CHALLENGING & FASCINATING TIME IN SERBIA

There are still many reforms to be carried out to strengthen democratic institutions and processes. The recent elections have given a good example. No one has failed to see that the freedom of media is imperfectly fulfilled, as the ruling party could rely on disproportionate coverage from most major media – Philippe Guex

As he makes preparations to depart Serbia, Swiss Ambassador Philippe Guex says that he is satisfied with the fact that, during his term, Switzerland became the third largest donor in Serbia, and that bilateral cooperation programmes were aimed significantly towards young people, primarily through the encouraging of the introduction of dual education in schools. Ambassador Guex concludes his term by stating that Switzerland and Serbia “agree to disagree in their view of the status of Kosovo”, which he says is linked to the only unpleasantness he experienced in Serbia. He found fault with one minister for making “malicious comments” against Swiss football players originating in Kosovo. There was no such discomfort when it comes to economic cooperation. Swiss investors are generally satisfied with conditions in Serbia, but also cite shortcomings: lack of the rule of law, including within courts of justice, cases of corruption or lack of transparency of the tax administration.

Your Excellency, given that you’re approaching the end of your term in Serbia, how would you summarise the time you’ve spent in Belgrade?

INVESTMENTS Even though the business environment has improved, there is still scope to align it further with European standards EU The door to the EU is open, but it is up to the political elites of the candidate countries to push this door by taking onboard the necessary reforms NEGOTIATIONS I don’t want to prejudge any future negotiations, but I'm afraid that broad local autonomy is no longer an option

- I dedicated over 20 years of my career to Swiss-EU affairs in Brussels, Luxembourg, London and Paris. My appointment in Belgrade was certainly the most challenging and fascinating one, considering the wide scope of diplomatic and political issues an ambassador has to deal with.

I am particularly satisfied that during my time in Belgrade the Swiss government has increased its support to Serbia up to 24 million euros annually. Switzerland now belongs among the top three bilateral donors to Serbia. As a reminder, we are the only donor that has been present continuously, without interruption, since 1991. A highlight of the last four years is that our cooperation programmes have focused increasingly on the youth, with our dual education programmes, as well as on young entrepreneurs. After supporting the opening of Science & Technology Park Belgrade a few years ago, we are now doing the same in Niš and Čačak. Such support provides opportunities for young IT experts to develop their innovative projects into start-ups, and doing so prevents them from leaving the country. the mysterious fortress of Maglić, the astonishing synagogue national parks, the meanders of the river Uvac. I could go on and on like that with dozens of other examples.

Your final year in Serbia has been marked by the Coronavirus pandemic. To what extent did that impact on the plans

At the start of your residency in Serbia, you noted the people’s “chaleur huGenerous servings of - From one day to another, providing assistance to Swiss citizens has bemaine” and the large servings of food. delicious food is a feature that come a priority for me and the staff at What else made an impression on you? - What I said in a previous interview is that the generous servings of delicious food is illustrates the great sense of hospitality of the people in the Embassy. We have been in constant contact with the Swiss community and have tried to respond to each request. a feature that illustrates the great sense Serbia, their human touch The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs of hospitality of the people in Serbia, their human touch or their “chaleur humaine”, as or their “chaleur humaine”, was very helpful in this regard. We had good cooperation in organising repatriawe say in French. The creative art scene as we say in French tion flights for stranded Swiss citizens and tourism potential of the country also in Serbia, as well as for Serbian citizens impressed me when I first arrived. No wonder that Serbia was stranded in Switzerland. Another challenge was to respond the cradle of numerous talented artists, the most famous swiftly to the Serbian authorities’ inquiry for support to manliving example of which is Marina Abramović. During the first age the pandemic. Within a few days, we were able to make year I spent all my holidays touring the country and I got only available 600,000 euros to help those most in need, including a glimpse of its tourism potential. Just a few examples of my the elderly and men and women who lost their incomes. This fond memories: the Deliblato Sands, the splendid Studenica amount was channelled through our local partners, including and Sopoćani monasteries, the quiet Roman site of Romuliana, the Red Cross of Serbia. you had until the end of your term? in Subotica, the snowy peaks of Kopaonik, the amazing preEven prior to the Coronavirus outbreak, economic cooperahistoric site of Vinča, the magnificent Fruška Gora and Tara tion between the two countries seemed to be experiencing a

slight slowdown. Do you have a suggestion about what needs to happen in Serbia in order to make the country more interesting for investors from Switzerland? - First I would like to state that most of the Swiss companies are, roughly speaking, satisfied with the business conditions that prevail in Serbia. The Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce carries out an annual survey among its members that confirms this fact. This is particularly true for the big “names”, like Nestlé, Novartis, Roche, Ringier Group, SGS or Sika. The complaints I am informed about come usually from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). They relate to the lack of the rule of law, including within courts of justice, cases of corruption or lack of transparency of the tax authorities. implemented. Switzerland therefore supports Serbia in

As you prepare to depart the Western Balkans, do you see it as a future EU region or as an isolated island within the EU? - Europe would not be Europe without the Western Balkans. From the dismantling of the Roman Empire to the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Western Balkans have always been a gateway between Western and Eastern Europe. The continent is today reunited, from Lisbon to Athens, from Stockholm to Rome. I would then expect this gateway role to fade away over time. Under these circumstances, what would be the added value in the Western Balkans becoming an isolated island? The door to the EU is open, but it is up to the political elites of the candidate countries to push this door by taking onboard the necessary

You’ve advocated strongly for Serbia’s As your only negative experience in membership in the EU, emphasising that Serbia, you’ve mentioned that you resome Swiss donations were also awardcall “malicious comments” during the ed with the intention of strengthening World Cup in Russia that were directed the country’s capacity to navigate netowards several members of the Swiss gotiations successfully and achieve EU national football team who have oriaccession. You’ve stated that these dogins in Kosovo. Didn’t it seem to you nations are about supporting the sysat the time that some of the members tem of European values. Do you think of your own national team were using that they can only develop within the football to meddle in politics? EU; and if so, how should we interpret - Let’s get facts straight. The “malicious the fact that the Swiss have no intencomments” you are referring to were tion of even considering membership? made by a Serbian Minister prior to the - We tend to forget that the European Serbia vs. Switzerland match. These Union is first and foremost a matter of values, which are identified as the Within a few days, we were “malicious comments” were broadcast throughout Switzerland before the rule of law, freedom of media, market able to make available match, as evidence that a member of the economy, judicial independence or intolerance of corruption. Each value is 600,000 euros to help those Serbian government was using football to meddle in politics. The two Swiss footballimportant and forms part of the whole. most in need, including the ers did the same during the match. They There is no cherry picking. Switzerland elderly and men and women have been rightly punished for what they shares all these values deeply, even though our direct democracy system, who lost their incomes did. I am not sure that the Minister was sanctioned. The Swiss football team is an as well as our specific history, prevents illustration of what Switzerland is at its us from joining the EU. Serbia has decided to join the best, namely a blending of different cultures that live together EU. That means that these values have to be shared and in peace and with mutual respect. reforms. achieving this goal, with the resources available as a nonWhen discussing the secret of Switzerland’s success, you EU bilateral donor. As EU progress reports show, Serbia mentioned three recipes, one of which is decentralisation – is moving forward, particularly in economic sectors, but given that your country has 23 cantons and over 2,000 municthere are still many reforms to be carried out in order to ipalities. Why couldn’t the decentralisation model, proposed strengthen democratic institutions and processes. The as broad local autonomy, not also be a solution for Kosovo? recent elections have provided a good example. No one Switzerland was one of the first countries to recognise the has failed to see that freedom of media is imperfectly independence of the Serbian province. fulfilled, as the ruling party could rely on disproportionate - Switzerland and Serbia agree to disagree on Kosovo, as we coverage from most major media outlets, including the TV recognised its independence like the majority of countries channels with a national frequency. around the world. For decades, including in the ‘90s, broad

local autonomy could indeed have been a solution for Kosovo. Throughout that time there were several missed opportunities in this regard. I don’t want to prejudge any future negotiations, but I’m afraid that broad local autonomy is no longer an option. Having said that, Switzerland supports an inclusive negotiation process that has to lead to a comprehensive normalisation agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, the implementation of which has to be effective. We trust that both sides will use their leeway to have a significant positive influence on the process. How does the Swiss-funded platform for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina function? - Switzerland is funding one of the very few platforms for dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo. This platform is not only for NGOs, journalists and academics from Serbia and Kosovo to meet and hold a dialogue with each other, but also for members of parliament or key representatives of political parties, be that opposition or ruling parties. In the case of members of parliament, they usually meet up to three times a year in a neighbouring country. Pristina’s introduction of 100% tariffs for imports from Serbia froze these exchanges for understandable reasons. I am confident that they will now resume. and the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Serbia for the implementation of this dual education reform. A highly knowledgeable professor in dual education from the ETH Zurich has a leading role in that respect. Second, we are carrying out our own programme that’s focused on short term work-based learning courses. This programme targets the creation of new jobs in five cities and their surrounding municipalities. So far it has supported 12,000 young people with career advice and

job placement, and facilitated 1,000 work-based learning Like several of your predecessors, you No one has failed to see programmes in 120 companies, with a 60 per cent job retention rate for young also advocated for the introduction of that freedom of media is men and women. dual education in Serbia. How would you rate it today, with the applying of that imperfectly fulfilled, as the You launched the project “Private Valsystem having started? ruling party could rely on ue” three years ago, through which you - The trigger for us to make dual educadisproportionate coverage gave young artists from Serbia the option a priority of our bilateral cooperation with Serbia was the strong interest from most major media portunity to mark the start of their ca reers with exhibitions in a specific gal expressed by President Aleksandar Vučić outlets, including the TV lery that you created in the scope of the during a visit to Switzerland five years ago, in his capacity as then prime minischannels with a national Swiss ambassadorial residence. Will your colleagues continue this project? ter. His interest has never declined since frequency - When I arrived in Belgrade, I decided then. On the contrary, in the meantime to open the doors of the Ambassadohis government carried out a major reform, the first results rial Residence to Swiss and Serbian artists specialising of which are promising. There are currently 7,000 students on in visual arts. I think it perfectly suits my first mission in dual education programmes in Serbia, in 104 schools, getting Belgrade, which is to be a bridge builder between Serbia and knowledge for 37 profiles with 880 participating companies. Switzerland. Three to four temporary exhibitions have been This year alone there were 3,000 places for freshmen in dual organised each year, including “Private Value” exhibitions education, which is a very favourable trend, given the current featuring only young Serbian artists. As this is my personal economic and public health circumstances. initiative, I can’t tell you whether my successor will keep

The role of the Swiss Embassy here is twofold. First, we going with a 4 th edition next year. You can trust that I will bring qualified policy advice to the Ministry of Education encourage him to do so.