H.E. Joseph
Kalala Mulamba Ambassador of the DR of the Congo to Serbia
THE FIGHT FOR NATURAL RESOURCES
H.E. Anke Konrad Ambassador of Germany to Serbia REMEMBERING THE FALL OF THE IRON CURTAIN
EXCLUSIVE
Elina Valtonen Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland
Svetozar Cvetković Actor GOING TO KOSOVO WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT AND SOBERING FOR MANY
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“CorD - 20 Years of Independent Thought and Inspiration”
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Ljubica Gojgić
Zoran Panović
Radmila Stanković
Maja Vukadinović
Mirjana Jovanović
Miša Brkić, Rob Dugdale
Steve MacKenzie
Zorica Todorović Mirković Sonja Ćirić, Miloš Belčević
PHOTOS:
Zoran Petrović
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By Zoran Panović
Despite him having understandably utilised the world stage to criticise the West over its double standards and for “opening Pandora’s box” in Kosovo, where there’s no justice for Serbs, as Vučić stresses, it’s more important for Western countries that Serbia’s president once again supported the territorial integrity of Ukraine and isn’t abandoning the dialogue with Pristina
n his speech during a recent UN General Assembly session in New York, President Vučić quoted U.S. presidents Kennedy and Obama, but also Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi. So, he covered the “Collective West”, and BRICS, and the “Global South”. He admittedly didn’t cite any famous Russians, though he did award the Order of the Serbian Flag, 1st class, to Vasily Nebenzya, Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, with the Russian diplomat having been decisive in opposing the adoption of the UN Resolution on Srebrenica.
IDespite him having understandably utilised the world stage to criticise the West over its double standards and for “opening Pandora’s box” in Kosovo (long before Ukraine), where there’s no justice for Serbs, as Vučić stresses, it’s more important for Western countries that Serbia’s president once again supported the territorial integrity of Ukraine and isn’t abandoning the dialogue with Pristina.
Everything, both globally and regionally, will still depend on the practical effect of the postmodern theory of the phenomenon of the acceleration of history, which Vučić mentioned in New York.
With the exception of Kremlin spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, few noticed that Macron gave the same editorial to both Politika and Danas newspapers ahead of his visit to Belgrade, which Zakharova found indicative. Macron reminded readers that both a conservative and a liberal public exist in Serbia and should reach a consensus on the country’s strategic directions. Zakharova also supports Vučić’s calls for local elections to be sched-
If the Progressives have been in power for 12 years, that means Vučević underscored his government’s continuity with the policies of previous democratic governments, and not with the Milošević regime
uled in the north of Kosovo, Serb judges and prosecutors to be returned to judicial positions, Kosovo Police special units to be withdrawn from the north and for the Community of Serb Municipalities to be formed urgently. Such calls don’t annoy the West, as they remain within the framework of the Brussels Agreements, or the
Franco-German plan. Does this mean that Russia will continue referring to the Kosovo precedent for the sake of its own interests? No matter how pro-Western Vučić reservedly is, he remains Russia’s strongest and most reliable partner in Serbia.
With the purchase of French Rafale jets, Serbia has also entered the “Rafale club”, as Macron calls it, which also includes Greece and Croatia. Okay, it will be tough for Macron to turn that into some new “Little Entente” – the alliance formed, with French backing, between King Alexander’s Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and Romania – though for Vučić’s Serbia it could be a variation of the “Balkan Pact” – the short-lived alliance formed, with U.S. backing, between Greece, Romania, Turkey and Yugoslavia, which indirectly brought a communist country into NATO structures, through the back door.
It is important that Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević was fairly convincing at September’s Bled Strategic Forum in stating that Serbia doesn’t have a Plan B when it comes to EU accession and that this has been Serbia’s main political objective for 20 years already. If the Progressives have been in power for 12 years, that means Vučević underscored his government’s continuity with the policies of previous democratic governments, and not with the Milošević regime. How to finally conclude? We should think about that on the occasion of yet another anniversary of the 5th October 2000 overthrow of Milošević’s government.
Reforms of democratic institutions, the rule of law, anti-corruption and sound market economy principles must continue to be the starting point in paving the way to EU membership ~ Elina Valtonen
Elina Valtonen Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland
By Ljubica Gojgić
During her recent visit to Serbia and Albania, the head of Finnish diplomacy assured her interlocutors in our region that enlargement momentum exists. Speaking in this interview for CorD Magazine, Elina Valtonen says that she expects enlargement to be “one of the key themes for the new European Commission”. She also discussed the strengthening of bilateral relations, especially economic ones, during her talks with officials in Belgrade, saying “there is potential to deepen our cooperation, in particular with regard to clean technologies and energy.”
You toured our region in early September. How would you summarise your impressions after visiting Serbia, Pristina and Albania?
— I was very pleased with the opportunity to exchange views with my counterparts and to see that the countries in question expressed their firm commitment to the EU path. Finland supports all EU candidate countries on their path to EU membership and their decision to base their future on the European way of life, democracy, the rule of law, human rights and individual freedoms. What is important
Trade relations between Finland and Serbia are active, and trade in ICT services seems to be developing particularly well
of the OSCE. The OSCE plays a significant and important role in the Western Balkans region by assisting countries in strengthening democratic institutions and Rule of Law.
— You participated in the Trade Promotion Event in Belgrade, which was attended by representatives of Finnish companies, their local partners and the Nordic Business Alliance. You mentioned that you see opportunities to strengthen economic relations. In which areas do you see the greatest growth potential?
now is that the countries take ownership of the process and demonstrate political will to get on with the necessary reforms.
One of your messages was that “Finland is deepening its engagement in the region”. Could you elaborate on what will form the basis of this new engagement?
— The Western Balkans plays an important role in European security, stability and wellbeing more broadly. Finland is a long-standing supporter and friend of the region and we have had a very active exchange of visits with the region’s countries recently, signalling our deepening commitment to the Western Balkans. In addition to supporting the region’s EU path, I also look forward to cooperating with the region’s countries in the context of the Finnish Chairmanship
— Serbia and the rest of the region represent an attractive growth market in many ways. Trade relations between Finland and Serbia are active, and trade in ICT services seems to be developing particularly well. However, there is potential to deepen our cooperation in particular with regard to clean technologies and energy. With our Nordic partners, we are also focusing on smart cities as a new area for cooperation. In general, I hope that even more Finnish companies take interest in the Western Balkan region. What we need is more awareness raising to make this a reality.
You’ve stated that Finland supports the process of European integration for the region and Serbia. What do you see as the biggest challenges on this path?
— There is new momentum in EU enlargement and I expect enlargement to be one of the key themes for the new European Commission. At the same time, EU enlargement must remain merit-based and we expect a commitment from the candidate countries to implement the needed reforms. Reforms on democratic institutions, rule of law, anti-corruption and the principles of a sound market economy must continue to be the starting point, and they pave the way to EU membership.
Taking ownership of the EU accession process is crucial and we encour-
There is potential to deepen our cooperation in particular with regard to clean technologies and energy
Critical raw materials are an essential part of making the green transition a reality in Europe and globally
With our Nordic partners, we are also focusing on smart cities as a new area for cooperation
age Serbia to commit to its European path. Finland stands ready to continue assisting Serbia on the required reforms. For instance, we already have active cooperation in the field of public health through EU Twinning and TAIEX instruments.
If the EU considers new enlargement in the near future, which option would Finland favour: expanding to Ukraine and Moldova or to the Western Balkans?
— Finland supports all applicant countries and we don’t consider it beneficial to make divisions into groups. It is increasingly important that the European Union meets the aspirations of the citizens of applicant countries. The EU must be a credible partner and must support the candidate countries in implementing the required reforms. However, we must also be very clear that enlargement remains a merit-based process that underlines commitment to EU’s common values of democracy, rule of law and anti-corruption, both during the candidacy and following accession.
After Finland and Sweden joined NATO, a question that arises is will NATO membership become a necessary entry ticket for any future EU member state?
— NATO membership and EU accession are two different topics. There is no condition for an EU candidate country to join a military alliance. For instance, there are militarily nonaligned EU member states. However, what we do consider as being of utmost importance is that all EU candidate countries fully align with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy. This is a central element for Finland.
You mentioned that there is also ongoing discussion in Finland regarding lithium extraction projects. You’ve said that in this context that everything must be done “in accordance with the best environmental standards, both Finnish and European”. Could you explain what that means in practice?
— The environment and green transition are key priorities for us. Critical raw materials are an essential part of making the green transition a reali-
In addition to supporting the region’s EU path, I also look forward to cooperating with the region’s countries in the context of the Finnish Chairmanship of the OSCE
ty in Europe and globally. We have a project in Finland that aims to be an important producer of lithium for the European market. At the same time, progress must be made sustainably, while minimising the environmental impact. We have stringent environmental regulation both at the national and at the EU level, and their implementation is monitored closely.
In the decision-making process regarding a potential new lithium mine in your country, how much weight will be given to the voice of Finnish citizens?
— Responsible and sound mine planning includes planning the whole lifecycle of a mine from an early stage. Consultations during the planning phase with stakeholders, such as the local community and other industries, helps to find solutions to minimise the adverse impacts of mining activities.
H.E. Joseph Kalala Mulamba
By Ljubica Gojgić
More than 15 million people have so far perished in the race for strategic minerals taking place in the Eastern Congo. This silent, untold and unacknowledged genocide is being commemorated each year on 3rd August under the name GENOCOS, which stands for GENOCIDE for minerals COST ~ Joseph Kalala Mulamba
At the peak of global discussions on strategic raw materials, into which Serbia has also been drawn, the Democratic Republic of the Congo utilised a poster at the entrance to its embassy building in Belgrade to illustrate its stance on the issue. Interested passersby could read the message stating that, in this African country, “children are killed so you can have new mobile phones”. Speaking in this CorD Magazine interview, the DRC ambassador discusses the conflicts being fought over strategic materials in the eastern parts of his country, as well as the struggle of African countries to take back full control over their own natural resources.
Your Excellency, how would you assess the level of bilateral relations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Serbia; and where do you see key areas for potential progress?
— Relations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Serbia have been excellent to date. Our two countries maintain historical and fraternal relations, characterised by bilateral cooperation, mutual trust and understanding, consultation and reciprocal support in international forums. That is to say that we have close collaboration in various areas, notably in the political and diplomatic, defence and security, and culture and education domains. At the political and diplomatic levels, regular high-level visits have been organised by our respective authorities. The two countries have signed cooperation agreements in various areas. A number of Congolese students are completing their higher education courses at universities in Serbia, thanks to scholarships provided by the Serbian government.
Nevertheless, key areas for potential progress – particularly in trade and commerce – have yet to be fully realised. The goods exchange level is very low, despite the willingness of the two countries’ leaders to
improve trends. However, considering that some of the existing cooperation agreements were signed during the time of the former Yugoslavia, there is a genuine need for these accords to be updated and reassessed in order to ensure their effective implementation.
Speaking in Serbia, you have reiterated your country’s firm stance on nonrecognition of the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo. At a time when there are frequent calls from important global players for Kosovo’s statehood to be recognised, what form the basis for the DRC’s position?
— Respect for the Republic of Serbia’s territorial integrity stems from respect for the United Nations Charter and various UN resolutions aimed at maintaining peace and international security.
As part of its peacekeeping mission, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1244 that recognises Kosovo as an autonomous province of the Republic of Serbia. However, to everyone’s surprise, Kosovo unilaterally declared its independence from the Republic of Serbia, ignoring all relevant international legal instruments.
Thus, as a member of the United Nations and being respectful of international law, the DRC could only disapprove of this unilateral decision taken by Kosovo and support the Republic of Serbia in its sovereignty and integrity.
What’s more, as I said earlier, the DRC and the Republic of Serbia enjoy historical relations of brotherhood. Brothers never betray each other, but rather support each other and share opinions.
However, the DRC is following the developments of talks between the two parties on a daily basis, as they seek a solution to their dispute, and is encouraging key actors in the international community to help them achieve this without too much damage.
A consulate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo opened in Novi Sad this summer. What will be the priorities of your colleagues there? — The Consulate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo officially opened on 5th July 2024, under the esteemed leadership of Honorary Consul Mrs Radmila Bašević, whose exceptional dedication and expertise undoubtedly guarantee success in her mission. The consulate’s priorities are providing essential assistance to Congolese citizens in need and enhancing economic ties through trade and investment opportunities. Promoting cultural exchanges is also crucial, given that Novi Sad is viewed as a cultural hub of Serbia, facilitating deeper mutual understanding. This consulate will additionally strive to strengthen bilateral relations in the fields of education, science and technology, while also supporting humanitarian initiatives for local communities. The Em-
bassy is fully committed to supporting Mrs Bašević and her team in Novi Sad in terms of cultivating stronger bonds between our two nations.
You speak very fondly of Jagodina. You have proposed cooperation between this city and the city of Mbuji-Mayi in the DRC, which has a population of 100,000. You mentioned that it is rich in minerals and diamonds, but faces issues with electricity and water. Do you have any specific ideas for this cooperation?
— To begin with, I’d like to make a correction in that the proposed partnership is intended to link the territorial entity of Jagodina, in the Republic of Serbia to the Territory of Miabi in the Province of Kasai-Oriental, of which Mbujimayi is the capital.
This twinning project aims to help the Miabi region, which is rich in potentials, acquire some basic infrastructure – electricity, running water and roads – that’s indispensable to ensuring the survival of a local population estimated at over 200,000.
Miabi’s potential lies in its minerals (diamonds), fertile land, tropical climate and waterways, alongside its active young population. Globally, the region is mineral and agro-pastoral. So, while enhancing cooperation and addressing critical challenges, this partnership will also focus on sustaining mining exploitation and improving agricultural productivity through advanced techniques. Jagodina, which is known for its agricultural expertise, can help modernise these systems. Moreover, vocational training and educational support are planned to strengthen Miabi’s education system.
Supported by the dynamism and initiative of influential former Jagodina mayor Dragan Marković Palma, this project is designed to create mutual benefits, improve living conditions in Miabi, and strengthen bilateral relations.
This summer saw the appearance of a protest sign in front of the en-
trance to the building that houses your Belgrade embassy that caught the attention of passersby. The poster, entitled “Genocost”, claimed that a “silent genocide” is taking place in your country, driven by the pursuit of the aforementioned strategic materials. The message claimed that 12 million people in your country have perished in this race for minerals. Given that this topic is very current in Serbia, could you explain what this is all about?
— Indeed, a massive massacre is being perpetrated in the eastern part of the DRC by neighbouring countries Rwanda and Uganda. To date, more
The Consulate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo officially opened on 5th July 2024, under the esteemed leadership of Honorary Consul Mrs Radmila Bašević
than 15 million people have perished in this race for strategic minerals in the Eastern Congo. This silenced, untold and unacknowledged genocide is being commemorated each year on 3rd August and dubbed GENOCOST to mean GENOCIDE for minerals COST.
Supported by Rwandan Armed Forces (Rwanda regular army) and heavily equipped with sophisticated weapons, the M23 militias opposed
to the Congolese government engage in the illicit extraction and export of Congolese minerals through the Rwandan government. They are responsible for severe human rights violations against local populations, including killings, massacres and rapes. An alarming UN report estimates that nearly seven million people have been internally displaced. This is, unfortunately, all occurring while the international community remains silent.
Worse still, some leading members of that same international community are signing contracts with these aggressor countries, which are plundering the DRC’s strategic mineral resources to supply the looted minerals, even though they are aware that Rwanda has no deposits of these mineral on its territory.
Supported by Rwanda and heavily equipped with sophisticated weapons, the M23 militias opposed to the DRC government engage in the illicit extraction and export of Congolese minerals through the Rwandan government. Hence, the posters you saw at the entrance to our embassy building are meant to attract the attention of passersby to the fact that something strange is happening in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This action aimed to amplify our voice and determination in demanding that the international community break their silence. Congolese lives are not expendable.
Furthermore, we intended to appeal to the Serbian community to stand in solidarity with the Congolese people, denouncing this monstruous crime that has been going on for three decades and calling for an end to any involvement in this war that has caused immense loss of life in the Eastern Congo.
Judging by developments in several African countries, it appears that the attitude towards strategic materials is changing, with an increasing sentiment that ownership of the exploitation of natu-
We have close collaboration in various areas, notably in the political and diplomatic, defence and security, and culture and education domains
As a member of the United Nations and being respectful of international law, the DRC supports the Republic of Serbia in its sovereignty and integrity
Africa claims, first and foremost, recognition of ownership over its natural resources and all related rights
ral resources should be returned to the states where they are located. How do you view this process? — More than 60 years after independence, Africa’s development is slow in coming. The time has now come for the African people to wake up and take the development of their continent into their own hands. Africa can only develop rapidly by regaining ownership of its resources that have been expropriated by the former colonising countries.
Indeed, presented as expeditions for “philanthropic” purposes, the primary motives of colonisation had been the search for raw materials. Following exploitation, the natural raw materials were then taken away without being shared, leaving nothing to compensate either the environment or the local populations, who paid with their lives in many instances.
After granting “political” independence to Africa, the colonial powers put in place an economic system that continued to maintain their economic control over the continent. They have appropriated the exploitation of the natural resources, the marketing of raw materials, setting their own purchase prices without the participation of the countries of origin. Worse still, the countries of origin do not have the right to decide and sign new contracts with other potential buyers. They have acted just as the sole owners of the Africa natural resources.
This colonial approach is designed to keep Africa as a supplier of raw materials that never develops. Africa claims, first and foremost, recognition of ownership over its natural resources and all related rights. And then structures will be gradually put in place to process them where they are located.
Supported by Rwandan Armed Forces and heavily equipped with sophisticated weapons, the M23 militias opposed to the Congolese government engage in the illicit extraction and export of Congolese minerals through the Rwandan government
Africa’s development depends on returning the ownership of natural resource exploitation to the states where they are located. This approach is fair and sustainable.
September marked the summit of African and Chinese countries, in which your country’s participation was significant. Given that we live in a time in which clear geopolitical alignments are required, how would you describe Africa’s gener-
al stance – and your country’s particular – in relation to China, Russia, or the West?
— The Democratic Republic of the Congo is increasingly involved in international summits, including those involving African nations and China. Over recent years, the DRC’s participation has highlighted its role in the global market, particularly in discussions surrounding economic development, infrastructure and cooperation. At these summits, countries like China often focus on strengthening economic ties with African nations through investments, trade and development projects.
With its natural wealth and resources, the DRC holds a strategic position in Central Africa and is a key player in these discussions. The DRC’s economic strategies and geopolitical positioning reflect a pragmatic approach aimed at balancing relationships with various global powers. China is considered a major economic partner, providing investment in infrastructure and support for development initiatives. Western countries continue to play an important role as preferred partners in various fields. Russia, a friendly nation to the DRC, maintains strong ties with the country across diverse areas. Beyond the general principles of the United Nations Charter and the Constitutive Act of the African Union, the DRC’s foreign policy encompasses key options that form the basis of its international stance, notably its openness to the world without exclusivity.
The arrival in power of His Excellency Félix Antoine Tshisekedi marked a strategic redefinition of the DRC’s foreign policy, allowing it to engage in partnerships based on mutual respect and in accordance with its own interests.
The war in Ukraine shows no sign of resolution as the country continues to receive critical military support from Western allies, especially U.S. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s September 2024 visit to Washington, which resulted in the announcement of an $8 billion military aid package. The Ukrainian government has pressed for more long-range weapons to fight Russian advances. Additionally, economic and humanitarian assistance continues to flow into Ukraine, but ongoing Russian airstrikes have left parts of the country devastated
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”
Martin Luther King Jr.
A devastating cholera outbreak has hit Sudan, exacerbated by ongoing civil conflict, flooding, and collapsing health infrastructure. Over 15 million people are caught in a conflict zone with limited access to medical services, food, and clean water. Floods have worsened the spread of cholera by damaging essential sanitation systems. Aid agencies struggle to keep up with rising infection rates as the ongoing war hampers relief efforts. This crisis has highlighted the fragile state of Sudan’s healthcare system amidst political instability.
Argentina faces an economic crisis, with poverty rates surpassing 50% in 2024. Government austerity measures, implemented under populist leader Javier Milei, have led to widespread public discontent. The Argentine economy has been struggling with hyperinflation, devaluation of the peso, and significant cuts to social programs, exacerbating inequality. Protests have broken out nationwide as citizens call for government action to alleviate poverty and stabilise the economy, marking one of the worst economic downturns in Argentine history.
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling but in rising every time we fall”
Nelson Mandela
The Israel-Hamas conflict escalated dramatically in September 2024, with both sides engaged in heavy airstrikes. Israeli forces targeted Gaza in response to Hamas rocket attacks, while Hezbollah entered the conflict, launching missiles from Lebanon. This violence has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with tens of thousands displaced, mainly from Gaza and southern Lebanon. The conflict has also drawn international condemnation, and diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire have failed. The war’s broader impact continues to affect regional stability
In September 2024, China unveiled a major economic stimulus package to boost growth in response to sluggish performance in key sectors. The government announced plans to increase infrastructure spending, cut interest rates, and offer tax incentives to encourage investment. This package is part of broader efforts to stabilise the Chinese economy, which has faced challenges due to the global slowdown and internal structural issues. Economists are watching closely to see how effective these measures will reignite growth.
India’s space agency, ISRO, achieved another milestone in September 2024 with the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-4 mission, aimed at exploring the Moon’s south pole. The mission is part of India’s ongoing efforts to establish itself as a major player in space exploration, building on the success of previous lunar missions. Chandrayaan-4 carries advanced scientific instruments to study lunar soil, water-ice deposits, and surface topography, which are critical for future manned missions and long-term lunar habitation.
In September 2024, world leaders convened at the United Nations “Summit of the Future” to discuss urgent global challenges such as climate change, food insecurity, and inequality. The summit emphasised the need for international collaboration to address these issues, focusing on innovative financing models. Governments committed to increasing support for sustainable development initiatives. The summit underscored the importance of multilateralism in addressing the world’s most pressing crises, aiming to create a roadmap for future global cooperation.
Many countries are facing a problem of teacher shortages. However, unlike other states that are actively seeking to implement measures to entice new personnel, the Government of Serbia still hasn’t announced any ideas on how it will solve this far-reaching problem in a high-quality way
Following last year’s presenting of the document entitled ’Platform for improving the status of teaching study programmes at the University of Belgrade and preserving the education system in the Republic of Serbia’, we’re returning to this topic at the start of a new school year that has been marked by yet more falling interest in enrolling in teach -
ing professions among students, and continued declining interest in higher education generally. We posed several questions to our interlocutors, some of whom are signatories of the Platform, in an effort to gain a better understanding of what’s happened with their initiative and why teachers continue to be disaffected.
Iva Draškić Vićanović Ph.D. Dean and full professor of the University of Belgrade Faculty of Philology
Us eight deans of the University of Belgrade faculties that train teachers provided a high-quality and concise proposal that’s achievable in a short period. The ball is now in the court of the competent ministry, or rather the Government
Each September sees ever-fewer people enter classrooms with good will and enthusiasm. The situation has deteriorated sharply, with physical attacks on teachers becoming increasingly frequent. And I think that this, coupled with the unacceptably low salaries and total undermining of reputation and authority, is the final straw. Given that I have personal contacts with representatives of teachers throughout Serbia, I starting receiving information about the frequent resignations of school teachers from the moment they recognised me as one of the deans concerned about the situation in education and with an initiative. Anyone who receives a better offer abandons the teaching profession, which is disastrous for every society and country.
When it comes to the role of university faculties in resolving this sickening situation that has no future, it is up to us to give our all, as lecturers and as individuals, to ensure that our students receive the best possible education. On the other hand, I think that
us eight deans of the University of Belgrade faculties that train teachers have done everything that it was up to us to do as professors and leading figures of these pivotal institutions. We provided a high-quality and concise proposal that’s achievable in a short period. The ball is now in the court of the competent ministry, or rather the Government.
We receive information that teachers are increasingly abandoning schools if they receive an opportunity to secure a better job
We are taught by the experiences of others that there can be no strong and prosperous society without a high-quality education system. And our own experiences also teach us this same truth. It is high time we started learning from those experiences and drawing conclusions.
Goran Roglić Dean of the University of Belgrade Faculty of Chemistry
The deans who submitted the initiative with a proposed solution to the Government of Serbia have yet to receive an official response. We don’t even know how many school teachers are currently lacking
We haven’t received any information whatsoever from the ministry with regard to whether anything has been done on the initiative of the deans. We continue to consider this as being an essential first step to addressing the issue. And, of course, this would also be the only way for us to actually find out the real need for teachers according to subject.
The faculties have done everything they could at this juncture and are ready for further talks with the ministry. It isn’t sufficient to include only the Ministry of Education in this story, rather it is also essential to include the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government. Achieving the desired effect is impossible without joint work.
The problem with teachers isn’t uniquely characteristic of Serbia, as there is a similar situation in other European countries. The majority of those countries have taken a se-
One illustration of the shortage of teaching staff in schools is a request that the Faculty of Chemistry received from a school asking for one of our assistants to be allowed to teach in a secondary school
rious approach to this problem and set out to solve it. Finland solved this problem by providing strong incentives for students and good salaries for teachers.
Velimir Šećerov Ph.D. Full Professor at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Geography
It is the government’s job to increase budget allocations for education (and science) significantly, provide a set of laws that guarantees teachers’ safety and respect, encourage media coverage of this activity, grant scholarships to students of these subjects, help resolve housing issues etc.
To the best of my knowledge, the RS Government has yet to start working on the recommendations that were adopted – on the basis of the Belgrade University Deans’ Platform 8 – by the Belgrade University Senate, all PMF [mathematics & sciences faculties] groups in Serbia, representative education trade unions etc. We don’t have the statistics on precise staffing shortfalls, but we can deduce that some parts of Serbia are highly endangered, while others (including large urban centres) are awaited by a similar fate in the very near future.
We can also see the argument supporting this claim in the constant reductions in the number of students wanting to enrol in teacher training courses since 2015, which requires a prompt response and the securing of additional mechanisms of motivation to improve the attractiveness of the teaching profession.
It is the job of the RS Government (and not only the Ministry of Education, which cannot improve the current situation alone) to increase budget allocations for education (and science) significantly, provide a set of laws that guarantees teachers’ safety and respect (that this is also being worked on from the public service media angle is an obvious attempt of the Ministry of Education to gain the status of an official body), encourage media coverage of this activity, grant scholarships to students of these subjects, help resolve housing issues etc.
For their part, the faculties can also improve study programmes (adapting them to meet the needs and level of knowledge required by future teachers), modernise curric-
ula and the ways teaching units are presented, secure adequate practical work placements and exchanges of experience with colleagues from around the country and abroad, intensify cooperation with schools, ministries and others.
For their part, the faculties can also improve study programmes, modernise curricula and the ways teaching units are presented, secure adequate practical work placements and exchanges of experience with colleagues from around the country and abroad, intensify cooperation with schools, ministries and others
Despite countries near and far also having a problem with insufficient numbers enrolling in these study programmes, it hasn’t been noted that teachers’ salary levels are below the national average, that incidents in schools and attacks on lecturers occur on a constant and almost daily basis, that admittedly unprofitable faculties lack pronounced state assistance compared to others (mathematics, physics, chemistry, geography, biology and history form the basis of most other associated sciences and professions, and engaging in other, more lucrative jobs is not possible without their knowledge).
Aleksandar Markov President of the Forum of Belgrade Gymnasiums
The idea of solving the teacher shortage by allowing staff to teach related subjects cannot yield results as it doesn’t address the core problem
When it comes to the lack of teachers specialising in certain subjects, this problem has long since gone beyond acute and become chronic. Analysing the need for teachers doesn’t require an excessively large engagement, as it is a statistic that’s available to the competent school administrations. However, it is concerning that there’s no solution on the horizon. According to unofficial announcements, a solution to this problem will be sought in legislative and regulatory amendments that will create the possibility for teachers of one subject to also teach related subjects, meaning, for example, that a physics teacher could teach mathematics. Such a solution wouldn’t lead to increases in the quality of teaching, and I’m afraid that it would lead to the further eroding of quality that’s already questionable.
Serbia’s problem is that it doesn’t educate teachers. Qualified mathematicians, historians, geographers etc. emerge
from our faculties and are not trained to work in schools, though such work is often imposed on them as an alternative. It is necessary to work on reforms that would lead to the establishing of this type of faculty, as opposed to instant
Instead of instant solutions, it is necessary to work on the opening of a faculty for teachers, and to make these jobs more attractive to young people
solutions. It also goes without saying that the Government must make the job of a teacher more attractive to young people – not only in terms of higher earnings, but also by creating a better work environment.
In a much-anticipated report, Mario Draghi has called for the European Union to build something like a war economy and run it hot, using common firepower. But while there is a growing sense of urgency in Europe that could lead to a consensus on the need for deeper EU integration, it could also push the bloc in the opposite direction
ario Draghi, former President of the European Central Bank and former Italian Prime Minister, has delivered his much-anticipated report on European competitiveness to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The report does not hold back: it issues a stark warning about the European Union’s current trajectory and proposes new ways to think about key issues and policies.
MAccording to Draghi, the challenges Europe is facing are nothing short of existential. Over the past two decades, income growth per capita in the EU has lagged behind that in the United States. More ominous, Europe is fundamentally unprepared to navigate a fast-changing global environment characterized by rising geopolitical tensions and rapid technological transformation.
With the most open economy among the world’s major powers, Europe is highly vulnerable to trade tensions and other disrup-
tions. Complicating matters further, Europe is heavily dependent on imported energy and critical raw materials, and confronts higher energy costs than its global rivals. Access to cheap energy is vital to economic leadership.
Europe also lags behind countries like the US and China on technological innovation and commercialization. In fact, the EU’s presence in the tech industry is marginal, with no EU company ranking among the world’s top ten tech firms by capitalization. The EU is losing its edge even in industries it once dominated, such as automobiles. The problem is not a lack of ideas; rather, Europe has struggled to translate its ideas into commercial successes.
Draghi paints a dismal but realistic picture. Before implementing drastic policy changes, such as those Draghi proposes, Europeans must establish a solid political consensus on the magnitude of the prob-
lem, including a clear idea of the strengths and weaknesses of Europe’s form of capitalism. If Draghi’s report does nothing beyond catalyzing such a process, it will have been a major achievement.
But the report can do more than help us understand the problems we face; it can also lead us toward more effective solutions. For example, in the 1990s, the prevailing belief was that low productivity reflected labor-market rigidity, but making labor markets more flexible did not lead to a surge in productivity. According to Draghi, a better approach would focus on bolstering private and public investment. As it stands, however, market fragmentation (which limits scale), along with policymakers’ failure to strike the right balance between tech regulation and support for innovation, is impeding private investment. Meanwhile, a failure to target the right priorities, a lack of industrial-policy tools to advance common EU objectives, and, most important, the inability to raise finance at the European level is undermining public investment.
With this in mind, Draghi argues that refocusing public spending on innovation –
One of the report’s most important – and welcome – messages is that protecting the single market requires tools that are designed and implemented at the EU level
as well as removing excessive regulations, which are impeding startups’ ability to scale up – is essential to foster a Europe-wide innovation ecosystem. He does not shy away from advocating subsidies and protections for innovative companies in selected industries as they establish the necessary scale to compete internationally.
Draghi also pushes for the establishment of a unified EU energy market to lower energy costs. He encourages a pragmatic approach to trade with China, with rules tailored to different sectors and technologies. And he rec-
ommends the development of an EU “foreign economic policy,” including preferential trade agreements with friendly partners.
Critics might try to present these stances as excessively radical. But Draghi’s report should not be read as a blanket endorsement of discriminatory trade policies and full-scale industrial policy. As he emphasized in his speech at the European Parliament, he is not suggesting that the EU should “pick winners” or calling for blanket protectionism, let alone an overhaul of World Trade Organization rules.
One of the report’s most important – and welcome – messages is that protecting the single market requires tools that are designed and implemented at the EU level. Another is that, without a deep and liquid market for EU debt, the creation of a European safe asset – cru-
Europe is fundamentally unprepared to navigate a fast-changing global environment characterized by rising geopolitical tensions and rapid technological transformation
just 1% of the bloc’s GDP, and the common debt issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic was temporary by design.
To be sure, with the Ukraine war raging on the EU’s doorstep, and the US-China rivalry threatening the basis of its economic mod-
cial to raise financing for public goods – will be impossible, and the capital markets union, which would go a long way toward supporting private investment, will never develop.
Ultimately, Draghi’s report calls for Europe to build something like a war economy and run it hot, using common firepower. But developing a single approach to innovation, energy, defense, industrial policy, and common financing tools will be no easy feat, as it will require strong and sustained political will across the EU.
The EU is not a federation, and economic nationalism has generally prevailed, preventing cross-border mergers, limiting coordination, and impeding common financing. Today, the common EU budget amounts to
el, there is a growing sense of urgency that could drive Europeans toward a consensus on the need for deeper political and economic integration. But it could also push Europe in the opposite direction, with countries retreating deeper into economic nationalism. Low levels of trust and divergent interests among EU member states, together with the lack of an EU-level democratic process capable of facilitating integration, create plenty of reason to doubt that European leaders will heed Draghi’s warning.
Lucrezia Reichlin, a former director of research at the European Central Bank, is Professor of Economics at the London Business School
The Western Balkan region has rich resources and growth potential in terms of sustainability, but leaders must grasp the value of sustainability as a revenue driver in order to boost long-term valuation
SASJA BESLIK Chief Investment Strategy Officer at SDG Impact Japan
Most companies still lack understanding of how to make money on sustainable finance and ESG standards. “Commercial sustainability, a concept I have developed over the last 10 years, targets the financial valuation of companies by using financial material ESG drivers,” explains Sasja Beslik, Chief Investment Strategy Officer at SDG Impact Japan. “This approach enables companies to clearly identify the centre of gravity for their commercial sustainability value.”
Our interlocutor explains that companies usually focus on the conduct side of their business, i.e. the right policies, set of KPIs and reporting, and not on their products and services. However, it is on the product and service side that the rubber meets the road in relation to sustainability as well as value creation for companies. “Current legislation in Europe, like CSRD and SFDR, are driving compliance and
disclosure, which is indeed needed and very good for creating a level playing field. At the same time, it does alter companies’ business models,” says Beslik. “Reporting what is there is not the same as developing new products and services for markets impacted by climate change and energy transition.”
Could you elaborate on how SDG Impact Japan is driving sustainability through its investment strategies?
— SDG Impact Japan is an investment platform in Tokyo that focuses on the sustainable investments. We manage listed and private investment funds targeting mid-cap companies in Japan on the listed side and early-stage private companies developing solutions to tackle global, energy, food and tech transition. We’ve been very successful over the past three years in identifying companies that we believe can scale global solutions – from Agritech to decarbonisation strategies. Our listed investment fund, NextGen ESG Japan, by investing in medium-sized Japanese listed equities, has been outperforming the market and its peers since its inception two and a half years ago. We can see that our approach of using the lens of commercial sustainability helps us identify undervalued companies to invest in and engage with. Performance is a consequence of the decisions we make. Making decisions takes time and demands insight and patience. All our investments have delivered great financial performance and great sustainability related returns, including reduced CO2 emissions, improved human capital management and more robust corporate governance performance.
In your experience, what are the biggest challenges confronting companies and investors in aligning their financial returns with sustainability goals, especially in emerging markets like those of the Balkans?
— In my 30 years as an investment professional on global markets, I have had many arguments over the challenges related to aligning financial and sustainability goals. One of the mayor takeaways is that companies focus too much on an inside-in perspective. This leads to a focus on compliance in relation to their own conduct framework. In short, a company doesn’t make money by being A rated for ESG conduct reporting; it makes money
by serving market segments with products and services.
Sustainability can be an agent of commercial change and not just a theme. Examples like those of the electric vehicle industry are perhaps the most telling. Additional insight is related to the time horizon. The notion of a bird in the hand today being better than two tomorrow remains the dominant narrative in the Balkan region. Creating wealth takes time and demands continuity and focus. The EU is the biggest trading partner for the majority of Balkan countries, and given the recent rather stringent legislative changes, companies in the Balkan region that have the EU as their main export market will simply have no choice but to align. The alternative option, which many companies in the Balkans are still contemplating and which relates to ways to avoid this alignment, would prove very costly. The Balkan region has substantial natural and human resources and great potential to capture growth in the sustainability space. Politicians and business leaders will need to learn how to see the wood for all the trees and to understand commercial sustainability for what it is: a source of revenue that boosts valuation over time.
What role do you envisage for Integrity Capital D.O.O. in terms of promoting sustainable investments in Serbia and the Western Balkans, and how do you plan to leverage your expertise in this region?
— Integrity Capital was founded with the clear vision of addressing the gap in sustainable and impactful investments in this region. I identified a clear need to provide the expertise that me and my partner, Vladimir Rajić, have developed over many years of working in sustainable finance. Our goal is to bring this knowledge to Serbia and the Western Balkans, a region that has significant growth
potential in responsible investment practices.
Integrity Capital is an advisory company that specialises in providing structured and corporate financial advisory services to clients who are looking to prioritise ESG factors in their operations.
I wanted to bring my own experience in the field of sustainable finance to Integrity Capital, offering advisory services that help our clients not only achieve their financial goals, but also contribute to positive societal and environmental outcomes. By leveraging our expertise, we aim to become a leader in promoting sustainable investments in Serbia and the wider Western Balkan region. We believe that this approach is essential to the future success of businesses and the development of a more resilient and responsible economy.
How do you view collaboration between Integrity Capital D.O.O. and local companies influencing the growth of sustainable finance and ESG practices across the Western Balkans?
— The collaboration between Integrity Capital and local companies is a crucial step towards accelerating the growth of sustainable finance and ESG practices in the Western Balkans. Our aim is to create partnerships that not only help businesses adapt to global trends, but also position them as leaders in responsible investing. We believe that local companies are key to driving sustainable change in the region, and through our advisory services we can help them integrate ESG principles into their core business strategies.
We ultimately want to demonstrate that responsible business practices aren’t only beneficial to society and the environment, but are also essential for long-term business success. Through our partnership with local companies, we aim to accelerate the transition to a sustainable economy across the region.
Many companies are today motivated by reputation and perception, but they have limited longterm business value
All our investments have achieved strong financial and sustainability returns, including reduced CO2 emissions, better human capital management and improved corporate governance
Collaboration between Integrity Capital and local companies is a crucial step towards accelerating the growth of sustainable finance and ESG practices across the Western Balkans
We have seen increasing recognition of the importance of aligning PPP projects with the SDGs in Serbia
TONY BONNICI
Chief of the PublicPrivate Partnerships Section at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
According to UNECE’s Tony Bonnici, what’s required are “PPPs that are ‘fit for purpose’ for the SDGs and that not only create ‘value for money’, but also ‘value for people’ and ‘value for the planet’ in terms of infrastructure and public services”. Speaking in this interview, Bonnici also discusses the UNECE’s mandate, the PIERS methodology and the aligning of projects with the SDGs.
UN Agenda 2030 has set 17 Sustainable Development Goals. What is the significance of PPPs in overcoming challenges to achieve these SDGs?
— Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) have a central role to play in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 SDGs. PPPs can be a mechanism for countries to attract sustainable finance and develop their infrastructure and public services, which are crucial for sustainable development – impacting not just economies, but also communities and the environment.
In order to address this challenge, UNECE developed a new approach to PPPs that ensures they’re “fit for purpose” for the
SDGs and not only create “value for money”, but also “value for people” and “value for the planet” in terms of infrastructure and public services.
When we mention PPP projects, we’re usually referring to large infrastructure projects with a substantial financial value. How can PPPs contribute to achieving the SDGs in smaller municipalities where projects don’t reach a significant financial value?
— The critical path to achieving the SDGs is one that emphasises social infrastructure. And small-scale PPP projects
SMALL-SCALE PPPS CAN PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN ACHIEVING THE SDGS AND CAN HELP SMALLER
provide a critical contribution to achieving the SDGs. Projects should be prioritised in line with sustainable development objectives, aiming for a diverse mix of project scales and not exclusively prioritising large and complex infrastructure projects.
Small-scale PPPs can thus play a crucial role in achieving the SDGs and can help smaller municipalities with limited financial resources. Small-scale projects can have a substantial impact on local communities with broad social, economic and environmental benefits.
How does UNECE evaluate the aligning of projects with the SDGs; and what is your assessment of the harmonisation of PPP projects with the SDGs in Serbia and around the region?
— To ensure the alignment of PPP and infrastructure projects with the SDGs, UNECE has developed the PPP and Infrastructure Evaluation and Rating System (PIERS). The PIERS methodology ensures that projects are sustainable and contribute to the SDGs and the three pillars of sustainability: economic, social and environmental. This methodology can help governments demonstrate that their infrastructure projects score high in terms of ESG principles, which represent an increasingly critical requirement from creditors and investors. The PIERS sustainability methodology ensures that PPP and infrastructure projects create “value for people” and “value for the planet”, with a focus on the world’s most vulnerable populations.
We have seen increasing recognition of the importance of aligning PPP projects with the SDGs in Serbia and the broader region. While progress is being made, challenges remain, particularly in building the capacities of the public sector to promote SDG-aligned projects, especially in developing countries. In this regard, UNECE continues to work closely with governments in the region to improve the public sector’s capacity to identify, develop and implement both small and large PPP and infrastructure projects that are aligned with the SDGs, particularly in the areas of digital and green infrastructure, climate action and the circular economy.
The annual UNECE International PPP Forums bring together international experts in the PPP field to improve their knowledge and share experiences. What will be the main theme on the agenda of the next Forum?
— The next edition of the UNECE International PPP Forum is scheduled for May 2025. Several key topics will be addressed at the Forum, including Artificial Intelligence, fiscal sustainability and affordability, small-scale PPPs, innovative financing mechanisms, reconstruction and resilience in infrastructure, among other topical issues.
One of the highlights of next year’s Forum will be the “UNECE PPP and infrastructure award 2025”, in which PPP and infrastructure projects that showcase SDG-compliant design, construction and operation elements will compete. A number of projects will be selected by an international jury, with a strong emphasis on their contribution to green and digital characteristics.
JELENA TADIĆ Executive Director, PPP Investment
The City of Belgrade applied the PIERS Methodology in the PPP project to entrust the part of the city’s public urban passenger transport
We sat down with PPP Investment’s Executive Director Jelena Tadić to discuss PPP projects in Serbia and the region, new experiences, methodological approaches and other interesting topics.
Could you tell us where Serbia stands in the global context of PPP projects?
— Serbia has established a positive trend in the implementation of the PPP model, with projects that serve as a replicable model for the other countries of the region. As someone who collaborates with UNECE, I would like to emphasise the fact that Serbia applies methodological approaches in the area of PPP that have been developed by UNECE.
As an international evaluator of PPP infrastructure projects, appointed by UNECE under the PIERS Methodology, I am proud that we have introduced the practice of applying the PIERS Methodology to PPP projects, and that this is becoming accepted by the public sector in Serbia. I would highlight the fact that the City of Belgrade applied the PIERS Methodology in the PPP project to entrust the part of the city’s public urban passenger transport.
What were the prerequisites for Serbia to position itself in the PPP field?
— The preconditions primarily include a strong legislative framework, fiscal stability and the commitment of public bodies to overcome their municipal and other challenges through this approach.
Equally important is the expertise of the professionals who design and implement these projects, as well as our engagement with international organisations like UNECE and WAPPP (World Association of PPP Units and Professionals), through which we continue to enhance our knowledge and experience.
A significant increase in financing, at both the national and international levels, is vital to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by the 2030 deadline. To this end, the international community must both deliver debt relief to developing countries and expand their access to affordable finance
The just-concluded United Nations Summit of the Future in New York, and next year’s Second World Summit for Social Development, aim to “chart a path toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and responding to emerging challenges and opportunities.”
But the question of how to finance the necessary investments – particularly at a time when many countries are weighed down by debt – stalks global discussions.
The world is more complicated than it was a decade ago, when the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which sets out the 17 SDGs and their 169 targets, was drafted. When the Agenda was approved in January 2016, we had not yet faced the COVID-19 pandemic, war had not engulfed Ukraine or Gaza, and the United States and China were not at loggerheads.
Today, the world economy is more fragmented, geopolitical tensions are higher, and multilateralism is sputtering. Moreover, the number of people living in poverty has increased: in 2020-23, an estimated 165 million people, mostly in developing countries, fell below the World Bank’s poverty line ($3.65 per day at purchasing power parity).
Meanwhile, many countries’ debt burdens have become less manageable, after governments were forced to increase public spending in response to the pandemic and the subsequent cost-of-living crisis. Today, only 27 developing countries – 18% of the total – are not burdened with excessive debt. The rest are struggling with debt overhang, which undermines economic growth and development, and raises the risk of an eventual default. The International Monetary Fund estimates the debt-burden threshold for low-income countries is between 35% and 70% of GDP, after which debt can become unmanageable.
When debt-servicing costs are high, countries often end up making big sacrifices to stay solvent. For example, they might tap foreign-exchange reserves, thereby weakening their ability to respond to future crises, or reallocate resources from critical areas – such as education, health, and social protection – to keep up with their payments. In low-income countries, interest payments are now 2.3 times larger than spending on social assistance, and 1.4 times larger than domestic health expenditures, on average. They amount to 60% of spending on education.
A country that is reducing social spending to service its debts – despite the increase in poverty that will inevitably follow – is unlikely to be able to make long-term investments in sustainable development. And yet, as the UN and other multilateral organizations have made clear, a significant increase in financing, at both the national and international levels, is a prerequisite for achieving the SDGs by the 2030 deadline.
Thus, it is urgent to offer relief to countries that face debt distress. Gov-
ernments should not have to choose between servicing their debts and taking care of their citizens, and today’s debts should not act as a drag on the future. Countries’ ability to manage their debt should be assessed against a broader range of indicators – human, social, and environmental, not just financial. Where debt relief, debt restructuring, or both is in order, it must be implemented quickly and efficiently as part of a comprehensive debt-management strategy, possibly making use of instruments like debt-for-climate swaps, which commit the debtor government to invest the savings from debt relief in climate adaptation or mitigation.
But debt relief alone is not enough. If developing countries are to achieve the SDGs, they will need new sources of funding. So far, multilateral development banks have taken the lead on this front.
As a recent OECD report shows, in 201220, outflows from the World Bank Group increased by 72%, and outflows from oth-
AS THE UN AND OTHER MULTILATERAL ORGANIZATIONS
HAVE MADE CLEAR, A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN FINANCING, AT BOTH THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS, IS A PREREQUISITE FOR ACHIEVING THE SDGS BY THE 2030 DEADLINE
er MDBs soared by 155%. In 2021-22, total MDB outflows rose by another 22%.
This trend is set to continue. Earlier this year, ten MDBs estimated that they could collectively expand their lending headroom by an additional $300-400 billion over the next decade. But this would mean an increase of just $40 billion more per year – far less than the $260 billion per year that the G20 Independent Expert Group estimates will be needed to meet the SDGs.
To address the sustainable-development imperative, the MDBs will have to persuade their member states to increase their own contributions by amounts proportionate to the scale of the challenges ahead. Other multilateral organizations, such as the UN, as well as non-governmental donors and the private sector, must also ramp up their support.
Multilateral efforts should aim both to tackle existing debt and to expand access to affordable finance in the future, using a variety of instruments, including concessional loans, green and blue bonds, and grants. And policy measures must be coordinated at the international level. Otherwise, we stand little chance of achieving the SDGs by the 2030 deadline, with devastating consequences for people and the planet.
By Paola Subacchi, Professor of Political Economy and incoming Chair in Sovereign Debt and Finance at Sciences Po
Upon completion, Čibuk 2 will become the largest wind farm operational in Serbia, contributing significantly to the country achieving its renewable energy goals, all thanks to a total investment of €212 million
Erste Bank Serbia and companies Masdar and Taaleri Energia signed an agreement to finance the construction of the Čibuk 2 Wind Farm, which will generate 154 MW of electricity. Located approximately 40 kilometres from Belgrade, in the municipality of Kovin, this wind farm is expected to generate enough electricity to power around 62,000 households and to contribute to reducing CO2 emissions by 311,200 tons annually. Čibuk 2 is scheduled to become fully operational by the first quarter of 2026.
Erste Group and Erste Bank a.d. Novi Sad are financing the project
farm we are financing in Serbia. We are proud to contribute actively to the green transition and the long-term development of sustainable energy sources in the country, in line with the sustainability strategy of our banking group. For us, every new green project is not only a business success, but also an opportunity to contribute to a better future for all of us, as well as for future generations,” said Erste Bank Serbia Executive Board member Nikola Stamenković.
“At Erste Group, we’re proud to have collaborated with our colleagues at Erste Bank Serbia to provide Masdar and Taaleri Energia with the financing for the Čibuk 2 Wind Farm. Erste has a strong track record in financing wind farms and other renewable energy projects in Southeast Europe, playing a key role in helping the region advance in its green transition,” said Erste Group Head of Corporate Finance Wolfgang Hargassner.
For Serbia, this investment is one of the largest renewable energy projects, representing an important step towards achieving the state’s goal of having 41% of its electricity generated from renewables by 2030.
through a partnership with UAE’s Masdar and Finland’s Taaleri Energia, in cooperation with New Energy Solutions, a leading development company in Serbia. The total investment is estimated at approximately €212 million, of which around €144 million has been secured through loans. Erste is financing half of the loan, with Erste Bank Serbia contributing over €47 million, while the remainder is being financed by Erste Group.
“This project is of great importance to us, not only because it represents our largest single green investment to date, but also because Čibuk 2 is already the sixth wind
Čibuk 2 follows the existing Čibuk 1 Wind Farm, which already produces enough electricity to supply around 113,000 households. Once completed, Čibuk 2 will become the largest wind farm operational in Serbia, contributing significantly to reducing CO2 emissions and improving Serbia’s energy stability.
With investments in over 70 green projects to date, Erste Bank Serbia has provided a substantial contribution to reducing harmful emissions and increasing electricity production from renewable sources, thus having a positive impact on local communities and households. Erste Group will continue supporting projects in the renewable energy sector – not only in Serbia, but across the region.
Vladimir Milanović Director, Masdar Taaleri Generation
Through the development of Čibuk 1, we paved the way for others. The implementation of Čibuk 2 is advancing according to plan, while Čibuk 3 and a solar power plant are in the planning stage, says Masdar Taaleri Generation Director Vladimir Milanović
e spoke with Vladimir Milanović, director of this largest investor in renewable energy sources in Serbia, about Masdar Taaleri Generation’s current and future projects, new technologies and trends in the energy transition process, but also the commercialisation of battery storage systems and other challenges faced by the renewable energy sector.
WRenewables are at the forefront of the global energy transition and are the main driver of the shift to carbon-neutral energy and economies. Do they represent a crucial step towards a more sustainable and resilient future?
— Yes, you could say that. To me, simply replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources seems like just the beginning of the energy transition. As we know, increases in the use and development of renewables stemmed from the need to reduce the impact of fossil fuels on climate change. So, in this case, unlike previous energy transitions or transitions in other fields, the cause is not the development of a new, more efficient technology, but rather unwanted and excessive emissions of greenhouse gases. This negative externality of conventional energy sources initiated the development of renewables, which are currently leading the transition.
However, it is now clear that the energy transition will not end with the simple replacement and cessation of the use of con-
ventional energy sources. Instead, it will lead to a paradigm shift that will impact the entire system significantly. I don’t think we’re fully aware yet of where this may take us, and the entire energy sector needs to be prepared to adapt quickly to changes.
A good parallel can be drawn with the changes that have occurred in the telecommunications sector. Landline phones have practically disappeared, while some technologies, such as fax machines, appeared and disappeared very quickly. We can find many similar examples. I expect similar things to happen in the energy sector. Some technologies will vanish, while others will emerge and be in use for only a short time, before being replaced by something new.
Many regulations and rules were established during the development of Čibuk 1 that later guided the development of other wind farms. You must be very proud to have paved the way...
— Yes, we are very proud of that. However, that project has been fully operational for five years now, and things have changed significantly during that time in terms of regulations, market conditions and technology. This doesn’t allow us to rest on our laurels, so to speak. If we want to remain the largest investor in renewable energy sources in Serbia – and we do – we must develop and invest in new capacities under significantly altered conditions. In a way, we break new ground again with each new project.
The experience of the Čibuk 1 project, and your successful cooperation with local partners, enabled you to launch the construction of Čibuk 2 and plan Čibuk 3, while also working on the development of a solar power plant. Is everything going according to plan?
— The development of Čibuk 2 is progressing as planned and we are currently focused on this project. As you probably know, in the first auctions held last August, the project secured the right to a market premium, while during the conference organised by the Renewable Energy Association of Serbia that was held just a few days ago, we announced that we had secured financing for the project through a financing agreement signed with two commercial banks: UniCredit and Erste. Čibuk 2 will have an installed capacity of 154MW and will use 22 Nordex turbines, each with a capacity
of 7MW. The next step is to complete construction by 2026, when we will be able to state proudly that we are managing a total capacity of 312MW, thus maintaining our position as the leading group in the country.
The Čibuk 3 project, officially named Cubic, as well as the Solar Meadows solar power project, are at an early stage of development and face significant development risks. However, as with Čibuk 1 and 2, we expect to overcome all these risks and add another 211MW to our portfolio, which will then include 21MW of battery storage capacity, alongside wind and solar energy.
With Finland’s Taaleri Energia among your company’s founders, you are able to draw on the experience of a country that produces ten times as much electricity from wind farms as Serbia. Should Serbia look to Finland as a role model?
— Yes, certainly. Our team has learned a lot from our Finnish colleagues. However, I would like to emphasise that the entire re-
Čibuk 2 will have an installed capacity of 154MW and will use 22 Nordex turbines, each with a capacity of 7MW. The next step is to complete construction by 2026
newable energy sector in Serbia has learned a great deal over the past few years – not only from the Finns, but also from other investors. I would illustrate this best by paraphrasing Taaleri Energia Managing Director Kai Rintala. Speaking in one of the panel discussions during the recent Renewable Energy conference, he mentioned how he has witnessed the development of Serbia’s renewable energy sector over the past seven years and how it is clear to the approximately 300 panel attendees how much the sector has evolved, how much knowledge has been accumulated in our industry, and how much progress has been made in a relatively short period.
Wind energy currently brings more investment to Finland than any other industry. Can Serbia expect an influx of FDI in renewable energy?
— As I mentioned, Taaleri Energia’s MD was a participant in the recent conference. Apart from him, one of the keynote speakers was Masdar CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi.
Alongside Taaleri CEO Peter Ramsay and Serbian Mining and Energy Minister Dubravka Đedović Handanović, he witnessed the signing of the agreement between Čibuk 2 and EPS at the celebration of the project’s financial closure.
I am particularly pleased that the event was also attended by Finnish Ambassador Niklas Lindqvist. The presence of leading figures among shareholders from both companies, as well as the large number of foreign guests at the Renewable Energy conference, speaks volumes about foreign investors’ interest in this market.
As a board member of the Serbian Renewable Energy Sources Association, you often highlight the numerous challenges faced by producers of electricity from renewables in implementing projects. What are the biggest issues and are there solutions on the horizon?
— The biggest issue I see at the moment is the future commercialisation of battery
storage systems, which all new projects will have to invest in, including our two aforementioned projects. Some potential solutions are indicated in the proposed new Energy Law, but I expect things will only be resolved fully once these storage systems become operational. However, this is just one of the challenges. The development of renewable energy projects is a very risky business that’s full of challenges. After all, the high premiums paid to developers when acquiring projects ready to build correspond to the high risk associated with the process.
I began this interview by stating that, in my view, we still don’t fully comprehend all the changes that will occur as part of the energy transition. Just five years ago, the use of batteries was only a distant concept, while the issue of their commercialisation didn’t even exist. That is now a reality. The speed of change, coupled with uncertainty over which direction these changes will take, will create new challenges in the future. For some players, these changes may completely alter their role within the sector. However, uncertainty, new challenges and, of course, creative solutions to those challenges are what drive the entire renewable energy industry forward.
Aleksandar Ljubić Executive Director of FIC
Nelt Group announced the construction of a new technologically advanced warehouse in Dobanovci. This project is part of the company’s largest investment cycle in its history, set to be completed over the next three to four years, and represents a key step towards increasing operational efficiency and service quality. Nelt Group’s CEO, Darko Lukić, emphasised that the company’s goal is to enhance its logistics capacities, with a special focus on automation and optimisation of the logistics network to provide more efficient and higher-quality services to its clients.
Serbia’s Minister of Energy and Mining, Dubravka Đedović Handanović, signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Serbian government and China Energy International Group, marking a strategic cooperation in the energy sector. The minister stated that the partnership will enhance electricity storage capacities through new technologies. This direct foreign investment from China will be integrated into Serbia’s energy system.
According to the National Bank of Serbia, in the second quarter of 2024, Serbian citizens made 19.2 million online purchases using cards and electronic money, marking a 36.1% year-on-year increase. Domestic purchases in dinars grew by 33.4%, with the value of these transactions rising 34.6% compared to the same period in 2023, totalling 12.9 million transactions worth nearly €310 million. Payments on foreign websites, mainly in euros and U.S. dollars, saw a 48.2% rise in transactions in euros and a 38.4% increase in value, reaching €184.7 million.
An agreement to finance the construction of the Čibuk 2 wind farm near Kovin, which will generate 154 megawatts of electricity, was signed at a ceremony in Vrdnik between Masdar, Taaleri Energia, and Erste Bank in the presence of company representatives and officials. According to Erste Group, the wind farm is expected to begin operations in the first quarter of 2026. Located around 40 kilometres from Belgrade, the Čibuk 2 wind farm will provide enough electricity to meet the needs of approximately 62,000 households. Upon completion, it will become the largest operational wind farm in Serbia, reducing CO2 emissions by 311,200 tons annually and enhancing the country’s energy stability.
H.E. Luca Gori Ambassador of Italy
Anne Lugon-Moulin, new ambassador of the Swiss Confederation to the Republic of Serbia and to Montenegro
Born on 2 nd December 1971, Mrs Anne Lugon-Moulin joined the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in 2003. Completing her Master’s degree in Economic Development at the University of Nottingham, she was first hired by the Federal Department of Economic Affairs and Transparency International Switzerland, only to spend two and a half years working with the UN World Food Programme in Rwanda. She served (2004-‘08) as Deputy Head of the Governance Section at the FDFA, with a focus on the Western Balkan region, before spending a year (2008‘09) as head of the non-profit Basel Institute on Governance/International Centre for Asset Recovery. After four years heading the Division for CIS countries within the Directorate for Development and Cooperation at the FDFA, she served as ambassador and head of the Sub-Sahara Division within the Political Directorate of the FDFA in Berne from 2013 to ‘19. She became ambassador of Switzerland to Côte d’Ivoire in 2019, with secondary accreditations in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso, while also spending two years as president of the International Cocoa Organisation. Ambassador Lugon-Moulin speaks French, German and English fluently.
Jan Bondy
new ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Republic of Serbia
Born in Prague on 3rd October 1962, Ambassador Bondy studied at the University of Economics Prague, VŠE Faculty of Production Economics, before embarking on his professional career as a sales manager at Chemapol Prague (1985-’87). After becoming the manager of the independent music department at PragoConcert Prague (1987’90), he was orchestra manager of the Prague Symphony Orchestra from 1990-’95. Appointed General Director of the Czech MFA’s ‘Czech Centres’ organisation (1995-‘98), he spent five years (2002-’07) as Director of the Unit of Czech Centre Berlin. He received his first ambassadorship in 2007, serving as ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Republic of Cyprus (2007-‘11). Having served twice as Director of the Department of Public Diplomacy at the MFA in Prague (2011-’15 and 2020-‘23), he was also ambassador of the Czech Republic to Greece from 2015’19. Prior to arriving in Belgrade, he served as a special envoy at the MFA in Prague. A married father of two, Ambassador Bondy speaks German, English and Russian as foreign languages.
new ambassador of the State of Israel to the Republic of Serbia and non-resident Ambassador of the State of Israel to Montenegro
Ambassador Avivit Bar-Ilan was born in Holon, Israel, in 1969. She studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, earning a Bachelor’s degree in East Asian Studies (1993) and completing a Master’s degree in Political Science (1997). Joining the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she became an MFA cadet in Jerusalem (1998’99), before taking on her first foreign posting as Deputy Chief of Mission and Political Advisor at the Embassy of Israel in Seoul, South Korea (1999-2004). Returning to Jerusalem and serving from 2004-’07 in the MFA’s Department for Nonproliferation, Division for Strategic Affairs, she next headed to Brussels to become a political advisor at the Israeli Mission to the European Union and the Israeli Mission to NATO from 2007’11. Returning home, she held various senior positions at the ministry in Jerusalem from 2011 to 2023. Prior to arriving in Belgrade, she served from 2021-’23 as Deputy Head of the NSC for Foreign Policy at the Office of the Prime Minister in Jerusalem. Apart from Hebrew, as her mother tongue, Ambassador Bar-Ilan is fluent in English and partially proficient in French.
Christoph Rath
Appointed Chairman of Wiener Städtische Supervisory Board
Mr Rath is an experienced manager in insurance, supervision, and management and has made significant contributions as a board member of companies within the Vienna Insurance Group (VIG) in the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, and Serbia. He is also a Deputy Member of the Management Board of Vienna Insurance Group. His professional expertise will greatly contribute to the realization of the company’s ambitious plans. Wiener Städtische Insurance has been operating in Serbia for 21 years and is part of the Vienna Insurance Group, the leading insurance group in Central and Eastern Europe with 200 years of experience. Alongside Mag. Christoph Rath, the Supervisory Board of Wiener Städtische Insurance members are Mag. Peter Höfinger, Dr Philipp Bardas, Zorana Aleksić, Dipl. Econ., and Zoran Drakulić, Dipl. Law.
Chad Blewitt Jadar Project Managing Director
Rio Tinto’s Chad Blewitt addresses public concerns, environmental safety measures, and the economic potential of Serbia’s Jadar Project
For many, Rio Tinto’s Jadar project represents both opportunity and uncertainty. While it could boost Serbia’s economy and drive growth in the e-mobility sector, public perception remains divided. In this conversation, Chad Blewitt, Managing Director of the Jadar Project, responds to environmental concerns, emphasises the need for clear communication, and explains the importance of lithium in the global green energy transition.
In recent years, the Jadar project seemed to hold promise for creating new jobs and developing western Serbia. However, there have been significant changes in public perception. What developments have shaped the current situation?
— The project remains promising and has the unparalleled potential to serve as the foundation for Serbia’s broader electric car value chain for decades, creating over 20,000 high-paying employment, including related investments. I am quite certain
that public sentiment has been influenced by a large-scale disinformation campaign, spreading baseless claims about alleged destructive impacts on the environment and human health.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) drafts, conducted by independent experts, demonstrate that none of these claims are true and that the project can be implemented safely in line with the highest standards of Serbia and the EU. We now face a legally regulated process in which we must prove to the people of Serbia and relevant institutions that the mine can be opened safely. This includes a fact-based debate that will be transparent and inclusive.
What steps are being taken to improve communication and engagement with the local community and other stake -
holders to address concerns and build trust as the project progresses?
— Our commitment is to accurately inform the public about all measures we are taking to ensure that “Jadar” is an environmentally sustainable project with minimal impact on the environment and long-term benefits for the local community. Since our arrival in Loznica 20 years ago, we’ve maintained good communication with the local population, who are most concerned with the new opportunities and jobs that the mine could bring, helping reduce the outflow of people.
Unfortunately, disinformation has instilled fear in many. That’s why we are committed to transparent and open communication and ready to address every concern. Over the past year, we held 156 meetings with more than 4,500 people, and our information centre remains open to all. We will
Lithium plays a crucial role in green energy storage systems
continue discussions with all stakeholders, including local and national media, to provide accurate information about the project and clear up any uncertainties.
Some critics have raised concerns about the future of lithium-ion batteries, suggesting they may become outdated in the near future. Given this, what is Rio Tinto’s long-term strategy, and how do you see the future of lithium in the global market?
— Lithium-ion batteries are essential for the development of e-mobility and will remain so for decades. The industry consensus is that sodium-ion batteries are not a viable alternative due to their significantly lower range. Furthermore, the latest technology—solid-state batteries, which promise a longer lifespan, greater range, and faster charging—also relies on lithium.
We must prove to the people of Serbia and relevant institutions that the mine can be opened safely
Lithium also plays a crucial role in green energy storage systems. For these reasons, demand for this metal is expected to grow at double-digit rates in the coming decade. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that total demand for lithium for clean technology purposes will grow nearly 12fold by 2030 compared to 2021 and 30-fold by 2040. Like other commodities, its price is cyclical. Currently, it’s at the level it was before the unrealistic price surge in 2021.
Rio Tinto invests in world-class, longterm mineral deposits like “Jadar,” which reduces risk and makes the company more resilient to cyclical fluctuations in individual commodity prices, which is expected in our industry.
There have been environmental concerns regarding the potential impact on the biodiversity of the Jadar and Drina rivers. How does Rio Tinto respond to these environmental concerns? — We respond openly and transparently to all public concerns. This is not just our commitment but also a legal obligation. The “Jadar” project cannot proceed without state approval of the Environmental Impact As-
sessment (EIA) studies. Draft studies, developed over six and a half years by more than 100 independent domestic and foreign experts, provide a detailed description of the baseline state, identify potential environmental and health impacts, and outline measures and technologies to prevent or minimise these impacts.
The studies clearly state that contrary to what opponents claim, the “Jadar” project would not affect drinking water sources, as no existing or future public water sources would be used for mining or processing jadarite. All wastewater would be treated and returned to the Jadar River, ensuring there is no contamination of this river, nor of larger water bodies like the Drina, Sava, or Danube.
Concerns about waste contaminating land and groundwater are likewise baseless. Beneath the landfill, a multi-layer protective lining system would be built that can withstand natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes of great destructive power.
Mr. Jakob Stausholm recently stated that the Jadar project will not negatively affect agriculture in the surrounding are-
as. Could you explain the measures being taken to ensure that agriculture is safeguarded?
— One of the biggest misconceptions about the project is that Jadar is an open-pit mine. This is an excellent example of how effective the disinformation campaign has been, as most media reports and social media posts were illustrated with photos of deep craters and devastation. Mining activities at Jadar would take place at depths of between 300 and 600 meters, but above the mine, residents could continue farming, tourism, and other regular activities. This has been confirmed by the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies.
The advantage of underground mining is a significantly lower impact on the landscape and environment compared to open-pit mines, with incomparably lower emissions of dust and noise. Advanced technologies enable ore processing that complies with water quality regulations, gas emissions, and other environmental standards.
One of the many examples of sustainable agricultural and mining development is being implemented in Quebec, Canada, and we received recognition from the local community for this circular economy project. There, we produce fertiliser from the waste after aluminium production—an anhydrite mineral—which helps blueberry plants grow more leaves, deeper roots, and more fruits.
”To stay competitive, we must constantly challenge our current ways of thinking”
Ivan Čulo CEO of Croatian Post
Albanian coffee brand Mulliri Vjeter has continued its expansion in Egypt, opening its second coffee shop near the historic pyramids of Giza, just southwest of Cairo. The move marks a significant step in the company’s growth strategy within the country, following the success of its first Egyptian outlet, launched in February 2023 in the upscale Mivida community in Cairo. Founded in 2007 by entrepreneurs Lulezim and Melisa Huqi, Mulliri Vjeter has become a well-known name in the coffee industry across the Balkans, with 21 locations in Albania’s largest cities, as well as outlets in Prizren, Kosovo*, and North Macedonia’s Tetovo and Skopje.
Ananas, the regional e-commerce leader, has successfully expanded its operations into Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, marking a significant step in its international growth strategy. With over 1,100 merchants and a product range exceeding half a million items, Ananas has solidified its position as a key player in the online retail space in just over two years. This simultaneous expansion into two major markets highlights Ananas’ efficiency and readiness to scale its regional operations.
The Croatian Arena Hospitality Group has proudly unveiled its latest venture, a brand-new luxury Radisson RED hotel in Berlin, marking its first foray into the German market. Situated in the vibrant Charlottenburg district, steps from the iconic Kurfürstendamm avenue, Radisson RED Berlin Kudamm is the perfect base for exploring the city’s dynamic cultural and shopping scenes. This marks the second Radisson RED property in Arena Hospitality Group’s portfolio, following the opening of the first Radisson RED hotel in Belgrade earlier this year.
“Success is not a matter of luck but of perseverance and the ability to recognise opportunities”
Emil Tedeschi CEO of Atlantic Grupa
SOURCE: connectingregion.com
Montenegro’s state-owned power company, Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG), and French energy giant EDF have signed a memorandum of understanding, taking a significant step towards strengthening their cooperation in energy transition. This agreement sets the stage for a long-term strategic partnership, primarily focusing on developing new hydropower plants to bolster Montenegro’s energy security. The memorandum outlines EDF’s potential role as a strategic partner, contributing to the design, investment, and operation of hydropower projects in Montenegro. Both companies have committed to applying the highest international environmental protection and sustainability standards.
Production of 10 megawatts of green hydrogen has started at MOL’s refinery in Százhalombatta, Hungary, marking the largest facility of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe. The plant produces 1,600 tonnes of clean, carbon-neutral green hydrogen annually, which is used for fuel production, reducing the carbon dioxide emissions of the Danube Refinery by 25,000 tonnes – equivalent to the yearly emissions of approximately 5,400 conventional cars. According to the company, this step aligns with MOL Group’s corporate SHAPE TOMORROW strategy, which aims to make the region more sustainable, competitive, and self-sufficient.
The Chamber of Commerce of Serbia (PKS) will soon open an office in Skopje to provide even stronger support for enhancing economic ties between the two countries, announced PKS President Marko Čadež. He emphasised that this move demonstrates that Serbia and North Macedonia are prime examples of successful regional cooperation without barriers. The first activities of the office will focus on speeding up administrative procedures to facilitate seamless integration into a unified market and connecting business communities and partners.
Dr Nevenka Raketić, M.D.Ph.D Specialist in Pediatrics and Immunology, Owner and Founder of Polyclinic “Dr. Raketić”
In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining good health is more crucial than ever. The pressures of modern life, coupled with high stress levels, demand that we prioritise our well-being and that of our families. Preventive healthcare, including regular check-ups and vaccinations, plays a key role in this, alongside healthy habits such as proper nutrition, sufficient sleep, and regular physical activity
For children, systematic check-ups are tailored to their age. During the first year, paediatricians conduct regular examinations, tracking the child’s growth and development while providing essential guidance and support to parents. As children grow, additional specialists, including physiotherapists, ENT specialists, ophthalmologists, dentists, and speech therapists, contribute to these routine checkups. For adults, annual health assessments, supported by diagnostic tests and laboratory analyses, are recommended across a range of medical specialisations
Vaccination schedules for children are typically followed according to national guidelines, with additional vaccines suggested based on a child’s age. However, many adults have not received vaccinations since the age of 18. Research shows that the efficacy of vaccines decreases over time, which is why booster shots every decade are advised for many vaccines. This is especially relevant for tetanus, which can lead to severe complications from open wounds, and pertussis (whooping cough), where prolonged coughing can cause various health issues. Diseases like diphtheria and polio, nearly
At the Polyclinic “Dr. Raketić” , children’s systematic check-ups are efficiently organised, with teams of specialists ensuring a comprehensive health assessment in a single visit
eradicated due to vaccines, should not be forgotten, and modern vaccines often combine protection against multiple conditions.
Adults are frequently unvaccinated against pneumococcal infections, which can lead to
serious issues such as pneumonia, meningitis, or sepsis. Moreover, influenza significantly raises the risk of heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia, and worsening of chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. An annual flu vaccine, designed for each season, is therefore strongly recommended. In addition to flu shots, vaccines are also available for adults to protect against diseases such as tick-borne encephalitis, meningococcal meningitis, and herpes zoster, among others.
At the Polyclinic “Dr. Raketić”, children’s health is comprehensively assessed by a team of specialists, ensuring that all evaluations are conducted efficiently in a single location. Vaccination is recommended in accordance with both national and international guidelines for required and recommended immunisations, using only top-quality vaccines from globally renowned manufacturers.
The Polyclinic “Dr. Raketić” also offers systematic health check-ups for adults. These include evaluations by general practitioners and ophthalmologists, pulse oximetry, blood pressure measurement, ECG, and laboratory tests. Women undergo ultrasound examinations of the abdomen and thyroid gland, while men receive abdominal and prostate ultrasounds. During these check-ups, doctors review vaccination records to determine if any booster shots or new vaccines are required.
Generali Serbia has introduced an innovative digital solution for health insurance that aims to enhance the customer experience and improve claims management
With its newly established digital ecosystem for private health insurance, Generali is further automating claims processing, reducing the burden on healthcare providers and ultimately improving user satisfaction.
clients and those involved in processing claims.
“The implementation of this project represents an important milestone for Generali and confirms our commitment to embracing digital transformation and providing an exceptional experience to our clients,” says Generali CEE Regional Director and Generali CEE Holding CEO Manlio Lostuzzi.
The new digital platform integrates advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence, while offering a user-friendly interface to ensure a seamless experience for
Generali Serbia, a longtime market leader in private health insurance, is launching its new digital platform, AdvanceCare, which will simplify the claims process for private health insurance, improve customer satisfaction, and increase efficiency in this service area. This advanced technology aims to transform the private health insurance market in Serbia by acting as an ecosystem connecting insurance companies, healthcare institutions and clients.
The new platform enables faster pre-authorisation and claims payments, a paperless process for more than 75% of claims, real-time tracking of medical cost reimbursements, and automated claims management, which accelerates the process and reduces the risk of human error.
“A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business”
Henry Ford
Brazil’s National Supply Company (Conab) has forecast a significant increase in beef production for 2024, with a projected rise of 7.1% compared to 2023, reaching 10.19 million tonnes. If achieved, this would set a new historical record, driven by the peak of the reproductive cycle expected in 2024. In line with the increased supply, beef exports are also expected to grow by 13.4%, reaching 3.44 million tonnes.
Turkey has emerged as the world’s largest gold buyer, purchasing nearly 45 tons in the first half of this year, according to data from the World Gold Council. Analysts suggest the move is driven by a need for security amid the country’s weak currency and high inflation. Additionally, nations like Turkey, China, and India are increasing their gold reserves to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar. Gold is traditionally a favoured savings tool in Turkey, with an estimated 5,000 tons potentially stored privately, according to Mehmet Ali Yildirimturk, deputy director of Istanbul’s gold association.
In the first half of 2024, half of the EU’s electricity was generated from renewable sources, with wind energy overtaking gas to become the second-largest power source behind nuclear energy. Greenhouse gas emissions in the EU dropped by 32.5% between 1990 and 2022, while the economy grew by around 67%. According to the European Commission’s 2024 energy report, the EU has overcome critical energy supply risks, regained control over energy markets and prices, and accelerated its transition to climate neutrality.
“It’s not an experiment if you know it’s going to work”
Jeff Bezos
AMG Lithium has opened Europe’s first lithium refinery in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany. Built in just over two years at a cost of €140 million, the refinery will mainly import lithium from Brazil and convert it into battery-grade lithium hydroxide. The facility is expected to produce 20,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide annually, enough to power 500,000 electric vehicles. In the future, lithium from European mines will also be processed in Germany.
Cyprus has approved a €1.9 billion undersea electricity cable linking its grid with Greece to cut energy costs and end its energy isolation, the government announced. Energy Minister Giorgos Papanastasiou highlighted the EU’s support, which includes €657 million in funding. The cable, expected to be completed by 2029, is part of broader projects like introducing natural gas into Cyprus’s energy mix to boost economic development. Once the 900 km cable is operational, Cypriot consumers could see electricity bills drop by up to 40%. Operational costs will be shared with Greece.
According to the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV), electric cars now outnumber petrol vehicles in Norway, marking a global first. Of the 2.8 million registered private cars in the country, 754,303 are fully electric, compared to 753,905 petrol-powered vehicles. Diesel cars remain the most common, with just under a million on the road, though their sales are rapidly declining.
Colin Huang Founder of PDD Holdings
HHis ascent to the top has been nothing short of extraordinary, showcasing a story of perseverance, innovation, and a keen eye for market trends. From humble beginnings to creating a company that has become a juggernaut in the world of e-commerce, Huang’s path has captured the imagination of business leaders and entrepreneurs across the globe. Born in 1980 in Hangzhou, a city now famously associated with China’s technology boom, Colin Huang’s upbringing was far from affluent. His parents were factory workers, and like many children in China during that era, he was exposed to the tough realities of a rapidly transforming soci-
ety. Despite these challenges, Huang showed an early aptitude for learning, particularly excelling in mathematics and science. His natural talent eventually earned him a spot at Zhejiang University, one of China’s most prestigious academic institutions.
At Zhejiang, Huang studied computer science, a field that would later become the cornerstone of his career.
Following his graduation, Huang’s ambition led him to further his education overseas, where he secured a place at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States. During his time there, Huang honed his skills in programming and data algorithms, gaining insight into the world
of technology that would later help him break into the highly competitive tech scene.
Huang worked on some of Google’s most significant projects, and it was here that he began to realise the vast potential of e-commerce and digital platforms
After completing his studies in the U.S., Huang landed a coveted job at Google in Silicon Valley. Working as an engineer, he became part of a generation of Chinese tech professionals
Colin Huang, the founder of PDD Holdings and the man behind the discount online shopping platform Temu, has recently been crowned as China's wealthiest individual, boasting an impressive net worth of $48.6 billion (€44.50 billion)
who gained invaluable experience in the West before returning home to apply their skills. Huang worked on some of Google’s most significant projects, including search algorithms, during his tenure, and it was here that he began to realise the vast potential of e-commerce and digital platforms. Despite his success at Google, Huang felt the pull of entrepreneurship, and in 2006, he made the bold decision to return to China, eager to capitalise on the country’s rapidly growing internet economy. He initially worked as a consultant for several tech firms, gaining a deep understanding of China’s business environment and consumer behaviour.
In 2007, he founded Xunmeng, a gaming platform that allowed him to test the waters of China’s burgeoning digital market. Though Xunmeng enjoyed moderate success, Huang’s vision extended beyond gaming. He wanted to create something that would revolutionise the way people shopped online, particularly for the growing middle and lower-income population in China.
The more people that
joined a group, the lower the price for everyone involved
In 2015, Colin Huang founded Pinduoduo, an e-commerce platform that would turn out to be his most significant venture. The idea behind Pinduoduo was simple yet revolutionary: a platform that combined social networking and online shopping, allowing users to group together to make bulk purchases at discounted prices. The more people that joined a group, the lower the price for everyone involved. This unique concept helped Pinduoduo rapidly gain traction among China’s price-conscious shoppers.
The platform’s success was driven by its appeal to a broader demographic, particularly in smaller Chinese cities and rural areas, where e-commerce
giants like Alibaba and JD.com had yet to fully penetrate. By leveraging the power of social media, specifically WeChat, Huang’s platform encouraged users to share deals with friends and family, creating a viral effect that catapulted the company to success.
Pinduoduo’s growth was exponential. In just a few short years, it went from being a little-known startup to becoming one of China’s largest e-commerce platforms. By 2018, Pinduoduo had gone public on the NASDAQ, raising $1.6 billion in its initial public offering (IPO) and solidifying Huang’s status as one of the country’s leading tech entrepreneurs.
Temu provides consumers with affordable products in an era where inflation and rising costs of living are becoming global concerns
Not content with dominating China’s e-commerce scene, Huang set his sights on international markets. In 2022, PDD Holdings launched Temu, a new platform aimed at the global market, with a particular focus on North America. Temu, much like Pinduoduo, operates as a discount shopping platform, offering a wide range of products at low prices.
Temu’s value proposition is clear: it provides consumers with affordable products in an era where inflation and rising costs of living are becoming global concerns. With its rapid delivery system and a user-friendly interface, Temu has gained significant popularity in a relatively short period. By 2023, it had already amassed millions of users across the United States and other markets.
Huang’s decision to create a platform like Temu demonstrates his keen understanding of market dy -
namics. In the same way Pinduoduo catered to Chinese consumers looking for bargains, Temu is tapping into the growing global demand for affordable, accessible online shopping.
While Colin Huang’s rise to the top has been remarkable, it hasn’t been without its challenges. Pinduoduo has faced criticism over issues such as counterfeit products and poor working conditions at some of its partner factories. In response, the company has made efforts to tighten regulations on sellers and improve oversight of its supply chain. Additionally, Pinduoduo has invested in technology to ensure the authenticity of products sold on its platform, hoping to build greater consumer trust.
Huang himself has maintained a relatively low public profile in recent years. He stepped down as CEO of Pinduoduo in 2020, focusing more on the strategic direction of the company rather than its day-to-day operations. Despite this, his influence within the company remains strong, and his vision continues to guide its expansion into new markets.
As PDD Holdings expands its reach both within China and globally, Colin Huang’s influence on the world of e-commerce is undeniable. His innovative approach, combining social commerce with traditional online shopping, has transformed the industry and provided a model for future platforms. With Temu rapidly growing and Pinduoduo maintaining its position as a market leader, Huang’s business acumen continues to shape the future of digital retail.
Huang’s journey from a modest background to becoming China’s richest man is a testament to his vision, resilience, and ability to adapt in an ever-changing market. As he continues to explore new opportunities and markets, the world will undoubtedly be watching to see what this visionary entrepreneur achieves next.
53 COMMENT Pragmatic Blend of Diplomacy and Economics
54 H.E. ANKE KONRAD Ambassador of Germany to Serbia Remembering the Fall of the Iron Curtain
58 Milan Grujić President of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce New Ideas for Continuous Success
61 Petar Šainović
Managing Director, Siemens Energy Belgrade Driving the Energy Transition
62 Marko Čadež
President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia Innovative Companies Raise the Bar
66 Miloš Manić
LEONI Vice President; LEONI Serbia General Manager 15 Years of Commitment to Individuals and the Community
68 Alexander Markus
Executive Board Member of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce Green Appeal
70 Masa Bubanj Head of Help’s Regional Office Europe Achieving Steady Progress
71 Jovanka Jovanović
General Manager, Robert Bosch d.o.o. AI Makes Life Easier
72 Apokrifi Construction
Smart Solutions Resolve Workforce Limitations
73 Jelena Jović
Managing Director, EOS Matrix
Courage and Creativity Lead to the Top
74 Filip Simović
CEO, M&M Militzer & Münch Serbia Responsible Logistics is Our Future
75 OBO
Key Steps for Effective Fire Protection in Buildings
76 Aleksandar Goračinov
Director of SME HUB Supporting SME Transformation
77 Marijana Đorđević
Director, Siemens
Healthcare d.o.o. Beograd Trusted Partner of Serbian`s Healthcare System
78 The Berlin Process Jubilee
A Decade of Joint Progress Towards the European Union
82 MARKING 35 YEARS SINCE THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL
The rise & Fall of the Berlin Wall
86 CULTURE
Kafka`s Enduring Legacy: 100 Years On
Diplomatic and economic ties between Serbia and Germany represent a nuanced and evolving relationship that is progressing steadily. This is most evident in the two countries’ economic cooperation, which has emerged as the bedrock of their relationship, providing stability even during times of political divergence
Germany is Serbia’s largest trading partner within the EU, with bilateral trade having grown steadily over the years. German companies, particularly those in the automotive and manufacturing sectors, have found Serbia to be an attractive destination for investment. Low labour costs and Serbia’s proximity to the EU initially made it an appealing hub for production, attracting companies like Siemens, Bosch and Continental. However, the focus has today shifted to more advanced levels of cooperation.
Germany has expressed interest in supporting Serbia’s green transition, which involves aligning with the EU’s sustainable energy and climate action priorities. This presents a promising avenue for collaboration as
The lithium exploration issue adds a new layer of complexity to current economic and political relations between Serbia and Germany
Serbia looks to diversify its energy sources and reduce its dependence on coal.
Additionally, the digital sector is another emerging field in which the two countries can strengthen their ties. Germany’s expertise in innovation and digital transformation could complement Serbia’s growing tech industry, fostering partnerships that boost economic growth and modernisation.
While Serbia and Germany have a complex relationship, it is one that continues to be shaped by a pragmatic blend of diplomacy and economics. Although Germany would like to see Serbia achieve more progress on reforms, including in more closely aligning its policies with those of the EU on sensitive issues like the war in Ukraine, both countries recognise that their strong economic ties enhance the resilience of their cooperation.
The new Strategic Partnership on sustainable raw materials signed between the EU and Serbia this July, with the support of Germany, has the potential to boost Serbia’s automotive industry significantly. This agreement is expected to attract even more European companies to Serbia’s growing automotive sector, further solidifying the country’s role as a key production hub in Europe.
However, this partnership has also prompted criticism among Serbia’s citizens, particularly concerning environmental issues. A central debate revolves around whether Germany will ensure adherence to the highest environmental standards in the case that lithium extraction is launched in Serbia, or if this responsibility primarily lies with the Serbian government, supported by Germany and other EU member states. This development adds a new layer of complexity to the two countries’ current economic and political relations. However, Germany is expected to remain a critical ally to Serbia and a constructive partner in shaping the future of this relationship, offering both challenges and opportunities for deeper integration into Europe’s broader economic and political framework.
Economic growth in the eastern part of Germany has outpaced that in the West over the last ten years. However, it is also true that gaps remain, despite significant progress having been made in many areas, and that GDP per capita and the average income are also still lower. Closing the remaining gaps is a challenge for German society as a whole, and a call that’s addressed to all stakeholders ~ Anke Konrad
By Ljubica Gojgić
Commemorating the Day of German Unity represents an important event for the entire country. “For many Germans, this was the day their aspirations for a better life finally developed into something real, says German Ambassador Anke Konrad in this CorD Magazine interview. She adds that the fall of the Berlin Wall was a great step forward, regardless of the complaints that can be heard in East Germany today and the fact that the gap between East and West remains large despite three decades having passed since that historic event.
Your Excellency, every October sees your country commemorate the Day of German Unity. However, following this year’s elections in
three East German states, an argument has resurfaced claiming that major differences still persist between Germany’s East and West, despite three decades having passed since reunification. How big is that gap?
— The Day of German Unity has a special place in the biography of many Germans – in both East and West Germany alike. For many Germans, this was the day that their aspirations for a better life finally developed into something real: the freedom to voice their opinions, the opportunity to decide on their own life path, to see the world beyond the Iron Curtain, and to enjoy a higher standard of living.
Many of these aspirations have since been fulfilled. We have witnessed significant improve-
ments in living standards, infrastructure, housing and overall quality of life since the wall came down. Over the last ten years, economic growth in the eastern part of Germany outpaced that in the West. It is also true that, despite significant progress having been made in many areas, gaps remain. GDP per capita is still lower in the East, as is the average income. Closing the remaining gaps is a challenge for German society as a whole; it is a call directed towards all stakeholders.
You’ve stated that it is “regrettable that there has been no progress on the forming of the Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo”. Whose failure is that – Pristina’s, Belgrade’s, the European Union’s, or perhaps Germany’s, which supports Albin Kurti strongly?
— It is indeed deeply regrettable that, despite the 2013 Brussels Agreement and the 2023 Ohrid Agreement, the normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo isn’t progressing at the desired speed. More political resolve is needed. All sides must engage more actively to advance the implementation of these agreements, for the sake of the people living in the region. Neither unilateral, uncoordinated steps, nor escalatory rhetoric will lead to a better life for them. We need a constructive dialogue; we need political will from all sides and we need it now. Without the normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, the path to regional cooperation, as outlined in the Berlin Process, as well as the path towards the EU, will remain bumpy.
Your statement that lithium from Serbia “must be made available” has been commented on widely across the Serbian public. Is Germany’s stance on this matter motivated by its own economic interests, or is it acting as an official representative of the EU’s interests?
— If our aim is to achieve global climate targets and avert the worst effects of climate change, we need a sustainable energy transition in Europe. Without resources like lithium, that is impossible. It would be irresponsible to be wholly dependent on overseas imports of these raw materials. That’s why, in 2008, the European Union developed a Raw Materials Initiative to ensure reliable and sustainable access to raw materials as a major factor of European resilience. Over the years, in addition to the question of access to raw materials, the associated value chains and socio-environmental issues took centre stage in discussions. On 23 rd May 2024, the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act entered into force. It aims to strengthen European capacities in the area of critical resourc-
es along all stages of the value chain – extrac tion, processing and recycling. This will ensure that European industry is more resilient when it comes to achieving the green transition in a way that reduces strategic dependencies and ensures the best possible sustainable access to critical raw materials. This is certainly a shared European interest and is in the interest of all cit izens who want to have a greener, less polluted and cleaner environment.
Neither unilateral, uncoordinated steps, nor escalatory rhetoric will lead to a better life for them
In July, the EU and Serbia signed and launched a Strategic Partnership on sustainable raw materials, battery value chains and electric vehicles INVESTMENTS
Around 900 companies with German capital have so far decided to settle in Serbia
Was the inclusion of the Mercedes CEO in Chancellor Scholz’s delegation to Serbia aimed at easing public criticism in Serbia over lithi um, or does it indicate a specific investment and, if so, which one?
— The presence of European enterprises, among them Mercedes, is proof of their interest in the Ja dar Project and its post-extraction value chains. Of course, it is not up to me to comment on the investment plans of individual companies, but the fact that around 900 companies with Ger man capital have so far decided to settle in Ser bia is testimony to Serbia’s attractiveness as an investment destination.
If lithium extraction is instigated in Serbia, the Serbian authorities insist that Germany will guarantee that the highest environmental standards are met. On the other hand, Germa ny’s State Secretary for the Ministry of Economy, Franziska Brantner, who participated in talks on mining in Serbia, stated that this is a matter for the Serbian authorities. Who should be trusted?
— In July, the EU and Serbia signed and launched a Strategic Partnership on sustainable raw mate rials, battery value chains and electric vehicles. This partnership aims to enhance the develop ment of value chains for raw materials, batter ies and electric vehicles, and to stimulate coop eration in research and innovation – particularly when it comes to sharing knowledge and technol ogies related to sustainable exploration, extrac tion, processing and the recycling of raw mate rials. The full application of high environmental, social and governance standards and practices is a central theme of this endeavour.
As one of our contributions to bringing this strategic partnership to life, Germany is ready to provide expertise on the application of the highest possible standards in the mining process and the ensuing value chain, when it comes to protecting the environment and biodiversity, and to minimising risks. This requires a cooperative approach involving all stakeholders and building upon a firm understanding of the project.
Along with excellent opportunities for German investments in Serbia, there is growing recognition that economic relations can be boosted significantly by the fostering of cooperation between Serbian start-ups and German companies
The German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce has announced that its focus in the period ahead will be on digitalisation, innovation and support for start-ups. According to Milan Grujić, president of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber’s support for these sectors is crucial to the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of both the Serbian and German markets.
“We are witnessing growing interest among German high-tech companies in expanding their operations in Serbia, not only through direct investments, but also by engaging with the local start-up ecosystem. In March of this year, Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder paid a working visit to Serbia and relayed a key message about strengthening economic cooperation, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence, robotics, digitalisation and the internationalisation of businesses,” says Grujić.
One of the main reasons for this interest lies in the flexibility and innovation of start-ups, which often operate faster and with more agility than large corporations. While larger companies like Bosch or Siemens have played a pivotal role in transforming technological innovations into global successes, today’s tech world challenges require collaboration with start-ups, explains our interlocutor. “Start-ups are a vital source of new ideas and technological solutions that are essential for addressing complex global challenges. We believe that the period ahead will offer increasing opportunities for German investors in the hightech sector to recognise Serbia’s potential as a growing innovation hub.”
How high is the interest among start-ups when it comes to participating in the “Start-up Germany Tour” and joining the Chamber?
— Interest in the “Start-up Germany Tour” project and start-up membership in the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce reflects significant poten-
Starting in late October, the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce will launch an educational programme for training energy managers as part of the European Energy Manager project (EUREM)
tial and we are confident that this upward trajectory will continue in the coming period. Innovations, technology and collaboration with key industries are crucial for the success and sustainability of start-ups.
The “Start-up Germany Tour” provides a unique opportunity for young tech companies from Serbia to connect with German business leaders, investors and potential partners, giving them access to markets and resources that are essential to their further growth and development. We are aware of the great potential of the local start-up scene, which has already achieved impressive results in recent years, and we are working to provide them with a platform for further networking and growth through the Chamber.
The recent kick-off event that we organised in collaboration with the Science and Technology Park in May, under the tile “Serbian Innovation Meets German Excellence”, gave a strong boost to these efforts. The response and interest shown demonstrate great trust in what the Chamber can offer start-ups. We plan to continue these activities in order to provide even greater opportunities for Serbian start-up companies through Chamber membership and projects like the “Start-up Germany Tour”.
How have major shifts in global economic trends influenced the tempo and structure of the investments of German companies in Serbia, as well as the operations of your longstanding member companies?
— Changes to global economic trends have certainly impacted the investment dynamics of German companies in Serbia, but not necessarily in a negative direction. Trade between Serbia and Germany continues to grow, indicating a strong economic and investment connection between our countries. Bilateral trade increased by 13% in 2023 alone, reaching a new record of nearly nine billion euros. According to the results of our annual Business Climate Survey in Serbia, 86% of our member companies would invest in the country again. The high level of trust in the stability and predictability of Serbia’s business environment among German companies, along with the continuous growth of bilateral trade, are key indicators of the success of our economic relations.
According to your survey results, approximately 40% of companies plan to increase their investments in Serbia, which sounds encouraging, though only a small number of them plan to increase their workforce. What do these results tell you?
— The results of our economic survey showing that 40% of companies plan to increase their in-
vestments are indeed encouraging, especially in the context of current global economic challenges. This indicates that Serbia continues to offer stable and attractive conditions for investors. However, the lower percentage of companies planning to increase their workforce reflects changes in business priorities, particularly in industries that are highly technology-oriented.
For us at the Chamber, as well as for the work of our Dual Education Committee that I chair, the empowerment and promotion of dual education is a task for today
There will be increasing opportunities in the period ahead for German investors in the high-tech sector to recognise Serbia’s potential as a growing innovation hub
The lower percentage of companies planning to increase their workforce in Serbia reflects changes in business priorities, particularly in industries that are highly technology-oriented
Given the increasing automation and digitalisation of operations, many companies are focusing on efficiency and technological advancements, which don’t always require workforce expansion. This is a global trend that we are also witnessing in Serbia, where there is a focus on boosting productivity and driving innovation rather than growing the workforce significantly. This, nevertheless, doesn’t mean that there are fewer opportunities for skilled workers. On the contrary, we expect growing demand for specific profiles of experts, particularly in the fields of technology, engineering and digitalisation.
When it comes to flexible labour legislation, what exactly do German employers want? — German employers recognise the importance of flexible labour legislation as a key factor for adapting effectively to shifting market conditions. Their expectations include more flexible working hours, tailored shifts and the ability to engage temporary workers more efficiently.
However, the introduction of the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act adds a new dimension. This law obliges German companies to ensure the protection of human rights and adherence to environmental standards within their supply chains. Its implementation requires harmonisation with local laws in the countries where these companies operate, including Serbia. Employers are thus seeking legal frameworks that enable a balance to be struck between operational efficiency and the observance of the highest worker protection standards, both domestically and internationally.
Dissatisfaction with dual education has been expressed for the first time. Is this due to a lack of workers with this educational profile or an inadequate level of knowledge?
— Dual education is one of the key systems contributing to the long-term improvement of young people’s qualifications in Serbia, facilitating their transition from school to the labour market. Although there have been comments highlighting certain challenges, it’s important to note that these are natural processes of adjustment and development for this educational model that’s still relatively new.
Given the dynamic changes in the economy and industry, the shortage of qualified labour is not nec-
essarily a result of deficiencies in the education system, but rather a combination of complex factors like demographic and migration trends. A positive element is the fact that dual education provides an opportunity to overcome this challenge successfully, with close collaboration between schools and businesses enabling a more precise alignment between the needs of the market and the qualifications acquired by young people.
There is, of course, always room for improvement, particularly in terms of the continuous adaptation of curricula to meet the modern demands of the labour market. It’s important to emphasise that dual education still enjoys strong support from both companies and the government, and ongoing efforts to improve the quality and relevance of this educational model are a testament to the commitment to creating a stable and qualified workforce.
Germany provides strong support to the implementation of the Green Agenda in Serbia through bilateral investments. How does the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce fit into this trend?
— One of the strategic priorities of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce is sustainable business practices and the green economy. In 2023, we established the Committee for Green Economy and Sustainable Development, which
serves as a platform for connecting our members and facilitating exchanges of information.
We are implementing various initiatives in an effort to promote sustainability, such as paperless business operations, use of renewable energy sources, transition to electromobility and the installing of solar panels. We also organised our first “low carbon” event earlier this year, representing a pioneering step in measuring the environmental impact of our activities.
Starting in late October, the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce will launch an edu-
The strong trust German companies have in Serbia’s business environment, coupled with growing bilateral trade, highlights the success of our economic relations
cational programme for training energy managers as part of the European Energy Manager project (EUREM). This is a professional development programme aimed at identifying weaknesses in energy consumption, exploring energy-saving potentials and optimising energy efficiency in companies. The EUREM programme’s content is standardised internationally and the certification is recognised in more than 30 countries.
We provide products and deliver on complex projects in power generation & transmission, and also act as an advisor to industrial companies, explains Petar Šainović, Managing Director at Siemens Energy Belgrade, noting that he is very proud of the industrial solutions provided by the company’s centre of competence
Speaking in this interview, Petar Šainović discusses smart and responsible technologies, energy transition, research, development and innovation, the future of the energy sector and efforts to make the world a beter place to live.
Siemens Energy Belgrade is involved in projects related to generation and transmission of electrical energy, as well as projects in the process industry. Which sectors and markets does your company cover?
— Siemens Energy is one of the world’s leading energy technology companies. Our team in Belgrade, of more than 200 employees, works with customers and partners in Serbia and across South East Europe. In addition, experts from the team are also working on complex projects in Northern and Western Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Our operations encompass power generation and transmission, as well as industrial solutions. I always like to underline that our local project teams deliver complex requests on a “turnkey” basis with full project responsibility. We are not only providing products and deliv-
ering on complex projects, but also acting as an advisor to industrial companies. I would also highlight our center of competence for industrial solutions, an integral part of our company in Serbia, where more than 100 experts of different engineering disciplines are involved on delivering on energy projects across the globe.
You believe that technology should always have a purpose and that investments in new technologies should be directed towards preserving the planet and natural resources. Are smart and responsible technologies more necessary today than ever before?
— We are all witnessing climate change, and I absolutely believe that environmental protection must be a priority for all of us. It’s the greatest challenge our generation faces. At Siemens Energy we’re focused on delivering on the energy transition, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve decarbonization as quickly as possible. I’m proud to work for a company whose mission is to deliver on the energy transition and support our partners through research, development, and innovation enabling energy to be reliable, affordable, and more sustainable for everyone.
Sustainable energy sources are much more present in the region today com-
pared to ten years ago, and the fact that green hydrogen is now entering the game clearly shows that the energy sector is rapidly changing. How do you see the future of the energy sector?
— The share of energy generated from renewable sources is increasing, and this trend will continue. Generally, the energy sector is experiencing exponential growth and expansion, with a significant level of investment in development of new technologies. You mentioned green hydrogen; I believe it is one of decarbonization examples with no alternative for certain industries and types of transport. That the company I work for is one of the main drivers of this revolution and a pioneer in developing technology for generation and use of green hydrogen in industry and energy, is a source of great pride for me. Renewable capacity will meet 35% of global power generation by 2025, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). If we take into consideration projections which foresee that global electricity demand will triple by 2050, it is not hard to imagine energy sector being the most dynamic of all in the future. In my opinion, in the coming period, we will see the energy sector development at the pace we saw in the IT sector over the past ten years.
I’m confident that Serbian-German cooperation will be defined by new partnerships between Serbian and German companies in the years ahead, with a focus on creating joint high-tech and innovative products
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Serbia’s cooperation with Germany is undoubtedly one of the most successful examples when it comes to the scale of foreign direct investment, as well as its impact on employment and exports. As president of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Serbia, Marko Čadež believes that boundaries will continue to shift and that the bar will be raised in Serbian-German economic cooperation, particularly with the introduction of new high technologies.
“The activities and influence of the more than 900 companies with majority German capital that have invested and operate in Serbia are no longer measured solely by the amount of capital invested, which is estimated to have far exceeded three billion euros; nor by the 82,000 people they employ, excluding those employed indirectly by Serbian companies in their supply chains; nor even by the value of total trade in goods and services, which last year reached a record 11.25 billion euros and was notably balanced, with 5.6 billion euros on both sides,” says Čadež.
The CCIS President believes that Serbian-German economic ties will be measured increasingly by the quality brought to the Serbian economy through transfers of knowledge, business and management models, new technologies and innovations from German hightech companies.
“These companies are no longer just building factories, employing people and exporting from Serbia. In their research and development centres here – like those of ZF, Continental, Brose, Draexlmaier and Muehlbauer – they rely on local expertise in creating the future of their industries globally,” notes Čadež. “In the coming years, I am certain that our cooperation will be characterised by new partnerships between Serbian and German companies in the creation of joint high-tech and innovative products.”
Serbia’s cooperation with Germany is among the most successful examples in terms of FDI and its effects on employment and exports. Would you agree?
— Indeed, Serbia’s cooperation with Germany is one of the most successful examples of foreign direct investment, employment creation and exports. And the limits of this economic cooperation will continue to expand, especially with the introduction of new high technologies.
The impact on the Serbian economy of the activities and influence of the more than 900 companies with majority German capital that have invested and operate in Serbia is no longer measured only by the amount of capital invested, which is estimat-
ed to have far exceeded €3 billion, or by the 82,000 people they employ – not to mention the employees in Serbian companies within their supply chains. Nor is it measured solely on the basis of the value of total trade in goods and services, which last year reached a record €11.25 billion and, importantly, was balanced, at €5.6 billion on each side.
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German investors are focusing increasingly on the e-mobility segment, spurred by the announcement of a strategic partnership with the EU regarding sustainable raw materials, battery production chains and electric vehicles
The announcement that Mercedes-Benz will be part of the production chain in Serbia is a strong endorsement – not just for its suppliers, but for companies from other industries as well
Apart from a slowdown in exports to the German market, we haven’t faced major issues. Nearshoring processes have mitigated the negative effects of our main partner’s economic slowdown
These companies are no longer just building factories here, employing local people and exporting from Serbia. In their research and development centres in Serbia, such as those of ZF, Continental, Brose, Draexlmaier and Muehlbauer, they also rely on domestic talent to create the future of their industries globally. In the coming years, I am confident that our cooperation will also be characterised by new partnerships between Serbian and German companies in the development of joint high-tech and innovative products.
With German investors shifting their focus to more complex technologies and seeking partners in Serbia, which areas do you see as the most promising for future German investments? — Despite the challenges confronting the German economy and its automotive industry, German companies remain among the most numerous in the approximately one hundred foreign investors with which Serbia is negotiating concrete investment projects. The strongest interest is still in the automotive sector and related industries, as confirmed by the latest German investment in Serbia: PWO Group in Čačak. The focus is now shifting increasingly towards the segments of e-mobility, further stimulated by the signing of strategic partnership agreements with the EU on sustainable raw materials, battery production chains and electric vehicles, confirming the intention to establish an e-mobility value chain in Serbia. In this context, the announcement that MercedesBenz will be part of the production chain in Serbia is a significant signal for other investors – not only its suppliers, but also companies from other industries.
In parallel with the establishment of climate partnerships and Germany’s support for Serbia’s energy transition, interest from individual German companies in investing in energy, particularly in renewable energy sources – solar, wind and hydrogen –is also growing.
Discussions with major German companies, organised by the CCIS in Berlin during the July visit of the President of the Serbian Assembly, confirmed German investors’ interest in projects within the Bio4Campus, the pharmaceutical industry and health tech, as well as investments in preparation for EXPO 2027, particularly in the development of railway infrastructure.
Cooperation in the ICT sector, with a focus on the application of artificial intelligence, has become an unavoidable topic in discussions with German partners. How is Serbia positioning itself in this regard?
— ICT cooperation, particularly in AI applications, is now a key topic in discussions with German partners. By the end of this year, we plan to present Serbian IT companies and start-ups, especially those working on AI-based solutions, to German companies and funds interested in investing in start-up projects, in collaboration with the Frankfurt Chamber of Commerce.
A recent report from Munich’s IFO Institute for Economic Research noted that Germany’s automotive industry is struggling with a lack of new orders, particularly from abroad, and exporters’ expectations are very low. How might this trend affect Serbian businesses and German companies operating in Serbia?
— The challenges facing Germany’s automotive industry, caused by a combination of factors, pose a risk to both Serbian and German companies operating in Serbia, reducing the potential for Serbia’s export growth to Germany and the global market. Ultimately, 14% of Serbia’s total trade and 15% of our exports are linked to Germany. The automotive parts and components industry is among our largest export sectors – not just to Germany, but to the whole world.
For now, apart from the expected slowdown in export growth to the German market, which was around 3% for the first seven months of this year compared to the same period of last year, we haven’t encountered any major problems. It seems that nearshoring processes have managed to overcome the negative effects of the economic slowdown in our key partner’s economy.
Although growth is much slower than last year, exports of key products to Germany’s automotive industry continue to rise. Exports of ignition wire sets increased from January to July by 2.6%, while exports of tyres for new passenger vehicles grew by 5.3%, with a significantly higher percentage increase in exports of tyres for buses and trucks. Exports of wiper blade components jumped 37.5%.
The latest data from August indicates a return to double-digit export growth for some of the car parts manufacturers whose output was almost halved in the first half of the year.
In the long term, if the crisis in Germany’s automotive industry – as the main buyer of automotive parts and components from Serbia – deepens, the consequences for Serbia’s economy and German companies operating here would be more severe. I’m confident this won’t happen, given
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In representing the
interests of the economy, the CCIS advocates improving dual education by making it industry-driven and led by companies
the strength of the largest and strongest European economy and the recent demonstration of the German state’s willingness to support its automotive industry, help it through the transition and restore its former competitiveness.
Are there any new German companies interested in investing in Serbia, in addition to those that are already present?
— Serbia is undoubtedly a destination that companies operating here count on for the long term, with the latest survey of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce showing that 78% of respondent companies plan to increase or main-
tain their investments this year. While their confidence is vital, it’s equally important that Serbia is on the radar of companies that have no prior experience in the country and that are restructuring their supply chains and operations to adapt to new circumstances.
Those companies approaching us for information on investment opportunities and supplier contacts, even on a global level, include many new companies from the metalworking, processing and machinery industries. We were further encouraged by recent meetings with their Integra Europe association and with Schaeffler, a leading global manufacturer of bearings for the automotive, aviation and machinery industries, which announced plans to expand and strengthen its presence in Serbia and the region this summer.
We also receive confirmation of interest in Serbian suppliers and products at German trade fairs—ranging from the food and wine industry to industrial technology and IT—which we attend each year in cooperation with Development Agency of Serbia (RAS). We are this year exhibiting at
We are encouraged by recent meetings with Integra Europe and Schaeffler, which are planning to expand their presence in Serbia and the region
six major German trade fairs, including Automechanika in Frankfurt and Electronica in Munich for the first time. We also support Serbian gaming companies at Gamescom in Cologne. The CCIS organised the third InterConnect B2B event in Belgrade this April, bringing together 17 major European buyers from the automotive, metal, electrical and plastics industries, allowing them to find suppliers here, with German companies always the most represented.
A recent survey of German companies revealed dissatisfaction with Serbia’s dual education system. What’s causing this, and how is the CCIS addressing the issue of shortages of skilled labour?
— Dual education has alleviated the skills shortage somewhat over the past decade, with nearly 1,100 companies taking advantage of the opportunity to hire the right people. However, there are limitations to the solutions applied in Serbia, which German companies have pointed out. These can be overcome by amending regulations and practices to align more closely with the models of the countries we look to, and by better meeting the needs of both local businesses and investors.
In representing the interests of businesses, the CCIS advocates the improvement of dual education in such a way that it becomes the property of the private sector, with companies in charge. This would include changes like allowing companies to select students so that they first enrol with the company and only then with the school, and in the future – as in Germany – students would spend more time at companies than in classrooms. It is also necessary to revise educational programmes to align them with industry needs and ensure that dual education curricula are more narrowly focused on specific professions or result in more specialised qualifications. Moreover, promoting dual professions and early career orientation for students should begin earlier, as early as the sixth year of primary school. We are working to shape these proposals with leading international experts, in constant communication with companies and the education authorities.
In addition to simplifying legal procedures for employing foreigners and the creation of a joint labour market under the Open Balkan initiative, which allows companies to hire workers from neighbouring countries without having to overcome bureaucratic hurdles, we’ve agreed with the National Employment Service to establish a single database of available jobs in the economy. This will help us create training plans through non-formal education for the workforce needed by companies.
When we started, our mission was clear: to contribute to the development of both our company and the entire community through strategic investments and dedicated work. And we have succeeded in that, says LEONI Serbia GM Miloš Manić
LEONI’s Miloš Manić is in a celebratory mood as he reflects on the journey of LEONI Serbia, which has become the country’s largest private sector employer and one of its top exporters over the course of the past 15 years. And judging by the plans that he reveals, new successes and records are on the horizon.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of your operations in Serbia. Congratulations! How has LEONI Serbia grown and developed over the past decade and a half?
— Celebrating 15 years of operations in Serbia isn’t just an anniversary for LEONI; it is an opportunity to reflect on everything we’ve achieved together. The journey we’ve been on over the past 15 years is incredible – we started in 2009 with just 350 people in Prokuplje, expanded production in that city, then opened factories in Malošište, Niš and Kraljevo. We have employed more than 12,500 people, which has had a direct impact on the economic progress of these regions. Our mission has not only been to be a successful business, but also a partner to local communities. Through various initiatives and projects, we have worked to improve quality of life for our employees and all citizens of Serbia. Over the past decade and a half, we have invested more than a million euros in corporate social responsibility activities and humanitarian actions – for the most vulnerable children, youth and sports, as well as support for cultural events and projects.
What are some of the initiatives that you’ve organised or participated in regularly, and which of them are a particular source of pride for the company?
— In the past year alone, our teams organised and participated in clean-up actions along the Niš quayside and Prokuplje’s Hisar hill. During Children’s Week in Kraljevo, we organised a toy giveaway in the city square, while we did the same for the Easter Games in Prokuplje, bringing joy to children and spreading the spirit of unity and solidarity. We distribute more than 3,000 New Year’s gift packages each year to the children of our employees and over 600 packages to children from humanitarian organisations and associations. Around 600 children of our employees who started school this year received valuable school kits, while we also provided the same gifts to around 150 financially disadvantaged children. We are proud of our dual education programmes and our support for campaigns like “Girls in ICT”, Bottle Caps for the Handicapped” and many others, thus contributing to the strengthening of equality and inclusion. Looking back, we are proud of everything we’ve achieved, but we are even more excited about what the future holds.
The Serbian Ministry of Finance last year ranked your company 5th among the country’s largest exporters, with exports of 489.3 million euros. What will 2024’s results be like, and not just in terms of exports?
contributes 48 million euros annually to the budgets of the Republic of Serbia and local governments through taxes and contributions
— What do the numbers say? The year 2024 has already proven to be dynamic and full of challenges, but also opportunities. Despite the challenges faced by the automotive industry as a whole, including the premium manufacturers who are our clients, we have managed to maintain business continuity. We believe that we will remain among the top five exporters in Serbia this year as well. We still have over 12,500 employees across our four factories, which makes us the largest private/ industrial sector employer in Serbia. The numbers also show that LEONI Serbia contributes 48 million euros annually to the budgets of the Republic of Serbia and local governments through taxes and contributions. I would additionally highlight the fact that we are working on developing local producers – we collaborate with 700 domestic suppliers, generating revenue of 41 million euros.
In your previous interview for CorD magazine, you mentioned the issue of
– Production programme: cable systems for premium class vehicles of the world’s most renowned automobile manufacturers
– Investments exceeding 300 million euros
– 12,500 employees
– Biggest employer in the industrial field
– Among the country’s top 5 exporters in 2023
– More than a million euros in CSR campaigns
– 700 local suppliers
high absenteeism that has a negative impact on operations, but also the need for the government to adapt legislation to meet the needs of the industry. Has any progress been made?
— A high level of absenteeism remains one of the main challenges we face – not only at our company, but across the industry as a whole. This issue has a direct impact on our productivity and efficiency, which can have far-reaching consequences for our business. Despite this, we have worked intensively on internal measures to mitigate the negative effects of absenteeism. Compared to last year, I would say that there has been progress. There is a dialogue in which we have seen that government representatives are attentive, understanding and recognise our problems. I sense a genuine desire to make the necessary changes, and it is important to look at how competitor countries are addressing this issue and then adapt and implement appropriate solutions here. There is definitely a significant difference and a positive shift compared to 2023.
Do you believe that you will achieve the ambitious plans you’ve set for the decade ahead?
— The automotive industry is going through a period of recovery and transformation, and we at LEONI see this as an opportunity for further growth and development. Our plans for the next decade are ambitious, and we are confident that we have the capacity, knowledge and experience to achieve them.
Serbia offers numerous opportunities for additional investments, especially in fast-growing sectors like technology, the green economy and infrastructure
The German government last year decided to improve investment guarantee conditions for German businesses for 34 countries, in an effort to support more German investments in countries with special economic potential.
“In short, these guarantees became less expensive for German companies, which makes them more attractive, especially for medium-sized companies investing in the Western Balkans,” says German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce Executive Board Member Alexander Markus. “On the one hand, this was an important step and I’m sure there are companies that use this support and will use it in the future. However, on the other hand, such measures cannot change
these major economic trends that we see worldwide at the moment, and that have a huge impact on the German economy”.
The group of companies in Serbia with German capital is likely one of the largest groups of foreign investors in the country, if not the largest. Does this suggest that the market is already saturated or is there still room for new investors?
— The picture is unfortunately slightly more complicated. When it comes to pure statistics, Germany ranked fifth when it comes to gross inflows of FDI to Serbia in 2023, as reports GTAI, the Germany Trade and Invest office. China was the top foreign investor in Serbia in 2023, with more than 30% of the share of gross FDI inflows.
However, if you look at what companies invest in total, including from revenue generated in Serbia to date and then reinvested in this country, and if you look at how many jobs German companies have created here in Serbia (our estimate is 90,000), you could say that Germany is undeniably among the largest investors in Serbia.
And this doesn’t necessarily indicate market saturation. On the contrary, the fact that Serbia has attracted significant German investments shows a high level of confidence in the business climate and the market’s potential. Serbia offers numerous opportunities for additional investments, especially in fast-growing sectors like technology, the green economy and infrastructure. Furthermore,
the ongoing development of infrastructure, along with favourable conditions for doing business, are helping to create an attractive environment for new investors. Serbia thus remains a highly appealing investment destination, with great growth and innovation potential.
The German projects that contribute to achieving the German government’s climate goals also receive incentives if they invest in green technologies. How many of these German companies are present in Serbia currently and will this decision lead to their number increasing?
— The fact that the German government is supporting companies in becoming greener and developing more sustainable projects is only part of the story. Under the framework of the European Green Deal, the EU has set an ambitious target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% compared to 1990 levels by 2030. In line with this goal, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) introduces a tax on emissions for products imported into the EU, thus further incentivising decarbonisation.
As a signatory of the Sofia Declaration on the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, Serbia has committed to reducing GHG emissions by 33.3% compared to 1990 levels by 2030. Many companies in Serbia already recognise the importance of reducing their carbon footprint in order to become more environmentally friendly.
German companies play a crucial role in this context. Their experience and commitment to sustainability serve as a beacon for best practices and innovative solutions. Companies like Siemens, Bosch, Continental, ZF and Procredit are already recognised as leaders in implementing green technologies in Serbia, contributing not only to emissions reductions, but also to improving energy efficiency.
Given the positive trends and growing awareness of the importance of sustainable business practices, Serbia has the opportunity to become an even more attractive destination for German companies that focus on green technologies. We believe this decision will have longterm benefits for both Serbia’s economy and for global climate goals.
How would you assess the overall context for investments in this sector in Serbia? How attractive is it for companies?
— That depends on what you mean by “this sector”, because there is no such economic sector. “Becoming sustainable” means changing the way you do business. It isn’t so much about investing in specific sectors, but rather concerns all kinds of business models, whatever you are earning your money with. It concerns not only the question of whether it makes economic sense to invest in photovoltaic power stations or wind energy parks in Serbia.
However, when it comes to renewable energy and the empowerment of these business projects, it seems to me that Serbia is still at the beginning of its journey. Once carbon emissions become much more expensive due to the aforementioned
Serbia has the opportunity to become an even more attractive destination for German companies that focus on green technologies
CBAM mechanism, the demand for green, carbon free energy will become increasingly higher, if not exploding in Serbia. At this juncture, I have the impression that not many people here in Serbia have grasped that this will happen and what it will mean for the future competitiveness of Serbian businesses on EU markets.
Germany is a key destination for Serbian SMEs. How does the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce support the development of the Serbian “Mittelstand”?
— Mittelstand is part of Germany’s “DNA”. However, quite frankly, it actually plays a big role all over the European Union and not only in Germany. However, the German Mittelstand is very well known for the hidden champions that emerge from it. This German term cannot be translated to other languages – it can only be described. Many
confuse it with small and medium-sized companies, but that is incorrect. There are Mittelstand companies in Germany that have thousands of employees, yet still see themselves as being part of this group. From my point of view, a Mittelstand company refers to a company that was founded as an SME, is family-owned or usually managed by the owner, and the entire decision-making process remains like that of a small company. It also means that the company isn’t listed on the stock exchange and doesn’t have a complex ownership structure. If they have, this is more for tax purposes and doesn’t have an impact on decision-making structures.
The hidden champions among the German Mittelstand are those companies that offer very specific solutions or tailor-made products. I will give you an example: when I worked at the Chamber of Commerce of Berlin many years ago, the head of the chamber’s Committee for Foreign Trade was the CEO of a company that produced solutions for vibration control for bridges. He told me that there are very few companies worldwide, and only two in Germany, that produce this kind of solution, which is actually very important for the stability of bridges. Those are the hidden champions of German Mittelstand.
But let’s return to your question. Yes, absolutely! And many Serbian companies that are our members are examples of the Serbian Mittelstand, as they are managed by a single owner or family and are sometimes still SMEs, while sometimes they’re not already. We support the development of Serbian Mittelstand by bringing them together with German Mittelstand.
For example, one of the Chamber’s flagship projects is the “German Supply Chain Initiative in the Western Balkans”, which enables Serbian companies to connect with German partners, explore new business opportunities and expand their market. This project celebrated its 10th anniversary this year in Munich, having facilitated around 5,000 B2B meetings with top companies from the Western Balkans over the past decade. And most of the companies on both sides are Mittelstand companies.
t a moment when Help is marking 25 years of activities in Serbia and Montenegro, and will soon commemorate 30 years active in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we spoke with Masa Bubanj, Head of Help’s Regional Office Europe, which is active in 11 countries, who said that, looking back, everyone at this organisation is very proud of what has been achieved.
AThis is an important milestone for Help in Southeast and Eastern Europe. How would you reflect on these achievements and their importance for the region?
Our mission has always been to help people to help themselves, but to do so using a methodology that ensures changes involve different relevant stakeholders in the community, thus ensuring sustainability and local ownership, as well as transfers of knowledge, says Help’s Masa Bubanj
ent in 89% of municipalities in some countries, so almost covering the entire country. We do provide emergency assistance when needed, but the core in this region is development during the period of transition, economic empowerment, capacity building, education, resocialisation, social inclusion, improving housing conditions etc.
Another milestone is the resocialisation programme in Serbia. How has it contributed to stability and human rights around the region?
— We pioneered this concept in the Western Balkans, launching it 10 years ago in Serbia,
In assisting the marginalised, we utilise local knowledge and expertise, enhance capacities, empower our partners and ensure sustainability and local ownership
— This year is a special once for us, marking 25 years in Serbia and Montenegro, while we’ll soon commemorate 30 years in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We are now active in 11 countries in Europe, with our head office in Germany. Looking back, we are very proud of what we’ve achieved. In growing steadily yet cautiously, we had moments when our actions had to be reshaped and adopted to the needs of the most vulnerable, in order to be able to serve our purpose. However, we’ve also grown as an organisation, especially in terms of our human capital, as one of the key success factors. Our team has managed to implement 562 projects. Help has worked with 468 local governments around the region. We are pres-
while now the programme has extended to different countries of the region. Resocialisation is a complex process that requires both legal structures and a supportive environment in which individuals can truly rehabilitate. We see the difference by measuring the results: 65 workshops equipped with tools and equipment; over 5,500 inmates and prison staff involved in educational programmes; post-release employment opportunities created for 115 former prisoners.
Help has also been at the forefront of promoting inclusion. How do your programmes contribute to a more inclusive society and what role does sustainability play?
— There must be synergy, otherwise it won’t function so successfully. Our advantage is our presence in the field, directly in communities, with people in need and local actors. Our work is based on two guidelines: empowerment and localisation. This is why our projects have been implemented in partnership with over 300 local partners, targeting youth, women, children, minorities, refugees, IDPs, people with disabilities, asylum seekers and other marginalised groups.
In assisting the marginalised, we utilise local knowledge and expertise, enhance capacities, empower our partners and ensure sustainability and local ownership.
Regional cooperation has been a key part of Help’s work in the Balkans. How does this improve stability and progress?
— Regional cooperation is very important to us, as it restores hope. As an organisation, we also reflect importance through the work our regional office. We need regional cooperation and initiatives in order to bring people closer and encourage them to work together, solve problems together and live in a society with prospects for their children.
As you celebrate these major milestones, what message would you like to share with your partners and the wider public?
— We deeply appreciate the trust and unwavering support of our donors, partners and the people we assist. This has been the driving force propelling our success and growth..
“On our journey from a small branch office with just 13 employees to a company that is now among the country’s largest exporters, we have learned a great deal as a team,” says Robert Bosch d.o.o. General Manager Jovanka Jovanović
obert Bosch d.o.o. Serbia operates at two locations: its New Belgrade headquarters and its plant in Pećinci, representing Europe’s largest Bosch wiper system plant. In celebrating her two decades of work at the company, GM Jovanka Jovanović shares with us details of how the company reached this point and what’s planned for the years ahead.
RWhat was Bosch like when you first joined back in 2004, and how does it look today?
— When I first joined Bosch in Serbia, it was a small representative office with only 13 employees focused on distributing Bosch products. The potential of our market was soon recognised by the headquarters in Germany, and in 2006 we estab-
distributing a wide range of Bosch products and providing services, particularly in the ICT field and the automotive aftermarket industry, for which there is a global Bosch competence centre in Belgrade.
When it comes to numbers, we must mention one that is very personal for you: 20 years of work at Bosch, for which we congratulate you! How would you assess this exciting journey and what advice would you give to young people just embarking on their career journeys? — First of all, thank you for the congratulations! We have been accompanied all along by new challenges and challenging projects, as well as the continuous growth of the organisation, with which both the company and its people have grown –
I would like to highlight the important topic of female leadership, which is a local focus for us, with 50% of leadership roles at our New Belgrade headquarters held by women
lished Robert Bosch d.o.o., which, together with BSH household appliances, forms the Bosch Group in Serbia. Our company is today one of the largest exporters in the country and the third most desirable employer, employing over 4,500 people.
We are focused on developing new technologies, with the company’s operations encompassing a variety of areas –from manufacturing electrical and electronic equipment for motor vehicles, to
and that’s what matters most. Many young leaders have developed into senior professionals, and I’m proud to have witnessed their growth, both professionally and personally. At the same time, I’ve also learned a lot from them, particularly the younger generations, who comprise a large part of our team.
I would also like to highlight the important topic of female leadership, which is a local focus for us, with 50% of leadership
roles at our New Belgrade headquarters held by women.
My advice to young people is to choose a job that allows them to grow and that brings them satisfaction; to be curious and explore new opportunities, and not to give up when they face a ‘make-or-break’ challenge, but rather to give their all to achieve the goal. It’s also crucial to find time for hobbies and interests beyond work. In my case, that’s new technologies, travelling and cooking, with a focus on the origin of ingredients. Physical activity is a must, no matter what you do, because it impacts not only your physical health, but also your mental wellbeing, which should be everyone’s priority.
Do you appreciate the speed at which technology is evolving and how responsible companies are using it?
— I believe it’s extremely important to have a responsible approach, both during the development of new technology and its application, especially when it comes to artificial intelligence. And this is a priority for our company in every field. We truly create technology that makes life easier for people, on the one hand, and more exciting, on the other: technology that is "invented for life".
I’m particularly impressed by examples of new technologies in the medical field, such as the new AI model that can detect breast cancer up to five years before it develops, various models that assist elderly people and those focused on education, which is one of the priorities of our corporate social responsibility activities.
Apokrifi is a reliable partner in the development of residential, commercial, industrial and other types of buildings. It provides a comprehensive service – from design and structural analysis to detailed work, production, and construction documentation
By combining its team’s extensive knowledge with cutting-edge technologies like BIM modelling, Apokrifi ensures every project is planned, detailed and executed flawlessly. This approach saves time and money while delivering consistent results that exceed clients’ expectations.
With cities expanding and demand for infrastructure rising, the construction industry is experiencing exceptional growth. However, this expansion brings a pressing challenge due to a shortage of skilled professionals. Research shows that 80% of construction companies struggle to find the expertise they need, and a staggering 41% of the current workforce will retire by 2031. As the market continues to grow, this shortage becomes ever more pronounced, creating substantial barriers to progress and efficiency.
Furthermore, 98% of construction projects face delays, leading to frustration and financial strain. Many companies find it difficult to deliver on time and stay within budgets, and even to take on new projects as a consequence of these challenges.
As a company that specialises in construction, Apokrifi has developed a
unique system to help clients navigate these obstacles effectively. The company believes that success in construction isn’t just about advanced software and machinery, but rather depends fundamentally on people. Human expertise, collaboration and proper organisation are the cornerstones of every successful project.
This strategy increases production capacities, reduces costs by 30-40%, minimises delays and brings renewed enthusiasm to every project. By combining its team’s extensive knowledge with cutting-edge technologies like BIM modelling, Apokrifi ensures that every project is planned, detailed and executed flawlessly. This approach saves time and money while delivering consistent results that exceed clients’ expectations.
Over the past seven years, Apokrifi has helped clients across Europe achieve their project goals more efficiently, reduce costs and increase profits. With over 2,500,000 square metres of projects completed and more than 1,500 successful collaborations, Apokrifi has proven itself to be a reliable partner in the realisation of various types of buildings: residential, commercial, industrial, and more.
Specialising in prefabricated construction systems, Apokrifi provides a complete
service - from design and structural analysis to detailed work, production and construction documentation.
Apokrifi is a reliable partner to factories and design offices in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, ensuring secure capacities and deadlines, consistent quality, efficiency, compliance with EU standards and adaptation to the specific needs of each project.
With the support of the Apokrifi team, clients can overcome the challenge of skilled labour shortages and focus on what they do best: building and investing.
What truly sets Apokrifi apart are the longstanding and mutually beneficial relationships it has built with clients and within the company’s own team. The Apokrifi belief is that every project starts and ends with people – clients, partners and team members. The company’s advancements in technology, processes and approaches are a result of nurturing relationships and caring deeply for the people with whom they work.
As CEO Jelena Damnjanović often says: “While technology creates new pathways, we must not forget the essential roads that connect hearts”. This philosophy guides Apokrifi every day in helping to shape the future of construction.
Commemorating the 20th anniversary of EOS Matrix in Serbia and 50 years of the EOS Group provides an opportunity to reflect on the past while looking to the future, says EOS Matrix MD Jelena Jović
peaking in this engaging interview, Jelena Jović shares her recipe for both personal and company success. She also discusses the importance of strong client relationships, innovation and the need to invest continuously in developing skills, new ideas and services.
EOS Matrix is celebrating 20 years in Serbia, while the EOS Group is marking 50 years of operations. Have you taken this opportunity to once again evaluate your progress and development, as well as your numerous achievements over the previous decades?
— We have grown successfully over the past decades through various economic cycles and changing market conditions, but the challenges brought by shifts in cash flows and economic stability require a special focus and strategic planning. During these 20 years in Serbia, we have built strong relationships with our clients, become leaders of the debt management industry and introduced innovative practices that have now become standards. In this anniversary year, we are particularly proud that we’ve continued to invest in debt portfolios and opened the door to new ideas and business lines that will be our focus in the coming years.
What do you think is essential for business success, and what significant mo-
ments have marked both your personal growth and that of the company?
— Business success depends on a combination of personal dedication, strategic thinking, adaptability, continuous improvement, a clear vision and the ability to recognise the right opportunities. My personal journey at EOS Matrix began 14 years ago as a call operator, where I learned the basics of client relations and the essence of debt collection. Step by step, through persistence, a desire to learn and taking on ever more responsibilities, I managed to build my career and, thanks to great mentors and colleagues, earned the opportunity to lead the local office, which I’ve been doing for several years now.
Two key characteristics have contributed to where EOS stands today: courage and creativity. Thanks to these qualities, our company has been able to introduce new business lines, including the pur-
chase of secured claims. I am proud that many of our employees have been with the company for more than 10 years, as this testifies to our commitment to developing people and creating a stable and positive work environment. The success of a company under market conditions is shaped by its people.
Despite a celebratory mood, you are preparing for the numerous challenges that the future may bring?
— We are aware that global economic trends, inflation, rising interest rates and changes in the dynamics of consumer behaviour can have a significant impact on economic stability. That’s why we are preparing for these challenges through several approaches. Firstly, technological innovation remains at the core of our business. Our ability to more quickly and efficiently analyse the market, and to manage risks using advanced analytical and artificial intelligence tools, gives us an advantage in identifying potential problems, but also opportunities. Secondly, diversifying our business lines, such as by purchasing secured claims, investing in real estate and financing projects, allows us to adapt to different scenarios. Thirdly, our relationships with clients and long-term partnerships enable us to respond quickly to market changes and tailor our services to their needs. While we celebrate tradition and achievements, we look forward with a clear vision: stability, innovation, flexibility, and new solutions for the future. Regardless of cash flows or macroeconomic changes, EOS Matrix will continue to provide solutions that contribute to the stability and security of our clients and the market as a whole.
This company initially began dealing with road transport, before quickly expanding into air and rail transport, alongside warehousing and supply chain management. Its focus shifted recently towards specialised services for the automotive industry, emergency deliveries and fulfilment services. Here CEO Simović shares the company’s longterm plans with us, following its significant achievements in recent years.
TIn the five years since Militzer & Münch launched operations on our market, it has become one of the country’s top five logistics companies. Have the results exceeded expectations?
— Over the past five years, M&M Militzer & Münch Serbia has strengthened its position on the Serbian market considera-
M&M Militzer & Münch Serbia has been expanding its market share year after year by providing reliable and efficient services tailored to the evolving needs of the market, explains CEO Filip Simović
the development of new services, ensuring that we remain competitive.
Today’s logistics depend on the latest technologies, while you are also known for your innovative solutions? — Logistics today requires the implementation of cutting-edge technologies to achieve high efficiency and service quality. At Militzer & Münch, we utilise advanced supply chain management systems, as well as warehouse and transport automation. These innovations not only optimise our operations, but also enhance the speed and accuracy of deliveries, which is crucial for customer satisfaction. Apart from this, we regularly invest in employee training to ensure that all team members keep up-to-date with the latest technologies and industry practices. It’s important to note that sus-
We regularly invest in employee training to ensure that all team members keep up-to-date with the latest technologies and industry practices
bly. Our success is no accident; it stems from strategic planning, commitment to quality and the continuous development of services. The results have exceeded our expectations, thanks largely to innovation in our business processes and the cultivation of strong client relationships. The diversity of our services enables us to offer comprehensive solutions that meet the various needs of our clients. Our team of experts works constantly on
tainable practices are becoming increasingly important in modern business, including logistics. Militzer & Münch actively implements strategies to reduce its environmental footprint, including the use of eco-friendly transportation methods and optimising transport routes to reduce CO2 emissions. We believe that responsible logistics must be a real practice, satisfying the growing number of clients seeking ecological alternatives.
You have successfully transferred your business model from Serbia to both Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Are there plans for further expansion to other Balkan countries? What are your personal plans? — Our vision is to expand Militzer & Münch’s presence across the entire Balkan region. During the establishment of our joint venture with the M&M group, we set clear expansion goals. We plan to enter new markets in the coming years, such as North Macedonia and Albania. We believe that our approach, which is based on service quality and local expertise, will enable us to successfully establish a stable and efficient logistics network. We plan to engage local experts in this process, and to build partnerships that will support our growth.
As a member of the Executive Board of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and its vice-president, my role is focused on strengthening economic cooperation between Germany and Serbia. I work on promoting business opportunities and facilitating exchanges of knowledge among member companies. My goal is to contribute to the development of innovation and the facilitation of business cooperation, which will further stimulate growth and sustainable development. I also plan to strengthen Militzer & Münch’s position in the logistics sector by focusing on the improvement of technological infrastructure and expanding our network of partnerships.
OBO Bettermann offers a wide range of fire protection systems with proven international success, providing diverse solutions for various applications
In recent years, building safety requirements have steadily increased, with growing awareness around essential fire protection measures. Effective fire protection is both complex and challenging, presenting planners and installation engineers with numerous obstacles.
After thorough planning and correct implementation, fire protection in buildings must be inspected and approved. All installations must comply with regulations, and the relevant fire protection documentation must be provided. This requires indepth knowledge of fire causes, behaviour, and prevention, as well as methods to limit or stop the spread of fire.
In buildings with high occupancy, measures must ensure that no one is harmed by fire or smoke and that there are safe, quick evacuation routes. Three essential steps for effective fire protection in buildings are:
1. Limit the spread of fire
2. Protect escape and rescue routes
3. Maintain critical electrical systems, ensuring they remain operational during emergencies.
With over 40 years of experience, OBO Bettermann continues to expand its range of fire protection systems, offering adaptable solutions to meet the growing demands for building safety worldwide.
TSME HUB supported nine SMEs in its first year of operations, with each of them going through a comprehensive support programme that included grants and expert assistance, reveals
SME HUB Director Aleksandar Goračinov
his is a win-win situation, as SMEs receive opportunities for growth and development through the SME HUB project, while large companies gain concrete business benefits, strengthening their market position and supply chain, says Goračinov, who provides a detailed overview of the project.
The SME sector is among our economy’s most important segments, but it still requires additional support. Is this why the SME HUB project was launched?
— SMEs are the backbone of the domestic economy, accounting for more than 90% of all businesses in Serbia. Their contribution to employment and GDP
SME HUB is a public-private partnership project between the Government of Switzerland, represented by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and Serbian company ICT HUB. Our budget is seven million Swiss francs and our goal is to provide comprehensive support to small and medium-sized enterprises. The project is designed to provide Serbian manufacturers and SMEs with grants, on the one hand, and expertise and resources in the form of development, mentoring, education, business digitalisation, certification, management professionalisation and process optimisation, on the other. The main objective is to prepare them to enter the supply chains of large domestic and foreign companies, or – in the
The project’s financial support, ranging from between 50,000 and 100,000 Swiss francs, was tailored to the needs of each company and intended to implement transformation activities
is significant, but they also face numerous challenges, particularly in terms of business development, digitalisation and in gaining access to other markets. The entire SME sector is vital to the development and sustainability of every economy, including ours, but it needs further support to be able to fully realise its potential. We have witnessed this potential, both as a country and as entrepreneurs, through our SME HUB project, which was launched precisely for this reason.
case that they’re already in such chains – to further develop, expand their cooperation, employ more people and boost their revenue.
What kind of support and financial assistance were received by the nine SMEs that you supported in the project’s first year?
— Experts and consultants engaged within the project – covering areas like digitalisation, financial management and HR management – worked with the
SMEs involved in the project to find solutions for their development. This is crucial to the optimisation and standardisation of their operations and the establishment of systems able to satisfy the demands of the market.
The financial support, ranging from between 50,000 and 100,000 Swiss francs, was tailored to the needs of each company and intended to implement transformation activities. The scope and value of the transformation depended on the complexity and scale of services required by the SMEs.
How much interest in participating in this project exists among multinationals and large domestic companies?
— The benefits for them are clear. One of the main advantages is the diversification of their supplier portfolio, giving them more procurement options and reducing the risk of supply chain disruptions. Large companies need reliable and adequate suppliers that can standardise their operations and deliver goods at the right time, place and price, without any risks.
The SME HUB project has also allowed large companies to advance their CSR activities. By collaborating with SMEs, they strengthen these enterprises, but also the communities in which they operate and the entire ecosystem.
We recognise that every market has its own unique challenges and opportunities, which is why we focus on tailored strategies rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, says Siemens Healthcare Director Marijana Đorđević
Beyond technology, Siemens Healthineers places a strong emphasis on investing in the education and training of healthcare professionals to ensure they can fully leverage innovations. We discussed this holistic approach – which enables the improving of efficiency and elevating of patient care, while providing cost-effective solutions – with Marijana Đorđević, director of this company that has a mission to support the Serbian healthcare system.
To what extent are your pioneering and often revolutionary discoveries available to countries like Serbia and healthcare systems like ours?
— The first X-ray was brought to this country by a doctor from Šabac in 1897, and we have been a trusted partner to both private medical practices and public hospitals ever since, even during difficult periods. Despite those challenging times, Siemens Healthineers continued supporting Serbian healthcare institutions in 90ties, notably providing an MRI for the Children’s Hospital during the period of sanctions. We’ve been a pioneer in introducing cutting-edge medical technology to Serbia – from the first PET CT scanner installed in Belgrade in 2009 to advanced systems like biplanes and the Artis Pheno, robotic C-arm angiography system created for minimally invasive interventional procedures. Our role in the recent reconstruction of the Clinical Centre of Serbia and ongo-
ing involvement with the Clinical Centre of Vojvodina further highlight our longterm commitment.
Medical examinations using your latest generation devices enable greater precision when it comes to diagnosis and treatment.
— Our latest generation of diagnostic devices improve the speed, comfort and accuracy of medical examinations significantly. For instance, a CT scan that used to take a minute can now be completed in just five seconds – with a much lower dose of radiation. This also applies when it comes to MRI, where we have also reduced scan times and helium consumption dramatically. Automation plays a key role in laboratory diagnostics, ensuring faster and more precise results. Beyond the aforementioned innovations, eHealth solutions facilitate seamless communication between doctors, patients and researchers, support-
ing personalised medicine and improving overall patient care.
Is the procurement of new medical equipment and devices the best investment in the health of the nation?
— Investing in new medical equipment is crucial to building a sustainable and healthy society. As healthcare systems face increasing pressure, Siemens Healthineers are committed to long-term partnerships that close care gaps and deliver comprehensive solutions—from diagnosis to therapy and aftercare. Our focus is not just on technology, but also on training healthcare professionals to use these innovations effectively. This approach maximises resources, ensuring patients have lasting access to advanced healthcare, regardless of their location. It also aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, thus fostering global health and wellbeing.
What will be brought by AI and digitalisation when it comes to disease prevention, fighting the most serious diseases, advancing the care provided etc.? — AI, digitalisation and faster data analysis are set to revolutionise healthcare by improving disease prevention and patient care. Siemens Healthineers is at the forefront of this transformation, with solutions like imaging IT, AI-powered decision support and eHealth and patient engagement solutions. Our AI-powered systems help clinicians make more accurate diagnoses and treatment plans, ultimately improving patient outcomes. The integration of these digital solutions into everyday healthcare practices not only enhances efficiency, but also ensures that patients receive the best care possible.
To mark ten years of the Berlin Process, the Western Balkan Business Forum was held in Berlin at the end of September, under the theme “Western Balkans as an Economic Area on the Path to the EU – 10 Years of the Berlin Process”. The event, opened by German Minister of Economic Affairs Dr. Robert Habeck, highlighted the Berlin Process as a key framework for economic and political integration between the Western Balkans and the European Union, promoting regional cooperation and sustainable economic growth
At the forum, organised by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) with the support of the German Chamber of Commerce (DIHK), the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations, the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the network of German chambers of commerce in the Western Balkans (AHK), and the Western Balkan 6 Chamber Investment Forum (WB6 CIF), regional economic ministers, including Serbia’s Minister of Internal and External Trade Tomislav Momirović, along with business representatives and renowned economic experts, analysed past achievements and challenges on the path to the region’s economic integration with the European Union.
Milan Grujić, President of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, stated that the Berlin Process has demonstrated the importance of cooperation between the Western Balkans and the EU, not only politically but economically.
“The German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce has proudly participated in the Berlin Process from the beginning, opening new opportunities for economic development and integration of the region with the EU. Through initiatives like the German Supplier Initiative, which
has connected German companies with suppliers from the Western Balkans for ten years, and in collaboration with the network of German chambers in the Western Balkans (AHK), we have organised around 5,000 B2B meetings in the past decade between the region’s best companies and German partners, significantly boosting exports and business opportunities. Our mission remains to support companies in achieving sustainable development goals and strengthening business ties between Germany and Serbia,” said the President of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce.
To commemorate the Berlin Process’s tenth anniversary, the organisers of the Business Forum created a joint document titled “10 Years of the Berlin Process – Assessment from a Business Perspective and Next Steps” (Position Paper), which highlights the key challenges and future directions for cooperation between the Western Balkans and the EU. One of the main points emphasised is the need to raise awareness of the European Union as a community of values, as well as the role of EU investors and local businesses in promoting the benefits of EU membership, such as the free movement of people, capital, services, and goods within the single market.
The Berlin Process has also established a productive basis for dialogue between economic and political actors, which should be further intensified through forums such as the Western Balkans Digital Summit. The goal is for businesses to actively engage in political processes and contribute to further development.
At the regional level, it is crucial to work on harmonising economic policies and removing barriers that hinder cross-border projects. Business forums provide a platform for
Economic cooperation between the Western Balkans and the European Union, facilitated by the Berlin Process, has laid the foundation for dialogue and integration, promoting sustainable development and deeper business ties across the region
exchanging ideas and encourage the development of the Western Balkans as a single economic area.
Another priority is further integrating Western Balkan companies into European value chains. Projects such as the German Supplier
Initiative in the Western Balkans have shown the region’s great potential, and future activities should focus on strengthening regulatory frameworks and retaining qualified staff.
Improving infrastructure at border crossings with the EU is also a key issue, particularly the need to equip customs and other state authorities on the ground. With long queues, sometimes stretching for kilometres, at EU border crossings for truck traffic from the Western Balkans and vice versa, inspections should be carried out by authorities on both sides, which would significantly reduce processing time. Additionally, the technical equipment of customs stations, such as increasing the number of truck scanners, should be improved.
The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is still a relatively unknown topic in the Western Balkans, despite numerous efforts from the network of German chambers abroad (AHK) and other relevant actors. The CBAM, which entered its transitional phase in the EU on 1 October 2023, is the EU’s key tool in combating carbon leakage, aiming to equalise carbon emission prices within and outside its borders. During the transition period, Serbia’s EU trading partners will be required to calculate and report their GHG emissions without financial obligations. However, from 2026, the EU will impose charges on importers under the CBAM framework.
“Twenty thousand people / Cross Bösebrücke / Fingers are crossed / just in case” ~ David Bowie, Where Are We Now? (2013)
Speaking at an East Berlin press conference held shortly before 7pm on 9th October 1989, following several weeks of protests and civil unrest, East German representative Günter Schabowski confirmed the new official East German regulations according to which citizens of the then DDR could obtain an exit visa without satisfying special conditions and enduring lengthy waiting times. When asked by astonished journalists when this regulation would enter into force, Schabowski answered that, according to his knowledge, it was effective immediately. The auditorium of the East Berlin press centre sud-
denly erupted with excitement, confusion, almost disbelief. The people had waited more than 28 years for this event. According to the recollections of then Tanjug correspondent Đorđe Milošević, who was present in the press centre at the time, in terms of importance, this was the kind of news that only breaks once in a journalist’s career, if at all.
Schabowski’s statement was aired as ‘breaking news’ by West German public broadcaster ARD at 8pm that same evening. East German citizens soon started pouring towards the border crossings between East and West Berlin. Having received no prior directive, the East Ger-
man border police were taken aback. The pressure only intensified as ever more people arrived at the border crossings. At around 9:20pm, several East German citizens were permitted to pass through the checkpoint at the Bornholmer Straße border crossing, which separated the East Berlin district of Prenzlauer Berg from West Germany’s Wedding. It was half an hour before midnight that border guards opened the barrier at the Bornholmer Straße checkpoint. Around 20,000 East German citizens flooded over the Bösebrücke steel bridge during the next hour, crossing completely uncontrolled from the eastern to the western sectors of the city. The fall of the wall had started.
The remaining checkpoints were opened throughout the night. Many hundreds of thousands of citizens stampeded into West Germany. Younger people scaled the wall and an atmosphere of total euphoria reigned. Spontaneous celebrations broke out on the streets of West Berlin and lasted until the morning. Throngs of people packed West Berlin’s Kurfürstendamm avenue over the following days. And on the night between 9th and 10th November 1989, the Berlin Wall finally fell. It would only be in June of the next year that the official demolition of the nearly 155-kilometre-long construction would begin.
The construction of the Berlin Wall, which spilt Germany’s former capital in two and represented a physical barrier encircling West Berlin, began 16 years after the end of World War II and the dividing of Germany and Berlin into four occupation zones, and 12 years after Germany’s bifurcation into two states: East Germany (the German Democratic Republic), with its capital in East Berlin; and West Germany, with its capital in Bonn. West Berlin, which was considered a de facto part of West Germany, was formally a free city under the occupation of the Western Allies (France, Britain and the U.S.A.). The occupied area covered approximately 480 square kilometres and was deep into East German territory, lacking a direct connection to West Germany.
In a world divided politically, militarily and ideologically, West Berlin represented a propaganda shopwindow of the West, an “island of freedom” and a “hole” in the Iron Curtain. It was simultaneously East Germany’s weakest point, the only place where its citizens could come into direct contact with the “temptations” of the Western world, but also the place where fleeing westwards was simplest – by merely crossing over to the city’s western sectors. The mass departure of the population was among the toughest problems confronting the East German authorities. Approximately 2.7 million inhabitants of the Ger-
man Democratic Republic fled to West Germany between 1949 and 1961. The number of citizens who’d fled reached alarming proportions in the period from the late 1950s to the early ‘60s. Around 200,000 mostly young East Germans received permanent residence in West Germany during 1960 alone. East Germany found itself on
Over the course of just a few years, the world had switched from bipolar to unipolar, with some states disappearing and others emerging
the brink of economic and social collapse, with its authorities unable to prevent the constant outflow of the population.
Operation Rose was launched at dawn on Sunday, 13th August 1961. It saw army and police units of the DDR use barbed wire and barricades to close
192 Berlin streets, 32 railway routes, eight lines of the surface city railway network, four subway lines and three motorways. This marked the start of the construction of what would become the Berlin Wall. The barbed wire would quickly be replaced by reinforced concrete, which divided streets, neighbourhoods, squares and even buildings.
The Berlin Wall was not constructed overnight. It’s constructed would last, through various stages, until the 1980s. In its final form, the wall comprised approximately 45,000 concrete slabs that were 3.6 metres high and 1.2 metres wide. On the eastern side, a parallel fence was erected at a distance of around 100 metres from the wall, with a small “no man’s land” of empty ground in between, forming the so-called “path of death”. More than a hundred observation towers were built along the length of the wall.
From the East German perspective, the structure was meant to represent an “anti-fascist protective wall” that would protect the “peace-loving”, “democratic”, socialist East Germany from the “fascist and imperialist provocations” of West Germany. And the wall certainly fulfilled its primary purpose. Although fleeing to the West had not been prevent-
It
ed completely, the number of those escaping fell dramatically. And yet, the Berlin Wall would come to represent anything but a symbol of anti-fascism. It represented a symptom of the East German regime’s powerlessness in overcoming internal po-
was half an hour before midnight that border guards opened the barrier at the Bornholmer Straße checkpoint
litical and social challenges and creating an order that would prove more attractive than the West to its own population. With at least 140 attempts to escape over the wall ending in the deaths of those trying to flee, the Berlin Wall also became a symbol of the East German regime’s brutality. Berlin had represented the easiest place in Europe for people, ideas and goods to flow between East and West until 1961, but the wall’s construction would render it the most concrete symbol of the polarised division of Germany, Europe and the world.
The fall of the Berlin Wall was an epochal event. It also had huge personal significance for those Germans who had family members and friends living on the other side of the divided city (and country). It also had massive political significance for opponents of the then East Germany’s political and social system. As a herald of Germany’s imminent reunification, the fall of the wall had national significance. The global significance of the fall of the Berlin Wall is evident in the symbolic significance that its existence had as the embodiment of Cold War divi -
sions. As such, the disappearance of this symbol also marked the end of the era.
The opening of Berlin’s internal checkpoints on the night between 9th-10th November 1989 was an act that accelerated Germany’s reunification process, which would be confirmed on 3rd October of the following year. It thus also sped up the collapse of the DDR and its disappearance from the political map of Europe, with it merging into the newly formed Federal Republic of Germany in October 1990. Next came the collapse of the Soviet Union and the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia, followed by the bloody disintegration of Yugoslavia.
Over the course of just a few years, the world had switched from bipolar to unipolar, with some states disappearing and others emerging. The world order took on a very different form almost overnight. And the fall of the Berlin Wall became one of those historical events that has its own ‘before’ and ‘after’.
Article authored by Natalija Dimić Lompar, Ph.D., Research Associate of the Institute for Recent History of Serbia
A century after his death, Franz Kafka remains a towering figure in literature, influencing modern culture in ways both profound and unexpected
It is a curious paradox that Franz Kafka, one of the most enigmatic and demanding writers of the 20th century, has become a global literary icon, despite being relatively unknown in his lifetime. Kafka, who passed away on 3rd June 1924, now looms large in popular culture. His dark, unsettling stories have permeated everything from literature and cinema to comic books, video games, and even social media. His work, which wrestles with existential dilemmas, continues to resonate with readers who find their own anxieties and uncertainties mirrored in his writing.
As W. H. Auden once suggested, Kafka’s influence on our age is akin to the impact Shakespeare and Dante had on theirs. A century after his death, Kafka’s legacy persists, not just as a writer, but as a symbol of the alienation and absurdity that seem to define modern existence.
Much of the fascination with Kafka arises from his biography. He lived a life of profound internal conflict, juggling the responsibilities of his day job as a lawyer with the consuming demands of his writing. This “terrible double-life,” as he described it, was marked by a profound sense of alienation. He was torn between his desire for a family life and his belief that he was “consumed” by literature. His crippling perfectionism meant that only a fraction of his work was published during his lifetime, with the rest ordered to be destroyed upon his death—an instruction his friend Max Brod famously ignored.
Kafka’s posthumous fame owes much to this mythology of the tortured genius. His writings are often seen as prophetic, offering a vision of totalitarian regimes, bureaucratic madness, and surveillance that eerily prefigures the darkest aspects of the 20th century. Yet, such interpretations can overshadow the richness and complexity of his work, which remains as unsettling and beguiling today as when it was first written.
One of Kafka’s most famous works, The Trial, perfectly encapsulates his themes of alienation and absurdity. It tells the story of Josef K., an ordinary man who is arrested and prosecuted without knowing why. He struggles to navigate a mysterious legal system that remains indifferent to his fate. His execution at the novel’s
As scholars and readers alike return to his work, Kafka’s legacy as one of the most important writers of the 20th century remains secure
end is as arbitrary as his arrest. Kafka’s portrayal of faceless bureaucracy and the helplessness of the individual is as relevant today as it was when first written.
The publication history of The Trial is as peculiar as the novel itself. Max Brod, Kafka’s literary executor, saved the manuscript from destruction, arranging and editing it for posthumous publication. Since then, different editions have emerged, each attempting to stay truer to Kafka’s original intentions. Modern critical editions, such as those by Reiner Stach and Roland Reuss, reveal the fragmented, unfinished nature of the novel, reminding us of Kafka’s meticulous yet perpetually incomplete creative process.
Kafka’s influence extends beyond his literary works. Scholars and critics have long sought to decipher the deeper meanings behind his surreal stories. T. W. Adorno famously advocated for a “literal” reading of Kafka, encouraging readers to take his words at face value rather than seeking hidden symbolism. This approach, which shifts the focus back to Kafka’s crafts -
manship, has informed much recent scholarship. One of the most ambitious projects in Kafka studies is Reiner Stach’s multi-volume edition of Kafka’s works, which aims to present a more faithful representation of his writing process. In Stach’s edition of The Trial, for example, a single first-person sentence near the novel’s end—previously thought to be a mistake— is retained, adding a layer of emotional intensity to Josef K.’s final moments.
Kafka was as much a reader as he was a writer, and his literary influences permeate his work. As Andreas Kilcher explores in Kafka’s Workshop, Kafka’s creative process was deeply intertwined with his reading habits. Kafka was particularly drawn to authors like Dostoevsky, Flaubert, and
Kleist, whose works shaped his literary vision. His voracious reading extended beyond fiction, encompassing philosophy, psychoanalysis, and contemporary politics. This wider intellectual context, which Kilcher terms the “great narratives of modernity,” helped shape Kafka’s view of the world, with his fiction acting as an echo chamber for the ideas of his time.
Kafka’s work has been translated into countless languages, and his translators face the daunting task of preserving the complexity of his prose. In his recent translation of The Metamorphosis— or The Transformation as he retitles it—Mark Harman seeks to capture Kafka’s precise use of language. Translation is no easy feat, especially when grappling with the deliberate ambiguities and multiple meanings embedded in Kafka’s German. As Harman explains, the challenge is to retain Kafka’s austere yet strangely approachable style while ensuring that the tension between the ordinary and the absurd remains intact.
What is it about Kafka that continues to captivate readers a hundred years after his death? Part of his enduring appeal lies in the universality of his themes. Kafka’s stories, with their focus on the absurdity of modern life, speak to the anxieties of living in an increasingly impersonal world. His characters are trapped in systems they cannot understand, much like many of us today. The sense of powerlessness and alienation that pervades his work feels as fresh and relevant now as it did in the early 20th century.
Kafka’s work also resonates because of its resistance to easy interpretation. His stories invite multiple readings, offering new insights with each return. Whether read as an allegory of bureaucratic tyranny, a reflection of existential dread, or simply a surreal dreamscape, Kafka’s fiction continues to intrigue, challenge, and inspire.
A hundred years after his death, Franz Kafka’s work remains as vital and unsettling as ever. His stories, with their dark humour and nightmarish logic, continue to reflect the complexities of modern life. As scholars and readers alike return to his work, Kafka’s legacy as one of the most important writers of the 20th century remains secure. His influence stretches far beyond literature, permeating popular culture in ways he could never have imagined. Kafka may not have lived to see his fame, but his presence is unmistakable, a haunting reminder of the enduring power of the written word.
The Spree River winds its way through the heart of Berlin in graceful arches, with the Landwehr Canal running to its south. Although stretching approximately 380 kilometres, the Spree is not among Germany’s longest rivers, yet it remains one of its most renowned. As Berlin’s river, it stands as a symbol of waterways in Germany and globally, which are increasingly facing environmental pressures.
A girl from Zagreb went to the University of Maryland, which at the time was the leading centre of public relations research, to spend the year of her Fulbright scholarship with Professor James E. Grunig, who remains the most cited author in the field after more than 20 years. Before returning home, Professor Grunig suggested that she visit nearby Ljubljana, where someone who also knew something about the subject lived. And we were married a year later
Dejan Verčič
Professor of Public Relations at the University of Ljubljana
y wife, Ana, calls me Forrest Gump, saying that I got her as the most delicious piece in my box of chocolates. Well, perhaps she chose me.
MI originally studied political science in the 1980s, majoring in international relations, with the intention of becoming a diplomat. I became a journalist by accident and eventually turned into a politician. After helping the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia become the country’s largest political party for 15 years, I went into the private sector. Together with former
Mladina magazine editor Franci Zavrt, I launched my first company: the International Press Centre Ljubljana (IPCL), in 1990. Soon after, we established PR Centre Ljubljana, followed by several other companies. Our latest venture is a strategy and communications consultancy called Herman & partnerji.
We thought globally and acted locally from the very outset. Just a few months after starting IPCL, we were invited to visit the UK’s Central Office of Information. During that trip, we also studied the BBC Monitoring Ser-
vice, the Conservative Party’s communications headquarters, the (now Chartered) Institute of Public Relations, and organisational communications consultancy Smythe Dorward Lambert. Not long after, I was selected for the Young European Leaders Programme by the United States Information Agency, which took me across the ocean. It was in Washington, D.C. that I met Professor James Grunig from the University of Maryland, and we became friends for the next 30-plus years. He was then managing the largest research project in public relations and communications management. A member of his research team, Dr John White, later became my supervisor during my doctoral programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science. I earned my Ph.D. from the University of London, completed my degree’s validation at the University of Ljubljana, and ultimately became a full professor.
Travel abroad has always been a crucial part of my life. I have lectured or presented in 38 countries worldwide, but building a business in Slovenia with the ambition of achieving global excellence also requires top experts from around the world travelling to Ljubljana. That’s why we launched the International Pub-
The world is no longer a global village—we now live in a global living room, where we look at and talk to each other, and taste each other’s chocolates
lic Relations Research Symposium BledCom in 1994, which has gone on to become the oldest and largest independent event of its kind. This allows more local experts to connect with cutting-edge research and best practices in real time.
The world is no longer a global village—we now live in a global living room, where we look at and talk to each other, and taste each other’s chocolates.
Nikola Zaric (1941–2017), a Swiss-Serbian sculptor, left an indelible mark on the world of art with his extraordinary ability to bridge cultural traditions and artistic sensibilities. His body of work reflects a deep understanding of the human condition, shaped by his unique dual heritage. Zaric’s sculptures continue to resonate long after his passing, speaking to themes of fragility, resilience, and transformation, while offering a masterclass in the handling of form and space.
Nikola Zaric, a Swiss-Serbian sculptor, has made a name for himself by blending the cultural influences of his dual heritage into a distinctive and emotionally resonant body of work that explores the complexities of the human condition through striking innovative forms
Born into a family of Serbian de scent in Switzerland, Zaric’s early life was steeped in the influences of two very different cultures. He navigated the austere beauty and minimalist tradition of Swiss de sign while remaining connected to the emotive expressiveness of Ser bian artistic traditions. This unique blend of cultures helped Zaric devel op an artistic voice that is both in trospective and outwardly dynam ic, grounded in the contrasts of his upbringing.
The precision and restraint of Swiss craftsmanship intertwined with the emotive, historical narrative of Serbian art, creating a profound sense of duality in Zaric’s work. His childhood exposure to these differ ent modes of thought became the foundation of a career defined by its cross-cultural richness. Through out his life, Zaric maintained strong ties to both Switzerland and Serbia, often finding ways to reflect both cultures in his work.
His dual heritage was not just an aspect of his life, but the very lens through which he viewed the world. This blend of influences is apparent in his sculptures, where he combines the min imalist, modernist approach of Swiss art with the expressive, human-centered focus typical of Balkan traditions.
This dual perspective shaped his vision, allowing him to create sculptures that explored the complexities of identity, human experience, and emotion.
Zaric’s sculptures frequently focus on the human form, but not in a way that adheres to traditional representation. Instead, his figures are often elongated, fragmented, or reimagined in abstract ways. This was not a departure from reality, but rather an amplification of it. For Zaric, the human body became a canvas for exploring deeper questions of identity, fragility, strength, and the constant process of transformation.
His works often invite viewers to engage with the tension between strength and vulnerability. The figures he sculpted, while rooted in recognizable human forms, are transformed by the artist’s vision into something greater—representations of the universal human experience. The elongated limbs, the fragmented torsos, and the exaggerated proportions all serve to emphasize the emotional and psychological weight carried by his subjects.
The essence of Zaric’s work is not found in the perfection of the body, but in its imperfections, its struggles, and its evolution. His figures seem to exist in a state of transition—capturing moments of tension or introspection, leaving the viewer to contemplate what came before and what will come after. His works reflect a sense of movement and transformation, capturing the essence of human life as a constant state of flux.
Zaric’s exploration of the human body was a metaphor for his own life and artistic journey. His experience navigating the complexities of dual identities and multiple cultural influences informed his art at every level. His figures, often abstracted, conveyed universal emotions and stories while remaining deeply personal. In each piece, Zaric left behind an imprint of his inner world—a dialogue between past and present, be -
tween cultures, and between the individual and society.
One of Zaric’s great strengths lay in his mastery of materials. He worked with a diverse range of mediums, including bronze, stone, wood, and more modern materials such as metal and glass. Each material provided a new challenge and opportunity, and Zaric embraced these challenges with both skill and creativity. He approached each medium not as a passive tool, but as an active participant in the creation of his works.
In bronze, he found the durability and timelessness needed for his monumental public works, while in wood, he captured the natural warmth and organic quality of the material. His ability to manipulate these materials— making solid forms appear fluid and dynamic—set him apart as a master sculptor. Each material had its own language, and Zaric spoke them fluently.
Zaric’s process was intuitive, allowing the material to guide his cre-
ative decisions. The final form of his sculptures emerged as a conversation between the artist and the medium. This organic approach gave his works a sense of life and movement, as if the figures were captured
in the midst of transition. It was this dynamic quality that made Zaric’s sculptures so compelling, pulling viewers into the world of his creations, where every surface and contour seemed to hold a story.
Moreover, Zaric had an exceptional talent for creating a sense of weightlessness in materials that are typically heavy and dense. His ability to make bronze figures appear as though they are in motion, or to shape wood in ways that suggest fluidity, added a layer of complexity to his work. It is in this interplay between material and form that Zaric’s genius truly shines.
During his lifetime, Nikola Zaric exhibited his works extensively in both Switzerland and Serbia, as well as internationally. His sculptures were often placed in public spaces, where they became iconic symbols of the cities and landscapes they inhabited. One of his most notable public works can be found in Belgrade, a monumental bronze sculpture that has since become a beloved part of the city’s artistic heritage.
In Switzerland, Zaric’s sculptures have graced galleries and public spac-
His dual heritage was not just an aspect of his life, but the very lens through which he viewed the world
es alike, where their quiet intensity has drawn critical acclaim. His exhibitions across Europe showcased his deep understanding of form, space, and material, earning him a respect-
ed place within the world of contemporary sculpture.
Zaric’s works were celebrated not only for their technical skill but also for their emotional depth. His ability to convey complex human emotions through abstracted forms resonated with viewers across cultures, making his art both timeless and universal. Whether exhibited in the serene halls of a Swiss gallery or placed prominently in a bustling Serbian square, Zaric’s sculptures commanded attention and left a lasting impression.
Though Nikola Zaric passed away in 2017, his work continues to inspire and engage new generations of artists and art lovers. His sculptures remain a testament to the beauty of cultural synthesis and the enduring power of art to connect people across time and space. His legacy is one of innovation, exploration, and deep emotional resonance.
Today, Zaric’s sculptures stand as enduring symbols of the human spirit—resilient, evolving, and constant -
His sculptures were often placed in public spaces, where they became iconic symbols of the cities and landscapes they inhabited
ly in search of meaning. His ability to bridge the traditions of his Swiss and Serbian heritage allowed him to create a body of work that is both timeless and contemporary, personal and universal. In every elongated figure, every reimagined human form, Zaric leaves behind a profound meditation on what it means to be human.
He is this year’s recipient of Serbia’s top award for lifetime achievement in film, the Pavle Vuisić Award, and a three-time winner of the country’s highest award for theatre performance, the Sterija Award. He spent 12 years as a very successful administrator of theatre Atelje 212, where he also spent much of his working life. Regardless of how negatively impacted he is by all the negatives of our society, when he watched the Biden-Trump debate he nonetheless declared loudly: “It’s great in our country!”
He had the good fortune of performing alongside the great Pavle Vuisić (1926-1988), after whom the award that he recently received at the Niš Festival of Acting Achievements in Feature Films is named.
“When you’re 22, standing in front of
such a man is a great challenge. I really saw him as some mountain towering in front of me, unsure about which side to approach it from, whether I should conquer it or what to do.
Many years later, I was on the scene in Pula when Menahem Golan, who
was then a promising film producer heading company Golan Globus Production, offered Pavle Vuisić carte blanche to do whatever he wanted in his film. The way Paja turned him down, by saying that he had absolutely no interest in that, left Golan in shock.
But that was the integrity of Pavle Vuisić that he’d acquired over the years, and that enabled him to say calmly “I couldn’t care less about your film; it doesn’t interest me. I’m interested in staying and working here”.”
Svetozar Cvetković (66), who’s referred to by everyone as simply Cvele, was born in a Belgrade neighbourhood that’s not spoken about much or even known. His childhood was marked by steam trains heading to the East.
“The better part of my past is my childhood in a part of the city that still looks the way I remember it from the first six or seven years of my life. I remember the Danube Station like a picture, a smell, a feeling. Trains departed that station in the lowest part of Palilula bound for Romania, beyond the Iron Curtain, while arriving trains carried broken women who came to work around the houses of Belgrade. Budding young intellectuals coming to visit Belgrade or to study and stay in the city didn’t arrive at that station, but rather some, essentially, deplorables needing to earn a few dinars just to survive. I remember the smell of those steam trains and recall very well that my mother could never dry clothes outside because of the soot. I remember that as the only place where snow immediately turned black. In Košutnjak it was always white.”
One interesting fact is that Cvetković had his first film/television role, and the first film shoot in his career generally, on the platform of that very same railway station. It was for the Eduard Galić TV film and series entitled Svetozar Marković, in which he played Russian anarcho-communist Sergey Nechayev.
Once during his student days, after having received a new camera, he went to his old neighbourhood to shoot photos and thus preserve the memory of his childhood, but he was detained by security guards because there was a police station nearby, and the boys in blue reacted immediately. They took him into custody, confiscat-
ed his camera and removed the film.
The Cvetković family – his university professor father Stefan, economist mother Milunka and brother Dejan, nine years his junior, moved around Belgrade in the following years, finally settling in the Neimar neighbourhood. Dejan spent a good part of his life living and working in Canada and America, while Cvele remains in Neimar to this day.
“I think that what my brother and I had in the family was a rarity. Those were pretty fairytale-like conditions in which we grew up, regardless of them not being built on any particularly favourable economic foundations. My parents had come to Belgrade from the south of the country. My father enrolled in medical studies, and after I was born my mother enrolled to study economics. Such surroundings and the way we were brought up represent something that I can protect jealously not only compared to the perspectives of other people of my generation, but also the subsequent generations, not to mention these youngest generations whose parents are my age. They didn’t experience the way we were brought or the way our parents communicated with us.
“I tried in vain to pass that on to my children, and if I succeeded even just a little bit, then maybe it isn’t so bad. I tried to keep the best of what my parents had left me for myself, and to attempt to pass that on to my own children at some point.”
His children from two marriages are Dea (31), Klara (17) and Luka (12). Dea is an art history graduate who’s currently preparing her Ph.D. And Cvele is proud of what she knows and does.
When it comes to the legacy of his upbringing, Cvele most values and most cares about objectivity in rela-
Balkan Bordelo Jeton Nezira, rezija Blerta neziraj La Mama new York, Atelje 212, Qendra Multimedia. Pristina
tion to that which surrounds him. He was also raised to keep his dealings with those beyond his circle to an absolute minimum. And to not interfere with what is generally referred to as ‘fixing the world’. He boiled his ambitions down to relationships with those closest to him and with whom he communicates on a daily basis. He arrived at Atelje 212 immediately after completing his studies, thanks to him being suggested for this theatre by Dara Džokić and Petar Božović, while Ljubiša Ristić took him to perform in the Heiner Müller play Cement. He received a role that no one had previously wanted to play. He interpreted the character of one of the two brothers that were the play’s main characters, with the other brother portrayed by Slovenian actor Rad-
I always considered politics as the art of reaching compromise, while in our country it has for decades been led like a theory of exclusivity
ko Polič. During the break in the premiere performance, he was asked by administrator Mira Trailović to think about whether he wanted to stay at Atelje. Ristić told him not to be crazy, and he listened to himself and stayed. He experienced great success there and was ultimately selected as the theatre’s manager.
There are and have been other actors engaged as administrators, but few have managed a theatre with the kind of success that Cvele achieved over his 12 years at Atelje 212. He talks about that time today.
“Director and previous Atelje manager Ljubimir ‘Muci’ Draškić, who I rated highly and loved a lot, told me that taking on the post of administrator, or director of the theatre, is a position that creates enemies. Those who supported you until yesterday will also turn against you quickly. That hurt me at that moment, but now I see it as part of life that I’ve passed. When I accepted the responsibility offered, I thought I knew it, but I re-
Film
The future lies in normal human communication, not in either-or scenarios
alised when I started working that I didn’t know anything. And I learnt for the next 12 years, from 8am to 8pm. And then, after 8pm, I would perform in the plays that were on the repertoire. When I thought I knew something, I stopped being the manager.”
Prior to Cvele’s arrival at the helm of Atelje 212, this theatre had good contacts with the outside world thanks to Mira Trailović, Jovan Ćirilov and Borka Pavićević. We asked him how he managed to restore those contacts.
been. However, people listened attentively to what we did perform, in a language that was completely unknown to them, with subtitles and headphones in their ears, and expressed their enthusiasm. That caused me to feel great satisfaction.”
Milunka
Svetozar
Dejan i
Stevan
Cvetkovic
“That link with the world that they’d made many years prior couldn’t be revitalised, because the world hadn’t stood still, but rather had moved forward. It was necessary to seek a route to make new connections that would expose Atelje to the world. And I partially succeeded in that endeavour. I say partially because it wasn’t like it had been during the time of Mira and Jovan. We did take good plays to Mexico, Caracas, Austria and Canada, but there weren’t as many guest performances as I thought there could have
Those plays that were seen around the world included some that were written by Biljana Srbljanović, undoubtedly Serbia’s most famous and highest sought-after playwright. Her presence as a playwright was very important in Cvele’s work, just as it is in his private life. They became godparents to one another.
“There were many situations when we didn’t agree, but that proved useful. There’s something completely objective about her, and that’s the integrity of the stances she advocates. I often don’t agree with them, but I rarely emerge victorious.”
After the Yugoslav wars that our interlocutor believes lasted too long and had terrible consequences, there was a small group of people engaged
in theatre that had a strong desire to know what was being done on the ‘other side’, because every neighbour became the ‘other side’. That desire ordinarily ended up in guest appearances that lasted five or six days, because audiences were eager to see the best performances from other environments.
“When the Slovenian National Theatre from Ljubljana would have a guest performance at Atelje 212 or the Yugoslav Drama Theatre, or when we would travel to Zagreb, Ljubljana, Sarajevo or Skopje, those people would wait for us with great excitement, just as we did for them here. That excitement carried over to post-performance socialising, which was dignified and intimate.
“Nowadays, in contrast to that time, we live in total disinterest over what exists on the other side. Even when some show from Zagreb or Ljubljana comes here, tickets don’t sell unless there’s some crazy advertising. We are a little privileged in Belgrade. I remember one press conference about a guest performance of the Slovenian National Theatre in Belgrade, when Slovenian actors Jernej Šugman and Igor Samobor were asked why it was so important for them to perform in
With Varja Djukić in Miloš Crnjanski’s Nikola Tesla, directed for RTS by Slavoljub StefanovićRavasi (left)
With Nebojša Glogovac in Kleist’s The Broken Jug, directed by Igor Vuk Torbica (right)
Belgrade, to which they responded: because it’s the capital city!
“We still have the privilege, when we go to Zagreb, Sarajevo, Banja Luka, whichever, that we are very quickly contacted and told: ‘there’s great interest. Would you perform two shows instead of one?’ That’s precisely what happened to us recently with the scheduled guest appearance of the Heartefact House play How I Learned to Drive. That’s something we can be proud of, and is more evident in theatre than on film.
Just as none of us can be proud that someone did various things in my name, in our name, that isn’t in keeping with the relations of one nation towards another, from any side, in everything that was produced by the war. To this day, if there’s something that causes me to shudder and that I fear, that’s war.”
This actor who’s also been a producer of some excellent films, such as Goran Marković’s The Tour, is among
It’s always exciting in our country and we’re constantly ‘privileged’ to have various sources of excitement
the rare Serbian artists who can boast of having good cooperation with colleagues and people from the world of culture in Kosovo. He is one of the lead actors in the outstanding play Balkan Bordello (written by Jeton Neziraj and directed by Blerta Neziraj) that was staged as a joint production of Atelje 212, New York’s La MaMa theatre and Pristina’s Qendra Multimedia. The play’s executive producer is Beka Vučo:
“When someone invites you to work on this kind of project that also includes people from the ‘other side of the gun’, which is a constant situation between Belgrade and Pristina that doesn’t change in any way, you have to have the good will to do something like that. I have that built in good will to communicate with people, even those who think differently to what ‘our side’ wants. We performed our Balkan Bordello play in Pristina, Belgrade, Montenegro and Albania, and put on 15 shows in New York at La MaMa theatre. We have completed that mission, but it is only for the narrow circle of people who would come to the realisation that normal communication exists between people who don’t understand the language spoken by the other side; and who have historical misinformation about the origins of their people
and their country, which is linked exclusively to the current situation. And that situation is constant conflict. With that small example, we showed that it is possible to work together. I think it would be significant and sobering if as many people as possible went from here to Kosovo to come face to face with the reality in which those people live. We don’t know that, just as they don’t know, but rather have a terrifying image of us. They think there are werewolves walking on Terazije, waiting to slice the throats of every Albanian. And, of course, that is also mirrored here. That bad practice is developing progressively, with the wrong moves being made on both sides. The future lies in normal human communication, not in either-or scenarios. I always considered politics as the art of reaching compromise, while in our country it has for decades been led like a theory of exclusivity.”
CorD’s interlocutor finds himself disappointed with the picture of the world that surrounds us, but strives to devote as little time as possible to “solving global issues”. Regardless of how much that sounds like his inherent irony, which he knows how to use well, he explains in all seriousness.
To this day, if there’s something that causes me to shudder and that I fear, that’s war
“We have all learnt that every person living in their own country has the inalienable right to have a solution for every situation. Well, I don’t have a solution for the situation that surrounds me, while at the same time I’m terribly disappointed by the position the world is in. When I watched the debate between Biden and Trump, I said loudly: It’s great in our country! Goran Marković, Dušan Kovačević and I agreed long ago that we wouldn’t know what we would do if we lived in a peaceful country like Switzerland. What would we write about; what kinds of films would be made... It’s always exciting in our country and we’re constantly ‘privileged’ to have various sources of excitement. On the other hand, regardless of how privileged we are, I would never recommend that anyone endure what we went through from the end of the ‘80s until today. I think that we, as a generation, had the most wonderful time living in something that still lives on to-
day, and that’s the music that emerged in the early ‘80s, that new wave, and the perspective we had that nothing bad would happen to us.”
It might not be the norm, but Cvele dedicated his Pavle Vuisić Award to Dr Nada Basara. Giving thanks, he said: “This is a unique opportunity to dedicate the award to someone you don’t know, who couldn’t possibly impact your lives, but who influenced the fact that I’m alive today; that I’m standing here in front of you and that I’ve also done something that I might not otherwise have been able to do for the last ten years. Around seven or eight years ago, plenty of people said their goodbyes to me, more or less teary-eyed in the expectation that it might be our last meeting. I had to stop shooting some films because the circumstances were such. But in one hour, somewhere in the north of our planet, I met a doctor who put my life back in my own hands, who extended my life and made it possible for me to be with you tonight. I dedicate this award to her and her name is Nada Basara. I thank her for the life she gave me and thank her for this award.”
It was one of the most touching and life-affirming moments in the 30-year history of this award.
“When I visited Dr Basara, she said to me: ‘You’re sick, but you’re not seriously ill. And we will resolve it.’ The moment I entered into what people call a disease, without even being aware of it, that was the moment I experienced the first berating from my father, who was a doctor and professor at the medical school. He pushed me into getting treatment. As did my brother, who is younger, more handsome and smarter than me, and who had a free mind to decide on some things I wouldn’t have been able to decide on my own. Doctor Basara told me recently: ‘If you didn’t have your brother by your side, who knows what would have been of you!’ And that’s correct: my brother was the one who pulled me through it all, who leapt in and resolved things whenever I couldn’t.”
Ahtari Zoo in Finland is set to return two giant pandas to China in November, eight years ahead of schedule, due to financial difficulties. The pandas, Lumi and Piri, arrived in Finland in 2018 as part of a conservation agreement between the two countries and were meant to stay for 15 years. However, the zoo cited inflation and pandemic-related debt as reasons for sending the pandas back early. The zoo has been spending €1.5 million annually on their care, in addition to over €8 million on their habitat, and the Finnish government’s refusal to provide funding last year further contributed to the decision.
Brazil is set to construct the tallest residential building in the world, named after national hero and Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna, pending government approval. The Senna Tower, planned for Balneário Camboriú in southern Brazil, will stand at over 500 meters—28 meters taller than the current record-holder, Central Park Tower in New York. The €500 million project, designed by Senna’s niece, Lalali, was developed by FG Empreendimentos.
Women in the EU have an average life expectancy at birth of 5.4 years longer than men, at 83.3 years compared to 77.9 years. Healthy life years, free from activity limitations, represent 75% of women’s and 80% of men’s total life expectancy, meaning men tend to spend a greater proportion of their shorter lives without activity restrictions. In 2022, Malta recorded the highest number of healthy years for women (70.3), followed by Bulgaria (68.9) and Slovenia (68.5). Denmark saw the fewest for women (54.6), along with Latvia (55.4) and the Netherlands (56.3). For men, Malta also led with 70.1 healthy years, followed by Sweden (67.5) and Italy (67.1), while the lowest figures were in Latvia (53), Slovakia (56.6), and Denmark (57.1).
American space operations engineer Sarah Gillis (30) has become the first person to play the violin in space. She performed “Rey’s Theme” by John Williams while aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon during the Polaris Dawn mission. Her violin solo was synchronised with musicians on Earth, including the Los Angeles Symphony and young musicians worldwide. The space performance also served a humanitarian cause, raising funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Sony is close to finalising a deal to acquire the music rights of legendary British rock band Pink Floyd for approximately $500 million, reports the Financial Times. According to sources close to the band and Sony, the negotiations have been complicated by personal differences between band members, particularly Roger Waters and David Gilmour. Formed in London in 1965, Pink Floyd has sold over 250 million records worldwide by 2013, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Scientists at the University of Southampton have stored the entire human genome on a 5D crystal using lasers, with the potential to last billions of years. This durable crystal, made of fused quartz, can withstand extreme conditions and cosmic radiation. The team hopes the technology could one day preserve genomes of endangered species, although current methods can’t recreate life from genetic data.
Explore this stunning collection of women’s dresses, featuring a variety of styles, from elegant evening gowns to casual chic, perfect for every occasion
Dries Van Noten makes such good use of color and pattern – this dress has a checkered motif that’ll look great with neutrals or clashing prints
MAX MARA
Minimalist slip styles like Max Mara’s ‘Talete’ dress will not only live in your closet for years to come, they’ll work for so occasions,manytoo
Made in Italy from black wool and silk-blend crepe contrasted by a white cotton collar and cuffs, it has voluminous organza sleeves and a sharply pin-tucked bib
Zimmermann’s silk-satin midi dress is draped in a way that feels equally effortless and elegant. It has a plunging neckline overlaid with a floaty pussy-bow that negates the need for a necklace
Made from cotton, this shirt dress is embroidered with tropical birds and flowers and topped with bead-embellished buttons
Knitted from a wool and silk-blend, it’s fitted through the hips and flares toward the hem. It’s reversible so you can wear it with the V-neckline at the front or back
12 October – Sava Center
One of the most prestigious orchestras, consisting of almost 70 members, ‘s repertoire includes new works and traditional classical pieces, film music, music from video games, musicals, and symphonic arrangements of classic rock and pop songs. These include tracks from Pink Floyd, Queen, Eurythmics, Oasis, U2, David Bowie, Coldplay, The Police, Stereophonics, and The Rolling Stones.
17,18 October - BitefArtCafe
José James, an internationally acclaimed jazz singer of the hiphop generation, will perform with his band as part of the Musicology Sessions concert series. New York-based vocalist José James blends jazz, soul, drum’ n bass, and spoken word into his unique brand of vocal jazz. Citing major influences such as John Coltrane, Marvin Gaye, and Billie Holiday, his live performances evoke the jazz-soul icons of the 1970s while maintaining his authentic style.
30 October – Sava Center
Yasmin Levy will perform her biggest hits for the first time accompanied by the Symphony Orchestra of Radio Television of Serbia. Known as the voice of all Mediterranean cultures, Yasmin Levy has captivated the world with her songs in Spanish and Ladino. The world was introduced to her distinctive voice and powerful compositions through songs such as “Una Noche Mas,” “Alegria,” and “Adio Kerida.”
Get Your Money Right is a no-nonsense, nojargon guide to money that will help you become in control of your money so that you can earn more of it, spend less, build wealth, and eventually pass more of it on to the next generation. Get Your Money Right takes complicated financial principles and breaks them into practical, easy-tounderstand concepts. It shares stories of clients Emmanuel had helped, describing the mess they were in before they met him and giving specific tips on how he helped them out of their situation.
Joseph L. Bower, Herman B. Leonard, Lynn S. Paine
Bower, Leonard, and Paine set forth a renewed and more urgent call to action in this updated and expanded edition of Capitalism at Risk. With three additional chapters and a new preface, the authors explain how the eleven original disruptors of the global market system clash with the digital age and provide lessons on how to take action. Presenting examples of companies already making a difference, Bower, Leonard, and Paine show how businesses must serve both as innovators and activists—developing corporate strategies that effect change at the community, national, and international levels.
Ed Smith
Making Decisions reveals Smith’s unique approach to finding success in a fast-changing and increasingly data-reliant world. The best decisions, Smith argues, rely on a combination of differing kinds of intelligence, from algorithms to intuition. The most successful people know this truth: data cannot account for everything; it must be harnessed with human insight. Whatever the power of data, humans aren’t finished yet.
Bertrand Lemoine
Based on an original, limited edition folio by Gustave Eiffel himself, this fresh Taschen edition explores the concept and construction of this remarkable building. Step by step, one latticework layer after another, Eiffel’s iconic design evolves over double-page plates, meticulous drawings, and on-site photographs, including new images and even more historical context. The result is a gem of vintage architecture and a unique insight into the idea behind an icon.
Christian Habermeier, Sebastian Jäger
More than 100 years ago, the brothers Adolf (“Adi”) and Rudolf Dassler made their first pair of sports shoes. Hundreds of groundbreaking designs, epic moments, and star-studded collabs later, this book presents a visual review of the adidas shoe through almost 200 models. This collection makes up the “adidas archive”, one of the largest, if not the largest archive of any sports goods manufacturer in the world― which photographers Christian Habermeier and Sebastian Jäger have been visually documenting in extreme detail for years.
Auguste Racinet
Originally published in France between 1876 and 1888, Auguste Racinet’s Le Costume Historique was, in its day, the most wideranging and incisive study of clothing ever attempted. Covering the world history of costume, dress, and style from antiquity through to the end of the 19th century, the sixvolume work remains completely unique in its scope and detail.
4/9/2024
Niklas Lindqvist, Finland’s Ambassador to Serbia, hosted a reception at his residency to welcome Finland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Elina Valtonen, during her official visit to Serbia. The event brought together members of the diplomatic corps, member companies from the Nordic Business Alliance, and local institutions, fostering discussions on cooperation and strengthening ties between Finland and Serbia.
4/9/2024
The Europe House in Belgrade was opened today by state officials, representatives of the diplomatic corps, and numerous partners. The European House will be a place for meetings, learning, debating, film projections, books or music, and cultural exchange in the centre of Serbia, stated the speakers at the opening. The Europe House is dedicated to strengthening ties between Serbia and the European Union. Through various activities and programmes, we promote mutual understanding, share common values , and strengthen cooperation, actively supporting Serbia’s EU integration process.
5/9/2024
Around 1,000 state and local leaders, business figures, international community representatives, and the diplomatic corps gathered at the White Palace during the traditional September Gathering of Members and Partners to celebrate NALED’s 18th anniversary and mark the start of a new reform season. Digitalisation and artificial intelligence were the event’s central themes, highlighting the importance of technological development for Serbia’s future. NALED’s coming of age was symbolically celebrated with a birthday cake in the presence of the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ana Brnabić, who was instrumental in founding the organisation with the support of USAID in 2006.
12/9/2024
José Mauro da Fonseca Costa Couto, the Ambassador of Brazil, hosted a festive event to celebrate Brazil’s Independence Day. The gathering brought together diplomats, business representatives, and esteemed guests, showcasing Brazil’s rich culture and traditions. The event highlighted the strong diplomatic and economic ties between Brazil and Serbia, with the ambassador emphasising the importance of continued collaboration in various sectors, reflecting the long-standing friendship between the two nations.
13/9/2024
Carlos Felix, the Ambassador of Mexico, hosted a vibrant event to commemorate Mexico’s National Day. The gathering, held in the Metropol Hotel, brought together diplomats, business leaders, and prominent members of the Serbian community. Guests enjoyed a showcase of Mexican culture, highlighting the deepening ties between Mexico and Serbia. The event underscored the importance of diplomatic relations and cultural exchange between the two nations.
13/9/2024
The Serbian Business Club “Privrednik” hosted its traditional reception in the garden of the Club House, gathering representatives from the diplomatic corps, domestic and international companies, and state institutions, as well as notable figures from the fields of science, culture, sports, and media. Zoran Drakulić, the president of the Club, greeted guests on behalf of all members. While it is customary to reflect on Serbia’s macroeconomic and business trends at this event, Drakulić humorously remarked that after eight years as president, he had spoken enough on these topics and chose to leave those discussions aside for the evening.
17/9/2024
The Japanese Business Alliance in Belgrade organised a unique networking event, the Tsukimi Networking Event, held at the historic Astronomical Observatory of Belgrade. Tsukimi, which translates to “moon viewing,” is a traditional Japanese festival celebrating the beauty of the autumn moon. The event provided a distinctive cultural experience, blending Japanese tradition with a scenic view of the night sky while offering professionals from various industries the opportunity to connect and strengthen business ties in a relaxed and culturally enriching atmosphere.
18/9/2024
Belgrade hosted the inaugural conference of the Council of European Business Associations and Chambers of Commerce in Serbia (CEBAC), bringing together over 200 companies from 14 European organisations. The event focused on the upcoming Expo 2027 and highlighted the key opportunities for Serbia’s business landscape. In her opening remarks, Sanja Ivanić, General Secretary of CEBAC, emphasised the organisation’s commitment to supporting its member companies and fostering connections with key stakeholders in the Serbian market. “This conference is a vital step in realising our goal of providing a platform for collaboration and business development,” she stated.
23/9/2024
Executive Director Iva Petrovic of the Nordic Business Alliance (NBA) hosted a vibrant networking event to mark the end of summer and welcome the new season. Held in the charming garden of the Legat Petra Lubarde, the gathering kicked off NBA’s fall activities, allowing members and guests to reconnect after the summer break. The presence of three Nordic ambassadors highlighted this special occasion: Finland’s Niklas Lindqvist, Norway’s Kristin Melsom, and Sweden’s Charlotte Sammelin. Attendees enjoyed casual conversations with the diplomats, making for a relaxed yet productive evening of networking.
26/9/2024
The newly appointed Swiss Ambassador, Anne Lugon-Moulin, hosted an event at her residence to celebrate Switzerland’s National Day a month after the official date. The evening also featured the presentation of a Special Edition of CorD Magazine dedicated to Swiss-Serbian business relations and the growing bilateral ties between the two nations. The event gathered members of the diplomatic community, business leaders, and notable figures from various sectors, offering an opportunity to highlight the strong economic and cultural connections between Switzerland and Serbia.
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