Diplomacy & Commerce Magazine / #91 / December 2023 / January 2024 by Diplomacy&Commerce magazine

CULTURAL INTERVIEW

TRAVELOGUE

AURÉLIA THIERRÉE

THE CASTLE THAT BECAME A SURNAME

DECEMBER 2023 JANUARY 2024

ISSUE 91

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A NEW INDUSTRIAL POLICY STRATEGY

EVENTS 28 NOVEMBER 2023

SLOBODAN CVETKOVIĆ

WINTER WONDERS BY AUSTRIAN EMBASSY

Economy Minister

WORLD IN 2024

IVICA DAČIĆ CHRISTOPHER R. HILL

VISION FOR 2024 AND BEYOND

SERBIA WILL CONTINUE IMPLEMENTING ITS OWN INDEPENDENT FOREIGN POLICY

FRANÇOISE JACOB

THE PLEDGE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

TASTE AWARDS 2023 NATIONAL AWARDS FOR FOOD QUALITY FIRST TIME IN SERBIA

THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION FOR LUXURY SHOPPING

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SYMBOL OF YOUR SUCCESS 3

CONTENT

A NEW INDUSTRIAL POLICY STRATEGY

NEW LAWS, OLD CHALLENGES

FEATURED INTERVIEW FOLLOW US TO STAY UPDATED

SLOBODAN CVETKOVIĆ Economy Minister

MEDIA INTERVIEW

TAMARA FILIPOVIĆ STEVANOVIĆ Secretary-General, Independent Journalists Association of Serbia

CULTURAL INTERVIEW

IN THE REALM OF ILLUSION AURÉLIA THIERRÉE CHAPLIN actress and dancer ROBERT ČOBAN Director robert.coban@color.rs DRAGAN NIKOLIĆ Editor in Chief dragan.nikolic@color.rs Journalists Žikica Milošević, Nikola Gudelj, Duška Jovanić, Mijat Kontić Advertising DRAGAN VUČEVIĆ dragan.vucevic@color.rs JELENA JAHURA jelena.jahura@color.rs Photos Goran Zlatković Lazar Balaban Sanja Stefanović Miloš Lužanin Shutterstock Translation Snežana Bjelotomić Andrej Klemenčić Prepress Studio Lončar Contributors: Dragan Nikolić Robert Čoban Nikola Gudelj Mijat Kontić Duška Jovanić Dragan Bisenić Print Zlatna knjiga Jagodina Distribution PRETPLATA doo office@pretplata.rs +381 11 314 99 21

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CONFERENCE WORLD IN 2024

16 H.E. CHRISTOPHER HILL US Ambassador

18 IVICA DAČIĆ

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs 20 TOMISLAV MOMIROVIĆ Minister of Internal and Foreign Trade 22 PANEL: (Not) All Quite on the Western Front 24 SLAVICA DJUKIĆ DEJANOVIĆ Minister of Education 26 BRANKICA JANKOVIĆ The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality 27 DJORDJE MILIĆEVIĆ Minister without portfolio in charge of the coordination of activities and measures related to relations with the diaspora 28 DEYANA KOSTADINOVA Director of UNICEF Serbia 30 FRANÇOISE JACOB UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia 32 COMMENT by Žikica Milošević

TASTE AWARDS 2023

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN BELGRADE

by Color Media Communications

TRAVELOGUE

WINDSOR THE CASTLE THAT BECAME A SURNAME Robert Čoban

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FOREWORD

You Have No Enemies, You Say?

„H

ere in Georgia, 90% of the population supports the country’s entry into the EU. When we officially receive candidate status tomorrow I believe the percentage will be even higher!” said Ilia Koberidze, head of the Georgian Mission in Serbia, at the panel discussion titled „Something new in the West”. Once the magazine comes out, he would no longer be in Belgrade, since he would have finished his four-year term in our country. One of the panellists, Miloš Todorović, Deputy Foreign Minister of Serbia, said that the support for EU accession in our country has never been lower. According to research conducted by the Institute for European Affairs in October of this year, this support stood at only 46%, which is the historical minimum since Serbia was given an EU candidate status on March 1, 2012. In addition to the representatives of Serbia and Georgia, the two candidate countries, H.E. Edward Ferguson, the former British ambassador to Serbia in 2016, and H.E. Annika Ben David, the current ambassador of Sweden, an EU member, participated in the panel. Before the panel started, we broadcast an insert from the series „The Crown”, in which Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was having a conversation with Queen Elizabeth II, in which she quotes the British poet Charles Mackay: “You have no enemies, you say? Alas, my friend, the boast is poor. He who has mingled in the fray of duty that the brave endure must have made foes. If you have none, small is the work that you have done. You’ve hit no traitor on the hip. You’ve dashed no cup from the perjured lip. You’ve never turned the wrong to right. You’ve been a coward in the fight.” The panel moderator, the dean of the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade, Dragan Simić, asked the participants whether today’s Europe recognizes who the enemies of „European values” are. The Swedish ambassador immediately said that she sees Putin and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine as the biggest threat to Europe and its values. The Deputy Foreign Minister of Serbia said that the world we live in is changing and that Putin was welcomed very warmly during his recent visit to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The Swedish ambassador would probably receive a similar answer from Viktor Orbán, the Prime Minister of Hungary, also an EU member, as well as Robert Fitz, the Prime Minister of Slovakia, an EU member. There was quite a bit of disagreement among European countries when someone asked a question about the main culprits of the current war in the Middle East.

In the first five minutes of the conversation, we came to the conclusion that Europe is not united in its values and recognition of its main enemies. The desire to be neutral and avoid hostilities is understandable in both ordinary people and states, especially when it comes to small nations. Guided by this desire and to save Yugoslavia from suffering during the war, Prince Pavle supported the Triple Pact. A year later, he was in exile with his family in a dilapidated house next to a malarial lake in Kenya, where the British sent him as a punishment. He was allowed to return to Europe only in 1948, seven years later. The attempt to see Hitler not as an enemy but as a potential partner and ally in history books marred Neville Chamberlain, the signatory of the Munich Agreement in 1939, as well as King Edward VIII, who closely associated with the Nazis after his abdication. In the desire to preserve friends and allies both in the East and in the West, Serbia has been promoting a „policy of military neutrality” for years. Official Belgrade avoids criticizing any actor on the global political scene for their actions, even though the media close to the Serbian authorities mostly glorify the authorities in Beijing and Moscow and are highly critical of Washington, London, Brussels or Berlin. Will Serbia, surrounded by EU member countries or EU candidates from all sides as well as NATO member countries, that is, the states and territories where there are bases of members of that military alliance (Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo) are located, continue its „no enemies” policy? This will undoubtedly be one of the central topics in 2024.

Robert Čoban

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by Dragan Nikolić

FEATURED INTERVIEW

A New Industrial Policy Strategy We want to transform the industry in the direction of innovative and technologyintensive sectors, while adhering to the principles of sustainable development SLOBODAN CVETKOVIĆ Economy Minister

n the sidelines of the World in 2024 conference, organized by Color Media Communications, just as we are about to enter a new year, we spoke with one of the conference participants, Slobodan Cvetković, the Minister of Economy, about the new industrial policy strategy that will be implemented as of 2024. The minister spoke about the challenges facing the Serbian economy, how globalization affects our country and what is the industry of the future. You recently returned from the Fair Globalization - Innovative Solutions for the Industry of Tomorrow conference. Can globalization be fair and how can we prevent the the gap between the rich and the poor from becoming even wider? I participated in the 20th General Conference of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) whose goal was to create new paths towards sustainability, digital inclusiveness and economic resilience through discussions and panels. The discussions clearly showed what is needed at the global level, namely investments in infrastructure,

sustainable energy systems, food supply security, green technologies, digitization, artificial intelligence, education and empowerment of women.

We live in an interdependent world, everything is interconnected. We share one planet and are responsible for global development that ultimately affects us all.

IN 2024, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAMME FOR COMPANIES WILL CONTINUE, WITH A BUDGET OF RSD 2 BILLION

Therefore, it was discussed how future industrial policies should look to ensure a fairer globalization and what measures countries can implement to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the energy transition, digitalization and demographic changes. Actions that the international community can take to accelerate sustainable industrialization www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

in the least developed countries were also suggested.

vation, investments and restructuring.

We need long-term investments in sustainable industrial development and above all genuine global partnership and solidarity to give hundreds of millions of young people around the world a good perspective for the future. Sustainable economic development requires constant reforms, investments in human capital and a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship. If we focus on sustainable industrialization, innovation and inclusive economic growth, we will take a significant step towards creating shared global prosperity.

What is the industry of tomorrow and can Serbia keep up with the world in this regard?

Industrial policy strategy As a response to the challenges in the modern economy, at the proposal of the Ministry of Economy, the Serbian Government adopted the Industrial Policy Strategy covering the period from 2021 to 2030. For the year 2024, we plan to adopt a new Action Plan for the Strategy for the 2024-2025 period. The general goal of this strategy is to boost the competitiveness of the Serbian industry by accomplishing five specific goals, with a set of measures and activities dedicated to digitalization, inno-

The industry of tomorrow is innovation-based. Innovations are a key driver of industrial development and economic growth. Secondly, to increase the economy’s resilience and continue along the path to sustainable development, higher investments and their quality are of crucial importance. Accordingly, one of the special goals of the Industrial Policy Strategy is to increase the volume of quality, high- and medium-technology investments, in order to increase the added value of industrial products. We want to transform the industry in the direction of innovative and technology-intensive sectors while adhering to the principles of sustainable development. Digitization is the next special goal outlined by the strategy, not only as a transformation of the economy but also of society as a whole. At the time of the 4th industrial revolution, digitization was a prerequisite for company survival, both in the domestic and global markets. That is why we are focused on education in this area.

Innovative solutions are a prerequisite for the transformation of the industry from a linear to a circular model, which is another specific goal of our strategy. The circular economy, as a model of sustainable development, must be very carefully coordinated, as it involves a wide range of relevant participants and is connected to all areas of industry. Investments in green projects will have a positive effect on competitiveness and economic growth in the long term, through creation of new jobs and increased exports in medium and high technologies. These are very important activities for us and we expect support through

have had a strong impact on the global economy, but I can say that the Serbian economy is accelerating and that, if it continues at this pace of development, despite the significant slowdown of the European economy, it can achieve the planned GDP growth in 2023. For instance, our economy recorded a growth of 1.7 percent in the second quarter of 2023, while in the same period, the growth of the European Union’s economy stood at close to 0.5 percent. This favourable trend from the second quarter continued in the second part of the year, where the growth was 2.5 percent. Construction and the information and communica-

THIS YEAR, WE ALLOCATED RSD 3.4 BILLION WORTH OF GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE SME SECTOR the network of projects as these are also global goals. What is the state of our economy after the pandemic-induced crisis? Have we recovered and how do we look today from the point of view of sustainability, especially in times of crisis? The coronavirus pandemic, but also the energy crisis and the recent global political turbulence

tion technology (ICT) sectors are on the rise in the second quarter. The construction sector achieved a growth of as much as 15.1 percent, while the ICT sector recorded a 10.1 per cent growth. How much do we rely on our own resources and entrepreneurship? The Ministry of Economy provides great support for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Serbia. The goal is for domestic small and medium-sized companies in the future to adopt the standards, production processes, quality of work and procedures that exist in global companies because this is the way to become a part of large value chains. Serbia is recognized as a healthy terrain for investments, a market economy and a country ready to participate competitively in European and the global market, but we have to be quick in adopting market standards and the best way to do this is to operate in global value chains and implement their rules of the game. This year, we allocated RSD 3.4 billion dinars in grants to support the sector of small and medium-sized enterprises. We implement four support programmes for the purchase of equipment, development proj-

ects, support for business beginners, young people and women entrepreneurs, as well as for everything that is required to maintain production processes up to certain standards and intentions in the service of our economy’s development. Also, the 2023-2027 Strategy for the Development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises was adopted, along with the 2023-2024 Action Plan.

support domestic companies and the growth trend of strategic foreign direct investments (FDI). The FDI influx in Serbia was higher than the total FDI influx in other Western Balkan countries. Overall, from 2012 to September of this year, Serbia attracted more than 32 billion euros of foreign direct investments, both those that were not supported by incentives

What help does the Government offer to domestic entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises, which, as it turned out, proved to be the most resilient but also the most vulnerable sectors during the crisis? I would like to cite an example of the assistance that was provided to companies this year because we will continue working in this

In 2024, the implementation of the financial support programme for companies will continue, with a budget of RSD 2 billion. Then, together with the Development Fund, we will continue to implement the financial agreement with the EIB, which puts another 90 million euros at the Republic of Serbia’s disposal for facilitating investments by companies, as well as activities on contracting an additional 10 million euros of European Union funds that will be available to companies in the next period. Is the policy of subfinancing foreign investors justified? One gets the impression that they are here to take from us, not to create something for us. Why is there such an impression at all? The Republic of Serbia has enormous benefits from foreign investments. It is enough to mention only one such as investments in production facilities and new fixed assets in the amount of more than several tens and even several hundred million euros, the application of the latest production technologies, a significant increase in the export of finished products to foreign markets by foreign companies, the employment of production workers and the employment of highly educated staff, etc. Due to the constant improvement of the economic environment here, as well as the fact that we have harmonized the state aid system with the rules of the European Commission, foreign investors are showing increased interest in Serbia as an investment location. The Ministry of Economy will continue to

FROM 2012 TO SEPTEMBER 2023, SERBIA ATTRACTED MORE THAN 32 BILLION EUROS OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTS and those that were. We profiled ourselves as a leader not only in the region but also among the leading countries in Europe and the world in terms of the number of foreign direct investments in relation to the size of our economy. Accordingly, I believe that the policy of co-financing investment projects implemented by both domestic and foreign investors is absolutely justified. There is specific data that speaks in favour of this. Currently, the Ministry of Economy’s portfolio contains over 300 projects, some of which are active and are in the process of implementation and some of which are under monitoring. With the projects that we have successfully completed this and last year, we are talking about more than RSD 720 billion dinars worth of investments, which created over 100,000 jobs in our country. These are, in my opinion, impressive data.

direction even more next year. In 2023, the Ministry of Economy allocated RSD 22.655 billion to support domestic and foreign companies with the investments they make. We helped more than 110 companies in 2023 and by the end of the year, we will have spent all of the allocated budget funds. In 2024, RSD 23 billion dinars have been allocated to support companies with their investment projects. Furthermore, thanks to other state aid instruments we are helping and will help projects that are implemented in Serbia. In addition to this aspect, i.e. concrete support for the economy, I would also like to highlight the institutional aspect whereby companies will receive assistance and facilitate cooperation with other state bodies, such as the Development Fund, RAS, AOFI and local economic development offices.

This year, we allocated RSD 3.4 billion dinars worth of grants to support the SME sector. Is the domestic economy ready for the transition to the circular economy and sustainable and socially responsible business? Under the auspices of the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Industrial Policy Strategy in the period 20212023, the Ministry of Economy has defined measures and activities to lay the foundation for the transition to the circular economy. First, through promotional activities, we need to raise awareness of the importance of the circular economy and then educate companies to apply such solutions in practice as efficiently as possible. The circular economy development support programme was adopted by the Government in September 2021 and is implemented by the Ministry of Economy in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia conducted a study titled „The state of the circular economy in Serbia 2021/2022“ based on which a plan was devised for the implementation of promotional and educational activities related to the circular economy. We jointly organized numerous training sessions and defined guidelines and instructions, especially in the areas such as waste management, waste water regulation, decarbonization and carbon footprint. The Ministry of Economy supported the procurement of equipment for energy efficiency and for the improvement of ecological aspects of production, as well as invited companies to utilize incentives for the acquisition of equipment that enables a circular business model and energy-efficient production equipment. www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

INTERESTING FACTS NATIONAL DAYS

JANUARY 2024 CUBA

SUDAN

SLOVAKIA

MYANMAR

UKRAINE

Liberation Day

Independence Day

Student’s Protest Day

Day of Unity of Ukraine

ROMANIA

Top 10 countries by predicted GDP growth in 2024

he years behind us were, frankly, terrible. First, the World Economic Crisis hit in the Autumn of 2008. Then, it was followed by the European Sovereign Debt Crisis and, once again, by the Migrant Crisis after the ill-fated Arab Spring. The hopes were high in December 2019, but then the Coronavirus pandemic hit, followed by the war in Ukraine in Gaza, the

sanctions against Russia, American “decoupling” and sanctions against China, and now, the piracy and terror in the Red Sea which can completely cut the transit through the Suez Canal, thus forcing cargo ships to go all the way around the Cape of the Good Hope. Nevertheless, some economies expect a GDP rise better than others in 2024. Macau is expecting the highest GDP growth

of 23.2% since everyone in China and overseas wants to gamble again and live. The exploration of oil in Guyana will pull the country up by 20%, and the same applies to Senegal (9.7%). Mauritania is happy with its new gas fields (8%), and Libya with its oil and relative peace (7.7%). In comparison, Rwanda will profit from its reconciliation and reform politics with 7.1% growth, the shiniest example

Unification Day of Wallachia and Moldavia

AUSTRALIA

INDIA

National Day

Republic Day

in Africa. Anguilla will have 7% growth because tourism bounces back, Ivory Coast will also do better without resources, only hard work and good politics (6.9%), and the same GDP growth will be seen in Fiji, this time bouncing back from the hurricane damage. Cambodia is finally on its way to seeing better days with 6.6%, all predicted by The Economist Intelligence Unit.

PHOTO STORY KOMPLET LEPINJA IS SPECIALTY OF WESTERN SERBIA MADE FROM BUNS, PRETOP, EGG AND CREAM. SERVED WITH SOUR MILK IN A RESTAURANT. TRADITIONAL SERBIAN DISH. KOMPLET LEPINJA WAS AWARDED AS THE BEST BREAKFAST IN THE WORLD BY TASTE ATLAS. © Photo: Jovana Dzo / Shutterstock

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DEPARTURES

H. E. VALERY BRYLEV Outgoing Ambassador of Belarus to Serbia

H. E. FEDOR ROSOCHA Outgoing Ambassador of Slovakia to Serbia H. E. Mr. Fedor Rosocha, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the Republic of Serbia, after four years of his eminent diplomatic role, has officially concluded his mandate in the Republic of Serbia. Born on 3 May 1961, Mr. Rosocha received a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Kosice, in 1985. He is married with two children. A career diplomat, Mr. Rosocha started as a Desk Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1995, after having held various managerial positions in the private business. He worked as the Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva from 2009 to 2017. He was the Director of the Department of the United Nations and International Organizations within the UN system from 2017 to 2020.

H.E. THURAIN THANT ZIN Outgoing Ambassador of Myanmar to Serbia H.E. Mr. Thurain Thant Zin, Ambassador of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, was admitted by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ivica Dačić, on a farewell visit. The head of Serbian diplomacy thanked the Myanmar ambassador for his dedication and commitment to the development of traditionally friendly relations and overall cooperation between the two countries, wishing him good health, success and personal happiness. Looking back on his mandate in the Republic of Serbia, he pointed out that he has very good memories from Belgrade and that he will always experience Serbia as a friend of the Myanmar people.

H. E. Mr. Valery Brylev, Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Serbia, has concluded his mandate in the Republic of Serbia. He was born in 1959 in Gomelj. In 1981, he graduated from the Faculty of Architecture of the Belarusian Polytechnic Institute. In 1989, he graduated from the Faculty of Foreign Languages for experts going Abroad of the Minsk State Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages. From 2010 to 2013 he was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Kazakhstan. From 2013 to April 2017 he was the adviser to the President of the Republic of Belarus on foreign policy issues.

H. E. ALBERTO DI LUCA Outgoing Ambassador of Malta to Serbia H. E. Mr. Alberto Di Luca, Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to the Republic of Serbia, has ended his mandate in the Republic of Serbia. He pointed out that it is with sadness that he leaves the Republic of Serbia and the position of Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta in Belgrade, stressing that the Republic of Serbia is a wonderful country with extraordinary people and that he is proud of the strong friendship between the Sovereign Order of Malta and Serbia. H. E. Alberto Di Luca holds a degree in Political Sciences at the Milan State University and has also studied in Paris, London, Dusseldorf and Princeton. In 2003, Alberto was awarded the Order of Merit of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. In 2004 he was personally awarded the Golden Laurel by the Bulgarian Foreign Minister and in 2006 the Taiwanese Foreign Minister awarded him a Diplomatic Honour.

MR. ILIA KOBERIDZE Outgoing Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Georgia to Serbia Mr. Ilia Koberidze is ending his mandate as the Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Georgia to Serbia. He graduated from Tbilisi State University International Law and International Relations department. He is a bachelor of and master in International Relations. After serving for 3 years as a Political Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, he was appointed as the head of the Belgrade Office of the Embassy of Georgia in April 2019.

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CONFERENCE

World in 2024 Conference We have a challenging year ahead of us in all fields

he annual conference „The World in 2024 – powered by Carlsberg”

Panel I 12

was opened in front of a large interested audience. This is one of the oldest conferences orga-

nized by Color Media Communications and has already become recognizable as an event

that closes the current year with an intersection of the current political, business, and social environment of Serbia and raises issues of importance in the coming year. As every year, key figures and top state and international officials gave their conclusions and projections about the coming period at the opening. The general sponsor of the conference is Carlsberg Serbia, and NLB Komercijalna Banka, Mobi Bank, and Telekom Srbija supported the event. The institutional partner of the event was UNICEF Serbia. After Robert Čoban, Director of Color Media Communications, opened the conference and www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

David, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden, Ilia Koberidze, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Georgia, and Miloš Todorović, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs. The moderator was Dragan Simić, dean of the Faculty of Political Sciences.

Panel II announced engaging participants within the panel, Ivica Dacic, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia and Minister of Foreign Affairs, US Ambassador H. E. Christopher Hill as well as ministers Danica Grujičić, Minister of Health, Slobodan Cvetković, Minister of Economy, Tomislav Momirović, Minister of Foreign and Internal Trade, Slavica Djukic Dejanovic, Minister of Education and Đorđe Milicevic, Minister without Portfolio in charge of coordinating activities and measures in the field of relations with the diaspora. Also speaking at the opening of the conference were Brankica Janković, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, and

Panel no. 2 covers the topic: Banking 4. 0 Digitalization, Consolidation and Expectations of 2024. The speakers were Dejan Janjatović, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of NLB Komercijalna Banka; Aleksandar Bogdanović, President of the Executive Board of Mobi Bank; Aleksandra Ognjanović, Director of the Digital Banking and Innovation Sector, Erste Bank, and Sladjana Sredojević, International Cooperation Panel III and Education Specialist, Head of the Banking Training Center, Association of Serbian Banks. It was moderated by Biljana Stepanović, General Manager of Business Info Group. Panel no. 3 The Corporation - Final Ac-

François Jacob, UN Permanent Coordinator in Serbia The first panel gathered ambassadors on What’s new in the West? How Europe will respond to the challenges of 2024? The participants were H. E. Edward Ferguson, British Ambassador, H. E. Anika Ben

ANKETA 1: Where would you like to live if it wasn’t Serbia? Any EU Country – 76%, USA – 16%, China or Russia – 4%, Something else – 4%

Anketa 2: Should Europe continue to accept migrants? Yes, they are needed – 22%, Yes, but to follow the rules – 44%, Not at all – 33%

Special Working Group for Early Development of the Ministry of Health, Tamara Paunović, Councilwoman for Social Protection and Gender Equality in the City Administration of Bor, Jelena Zajeganović Jakovljević, PhD, Head of the Program for Health and Early Development of Children, UNICEF in Serbia. Moderated by Vesna Savic Djukic, head of the private sector cooperation program, UNICEF in Serbia.

Panel IV count 2023 of the Economy of Serbia and the Region was moderated by Dragan Močević from Pro Educa - Center for Education. Participants were Erik Košuta, president of Dragon Maritime Group; Marija Radulović, president of the Croatian Business Club; Irena Brajović, director of Confindustria in Serbia; and Toplica Spasojević, from Privrednik Serbian business club.

Panel V

Panel no. 4 was The Future Begins Now Investing in Early Development and Learning for Sustainable Social Development. Participants were Ljljana Marolt, Ministry of Prosete, Head of the Group for Pre-School Education, Dr Milica Pejović Milovančević, Director of the Institute for Mental Health and National Coordinator of the

Anketa 3: Who is most to blame for the war in the Middle East? Israel – 16%, Hamas – 29%, Both – 55%

Panel no. 5: Your body is yours! Both online and in the real world!, and participated Borka Jeremić, head of the UN Population Fund office for Serbia, doc.

Snežana Vuković, Ph.D., Head of the Department for Human and Minority Rights in Education, Ministry of Education, Tatjana Prijić, Assistant Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Hristina Cvjetičanin Knežević, an expert on gender and media, and Jovana Kvržić, influencer. The moderator was Andrej Klemenčić, a journalist.

Anketa 4: Who is most to blame for the war in Ukraine? Russia – 46%, Ukraine and The West – 20%, Both – 35%

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WORLD IN 2024

Ambassador Hill’s Vision for 2024 and Beyond

At the World in 2024 Conference, U.S. Ambassador H. E. Christopher Hill maps out a road to cooperation, EU integration, and global empathy

n a speech that captured both the challenges and opportunities awaiting Serbia and the Balkans in 2024, U.S. Ambassador to Serbia H. E. Christopher R. Hill, addressed attendees at the „Svet u 2024.” conference, offering insights on Serbia’s path forward, regional cooperation, and global responsibilities. Ambassador Hill began by humorously acknowledging the difficulty of predicting the upcoming year, stating, „I’m having enough trouble getting through 2023.” However, he quickly turned to the more serious subject of Serbia’s future and its role in a broader context. „There’s no question at all that 2024 will be a very complex year,

and the outcome of it, I think, will depend on a lot of factors. It’s kind of rare to have a diplomat quote or paraphrase William Shakespeare, but I’ll do it anyway. Our destiny in 2024 does not lie in the stars, it lies with all of us. It lies with the choices that we’re all going to make. I think the 2024. will be a momentous year for many countries, including my own. For those of you who don’t know, we have an election every four years. So, we’ll see how that goes. But let me just say that for Serbia especially, I think 2024. is a very important year. And for Serbs, all Serbs,

to understand that their destiny does not lie in the stars, but nor does it lie in Washington or Brussels or even in Beijing, the destiny of Serbia lies with Serbs. I think this is a time when Serbs need to think very hard about what they want to do in this coming year.” His speech took an optimistic turn when discussing Serbia’s potential accession to the European Union: „I’ve just come from a visit to Brussels. I can report it was cloudy and rainy in Brussels. But, from the perspective of Brussels, of the European Union, looking at further

OUR DESTINY IN 2024 DOES NOT LIE IN THE STARS, IT LIES WITH ALL OF US

expansion, it was quite something new for me. It is very real what is going on today, as people have talked about European Union enlargement. I know many people, they’ve heard that for many years. But I think in 2024., this will be a very, very important year for those who want to see further enlargement and want to see Serbia in a different place from where it has been. Now, it is customary for American diplomats to stand up and welcome anybody, anywhere, membership in the European Union. That is not our job. It may be our feelings about these things, but if Serbia wants to join the European Union, its destiny is with itself. What does Serbia have to do? Well, there are a lot of things. And they will be pointed out to Serbs on what they have to www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

do. I think in being in Brussels for a few days, I learned a couple of very important things. One, Brussels would welcome Serbia as an eventual member of the European Union to go through this phased process, which, after all, involves a very important phase, which would be one of the first phases. That is the phase of joining a single market. My sense being in Brussels was there was a lot of goodwill. At the same time, it was very clear that people expect that when a country enters the European Union, they try to address their problems and try to solve those problems before they enter. Because no organization, neither the European Union nor any other organization, wants to have more problems. They want to have more members. They want to have more solutions, not necessarily more problems. So that is going to require a lot of work. Fortunately, I think Serbia has help in this regard.” The Ambassador also touched upon the Brussels Dialogue, expressing confidence in its potential to resolve regional issues. He highlighted the importance of broader cooperation across the Balkans, advocating for initiatives like the Open Balkans and the Berlin Process, which aim to transform borders from dividers to connectors: „I think the European Union, what is known as the Brussels Dialogue, has all the elements on the table that really need to be addressed. And I think this can be done. It’s not going to be easy. There’s a lot of give and take, but I am convinced that there is a real opportunity to get this Brussels Dialogue moving in the coming months. And I really do believe that 2024 can be a very important year for Serbia in terms of addressing some of these regional issues. Now, of course, the Brussels Dialogue deals only with the issue of Belgrade and Priština. And what I think everyone should want to see is a broader addressing of the overall problems of the region, not just of Priština and Belgrade. And here, I know Serbia has worked over the years on something called Open Balkans. There are other models for this type of cooperation. We’ve seen one known as the Berlin Process.

I am indifferent to what you call this model of regional cooperation. But I must say, it is high time for more cooperation. It is high time to turn these borders into not things that divide people, but rather things that join people. So, I hope in 2024, there will be much greater effort on these regional solutions and on finding a common language, and a capacity to work with each other. This will be, I think, a very great challenge for Serbia as the largest really, of the Balkan six countries. It will be a challenge for Serbia. And frankly, with many great challenges come great responsibilities. And I like to think that Serbia will be up to the responsibilities and chal-

aggression: „There is no question that we face very difficult problems more broadly. In Europe, we have a war that continues to go on and on. And we can hope, though hope can never be a basis for policy, we can expect, and we can work toward a situation where Russia will understand that invading its neighbors doesn’t help anybody, least of all Russia. And I hope we can all stay together in being opposed to this terrible, terrible aggression that has taken place right here in Europe. Serbia, I think, has done well to date to work with Ukraine, to be actually closer to Ukraine than it’s been in the past. There are a lot of similarities these coun-

I THINK EVERYBODY IN THIS WORLD NEEDS TO TAKE A LITTLE LESSON IN TONE AND LEARN HOW TO TALK TO OTHERS

lenges to make sure the Balkans is an oasis of peace.” In a compelling segment of his address, Ambassador Hill discussed the war in Europe, lauding Serbia’s growing relationship with Ukraine and emphasizing the need for a unified stance against

tries have. They have a lot of history. They know each other well. I hope to see that continue in 2024.” Finally, Ambassador Hill expanded his focus to global environmental and social issues. He spoke of the need to respect our planet and each other, emphasizing the

importance of empathy and understanding in international relations: „I would like to speak even more broadly as this photograph of planet Earth taken from outer space might suggest. We live in a very fragile, fragile Earth. And while Elon Musk may contemplate someday moving to Mars, the rest of us are probably going to have to stay right here on planet Earth. So, we need to treat our air with greater respect. We need to treat the water that we drink with greater respect. We need to treat the land between our feet with greater respect. But ultimately,

we’re going to have to do a much better job of treating each other with greater respect. I think everybody in this world needs to take a little lesson in tone and learn how to talk to others, learn how others think about things, and develop a sense of empathy. Empathy can be a learned skill. You’re not just born with it. You can learn it, and think, how am I coming across to that person? What do I need to do to make that person understand my point of view? And probably the first thing I need to do is understand that person’s point of view. So let us resolve as we face this critical year in 2024. that not only will we treat the Earth better, but we will treat each other much better.” Ambassador Hill’s speech at the „Svet u 2024” conference not only outlined the challenges facing Serbia and the Balkans but also offered a vision of hope and cooperation. His message was clear: the future lies not in predetermined fate but in the hands of those willing to work for a better tomorrow.

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WORLD IN 2024

by Ivica Dačić

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs

Serbia Will Continue Implementing Its Own Independent Foreign Policy

irst of all, I would like to thank our hosts and organizers for giving me the honor to officially open this important Conference for years. I would like to point out the importance of this, now traditional, gathering at the end of the year, in the desire to jointly find answers to the numerous challenges we will face in the year ahead.

We are entering the year 2024 in extremely unpredictable circumstances

Looking back on the year that is coming to an end, it was once again confirmed that precise predictions and long-term planning are very demanding, but also thankless. The world has been facing serious challenges and crises for a long time, which are becoming more and more numerous and complex. I regret to state that we are entering the year 2024 in extremely difficult, unpredictable and unstable circumstances at the international level. The war in Ukraine, the escalation of the conflict and the humanitarian disaster in Gaza, as well as the significantly increased risks of terrorist threats, testify to the serious threat to global peace and security. At the same time, we are facing serious consequences of the economic, energy and climate crisis, and it is certain that solving these problems, as well as the challenges of migration,

I WOULD LIKE TO PROUDLY REMIND YOU THAT BELGRADE WILL HOST THE PRESTIGIOUS EXHIBITION EXPO 2027 economic and social inequality, will remain the focus of the entire international community in the coming year 2024. Everything I’m talking about cannot bypass the region we live in, given its geostrategic position and importance. In such circum-

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stances, the Republic of Serbia behaves responsibly, contributing to stability in the region, but at the same time sharing responsibility on a broader level in the promotion of global peace and suppression of security challenges. The Republic of Serbia will continue, as before, to implement its own and independent foreign policy, based on the preservation of national and state interests. We will build new ones, but we will not forget old partnerships and traditional friendships. We will strive to continue to develop and improve relations with all factors of world politics, but also with countries from the immediate environment, thus making our own security sustainable. The Republic of Serbia implements its foreign and security policy based on respect for the basic principles of international law. Although we ourselves are still suffering the consequences of double standards in international relations and the selective application of the United Nations Charter, we will not give up our consistent advocacy for the universal validity of the principles of inviolability of internationally recognized borders, territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence. Nevertheless, it is encouraging that the majority of member states of the United Nations respect these principles, and in the case of the Republic of Serbia. Preservation of sovereignty and territorial integrity remains the most important national and state priority of the Republic of Serbia, and we will continue to work on it in the upcoming year 2024. Unfortunately, the situation in Kosovo and Metohija is extremely difficult and complex. Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija live in a permanent state of danger, tension and uncertainty, deprived of basic human rights and in constant fear for their own lives. The most recent example of the violation of basic human rights and civilizational heritage is the denial of the right of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija to vote and participate in the upcoming elections on Sunday. Unconditionally ensuring the survival of the Serbian community in our southern province is of crucial importance to us, which is

SERBIA WILL CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT COMPREHENSIVE REFORMS, WITH THE AIM OF ACHIEVING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PROGRESS why we remain committed to dialogue as the only effective mechanism for resolving disputes and building peace, despite Pristina’s persistent refusal to fulfill its long-established obligations. I use this opportunity to reiterate that membership in the European Union is a strategic commitment and priority of the foreign policy of the Republic of Serbia. Therefore, we will continue to implement comprehensive reforms, with the aim of achieving economic and social progress, and

for the benefit of the citizens of our country. I sincerely hope that, in 2024, the results we have achieved in the past period will be recognized to a greater extent, but that they will also be valorized in an adequate way.. The key interest of the Republic of Serbia, in the coming year as well, will be the preservation of stability in the region and the fostering of good neighborly relations and cooperation in all areas, in which we have already invested great and visible efforts. Our willingness to overcome the negative legacy of the past and a common future based on the principles of mutual appreciation and respect is unquestionable. It is necessary to continue our work to preserve economic stability and achieve further development of our country. This includes, among other things, additional investments in infrastructure projects, improvement of the business environment with an emphasis on attracting investments, as well as investments in digitalization, education, innovation, research and development. In short - we will continue to invest in an even better future. The Republic of Serbia is working hard on further diver-

sification of energy supply sources and is additionally investing in energy infrastructure. That is why the recent commissioning of the Serbia-Bulgaria gas interconnector, which we built together with the support of the European Union, is of great importance, with the aim of trying to provide our citizens with a stable energy supply. I would like to proudly remind you that Belgrade will host the prestigious exhibition EXPO 2027. In anticipation of the coming time, we will continue to work diligently on preparations for the organization of this extremely important manifestation, in order to justify the trust that the international community has placed in us, providing support for our candidacy, and recognizing the cosmopolitan spirit of our capital city and the Republic of Serbia.

In 2024, the world will unfortunately still be facing a series of crises, spread from Ukraine to the Middle East to the Sahel region. Also, in the coming period, the world public will pay special attention to the elections for some of the key actors of international politics, which could have a great impact on the further shaping of international relations. The Republic of Serbia will continue to lead a responsible policy, in accordance with national interests, and to contribute with its activities to preserving peace, maintaining stability and achieving progress, thereby confirming that it is a reliable and predictable partner.

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WORLD IN 2024

by Tomislav Momirović

Minister of Internal and Foreign Trade

We Must Constantly Adapt to the Challenges We Face Our country has shown that it is capable of coping with all difficulties we managed to do in the previous period, even though Serbia, like many other countries, is faced with the challenges brought by wars and the global economic crisis. Very often we do not influence these challenges, but we feel them on our skin, and we fight with them in order to ensure a better quality of life for the citizens, and a predictable business environment for the economy. In a year marked by wars and global crises, we must be proud of the results achieved by all of us together - citizens, the economy, representatives of state institutions. We continued with reforms aimed at improving the business environment, attracting foreign investments and supporting domestic entrepreneurs. Our commitment to strengthening the country’s economic structure is key in ensuring sustainable growth and creating better conditions for the life of every individual in Serbia.

t the very beginning, I would like to emphasize the importance of holding this conference, which has become recognizable as an event that closes the current year with conclusions about the political, business and social environment of Serbia, but also offers indications of what awaits us in the year ahead.

The work of the Ministry of Trade is aimed at achieving key goals improving the quality of life of citizens and improving the business environment through strengthening the trade sector. The last few years have shown us that we must constantly adapt to the challenges we face.

That is why I am especially happy that today we have the opportunity to talk about everything

IN 2024, WE WILL PLACE SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON ACTIVITIES AIMED AT FURTHER BUILDING AN EFFICIENT AND NETWORKED CONSUMER PROTECTION SYSTEM

The initiative „Bolja cena” represents one of the most successful projects we have implemented, within which products with reduced prices are easily available throughout the country and enables our citizens to achieve significant savings in household budgets of several thousand dinars per month. www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

We are actively talking with representatives of the private sector through the formed National Coordinating Body for Trade Facilitation. In a short time, a large number of taxes and fees were abolished, as well as certain unnecessary procedures at border crossings, which contributed to cutting the time for export and import of certain food products in half, and the direct costs of taxes and fees reduced in some cases by 80%.

We will continue to strengthen the market inspection sector, primarily through the digitization of the work of this service. We want to position the market inspection as a partner to the business community. When it comes to foreign trade and economic relations with foreign countries, I am particularly proud of the reached Free Trade

steel, as well as products from the pharmaceutical industry. Exports to China have reached an enviable $1.3 billion per year, and now that the agreement has entered into force, we expect our exports to China to exceed $2 billion in the first years of its implementation. In the coming period, we will con-

of the CEFTA signatory countries, and it will also provide us with the opportunity to make the topics of digitization and electronic trade among the priorities of the presidency. The Government and the Ministry of Trade firmly stand on the point of view that free economic regional cooperation is extremely important, and this is shown by the

This has resulted in an increase in trade between Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania, which is an excellent direction to go when we talk about the priorities of work and our body in the coming period. The Ministry of Trade has placed high on its agenda the topic of reforms aimed at facilitating business for our companies and increasing the GDP of our country. The Government of the Republic of Serbia strongly supports all economic and trade processes aimed at joining the EU and strengthening regional economic cooperation. We will continue to work together with representatives of the private sector to propose measures and activities to simplify and speed up the flow of goods and services. We recently signed a Protocol on cooperation with the Ministry of Education on educating schoolage children about consumer rights. We are witnessing the changes that are happening on a global level because young people are growing up with constant access to digital tools that certainly affect their culture and socialization, and therefore it is necessary to ensure the continuous education of school-age children about consumer rights. In 2024, we will place special emphasis on activities aimed at further building an efficient and networked consumer protection system. Among the priorities, the protection of consumers when shopping on the Internet is highlighted, bearing in mind the expansion of online shopping.

Agreement with China, which will enable a new large wave of investments in our country. The agreement on free trade between Serbia and the People’s

tinue to open new markets for our businessmen through the conclusion of new free trade agreements, primarily with the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, which will open up incredible opportunities

I AM PARTICULARLY PROUD OF THE REACHED FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WITH CHINA, WHICH WILL ENABLE A NEW LARGE WAVE OF INVESTMENTS IN OUR COUNTRY Republic of China will open new perspectives in economic relations and will contribute to the additional strengthening of trade ties with China. A large number of agricultural producers, especially those dealing with fruit, will be able to export their products to China without customs duties. The agreement is not only important for farmers, but also for other parts of the Serbian economy, such as the food industry. The agreement included a large number of products from the mechanical industry, such as iron and

for marketing mainly agricultural products. Next year, Serbia will preside over the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA). The importance of the CEFTA market for the Serbian economy is enormous. CEFTA is our second trading partner after the EU, with a share in our total exchange of more than 18 percent. Serbia’s presidency will be primarily focused on consolidating and strengthening the implementation of the agreement, work on intensifying the trade exchange

fact that in the first nine months of this year, Serbia achieved close to 5 billion euros in trade with CEFTA. Looking ahead, in 2024 we have clear plans and ambitious goals that we want to achieve. At the very end, I would like to underline that the Government of the Republic of Serbia will continue to provide a favorable business climate for our businessmen, and that the Ministry of Trade will do everything in order to win new markets that will enable the growth of the social product in order to improve the welfare and living standards of our population. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that Serbia is not only a witness to world challenges, but an active participant in creating positive changes. Our country has shown that it is capable of coping with all difficulties, and our commitment to preserving peace, stability and improving living conditions remains unchanged.

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WORLD IN 2024

(Not) All Quite on the Western Front How will Europe respond to the challenges of 2024?

n recent years, the entire globe has been faced with an array of challenges and crises. This situation has reflected itself in Europe as well. In the midst of all of these events, The Ambassador of Great Britain to Serbia, H. E. Edward Ferguson, the Ambassador of Kingdom of Sweden to Serbia, H. E. Anika Ben David, the Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Georgia, Ilia Koberidze, and Miloš Todorović, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, sat down together to discuss pressing matters such as current threats to human rights, European enlargement policies and events that marked 2023. For H. E. Edward Ferguson, The Ambassador of Great Britain

to Serbia, European values are shared values, and according to him, this solidarity is what reflects the true core of the European continent, especially in the case of the war between Russia and Ukraine: “We are now outside of the European Union, but we are not outside of Europe. European values are values that we are fully subscribed to. Sometimes you have to stand up and fight for the values that you believe in. I think that’s what we collectively, as Europe, are doing in Ukraine where

president Putin is trying to take Europe back to where it was at the beginning of the last century. We have to fight against that idea, that might is right. I think that’s exactly what we are doing and we’re seeing extraordinary solidarity in Europe.” H. E. Edward Ferguson explained that democracy is under pressure around the whole world. He emphasized that everyone who believes in democracy should stand together against those that want

CONFLICT IS RE-EMERGING AS A TOOL OF STATECRAFT

H. E. Edward Ferguson, The Ambassador of Great Britain to Serbia

to undermine democratic institutions. On the other hand, H. E. Anika Ben David, the Ambassador of Kingdom of Sweden to Serbia, has highlighted the importance of the current situation between Russia www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

around the world: „Conflicts are proliferating as well. We’ve seen multiple coupes in Africa and of course in recent weeks we’ve seen the awful developments between Israel and Gaza with huge losses of human life. Conflict is re-emerging as a tool of statecraft.”

H. E. Anika Ben David, The Ambassador of Kingdom of Sweden to Serbia

and Ukraine. She elaborated how this is a defining moment, not just for Sweden or Europe, but to the whole world: “This is not only an important moment for European security and global norms, but also for the world in its entirety. The barbaric war that is now playing out, on behalf of Russia, over Ukraine, is a game changer for us all, it’s a tectonic shift. What ties it to the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is that the rules of the game, which we have all agreed upon, have been severely challenged. It seems to me that these rules have even been forgotten by the larger public.” She added that Russia’s war against Ukraine is a neo-imperialist war that is not only waged against Ukraine, but also against European security, democracy and European values. According to H. E. Anika Ben David, this situation has pushed Sweden to completely shift their longtime policies: “The war of Russia against Ukraine prompted my country to abandon a policy of non-alignment that we had had for 200 years, and we did that in 3 months after the 2nd of February 2022.” H. E. Edward Ferguson agrees with H. E. Anika Ben David on her remarks about the Russia-Ukraine situation shaping this entire year: “From a foreign and a domestic perspective, the Euro-Atlantic stability and security is under threat thanks to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Unfortunately, that situation will endure into the next year.” He emphasized that this doesn’t exclude other conflicts happening

Technology is something that has been a big topic of this year according to H. E. Edward Fer-

of Georgia, but recently it reached an even higher level: “Support of EU membership was always great, around 70%. Today, it has gotten all the way up to 90%.” As for the second event that marked 2023, he agreed with the rest of the speakers that the Russian invasion is one of the key events of the year, but he also added: “I have to remind you that this

Ilia Koberidze, the Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Georgia

Miloš Todorović, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs

LET’S WAIT AND SEE WHETHER PROMOTING ENLARGEMENT WILL TRANSLATE INTO ACTIONS FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR CITIZENS guson: “We’ve seen AI begin to fulfill the promise that the people have been talking about for many years. Exponential acceleration in technology developments is going to remain an important theme for next year as well.” For Ilia Koberidze, the Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Georgia, acquiring the candidate status for the EU membership was the most important topic for them as a country. He stated that everyone in Georgia was talking about the European Union. He says that the support for joining the EU was always very high amongst citizens

first happened in 2008 in Georgia. That was the first occupation of Georgian regions, as for today, 20% of Georgian territory is still under occupation. Situation in the occupied regions is very hard. This morning the Minister of Foreign Affairs was mentioning the grave human rights situation in Kosovo and Metohija for local Serbs who have problems with security. Unfortunately, we have the same problems and this year two Georgian citizens were killed by occupation regimes. The Russian occupations in 2008 in Georgia, then 2014 in Crimea and 2022 in Ukraine are all big challenges

for Georgia because we are neighbors.” Miloš Todorović, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that 2023 was a challenging year for Serbia and he feels like this will remain the case for 2024 as well. He agreed with other speakers that the international agenda was driven by the war in Ukraine and Russia’s attack: ”For Serbia, the challenge is to protect and advance your interests, to stay on the European path, sustain economic growth while being a non-aligned country at the same time. That was the main challenge for us.” On the other hand, his attention was caught by the current situation with European enlargement policies and potential skepticism that’s rising amongst Serbian citizens: “Now, there is also something else I noticed. I’ve been dealing with European integrations for the past 20 years, I spent most of that time in our mission in Brussels and that could be my impression for this year. I was shocked when I recently read a survey that showed, for the first time I think, that the majority of the population is against joining the EU. These opinions change. If there was a referendum in Serbia I’m certain most would answer with yes, but this skepticism is growing and it is a matter of concern, of course, for us who deal with that and it should be a matter of concern for the EU too. Somebody is not performing as they should and I would put equal blame on us, but on the EU as well. We will see in the next couple of days whether this new situation that was advertised that now is the moment for enlargement will translate into something more concrete, for all of our countries, including Georgia. Whether Ukraine or Moldova will open negotiations, whether Serbia will open the next cluster, whether North Macedonia will open clusters, that goes as well for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, so let’s wait and see whether promoting enlargement will translate into actions for the benefit of our citizens and countries as well.”

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WORLD IN 2024

by Slavica Djukić Dejanović

Minister of Education of the Republic of Serbia

Serbia’s Education Evolution Navigating challenges and embracing innovation for a safer, smarter future

t the recently held „World in 2024” conference, the Minister of Education of the Republic of Serbia, Slavica Djukić Dejanović, presented the key directions for the development of the education system in Serbia, emphasising the importance of safety in schools, mental health of children and young people, as well as continuous innovation and investment in education. Minister Dejanović reflected on the past year’s challenges, particularly highlighting the tragic events at the „Vladislav Ribnikar” Elementary School in Belgrade and in the towns of Dubona and Orašje near Mladenovac. In response to these challenges, the Ministry of Education, in cooperation with other institutions, intensified efforts to create a safer and more stimulating environment in schools: „Unfortunately, this year

was marked by tragic events in the Elementary School „Vladislav Ribnikar” in Belgrade, as well as places Dubona and Orašje, near Mladenovac. This is why the Ministry of Education, in cooperation with other institutions, made additional efforts this year to ensure a safe and stimulating environment for all those involved in the education system in our educational institutions. This year, we worked additionally on strengthening the learning component of our educational institutions and providing support to every child who needs it. We know that it is important to cultivate virtue in school, first of all, as a value in behavior, and that is why we ad-

ditionally encouraged the cooperation of parents and teachers in these activities. We all have the same goal: a safe and stimulating environment for students and teachers. To prevent violence and respond to violence, amendments were adopted to several laws in the field of education and other acts. The goal of all these legislative changes is to make precise procedures in responding to violence, abuse, and neglect, as well as strengthen the competencies of educational institutions for acting in crises. To prepare the students, since the beginning of this school year, together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, we have been implementing the project „Together

WE ALL HAVE THE SAME GOAL TOGETHER, WHICH IS A SAFE AND STIMULATING ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

and Safely through Childhood.” We have been teaching elementary school students about safety in emergencies through interactive workshops. We have also prepared the Manual for Crisis Interventions in the Education System, which represents the guidelines for the actions of institutions and communication in these challenging times. We are finalizing the amendments to the Rulebook on the Protocol for Actions in situations of violence, abuse, and neglect, and we have included actions in crisis interventions.” Special emphasis is placed on preserving children’s and young people’s mental health and well-being. The Ministry of Education is one of the five ministries that signed the Multilateral Memorandum on Cooperation in the Field of Prevention and Protection of Mental Health. This iniwww.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

tiative, together with the national platform „Čuvam te” (I’ll keep you safe) for reporting violence, represents key steps towards creating a safer environment for children: „In addition, preserving the mental health and well-being of children and young people is one of the most important tasks of any society. It is up to us to ensure a safe school environment and restore confidence at all levels of society that the school and all other places where our children stay are safe. To successfully restore trust, the involvement of everyone in the system is needed. Therefore, I am very proud that the Ministry of Education is one of the five ministries - signatories of the Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in preventing and protecting the mental health of children, adolescents, and young people (October 2023). The memorandum is the basis for coordinated action to improve the system of mental health and psychosocial support for children and young people in Serbia. In addition, online reporting of all forms of violence involving children is made possible via the national platform „Čuvam te» (I’ll keep you safe) and thus ensures more effective action by the competent systems in preventing violence against children and strengthening the capacity to combat it, through educational programs. So far, the platform has recorded over 74 thousand users. For the sake of students and teachers, we must constantly analyze the education system, review and improve it, and discuss it to seek solutions and compromises. Our task as a state is to recognize global trends, determine

strategic development directions, devise measures, and strengthen the system so that today’s students become responsible young people.” The minister also emphasized significant investments in the education system and emphasized the important role of modernization and digitization in the education process: „From the budget of the Republic of Serbia, more than 2.5 billion Serbian dinars were invested in all levels of education in the past three years, and in cooperation with international financial institutions in the same period, close to 30 million

euros were invested in the construction, extension, adaptation, and equipping of infrastructure at all levels of education. To create conditions for greater inclusion of children in preschool education and upbringing, with the support of the World Bank, we are building and expanding the capacities of 23 facilities in 22 local governments, which will provide 11,000 new places for children. Investment in education has been continuously growing since 2017. Aware of the role of employees in education, the Government made decisions on salary increases for employees in January of this year by 12.5%, then in September

WHAT IS CERTAIN IS THAT WE STRIVE TO MAKE EDUCATION ACCESSIBLE TO EVERY CHILD AND TO IMPROVE SUPPORT FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS by 5.5%, and a 10% increase is planned from January 2024. Also, in the coming period, 2,672 people will be employed in educational institutions, which will realize the new seventh phase of employment for an indefinite period in education. From the beginning of 2020, the Ministry of Education and the Government of Serbia, in cooperation and agreement with trade unions,

enabled indefinite employment in the education system. In this way, including the last, seventh phase of employment, the labour legal status of about 20,000 employees in education was resolved. This is one of the ways in which the Government of Serbia advocates and shows care for the education system and educators. What is certain is that we strive to make education accessible to every child and to improve support for sensitive groups, to support the gifted and talented further, and to motivate pupils and students to learn by creating the

best conditions for them to learn, both through improving the infrastructure of the schools and colleges themselves, homes, as well as through the modernization of work and programs. Among other things, we introduce new technologies as teaching tools, improve the digital competencies of teachers and students, and digitize the work process. All reform steps and directions for the development of education and training are defined by the Strategy for the Development of Education and Training until 2030. and the accompanying Action Plans, and we are working according to them. Since modern society and new technologies require continuous improvement of knowledge, investment in future generations, through their education, is the driving mechanism and strength in which lies the future of every society.”

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WORLD IN 2024

by Brankica Janković

The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality

Expecting a Positive Outcome What seems to be different forms of new normalities seldom contribute to resolving old inequalities

ooking the current global affairs, one could say that the quote by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin that sometimes nothing happens for decades, but that sometimes decades can happen in weeks has never been more relevant. Despite the diverse nature of challenges that the series of crises we are currently going through have brought about, they have one thing in common: they strike most of those in an already disadvantaged position, and they make it clear that what seems to be different forms of new normalities seldom contribute to resolving old inequalities. While in front of our eyes, the future is unfolding in the form of generative AI development, which has shaken the foundations of social relations worldwide, we

fail to see that women are living a “Back to the Future” scenario. More specifically, it seems that in parallel and equally quickly as technology, an environment in which women can be discriminated against or struck by violence is developing, while the innovations aimed at the protection of women lag behind and remain at the bottom of the priority list of tech giants. At the same time, the dark movements advocating abortion prevention are making a comeback. A recent report by the World Economic Forum on the gender gap has shown that no country has been able to strike a perfect gen-

der balance. However, the nine best-ranked countries, of which as many as five are in the Scandinavian and Baltic region (Island, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Lithuania, along with New Zealand, Germany, Nicaragua, and Namibia), have bridged that gap to a great extent. The same report ranks Serbia second in the region, behind Albania, and 38th overall. According to some estimates, it would take 162 years to bridge the gap in the field of political empowerment, 196 years for economic participation and opportunities and 16 years to bridge the gap in education. Of course, we should not and cannot forget the issue of

WE SHOULD NOT AND CANNOT FORGET THE ISSUE OF GENDER EQUALITY AS A FACTOR OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

gender equality as a factor of social and economic development. The World Bank estimates economy value of gender inequality on global level at 160.2 billion dollars, which is a staggering number. I could provide a prognosis for the coming year, which is not optimistic, yet I allow myself to enter the new year expecting a positive outcome, because women have not yet had the chance to put their true capacities on full display and as the less than extremely popular Jens Stoltenberg has said, Norway has not flourished due to oil and gas but because of its women. I believe this can be applied elsewhere as well.. www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

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WORLD IN 2024

by Djordje Milićević

Minister without portfolio in charge of the Coordination of activities and measures related to relations with the diaspora

We Are a Bridge Connecting the Diaspora One of the key goals for 2024 is strengthening the bonds with our people abroad

erbia, as a country with a rich history and heritage, has a diaspora around the world. Our compatriots living outside the borders of our homeland are a lively bridge connecting different cultures and a priceless source of support and energy for our country. Therefore, one of the key goals for 2024 is strengthening the bonds with our people abroad. We shall continue to work on creating a favorable framework for the return of compatriots to their homeland. We understand the challenges those considering returning to Serbia may face and we intend to provide support through different programs. In addition, we plan to create business and educational opportunities that will enable our compatriots to contribute to the development of the country and see their full potential blossom. This is not just the job of the ministry I oversee but also a task for institutions such as local government bodies, the Chamber of Commerce, and different expert associations. We are a bridge connecting the diaspora with the institutions in Serbia. I must emphasize that the diaspora is not just a source of financial means but a treasure trove of ideas, innovation, and experience. It is important to emphasize that one of our objectives is strengthening the trust between

the diaspora and the homeland. Thanks to the activities at home and abroad, mostly those of the President of Serbia and the entire government, this trust has been restored. Our compatriots living abroad know exactly what kind of support, stability, and safety to expect if they return. Of course, there are still unresolved issues, but we look forward to working on them in the coming year thus contributing to the progress of Serbia. We shall organize different events, conferences, and projects to foster the exchange of ideas and the creation of long-lasting bonds. These days, we are drawing to a

close the first round of talks we have had with the representatives of Serbs living abroad. One of the conclusions of the Vidovdan Assembly, where 270 delegates from the diaspora participated, was that a new law on diaspora is needed, which is to be preceded by a strategy addressing the relations between the homeland and diaspora. We have put together a team of experts working on that strategy not from their offices in Serbia but by meeting diaspora representatives in their countries of residence around Europe. Some meetings also took place in Belgrade, and we had video calls with those living on other continents. Each of those representatives had brought forth ideas, suggestions and guidelines that will help our team with the final draft of the strategy. Not only did we speak to our compatriots abroad, but we also visited munic-

ipalities within Serbia itself, given that all of them, sadly, have their own diaspora. With the exception of the Veliko Gradište municipality, no other towns have a database of the members of the diaspora and a special body dealing with the diaspora. In 2023, we organized 22 theme summer camps throughout Serbia, where more than 5000 youngsters from the diaspora participated. During their stay, they perfected their knowledge of Serbian, learned more about their culture and tradition, made new friends, and, I am sure, have come to love Serbia even more. For some, this was the first visit to their ancestral homeland, and for almost all, this was the first time they visited a place in Serbia that is not Belgrade or the region their parents come from. We will be organizing similar events throughout 2024. Based on our inquiries, I can already say that the interest in these coming activities is immense. Within our efforts related to strengthening the ties with the diaspora, we have supported the activities of numerous associations and NGOs that work on the preservation of our identity. By supporting events, art projects, sports, and educational initiatives, we wish to promote Serbian culture globally and offer our compatriots good conditions to preserve their identity and work together.

THE DIASPORA IS NOT JUST A SOURCE OF FINANCIAL MEANS BUT A TREASURE TROVE OF IDEAS, INNOVATION, AND EXPERIENCE

Dear friends, I believe that all our activities and goals will contribute not just to connecting the diaspora with the homeland but also to strengthening Serbia’s global presence.

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WORLD IN 2024

by Deyana Kostadinova Director of UNICEF Serbia

Children Live in a World Increasingly Hostile to Their Rights

Most important of all will be the ability to deal with change, learn new things, and preserve our mental balance in unfamiliar situations

ecently, we marked the 34th anniversary of adopting the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child – the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history to which most of the world’s Governments committed. However, the world nowadays, compared to the world of 1989, presents a greater threat to children’s rights. UNICEF estimates that 400 million children are living in or flee-

ing from conflict zones. Nearly 600 million children are not meeting minimum reading standards, and 1.2 billion children are living in multidimensional poverty. Today, children live in a world increasingly hostile to their rights.

Where is Serbia on this map? Serbia is an upper-middle income country committed to joining the EU. I spent the previous week in Brussels, supporting the participation of brilliant Serbian young women in the EU-WB Summit.

UNICEF ESTIMATES THAT 400 MILLION CHILDREN ARE LIVING IN OR FLEEING FROM CONFLICT ZONES

There was one message that has been clearly articulated and ran like a golden thread through all my meetings: economic growth is not possible without human capital development. And I’m glad to see this reflected in the announcements for the Growth Plan. Human capital development starts in the earliest years of every one human being. Serbia has demonstrated commendable progress in some areas, and I would www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

like to highlight three of them – the ones that contribute to building resilient communities as a foundation for sustained economic growth. The first is Early Childhood Development (ECD): Serbia has institutionalized and scaled up parenting programs, empowering 30,000 caregivers this year alone. Strengthening essential servicesin primary health care - home visiting and paediatric care, preschool, and social welfare has been accompanied by new local budget allocations exceeding half a million euros in 29 municipalities. The economic argument is clear – investing in early childhood interventions yields returns averaging 4 to 5 times the initial investment. Nevertheless, challenges persist, with 1 in 3 children at this age experiencing violent disciplining at home, and vulnerable children - especially those living in poverty, Roma children, and those with developmental difficulties - struggling to reach their full potential. The foundation has been built and we should continue with investments in ECD to ensure that these children can integrate in the society later and join the labour force.

The second is Early Childhood Education (ECE): Serbia’s reform of preschool education deserves recognition. All children attending preschool education now learn through play and establish a crucial foundation for lifelong learning thanks to the new Preschool Curricula Framework. The financial support, especially through a loan from the World

Bank, was crucial for broadening physical capacities and training of teachers. This increased access to early learning for all children, including the children from vulnerable groups. This is an important step for reducing inequalities and including children in the education system preparing them for the next stage of skills development.

adolescents. A pivotal milestone was the signing of a comprehensive Memorandum of Understandingby six ministers. This landmark document integrates mental health considerations into the health, social welfare, child protection, and education sectors. The first step has been made, now is the time to translate these commitments into

implementation. This strategic approach ensures that the momentum generated by political support is translated into practical improvements in mental health services for young people.

SERBIA HAS INSTITUTIONALIZED AND SCALED UP PARENTING PROGRAMS, EMPOWERING 30,000 CAREGIVERS THIS YEAR ALONE

Early childhood development is the undeniable political, economic, social, and moral issue of our time. Because it is the most effective way to build the human capital we need. Increasing the investments, political will and capacity needed to expand support to parenting, child development in early years, equitable access to quality pre-school programs and the mental health of adolescents and youth – this is the way forward. It is vital to recognize that these are instrumental in building resilient communities – a prerequisite for human capital development and sustainable economic growth. We know that the world is going to continue to change and put forward new challenges before us.

Now is the time to stabilize these first results and ensure the transition process from preschool to primary school. Ensuring universal access for every child to high-quality education is a precondition for building a strong labour force for economic growth.

The third is the Mental Health Initiative in Serbia: Serbia has recognised that a resilient community is the backbone of a peaceful and productive society. Due to strong political will, Serbia is actively advancing efforts to promote mental health and psychological well-being among children and

We all know that national prosperity is created; not inherited. The adolescents of 2030 are now in their early childhood years, still on the threshold of entering primary school.

If we look beyond the World in 2024 and go to 2050, we might ask ourselves how we can best prepare our children to be ready for the challenges ahead. Here, I would like to quote my favourite author and thinker of today, Yuval Noah Harari, who said: actions. We look forward to the establishment of a high-level working group that will develop the action plan with secured financing and oversee effective

“Most important of all will be the ability to deal with change, to learn new things and to preserve our mental balance in unfamiliar situations.”

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WORLD IN 2024

by Françoise Jacob

UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia

The Pledge for a Better Tomorrow New commitments for Serbia, the UN and the whole world

s the world is ready to enter a new year, there have been more and more pressing questions and issues that require worldwide attention. Francoise Jacob, the UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia, addressed these questions in her speech at the „Svet u 2024“ conference, starting from climate change and actions that need to be taken to prevent further pollution, to education, digitalization and most importantly, peace building. Her speech started with reflecting on positive news about the new declaration that came into fruition as the conclusion of the latest COP28 conference: “I will start with the big piece of news of the day. It’s global news and it’s rather good news. COP28 has concluded today with a declaration that does include, formally and for the first time, transition out of fossil fuel. So it’s not phasing out, but transition. Certainly, we already know that we will spend the next year

lobbying for a formal phase-out declaration. Climate change will work hand in hand with peace in the coming years. I like to say that the work of all the ministers that have talked before me will actually be influenced by how we treat climate change. It’s important that we keep this as our guiding framework and certainly it will

that made a formal commitment and expressed a number of priorities. I want to mention that these priorities were shaped around six transitions and they will be our top priorities for 2024” The UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia emphasized that these six transitions will be at the core of

PREVENTION OF CONFLICT AND PRESERVATION OF PEACE SHOULD BE A UNIVERSAL GOAL FOR ANY COUNTRY, NOT JUST FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING CONFLICT be a guiding framework for UNs work in Serbia, along with the sustainable development goals.” On the other hand, she highlighted that Serbia has agreed to firmly re-commit to the Agenda 2030: “I want to mention that at the last general assembly in September, Serbia did re-commit to Agenda 2030. It was one of 32 countries

UNs efforts in the next year: “The first one is the energy transition and everyone, including Serbia, will be involved. In the past few days, Serbia has committed to a number of pledges at COP28. I will list two of them. That is the global renewable and energy efficiency pledge. This is a commitment to triple the renewable energy generation and double the annual

rate of energy efficiency by 2030 so this represents a huge commitment from 67 countries including Serbia, which is a huge opportunity for business as well. The second pledge that Serbia signed on is the global cooling pledge. This is about reducing cooling related emissions across all sectors by 70% by 2030. Again, an important commitment from Serbia.” Francoise Jacob also touched upon the importance of sustainable food systems and integrating them into all national adaptation plans and long term strategies: “The second transition that we will work on is the sustainable food system. Again, at the COP28 Serbia has signed the declaration on agriculture, food and climate which aim to integrate agriculture and food system into all national adaptation plans, into the national determined commitment, the NDCs, into long term strategies, into national biodiversity strategies and action plans by 2030. For www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

many of us in the room here this is an important commitment on food systems.” As one of the main topics, not just within the UNs agenda, but also as an important global issue that requires special attention, she talked about the need to tackle the problem of worldwide pollution: “The third transition is on pollution and loss of biodiversity. For the next three years, Serbia will chair the Carpathian Convention on biodiversity and sustainable development and we really hope this will contribute to accelerating the work on restoring biodiversity and addressing pollution.” There have been transitions in which Serbia excels, according to Francoise Jacob, especially in the field of digitalization. She elaborated that the main goal of this transition is to help marginalized and diverse groups of people: „The fourth pillar of our work will be digital transformation and here I will mention that Serbia is trailblazing as a country in digital transition. The purpose of the UN here is really to focus on vulnerable group, marginalized groups, such as the elderly or young people and others. To support the digital transformation in the context of the need for these different groups. The fifth transition, according to Francoise Jacob, will focus on social protection and jobs, while the sixth and final transition will be about transforming education.

SERBIA IS TRAILBLAZING AS A COUNTRY IN DIGITAL TRANSITION Francoise Jacob also swayed everyone’s attention to the needs of refuges and the protection that they require in order to live a normal and secure life: “Addressing the need of refugees and supporting the protection approach to migrants will remain a very im-

portant piece of our work. There are many stakeholders in Serbia, many resources, capacities, financial resources. I just want to highlight here that the niche for the UN in a country like Serbia, in an upper-middle income country, is first and foremost to address inequalities and leave no one behind. I hope you all know that the „leave no one behind“ principle is

at the core of the agenda for 2030 and for us this means finding and shaping solutions for the most vulnerable. This is a country that has developed a tool and I’m looking at the former minister who was key in developing this tool that is called the „Leave no one

behind“ tool. It is supposed to be mainstream through all the laws, through all the strategies, to make sure that the specific parameters and needs of vulnerable and marginalized groups are addressed. One of our success under UN is to have introduced the concept of the just transition, in the context of the green transformation, in the context of the energy transi-

tion. So I really hope that this is something many of you will help us focus on in the coming years.” Taking into consideration conflicts taking place all around the world, the need for peace has been a big topic in the global public discourse. Francoise Jacob took a moment to talk about the importance and necessity of peacebuilding: “I know it is hard to talk about peace, but we must talk about it. I will just highlight three components of this agenda for peace which I think are very relevant to Serbia and the region. Number one is the need to build trust, solidarity and accountability. This is a social contract between the state and citizens and I hope this will be at the core of the work of the upcoming cabinet, mayors and MPs that will be elected. The second part is prevention. Prevention of conflict, preservation of peace should be a universal goal for any country, not just for those experiencing conflict. The consequences of conflict reverberate beyond national borders and prevention does not only to conflict affected countries. All countries need to recognize and commit to preventing and sustaining peace and develop national and regional prevention strategies, reframing prevention as a national agenda. This is a call from the UN to make sure that all the upcoming leaders will take peace as one of their core agendas, along with the human rights agenda.” Finally, The UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia announced future plans for the UN and Serbia. She spoke about the concertations that will be taking place in Serbia within the Summit of the future: “In 2024 the UN will have the Summit of the future in September and we expect that there will be multiple national and local concertations here in Serbia, to not only inform the summit of the future, but also to look at the concertations with all sorts of groups, young people, different minorities, people in the rural areas. To talk to them and hear what their hopes and expectations are and how can we build and co-create the future together. This is something the UN will certainly support.”

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by Žikica Milošević

COMMENT

The World in 2024 Forecast As the year 2024 knocks on the door, we are once again tempted to predict the events that will happen in the year ahead. Let me lay out some of my forecasts

For years, BRICS has been treated in the West as a „union of half-competent” or „a union of capable and incompetent”, especially apostrophizing China’s rapid growth and its connection to „overpopulated” India and Russia, which is just a „petrol station with an army”, Brazil, who is „a giant on glass legs”, and South Africa, „a big disappointment after Mandela”. Today, it is evident that BRICS has become very powerful. The numbers might not matter, but 37% of the world’s oil production, 44% of the world’s reserves, and 47% of the world’s population as of January 1 will live in BRICS+, which now, as The Economist says, „has a purpose”. It is no longer just a bunch of „wannabes”, but it has truly wealthy nations like the UAE or Saudi Arabia. What connects all these countries today? Nothing, if you look at it from a Western perspective: same-sex marriage is allowed in South Africa, homosexuality is highly punishable in Saudi Arabia, India and Brazil are democracies, while the Persian Gulf countries or China are not interested in Western democracy. Religiously, conventionally and civilizationally - they are all very different. But that is exactly the unifying factor - alter-globalism. All countries are allergic to outside interference and adhere to the old „I

won’t touch you if you don’t touch me” principle. Other people’s differences are respected. In a world that since 1991, has become an intolerable field of moralizing, shoving lessons down one’s throat and punishments for not adopting „universal principles”, this is a real breath of fresh air. Argentina may turn its back on Javier Milei, but someone else will be more than happy to step in. If BRICS rejects the dollar in mutual payments and „rushes” to pay in local currencies or the yuan becomes stronger, it will become a new superpower, which is not necessarily democratic or anti-democratic and pro- or anti-anyone, but it is in favour of itself and does not want to be subjugated.

CHINA CANNOT BE SANCTIONED THAT EASILY When the latest Huawei Mate came out, competitors bought it, took it apart and saw that it had a new chip, made in China, Which contains parts from countries that have imposed „chip sanctions” on China. Of course, this is the free world and shopping takes place in third-party markets. You can slow down China, but you will only make an enemy out of it. It

is much wiser to act as Britain did when, after 1945, it realized that it had to give up the primacy in favour of the USA and the USSR and their conflict, and be on good terms with the USA, i.e. „the child that has grown so much”. It’s smarter to be on good terms with China because China will remember that you stopped it on its way to the top. The 1980s and the situation with the blockade of Japan will hardly be repeated. China is leading the way in highspeed rail and electric vehicles, so much so that it has become the largest exporter of electric vehicles in the world. The EU is left trailing behind China and Tesla, even though it is desperate to „go electric”. If the yuan starts to replace the dollar, it will be a real paradigm shift. Don’t fall for the „Doomsday Trumpets” over the China problem. Western newspapers are full of „predictions of China’s doom”, be it because of the housing sector, low birth rate or young people being demotivated, while eastern newspapers are brimming with „the predictions of the imminent doom of the USA” due to the ideological division between the two Americas, identity issues, migrants, etc. In reality, none of

IN REALITY, NONE OF THESE POWERS, CHINA OR AMERICA, WILL FALTER

these powers will falter. The battle of the giants is just about to start and let’s hope it stays on this plane forever.

ARABIA IS NEW EUROPE

Mohammed bin Salman is the mouth behind these words. What he meant by that is that by 2030 or 2035, the Arabian Peninsula (with the exception, apparently, of unfortunate Yemen, if something does not change), that is Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, will have become the „new EU”, or the centre of the world. This seems rather ambitious, but we are not talking only about building huge facilities in Saudi Arabia or buying footballers - Qatar hosted the World Cup in 2022, while the Saudis are preparing for their own in 2034. High-speed railways are being built across the Emirates, their cities look like something out of Star Wars, and the biggest transport companies in the world are coincidentally, right there, almost all of them are in Asia, including giants like Emirates and Qatar Airlines. Most people’s layovers on their way to Asia, Australia and Africa, are in Arab countries. Dubai, although architecturally questionable, is one of the capitals of the world, and Abu Dhabi, a much more harmonious city, has its version of Louvre and is building more museums. The Arabian Peninsula is becoming a force to watch. www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

FOTO © Facundo Florit, © murathakanart, © Shutterstock

BRICS IS ALL GROWN UP

or Bolsonaro’s (who never thought of leaving BRICS or stopping trade with China).

will receive a share of the copyright, regardless of whether the AI used their work or not.

In 2021, more than 130 countries reached an agreement to „put their foot down” on tax evasion and tax havens and 2024 will be the year when the tax hunt intensifies. Many multinational companies file their tax reports in tax havens, which is why Ireland is apparently a disproportionately rich country whose citizens, therefore, should live better than people in Luxembourg. But they don’t because it’s just a numbers game. Now, indeed, the tax will be a „minimum of 15%” in all countries where a multinational company makes money and the Americans are quite furious with their tech giants, while the rest of the world, especially the EU, has no intention of letting them get away

Javier Milei is not the only talk of the town, although he is the most flamboyant politician in power at the moment. Donald Trump could return as the US president. Many countries choose right-wing candidates because in the era of developed security, we are still locking our doors and are prone to „ours“ vs „theirs“ division. Apart from the almost certain victory of Labour in the UK and the recent victory of the Democrats in Poland, the world seems to be moving in the direction of right and populism again, which is not strange. When the classical left and right disappeared and became something „extreme”, left centre, right centre and eventually „central centre” emerged. They all offer a very similar option.

GLOBAL TAXES AND GLOBAL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

tution, same-sex marriage, sexual preference and gender identity, while opposing abortion and euthanasia.

He will either be the saviour of the nation or this will be the most spectacular collapse of a state that is not caused by a foreign attack. We have already seen Argentina collapse in 2001 and the „silent suffering” of all these years. Now, Milei, the country’s new president, wants to abolish the Central Bank and the Ministry of Education and dollarize the country’s economy, thus effectively abolishing the peso. There is a small problem with this idea as Argentina doesn’t have as many dollars as its value, so for now, the peso will continue to be used, suffering a strong devaluation – from 350 to 800 pesos to 1 dollar. Milei also supports freedom of choice regarding drug policy, guns, prosti-

He is also in favour of cutting economic ties with „socialist” Brazil and China and believes that freedom to bear arms, invest and exit BRICS (before even joining) and Mercosul (the Southern common market) will aid the economy, even though Mercosul countries are Argentina’s biggest trading partners. He favours close cooperation with the US but wants to talk to the UK about the Falklands, by which he already alienated the British. This flamboyant character is embarking on a path that is much more extreme than Trump’s

JAVIER MILEI OR THE FIRST LIBERTARIAN AS A COUNTRY PRESIDENT

ARABIAN PENINSULA WILL BECOME THE „NEW EU”, OR THE CENTRE OF THE WORLD with it. An interesting tax battle promises to take place in 2024. On the other hand, AI is trained from the „body of knowledge” that consists of all available knowledge and in the case of copyrighted works, it allows the possibility of combination and processing to the utmost limit, without having to pay anything for copyright. Screenwriters in Hollywood have already revolted and it looks like 2024 will see better regulation of this market, so that everyone whose works are used to train AI

GLOBAL RIGHT-WING AND POPULISM

Citizens vote and governments change, but their wishes remain unanswered. Then they elect populists, to the dismay of the establishment, because populists are the only ones who can „fulfil their wishes”. As it happens in all this, the capitalists once again score the most and generate the biggest profit. Have we crossed the „limit of civil tolerance” if the majority in the Netherlands voted for Geert Wilders, or in Germany for the AfD? Is the line crossed if Herbert Kickl is the most popular politician in Austria? All of these votes are clear warnings to the establishment and it’s worth thinking about your policies before voters circle the option that will do what they think and want.

BUSINESS NEWS

22 NOVEMBER

FIC Unveils White Book 2023 Highlighting Key Investment Challenges in Serbia

The White Book 2023 lays out key investment challenges: Serbia’s EU integration, managing inflation and interest rates, tax burdens, and sustainable public debt. It emphasizes the need for alignment with EU standards, inflation control, fiscal optimization, and restructuring, particularly in the energy sector.

27 NOVEMBER 2023

Elektromeža Srbije and the Kingdom of Spain Signed a Donation Agreement At a Value of 600,000 Euros On the premises of EMS AD, a donation agreement was signed between the Fund for the Promotion of the Spanish Economy Abroad, which was established by the Kingdom of Spain in 2021, and EMS AD, as the first beneficiary of these funds in the Republic of Serbia. It is important to point out that the Republic of Serbia is the only European country with which the Kingdom of Spain has an agreement on the use of these funds. The Kingdom of Spain will finance a grant agreement for the preparation of the Technical Assistance Study for the energy transition of the Serbian transmission system operator, EMS AD, from its funds, through the Fund for Internationalization of Companies (FIEM) and the Instituto de Crédito Oficial (CIO). The preparation of the study will be led by Deloitte Consulting SLU, and the total value of this donation is EUR 600,000.00. The donation agreement was signed by H.E. Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain in the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Raul Bartolome Molina, and General Director of Elektromreza Srbije Jelena Matejić.

06 DECEMBER 2023

British-Serbian Chamber of Commerce Opens New Office in Belgrade The British-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (BSCC) inaugurated its new Belgrade representative office. Dr. David Landsman, Chairman of the BSCC, hosted a reception at Vuka Karadzica 7, the site of the new office. The event, held on December 1st, marked a significant step in bolstering UK-Serbia business relations. The office in Belgrade is set to become a central point for fostering trade and investment op-

portunities between the two countries. Its establishment reflects the growing interest of British businesses in the Serbian market and is anticipated to enhance bilateral economic collaboration. The opening ceremony saw attendance from notable figures in the British and Serbian business sectors, along with government representatives. The BSCC’s presence in Serbia is expected to contribute significantly to the economic partnership between the UK and Serbia.

www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

FOTO © Tanjug

FIC President and Yettel CEO Mike Michel, along with other prominent figures like FIC Executive Director Aleksandar Ljubić, EU Delegation Head Emanuele Giaufret and, Minister of Mining and Energy, Dubravka Djedovic Handanović addressed the gathering. Michel underscored the challenges Serbia faces amid tough economic and geopolitical conditions in 2023. Despite these, FIC, representing 122 foreign companies with investments totalling 44 billion euros, remains committed to improving Serbia’s business climate. The White Book 2023, with its 397 recommendations across 58 articles, reflects this commitment, especially noting significant advancements in the energy sector.

FOTO © Tanjug

The Foreign Investors Council (FIC) presented the “White Book 2023” in a significant event attended by top government officials and stakeholders. Authored by FIC members, this publication, a cornerstone for over two decades, offers vital recommendations to boost Serbia’s economic growth and enhance its citizens’ living standards.

11 DECEMBER 2023

A Promise Fulfilled – the Replacement of Public Lighting in Kanjiža Was Completed in Record Time

New Year’s Meeting and Celebration of 20 Years – Slovenian Business Club

In Kanjiža, the implementation of the public-private partnership (PPP) project for the replacement, rationalization and maintenance of the public lighting system was successfully completed. As promised at the beginning of the implementation, in the presence of His Excellency, the Ambassador of Hungary, Mr József Zoltán Magyar, the implementation was completed before the Christmas holidays, more precisely in just 44 days, which is the fastest implemented project so far. The PPP project for the reconstruction of public lighting in the Municipality of Kanjiža is a good example of a positive impact on environmental protection and provides innovative solutions to the challenges faced by local governments. In addition to the modernization of the lighting in Kanjiza, CO2 emissions are reduced by about 1,700 tons, and additional financial savings in the budget of about 352,133 euros are expected to be achieved annually. As part of the implementation of the project, outdated lighting was replaced with the most modern LED technology, which achieved significant savings in electricity consumption of about 1,544,000 kWh per year. The results are already noticeable, and the Municipality of Kanjiža is setting standards in the application of innovative solutions in the field of environmental protection.

12 DECEMBER 2023

Serbia аnd EU for Innovation: Continuous Investment in Serbia’s Innovation Ecosystem The Innovation Fund opened the second Public Call, allocating EUR 10.3 million for project funding in the private and academic sectors of Serbia, as part of the IPA project ‘Increased Innovation Capacity and Growth of SMEs. Grant support for the development of new products, services, and/or technologies is provided in collaboration with the Ministry of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation, with the support of the European Union. To unlock innovative potential and gain access to the global market, the Fund provides companies substantial financial assistance ranging from up to EUR 120,000 and up to EUR 500,000 per individual project. The second public call has been announced for three support programs of the Innovation Fund: Mini, Matching and Collaborative Grant Scheme Program. The Mini Grants Program fosters innovative entrepreneurship and ensures the survival of startups in the early stages of development by providing financial support up to EUR 120,000, with a 70% Fund participation in each project. Project financ-

On December 5, 2023, the Slovenian Business Club celebrated the 20th anniversary of its business in the elegant surroundings of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Belgrade. The traditional New Year’s meeting brought together over 200 guests to celebrate the impressive jubilee and all previous business successes, but also to congratulate each other on the upcoming holidays. Club president Danijela Fišakov addressed the members, friends, representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Serbia as well as representatives of many other companies in the introductory part with the following words: “Celebrating 20 years of active existence is an impressive achievement for any organization. The Slovenian business club has persevered and demonstrated many qualities during these 20 years that have contributed to its longevity and vitality. One of the key factors that made the Slovenian Business Club long-lived is the continuity of work and the constant engagement and support of its members. Membership activities have not stopped since the very beginning of SPK until today.

ing is directed towards the development of innovations with commercial potential. The Matching Grants Program supports the realization of the development cycle of technological innovations for established companies. To cover the high costs of transferring research into a commercially sustainable product, high-tech enterprises have access to up to EUR 500,000, with Fund participation covering 60%/70% of the total budget for each project. The Collaborative Grant Scheme Program enhances industrial research by fostering collaborative efforts between the private sector and scientific research organizations. With the aim of creating new or improving existing commercially viable products and services, the Fund allocates up to EUR 500,000 to consortia, with Fund participation covering 60%/70% of the total budget for each project. Interested companies can submit innovative project proposals from all fields of science and technology until April 1, 2024, at noon. The application documentation and the application form are available on the Fund’s portal. Additional information about programs details and propositions will be shared by the Fund at online info sessions every Thursday from 1 p.m.

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by Nikola Gudelj

MEDIA INTERVIEW

New Laws, Old Challenges TAMARA FILIPOVIĆ STEVANOVIĆ

Secretary-General, Independent Journalists Association of Serbia (NUNS)

t a time when the media scene in Serbia is facing new challenges and legislative changes, we bring you an exclusive interview with Tamara Filipović Stevanović, Secretary-General of the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia. Our interviewee takes a detailed look at the impact of the new media laws on media independence and plurality while exploring how these changes are reflected in the country’s media landscape. What is the current situation regarding media plurality and independence in Serbia like, especially in light of the new media laws?

We’ll see how the set of new media laws will affect that, but I have to note that the previous laws were drawn in the light of creating favourable conditions for all media, meaning transparency of ownership and equal market conditions for all media outlets. That is why we carried out privatization in the previous period. When we passed the laws in 2014, we had 81 stateowned, directly subsidized media. The market conditions were not the same for private media and those which live off state budget and because of that don’t have to think about sustainability. Other media are not in such a position. So we then introduced project co-financing, which aimed to equalize the position of all market players and obtain money for

those media that have the best ideas, and the best projects and create media content in the public interest. However, the opposite happened. We have come to a situation where it is actually the media that have been privatized, that is, most of them were bought with the money that was obtained later in the tenders for those media outlets. We carried out the so-called political party privatization and at the moment, we still have two or three non-privatized media. From 2014 until early November 2023, there was a ban on state ownership, while at the same time, Telekom Serbia formed its media outlets through subsidiaries, and now this is ful-

WE HAVE CREATED SUCH AN ATMOSPHERE OF IMPUNITY AT ALL LEVELS

ly legalized by the Law on Public Information and Media and the Law on Electronic Media, because we ownership of the media is now back in the hands of companies that are partially or fully owned by the state and that are involved in electronic communications. This will again create the opportunity for further capturing the media scene, where media pluralism is further restricted and the same content is broadcast on a larger number of channels. This, in turn, jeopardizes media pluralism, which is no longer measured by the ownership structure, but precisely by that variety of content. Unfortunately, this is the only thing that has been reversed in the Law on Public Information, but it could have far-reaching consequences. Why do you think that law changed? Telekom had its own TV channels before too and that was presented as a legally reguwww.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

FOTO © Imrana Kapetanovic, Privatna arhiva, © Nova TV press

Analysis of new laws and fighting for media independence

lated matter. What is the problem now? It turned out that it wasn’t changed and that this became clear to the authorities too. Journalists and the media community had been pointing out the same things years before. Following the negotiations with the government, the first draft law was even worse than the one that was passed, because it created

media scene in a very good way. However, here in Serbia, the problem is not the law, but its implementation. Also, the problem is that if someone does not implement the law in accordance with the intentions for which it was adopted or does not implement it at all, no one bears the consequences. We have created such an atmosphere of impunity at all levels. We often talk about the impunity of attacks on journalists,

tation. It seems that it will remain, yet again, a dead letter. The same goes for the REM. The legal framework is not a problem, but its implementation is. Now, with the new Law on Electronic Media, the responsibility, above all of the REM Council, has been better regulated. How can ordinary people recognize the state’s influence on news and other content and in what way is that influence made possible, regardless of whether we are talking about private or state media? It’s difficult to recognize that when you’re only exposed to one type of content. Free media do not benefit any politician, neither in the opposition nor in power. Free media, that is independent media that work in the best interest of citizens, are not something that politicians like a lot. The government systematically per-

the possibility for a wide number of companies to get involved and the complete restoration of state ownership in the media through companies that are partially or fully owned by the state. If that particular article of the law were adopted, every local government would be free to establish a company and that company would then go on to form a media outlet because media founders are different types of legal entities. We were told very openly by both the line Minister and the Prime Minister at the meeting that they thought that the amendments to the law should allow Telekom to form media outlets and production companies because when the previous laws were drafted, there was a different perspective of media development and we actually hindered Telekom’s development at that time, because we banned state ownership in the media. Do you think that the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) is controlled by the state and if it is, how is that possible? Does the new law protect the REM more than before? Even with the previous law, the REM had a lot of good legal opportunities to regulate the electronic

POLITICIANS HAVE CREATED THE PICTURE HERE THAT THERE ARE NO NEUTRAL MEDIA but impunity is present in all segments of our society, including in the media, including non-application of media laws. So, previously local governments were obligated to take care of public information. A number of local governments ignored that provision and for years did not launch a single tender for project co-financing of media content that was in the public interest while explaining that they take care of public information in a different way and do not need to conduct tenders.

secutes investigative journalism and if there were no investigative journalists, darkness would encapsulate this society. Again,

most of the citizens are exposed to tabloids and media where the editorial policy of avoidance is in place. In an environment like this, people are confused and they don’t have the right picture. They can hardly recognize this if they do not know, do not have information about something and are not exposed to a different opinion. Journalists from professional and independent media see ruling politicians exclusively at press conferences. Top officials refuse to appear in the mentioned media and often they will not answer their questions. They are responsible for the one-sidedness of those media because they refuse to provide them with the information they need. They are civil servants and it is in their job description to answer the questions of all media and not to make that kind of discrimination. Politicians have created the picture here that there are no neutral media because there are media outlets they are available to and the ones they are not. There is no middle ground here. We have to find the reason why there is no middle ground. It’s not the journalists’ fault that there is no one else in the neutral media, but only the politicians in power. Civil servants, who are paid by taxpayers, must be available to all media.

Even though the former Ministry of Culture and Information gave its opinion that local governments should launch at least one competition for the production of media content in public interest every year, they failed not do so. No one suffered any consequences because of that. Now the Law on Public Information and Media (ZJIM) contains penal provisions if you do not launch a competition and a person responsible for that omission will be penalized. The ZJIM has undergone all these positive changes and yet there is no one to regulate its implemen-

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CULTURAL INTERVIEW

by Nikola Gudelj

In the Realm of Illusion

Aurélia Thierrée on ‘Bells and Spells’ and the Art of Surreal Theatre

AURÉLIA THIERRÉE CHAPLIN actress and dancer

n an exclusive conversation with Aurélia Thierrée, we delve into the mesmerizing world of her latest theatrical masterpiece, „Bells and Spells.” As the granddaughter of the legendary Charlie Chaplin, Thierrée brings a unique perspective to the stage, blending surrealism and reality in a fascinating spectacle. Join us as we explore the particulars of her craft, the fascination of the unpredictable in live performance, and how she continues to evolve in the shadow of her illustrious family legacy. Could you share more details about yourself, the festival, and the nature of your collaboration with the Belgrade Dance Festival? I’m looking forward to presenting our show next year here in Belgrade. We saw the theatre

yesterday, and I can’t wait, I just hope you enjoy it. It will be our first time in Belgrade, and I hope not the last. It’s always difficult to describe a show that works with visuals, which is based on surprises and is based on the audience’s interpretation of what the show is about. For me, the best audience would be one who absolutely doesn’t know what they’re going to see and then discovers it in the moment. But we do have to talk about it. And I wish the press conference would happen after the show, not before. What sparked the inspiration behind this play? My mother creates and directs the show, and I never know exactly where her inspiration comes from. She’s very secretive about

it. I discover it little by little, and I continue to discover it every night until we even start the show. So, it’s an ongoing process. It’s challenging for me when I talk about her work. I don’t know where her inspiration comes from, but I’m curious. I discovered that this show was about a kleptomaniac woman on the day of rehearsals. So, I had no idea. What are the first reactions of the audience? It depends on the night, and it depends on the country where we’re performing it. But it’s always very interesting to hear what people see in the show. I mean, initially, what we want is for people to have a good time and to embark on this investment of us for an hour and 15 minutes. That’s the

THE BEST AUDIENCE WOULD BE ONE WHO ABSOLUTELY DOESN’T KNOW WHAT THEY’RE GOING TO SEE AND THEN DISCOVERS IT IN THE MOMENT

main goal. But when they suddenly see something more into it, that’s when you know that something has worked. The play has some humorous segments in the show. Do you find any parts of the play that have some similarities with the work of your grandfather? I wish, but there are two very different worlds. I hope it’s entertaining, and I hope it brings the possibility of going somewhere else during the play. That’s my main goal, but I would not compare it with my grandfather’s work. It’s not possible. The play is described as transporting the audience into the world of strangers and wanderers, where the wanderer meets illusion. How do you balance the surreal and the magical on the stage in the performance? I suppose the situations are not realistic, but you approach them www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

as though they were real. I guess it’s that coupling of a surreal world, but that you enter as if it were real. A bit like a dream when you have a dream and something completely absurd happens in your dream. While you’re dreaming it, you think it’s normal. It’s only when you wake up that you think, „This was ridiculous.” But while you’re dreaming it, you embrace whatever the reality of that dream.

your rich family’s history in performing arts? Well, the theatre remains very concrete in a way and very artisanal. So, it works and then you don’t know if it’s going to continue. It’s a very present endeavour. So, I don’t know how it has evolved except that I realise the more I progress, that it’s always a never-ending journey, you can never get to a place where you can think, „Oh, I’ve arrived.” You must keep it alive and keep investigating it.

Is that a part of that unpredictable factor you have in theatrical performance? No, I think the unpredictable factor is inherent to theatre, which is that you can try and do something similar every night. There’s always going to be something that’s not going to be similar. And you don’t know which part it’s going to be, because it’s live theatre and because the audience is going to be different because the performers are going to be in a different place. So, it’s an alive form because it’s never fixed. Does it scare you? No, I like it. It’s a gamble. And some nights it cannot work, but it’s a gamble I love. It’s trying to make something live when you don’t know if it’s going to live or not. What do you hope the audience will take away from your play

How has your approach to theatre and performance art evolved over the years, especially considering

You mentioned before that you never ask your mother about her inspiration or her next play. Is that your process of work, to not know anything about the play?

I REALISE THE MORE I PROGRESS, THAT IT’S ALWAYS A NEVER-ENDING JOURNEY, YOU CAN NEVER GET TO A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN THINK, „OH, I’VE ARRIVED”

Well, yeah, it’s a collaboration in that I completely trust her. And I remember the first show when

„Bells and Spells”? Is there a particular message or feeling you aim to evoke?

No, really at the base is to take them to another world for an hour and fifteen minutes, and that it’s enjoyable and surprising. Afterwards, if it can stay somewhere in their memory, that’s a bonus and that’s fantastic. But really, it’s entertainment and it’s just to offer an escape. This would be ideal, that suddenly it’s an escape from our world. she said, „Well, we’re going to start the show. You’ll be in a chest of drawers and then at the end, you’ll have a train going through your stomach.” I was like, „Wow ok.” And then we work on the numbers and when we work on the numbers I think, „Oh, is the audience going to believe that the train is going to...” And then we perform it, and it works. So, I trust her process. Whatever she decides. And kleptomania, I didn’t know much about kleptomania before. And now, like when we did it in Paris, one evening there was a kleptomania who came to me and he said, „Hello.” And his hand went to my backpack, and I got his hand and I said, „No, no, no.” This trick I know. And it also, goes with magic that you must embrace, you know, when you get the attention of someone somewhere so you can do something, it plays a little bit with the person. So really, it is magical.

DIPLOMATIC EVENTS

17 NOVEMBER 2023

highlighted the day’s cultural richness and historical significance. Belgian National Day serves as a reminder of the nation’s journey towards constitutional monarchy and democratic governance. The reception in Belgrade echoed this spirit, celebrating the shared values and enduring friendship between the two nations.

Belgian National Day Celebrated in Belgrade In a grand commemoration of Belgian National Day, the Belgium Embassy in Belgrade hosted a grand reception, marking the historical moment when 1831 King Leopold I pledged allegiance to the constitution, becoming the first King of the Belgians. The event, hosted by H.E. Cathy Buggenhout, Belgian Ambassador to Serbia, was a vibrant confluence of cultural and political figures from Serbia. This gathering not only underscored the strong bilateral ties between Belgium and Serbia but also

20 NOVEMBER 2023

A Night in Belgrade with a Macedonian Twist – Wine, Jazz, and Culinary Delights

17 NOVEMBER 2023

Veneto Vibes in Belgrade – A Gala of Italian Flavours The vibrant city of Belgrade became the culinary central point this week as it hosted a grand Gala dinner dedicated to the Veneto region of Italy. This prestigious event, part of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World 2023, was graced by the presence of Mr. Luca Zaia, the President of the Veneto Region, showcasing the rich gastronomic heritage of his region. The Italian Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Luca Gori, played the perfect host at this elegant affair, bringing together the flavours of Veneto and the spirit of Italian cuisine. This event coincided with the “Wine Vision by Open Balkan” Fair, further highlighting the significance of wine in the cultural exchange between Italy and the Balkans. The Gala dinner offered a unique opportunity for attendees to savor authentic Veneto dishes paired exquisitely with a selection of the region’s finest wines. This event celebrated the culinary arts and strengthened the cultural bonds between Italy and Serbia.

The Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, led by Prime Minister H. E. Dimitar Kovachevski, hosted a spectacular “Macedonian Night” in Belgrade, as part of the “Wine Vision by Open Balkan” fair. This cultural event celebrated the rich flavours of Macedonian cuisine and wines, showcasing the nation’s culinary expertise. The event was brightened by performances from the Macedonian Jazz Orchestra – ZDZM Collective, the acclaimed Tijana Todevska Dapcevic, and DJ Vera Jankovic, blending traditional and modern musical elements. “Macedonian Night” not only highlighted North Macedonia’s cultural heritage but also emphasized its role in the regional tourism and hospitality landscape. The event in Belgrade was a resounding success, strengthening cultural ties and showcasing North Macedonia’s unique contributions to the Balkans.

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DIPLOMATIC EVENTS

24 NOVEMBER 2023

Gold Medal for Services to the Republic of Austria Awarded to Dr Tijana Palkovljević Bugarski In the residence of the Embassy of the Republic of Austria in Belgrade, on Thursday, November 23, an honorary award for services to the Republic of Austria was awarded. At a formal reception, in the presence of selected guests, associates and friends, H. E. Mr. Christian Ebner, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to Serbia, presented a gold medal for services to the Republic of Austria to Dr Tijana Palkovljević Bugarski. The award was given to the manager of the Matica Srpska Gallery for her many years of dedicated work on establishing and improving Serbian-Austrian cultural ties. The Golden Medal of Merit is one of the highest state awards of the Republic of Austria. This distinction has been awarded since 1934. in honour of notable people from Austria and abroad who have made a worthy contribution to the state. Matica Srpska Gallery is extremely proud of its long-term cooperation with the Republic of Austria, the Embassy of the Republic of Austria and the Austrian Cultural Forum, thanks to which great friendships have developed between Matica Srpska Gallery and numerous Austrian museums. As part of this cooperation, numerous joint programs, educational and conservation workshops, and exhibitions such as “Life – Dream – Death” were realised. European frameworks of Serbian symbolism and Paja Jovanović and Gustav Klimt. One era, two artists, three museums with Vienna’s Museum of Art and History and the Belvedere Gallery.

27 NOVEMBER 2023

Celebrating 115 Years of Diplomatic Relations Between Serbia & Egypt Egypt and Serbia honored the anniversary of 115 years of diplomatic cooperation. On Thursday, November 23, the Slavija Fountain in Belgrade was illuminated with the colors of the Egyptian flag, in honor of

28 NOVEMBER 2023

Winter Wonders in Belgrade – Austrian Embassy Hosts Festive Gathering The Austrian Embassy in Belgrade, led by Ambassador H. E. Christian Ebner and Mrs. Viktoria Ebner, hosted a winter welcoming event on November 27. The evening gathering celebrated the winter season’s arrival with traditional Austrian hospitality. Set for 18:00, the embassy was adorned with festive decorations, creating a cosy winter atmosphere. The event featured a selection of seasonal delights including mulled wine, punch, hot chocolate, and various winter treats. The gathering aimed to bring together diplomats, local dignitaries, and members of the expatriate community, offering a taste of Austrian winter traditions in the heart of Belgrade. It also served as a platform for cultural exchange and fostering relationships between Austria and Serbia. The event was part of the Austrian Embassy’s ongoing efforts to promote cultural ties and mutual understanding between the two countries.

the celebration of 115 years of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Serbia. At 18h, the national anthems of both countries were solemnly played. The tower of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cairo was illuminated for the same occasion, displaying the names of both countries in Arabic and the symbolic number of 115 years. This was another event of marking an important anniversary of diplomatic cooperation between the two friendly countries.

DIPLOMATIC EVENTS

28 NOVEMBER 2023

UAE Celebrates 52nd National Day in Belgrade The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Belgrade hosted a reception at the Hyatt Regency Belgrade’s Crystal Ballroom, marking the 52nd National Day of the UAE. The event, from 12:00 to 14:00, saw the atten-

dance of diplomats and various sector representatives. Mr Ibrahim Aldarmaki, Chargé d’Affaires a.i., oversaw the celebration, which featured cultural showcases from the UAE, including traditional music, arts, and cuisine. The event highlighted the strengthening relationship between the UAE and Serbia, fostering ties in trade, culture, and tourism.

01 DECEMBER 2023

British-Serbian Fashion Show in the British Residence in Belgrade

01 DECEMBER 2023

The Promotion of Annual IWC Charity Bazaar The promotion of the large diplomatic annual Charity Bazaar of the International Women’s Club, led by Mrs. Barbora Kuchtová, the spouse of the Czech ambassador and the IWC President, took place at the Czech Embassy in Belgrade. Alongside Mrs. Kuchtová, the promotion was held by Mrs. Eun Hai Kim the spouse the Mexican Ambassador, Jinsook Shin, the spouse of the Korean Ambassador and Mrs. Monika Šuhajdová, the Deputy of the Ambassador of Slovakia, all in their colourful national costumes. The 20th, annual IWC Charity Bazaar will take place Sunday, December 3, 2023, 10:30 to 5:30 pm in the Crystal Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, in New Belgrade. The IWC Charity Bazaar is a multicultural event that will gather this year around thirty foreign embassies from Belgrade representing their respective countries. Each embassy will have its own colourfully decorated and unique booth, displaying and selling food, gifts, fabrics, arts and crafts, clothing and jewellery, holiday decorations, and other products specific to its culture. The Event represents a journey around the world, in a way. IWC Charity Bazaar also features a large Raffle with over 200 valuable prizes and Cultural Programme with international dances and music. The entrance tickets to the Bazaar cost 300 dinars, while the raffle tickets cost 250 dinars. All proceeds from the sale will go into the IWC charity fund in support of Women Empowerment projects working on prevention of domestic violence, femicide, extreme poverty, and unemployed single parenting.

The British Embassy in cooperation with the Fabrika agency, on November 29 at 7:30 p.m., in the British Residence in Belgrade, organized a fashion event – a fashion show by the popular young British designer Sinead Gorey and one of the most successful Serbian fashion designers, Tamara Radivojević. Sinead Gorrie is one of the most famous creators of the younger generation on the British fashion scene. She launched her brand in 2019. with a presentation at London Fashion Week with the support of the British Fashion Council. Her collections reflect growing up on the London rave scene and are a favourite among many celebrities from the global music and fashion scene. Sinejd came to Belgrade with the latest “Party Girl” collection for spring/summer 2024, which she presented at an independent fashion show as part of the official program of September’s London Fashion Week. Tamara Radivojević graduated in fashion design from the prestigious Central Saint Martins College in London in 2000. She built her career as a fashion designer in Britain, in the studios of Husein Čalajan and Robert Carey Williams, and since 2006. she has been running her successful brand in Serbia (“Tamara Radivojević Fashion Studio”). The latest capsule collection premiered at the fashion show at the British Residence.

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DIPLOMATIC EVENTS

01 DECEMBER 2023

Romania’s National Day Sparkles in Belgrade

08 DECEMBER 2023

The Embassy of Romania in Serbia commemorated the National Day of Romania with a reception at Beli Dvor in Belgrade. Hosted by the Romanian Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Silvia Davidoiu, the event symbolized the strong ties between Romania and Serbia. Marking the unification of Romanian territories in 1918, this day is a significant national milestone. The reception, attended by diplomats and cultural figures, highlighted the mutual respect and cooperation between the two nations. As Romania and Serbia continue to foster their partnership, events like this reception play a crucial role in reinforcing diplomatic bonds and promoting a shared vision for a prosperous and peaceful future in the region. This commemorative occasion in Belgrade marks another chapter in the ongoing narrative of Romanian-Serbian relations, paving the way for continued cooperation and mutual understanding.

Finnish Independence Day in the heart of Belgrade

In the heart of Belgrade, at the elegant Residence located on Šekspirova 9, a significant event marked the calendar on Wednesday, 6th of December 2023. This day commemorated the Independence Day of Finland, a nation known for its rich cultural heritage and progressive strides in various global arenas. The event was more than just a reception; it was a diplomacy and cultural exchange convergence. At the helm were the esteemed Ambassador of Finland to Serbia, H.E. Mr. Niklas Lindqvist, and Ms. Tracy Dolan, who together orchestrated this gathering. Various diplomatic circles have noted their roles in fostering bilateral relations and cultural understanding between Finland and Serbia. The significance of this event lay not only in its celebration of Finland’s independence but also in its embodiment of the diplomatic ties between Finland and Serbia. Such occasions are pivotal in strengthening international relations, promoting cultural exchange, and fostering mutual understanding between nations.

14 DECEMBER 2023

Donation of the Republic of Korea to the Institute of Forestry H.E. Mr. Jaewoong Lee, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Serbia, and Mr. Ljubinko Rakonjac, PhD, Director of the Institute of Forestry, officially opened on 12 December 2023 a formal ceremony on the occasion of delivery of a donation of the Government of the Republic of Korea to the Institute worth USD 118,000. The donation includes 1 ICP spectrometer, which would be used for chemical analyses and determining concentration of chemical elements in water, soil and plant material, monitoring of the state of environmental pollution and forests and forest ecosystems in Serbia, as well as for various scientific research projects. This is the third consecutive donation of the Government of the Republic of Korea within one month, after donating vehicles to Smederevo Healthcare Center (worth 135.000 USD) and donating vehicles and medical equipment to HRH Crown Princess Katherine Foundation and four health institutions in Serbia (worth 166.000 USD), while two more donations are expected to be realized till the end of the month of the total value of 488.000 USD.

DIPLOMATIC EVENTS

of cave drawings and petroglyphs. North of Djanet, photographers toured the Essendilene Canyon and the Erg Adamer dunes. Photographers, in a unique way, approached the desert beauty, which, for the most part, is located in Algeria. Since Algeria is unknown to many, this exhibition aims to discover Algeria and all its beauties because Algeria, due to the size of its territory and numerous attractions, is rightly said to be a continent.

14 DECEMBER

Algerian Sahara – Photography Exhibition Presented

At the opening of the exhibition, H.E. Mr. Fatah Mahraz held a welcoming speech for everyone who came to see the wonders of unique Algerian landscapes.

The exhibition “Algerian Sahara” was officially presented on the 14th of December at the Gallery ’73. The exhibition “Algerian Sahara” showcases the work of fine art photographers Jovan Ikonomovski and Vladimir Rajković and presents photo impressions of the Algerian Sahara, the largest desert in Africa. The organiser is the Association of Friends of Algeria, in cooperation with the Gallery ’73 and with the support of the Čukarica Municipality. This exhibition presents photo impressions collected at the beginning of 2023, during a two-week journey to this largest African country, when a group of Serbian mountaineers travelled to Algeria in the organisation of the “Azimut” Hiking Society and revealed the Algerian Sahara – its natural beauties, but also art cave paintings of the people of Algeria. The photographers visited Djanet, located in southeastern Algeria and its immediate vicinity, and the Tassili n’Ajjer, the home of thousands

18 DECEMBER 2023

Georgia Celebrated EU Candidacy and Bid Farewell to Esteemed Diplomat In a significant diplomatic event, the Embassy of Georgia to the Republic of Serbia hosted an exclusive reception to mark a momentous occasion: Georgia’s newly granted status as a candidate country for the European Union. This event not only signified a pivotal step in Georgia’s journey towards EU integration but also served as a heartfelt farewell to Mr. Ilia Koberidze, the Head of Mission, and his spouse Mrs Keshelava. The celebration, which took place in Belgrade, was a gathering of a select group, described as a “narrow circle of friends” of Mr Koberidze and Mrs Keshelava. This intimate setting reflected the close-knit community that had formed around the Georgian mission under Mr. Koberidze’s leadership.

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CORPORATE

DIPOS – a Home and a Worldwide Symbol of Welcome

Dipos organized a New Year’s cocktail at the Madlena Palace of Art „I would like to emphasize one project in particular since it is extremely significant to us: building the new Diplomatic Club.” The successful completion of this project will significantly boost our nation’s diplomatic and international ties as well as its domestic economy. It is crucial important not just for our company but also for the City of Belgrade and the Republic of Serbia as a whole. As is well known, our country has the privilege of hosting the global exhibition EXPO 2027, with the city of Belgrade taking the status of global leader in innovation, culture,

pre-holiday cocktail party has been organized by DIPOS, a business enterprise, in the stunning Madlena Palace of Arts building. The occasion honored the representatives of the countries with which DIPOS has established prosperous commercial relations for over sixty years. For several decades, DIPOS, a company established by the Republic of Serbia and entrusted with managing the upkeep and handling of its real estate, has worked to provide diplomatic missions and delegates a comfortable, reliable, and safe place to reside and conduct business in Serbia.

among them; one is located in Dedinje, and the other is within close proximity of Kosutnjak. These beautiful havens are symbols of cosmopolitanism and considered by their residents as one of the most magnificent locations for living and working. „Dipos is a well-known state-owned company with a very rich and lengthy history of business that is both profitable and successful. We owe a special appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Serbia, our founder, and to each and every one of you for your unconditional confidence over the

past 60 years, which has enabled Dipos to develop into a reliable partner and prosperous state firm. The services this firm offers are exactly what make it distinctive and what makes it stand out from the competition in the market. These services serve as the key behind its success. This Company boosts the market value of the state properties it manages while also making a major positive impact on the job and quality of life of its tenants. Our staff members go above and beyond in their duties to make Serbia and Belgrade feel like home to the diplomats on assignment, and they looking eagerly at returning there once the assignments are ended.” DIPOS director Bojana Martinović stated and added:

With more than 300 properties under management and entering its 62nd year in business, DIPOS possesses the capacity to oversee some of Belgrade’s most exquisite buildings and architectural treasures. Two diplomatic colonies stand out

WITH MORE THAN 300 PROPERTIES UNDER MANAGEMENT AND ENTERING ITS 62ND YEAR IN BUSINESS, DIPOS POSSESSES THE CAPACITY TO OVERSEE SOME OF BELGRADE’S MOST EXQUISITE BUILDINGS AND ARCHITECTURAL TREASURES

and education. We are all proud of this accomplishment, which is yet another reason why DIPOS is working with the Government of the Republic of Serbia, the organization’s founder, to build a new Diplomatic Club”, concluded Martinović. At the New Year’s cocktail special thanks were shown to the representatives of the countries with which Dipos is celebrating 60 years of successful and continuous business cooperation, among which are: the Ambassador of the Republic of Argentina and his Excellency Mr. Osvaldo Narciso Marsico, the Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt, his Excellency Mr. Basel Salah, the representative of Ambassy of the Republic of Lebanon, Her Excellency Mrs. Nada Al Aql and the First Secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of India, Mr. Sandipa Kumara.

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CMC EVENTS

TASTE AWARDS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN BELGRADE TASTE AWARDS 2023 - national awards for food quality - were given away for the first time in Belgrade, while the award ceremony was organized by Color Media Communications and the Food Talk conference

fter the traditional annual conference World in 2024, the Taste Awards for food quality were given away in Belgrade for the very first time. There were 22 award categories and the laureates were decided by an eminent jury consisting of Duška Jovanić, journalist and columnist; Svetislav Stojanović, edi-

tor-in-chief of Cafe, Bar & Restaurant magazine; Dimitrije Acevski, chef; Goran Kovačević, chef; Krešimir Macan, PR expert from Zagreb; Milorad Stošljević, Mile Pica, caterer, Novi Sad; Marija Radulović, Croatian Chamber of Commerce in Belgrade; Irena Brajović, Confindustria; Maja Petrović from Vitki Gurman and Igor Luković, wine expert and journalist.

The award for the Best Restaurant in the International Cuisine category went to Cveće Zla restaurant. VladimirMelentijevic received the award on behalf of the restaurant, while Svetislav Stojanovic, a member of the Jury, handed the award to the winner.

The winner of the Fine Dining category was Homa restaurant. On behalf of the restaurant, the award was received by Vlastimir Puhalo, co-owner of the restaurant. At the award ceremony, he was presented with the award by Duška Jovanić, a member of this year’s Jury.

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The award for the Best Restaurant in the category of Serbian national cuisine went to Kovačević Winery from Irig, and on behalf of the winner, the award was received by Jovana Stojković, restaurant manager. Danijela Veljović from the Serbian Tourist Board handed the award to the winner of this category.

The award for the Best Pastry Chef was won by Dejan Veljin, Executive Pastry Chef of the Gorski & Spa Hotel. He was handed over the award by Goran Kovačević, a member of this year’s Jury.

The award for the Best Restaurant in the club or cabaret category went to Lafayette Cabaret from Belgrade. The award was received by Goran Ivančević, the restaurant’s F&B director, and Aleksandar Stošić, the restaurant’s executive chef, while the Mexican ambassador to Serbia, His Excellency Carlos Felix Corona, presented them with the award. The award in the Best Chef category went to Damir Sertić from Belgrade. The award was presented to him by Jovana Antović, from Metro Cash & Carry, Serbia.

The award for the best product in the meat industry category was given to the NEUSATZER Company for the product „Chicken parfait with apples and white wine”. Marko Vasiljević received the award on behalf of the laureate, while Marija Radulović, a Jury member, presented him with the award. The award for the Best Product in the confectionery industry category went to the Bambi Company for their product „Plazma cube”. The company’s brand manager Tamara Roman received the award on behalf of the company, while the award itself was presented to her by Olivera Stefanović Stanković from the Proglas agency.

The award for the Best Restaurant in the Italian cuisine category went to La Pista restaurant from Kopaonik. Aleksandar Novitović, the restaurant’s Food & Beverage, received the award on behalf of the restaurant, which was presented to him by the painter Gala Čaki.

The award for the Best Boss under 30 went to Nikola Rosić from Belgrade. The award was presented to him by Dimitrije Acevski, a Jury member.

The award for the Best Product in the category of the milling/baking industry was given to the ILLI Pasta Company for their product „ILLI Pasta - wide noodle”. The award was received by the owner of the company Danijela Mandić and the award was presented at by Jelena Đorđević from the Institute for the Cultural Development Study.

The award for the best product in the fruit and vegetable processing category was awarded to Coca-Cola for their product „Next Classic Strawberry” and the award was received on behalf of the company by Aleksandra Todorović. Dragan Močević from Prime Communications and Slavko Spasić, director of the Natural History Museum, presented the award to the winner.

The award for the best industrial beer went to Carlsberg Serbia for Lav Premium. The award was received on behalf of the company by Darko Solomun and presented to him by Borislav Despotović, editor-in-chief of BizLife magazine.

The prize for the best rosé wine went to Despotika Winery for their wine Nemir 2022. Bojana Despotović and Milica Milinović received the award on behalf of the winery, while Igor Luković, a jury member, presented them with the award.

The award for the best sparkling wine went to Zvonko Bogdan Winery for Eclater 2021. Journalist and producer Zlatko Crnogorac handed the award to the winery’s representative, Ivan Aleksić. The award for the best craft beer went to Stolen Pine Tree beer produced by Zbir Brewery. The award was given to the brewery’s representative Milovan Knežević by Vladimir Marinković.

The award for the Best product in the non-alcoholic beverage category was also won by Coca-Cola for the product „Schweppes Pink Tonic”. Schweppes brand manager Aleksandra Todorović received the award on behalf of the company, and the award was presented by Lea Stanković, executive director of the Communis agency.

The award for the best product in the category of natural mineral water went to Coca-Cola for their product „Rosa Homolje”. Milica Bajković, from the Forward agency, handed over the award to the winner.

The award in the Best red wine category went to Lakićević Winery for Merula 2019. The award was received by the winery’s owner Natalija Lakićević and presented to her by the writer Ian Bancroft.

The prize for the best white wine was given to Grašac Grand Fru, produced by Vinčić Winery. Sommelier Predrag Gavrilović presented the award to the winery’s owner, Aleksandar Vinčić.

The prize for the best orange wine was awarded to Grašac Amfora wine produced by Vinčić Vinery. The winery’s owner, Aleksandar Vinčić, received the award, which was presented to him by Dejan Zagorac from the Institute for the Cultural Development Study.

The special award for the family restaurant with the longest tradition went to Kod Mira Tavern. Robert Čoban, president of the Color Press Group, handed the award to Predrag Matović, the restaurant’s owner. We would like to congratulate the TASTE AWARDS 2023 winners and are looking forward to future laureates. www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

COLUMN

The List: People who change Belgrade

VOL.

Belgrade a city with a soul, where every street and every person tells their own story. Throughout this city’s history, people have left their mark and influenced its appearance, architecture, gastronomic offer, and the habits of the people of Belgrade. But here’s the thing about being influential: it’s not for everyone. It takes a certain kind of person to stand out in a crowd and be heard. Let’s take a look at some of the men and women who have made their mark on Belgrade in a feature column by Duška Jovanić, which is out each month. BILJANA CINCAREVIĆ Painter

BOJANA NIKITOVIĆ Costume designer

This is a world-class woman from Belgrade. The costumes that she and Milena Canonero designed and made for Sofia Coppola’s film, Marie Antoinette, effortlessly won the Oscar, although the competition was so stiff that they couldn’t believe it when they were called to receive the award. While everyone was telling her that she did a great job as Cinderella, Bojana watched the exciting ceremony on a large plasma screen. She only realized how far she had come at the Governors Ball, on the top floor of the Kodak Theater, dining next to Beyoncé Knowles and dancing with John Travolta. Along the way, she skillfully rubbed shoulders with Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese and Spike Lee. That, however, was not her first professional encounter with the colossus of world fame. Anjelica Houston was relaxed, kind and calm. She didn’t laugh much with Bruce Willis, although that was expected of him. Even as November Man, Pierce Brosnan was handsome and elegant, as if he still epitomises James Bond. Of course, she couldn’t forget how Warren Beatty urged her, in a smarmy fashion, to finally move to Hollywood. She was discovered by Dejan Mijač. Before she turned thirty, she already

adventure of the spirit, she is one of the „women who run with the wolves”. Although her views are sometimes misunderstood or even misinterpreted, her unofficial title of Knight of Better Reality cannot be disputed. Biljana Cincervić is one of the superheroes who teach us how to love ourselves and life. This is the same attitude she has towards Belgrade - „A city that has been destroyed so many times still survives persistently, tenaciously, defiantly and despite itself. I see all its scars, but also its incredible strength.” The best thing about all of this is she reset herself to her „factory settings“. She loves his ancestors and country and she shows this love especially through her art. Her ultimate narrative is the epic myth of the Kosovo Girl because it left the keys to future generations to save themselves and get out of difficult situations. Belgrade challenged her to change herself. And encouraged her to shine even brighter!

Celebrity artist. Painter of modern realism. A socially responsible and conscientious citizen. Camping aficionado. A neo-feminist. Critic of hypocritical religion. VIP Survivor babe. Promoter of human rights. A world traveller. Taboo breaker. Undercover rocker. Long jump champion. Champion of spite. Phan(tom) of aesthetics. The artist who created perfectly shaped, juicy, tempting, cleavage-baring, masterfully drawn, smart pin-up ladies of our ugly time. Everyone would like to look like a being from Biljana’s painting at least once in their life. She was born in Opovo and effortlessly graduated from the Belgrade Academy of Fine Arts. She always behaves the way she wants and speaks her mind out loud. Even when she is in possession of status symbols, she does not attach much importance to them. She protects her daughter Srna like a rare gem. When she is not trekking across the jungles of Amazonia, or in some even more exotic

won two Sterija awards. She inherited her talent from her aunt, who made costumes for the famous TV series “Otpisani”. Bojana is the daughter of the famous TV sports commentator Dragan Nikitović. She mustered the courage to go to her first filming in Italy at the age of thirty-eight, but the very next day she wanted to run away as far as possible. She returned to Belgrade, which, despite everything, „still holds up well and knows how to fill the streets with beautiful people. It is especially beautiful in the spring when you can hear the famous Belgrade long-winded speech at its best”. Today, she is no longer so explosive, although she cried over all her global successes. However, what she succeeded in the most was being a typical Belgrade woman. One of those who are remembered and recognized by their style and strut and proudly declare that they are from Belgrade. Seamstress Rada has been her long-term collaborator, with whom she made the costumes for Tosca, performed in the famous Metropolitan Opera. She never went to the Kalenić outdoor market dressed in casual attire, especially since those market stalls still exude the quintessential Belgrade.

NOTE: The list is made in alphabetical order

www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

JASMINA ŠUPELJAK @jasminainbelgrade

mistakable and so-cool street style. But that’s not all there is to know about this woman. Her typically Belgrade sense of badass humour gave her the idea to paraphrase the title of the guilty pleasure series for her username on Instagram, so one morning she woke up as @jasminainbelgrade. It turns out that Emily in Paris is no competition to her as Jasmina has better and longer legs. Anyway, Belgrade reciprocated in kind. How could it not when she seduced it as her best boyfriend, pretending that the city was her best friend? Just like in the evergreen song sung by Vlada i Bajka. That’s why Jasmina has the soul and nerves for love and friends. She also wrote two books („Nesavršene“ and „Ispričaj mi Bajku“), raised her daughter and two sons well, and sent off her unfaithful husband with a column – one of those columns that come out in the Journal and hit you right in the stomach. She is no stranger to baking a good pie. And, yes, she will never stop loving Belgrade and constantly repeats how important and beautiful it is to live in it.

TAZRIL TARMIZI

Diplomat in action

Maybe many people don’t know him by his name, but they certainly KNOW him and describe him as a nice and cheerful character who attends all interesting events in the city. The chargé d’affaires of the Malaysian embassy is truly a diplomat of unusual behaviour in his field. OK, we had our share of relaxed and cool ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps, who were able to fit into the Balkan rules, but Tazril Tarmizi is from a completely different story. His almost boyish curiosity and desire to always be in the right place at the right time made him an important accomplice in Belgrade’s social life. Wherever he appears, he does not hide his good mood, has a perpetual smile on his face and is a master mingler. As such, he became a popular face in a city that is no stranger to self-marketing. What does he say in his defence? „Belgrade - as its literal translation is White City, is a real white canvas that allows each and every one of us to write, or rather paint, our

This is how it all started. „A long time ago, in 1990, I was doing a tinkle dance in front of the house while waiting. The car stops, I don’t have time to say hello and I impatiently reach out to take the package. I tear the paper, sit on the dusty sidewalk and first slowly, although my foot refuses to cooperate, I try to push it into my very first pair of espadrilles, while trying to defy the laws of physics (and genetics!). Was it because of the popularity of those plain canvas shoes I forced myself to walk around with blistered feet for the next four months? Of course, it was!” Although years later she hoped that something would finally cause her to become totally indifferent to fashion, Jasmina Šupeljak was on her way to becoming the queen of sold-out drama. Today, her fashion is a must-have in Belgrade. Long before the „golden age” of influencers, she was known for her unmistakable sense of creating outfits „to die for”. She also won the official title of influencer of the year, but even if that hadn’t happened, she would have continued to stop Belgrade traffic with her un-

very own stories. People are the soul of any place. This was the very first thing that I found on the very first day of my stay in Belgrade. Friendless is subjective, but coming from Malaysia, we do really know what being friendly means. Belgrade is a hidden gem that makes any foreigner feel at home much quicker than predicted. This is where I found my brothers and sisters along the way.” Tazril joined the service in 2005. He took a sabbatical to do his master’s degree in Sweden and was posted to Indonesia (2013-2016). In the three years he has been with us, this man, in his mid40s, has mastered and come to love a lot in Belgrade. Even folk songs. „Kafana is very synonymous with Belgrade. It’s a place to connect people, to share stories - either laughing or sobbing - and to forge friendships and alliances. To me personally, it is where I found the song “Ružo Rumena” which I will always bring with me wherever I am destined to be, after Belgrade.»

ŽARKO SAKAN The idea guy

As of today, together with his brother Lazar, he manages the empire of ideas. They run the New Moment agency, which was built by their father, the epic king of creativity and advertising genius, Dragan Sakan, whose red shoes, which have travelled thousands of miles to a better world, are kept as a sacred relic. It seems to him that he was born in a mythical house at 14 Hilandarska Street, where the foundations of what would make him the prince of marketing were laid. In that temple of lucid solutions for everything that surrounds us, it feels like everyone who ever meant something to Belgrade grew up, so to speak. Even in his childhood, he met the biggest names in his (current) trade and hung out with the most talented people of that era, which was a great advantage for him when he entered the business. During all that time, he adhered to his father’s motto that the idea is the only true currency and that nothing was achieved that was not previously dreamed of. When you add to that the Balkan

sense of creativity, it comes as no surprise that collects Cannes Lions, in a kind of Olympics for the gods of marketing. Žarko Sakan continued the family (funky) business, when advertising was also punk and rock’n’roll compared to what we see today as a result of general political correctness. He admits that what still „drives” him and makes him the best is that very famous idea, from which everything started when London and Belgrade were equals, with one difference – Belgrade always gave recognition to the precious people who made it great. „Belgrade citizens always had spirit, creativity and joie de vivre. My merit in all of that could be that I tried to show that there is continuity and respect for family tradition because in the Balkans, it is still rare for the second generation to successfully continue their father’s business. I think that Lazar and I have demonstrated that ideas and creativity can result in a nice European life. With that, we also put our city on the global creative stage”.

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by Robert Čoban

TRAVELOGUE

The Castle That Became a Surname

Windsor Castle

King George V’s Royal Proclamation of 17th July 1917 ordered that the royal family of Great Britain would in future be named after Windsor Castle

panning 45,000 square metres, Windsor Castle is the biggest, permanently occupied castle in Europe, with numerous British monarchs buried in its chapel, last but not least of them being Queen Elizabeth II. A young Ethiopian prince lies there too, whose grave hides a sad and tragic story.

Street in Windsor

It was March 1917 when German Gotha G. IV planes began crossing the English Channel and disseminating death in London and other island cities. This aircraft brand was unpleasantly associated with the German surname of the then-ruling British dynasty - Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The anti-German mood in the country, but also the fear that after the over-

Christian Victor Momument

the Goths, which came to Great Britain with Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband, went down in history forever. The satirical weekly „Punch” illustrated the event with a cartoon titled „The Great Preparation” showing King George V sweeping the crowns with a broom above which is written „Made in Germany”. throw of his cousin, the Russian Emperor Nicholas II, a wave of anti-monarchist sentiment would sweep across the rest of Europe, forced the British King George V to make a radical decision. He announced in the Royal Proclamation on 17th July 1917 that the ruling family of Great Britain would be named after Windsor Castle in the future. Thus, the German dynasty of Saxe-Coburg and

„Punch” caricature

THE TOWN OF EATON IS KNOWN FOR ITS FAMOUS ALL-BOYS SCHOOL, ETON COLLEGE, WHERE 20 BRITISH PRIME MINISTERS AND MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, INCLUDING PRINCES WILLIAM AND HARRY, WERE EDUCATED www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

The sixth season of the popular Netflix series „The Crown” brought the British royal family back into the spotlight, so I decided to visit Windsor Castle. After a one-hour train journey from Waterloo station in London, I arrived in the small town of Windsor. I left the railway station and found myself under the very walls of the castle. As I climbed the steep road towards the town centre, I passed numerous monuments that speak of Windsor’s rich history. Christian Victor, who was the grandson of Queen Victoria, was born in Windsor Castle in 1867 and died of malaria in Pretoria, South Africa in 1900 at the age of 33. A memorial to the Major of the Royal Infantry Corps who took part in numerous battles from India and Sudan to the Gold Coast in Africa, was erected by his friends and comrades. Right next to it is a monument dedicated to King George V „the first ruler of the House of Windsor”. I passed by the Royal Theatre, where the play „Aladdin” was performed. The windows of the souvenir shops were filled with postcards, plates and mugs with the images of deceased and living members of the Windsor royal family, as well as figurines of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III and the Queen’s favourite dogs - corgis. The town centre is adorned with a large monument to Queen Victoria and next to it a Christmas tree.

Thomb of King George V and Queen Mary

invasion in the 11th century. Spanning 45,000 m2, it is considered the largest permanently occupied castle in the world.

St George Hall after the fire

It was built on manmade high ground strategically important for controlling the River Thames and the

Royal Theatre

complex, while Edward III rebuilt the castle, which was the most expensive construction project of a non-religious character in medieval England. The St. George Chapel was erected within the castle in the 15th century and this is the place where many British monarchs were buried, the last among them Queen Elizabeth II. During the Tudor reign, the castle retained its appearance, but Henry VIII and Elizabeth I increased the importance of this castle, as they used it to hold all important diplomatic events. During the English Civil War, it was used as the headquarters of the Parliamentarian army and as the place where Charles I was kept in custody. Charles II reconstructed most of the castle with the help of architect Hugh May. After a period in which the castle was poorly maintained, George III and George IV reconstructed the palace of Charles II in the 18th century and thus gave it its present appearance. Queen Victoria made only minor changes to the castle, which hosted receptions for various festivities during most

Queen Victoria

Across the bridge, on the other side of the Thames, leaning against Windsor is the town of Eton, known for the famous allboys school, Eton College, where 20 British Prime Ministers and many members of the royal family, including Princes William and Harry, were educated. Eton is attended by students aged 13 to 18 and has more than 1,300 students housed in 25 residences. The annual tuition is £46,000. The network of acquaintances made at Eton is often useful in later careers, while former students are called Old Etonians. Many specialized magazines have named Eton the best private school for young men in the UK. Almost all students continue their education at universities after graduation, and a third enrol in two most prestigious English universities, Oxford and Cambridge.

PRINCE ALEMAYEHU, THE SON OF THE ETHIOPIAN EMPEROR TEWODROS II, WAS BURIED IN THE WINDSOR CASTLE CHAPEL main road to London. It was originally surrounded by a wooden palisade and a moat, and later, during the reign of Henry I, stone walls were built around it. Since then, this castle has become the residence of the British rulers, which makes it also the longest inhabited castle in Europe. In the 13th century, King Henry III built a luxurious palace within the castle

of her reign. During the aerial Battle of Britain in World War II, the royal family took refuge in it. Windsor Castle was badly damaged in a fire on 20th November 1992 when a curtain draped over one of the light bulbs caught fire in the Queen’s private chapel. The fire lasted 15 hours and completely destroyed the famous St.

Souvenir shop

After passing extensive security, I entered Windsor Castle, which was built on this site by William I the Conqueror after the Norman

George’s Hall and the surrounding premises of the castle. In a speech on the occasion of the 40th year of her reign, Queen Elizabeth II called 1992 „annus horribilis” (a horrible year). Namely, the fire at Windsor Castle was just the latest in a series of bad news for the royal family during that year. First, in January, photos of the love affair between Princess Sarah, the wife of the Queen’s second son Andrew, and her Texan lover Steve Wyatt were published. Sarah and Andrew divorced soon after that. The Queen’s only daughter, Princess Anne, and her husband, Mark Phillips, also officially divorced, while Diana, Princess of Wales published a biographical book, „Diana: Her True Story,” in which she spoke publicly for the first time about Charles’ relationship with Camilla. In August of the same year, the details of secretly recorded intimate conversations between Princess Diana and her lover James Gilbey were published too.

an antiquated system dating back to feudal times. Funds known as „bona vacantia”, owned by people who died without a will or known next of kin, are collected by the duchy. Over the last 10 years, the duchy has raised more than £60 million in funds. It has long been claimed that, after deducting expenses, the proceeds of the bona vacantia are donated to charity, but it turns out that the money was used to repair and furnish the royal family’s private estates. Princ Alemayehu

Thomb of Ethiopian Princ

then settled in Russia and their descendant is the famous British actor Peter Ustinov, who is the great-great-grandson of Tewodros II, as he writes about in his 1977 autobiography, „Dear Me”.

THANKS TO AN ANCIENT CUSTOM, THE PROPERTIES OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THE NORTH-WEST OF ENGLAND BECAME PART OF THE KING’S PROPERTY

The Guardian named dozens of people whose money was transferred to the royal estate after they died in towns such as Preston, Manchester, Burnley, Blackburn, Liverpool, Ulverston and Oldham. Several of them lived in run-down estates or social housing that contrasted with the luxurious estates in the duchy that had been renovated with the money they left behind. Some of their surviving friends were horrified to learn their

t the end of my visit to the castle, A I went to see St. George’s Chapel in which many British monarchs are buried, among others and the repeatedly mentioned King George V and his wife Queen Mary. In a special segment of the chapel, measuring only 12 square metres in size, Queen Elizabeth II, her husband Prince Philip, sister Margaret, as well as parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (known as the Queen Mother) are buried too. My attention is directed to the only grave in the chapel that had a name that was not of European origin. There, in the Windsor Castle chapel, Prince Alemayehu, the son of the Ethiopian Emperor Tewodros II, was buried. The grave of this 18-year-old boy hides a dramatic and sad destiny. Namely, after the defeat in the Battle of Magdala in 1868, Emperor Tewodros II committed suicide and the British took his widow Empress Tiruwork and son Alemayehu as hostages. Tiruwork died on the long journey to the Red Sea coast. Alemayehu, who was a minor at that time, was taken to England where he was presented to Queen Victoria, but being so far from his homeland

Thomb of Queen Elisabeth II

he was deeply unhappy and was exposed to racist prejudices. Subsequently, he fell ill and died of pneumonia in 1879. Queen Victoria somehow felt remorse for the tragic destiny of this young man, ordered that he should be buried in St. George’s Chapel in Windsor and placed a silver plaque next to his grave in memory of the unfortunate prince.

I flip through the local newspaper while waiting in a nearby pub for the train that will take me back to London and have a traditional British meat pie with a pint of Guinness. The Guardian has an interesting article about how the property of thousands of people in the north-west of England, thanks to an ancient custom, became part of the king’s property.

It is interesting to note that Tewodros II married one of his daughters to a Swiss military engineer. That branch of his family

The Duchy of Lancaster, which brings huge profits to King Charles III, has collected tens of millions of pounds in recent years under

property was being used to renovate the king’s estate, calling the practice „disgusting”, „shocking” and „immoral”. Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the allegations. A spokesman for the Duchy of Lancaster said that, following his mother’s death, the King supported a continued policy of using bona vacantia money to „restore and repair qualifying buildings to protect and preserve them for future generations”. www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

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CMC EVENTS

Legacy and Vision Jovanka Broz Foundation Unveils Ambitious Plans at Star-Studded Gala

n December 7, in a fitting tribute to the legacy of Jovanka Broz on her birthday, the Jovanka Broz Foundation, in collaboration with Diplomacy & Commerce

Magazine, hosted a remarkable presentation at the scenic Babe Hotel in Belgrade. This event, marked by elegance and purpose, showcased the foundation’s ongoing work and future aspirations, including an extraordinary auction of original photographs of the late Jovanka Broz, a prominent figure in Serbian history. The Foundation’s ambitious plans were unveiled, highlighting their commitment to cultural preservation and social empowerment. Key among these goals is the establishment of a museum dedicated to First Ladies, a move seen as both a tribute to the legacy of Broz and an educational initiative. Additionally, the foundation emphasized its dedication to restoring Broz’s personal collection, a significant undertaking that will offer invaluable insight into her life and times. Another keystone of

The event was graced by the presence of notable figures, including Rober Čoban, President of the Color Press Group, and Svetlana Zorina Aleksić, founder of the Jovanka Broz Foundation. Their speeches not only paid homage to the memory of Jovanka Broz but also reiterated the foundation’s dedication to making a tangible impact in the realms of culture, social work, and education. The significance of the event was further underscored by the attendance of Tamara Vučić, the First Lady of Serbia, along with luminaries from the Serbian business and cultural sectors.

THE FOUNDATION EMPHASIZED ITS DEDICATION TO RESTORING JOVANKA BROZ’S PERSONAL COLLECTION, A SIGNIFICANT UNDERTAKING THAT WILL OFFER INVALUABLE INSIGHT INTO HER LIFE AND TIMES the foundation’s mission is to extend support to women who have suffered from violence, reflecting a broader commitment to social justice and empowerment. Further-

more, the foundation expressed a profound dedication to nurturing young talent, outlining plans to assist gifted children, thereby investing in the future of the nation.

The presence of government representatives and members of the diplomatic corps added a layer of gravitas, highlighting the wide-reaching influence and respect the foundation commands. For those interested in owning a piece of history, the foundation has provided an opportunity to purchase the remaining photographs of Jovanka Broz through an auction. This unique opportunity is available on Diplomacy and Commerce’s website, offering a chance to acquire a tangible connection to Serbia’s past while supporting the foundation’s noble causes. This memorable event, with its blend of cultural homage and forward-thinking goals, stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Jovanka Broz and the foundation’s commitment to shaping a future inspired by her life and values. www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

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OBITUARY

The Diplomat of the Century

Henry Kissinger (1923-2023)

With Henry Kissinger, even at the age of 100, the world was a safer and more secure place Henry A. Kissinger, U.S. Secretary of State, September 22, 1973 to January 20, 1977

rom the perspective of today’s world, we can assess Kissinger’s legacy as undoubtedly positive. Let’s take for example, that both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping sent statements of condolence on the occasion of his death. Of course, American President Biden, as well, emphasized that he often, very strongly, disagreed with Kissinger’s views. Kissinger understood diplomacy as the art of finding a balance between culturally, economically, politically, and historically different countries. His close friend and associate, the former state secretary and ambassador in Belgrade, Lawrence Eagleburger, described him as a man who „thinks in terms of the balance of power and firmly believes in the principle of stability.” „Americans tend to follow one set of moral principles. Henry, however, does not have an innate sense of America’s political system, and it does not follow the same basic values and prerequisites,” Eagleburger said. Kissinger believed that the deformations of American foreign policy came from the Vietnam expe-

rience. The late 1960s and 1970s were dominated by a debate in which an argument emerged—not that America had gone too far, but that there was something rotten in American thinking itself and that America’s fate in Vietnam was some kind of punishment for its moral inadequacy. That is why it was not desirable for America to get the best possible deal but to be defeated because that was the only way to purify itself morally. Within the Cold War system framework, Kissinger managed to build his own „mini-system,” according to which he ranks among the greatest statesmen and diplomats, Metternich, Bismarck, and Gorčkov. He ended the Vietnam War, changed the balance of power in the Middle East, laid the foundations for a peace agreement between Egypt and Israel, and achieved „détente” (accommodation) of East and West in Europe, where Belgrade played an important role. Ultimately, Kissinger integrated China into the world order, a merit that will last throughout the 21st century. After the «period of humiliation» came the Reagan period and the

reincarnation of neoconservatism. «The neoconservatives in America have insisted that the real American mission is not to defend the balance of power, our allies, but to spread democracy.» But how,» asked Kissinger. In the 1970s, it was said that moral pressure should be used. In the 1980s, it was said that economic sanctions should be used. In the 1990s, military force should be used and traditional principles of national interest were not decisive. Kissinger believed that such beliefs lead to the many challenges facing America today, making its domestic debate extremely difficult. This is why Kissinger was strongly against the NATO attack on Serbia in 1999. He claimed that there were no negotiations at Rambouillet but an ultimatum, and he was against it as a whole. He emphasized that the NATO action in 1999 was an „insult to history” because Kosovo is the „cradle of Serbia” and that Serbia was twice on the American side - in the First and Second World Wars and that they were the first to break with Stalin in 1948. His proposal for the solutions to Koso-

vo and other Balkan problems was the organization of an international conference, modeled after the Berlin Congress in 1848, where the new borders of the Balkan states would be determined, including Bosnia. Madeline Albright presented his criticism of the Clinton administration and foreign policy, particularly in the book „Does America Need a Foreign Policy,” published in our country. Kissinger was active until the last moments, proposing solutions for the crisis in Ukraine, relations with China, or the question of the future - artificial intelligence. His last visit was to China in July this year. We were supposed to see each other on October 26 in Houston, when he was announced at the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Baker Institute, but he did not come; he spoke via video beam. Kissinger maintained a dialogue with Moscow and Beijing, which is unavailable or increasingly difficult for official Washington today. With Kissinger, even at the age of 100, the world was a safer and more secure place.

Dragan Bisenić, journalist

CULTURAL NEWS

VLADIMIR PERIĆ INTENDED I REPLACED ART GALLERY KNEZ MIHAILOVA 6, BELGRADE UNTIL 14. JANUARY 2024

ed objects that have lost their utility function, and whose sentimental value is buried beneath layers of new technological aids, consumer habits and spent lives. The exhibition Namenjeno-zamenjeno [Intend-

Vladimir Perić (1962) is a multime-

ed-Replaced] consists of two series of works in the

dia artist, present on the contempo-

form of warning-reminder-prohibition messages.

rary art scene for four decades. He

The text of these messages is illustrated with sim-

studied graphics and photography

ple drawings, usually reduced to signs. One group

at the Faculty of Applied Arts of the

of works consists of safety warnings originally in-

University of Arts in Belgrade. He is

tended for use in/ taken from factories and industrial

a member of the Association of Fine

contexts. These are aluminium plates with graphi-

Artists of Serbia and the Art Directors

cal representations (combination of images and text)

Club of Serbia. For many years, even decades, Vladimir Perić Talent

of warnings that directly and straightforwardly convey

has been building his visual statements from found, old, discard-

messages about potential sources of danger.

OPEN HEART STREET JANUARY 1ST BELGRADE, SERBIA The event is a touristic and artistic event established in 1988 and since then it has entered the calendar of the most important events in Belgrade. It is held every year on January 1st in Svetogorska street and has a humanitarian character, where money is donated for humanitarian purposes through the purchase of postcards and souvenirs. The event is the central New Year’s event in the city center and attracts a large number of local residents as well as guests from the region and abroad who visit Belgrade during the New Year holidays.

KUSTENDORF INTERNATIONAL FILM AND MUSIC FESTIVAL 23 – 27 JANUARY MOKRA GORA, SERBIA The 17th edition of Kustendorf International Film and Music Festival will take place 23-27 January 2024 in Drvengrad, Mokra Gora. Kustendorf invites filmmakers from around the world to submit their short films for the Competition Programme of the upcoming festival. Selected films will be screened at the festival with their authors invited to take part in the festival

programmes and compete for the festival awards. Kus-

additional programs that include screenings of contem-

tendorf was established in 2008 with the idea to bring

porary feature films, retrospectives of cinematic lumi-

together the icons of contemporary auteur cinema and

naries, workshops, exhibitions and concerts. The found-

emerging filmmakers. The Competition Programme of

er of the festival is film director Emir Kusturica. Festival

the festival is devoted to showcasing short films, with

is organized by Rasta International production house. www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs