUGGENHOUT AMBASSADOR OF BELGIUM

LOOKING AHEAD WITH OPTIMISM YEAR OF COURAGE

We will succeed in making a breakthrough for peace, in developing new sources of energy to free ourselves of dependence on a few states, in realising new projects for economic recovery, climate protection, as well as in achieving the next steps for Serbia on the European path ~ Christian Ebner

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the energy crisis and inflation will continue to present us with major challenges in 2023. It will also be important to launch initiatives in the areas of climate and the environment, because we must not lose sight of climate protection either. Still, I am convinced that we should all look towards 2023 with optimism, because optimism is an attitude to life with the positive side effect of seizing new opportunities, by placing trust and hope in a positive outcome. And that’s why I trust that we will together succeed in making a breakthrough for peace, in developing new sources of energy to free ourselves of dependence on a few states, in realising new projects for economic recovery, climate protection, as well as in achieving the next steps for Serbia on the European path. All of this, however, requires not only optimism, but also political will and foresight, as well as the readiness of all stakeholders. We all have to contribute to this.

Just look at the Ukrainian people today, in their tenth month of resistance against Russian military aggression. Look at our joint efforts to overcome the inflationary pressures on our economies and the food crisis, and to guarantee the wellbeing of all our citizens ~ Cathy Buggenhout

Let us make 2023 the year of world courage! “Courage is the most important of the virtues, because without it, no other virtue can be practiced consistently,” once wrote great American writer, essayist and poet Maya Angelou. And human beings are courageous. Just look at the Ukrainian people today, in their tenth month of resistance against Russian military aggression. Look at our joint efforts to overcome the inflationary pressures on our economies and the food crisis, and to guarantee the wellbeing of all our citizens. Look at our global commitment to halt climate change, to find innovative green solutions in the diversification of our energy supply. May we all cooperate courageously in 2023, for humanity, respect and solidarity.

CYPRUS CANADA

H.E. GILES NORMAN AMBASSADOR OF CANADA

H.E. DEMETRIOS

THEOPHYLACTOU AMBASSADOR OF CYPRUS

OPTIMISM FOR WAR TO END IN 2023 REACHING TO OUR BETTER SELVES

Optimism and energy are words that are almost never found in the same sentence these days, but, if we take a step back, Serbia’s energy situation is set to improve... and maybe quite a bit ~ Giles Norman

For all the horror being visited on their land, and on the cusp of a dark, hard, winter, the Ukrainian people’s spirit, resolve and tenacity provide reason for optimism. I am also optimistic that – during this season when we reach to our better selves – we will succeed in muffling the noise of ‘positions’ and ‘power politics’ and see people in their full humanity. People who are not so very different from our own parents, brothers, daughters, neighbours: people who hope and dream; people who wonder what tomorrow will bring. The words “optimism” and “energy” are almost never found in the same sentence these days, but, if we take a step back, Serbia’s energy situation is set to improve... and maybe quite a bit.

First, it has been made plain that no one can afford to put all their eggs in the Russian energy basket. Today, control of Serbia’s national oil company is in Russian hands, not Serbian. Serbia is today at the mercy of Russia for virtually all of its natural gas, and for the price it pays for it. This terrible energy insecurity and one-sided leverage has now been recognised for what it is, and the government is moving quickly to reduce this dependency. Serbians can thus be optimistic that, in the relatively short term, their country will be less beholden and vulnerable, and more independent and secure.

Second, Serbia also appears to be seizing the moment to jump-start the transition to cleaner energy sources. This brings a number of linked advantages, including greater national energy self-sufficiency, decreased reliance on declining coal reserves, and cleaner air, all while making a powerful positive contribution to the world as a whole.

Behind the headlines of regional conflict, quiet, practical steps are being taken to build cooperation and integration between Western Balkan neighbours – through both the Open Balkan Initiative and the Common Regional Market / Berlin Process. Practical steps focused on delivering real benefits to citizens that create habits of cooperation and trust: what’s not to be optimistic about?

The optimistic outlook is that most countries – particularly in the EU – have become much better at managing global challenges. The not-so-optimistic outlook is that geopolitics is characterised by increased volatility. Subsequently, geopolitics has major negative consequences for the global economy ~ Demetrios Theophylactou

This brief assessment concerning optimism, or luck thereof, as we enter 2023, taking into account the war in Ukraine, as well as ongoing conflicts in the Western Balkans, the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean, focuses on the impact of the complex global situation on economies. The first part concerns the economy of Cyprus, while the second looks more broadly at global economic trends. The Cypriot economy grew by more than 6% of GDP by the end of 2022, surpassing the EU average. The annual growth rate was substantially higher than the EU average of 2.4% GDP and the eurozone’s 2.1%. Despite the serious challenges posed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Cypriot economy proved resilient when other EU economies faced the risk of recession. Still, this optimistic outlook by no means ignores high inflation and rising energy prices. However, the negative effects of the ongoing war in Ukraine on economic activity appear to be unfolding slowly, inevitably impacting the outlook for 2023. Real GDP growth in 2023 is forecast at 2.4%, driven by several factors, including the deterioration of EU economic sentiment and weakening of business confidence. When we look at the global picture, higher energy prices and interest rates will cause growth to slow across most of Europe, and other parts of the world, with some countries falling into recession. The energy shock will impact countries differently, with some hit quite hard and some continuing to perform relatively well. In conclusion, the optimistic outlook is that most countries – particularly in the EU – have become much better at managing global challenges, such as the pandemic. The not-so-optimistic outlook is that geopolitics is characterised by increased volatility. Subsequently, geopolitics has major negative consequences on the global economy. Assuming that the war in Ukraine ends in 2023, a most optimistic scenario will prevail in respect to economic performance. Let us hope that this will be the case, for the benefit of the world.

CHINA

H.E. CHEN BO AMBASSADOR OF CHINA

REPLACING DIVISION WITH UNITY

The forces in the world that long for peace, stability, development and cooperation have been strengthening constantly. The Cold War mentality and power politics have been increasingly discarded ~ Chen Bo

At present, the development of humankind is indeed facing major challenges, such as the dragging on of the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions and sluggish economic growth. However, with the rise of challenges and risks, the forces in the world that long for peace, stability, development and cooperation have also been strengthening constantly. The Cold War mentality and power politics have been increasingly discarded. Last November, the Communist Party of China held its 20th

National Congress, which set China’s goals, tasks and major policies over the next five years or even longer. We will bring more new opportunities to the world with our own development, provide more certainty to the world with the continuity of domestic and foreign policies, and inject stronger impetus into international cooperation with Chinese-style modernisation. As President Xi Jinping put it, in the face of challenges, it is imperative that all countries embrace the vision of a community with a shared

future for humankind, and advocate peace, development and win-win cooperation. All countries should replace division with unity, confrontation with cooperation, and exclusion with inclusiveness. The year 2023 is coming. It’s my sincere hope that the world will emerge from the haze of the pandemic and accelerate the pace of its economic development. I believe that China-Serbia cooperation, based on win-win cooperation, will achieve more results and promote the prosperity and development of our two countries.

H.E. SUSANNE SHINE AMBASSADOR OF DENMARK

CELEBRATING HUMAN RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY

In 2023 we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states our rights regardless of origin, gender, religion, nationality, residence, or other status. Coming from Denmark, a country that strives to serve as a model of human rights and gender equality, I hope that we will see progressive steps in those fields in 2023 ~ Susanne SHINE

The previous 2021 and 2022 were indeed challenging years. The COVID pandemic kept us from our loved ones and prevented us from travelling and living normal lives. I’m happy that, through hard work and cooperation around the world – particularly among those who provide medical care, formulate public health policies and develop vaccines – we have made progress in protecting and improving lives. Although we have not eradicated COVID, we can be optimistic that, with continued care and diligence, the world will make further progress in 2023. As with COVID, we can be optimistic that 2023 will offer progress in the trajectories of many long-term global challenges. In 2023 we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states our rights regardless of origin, gender, religion, nationality, residence or other status. Coming from Denmark, a country that strives to serve as a model of human rights and gender equality, I hope that we will see progressive steps in those fields in 2023. Here in Serbia, I hope that the coming year will provide opportunities for the government and people to move closer to the EU in key areas for accession, such as the rule of law and the fight against corruption and organised crime. Denmark looks forward to continuing to work directly with Serbia to help it successfully adopt measures that will benefit the Serbian people and address EU requirements. Denmark also looks forward to increasing mutually beneficial business development with Serbia. Ever more Danish companies are finding Serbia, with its highly competent and motivated workforce, to be a competitive business environment, and an advantageous geographic location, as an ideal partner for business ventures. These partnerships will continue to create jobs and further boost Serbian exports in 2023. Of course, 2023 does not offer a panacea for the world’s challenges. Many countries around the world will need to respond to the challenges and instability created by wars, extreme weather, economic recession and much more. I’m optimistic, however, that through planning and cooperation between countries and their citizens, we can all make necessary and beneficial progress in addressing many of these issues.

EGYPT

H.E. BASSEL SALAH MUSTAFA AHMED AMBASSADOR OF EGYPT

THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSIFYING

The dependence of a number of world countries on wheat imports from Russia and Ukraine led to serious challenges and the threat of starvation for millions of people in Africa. That is the reason for the successful efforts of the international community to extend the Grain Export Deal ~ Bassel Salah Mustafa Ahmed

Despite the unprecedented consecutive crises confronting the world since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, no one should lose optimism in the ability of the countries and peoples of the world to address these challenges. In order to peacefully overcome the current crisis, the countries of the world need more mutual collaboration through the showing of solidarity and working in the interest of the people. Egypt, like many other countries, has been hit by the world crisis and has resorted to adopting monetary and economic countermeasures to the growing inflation and other consequences of the crisis, among them negotiations with the IMF. Egypt is also exerting efforts aimed at achieving security and stability in its regional surroundings and the world, as well as efforts to strengthen bridges of cooperation between African, Arab and European countries, among them Serbia, as the potential for economic cooperation is enormous. The Ukraine crisis showed the world the importance of diversifying sources of strategic resources. The dependence of a number of world countries on wheat imports from Russia and Ukraine led to serious challenges and the threat of starvation for millions of people in Africa, for example. That is the reason for the international community’s successful efforts to extend the Grain Export Deal. On the other hand, the energy supply crisis represented an incentive to accelerate the transition to sustainable, renewable and low-emission sources of energy, in conjunction with the latest Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework on Climate Change Convention COP27, which was held in Egypt in November 2022. COP27 contributed to putting the world on the right track to building a better future for coming generations. As we enter a new year, the whole world has aspirations to achieve peace and stability, and to solve the most serious challenges in the interest of all citizens of the world.

DENMARK

Considering the complex global situation, what provides us with reason for optimism as

FINLAND FRANCE

H.E. KIMMO LÄHDEVIRTA AMBASSADOR OF FINLAND

H.E. PIERRE COCHARD AMBASSADOR OF FRANCE

RESILIENCE PROMPTS OPTIMISM SOLID BILATERAL RELATIONS

Reason for optimism today, in these fast-changing and challenging times, is provided by the resilience that the world has demonstrated, and our countries as part of it. Resilience means we have the capacity to withstand adversity and bounce back; it is the ability to be happy and successful again after difficult times ~ Kimmo Lähdevirta

The world has been facing difficult times since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. All of us had to unite forces to fight the pandemic. We have not won this battle yet, but we are getting there. Some 10 months ago, the Russian invasion of Ukraine started. Russia has caused enormous damage and human suffering. The war has also led to a new global political, security and energy crisis. As Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin has said, for example, Finland will support Ukraine for as long as is needed and will participate in its reconstruction. Finland’s decision to apply for NATO membership was a response to the new circumstances. We have had to take steps towards strengthening our defence and regional security. At the same time, we need to think and work towards a green and sustainable future. We cannot leave these issues for some better times. Nordic countries have together decided on a vision to become the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by 2030. Green transition and sustainable growth are both a must and an opportunity. Going green is the only way to keep our planet liveable for future generations, without compromising on a high quality of life.The Nordic countries have ambitious national targets to switch to sustainable energy and are pioneers of green energy solutions. We work towards the same goals across the globe, and also partner with Serbia. Russian aggression against Ukraine has urged us to work much harder towards these goals. Tough times always generate solutions that shape our future in new ways. In my opinion, reason for optimism today, in these fast-changing and challenging times, is provided by the resilience that the world has demonstrated, and our countries as part of it. Resilience means that we have the capacity to withstand adversity and bounce back; it is the ability to be happy and successful again after difficult times. Belonging to the Finnish nation, which is the happiest nation according to the UN Happiness Index for consecutive years, I hope I am competent enough to claim that resilience is both our reality and reason for optimism.

Our relationship is not only exceptional capital bequeathed by history, but also a relationship that’s more alive than ever before. The year 2023 will thus see the emergence of projects, particularly in the domain of infrastructure, and promises to be full of new opportunities for enterprises in France and Serbia ~ Pierre Cochard

As an old French saying from the 19th century goes, “the world belongs to the optimists, the pessimists are only spectators”. The challenges facing the world – I’m referring to the war in Ukraine, the absolute necessity of peace and dialogue, climatic urgency – provide an incentive to further strengthen our ties, to mobilise our energies in order to be able to speak loudly and influence the course of events. Together with Serbia and the other Western Balkan countries, we belong to the same large European family, sharing values and a common historical and cultural heritage, illustrated on the ground by very concrete achievements in the service of the populations and young people. France, alongside its partners, wants 2023 to be an opportunity to advance much faster and further along the path of European integration! Another major factor of optimism is the solidity of the bilateral relationship between France and Serbia. Our relationship is not only exceptional capital bequeathed to us by history, but also a relationship that’s more alive than ever. The year 2023 will, thus, see the emergence of projects, particularly in the domain of infrastructure, and promises to be full of new opportunities for enterprises in our two countries. The “Green Agenda”, a priority for all, encourages us to move further ahead in developing our innovation potential. French-Serbian creativity will be expressed in many other areas of cooperation. As such, France will next autumn have the privilege of being the guest of honour at the Belgrade Book Fair, an unmissable must-attend event. May this new year also provide an incentive to beautiful and stimulating cultural discoveries!

H.E. RASHID HASSAN POUR BAEI AMBASSADOR OF IRAN

DIALOGUE, MEDIA AND MORE EFFECTIVE INSTITUTIONS

An optimist constructs aeroplanes, while a pessimist makes parachutes. Optimism and pessimism have been driving forces of mankind throughout history. Extreme optimism and pessimism can be harmful and dangerous ~ Rashid Hassan

Pour Baei

Pessimism has always been, more or less, a dominant discourse, becoming the foundation of policies and decision-making, so it can even be said that a significant part of civilisation is based on pessimism. An optimist constructs aeroplanes, while a pessimist makes parachutes. Optimism and pessimism have been driving forces of mankind throughout history. Extreme optimism and pessimism can be harmful and dangerous. In the new period that started with the COVID crisis, the war in Ukraine etc., the countries of the world have their high politics strengthened and reinstated to their agendas. As a result of existential threats becoming more prominent, countries have opted to increase and improve armament, and thus the development of military industries and technologies has become a priority to maintain and continue survival. Extreme nationalist, conservative and protectionist policies have become the guidelines of countries. In such an atmosphere, which ensued from pessimism itself, pessimism has only intensified and strengthened. While some countries and actors possess weapons of mass destruction and thereby create immunity and a safe haven for themselves, at the same time, international institutions and authorities are deficient when it comes to minimum efficiency and the authority needed to control and manage global affairs. In this situation, the dynamics of optimism are more or less active, which are: 1. Interdependencies; 2. Openness to dialogue; 3. A decisive and key role of the media, especially in this era of communication and information; 4. Public awareness and the increasing role of this parameter and variable in decision-making; 5. Positive roles of regional and global organisations; 6. Arms deterrence (armed peace).

ITALY

H.E. LUCA GORI AMBASSADOR OF ITALY

PEACE, FREEDOM AND PROSPERITY

It is now time to accelerate the EU accession process for Serbia. Regardless of the long procedures entailed by the enlargement process, EU Member States continue to demonstrate their willingness to advocate for Serbia’s accession path ~ Luca Gori

The international scenario is and will remain gloomy, but we have to use the optimism of willpower to oppose the pessimism of reason. Europe should remain united and loyal to its values: peace, freedom, prosperity. From this perspective, 2023 will undoubtedly be an even tougher year for Europe. We should approach the new year with a clear awareness of the uncertain times in which we live. Old and new challenges will surge: from securing energy supplies to tackling migratory flow, and guaranteeing overall peace and stability. But we cannot tackle these major, global issues in silos. Cooperation and dialogue are the key tools to overcoming challenges. On the EU Enlargement process, there are some positive signs that we have to encourage. The negotiation process with Albania and North Macedonia has started. Bosnia-Herzegovina could soon be granted candidate country status. It is now time to accelerate the EU accession process for Serbia. Regardless of the long procedures entailed by the enlargement process, EU Member States continue to demonstrate their willingness to advocate for Serbia’s accession path. The EU-Western Balkan Summit in Tirana was a case in point. For its part, Italy fully supports Serbia in fulfilling its accession requirements, acknowledging Belgrade’s efforts in progressing towards this common goal. Next year we will continue to develop the already excellent relationship between Rome and Belgrade. The friendship and partnership between our two countries remains an important reason for optimism as we enter 2023.

IRAN

Considering the complex global situation, what provides us with reason for optimism as we

JAPAN

H.E. TAKAHIKO KATSUMATA AMBASSADOR OF JAPAN

Looking back over 2022, Japan and Serbia celebrated the 140th anniversary of the friendly relationship that was established between Emperor Meiji and King Milan Obrenović in 1882. We could confirm our wellestablished friendship and even promote JapanSerbia human networks through various cultural events and my visits throughout Serbia. Contrary to the bilateral goodwill circumstances, the world had to cope with extraordinary challenges that still confront us. Above all, Russian aggression against Ukraine started on 24th February 2022 and will have been ongoing for almost a year. We have witnessed the numerous victims and huge destruction of Ukraine. Millions of displaced people are now abandoning the country. There are even a few thousand Ukrainian people in

DIPLOMATIC ANNIVERSARY

Looking at the Western Balkans, the international community is carefully following the development of the EU-mediated Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. Japan supports this process and appreciates Serbia’s determination to reach a solution to this long-standing issue. We expect Serbia to play a constructive role for the peace and stability of the region ~ Takahiko Katsumata

Japan who fled their home country. It has also shaken the global order of security, and caused energy and food crises. I don’t believe that we can state optimistic views of 2023 without stopping the aggression. Looking around Japan, the security environment has become increasingly severe as a result of nuclear weapon and missile development by North Korea. Transnational threats grounded on technological progress, including international terrorism and cyberattacks, are also increasing their significance. In the current world, no nation can maintain its own peace and security alone. Japan has contributed, to the maximum possible extent, to efforts to maintain and restore international peace and security, such as UN peacekeeping operations. These efforts are made on the basis of the

belief that Japan, as a “Proactive Contributor to Peace”, needs to contribute more actively to the peace and stability of the region and the international community, while coordinating with other countries. Looking at the Western Balkans, the international community is carefully following the development of the EU-mediated Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. Japan supports this process and appreciates Serbia’s determination to reach a solution to this long-standing issue. We expect Serbia to play a constructive role for the peace and stability of the region. On the eve of the beginning of 2023, I would like to express my belief that it’s now time for Japan and Serbia, as long-standing friendly countries, to work more closely to ensure a brighter future for the region and the world.

global

KOREA

H. E. LEE JAEWOONG AMBASSADOR OF KOREA

ALWAYS DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN

I believe that we may be able to see some positive happenings in 2023. Human beings learn lessons from their past mistakes and try to resolve problems through coordinated efforts ~ Lee Jaewoong

History books will most likely record 2022 as the year of war in Ukraine, economic turmoil and the final phase of efforts to end the pandemic. People may think that the next year will also be difficult for more or less the same reasons. However, it is always darkest before the dawn, and I believe that we may be able to see some positive happenings in 2023. Human beings learn lessons from their past mistakes and try to resolve problems through coordinated efforts. Personally, as ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Serbia, I have every reason to be optimistic about the bilateral relationship between Korea and Serbia. In the field of the economy, we may see more concrete projects moving ahead, as more Korean companies are interested in coming to Serbia for future new business and investment opportunities. The trade volume between our two countries will further increase, following the trends of the past several years. We can see more Korean products, such as cars and cosmetics, gaining popularity in Serbia. As for Serbia, the Korean market will be more open to import agricultural products and natural resources. Culturally, there are more chances that events related to Korea will take place in Serbia, as the pandemic restrictions disappear. The Korean embassy is planning to organise some events, such as concerts and exhibitions of traditional Korean printing in 2023. Many new Korean dramas, films and K-pop songs will also be produced to entertain global audiences. The travel industry will also return to the level of the pre-pandemic era, and more tourists from both countries will visit the other country respectively, promoting mutual interests and understanding between Koreans and Serbs. I believe that diplomats should be optimistic as they exert themselves to make the world a better place for human beings to live in. As a diplomat of Korea in Serbia, I will spare no effort in realising my optimism for our two countries in reality, together with my colleagues at the embassy.

NETHERLANDS

SERBIA TO ALIGN WITH THE EU

Economic ties between the Netherlands and Serbia give us enough reason to be optimistic. Our bilateral trade has been growing consistently, at about 20%, and shows no signs of slowing down, despite a complex global situation ~ Joost Reintjes

In this particularly difficult global situation, in which democratic values are under attack, it is important to seeks solutions jointly. The European Union imposed sanctions on Russia in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A country that aspires to EU membership, like Serbia, is expected to align its policies with the EU. Progressive alignment with the EU’s foreign policy is not a new condition and is part of the negotiation framework. When it comes to EU integration, economic relations play a very significant part. Economic ties between the Netherlands and Serbia give us enough reason to be optimistic. Our bilateral trade has been growing consistently, at about 20%, and shows no signs of slowing down, despite a complex global situation. In fact, provisional figures for 2022 indicate a 30% increase in bilateral trade, reaching almost a billion euros in the first ten months of the year. It is my expectation that the positive experiences of Dutch companies operating in Serbia will serve as a calling card for other companies to test out the market. Furthermore, Dutch companies are very much ingrained in Serbia’s everyday life. With around 500 businesses employing almost 20,000 people in a variety of sectors, Dutch companies include household names that almost every Serbian knows and uses, including Ahold-Delhaize (Maxi/Tempo), KLM, Philips, Kupujem-Prodajem, Heineken, but also small vibrant businesses providing consultancy services, furniture manufacturing, urban greening and sustainable agriculture. These economic interactions between our two countries help to increase people-to-people contacts. However, it is not only through economic ties that our two countries are getting to know each other better. I meet many people that have studied or lived in the Netherlands for all kinds of reasons: a personal highlight for me was meeting Dušan Tadić, captain of your national football team and Amsterdam’s Ajax. Mutual understanding doesn’t come only through shared successes, but also through shared challenges. Serbia can do more to safeguard media freedom and the safety of journalists. A responsible and pluralistic media forms part of the necessary checks and balances in a democratic system. Also in 2023, the Netherlands embassy will be working with government and civil society to help implement the reforms needed to protect democratic values like freedom of expression and the rule of law.

SWITZERLAND

H.E. URS SCHMID AMBASSADOR OF SWITZERLAND

TIMES OF INNOVATION

Businesswomen and men are constantly finding innovative ways to deal with the changes that our world is undergoing. They work across boundaries and languages, set politics aside and find ways to work together. They are bridge-builders who create interpersonal ties and link communities ~ Urs Schmid

Iam always amazed by the human capacity for innovation and this gives me a great deal of reason for optimism.Think only of how quickly a vaccine was developed during the COVID pandemic! Under stress and with the right funding, scientists from all over the world are capable of great things. Particularly in times of crisis, transformations happen and the current energy crisis may help us to transition more quickly to greener sources of energy. Switzerland is consistently ranked number one in terms of innovation, but I am also very impressed by Serbia’s capacity to innovate. Whether at the Science & Technology Parks, the Institute of Physics - which I visited this year – or other schools and universities across the country, wonderful steps forward are happening each day. Businesswomen and men are also constantly finding innovative ways to deal with the changes that our world is undergoing. They work across boundaries and languages, setting politics aside and finding ways to work together. They are bridge-builders, they create interpersonal ties and link communities. As a Swiss ambassador, I am proud of the hundreds of Swiss businesses, many of them owned or led by Swiss-Serbian dual nationals, who are quietly developing and diversifying economic ties between our two countries. Switzerland was recently ranked 2nd in the 2022 Economic Freedom Index compiled by the Heritage Foundation. This index looks at indicators such as the rule of law (property rights, judicial effectiveness, government integrity), regulatory efficiency (business freedom, labour freedom, monetary freedom), government size (tax burden, government spending, fiscal health) and open markets (trade freedom, investment freedom, financial freedom). Serbia is currently in 59th place on this index, but with a positive trend of expanding economic freedoms. I look forward to continuing to work with Serbia in 2023, through our Cooperation Programme, through our Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, through our individual business actors, through scientific cooperation and through our regular political consultations.

SWEDEN

H.E. ANNIKA BEN DAVID AMBASSADOR OF SWEDEN

SWEDEN AND THE EU PRESIDENCY

What we have witnessed is historic unity in the EU…

The real heroes are, of course, the Ukrainian women and men fighting for their – and our – freedom. But it is also true that the unified response of the EU has contributed to strengthening Ukraine economically and militarily ~ Annika Ben David

Firstly, we should be proud of the fact that we have seen an unprecedented level of solidarity and resistance during the last two major crises – the pandemic and Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine. Instead of being divided, we have been astonishingly united in our responses. This shows that our societies are strong when and where it really matters. The speed at which the scientific community was able to develop vaccines that saved millions of lives was unprecedented, and so was our common European response to Russia when it attacked Ukraine on 24th February. What we have witnessed is historic unity in the EU, a bloc created out of the ashes of WWII in order to prevent any devastating new wars between former enemies. The real heroes are, of course, the Ukrainian women and men fighting for their – and our – freedom. But it is also true that the unified response of the EU has contributed to strengthening Ukraine economically and militarily. Another reason for optimism is the fact that the state of European industry remains strong. The argument that Western sanctions hurt Europe more than Russia has been proven false. If we look at the bigger picture, you could actually say that we are getting collectively smarter, more coordinated and better at solving problems. This is true in medicine and science, but also in politics. For example, it is now a well-established fact that the most important progress within the EU has been a result of dealing with crises. The typical Swedish take is that most problems can be solved, and I truly believe that the last few years have shown us precisely that. Sweden takes over the presidency of the EU in January, and for six months will drive the EU’s agenda forward. We now have the Tirana Declaration, making it clearer than ever that the EU is committed to welcoming our Western Balkan partners into the family. Now is the time to speed up reforms, harmonise policies and implement decisive new measures for the geostrategic orientation of the region.

TURKEY

H.E. HAMI AKSOY AMBASSADOR OF TURKEY

HOPE FOR A PEACEFUL FUTURE

As Türkiye, we enter 2023 with awareness that it will be a unique year, especially for us, as we will be celebrating the centenary of the foundation of our Republic. Additionally, we will be celebrating the 500th anniversary of the date we laid the foundations of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs ~ Hami Aksoy

We live in an era characterised by uncertainties, crises and conflicts. There are various threats to peace and stability worldwide. A spectrum of new challenges has emerged, testing the entire international system. In this complex background, we experienced two new major shocks over the last two years: the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine. As we were recovering from the negative impact of the pandemic, we faced a new shock, and the heart of Europe is now facing the most severe crisis since World War II. Türkiye is at the very centre of a region where the effects of crises and changes are felt deeply. Despite the negative aspects of this complex global equation, I believe there is always hope and reason for optimism. For instance, I sincerely believe that our experience of learning the importance of solidarity during the pandemic will create many opportunities for constructive collaboration in 2023. As Türkiye, we enter 2023 with awareness that it will be a unique year, especially for us, as we will be celebrating the centenary of the foundation of our Republic. Additionally, we will be celebrating the 500th anniversary of the date we laid the foundations of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The essence of the historical accumulation of knowledge is what determines the identity of our diplomacy and shapes our basic reflexes. If we learn from history and adjust our policies and strategies to construct a peaceful future, there is always hope and reason for optimism. In 2023, these two important anniversaries will provide an opportunity for us to reflect on history and look to the future with the experience we have derived from our past, and address the challenges ahead of us with wisdom. I sincerely hope that 2023 will be a milestone in which we will construct a peaceful future, and rise to the challenges we face. I would like to conclude with my sincere wishes and celebrations for a Happy New Year.

US

H. E. CHRISTOPHER R. HILL AMBASSADOR OF THE U.S.

ALWAYS LOOKING FORWARD

I’m sure 2023 will bring many challenges, as in years past, but I am optimistic that, by working together, Americans and Serbians will not only continue to find creative solutions to overcome those challenges, but to turn them into opportunities ~ Christopher Hill

By nature, I’m an optimist. That’s why I’m a diplomat, because the work of a diplomat is to look forward and to find solutions to tough problems. My confidence about Serbia’s future, and the future of this region, was one of the reasons I took this role, and I see many reasons to look forward to 2023. First among them are the business partnerships between Serbia and the United States that are growing stronger and stronger. Serbia recently hosted 27 American IT and clean energy firms who made up our first bilateral trade mission in 20 years. Innovative American companies like the electric vehicle maker Rivian are opening offices here because they recognise the wealth of talent available in Serbia and how much Serbia’s next generation has to offer in working in partnership with the West. The U.S. Development Finance Corporation is guaranteeing hundreds of millions of dollars in loans to help promising Serbian SMEs get up and running, and linked into more lucrative markets, while USAID is working to help Serbia find smarter energy solutions. And we are investing in Serbia’s young people too – through exchange programmes, mentoring, networking and more through our new youth leadership development programme, BOLD. I’m sure 2023 will bring many challenges, as in years past, but I am optimistic that, by working together, Americans and Serbians will not only continue to find creative solutions to overcome those challenges, but to turn them into opportunities for both our countries and all our people to flourish.

GLOBAL DIARY

DOUBLE TRANSFORMATION

DINA BOLUARTE, PERU’S FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT

Dina Boluarte became Peru’s first female president after her former boss and predecessor, Pedro Castillo, was ousted and then arrested for trying to shut down Congress illegally. The 60-year-old Boluarte, a lawyer, was Peru’s vice president, faces the unenviable challenge of healing a divided Peru, where the presidency

ST EDWARD’S CROWN RESIZED FOR THE CORONATION OF KING CHARLES III

It has been announced that St Edward’s Crown has been removed from the Tower of London to allow for it to be resized ahead of the King’s coronation on 6th May 2023. The crown is the centrepiece of the crown jewels and is normally kept in the Jewel House at the Tower, where millions of tourists flock each year to see it and other pieces of this historic ollection. St Edward’s Crown is thought to have been used to crown British and English monarchs since the 13th century. The current crown was made for Charles II in 1661, after the monarchy was restored following Oliver Cromwell’s ten-year republic, as a replacement for the medieval crown in use until 1649.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY IS TIME’S 2022 PERSON OF THE YEAR

been named

Year for 2022 as he continues to lead his country against Russian forces. The magazine also honoured “the spirit of Ukraine” in its annual recognition. In an essay explaining the choices, Time Editor-in-Chief Edward Felsenthal said that picking Zelenskyy was the “most clear-cut in memory.” “Whether the battle for Ukraine fills one with hope or with fear, Volodymyr Zelenskyy galvanized the world in a way we haven’t seen in decades,” he wrote.

has been in a battle with Congress for more than a year. Boluarte practised law before her political career and was relatively unknown to most Peruvians until recently. She had a thorny road to the top, as she won less than four per cent of the vote in the 2018 elections for president of Surquillo district in Lima and then lost in the race for a seat in parliament.

“The world’s advanced economies are in the midst of dual structural transformations that will change every aspect of our lives, from how we work and do business to how we regulate markets” ~

DIANE COYLE, PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC POLICY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has

Time’s Person of the

LESSONS

“Few will miss 2022, a year defined by a lingering pandemic, advancing climate change, galloping inflation, slowing economic growth, and, more than anything else, the outbreak of a costly war in Europe” ~ RICHARD HAASS, PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS

The Empress Masako of Japan celebrated turning 59 while posing for the photos with her husband Emperor Naruhito in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan, where the photos were taken. It is the second Japanese Imperial birthday in a week after Crown Prince Akishino celebrated turning 57 just a few days before. In a letter released through the Imperial Household Agency, the Empress said she had spent about half of her life as a member of the Imperial Family after marrying Emperor Naruhito in June 1993, when she was 29. Citing the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, international conflicts and natural disasters across the globe, Empress Masako described the past year as “a year with many heartbreaking events.”

GROWING SUPPORT FOR SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE

The proportion of people who support Scottish independence has risen ahead of those who do not, following a Supreme Court ruling on the issue, a new poll suggests. The research found that 49% of Scottish respondents said

JAPANESE EMPRESS MARKS HER 59TH BIRTHDAY ITALY

LEADING MEDIA OUTLETS URGE U.S. TO RELEASE ASSANGE

they would vote yes, and 45% said they would vote no if there were to be a referendum tomorrow on whether Scotland should be an independent country, with the remainder saying they do not know.

First Minister Sturgeon has set out plans to use the next general election, to be held no later than January 2025, as a de facto referendum on the constitutional question.

Italy has officially lit the world’s biggest Christmas tree, in the medieval Umbrian town of Gubbio. The display is big enough to cover 30 football fields, stretching 450 metres wide and 750 metres in length across the slope of Mount Ingino. It consists of 7.5 kilometres of electric cables and 700 lights and the star is located at the Basilica of the local Patron Saint Ubaldo. The Gubbio Christmas tree has been an annual spectacle since 1981. It was officially entered into the Guinness Book of Records in 1991. More than three decades later, its entry remains unchallenged.

The United States should end the criminal prosecution of Julian Assange, leading media outlets in the U.S. and Europe that worked with the WikiLeaks founder said, showing concern for media freedom. “This indictment sets a dangerous precedent and threatens to undermine the American First Amendment and freedom of the press,” said the editors and publishers of The Guardian, The New York Times, Mondo, Der Spiegel and El Pais in an open letter in which they emphasise that “publishing is not a crime”. Assange is wanted by U.S. authorities on 18 counts, including espionage, in connection with WikiLeaks’ release of classified U.S. military records and diplomatic cables. His supporters say he is an anti-establishment hero who has been victimised for exposing U.S. war crimes, including in the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

DAVID MALIŠ, Head of the National Bank of Serbia’s Reserves Management Division

Our Currency, Your Problem

At a juncture when the attention of everyone is directed towards the moves of the monetary authorities of the U.S. and EU, we are perhaps missing out on focusing on another question: do current developments herald the future rise of Asia and the creation of some new safe havens, at least economywise?

There’s no topic that’s being debated around the world of international finance more than that of the future of the dollar as the world’s reserve currency, and there’s no less debatable fact than that everyone wishes they had that same dollar whenever a crisis hits. And the current and previous year were no exceptions when it comes to confirmation of this fact. The dollar appreciated more than it has in the last 40 years,

even outdoing the strengthening it experienced during the period of the COVID pandemic, when a shortage of dollars on the global market led to the so-called “liquidity squeeze”. Over the long term, the real exchange rate of the dollar appreciated by over 40% in the 2011-2022 period, marking the second largest increase in the post-Bretton Woods era. At the end of September 2022, the EUR/USD exchange rate had fallen to below 0.96, the lowest rate

of the last 20 years.

The key cause of the dollar’s strengthening against the euro can be attributed to the rise in yields in the U.S., which came as a result of the accelerated policy tightening of the Federal Reserve. The war in Ukraine, and the subsequent problems of European economies, additionally contributed to the U.S. dollar’s safe haven status. But why is this strengthening of the dollar, as a result of the aforementioned reasons, even

important? Rising interest rates in the U.S. make borrowing more expensive, and has a negative impact on risky assets, particularly in less developed countries. In contrast to the previous period when interest rates hit an unprecedented low, in a situation of rising inflation, currency depreciation only contributes to inflation through the “pass through” effect. The appreciation of the dollar has a negative impact on all those who borrow in dollars, whether they are companies or states, because that makes debt repayment more difficult from the perspective of the local currency. All this prompted states to intervene with the aim of defending their currencies, either through FX interventions or with interest rate hikes, in order to maintain the attractiveness of the domestic currency by preserving the interest rate differential. But high interest rates don’t come without a cost – as they place a burden on the local economy.

Reversing the dollar’s bull trend trend requires the simultaneous meeting of certain conditions. The first is for the U.S. FED to abandon the policy with to abandon the policy of unconditionally taking down inflation. The second is for the global economic environment to be sufficiently attractive to “lure” portfolio flows away from the dollar. As such, a question remains as to whether the conditions among the trade partners of the U.S. will be attractive enough to “drive away” these flows? If we were to limit ourselves to the EUR/USD, as the most traded currency pair, what could be expected in the coming year? The key questions are: 1) how far will the FED go in policy tightening and how will it be followed by the ECB? 2) how will European economy fare and how will it be impacted by the Ukraine war and related energy crisis? 3) will the opening and recovery of chinese economy occur? 4) what will the global perception of risk be like?

There is a slight possibility that the ECB will be the first to implement a monetary policy pivot. The German economy could enter a recession and the ECB might halt its cycle of rate hikes even before the 3% priced by the markets. If the FED’s terminal rate is around 5% and it remains remains at that level for the foreseeable future, if the Germany enters recession for several quarters is realised, if Chinese economy slows down, and in the case that global risk perception remains high, there won’t be

too many arguments for a more pronounced recovery of the euro. Energy could represent another significant factor: problems problems in energy supply at affordable prices could limit the recovery of the euro. More broadly, weak global demand doesn’t suit procyclical currencies like the euro.

In selecting between different scenarios, Société Générale Bank favours the more positive choice: financial markets are beginning to slowly accept the idea of a relatively moderate slowdown as opposed to a deep recession, which implies limited rise in yields and less fear of geopolitical risks. All of this could impact on weakening the dollar, though that doesn’t change the situation much when it comes to the euro, at least until a lasting and affordable solution can be found to to energy

supply chains, by limiting of negative impacts of the war in Ukraine and China’s economic recovery. Strong dollar hurt real economy of EM in the past, as well, but it seems it isn’t the case now, at least not in general terms, but it seems that this isn’t the case now, at least not in general terms. In real terms, the projected average growth of EM GDP in 2023 stands at three per cent (Credit Suisse projections). However, the picture changes when you delve into the details: differences are obvious at the regional level. While Latin America is expected to experience economic deceleration due to weaker domestic demand, Asia is expected to grow, sparked mainly by the recovery of the Chinese economy. In a broader context, Asia, which has learned from the experiences of the crisis of the 1990s, now has considerable foreign currency reserves with deeper and more liquid domestic financial markets deeper and more liquid domestic financial market. All this serves not only to make it the fastest growing part of the world, but also – paradoxically – a bastion of stability. The countries of Eastern Europe and the Middle East (CEEMEA) remain juxt a posed to that, and that picture and that picture changes a lot with Nomura’s early warning indicator of exchange rate crises, suggestively named Damocles. Such early warning signs can be seen for Romania, Czechia, Hungary, Turkey and Egypt. And the indicators are discouraging: of the 32 countries monitored, results have worsened in 22, while they have only improved in three. Making matters worse, the overall score is the worst since 1999 and isn’t far from the peak at the height of the aforementioned Asian crisis. This indicator successfully predicted 64% of the previous 61 currency crises.

supply shortages in Europe. The one thing that is certain is that there will be no there will be less clear FX trends throughout 2023 and volatility will remain elevated.

According to experience, emerging markets (EM) tend to suffer the greatest hits during the crisis. However, SocGen expects EM to be resilient to shocks during the coming year, with growth being bolstered by the normalisation of economic activity and by recovery of

Despite all these findings being logical at first glance, given that the conflict is primarily contained within European frameworks, and that risks are deepened by the actions of the countries of Europe, there is perhaps deeper meaning to be found in this decoupling of EM countries? What if this is also confirmation that the future is shifting towards Asia? And that it is perhaps there that we should seek some future safe havens?

The views expressed in this article are personal and do not represent official positions of the National Bank of Serbia

The key cause of the dollar’s strengthening against the euro can be attributed to the rise in yields in the U.S., which came as a result of the accelerated restrictive policy of the Federal Reserve

ĐORĐE ĐUKIĆ, Professor of the University of Belgrade Faculty of Economics

Inflation - Unpleasant And Unpredictable

This is not a time to treat inflation using the same prescription that’s applied to typical business cycles, but rather a time of inflationary hotspots caused by a combination of factors not seen historically ~ Đorđe Đukić

When we are confronted by a major economic problem, such as the current issue of persistently high inflation, we very often reach out to economic history in the belief that it will provide us with an answer to the question of how long the torment we currently feel could last. The problem with the current inflation is that combination of causes differ from any we’ve previously

seen, says Đorđe Đukić, full professor at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Economics.

 What are the most important sources feeding inflation? Are they still only at the global level, or are they now also at the national level?

- Pre-existing sources of inflation on the supply-side that are caused by the partial or complete breaking of supply chains for key

industrial components, such as microchips, following the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, will persist for many years to come. This is made worse because cost inflation resulting from rising geopolitical instability will be fed by high and unstable prices of energy inputs, metal commodities and food, as well as high costs due to a chronic shortage of highly qualified workers (talented individuals) in production sectors. These are

FUTURE

countries that suppress inflationary hotspots on the demand side by leading a restrictive monetary policy won’t be able to do the same with cost inflation in the near future

factors at the global level, but also at national levels. So, countries that suppress inflationary hotspots on the demand side by leading a restrictive monetary policy won’t be able to do the same with cost inflation in the near future. At the national level, countries that have lost or renounced their monetary sovereignty have essentially tied their own hands, because they are unable to lead even an independent monetary policy in the battle against inflation. By maintaining a fixed exchange rate of the national currency, they create the appearance that inflation is mostly imported, thereby fleeing from accountability for a much higher increase in consumer prices compared to the same, for example, in the eurozone.

 How well have U.S. and EU monetary policies been set to respond to inflationary pressures?

- Following the most aggressive hike in the key interest rate since the 1980s, through the increasing of the key interest rate four times, each by 75 base points, the U.S. Federal Reserve System (FED) resorted to an interest rate increase of 50 base points in mid-December 2022. However, reducing the degree of aggressiveness in tightening monetary policy at the December 2022 meeting of the FED Board of Governors, as well as increasing the key interest rate to a level of 4.25-4.50%, the highest since 2007, doesn’t mean that the FED will stop there. And this is despite the demonstrating of more moderate inflationary pressures and somewhat more moderate annual growth of U.S. consumer prices of 7.1% in November 2022, as well as optimistic expectations among investors that inflation rate reductions will continue and inflationary expectations will stabilise in 2023, after reaching their highest level in 2022.

There is major disagreement between FED Chairman Jerome Powell and key players on

FORECASTS

According to the latest calculations of the IMF, approximately a third of the world economy will record at least two consecutive quarters of declining economic activity in 2022 and 2023

Wall Street regarding just how long interest rates will remain elevated in 2023. In late November 2022, Powell informed the public that the FED will continue to maintain high interest rates and the restrictive monetary policy for some time, in an effort to successfully combat and suppress inflation. He thus signalled a further interest rate hike, with no

Economic history teaches us that, in the case that relatively high single-digit or double-digit inflation rates in relation to the target rate – mostly at a level of 2% annually – are rooted, i.e., become inert, it is necessary for monetary and fiscal authorities to implement a coordinated anti-inflationary policy over a long period, one much longer than the period during which high inflation was generated

indication of when a downward turn will appear. In contrast to this, financial markets expect a gradual reduction of the key interest rate could occur as early as the end of 2023.

The annual inflation rate in the eurozone totalled 10% in November 2022, five times higher than the target rate. It stood at 11.3% in Germany. The increase of the European Central Bank’s key interest rate from 2 to 2.5% in mid-December 2022 does not provide the basis to expect inflation to slow during 2023. Why? Energy prices rose by around 35% in November compared to the same month of 2022, and rising cost inflation is unavoidable

ERROR

The optimistic expectations of financial markets are based on previous events … However, postpandemic economic conditions differ completely compared to the past

in the year ahead. Following a decline compared to the peak seen in August, gas prices are now seven times higher than they were in the 2020-2021 period, electricity prices are up tenfold and the conflict in Ukraine is certain to escalate further.

What kinds of repercussions do such policies have on economic growth and recessionary pressures that are distributed differently (higher in the EU than in the U.S., China etc.)?

- There’s no doubt that the FED and ECB’s increasing of key interest rates takes a toll in the form of an unavoidable recession during 2023. That will de facto be the price for the poor evaluations of those two central banks, as well as other central banks, that the inflation experienced during 2020-2021 would be a temporary phenomenon caused by one-off expansive monetary and fiscal policy measures to maintain economic activity during the pandemic. The U.S. economy will most likely only enter a milder recession in late 2023, with declining activity appearing gradually in individual sectors, and won’t hit the entire economy at once (“rolling recession”). One indicator of the coming recession was the recently realised greatest ever difference between yields on short-term government bonds in relation to ten-year bonds since the dot-com bubble of the ‘90s.

The eurozone is most likely to enter an extended recession during 2023, accompanied by large differences between individual members in terms of intensity. According to the most optimistic scenario provided by multiple institutions, real GDP growth in the eurozone in 2023 could be slightly above zero – reaching 0.2-0.3%. In contrast, predicted real GDP growth for China in 2023 stands at 4.8%, according to a consensus among economists that was published by Bloomberg in mid-December 2022, which

represents a marked upward shift from the estimated 3.2% for 2022. This comes on the back of the swift re-opening of industrial regions that were completely isolated due to the pandemic, accompanied by the halting of production. China’s rate of inflation stood at an annual level of just 1.6% in November 2022, which additionally impacts beneficially on economic growth. According to the latest calculations of the IMF, approximately a third of the world economy will record at least two consecutive quarters of declining economic activity in 2022 and 2023, with the value of lost production amounting to four trillion U.S. dollars by 2026.

- Over the course of the previous five key interest rate cycles in the U.S., the period between the highest interest rate level and its first reduction averaged 11 months. So, this relates to periods when the inflation rate demonstrated a greater degree of stability, which now isn’t the case.

The optimistic expectations of financial markets are based on previous events linked to normal business cycles. Swap traders expect that, following the increase of 50 base points in the first half of 2023, the FED will opt to reduce the interest rate by 50 base points by as early as November 2023, and that this rate will total 4.5% by year’s end 2023. However, post-pandemic economic conditions differ completely compared to the past, so monetary authorities will have to maintain a high degree of caution after making short-term reductions in the inflation rate in the period ahead. New disruptions, such as a complete halting of the production of certain metals due to high energy costs (e.g., aluminium) or strikes by miners, such as those at the Chilean copper mine that’s the largest in the world, could have a chain reaction causing a new explosion in production and retail prices.

Consumers in the eurozone are signalling to the ECB that it hasn’t done enough to curb inflation. According to the latest ECB survey, expected inflation over the next 12 months has risen to 5.4%, and is set to remain at a level of 3% over the next three years. This is one piece

New disruptions, such as a complete halting of the production of certain metals due to high energy costs (e.g., aluminium) or strikes by miners, such as those at the Chilean copper mine that’s the largest in the world, could have a chain reaction causing a new explosion in production and retail prices

of evidence proving that the ECB has, for many years, been facing the biggest challenge in convincing the market that it really intends to combat inflation in a credible way.

What are the consequences of enduring and relatively high inflation?

If we observe the economic history

of the modern age, does it appear as an aberration or a rule?

- Economic history teaches us that, in the case that relatively high single-digit or doubledigit inflation rates in relation to the target rate – mostly at a level of 2% annually – are rooted, i.e., become inert, it is necessary for monetary and fiscal authorities to implement a coordinated anti-inflationary policy over a long period, one much longer than the period during which high inflation was generated. This is not a time to treat inflation using the same prescription that’s applied to typical business cycles, but rather a time of inflationary hotspots caused by a combination of factors not seen historically – continuing the massive printing of money due to the pandemic, enormous budget expenditure aimed at preventing the collapse of thousands of SMEs and helping the unemployed, lasting negative effects of supply chain disruptions for the producers of final products, huge transport costs and an unprecedented spike in energy prices, following the escalating of the conflict in Ukraine, that will not return to level seen prior to that conflict in the near future.

What’s the outlook today when it comes to inflation returning to its previous state, and why?

NIS Relies On Foundations Of Sustainable Development

NIS has long since ceased to be just an oil company, as it has taken strides to enter into the production and trade of electricity, while it also deals with renewable energy sources. NIS simultaneously implements numerous CSR programmes and is among the leaders of the field in Serbia

At this company that’s considered one of the country’s leading employers, investors and exporters, the management pays special attention to investing in the community, in their belief that this is how one invests in the future. Sustainable development, for them, means having a responsible attitude towards operations, future generations and the natural environment.

The previous year was marked by an energy crisis, yet NIS nonetheless recorded good business results. Will the Serbian market continue to be regularly supplied with petroleum products?

The oil industry is among those that are often exposed to challenges. The crises that we endured in 2014 and 2020 strengthened us and ensured that we were better prepared to face the latest events. In business, just like in life, you must always be prepared that not everything will go according to plan. That’s why we must always, first and foremost, know what our own priorities are. When it comes to business, the absolute priority for us during this year was to preserve the regular/orderly supply of the market, as well as the social stability of our employees. NIS is a company that has special importance for Serbia and we are continuing, despite all the challenges, to provide a significant contribution to the country’s energy security.

More than three billion euros has been invested in the company’s development

since 2009, which ranks you, according to official data, among the country’s leading employers, investors and exporters. What do the figures show?

These investments enabled us to build a modern and efficient company. Apart from that, NIS has long since ceased to be just an oil company, as we have taken strides to enter into the production and trade of electricity, while we also deal with renewable energy sources. Moreover, we expanded our operations to other countries of the region in several business segments and we now have, for example, a network of more than 400 petrol stations in Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria and Romania. Best testifying to our successes are the results. A study conducted by consulting firm KPMG showed that, in the period from

2010 to 2020, NIS’s average annual direct contribution to the country’s GDP was 5.1%. Through the paying of taxes, we contribute an annual average of more than 1.1 billion euros, or around 15.3% of the country’s total tax revenue, to the budget of the Republic of Serbia. All this clearly testifies to the success and modernisation of the company following 2009, and that was made possible thanks to good cooperation and understanding among the shareholders.

The figures are indeed impressive, but NIS isn’t just about its business results. The company also invests significantly in the development of communities and improving citizens’ quality of life...

We aren’t just NIS employees; we are first and foremost citizens of this country. By investing in the community, we also invest in the future of our children. Anyone who thinks doing business successfully is possible without the support of the community doesn’t know what a modern business is. I can state with satisfaction that, since 2009, we’ve invested more than 4.2 billion dinars through various CSR programmes. We are dedicated to protecting the environment, supporting the youth, educational and scientific institutions, investing in public health and social protection, supporting the development of culture and professional sports, as well as philanthropic and volunteering activities.

We are particularly proud of the “Common Cause Community” [Zajednici zajedno] programme, through which we cooperate

VADIM SMIRNOV, DEPUTY CEO, NIS

with local communities nationwide across Serbia, but also our “Energy of Knowledge” [Energija znanja] programme, under the scope of which we grant scholarships to the best students and form partnerships with educational and scientific institutions.

Your “Common Cause Community” CSR programme has also marked the previous year, as well as the campaign “For new hopes to be born” (Da se nove nade rode). Are reproductive health, birth rates and babies among your priority topics?

Those are priority topics for the future of any society. When it comes to this issue, we joined the initiative of the Government of Serbia, because increasing the birth rate is a national priority. Within the framework of this year’s “Commom Cause Community” cycle, we allocated 118.5 million dinars for the equipping of health institutions at all levels of healthcare that deal with reproductive health and increasing the birth rate in 13 municipalities and cities participating in this programme. We will thereby enable the healthcare sector to receive modern devices and have improved working conditions.

Our support also relates to the cofinancing of costs for couples in the in vitro fertilisation process. Under the scope of the campaign „For new hopes to be born“, we also donated funds to procure equipment for eight maternity wards in the south and east of Serbia, while we will bring cheer to the 225 babies born first in 2023 at 15 maternity wards in Serbia by gifting welcome packages containing essential products for new-born babies in their first days after arriving home from the maternity ward. Our desire is for our example to also represent an invitation for others to contribute to our shared goal – of our new hopes being born.

Apart from your enviable business results, you are also proud of the members of the NIS Volunteer Club, who have already implemented more than 60 humanitarian activities. You have said that they are not only the strength of NIS, but also the energy of the communities in which they live?

Employees are every company’s most important resource, just as the people who

The company’s volunteer club has more than 1,650 members, who are ready to engage in working on all issues that are priorities for the community

comprise any community are its greatest strength. Our company’s volunteer club now has more than 1,650 members, who are ready to engage in working on all issues that are priorities for the community. During the years marked by the COVID pandemic, they were engaged in supporting the most vulnerable among their neighbours, colleagues etc. The priority for this year has been environmental activities carried out under the slogan “Change the circumstances in your surroundings” [Promeni okolnosti u svojoj okolini]. This is also perhaps the best message. Let’s not wait for the changes that we want to happen, rather let’s initiate them with our activities.

NIS has woven the principles of sustainable development deeply into its business processes, while in parallel it is also among the pioneers of reporting that encompasses the area of sustainability. What is sustainable development for NIS?

Sustainable development, for us, means having a responsible attitude towards op-

erations, future generations and the natural environment. There are four foundations of sustainable development for NIS: economic progress, the development of human resources, the protection of the environment and safety in the workplace, coupled with strong support for the development of the community. I think that work on all four foundations should be carried out simultaneously, and that this synergy yields the best results. For example, environmental protection measures are part of every NIS business project. Thus, since 2009, we’ve invested approximately 900 million euros in ecological and other projects that have significant positive effects on the protection of nature. Emissions of gas into the atmosphere have been reduced significantly, which is why the Pančevo Oil Refinery is the first energy plant in Serbia to receive an IPPC permit, which serves to confirm that our production is in compliance with the highest environmental standards of the country and Europe.

It was back in 2011 that we published our first verified Sustainable Development Report aligned with the standards of the world’s leading organisation in the domain of sustainable business – the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and we’ve been reporting regularly to all interested parties since then. We want a dialogue with all stakeholders, and that’s why we’ll continue striving to present, completely transparently, all our efforts and achievements to the broadest sections of the general public.

INCREASED REVENUES, NEW INVESTMENTS AND EXPANSION FOR NELT GROUP IN 2022

Nelt Group will achieve a consolidated turnover of 1.15 billion euros in 2022, achieving growth of 14% compared to the previous year. New partnerships in distribution and logistics, along with an investment cycle in Angola, create space for the further development of the company on the European and African markets. By investing 20 million euros in the production facility for the Candy Factory sweet programme in Angola, Nelt shifted its focus to its own brands and thus ensured long-term sustainability on a market where it has been operating for 11 years. Over 5,000 people are part of Nelt teams around the world today. In 2022, over 2.5 million euros were additionally invested in extraordinary salary increases, as well as 1,500 hours of education through 258 training programmes.

CISCO PRESENTS LATEST IT TRENDS

Company CISCO held a conference in Belgrade at which the latest world trends in the field of information technologies and Cisco solutions were presented. Through presentations and demonstrations of new Cisco technologies, the most interesting implementations in Serbian companies, about 500 users and partners had an opportunity to expand their knowledge and get ideas for the development of their business. 20 years of operation of the Cisco office in Serbia were marked, with the emphasis on continuous investment in education through the Cisco Networking Academy and cooperation with universities, expansion of the partner network, cooperation with state and private companies, as well as active participation in various organisations through the dissemination of experience and practice world technological trends.

IKEA OPENS ITS FIRST PLANNING STUDIO IN SERBIA

IKEA Serbia opened its first Planning Studio in our country with the aim of making its products and services even closer and more accessible to as many people as possible. From today, IKEA inspiration and home decoration solutions can be found in New Belgrade, within the Roda MEGA Center, at 35 Đorđa Stanojevića Street. The IKEA Planning Studio will allow customers to find inspiration for home decoration and, with the expert help of an IKEA advisor, design their kitchen, plan a wardrobe and get advice on furnishing any room.

“The banking sector supports women’s entrepreneurship in various ways, mostly through mentoring and training, as it was revealed as the key factor” ~ VLADIMIR VASIĆ, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE ASSOCIATION OF BANKS OF SERBIA

“Construction of the Moravian Corridor, 112 km long and connecting half a million people from the Niš highway to Čačak, will be completed at the beginning of 2025” ~ GORAN VESIĆ, SERBIAN MINISTER OF CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE

postings Placements & appointments@aim.rs

H.E. MARIA LEVANTI, NEW AMBASSADOR

OF GREECE TO SERBIA

The new Ambassador of Greece to Serbia joined the Diplomatic service of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1997 and has since served in various capacities in Greek Diplomatic Missions abroad, including the Embassy of Greece in Brussels (19992002), the Embassy of Greece in Tirana (2002-’04; Head of the Consular Section), the Permanent Representation of Greece to UNESCO (2006-‘10), the Embassy of Greece in Damascus (2010-’12; Deputy Head of Mission) and the Embassy of Greece in Rome (2015-‘19). Prior to her appointment as Ambassador of Greece to Serbia, she served as Head of the Directorate for Personnel and Administrative Organisation at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2020-‘22). Ambassador Levanti holds a Degree in Political Science from the Athens School of Law, Economic and Political Science and an MA in International Relations from the Geneva Graduate Institute for International Studies - IUHEI. Apart from her native Greek, she speaks English, French and Italian.

H.E. MONS. SANTO GANGEMI, NEW APOSTOLIC NUNCIO TO SERBIA

Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Santo Rocco Gangemi as the new apostolic nuncio to the Republic of Serbia. Born in Messina (Italy) on 16th August 1961, Monsignor Gangemi was ordained a priest on 28th June 1986 and remained incardinated in the Diocese of Messina. He graduated in church history studies and entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 1st July 1991, going on to serve Papal Representations in Morocco, Italy, Romania, Cuba, Chile, France, Spain and Egypt. He was appointed titular archbishop of Umbriatico and apostolic nuncio to the Solomon Islands by Pope Benedict XVI on 27th January 2012, after which he was also named apostolic nuncio to Papua New Guinea on 24th March 2012. Pope Francis appointed him apostolic nuncio to Guinea (5th February 2014) and Mali (5th February 2014) and, prior to his arrival in Belgrade, he served from 25th May 2018 as apostolic nuncio to El Salvador. Apart from his native Italian, H.E. mons. Gangemi also speaks French and Spanish.

H.E. BASSEM JOUMAN AGHA, NEW AMBASSADOR OF SYRIA TO SERBIA

Born in Damascus on 28th November 1970, Bassem Jouman Agha graduated from the French Language Department of the Faculty of Philology and Humanities in Damascus. Joining his country’s diplomatic service in the mid-1990s, he has served as Attaché at the Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in Paris (1995-’99), Consul at the Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in Rome (2001-’05), Consul at the Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in Vienna (2006-’07), Consul and Deputy Ambassador at the Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in Vienna, Slovakia and Slovenia (2009-’14) and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the UN Office in Vienna (UNOV), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Returning to Damascus, he held the position of Chief of the Protocol Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic from 2015 to ’16, before being appointed Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in Warsaw from 2016 to ’22. Prior to arriving in Belgrade, he served (2020-‘22) as Head of Expatriates and Internal Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic. A widower and father of two, Ambassador Jouman Agha speaks Arabic, French, English and Italian.

HEMOFARM CELEBRATES 62 YEARS OF SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS

Hemofarm presented new successes and investments in 2022. Since 2006, STADA Group has invested over 400 million euros in Hemofarm. The company has continued its growth in 2022 and ends the year with exceptional business results; it was said at the festive cocktail party that the regional leader in the pharmaceutical industry arranged for friends, business partners and associates. Hemofarm celebrated 62 years of successful operations, emphasising that the good health of every individual is the company’s basic mission and its greatest asset. The greatest success in 2022 is related to business in an extremely demanding environment, in which the Hemofarm company delivered its products to all markets where the STADA Group operates in the required quantity and in the expected quality. Since 2006, when Hemofarm became part of the STADA Group, more than 400 million euros have been invested.

MK Group Engaged In New Real Estate Projects

On the occasion of the opening of one such complex, we spoke with Aleksandra Stojanović, Investment Director and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, who is simultaneously spearheading this investment cycle.

When MK Group last year launched the implementation of its plans on Kopaonik, one of the primary goals was to restore the “shine” to Kopaonik, as a beloved holiday spot in Serbia throughout the entire year, and I believe we’ve fully succeeded in those plans. Apart from that, we’ve also brought innovations to this mountain in the form of new and different real estate properties. We utilised the decades of tourism knowhow that we possess and decided to apply

it to the creation of luxury complexes ~ Aleksandra Stojanović.

How successful has the new model you’re discussing proved to be in the region and what is unique about these projects?

I would single out projects like Woodside (29,000m 2) on Kopaonik or Petram (83,000m2) in Savudrija, which offer owners not only the purchasing of apartment units, but rather also provides a special level of luxury and comfort in tourist destinations, or rather a “second home” in the ambience of a mountain or coastal resort.

You also opened the doors to the new wing of the Hotel Grand in December?

MK Group has brought completely new real estate concepts to the market during the past year. They showed just how much expertise in tourism coupled with the successful management of investments can prove to be a winning combination for those purchasing their real estate properties

With a capital investment that totalled almost 30 million euros at the end of 2021, MK Group successfully completed the reconstruction of Grand Hotel Kopaonik. This also proved to be an excellent starting point for a new investment cycle, namely the construction of a new wing: Grand Residences.

What distinguishes this project from the others on the market?

This is about a new, luxuriously equipped wing with 40 apartments decorated superbly, its own reception desk, spa centre, parking garage, and ski hub right at the exit leading to the slopes, an a la carte restaurant and a top service available to residents. This project is a response to the demands of today’s tourists, who want a “home away from home”, along with the services they would receive at a high-class hotel. I would say that this is also precisely our primary target group: modern tourists seeking superior comfort and service.

It is extremely important to note that the owners of apartments in this wing have all the services and facilities of the Grand itself at their disposal, while on the other hand they enjoy the complete privacy that’s provided by this separate wing.

Great Plans For Jubilee Year

Despite not hiding his satisfaction with everything the company’s achieved to date, Slovas director Slobodan Vasilijević doesn’t hide his desire to achieve even better results with the new generation, with his own children and those of his employees. That’s why he announces that the company’s jubileee year will be marked by the construction of a new production plant with new equipment.

You are awaited by a major jubilee year for the company. We congratulate you on your perseverance, strength and tenacity, on everything that has been achieved over these three decades. How do you view the path that you’ve traversed since establishing Slovas? We celebrate 30 years of our existence and successful operations next year. No path is easy, but you must have a desire and vision, a goal that you want to achieve, determination and tenacity, but also a love for the work that you do. Without that, and particularly without determination, tenacity and devoted work, there can be no results. From this vantage point, I can say that no year was easy, but nothing is difficult when you see that the company is developing, progressing. Years are just numbers, which is why we are heading towards new victories with new enthusiasm.

What forms the basis of your company’s success?

I founded the company in 1993, immediately after graduating from college. It wasn’t easy to start during that time of crisis, sanctions, wars and hyperinflation, without working capital. There were many challenges, but that’s also why Slovas today boasts 10,000

customers and more than 24,000 products. The company’s core activity is trade in stainless steel and the production of processing equipment, and we don’t have our own specialised production programme, but rather we make products in accordance with the demands and needs of the market and customers.

Our customers come from Serbia, the countries of the former Yugoslavia, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Sweden, Russia, Ukraine etc. We acquire new customers year after year, between 15 and 20 on a monthly basis. We have amassed 30 years of operations, which is enough for us to show the quality of our products and services, our relations towards customers, adherence to all standards, delivery deadlines etc. This testifies the most about us and represents our best recommendation. The year that’s behind us

was marked by intense growth in the volume of business we do with Austria, Germany, Italy and some other countries, thus today exports account for more than 45 per cent of our sales.

How do you keep pace with the demands and expectations of the market?

Our production programme expands constantly, such that today we have over 24,800 items, because we introduce new products in accordance with the requirements of the market and customers. In order to satisfy our customers, we must offer them the maximum possible choice, so that they can acquire everything they need in one place, instead of having to search in multiple locations. It is only in this way that we can rely on them remaining loyal to us over the longer term.

How did you happen to also start working on the design and production of equipment, and the implementation of works?

It was from 2006/7 that clients began more frequently asking us to offer them finished products and services, and we came to the realisation that this is the right way to go. In order to use raw materials to make finished products, we first started working with subcontractors, which we have 65 of today. The basic concept of Slovas is that our customers are simultaneously also our suppliers, which means that they procure raw materials from us, then process certain products and services for us, before returning the finished products to us. They practically grow and develop together with us, and acquire a new operational dimension.

Slovas today has 65 permanent subcontractors throughout Serbia, who work in accor-

SLOBODAN VASILIJEVIĆ, OWNER AND DIRECTOR AT SLOVAS

Čačak-based company Slovas, a leader in trade in the stainless steel industry and the production of processing equipment, has spent a full three decades satisfying all the needs and demands of its customers across the region and throughout Europe, and for the year in which it it is commemorating its jubilee, it plans to build a new business and service centre complete with new equipment

dance with the demands of our customers and markets, and who grow together with us and become more serious companies. Each of those companies specialises in a specific activity, and it’s thanks to this that we don’t need to have our own production, but rather we deal with the servicing, preparation, cutting, processing and delivery of materials. This is how we reduce the price of finished products and gain more products per unit of time, and are thus able to engage more subcontractors...

What did you gain with the 2008 opening of your state-of-the-art service centre for processing stainless steel?

The centre was first established in 2008, but to this day we’ve continued to invest in it and replacing the equipment constantly, improving the technology and operations, in order for us to be able to offer customers new and better quality services, in order for us to receive new added value for our products and be able to deliver finished products or services in a relatively short period, depending on their requirements and needs.

We have been investing constantly since 2008, changing and replacing equipment every four to five years, so for the jubilee year of 2023 we plan to build a new business and service centre complete with new equipment. Part of the machinery has already arrived, while the larger part will arrive next year, so we will round off our first 30 years of doing business with a new investment and new technological equipment. It is thanks to this that we will be able to respond to new demands, new needs and new markets.

Can your workers

keep pace with all that?

Are you satisfied with your staff?

Slovas has 42 permanently employed workers, which includes those who’ve been with us for a full 28 years. Employee satisfaction is very important to us, which is why we try to provide them with the best possible working conditions and stimulating salaries that are sufficient for them to provide for their families and remain with us over the longer term. Alongside parents who’ve been working with us for 26/27 years, we’ve also started employing their children, so the second generation of workers has arrived.

That is our great success.

I have three children who will one day work at Slovas. My eldest daughter, Anđela, is in the third year of mechanical engineering studies at Queen Mary University of London. She accompanied me on business trips around the world and followed in my footsteps from the sixth grade of primary school. She will complete her studies in another two years, and I hope that she will then begin engaging actively in the company’s work. She will

receive some special tasks, on the internationalisation of trade and services, deepening the contacts that she’s acquired during her studies and conquering new markets.

I’ve also been introducing my younger daughter to the business world from an early age, as well as my son, who is only 10 years old, but has been in and around the company in some way since the age of four or five. He will also receive specific responsibilities when he grows up, some adequate position, but he must be dedicated and committed.

Our wish is to achieve even better results with the new generation, which is why I want to build a new production plant with new equipment in this jubilee year, so that our children can be proud of us and what we’ve created.

Apart from showing that you care for clients, partners and employees, you have shown through numerous donations that you also care about the local community...

Our stance is that all those who are in distress should be helped, but I don’t want boast and speak about that. We’ve participated in numerous humanitarian campaigns and helped everyone needing essential help, and that’s our enduring commitment. We believe it is primarily necessary to help with healthcare services and secure the best possible conditions for treatment, because that’s where citizens and users of healthcare services will primarily feel the benefit. I also recommend that my colleagues engage in helping the community in accordance with their own possibilities, because we will then all live better.

There were many challenges, but that’s why Slovas today boasts 10,000 customers and more than 24,000 products

EU MEMBERSHIP PERSPECTIVE OF WESTERN BALKAN COUNTRIES

CONFIRMED IN TIRANA

Leaders of the EU and its member states confirmed with the Declaration in Tirana their complete and unequivocal commitment to the EU accession perspective of the Western Balkans and called for the acceleration of the process based on credible reforms and the principle of results, which, as they emphasised, is in everyone’s mutual interest. The declaration welcomes the progress made by Western Balkan partners on the road to the EU since the EU-Western Balkans Summit of October 2021, it was stated in the second point of the document, which calls on members of the Western Balkans thta have not yet done so to align with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.

MONTENEGRIN FOREIGN INVESTORS COUNCIL ELECTS NEW PRESIDENT

The President of the Board of Directors of the Crnogorska komercijalna bank (CKB), Tamas Kamaraši, was elected as the new President of the Montenegrin Foreign Investors Council (MFIC). At the Assembly of the Council of MFIC, Kamaraši said that, bearing in mind that direct foreign investments are one of the drivers of the economic development of Montenegro, MFIC must assume a significant position in the decision-making process that influences the business and economy of the country. Kamaraši said that MFIC must be the initiator of more intensive cooperation of all important factors in society in order to reach positive legal and systemic solutions.

VÁRHELYI PRESENTS IMPLEMENTATION OF TRANS-BALKAN ELECTRICITY CORRIDOR

Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Policy, started his visit to Belgrade at Serbian company Elektromreže Srbije (EMS). Energy security is one of the main topics of Commissioner Várhelyi’s visit and a priority at the European level, especially in light of Russian aggression against Ukraine. During the visit to the EMS, the commissioner and ministers Dubravka Đedović and Tanja Miščević were presented with the current state of implementation of the Trans-Balkan electricity corridor, in the presence of the EU and German ambassadors in Serbia, as well as the Serbian ambassador to the EU. The Trans-Balkan Energy Corridor is an energy project co-financed by the European Union that will ensure greater energy stability and efficiency in Serbia.

“There is an opportunity for the region to progress through the Open Balkan initiative if it is properly implemented. The region will be stronger and more dynamic” ~ GABRIEL ESCOBAR, U.S. DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY

E-COMMERCE

The First Marketplace At The Right Time

The crisis that emerged as a consequence of the pandemic brought new perspectives in many areas of business, and e-commerce was certainly no exception. It was thus only natural for online sales to experience a boom during this period, and for that to spawn the first marketplace in Serbia

Our plans extend beyond the mere word ‘ambitious’, but we are also more than ready to realise them. Of course, none of this would even be possible if we didn’t have the backing of one of the largest companies in Serbia: Delta Holding ~ Ananas’s Marija Popović

The pandemic accelerated the development of e-commerce in Serbia, and did it similarly influence the development of the country’s marketplace?

One good thing from the side of e-commerce is that this trend didn’t experience a decline in popularity even after the lifting of pandemic measures. On the contrary, it is continuing to grow. In recognising the population’s growing trust in this form of trade, it was concluded that sufficient space and interest existed on our market for the first, genuine, unique marketplace: Ananas. If we’d launched a year earlier, it would have been too soon; and if we’d started a year later, it would have been too late. Ananas’s development happened at the right time, and the crisis triggered by the pandemic only served as an incentive for us to emerge from it as winners.

Our plans extend beyond the mere word ‘ambitious’, but we are also more than ready to realise them. Of course, none of this would even be possible if we didn’t have the backing of one of the largest companies in Serbia: Delta Holding, which is prepared to turn Ananas, as a company, into the Amazon of the Balkan region.

With the launching of Ananas, Delta Holding signalled the creation of a regional giant of online commerce. How much time and money is required to achieve that goal?

Ananas’s development happened at the right time, and the crisis triggered by the pandemic only served as an incentive for us to emerge from it as winners

Ananas isn’t just yet another in a long line of online shopping sites, as we’re developing an entire ecosystem that comprises various different operational areas. In addition to the marketplace, there are also logistics, retail, “adtech” and “fintech”. Online sales are just the end product, what we see as customers, while Ananas has its own logistics alongside that. Packages are collected in three ways: from parcel delivery lockers at NIS filling stations; from “Paket Zone” locations (at

cafés and shops with which we cooperate); through delivery to the customer’s address.

Ananas has its own internal IT team and retail section, in order for every customer to be able, when clicking on ananas.rs, to quickly and easily check out all available products; in order for us to be able to implement promotional events and apply discount sales within deadlines of just a few hours; in order for every order marked “A direkt” on the platform to reach the customer in less than 24 hours; in order for us to be able to enable each of our partners to quickly list their products on the platform, as well as offering storage and handling services and marketing support.

You’ve already entered North Macedonia. What’s next? Is expansion eased by the CEFTA agreement and existing legal regulations?

Ananas is currently the largest regional project. Also testifying to this is the fact that, by October 2022, we’d already taken the first step in that process with the acquisitions of North Macedonian websites PaoPao and Grouper. Our regional expansion isn’t stopping there. Expansion to at least two more neighbouring markets is already planned for 2023. Considering that our goal is to be present in the countries of the Balkans, a major obstacle to the expansion of e-commerce across the region is represented by customs and administrative procedures. They impede and prevent cross-border movement of goods intended for consumers between countries in the region, and in our view the solution is in the implementation of the CEFTA agreement, or the Open Balkan initiative in the domain of the free movement of goods.

MARIJA POPOVIĆ, CHIEF CORPORATE AFFAIRS OFFICER, ANANAS

Science For Safer Agriculture

Certis Belchim is a branch of the Japanese company Mitsui & Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of Mitsui AgriScience International SA/NV. Four joint R&D companies – Nippon Soda, ISK Biosciences, Kumiai and Mitsui Chemicals Agriculture – enable Certis Belchim a stronger market position

We work hard to make our products safer, through the so-called biorational solutions and we want science to be in service of production - says Mr. Vasojević and explains to our magazine why he feels honoured and privileged, both as a manager and as a graduate engineer in agriculture in the field of crop protection

You are in the process of establishing a new company that will become a new force in crop protection, built on strong foundations and with great opportunities for conquering new markets. How far along are you in this process?

Certis Belchim combines the strengths of two prominent crop protection companies, offering a richer product portfolio and additional resources to provide the highest level of technical support and customer service. Synergy and integration are underway according to planned dynamics. The new company will certainly strengthen the company’s position in biorational, environmentally friendly products, meeting the requirements of sustainable agricultural production.

Certis Belchim is a branch of the Japanese company Mitsui & Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of Mitsui AgriScience International SA/ NV. Association with four large Japanese companies for research and development - Nippon Soda, ISK Biosciences, Kumiai and Mitsui Chemicals Agriculture, enables Certis Belchim to further develop sustainable solutions in crop protection and give it a stronger market position. These companies bring innovative, exciting new solutions for crop protection both globally and in our region - Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Albania.

We are one of the few companies that can boast of having state-of-the-art testing and research stations in Belgium and France

You do business all over the world and you know that there are no universal solutions for all markets. Crop protection is a dynamic area of agriculture that requires a holistic approach, quick adjustment and flexibility?

In 2022, together with our Japanese and European partners, we also presented several new products to our market that will soon become the standard in crop protection. We invest in the development of new products through testing that we conduct, both in Serbia and around the world. The concept of ecologically sustainable and professional crop protection is based on the functional integration of conventional (traditional) and ecologically acceptable agriculture, with applicable biorational solutions in crop protection.

From the very beginning, our company understood the necessity of conducting testing and the enormous importance of knowledge as the result of testing products in real time. As the company developed, so did the importance of the permanent testing station. We are one of the few companies that can boast of having state-of-the-art testing and research stations in Belgium (Londerzeel) and France (Fronton).

How much are we in Serbia ready to follow world trends and accept those technologies that can make us a part of the world competition for achieving high yields?

In our country there are already serious professional producers and companies that are already playing that game. They have already reached the top with excellent yields and product quality. We see our role as a company to share and connect as much as possible, and to do everything in our power to help make things much better for the producers who need to make progress. This is the only way we can get better average yields. We see that as a huge challenge.

VLADIMIR

Team Deserves The Credit For Good Results

German company Gruner first began operating in Serbia way back in 2007, as a small enterprise based in a rented production hall. It recently opened its fourth production plant in the town of Vlasotince, thereby earning its place among the ranks of the most substantial businesses and most important employers in southern Serbia

Serbia is a country of good, diligent and professional people who want to work, learn more and advance. Those are the key reasons for our involvement and investment in the Republic of Serbia to date - reveals Gruner Serbia Manager Vladica Stanković, speaking in this interview for CorD Magazine.

You recently expanded the company’s production capacity from 7,000 to 11,500 square metres. Have you also announced the hiring of new workers?

As you know, we’ve been present on the market of the Republic of Serbia for 15 years, and during that time we’ve succeeded in expanding our capacities from production that implied assembly to the independent production of plastic parts and metal parts, and equipping our tool shop. All of our parts, both plastic and metal, are built into our products.

We will use part of the newly opened plant for the production of plastic parts, while the other part is reserved for the tool shop – for the maintenance and production of tools. This project has lasted since 2019, and we’ve so far hired 200 new employees, so the number of workers now exceeds 750, which – together with all Gruner subsidiary companies – comprises 60 per cent of the total workforce. We are a small family company and that’s also how we conduct ourselves. We do everything to ensure our employees feel like they are part of the Gruner family, as part of the team, because the most important thing for achieving good results is teamwork.

We are satisfied with the way we’re concluding this year, because we all exerted a lot of effort and determination.

Gruner’s management proudly highlights the great importance of this investment to the company. Does this mean that the decision to invest 23.7 million euros in Serbia since 2007 proved to be the right move? What makes Serbia so special?

This is an extremely important investment and a strategically important move for the company, as we will produce a major part of our semi-finished products and small parts for final products, relays and actuators, here in Serbia. All investments to date, and there have been four of them, were the right move of our owners – Eduard, Wolfgang, Patrick and Martin Spreitzer. Despite Gruner being a family company, all business decisions are brought in agreement with our local management team.

Apart from good and diligent people, here the owners also discovered great potential in political stability, and in the active participation of state institutions in the implementation of these kinds of projects. This relates primarily to recognising the importance of projects, and subsequently providing tangible support and monitoring implementation. It is vital for this trend to continue and for us all, with the help of in-

stitutions, to create an even better business climate for new investments.

Although you’ve really invested a lot in production technology, you consider people as being the key to your success. Is that linked to dual education? Our partnership with the Technical School from Vlasotince, and the dual education project that was launched in 2016, contributed a lot to to our results. A total of 54 students have so far passed through our production facilities and training process, 25 of whom gained permanent employment. We have no intention of stopping and are already working on the inclusion of new profiles that are essential to our operations. For example, we this year enrolled a generation of CNC operators who are very important for our tool shop.

Relations between the school, the municipality and the relevant ministries are at a very high level, and I feel a need to thank everyone who worked with us to start the introduction of dual education and who still participates in it today. I hope that the dual education project will soon also be implemented in institutions of higher education.

Gorda Is Emotion Preserved In A Bottle

A true avalanche has started in Serbia in the context of rakia production. The number of registered distilleries is constantly growing. Among the first, in this new sense, was Gorda, now a fully established rakia and nearly a synonym for this business activity.

us. I am happy that Gorda today remains his, and that we have used these wings to continue dreaming and developing our portfolio.

For us, Gorda is not a rakia, it is an emotion preserved in a bottle. Our label shows an image of a woman called Gorda from the village Velereč on the slopes of mount Rudnik where, many years later, our distillery was created. For us, Gorda is love, heritage and our tradition. My uncle believed that it is possible to make top-quality slivovitz in Serbia, and that its price should correspond to the price of the finest French cognac. My desire, stemming from his vision, is to make Gorda a globally recognised brand, and to make Serbia the home of the highest quality fruit rakias.

In the increasingly diverse rakia market, it is very difficult to be special, different, and recognisable. What is the secret to your uniqueness? Is it the region, the manufacturing process, the quality of raw materials?

In addition to plans to increase manufacturing in the family distillery, our interlocutor shares with us his hope that Serbia will one day, with state support, be branded as a country of topshelf fruit rakia. The potential is immense and beneficial in many ways, since our fruit rakias are a Serbian national brand, authentic and strong, but a lot of work is needed to make it globally recognisable.

How, why, and with what specific objective was Gorda created?

During the nineteen-nineties Veljko Škorić, my uncle, boldly and decisively laid the foundations of a different approach to rakia. After his death, my sisters established the Veljko i sinovi company and invited me to work together to preserve our heritage for all those coming of age and in memory of those no longer with

We comply with and meet all standards we have set for ourselves. Throughout the years we have perfected the manufacturing process in each of its segments, from raw materials to aging. The fact is that everything you listed is an integral part of the authentic mark of every product made in our cellar. The quality of fruit is an extremely important part of the manufacturing process, with part of our team dedicated to this one segment only.

The microlocale gives a specific note to every fruit rakia made. The processes of fermentation, distillation and aging, as integral parts of manufacturing, take the essence and boon of the fruit, giving the rakia its unique organoleptic mark, while our master blender provides the final creative touch through the coupage of such distillates.

During these winter months people gather with increased intensity, due to various family celebrations and collective holidays. Is there a better gift than a bottle of rakia of the highest quality?

We know that a bottle of Serbian rakia connects families and friends worldwide. Wishing to present our products in an even better way, we have recently also redesigned the packaging. We present our buyers with Gorda in a new dress, just as we will also hopefully surprise them with the novelties from our cellar.

A very real phenomenon in our market lately is that some foreign distillates, such as top-shelf whiskeys and cognacs, now see more than strong competition from rakia. How did this occur? Our top-shelf rakias battle the finest ones from around the world on the local market. The development of the segment of fruit rakias during the past decade is an unexpected opportunity to compete in the grand slam of strong alcoholic beverages. One does not miss such an opportunity. This chance was mainly built through quality, and as such may place us on the global map in a different, more serious way. Of course, there is a lot of work before us.

We have learned from the experiences of foreign alcoholic beverages and had the opportunity to see a lot about methods to communicate top-shelf products. Serbia has had and has a top-shelf product, but it does not have the budgets of large corporations for marketing and sales. Despite the fact that those that stand behind us, the producers, are small enterprises, Serbian rakia has found its path.

Since you have touched on the subject, tell us whether and to what extent does

the state help make Serbian rakia a globally recognisable brand?

Certain steps forward can be seen during the past several years. An association of rakia producers has been established at the national level, and the Chamber of Commerce has also become involved through its initiatives. Giving wind to our sails, a month ago Serbian slivovitz was placed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. We believe the state will be more than open for well-elaborated

authentic and strong, but a lot of work is needed to make it globally recognisable. I also see room in the additional regulation and control of the local market with the aim of eliminating the unregulated sale of rakias. We estimate the grey zone is five to seven times greater than the measurable sale of fruit rakias. We also see a serious risk for consumers in the sale of such rakias of uncontrolled quality.

We need greater support in promoting rakia. Data from last year is showing an export of around EUR 12 million. I believe that with appropriate cooperation and a different approach, in 10 years our exports could reach EUR 100 million. This certainly cannot be an individual task, but a well-designed strategy that should be supported by all of us. If France could do it with cognac, Mexico with tequila and mescal, Italy with grappa, Scotland and, lately, Japan with whiskey, why couldn’t Serbia do it with rakia? All the preconditions are there.

Gorda rakias are already being exported to a large number of countries, and they are winning awards nationally and worldwide. How proud are you of this?

The many awards we have won during the past decade are important as confirmation of being on the right track. We are happy to break out of the borders of the local market in every sense.

At this point it is questionable whether Gorda is a small family company, but it is certainly not a large corporation. Accordingly, what are the next steps in all areas?

proposals the moment it recognises its strategic interest in this.

Where I see room for additional cooperation is in a strategy to brand Serbia as a country of fruit rakia of the highest quality. The potential is immense and beneficial in many ways for all of us. Our fruit rakias are a Serbian national brand,

We have placed most of our focus on increasing our raw materials base, as we are planning to make our sales abroad exceed local sales within five years. All our company strategies are set in this direction, with our agronomists and technologists representing our major cornerstones. Passion moves us on the wings of experience, but reason and dedicated work open new markets. We are aware that this is an enormous challenge, but our company can dream, because only by dreaming can we create and write a different tradition for Serbia.

The development of the segment of fruit rakias during the past decade is an unexpected opportunity to compete in the grand slam of strong alcoholic beverages

JAPAN’S TAKEDA TO ACQUIRE U.S. DRUG START-UP FOR $ 4 BILLION

Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. said in a statement that it would acquire a wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. pharmaceutical startup Nimbus Therapeutics LLC for 4 billion dollars. Under the deal, to be completed by the end of March 2023, Takeda will buy the entire stake in the subsidiary, Nimbus Lakshmi Inc., which is developing a drug for psoriasis, a skin disease that causes flaky patches. Takeda will pay an additional 1 billion dollars if the subsidiary’s annual sales exceed 4 billion dollars and a further 1 billion if the sales exceed 5 billion dollars. Takeda said it would disclose the impact of the acquisition on its earnings as necessary. The final clinical trial for the drug is expected to begin in 2023. The substance is also considered effective against other immune-mediated diseases.

BOEING ENDS PRODUCTION OF 747 JUMBO JET

U.S. aeroplane manufacturer Boeing will cease production of its 747 jumbo jets in 2022, the company announced on Wednesday, retiring the iconic passenger aircraft after over 50 years of service amid a coronavirus-induced crisis in the aviation industry. The first aeroplane to be dubbed a “jumbo jet,” the plane with the signature hump could accommodate over 600 people. The 747 made its maiden voyage in 1969. Such large planes have become increasingly unprofitable for airlines struggling with the high cost of jet fuel when smaller jets can provide greater flexibility with lower overhead.

ALGERIA

OFFICIALLY APPLIES TO JOIN BRICS

Algeria has submitted an official application to join the BRICS group of major developing economies. Leyla Zeruki, the special envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for international partnerships, told the Algerian state radio, Al-Shouruk portal reported. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Teboun recently announced that the country is interested in joining the BRICS group of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, stating that the country essentially meets the criteria for membership. The BRICS alliance, which already encompasses more than 40 per cent of the world’s population, is expected to consider joining countries including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Iran and Afghanistan.

BELGIAN CENTRAL BANK IN LOSS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE WORLD WAR II

The Central Bank of Belgium (BNB) predicts that it will have a negative capital position by 2027, meaning that its liabilities will exceed the value of its assets. Also, the BNB stated in a statement that it expects to end this financial year with a loss in the range of 600 to 800 million euros, which is the first such loss since World War II. As a solution, the bank will have to use its financial reserves of 7.08 billion euros, with the fact that they are less than the expected losses until the end of the financial year 2027, which could exceed 9 billion euros.

“Business opportunities are like buses. There’s always another one coming” ~ RICHARD BRANSON, VIRGIN GROUP FOUNDER

Leading The Way

Our starting plan for each year is to be better than we were in the previous year, and 2023 is no exception - says

Planetsoft Belgrade Director Ivan Topličić, speaking in this CorD Magazine interview

The man at the helm of Planetsoft Belgrade graduated from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Traffic and Transport Engineering before launching his career in business at Delta Holding back in 2008. He joined the Planetsoft team in May 2015, taking on the role of company general manager at the start of 2017. This period has seen Planetsoft rise to the level of regional recognition and partner up with global industry leaders.

How would you evaluate the business results of Planetsoft Belgrade in 2022 and what would you single out as the most significant activities?

In short, as expected. I would say that 2022 was a successful year, despite the challenges we faced. We started the year with the COVID-19 pandemic still underway and witnessed the war in Europe, which disrupted and changed all areas of our business and had a huge impact on the market. However, we still managed to achieve our goals and implement our plans and ideas.

Planetsoft saw healthy growth in its business volume and new hirings, while new portfolio items are on the way. The highlights of 2022 include: the expansion of our team to include some talented individuals who share our vision, such as Antović Bojan, our newly appointed sales director; the implementation of a new organisational structure designed to support our future growth. We have adopted a “network” structure with a governing body as the ultimate decision-making entity; the opening of our new company branch in Vienna.

Overall, we are pleased with our achievements in 2022 and looking forward to continuing to grow and succeed in the years ahead.

Planetsoft Group has opened its own office in Vienna. How important is expansion to the markets of European Union countries? It’s crucial for us to enter more competitive markets such as the one offered by the EU. I am not talking about financial gains here; this is important to us in terms of confirmation of our values and the transfer of knowledge. We are ready to compete in the big game in order to learn and improve our skills, knowledge and products, so that we can become an organisation able to lead the way for others to follow.

What are Planetsoft’s plans for 2023? Our starting plan for each year is to be better than we were in the previous year, and 2023 is no exception. I believe that 2023

will bring some surprises and challenges to our industry, as a result of the events that happened in 2022, but we are not afraid or doubtful about it. We have a bit of healthy paranoia about what could go wrong in 2023, but we are ready and experienced enough to adapt to any changes in any circumstance. Our vision is clearer than ever, and we will continue our path in developing products and services for our customers.

Planetsoft is an IT company that provides an opportunity for young people to practise and cooperate with colleges. How important is this type of support?

Yes, we have collaborations with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Department of Software Development, the Faculty of Economics, and the Faculty of Traffic and Transport Engineering. The summer months are booked for internships, and most of our employees come from these institutions. This year has also been successful in that area. Investing in new talents is mandatory and no longer a choice. We need to have the ability to direct and shape talented individuals in the desired direction.

Our vision is clearer than ever, and we will continue our path in developing products and services for our customers

SASAN GOODARZI CEO, INTUIT INC.

California-based software company Intuit Inc. has been developing software, specialising in financial software, since 1983. And, as of 2019, over 95 per cent of its revenue and earnings have come from its U.S.-based activities… And it is also since 2019 that this company has been led by Sasan Goodzari, an Iranian immigrant whose story proves that anything’s possible in the world of modern business

Committed To Powering

Prosperity Worldwide

Born in 1968, Goodzari arrived in the U.S. from his native Tehran at the tender age of nine, having managed to flee with his family prior to the Iranian Revolution. He wasn’t exactly welcomed with open arms by his peers in Florida’s Orlando… He says he was bullied on a daily basis, told to get back to his own country by other kids in school and the neighbourhood, and all due to the infamous Iran hostage crisis… That period of his life haunted him for years, and even led to him being expelled from school over his abysmal grades.

“I had horrible grades and I was kicked out of school. My grades were so bad - I had a 1.9 GPA – that I couldn’t even get into a four-year college. So, I started out in a community college. These things make you stronger. It makes you a better person. Frankly, to this day, I don’t take for granted being in the U.S. With all the opportunities, it’s a blessing to be here,” he said speaking to Forbes.

After earning a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Central Florida and a Master’s in business administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, he embarked on a career in business.

Prior to his arrival at Intuit, where he has been employed for 14 years, Goodarzi worked for automation specialist company Invensys Ltd., a global provider of software, industrial automation, transportation and energy controls technology headquartered in the UK, where he served as global president of the products group. He has also held a number of senior leadership roles in the automation control division at Honeywell, as well as serving as the CEO and co-founder of technology start-up Lazer Cables Inc.

During his time at Intuit, Goodarzi has successfully led each of the company’s largest businesses, most recently serving – until becoming CEO – as executive vice president and general manager of Intuit’s Small Business

and Self-Employed Group, prior to which he served as executive vice president and general manager of Intuit’s Consumer Tax Group; chief information officer; general manager of Intuit’s ProTax organisation; and general manager of Intuit’s Financial Services Division.

With Goodzari at the helm, Intuit has achieved record results since 2019, while he is also spearheading the transformation of the company through additions to the range of products. However, he is also quick to praise company co-founder Scott Cook for establishing Intuit’s ‘DNA’ when he created the company nearly 40 years ago.

Back then, explains Sasan, “it was a company focused on two things: our employees and customers, and that’s carried on for almost 40 years. With our team, we can improve upon it and make it better. But first and foremost, it’s in the DNA of the company. There are three big things that, over the years, have

evolved to guide what we do every day. One is our mission, which is to power prosperity around the world. Whether it’s the products and services that we create, or what we need to do to help the communities around us, to make them better than when we found them, we need to do our part to power prosperity around the world. Second, our values are key to our success. These values have evolved several times over our nearly 40-year history, most recently about 18 months ago. They are something we live by, and the actual proof of our values is that when we’ve opened offices in places like Paris or Sydney, where we didn’t even have a product to market, we succeeded. We became known there as one of the best places to work, because our culture carries with us, wherever we go. Lastly, the way we set expectations is essential. We have this thing called “true north goals”. We have goals for employees, customers, communities and shareholders. It’s how we run the company, and how we talk about our performance within the company and externally. And those three things guide who we are today, which is a company committed to doing what’s right.”

As a company driven by a purpose and a vision, which demands high employee engage-

My grades were so bad that I couldn’t even get into a four-year college

Entrepreneur

It may sound straightforward, but it’s the one we are committed to doing because, as you can imagine, our most significant power – and the most enormous challenge – is to leverage and align 15,000 folks. It’s something we work at very hard.”

Sasan, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and two children, has been busy expanding the company since he became CEO three years ago, with Intuit having acquired MailChimp and Credit Karma, among others. As he explains, “three plus years ago, we were a company focused on tax and accounting, a platform company, but focused on solving those two fundamental problems. And we wanted to be a company that helped firms make ends meet, helped you save money, helped you get out of debt, and succeed as a small business. That shift led to our five big bets. For us, speed of impact is everything. We live in a world where impact matters, but the speed at which you work matters a lot.

Beyond accelerating our internal organic innovation, we felt like there were two areas where we needed to move much faster. One, how do we help small businesses grow their business? And the other is how do we move beyond tax to serve consumers more broadly? Because typically, what we’ve done is to help you run your business.

“The other important element was establishing relationships and truly understanding that our missions were aligned and getting excited about what we can do together that we can’t do apart.”

ment, Sasan is clear about the way his team motivates itself and ensures the company’s values and culture remain aligned despite so many employees being located in different locations?

“We are intentional about that in every setting. We always focus on the three things that I mentioned earlier. We always talk about our mission, and examples of how we’re bringing our mission to life. As one example, we have what we call “state of the company” four times a year, where we get all our 15,000 employees together to talk about how the company is doing. At every single state of the company, I go through our values. It’s a refresher for those who have been with us, but it’s also essential for those that are new to the company, to share how important they are.

“We talk about the problems they will solve for our customers and the vision for each of our five big bets. But, beyond that, we talk about our big bets that we declared across the company. We announced these bets about three years ago. I talk about the progress that we’ve made and where we are constructively dissatisfied.

Goodzari says that he never envisaged himself as succeeding in one specific moment, but rather that his success in life and work have come as the accumulation of things that happened over time, when he kept himself busy.

“I’ve always believed in keeping my head down - focused on hard work, resilience and creating an environment where our teams could win. I think of one time when I gained more confidence in myself. I used to work in sales for Honeywell. One of the executives at Honeywell flew down to spend an entire day with me. At the end of that day, he said, “I think you’re a gem, and I think you have a bright future.” That stuck in the back of my mind. It was one of those moments when I remembered that famous quote, “Anything is possible, and don’t let anyone ever tell you what you can’t do”.”

With Goodzari at the helm, Intuit has achieved record results since 2019, while also spearheading the transformation of the company

DR SVETLANA JOVANOVIĆ VUČETIĆ,

GRINSHIELD PROJECT COORDINATOR AND ASSOCIATE RESEARCH PROFESSOR AT THE VINČA INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR SCIENCES

Shortly after graduating from the Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, I started work at the largest, and one of the oldest, scientific institutions in our country: the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences. Following the completion of my Ph.D. and postdoctoral studies, I was lucky enough to meet an exceptional scientist: Dr Haddadi from France’s IEMN [Institute of Electronics, Microelectronics and Nanotechnology]. After a small bilateral project in 2014, he became a consortium member of the large Horizon Europe project (Twinning), GrInShield - 101079151, which has just started.

During a visit to IEMN, the cutting-edge technology in graphene production and analysis was introduced to the Vinča team, but it was the differences in institute ranking and working conditions between the two institutions that proved to have an awakening effect. A project with microrobotics pioneer professor Fatikow’s group at Germany’s Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, created the groundwork for a future partnership. It was then that my

Striding Towards Frontier Knowledge

colleague Dr Kepić met an enthusiastic and outstanding expert in the field of polymer sciences, professor Huskić of Slovenia’s Faculty of Polymer Technology, FTPO.

It seemed at that point that all the pieces of the puzzle were accounted for, but how could we assemble them?

I spotted huge differences between our institution and those with which we were collaborating. Although our institute had excellent publishing records, with our scientific works published in journals with a high-impact factor and astonishing results achieved in many different fields, partner-

GrInShield is focused on investing in young researchers, expanding their knowledge and increasing their expertise by opening the doors to top-class EU institutions!

ships with companies, and the number of submitted project applications, remained much lower compared to similar institutions from developed EU countries. Another issue caught my attention: the fast-growing development of electronic devices has also led to an increase in electromagnetic pollution. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shows negative effects. The kinds of devices that might generate EMI are those that transmit, distribute or use electricity. EWs can pen-

etrate joints between equipment units and impact negatively on the performance of devices. The rapid development of wearable electronics makes EMI shielding material even more essential. For commercial applications, EMI shielding material (EMI-SE) of 20 dB is appropriate. EMI shielding materials are rigid metals that reflect waves and, due to their rigidity, are not suitable for wearables. Silicone rubber is also a good EMI material, with excellent temperature and chemical stability, but it is expensive.

Designing an EMI shielding product requires the achieving of a compromise between a thick layer of EMI shielding materials that are resistant to mechanical destruction and thin layers that are lightweight and more elastic. Thus, GrInShield focuses on composites based on graphene, selected due to its flexibility, lightweight nature and chemical resistivity, and metallic nanomaterials, selected due to their conductivity and EMI SE efficiency.

And GrInShield thus received its core! And all pieces of the puzzle have started being placed in the right positions!

GrInShield is focused on investing in young researchers, expanding their knowledge and increasing their expertise by opening the doors to top-class EU institutions! With our EU partners, we will establish strong bonds with companies across Europe, while the administration at the Vinča Institute will become a competitive, dynamic and essential tool for researchers, leading to a brighter future at one of Serbia’s largest and most diverse scientific institutions.

The fun started with my first encounter with chemistry back in primary school! It immediately became clear what I would spend the rest of my life doing, with only the shape and form changing over time

Most Beautiful

Winter Themed Paintings

PAUL SIGNAC: BOULEVARD DE CLICHY

Art history is full of beautiful paintings with a winter theme. The whiteness of snow, muted winter light and almost monochromatic palette have fascinated painters since the Middle Ages. A year ago, I curated a winter-themed Art Blogmas. Since it was pretty successful, I’m sharing the 20 most beautiful winter-themed paintings in this article dedicated to winter in art

Painters have been fascinated with different aspects of winter throughout history.

During the Middle Ages, artists mainly focused on depicting specific winter works or natural changes. Impressionist painters focused more on reflections of light on snow. There was something specific in winter paintings in any period in history, so here you can find different artworks to show you some of the most beautiful winter-themed paintings.

1. GUSTAVE CAILLEBOTTE: VIEW OF ROOFTOPS (EFFECT OF SNOW)

We’re starting with the work of the French Impressionist painter Gustave Caillebotte, showing Paris in winter. Caillebotte wasn’t only a painter but also one of the first artists who started experimenting with photography as an art form. Perhaps this can explain the unusual perspective of this painting. With numerous shades of grey, he painted the roofs of the Montmartre neighbourhood in Paris. And managed to capture the month of December in the French capital perfectly. You can almost feel the cold through this winter-themed painting, right?

2. PIETER BRUEGEL THE ELDER: THE HUNTERS IN THE SNOW

In his artwork, Bruegel painted a group of hunters returning to the village with their dogs. The painter included much symbolism in it, too. For example, there are rabbit footprints in the snow in front of the

hunters. Showing the animal who escaped them, the painter is almost teasing them for their unsuccessful hunt. Even more interesting than the main topic of hunters is the landscape – something relatively new in the art of that time. Bruegel here showed the traditional architecture of the Flemish village with a church at its centre.

3. CLAUDE MONET: TRAIN IN THE SNOW OR THE LOCOMOTIVE

Claude Monet painted this painting in 1875 at the Argenteuil railway station. He painted quite a few scenes with trains, almost as he was fascinated with them. Observing the texture is something especially interesting when in front of the Impressionist painting. It seems as there is no light on this painting. Monet painted both the snow and the sky with grim shades of grey. People looking like the black shadows could almost be misplaced for the black tree branches shown at the right-hand side. Although the cold could almost be felt through it, the painting has a certain cosiness.

4. VINCENT VAN GOGH: LANDSCAPE WITH SNOW

There aren’t many winter-themed paintings in Van Gogh’s work. So, his Landscape with snow comes a bit as a surprise. However, although he painted a winter landscape here, it’s not as gloomy as some other paintings with winter as their theme. His sky is blue, and it almost looks as if some sunshine will soon appear on it. Shades of green, yellow and brown

are depicted on the field. Perhaps, Van Gogh showed the beginning of the spring here?

5. WOUTER JOHANNES VAN TROOSTWIJK: THE RAAMPOORTJE IN AMSTERDAM

Although at first glance, this painting may seem older than it is, it was actually made at the beginning of the 19th century, in 1809. The painter

captured winter in Amsterdam perfectly. All of that is typical for the Dutch capital, from the gloomy sky to the frozen canals. In the manner of the Dutch Golden Age painters from the 17th century, a painter also includes some humour in the painting. A man is urinating just next to the city gates. A lady close to him looks as if she’s waiting for him to finish his business. Well, it seems

GUSTAVE CAILLEBOTTE: VIEW OF ROOFTOPS

PIETER BRUEGEL THE ELDER: THE HUNTERS IN THE SNOW

Art Winter in Art

like just the other everyday-life scene from Amsterdam.

6. CLAUDE MONET: HAYSTACKS (EFFECT OF SNOW AND SUN)

Claude Monet was utterly impressed by snow. He could play with colours, reflections and textures so well while painting it. Monet is again using so

many different colours to show the whiteness of snow. We recognise shades of yellow, ocher, blue, pink, purple etc. His shadows are not grey either. Instead, he uses purple to show the darker areas of the painting. It’s fascinating how, although his motive is white, and we recognise Monet’s theme and snow imme-

diately, there is no white colour in this painting. Instead, he’s using all those pastel colours to show the winter day and the soft light of the golden hour.

7. PAUL LIMBOURG: FEBRUARY

These kinds of calendar images were trendy during the Middle Ages. They often represent labours of the month and peasants busy with the work in the field. Or, aristocrats hunting and enjoying some other leisure activities typical for that time of the year. It’s the same with our picture, representing the month of February. On the upper part of the image, we can see the calendar and the zodiac signs – showing Aquarius and Pisces. Below it is the peasants busy with work typical for winter. One of them is cutting down a tree with an axe. We can also see birds in the garden eating seeds.

However, exciting activity is happening inside the house, as well. It seems as if people are warming up their arms and legs. However, some of them don’t wear their underpants. Although nudity may seem unusual for a religious book, surprisingly, it wasn’t that uncommon back in that time.

8. UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI: NICHIREN IN SNOW AT TSUKAHARA

Japanese artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi was a son of the silk-dyer and one of the last 19th-century masters of woodblock printing. Although the composition may look purely decorative, Utagawa depicts a part of the important historical story in this winter landscape. This print is a part of the series Sketches of the Life of the Great Priest. Nichiren, a Buddhist priest from the 13th century, is walking through the snow. His surroundings show

CLAUDE MONET: TRAIN IN THE SNOW OR THE LOCOMOTIVE

VINCENT VAN GOGH: LANDSCAPE WITH SNOW

CLAUDE MONET: HAYSTACKS

WOUTER JOHANNES VAN TROOSTWIJK: THE RAAMPOORTJE IN AMSTERDAM

Sado Island, where he was exiled between 1271 and 1274.

9. PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR: SKATERS IN THE BOIS DE BOULOGNE

Renoir was one of the most famous French Impressionist painters, wellknown for his paintings celebrating sensual women. So, this winter landscape painted in 1868 stands out a bit among his work. Actually, the urban legend says he couldn’t stand winter and cold, and he wasn’t painting outside during the wintertime.Thus making this painting one of his rare landscapes with snow. The colours on the painting are pretty unusual for him. We’re used to the vibrant pastel colours in his artworks. However, this one almost seems black and white. Unlike how Claude Monet painted snow in his paintings, Renoir primarily uses white and shades of grey. Most of the people in his picture are wearing black clothes, contrasting with the white snow.

10. CLAUDE MONET: SNOW AT ARGENTEUIL

In his Snow at Argenteuil, Claude Monet uses soft pastel blue and purple shades, making this painting so delicate. With his brushstrokes of blue, purple and peach, he’s creating a texture of soft snow. One can almost hear the squeaky sound of passers-by walking through the deep snow. But he’s not stopping with the brilliant texture usage there. With the fine lines and the way he’s pulling the brush, we can feel the wind current and the movement of the thin layer of clouds.

11. LUCAS VAN VALCKENBORCH: WINTER LANDSCAPE WITH SNOW NEAR ANTWERP

Lucas van Valckenborch’s painting looks more like an illustration with his pastel and light colours, especially light blue. However, he’s not mak-

ing it a dreamy fairy tale as Claude Monet did on one of the winter landscapes we saw previously. Quite the contrary, he includes numerous details in his painting. Each group of passers-by are involved in a different story, from the group of people warming their hands next to the fire to the group of boys occupied by a game that looks like ice hockey.

12. ANTON GENBERG: AFTERNOON MOOD

In his painting, Anton Genberg used different shades of grey to show the texture of the snow. From the lighter shade of grey, that’s almost white, in the foreground, to the dark grey colour used to show the layer

recognised as home to Moulin Rouge. However, during the second half of the 19th century, it was a lively place and often a motif to Impressionist and first modern painters living in Paris. It was also home to Le Tambourin Cafe, where many of those painters met and talked about art. So, it’s no surprise Paul Signac chose it for his lovely winter scene. He painted it in 1886, and it’s a perfect example of a new style he’s starting to develop – Divisionism.

14. HENDRICK AVERCAMP: WINTER LANDSCAPE WITH ICE SKATERS

Avercamp used a bit of muted colours to show the depth of space. And soft grey and ocher to paint the light

of a winter day. He also depicted the frozen river, something quite typical for the 17th-century winter in the Netherlands. However, his focus on this winter landscape isn’t nature itself, but rather the people ice skating. He’s showing people from all kinds of backgrounds – from rich to poor. Some of them enjoy ice skating and fun winter activities. On the other hand, the poor are just trying to survive.

15. PAUL GAUGUIN: WINTER LANDSCAPE

Contrary to his later paintings, in which he used intense colours, often in contrast, this painting seems almost monochromatic.

of snow covering the mountains in the background. He showed the texture and sledges marks in the snow with distinctive brush strokes. He also used texture to paint the clouds. However, in that part of the painting, he applied more of a yellow colour, showing the sunshine behind the clouds.

13.

PAUL SIGNAC: BOULEVARD

DE CLICHY Boulevard de Clichy is a famous street in Paris. Today, it’s the most

PAUL LIMBOURG: FEBRUARY

UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI: NICHIREN IN SNOW AT TSUKAHARA

PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR: SKATERS IN THE BOIS DE BOULOGNE

Art Winter in Art

them. Everything stands still in this winter-themed painting.

16. WALTER MORAS: SLEDDING ON A SUNNY DAY

Although everything is covered with snow, this is not one of those grey sombre winter days. Quite the opposite, there is much blue colour in the snow (instead of grey, as in many paintings we saw before). We

for the Netherlands – windmills, a frozen canal and a woman dressed in traditional Dutch clothes from the 17th century. During that time, Dutch painters looked for the motif that symbolised the Netherlands in their landscape paintings.They soon found it in a cloudy sky. To show it, Ruisdael has a low horizon in his painting, so he can stress that dark cloudy, typical Dutch sky. He’s using

Paul Gauguin uses shades of grey, blue, brown, and green. With that colour palette, he’s perfectly capturing the coldness of a winter day. The overall feel we’re getting from

this painting is a cold tranquillity. Trees are bare without any foliage on them. And although we could recognise houses, no light or movement is happening around

can also see the sunshine and feel the brightness of the day. Moras painted one of those beautiful winter days you just want to spend outside. Children are playing and enjoying winter activities. The detail of two boys sledging brings movement in this rather still winter landscape.

17. JACOB VAN RUISDAEL: WINTER LANDSCAPE

In his Winter Landscape, Ruisdael includes a few motifs typical

muted and darker colours to show the winter mood in the Netherlands.

18. PIETER BRUEGEL THE ELDER: THE CENSUS AT BETHLEHEM

Pieter Bruegel painted The Census at Bethlehem in 1566. It’s quite a particular painting for us because it’s one of the first in art history, with a large portion dedicated to the winter landscape. Bruegel has set up the Biblical scene in a contemporary environment. We can see Mary and

CLAUDE MONET: SNOW AT ARGENTEUIL

LUCAS VAN VALCKENBORCH: WINTER LANDSCAPE WITH SNOW NEAR ANTWERP

HENDRICK AVERCAMP: WINTER LANDSCAPE WITH ICE SKATERS

PAUL GAUGUIN: WINTER LANDSCAPE

ANTON GENBERG: AFTERNOON MOOD

Joseph in the middle of the 16thcentury Flemish village. However, gabled houses and typical Belgian architecture don’t quite belong to it.

19. CAMILLE PISSARRO: ROAD TO VERSAILLES AT LOUVECIENNES (THE SNOW EFFECT)

Camille Pissarro is a Danish-French painter and one of the founders and most famous Impressionist painters. In 1869 he moved to the suburbs of Paris, to Louveciennes. As many Impressionist painters did, he chose one motif and painted it numerous times in different seasons and times of the day. His one was the road to Versailles, the one he painted in this winter-themed painting. Like some other Impressionist winter paintings we already saw, Pissarro depicts the

winter with soft brushstrokes and pastel colours. All the houses are painted with a subtle ochre colour. They are making a nice balance with the darker bare trees around them.

20. CASPAR DAVID FRIEDRICH: THE SEA OF ICE

Caspar David Friedrich was a German painter who lived in the 19th century and mostly painted Romantic landscapes. His landscapes are usually mystical and allegorical, showing the fog or the night skies. In style with the time he lived in, Friedrich loved to include Gothic architecture in his landscape paintings. However, his painting The Sea of Ice is somewhat different. He painted the shipwreck in the Arctic. This painting was so unusual for the

19th century that he didn’t manage to sell it during his life. German newspapers were reporting about a few expeditions to the Arctic at

that time, and Friedrich probably got inspired by them.

Source: TEA GUDEK ŠNAJDAR/ culturetourist.com/Wikimedia

WALTER MORAS: SLEDDING ON A SUNNY DAY

JACOB VAN RUISDAEL: WINTER LANDSCAPE

PIETER BRUEGEL THE ELDER: THE CENSUS AT BETHLEHEM

CAMILLE PISSARRO: ROAD TO VERSAILLES AT LOUVECIENNES

CASPAR DAVID FRIEDRICH: THE SEA OF ICE

My life Radmila Bakočević, opera singer

WOMAN WHO WISELY DIRECTED HER OWN CAREER

She began her career as a lyric soprano and concluded it as a dramatic soprano. She has portrayed Norma, Tosca, Madame Butterfly and around seventy other heroines that she’s brought to life for audiences at her home theatre of the National Theatre in Belgrade, Milan’s La Scala, New York’s Metropolitan, the Vienna State Opera and more than 200 other stages worldwide. In the history of opera, she holds the record for largest number of performances of Norma. Her operatic partners have included Franco Corelli, Plácido Domingo, José Carreras, and prior to all of them Mario Del Monaco, who dubbed her the new Maria Callas!

Of all the roles she’s played, she loved Tatyana from Eugene Onegin the most, and has even performed the role in four languages: Russian, German, Italian and Serbian. She also sang it at St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre, receiving critical acclaim with the statement that “such a Tatyana has never previously passed through Mariinsky Theatre”. Famous Russian opera diva and Bolshoi Theatre soloist Galina Vishnevskaya told her: “You know, Radmila, I never received such a critique!”

Francesco Siciliani, who spent 20 years as artistic director of Milan’s La Scala and is credited with having done the most to further the fame and repute of the likes of Maria Callas, Mario Del Monaco and Renata Tebaldi, once told Radmila, but also stated of her publicly in an interview, that she “most wisely managed her career”.

She could have gone abroad, with major opera houses having invited her to join them, but she only ever made guest appearances overseas and never considered remaining resident somewhere else:

“Wherever I went, I could hardly wait to return home. I couldn’t live without my Belgrade, without my neighbourhood that I’d departed from to go out into the world, and to which I always returned.”

Radmila turns 90 this January, and her appearance, demeanour and level of interest in everything occurring in the world of opera, and in her students, ensure that she remains greatly respected. This CorD Magazine interview also provides an opportunity for us to record some of the more important and interesting moments from her rich life.

Radmila’s father, Đorđe, who completed his secondary school studies at the agricultural high school and specialised in vine grafting, managed

Wherever I went, I could hardly wait to return home. I couldn’t live without my Belgrade, without my neighbourhood that I’d departed from to go out into the world, and to which I always returned

a nursery in Guča, the small Serbian town that would become famous 30 years after Radmila’s birth, with the establishing of the trumpet festival that is still held remains famous to this day. As the head of the family, he ensured that the members of the household didn’t lack basic things, while her mother, Darinka, cut short her studies at home economics school due to love, wed, and birthed and raised three children. The children were raised from an early age to work in and around the house. When winter would come and all three of them would gather around their mother, she would sing to them with her divine voice, and Radmila’s older brother, Srećko, would also sing and had an exceptional voice, while Radmila would just open her mouth. She had her first concert in Guča, under the organisation of the Circle of Serbian Sisters, singing to the accompaniment of an accordion. She would also sing for Saint Sava shows at school.

Her father, who originally hailed from the village of Dučalovići in the foothills of Ovčar mountain, was a diligent and wise man whose words of advice have remained with her throughout her life.

“He would tell us never to ignore another person because of the work they do, because by doing so we will only degrade ourselves.” Then, ‘it is far easier to vanquish than to apologise’. And one more that’s worth remembering and sticking to: ‘before uttering a sentence, imagine that you have water in your mouth, so wait to swallow it and only then speak’. We spent the summers with our grandparents on the mountain, while we also had our own plot of land near Čačak, which we would work, and we also had a cow, so I dealt with all the work in the house and on the farm from early childhood. I only had my first proper summer holiday, and saw the sea for the first

WHILE SERVING AS UNIVERISTY OF BELGRADE RECTOR

My life Radmila Bakočević, opera singer

time, when I married Aleksandar and we went on holiday together.

“I was eight or nine when I learnt to cook. My mother or maternal grandmother would start, explaining to me what to do next, and I would cook and take lunch to them in the fields where they were working. My mother had learnt to sew in home economics school and she sewed for us, and I also learnt to sew as a youngster. I was capable of sewing a costume for myself. Today I still have a sewing machine at home. My younger brother once said that we were ‘privileged children, because we had wonderful parents’. That is the greatest truth and the greatest fortune that we had.”

Among the many photos on the walls of Radmila’s apartment showing her playing various roles, one wall is also adorned with a large tapestry that represents an excellent artwork that she created herself.

“I mostly created that tapestry abroad, while doing guest appearances, working on it during breaks between performances. I also learnt to knit and crochet, while I even spun wool... My upbringing required that a woman know everything that needs to be done in the home. And even today, in these later years, I still do everything around the house, except that a woman comes once a week to wash the windows and doors, and to vacuum. I’m no longer able to do those rough jobs, but I’m accustomed to spending my whole life not being idle.”

Her father’s idea was for his daughter to complete teacher training college, as he was convinced that this was enough education for a girl. He also thought that she should immediately find employment and assist her brothers. Her elder brother graduated from the forestry faculty, while the younger one graduated in electrical engineering and worked as director of the power plant in Čačak.

“I got along wonderfully with my brothers. Unfortunately, during the time of the COVID pandemic, I lost them both in a short period of time. Dad struggled to come to terms with the fact that I’d chosen a different career than the one he’d intended for me, he was constantly afraid about that. He used to say: ‘When are you going to stop spinning in the sky? I’m always worried’. He didn’t like that I was flying by plane so much.”

Radmila Vasović (her maiden name) completed teacher training college in Užice. During the time of her schooling, in 1949, Belgrade hosted a

major competition of cultural and artistic societies from across Yugoslavia. Radmila sang as a solo, in a duet and in an octet comprising teachers and pupils. And she won! She was then in her third year of studies, and one Professor Vasiljević, who already knew about her, offered her the chance to move to Belgrade to finish teacher training college and simultaneously become literate in music. That wasn’t possible, as she had a scholarship as a good student, and upon completing her studies she was supposed to move to Tutin to work as a teacher, because a large percentage of the Sandžak population was illiterate. That was a time when the state would decree where the people would

work. And yet, given that she was already known as a rare singing talent, the prevailing attitude was that anyone who graduated in teacher training could become a good young teacher, while a talent like Radmila should receive additional schooling.

“Those who decided on my future nevertheless assessed that, instead of Tutin, it would be better for me to go to Belgrade and enrol in secondary music school, as I knew nothing other than how to sing, and only folk songs. Over the next four years, I completed both secondary music school and the Music Academy. And I almost abandoned my studies. I arrived for the enrolment exam, and while climbing the stairs I heard other candidates singing opera arias, and I had absolutely no idea how to do that. I’d heard about opera music in secondary school, but I didn’t know the notes and I didn’t know a single aria. I was heading for the exit when I bumped into a friend from Užice, who nagged me to go back and sing what I knew, and who advised me that when they ask me who I want to learn singing under I should say Nikola Cvejić. And that’s how it was. When I sang what I knew, a member of the committee told the pianist to give me octaves. And they im-

I only had my first proper summer holiday, and saw the sea for the first time, when I married Aleksandar and we went on holiday together

WITH SFR YUGOSLAVIA PRESIDENT TITO AND FIRST LADY JOVANKA BROZ

mediately realised how far I was capable of going. They told me immediately that I was accepted and asked me which professor I wanted to be placed with. I of course gave the name of Nikola Cvejić (1896-1987), and that was the pedagogue who helped me the most and meant the most in my career. He and his wife Marija were my second parents. And in my later learning the most precious help to me was provided by pianist Zdenko Marasović (1925-1987).

The Belgrade period of her schooling began in 1951. She sang Mozart’s Requiem with the Academy in 1953, then entered the National Theatre in 1955. It was three years later that Radmila married Aleksandar Bakočević (19282007), the then secretary of the Society for Culture and Education, and in 1959 she gave birth to a daughter, Margareta. She continued singing her roles until the seventh month of pregnancy. Margareta proved to be an excellent pupil. She’d wanted to study acting for a short time, but that was a phase that passed quickly. She graduated, then continued her studies and earned a doctorate in Spanish while she was in Switzerland, where she lived there with her husband, opera singer

Slobodan Bane Stanković, with whom she has a daughter, Ksenija, who is also completing language studies. As Radmila’s husband forged his political career and spent many years serving successfully as the mayor of Belgrade, rumours could be heard suggesting he had also been responsible for her successes and accolades.

“He deserves the greatest credit for being always by my side. It sometimes happened that I wanted to withdraw from some contract, to take a little break and spend more time at home with the two of them. However, he always encouraged me to continue. He would say how I’d exerted a lot of effort, that I’d tormented myself a lot, and that was why I mustn’t quit. Perhaps I’d one day regret having missed out on something, and perhaps I’d blame him for having not supported me. I was lucky that my mother was always there to take care of Margareta. My dad once said: ‘I didn’t know that I married both a daughter and a wife! He’d wanted to say that mum was out of the house because of her granddaughter, but he didn’t get angry.”

Radmila and Aleksandar’s daughter was named after the character of Marguerite from

the opera Faust, who Radmila portrayed. Her father had given her the name when he went to the municipality to register her birth. The young father had had another meaning for that name in mind. That’s because one of the most beautiful common flowers is known in French as ‘marguerite, and in Serbian as ‘white [white] Rada’, and in English as the common daisy.

She called her husband by the nickname Ale. She loved him dearly and appreciated his exceptional conduct and education.

“We were married for almost 50 years, until he departed, and we never fought. And when he was in the wrong, I would remain silent, and wait for some better opportunity to tell him that he was wrong. I’ve actually never had an argument with a single person. I’ve endured various lies, insults... One of my female colleagues claimed, speaking in front of 10,000 people during one of the Belgrade protests of the ‘90s, that my husband had arranged contracts for me over the phone! I didn’t react. After so many years, she contacted me around ten days ago to tell me that she’d been hugely mistaken about me. What was I supposed to say? To explain to anyone what this job that I dedicated my life to is like, how much time I

I learnt to make tapestries, to sew, knit and crochet. My upbringing required that a woman know everything that needs to be done in the home. And even today, in these later years, I still do everything around the house, except the rougher jobs

IL TROVATORE, SAN FRANCISCO, 1968 TOSCA AT MILAN’S LA SCALA

My life Radmila Bakočević, opera singer

of the day, do you think it’s possible to influence people in a world ruled by such strict criteria?”

She was a recipient of all the most important awards in Yugoslavia: the October award, the 7th July award, the AVNOJ award, Vuk’s award... In the 1976-77 season. her Norma was proclaimed Italy’s best opera production. She also received awards in Spain, Japan and other countries.

The first world opera great with whom she sang was Mario Del Monaco (1915-1982), who made his first guest appearance in Belgrade, in the opera Carmen, back in 1960. Radmila sang the role of Micaëla just a month after giving birth. Later, at the invitation of the Ministry of Culture, the Belgrade Opera was visited by the management of Milan’s La Scala, who awarded Radmila a one-year scholarship.

“I also sang with other greats and had only one goal – to give my all. Several of those foreign colleagues told me that I’d brought tranquillity to the piece. And it was important for me that we understood each other well, that we performed to the best of our ability. Friendships were born of that shared desire. I became friends with most of my colleagues and was accepted in their homes, by their wives. It’s generally the case in that world that if the husband is a singer, the wife goes with him. And vice versa. Together with Franco Corelli (1921-2003), who was the biggest opera star during those years, I sang Norma at La Scala, and that just happened to be for one New Year celebration. My husband came from Belgrade and we welcomed the New Year together, at Corelli’s house.”

invested in every premiere, every show, every guest appearance. That story about my husband being a politician and supposedly helping me was so nonsensical that I never wanted to comment on it. I remember on one occasion, in San Francisco, that a critic there wrote that he’d attended my show ‘The Troubadour’ just to see for himself how I’d got there, because it is known that my husband is a prominent Yugoslav politician. And he concluded the article by writing that he’d stayed until the end of the show solely because of me. That was the only time that any critic even mentioned my husband in the context of my work.

“And when it comes to the awards that I received, you should know that I began my career as Radmila Vasović and received my first awards as a young artist with that surname. At the end

When on one occasion she sang Norma in Lisbon, the audience had included the sister of a famous manager called Bingo, who told her brother that she was listening to a singer whom she thought belonged at the Metropolitan. Bingo authorised his agent in Europe to listen to Radmila sing, and that’s how she received an engagement at the world ‘temple of opera’.

It was while she was in America that she met famous Spanish tenor Placido Domingo (1941) for the first time. His wife, Marta, was also an opera singer, but she retired after becoming a mother because she didn’t want ‘other people to raise her children’. Radmila remained on friendly terms with him, and she would often say that he was her favourite partner. When he performed a concert in Belgrade in 2014, this ‘king of the opera’, as he’s dubbed for having

My husband Aleksandar was always by my side, encouraging me to continue. He would say how I’d exerted a lot of effort, that I’d tormented myself a lot, and that was why I mustn’t quit. We were married for almost 50 years, until he departed, and we never fought

LEFT TO RIGHT: MOTHER DARINKA, DAUGHTER MARGARETA, GRANDDAUGHTER KSENIJA AND RADMILA

RADMILA WITH HER LATE HUSBAND ALEKSANDAR BAKOĆEVIĆ

performed more than 140 singing roles in his career, he’d looked around the crowded Arena and called out: “Rada, where are you?” And Radmila stood up and declared ‘here I am’, greeting him but remaining in her place. The audience applauded for her to go on stage, but she stayed in her place. She made her last appearance on the opera stage in 2004. She served as a professor at the Faculty of Music Arts in Belgrade, then became rector of the University of Arts. Together with Dr Branko Radović, the then dean of the Faculty of Philology and Arts in Kragujevac, she formed the Department of Musical Arts and the Department of Solo Singing, where she taught and was selected as an emeritus professor. She speaks about her students with pride, to whom she says she was ‘both a parent and a teacher’. She is also grateful to her collaborator at the Academy, pianist Mirjana Tumpej.

At a time when Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito showed great respect and appreciation in receiving top artists from various fields, Radmila was a welcome guest at receptions hosted by his and his wife Jovanka.

“They both showed great interest in cultural events in our country and around the world. Jovanka prepared very carefully for every foreign visit and wanted to learn as much as possible about the history, tradition and culture of the country she would be visiting. Tito would introduce me to his guests at every reception and would always say: ‘My comrade Radmila has never disappointed me, neither as an artist nor as a person!’ He liked to occasionally sit at the piano, to accompany me as I sang. When I saw him at a reception for the first time after I’d given birth, he said to me: ‘Congratulations, I hope your son won’t be called Faust!’ I was proud that we had such a president.”

The Bakočević family received a gift from President Tito for New Year every year, in the form of a basket of drinks and a basket of tangerines.

Nonetheless, this great artist’s most beautiful and precious memories are linked to the opera scene. She spent a full 14 years singing as a guest performer at the Vienna State Opera. She spent a full 25 years making guest appearances at all Italian opera houses – from Milan’s La Scala to Bari in the south of Italy. She sang at Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre for an entire month, while the temperature outside remained 37 below. She was healthy and didn’t even get the sniffles. She

returned to Belgrade, spent one night at home and then travelled with the Belgrade Opera to make a guest performance in Cairo, where the temperature was 26 above.

When talking about the Belgrade Opera, which was among Europe’s four largest opera houses during that ‘golden age’, she notes with great respect that the greatest credit for that belonged to famous Yugoslav conductor and composer Oskar Danon (1913-2009). Fond memories connect her to world-renowned

baritone Željko Lučić, who made his debut for the Opera of the National Theatre while she was celebrating 40 years working on that stage. As she herself says, “Željko is a wonderful man, humble, and I’m very happy for his success”. She also has wonderful memories of one incarnation of Norma that she sang in Paris, when she received a call in Belgrade one morning to travel immediately to Paris and replace Montserrat Caballé, who she was scheduled to sing that evening, but had fallen sick. The singer’s costumes were too big for her, so they brought the costumes of Maria Callas from the museum and she sang in them.

She never liked to see the word diva written alongside her name. She liked to boast about how she sang in factory halls, accompanied by accordion master Dušan Radetić (1923-1967), first singing for the workers a folk song, then a Canzone Napoletana, and finally an opera aria. And they rewarded her with unceasing applause.

“I’m an artist who had a job that she loved. I was lucky that my career was successful, that I had a wonderful family from which I emerged, a wonderful husband, that I have a great daughter and granddaughter, that I was a self-realised and satisfied woman.”

Tito would introduce me to his guests and would always say: ‘My comrade Radmila has never disappointed me, neither as an artist nor as a person!’ He liked to occasionally sit at the piano, to accompany me as I sang

OUT

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Serbian Ethnic Heritage

Ethno Network

Ethno Network is a national umbrella association gathering producers of exquisite handicrafts aiming to preserve the cultural heritage of Serbia by empowering women and youth in rural areas. Established in 2005, the association gathers hundreds of women from all over the country who come together in local crafts organizations to create unique handicrafts out of natural fabrics, by applying traditional motifs and techniques with a modern twist. All Ethno Network items are handmade by local artisans across Serbia aiming to position cultural heritage and female entrepreneurship as pillars of local economy. Handicrafts branded by Ethno Network are used by Protocol of the Government and state institutions as business and diplomatic gifts. Ethno Network label is registered in the Intellectual Property Institute as a collective mark that stands for authenticity and superior quality.

CYRILLIC ALPHABET

Alphabet was used as a ”beginner’s piece” (a sampler for needlework beginners)

PILLOWCASE

MINIATURE MOTIF

A fine form of geometric or floral motifs

WOVEN MATS

Practical detail that adds warmth to business premises or home interiors

TRADITIONAL SERBIAN TOWEL

Used to follow people in all rituals around lifecycle events

Learn more by visiting www.etnomreza.rs

FELT BALLS

Felt balls are considered the oldest toys

ETHNO FOLDER

Contemporary designed folder

TRADITIONAL HAND-WOVEN BELT

It is believed to be a guardian of the human soul and a spiritual leader

Amy Winehouse Tribute

21 January – Zappa Baza

“Amy’s House”, a tribute band to the great jazz/soul singer Amy Winehouse, was formed in Belgrade at the end of 2015. This musical group is made up of seven top musicians, professionals who have behind them a large number of stage performances and studio hours, gathered around the idea of bringing listeners, followers and fans the magic of one of the most established and recognized singers and authors of the new age. Gathered

The Street Of The Open Heart 1 January, Svetogorska street

The event started on January 1st 1989, as a cultural and artistic happening. It grew out of the tradition whereby actors from Atelje 212 theatre took the role of waiters in the Srpska kafana restaurant and served the restaurant staff. Actors, singers, street orchestras, jug-

around the same idea, the sound that in her short creative life Amy Winehouse carved into the world music jazz/soul scene, in the desire to continue to bring it to those who recognized and adopted it, Amy’s House performed at the Festival and the loudest club stages in Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia..

glers, circus performers, folklore ensembles, and others participate in the programme. Besides the street performances, there are puppet shows and New Year carriage and sleigh rides for the children. The place of the event is Svetogorska and a part of Makedonska Street, from Takovska to the building of the Youth Center.

Exhibition Image of the City Until

20 January, SULUV Gallery

The Multimedia Center “Led Art” and the Union of Associations of Fine Artists of Vojvodina (SULUV) invite all of you to attend the opening ceremony of the exhibition entitled “Image of the City” in the SULUV Gallery (Bulevar Mihajla Pupina 9, Novi Sad). The exhibition will present the works of authors who were purchased based on the commission’s decision as part of the project “Purchase of works of art from the field of visual and fine arts from the Image of the City collection.”

The Call Of The Wild And Other Stories

Jack London 1538 rsd

In The Call of the Wild, Buck, a domesticated dog, is stolen from his home in California and sold into sledge dog slavery during the 1890s Klondike gold rush in Alaska. Forced to shed the comforts of civilization, he reverts to more primitive instincts and emerges as the leader of the pack. White Fang, published before The Call of the Wild, is a companion novel about a wild wolf dog who is adopted by a human and eventually domesticated. Also included are The Sea-Wolf and many short stories centred on Alaska and the Far North. Jack London’s classic tales — often told from the animal’s viewpoint — have been popular for decades and add a bit of gold to any reader’s Word Cloud Classics collection.

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald 890 rsd

The quintessential portrait of Jazz Age America, it reflects the era’s postwar exuberance as well as the corruption and immorality lurking behind the glamour of wild parties, dancing, and illegal drinking. Narrator Nick Carraway -- a transplant from the Midwest like Fitzgerald himself - observes the wasteful lives of his well-to-do neighbours in this tale of money, love, and the pursuit of the American dream. The unforgettable cast is headed by Jay Gatsby, a self-made man whose determination to realize his fantasies embodies both the glories of imagination and the grimness of reality.

Lady Joker

Kaoru Takamura 2186 rsd

Tokyo, 1995. Five men meet at the racetrack every Sunday to bet on horses. They have little in common except a deep disaffection with their lives, but together they represent the social struggles and griefs of post-War Japan: a poorly socialized genius stuck working as a welder; a demoted detective with a chip on his shoulder; a Zainichi Korean banker sick of being ostracized for his ethnicity; a struggling single dad of a teenage girl with Down’s syndrome. The fifth man bringing them all together is an elderly drugstore owner grieving his grandson, who has died in suspicious circumstances.

Confessions Of Felix Krull

Thomas Mann 1295 rsd

Discover Thomas Mann’s comic novel of deception and misplaced confidence - back in print for the first time in over twenty years.

Waiter by day, a man about Paris by night; the young and good-looking Felix Krull has created for himself a personality to charm and deceive the world of wealth. When the Marquis de Venosta makes him a proposal that he can’t refuse, the young Felix finds himself on the pathway that will elevate him into the world of riches.

Midsummer Mysteries

Agatha Christie 1943 rsd

An all-new collection of summer-themed mysteries from the master of the genre, just in time for the holiday season. Summertime - as the temperature rises, so does the potential for evil. From Cornwall to the French Riviera, whether against a background of Delphic temples or English country houses, Agatha Christie’s most famous characters solve even the most devilish of conundrums as the summer sun beats down. Pull up a deckchair and enjoy plot twists and red herrings galore from the bestselling fiction writer of all time.

Despair

Vladimir

1295 rsd

Nabokov

Self-satisfied, delighting in the many fascinating quirks of his own personality, Hermann Hermann is perhaps not to be taken too seriously. But then a chance meeting with Felix, a man he believes to be his double, reveals a frightening ‘split’ in Hermann’s nature. Convinced that he has found his doppelgänger, Hermann uses this discovery to weave a money-making plan that leads to disguise, betrayal and eventually murder. Filled with impudent, startling humour, and dominated by the egotistical and scornful figure of a killer who thinks himself an artist, Despair takes us into a deranged world of doubles and illusions, where nothing is quite as it seems.

FACES PLACES&

29/11/2022

Romania’s National Day

Celebrated

The Embassy of Romania in Serbia marked the Day of Romanian Unification with a formal reception at the White Palace in Belgrade. The reception was attended by the members of the Government of Serbia, representatives of public and cultural life, the diplomatic corps, high military officials, church dignitaries and others. The guests were welcomed by the Ambassador of Romania to Serbia, H.E. Silvia Davidou, who emphasized the strong relations between Romania and Serbia and reminded us of the traditional friendship of our people.

28/11/2022

Austrian Ambassador Hosts Welcoming The Winter Event

Ambassador of Austria H.E. Christian Ebner and Mrs Viktoria Ebner hosted a get-together event Welcoming the Winter. At the Radisson Old Mill Hotel’s Piazza, guests were served mulled wine, punch, hot chocolate and other seasonal delights. The event was attended by the members of the diplomatic community, Avantage Austria member companies, partners and friends who enjoyed the relaxed and informal atmosphere.

30/11/2022

FIC Serbia Marks 20th Anniversary

The Foreign Investors Council in Serbia (FIC) marked 20 years of operations with a ceremony held at Hyatt hotel. At the event awards for cooperation in the past two decades were awarded to the Government of Serbia, the head of the EU Delegation in Serbia, Emanuel Giofre, and the founders of the Council. FIC Vice President Ana Govedarica pointed out that in 20 years of work, the Council has grown from 14 founding companies to 120 members. “We have 120 companies, 36 billion euros of investments, we employ over 100,000 people, with the clear goal of improving Serbia and making it an even better place for investment.” The event was attended by the representatives of the Government of Serbia, FIC Serbia member companies, and members of the diplomatic community.

Independence Day Of Albania Marked

On the occasion of the Independence day of Albania also known as the Day of the Albanian National Flag, the Embassy of Albania in Serbia led by Ambassador H.E. Ilir Boçka hosted a formal reception at the Hotel Metropol in Belgrade. The event was attended by members of the Serbian Government, heads and members of the diplomatic corps. The Day of the Albanian Flag celebrates the Albanian Declaration of Independence from the Ottoman Empire adopted by Ismail Qemali on 28th November 28 1912 and the rise of the Albanian flag in Vlora.

UN: 16 Days Of Activism Against GenderBased Violence

United Nations Office in Serbia held an evening of engaging poetry within the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence initiative. Art has the power to create change, portray the experiences of individuals and highlight the problems we face every day; 16 Days of Activism was envisioned as an opportunity to break the silence about violence against women and girls through engaged art, words and verse. Francoise Jacob, the Resident Coordinator at the UN Serbia, addressed the guests and thanked three poets as the main contributors of the event – Maša Seničić, Radmila Petrović and Dragana Mladenović.

Ambassador Of Japan Presented Awards For Contribution To The Promotion Of Japanese Culture

At the Residence of the Ambassador of Japan, H.E. Katsumata Takahiko, the ambassador presented five new “Recognitions of the Ambassador of Japan” for the year 2022 for the commitment and contribution to the promotion of Japanese culture and the improvement of friendly relations between Serbia and Japan. Awards were given to Belgrade Philharmonic, Yugoslav Cinematheque Museum, Serbian-Japanese Association “Srce Srema”, Friendship Club “Šabac Fudimi” and Association “Taka” Niš.

FACES PLACES&

Finland Independence Day Marked

Ambassador of Finland to Serbia H.E. Kimmo Lahdevirta and his spouse Pia Kaikonen hosted at the Residence marking of the 105th Independence Day of Finland.

“I thank the Serbian Government for taking care of the diplomatic community during the time of crisis,” Ambassador Kimmo Lahdevirta said at the event in the capital of Serbia.

Ambassador Lahdevirta said the EU Western Balkans Summit in Tirana and the region’s one billion euro energy aid package are tangible ways of showing WB’s importance to the EU.

Embassy Of The Czech Republic Hosts Members Of The IWC Belgrade

The IWC were guests of the Embassy of the Czech Republic for the December Coffee Morning event. Members of the club were greeted by the club president, Eun Hai Kim, spouse of the ambassador of Mexico, who shared upcoming events and plans for the club with the attendees and then introduced the hostess of the event, Barbora Kuchtová, spouse of the ambassador of Czechia. The attendees were then addressed by H.E.Tomáš Kuchta, who, after expressing his pleasure at hosting the IWC after the restrictions of the past few years, presented a brief history of the embassy of Czechia, a monumental building at the heart of Belgrade designed to reflect the spirit of modern Czechoslovakia at the time.

6/12/2022

Closing Ceremony To Marking The 65th Anniversary Of Diplomatic Relations Between Morocco and Serbia

The Embassy of Morocco in Serbia led by Ambassador H.E. Mohammed Amine Belhaj hosted a Piano concert “Musical Epic” - Trio for piano, violin and cello - on the occasion of the ceremonial closing of the celebration of the 65th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of Serbia and the Kingdom of Morocco. “I wish to thank all of you for joining the celebration of this important anniversary,” said Ambassador Amine Belhaj at the event held at the Opera & Theatre Madlenianum. A musical performance by a harmonic trio took the audience through an emotional experience of classical music.

9/12/2022

Human Rights Day Marked

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) organized the celebration of Human Rights Day on the banks of the Sava in Belgrade and the planting of trees in memory of the missing persons from the territory of the former Yugoslavia. After a short speech and thanks to those present, the Head of the Regional Delegation, Jelena Stijačić, together with the Deputy Mayor of the City of Belgrade, Vesna Vidović, invited all those present to join the planting. The event was attended by high-ranking representatives of the diplomatic corps - Ambassadors of the USA, Japan, Slovenia and Cyprus, as well as representatives of the Government, the Serbian Red Cross, and the Serbian Coordination of the Association of Families of the Missing.

FACES PLACES&

13/12/2022

Awards For Sustainable Environmental Solutions At The Austrian Embassy

An event organized by the Trade Department of the Embassy of Austria ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA and the Ambassador of the Republic of Austria in Belgrade was held at the Embassy of Austria in Belgrade, where the results of the ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA Survey on the business conditions of Austrian companies in Serbia were presented. On that occasion, the awarding of Energy Globe award for sustainable environmental solutions, which was founded, among other things, by the Austrian Wolfgang Neumann, was held. This year’s winners from Serbia are Victoria Consulting doo for the project Chemical leasing and the workshop on circular economy and textbook for children for the organization “With a cap to a smile” for the project “Eco caravan”. The event was hosted by the Ambassador of Austria, H.E. Christian Ebner and Trade Counselor of the Embassy of Austria, Jürgen Schroeder.

National Day Of The State Of Qatar

Ambassador of Qatar H.E. Faris Roumi Al-Naimi hosted a reception marking the national day of this country. “We celebrate the National Day of the State of Qatar on 18th December, with the show of solidarity and unity in love for the homeland and pride for the wise leadership of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani,” said the ambassador at the reception in the Belgrade’s Hyatt Hotel. “The State of Qatar pays great attention to the development of bilateral cooperation with Serbia,” Ambassador Al-Naimi said at the event in Belgrade. He added that this year’s celebration of the National Day is particularly important because it coincides with the World Cup in football.

14/12/2022

30 Years Since The Signing Of The NAFTA Agreement

Celebrating 30 years since the signing of the NAFTA agreement is proof of the common belief that trade agreements represent a cohesive factor in connecting peoples, countries and continents. Trade ties between Canada, Mexico and the US are strong. Since 1993, trilateral trade in goods between Canada, Mexico and the US has more than tripled, allowing our companies to create new jobs, innovate and grow together. Economies need to develop and grow. Trade agreements between the three countries also continue to evolve, and now include better environmental and labour standards and better regulation of digital trade and small businesses. In this way, NAFTA evolved into the new USMCA agreement in 2020.

Another 59 Years To Break The Glass Ceiling?

The EU directive aimed at improving the gender balance on corporate boards, which was finally adopted on 22nd November 2022, took a decade to negotiate. Here in Serbia, women face the same challenge at every step in the employment process. And just how much that could be changed by the Law on Gender Equality remains to be seen.

claimed that women and men are not treated equally in the workplace.

force. It remains to be seen whether other employers will also adhere to the law and provide equal opportunities to all.

It took 10 years of negotiations to reach a milestone achievement like the Women on Boards Directive, which seeks to improve the gender balance in corporate decision-making positions at the largest listed companies in the EU. The directive was finally adopted on 22nd November 2022. The successes, and the period needed for a consensus to be reached, show how hard it was to tackle – so far only in the form of a document – one of the strongest bastions of male power and source of female inequality.

Women in Serbia are fighting the same battle. According to a survey conducted by tobacco company Philip Morris in Serbia and the Coordination Body for Gender Equality, the so-called “glass ceiling” – which refers to obstacles faced by women in advancing in business – is very much present in Serbian society. The survey showed that 54 per cent of women have lower incomes than their partners, and 56 per cent have lower incomes than their male counterparts. In addition, 78 per cent of respondents

Along the lines of the EU directives, the new Serbian Law on Gender Equality, adopted in 2021, sets the legal framework for the equal representation of men and women (40-50% women unless otherwise stipulated by a special law), which

In accordance with EU directives, the new Serbian Law on Gender Equality, adopted in 2021, establishes the legal framework for the equal representation of men and women, which public authorities and employers in public institutions must take into account

public authorities and employers in public institutions must take into account.

As an example of such a principle, the Ministry of Culture applied the principle of balanced representation of genders immediately upon this law entering into

Indeed, like many countries, Serbia is – at least through its official acts –striving to improve social and economic outcomes for women by creating possibilities for equal access to education and employment, securing the right to live free from discrimination, violence and exploitation, and enjoying the same opportunities to realise their full potential as men and boys.

Even the legislative framework is not fully in place. Serbia is still awaiting the Action Plan for the National Strategy to Combat Gender-Based Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (20212025), as well as the new National Action Plan (NAP), with the latest one having been in force for the 2017-2020 period.

Of course, changes in real life are much more subtle. According to the third Gender Equality Index in the Republic of Serbia 2021 – measuring changes in the domains of work, money, knowledge, time, power and health – Serbia has increased by 5.6 points compared to 2016. Yet, according to the results, if gender equality improves at the same pace, full gender equality might only be achieved 59 years from now.

Equality Is Our Credo

MAJA GOJKOVIĆ, Deputy Serbian Prime Minister and Minister of Culture, President of the Coordination Body for Equality

Strong political will exists in Serbia, but also a willingness of the society to advance gender equality in all areas of political, economic and social life ~ Maja Gojković

Serbia has improved its legislative and strategic framework over a significant period, as a prerequisite for the creating of equal opportunities for women and men. A set of strategic documents was adopted in 2021: the new Law on Gender Equality, amendments to the Law on the Prohibition of Discrimination, the Strategy to Suppress and Eliminate Gender-Based Violence against Women and Domestic Violence for the 2021-2025 period and the new Strategy for Gender Equality for the 2021-2030 period. The law on gender equality envisages, among other things, a balanced representation of the sexes in political and public life and gender-sensitive budgeting, while the term unpaid domestic work has been introduced, as well as the obligation for employers to work on establishing the equal representation of women and men. There has also been the clear defining of the protection of employees and their enjoyment of all rights following maternity/parenting leave.

The coordination body for gender equality should represent the focal point in the connecting of different policies and monitoring the achieving of targets set by strategies and action plans.

That’s why we discussed the upcoming work of that body in 2023 with Deputy Serbian Prime Minister and Minister of Culture Maja Gojković, who is also president of the Coordination Body for Equality.

“The Coordination Body for Gender Equality was founded with a mandate to coordinate the work of state administration bodies and other institutions with the aim of advancing gender equality and the position of women and men in Serbia. We are an institution that brings together all state initiatives, activities and efforts in the area of empowering women in all areas of life, as well preventing and fighting all forms of gender-based violence. Our plans to advance in this work imply a firm po -

litical will and decisiveness to continue strengthening the capacities of every institution and individual, in order for the normative and strategic frameworks to be effectively applied in practice. Improving gender equality includes not only legislative bodies and decision-makers, but rather also cooperation with international partners, the civil and private sectors, but also the media, which plays an important role in promoting a culture of non-violence and building a society on foundations of respect for human rights,” says Gojković.

The coordination body provides expert opinions and sets the direction of the work of state bodies on jobs that have a direct or indirect

DECISIVENESS

We have a firm political will and decisiveness to continue strengthening the capacities of every institution and individual, in order to realise gender equality in practice

impact on gender equality, and also coordinates the work of state administration bodies and other institutions with the aim of promoting gender equality. For example, despite numerous approach protocols, it seems we still don’t always have conformity when it comes to domestic violence. In your opinion, what should be done for us to have fewer deaths and generally less domestic violence?

Violence in the family and domestic partnerships represents an extremely important and complex topic. Unfortunately, no country anywhere in the world is exempt from the battle against this scourge, and women and girls represent the group that’s disproportionately impacted the most by this form of violence. Violence against women represents an extreme violation of human rights, which mustn’t be tolerated under any circumstances. However, in Serbia, like in many other countries, there are stereotypes that still prevail, and thus also prompt feelings of shame in reporting violence among victims, which only complicates the fight against gender-based violence. As many as 84% of women killed by a partner or family member never turned to institutions for help. It is for this reason that we will continue working on the empowerment of women, both through the normative framework and through projects that we implement with local and international partners. We can see from numerous statistics that the number of women deciding to report violence increased over the previous year, which is very important. Although certain progress has been made, the Coordination Body for Gender Equality will continue working at full capacity to ensure all women and girls feel safe in our country in the future.

VOICES

As many as 84% of women killed by a partner or family member never turned to institutions for help. It is for this reason that we will continue working on the empowerment of women

How do you intend to cooperate with the numerous NGOs dedicated to improving the position of women?

We have good cooperation with numerous civil society organisations that are active in the area of improving the position of women and fighting for women’s rights, as well as preventing and eliminating gender-based violence.

COOPERATION

We have good cooperation with numerous civil society organisations that are active in the area of improving the position of women and fighting for women’s rights

areas and women engaged in artistic creation.

We had electoral lists on which 40% of the candidates were women, but at the local level of government, in public companies and public institutions, we don’t see such advances being made. To what extent are you able – in your capacity as minister of culture, but now also in this coordination body post – to influence change in these practices?

Through the projects that we implement in partnership with UN Women, women’s civil society organisations receive support to implement initiatives in the domain of gender equality and women’s empowerment. These initiatives focus on increasing the active involvement of women in policymaking, raising awareness of gender equality issues, overcoming stereotypes, increasing the access of women to the labour market and striking a balance between the private and business spheres of life. Numerous initiatives have also been launched and implemented with other partner organisations in the area of strengthening female entrepreneurship, which we intend to continue and develop further. In the period ahead, we will focus in particular on supporting women’s activism aimed at improving the position of women living in rural

The Law on Gender Equality introduces a balanced representation of the sexes and defines that such a balance exists when the representation of one of the sexes is between 40-50 per cent in relation to the other, unless stipulated otherwise by a separate law. All public authority bodies must apply the gender balance principle. An employer should take care of the equal representation of women and men in their establishment or state institution. In the case that the representation of the sexes is unbalanced, an employer is obliged to adopt one of the special measures from Article 11 of the Law on Gender Equality. From the instant this law came into force, the Ministry of Culture applied the principle of a balanced representation of the sexes. With the August 2021 amendments to the Law on Culture, we harmonised it with the new Law on Gender Equality. We have envisaged, for example, that representation of at least 40% of representatives of the less represented gender be ensured during elections for the National Council for Culture. Additionally, we have established an obligation to ensure the composition of the supervisory and management boards of cultural institutions includes at least 40% representatives of the less

In its further work, the Coordination Body for Gender Equality will continue including the gender perspective in all public policies and practices, including those related to climate change

represented sex. I hope that other employers will also respect the law and provide for the creation of equal opportunities for all.

Serbia is the first non-EU country to introduce the Gender Equality Index into statistics. Where are we lagging behind the EU the most in this segment?

Serbia is the first country outside the European Union that introduced, back in 2016, the Gender Equality Index. This instrument enables us to evaluate our country’s progress in the field of gender equality, but also to compare the results we’ve achieved with those of EU countries. Statistics from the Index also serve as an important benchmark for the adopting of future laws, strategies and measures for improving the state of gender equality in Serbia. When we compare our results with EU member states, Serbia has an index value 10.4 points lower, though this difference has reduced compared to 2016, when it totalled 12.6 points. The differences between Serbia and the EU average are at their greatest in the domains of power, time and money, while they differ the least in the domains of health, knowhow and labour. Compared to the EU average, Serbia made greater progress between the two reporting periods. Compared to 2016, the value had increased by 3.4 points in 2018, while progress of 1.2 points was achieved in the European Union during the same period. Progress was also recorded in the third report, in 2021, and this all serves to confirm to us that we are on the right track, but that we still have a lot of work ahead.

Women are unequally represented in the domains of power, money andfreetime.Inyouropinion,where is it easiest and hardest to alter this state of affairs, in relative terms?

I don’t consider any change as being easy, and the progress we’ve achieved

Serbia is the first country outside the EU that introduced, back in 2016, the Gender Equality Index. Reports for 2018 and 2021 showed that progress has been achieved, but we still have a lot of work ahead

to date certainly indicates that a strong political will exists in Serbia, but also the willingness of our society to advance gender equality in all segments of political, economic and social life. Gender equality is one of the key priorities set by the Government of Serbia in the area of public policy reform. I believe that creating a society where all citizens will be able to fully exercise their rights requires a multisectoral approach from all relevant actors, from state institutions to civil society organisations and important international partners.

Finally, imposing itself alongside the issue of climate change is the issue of women’s inequality in accessing agricultural land, water and other resources, and their greater exposure to environmental pollution. How much does the Coordination Body intend to engage in this area?

This question is complex and there are multiple factors that impact on women’s unequal access to resources and exposure to the consequences of climate change. They impact everyone, and that impact hits women harder due to their limited access to resources and reduced representation in places where decisions are made.

Traditional models still dominate and are reflected in the division between “men’s” and “women’s” jobs, which results in women being the primary consumers of energy in their households. According to research conducted jointly by the Coordination Body for Gender Equality and UN Women, women cook all meals in 82% of households, while the same is true for men in only 8% of households. Women are exposed to negative impacts coming from indoor air pollution caused by heating and cooking using old and inefficient wood stoves. Rural women represent a particularly vulnerable group, considering that only 16% of them own land or the means of agricultural production, while as many as 36% of them renounce their inheritances in favour of their male relatives. This fact further limits access to resources and ensures the economic potential of rural women is insufficiently utilised.

In its further work, the Coordination Body for Gender Equality will continue including the gender perspective in all public policies and practices, which includes those related to climate change. Support is essential at multiple levels in this area, and that includes increasing the participation of women in decision-making processes in relevant areas, support for initiatives aimed at improving the position of rural women, protecting agricultural holdings against natural disasters, supporting access to more efficient energy sources, as well as essential public awareness raising with regard to social patterns that impact the equality of women.

Championing Gender Equality

BRANKICA JANKOVIĆ, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality

Addressing the annual conference of Commissioners, which is held to coincide with the commemorating of the International Day of Tolerance, Serbia’s Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Brankica Janković, chose to direct attention towards the topic of improving the safety of women and girls in rural areas. This is just one of numerous examples of a commissioner opening discussion of a relevant topic requiring attention in Serbian society.

“Thousands of educative stories of both women and men are waiting to become someone’s guideline and inspiration. We are working on them being heard; on their knowledge, experiences and skills being preserved, shared and improved to the benefit of the common good and the advancement of our entire community, but also beyond it,” says Janković. “Women from rural areas are of special value to our society and we must work more to ensure everything they know and produce is recognised and appreciated. Do you know just how many hours of labour are woven into handicraft works, which often seem expensive to people from the city? Those who don’t believe it should try doing the work themselves.”

Of course, our interlocutor in no way idealises the position of rural women. “I always say that it is also essential to improve their position, as it is difficult for them to realise many of their rights, such as the right to pension, disability and health insurance, they have no personal income and own no land, which illustrates how difficult their position often is. Gender-based violence is also part of the problem facing rural women. As they are less likely to report it,” says Commissioner Janković.

The selection of the topic for this year’s regular conference of Commissioners was no accident, but rather represents the result of two years of intensive work implementing the project “Improving the safety of women and girls in rural areas”, undertaken with the support of the Embassy of Norway and UN Women.

“We worked on their economic empowerment through the procurement of equipment for agricultural production, but also office equipment for the work of civil society organisations in rural areas, where the civil sector is less active and yet represents an important factor in the development of every democratic society,” explains our interlocutor.

She nonetheless feels that the most useful element for her and her work was a visit to Portugal that was organised by Portuguese ambassador Maria Virginia Pina and her team. “I most liked the model of organising security in the community on the part of their National Guard.”

Given the title of your conference is “View of the future”, what kind of contribution can we provide to en-

There can be no acknowledging and recognising of the role of women in society without partnership with men. It is important for them to understand that equality takes nothing away from them, but rather that we can provide our full contribution if we work together as equals

PROGRESS

There are evident changes in the promotion of women’s equality, but I would struggle to find a single area where full equality has been achieved

suring the position of rural women is acknowledged and recognised? We will achieve that through government support programmes; through projects like this one that we’ve implemented and are continuing, constant education, changes to cultural patterns and, of course, through required amendments to the legal framework. We must take continuous care to ensure that all public policies are gender-sensitive and that we include as much gender-segregated data as possible. There are several initiatives have already been adopted and that I, in my capacity as Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, forwarded to the relevant ministries. These include, for example, the amendment to the decree enabling the individual registration of farms by married couples, registering real estate property rights, bringing equality to the position of female farmers in the calculating of compensation during periods of maternity leave, continuous support for rural young people and women.

Everyone can provide their own contribution in their domain – from international organisations and state institutions, to local governments. When women sufficiently empower themselves, it is much easier for those around them to accept and appreciate their significance. Many have already decided not to wait, to create their own chances in life, by launching small businesses in their households and earning money for themselves, gaining a sense of certainty and independence.

While we’re already on the subject of security, it is important to note that we are awaited by the drafting of a new Action Plan for the implementation of the UN Resolution on women, peace and security”. Is it time for women in general and is it time to address the issue of climate change and the safety of women?

STATISTICS

We must take continuous care to ensure that all public policies are gender-sensitive and that we include as much gender-segregated data as possible

It’s high time for that. I even find it strange that there’s still no laurel branch on the shoulders of some lady officer, considering the great interest in military schools among our girls. That would be both a symbolic message and encouragement for youngsters.

Serbia has implemented two action plans for the application of Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, and we conducted independent monitoring, alongside an evaluation of implementa-

EDUCATION

What I would like to see, as a result of joint action, is the introduction of sexual and reproductive health programmes to school curricula

and domestic violence, while they are more often victims of human trafficking.

Serbia represents part of the world and shares Europe’s fate on many issues, so it is naturally time for this topic to be included in our political agenda in even more areas.

To what extent can women change their own position; and how much can increased numbers of women in parliament, the government and local government bodies really contribute to improving the position of women generally? Are they valued factors in decision-making processes or merely decoration?

Both women and men can be mere decoration. That is an individual decision, but can also happen by coincidence under some exceptional circumstances. Again, everything depends on goals, personal development and work.

tion. Many things still need to be done, and there should be no delay in drafting the third National Action Plan. Without women participating actively at every table where decisions are made, there is neither prosperity nor stability. This has been shown clearly by the implementation of this resolution. Analysis conducted by the International Institute for Peace in the U.S. of 182 peace agreements signed between 1989 and 2011 shows that the likelihood of peace enduring increases by 35 per cent in the case that women are included in negotiations.

Climate change has long been a major topic on the social agenda, and it is linked significantly to women’s (in)equality. We are all very well aware that climate change has a greater impact on poor people all over the world, while research shows that women are disproportionately harder hit by the adverse consequences of climate change – as they have limited access to water and food, are more exposed to pressure, exploitation

Having more women in politics and occupying important positions in society doesn’t necessarily contribute to the better representation of women’s interests, but if there are none there certainly won’t be any realistic overview of the needs of women and policies required to satisfy them. Having said that, we mustn’t forget that men are also elected to represent the interests of all citizens, regardless of gender. Responsibility is thus shared and is neither less or more for women.

In the fight to lead “balanced” policies, we are often confronted by the “glass ceiling” phenomenon, where it is much more difficult for women to reach the top political positions, regardless of quality. We now have a negligible number of women heading parties, and most of them withdraw prematurely from the political race, in the belief that they lack credibility.

However, in other domains too, the height at which women will “hit” the glass ceiling is determined not only by labour market restrictions, rather reasons can

It is essential to constantly change patterns of social behaviour, deconstruct stereotypes on expected gender roles, but also sexist and misogynistic practises in the public sphere

also be sought in various sociological and cultural phenomena.

We have spent years monitoring the situation, forwarding recommendations and initiating changes to ensure we have balanced representation of both sexes in all spheres. A lot has been done on that front. We also have important and responsible allies in that journey among politicians.

We’ve increasingly been seeing women working in diplomacy in recent times, primarily serving as ambassadors of European countries in Serbia. To what extent are we following this European trend?

We are part of Europe in all ways, and in this are we are somewhere among the average. I don’t think there’s even full gender equality in diplomacy anywhere among the EU member states. And that’s unusual to say the least, considering their skills and knowledge, or more precisely the overall capacities required to deal with diplomacy. We currently have a slightly larger number of lady ambassadors in Belgrade who hail from EU member states, which wasn’t the case until the recent arrivals of the ambassadors of Belgium and Germany. Statistics indicate a continuous increase in the number of women holding positions of heads of diplomatic and consular missions, which also applies in Serbia’s case. Data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs show that almost 40 per cent of positions of heads of diplomatic missions are held by women, including 18 who hold the rank of ambassador.

Climate change also leads us to the topic of women’s health. We’ve witnessed shocking documentaries about the treatment of women in maternity wards, but that’s certainly not all we could say on this topic. Where does room exist for the Commissioner to act in this area?

Only a woman who’s healthy is productive and satisfied. And here I’m referring to overall health, both mental and physical, and a feeling of wellness, and not just the absence of disease. There is ample room for action, because the law provides us

with a solid range of powers and we utilise all mechanisms to act with the aim of improving the general health of residents and promoting healthy lifestyles. Interestingly, health situation often provides the basis for discrimination in the complaints submitted to us by citizens. We determine in individual cases whether there has been a violation of the right to protection against discrimination and provide a recommendation to eliminate said violation, though we also submit general recommendations, as in the case of treating women in some maternity wards, while we initiate various amendments to laws and policies. Many modern medicines and therapies are now available thanks, among other things, to our formal opinions and recommendations. What I would like to see, as a result of joint action, is the introduction of sexual and reproductive health programmes to school curricula.

Even during the time of the pandemic, the majority of our recommendations

aimed at resolving the health problems of vulnerable residents were accepted.

Toconclude,insteadoflistingmany other subgroups of women who find themselves facing an unequal position in society, I would like to ask you if you have encountered any field, company, institution or segment of society where women enjoy full equality in Serbia?

There are evident changes in the promotion of women’s equality, but I would struggle to find a single area where full equality has been achieved. There are numerous reasons for this, while it is noticeable that achievements in different areas differ greatly. In lower-paid occupations and areas with the greatest social importance – such as education, healthcare, social care and the judiciary – we have a shortage of men, which represents a major imbalance in every sense.

It can be seen from the data of the National Strategy for Gender Equality that, compared to the average among EU member states (28), Serbia scores a gender equality index value that’s 10.4 points lower. To improve things, it is essential to intensify the processes that have been launched, by integrating the gender perspective into all public policies and the budget, by intervening directly in certain fields, and by strengthening independent protection mechanisms. The academic community and the civil sector have an important role to play, while the private sector has perhaps the most important role. I recently supported the wonderful initiative of AmCham Serbia – “Support her idea”, which is aimed at advancing the gender perspective of business in the right way, and I’m glad that many companies set the goal of having up to 50 per cent of their decision-making positions held by women in the near future. I believe that could have a significant impact on improving the business climate, and thus also the social climate. An independent, professional and free media also serves as a powerful ally in the creation of that climate. Gender equality is, for me, an issue of fundamental rights and, ultimately, an issue of our vital national interests.

I’m glad that many companies set the goal of having up to 50 per cent of their decisionmaking positions held by women in the near future.

I believe that could have a significant impact on improving the business climate, and thus also the social climate

Women Make A Difference

VIOLETA JOVANOVIĆ, NALED Executive Director

I am satisfied that I have been able, as the first employee at NALED, to monitor and direct the development of the organisation from its very inception, and to have done so in such a way that its management includes many exceptional women who make a difference with their work and intelligence, and who set an example for others to follow

One recent survey showed that women account for only three in every ten business owners in Serbia. That’s why talking to women who have forged successful careers, particularly in areas requiring a lot of personal entrepreneurship, is a good way for us to find out how women succeed and whether their successes are replicable. NALED Executive Director Violeta Jovanović is the ideal interlocutor to discuss this topic.

As a woman who statistically belongs to the aforementioned three per cent, how difficult was it for you receive and retain this position?

I am satisfied that I have been able, as the first employee at NALED, to monitor and direct the development of the organisation from its very inception, and to have done so in such a way that its management includes many exceptional women who make a difference with their work and intelligence, and who set an example for others to follow. I’m also today a member of the community of directors of business associations, and it should be

acknowledged that these organisations in Serbia are headed by women, almost without exception. I would contend that this is the case because we possess the specific skills required to lead dialogue, reconcile contrasting perspectives and articulate members’ proposals in the public policies that we advocate for with the state. The goal of us gathering together in a community is to provide each other with mutual support, the exchange of knowledge and the affirmation of female leadership.

It was 15 years ago that Norway became the first country in the world to legislate management boards of companies having to be at least 40 per cent female. Such a rule exists in our country when it comes to women representing 40 per cent of

candidates on electoral lists. What prevents us from taking a Norwegian approach?

Quotas are one of the important mechanisms for strengthening gender equality and raising awareness of women’s potential and their contribution to social progress. However, it is important to note that there are also pro and con arguments over such a solution, and that the way it is implemented should be carefully conceived. We often witness the failure to achieve the desired effect in the case that a principle is imposed, which sees it applied only formally, and that goes for both politics and business.

According to the findings of the latest report, “Women in the Boardroom: A Global Perspective”, which was conducted by Deloitte Global in collaboration with the 30% Club, women occupy 19.7% of boardroom

EMPOWERMENT

The economic empowerment of women and gender equality are in our national interest, because women account for half of the total population and the working-age population

seats worldwide, which is 2.8% higher than the previous most recent finding, from 2019. If such a situation continues in the future, we can expect equal gender representation on management boards to be reached by 2045. In Serbia’s case, according to the findings of research on factors that contribute to the glass ceiling effect for women in business, only 4% of women hold the function of director or serve as members of management and supervisory boards.

We are encouraged that we are seeing ever more women holding important positions in the state, who can serve as motivational examples provided that, alongside responsibility, they also take authority for decision-making and adopting policies that will be gender-sensitive and thus positive for society as a whole. Moreover, according to data from the APR [Business Registers Agency], women are founders of every fourth company and every third entrepreneurial enterprise, but a question remains as to whether we should always trust the statistics, because we know that there is a practise of spouses only formally establishing a second business in the name of their partner, so the extent to which women are really represented in entrepreneurial waters is questionable.

What we are lacking in order to change these statistics are support programmes that would imply an increase in the number of public institutions and lower prices of private childcare institutions, the strengthening of the awareness of joint parenting, a more tolerant social attitude towards women who are successful and accomplished, as well as community practises aimed at strengthening self-confidence and highlighting good role models. In order to achieve faster progress, it is vital that we create space for women to realise their potential.

OBSTACLE

The economic power imbalance is a key obstacle to achieving equality, and there are numerous challenges in the awarding of support to women entrepreneurs

You believe that every woman who isn’t working represents neglected economic potential. What is NALED doing to draw attention to this and to empower women to enter the labour market?

Through its work, NALED strives to contribute to gender equality and the eliminating of imposed gender roles. As a consequence of the economic and social

New information and communications technologies, the internet, and the comprehensive digitisation that is underway, have not only transformed existing business models, but rather also created opportunities for women to express their development potential

problems of previous decades, women have been squeezed out of the labour market and are insufficiently recognised as being potentially able to contribute to the advancement of society, the strengthening of the economy and the improving of standards of living.

The current situation in Serbia is such that there are fewer women employed than men, while there is also a large gender gap in salaries that ranges from 8.8 to 11%, as well as in quitting jobs to take care of the family and household. The economic empowerment of women and gender equality are in our national interest, because women account for half of the total population and the working-age population, and that’s why it’s also an economic imperative for us to put that human capital to work.

EXAMPLE

We need masses of the kind of support programmes we implemented through the project

“Women as drivers of the rural economy”, because that’s the best way to encourage this target group

In the amendment to the Law on the Procedure for Registration in the Real Estate Cadastre, NALED ensured that spouses who acquire real estate during a marriage are automatically registered in the real estate cadastre as holders of joint property ownership rights, which is a huge contribution to the socioeconomic affirmation of women.

The Ethno Network that exists under the auspices of NALED is a vocational platform that promotes our national heritage and provides support for female entrepreneurship, and thus successfully connects the economy and culture. Since its establishment in 2005, it has been committed to working to create sources of income for women who have been unemployed for a long time, as well as to creating opportunities for those who are more agile to become self-employed. And the results that we’ve achieved testify to that. We’ve managed to help more than 1,000 women become professionally trained through the Ethno Network, to pass through our training programmes, procure equipment, form associations, establish cooperation with municipalities and design products - with the support of the Ethno Network - that they will succeed in selling as business gifts.

Through engagements in the Ethno Network, many women have gained their first work experience, connected their career status and met the conditions to receive a pension, and built for themselves creative jobs that provide them with a source of income and economic independence.

Your research likewise shows that it is commonplace for women to run enterprises that are too small to apply for state aid or projects. In your opinion, what is the cure to this problem: empowering women to work in management positions or some kind of affirmative acti -

on measures that the state could prescribe for applications for state funds?

The economic power imbalance is a key obstacle to achieving equality, and there are numerous challenges in the awarding of support to women entrepreneurs. Through the project that we implemented together with the Office of UN Women a few years ago, we saw that, for every dinar of support that women receive, companies that are run by men receive as much as 4.6 dinars. The problem is that such programmes don’t usually target service activities, where women are more represented than they are in manufacturing, which is dominated by men. Similarly, collateral is often sought in the form of immovable assets, and we know that women are only the owners of one in every four real estate properties and struggle to meet this important prerequisite for receiving support. So, systemic obstacles exist that need to be eliminated.

We also see with the example of artisanal handicraft work that financial assistance that’s allocated from public funds is a precious form of support that’s available, but the problem is that the programmes offered are not aimed specifically at this target group, but rather at civil society organisations, including women’s associations, and that this often boils down to ad hoc support, rather than well-designed and continuous empowerment programmes. We need programmes to protect heritage and register on the national list, but also for registering to provide eligibility to apply for other types of assistance. Likewise, an effective support mechanism could be implemented through social public procurement, and for the protocol of mayors and the state to contact precisely those associations that deal with traditional handicraft production when they require specific business gifts.

You recently spoke about the position of rural women as a group that is perhaps in the toughest position among women. How did you tangibly help these women through

the project “Women as drivers of the rural economy”?

We implemented the project “Women as drivers of the rural economy” in cooperation with the Coordination Body for Gender Equality and with the financial support of UN Women. With a view to the fact that rural women are a particularly vulnerable category, that their position has become tougher and more complex due to insufficient investment in rural areas, through this project we also wanted to highlight positive examples of municipalities that are working to improve the position of these women. We conducted specific support measures for women engaged in traditional crafts in Bela Palanka, Pirot, Knjaževac, Sremska Mitrovica, Inđija, Odžaci and Sombor. We worked on education, creating space and securing other conditions for work, organising training courses and weaving colonies. What we need is for there to be masses of

these kinds of support programmes, for them to become permanent, systematic, because that’s the best way to encourage this target group.

Another area where you are also extremely active is digital transformation. To what extent are women actively engaged in the development of new digital solutions in this field, and in the management of digital transformation projects?

New information and communications technologies, the internet, and the comprehensive digitisation that is underway, have not only transformed existing business models, but rather also created opportunities for women to express their development potential. According to data from the Start-up Scanner 2022 research, which was conducted by the Digital Serbia Initiative, the percentage of women among the founders of start-ups in Serbia stands at 20.5%, which is aligned with the global average of women accounting for 20% of founders, but is above the European average of 15.5%. However, one of the obstacles that they face, and which impacts greatly on their operations, is a lack of sources of funding, with female teams not having such diverse sources of capital as those available to male and mixed-gender teams.

NALED provided its own contribution to this, because within the scope of the StarTech programme, which we implement with the financial support of company Philip Morris, we have already awarded two rounds of grants for the development of innovation among local small businesses and for their digital transformation. Among the 57 recipients of grants, who received total support of two million dollars, as many as 23 of the projects – representing about 40% of the total – are led by women, as company founders or members of start-up teams. We are very proud of that, and we invite other large, socially responsible companies to help entrepreneurship in Serbia, particularly women working in the domain of digitisation and digital transformation, in this or a similar way.

We are encouraged to see ever more women holding important positions in the state, who can serve as motivational examples provided that, alongside responsibility, they also take authority for decision-making and adopting policies that will be gender-sensitive and thus positive for society

Our interlocutor, winner of the Serbian Association of Managers (SAM) Annual Award for 2022 in the Manager of the Year category, assesses that the global crisis we currently face is neither the first nor the last of its kind, and stresses that predictions regarding its impact on global systems could certainly help when it comes to creating mitigation measures.

From the global health crisis caused by COVID-19, we have stumbled into a global financial crisis. Do these challenges also trigger positive change in the banking sector, acting as a call to action?

Periods of prosperity, but also crisis, have always alternated through cycles marking the history of humankind, not only in life, but also in the economic domain. That is not surprising, particularly today, considering the impact of globalisation and strong interdependence among economic systems. However, there are no great advances without great challenges. The global health crisis has brought us accelerated digitisation, which has influenced the fact that we are today much better prepared than before to perform most of our work online, with availability 24/7. It also brought us a hybrid model of doing business, proving that even the most conservative systems can operate remotely with success, thereby erasing labour market boundaries, which was

Success Doesn’t Depend On Gender

JELENA

The country’s banking sector is stable and highly capitalised, and as such also resistant to external shocks. It is in a position to reduce, to a certain extent, the negative impacts of the crisis and slow down its spill-over onto the real sector of the economy ~ Jelena Galić

previously unimaginable.

When it comes to the country’s domestic banking sector, it is stable and highly capitalised, and as such also resistant to external shocks. It is in a position to reduce, to a certain extent, the negative impacts of the crisis and slow down its spill-over onto the real sector of the economy. Still, none of the aforementioned means that there won’t be changes, nor that we won’t feel them, but rather that it’s up to us to adapt to the new circumstances and to responsibly, each on our own side, confront the upcoming challenges of the altered macroeconomic environment and rising

you winning the SAM Annual Award for the 2022 Manager of the Year?

It is a great honour and pleasure to receive this award, esspecialy having in mind the fact that I am one of the founders of SAM, and that this acknowledgement comes from my dear colleagues. In business, as well as in my private life, I believe that consistency is one of the crucial values providing validity to everything you do. That’s why I’m sure that a single business success isn’t the reason I’m where I am today, but rather dedication, being oriented towards goals and flexibility, or the ability to adapt to the changes that occur every day.

Men used to dominate the finance world, but what about today?

interest rates. in order for the coordinated action of all stakeholders (state, businesses, banks) to enable a timely response in the direction of mitigating the negative effects of the global crisis.

Has your entire 28-year career, or the positioning of AIK Banka among the leading banking groups, led to

Even after having spent two decades in management positions in the financial sector, I wouldn’t know how to differentiate. I consider competence, knowhow, experience and approach, which should be all-encompassing, as being the key determinants of success regardless of your gender, the position you hold or the industry in which you work. In that sense, I encourage and support diversity, as viewed from all aspects, because a human is a universal, unique being, and companies and institutions are composed of people, creative, committed, responsible, who create societal and civilisational values with their personal devotion and example.

GALIĆ, AIK Banka CEO

In business, as well as in my private life, I believe that consistency is one of the crucial values providing validity to everything you do

Dedicated To Fostering Female Leadership

Striving for more gender diversity is a key element in Henkel’s holistic diversity strategy, which includes further dimensions such as internationalism and ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities and different generations working together

At Henkel in Serbia, women leaders are involved in a range of areas. Henkel Serbia female leaders present here the development of their careers

Grateful To My Colleagues For Their Team Spirit

Iam pleased to have the opportunity to share key moments in my career development in the company of female colleagues in management positions, and I think that this edition is an excellent inspiration for empowering all those who are starting to build a career. I started my career at Henkel in 2008 as an HR assistant, a year later I took over responsibilities related to personnel selection and employee development in the position of human resources specialist, in January 2012, I became the director of human resources, and in 2014 the president of the company. The beauty of work in HR is that you follow people’s development and help them reach their full potential, while as president of the company you are responsible not only for business development, but for the harmonious cooperation of all departments and the company’s role in society. I am very grateful to our staff for their team spirit, collegiality, knowledge and skills, thanks to which we have been working for 20 years in our country.

GORDANA BRAŠIĆ, President and Head of Human Resources, Henkel Srbija MILICA ŠLJIVANČANIN, Marketing Manager Henkel Consumer Brands

The Future Of Marketing Is In Good Hands

I’ve always looked for positions that allow me to express my creativity. I started my career at Henkel in the corporate communications department, and then my path led me to marketing. I am grateful for the opportunity to develop different skills through rotation within marketing and to get an overall picture of the operation of a business. Through brand initiatives, I can dedicate myself to sustainability projects. This is a topic that is personally important to me and I am glad to work in a company where this is one of the key values in the strategy. Today, together with my team, I stand behind the marketing performance of a number of company brands, which is a great honour but also a great responsibility. I am lucky enough to work with enthusiastic people who search for new knowledge every day and are aware that personal development never stops. I am especially happy that my team consists of a lot of young people whose talent and work ethic show that the future of marketing in Serbia and the region is in good hands.

Open Discussion Gives The Best Solutions

Ihave been building my career in marketing and communications for more than two decades. I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from all countries in our region. Every day we create projects that can make a difference and connect various target groups, we take care of our customers and consumers, keeping values and vision in mind.

I am motivated by the need for constant improvement, to learn about trends, new channels and technologies. In the people I work with I value their positive approach and constructive contribution both to the team and to the resolution of each situation. I look forward to every discussion, considering the situation from different angles to find the best solution. With an open approach, we learn from each other in the best way, and by appreciating differences, we really arrive at the best solutions and, what is even more important, we ourselves develop.

JELENA GAVRILOVIĆ ŠARENAC, Head of Corporate Communications Henkel Serbia and Adria

JELENA BUKUMIROVIĆ, Quality Manager, EE South Ceresit Plants

Dedicated People Are The Strongest Driving Force

Istarted my career in a chemical industry factory, and the first independent industrial projects brought me incredible experience in getting to know the entire production process. When I asked myself what each project has in common, the answer was clear - to ensure quality. That was the moment from which I focused on specializing in quality management. And for seven years now, I’ve been leading a team in six Adhesives factories in the EE South region. The driving force is all those incredible and dedicated people in my team, with trust and continuous improvement we keep up with technological achievements and respond to increasingly demanding market circumstances.

Looking Back, We Can See That We Have Grown And Improved

Istarted my professional career in development, then in marketing, and in the supply chain in materials management. Our factory grew into one of the largest production facilities in the Henkel Group, so it was challenging and stimulating to grow and develop in such a system. When I look back, all that remains are the victories I share with my colleagues and the fact that we have grown and improved. Without faith in my colleagues, my managers and myself, that journey would not have been as exciting. Life is not competition, but cooperation, and it is not about winning, but about helping each other.

It Is A Joy To Learn, Grow And Develop With The Team

In my 17 years at Henkel, I have spent most of my time in the controlling department, and currently I have a dual responsibility: as a sub-regional controlling manager of the Adhesive Technologies business unit for Central and Southern Europe and as a regional controller for Adhesive Technologies in Europe. I consider building and developing a team to be my greatest achievement. I am happy with the successes of my colleagues and how we all learn and grow together. The team and the people I work with are my greatest joy and daily inspiration for coming to work. As a leader, I strive to give team members the opportunity to develop their potential.

MARIJA BLAGOJEVIĆ, Head of Business Planning Europe

Solving Challenges Brings New Knowledge

For success in my job you need exceptional communication skills, because we are the link between Operations and Supply Chain on the one hand and Sales and Marketing on the other. By solving challenging and varied situations, we gain new knowledge, new contacts and experience that helps us in our further career development. Tha following quote from Duško Radović that somehow describes my career both as an employee and as a leader: “If you solve all your children’s problems, they won’t have any other problems than you.” In other words, freedom and independence in work are the best way to achieve a stronger relationship with employees, they bring the best results, both in achieving goals and in personal development.

For A Strong Team There Is No Insoluble Issue

When I graduated from the Faculty of Law, I did not think about a corporation. I worked in the state administration and in a lawyer’s office, and then I came to Henkel. I thought about whether to even apply, but after almost 14 years I’m still there. For more than 10 years, I have been in the position of Head of Legal Affairs, and since 2014 I have also been a member of the Executive Board of Henkel Serbia. I never changed departments in Henkel, but a lot of people around me changed and everyone left their own mark. What I value most in my working environment are the people. I have been working with some colleagues for many years and we have created a strong sense of trust so that I have the impression that there is no insoluble situation for us.

ALEKSANDRA JANJIĆ, Controlling Mgr A Cluster Adh South&Central and Regional Controlling A Europe

SANDRA SIMIĆ, Head of Legal Affairs, Henkel Srbija

DANIJELA MICANOVIĆ, Material Management Manager, Henkel Kruševac

IVANA ŽIVOTIĆ, Head of Marketing ACB Serbia & Export, Adhesive Technologies

It Is Important To Share The Same Values With Colleagues

Running the marketing department of a construction brand that is perceived as ‘masculine’ opens up space for prejudices that have made me even tougher and more determined. Leadership in the construction industry, which is characterised by change and unpredictability, implies years of effort, risky decisions, but also the courage to set trends and maintain consumer loyalty. The biggest motivation for me is a positive team spirit, mutual respect and a dynamic environment, but above all the support of my team. I am proud that we share the same values, because it keeps our good energy up and leads us to new goals.

It Is Useful To Have The Big Picture Of A Business

Ican freely say that I grew up with Henkel. My development path was colourful, so in the 15 years. I have gained enviable experience in both marketing and sales. An important milestone in my development was going abroad (CEE Henkel), which allowed me to get a broader picture of the entire business. I work in a great team of people eager for knowledge, and I am glad that we function as one family, which is the most important thing. I am happy to transfer everything I have learned to my team and look forward to joint successes. I like to follow trends, improve myself and share my knowledge.

A Positive Mindset Is The Key Team Enabler

Iwas happy enough, to have extremely inspirational supervisors and colleagues beside me throughout my career. They taught me well. Roles and positions come as consequence of continuous disruption of ourselves, over and over again. Without their trust in me, I would never be where I am today and I am thankful to have them all beside me. My experience taught me that collaborative leadership and a positive mindset are the key enablers of a team that is determined always to achieve better results. This is what I practice daily, in my role of global market strategy in Henkel Adhesives.

IVANA MATEJIĆ, Quality and Hygiene Manager, Henkel Kruševac

The Goal Is Satisfied Customers And Consumers

I started my career at Henkel in 2004 as a researcher in the R&D sector. For two and a half years I also worked in the R&D CEE group in Vienna. I continued my career in the SHE (Safety, Health, and Environment) department at Henkel’s manufacturing plant in Kruševac, and today I am the leader of the quality management division. I have been in this position for more than three years and I was lucky enough to form a young, new team and choose my team members. Our keyword in the team is FREEDOM. The team members inspire me with their ideas and desire for change, I shape them with my experience and knowledge, and together we make sure that our customers and consumers around the world are satisfied with Henkel products from Kruševac production site.

A Good Manager Supports Workers

W orking on yourself, improving your knowledge, acquiring new skills and innovative practices are the best investments that always yield returns many times over. There is no job or task that you can’t overcome when you’re surrounded by the right people. For a team to be successful and cohesive, you need trust; trust that you will always receive the support of your colleagues and that the organisation will recognise your worth. A good manager supports workers, motivates and encourages them, and provides them with the knowledge and tools they need to do their job right. Such managers allow the team to grow and present their ideas, cultivating a positive spirit and always ready to take responsibility.

JELENA MARTIĆ, ACB Global Head Market Strategy Tiling, ACB Prefabrication, Henkel Adhesives Technologies

LUCIJA VESIĆ, Head of Finance Controlling Serbia & Bosnia and Hercegovina

IVANA LAZAREVIĆ, Digital & e-commerce manager HCB

Meet The Best CFO

ANASTASIA CVETKOVIĆ ČUČULIS,

CFO, Dijamant

The Association of Financial Directors of Serbia, the largest Serbian organization of financial professionals, in cooperation with the consulting and auditing firm Deloitte, awarded a prestigious recognition to Anastasia Cvetković Čučulis at Dijamant, a regional leader

Iowe my success to all partners, suppliers, for many years of high quality cooperation. On the other hand, I am proud to be part of an extremely important investment project - the construction of a new factory for the production of raw and edible oil in Zrenjanin - says the best financial director in 2021.

First of all, we would like to congratulate you on being named the best financial director, and then we would like to ask you to tell us more about this award. It must mean a lot to you.

Being chosen as the best financial director of the year is an extraordinary honour, especially when such recognition comes from the profession, from the largest Serbian organization of financial professionals. With the honour inevitably comes responsibility, to justify results and expectations, to continue with even greater motivation. As a regional leader, our company works through a chain of associates with equal importance for achieving the goal, which is first and foremost the continuous supply of Diamant’s products to the market.

I owe my success to all partners, suppliers, for many years of fine cooperation. On the other hand, I would like to point out that I am proud that Fortenova, of which the Zrenjanin plant is the largest producer of edible oil, has entrusted me with such an important

management function and that I am part of an extremely important investment project: the construction of a new factory for the production of raw and edible oil in Zrenjanin.

Awards for the best managers in finance have for years been reserved for your male colleagues. Does this mean that women are getting better at their jobs and that there are more and more of them in these positions?

The world of business is generally used to men occupying managerial po -

improvement of personal performance.

You have years of experience in managerial positions in finance, and you have a great team of forty staff. Do you have the impression that you were born to be a leader? What do all leaders have in common, regardless of gender?

sitions, but the fact is that the number of women driven by ambition is increasing. I am pleased that you see me as someone who continues to proves herself and that this award is also an indication that the divisions between men’s and women’s jobs have been overcome. Jobs that are traditionally believed to be men’s are available to women today, and I am sure that success is not guaranteed by gender, but by dedication and constant

Those years of professional experience that you mention taught me that behind every accomplished leader, there is a team of dedicated and engaged colleagues. My opinion is that all good team leaders share one characteristic: awareness that personal success is inextricably linked to the motivation of their team. I strive, from my personal position, to inspire and set a positive example for employees, and for us to push the boundaries together. Besides, the key to success is developing high quality two-way communication, caring about common goals and focusing on their outcomes. The task of the leader is to maintain a positive attitude in the whole team. This is of great importance for successfully completing business obligations and managing the complex processes we face.

The key to success is developing high quality two-way communication, caring about common goals and focusing on their outcomes

Success Comes With Knowledge And Experience

ANGELINA NEKIĆ, CEO of Delta Real Estate and vice president of Delta Holding

The number of women in management positions at Delta Holding is impressive, although professionals here were never divided according to gender, but only according to the quality of their work. They believe that diverse teams make better decisions and that this is directly correlated with the results of a successful company

After 20 years in the company in the most responsible positions, our guest tells her young colleagues not to be afraid of dedication and love for work, that it is possible to have both a career and a family, and that with knowledge and experience comes success.

Miroslav Mišković, the president of your company, wrote in his book that he always preferred to employ women. Do you know why that is?

Since its founding in the 1990s, Delta has been unique in that the president often chose women as his closest colleagues, openly claiming that they are more dedicated, precise and better workers. More than three decades later, his attitude has not changed. Loyalty, responsibility and fostering good team relations are just some of the qualities that women have shown at Delta, justifying this choice.

From the very beginning, Delta Holding took care to provide the same opportunity to everyone. Is that still the case?

We have four women and three men on the company’s executive board. It is a fact that the number of women in management positions is impressive, but also that we have never divided professionals in the business according to gender, but only by quality. I think that diverse teams make better decisions, which is directly correlated with the financial results of a successful company.

The industry you belong to is considered male, and the entire management team of Delta Real Estate is female. Why are there so many women in a “man’s job”?

It happened spontaneously that women took leadership positions in our team, but within the teams led by my exceptional women colleagues, there are a large number of men who are responsible for every success. Many of them are recognized as experts

ch the team day by day with their knowledge and expertise. Behind the successful women in Delta Real Estate are some exceptional men both at work and at home.

It seems to me that women in leadership positions cause more surprises abroad than here. When visiting real estate events around the world, we notice that the number of women in this industry is still at a low level. I am glad that the situation on our market is very different.

How much does a strong and professional team of colleagues means to you?

It is always important to have a professional and a strong team of colleagues, and the challenges are only there to remind us of their importance. Real teams are not built

overnight, we have been building ours for more than three decades. Demanding and innovative projects bring challenges and more difficult tasks that clearly indicate the importance of a strong team. We embark on every new project with the message “If it was easy, someone else would do it”, and this further shows that we believe that we have gathered and developed the best personnel.

Research shows that women are better managers, especially in crisis situations because they show more democracy and responsibility, they rely on the team more than men.... Do you agree with that?

Partly, because I always had male colleagues and managers who displayed these qualities. Of course, for a high-quality gender-balanced team in the company, it is important that men in all positions support their female colleagues in their advancement. These are usually men who are surrounded by strong female figures in their lives, such as a mother, sister or wife. Aware and strong men know how to appreciate and respect the fairer sex without prejudice. In every company, you must build a relationship of mutual trust, collegiality and respect for all staff, regardless of title or gender. A woman or a man in a leadership position is only someone who is first among equals.

You have been with Delta for more than two decades. You went step by step, from controlling, through Agrar and the finances of the Delta Real Estate Group, to your current position. You practically grew with the company...?

My first real job and the start of my professional career took place in the Delta system. From the very beginning, as a young financier, I followed the impressive growth of Delta. I was lucky and had the opportunity to change completely different industries and gain incredible experience without changing companies. It was exciting from the start. I mastered my first financial lessons in the framework of central controlling, and then a few years later real challenges followed in Delta Agrar. From privatisation, property purchase, restructuring, investment programmes, to participating

in the establishment of the first modern orchards, farms and other adventures that were a big school in a short time.

Moving to Delta Real Estate, which was then opening the first shopping mall in Serbia and the largest residential complex, brought the knowledge that was worth paying to get. Side by side with more experienced colleagues, I had the opportunity to negotiate with foreign tenants, contractors and representatives of banking groups. These were not only business lessons but also life lessons, and I grew and changed, just like Delta.

whom I am very proud. I enjoy watching them grow into exceptional professionals.

There are also young colleagues with whom I had the opportunity to work, who have continued their careers in one of the companies from Delta’s system or companies outside our system, I follow their careers, look forward to their successes and I am very proud that I had the opportunity to I influence their growth and development.

I believe that the task of women in management positions is to encourage their colleagues not to be afraid of dedication and love for work, that it is possible to have

Delta works hard to create successors for certain positions in the business system. Are you participating in the creation of a new Angelina Nekić, a new Marija Desivojević, Milka Vojvodić, Ana Dišić...?

At the beginning of 2023, the eleventh generation of young leaders will arrive at Delta. Every year, this program attracts young, ambitious and educated staff, whom we help to find their career path through mentoring. The Delta Real Estate team includes a large number of colleagues who have gone through this programme and of

both a career and a family, and that success comes with knowledge and experience.

Was it difficult for you to balance work and private life?

I am what my function says, but I am also a mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend, godmother... We have to reconcile several roles and find much-needed support both at work and in the family. It’s not easy, but it’s not impossible either. In my case, a good support system is crucial, or as I joke - good logistics are needed. There are days when my work is in focus, and moments when I am more focused on my family. Every time work requires some additional engagement of me that takes me away from my family, I think that I am setting a positive example for my daughter, nieces and other young people around me. I would like them to adopt my motto “work hard, play harder”. Hard and dedicated work always pays off, it is an integral part of business life.

Loyalty, responsibility and fostering good team relations are just some of the qualities that women have shown at Delta

Every Challenge Provides A Valuable Lesson

SLAVICA PAVLOVIĆ, President of the Executive Board, Eurobank Direktna

Eurobank in Serbia has merged and joined forces with Direktna banka, thereby strengthening its position on the Serbian market when it comes to achieving its most important strategic goals, which include, among other things, the further growth and development of operations, the expansion and improvement of its range of products and services, and increasing its client base

Great kudos for the success of one of our country’s most reputable financial institutions belongs to one woman, Slavica Pavlović, who spoke to our magazine about banking sector trends, her own recipe for success, gender equality, and the balancing of private and professional obligations.

Before we’d even defeated covid, we were confronted by the war in Ukraine, inflation, economic crisis and instability of financial markets. How do you view this juncture and the year ahead?

The global geopolitical situation is indeed extremely uncertain and it’s difficult to offer clear foresight in the sense of

long-term developments, the reactions of individual countries and the results of those reactions. We see this precisely in the example of the Ukraine crisis and its macroeconomic consequences, which will certainly also mark the next year and represent a major challenge on the geopolitical front, especially in terms of the maintaining of energy stability and further economic development.

It should be considered that our country’s economy is relatively small and under the significant influence of economic trends in Western countries, i.e., it is subjected to spill-overs of both positive and negative effects.

Can traditional banking survive in the form in which it’s existed to date and is it time for the entry of new “players”?

This is a topic that’s gaining ever-more importance. Fintech companies are extremely agile and technologically advanced “new players” who are able to easily recognise business opportunities by, for instance, targeting a specific product or service for which a need exists and thus “diving” into the banking market and achieving exceptional results. On the flip side, traditional banking is a highly regulated industry that has a long tradition and which forms the backbone of

the financial system of every country. However, banking is also a very dynamic sector that’s characterised by flexibility and a readiness to transform business models that adhere to the changes and demands of the new era and clients.

Judging on the basis of the experiences of developed countries, banks are facing a kind of watershed moment, because they have insight into the limitations of the digitisation of their products and services, i.e., they can see that it’s no longer sufficient to be a digital version of themselves, among other things, thanks precisely to the results being achieved by fintech companies. A clear movement towards the further transformation of banks is already emerging, for example via the segmentation of products and services, or through offering part of their services or information to other participants, who in turn create their own product. It will be interesting to see the direction in which the transformation of banking will unfold, but that can be expected without a doubt.

The formal merging of Direktna banka with Eurobank was realised last year. What are your plans for the period ahead?

The new entity, Eurobank Direktna a.d. (jsc), is a financial institution with much greater vitality, increased assets and a strong deposit base, and a larger number of clients. And numerous synergies were realised thanks to this merger, the full potential of which we are planning to direct towards our further dynamic growth and development. The aim of Eurobank Direktna is to be a reliable partner to all of its clients, partners and associates, and a strong pillar of support to them in their business ventures. Some of our strategic goals include the further growth and development of operations, the expansion and improvement of our range of products and services, and increasing the client base. Likewise, we will continue providing strong support to the local community through various CSR projects and initiatives, investing in education, healthcare, culture, the environment and social inclusion.

We are certain that, as a successful woman, you also see room to improve gender equality...

Statistics at the level of Europe as a whole show that women are still paid less for the same jobs, that they don’t have equal access to positions of power and that they have limited opportunities for employment and advancement, which is unfortunately often related to their plans to start or expand their family. Also particularly concerning is the prevalence of various forms of violence and discrimination against women, such as domestic violence.

Although progress has been achieved when it comes to legislation, cultural patterns of behaviour and the traditional

I would rather share the experiences that shaped me in a professional sense, but also as a person. I am deeply convinced that hard work forms the basis of every success in life. This doesn’t only imply dedication to work or achieving some personal plans and goals, because those are also important steps in one’s career and life, but rather I’m referring first and foremost to investing in yourself, constantly improving your knowledge and skills, and accepting new challenges.

Everyone responds to the challenges of life and work in accordance with their own character and temperament, but regardless of all individual differences and peculiarities, hard work, primarily on oneself, forms the foundation of everything that follows. I also think we need to be ready to accept new challenges and not fear change. Every challenge that I’ve got to grips with proved to be a valuable lesson and taught me to look ahead. And when we look ahead, then we simultaneously set a goal that we strive towards and motivate ourselves on that journey.

understanding of gender roles are slower to change, which is why, for example, it is still commonplace to resort to the division between the “stronger” or “weaker” sex, or for women to be expected to be “the pillar of the home”, i.e., to take care of the housework and childcare by themselves.

That’s why promoting gender equality is an important issue that must be addressed systemically and that we must all participate in actively, starting from the state and state bodies that adopt the legal framework, via companies that must formulate and implement their own strategies to advance gender equality, to all individuals responsible for actively encouraging the implementation of these principles, both in the family and society as a whole.

What would you advise your young female colleagues and women just embarking on their career journeys?

I hesitate when it comes to sharing advice, because everyone needs to lay and follow their own path to success and happiness.

Achieving business goals demands commitment, time and effort, as is also the case with family, especially children. Do you have a recipe for harmonising these two important areas of life?

There is neither an existing recipe nor a universal solution that will work every time. I accepted the harmonising of my professional and personal obligations as one more challenge, and a daily one at that. Understanding, patience, a good relationship with colleagues and in the family - all of that can help, but frankly, an ideal balance doesn’t exist. Family commitments will sometimes require more time and dedication, while under other circumstances the same will apply to business obligations. I think this daily weighing up of commitments is totally normal and that it’s not something we should fear, or that we should be too harsh and critical of ourselves. On the contrary, I consider it better to accept and strive towards finding a balance that enables us to be happy and fulfilled in both a professional and private sense.

Our goal is to be a reliable partner to all of our clients, partners and associates, and a strong pillar of support

Everyone Is Important

SBB is a company that employs equals numbers of women and men. Although men remain dominant in top management positions, viewed as a whole it could be said that the United Group, within the scope of which SBB operates, represents a place where people can develop in a working environment that fosters equality, parity, and that offers women and men the same opportunities

For this special edition dedicated to gender equality, we spoke with SBB Sales Director Ksenija Bulatović, who has been with the company for 18 years. Ksenija spent a long time working in the field, which isn’t often a job that is receptive to a woman, but she fought to earn the respect of her colleagues. She is set to complete her MBA studies in May.

Our other contributor is Minja Jugović Janjić, SBB Marketing Director, who - together with Ksenija – is one of the four women holding top manage -

ment positions at SBB. Minja studied in the UK and the U.S. and has amassed 17 years of experience in business. She has been shortlisted multiple times for the award for the most influential woman in communications aged under 40, and this year she was also nominated for the event of the year. She has two children and carries the great burden of leading SBB’s struggle with challenges on a market where this company fights with weapons of innovation and creativity.

Here are the stories of our interlocutors.

MINJA JUGOVIĆ JANJIĆ, SBB Marketing Director

We’re Galloping Forward

there was probably a period in this business when it was necessary for women to make a breakthrough, but I think they’re in the same position as men today. You can see women today at the helm of various large communications companies, PR agencies, production houses and companies.

ments. And we’ve since then measured the satisfaction of our users, on the one hand, and eNPS, i.e., the satisfaction of our employees, on the other. Both then and now, the headline resounding within

Including the long reign of the Queen of England, I don’t think there’s a position that hasn’t been conquered by women today. The same goes for marketing. I’m acquainted with plenty of successful women who work in communications, while I also know a lot of successful men in this business, and I wouldn’t make a big difference between them. Initially,

That’s why I think it’s better to divide between those who are good professionals and those who aren’t, and between people who are creative, because in communications and advertising, alongside good organisation and budget management, it is very important for us to be creative and to react swiftly and be able to respond at any given moment to the market, which is pretty demanding when it comes to telecommunications in Serbia.

When it comes to listening to the needs of users, in 2019 we, as a company, introduced customer experience measurements and net promoter score (NPS) measure -

our company was ‘everyone is important’. That means that there can be no satisfied user without a satisfied employee, and vice versa. I think that’s all causally linked. I’m very proud that the first of our larger projects was the launching of that net promoter measurement, as a philosophy and the way a company does business. When we take into consideration that we

I know plenty of successful women who work in communications, while I also know a lot of successful men in this business, and I wouldn’t make a big difference between them

had an average score of 20 back then and we’ve now reached over 50, it becomes clear how much of a change we’ve made. I think that’s a high score when it comes to telecommunications. It’s also a high score generally when it comes to service providers or sales (FMCG). We try not to fall below 50, and during this year, our jubilee year, we set the target to exceeding 55. And we’re well on our way to achieving that.

At the same time, I’m happy that I work in a group that has recognised the great potential that exists for E-commerce on

our market, which is why we created the company Shoppster, which deals with online sales. We are striving to both satisfy our users and popularise e-commerce. For example, we have enabled customers to make online purchases that can be paid in 12 and 24 monthly instalments.

And are men or women bigger e-shopaholics? There are no rules. I would say, first and foremost, that there is still a slight underdevelopment of the Serbian market when it comes to online shopping, and that we’re all only just shifting to this possibility

KSENIJA BULATOVIĆ, SBB Sales Director

Combining Energies Is A Good Thing

Holding a senior management position and working in the field isn’t a burden, but it’s certainly a challenge. I would provide just one example: when I started working for this company, one of the main tasks was to sign contracts with new buildings that were under construction. And that involves a structure for negotiating and reaching agreement where 90% of the people are men – investors, engineers, construction site bosses etc. The Belville complex was being built, during my first or second year at SBB. I arrived at work dressed as I always do, wearing heels, red patent leather shoes. I headed to the construction site and, at the door to a container office, a man gave me a hardhat and asked: where will you go in those shoes? I said I was going for a meeting. I know it’s a meeting, he said, but this is a building site... Never mind. Five of them followed behind me: a colleague who was the construction site boss, me from sales, him from technology, investors, bosses... And we somehow reached an agreement. That was definitely a challenge; it was a completely different kind of energy that helped me strengthen myself in such situations.

When it comes to me entry into a top management position, I would say that the credit definitely belongs both to my colleagues and myself. That’s because I wouldn’t be what I am today without the support of colleagues

who are hierarchically above me, below me and on par with me, and I wouldn’t be as successful as I am today.

In terms of gender equality, I’m not sure if it is promoted at our company or if it is a natural occurrence. I head sales, for example, where the counters of our branches are mostly staffed by women, and we reached that situation naturally, without being compelled. On the other hand, you have the technical department and technicians, the majority of whom are men. We recently

I wouldn’t be what I am today without the support of my colleagues at all hierarchical levels, and I wouldn’t be as successful as I am today

received a polemical question: why have we never hired more female technicians? It seems to me that the men at our company would also like to see what it would look like if they were joined by a female colleague in a job that isn’t considered “feminine”. The same applies, albeit in the opposite

and gaining trust in the option of paying bills online. We were one of the first companies to introduce the online payment of bills, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our marketing department reacted very quickly and prepared tutorials on this topic, precisely to assist our users.

E-commerce is still growing in Serbia and we are certainly galloping forward. I also believe that everything will find itself in a digital format in our country very soon, so we won’t be using cash at all to make purchases.

direction, to us in sales: I like to see some young man who would work at a counter apply for a job in sales. That’s a really nice thing, a nice challenge, because combining energies, both in management and in the field, is a good thing.

Although we face numerous challenges in the further expansion of the company, what instils strength in me is the synergy I have with my colleagues in the team, for any kinds of moves we make. I feel proud when I see and feel how we are all participating in our struggle on the ground; that we are aware that it is only together that we can make the right decisions that lead to stability and success. One very important thing is that you have to love both the company and the work you do.

The Strength Of The Team Makes A Strong Foundation

ZORICA POPOVIĆ, CEO, Elixir Group

Elixir Group’s production capacity is one million tonnes, the portfolio consists of 55 different chemical products, of which we export 70% to the markets of 85 countries. In the last 10 years they have invested 250 million euros in development, and in the next three years they will invest even more

When asked what it’s like when a woman leads one of our most successful companies, our guest proudly points out that she has great confidence in her team. She explains that a company is not made up of buildings and machines but people, the greatest capital that a company can build, and that if everyone is rowing in the same direction, every goal can easily be reached.

You have been in agribusiness for a quarter of a century, and at the head of Elixir Group for 20 years. You still set goals, conquer new markets, work on new projects and products with the same enthusiasm and joy...?

Our first legal entity was founded in 1990, and in 32 years it developed into a business system, through activities in almost all spheres of agribusiness, and since 2012 in the chemical industry. Our production capacity amounts to one million tonnes, the portfolio consists of 55 different chemical

produ cts, of whi ch we export 70% to the markets of 85 countries on all continents.

In the last 10 years, we have invested about 250 million euros in development, and in the next three years we plan to invest even more. These figures in themselves show the dynamic development behind us, and even more importantly the one ahead of us. This demonstrates the commitment and agility of the entire team that creates and realises this development, because without enthusiasm, great teamwork and mutual trust, this would not be possible. That team strength makes our foundations very solid, so my personal and professional enthusiasm is always at a high level.

The group consists of several members who collaborate inseparably with each other and make it stable. What areas of business do you cover, besides the production of complex mineral fertilizers and phosphoric acid?

The activities of the Business System are organised in three divisions. The chemical division is our driving force. It consists of three companies - two of which are the production complexes Elixir Prahovo and Elixir Zorka, whose main products are phosphoric acid and mineral NPK fertilizers, which are marketed through the Agrar sales network. In parallel, we are developing the Eco Energy division,

which with several strategic projects will contribute to energy autonomy and decarbonisation of the sources of heat and electricity consumed in the production processes of the chemical division.

The industrial services division has a particularly important role in supporting the implementation of the large investment cycle ahead of us, from the research and development qualities of our engineering team, through design, to contractor resources in civil engineering, high-rise construction, mechanical engineering and assembly and technical maintenance of the systems developed by the member Elixir Craft.

In addition to the strategic synergy of these activities, what strongly connects the activities of all our divisions are the CE and decarbonisation projects to which we are committed at all levels. This is very important in the context of global changes in the consciousness and behaviour of humanity, both in industry and every individual, towards the environment, the climate and the planet in general.

Due to the energy crisis and the war in Ukraine, the price of artificial fertilizer is continuously increasing. How do you deal with these challenges?

The energy crisis started before the war in Ukraine, and then it further deepened and spread to various market segments, including the market of mineral raw materials and fertilizers. Besides the rising trend of all prices, this year was also marked by major problems in supply chains, logistical stoppages in large seaports, and in our case, the extremely low water level of the Danube made it even more difficult. These problems were partially offset by the increased prices of agricultural products, so that the demand for mineral fertilizers was maintained in all markets, and we managed to produce and market the complete production for the autumn season.

The challenges will continue in the coming year as the market is still unstable and unpredictable. Thanks to the diversification of products and markets that

we have worked on in previous years, we have the capacity to adapt to any situation in a short period of time.

The energy transition to renewable and alternative energy sources is necessary and inevitable, considering all the causes and reasons for this crisis. The green energy transition is a strategic solution for both energy independence and the price of

mother runs a humanitarian organisation... How is your family business model responsible for your success? Unity and togetherness, care for each individual and each family, are part of the values we cherish, and in this sense, the entire Elixir with more than 1,800 staff is one big family. At Elixir, we are building a winning culture, in which everyone has equal chances for development and success. All this takes place in accordance with the development plans and projects of the company, but we never neglect the human dimension in these processes.

Mama has been at the head of the Human Heart of Šabac and has been very dedicated to humanitarian work for more than 10 years, with our maximum support. Because we needed to extend socially responsible behaviour to all kinds of activities, three years ago we founded the Elixir Foundation, which contributes to sustainable development projects of the local communities where we operate, primarily Negotin and Šabac, and also participates in various national initiatives and projects.

At Elixir,

energy, but also for its environmental and climate acceptability. These projects are an integral part of our strategy, and our goal is to completely replace the use of fossil fuels with renewable and alternative sources by 2028, and to be the first carbon-neutral industry of phosphoric acid and mineral fertilizers in Europe by 2030.

Your brother is the founder of the company, your sister is the sales director, your husband occupies a high managerial position, and your

Managerial work can make a person rough, because they often have to turn off emotions, set and respect goals and deadlines. Does your family help you keep your balance? While this is true, a balance is established over time. Experience is what makes the difference, so we handle the burden of responsibility and the decisions we make every day with less stress. Then our emotions are helpful in making the most correct decisions. We make and carry out major decisions as a team, which contributes to an objective assessment of all important aspects - business, economic, social.

I try to keep a balance, because nothing must be neglected. My family is actually my biggest support in everything and I want to return that to them in the same measure. It is very important for me to feel good in my own skin, and this is only possible if we have sufficiently realized all aspects of ourselves, business, family and personal. When the intersection of those sets is large, as in my case, then it makes everything easier.

we build a winning culture, where everyone has equal chances for development and success, in accordance with the company’s development plans and projects

The women of Alma Quattro are happy to have received the opportunity to use their own view of success to inspire younger ladies who’ve just embarked on their own journey to success. They tell them that they shouldn’t be merely impressed by anything, but rather inspired and motivated to create success according to their own measure

Either lead me, follow me, or get out of my way – this is the best description of the women of today and the challenges they face on career paths that they’ve chosen or that have, seemingly by chance, been imposed on them. Women will always follow those who show, with their integrity and results, that they are worthy of being followed. In the same vein, if results are lacking and a woman feels that no progress is being achieved, either personally, or professionally, she will take matters into her own hands and become

an exemplary leader.

Everyone Has Their Own Pathway Success Is Achieved Through Team Support

Although some women have already taken similar paths, their experiences can prove useful to us as a guiding star as we climb the ladder of personal success, but the advice that we receive on that journey is an extremely fragile gift and it should be received with due care, but also with caution and reservation, because our individual experience of success and progress is individually tailored to us and there is no universal recipe that can be applied by everyone.

While each of us walks the path of our own business and life development, there is point at which those paths cross and we head towards some common goal together, each of us with our strengths, experiences, knowhow and aspirations.

SANJA PEŠIĆ, CEO, Alma Quattro

“That is how a team is created in the corporate world. Women know that success is achieved through the support of a team; that the combined strength of a group of people is a result of the individual strengths of each of its members. To paraphrase a famous statement used long ago by David Ogilvy as an aphorism: “If you hire people less intelligent than you, you will have a company of dwarfs, but if you hire people cleverer than you, you will become a company of giants”.

“That giant strength of the women in our team is reflected primarily in theirs ability to view difficulties as challenges, and in today’s world we face a great number of challenging situations. Regardless of whether they work in a corporation

or independently, the entrepreneurial spirit is something that characterises a large number of the women in my circles. And the more such situations arise, the more women will exert extra effort to develop themselves, work on themselves, acquire new skills and expand their comprehension and professional knowhow. That work on self-improvement has enabled many women to more successfully traverse transitions than most men, who haven’t adapted well to the contemporary way of life.

“I’m glad that we’ve received an opportunity, as the women of Alma Quattro, to use our view of success to inspire younger ladies who are just embarking on their journey to success. You shouldn’t be impressed by anything, but rather inspired and motivated to create success according to your own measure.”

BOJANA NOVAKOVIĆ, sales director, Alma

Quattro

The Future Works For Women

Regardless of gender, all leaders possess similar characteristics that promote them being recognised for that characteristic within social groups. When it comes to women, daily experience, and even scientific research, actually shows that women are specific in that they influence results and the achieving of goals in their work environment by utilising strategies with which they accommodate their environment, while men approach the same goals in an exploitative way, primarily taking care to achieve individual advantages over others.

“Education provides women with the freedom and opportunity to assert themselves in business leadership positions. When a woman is motivated, she recognises no boundaries or obstacles on the route to achieving her goal, while she is loyal to the company and will stand staunchly behind her convictions.

“We are witnessing prevailing crises around the world and a general feeling of insecurity reigns. In such times, it seems to me that the characteristics of female leadership produce more adaptive results, especially if one considers that women are more sensitive, empathetic and oriented towards the interests of the wider social community.

“The future works for women; their time is yet to come.”

SANDRA DEJANOVIĆ, executive sales director, Alma Quattro

First One Learns From Mistakes, And Then From Success

When you work in an industry like advertising, which is developing and changing permanently, and where every year brings something new and interesting, but also demanding, completing college is just the first step, in essential knowledge and breadth, to launch a business development journey. Gradually, as you gain more experience, you find it much simpler to resolve the situations in which you find yourself. You first start learning from mistakes, and then also from your own success. You become eager for new knowledge. Regardless of the skills you’ve acquired, you realise at one point that you can’t do it on your own. Success requires a team, a system to which you belong.

“For me it has always been important for me that there are existing opportunities to make independent decisions and develop personally; that we have high-quality interpersonal relations within the team, the encouraging of dialogue. When that becomes possible, and each of us respects the rules and systems, we create our own strength and the strength of the company itself. We move inexorably move towards success and personal satisfaction. It is through personal example and engagement, arduous work and patience, that trust and integrity are gained, both personally and as a team. That’s what the AQ team is like.”

GORDANA JOVANOVIĆ, director of administrative affairs, Alma Quattro

People Represent The Most Valuable Resource

The concept of a life balance represents an appropriate designating of priorities between work (career and ambitions) and private life (health, rest, desires, family and personal development). Finding an equilibrium isn’t always easy, but companies that are able to listen create an organisational culture that recognises and respects the private obligations of employees and encourages managers and workers to work together, through teamwork, in order to satisfy both their personal and professional needs.

“

In the modern world and under contemporary business conditions, human resources represent the common denominator of achievement. People represent the most valuable resource, which enables the achieving and maintaining of a competitive advantage and a company’s survival, company spirit and an atmosphere in which every individual can become self-realised, both in business and in their personal life.

“Regardless of the specific job and its peculiarities, everyone in a company can contribute to creating an atmosphere of entrepreneurship, encourage investment in teamwork and the motivation of employees, as well as devotion to company goals, in order to enable employees to identify with the company’s goals and values.”

Each Project Presents Unique Challenges

Talking about work at the LeitnerLeitner Group, Mrs Knežević says that she is grateful to grow within it, and to share the same vision and the same values. According to her, the company has developed her at both a professional and private level. She is very pleased to see that an increasing number of women are also employed in senior management positions.

You have an extremely successful period behind you. Could you single out something that makes you feel particularly proud? What do you like in particular about your job?

Over previous years we have developed a strong and professional team of experts, who are passionate about finding feasible solutions to all tax, audit, payroll and financial advisory issues. We constantly invest in the education of our employees and hire young and talented people who are willing to learn and grow together with us. In-depth analysis and a proactive approach are the values I instil in my team, of which I am very proud. Regarding the question about what I love most about my job, I would like to say that it’s the possibility to create added value; to work with talented and creative people who share the same vision and dedication to the mission;

JELENA

KNEŽEVIĆ, partner, LeitnerLeitner

One of LeitnerLeitner’s main corporate strengths is caring for employees, clients and the community. They believe that investing in the professional development of employees has become one of the key support pillars for the company’s success

professional growth - each project presents unique challenges…

How much has LeitnerLeitner contributed to your professional and personal development?

It has been a great pleasure for me to be at the helm of LeitnerLeitner in Serbia over the past nine years and to have a very successful period behind us, both in terms of the development of the company and the brand on the market, but also developing our employees and building an amazing team. LeitnerLeitner has developed me both at the professional and personal level, overcoming constant challenges as a manager and following the professional standards and market position of the company as a reliable partner. Our consistently high-quality standards,

personal commitment, flexibility and optimistic approach are key factors for customised and sustainable solutions. We bring life into complexity – a meaningful partnership is the best foundation to address all issues – in private life, in business or when considering a new vision. That’s why, together with our clients, we share the tax, economic and financial challenges of everyday life and in complex situations.

There are professions that are traditionally considered as being men’s work. Do they not include tax advisory work?

I would like to believe that, today, women have more opportunities than ever to succeed and advance in the profession. The tax industry has been changing and developing over recent years, and has become more interesting. Many female tax practitioners have entered in the industry, either as consultants or in-house personnel. The composition of male and female consultants in the industry is now almost balanced. The Bureau says that accounting and tax preparation positions now skew noticeably towards a female bias. Perhaps more surprisingly, women are taking over many financial jobs that are often perceived as male-dominated. They comprise 54.7% of financial managers and 59.3% of budget analysts. I think female leadership can only add value to a company. It is really crucial for companies to become more equal; while company leaders should also have the vision and goal to prioritise gender equality every day, in every decision we make. I am very pleased to see that an increasing number of women are also employed in senior management positions, and we really encourage such an approach within the LeitnerLeitner group.

We are leaving behind a very difficult year. Do you think that 2023 will bring us fewer challenges?

If we compare 2022 with the 2020 – 2021 period, growth outcomes were far more stable. But this year has been remarkably

turbulent, with the global economy hit by multiple adverse “shocks”.

Energy market dynamics will be just as challenging for Europe in 2023 as they were in 2022, and input costs will remain high for years. This will make some industries uncompetitive, leading to a loss of global market share. Inflation—which surged to an unprecedented annual rate of 10.7% in October 2022 — is expected to remain well above target for the remainder of 2022, as well as in 2023. On the positive side, the region’s unemployment has

our economy in the coming period.

We would also like to impact on macroeconomic level and participate in many programmes and amendments of relevant regulations, which certainly also contributes significantly to furthering the green agenda. Our plans for the next period are very optimistic; we hope for even greater success, the growth of the company in Serbia, but possibly also expansion to a region where LeitnerLeitner is not yet represented.

hit a record low of 6.6%, employment and hours worked are above late-2019 levels and labour market participation is higher than it was before the energy crisis. Although labour markets may weaken, the increase in unemployment may be modest.

Serbia is a country with an excellent geostrategic position and excellent bilateral relations with numerous countries. These benefits must be utilised to recover

Could it be said that we are on the right track when it comes to harmonisation with the EU acquis? Serbia is making progress, which the EU has recognised. The country needs stable economic growth enabled by sustainable fiscal consolidation and the implementation of deep structural reforms. The latest edition of the Foreign Investors Council’s 2022 White Book emphasises, among other things, that the privatisation and corporatisation of public enterprises and the reform of public administration will have a significant impact on overall macroeconomic indicators and should be improved. EU integration should continue to be our key priority. Digitisation, labour, infrastructure and construction, tax administration and healthcare are just some of the areas where we share common interests and can learn and exchange experiences with the EU.

Together with our clients, we share tax, economic and financial challenges of everyday life and in complex situations

Experts In Cleanliness And Safety

IVANA SLIOUSAREGKO, Director, Sterile

Leading the company Sterile, which sets new standards in the fight against microbes, is an inventive and successful young woman. In parallel she manages sales at the Junior Hotel and is active in the Hellenic Business Association of Serbia, and she achieves everything thanks to the support of her family

We have many products in our offer that help our business with their quality and comparative advantages and at the same time respond to the needs of our clients - says Ms Sliousaregko and singles out the stars of Sterile’s offering - SteriForce SafeAir and the Midea 5-phase filter

Sterile was founded in 2020, at a particularly delicate moment for Serbia, but also for the rest of the world. Did the primordial need to provide a safer working and living environment for those around you lead you to this?

At the outbreak of the pandemic, the focus of our business was the Junior Hotel. In the months that followed, we realized that both our needs and the needs of our guests would change in a number of ways. The period that followed was very challenging for hospitality industry and required many adjustments, especially in health and safety measures. A not so great situation gave birth to, I would say, a brilliant business idea. Thanks to the support of our investors from Greece, we intensively researched the market to find the best quality products and solutions that will provide our staff and guests with a healthy and safe environment, and for us to continue our business uninterrupted.

How much did the fact that you approached this from the hotel industry, which implies impeccable hygiene, help you in the search and selection of the best quality products for disinfection and sterilization?

The hotel industry and the specific rules that we had to follow definitely set the guidelines for finding the best solutions. For the needs of our hotel, we purchased disinfectants that were available on our market at that time, but we soon realized that the amount of chemicals used would cause all kinds of challenges in our daily business. This led us to buy the products for which we are now representatives and distributors. The first product we bought to protect our guests and staff was a disinfectant spray for surface and air protection in small droplets and with minimal use of chemicals. This product

not only made our work much easier, but also motivated us to become its importer for the hospitality sector. In a very short time that followed, the need for disinfection solutions also spread to medical and educational institutions, which today we include in our client list, including hotels and restaurants.

You decided very quickly to offer your products on a web shop. What motivated you to start expanding the portfolio with specific air purification devices and water filters? And why Eva?

Since our research was aimed at finding suitable protection against the materis harmful to health, we enriched the range with products of similar purpose such as water, air and surface purifiers, which unfortunately nowadays are becoming a necessary part of all premises, home, business etc... The expanded portfolio and the needs of the modern customer soon led to the launch of the web shop, which is known today as Eva. And why Eva? Because this word means life, and as such is associated with cleanliness and safety, and represents our entire portfolio.

You mentioned that your range consists of water, air and surface purifiers. Would you single out any product as the star of Sterile’s offering? Are there perhaps several of them and which devices are they? Our offering includes a number of products that, with their quality and comparative advantages, help our business and at the same time respond to the needs of our clients. One of them is surely SteriForce SafeAir, a device for cleaning and disinfecting air and surfaces without the use of chemicals and without ozone. Its main advantage is that it neutralizes more than 99.9% of airborne bacteria and viruses, while also preventing the growth of fungi and removing odors, allergens and volatile organic compounds, (VOC). I should also mention our, as you put it, star among water purification devices, the Midea 5-phase filter based on reverse osmosis, which neutralizes as much as 97% of harmful elements that can contaminate tap water.

If we understand correctly, you manage sales at the Junior Hotel and are in parallel the director of Sterile doo. Today’s women are super-women?

I believe that in the difficult times we are all going through, you need to be more flexible,

important that our colleagues support us. Otherwise, there is no possibility of development and advancement, neither for the company nor for us personally. All of these are actually the reasons why I manage to be involved in the management of both companies.

What is more accurate in your case: “You successfully handle two jobs even though you have a husband and children” or “You successfully handle two jobs because you find strength and inspiration in your family”?

Family is the reason for every step I take. I personally believe that if the family is in balance, it becomes the perfect motivation to fight, move forward and achieve our goals. While I was walking through life alone, there were mornings when I simply didn’t have the strength to get going. Then they came into my life and that feeling disappeared. The children have become my inexhaustible source of strength and will, from where I draw the necessary mental energy every day. Also my husband, who is my mentor, role model, and my supporter. Together they have made me much more productive, happy, and satisfied person, and are the reason I’m where I am today.

What else connects you to Greece, apart from your surname and membership in the Hellenic Economic Association of Serbia?

and invest more time and effort in your work in order to respond to the increasing and different needs of the market, work and competition. Adapting to new conditions requires constant perseverance and the development of new skills, which are an inevitable part of my business growth. It is important to note that, skills aside, I am fortunate to work with amazing people. They give me motivation and support, and are the reason why I have stayed in the same company for many years. Although it may sound like a cliché, I think it is very

My love for Greece has existed for a long time, even when it was just my favorite travel destination. Now, along with my marriage, it has become my second home. My connection with the country was completed with a professional career in two Greek companies that are part of a large Greek business group. Then there is naturally a connection with HBA and cooperation with many Greek companies operating in Serbia. As a result and crown of that collaboration, many wonderful friendships were made outside of the business environment as well. Finally, when we are talking about Greece, I would like to mention something that my husband likes to say, “Oποία πέτρα κι αν σάχώσεις, Περισμός από Παρμον Ελλάδας“, or in a loose translation - Whatever stone you turn over, savour the scent of Greece beneath.

The need for disinfection also spread to medical and educational institutions, which today we include on our list of our clients, besides several hotels

You Grow When You Learn

TAMARA STANČEV, Commercial Development Director, Ljubex International

Ljubex International has 32 years of experience in the import and sale of bearings. It has a professionally trained staff for technical support, foreign trade and internal movement, among which there are many women. Right now, the commercial department has even more women than men

Based on her rich business experience and enviable past results, our guest Tamara Stančev points out that a happy worker is a good worker, and that a company where the workers are happy is a successful company. She likes the approach that people should do things they believe in, that are in line with their interests and values.

You have worked in different departments and industries, and in corporations, and now you are in a small family business. What was your driving force?

Always and in every position, there were only two desires - one to learn, the other to create. In my opinion, these are the only desires through which you grow - every time you learn something new, you are greater for what you have learned. Every time you create something - it is a part of you, of your greatness. By creation, I don’t necessarily mean the creation of material things, because intangible things are equally valuable, such as the atmosphere at work, understanding for younger colleagues, completing tasks, creating opportunities even when at first glance they may not exist... We often chase after

“big” things, when in fact the big thing is how we approach things, how we do them and how we deal with them.

You are currently in the mechanical industry, which, the uninitiated would say, is no place for women. Your example disproves them... I think that every woman in every industry needs to remain a woman. To not accept

women are just as good as men in industries that were reserved only for the stronger sex.

When you appear in high heels and with a bun to talk about some massive steel products that weigh several tonnes and arrive in Serbia in containers or trucks, it may be unusual at first glance. However, what you say and what you do is what represents your work and your company, and the quality of that does not depend on gender, but on your attitude towards work and customers. And, here’s a fun fact... In our company, in the commercial department, there are currently more women than men, and all of them have been in this industry for more than 18 years.

What principles do you apply when working with people?

For me, the most important thing is that the people in the team are happy. Because I like to be happy and I like to come and go with a smile wherever I go, that’s why I like that kind of atmosphere. I believe that happy people work better, that their brains work faster, because they are not under pressure, that they approach tasks with more enthusiasm and so the results are better.

stereotypes, assessments, evaluations...

To believe in herself, to be consistent with herself, to believe in her knowledge and skills and to bring that fine note of doing things casually and with style. That gender division has been overcome. Men are now just as good in industries that perhaps were once reserved for women,

Maybe a good example of that is reading books... Remember how much we struggled to read certain texts when we knew that we had to, that someone would question us, and then how many books we read after school. At that time no one told us that we had to, but we did it because we wanted to and because we believed it was good and would bring us something good. I like that approach, that people should do things they believe in, things that are in line with their interests and values, and we, as managers, should make it possible for them.

What you say and what you do is what represents your work and your company, and the quality of that does not depend on gender, but on your attitude towards work and customers

Photo: Wannabe Media Studio

The annual survey of employee satisfaction indicates the areas where we need to improve, what employees value the most, what the key parameters shaping our employees’ experiences are, which provides the basis for us to then improve the Employee Value Proposition - explains SR Technics Services GM Milena Gajović Shrestha in this interview.

When your Swiss parent company opened its Shared Service Centre in Belgrade, the initial plan was to transfer administrative positions to it. How did we end up with the partial transfer of technical processes? SR Technics’ initial pilot project in Serbia encompassed the transferring of just a few processes from finance. However, operations expanded on the basis of the trust that we gained thanks to our employees. The results were excellent and proved that Serbia has extremely competent personnel. New waves of transfers of support service jobs followed, which were implemented with equal success. The transferred tasks were undertaken professionally and reliably, which was crucial in launching the transfer and gradual expansion of engineering activities in support of the core area of business: engine operations. Having fully mastered the processes taken over, we entered the next phase ,

SR Technics Nurtures Diversity

MILENA GAJOVIĆ SHRESTHA, General Manager, SR Technics Services

SR Technics Services Belgrade is no longer a shared service centre performing only repetitive administrative tasks and transactions for the needs of the parent company, but rather a reliable partner to the core business, as an integral part of international company SR Technics

in which we re-examined the transferred processes with the goal of simplifying them, digitising them, rendering them more efficient and freeing them of all forms of waste.

Without intending to be slaves to stereotypes, we can’t avoid asking how a young woman found herself at the deep end of the aviation industry...

I consider every person as being determined by their personal and professional qualities, and not by their gender. With that same stance as a starting point,

improvement still exists when it comes to ensuring gender equality in technical fields, from engineering to leadership positions. SR Technics in Belgrade is proud of its almost ideally balanced gender structure (52% women, 48% men), but also of the significant number of women who lead teams.

Apart from stimulating earnings, what makes SR Technics Services an attractive work collective for young, ambitious and educated personnel?

We are very proud that SR Technics in Serbia is a company that’s recommended by its own employees and which former employees are happy to return to, although the competition between employers is growing increasingly fierce.

company SR Technics, which nurtures diversity and respects the equality of all employees, placed its trust in me to stand at the helm of company SR Technics in Serbia. The aviation industry is serious about UN Development Goal 5: achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Despite having achieved progress in terms of the gender balance, the aviation industry is aware that plenty of room for

Our company works continuously to retain existing employees and attract talented individuals. We invest in the professional development of employees via training, develop coaching and mentoring work, encourage employees to provide initiatives, create an ambience in which they can undergo desired job promotions, take care regarding internal mobility and career advancement, and all of this is recognised by employees. The company culture of SR Technics is characterised by an enviable work-life balance, a working environment where excellent interpersonal relations are nurtured, respect for everyone’s individual personality, collegiality and cooperation.

SR Technics in Belgrade is proud of its almost ideally balanced gender structure, but also of the significant number of women who lead teams

The real challenge is how to find the optimal balance between business and private life, but I don’t see why that problem should be exclusively reserved for women. I think that many men are also faced with that question today ~ says Ms Kovačević.

The world is changing fast and new trends are born every day. Do you manage to fulfill them? Is your product portfolio so broad because you have followed the needs of customers?

The times we live in bring great changes in all spheres of life, at a speed we could not even dream of before. The transformations of the new era also apply to our profession, where technological innovation demands you constantly learn and get to know new products and new principles of production and installation. You must also adapt to the digital world of communications, that is, to daily meetings via Zoom, Teams or other platforms that did not exist just a few years ago. So it’s an equally big obligation for both women and men who want to

Women Are Aware Of Their Strength

LJILJANA

KOVAČEVIĆ, manager of the department for projects and technical support, Alumil

Alumil’s product portfolio is really broad, which is a result of following trends in architecture and of adapting to legal regulations in the field of sustainability and energy efficiency

create a balance between private and business life, but with good organisation and time management, all the demands and obligations can be fulfilled.

Alumil’s product portfolio is really broad, which is the result both of following trends in architecture and of adapting to legal regulations in the field of sustainability and energy efficiency. At our company we always try to meet specific requirements, which include unique profile designs or customised solutions. Our project team is very active in this area, all with the

women and their bold entry into the fields of life and business usually reserved for men, the penetration of women into the highest leadership positions began in the media, trade, technological development, science, art and politics. In the past few decades, we have seen that capable women completely manage large business systems and occupy the highest government positions, partly thanks to changes in legal regulations, partly due to the natural development of global society and the now innate knowledge that the sexes are equal in every respect.

And yes, women are more and more interested in career development, for the simple reason that they can see many good examples of it being possible for a woman to be successful in business. Thanks to these aspirations and ambitions, major changes are happening in our society in terms of determining the role of women, not only in the business sphere, but also in the family and society in general.

aim of providing high quality technical solutions and support to both customers and architects.

Do you have the impression that the role of women in the business world has changed a lot in recent years and that women are increasingly interested in career development?

In the West, since the 1960s and the beginnings of the real emancipation of

The real challenge is how to find the optimal balance between business and private life, but I don’t see why that problem should be exclusively reserved for women. I think that many men are also faced with it today. Whether they are married or in less formal relationships, a standard relationship is less and less assumed between a man, as someone who earns money, and a woman, who takes care of children and family. I believe that this is definitely a women’s century.

Our project team is very active, all with the aim of providing high quality technical solutions and support to both customers and architects

Women are Boldly Taking Leadership Positions

ANA GLIŠOVIĆ, financial manager, Alumil

Alumil has fostered equality from the very beginning, so a large part of the top management consists of women. It has been shown that women are as persistent and dedicated to their work as men, but also that their ideas can be equally interesting, creative and effective

The fact is that in recent years, women have increasingly built their integrity and credibility in a male business environment and become more confident and aware of the capacities they can contribute to the company ~ says Ana Glišović.

When you enrolled in economics, did you think about where your path would take you, that you would be part of one of the most famous brands of windows and doors?

After finishing university, I was more focused on starting to work and gaining professional experience. The circumstances of my work gave me contact with services, trade and manufacturing, but my additional interest in architecture and interior design helped lead me to Alumil. When I had got to know the organisation and its corporate culture better, it was my pleasure to become part of the Alumil team, where I have now been for more than 11 years.

In the past, management positions in our companies were mostly occupied by men. Do you have the impression that this is slowly changing and that women are starting to take over?

The fact is that in recent years, women have increasingly built their integrity and credibility in a male business environment and become more confident and aware

of the capacities they can contribute to the company. Consequently, the situation is slowly changing and women are encouraged to take up leadership positions. Our company is a good example

but also that our ideas can be equally interesting, creative and effective.

of this, it fosters equality and a large part of the top management consists of women. We proved to be as persistent and dedicated to work as our male colleagues,

Making women aware of their values, competencies and leadership skills is the way to go, to motivate women as much as possible for career development and assuming leadership positions, where they would be shoulder to shoulder with their male colleagues.

Making women aware of their values, competencies and leadership skills is the way to go

Aquarter of our team is made up of women. In the management, women are represented with 44%, which is considerably above the average for developed markets, with a participation of 45% in the total number of highly educated ~ says Sandra Stevanović Ali Farahat proudly.

Alumil Yu Industry is part of the Alumil Group and has been operating in Serbia since 2003. What kind of results and plans do you have for your 20th birthday?

In 2023, the Alumil team will celebrate 20 years of successful business in Serbia. It is a long route of development from establishing the production complex in Nova Pazova, the formation of sales offices and, finally, the integration of all other business functions into one system. The focus all these years has been on the development of production capacity, improvement of productivity and strengthening sales. At the same time, competitors arrived on the market

We Value Diversity

SANDRA STEVANOVIĆ ALI FARAHAT, HR manager, Alumil

Alumil is a company that prides itself on providing a complete service on our market and the markets it is developing in the field of sales. They round off their sales cycle with exceptionally strong technical support from engineers, architects and consultants who are always available to clients with the same task. What Alumil is undoubtedly proud of is the complete services it provides on our market and the markets we are developing in the field of sales. Alumil rounds off its sales cycle with extremely strong technical support of our architects, project engineers and consultants, who are available to our clients at every stage of sales.

Concerning the results, our team already surpassed last year’s sales at the beginning of the third quarter of this year, despite the very uncertain circumstances that the entire economy is facing, regardless of the industry. The credit for that certainly goes to our colleagues and management, who are dedicated in building excellence every day. Our team in Serbia today has almost 400 employees and it is a real pleasure to be part of such a successful company, where the strategic focus is on people and organisational development.

The number of women employed in the company has grown a lot in recent years, providing equal opportunities regardless of gender. Do you really respect and take care of differences?

That’s right. The construction industry we operate in is recognised as

“masculine”, we are successfully refuting this assumption. Of course, companies like Alumil, that are having production and logistics within the organisation, are recognised as an industry with fewer women. Gender ratio at Alumil has changed a lot in recent years, so that now a quarter of our team is made up of women. Women are represented with 44%, in the management, that is far above the average for developed markets, with

a participation of 45% in the number of employees with University degree.

This is not about analysing absolute numbers, but above all, about the company’s approach and its appretiation of knowledge, skills and experience. This is what makes Alumil the most of its differences. We are having significant number of women in engineering and administrative positions and in the production team, whose result and contribution we are proud of.

Already at the beginning of the third quarter of this year, our team surpassed last year’s sales despite very uncertain circumstances

Belonging To A Team Is A Driving Force

TIJANA ANOKIĆ, marketing manager, Alumil

At Alumil, they believe that employees are their greatest value, and that’s why they continuously build and strengthen enthusiasm, belonging and togetherness among colleagues. The feeling of belonging and togetherness is important for each of them individually, but also for the whole team

Together we are shaping the present and future of the company, and I am sure that we are on the right track when we do it from the heart. The employees are responsible for all the company’s achievements, and that’s why it’s important that all our people love their jobs and continuously develop ~ says Ms Anokić.

You believe that the results of the team are always greater than the individual results of the people who make it up. How do you care for that team spirit at Alumil?

Whether it’s sports or business, team spirit plays a huge role in achieving success. Although some functions require that they be performed independently, most positions require a professional to collaborate and coordinate with colleagues to achieve successful results.

At Alumil we know that our people is our greatest value, and that is why we continuously build and strengthen enthusiasm, belonging and togetherness among our colleagues.

A sense of belonging and community is important for each of us. From early childhood, we strive for this, from the hugs of our parents, through socialising with people of similar beliefs, to staying in well-

known places. This sense of belonging is very present in the Alumil company and it is the driving force of our team.

In addition to belonging, giving team members responsibility is an important factor that creates a sense of ownership and trust among colleagues. The team is the basis of every company’s success, and for this reason we encourage open communication and promote constructive dialogue.

done with soul, expressing creativity or passion, that is, when we give “our whole self” to something we do. I like to say that I am sure of success if I do something from the “stomach”, and that is exactly that, with meraki. I am proud and happy to work in a company that encourages that feeling and that the word “meraki” is defined as one of our company values.

A positive atmosphere at work is the main condition for any success. When people are happy and satisfied, they will always create a more pleasant and inspiring work environment.

You often hear the word “meraki” at Alumil. Why is it important to you, what do you use it for?

“Meraki” is a Greek word that is often used to describe when something is

We are all people with emotions and we are part of the big Alumil family. Together we shape the present and future of the company and I am sure that we are on the right path when we do it from the heart. The team is responsible for all the company’s achievements, and that’s why it’s important that all our people love their jobs and continuously develop both personally and professionally, because that’s the only way they can be productive and contribute to the company.

“Meraki” is a Greek word that is often used to describe when something is done with the soul, expressing creativity or passion, when we give “our whole self”

Today’s Business World Needs Diversity

M. SC. MELITA ROZMAN DACAR, Managing Director of Slovenian Railways Freight Transport

Despite the Corona crisis, the war in Ukraine and other challenges, SŽ-Tovorni promet will be satisfied with this year’s business. They have optimised their processes and adapted to customer expectations to be ready for big new challenges in the coming months

In the position of general director of Slovenian Rail Freight for fully 10 years there is one super-woman, one of the few in leading positions in transport and logistics. She reveals how she manages to be so successful and appreciated in a male world, and admits that she and the company could not be so successful without the full support of her colleagues and partners.

Slovenian Rail Freight offers comprehensive and intermodal railway transport and logistics services on the Slovenian market and abroad. 2022 was full of challenges – what were the results? This year really was full of new challenges for us. The Corona crisis and the war in

Ukraine have thoroughly shaken the foundations of the international business world. The war in Ukraine has caused a change in some commodity flows. Ships with cargo have been delayed for several months arriving in port, port warehouses are overflowing, and this has negative consequences for rail carriers. Many companies have reduced production, which also affects the amount of cargo transported. We also noticed a lack of materials and supply problems in individual industries already last year, and the situation in Ukraine has only made this worse. Some freight has been diverted to the railway due to the problems in shipping. Some customers have also redirected their supply chains via Slovenia.

Inflation is increasing, we are facing problems in the maintenance and rental of vehicles due to the lack of materials and rising prices. Nor should we forget the drastic increase in the price of energy. All this has been having a massive impact on our business. Nevertheless, we can be satisfied with this year’s results. We will carry more cargo than we planned. According to first estimates, revenues will also exceed those planned. We achieved this by constantly optimizing our processes and adapting to customer expectations. We run heavier and longer trains and we have been acquiring new cargo abroad, but the coming months will be a huge challenge for us as it will for other carriers.

Do you think that in the years to come, rail transport will continue growing, as the interest in environmental protection grows? Would this be an additional incentive to develop your company?

Rail freight is undoubtedly the backbone of sustainable development, as road transport pollutes our natural environment much more than rail. This has been recognised by many of the most developed European countries, and they support the development of rail transport through various measures. We have also taken the first steps towards this in Slovenia. For many years we have held the ISO 14001 certificate, which demonstrates our responsibility towards the environment in our daily business. I believe that awareness of the importance of the environment towards the economy will continue to grow, and with it the role of rail transport. Our focus in future will definitely be on sustainable development.

The transport and logistics sector is still dominated by men. How did it come about that men accept you in “their club”?

It’s true that the field of transport and logistics is still dominated by men, and women in leadership positions are more the exception than the rule. That is why we have to prove ourselves ever more, day by day. I have been working in freight transport at Slovenian Railways for almost 30 years, and during this time I walked the career path from clerk to director. I can say that I was lucky that my male colleagues always supported and respected me. I also had many excellent mentors, who helped me learn all the tricks of the trade, so to speak. Of course, I had to prove my expertise again and again.

You have been with the company for almost three decades, but you have been in the position of general director for 10 years. Would you and the company be so successful without the full support of your colleagues and partners?

During the three decades of working at Slovenian Railways, I have met many colleagues and business partners and made many acquaintances and friendships among them. Without good cooperation between colleagues and business partners, without trust and the effort to achieve common goals and common growth, we would not be able to achieve much success. The company director is not the only one responsible for the company’s successes or failures, she or he can only lead and direct her colleagues and motivate them to achieve the goals everyone believes in.

It has been shown that in large systems like yours, women react more quickly to change, they see things more broadly and think long-term, while men are better at realising short-term goals. Do you agree that we cannot be successful without each other?

The differences in thinking between women and men are not a disadvantage

At the beginning of November, we started the eighth generation of the Mentoring Network in the Women Managers Section of the Managers Association

in my opinion, quite the opposite. Diversity is what contributes to the broadness of mind that we need in today’s demanding business world. Maybe it’s true that we women are more cohesive and capable of having a broader view of the problem, while men are more narrowly goal-oriented. But it is the combination of both approaches that can bring us development and success.

Although we have stepped deep into the 21st century, we still face gender stereotypes in employment and promotion, because men dominate our business culture. How is that changing?

Slovenia is among the leading countries in terms of gender equality, but we still encounter gender stereotypes, and our business culture is strongly dominated by men. In my opinion, the situation is changing too slowly. I miss greater transparency in the procedures for appointing managers and supervisory boards of companies which, I am sure, would lead to greater representation of women in the most responsible positions. In our company, as member of the Board of Directors of the Section of Women Managers of the Managers’ Association of Slovenia, and as chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Transport Association, I am campaigning for greater inclusion of women in management positions.

You are also member of the Board of Directors of the Section of Women Managers of the Managers’ Association of Slovenia. What have been the results of the mentoring programmes that you have run over the last seven years?

At the beginning of November, we started the eighth generation of the Mentoring Network in the Women Managers Section of the Managers Association. The programme is intended for young women managers who want to gain additional knowledge and advice from more experienced Slovenian female managers. The goal of the programme is to encourage and support female managers in taking on leadership positions and making career leaps. The programme also advocates for greater representation of women in management positions. In the last seven years, we have connected 160 mentoring pairs. I am proud to act as a mentor myself and I enjoy passing on my knowledge and experience to younger colleagues. Both inside and outside Slovenian Rail Freight, I strive to involve promising young people in the management and transfer the knowledge of more experienced colleagues. Only in this way will we be able to take a step forward in an increasingly competitive environment, to develop and grow together with our business partners.

Happiness Lives Within Us

KRUNA GAVOVIĆ, CEO at the Lean Six Sigma Company CEE and Marketing and Academy Manager at TMS CEE

Kruna Gavović has been recognised as one of the best young managers due to her engagements with the TMS brand and The Lean Six Sigma Company. Since she was a child, she has practised visualising her future life and seeing herself clearly over the years. She is simply a natural leader

You are very young, yet you already have a family and responsible jobs at two companies. How did you achieve all that?

I lived in my hometown Krusevac until I went to University. In my mind, I could do nothing other than give back for all the love and education my family had invested in me. I was always very ambitious and determined. Since I was a child, I have visualised my future life and seen myself clearly over the years. I completed university at 23 and gave birth to my daughter at 26. In order to achieve a work-life balance, I maintain my positive energy through constant investments in myself: spending time with family and friends, investing in my health, nourishing my mind and body, sleeping well, exercising regularly and expanding my network. But the most important role in my life is that of a mother, and I want my daughter to have the best possible example at home, to be surrounded with true values and healthy ambition, and to understand that all the happiness we seek in the world can already be found within ourselves.

What motivates you to move forward?

I am motivated by the constant search for knowledge. I enjoy listening and lear-

ning, rather than talking. Talk to me and I’m all ears. This willingness to learn is born of my desire to develop skills and gain knowledge to improve my performance at work. This shows to our working environment, but also to our clients, that we are long-term investments, while it also builds trust. In order to build trust, we should also make our decisions carefully, communicate properly, be consistent in

our actions, share our feelings openly, apologise when we are wrong and show our authentic selves. Last, but not least, is expanding my network. I love to meet new people and to see the best in them, and I love to be impressed – not by their appearance, job title or social status, but by the way that people treat other human beings. Every time we meet someone is an opportunity for us to learn something new. We should always try to seek only the best in people and adapt to every situation. There is no failure in life, just the opportunities for growth. As one wise person told me recently: “In the end everything will be fine. If it is not fine, it still is not the end”. When we understand that the purpose of life is not happiness, but rather growth and experience, happiness comes as a byproduct.

How important is it that a woman doesn’t forget herself?

The crucial thing for a woman is to set a routine. Maybe it doesn’t sound exciting when I say “a routine”, but that definitely leads to a balanced life. We need an aspiration list and to develop daily habits to achieve our goals. We must identify our core values, but also know when to stop. It is vital to know when we feel most like ourselves. To me, little moments make special feelings, like a comfortable silence, seeing happiness in people, a long ride to an unknown destination, blooming flowers, the sun on my face, seeing the good in people, meaningful conversations. People usually ask me where I find so much joy. It doesn’t depend on what happens or what I receive from others. I find my biggest joy in giving.

When we understand that the purpose of life is not happiness, but rather growth and experience, happiness comes as a byproduct

Accelerating Youth Employment

Empowering young women at the very start of their careers and providing them with adequate support in choosing the right career path is among the priorities of the “Education to Employment” (E2E) project, a multi-year partnership project of the governments of Switzerland and Serbia, intended to create the necessary preconditions to accelerate youth employment.

Confronted by various stereotypes and socially imposed choices, girls most often choose occupations that are exclusively in the domain of “womanly”. That also applies to young men that are usually seen as being right for some “hard-working-male-dominated” jobs. In order to avoid such conventionalised and ingrained career decisions, the E2E project is making various interventions.

The main E2E activities within the gender intervention strategy are: Providing tailor-made and gender-oriented career guidance and counselling activities; Facilitating work-based learning programmes (non-formal training organised in companies);

Promoting gender-related success stories and activities through different forms: social media posts, videos and brochures.

Trained career practitioners working within the E2E project are organising group themed career workshops at both schools and Job info centres establi -

shed within the scope of the project, placing a special emphasis on gender issues with tailored career guidance and counselling measures. These CGC workshops focus on the ways gender stereotypes influence the career decision of young girls and boys, how they can reflect those gender stereotypes and overcome them, identifying possibilities and encouraging stepping away from established gender-stereotypical patterns of behaviour and career decision-making. Over the course of this year, 860 young people participated in gender-related workshops.

With the aim of furthering the empowerment of women, the E2E project this year created a video campaign to increase the self-sufficiency of young people, particularly young women

and girls who mostly face different gender stereotypes in their career planning and career decision-making processes. E2E created a video on success stories from a work-based learning programme, featuring a couple of great examples of female trainees in male-dominant occupations. E2E wanted to promote these not-so-usual career choices by filming their stories and creating strong video testimonials on how they are succeeding in working environments that are led and completely dominated by men.

This video introduces viewers to some of the women who have challenged gender stereotypes in the workplace as part of the training and employment that resulted from their participation in the E2E project - training for CNC operators, welders and assistant camera operators. The video, which forms part of the gender implementation intervention strategy within the E2E project, strongly promotes gender-related issues in order to support youngsters on their career paths and empower them in their interests (free choices). This video is available to watch on the project’s YouTube channel.

The Education to Employment (E2E) project challenges gender stereotypes in the workplace with the aim of empowering young women to pursue their career dreams

For the next harvest we are hoping for a sparkly wine made of Grašac and perhaps an orange, but every year is different and we adapt to what the grapes give us, always looking forward to surprises - the Vrkatić sisters announce.

What brought you two sisters to the vineyard and the winery?

Our decision to be vintners grew out of a desire to preserve our family vineyard of Malvasia. For us, this line of work means doing something in a community, it is not an individual project. Basically, this is what brought us into the wine world. The need to do something together in addition to our individual occupations, and to jointly maintain something that is important to all of us, and that binds us. Our relationship to Fruška Gora, as a special place we grew up in and love, certainly contributed to this. Our greatest support came from our mother Marica and sister Ivana, who is getting increasingly involved in the work of the winery.

Only those not in the know can ask howcomewomenareleadingawinery. How can we change this?

Women Today Are Also Working With Wine

SONJA AND NATAŠA VRKATIĆ, owners of the Verkat winery

The success of the Verkat winery is the product of the vision of a lawyer and an art historian, the two sisters Sonja and Nataša Vrkatić, their relationship with Fruška Gora, as a special place they grew up in and love, and immense support from another two women in the family, their mother Marica and third sister Ivana

Precisely, caring for a vineyard was traditionally women’s work, if we’re talking about the division of labour in farmsteads. However, because of the patriarchal society we live in, it was rare for the women who tended the vineyard to also be the owners of the land or means of production. So, it is not surprising that the overall impression is that wine is men’s work. This, of course, is not only the case in wine product. The work of women is traditionally invisible in many areas, and it should be noted that many still wonder how come a woman is at the head of anything. This is really devastating and

assortment and manufacturing technologies, strengthening of small wineries, and the use of diverse approaches. In any case, an interesting time for our business activity in Serbia. In this kind of environment, women working in this field are gaining a bit more space and incentive than before. We hope this trend will continue.

Will you celebrate the five-year anniversary of your business with a new wine or new plantations? What are your plans for expanding your business?

shows that the emancipatory project for women is nowhere near completion.

Change is, of course, possible, but it requires a long-term programme of economic empowerment of women in agriculture, education, and help with exercising rights.

As for the wine scene in Serbia, it is undergoing a period of interesting changes. Not only the appearance of women working with wine, but also a change of approach, the entry of young people with a different view of winery and vineyards, the expansion of the

We certainly have to celebrate our five-year anniversary with a party. But jokes aside, we have many plans. One of the most important steps is a change in the approach to caring for vineyards and transition towards organic protection. This is something we have wanted for a long time, and we decided this is the right time to take this step. Since we have based our business thus far on the production of white and rosé wines, we are taking a small step towards making red wines. To start, we chose the Blaufränkisch variety, and hope to soon raise a plantation of varieties for red wines, an assortment that would complete our portfolio and be in harmony on Fruška Gora.

In any case, we endeavour to gain something interesting from every vintage. The 2021 vintage produced small series of Malvasia Barrique and a special Grašac 4.0, declared to be the best wine among native varieties of white wines at this year’s Wine Vision event.

The work of women is traditionally invisible in many areas, and it should be noted that many still wonder how come a woman is at the head of anything

Only The Best For Babies

DRAGANA ÐUJIĆ, General Director, Kibid d.o.o.

For three decades, Kibid has been engaged in the import and distribution of baby food, primarily Aptamil and other products of Nutricia, which is part of the large Danone group. Trust in the company, products and people, commitment to health and top quality nutrition for the youngest are important premises of their work

As a woman in a leading position in a private company, which is also a leader in its product category in Serbia, I can say that with work, a professional approach, respect for all of my colleagues and the team and a clear vision and well-set business goals, success cannot fail to follow ~ says Kibid’s director

Your company is practically the best friend of young mothers, it gives strong support to family, parents...? How does having a woman at the head of the company affect this? Our entire team is dedicated to our work with great responsibility. We are leaders, importers and distributors for Serbia and for the countries of the region of the European brand No. 1 in baby foods - Aptamil, and of all the products of Nutricia, which is part of the large Danone group. That leadership is actually a great obligation for me and for all my colleagues at Kibid. I see success through the learning, dedi-

cation and trust that we cultivate in the team and that we pass on to our users. For example, when you think you know everything and have nothing more to learn, you’re facing a big problem. There is always something different, special, something to strive for and pay special attention to and something that can be learned. Here, I have just returned from managerial education in the Netherlands... Our long-term partner Nutricija educates us so that we can always go one step further, and that’s why it feels good to be part of an international team.

And when I say commitment, I don’t mean giving things up and burning out, but a good feeling when a good job is done, a chance is presented, communication improves, a problem is easily solved. I also mentioned trust as an important premise of our joint work at Kibid, trust

in the company, products, people, and above all in myself.

When you say Aptamil is the number 1 brand, you don’t mean figuratively, but literally?

Yes, yes, Aptamil was awarded the number 1 brand in Europe by Euromonitor International Limited among the brands of growing up milk formula, based by data Euromonitor International Limited packaged food 2022 edition, value sales RSP, 2021 data. Aptamil includes Almiron, Aptamil, Bebilon, Gallia and Nutilon. We are very proud of it because it is the result of decades of work and research by the Nutricia team, with more than 500 experts who study the quality and composition of breast milk. Thanks to that effort, we now have a formula that is the closest in its composition and nutritional

values to a mother’s milk, which is of course the best food for a baby’s immunity. As representative of Aptamil and other Nutricia products, Kibid decided to operate in this segment many years ago, fostering above all a commitment to health on the one hand, and the highest quality in nutrition for the youngest on the other.

You are able to influence the health and formation of healthy eating habits of our youngest population. Do you feel that’s a privilege? You can call this a privilege and it really is. But we share the business philosophy that we above all have a responsibility towards our users, and in that there is no improvisation or compromise. Mother’s milk is the best food for babies and that is always our position. Compliance with the World Health Organization’s code on breastfeeding and baby nutrition is a basic postulate for us that we never question, and all of our staff know this and strictly adhere to the rules in communication. Because the users are babies, this very sensitive product category requires compliance with the highest standards in all areas of business. The category of baby food is classified as a category with legal restrictions, also in advertising. In 1981, the WHO passed a code that limits the advertising of adapted formulas to encourage breastfeeding, and Nutricia, as a signatory to the WHO code, and our company as a distributor, strictly respect this regulation in all areas of business.

Thanks to all these standards in business, we can say that we have the privilege of taking care of the health and healthy habits of the most sensitive and wonderful population - our babies. We know that we help many people, that we bring smiles back to the faces of both parents and children, that thanks to us, many babies will sleep peacefully tonight. This is our peace, this is our success.

You have been dealing with children’s food for a long time, and so indirectly with the birth rate and population policy. Can you judge whether it has become more challenging to raise children today?

I can answer this question more from a parent’s point of view. I think that parenting, producing and raising children has changed a lot. Parents today understand this role very responsibly. They work extremely hard and the vast majority want to give their children the best. Not only in the material sense, but also in learning, working with

often takes more strength and more time to stand out, but for real leaders, in the end, neither gender, nor political support, nor a wealthy family matter. Their quality alone fights for its place.

them, care and most importantly providing emotions. Parents are very caring, already during pregnancy, and of course later. In some other countries, even in more developed ones, the approach to raising children is different, I would say it is more relaxed, so you can ask whether it is better that way, whether their children are better prepared for life later on. I don’t really have the best answer to that, because it’s the feeling of every mother, every parent...

We are a people with a lot of emotions, and I think that love and hugs are the most important things that every parent should give to a child. Parenting is always a challenge, in every time and in every society. Because everything starts from the first touch of mother and baby and the first breastfeeding. And our corporate mission is to be a support in those first months of the greatest concern and fear if the need arises.

How do you see the concept of women’s leadership and what is it that sets women apart in the business world?

Regardless of their gender, leaders have many common principles that guide them through solving every day business challenges. It is not always easy for women in our environment. It

I have already mentioned commitment as one of the basic premises of a successful business. I believe that continuous work on yourself and learning is necessary for success. Leaders should encourage their young colleagues, create their successors, invest in young people who have leadership potential. This is what should be equally important in our managerial work. When people around us see how hard we work and continue to upgrade our knowledge and skills, I believe they will follow in our footsteps. That teamwork can on its own represent a good way for the further development of the company we run.

Finally, I can highlight my example as a woman in a leading position in a private company that is also the leader in its product category in Serbia. I am sure from my own work, professional approach, respect for all my colleagues and the entire team, and with a clear vision and well-set business goals, the success of every leader cannot fail to follow.

Compliance with the WHO code on breastfeeding and baby nutrition is a basic postulate for us that we never question and all of our staff know it and strictly adhere to it

Entrepreneurs Are Multi-Taskers

Testeral is one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of aluminum constructions, facades and windows. It belongs to a group that has been operating in the construction industry for more than 20 years. They are currently focused on building and equipping a new production facility and carrying out a process of digital transformation

Acompany is like a child: the younger it is, the more it needs its mother. The company is like another child for you, and over time, when you lay good foundations, it’s the same in the company as in the family ~ says our guest and insists that everything boils down to good organisation and delegating responsibilities.

Your grandmother was an entrepreneur, your father inherited her business... Was it taken for granted that you would also join the family company? Did you see yourself in her?

As a high school student, I went to study abroad with the idea of staying there, and in the meantime, my father’s company grew and prospered. As an exceptional visionary, he made an effort for me to get an appropriate education, to gain breadth, get to know the world and make new acquaintances, but on the other hand, he wanted me to build my future in this country and in his company. And like any other young person, I was not aware of my affinities. I saw myself in a stock exchange or international financial institution, not in a family business.

As someone who worked in a corporation and now runs a family business, do you think women have to work twice as hard as men to achieve the same goals?

The path of every entrepreneur is different, and it is particularly specific and challenging to decide to continue a family business and lead the company. I can’t say that it was really my choice, it was more the set of circumstances. Then my younger sister Tanja and I left our secure jobs and took over the family business. The beginning was difficult, but not because I am a woman, but because the company was in a bad financial situation. I worked twice as hard as ever before, because I

believed that our business was good and profitable and that with proper leadership and work we could make Testeral a world brand. Mutual support and dedication in our work have brought us to the position we are in today, among the leaders on the Serbian market in this industry.

You often point out that family businesses are the “backbone of capitalism” everywhere in the world, because they are characterised by consensus and harmony. Does that apply to Testeral?

There are challenges in business every day, and when it comes to a family business, a special challenge is harmonising the needs of family members, their knowledge, character and affinity, with the needs of the company. Besides all this, you should maintain harmonious family relationships and not transfer problems from work into the home. It’s an art and that’s what I’m most proud of, because besides me the business is run by my sister and brother, and besides them, my and my sister’s husbands are also involved.

When we speak of how much of a challenge it is to run a company, especially for women who unlike men are also burdened with family obligations, I stick to the slogan that everything is possible and that there is a solution for everything. I often jokingly say that I am a multi-tasker, because I think that is true for all women in business. Otherwise, I advise all women who start a business to start carefully, but at the same time wisely and courageously. It is also important to separate the establishment of a family and that of a company. I admire women who have done both at the same time. It’s a huge sacrifice.

SANJA STANIMIROVIĆ, CEO & Chairwoman, Testeral

There are challenges in business every day, and when it comes to a family business, a special challenge is harmonizing the needs of family members with the interests of the company

“She’s Mercedes” Empowers Women

ALEKSANDRA MILADINOVIĆ, PR, Mercedes-Benz, Star Import

The Mercedes-Benz brand works tirelessly to strengthen the position of women in the modern world. Since 2015, this struggle has been presented in the form of the platform “She’s Mercedes” - a place where women can connect and exchange ideas and experiences, learning from one another

Thanks to the activities of one of the world’s most famous brands, women in more than 60 countries can today exchange opinions within the scope of an online community and at networking evenings, but can also find inspiration in the world of Mercedes-Benz.

Bertha Benz, the wife of Karl Benz, was a source of inspiration and a business partner to her husband. Is she proof that a powerful woman stands behind every successful man? It would be hard to imagine Karl Benz’s world-changing invention that led to a revolution in mobility without his wife Bertha Benz, her inexhaustible optimism and ability to find the right way even in difficult situations. Although the public remained sceptical about the new horseless carriages powered by a “mysterious” force, she made a quick decision and embarked on an arduous journey of more than a hundred kilometres accompanied by her two sons. That’s why I believe everyone can find inspiration in her courage and will to keep moving forward even in difficult situations. Bertha was a pioneer and the

first test driver, but also a genuine example of how people should have a positive, practical approach to life and should face problems full of self-confidence. This makes Bertha Benz the best role model for today’s pioneers in all areas of life.

“She was always more daring than me,” Karl Benz said of his wife, whose boldness, steadfastness and courage can serve to motivate anyone to believe in their own ideas and dreams, regardless of how unbelievable they may appear to others.

Is striving for excellence something that’s common to all successful women?

Bertha knew that problems had to be approached with a positive attitude, even when success isn’t guaranteed. Life is learning and constant improvement. A person learns the most from their own mistakes, and because no one wants to

standards. From Bertha to this day, that motto has forever remained in the genes of the Mercedes-Benz brand, and I’m certain all successful women would agree with that.

How and why was the “She’s Mercedes” platform created? What message is relayed through the accompanying campaign?

The Mercedes-Benz brand works tirelessly to strengthen the position of women in the modern world. Since 2015, this struggle has been presented in the form of the platform “She’s Mercedes” - a place where women can connect and exchange ideas and experiences, learning from one another. She’s Mercedes is dedicated to inspiring, connecting and empowering women to show the best of themselves. Bertha Benz is actually the symbol of the brand.

experience failure, doing so becomes even more important. Bertha didn’t fear failure, and her courage changed the way the world functions today. With her own example, she showed how important it is to have a vision and faith in one’s own ideas. When you believe in yourself, you strive for top quality and try to always push your own boundaries and set new

By connecting under the “She’s Mercedes” brand, our aim is to create a base for women to associate in various fields, thereby encouraging them to further cooperate and improve their position in society. We want our platform to grow and develop together with women, because experiences, perspectives and opinions are crucial in helping to build a community in which exchanges, inspiration and mutual support can influence the setting of new standards.

Bertha Benz was a genuine example of how people should have a positive, practical approach to life and should face problems full of selfconfidence

Just ten years ago, the representation of women in leadership positions was insignificant, but today women lead many of the world’s foremost pharmaceutical companies. And how that came about, explains our guest from MSD.

In 2020, Bloomberg assessed that according to the global gender equality index, MSD is above the global threshold in four key areas. You must be very proud of those results?

Most MSD employees would tell you that they are truly proud to work for their company. The reason for this is not only that we are talking about one of the leading pharmaceutical companies, but also because of the organisational culture that nurtures values that are important for the employees - psychological security, freedom of speech, a balance between private and professional life, diversity and inclusion. At MSD, gender equality is promoted at all levels of the organization, and the many resources and development opportunities are available to all. One of them is the MSD women’s network, which has existed for almost 30 years and deals with the topic of women’s empowerment and development in the business world.

The Sexes Are Equal, But Not The Same

SANDRA MARINKOVIĆ, External Affairs Lead, MSD

At MSD, all dimensions of diversity are fundamental to success. This includes gender-inclusive policies and practices, transparency in the presentation of genderrelated metrics, and investment in gender equality in the workplace.

Studies show that women outperform men in 11 of the 12 key competencies of emotional intelligence. Could this be one of the advantages for women in business?

Today, we can proudly say that there is no difference between the sexes when it comes to educational opportunities, that women are equally talented and hardworking as their male counterparts. But when we say that the sexes are equal, it does not mean that they are the same. Emotional intelligence competencies such as emotional self-awareness, empathy, conflict management, adaptability and

organisations to encourage creativity and promote innovative ideas that push organisations forward.

The number of women in healthcare, including the pharmaceutical industry, is growing. Is it more difficult for them today than before to achieve a balance between their private and professional life?

It is a fact that there are more women in healthcare, and that their opportunities for advancement in healthcare organisations and institutions are increasingly diverse, and that a large percentage report job satisfaction. Women are assuming important roles and positions in health organisations, hospitals and health education institutions. We can safely say that this is also the case in the pharmaceutical industry.

teamwork are possible on the female side. And while these characteristics are difficult to measure, they are highly valued and necessary for effective leadership in the workplace. Besides technical skills and knowledge, previous experience and the skills I mentioned will also result in a different approach to work. It is precisely this diversity that encourages creativity and innovation, and is the reason why it is being increasingly emphasised in leading

The pace of today’s life, staying longer at work, increased stress and burnout, carry their own risk regardless of gender. That’s why MSD makes additional efforts to listen to the needs of its employees and respond to them with new solutions that allow a greater degree of flexibility. More practices and solutions like this are what I believe we need in the future so that each of us can continue to pursue our ambitions and professional development while at the same time achieving a better balance between career and family life. The solution will not come quickly because changes take time, but I believe that we are on the right track at MSD.

Today, there is no difference between the sexes when it comes to educational opportunities. Women are just as talented and hardworking as their male counterparts

Women AchieveExcellent Results

TIJANA RISTIĆ, member of the Executive Board, Merkur Insurance

Seven of the 16 executive boards of insurance companies in Serbia have at least one woman. This is the case with Merkur Insurance, and in some companies women are in the majority. This shows that women have really managed to impose themselves in insurance too

Women have a slightly different approach to leadership, perhaps a little more lenient, more emotional, but one that in the end achieves the goals, just by a different route. Tijana Ristić talks with us about what that road looks like

Many of your colleagues claim that women in insurance are increasingly aware of their opportunities and that they consistently work on themselves and their leadership competencies. Do you agree?

I can completely agree with this view, but I think that it also applies to the wider social context, that this is a trend in most industries. Research shows that women tend to underestimate their qualities and abilities, and that the traditional division of roles still has an impact on women’s own perception of themselves and their potential. It is clear that this is changing, we can see more and more women in high managerial positions with excellent results, although still in a much lower percentage than men. d

You have been dealing with insurance for a full 15 years, practically since graduating from college. You were not deterred by the fact that you work a lot, travel often, find it difficult to balance family and work...? I can say that I really like insurance, it’s a job that intrigued me even during

my studies, and I chose the Finance, Banking and Insurance major at the Faculty of Economics. Very soon after graduating, I started working in insurance, in the controlling department, where I had the opportunity to get to know the wider picture of how insurance companies work. Certainly, this experience helped me when I took up a position on the Executive Board of Merkur Insurance.

My enthusiasm and commitment to work resulted in really hard work, often 12 hours a day, but I always had the desire and will to tackle the biggest challenges and successfully solve them. That always

my batteries and inspire me for a new working day.

Insurance is traditionally a man’s job. Why is that and will it stay that way? Is insurance ready for women leaders?

motivated me and pushed me forward. Only those who have experienced it can truly understand the satisfaction when you have a task in front of you that seems almost impossible, and in the end you and your team succeed in everything that was planned. I try to spend my free time with quality, with cycling, walking and watching good quality serials, which helps me recharge

The insurance business is not easy, there are many challenges, it is very dynamic. So it is perhaps a little more natural for men to cope better in such an environment, and this results in male dominance in leadership positions. In recent years, more and more women have fought for their place in management positions, primarily through their work, dedication and results, and I believe that in future this will be more and more pronounced. Women have a slightly different approach to leadership, perhaps a little more lenient, more emotional, but one that in the end achieves the goals, just by a different route. I think it is best to have a gender balance in the organisation, because in that way it is possible to make the most of the advantages and biological diversity of both sexes to maximise business results.

There are more and more women who have fought for their place in management positions, primarily through their work, dedication and results

Biochar Protects Our Planet

VESNA BAUR, owner of Basna

From the very beginning, Basna worked on sustainable development, which included a gender-responsive work environment, a socially responsible business, respect for the needs of the modern labour market and the creation of a replicable model in the fight against climate change

Our goal is to create and use new technologies that will relieve our planet. The most important thing for us is not to be at the top, but to participate in the fight against climate change - says the owner of Basna, known for biochar, one of the six technologies with negative emissions.

You have been building your brand and reputation for years, carefully, step by step. How difficult is it to preserve and maintain success? If we measure success only by turnover and profit, then we are not in the successful category. The goal was to turn from a small rural family business into an example of good practice in innovative business, which we have achieved. Regardless of the obstacles, we have never stopped believing that biochar is a sustainable solution and one of the key ingredients in the fight against climate change. When, in 2018, biochar was added to the list of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as one of the six technologies with negative emissions that should be promoted in the fight against climate change. We also received confirmation that through a decade of business we have directed our resources, knowledge and beliefs to achieving realistic goals. We have created economic, social and environmental value, as judged by both the scientific and research community

and groups and individuals who are potential users of the product.

Is expanding the offer of innovative solutions one of your priorities? We can say that we have opened the door to new investment in this sector. We have proven that the difference between biochars and other technologies in the fight against climate change comes from the incomparable cascading benefits of biochars. The greater the amount of biochar that is introduced into the soil, the more CO2 is removed and captured from the atmosphere. For this reason, we have created a range of products for use in other sectors, besides

We see political and legal progress in favor of gender equality, but also prejudice and gender stereotypes that do not let up. Traditions and customs are part of our identity, but most often they are not fair, nor are they in the interest of the sustainable future of society. This is shown by the negative impact of the uneven distribution of inheritance, which makes it more difficult for women to start their own business to be passed down through the generations. In this context, it is necessary for girls to be encouraged and empowered from an early age, that is, for the family not to differentiate between male and female children. I also believe that the introduction of entrepreneurship into formal education, starting from the lowest grades, would further motivate girls to freely express their potential.

agriculture and animal husbandry. We are recognised on foreign markets, today it is our priority to ensure our presence on the Serbian market as well.

Who can and who should be responsible for the fight for the empowerment of women and for a safer and fairer society?

As the president of the Association Nadežda Petrović, which brings together entrepreneurs and women in leadership positions in the City of Čačak, I can say that we share the same visions that are reflected in the creation of harmonious, stable, safe, sustainable and environmentally friendly urban development. Besides our family, personal and business obligations, we spare neither ourselves nor our time for the benefit of current and future female entrepreneurs. What we all have in common are self-initiative, boldness and fearlessness, the fact that we always want more from ourselves and that we persistently follow our own path.

The difference between biochars and other technologies in the fight against climate change comes from the incomparable cascading benefits of biochars

Photo: Đorđe Kojadinović

Our Greek Lady Is A Born Leader And Innovator

Ioanna Regen Klinika is a medical clinic that offers comprehensive procedures aligned with the world’s highest standards in medical practice, with an individual approach to each patient. Preventing disease while slowing the body’s biological aging process is the focus of therapies that ensure an improved quality of life and prevent serious illness

Dr Ioanna Batsialou Ph.D. is a doctor of science and a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation with a subspecialisation in aesthetic, anti-aging medicine, mesotherapy, as well as preventive and regenerative medicine. She is also a wife, mother, friend, founder and benefactor. Get acquainted with her here!

Dr Batsialou arrived in Serbia 30 years ago to study at the University of Belgrade - Faculty of Medicine, where she also earned her doctorate, and she stayed due to love and a mentality that’s familiar to that of the Greek people. She primarily stayed due to her love for her husband, whom she met here, for her daughter who was born here, for her colleagues with whom she studied and worked, and for clients with whom she’s built friendly relations. She says that she’s done everything in life with love for people and her profession, which she sees as being the most humane form of human action, and with love for God, who provided her with the talent, capacity and will to go through life without looking behind her.

One of Europe’s most respected doctors in nonsurgical aesthetic medicine, mesotherapy and anti-aging medicine, apart from her doctorate, she has also completed three master’s studies, earned more than 100 certificates and is constantly learning, while as of 2022 she’s also been the region’s first ambassador

for the highest quality materials that are Teoxane Swiss dermal fillers.

Dr Batsialou changed the very course of medicine in the region by being the first to introduce aesthetic medicine that was previously only applied in the West, while today – as a born leader and innovator – she is the first to present the huge benefits of preventive and regenerative medicine. With the aim of advancing, preserving and improving health and beauty, under the auspices of her Ioanna Regen Klinika, she has brought together a team of top experts from Serbia and abroad – including specialists in cardiology, endocrinology, dermatology, soft

surgery and plastic surgery, geneticists, dietitians and experts in cosmetology and physical medicine. Her clinic is the only institution in the region that provides a uniquely holistic approach, i.e., a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach in the field of regenerative, aesthetic and anti-aging nonsurgical medicine for the ideal state of health, as a prerequisite for achieving the perfect look.

Dr Batsialou is equally renowned as a benefactor. Several times a year, She organises humanitarian campaigns several times a year, together with the National Association of Parents of Children with Cancer, with whom she distributes gift packages for the holiday season. She donates to the Belgrade Safe Women’s House, the HRH Crown Princess Katherine Foundation, the Zvečanska Centre for the Protection of Infants, Children and Youth, the Novak Đoković Foundation, University Children’s Clinic Tiršova and the Church Soup Kitchen in Belgrade. As a great founding contributor, she initiated the “One brick – new temple” campaign to construction the Church of the Holy Trinity in Vračar, while she is currently collecting funds to pay for the painting of frescos in this church. She considers the importance and beauty of charity as something that should always be nurtured, regardless of the lack of time that’s characteristic of modern life. She supports the view that we grow whenever we give – and this applies to all areas of her life. She also strives to give love, dedication and knowhow to her family, colleagues and associates, patients and everyone else in need.

IOANNA BATSIALOU PH.D., medical director and owner of Ioanna Regen Klinika

She considers the importance and beauty of charity as something that should always be nurtured, regardless of the lack of time that’s characteristic of modern life

Equality Is Not A Dead Letter

When it comes to gender equality, the situation in banks is far above average. Judging by the statistical data, as many as 70 per cent of bank employees are women, and from 2022, for the first time, more than half of women were in management positions, including those who occupy top positions in leading banks in Serbia. Gender equality has also been helped by trade union organisations formed in individual commercial banks, the National Bank of Serbia and

in the banking services sector as a whole. Every four years they adopt an action plan that contains special measures for a balanced representation of the sexes in their bodies and to ensure the active participation of the less represented half in the composition and work of those bodies.

The Association of Banks has existed for 100 years and brings together virtually all the banks in Serbia. How important is it for the banking sector today, how important was it in previous decades? Serbia was among the first countries in Europe to organise their banking through

MARINA KOSTADINOVIĆ, Head of Marketing and Public Relations, Association of Serbian Banks

The fact that it brings together all of the banks in Serbia is a great compliment to the Association of Serbian Banks. This means that it is really needed and that it does important things for both banks and the entire financial system. In fact, it is true that without the Association of Serbian Banks there would be no improvement of the banking system, which is more than obvious

the work of the Association, and this is a source of pride not only for us bankers, but for the entire country. It was in 1921 and, although the world has changed to an incredible extent since then, the need for an organised performance of the banking system is still the same, and perhaps even greater. When you look at the important topics in which the Association of Banks is involved or how many people and the media turn to us with their questions, then this need is obvious.

The aim of the Association is to build the position and strengthen the reputation of the banking sector in the country and abroad. Since its establishment, and even today, it represents, protects and improves the activities of its members, and harmonises banking practice by

applying general rules and principles of professional work and good business practices. It is a great honour for me to be a part of such an institution, but at the same time a responsibility towards those who founded the Association in 1921 to work on the improvement of the banking sector, and towards those who later, over many years, contributed to the creation of what the Association today represents.

Recently, a seminar was held at ASB with the title Gender Equality - Review of Law and Practice. We know what the regulations provide for, but practice is not always in line with them. What does practice show? Can we talk about the specifics of gender equality in the banking sector?

The issue of equality between the sexes has been dealt with very seriously in the legal framework. Many acts, from the Law on Gender Equality to regulations, regulate the position of women in the working environment. However, we are all aware that the practice is not so idyllic. That is why it is the duty of all of us to work, first of all, on raising awareness, on changing the mentality, and of course on positive practice in our environment.

In banks, we can say that the situation is far above average. If we look at the statistics, we see that 70 per cent of employees in banks are women, and this year for the first time, more than half of women are in management positions, some even at the head of the leading banks in Serbia. Also, trade union organisations, formed in individual commercial banks, the National Bank of Serbia or in the banking services sector as a whole, are required to adopt an action plan every four years that contains special measures to encourage and improve gender equality and a balanced representation of the sexes in their bodies, and to ensure the active participation of the less represented gender in the composition and work of those bodies.

In the core team of the Association of Serbian Banks, which has 18 members, there are 10 women, which is quite atypical for our envi-

ronment. How did women become the majority?

At the Association of Serbian Banks we are really proud of equality, which is not just a matter of words, but has been fully put into practice. I will list only some of my colleagues: Sanja Tomić, Compliance and Foreign Operations Specialist; Slavica Drinić, Risk Management and Banking Supervision and Corporate Banking Specialist; Slađana Sredojević, PhD, International Cooperation and Education Specialist and Head of the Bank Training Centre; Sanja Jevtović, Tax System and Financial Reporting Specialist; Svatlana Negovan, Specialist for the Payment System; Kjara Cvetinović, IT and Standardisation Specialist and Head of IT Department and Slađana Komnenović, Head of Financial Reporting. Svetlana Negovan is a specialist in payment transactions, Kjara Cvetinović is a specialist in information technology and standardisation and head of the IT department, Slađana Komnenović is the head of the Financial Reporting Department.

Most of the responsible positions in the Association of Banks are held by women! And we don’t have the impression that it took additional effort to make it so. These women simply have high qualities for the work they do, and the leaders of the Association were wise enough to recognise that quality and to get great colleagues in these ladies.

According to data from September 2022, women own only 25 percent of companies in Serbia. Do you think that percentage could increase with favourable loans for starting or improving a business and greater support from the state?

The share of women in business ownership is absolutely unacceptable, but we have to be fair and say that things have started from zero. Part of the credit for this goes to the banks that follow women’s entrepreneurship and dedicate themselves to this topic in a special way through the workshops they organise for financial management, writing business plans, market research and online advertising.

As an association of banks, we contribute to equality by speaking very often on this topic, supporting women’s entrepreneurship and creating special benefits for their financing. And what is most important, we show by our example how gender equality can work in practice.

Many acts, from the Law on Gender Equality to regulations regulate the position of women in the working environment, but the practice is not so idyllic

Punctuality Is Our Trademark

Due to great potential in the express service sector, M&M’s daughter company M&M Express will start operating at the beginning of 2023. We talk with M&M CEO Dragana Simović. She is looking forward to tackling new challenges and reveals that their plan is to become one of the leading courier services in Serbia.

When you entered the business three years ago, it was not simple, nor easy. Is your success all the more appreciated?

It really wasn’t easy. The competition is extremely high, the market is over-saturated, but there is always room for the right players, and we certainly are. Thanks to our experience, knowledge, effort, dedi-

DRAGANA SIMOVIĆ, Sales & Marketing Manager, M&M Militzer & Münch Serbia

In less than three years, M&M has established cooperation with leading European companies and become an exclusive provider of logistics services on the Serbian market. They are successfully building the image of a respectable, successful, stable and, above all, reliable company, which will progress more and more in all market segments.

cation and a developed logistics network, we have positioned ourselves as leaders on the Serbian market in the field of transport and logistics. Our clients have recognised this and see in us not only professionals, but also a partner they can rely on. Today, when everything happens so fast, we especially emphasise expediency and accuracy as our trademark.

You started your career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and worked at our embassy in Germany. Did you learn a lot in those jobs?

After completing my studies in international relations and diplomacy, I took up a job at the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As I lived abroad for my education since the age of 15, diplomacy was a logical path. I learned this job by working with serious professionals, both at the Ministry and the Embassy in Berlin, and with

the diplomatic corps around the world. I must admit that even today I use that knowledge in this job. Although I am no longer a diplomat by profession, I enjoy representing Serbia in a different, but equally beautiful, if not more beautiful, way.

How did you find yourself in the logistics and transport sector? Are things slowly changing in favour of women who are considered better organisers, and are also far more systematic than men?

In the past, logistics and transport were mostly handled by men, but things are changing in all areas, including in ours. I believe that there is no division into female and male professions and jobs, but the decisive factors are knowledge and personal preferences. Organisational skills and a systematic approach are my strong points and are certainly among the reasons for my business success. In addition, I claim that hard work, commitment, dedication, a positive working environment and a

good working atmosphere are the greatest guarantors of business success, whether you are a woman or a man.

All successful companies point out that their strength rests on the dedication of their staff, team spirit and good leaders. What kind of relationship do you have with your colleagues? How do they view women leaders?

Good interpersonal relations and a healthy business environment are conditions for a company to be successful. Only in such an environment can you expect efficiency and dedication from your staff. That is why we pay special attention to mutual respect, collegiality and professionalism at M&M. When it comes to work, I believe that my colleagues do not think about whether I am a woman, but how I do my job.

In my work so far, I have never felt a single bit of discrimination from my male colleagues. Moreover, I think they have always treated me in a gentlemanly manner, which I am particularly proud of, since mutual respect by all staff in terms of gender equality is something we work hard on and insist on.

I try to ensure that my relationship as a leader towards my staff is always as fair and as correct as possible, so in return I receive the same treatment from those I manage. Mutual respect, trust and good communication between managers and staff is one of the keys to business success. Satisfied employees are those who feel the respect of colleagues and managers, who are comfortable in the working environment. They are very productive, which benefits everyone. It is easy to manage a satisfied employee.

You work with a large number of men… Do you think they could successfully “juggle” in multiple fields and multiple fronts, as women do every day?

Equality between the sexes is a very important civilisational asset that must be adopted in all social relations, and especially in business. The attitude towards male colleagues is always professional, fair and correct. I don’t generalise things and I don’t discriminate against anyone

on any basis, so I believe that there are many men who are great at multitasking just as well as women. For some, certain work tasks are more natural more than others, but this has nothing to do with gender. Staff are assigned to positions that suit them best on the basis of monitoring and the quality of the work they perform. This is where they will achieve the best results for themselves and for the company.

When a company grows as fast as yours, it requires dedication and a lot more work. Has it affected your private life?

Balance is something I strive for. I am ambitious, I love my job and I am very dedicated to it, but despite all that, my family comes first. I believe that only those who have a healthy, functional and harmonious private life can be successful and accomplished in business. One does not work without the other. My family is my greatest support. It gives me strength and the energy for all private and business challenges.

My father, who is also the originator of the idea of starting this business, is my

Will 2023 be the year in which M&M becomes one of the top three logistics companies in Serbia?

Over the coming year we are well on the way to materialise our efforts and work, and to be among the top three logistics companies in Serbia. We will continue to invest in further development, such as expanding warehouse capacity from 36,000 to 50,000 square metres, setting up new HUBs in Serbia and the region, and expanding our groupage routes.

greatest supporter, but also my greatest critic. I learned everything I know about life and work from my parents. They are always there for me, to give me the strength to always move forward and I think that’s the greatest happiness and wealth a young person can have.

The well-known platitude “Everything is possible with good organisation” really makes sense. I have organised myself so that no area of my life suffers.

Last year, we opened an express service department at M&M. However, due to the great potential in that area, our new company M&M Express of which I am the CEO, also a daughter company of M&M, will start operating at the beginning of 2023. In this regard, I am very much looking forward to the coming year, because I have a huge challenge ahead of me, to become one of the leading courier services in Serbia.

M&M Express is preparing a team of experienced professionals in courier services, as well as the entire infrastructure, to satisfy customers in the postal services market with excellent service and innovative solutions.

Hard work, commitment, dedication, a positive working environment and a good working atmosphere are the greatest guarantors of business success, whether you are a woman or a man

Championing Renewables

MAJA TURKOVIĆ, Senior Vice President for Business Development at CWP Europe

CWP is a leading renewable energy development company operating in Southeast Europe and Australia. Over the past 15 years, CWP has been investing in sustainable development and energy transition and is currently developing more than 4 GW of renewable energy capacity in Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Montenegro, Albania and Ukraine

The CWP team in Belgrade is growing constantly and today consists of 40 highly educated and motivated employees who work diligently to implement projects, led by Senior Vice President for Business Development at CWP Europe Maja Turković.

CWP has achieved a lot in a relatively short period. Do you think that your swift progress is linked to the fact that you’re not only chasing profit, but rather also taking care of what is good for the future of the planet and Serbia?

Our mission is to lead the energy transition of SEE with the development of utility-scale, subsidy-free renewables, and our experience positions us perfectly to do so. This requires taking great care to ensure that this transition is implemented in a sustainable manner and that projects contribute in a positive way to the communities in which they are built and to broader environmental protection, in addition to the carbon reduction and abatement that they will generate. Since its founding, care for nature and everyone we work with has been the lens through

which all of CWP’s decisions have been made. We believe that companies should be responsible, active, value-adding members of their communities and we strive not just to reduce our environmental and social footprint, but also to have a broader transformative impact on the regions in which we operate. Such an approach inevitably brings success in all fields.

Some existing jobs and business models develop faster and better with female sensibility. Is the development of renewable energy sources among them?

I believe that the participation of women in renewables is essential for a green future, and we need to empower them to confront challenges and stereotypes. It is obvious that women generally have a stronger awareness of environmental protection and stronger motivation to engage in pro-environmental activities, which also reflects on the development of renewable energy sources. I can proudly say that CWP in Serbia employs more women than men, and I am glad that we are able to set an example for other companies.

Serbia is supposed to build one gigawatt of solar power generation capacity over the next ten years. Can we do that; how realistic is that target?

A solar boom is already underway in Serbia, so the country should be able to achieve that goal in the next five years. As for our company is concerned, we are currently developing two large solar projects in Serbia with a total capacity of 200 MW, both of which have reached advanced stages of development. We have recently also announced that we have started developing new projects, one of which is an 80 MW solar power plant and the country’s first hybrid power plant in eastern Serbia, consisting of a 50 MW solar park, a 100 MW wind farm and a 20 MWh energy storage system.

We have the potential and the capacities, but do we also have the personnel to develop green projects? How do you motivate young people to study and train for these jobs?

The business sector has an important role to play in this. Youth empowerment is an equally important area in which CWP innovates and seeks opportunities to add value. We support talented youngsters through partnerships with trusted NGOs and our own programmes. Some of our employees have created and taken part in a Mentorship Programme aimed at supporting the personal and professional development of Serbian students. This programme has received an overwhelming response from participants who gave us feedback that they feel empowered to take charge of their personal and professional development and give back to their communities on a much larger scale.

Effort Will Always Be Rewarded

NATAŠA MARKOVIĆ, General Manager at Galeb Group

At Galeb we have always taken great care of women. Personnel relations at this company are based on traditional values, and not on those tending to undo everything that has been built over generations, in both a social and business sense

opportunities. That is how it used to be, and how it remains today. Effort and work on the job have always been valued.

Despite being the daughter of the company’s owner, our interlocutor had to – as she herself says – take the road less travelled. Her career has seen her pass through almost all sectors and positions, because there was no presumption that the position of the General Manager would belong to her before she merited it.

Galeb has 40 per cent women employees in production, service and administration, and more than 60 per cent in management. Women are at the helm of key departments?

This ratio is unusual for many, but it is completely ordinary for us, because with us positions are acquired through merit, commitment and results. As it is in the family, so it is in business. The wife is the neck of the family, and the husband is the head, just as father and mother form the pillars of parenthood. Galeb is a company that was created by my mum and dad, and there everyone – from high school graduates and old employees, to family members; regardless of gender, religion and national identity – has received equal

You started working at Galeb immediately after completing your studies, and during your career you have passed through almost all sectors and positions, because it was not assumed that the position of the General Manager belonged to you right away?

“The Road Less Travelled When You’re the Child of a Company Owner” is a title to accompany this question. I started with receiving mails and answering the phone in the office management, which was followed by accounting, payroll service, sales, procurement and finally production. When the biggest crises hit, I took responsibility as the responsible person at several Galeb subsidiaries... Courts, lawyers, account freezes, loans, litigation, confrontations... I was not the only one on the front line, but all that experience led to it being easier for me to handle the position of the General Manager.

You are a wonderful example of a successful woman who didn’t abandon her family, friends, or herself for that matter. How do you find time for everything?

At home I am a wife, a mother and a housewife, and in my free time I try to rest and spend time with my children. I consult with my husband about work, but

after that I try not to mention work outside the factory. When you separate your work and private life, many perspectives emerge. That is sometimes difficult and it is not always even necessary to separate them, but it is certainly very useful when you arrange your day and responsibilities in a quality way. Where there is desire, time can always be found.

You were educated abroad and do a lot of business with foreigners. Could you evaluate the difference towards women leaders and women in business here in Serbia and beyond our borders?

I could not make that distinction, because a leader is a leader, regardless of whether they are male or female. Here with us, across the entire former Yugoslavia, people are warmer and more cordial in their work, unlike abroad, so if I could choose, I would always choose a job in Serbia.

Your advice for young, educated women just launching their careers: Educate yourself. Any education, even the most regular course in anything, is more valuable than a weekend on the town. If you do a job, try to do it well, because every effort will be recognised and rewarded. Do not seek happiness abroad primarily, because only a few find it. Love and be loved, walk straight and in heels, because then there are no limits for you. And – of course – listen to your elders because of their inmense experience.

Good People Make The Best Teams

ALEKSANDRA JOVIĆ, General Manager, Galeb Electronics d.o.o. (Ltd.)

A position at Galeb is not acquired, it is earned. That is especially so for managerial positions. There is no protection there, because the company values education, effort, work, experience, commitment and attitude towards the job, and nor is there a gender division either, because of the belief that success has no gender

Aleksandra, the “younger Galeb sister”, reveals that, for her, good organisation is key to survival in these fast-moving times. In her job, she has wonderful colleagues on whom she can rely, and on the personal front, she enjoys the support of her husband, with whom she shares responsibilities over their children and their activities.

Your sister always knew what she was going to do. And you? Did you see your place as being at Galeb from an early age?

Our father slowly directed us towards the company and seeing ourselves in it. I had my own journey, studies abroad, life in some other locations. I gained independence and ended up building my place at Galeb. I started with administrative tasks and reached a managerial position.

You support the theory that success is not a gender category, but rather a personality category, and that there are no boundaries for a woman provided she is sufficiently dedicated, focused and organised?

I think these two “gender categories” are emphasised too much. We were raised as girls, future mothers, wives and working people. I trained karate, and that is where I learnt that focus was very important, both on the tatami mat and in life. When you are focused, there are no boundaries, but there are rules, and that helps you avoid straying from the

right track. That goes for both, sports and life.

Even though you have a res ponsible job, three children and a need to help your husband with his clinic, you do not suffer from a lack of time. Where do you find the hours that seem to be lacking for every other working woman?

I have a simple recipe... I accumulate the hours I am missing, then take a Friday or Monday off, sometimes a day or two more, and travel somewhere with my family. When it comes to everyday life, good organisation is key to surviving in these fast-moving times. I have great work colleagues that I can rely on and, on the personal front, the support of my husband, with whom I organise myself around the children and their activities. It is important for your glass to always be half full, and not half empty, and you will succeed in everything.

Do you think men show respect for women in business; that they have the same attitude towards them as they have towards their male colleagues?

I have honestly never thought about it in that way. I think that, in our country, men respect women much more than they do abroad, both in business and generally.

I have never faced negative experiences, undermining and belittling... Maybe that is because of the black belt.

Your advice for young, educated women just launching their careers: Always be aware of the priorities you have previously set, but likewise also be ready to adapt to change. Participate in sports, bear children, do not be burdened by prejudice, always strive to become the best version of yourself. You should not rush some things that have their own natural flows, but that does not mean you should leave things entirely to chance. Give your all in everything you do, never give up on your goal.

Choose good people in order to make even better teams. Commit yourself to work with the same desire that led to your first childhood successes. Research, learn, be curious, start with the little things because in that way will gain stability that will enable your further improvement. And in doing this never forget your family. Much of what I have said about work is also applicable to the family.

The Women Loved

By Dejan Medaković

By Radmila Stanković

In his testamentary, five-volume book Ephemeris, famous Serbian historian of medieval art, academic and president of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Dejan Medaković (1922-2008), wrote about his ancestors for the first time, extensively and with plenty of evidence and emotion. That was how the public found out about the importance of the Medaković family tree, which over the past two centuries has gifted the Serbian nation many notable contributors to various fields of social action.

Dejan’s great-grandfather Danilo, the secretary of Prince Mihailo Obrenović, contributed to Serbian culture with the printing of the collected works of Dositej Obradović. Danilo’s brother Milorad was the secretary of Montenegrin prince Danilo, and he would significantly shape the character and works of Petar II Petrović Njegoš, as this famous Serbian romantic poet requested that he proofread The Mountain Wreath, his seminal work of epic poetry. Dejan’s grandfather Bogdan was president of the Croatian Parliament and an exile from the house where he was born at 15 Zrinjevac Square in Zagreb, from which he fled on the eve of the fascist Ustasha pogrom of 1941.

Little was known about the Medaković women, whether born or married into this family of Ličans originally from Medak, until Dejan described them in the books

of his Ephemeris cycle.

The author of this article had the pleasure and privilege of socialising with this ingenious intellectual for years. On one such occasion, when I was writing about important women of Serbian history, I asked him to tell me about the women who’d had the greatest influence on him, who’d meant the most to him, left a mark on him and made him feel proud... And here I present his testimony that was given back in 1999.

KATARINA MEDAKOVIĆ NÉE MIHAJLOVIĆ

Grandma Katica was my father’s mother, who was married to my grandfather Bogdan Medaković. She played an exceptional role at one point in our family drama. I simply adored her. As strange and unrestrained as she was, she also loved me. The love between her and my grandfather was particularly beautiful. She quite simply adored him. And he her, in his own way. And they were complete

opposites. Granddad was very serious, while she was cheerful, whimsical and loved to travel and to buy and gift jewellery. She was stunningly beautiful. I only once saw her let her hair down and that was a magnificent sight. She was an endless source of information for me, not only related to the family, but also to the times in which she lived. Her father was Dr Rista Mihajlović, a public notary, student of Vienna, and the first translator of Heinrich Heine’s poetry into Serbian. He was the son of Justin Mihajlović, a personal friend of Vuk Karadžić, who visited that prominent Vukovar house on two occasions.

Katica’s own grandmother was the sister of composer Kornelije Stanković. She was called Katarina and it was after her that my grandmother was named. Also hailing from the house of Mihajlović was Ruža, whose married surname was Radičević, and she was the mother of poet Branko Radičević.

It’s difficult to fully encapsulate the image of such a strong and forceful woman, a woman who grew up in a house with a piano and books, and who herself had a gift for literature. I remember that the most beautiful experiences of my childhood were linked to her. When she was in a good mood – and she was often very capricious – she would extract a large leather bag containing bundles of letters –from Zmaj Jovina, Laza Kostić etc. At one point, Kostić had been a frequent guest of our house and he took care of my father’s upbringing when he came to Zagreb to work on the translation of the Pandects. Even now I can hear the melodic tone of her voice as she read those letters, selecting them at random as if extracting them from some magical box.

After granddad’s death, my grandma would go at least twice a week to Zagreb’s Mirogoj Cemetery, and I would often accompany her. After visiting granddad’s grave, we would move on, through the cloisters, and she would recount the chronicle of the cemetery to me, as she knew almost everyone who was buried there. Her comments were brilliant, unconventional, ironic, and she didn’t feel obliged to only speak well of the dead. That impressed me.

As someone as generous as she was, following granddad’s death she simply began squandering her wealth and started

seriously cutting into the family’s property significantly.

OLGA RAJIĆ

My maternal grandmother, was the unadulterated antithesis of grandma Katica. She didn’t have her cheerfulness, perhaps because she was left a widow at the age of 36. She had a wonderful marriage with my grandfather, who I didn’t know personally and who was also a student of Vienna, a doctor in the Hungarian town of Mohács. There was something in her that

was cheerless, melancholic, closed; she was all wrapped up in the emotion that she spent on her children. She had five of them and they all adored her. She was a pianist with an undeniable gift for music, who had already been taking steps towards professional performance before that was interrupted by family obligations. And for us, the family, she would stage concerts in the house with a large repertoire. She adored Chopin, Beethoven, Brahms etc. And the whole family, including my Olga, were great fans of Wagner. At that time, in one closed circle in Zagreb, Wagner was “a la mode”, so to speak. My uncle, doctor

Olga Rajić

Rajić, brought the first large records of Wagner’s operas from Germany. I had the privilege of winding up the gramophone, and sometimes also falling asleep listening to it, particularly the seemingly never-ending Parsifal. I recall that salon in the Rajić house, which was filled with refined Zagreb gentlemen.

ISIDORA SEKULIĆ

I met her during the time of the occupation of Belgrade, in 1943. I was an assistant, a volunteer at the Knez Pavle Museum (today’s National Museum), and my boss was Kašanin [art historian and curator Milan Kašanin]. I plucked up the courage to visit her one Thursday, because that was the day that she received visitors. I had done an advanced advantage, if I may put it like that, because the Rajić family was well-acquainted with Mrs Sekulić. Namely, as a young girl, Isidora was in the wedding party of the sister of my grandma Olga. I told her that, in an attempt to remind her of my Rajićs, but to my great surprise, she

didn’t accept that story. That detail didn’t really overly impress her and she waved it away as though I’d said nothing.

She started heckling me and that made me a little nervous. She asked me who I am, what I am, what studies I’d completed, where I work. When she heard that I was working at the Museum, under Kašanin, she expressed her sympathy for him. She loved him much more than Veljko Petrović, who she considered as being very gifted but vain. “He is a black swan,” she said of Veljko. I was then obsessed with art in general, devouring books, and I’ve never again worked as much as I did back then. At the end of that conversation of ours, she walked with me all the way to the garden fence, which surprised me, and said very dryly “Come again”. That was a sign that I had made at least some sort of an impression on her and after that I came to visit her on Thursdays, which meant a lot to me.

Isidora was a strange combination of phenomenal scholarship, exceptional knowledge, but also behavior that it was

tough for me to understand. For instance, she adored Chekhov, like me, was capable of carrying me away in that conversation about literature, and I would experience some sense of ascension because I was listening to such an ingenious and intelligent woman, and then she would all of a sudden, like some tonal change in a piece of music, switch from minor to major and incredibly harshly drop that tone. And, strictly speaking, she would start gossiping, recounting some mundane stories, which genuinely surprised me. I wondered what kind of nightmare was inside that woman.

She was exceptionally gifted in hiding her emotions. She only once mentioned to me her marriage to Emil Stremicki, without any reason, because I wouldn’t have had the courage to ask. She told me, as I recall to this day: “I married out of pity. I knew that he would die after a few months”. I later discovered some ironic and ugly stories about that fictitious marriage, that she invented it and never had it, that it was all her ruse... I was sorry when I heard that,

Isidora Sekulić

Vera Medaković Nee Veljkov

because our world simply loves dragging people through the mud.

Isidora and I parted ways. Considering that time in hindsight, I know that I was mistaken. If nothing else, I didn’t carry myself intelligently at one point and I wronged her. And I did so out of excessive love. And she was simply too vain to accept my harmless candour, which at that time had perhaps come from those lounge parties at 9a Simina Street. It was several years later that we bumped into one another, right in front of the doors of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. She started opening that heavy door, which still isn’t easy to open, and I opened it for her with the greeting: “Good day, madam”. Back then, Isidora already had difficulty seeing, as she suffered from cataracts, but she recognised me by my voice. She asked me how I was doing, which I answered before asking her: “Are your Thursdays still open?” She answered me: “It is for you”. I recounted the conversation to Žika Stojković and he nagged me to return to Senjak. And so, the following

Thursday we went to see her, but it was never again the same as it had been before.

VERA MEDAKOVIĆ NEE VELJKOV

I met my future wife at a refugee camp in Belgrade during the German occupation. She was in a state of deep bleaness at the time, because she’d lost the father that she adored. He, as a doctor and reserve medical major, was the commander of the medical train. The Germans hit that train despite it being marked, and he was seriously wounded and died in agony a day later. That was 6th April, 1941, practically the first day of the war. We also saw each other at her place, at those houses of occupation concerts, as we’d dubbed them. Her parents’ house was at 15 Krunska Street, where her father’s clinic had also been located. When the Allied bombing began during Easter 1944, Vera went to Banat with her mother and sister, to the village of Bavanište, where she’d been born. I visited her there once, under extremely dramatic circumstances. An entire novel could be written about that.

There was already love between us, and I only went to see her for one day. And I did so by bicycle. There and back, to the Danube ferry, riding more than 60 kilometres.

We were wed in 1947 and Vera, who was already a pianist, left soon afterwards bound for Paris, for extended specialist studies with Levi, who was a great figure of French pedagogy. She was also in the class of virtuoso Marguerite Long. After being absent for three years, she returned to Belgrade with a diploma, filled with enthusiasm, filled with the wide world. And, as is typical for our situation, these lands didn’t welcome her back in a friendly manner. Her professor, Hajek, was a representative of another school and a split emerged between them. There began trickery, cheating, hiding offers she received, outright conspiracies... I wasn’t in a position to protect her, to help her. Vera was very hurt by everything happening around her, and she surrendered herself to teaching. She ended her career as a full professor at the Academy of Music, always held back from that for which she’d prepared.

ANASTASIJA MEDAKOVIĆ

My 21-year-old granddaughter, opted to study dentistry, to the general surprise of all of us. She is today a third-year student and is extremely satisfied with her choice. She is very subtle, gentle, with all the grace of a girl who practised ballet for many years and completed secondary ballet school. It’s enough for her to hug me a little and I immediately capitulate. I love her unusual beauty, elegance, refined manner. She is a girl with style in these times when impersonality is forced, when individuality is being cancelled and dragged into the crowd. If she inherited something from her ancestors, it might be that special beauty that characterised my grandma Katica.

P.S.

Vera Veljkov Medaković was born in 1923 and died in 2011. Granddaughter Anastasija was named after Dejan Medaković’s mother, who had abandoned Dejan’s father with their five children, which he testifies to painfully in Ephemeris. Anastasija is the daughter of conductor Pavle Medaković, the only child of Dejan and Vera. She has since completed her dental studies and today has a son.

Anastasija Medaković

The Goal Is Zero Tolerance For Violence

The Orange the World campaign - 16 days of activism against gender-based violence starts every year on 25 November and runs until 10 December, when International Human Rights Day is celebrated, although this is a topic that should be talked about all year round, not just for two weeks. On this occasion, the exhibition Safe Everywhere was opened in Belgrade at Kalemegdan Park, and for 16 days could be visited by everyone who took a walk in the park. The goal of the exhibition was to draw attention to possible ways of improving women’s safety in public places.

- One in three women around the world has experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, and we repeat this astoni-

shing number so often that it has become generally recognized, but abstract. We forget the human tragedies behind it. We forget to talk about our mothers, sisters and daughters, about women like me or you. We forget that the fight for women’s rights is a fight for everyone’s rights - said the Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union in Serbia, Plamena Halačeva.

CYBER VIOLENCE IS ALSO ON THE RISE

She said that in March of this year, the European Commission proposed a new Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence.

“For the first time, binding EU rules will be established to comprehensively address

violence, including online violence. This is even more important in light of the current increase in gender-based cyber violence”, said Halačeva.

Director of the United Nations Office for Gender Equality (UN Women) Milana Rikanović said that the focus of this year’s Orange the World campaign is the safety of women in public places.

“Do you know that every fourth woman in Zemun carries pepper spray, just in case, and every sixth woman in Pančevo does not go out alone at night? As many as 71 percent of women experienced some form of violence in a public place, from whistling, unwanted touching, to the fact that nine percent of women experienced rape or attempted rape,” said Rikanović,

One in three women worldwide has experienced physical or sexual violence in her lifetime, every fourth woman in Zemun carries pepper spray, just in case, every sixth woman in Pančevo does not go out alone at night, nine percent of women have experienced rape or attempted rape

stating that the exhibition originated in a discussion about the experiences of women in five cities throughout Serbia.

A WOMAN SHOULD NOT SUFFER IN SILENCE

Minister for Family Care and Demography Prof. Dr Darija Kisić said that throughout history women have been exposed to various types of violence that were not spoken about, and that is why it is important to stop this practice now.

“The goal of the Government of the Republic of Serbia was and will be zero tolerance towards any form of violence, and the Ministry of Family Care and Demography and the Coordinating Body for Gender Equality will always be partners in achieving this goal. On this day, we have to send a message that every woman must resist violence, that she must not be silent, that she knows that she has someone to turn to”, said Minister Kisić.

Assistant Minister for Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs Biljana Zekavica said that all relevant

actors should cooperate closely to eradicate violence against women and improve the regulatory framework.

The chargé d’affaires of the United Kingdom in Serbia, Dominic Otway, said that their diplomatic mission has been actively involved in raising awareness about the problem of gender-based violence for the past year.

“Unfortunately, this problem is a global phenomenon and we have had some dreadful cases in Great Britain. That’s why we have focused on how to make the streets safer and how to improve security in the online world. We have provided funds to improve safety in public transport, to improve public lighting”, said Otway.

THE EU PROVIDES STRONG SUPPORT TO SERBIA

collaborated with successful actors from Serbia in the spheres of fashion, art, sports, literature, and cinematography.

“Gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment and gender-based violence are human rights issues. The way we solve these problems reveals whether we live in a fair and just society. Our main goal is the full implementation of the principle of gender equality. Through the accession process, the EU will provide strong support to Serbia to achieve these goals”, said a statement by the EU Delegation.

The colour orange also united the basketball players of Crvena zvezda and Partizan, who recorded a joint video message: “Violence against women - it must stop. It is our duty to protect all women - mothers, sisters, wives, friends... Report violence immediately - no excuses! Let’s help those who suffer violence. A bully is a coward – be brave. Protect the victims”, said the members of the two Belgrade first teams.

They were joined by national team coach Svetislav Pešić and Partizan coach Željko Obradović.

Women Are The Law

The action launched by Minister of Economy Rade Basta on social networks under the title Women Are the Law received the support of more than 600,000 women. Support for the project comes from all over Serbia, but it has also spread throughout the region, so it was supported by candidate for president of the Republic of Srpska Jelena Trivić, as well as numerous public figures including Dragana Mirković and the Association of Mothers with Three Children, which has 11,000 members.

At a meeting with the representatives of the Mothers with Three Children association, the minister emphasized that he is in favour of improving working conditions for women, especially mothers, and that he will work to improve the business climate for all entrepreneurs through the Women Are the Law campaign. He also emphasized that his long-term goal is for women to be empowered in

This year, the EU Delegation in Serbia has joined the global campaign promoting empowered women through cooperation with the wider community against physical, verbal and socio-economic violence. During the global campaign, they have entrepreneurship through this action. The representatives of the association said that they have re-launched an action that will aim to ensure that parents with three or more children receive a job, to ensure a better life for their children.

Minister Basta and his campaign Women Are the Law were supported by director of the entrepreneurship department at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce

Branislava Simanić, to whom he explained his intention to improve the position of women entrepreneurs. They are, the minister pointed out, an important part of private business and without their sufficient appreciation we cannot move forward.

At the meeting, it was agreed to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Economy and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce to support female

entrepreneurship. In cooperation with the International Women’s Club, work will also be done on the formation of a network of female entrepreneurs in the country, the region and then the world.

“The coming year 2023 will be the year of women. Women will be helped to start their own business, because they are indomitable beings. They can do everything, but they lack support and self-confidence. We need to restore their self-confidence, to believe in themselves, to not be afraid of challenges and to be aware that the state will stand behind them. They are the pillar of every family”, said Basta.

Rade Basta, Minister of Economy

The Number Of Femicide Victims Is Not Decreasing

In 2022, 23 women died in domestic violence. The killers are their former or current partners, sons or other family members. Of those 23 women, six had previously reported violence to the institutions. For those six cases it can be said that there is a responsibility of the institutions that did not recognize the danger the women were in and did not help them

The Orange the World campaign - 16 days of activism against gender-based violence starts every year on 25 November and runs until 10 December, when International Human Rights Day is celebrated, although this is a topic that should be talked about all year round, not just for two weeks. On this occasion, the exhibition Safe Everywhere was opened in Belgrade at Kalemegdan Park, and for 16 days could be visited by everyone who took a walk in the park. The goal of the exhibition was to draw attention to possible ways of improving women’s safety in public places.

- One in three women around the world has experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, and we repeat this astonishing number so often that it has become generally recognized, but abstract. We

Ph oto : Milena Đorđević

forget the human tragedies behind it. We forget to talk about our mothers, sisters and daughters, about women like me or you. We forget that the fight for women’s rights is a fight for everyone’s rights - said the Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union in Serbia, Plamena Halačeva.

CYBER VIOLENCE IS ALSO ON THE RISE

She said that in March of this year, the European Commission proposed a new

Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence.

“For the first time, binding EU rules will be established to comprehensively address violence, including online violence. This is even more important in light of the current increase in gender-based cyber violence”, said Halačeva.

Director of the United Nations Office for Gender Equality (UN Women) Milana Rikanović said that the focus of this year’s

Orange the World campaign is the safety of women in public places.

“Do you know that every fourth woman in Zemun carries pepper spray, just in case, and every sixth woman in Pančevo does not go out alone at night? As many as 71 percent of women experienced some form of violence in a public place, from whistling, unwanted touching, to the fact that nine percent of women experienced rape or attempted rape,” said Rikanović,

THE ORANGE THE WORLD CAMPAIGN ENDED WITH A PANEL DISCUSSION

All The Roles Of One Woman “She Is Awakening.” Finally!

The panel discussion “She is awakening”, named after the documentary TV series of the same name by author Mija Bjelogrlić, and screenwriter and director Staša Bajac, marked the end of this year’s global campaign Orange the World - 16 days of activism. The series dealt with the issue of gender inequality,

the position and emancipation of women in Serbia, observing them through everyday and typical roles, so the panelists tried to answer the questions of what a woman is like in a leadership position, in the kitchen, as a mother and a socially engaged person, and how those roles have changed in the last five decades.

The panel was moderated by Mija Bjelogrlić, and among the participants were playwright Biljana Srbljanović, visual artist Marina Marković and director Staša Bajac.

The panel “She is awakening - against economic, verbal and physical violence against women” also marked International Human Rights Day.

Empowerment Is The Creation Of Self

EUN HAI KIM, President of the International Women’s Club, Belgrade

Women’s empowerment can be interpreted in many ways, such as through economic independence, political participation, overcoming gender stereotypes and roles, but the most important form of empowerment is the creation of self

As a registered non-profit voluntary organisation, the International Women’s Club actively engages in empowering women both within and beyond the club. By giving women leadership roles, they are empowered to make social contributions to Serbian Society.

Our members come from 40 different countries, from the diplomatic community, expatriates and Serbian ladies who have lived abroad and returned to Serbia. IWC is a space that empowers women from the very start of their membership and continues to propel them forward as members of the club.

When our members first arrive in Belgrade, it is common for them to experience the difficulty of adapting and assimilating to a new environment. IWC serves as an opportunity for them to be part of a nurturing environment that gives members the grace to conquer this challenge. Even though we come from all over the place, we are still able to connect through vulnerability and

respect, to eventually feel comfortable in the new environment.

IWC hosts monthly coffee mornings that encourage new members to introduce themselves and find out about the club’s various activities. We are able to introduce them to the support group that IWC is renowned for and empower our members through social connections.

To help Serbia feel like home, IWC promotes a better understanding of Serbia and the relationships between the members’ international backgrounds and our host country of Serbia.

As IWC members, we have access to many comprehensive programmes, classes, community services and cultural activities that build up our intellectual development and social connections. We offer a diverse range of activities

to accommodate the diversity of our members. These activities range from museum and gallery visits, participating in our book club, and even exercising as part of our walking and pilates group. The diversity of activities is intentional, as we want to offer our members the opportunity to learn new skills, strengthen old ones, or help other members try new activities.

IWC is continuously working within our community to empower women in the broader Serbian community. For the first time this year, IWC hosted a Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign at the White Palace, with the support of HRH Princess Katherine and Dr Jasmina from BelMedic. October is International Breast Cancer Awareness month, so IWC joined the worldwide effort to empower women

to prioritise their health. We discussed the importance of early detection, as well as the symptoms of breast cancer, to encourage women to get mammograms on a regular basis. We were so privileged to have Serbian Health Minister Dr Danica Grujičić as our guest of honour and to wear pink as a physical symbol of breast cancer awareness. We understand that women have busy lives as mothers, daughters, teachers etc., and how easy it is to prioritise themselves the least, but we want to empower women to know that it is important to be proactive from the beginning, and that women should be putting themselves first.

IWC also celebrated the diversity of our members through the IWC Cultural Fashion Day, this year hosted by the Ethnology Fest and the Give Back

Credit Project. Members donned their countries’ traditional apparel and it was an amazing opportunity to see the wide variety of countries represented. It also felt like a unifying moment to have all these countries support cultural heritage all over the world.

Our main fundraising event is the IWC Annual Charity Bazaar. After a hiatus lasting two years, in October we were able to host the Bazaar again, this time in the Crystal Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency

Hotel. Many embassies supported the multicultural IWC Charity Bazaar. There were 24 beautifully decorated embassy booths displaying and selling packaged food, gifts, artistic and craft items and other products unique to their cultures.

Part of the Bazaar was the Cultural Programme featuring music that included children’s choirs and traditional dances from the participating embassies. Our generous private supporters, embassies and international representative

offices donated more than 210 valuable raffle prizes. We tried not only to organise a fundraising bazaar event, but also to offer Belgrade residents and visitors a day to enjoy international entertainment, and to learn about all these countries through their authentic products. The funds raised at this charity bazaar will go to support Serbian communities that have been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. IWC’s experienced charity coordinators are currently working to select the projects to receive IWC Charity funds.

Currently, IWC has created SWAG (Social Work Activity Group) to focus on volunteer work to support local charity organisations. The first project is Pack a Christmas Parcel for Children in need. Members are using the beautiful motto of “something to wash, something to eat, something to feel and to play with, something to be warm and to learn” to create their gift boxes.

As IWC President, I am very proud to represent such an important and powerful group of women. Every day I am able to see the strength of our members and their talent to work together to provide solutions. Even as president, I am learning how to be a better role model for our members, my family, and my community. I am so lucky to be part of an amazing organisation that will continue to empower women.

FINANCE

Dragana Skrobonja finance@aim.rs

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Maja Vidaković m.vidakovic@aim.rs

DIRECTOR Ana Novčić a.novcic@aim.rs a.novcic@cordmagazine.com

PUBLISHER

Ivan Novčić i.novcic@aim.rs

PRINTING

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BEYOND DIGITAL 2023

Published by: alliance international media

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The views expressed in this publication are those of the presenter; they do not necessary reflect the view of publications published by alliance international media

Serbia’sDigitalTransformation PayingDividends

Over the recent past, eGovernment services have contributed significantly to both the development of digitalisation among companies and the development of digital literacy among citizens. It is thus no wonder that the Government of Serbia is constantly raising the bar when it comes to going digital

Consider these headlines popping up with a simple Google search: “Serbia one of 10 world countries to make the greatest progress in public administration digitalisation”, “Serbia at your fingertips – digital transformation for development”, “Corporate legislation in Serbia marching toward digitalisation”, “The future of government: Serbia’s growing bet on digital transformation pays off”, “Digitalisation developments in Serbia” or “IFC Supports Digitalisation Drive to Reduce Burden for Businesses in Serbia”. Each of them – found on the websites of the government of Serbia, the World Bank, IFC, UNDP and specialised law firms – testifies in its own way to the success Serbia has achieved over just the previous few years.

Indeed, some of these efforts only accelerated during the pandemic, but what’s important is that the pace was sustained during both 2021 and 2022. Back in 2021, Forbes published an interview with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, focusing on the digital transformation of the country and her vision for Serbia’s creative and

digital future. The opening sentence reads: “We can learn a lot from small countries where big things happen”. In the article, the author mentions Ireland, New Zealand, Estonia, the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan and Serbia as impressive examples of digital transformation.

as a place with the main advantage of an affordable workforce.

The IT sector continues to raise the bar each year, turning Serbia from a country where exports of raw foodstuffs topped the list of exported goods for years into a country that uses its IT sector to become a knowledge-based economy.

Serbia is undeniably striving to build a digitally-enabled society with a more diverse, value-added economic base. Even agriculture, which for years proved resistant to change and remained a traditional industry, is gradually becoming more digitised.

And really, from her first inaugural speech until today, PM Brnabić has succeeded in making changes that have managed to ensure that, today, “everyone is talking about digitalisation”. Following these changes, several global corporations have begun investing in the tech sector in Serbia. It is quite a difference compared to the Serbia being promoted by the same government just a few years ago

The previous period saw a large number of new start-ups “spawned” on the basis of digital solutions. This trend has recently been embraced by more traditional companies that have become aware that they will either transform digitally or cease to exist.

The digital transformation process is an almost endless one – and this is understood well by the Government of Serbia. This fourth aim publication dedicated to digital transformation itself testifies to the great scope and depth of that change.

The previous period saw a large number of new start-ups “spawned” on the basis of digital solutions... And this trend has today been embraced across the Serbian economy

Efficient&Transparent For Citizens And Business

We are working continuously to implement the Information Society and Information Security Development Strategy, and to keep pace with technological development, and we’ve undoubtedly taken a big step forward on this front with our efforts to date ~

It was at the end of August 2021 that the Government of the Republic of Serbia adopted the Strategy for the Development of the Information Society and Information Security for the 2021-2026 Period, as well as the accompanying Action Plan for its implementation, which tracks the construction of the information society in Serbia. Here we discuss the dynamics of implementing the targets set with Serbian Minister of Information and Telecommunications Mihailo Jovanović.

“We want to provide services to citizens and the economy efficiently and transparently. It is also extremely important for us to raise the level of digital skills among all citizens in Serbia, in order for them to be able to use ICT, both in their daily life and in their communications with the public administration,” says our interlocutor. “That’s precisely why we’re working to construct broadband communication infrastructure in rural areas of our country, in order for us to provide citizens in rural areas with the same opportunities as citizens in urban areas,” he continues.

This will enable modern access to services and innovations, improving quality of life for all citizens, but also the competitiveness of the economy, regardless of whether someone lives in a city or in the countryside. One of the Strategy’s targets is to increase awareness among the population of the importance of an environment where information is secure, in which there is a sufficient level of awareness of the risks, but also the advantages new technologies provide

to citizens, the public administration and the economy.

The IT market and ICT use among citizens, businesses and households is constantly on the rise, which results in large part to a coordinated approach from the competent authorities. “We are working continuously to implement the Information Society and Information Security Development

Strategy, and to keep pace with technological development, and we’ve undoubtedly taken a big step forward on this front with our efforts to date,” says Minister Jovanović.

We’ll firstly address the targets that relate to increasing the use of computers, the internet and cloud technologies in households

Mihailo Jovanović

MIHAILO JOVANOVIĆ, Serbian Minister of Information and Telecommunications

SUCCESS

Serbia is among the world’s top ten countries for progress in the field of eGovernance over the last two years, and has thereby become one of the leaders of this field in the Western Balkans

and business operations. What kind of progress has been made in this area and where is Serbia compared to the EU average?

It is an impressive fact that all companies with headquarters in Serbia use the internet in their operations, while almost 85% of them have their own website. The development goals linked to internet and computer use among companies are primarily focused on raising awareness of the secure use of modern technologies. We are dedicated to increasing and further developing the public administration’s electronic services, with the aim of enabling enterprises to do business in an easier and more efficient way. An exceptional result has been achieved in promoting the use of computers in households over the last 10 years, and the percentage of households in our country that own a computer and have access to broadband internet has increased by almost 23% compared to 2013. According to the recently released United Nations E-Government Survey 2022, Serbia ranks 26th on the electronic services development index among 193 UN member states, which is a better ranking than even some highly developed countries like Canada, Switzerland and Norway, and is better than the majority of EU members. This is a clear indicator that we have significantly eased business operations and increased the transparency of work by digitising public administration services. Serbia is among the top 10 countries worldwide in terms of progress achieved in the field of electronic administration over the last two years, and has thereby become one of the leaders of this domain in the Western Balkans and further afield.

High-quality eGovernment implies two-way communication between the state and citizens, i.e., that citizens receive requested documents via eDelivery, but can also submit

INVESTMENTS

Significant investments have been made over the past five years in the development of infrastructure, data centres, science and technology parks, and in the opening of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution

digital documents to state and local authorities in the same way. When will this become a possibility?

The electronic delivery system has been in use since 2020, as an integral part of the eGovernment Portal, and via the ePostbox on the eGovernment Portal, public administration bodies have to date – as previously noted –delivered over 1.5 million solutions, documents and notices to citizens and businesses. This enables the provision of a fast, simple, reliable and free service to all individuals who have a registered account on the eGovernment Portal. More than 1.5 million citizens and over

GOAL

We aspire to be an administration that won’t ask its citizens to visit counters to submit documents, but rather enables citizens to communicate with it electronically

of Serbia, which will have a significant impact on reducing bureaucracy and accelerating the pace of the work of the administration, as well as reducing the use of paper in daily operations.

The more data that exists in circulation, the greater the importance of information security for citizens, businesses and ICT systems. How much have we progressed in this area?

23,000 companies today have active accounts on the eGovernment Portal, and interest in this form of communication among public administration bodies and citizens is continuously on the rise. We are striving to improve the electronic delivery system in order to make communication two-way, which essentially means making it possible for both citizens and enterprises to communicate electronically with public administration bodies. We aspire to be an administration that won’t ask its citizens to visit counters to submit documents, but rather enables citizens to communicate with it electronically. Our priority is to empower an efficient public administration that’s tailored to the needs of every citizen of our country. Likewise, from the middle of next year, having an ePostbox will be obligatory for all enterprises registered in the Republic

Information security represents an integral part of digitalisation and is an obligatory element when it comes to planning, developing and implementing new technologies. The Government of the Republic of Serbia has set improving information security for citizens, the public administration and the economy as one of its general strategic goals in the field of information society. Appropriate regulations, strategies and action plans have been adopted in previous years, and significant work has also been undertaken on the building of secure and innovative infrastructure, as well as on raising awareness of the importance of information security. We didn’t have a single science and technology park just five years ago, while today there are currently four such science and technology parks in Serbia – in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš and Čačak. It is planned to open a science and technology park in Kruševac during the term of the new government, but also to expand the existing parks in Čačak, Niš and Belgrade. Two facilities of the State Data Centre, the most modern and efficient data storage centre in the region, have been constructed and made operational in Kragujevac. The first facility is intended for public administration, but it has also been entrusted with storing the data and applications of major global IT companies, under commercial conditions. A contract was signed with company Oracle, which is establishing its regional data centre within the scope of the State Centre

With the aim of ensuring the further grow of the IT sector, it is essential to work intensively, first and foremost on increasing the number of IT experts, but also other IT sector employees

in Kragujevac and will start operating in the first half of next year. We will also soon start implementing the third phase of the State Data Centre in Kragujevac, where a special place will belong to the National Centre for Information Security. Together with the World Economic Forum, we opened the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, representing the first such centre in the region and only the third in Europe. The WEF’s centre in Serbia is focused on two priorities: biotechnology and artificial intelligence applications in healthcare. Serbia’s efforts in the field of information security have been

work intensively, first and foremost on increasing the number of IT experts, but also other IT sector employees. We have increased enrolment quotas at technical faculties by 20%, while informatics and programming have become mandatory subjects in primary schools, specialised IT departments have been formed in secondary schools, and the state has already conducted several rounds of Retraining for the IT sector since 2017. It is necessary to additionally develop programmes at the secondary and higher level of education that are designed to prepare individuals to be competitive on the labour market, with special encour-

As a state, we have recognised an opportunity for development and further progress in IT, and best testifying to that are ICT exports.

Most ICT sector experts work for, and/or cooperate, with foreign companies. How easy is it under such conditions to find expert personnel to be involved in the transformation of the state administration, the development of the data centre in Kragujevac and other major state projects?

recognised by the International Telecommunication Union, as demonstrated by our country having advanced on the latest Global Cybersecurity Index by 19 places compared to the previous survey and that we are now in 39th place among a total of 182. Serbia is also ranked 19th among 161 countries in the National Cybersecurity Index, which is led by the Estonian e-Governance Academy.

The ICT sector is Serbia’s most successful branch when it comes to exports, with far and away the largest export surplus. What are the essential prerequisites to ensure this sector’s constant growth continues?

With the aim of ensuring the further grow of the IT sector, it is essential to

agement of the most talented students with the aim of maintaining the quality of the IT services that are provided by the Serbian market. Retraining programmes can contribute significantly to increasing the availability of available personnel, but also to resolving other issues that are important for the society as a whole.

The fact is that the ICT sector has become the generator of half of all new jobs on the labour market and practically every other job posting advertised last year was in the field of information and communications technologies. The main driver of the digital transformation of the state administration – the Office for IT and eGovernment –recognised the great potential and interest in work in this field among young people. This is why the National IT Competence Centre was established and a professional development programme intended for third- or fourth-year students, as well as master’s students of the technical faculties of the universities of Belgrade, Niš, Novi Sad or Kragujevac. This Centre enables students to acquire experience and improve their knowledge and skills, as well as mastering the most modern software tools and technologies, through work on the state’s largest IT projects. Significant investments have been made over the past five years in the development of infrastructure, data centres, science and technology parks, but also in the opening of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the procurement of a supercomputer, which is located at the State Data Centre in Kragujevac. The launch of works on the construction of the Ložionica Multifunctional Centre for Creativity and Innovation in Belgrade is planned for the start of 2023. Through the renovation and adaptation of the old railway Ložionica (boiler house), this Centre will become a place to meet, gather, connect, inform and exchange ideas for young people, creative people, students, start-ups, the IT community, researchers and interested members of the public.

The Government has set improving information security for citizens, the public administration and the economy as one of its general strategic goals in the field of information society

Serbia’sDigitalTransformationPath IsAlreadyMapped

The Office for IT and eGovernment of the Republic of Serbia recently began implementation of the third phase of the State Data Centre in Kragujevac, which should enable its expansion and transformation into an Innovation District. What does this mean in practical terms for the part of our economy that’s oriented towards innovation?

I’m very glad to be giving my first interview since being appointed to head the Office for IT and eGovernment to a special publication that’s dedicated to digitalisation, and which we are publishing together with CorD Magazine for the fourth time. I would like to note at the very outset that Serbia’s road to digital transformation has already been mapped out. Serbia has positioned itself as a leader of digital transformation in the region and we have clear targets that we want to meet. As the Office, we will continue along the path we previously followed. We have a large number of projects ahead of us, as well as numerous services for citizens and businesses. It is very important for us to continue

with public administration reforms, the modernisation of procedures in the state and for us to continue providing citizens and businesses with services that ease their work with the public administration and save both time and money. It is very important that we continue to have the total support Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, but also Information and Telecommunications Minister Mihailo Jovanović, whose assistant I served as when he was heading the Office for IT and eGovernment, and that’s precisely why we’re continuing the journey we embarked upon in 2017, and that means creating a Serbia based on knowledge and innovation; a Serbia without counters and paper.

We recently opened the State Data Centre, Facility 2, in Kragujevac, which is intended for the security services. Naturally, with the construction of two significant facilities, the arrival of global companies that have entrusted their data to our State Data Centre for safekeeping, as well as the opening of the Oracle Regional Centre, the need arose to construct another building that will serve the community that comes to the Data Centre on a daily basis and needs workspace, after which we turned to planning the construction of the Innovation District. It will be located on plots along Sava Kovačević Street in Kragujevac, immediately alongside the two buildings already constructed, encompassing a total area of 4.46 hectares, with a construction capacity of approximately 60,000 m2, which it is possible to implement in phases. The purpose of the Innovation District will be harmonised with the needs of the Data Centre or in its function, such as business and commercial spaces for users of the Data Centre and eGovernment, training centres, innovation centres etc.

We are continuing the journey that we embarked upon in 2017, and that means creating a Serbia based on knowledge and innovation; a Serbia without counters and paper. It is very important that we have the total support of Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić and Information and Telecommunications Minister Mihailo Jovanović ~ Milan Latinović

MILAN LATINOVIĆ, Acting Director of the Office for IT and eGovernment of the Republic of Serbia

PROGRESS

APPEAL

GOAL

We will soon gain the Innovation District in Kragujevac, which will serve the community that accesses the Data Centre on a daily basis by providing them with a suitable workspace

The Office for IT and eGovernment (ITE) has signed agreements on use of the first National Platform for Artificial Intelligence with science and technology parks in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Čačak and Niš, with the aim of supporting the work of these parks on the implementation, improvement and dissemination of artificial intelligence in the Republic Serbia, supporting scientific and research work in the field of artificial intelligence, as well as ensuring the application of artificial intelligence in the industry of the Republic of Serbia. We will soon see the expiring of the first six-month period in which start-ups could use these resources. From the ITE’s point of view, could you share with us the first experiences of using the National Platform?

In accordance with the goals and measures of the Strategy for the Development of Artificial Intelligence in the Republic of Serbia for the 2020-2025 period, the Government of the Republic of Serbia has provided the National Platform for the Development of Artificial Intelligence (AI Platform). On the basis of the agreement that we signed with faculties, universities, institutes and science and technology parks, the Office for IT and eGovernment secures and allocates AI Platform resources to science and technology parks, with the possibility of those science and technology parks sharing the resources with start-ups. Through public calls that we announced together with all four science and technology parks, we reached 18 start-up companies that received an opportunity to develop their ideas and products on the National Platform. That’s of great help to innovative start-up companies, because in order to develop their ideas they previously had to pay thousands, and even tens of thousands of euros to rent such resources, while they now

receive them for free to use, thanks to the supercomputer that’s provided. Given that this technology is quite new to our country, especially this kind of powerful tech, the majority of teams are working to learn how to make the maximum use of graphics processors and the speed of the supercomputer for their needs. Tests and experiments are conducted on a special platform for working with data; they are familiarised with programmes that ease the entire process of modelling and machine learning, while six or seven start-ups have launched projects and are well underway with work to develop solutions based on artificial intelligence. These projects deal with topics like virtual assistants, language processing,

models for optimising the use of energy resources, detecting email-based fraud and many other topics.

Turning to eGovernment services used by a large number of users, you have announced both the creation of new services and the improvement of existing ones. Could you share with our readers more details about the services that could be made available in 2023?

We are planning to introduce a large number of services during the coming year, but what will certainly be useful to everyone is the service of submitting personal documents via the electronic mailboxes on the eGovernment Portal, which all of our users have. The same documents can be sent further in electronic form, or made available to view without the additional printing of paper. In the period ahead, the Office for IT and eGovernment will certainly continue working at an accelerated tempo to improve the user experience, improve quality and develop new electronic services.

How open are state bodies to the digitalisation of their procedures?

Digitalisation is already so deeply imbedded in all segments of society that there’s virtually nothing that isn’t achieved today without its use. Everyone is aware of that, and particularly the state bodies that work intensively on the digitalisation of procedures, and those of us that work on their further connectivity. I would remind you that all institutions in Serbia today use the eZup system, that citizens no longer carry documents, but rather civil servants acquire everything for them in digital form within a few seconds. And that’s the main effect of genuine eGovernment, and the more procedures we digitise and place on the service roadmap of state bodies, the less we’ll need to print and collect documents in person.

Serbia has positioned itself as a digital transformation leader of the region and we have clear targets that we want to achieve

Serbia’s eGovernment is currently 40th worldwide and the best in the region. We are now ahead of certain EU member states – Croatia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Czechia and Slovakia

I would like to take this opportunity to invite other state institutions to enable the use of electronic signatures in the cloud and on their portals as soon as possible

We have been long awaiting a qualified electronic certificate in the cloud. How widely used is it today, first and foremost among smaller enterprises that are usually a lot slower in adopting advanced solutions? On the flip side, which sectors are the most open to accepting this option for signing official documents?

By commissioning signatures in the cloud, we took an important step for the long-term development of digital society in Serbia. Thanks to electronic signatures in the cloud, citizens need no longer concern themselves with installing software for the use of signatures on cards or tokens, while it has also been made possible for them to access the most complex eGovernment services from a mobile device. More than 17,000 signatures in the cloud have been issued to date. The remote electronic signing of documents is available to all citizens who have the ConsentID mobile app, which provides a high level of trustworthiness for electronic identification. I would like to take this opportunity to invite other state institutions – primarily the Business Registers Agency, the Central Register of Compulsory Social Security, the National Employment Service and the Tax Administration of Serbia – to enable the use of electronic signatures in the cloud and on their portals as soon as possible. I would remind all citizens that the parameters to activate the ConsentID mobile application are issued over the counter at 1,069 post offices, local government

units, local tax administration offices and commercial banks (Mobi Bank and Sberbank). Parameters for activating the ConsentID mobile application can also be obtained online, via the eGovernment Portal, by all citizens who have a qualified electronic certificate on a smart card or USB token. Applying to sign electronically in the cloud through the eGovernment Portal allows the user to select a pdf or xml document with which they want to sign an electronic certificate in the cloud, to review added documents, select a document for signature, start signing, position the graphical representation of their electronic signature and sign the document.

It wasn’t that long ago, during the pandemic, that Serbia positioned

itself as one of the countries with the largest number of innovations. How successfully has this momentum been maintained?

Digitalisation is an unavoidable process for every healthy, strong and modern country, and Serbia is absolutely one of them. I will remind you that this year’s edition of the UN’s unique global report known as United Nations eGovernment Development Survey 2022, which contains a review of the current state of affairs and conducts comparative monitoring of the development of eGovernment in 193 UN member states, Serbia found itself in the group of world countries with the highest index of eGovernment development for the first time ever. The Republic of Serbia’s eGovernment development index was rated “very high”, which is the highest rating. Serbia’s ranking has improved 18 places compared to the 2020 report, marking the eighth biggest rankings leap. According to the value of this index, Serbia’s eGovernment is currently 40th worldwide and the best in the region. Compared to the previous report, Serbia has advanced so much that it is now ahead of certain EU member states – Croatia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Czechia and Slovakia. Thanks to the fact that the Government of the Republic of Serbia set digitalisation as one of its priorities back in 2017, at the initiative of Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, but thanks also to former Office for IT and eGovernment director Mihailo Jovanović, significant results have been achieved that are now also evident in this year’s UN report. We succeeded, in a short period, in contributing to the intensive development of eGovernment services and infrastructure, the digital transformation of public administration, the advancement of the digital economy, but also citizens’ recognition of, and trust and faith in, eGovernment. With the construction of the State Data Centre in Kragujevac, as well as the implementation of the electronic services Bebo, dobro došla na svet [Baby, welcome to the world], eVrtić [eNursery[, eUpis [eEnrolment], Moja srednja škola [My High School], eSanduče [ePostbox], the electronic signature in the cloud and many others, we have provided excellent foundations for the further accelerated development of the digitalisation of Serbia’s public administration.

The Office for IT and eGovernment secures and allocates AI Platform resources to science and technology parks, with the possibility of those science and technology parks sharing the resources with start-ups. That’s of great help to innovative start-up companies, because in order to develop their ideas they previously had to pay thousands, and even tens of thousands of euros to rent such resources

ALEKSANDAR BOGDANOVIĆ, Executive Commercial Director of Mobi Banka

New Era Of Digital Banking – BankID

Digitalisation has been an enduring trend for years already. And that’s especially the case in banking, where digital services are becoming the standard and are completely transforming one of the most traditional industries. From waiting in queues, being overburdened by administration and having to make frequent visits to branches, banks have adapted to society’s new needs and become an everyday ally to people that’s also within easy reach, in their pocket, available 24/7

The most important thing for a successful digital evolution in Serbia is the extremely supportive environment and commitment to the digital agenda that’s being fostered by the National Bank and the Government of Serbia. Thanks to this, the number of citizens using digital banking has grown over the past five years by an impressive 254 per cent, to 3.2 million users. Of these, as many as 21 per cent choose the first digital bank in the region: Mobi Banka. For us at Mobi Banka, 2023 is a year of great milestones. Our road to stable profitability is slowly coming to an end, and the positive business result that is now within reach opens the door to new investments and technological advances that will bring us even closer to our vision: the complete digital transformation of banking services in Serbia.

I believe that one of the biggest advantages of Mobi Banka is that we are part of the PPF Group, which nurtures innovation and technological progress, so we have the opportunity to acquaint ourselves with the latest global practises first-hand, and then to offer them to our users. In the domain of banking, the concept of banking identity is attracting ever-more attention. In January last year, the Czech Government facilitated the simpler introduction of banking identity, which gave more than five million users the opportunity to access public administration services through preexisting banking identification tools. In this way, a unique identity of citizens is created, which can be used on all digital services following the first verification. This would mean that bank users still

I believe that one of the biggest advantages of Mobi Banka is that we are part of the PPF Group, which nurtures innovation and technological progress, so we have the opportunity to acquaint ourselves with the latest global practises first-hand, and then to offer them to our users

use the well-known and extremely secure banking interface for authentication, but that now, after verification, they can also access other digital services of public importance, such as eGovernment. Introducing banking identity in Serbia in this way would be a kind of continuation of the exceptional project

of the Government and the National Bank of Serbia “My data for the bank”, within the scope of which Mobi Banka, as one of the first representatives of the private sector, issued as many as 8,000 credentials for eGovernment in a very short period of time.

According to data from the Czech Republic, the introduction of the banking identity has completely transformed the way society works. A similar concept has been applied in Norway, where this type of identification is used by almost 90 per cent of the working population, and as much as 97% of the population aged between 20 and 54. Bearing in mind that there is already a large base of 3.2 million digital banking users in Serbia, I am certain that the introduction of a banking identity would be a major step towards the complete digitalisation of the banking sector, and I’m sure that Serbia is once again ready to spearhead global innovations.

Focus On Fast & Innovative Solutions

NALED has left its mark on almost every word that starts with the letter e and relates to digital transformation. The priorities of this organisation over the next two years include strengthening information security and personal data protection, developing the digital infrastructure required to support the expansion of e-administration in Serbia, as well as popularising and increasing the use of e-services

NALED has always been focused on the introduction of fast and innovative solutions for citizens and the economy. During the previous period, with the help of its partners, NALED implemented numerous digital initiatives of significance. In this interview for CorD Magazine’s Beyond Digital special edition, NALED Managing Board President Vladislav Cvetković mentions just a few of these initiatives: the establishing of the new system of fiscalisation and eInvoicing; the introduction of mandatory company registration on the eAdministration portal and use of the eInbox; and the launch of electronic payments and eDelivery. Working together with the Office for IT and eGovernment, NALED implemented a project to popularise electronic services through the opening of counters in the offices of local governments, where officials are able to help all those interested in becoming eCitizens.

“We are particularly proud of the introduction of the electronic procedure for registering seasonal workers, thanks to which more than 73,000 seasonal workers have to date been effectively included in legal flows and, instead of working illegally, have gained rights for the days that they’ve worked,” notes Cvetković. “We are also proud of our participation in the creation of services and systems like ePermits, which has enabled the efficient issuance of more than 100,000 approvals for construction works annually, eCounter, which has cut the period required to make new entries in the cadastral register to just over five days, as well as eInspector, which has created a network encompassing almost all national inspections, while the next step is the inclusion of local inspections

in this system. These are all procedures that we are now also sharing with other countries in the region.”

We will also gain eAgrar as of next year. What can we expect from this service?

The establishing of the eAgrar platform will enable around 450,000 farms to register more simply and four times faster than before, with costs reduced by 80%. Through the medium of this platform, farmers will be able to apply for state subsidies and receive funds significantly faster, as the relevant institutions will be able to automatically access information from networked national registers, and officials will no longer be forced to process and review documents by hand, which they previously required more than six months to do.

You’ve said that all public administration “counters” should be available via mobile devices on one eGovernment application, with ac-

cess to each of them requiring just one login process. How close are we to realising such a future?

It is already a reality in some countries, and I believe it is the near future for our country. However, we are still awaited by a lot of work, as it is essential to digitise many services. The Office for IT and eGovernment has focused on the most important life events and is offering ten very important services that include the online enrolment of children in nursery or school, the scheduling of appointments for the issuance of personal documents, the obtaining of a driving license etc. The key to success in the popularisation and increased use of services lies in access to such services not being complicated for citizens. For example, one idea is for a single login to be sufficient to access all state portals and services, such as eHealth and eDiary, eTax, APR and others. Through the eCitizen project and the opening of counters in the offices of local governments, we wanted – together with the Office for IT and eGovernment – to help citizens register their personal profiles/ accounts on the eGovernment Portal, in the case that they are unsure how to do so themselves. Likewise, it is essential to educate and inform citizens if we want to increase the use of e-services, because the results of our research show that, despite three quarters of citizens being familiar with the possibilities of eGovernment, a mere 14% of them complete administrative tasks online. Increased interest is now being expressed by the business sector, because as many as 45% of businesspeople note that they prefer to service their obligations online.

One of the topics that you’re working on, and in which we – as citizens

VLADISLAV CVETKOVIĆ, President of the NALED Managing Board

COMMUNICATION

The eDelivery service will not only enable citizens to receive all documents from the state and local authorities electronically, but also to have two-way communication with the state and submit documents via the eOffice Clerk service

– have yet to see tangible progress, is eHealth. What stage has been reached with this extensive and complex reform?

Progress has been achieved, but those are still only initial steps, while we need to make much bigger and more significant strides. Registering for vaccination via the ePortal is one of the services that has motivated citizens the most to turn towards eAdministration, and it has showed that we can digitise the healthcare system. The state has adopted an Action Plan for Digital Transformation in the Healthcare System until 2026 and NALED is helping with its implementation. The eHealth Card has been introduced, while the next step is to also introduce digital medical records. The ePrescription service has been introduced for medicines included on the A list and it is necessary to extend this service to also include other lists. It is also necessary to introduce the services eReferral and eSick Leave, while it is particularly important to link the state, military and private health systems in order to ensure the more efficient treatment of patients, through the further development of the Integrated Health Information System (IHIS). In combination, this will all serve to speed up the route of citizens through the healthcare system, improve treatment results, and reduce waiting times, the unnecessary repeating of analyses and the need to return to a general practitioner for new referrals...

Together with advancements in the field of digital transformation, the issue of information security is also increasing in importance. How far have we progressed in this area and what remains to be done in the period ahead?

Through implementation of the Local eGovernment Index (LEI) project, we gained insight showing that numerous challenges exist at the local level when it comes to the security of data stored in

COOPERATION

We are now also sharing many of the e-procedures that have been introduced with NALED’s help, such as ePermits, eCounter and eInspector, with other countries in the region

SECURITY

Through implementation of the Local eGovernment Index (LEI) project, we gained insight showing that numerous challenges exist at the local level when it comes to the security of data stored in their databases

Despite three quarters of citizens being familiar with the possibilities of eGovernment, a mere 14% of them complete administrative tasks online. Increased interest is now being expressed by the business sector, because as many as 45% of businesspeople note that they prefer to service their obligations online

their databases. Only half of all cities and municipalities possess licenses for all programs, while 14% of them don’t have licenses for any of the programs that they use. Only around a dozen cities and municipalities have their own web presentations on the .gov domain, while slightly less than half employ just one IT expert and 11% don’t have any such experts. Two thirds of them note that none of their IT experts have undergone training on this topic over the past few years. When all of this is taken into consideration, it is clear that we need to do more in this field. It is firstly necessary to improve the legal framework in this area, to strengthen capacities at the level of the state and local authorities, as well as among the businesses that manage

information systems, but also to connect them so that we have one team that’s ready to defend against cyberattacks. We will present the LEI index at the start of next year, which will help us – through the ranking of local governments based on the level of eGovernment development – to better understand who needs help and in which ways. We organised numerous training courses during the previous period for civil servants at the local level, on the subject of information security, in cooperation with RATEL. Participants were trained to make timely identifications of cyber threats and protect their system successfully. This kind of training will certainly be among the priorities of the NALED eGovernment Alliance in the coming years.

Year’s end is always a time to announce plans for the coming year. What will be in your focus in 2023 when it comes to digital transformation?

The priorities for the next two years are strengthening information security and personal data protection, developing digital infrastructure that will support the expansion of eAdministration in Serbia, as well as popularising and increasing the use of electronic services. When it comes to individual areas, we will focus will on digitalisation, primarily in the domain of healthcare, but also on the development of the eSpace system for the digitising of the drafting of spatial and urban plans, the further development of ePayments, as well as the vitally important eDelivery service, which would not only enable citizens to receive all documents from the state and local authorities electronically, but would also enable them to have twoway communication with the state, i.e., through the submitting of documents via the eOffice Clerk service. Some procedures have already been introduced but require improvement, and here I would single out the eSeal, cloud signature and eArchiving services.

DigitisingEnergyTowards A Greener And Better Future For All

The march towards carbon neutrality and the use of renewable energy sources have served to unite the world in a crucial mission: urgently reducing CO2 pollution.

As one of the world’s technology industry leaders, company Huawei is using its Huawei Digital Power (HDP) branch to strive to contribute to the better use of green energy and advance environmental protection levels.

HDP was established with the aim of easing the implementation and utilisation of sustainable energy infrastructure through technologies developed digitally. Huawei also wants to better integrate the technologies of digital and power electronics, in order to enable consumers to develop and digitise clean energy capacities.

In the firm belief that the key to carbon neutrality lies in a new energy system, Huawei aims to build that system exclusively on foundations of green energy. The production, distribution, use and storage of energy will be improved through the use of new technologies, such as Cloud technologies and artificial intelligence.

Unique innovations are created thanks to long-term investments in research and development. This has led to easing the digitising of all forms of energy, but also the improved adaptation of industry to numerous market changes. That’s why Huawei is endeavouring to enable the faster generating of clean energy, but also the opening of green transport lines and helping in the construction of sustainable data centres.

The company is developing new green technologies at 12 R&D centres in China, other parts of Asia and Europe, and had 1,600 approved patents by year’s end 2021. Working in this area are 6,000 employees, 60 per cent of whom participate actively in the research and development

sector, while all innovations are available in the 170 countries where this Chinese company operates.

By the end of last year, Huawei Digital Power solutions had helped consumers generate 482.9 billion kWh of clean energy, save 14.2 billion kWh of electricity and avoid emissions of as much as 230 million tons of CO2 – equivalent to planting more than 320 million new trees.

It is extremely important to stress that Huawei strives for an open ecosystem created with equal conditions for all those wanting to be part of it. That’s why it created the strategy “hardware

openness, software openness and multilevel cooperation with industries”, which enables both the company and its partners to jointly build – throughout the course of the entire process –an ecosystem for all industries, products and technologies.

Huawei solutions are not instant and fleeting, but rather enduring and available to all, and also confirming that the company is on the right track are the numerous awards it has received, including the WWF Climate Solver Award 2020 (WWF), the Best Show Award Interop 2021 (Japan), four DCS Award acknowledgements for various solutions (UK), the Scientific and Technological Progress Award (China), among many others.

By investing in the digital transformation of energy and enabling its faster acceptance everywhere, Huawei believes that it is helping transform the world into a better place to live for all, with reduced harmful CO2 and more good opportunities.

More than 6,000 people are working on new solutions to produce clean energy that help consumers switch to renewables, save electricity and reduce CO2 emissions

Huawei Digital Power solutions have helped consumers generate 482.9 billion kWh of clean energy and avoid emissions of as much as 230 million tons of CO2

Data Protection: ABusinessImperative

The region also suffers a lot due to the large lag in understanding the basics of data security, workplace behaviour and staff education, which is where the problems most often come from - says Mićović and insists that this must change.

Is Serbia far ahead with digitalisation?

Digitalisation is not a simple or short-term process, but it is indispensable in modern business. The digital transformation does not only mean the transition to digital storage of information, but the entire acquisition and application of digital services in all aspects of business. In this regard, I would say that we are showing enviable results, but also that we have much greater potential for advancement.

On the other hand, digitalisation brings with it the risks of digital business, cyber threats. Most companies do not have a clearly defined vision or a system to protect their business from modern threats. Compromise of confidential and sensitive business and personal data leaves not only financial and material, but also reputational consequences for the company.

The Information Security Act, Personal Data Protection Act, GDPR and international information security standards, which define obligations and provide recommendations regarding information security, help

a great deal in improving business processes. Better compliance with all these regulations and the immediate application of safety standards in all spheres of business largely ensure business stability.

What is the situation in the region, what challenges does it face in terms of the quality of information security?

In the region, the situation is similar to that in Serbia. The increase in the number of attacks is the result of many factors, including the increase

in cryptocurrency trading, working from home resulting in new IT vulnerabilities, the increasing expertise and sophistication of attackers who are further motivated after each successful attack, the political climate, and so on. All this has influenced the development of new services. For example, Sky MSSP (Managed Security Services Provider) provides exactly that, information system security management services and data protection for our users’ clients, for which our users do not have enough personnel or technical resources. Our company’s services are the protection of web applications, SAP systems, encryption of test data and protection of workstations.

Sky Express also provides cyber security education services. We have developed a program that enables a detailed and comprehensive approach to raising the level of knowledge and staff awareness of the need for and ways of protecting information and the rules of conduct in modern information and communication systems, such as problem detection and behaviour in the event of a cyber incident, procedures for hiring and firing, secure remote work, using e-mail, setting and changing passwords, etc.

A company should not passively wait for something to happen. The only real way to overcome security challenges and respond to modern threats is to engage a partner who is able to create a suitable strategy for the right business data security and implement it continuously.

Sky Express, a regional leader in the field of digital data protection, has been on the market for almost 20 years. In addition to continuously investing in the IT sector, they also provide MSSP and employee education services in the field of cyber security. They see the lack of qualified staff as one of the biggest problem in the IT field today

MAJO MIĆOVIĆ, CEO of Sky Express, IT security company and president of the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce

Sky Express provides MSSP services such as web application protection, SAP protection, endpoint security and test data encryption

Fourth Industrial Revolution

The Fourth Industrial Revolution represents a fundamental change in the way we create, exchange, and distribute value. It is a technological shift merging our physical, digital, and biological worlds into one. The fast-developing technologies pushing it forward, such as artificial intelligence, genome editing, augmented reality, robotics, and 3-D printing, are promising smart solutions for intractable challenges. But this revolution also calls for governing these solutions in ways that empower, foster collaboration, and help build a more sustainable foundation for social and economic development.

Public

MIROSLAVA JOCIĆ, CEO, Secut

Much More ThanASecurityCompany

Although two decades ago they dealt exclusively with physical and technical security, Secut today offers clients services for security, health and safety at work, professional cleaning, fire protection, couriers, receptionists, secretarial services, waste management, minor repairs...

Our company has for years been working on improving its processes through the digital transformation - says the CEO of Secut, and points out that they are particularly proud of the various software applications that have been developed for their needs to facilitate and speed up their work processes in all areas of business.

Your company was founded to provide physical and technical security services, but you soon began to expand your business. How did your market position grow?

Our name gives us away, doesn’t it? Secut = security, but Secut is much more than a security company today. We have adapted to the market as quickly and well as we knew how, we have listened and been ready for every new task. With this approach, we have become one of the leading companies in services. Today, we are recognized on the market for security, professional cleaning, health and safety at work, fire protection, courier services, reception services, waste management, secretarial services, small repairs... We offer everything a company needs that is not its core business.

Is your reference list the best indicator of a successful business?

It definitely is. Our clients actually say the most about who we are. In the 20 years we have been in existence, we have acquired 850 employees, more than 200 satisfied customers and 500 premises that we service. The strength of our clients is our

strength and we are keenly aware of it. That’s why everything is dedicated to the client. We are their service, we are at their service 24/7, 365 days a year. We are happy to have clients who recognise our commitment and appreciate our approach.

There is a lot of competition, almost every day new companies are emerging that deal with similar business, but you not only survive, but also continuously acquire new clients. What makes you different?

I don’t know if we are different but I know we have our own style. We are not too big a company for a client to be just a number to us, and neither are we too small a company to dedicate ourselves to each client individually. I think we have chosen the right measure and that is the key to success. We are aware of both a client’s wishes and the possibilities open to us. The trust that has been built up over these years is important. Our clients know that we will always do our best to complete the task in front of us.

Do the jobs you do require constant learning, professional development, updating to international trends and standards?

Yes, we are constantly improving and learning and that is one of the ways to stay in the game, especially in the field of physical and technical security, risk assessment, fire protection and occupational health... We invest a lot in the development, first of all, of people, and after that of processes. People like to learn and develop, we recognised this and have enabled our employees who have been working in the company since its inception to develop with the company. There is no successful company without successful people, that is the only truth.

The digital transformation has brought you a lot, including “smart cleaning” and Ecobot robots. What are Ecobot robots? Can they replace people?

We are happy to have clients who recognise our commitment and appreciate our approach. Because everything is dedicated to them

Ecobot robots are only the more visible part of our transformation. The Secut company has for years been working on improving the process through the digital transformation. Various pieces of software that has been developed according to our needs have facilitated and accelerated work processes in all of our areas of business, and we are very proud of that. By shortening the time for certain processes, we have not reduced the volume of work nor the number of people. On the contrary, it has just helped us to move on and develop.

Ecobot robots are autonomous floor-cleaning machines. The machine is told what it should wash and when, and it does this entirely by itself. It moves and returns to its station, where it throws out dirty water, takes clean water, plugs in to the charger to recharge its battery and continues cleaning. I am fascinated by their performance, their way of working, precision and reporting. Very intelligent machines. However, they do not replace people,

but they free people from routine work and send them to better jobs.

You often point out that investing in Ecobot robots has greatly reduced the operating costs of the company and that the capitalization of the investment increases the value of the company. What does that actually mean?

By using robots, not only do we reduce operating costs but also other, hidden costs that are not immediately visible, which is the management time spent on finding suitable workers, their training, the procurement and servicing of traditional cleaning machines... There are many factors that influence the decision to invest in the Ecobot machine. The return on investment is very short, depending on how well the machine is engaged, the return is from eight months to two years, which is better than excellent.

You have a low staff turnover at all levels. Is that rare for companies in your business?

Yes, for today’s conditions, we have very little fluctuation, which is a very interesting fact, especially for the business we are engaged in. We are fair to all our colleagues, open and honest. What we agree on - we fulfill. Both us and them. And that is the key. Trust.

DARKO LUKIĆ, Nelt Executive Vice President

TechnologyCanCreate New Jobs

As a large company that has a portfolio containing more than 300 brands and that serves 26,000 customers, Nelt possesses a huge amount of data. At the start of 2022, Nelt Group completed and announced its new strategy, “Accelerate2025”, which assumes accelerated revenue growth

Nelt’s strategic initiatives, all of which are in the domain of digital transformation, are key sources of competitive advantage for the Group. They make Nelt more “future proof” by building capabilities that are hard for others to copy and that will keep them “ahead of the pack” for years to come.

For Nelt Group, 2022 proved to be a very successful year marked by increased revenue, new investments and the expansion of operations. Despite unfavourable circumstances, you managed to achieve growth of 14 per cent.

At the start of 2022, we completed and communicated our new strategy, “Accelerate2025”. As the title suggests, this strategy assumes accelerated revenue growth. The first year of implementing our new strategy has been successful, as the revenue growth of 14% is the highest growth rate at Nelt over the last six years. As part of our strategy, we exerted quite a bit of effort to define not only our strategic goals and the segments and markets where we want to compete, but also the enabling factors necessary to implement this strategy successfully. We have worked and invested throughout the year to build these enablers, first and foremost investing in our organisation by developing internal talents and acquiring external ones.

How do you preserve and fortify your position as the region’s leading distributor?

Indeed, our strategic initiatives, all of which are in the domain of digital

transformation, are key sources of our competitive advantage. They make Nelt more “future proof” by building capabilities that are hard to copy and that will keep us “ahead of the pack” for years to come.

All of these initiatives have several common goals: Improve the customer and employee experience; Simplify, automate and accelerate processes; Accelerate revenue growth; Optimise costs; Reduce the environmental footprint of operations.

Is it an accurate stat that as many as 60% of the projects that you’ve implemented since 2018 have included new solutions in the domain of digital transformation?

That is correct… and going forward

I expect this percentage to be even bigger. At Nelt we have a “healthy dissatisfaction” with the status quo. One recent example has been the design and implementation of new software to optimise our sales and delivery routes. This has resulted in us optimising our routes by approximately 700,000 km at an annual level, while in the process reducing fuel consumption by 100,000 litres and reducing our CO2 emissions by 265 tons.

What are all the areas encompassed and which segments of operations are included in the scope of your ACCELERATE2025 umbrella strategy?

Our strategy has three layers. The first layer consists of our strategic goals, as well as the focus markets and segments where we want to compete. The second layer of our strategy encompasses our five strategic initiatives: data management and analytics; omni-channel sales platform; trade funds management; route optimisation and; paperless delivery. Comprising the third layer of our strategy are the enablers, which will help us be winners in our targeted segments and markets, and to implement our strategic initiatives. Those enablers are grouped into four categories: organisation; processes and capabilities; infrastructure and technology and; sources of competitive advantage.

Our omni-channel sales platform is one of our strategic initiatives. It caters to our customers’ expectations that they will be able to communicate with, order products from, and

exchange documents and data with Nelt at any time via different channels – whether our salespeople, our call centre, or via the Nelt Market B2B application. During 2022 we successfully launched the first element of this new platform, our Nelt Market B2B app, on the markets of Zambia and Mozambique. The first results have been very encouraging and we look forward to expanding the launch to include other countries in 2023.

This year also saw us expand the implementation of our paperless delivery initiative. This project simplifies the delivery process, eliminates the need for corrective documents in the case of errors, and digitalises the exchange of documents. After a year of implementation, around 40% (~9,100) of our customers in Serbia have adopted this way of working with Nelt, helping us issue 47% (around 900,000) of our invoices in an electronic format.

You’ve invested two million euros in data management architecture and tools that you jointly develop with companies Microsoft and SAS?

Data is the core around which all of our strategic initiatives revolve. Nelt, as a large company with more than 300 brands in its portfolio and 26,000 customers that it serves, possesses a huge amount of data. The goal of the data management project is to better utilise this data to create new value for all stakeholders in our value chain.

The first goal of this project is to ensure quick and easy access to all of our data. This is why we have created new cloud-based system architecture, where we are storing all relevant data. The second goal of the project is to “clean” and standardise all the data that we possess – both internal and external. This was no easy task, due to the sheer quantity and diversity of the data we have. We are now about to launch our automated reporting, while we are also in the process of developing advanced algorithms both in our supply chain and sales operations.

Is there any truth to the claim that automation and digitalisa-

tion will lead to the eliminating of more jobs than last year?

Automation and technology are not about eliminating jobs and reducing the number of people. If used intelligently, technology can help eliminate inefficiencies, thereby securing much needed “fuel” to fund new growth, which in turn can create more jobs. We are using technology in parallel to eliminate inefficiencies, but that also helps us invest in new growth and create new jobs. One example is the investment of 20 million euros in our newly opened Candy Factory in Angola, which alone has created close to a hundred new jobs at Nelt.

Expanding your operations to new markets is one of your strategic priorities. How achievable is that?

As mentioned earlier, volatile times are times when larger and more capable companies have an opportunity to further strengthen their market

position. This year has proven that, as we have secured new distribution partnerships with reputable companies like Chipita (Mondelez) in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mondelez in Mozambique, Colgate in Zambia, Chips Way in Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo, and Dijamant and Jamnica in North Macedonia. We also have new logistics partnerships with Podravka, Molson Coors, Aleva, Inditex and Frezenius Medical Care.

How much importance do you attach to environmentally and socially sustainable operations?

Environmentally and socially sustainable operations represent one of the strategic imperatives of Nelt Group. This past year, we issued the 3rd edition of our Sustainability Report that highlights our impact on the economy, the environment and the community using the globallyrenowned GRI methodology. The top enabler to becoming more sustainable is not technology - it is developing a mindset that sees sustainability as being everyone’s job, and that is part of all our activities and operations.

We also invested in solar energy this year, thus further reducing our environmental footprint.

If used intelligently, technology can help eliminate inefficiencies, thereby securing much needed “fuel” to fund new growth, which in turn can create more jobs

BY DEJAN ĐUKIĆ, Director Of The Serbian National Internet Domain Registry Foundation (RNIDS)

Can There Be Digitalisation WithoutCooperation?

In a digitalised and digitally connected world, indeed, no man is an island. Systems aren’t islands either. Not only information and technology systems, but also organisations – local, regional, and global. Connection and cooperation are hardly a matter of choice, but rather represent an imperative, particularly in industries that are dependent on swift adjustments under the weight of shifting habits and the burden brought by rapidly innovating technologies.

From the perspective of an average user, DNS is static, IP addresses have a purpose to serve, the whole universe behind the use of the internet is regarded as something that just is. And yet, just like any other field in information technology, this part also changes, adjusts and progresses to serve the needs of billions in a digitalised world, and that is the part where cooperation is irreplaceable.

During the year that’s now behind us, international, regional and local meetings and conferences returned to their physical form, although internetenabled technologies made continuous communication possible the entire time. Belgrade was the hotspot for internet professionals last autumn, as the host of major events and meetings.

RNIDS had the pleasure, along with SOX, to be the local host of the fiveday RIPE 85 conference in October. RIPE is the Regional Internet Registry, serving Europe, the Middle East and parts of Central Asia, providing global internet resources and related services (IPv4, IPv6 and AS number resources). However, over 500 experts from all over the world gathered in Belgrade not only to discuss possible improvements to protocols and IP policies, but also cyber security, internet and digital policies, and even the environmental impacts of modern technologies. Such events not only provide lessons of best practices to take home, but their meetings also

Hosting such events is invaluable for a national domain name registry, not only in terms of the advocating of Serbia’s digital capacities, but also as a way of reconfirming our strategic approach to cooperation – as a means to learn, grow and succeed in turbulent times

result in recommendations and the introduction of action plans. To have under one roof so many engineers and

businesspeople, but also policymakers, is to witness all over again how forceful the community is and to confirm that the tower called the digital world would not be built so quickly without exchange and cooperation.

It wasn’t only RIPE members that met in Belgrade. Members of DNSOARC, an organisation with high authority for matters of DNS operation, analytics and research, attended a meeting hosted by RNIDS and SOX in Belgrade during October. Over the course of this two-day meeting, the hottest topics related to DNS security and operation were discussed by high profile experts from Europe and United States. RNIDS’s dear guests also included members of the CENTR community engaged in the technical development of European national domain registries, who also joined the meeting and shared their insights and progress achieved to ensure the domain name system operates smoothly across Europe. And even this was not the end: as national internet, network and telco operators gathered in November at the RSNOG conference, which was supported by RNIDS for the eighth time.

Hosting such events is invaluable for a national domain name registry, not only in terms of the advocating of Serbia’s digital capacities, but also as a way of reconfirming our strategic approach to cooperation – as a means to learn, grow and succeed in turbulent times.

BOJAN POKRAJAC,

Our Goal Is To Be The Leading Digital Bank In Serbia

Banking services consumers are increasingly demanding independence in their work, without the obligation of going to a branch. The tendency is that branches will remain the dominant channel for somewhat more complex banking products, as well as a place where clients will mostly consult a bank officer. It is also favoured by the increasing number of self-service devices, which are more and more present in our branches. Digitalisation of so-called background services within the bank certainly preceded this.

In terms of this, OTP banka has launched the VKYC project that will enable potential clients to become Bank’s clients, without visiting the branch, in just a few minutes of video call. They just need to have with them a personal document and mobile device or computer with a camera and Internet connection. The ultimate goal is to provide them with such a comfort of doing business with the bank, without ever showing up in a branch.

their bank in a simpler, quicker and intuitive way.

Although this process is not visible to the user, it largely impacts his/her experience with the bank. Our approach in OTP banka “Digital where the Client is”, represents an additional challenge for the very enhancement of processes, which dominantly functioned according to analogue principles until recently. Clients expect from us to enable establishment of a business relationship with the bank without visiting a branch, which implies account opening, applying for a cash loan, opening a savings account, as well as purchase of insurance policy.

On the other hand, implementation of the Cloud certificate will round up the VKYC process, since it will enable remote conclusion of contracts on realising banking product in line with the recently amended regulation. In addition, “Digital where the Client is” also means that users will have the possibility to sign all documents in branches and receive them by e-mail, whereby OTP banka also contributes to environmental protection and reducing the carbon footprint.

In accordance with the high service standards to which we strive, we have recognised the need to change the work organisation that can respond to the development dynamics our clients expect. In terms of this, OTP banka applies the agile work manner within the team we have named the Digital factory, primary task of which is to listen to the needs of our clients, as well as to enhance applications and processes that will enable them to receive solutions they expect from

We largely support the approach to “talk in a digital plain language”, because we believe that digital should mean that things are completed in a simpler and faster way, without unnecessary technical terms. This is especially important in a situation where our Digital factory produces numerous enhancements on a monthly basis, thus the importance of communication is even greater. Our goal is to be recognised by clients as the leading digital bank in the Serbian market and all our efforts are precisely in that direction.

CONSTANT IMPROVEMENT OF SERVICE QUALITY – FROM DARK MODE TO SAVING GOALS OPTIONS

We constantly strive to improve the service quality in OTP banka, whether it is the Dark mode functionality – screen visibility in dark more, which is less eye straining, all up to the possibility that the client alone manages his/her data through the m-bank application. When it comes to savings, we plan to commission the functionality Saving Goals in the upcoming period, purpose of which is to assist users to set a savings goal through regular allocation of maybe smaller funds, and in time realise their goal. This functionality is a continuation of the approach where we manage our finances by ourselves.

Head of Digital and Online Channels Department OTP banka Srbija

EPMSoftware:FromSpreadsheets ToOne-ClickPlanning

In the digital world, there is an inextricable link between business processes and the technologies that support them. The modern work environment creates a need to jump to the next level. One of these processes is planning and budgeting. For this process, a large number of organisations still rely on good old Excel spreadsheets. On that note, we have something to tell you…

Maybe it’s time to replace Excel with software

Before you mutter: “but I’ve been using it for years...”, we’ll also say this: Excel is undoubtedly a useful tool for organising data in smaller companies. If, however, your business is a complex system and you’re looking for a way to simplify processes like planning and budgeting, it’s probably time to say goodbye to spreadsheets.

In the context of business planning in large systems, the manual arrangement of data makes processes cumbersome, slow and prone to errors. Given that these are activities with a large number of participants from various departments, who use data from various sources, manual planning can result in a chaotic situation: untrue, outdated and difficult-to-verify information. To add to the headache, with each exchange of documents within a department, the reconciliation of versions becomes more and more difficult.

Countless tables: many versions of the truth

For decision makers, disjointed planning means that there is no single version of the truth. Instead of a consolidated review, over time, many “truths” are created, which call into question the correctness of decisionmaking at the level of the entire business system. An additional problem is the lack of efficiency.

Statistics show that the largest part of working time is spent on manually arranging and adjusting data - up to

70%. Employees could devote this valuable time to a key aspect of planning: data analysis.

How can EPM software help?

The fact is that Excel, despite its fame, was never intended as a tool for planning, budgeting and reporting at the organisational level. Today there is a comprehensive, specialised solution for an integrated planning process: Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) software. This is the most effective tool for synchronising organisational departments that participate in planning, automating and improving the process of consolidation of business results. Or in short: for networked planning.

Unlike off-the-shelf tools and software, EPM solutions improve and facilitate the entire planning cycle - from data collection to modeling, analytics and reporting - by consolidating it on

a single platform. Some of the main advantages for business are:

•centralisation of data located in different applications and systems, which are used for planning and for creating reports for monitoring plans

• detailed, holistic overview of data from all lines of business for efficient implementation of quarterly, halfyearly and annual plans

• “driver-based” planning - based on activities (drivers) that affect business values, such as price per product unit or larger investments in marketing

• possibility of active monitoring of KPIs

• possibility of active planning (rolling forecasts)

• accuracy and timeliness of data - no possibility of error or using the wrong formula

• saving employees’ time and greater agility of the company to adapt to market changes with a shorter planning process.

All business sectors, one planning strategy

Using EPM solutions, companies can strengthen cooperation between various lines of business, make them more agile and direct them towards common goals. For example, the launch of a new product requires the collaboration of the production, sales and marketing departments. Good coordination of these departments, which are often based in separate locations, will speed up planning and enable more efficient use of company resources, and thus a competitive advantage.

The main thing is not what the software enables, but what you need.

If you are planning to introduce a new solution for the automated management of planning and budgeting processes, it is important to have a complete picture of the current situation, and of the goals. The design of the application should address the weaknesses of your processes and the desired situation. Flexibility to adapt to your requirements goes hand in hand with intuitiveness. Even the best, customised EPM solution will remain “the tool they forced on us” if it is not easy for employees to use.

One of the EPM software packages that combines all of the above is Oracle Hyperion. It is a world-renowned system that is used in finance and controlling, and for operational planning and budgeting in large companies - in sales, marketing, human resources, IT and other business functions. Depending on the company’s needs, Oracle Hyperion can be set up on local infrastructure

or in the cloud. It is characterized by exceptional flexibility that can be used when implementing dedicated modules, so that users get exactly what they want. That is the key point. Also, this is where expertise comes in.

A team of certified experts with deep knowledge of EPM solutions, experience in customisation, implementation and integration with the rest of the IT ecosystem for optimal information flow adds value to the application of technology. This kind of team and experience is brought by the company AIGO. As a development partner, not just an implementer, AIGO is here to help you choose the optimal EPM software, implement and customise the desired modules and integrate the solution with the systems you already use, such as ERP. Of course,

all this is not possible without good cooperation. Therefore, the AIGO approach is based on jointly finding solutions that will put applications from global manufacturers at the service of your business.

As we said at the beginning of this text, today the connection between business processes and technologies is stronger than ever. Just as an insufficiently efficient tool can make processes more complex than they need to be, a suitable solution has the power to raise their efficiency to a new level. This choice is strategically important and can create many challenges for companies. With the right support, all these challenges can be overcome and, along the way, new opportunities can be opened: for optimisation and improvement of the payment process, risk reduction and faster adaptation to change.

MARKO PETROVIĆ, Director, Visaris

SideBySide With The Best

Visaris is a local company that has been providing digital radiology products and services of the highest quality, safety and reliability for two decades. They have good experience in the world’s largest tenders for the procurement of equipment, because in open competition they occupy a very high place in terms of price and quality

Judging by the views of our guest, their business policy so far has paid off and they believe that the satisfaction will be even greater when they achieve their medium and long-term goals – to make the best X-ray in the world and to be one of the pioneers in the application of artificial intelligence in radiology.

When you started, did you think that you would leave world-famous companies and brands i the dust?

My brother Vladimir, father Slobodan and I, the founders of the company, believed in success from the very beginning. It is hard to say that we have left all the world’s brands behind us, since some of them still dominate the market, but the fact that we are increasingly getting contracts for “high end” equipment in the strongest competition of rich markets shows that we are doing well. Apart from during the pandemic,

it is a sufficient indicator for us that we are growing faster than others, especially in the number of licenses that we also sell to other manufacturers and users. Every year, about 400 new medical institutions start using Visaris software for acquisition and processing of digital images.

Since the X-ray has been in use for over a hundred years, the market is mature and thoroughly served. But the digital transformation only started at the end of the 20th century and we are one of the pioneers in that field, so it is not surprising that some of the world’s brands have a shorter experience than Visaris, even though they are older and much better-known companies.

In 2003, we were blown away by Vladimir’s idea of forming a team in Serbia that would make a digital X-ray, and the first such device was installed in Belgrade already in 2004, when there were only about 3,000 of them in the

world. At that time we weren’t thinking about the competition, but about the possibilities of the technology on which Vlada got his doctorate. On the other hand, we also had in the team the experience of local experts who built their careers in the famous Jugorendgen.

In addition to our common belief in the idea, Vladimir’s vision (today he is the technical director) and Slobodan, who already had a serious business resume with initial investments, had a decisive influence on our success. More important than the money was the fact that Bob (now the president of the company) had the courage to trust his then young sons and provided them with unreserved support in terms of knowledge, advice and contacts. In such an environment, it was not difficult for me to invest all my resources in Visaris.

Visaris has conquered the world market where there is no protection,

rigging and nepotism. Is your success is due to a superior product at a fair price?

You can have all the support and protection you want, but if the product isn’t good, you won’t do anything. Visaris is proof that if you have a high quality and reliable product at a fair price, you will have your audience even without a big sponsor. We have good experience in the world’s largest tenders for the procurement of equipment, because it turns out that in open competition we occupy a very high place in terms of price and quality.

We conquered the technology really quickly, but to conquer the market it is not enough to have only a great offer, it also requires the test of time and recommendations. Fortunately, the first users have already confirmed to us that our products give a top-rate image, which encouraged us to dedicate ourselves to improving the user experience. We started exporting only in 2014, and today our exports to more than 30 countries around the world account for more than 90% of revenues.

What are the advantages of digital cameras and recordings in digital format?

In addition to better resolution on modern medical monitors, digital X-ray images are obtained with lower doses of radiation, can be read at a distance and do not produce harmful waste. A printed recording is valid for five years, while digital recordings are archived permanently. The most modern devices have the possibility of dynamic recording, which literally brings the recording to life in front of the doctor and provides much more information. Perhaps the most important value of digital recordings with a description is their use for machine learning or the popular AI (artificial intelligence).

The application of increasingly powerful devices, computers and algorithms in radiology opens up new opportunities for the development of science, disease prevention, and improvement of the quality of life. In the current international scientific project INCISIVE, Visaris and the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Novi Sad are working with 24 other eminent partners in Europe on

the early detection of cancer through the use of artificial intelligence.

Do digital recordings facilitate, for example, obtaining a second independent opinion or conducting a consultation with a doctor located on the other side of the world? It creates a new dimension of treatment?

In the U.S. today, there are already large companies that deal exclusively with reading thousands of radiological images that arrive from hundreds of locations a day. This used to be both unrealistic and impractical due to the need for recordings to be physically available. The agreement on the DICOM

technologies, Visaris can challenge the most talented experts, and for them the possibility of training with us acts like a magnet. Other working conditions, although competitive, are usually not the primary issue for most employees. In a team of about 80, development counts 30, of which there are more than 10 people who have been with us between 16 and 19 years. We strive to create an environment in which we transfer and increase knowledge through continuous improvement, which is especially important for young talents.

Is it rare that a private company in Serbia invests so much in its own technology and staff?

Having our own technology is our biggest comparative advantage over the competition, and good solutions do not exist without good people. The field in which we operate is highly specialized and regulated, which means that the number of qualified experts on the market is extremely small, and for practical reasons detailed training and education is an inevitable part of the integration of every employee.

format, mandatory for all manufacturers of radiological equipment, has enabled the easy availability of digital images to everyone who has access to the Internet

Do you have a problem finding staff?

Unfortunately for us is that it is not enough to be a good IT engineer to get into Visaris’ prestigious development team. Since we work in a multidisciplinary environment, additional knowledge of physics, mathematics, electronics or the like is desirable. Due to its complexity and work on advanced

I think that in Serbia there are more and more companies that invest in the same way as us. What we know is that this policy has paid off and we believe that the satisfaction will be even greater when we achieve our medium and long-term goals, which are to make the best X-ray in the world and be one of the pioneers in the application of artificial intelligence in radiology. In four of the 12 countries that have x-ray production, the market is dominated by family businesses, which means that we are not alone in our approach and we expect that our example will encourage others.

The application of increasingly powerful devices, computers and algorithms in radiology opens up opportunities for the development of science, disease prevention, and improvement of quality of life

DataArt Strengthens The Net

DataArt is a global software engineering company that has a unique, people-centred approach to problem solving. With its teams of highly trained engineers worldwide, this firm delivers high-quality solutions to clients that include Unilever, Priceline, Ocado and Flutter Entertainment

The company currently has 230 employees in Belgrade and 30 in Novi Sad, and it has taken less than a year for it to establish excellent cooperation with universities, the business community, chambers of commerce and local governments.

DataArt Balkans, which was founded in March 2022, follows the best business practices of global software engineering firm DataArt. The company currently employs 230 people in Belgrade and 30 in Novi Sad. Many business partners were invited to commemorate the expansion of the company’s office space in Belgrade to 1,300m2 and they were greeted and hosted by DataArt Balkans directors Marina Varzar and Neboša Simić.

“We are proud that we are part of a global software network headquartered in New York, which has existed for more than 25 years and which employs 6,000 people in more than 25 locations across Europe, the United States, Latin America, the Middle East etc. We collaborate with renowned companies like Nasdaq, Skyscanner, Unilever and Ocado. We employ 260 people and our plan is to grow and develop on the local market,” said Simić on this occasion, emphasising that DataArt Balkans is oriented towards people, because there can be no success without satisfied and motivated employees.

DataArt Balkans director Marina Varzar welcomed those in attendance and noted that, in less than a year,

We are proud that we are part of a global software network headquartered in New York, which has existed for more than 25 years

this office has established excellent cooperation with universities, the business community, chambers of commerce and local governments.

“With its people first approach, DataArt integrates our engineering excellence with deeply human values that drive our business and approach to relationships: curiosity, empathy, trust, honesty, and intuition. These qualities help deliver high-value, high-quality solutions that our clients depend on, and lifetime partnerships we believe in”, added Marina Varzar.

As a reliable partner to the world’s leading brands and most discerning clients, DataArt applies its huge technological expertise and sector-specific knowledge to the development of significant applications, because it combines the reliability, stability and experience of a large multinational company with the adaptability and dedication of small firms.

“The IT community in Serbia is growing constantly, and will gladly provide our own contribution and share our global knowledge and experience,” stressed Varzar.

MARINA VARZAR, director DataArt Balkans, NEBOJŠA SIMIĆ, director DataArt Balkans

ProtectingEvery AspectOfBusiness

Cisco defines security resilience as being able to protect the integrity of every aspect of business so it can withstand, not just survive, unpredictable threats or changes and emerge stronger. This is the ability to anticipate, withstand, recover from, and adapt to adverse conditions, stresses, attacks, or compromises on systems that use or are enabled by cyber resources.

In the latest global Cisco security study conducted among 4,700 participants, security resilience was top of mind for 96% executives. As many of 62% of them reported having already suffered major security incidents that impacted their business operations, mainly network or data breaches, system outages and ransomware events. Organisations that foster a culture of security identified increases in resiliency, especially with a mature, zero-trust approach.

In today’s business environment, work is done from anywhere, which means security must exist everywhere in order to fully protect the business. Traditional security approaches that trust anything (devices, users, infrastructure etc.) inside the corporate network can’t deliver that required level of protection. This has led to the emergence of an approach that eliminates blind trust. A zero-trust model establishes trust in users and devices through authentication and continuous monitoring of each access attempt, with custom security policies that protect every application.

The critical factors include employees, who should be treated as part of the solution, rather than a problem, as the study shows. This comes from executives and leaders who understand business operations and the importance of security resilience. They should endeavour to cultivate a culture of security throughout the organisation, because Cisco data

shows that organisations that are able to do so will see a 46% boost in resilience. Security staff understand their role in the context of the organisation, while non-security staff know that they also have a role to play. This can be seen

by the regular reporting of phishing attempts, potential malware, and other incidents. Security isn’t a negative topic in employee satisfaction surveys or exit interviews. Conversely, frequent security policy violations and workarounds are evidence of a poor security culture.

The simplification of the hybrid cloud environment supports a security resilience approach, as well as the protection of the whole network end-to-end.

Cisco Secure is built on the principle of better security, not more. It delivers a streamlined, customer-centric approach to security that ensures it’s easy to deploy, manage, and use — and that it all works together.

www.cisco.com

Cybersecurity is one of the hot topics for every business and organisation. There are many threats, but just one security breach for any company is enough to turn a threat into a successful attack

In the latest global Cisco security study conducted among 4,700 participants, security resilience was top of mind for 96% executives. Organisations that foster a culture of security identified increases in resiliency, especially with a mature, zero-trust approach

Modern Bank For Modern Times

Digital wallets and mobile and electronic banking applications are innovations without which it would be impossible to imagine daily life in the 21st century. Over the past few years, maintaining a trusted relationship with clients while also providing them with the safest possible payment methods has been a real challenge. HALKBANK a.d. Belgrade can state with pride that it is one of the first banks in Serbia that has justified that trust, by keeping pace with technological trends and monitoring clients’ needs, and provided numerous innovative services

HALKBANK Mastercard cards can receive cashback up to 5,000 dinars if they pay with Garmin Pay until the end of December or Google Pay services until the 7th of January. With such a varied selection of payment method options, every purchase is made quick and easy,

For HALKBANK, 2022 has been marked by contactless payments via mobile phones and smart watches. Paying with the help of digital wallets, such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and Garmin Pay, is an innovation that eases life. It is also important to note that HALKBANK is the first bank in Serbia to have enabled payments via HALKBANK Mastercard cards and Garmin smart watches, while it is also the only bank to have enabled its clients to add Mastercard and Visa payment cards to the digital wallet on their smart watch. Digital wallets are available to everyone who has an account with the Bank, a smartphone

HALKBANK is the first bank in Serbia to have enabled payments via HALKBANK Mastercard cards and Garmin smart watches, while it is also the only bank to have enabled its clients to add Mastercard and Visa payment cards to the digital wallet on their smart watch

with an IOS or Android operating system, a Garmin smart watch and any HALKBANK Mastercard or Visa payment card. Those opting to pay with

and primarily secure.

Mobile and electronic banking applications proved themselves to be a practical and irreplaceable solution during the uncertain times of the pandemic. When it comes to digital services, HALKBANK strives constantly to recognise clients’ needs and provide them with high quality services accompanied by advanced options. The bank’s clients have at their disposal the improved SmartHALK eBanking and mBanking applications for private individuals and also, as of recently, SmartHALK Pro eBanking and mBanking for companies.

Digitalisation is today’s main trend, and one that has infiltrated all spheres of society and business, and the banking system is no exception. With the help of a capital increase of 50 million euros, HALKBANK will continue to keep pace with innovations, improve ways of doing business and take care of the needs of its clients and employees, as it always has.

NENAD NIKOLIN, founder and director of Fractal Dimension and CCS Solutions

Super-AdminsAreHeroes From The Shadows

The Super Admin Days initiative was created to improve the knowledge of system administrators, whose merits are little written and rarely spoken about, but also to learn about the solutions that vendors offer through their products through direct communication with sys admins

Interest among system administrators has been strong every time, as has the attention during the presentation, and what the organisers are particularly pleased about is the interactivity, the discussions that followed each of the presentations. This is why they are already working hard to organise a new event.

How did the Super Admin Days initiative come about? Tell us more about the idea itself.

Super Admin Days is an initiative that arose spontaneously, and the idea was surprisingly well received by both system administrators and vendors. I came up with the idea after the TOP100CIO meeting organised by Digital Dreams, because I then realised that very little is written and spoken about the heroes from the shadows, as I called the system administrators. They are the ones who make sure that all the lights on the servers are green. The daily challenges that system administrators face are very often impossible missions that they solve with incredible resourcefulness, so that users who log on to the system at 9 a.m. have no idea what the system administrator had to do during the previous night to get all the services enabled for the company’s work by 8:55.

On the other hand, there are vendors who try as well as possible to present their innovations and solutions that should facilitate the daily work of system administrators. We can say that we have enabled a new way, I would say direct communication between system admins and hardware and software manufacturers.

How many events have you held so far?

The first Super Admin Day was held in Vienna at the beginning of June, the second in October in Novi Slankamen, and the third in Mala Remeta in November 2022. Every time we have had an enviable number of participants, system administrators who gathered for education, presentation and demonstration of modern solutions of renowned IT companies.

After the multi-day Super Admin Days event in Vienna at the beginning of June, we decided to add a new format to the gathering of system administrators, that is, super-admins. We realised that it is not enough to gather once a year, since technology undergoes daily changes, to which administrators often have to react promptly. The latest developments in terms of frequent cyber attacks on companies and institutions in Serbia have forced the topic of information security, so the vendors who supported Super Admin Day had the opportunity to present the latest information on how to prevent attacks,

but also how save data if an attack occurs. So far Super Admin Days have been supported by Commvault, Wallix, NetApp, VMware, Check Point, Radware, Hitachi, Fujitsu, Allied Telesis, Energy Logserver and Ingram Micro and Mondist.

The interest among system administrators has been great every time, as has the attention during the presentation. What we organizers are particularly pleased with is the interactivity, the discussions that have followed each of the presentations.

What impressions do super-admins leave Super Admin Days with?

System administration is becoming increasingly complex as digitalisation gains momentum, and continuous education is necessary. The common impression of all super-admins is that their expectations of the event were fully met. They feel fulfilled because they have acquired new knowledge and acquaintances that will help them to better respond to the challenges of the job ahead of them.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/super-admin-days/

The daily challenges system administrators face are very often impossible missions that they resolve with incredible resourcefulness

Advanced Solutions For Better Health Care

Serbians have been using the advantages of digitalisation in a number of areas of life and work, and as digitalisation is also spreading to the health system, it is providing us with the same opportunities: at one click to make an appointment with a selected doctor, to have all medical reports and analysis, to gain insight into the health card of your child or other family member.

THE UNIQUE ELECTRONIC HEALTH CARD

The unique electronic health card is a system that connects health institutions in Serbia that have digitalised data (there

are currently around 285). It records patients’ visits and provides a doctor’s report, laboratory findings, radiological recordings (X-ray, scanner, …), discharge notices,

vaccination reports, access to the list of prescription medicines and all other data recorded in the patient’s health card. The system covers primary, secondary and tertiary health institutions, general hospitals, special hospitals, Covid hospitals and institutes. The importance of unified health data lies primarily in timely disclosure, treatment and prevention of disease.

The unique electronic health card provides insight to a patient in the health system and allows access to the patient’s documentation at any time. Besides patients, electronic health cards are also valuable to medical workers,

Digitalisation of health has improved patient treatment and enabled doctors to work more efficiently

Thanks to all these systems, a space is opening for the use of even more advanced solutions in the field of artificial intelligence in diagnosis and treatment of patients and further development of tele-medicine

because selected doctors have insight into data from other health institutions through this system. They can very quickly access the patient’s medical history without the use of paper analysis and recordings that until now patients have had to carry with them.

PARENTS AND CHILDREN

On the patient portal, a patient is automatically connected to their coinsured, so a parent or guardian who is the main insured person is approved access to the records of their child, and can make an appointment with a selected pediatrician, download evidence of immunisation, inspect all analysis, medical reports, X-rays...

SPECIALIST DOCTORS

Access to a unified electronic health card will soon be enabled for specialist doctors with the electronic consent of the patient. It is planned for a message to be delivered on the patient eHealth portal notifying the patient that a particular specialist doctor wants to access the electronic health card, and asking whether the patient agrees to give access to the requested data.

ACCESS TO THE HEALTH CARD

Each patient registered on the eHealth portal with a high authentication level can access their health card created in the system. We can share data from electronic cards with people from the contact list on the eHealth portal (family members, friends, doctors) on the basis of specific authorization for the data we want to share. You can obtain insight into your health data in 2 steps:

1. Register as an e-Citizen on the e-Government portal, opening a user account - eID (a mobile app)

2. Users of a qualified electronic certificate using the eID service may also access the eHealth portal. This can be obtained free of charge from the police, if you have an ID card with a chip.

eHealth IN NUMBERS

During the Corona virus epidemic, more than three million accesses were registered on the eHealth portal: the

system has about 1.5 million registered users, and about 250,000 users have an account registered with electronic signature or two-factor authentication, and a mobile application now available for more than six months has about 30,000 users.

EPRESCRIPTION

In Serbia, eight million prescriptions on average are issued monthly, and about 6.5 million of them are used. Every day, as many as 400,000 prescriptions are issued, and the value of the

NATIONAL MEDICAL PLATFORM FOR PREVENTION AND DIAGNOSTICS

One of the active and most comprehensive digitalisation projects in Serbia also includes the national medical platform for prevention and diagnostics, consisting of: an image archive, a central radiological information system, eRadiolology (radiological diagnostics), mammography (breast screening), cervical screening, the eHealth Patient portal and a large number of local systems.

THE CENTRAL RADIOLOGICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM

The platform has enabled huge benefits to all participants in radiological diagnostics. Patients have experienced great benefits by establishing tele-radiology between large diagnostic centres and small establishments; During the pandemic and today, doctors have been able to work remotely with faster decision-making, and to hold remote consultations. The number of repeated examinations and unnecessary radiation of patients has been reduced. The system now holds more than 200 million radiological images and more than four million reports.

EDC

Electric Death Certificates have been digitalised and to date 45,000 have been issued.

THE IMPORTANCE OF DIGITALISATION FOR SERBIAN PUBLIC HEALTH

prescribed medicines is 250 million euros a year! Before the introduction of the system, doctors were reduced to the level of administrative workers due to the huge number of prescriptions issued but with the introduction of ePrescription services they now have a lot more time to dedicate to their patients. Today, there is absolute control over the issuing of prescriptions, because they are all issued digitally. Thanks to the ePrescription, considerable savings are achieved each month.

Digitalisation provides health workers valuable insight into patient health, helps to to draw conclusions about public health and to devise prevention and treatment programmes thanks to the huge database. All of the Serbian health systems provide a huge base of knowledge for health workers, students and future radiologists. The systems are constantly improved through cooperation in accordance with the needs of patients, health professionals and world trends in healthcare, and are in constant communication with the republic health insurance fund. Thanks to all these systems, a space is opening for the use of even more advanced solutions in the field of artificial intelligence in diagnosis and treatment of patients and further development of tele-medicine.

The unique electronic health card provides insight to the patient in the health system and allows access to the patient’s documentation at any time. Besides patients, the electronic health card is also valuable to medical workers, because selected doctors have insight into data from other health institutions through this system

By Yanis Varoufakis / Project Syndicate

The Techno-Feudal Method To Musk’s Twitter Madness

Immediately after taking over Twitter and pronouncing himself Chief Twit, Elon Musk affirmed his commitment to safeguarding the platform as the “public square” where anything and everything is debated. It was a smart tactic, because it successfully diverted the public’s attention from what Musk is really up to

Elon Musk had good reasons to feel unfulfilled enough to buy Twitter for $44 billion. He had pioneered online payments, upended the car industry, revolutionized space travel, and even experimented with ambitious braincomputer interfaces. His cutting-edge technological feats had made him the world’s richest entrepreneur. Alas,

neither his achievements nor his wealth granted him entry into the new ruling class of those harnessing the powers of cloud-based capital. Twitter offers Musk a chance to make amends.

Since capitalism’s dawn, power stemmed from owning capital goods; steam engines, Bessemer furnaces, industrial robots, and so on. Today,

it is cloud-based capital, or cloud capital in short, that grants its owners hitherto unimaginable powers.

Consider Amazon, with its network of software, hardware, and warehouses – and its Alexa device sitting on our kitchen counter interfacing directly with us. It constitutes a cloud-based system capable of probing our emotions more deeply

than any advertiser ever could. Its tailor-made experiences exploit our biases to produce responses. Then, it produces its own responses to our responses – to which we respond again, training the reinforcementlearning algorithms, which trigger another ripple of responses.

Unlike old-fashioned terrestrial or analogue capital, which boils down to produced means of manufacturing things consumers want, cloud capital functions as a produced means of modifying our behavior in line with its owners’ interests. The same algorithm running on the same labyrinth of server farms, optic fiber cables, and cell-phone towers performs multiple simultaneous miracles.

Cloud capital’s first miracle is to get us to work for free to replenish and enhance its stock and productivity with every text, review, photo, or video that we create and upload using its interfaces. In this manner, cloud capital has turned hundreds of millions of us into cloud-serfs – unpaid producers, toiling the landlords’ digital estates and believing, like peasants believed under feudalism, that our labor (creating and sharing our photos and opinions) is part of our character.

The second miracle is cloud capital’s capacity to sell to us the object of the desires it has helped instill in us. Amazon, Alibaba, and their many e-commerce imitators in every country may look to the untrained eye like monopolized markets, but they are nothing like a market – not even a hyper-capitalist digital market. Even in markets that are cornered by a single firm or person, people can interact reasonably freely. In contrast, once you enter a platform like Amazon, the algorithm isolates you from every other buyer and feeds you exclusively the information its owners want you to have.

Buyers cannot talk to each other, form associations, or otherwise organize to force a seller to reduce a price or improve quality. Sellers, too, are in a one-to-one relation with the algorithm and must pay its owner to complete a trade. Everything and everyone is intermediated not by the disinterested

invisible hand of the market but by an invisible algorithm that works for one person, or one company, in what is, essentially, a cloud-fief.

Musk is perhaps the only tech lord who had been watching the triumphant march of this new technofeudalism helplessly from the sidelines. His Tesla car company uses the cloud cleverly to turn its cars into nodes on a digital network that generates big data and ties drivers to Musk’s systems. His SpaceX rocket company, and its flock of low-orbit satellites now littering our planet’s periphery, contributes significantly to the development of other moguls’ cloud capital.

But Musk? Frustratingly for the business world’s enfant terrible, he lacked a gateway to the gigantic

Cloud capital has turned hundreds of millions of us into cloud-serfs

– unpaid producers, toiling the landlords’ digital estates and believing, like peasants believed under feudalism, that our labor (creating and sharing our photos and opinions) is part of our character

rewards cloud capital can furnish. Until now: Twitter could be that missing gateway.

Immediately after taking over and pronouncing himself Chief Twit, Musk affirmed his commitment to safeguarding Twitter as the “public square” where anything and everything is debated. It was a smart tactic which successfully diverted the public’s attention to an endless global debate about whether the world should trust its foremost short-form forum to a mogul with a history of playing fast and loose with the truth in that same forum.

The liberal commentariat is fretting over Donald Trump’s reinstatement. The left is agonizing over the rise of a tech-savvy version of Rupert

Murdoch. Decent people of all views are deploring the terrible treatment of Twitter’s employees. And Musk? He seems to be keeping his eye on the ball: In a revealing tweet, he confessed his ambition to turn Twitter into an “everything app.”

An “everything app” is, in my definition, nothing less than a gateway into cloud capital that allows its owner to modify consumer behavior, to extract free labor from users turned into cloud serfs, and, last but not least, to charge vendors a form of cloud rent to sell their wares. So far, Musk has not owned anything capable of evolving into an “everything app” and had no way of creating one from scratch.

For while he was busy working out how to make mass-produced electric cars desirable and to profit from conquering outer space, Amazon, Google, Alibaba, Facebook, and Tencent’s WeChat were wrapping their tentacles firmly around platforms and interfaces with “everything app” potential. Only one such interface was available for purchase.

Musk’s challenge now is to enhance Twitter’s own cloud capital and hook it up to his existing Big Data network, while constantly enriching that network with data collected by Tesla cars crisscrossing Earth’s roads and countless satellites crisscrossing its skies. Assuming he can steady the nerves of Twitter’s remaining workforce, his next task will be to eliminate bots and weed out trolls so that New Twitter knows, and owns, its users’ identities.

In a letter to advertisers, Musk correctly noted that irrelevant ads are spam, but relevant ones are content. In these techno-feudal times, this means that messages unable to modify behavior are spam, but those that sway what people think and do are the only content that matters: true power.

As a private fief, Twitter could never be the world’s public square. That was never the point. The pertinent question is whether it will grant its new owner secure membership in the new techno-feudal ruling class.

FEATURE

Digital Trust Is The Challenge Of The Decade

The World Economic Forum brought together representatives of the world’s largest technology and commerce companies, including Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Mastercard, Walmart, IKEA, PayPal and others, along with representatives of the governments of the US and European countries, to restore the shaken digital trust

Today, there is no doubt, more than ever before, it is extremely important for every citizen, every consumer, to be sure of the reliability of the digital services and digital products they use every day in their homes, workplaces and in all public spaces. Previously, there was not much thought about it, little was known and talked about cyber attacks, and then they became a reality in the past two or three years. But even then, the issue of digital security and digital trust did not gain much importance, because it was understood that technology is unreliable, that malfunctions happen and that the common man does not have to protect his data, because “he really has nothing to hide”. Citizens

of devices lead to, what is the security of personal data, how reliable is algorithmic predictions - which undermine citizens’ trust in modern technologies at an unprecedented speed. Also, numerous studies register a decline in trust in science and technology from year to year, but at the same time, there is an accelerated growth in the number of users of modern technologies, as well as the percentage of people who rely on digital networks.

To reverse this alarming trend, the World Economic Forum gathered representatives of the world’s largest technology and trade companies, including Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Mastercard, Walmart, IKEA, PayPal and others, along

and consumers agreed to all kinds of surveillance, gave and left their data to anyone who asked for it, unaware of the possibility of misuse. Only when the public is more aware of the risks of cyber security breaches and the unethical use of digital technologies, has the issue of digital security and digital trust received the attention it deserves.

TRUST IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IS FALLING

Today, many controversies are associated with digital technologies - what is the purpose of artificial intelligence, what can the connection

with representatives of governments from the US and European countries.

“Digital trust is the expectation of individuals that digital technologies, and the services and organizations that provide them, will protect the interests of all stakeholders and support societal expectations and values,” according to a new World Economic Forum report. The report “Earning Digital Trust: DecisionMaking for Trustworthy Technologies” written in collaboration with Forum partners Accenture, KPMG and PwC, describes how linking cybersecurity, privacy, ethics and other business functions can restore

citizens’ trust in technology. Citizens and consumers expect companies and technology creators to take seriously their responsibility to protect privacy and use data responsibly. Those companies that cannot meet this challenge, it was concluded, will have problems in business.

COMPANIES ARE ALREADY LOSING A LOT OF MONEY

PwC recently reported that only 10% of executives show a willingness to comply with cybersecurity transparency requirements, while

learning, are bringing cybersecurity and ethical issues to the fore.

Due to the weakening of digital trust, companies are losing a lot of money, and what is even more alarming, this technological mistrust spills over into all social institutions. Unless the creators of the technology begin to earn trust, this trend will continue.

McKinsey found that 85% of consumers surveyed want to know a company’s data privacy policy before making a purchase, while 72% want to know an AI company’s policy. After all, where companies are unable

ers in all sectors and industries. It is for this reason that he believes that one of the tasks of the World Economic Forum is to help leaders make the right decisions that lead to the introduction and application of more reliable and responsible technologies.

RELIANCE ON TECHNOLOGY IS IMPERATIVE

“The most important decision we can make in the 21st century is whether we will work together to build trust, or whether we will watch

Accenture indicated that a growing lack of trust cost US organizations $756 billion in 2017 alone, and that today more than 76% of CEOs say that citizens’ trust is crucial for business competitiveness. KPMG said that increased trust can lead to better profitability, but at the same time more than 75% of executives believe that new technologies, such as artificial learning and machine

to produce technology that meets the expectations of consumers and citizens, they can no longer expect widespread support.

Jeremy Jurgens, Director General of the World Economic Forum and Head of the Center for Cyber Security, believes that the issue of developing reliable technologies is a matter of decision and that the responsibility for this lies with lead-

innovations fail because they are not used.” By focusing on the values and expectations of individuals, devoting ourselves to safety and reliability, accountability and oversight, inclusive, ethical and responsible use of technology, we can make the technology we develop more reliable,” said Daniel Dobrygowski, Head of Governance and Trust, World Economic Forum).

Forum participants agreed that the introduction of reliable technology should be the goal of all organizations that treat their work in a responsible manner.

“I am happy that as a member of the Board of Directors I was able to introduce Microsoft to the conclusions and help my company in aligning privacy, digital security and artificial intelligence. The findings from the World Economic Forum will help companies and other organizations gain digital trust,” said Julie Brill, Chief Privacy Officer, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft.

Judging by the dominant tone from the Forum, there is no doubt that it is in the interest of every company and organization to increase the level of digital security, because it provides it with a good reputation. In fact, it is clear to everyone what would happen if someone compromised the data security of a large digital service provider or caused a stoppage in its work of just a few minutes. This, in addition to enormous financial damage, could cause unfathomable consequences for reputation and reputation if the confidentiality of certain data was threatened or if certain databases fell into the wrong hands.

CONSUMER RIGHTS

COME FIRST

A high level of digital security, i.e. paying great attention to the protection of data of consumers, clients, citizens or patients indicates high standards of control. This avoids the retroactivity of investments in eliminating defects and spoiling a good reputation if it existed before. And Nuala O’Connor, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Digital Citizenship at Walmart, believes that improving digital trust is vital to restoring citizens’ and consumers’ trust in technology.

“Without trust in digital systems, the financial services ecosystem we have today could not exist. The Forum’s Digital Trust Initiative plays a key role in defining the importance of trust in the digital world,” said

Ajai Bhalla, President, Cyber and Intelligence Solutions, Mastercard.

Helena Leurent, general director of Consumers International, believes that consumer trust is built when companies put the needs and rights of their consumers first, before their own interests.

“As a champion of consumer rights around the world, Consumers International is delighted to be part of the Digital Trust Initiative, which calls on companies to inform and empower consumers.”

TRUST MUST BE EARNED

Users of technology, all Forum participants agreed, expect companies that provide them with digital services and products to keep and protect their personal data. If a service or product does not work in a predictable, reliable and secure way, users will refuse to support that company.

“IKEA believes that trust must be the basis of our relationship with every consumer, whether it is about our products or the way we store data. Trust has to be earned and we see it as a joint effort. IKEA is a proud partner of the World Economic Forum’s Digital Trust Initiative and

we look forward to contributing to the creation of a shared vision of digital trust between citizens, governments and organizations,” said Noža Boujema, Global Vice President, Digital Ethics and Responsible Artificial Intelligence, IKEA Retail.

Citizens and consumers are demanding that companies and technology developers take their values of privacy, data use and inclusion seriously, but unfortunately, companies seem unwilling to provide the assurances that customers, citizens and governments need.

As the general loss of trust in technology threatens to further erode trust in companies and state institutions and institutions, whose relations with citizens increasingly rely on technology, it is necessary to work more intensively on preserving and gradually strengthening trust. Otherwise, if this trend were to continue, the damage would be irreparable and trust would be irretrievably destroyed. Precisely for these reasons, and in order to stop the current free fall of digital trust, the leaders of companies that create and apply digital technologies must make more reliable decisions about these technologies, because the world cannot do without digital trust.

By Ljubivoje Radonjić, Public Policy Research Center

Ever-More Platform Workers From The Region OnThe Global Labour Market

The project Gigmeter aims to identify systemic characteristics of the gig work market in the region of Southeast Europe. This market includes Romania and Serbia, two countries that particularly distinguish themselves in global statistics with respect to the concentration and number of talents in the domain of gig work. North Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina also stand out in relative terms (according to the gig workers/population ratio). In addition, Regional Gigmeter also includes Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Hungary, forming a set of 9 countries where the trends and characteristics of gig work are being analysed

the most represented platform in all countries.

Largest increase in the number of gig workers per capita is recorded in Albania, while North Macedonia maintained the dominant position in the region according to this indicator (331 gig workers).

The leading global platforms in Southeast Europe in terms of the number of registered gig workers are Upwork, Freelancer, and Guru. In the latest measurement,

130,612 workers were registered in the observed 9 countries of the region.

In the distribution of gig work, the dominant regional position is still held by Upwork with a market share of 45%. Freelancers

and Guru follow with 30.6% and 24.4%. Upwork continues to dominate and it is the most popular platform (in 7 out of 9 countries), but there is a significant change compared to the previous measurement when it was

In the most recent measurement, Albania is the second country in the region in terms of the relative number of gig population thanks to the growth of this indicator by 22% – with 222 gig workers/100,000 inhabitants, which pushed Serbia to the third/fourth place, which has 208 gig workers/100,000 inhabitants, as much as Montenegro. Other countries in the region, with the exception of Bosnia and Herzegovina to some extent, have a much smaller population of gig workers.

In the latest measurement, there were certain changes when it comes to the distribution of workers by individual professions. In the two dominant areas – creative services

and multimedia and software development, there was a further decline in the relative participation of gig workers, and a further decline in the share was recorded in the domain of professional services. On contrary, the most dynamic growth in most countries of the region was recorded in the field of writing and translation (4 out of 9 observed countries).

A decreasing trend in software development was recorded in the previous two measurements, which may have significant implications for the observed further relative decrease of the gig population in the most lucrative jobs, i.e. jobs that are the best paid on a global level. This may be a consequence of both the limited supply of this labor force in the observed region, as well as the trends in the domestic labor markets, where the demand, especially in the field of software development, is high.

The average employment of gig workers, which is defined as the percentage of

gig workers who worked on specific projects at the time of measurement in relation to the total population, was 15.4%. Serbia, as in previous measurements, has the most active gig population (20.2%), while the lowest number of working people, was engaged in Albania –9.4%. In other countries, the percentage of employment varies between 12.3% and 17.1%. The absolute differences between the countries are even more pronounced – according to the employment of the workforce, Serbia has a 5 times bigger number of gig workers working at the time

of measurement than in Albania.

Out of 100 workers who were working at the time of measurement, 25 had the first job (first “gig”) they got. The countries with the highest share of workers who got a job for the first time are Albania (36 out of 100) and Hungary (32 out of 100). Serbia had only 20 gig workers for whom it was their first job out of a total of 100 workers who were working at the time of measurement.

The latest measurement brought a change in the trend when it comes to the gender structure of the digi-

FEATURE: GIGMETER

tal labor market. There has been a decline in the share of female gig workers and now there are 358 women for every 1000 gig workers. The gender structure by country is presented in the Figure above.

Croatia is no longer the country with the most expensive workforce ($23.7/h), but Hungary ($23.8/h). This is the result of two factors: a smaller part due to the drop in the average labor price in Croatia and a larger part due to the increase in wages in Hungary. North Macedonia not only remained the country with the cheapest labor force in the region on average, but it is one of

the 3 countries where the average hourly labor price has fallen (apart from the mentioned Croatia, this is also the case with Bulgaria). How big the differences are is best evidenced by the fact that a gig worker from Hungary works half a month to achieve the average monthly salary (measured according to the number of possible working hours in a regular employment relationship and the average price of gig work per hour in Hungary) earned by a gig worker from North Macedonia.

Convergence in earnings between men and women continued: on av -

erage, women in the region earned 85.3% of the average earnings of gig workers. According to this indicator, the region is significantly ahead of the global average: the global average is 82% globally according to the Payoneer survey, that is, only 52% according to the Bloomberg survey in the USA, country with the most developed digital labor market. While convergence in earnings is present at the regional level, differences appear at the level of individual countries. A more detailed analysis by countries is available in the latest edition of the Regional Gigmeter.

GigmetarTM is the first instrument that describes the geography of digital work in Serbia and the region in terms of gender, income, and most common occupations. It is a result of the efforts made by the Public Policy Research Centre (CENTAR) to shed the light on the work on online platforms.

Recommended citation: Anđelković, B., Jakobi, T., Ivanović, V., Kalinić, Z. & Radonjić, Lj. (2022). Gigmetar Region, October 2022, Public Policy Research Center, http://gigmetar. publicpolicy.rs/en/regionen-2022-2/.