Austria 2022

Austria - 2022 -

AUSTRIA & SERBIA

SHAPING DEVELOPMENTS

H.E. NIKOLAUS LUTTEROTTI

ERIKA TEOMANBRENNER

Former Ambassador of Austria to Serbia

Austrian Commercial Counsellor

NADA KNEŽEVIĆ

Director of Vienna’s office of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia

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T HE SCHÖNBRUNN PALACE

One of the most impressive reminders of this mighty empire can be found at the Schönbrunn Palace, just outside Vienna. This former summer residence of the Habsburg rulers has a staggering 1,441 rooms.

06 BLOOD SEPARATION

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In 1900. Austrian biologist, physician and immunologist, Karl Landsteiner, distinguished the main blood groups.

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H IKING DREAM

There are over 2,000 longdistance hikes to choose from, many of which cover Austria’s 50,000 kilometers of mountain paths.

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EYE CONTACT

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DESSERT OF EVERYDAY KAISERS

In Austria, it’s considered bad luck if you share a toast and don’t maintain eye contact with the other person.

Kaiserschmarrn, which got the name from Franz Joseph I, Austrian emperor is a dessert, sweet pancake popular in Austria and Bavaria.

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WITHOUT SEA

Like many of its central European neighbors, Austria is entirely landlocked. Indeed, while boundaries and borders have shifted over the years, modernday Austria borders Germany, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland..

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BETTER PERCEPTION

S EWING FASHION OF FUTURE

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Josef Madersperger, tailor and one of the inventors of the sewing machine in first half of the 19th century.

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Augus Musger, Austrian priest and physicist who invented slow motion, first presented in 1907. in Graz.

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INTERVIEW

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MORE PROGRESS ON REFORMS IS NECESSARY H.E. NIKOLAUS LUTTEROTTI

Former Ambassador of Austria to Serbia

Austria is a firm and vocal supporter of the EU enlargement towards Southeastern Europe and this will remain a foreign policy priority for us. We continuously advocate for enlargement and see no other alternative to full membership of the Western Balkan States

or new adition of Focus on Austria, former Ambassador of Austria to Serbia, H.E.Nikolaus Lutterotti, spoke about Austrian companies in Serbia, Austria’s economy, military cooperation with Serbia, illegal migration and Serbia’s path to EU membership.

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More than 400 Austrian companies are active in Serbia and provide over 22,000 jobs which make Austria one of the most important investors. Is there a possibility for further expansion?

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Austria has been one of the largest investors in Serbia for over a decade. Most of the 400 companies you are referring to pursue a long-term strategy, as witnessed during the pandemic, when they stayed in Serbia. There is definitely possibility for further expansion, as following the pandemic, more and more Austrian companies are interested in finding nearshoring solutions. Therefore, we encounter rising interest in new investments or cooperation in Serbia. Since Serbia belongs to our immediate neighborhood, Serbia’s economic prosperity and the further strengthening of economic ties is clearly in Austria’s interest.

Now, of course, the Russian aggression in Ukraine has changed not only the geopolitical situation, but is also affecting the economic outlook. It remains to be seen how severely the war will impact the economies of our countries.

The Austrian government, together with the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, has initiated a global economic outreach program called “ReFocus Austria” which aims to promote Austrian businesses and focuses on the core competencies of Austria’s economy: renewable energy, e-mobility, sustainability, digital transformation, infrastructure. Is there a place for Serbian companies and Serbia in general in that program?

ReFocus was initiated with the aim to support the Austrian export economy, the competitivity of business as well as tourism after the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Austria’s lies in the heart of Europe, so international interconnectedness is crucial for our country. ReFocus aims at opening doors and paving the way for our companies on international markets in order to expand investments and secure jobs in Austria, with a new momentum following the pandemic. Among other topics, the green economy, which is crucial not only for Serbia, is in focus of the program, and I am convinced that there is a place for stronger cooperation in this field.

Serbia and Austria signed a military cooperation agreement in September 2021. This agreement was signed

by Austrian and Serbian Minister of Defense. Can you tell us something of this agreement?

The military cooperation agreement signed between Austria and Serbia in September 2021 aims to reach interoperability of the armed forces for a common participation of future EU and/or UN led peace support operations as well as for cooperation within cross-border disaster management

measures following pandemics, blackouts, and natural disasters, which require a fast and common response.

Illegal migration remains one of the biggest challenges in the European Union, but also in Austria. Has the situation improved in recent period and what are the future plans?

Managing migration requires cooperation between all countries involved, especially when it comes to the fight against illegal migration, which has again increased in 2021. Austria is combating illegal migration through increased bilateral cooperation, particu-

THE DIGITALISATION PROCESS IS DESTINED TO CONTINUE AND WILL REMAIN ONE OF THE KEY FORCES SHAPING DEVELOPMENTS AROUND THE WORLD – INCLUDING IN THE WESTERN BALKANS larly with the Western Balkan countries. In this regard, the Austrian Interior Ministry has deployed a bilateral police contingent to support the Serbian border police. Furthermore, the Joint Coordination Platform was created for the area of asylum and migration to strengthen operational cooperation on border management, human smuggling, return and asylum.

The Russian aggression in Ukraine has triggered an unprecedented wave of internally displaced people and ref-

ugees in Europe. The EU and Austria have reacted promptly and effectively to provide for these people in the months and years to come. Persons fleeing Ukraine are granted a temporary right of residence in Austria until 3 March 2023. Temporary protection ensures access to the labor market, education and medical care. Apart from protective equipment and medical goods that were sent to Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry’s Foreign Disaster Fund (AKF) provides 15 million euros in humanitarian aid for the Ukrainian population in addition to 2,5 million euros foreseen for 2022 before the outbreak of the war.

Austria strongly supports Serbia on its path to EU membership. What, in your opinion, are the reasons for this deadlock for Serbia, and why Serbia is not advancing in the EU integration process?

Austria is a firm and vocal supporter of the EU enlargement towards Southeastern Europe and this will remain a foreign policy priority for us. We continuously advocate for enlargement and see no other alternative to full membership of the Western Balkan States. Serbia has made some progress in the EU integration process lately, as underlined by the opening of Cluster 4 on the green agenda and sustainable connectivity last December. However, more progress on reforms is necessary, in particular in the area of independence and efficiency of the judiciary, the fight against corruption and organized crime, and freedom of media. These areas are interlinked and therefore of fundamental importance. Besides the adoption of reforms, the political will for their implementation in practice is also crucial. Serbia has already proved that it is able to realize reforms thoroughly, especially in

Focus

ReFocus aims at opening doors and paving the way for our companies on international markets in order to expand investments and secure jobs in Austria, with a new momentum following the pandemic.

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PLANS

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the area of economy, where the implementation of reforms yielded fruit.

Apart from internal reforms Serbia’s alignment with EU foreign policy positions is important. The EU welcomed Serbia’s alignment with some of the EU’s positions regarding the Russian aggression in Ukraine, in particular its clear condemnation in the UN General Assembly. There is a clear expectation that EU candidate countries show strong alignment, including with the sanction’s regime.

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Digital infrastructure is the main key for economic growth. Austria is the current WBIF Co-Chair, which supports the introduction of high-speed broadband Internet in rural areas in Serbia. How is this project progressing and what has been done so far?

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The government digitalization project is supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) as well as by bilateral donors under the Western Balkan Investment Framework (WBIF). The support entails a €18 million EBRD loan and a €1.7 million WBIF bilateral donors’ grant, aiming at financing the construction of fibre broadband infrastructure in rural regions of the country. Digital infrastructure is essential for economic growth. The digitalisation process is destined to continue and will remain one of the key forces shaping developments around the world – including in the Western Balkans. The project in Serbia, will help to increase the number of households connected to fixed broadband, and thereby strengthen the access to economic opportunities for a large scale of population. Adequate high-speed internet infrastructure is also crucial for rural schools and students in rural areas.

Following Austria’s co-chairmanship in the WBIF, Italy has taken over as WBIF Bilateral Donor co-chair in July 2021.

Austria is the first country in the European Union to introduce mandatory vaccination against COVID-19. What is the reaction of Austrian people on that measure?

The decision to introduce mandatory vaccination in Austria was taken at

THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO SUSPEND FINES FOR NONVACCINATED PEOPLE FOR THE TIME BEING. THE SITUATION WILL BE ASSESSED IN LIGHT OF NEW VARIANTS a time when the pandemic was in an intensive phase due to the delta wave and the vaccination rate was still too low. The situation in the intensive care units was strained and filled with people who did not get the vaccination and had Covid-19. The government wanted to escape this vicious circle of unpredictable infection waves followed by lockdowns, which is only possible when a higher percentage of the population is vaccinated. The decision was not an easy one but the measure appeared absolutely necessary at that point. With

the Omicron variant, which spreads fast but has a much lower hospitalization rate, there is less pressure on the public health system. Therefore, the government decided to suspend fines for non-vaccinated people for the time being. The situation will be assessed in light of new variants.

There are a lot of Serian workers in Austria and their travelling became more and more difficult due to COVID-19. Do you think that the pandemic will subside in 2022?

No one knows how the pandemic will develop in future, but I am convinced that we reached a point where we learned how to continue our lives despite the existence of the virus. Certain measures will remain in place or will be reintroduced if the situation requires. In 2022, we are not as helpless as we used to be in 2020 – we know a lot about the virus, about the effectiveness of measures, and with the available vaccines we have a strong remedy to protect ourselves to the best extent possible. Science has once again proven its immense value to society. 

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INTERVIEW

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VALUE AND PRESTIGE TO WORK-BASED LEARNING ERIKA TEOMAN-BRENNER Austrian Commercial Counsellor

The dual vocational education indeed provides young people with a number of career opportunities in Austria. This is mainly due to the high quality of the training and the skills the students acquire in the course of their apprenticeship

ommercial Counsellor Austrian Embassy Belgrade (Head, ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA Belgrade).

AUSSENWIRTSCHAFT AUSTRIA is Austria's official trade promotion authority. Outside of Austria they operate with more than 110 offices in over 70 countries as ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA and provide a broad range of intelligence and business development services for Austrian companies and their international business partners. ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA works to generate more international business opportunties by promoting the products and services of Austrian businesses around the world, by helping companies and organizations outside Austria to build strong relationships with Austrian companies and by promoting Austria as a place to invest in. Every year they organize about 1,200 events to establish business contacts. ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA's services range from establishing contacts with Austrian companies looking for importers, distributors and sales agents, through advising on Aus-

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tria as a business headquarters to providing detailed information on entering its market.

For this year's edition of InFocus Austria, Erika Teoman-Brenner, Austrian Commercial Counsellor, talks about the impact of the Covid crisis on the Austrian economy, Austria’s position as one of the most important investors in Serbia, about development od Serbia’s investments in Austria, trends in trade

ADDITIONALLY, SERBIA'S CONTINUOUS EFFORTS TO MODERNIZE THE PUBLIC AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR CONTRIBUTES TO THE GROWING ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE COUNTRY AS A BUSINESS LOCATION

between these two countries and about dual education that offers many career opportunities.

Austria has managed over many years to hold its position as one of the most important investors in Serbia. Will this trend continue?

Serbia continues to show a strong track record in attracting foreign investments.

Not even the pandemic stopped this trend. In that respect, we expect that the Austrian share in the overall FDI will probably decrease over time. It is simply the result of the fact, that Austrian companies were among the first ones to invest in Serbia back in the early 2000s, and now other countries are catching up. Recently we have witnessed an interest of smaller companies to invest in Serbia for various reason. One of them is certainly the presence of well- qualified labour. Additionally, Serbia´s continuous efforts to modernize the public and the private sector contributes to the growing attractiveness of the country as a business location.

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You are getting more and more involved in matching promising startup companies from Serbia with their counterparts in Austria. Are you satisfied with the results?

This is a very interesting and challenging project and offers us the opportunity to reach out to a new community.

We are still at an initial stage, but hope to have soon tangible results. Towards that end, we are organizing a trip of a select group of Serbian start-ups to ViennaUp´22, a great event to connect with participants from all over the world while experiencing the city and its ecosystem first-hand.

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You have mentioned that you think that more Serbian investments in Austria could lead to making stronger ties between our countries. How satisfied are you with the development in this field?

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We would certainly welcome more Serbian investments in Austria. Indeed, we have organized an investment promotion seminar in Belgrade a few months ago with experts from Austria and we were quite surprised at the interest this seminar raised. It is still a long way to go but we will definitely follow up on this.

What kind of trends have you noticed in the trade exchange between Austria and Serbia during the pandemic? What are the forecasts for 2022?

Our bilateral trade was hit worst in 2020 when it shrank by approximately 13%. Basically all product groups were affected by the crisis with a few notable exceptions: frozen fruits from Serbia and pharmaceuticals from Austria were both commodities that were sold

WE WOULD CERTAINLY WELCOME MORE SERBIAN INVESTMENTS IN AUSTRIA in larger quantities than before. We are happy to see that 2021 our trade bounced back to 2019-levels. Until very recently, we were rather optimistic about the current year. We saw a recovery of the global economy, increased demand and consumer confidence. However, with the tragic events unfolding in our neighbourhood there is too much uncertainty at this point to make any prediction.

In Austria, dual education offers many career opportunities - 24 percent of managers and about 32 percent of independent companies have completed this type of education. How to get to that numbers in Serbia?

As your numbers rightly point out, the dual vocational education indeed provides young people with a number of career opportunities in Austria. This is mainly due to the high quality of the training and the skills the students acquire in the course of their apprenticeship. But probably more importantly, it is the way companies perceive non-academic professions and the value and the prestige they attach to work-based learning. In countries where vocational training does not look back to a long tradition, it requires a joint effort of all institutions involved to create this positive image of dual education in the business world, but also in society in general. For more immediate results, I would encourage role models to step forward and inspire young people with their career path . One of our top Austrian managers here in Serbia, for example, started out as an apprentice. He has always been open to share his experience with young recruits in his company and as a result, his company has become a very attractive employer. 

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WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER NADA KNEŽEVIĆ

Director of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia’s Office in Austria

The number of companies that decide to enter the Austrian market from Serbia, which is often seen as a springboard for the entire German-speaking area, is growing. I think that we are stronger together, so I always suggest to company directors from Austria to talk to each other and connect

xports from Serbia to Austria in 2021 went up by 24.6% compared to 2020, i.e. from 565.729 million euros to 704.982 million euros. When it comes to Austrian exports, they recorded a 24.1% growth in 2021, i.e. from 686.54 million euros to 851.96 million euros. Austrian companies mostly exported cars and other vehicles (292.15 million euros), processed goods (200.03 million) and chemical products (166.75 million euros) to Serbia. The value of total trade between the two countries in 2021 was 1.557 billion euros, which is a significant increase compared to 2020, when it amounted to 1.252 billion euros.

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The trade between Austria and Serbia has been constantly growing. In which sectors can this trade be even

better and what sectors have recorded a declining trade?

Serbia mostly exported the following products to Austria - processed goods, cars and other vehicle categories, food products and live cattle, as well as various finished products. In these four commodity groups, Serbia exported goods worth 179.5, 168.7, 127.93 and

REGARDLESS OF THESE NEGATIVE DEVELOPMENTS, TRADE WITH SERBIA IS EXPECTED TO GROW

123.64 million euros, respectively. The growth of Serbian exports was recorded in the categories such as food products and livestock (+60.2%), processed goods (+ 30.4%) and cars and other categories of vehicles (+28.8%). The largest decline in exports was recorded in mineral fuels and lubricants (-52.7%) and raw materials (food products and mineral fuels were excluded from this category), with a decline of 42.9%. These are also the only product groups that Serbian exports recorded a decline. All other export groups recorded growth.

Bearing in mind the global business opportunities, which are primarily related to disturbances in supply chains, especially the supply from distant destinations, where transport is frequently interrupted and costs have been constantly growing, we can expect that Serbian exports will contin-

ue to grow, primarily the export of food, finished goods and machine parts and components.

What are Austrian investors most interested in Serbia? Do we operate with Austria in the IT sector?

As the predominant forms of cooperation, I would mention that Serbian companies work as suppliers of various IT services and software and project solutions, while recently quite a few well-known Austrian corporations have acquired a number of small but successful Serbian IT companies.

Given that Austrian companies in this sector are aware that the Serbian potential in terms of IT experts, although quite strong at the moment, has its limitations, they are trying to find modalities to allow experts to move and work more easily between the two countries.

Austrian companies want the Austrian legislation to change to enable Serbian experts to move circularly through both countries, while enjoying the benefits of life in Serbia where they come from, but also have high salaries that Austrian companies can offer. I also have to mention that the growth of personal income in this sector in Serbia is quite significant, that Austrian companies are aware that they have to allocate substantial financial resources to pay for a top expert or a top product, and that they are ready to do that.

What should we do more to improve Serbian exports to Austria?

How will the current situation and the ban on maize export affect the trade between Serbia and Austria, given that maize is the third biggest product that Serbia exports to Austria?

In the coming weeks and months, a regular supply of maize will not only be a topic in Austria but will also be a problem in the European Union. We should bear in mind that almost Ukraine exports 52% of maize consumed in the EU. In addition to the Ukrainian crisis,

THE NUMBER OF SERBIAN TOURISTS VISITING AUSTRIA IS ON THE RISE, SO ALTHOUGH WE CANNOT SAY THAT THESE ARE DRASTIC JUMPS, THERE IS AN IMPROVEMENT FOR NOW

Should we expect an increase or decrease in consumption in Austria and how would that affect economic cooperation with Serbia?

According to all indicators from the first quarter of this year, the Austrian economy will grow strongly, primarily due to the steps taken regarding the opening of the economy after the country imposed numerous restrictions on population movement to prevent the spread of coronavirus. According to estimates by the Wifo Institute for Economic Research, these indicators are expected to fall sharply in the second and third quarters, i.e. economic growth is expected to be very low compared to the first quarter due to EU sanctions against the Russian Federation and reciprocal countermeasures.

The National Bank of Austria has warned that if the fighting in Ukraine lasts for a longer period, there will be a further decline in gross national income, as well as a further rise in inflation. Inflation in this case could reach a new record of 9%. The prices of motor fuel went up the most, which is currently 30% more expensive compared to the same period last year, the price of gas is 65% more expensive, while heating oil recorded a price increase of 45%. The prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by an average of 4.3%, while bread and other cereal products went up by 6%. Cooking oils and other dietary fats recorded a 13% increase, juices 9.6%, while coffee costs 6% on average.

Regardless of these negative developments, trade with Serbia is expected to grow. The ties between our two countries’ economic have been stronger in recent years and our companies have

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export restrictions imposed by Hungary, which is the main maize supplier to Austria, have caused sharp price increases. We should add to this the decision made by the Serbian government to ban the export of maize. It is quite certain that prices will continue to rise as demand grows and deliveries are limited. This trend will be difficult to halt if the conflict in Ukraine continues to disrupt deliveries.

It all depends on which measures will the Serbian government implement regarding export, but there will certainly be opportunities to generate additional income if supplies are

formed promptly. It would also make sense to think about increasing our primary production. There is also a possibility of increasing the Serbian export of processed animal feed produced from mixtures, super concentrates and premixes because the demand for them will certainly increase. The same applies to wheat because if the EU cannot procure all the required quantities of wheat, this probably will be compensated through the export of flour, pasta and other flour-based products.

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It is important that Serbian companies, which already have successfully exported to the countries in the neighbourhood, realize that each market has its own peculiarities. These companies already have experience with entering a new market, so you have to be acquainted with the laws regulating business in the country, for the company to have associates who speak German (if we are talking about Austria) and to know who are your potential partners that you need to communicate with. Companies with good products are usually the ones that decide to make such a step forward, but they also have to be aware of other financial expenses related to it. If the param-

eters of the product match, then persistence is crucial because you will certainly not sell the product by making a phone call or two or sending an e-mail offering something. You have to arm yourself with patience because you have to gain the trust of a business partner who must overcome the prejudices that might exist and you must certainly be willing accept rejection, i.e. take a “no” for an answer, because that can be demoralizing.

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Nada Knezevic, Director of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia’s Office in Austria and DI Walter Ruck, President of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce

stepped up their networking activities.

Because of other disturbances, which I have already mentioned, and which relate to disrupted supply chains, regional cooperation and trade should intensify.

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Can the two countries focus more on tourism too?

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The number of Serbian tourists visiting Austria is on the rise, so although we cannot say that these are drastic jumps, there is an improvement for now. The biggest growth is recorded in the city break segment because Belgrade has a reputation of being a metropolis that does not sleep and has an exciting nightlife, which appeals to younger Austrians who are becoming increasingly interested in coming to Belgrade. In regard to slightly older generations, there is a growing interest in hunting tourism as well as wine-related routes. Austria, like Serbia, is a continental country, and yet it is one of the world's most famous tourist destinations when it comes to city, congress, spa and winter tourism. The level of service in Serbia has drastically improved, and if something good came out of the corona-induced crisis, it’s the

THE LABOUR MARKET HAS FULLY RECOVERED FROM THE EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PREVIOUS PERIOD fact that people in Serbia spent much more time in their own country and explored Serbian tourist destinations that are truly exceptional and have a lot to offer. In terms of the Austrian market, Serbia needs to invest much more in advertising campaigns and cooperation with travel agencies that will offer travel arrangements, because they are crucial when it comes to a direct offer to the customers. So, this area has potential, but since we offer those travel arrangements for which Austrians occupy a notable place, we have to engage in and work more on that.

Is the Austrian labour market still looking for a foreign workforce? How did the coronavirus measures affect the Austrian labour market?

The labour market has fully recovered from the extraordinary circumstances of the previous period. Although a number of refugees from Ukraine came to Austria (probably over 20,000 of them currently), who are given the right of residence and access to the labour market, their number probably won’t significantly reduce the need for foreign workers, primarily in those industries that require a worker to have a nostrified school diploma. At the federal level, the Austrian Ministry of Labour has compiled a list of 66 deficient occupations for 2022. There are also lists at the provincial level that have additional professions on them and for which there is a strong need regionally. The demand for experts who have a university education is strong in Austria, as is the demand for numerous jobs that require completed vocational or high school education. Every person who is interested in working in Austria should know that, in addition to finding a company that is interested in hiring them, this company also has to be willing to pay them more than the salary stated in collective job agreements for each economic sector in Austria. 

CORPORATE

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IMPORTANT ROLE OF DIGITAL SOLUTIONS Gebrüder Weiss is pursuing a strategy that we call 'The Best of Both Worlds' which entails combining innovative digital tools and logistics facilities, cargo capacity and welltrained employees to offer customized services

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ROLAND RAITH Managing Director of Gebrüder Weiss Serbia & Montenegro

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anaging Director of Gebrüder Weiss Serbia & Montenegro, Roland Raith, talks about the company's operations in Serbia for the past 15 years, opening a branch office in Serbia, information technology and efforts on eliminating pollution caused by transport.

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Gebrüder Weiss has been operating in Serbia for 15 years. What were the management's expectations back then and how has Gebrüder Weiss been developing since then?

— 2021 was a challenging, but successful year for us. Our net sales increased by 20 per cent compared with 2020. This stable growth included the integration of new domestic and international clients too. With 270 employees at three

locations in Serbia, we are promoting our values throughout the marketplace.

Values like independence, sustainability, commitment, and outstanding service.

The latter is supported by constantly driving forward digital transformation.

What are the main reasons for Gebrüder Weiss opening a branch office in Serbia?

— We have operated in Serbia since 2004.

And we remain very satisfied with this

We have been providing strong expertise in this B2C area, years before the coronavirus outbreak. Of course, we did so by using our wealth of experience in other Gebrüder Weiss countries for this specific business segment

decision, as this market's potential and geographic location make this country a great place to do business. This robust economic climate is very important to foreign investors, but also domestic companies focused on growth and development. With such a favourable environment, we want to drive for further expansion for our clients and ourselves as their logistics service provider.

Gebrüder Weiss provides transport and logistics solutions, digital services, and supply chain management. Do you provide all these services in Serbia too and do you have plans to intensify them here?

— Of course, we want to achieve sustainable growth as Gebrüder Weiss in general and as the Serbian branch of this well-known company. Our clients' demand for logistics services has been and always will be shifting. So, we support them with land transport, air & sea, logistics and industry solutions with innovative products and top quality based on their needs. This is also true of our successful Home Delivery service, which we have developed and extended to the large portfolio we have nowadays.

In B2C, Gebrüder Weiss is the connecting element between our clients and their customers.

In the Corona pandemic, more and more consumers have used e-commerce. Does GW offer services in this field as well?

— Yes, we do. With our Home Delivery service, we have already won promising and valuable domestic clients. We have been providing strong expertise in this B2C area, years before the coronavirus outbreak. Of course, we did so by using our wealth of experience for this specific business segment from other countries in which Gebrüder Weiss operates. We combined this with our local expertise in Serbia’s logistic market. This promising approach helped us carry out over 24,000 shipments in 2021 and we have the capacity for even more activities this year.

How much attention does Gebrüder Weiss pay to human resources, health and employee satisfaction? This topic gained has gained importance, especially during the ongoing pandemic.

— These issues have been important to us for a very long time because our employees are the cornerstone of our success. In recent years, we invested a lot in our HR activities and employer

branding, including ISO certifications in providing safe and healthy workplaces and preventing work-related injuries. In 2022, we have budgeted RSD 12 million for education and leadership training.

We are always looking for motivated and talented people to be even more competitive. For example, 17 apprentices are currently part of our team. Coming up with new ideas at all levels helps us to stay up to date.

We want to achieve sustainable growth as Gebrüder Weiss in general and as the Serbian branch of this well-known company To what extent does Gebrüder Weiss use information technology in its business and how important is logistics in your line of work?

— Digital solutions play an important role today. Gebrüder Weiss is pursuing a strategy that we call 'The Best of Both Worlds' which entails combining

innovative digital tools and logistics facilities, cargo capacity and well-trained employees to offer customized services. The roll-out of myGW in Serbia also was an important step. This digital customer portal helps streamline the dialogue between our clients and us. The implementation of real-time ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) forecasts for transport is another good example of our digital approach.

Transport is one of the major air pollutants. How much attention is given to efforts on eliminating pollution caused by transport?

— We and our customers are paying increasing attention to how we can make logistics services more resource-efficient. In Serbia, for example, we have five CNG trucks in operation. We have set up a more sustainable transport chain by rail to Central Europe for a major client. Gebrüder Weiss wants to be climate-neutral by 2030. That's why we also launched 'zero emissions' in 2021, a product that allows customers to offset their CO2 footprint and promote certified climate change mitigation projects. 

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The Home Delivery service was launched on the Serbian market in 2018 and is mainly aimed at e-commerce segment, to offer customized solutions for all deliveries to end customers.

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CORPORATE

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FINANCIAL HEALTH IS ESSENTIAL FOR SOCIETY’S PROGRESS Erste Bank will continue to work with the same passion and commitment on different programs for all generations of the youngest, as well as in order to raise awareness of and inform the general public that it is never too late to master it and it should be free of charge, we launched the financial education programme ErsteZnali three years ago.

This programme is designed to improve financial literacy based on its content provided in various forms and through different communication channels of our Bank, thus empowering individuals to make informed and better financial decisions, which most directly affect the economic and social status of each individual.

The first and very significant activity, one of many under the programme, is the #ErsteZnali online interactive financial education platform. It is intended for a very wide audience and is designed as an information base with educational texts, practical and applicable tips, as

SLAVKO CARIĆ President of Executive Board of Erste Bank

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rste Group is one of the founders of the UN initiative dedicated to promoting universal financial inclusion and the banking sector that supports financial health of its customers. This commitment means that we will further reinforce the concept of financial health in dealing with our customers. Financial literacy contributes to the financial health of the entire society, economic growth and a lower risk of poverty, as well as social inclusion and stability. We have recognised this topic not only as important, but also as a major challenge to today's society, as well as our responsibility and duty.

In order to raise this topic in the public forum, so that it would receive more attention, but also strategically find an adequate place in the primary education

Erste Bank continued to spread financial knowledge beyond the digital world well as an entertaining platform with quizzes and fun facts on the subject of finance. The platform was just the first step. In the coming period, Erste Bank continued to spread financial knowledge beyond the digital world – through financial literacy workshops, educational content for young people and children, as well as numerous other activities.

Last April, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, agreeing on the support to the preparation of a programme for financial education of primary school pupils through the Money School for

Pupils project. More than 100 teachers have already completed their training and will, based on the syllabus prepared for three age groups by the technical working group under the Institute for Education Improvement, bring the world of finance closer to their pupils in the course of formal education as well. We have, in this manner, joined the major initiative to improve education and introduce innovative tools in education.

Late last year, we presented the first online educational game Guardians of Dragon's Treasure. The motive for creating the video game was to present to children in a fun and relatable manner financial concepts and help them build a responsible attitude towards money and spending. If we wish future generations to be more successful than us and manage better in the financial world, we must provide them with all the support and find a way to bring this topic closer to them in a manner to which they can relate.

This year, we launched a round of educational workshops titled Women Who Believe in Themselves, dedicated to women entrepreneurs and all women who wish to become one. Our aim is to enable women to develop their entrepreneurial skills, enhance their business and improve its sustainability and competitiveness. These workshops also rely on the broad base of our knowledge and experience developed through the social banking programme Step by Step, designed for beginners in business and recognisable by its unique blend of financial support and mentoring.

We will continue to work with the same passion and commitment on different programs for all generations, because we firmly believe that financial health is essential for the prosperity of our society. 

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COMMUNITY FOR A BETTER LIFE

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A responsible partner and employer in 18 European markets, the Austrian UNIQA Group with a tradition of more than two centuries is a community for a better life consisting of over 15 million people.

One of the leading companies in Austria and in the TOP 5 insurance companies in Central and Eastern Europe, UNIQA has positioned itself at the very top in the local market since its arrival in Serbia in 2006

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addition to having the entire business focus on customer needs, the core of UNIQA Group’s new strategic direction, "Seeding the Future", is sustainability by creating the best solutions for nature conservation and the well-being of society as a whole, with "green" investments of at least one billion euros.

Also, through its "green" product policy, UNIQA is expanding its portfolio of

UNIQA opened a new chapter in 2021 with an even stronger shift towards clients by launching the UNIQA 3.0 strategic transformation in all countries

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insurance products that meet environmental and social criteria. In an effort to inspire employees, clients and partners in all the countries to take environmental and socially responsible action, UNIQA became a member of the UN Global Compact, whose 10 principles are the basis of corporate responsibil-

ity activities, and it is also a signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment and the United Nations Principles for Sustainable Insurance. As the first insurance company in Austria, UNIQA became a member of the Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance of Global Investors in the Banking and Insurance Sector launched by the UN with the aim of actively contributing to the international exchange of information and sustainability strategies.

UNIQUA represents responsibility in Serbia as well, through various initiatives and by offering support to projects focused on health, culture, sports, education and ecology. Over the past 15 years, UNIQA has invested more than 120 million dinars in humanitarian and socially responsible initiatives. Commitment to the community for a better, healthier and better life for all people did not go unnoticed, which was confirmed by numerous awards, including Corporate Super Brand, Top Serbian Brand, double international certificate and the Customers' Friend gold medal for superior customer service, London's World Finance Award and a double European Business Awards for the best company in Serbia when it comes to growth strategy and customer relations. 

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ecognized as the leader in innovation, UNIQA is a brand in Serbia trusted by more than 790,000 individual and corporate clients.

Thanks to the commitment of more than 500 professionals and the continuity of investments above 13.7 billion dinars, UNIQA is a leader in the Serbian market in the fields of bancassurance, travel insurance, household insurance and health insurance with a network of nearly 1,000 health institutions! With the quality of its products and services, UNIQA strives to be more than an insurance company to meet the requirements of a wide variety of clients.

Through constant investments in innovation and digitalization, UNIQA is the only one to have established an entire online insurance process (from initiating an offer, through policy purchase, premium payment to registration, assessment and payment of damages), and the company also made an additional step towards customers by expanding its branch network and availability in more than 400 partner outlets throughout Serbia.

UNIQA opened a new chapter in 2021 with an even stronger shift towards clients by launching the UNIQA 3.0 strategic transformation in all countries. In

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ENVIRONMENTALFRIENDLY FARM POLICY ased on the expectations of the Austrian consumers and existing climatic and topographical conditions, which limit chances for diversifying agriculture, Austria’s farm policy has been successful in promoting “environmental-friendly” methods of farming. This orientation of farm policy was based on a decision made many years prior to Austria joining the European Union.

Instead of promoting productivity, and therefore growing yields per acreage, the Austrian farm policy introduced in the 80’s gave quality of food a higher priority over quantity.

Up to now, Austria has managed to prevent the production of genetically engineered crops in the country and therefore, preserve sustainable pro-

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duction methods of Austrian agriculture and food. In addition, growth-promoting substances as well as radiation are prohibited; a strict “Food-Act” guarantees effective control. Quality and hygiene are characteristic of the complete production chain, from the stable to the table.

The organic market in Austria is dominated by conventional supermarket chains and discounters which account for about two-thirds of the annual turnover. Specialised organic shops also play an important role and are expanding and modernising their premises, while organic supermarkets are attracting new customers. Another important and growing marketing channel is catering, in both the public and private sectors. 

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COOPERATION

ONE OF THE INVESTMENT LEADERS IN SERBIA

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The largest investments of Austrian companies in Serbia have been made by Telekom Austria Group/VIP Mobile in telecommunications, Raiffeisen Zentralbank in finance and banking and OMV in oil and gas

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ccording to the data collated by the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2020, Serbia exported to Austria 477.8 million euros worth of goods (a 15.7% decline compared to 2019). In the same period, imports from Austria amounted to 587.9 million euros (a decrease of 12.8% compared to 2019).

The 2021 data from the same source

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show that Serbia exported 639.3 million euros worth of goods (a 33.8% increase relative to the same period last year). In the same period, imports from Austria amounted to 719.7 million euros (an increase of 22.4% compared to the same period last year).

The total trade between Austria and Serbia in 2012 was worth 729.923 million euros, and nine years later, it

amounted to 1 billion and 359 million euros, a jump of over 600 million annually compared to 2012. In 2012, exports amounted to 221 million euros, and imports to 509 million euros. After nine years, both figures have increased, so in 2021, Serbian exports to Austria amounted to 639 million euros, while imports from Austria stood at 719 million euros.

THE ATB GROUP, WHICH IS NOW MAJORITY-OWNED

BY CHINA’S WOLONG, HAS INVESTED ABOUT 23 MILLION EUROS IN SERBIA SO FAR AND EMPLOYED 887 WORKERS

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account used for making payments, i.e. making investments.

Beginning in 2014, following the IMF guidelines, the National Bank of Serbia (NBS) changed the methodology used in calculating foreign direct investments. Since the calculation methodologies for the period up to the end of 2009 and from the begin-

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In 2021, Serbia mostly exported to Germany, Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Austria occupies 15th place on the list of the countries that Serbia exports to the most. Germany, China and Italy are the countries that Serbia mostly imported from in the same year, and Austria occupies 11th place on this list.

The National Bank of Serbia possesses the only official FDI data in Serbia and publishes aggregated data on FDI by countries of payment and branches of business activity, while the official investment data per individual companies are not available. It is important to note that the National Bank of Serbia obtains the data on foreign direct investments in money from commercial banks, which means that data on foreign direct investments in money is obtained by country of payment and not by country of investment and largely depend on the country in which the company has opened a bank

ning of 2010 differ, data are only available for the period from the beginning of 2010. The NBS is working on the calculation of data for the period until 2010 retroactively, in line with the new methodology.

Starting in 2010 and ending in September of 2021, the Austrian residents made investments in the Republic of Serbia in the amount of 2.6 billion euros, which puts Austria in 2nd place on the list of countries that were the largest investors in Serbia in that period.

The Development Agency of Serbia (RAS) generates its records according to the country of origin of the company that invested, based on the Agency’s survey on foreign direct investments (FDI) by companies and the investment reports of the companies themselves.

Due to the lack of legislation on companies' reporting about their investments, the data in this article can only be taken as indicative values. In this regard, and for the reasons stated, RAS records do not include investments of all companies, as well as all investments by individual companies.

The ATB Group, which is now majority-owned by China’s Wolong, has invested about 23 million euros in Serbia so far and employed 887 workers.

The largest investments of Austrian companies in Serbia have been made

by Telekom Austria Group/VIP Mobile in telecommunications, Raiffeisen Zentralbank in finance and banking and OMV in oil and gas, followed by Bank Austria Cred. (HVB)/UniCredit Bank (Finance and Banking) and CA Immo (Real Estate), while Austrotherm occupies the last (39th place) on the list with its investments in construction.

Note: Due to the lack of official data on the amount of investments by individual companies, these data were obtained based on research conducted

by RAS and include both implemented and ongoing investments, as well as planned investments in the past few years. Also, the RAS records do not include infrastructure investments, but only investments in production activities and services. Although RAS strives to provide as accurate information on investments as possible, the Agency does not accept responsibility for inaccurate or incomplete data. 

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CORPORATE

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AUSTRIA AND SERBIA HAVE TRADITIONALLY GOOD RELATIONS At the official opening of the Consulate, I said that I considered culture to be the foundation.

Many studies indicate that the countries which invested the most in culture have found strength and motivation in culture to achieve economic, technical and scientific prosperity

ZORAN TADIĆ Honorary Consul of the Republic of Austria, the Austrian Consulate in Novi Sad

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e spoke with Zoran Tadić, the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Austria, the Austrian Consulate in Novi Sad, about the relations between Serbia and Austria in the context of the Ukrainian crisis, as well as science, economy, technology and culture that unite these two countries.

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Could you tell us how the Consulate of Austria in Serbia will contribute to the cooperation between our two countries?

— The Austrian Consulate in Novi Sad was opened on March 24 last year, and its goal is to further improve the ties between Austria and Serbia, which have been traditionally good, and especially

the relations between Vojvodina and Austria. This is why our consulate, above all, strives to connect in what we consider the most beautiful segment, that is cultural ties, but also in economy and science. At the official opening of the Consulate, I said that I considered culture to be the foundation. Many studies indicate that the countries which invested the most in culture have found strength and motivation in it to achieve economic, technical and scientific prosperity.

This is the reason why we initially

Vojvodina‘s proximity to Hungary, Croatia and Austria, and further to Germany, is such that, logistics-wise, it is the most logical step for foreign companies to open their subsidiaries here

focused on cultural ties. On the other hand, the University of Graz and the University of Novi Sad have already established scientific and technological ties, as have the University of Belgrade and the University of Vienna. A new initiative related to the University of Linz has also been launched.

What are the current relations between Austria and Serbia like?

— Throughout history, Serbs who wanted to move from one empire, like the Ottoman Empire, to a more liberal, freer and more acceptable empire for Serbs, have always viewed Austria as their final destination. Austria and Germany are traditionally considered as having a magical power that attracts our people searching for happiness in another country. This clearly shows that these two countries are the most suitable for us, both in terms of mentality and the way in which life is organized in them.

Also, regular visits by high-ranking politicians from Austria, such as the recent

visit of the Austrian Chancellor Mr Karl Nehammer to Serbia, validate the closeness between our two countries.

How big are Austrian investments in Serbia?

— Until recently, Austria was the largest foreign investor in Serbia and will continue to invest in the Serbian economy. Austrian companies are especially interested in Vojvodina, both because of the proximity of airports and roads, and the excellent infrastructure, which was developed in the previous period.

Vojvodina‘s proximity to Hungary, Croatia and Austria, and further to Germany, is such that, logistics-wise, it is the most logical step for foreign companies to open their subsidiaries here.

Also, Novi Sad managed to position itself as an IT hub not only in Serbia but also in this part of Europe, where a dozen large companies, founded by Serbian citizens, have been successful on the international market too. This later swayed companies with headquarters in the EU and the United States to open their subsidiaries on the territory of Vojvodina and Novi Sad. The government has supported this trend by establishing an IT centre on the University of Novi Sad‘s campus that will further motivate young people to enrol in colleges that benefit the IT sector. That is what makes Novi Sad attractive, and all of this can be integrated in a smaller area like Vojvodina.

You are also a member of the Committee for Cooperation between Science and Economy at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia. What plans do you have related to your work in the Committee, and can the Austrian Consulate in Novi Sad boost this cooperation?

— Following the initiative launched by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia and the Austrian Chamber of Commerce in Serbia, dual education was launched and successfully implemented here.

We have realized one part of the programme, which Engel implements

What do you think of the cultural and economic ties between Serbia and Austria in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina so far and how will they develop in the coming period?

— It is a fortunate circumstance that Novi Sad is the European Capital of Culture this year, i.e. the first European Capital of Culture from a country that is not an EU member. We have already participated in several initiatives last year, e.g. in the Kaleidoscope event which took place in the completely renovated cultural district called Chinatown where the New Design University from St. Pölten had its interactive presentation. Senior citizens found the presentation especially interesting since it showed how interactivity helps in the development of culture. This week, the State Theatre from Linz will be a guest at the Serbian National Theatre, and as an extension of all that, we will have a few exhibitions staged, e.g. at the Gallery of Contemporary Art. Also, the world's largest tamburitza music event called Tamburica Fest takes place in Novi Sad every year. This year, Austria is the event‘s partner and we are going to see one of the best classical orchestras from Austria performing at this year’s festival.

All this, in line with our expectations, should further strengthen the ties between Vojvodina and Serbia with Austria, and beyond, expedite our accession to the European Union. 

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Will the current situation in Ukraine affect Austrian-Serbian relations?

Following the initiative launched by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia and the Austrian Chamber of Commerce in Serbia, dual education was launched and successfully implemented here

in Austria's school system. This segment was approved by the Serbian government and became an integral part of the curriculum for high school students in Serbia who are already being taught in line with the planned curriculum. And the results are already noticeable! For instance, we have two students from the Electrical Engineering High School in Novi Sad who have learned how injection molding machinery works, as well as saw, in practice, what it was like to meet with both satisfied and unsatisfied customers, to get up at 7 am, to go and see customers and come back the same day. These are all skills that young people must master. The quicker they master them, the easier it will be for them to become engaged in business later on, and adjust to what life has in store for them.

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You are the director of the Novi Sadbased company Neofyton, which represents the Austrian company ENGEL. Could you tell us more about Neofyton?

— Neofyton, which I own, represents the world's largest company that produces injection molding machines for the plastic industry, ENGEL. Most foreign companies from the automotive and food packaging industry have Engel machines installed in their facilities in Serbia. This shows how much foreign investors value Austrian technology, as well as its best features, namely efficiency, speed and its approach to environmental protection and sustainable development.

— I do not think so. Issues related to the situation in Ukraine are the subject of another sphere of activity, and these processes will certainly take place without the interference of this consulate or Austrian-Serbian relations. On the other hand, a good part of Serbia's appeal to foreign investors was related to easy access to the Russian market.

Now, due to these unfortunate circumstances and the war in Ukraine, this advantage has been somewhat stopped or almost completely blocked. Serbia is still an extremely attractive investment destination, primarily because of its educated workforce. In the early 2000s, foreign investors chose Serbia primarily because of affordable labour and low energy prices. However, in the past 15 years, Serbia has demonstrated that it can be attractive in terms of an exceptionally high-quality educated and motivated workforce. When it comes to Novi Sad, for instance, companies like Nidec, Continental and other top-notch enterprises have opened their subsidiaries here.

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ECONOMY

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SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE ECONOMIC GIANT Satisfied citizens, strong economy

or years, Vienna has been “the world's most liveable city”, or at least at the top of this list. The country is considered to be one of the countries of the world that are home to the wealthiest and the happiest people: 16th on the global GDP (PPP) per capita list, and 11th on the list of countries with the happiest residents. It is also the number 1 destination for the emigration of Serbian citizens. All this tells us that the Austrians must be doing something right!

The Austrian economy is defined as socially responsible market economy, with private and public companies intertwining. The state is a strong economic factor: basic activities were nationalized after the end of World War II. There is also a strong Mittelstand, that

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is, as in Germany, a stratum of small and medium-sized enterprises of domestic origin that "pushes" their own economy - not expecting too much from direct foreign investment. If they come, they are welcome. All this makes Austria one of the most prosperous and developed countries in Europe.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY = SATISFIED CITIZENS = STRONG ECONOMY

So, Austria has a well-developed economy thanks to the large structure of its market, a structure reflected in the high living standard of its inhabitants. After the initial social revolution after 1945, much of the industry was nationalized again in the 1980s, although privatization reduced the size of the state part of the

economy to a level comparable to other European economies. Labour movements are particularly strong in Austria and have a strong influence on the labour policy - they were strong immediately after World War II when the culture of subsidized housing was introduced in Vienna during the "Rotes Wien" or Red Vienna. Since joining the European Union in 1995, Austria has implemented profound structural reforms, such as the liberalization of telecommunications, energy and tobacco, the privatization of banks, the steel and oil industries. This was followed by mergers of domestic companies with foreign ones, in sectors such as food, trade, construction, banking, steel, oil, tobacco and telecommunications. And yet, in 2012, it had one of the lowest unemployment rates in the entire

Europe, around 4.3%, thanks to its socially responsible labour policy. The policy of neutrality has also paid off many times over, because Austria, like Finland, Sweden or Switzerland, has always been a "welcome guest" everywhere, both politically and economically.

OPEN THE EASTERN GATE! The thing that traditionally “pulled” but also degraded the Austrian economy, depending on the situation in theor northern neighbour, Germany, is the strong connection between the Austrian and German economy. Over time, Austrian economy connected well with Italy and its economy, and due to its border position, Austria maintained strong trade ties with its neighbouring, socialist countries such as Yugoslavia, traditionally open to the West, but also Hungary and Czechoslovakia.

Even when changes happened in the East, Austria was the first to "jump in the wagon" and take preferential positions from Gdansk to Gevgelija. Simply put, even in the past, the Habsburg Empire had possessions in those countries, so the Austrians knew the mentality very well and were not afraid, while other Westerners hesitated. Thus, the collapse of European socialism brought Austria to a new position of a "pioneer" and a “leader” in the European East. An old proverb from the 18th century says that "Europe ends after Vienna", and the Austrians did very well in "both worlds”.

TOURISM AS A SPECIAL TRUMP CARD – A 10%-GDP TRUMP CARD

In addition to trade, production and services, good wine, beer, chocolate and cheeses, Austria is a world’s tourist superpower. Austrian territory has been a frequent route for travellers since ancient times. With its Central European location, common borders with 8 countries (Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland and Liechtenstein), Austria has

ALL IN ALL, IT WAS SAID THAT OTHER COUNTRIES WAGE WARS, WHILE THE HAPPY AUSTRIA GETS EVERYTHING THROUGH MARRIAGE a long tradition of welcoming tourists.

As a small country (8.2 million inhabitants), Austria welcomes about 19 million foreign visitors each year, which ranks it among the 10 most popular destinations in the world. Throughout history, the tourist flow was interrupted during the two world wars, and then by the economic crisis of the 1920s. Since

the mid-1970s, the tourism industry has had to face new challenges such as excessive protectionism and political and social change. Direct revenues from the tourism sector accounted for 9.8% of GDP and always hover around 10%. Tourism in Austria is presented as a combination of culture, history, nature, sports and business. Due to the already mentioned neutrality, Austria has become a centre of international political meetings and conventions.

Austria is a haven for winter sports fans: more than 800 resorts offer 22,000 km of ski trails and 16,000 km of cross-country trails. Austria hosted the Winter Olympics twice, making the city of Innsbruck the centre of white sports. Winter tourism is a very important part of the Austrian economy.

The large influx of German visitors has made this sector largely dependent on the German economy, although recently there have been changes that try to prevent tourism from depending on the German economy. These changes are turning into the creation of ski resorts such as Arlberg or Kitzbühel, which receive more and more guests from Eastern Europe, Russia and the US. All in all, it was said that other countries wage wars, while the happy Austria gets everything through marriage. And dances to the waltz beat. Austria was nicknamed "Felix Austria", and even today, I see, the citizens of this country are still happy. 

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ECONOMY

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AUSTRIA’S NEW PANDEMIC MEASURES

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In mid-February, Austria’s chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) announced the country would begin reopening, with most restrictions in place to contain the Covid-19 pandemic being lifted in March and venues such as nightclubs and apres-ski reopening after months of closure

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he city is fully open. The national government has lifted almost all restrictions in Austria: some mask requirements remain, as well as restrictions applying to, for example, care homes, hospitals, and positive cases.

However, Vienna has retained a couple of extra restrictions. With regard to FFP2 face masks, they are obligatory in some situations. Notably when using public transport or taxis, inside stores or hair-

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IN VIENNA, YOU NEED TO MEET THE 2G RULE IN NIGHTCLUBS, BARS, RESTAURANTS, COFFEE HOUSES AND SIMILAR GASTRONOMIC AREAS

dressers, and inside museums, concert venues, cinemas and similar.

In Vienna, you need to meet the 2G rule in nightclubs, bars, restaurants, coffee houses and similar gastronomic areas (also those within wider institutions).

This rule also applies to indoors sports facilities such as gyms. After the Austrian government decided to lift most anti-Covid measures, weekend saw citizens flocking to restaurants, bars and clubs across the country in what some

status (3G), has also been removed in most places.

The main rules that continue to apply nationwide are the FFP2 mask mandate in public transport and essential retail, such as supermarkets, banks, pharmacies, and hospitals or elderly care homes. In the health sector, the 3G rules continue to apply. However, there is still a recommendation to wear the masks in enclosed spaces. The 3G requirement at work, which has been in place since 1st November and applied to all workplaces where you can’t rule out coming into close contact with others, has also been lifted.

Austria’s test strategy is likely to change soon, though, as the country plans to phase out mass Covid testing on 31st March. Instead, a more “targeted test strategy” would follow, as Parliament approved an amendment to the infection law allowing the Health Ministry to determine test strategies. The federal government’s are the minimum standard for rules and regulations, and states in Austria are free to adopt stricter measures.

IN THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR, THERE IS NO MORE G-PROOF REQUIRED, SO GUESTS CAN CHECKIN WITHOUT SHOWING PROOF OF VACCINATION, RECOVERY OR NEGATIVE TESTS

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This is the case of Vienna, as often happened during the pandemic, there is a separate set of rules. There is an FFP2 mask requirement for all customers in trade and body-related services. For personnel in vital trade, the FFP2 mask requirement only applies where there is direct customer contact.

There is no longer a mask requirement for personnel in the non-essential business. For body-related service, there is still a requirement for customers, but not staff. Vienna is keeping the 2G rule

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club-owners have described as spring fever. People no longer need any type of health pass to enter crowded venues and, on top of that, the curfew has also gone away.

In mid-February, Austria’s chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) announced the country would begin reopening, with most restrictions in place to contain the Covid-19 pandemic being lifted in March and venues such as nightclubs and apres-ski reopening after months of closure. In mid-March, further changes were announced, including a cap on tests and an alteration to the isolation policy, both of which apply from April.

The so-called spring awakening, when most restrictions were lifted, happened on 5th March, with swarms of people visiting nightclubs and parties all over the alpine country.

The midnight curfew for restaurants was also lifted as nightclubs, and apresski venues were allowed to reopen. The upper limit on event attendees was also lifted, and 2G and 3G rules, meaning the need to prove vaccination or recovery (2G) or vaccination, recovery or tested

to gastronomy, though the mask requirement is waived for staff and customers. There is no more curfew, and night gastronomy is allowed to open, but also with a 2G rule.

In the hospitality sector, there is no more G-proof required, so guests can check-in without showing proof of vaccination, recovery or negative tests.

However, the 2G rule applies to the catering areas in Viennese hotels. There is no upper limit of attendees for meetings and events but an FFP2 mask requirement in enclosed spaces. The mask also applies indoors for leisure and cultural facilities. For sports, there is a 2G rule when it is indoors, but no more FFP2 mask requirement and no restrictions on outdoor sports.

Children and teenagers from the age of six need an entrance test where the G-rule applies to adults. Up to 12 years, the 3G applies, including the so-called “ninja passport” for kids of school age.

For children aged 12 to 15 years, a PCR test can be presented and is valid for 48 hours. From April 1st, residents in Austria will be entitled to five PCR and five antigen tests per month in a departure from the unlimited free tests that are currently available.

Covid-19 tests will also be available for symptomatic cases and those in atrisk settings, such as in schools and hospitals. According to the ORF, the Austrian national broadcasting agency, Klaus Friedl, chairman of the gastronomy section of the Styrian Chamber of Commerce, explained that the sector is seeing a full spring awakening. He also explained that the catering industry hopes that will see a full recovery by mid-2023.

This, however, creates a contradiction with Austria’s mandatory Covid-shot policy and a situation where it will be very hard to enforce it. Notably, in the past, authorities used pandemic restrictions and the Green Certificate as a way to distinguish the unvaccinated. With measures going away that will become much harder. At the same time, according to the Ministry of Health, the mandate has had very little effect on vaccination rates and there are a million adults in the country, who are subject to a fine. Now, the government is set to decide whether to drop portions of the mandate. 

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longside their impressive back-catalog of famous composers, Austria is a very musical country. From the famous yodeling that’s long been popular in the rural mountain areas, to a burgeoning underground electronic scene in Vienna, there’s something for everyone.

Austria also won the Eurovision Song Contest back in 2014, with a song from Conchita Wurst.

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For many foreigners, their first taste of Austrian life comes through the 1965 Hollywood musical, The Sound of Music.

The movie still brings fans to the hills near Salzburg, where it was filmed. However, the locals aren’t fans. On the contrary, an interesting fact about Austria is that many resent the movie’s stereotypes and many historical inaccuracies. One thing’s for sure, it’s definitely not on the list of their favorite things! 

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INTERVIEW

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SCIENCE AS THE FOUNDATION OF EVERY SOCIETY ADRIEN FEIX

Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum and Cultural Attaché of the Austrian Embassy

We are now increasing our efforts also in science communication, with projects of talks and exhibition in physics, mathematics, and archaeology, together with SANU, the Institute of Physics and the National Museum Belgrade I am happy to announce that as a result, we are planning a record of 40 events in 2022 in Novi Sad! We were very visible already last year with five paintings from the Belvedere in the Gallery of Matica Srpska and with two New Year’s concerts, including the downtempo legends “Kruder & Dorfmeister”. We also supported an excellent group exhibition on migration at SULUV Gallery

SERBIAN FILMS ARE ACTUALLY PRESENT IN AUSTRIA AT THE EXCELLENT “CROSSING EUROPE” FESTIVAL IN LINZ AND OFTEN ALSO AT “VIENNALE”, THE MOST IMPORTANT FILM EVENT e talked with Mr. Adrien Feix, Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum in Belgrade and Cultural Attaché of the Austrian Embassy about their participation in Novi Sad, 2022 European Capital of Culture, about contemporary Austrian culture through scientific achievements and Serbian film in Austria.

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Novi Sad has been declared the 2022 European Capital of Culture. Does the Austrian Cultural Forum plan to par-

ticipate in the related events in Novi Sad, considering the strong ties between Austria and Novi Sad? It is a great honour and exiting challenge for Novi Sad to be the first European capital of culture outside the EU in over a decade – a unique opportunity to concretize the path of Serbia to the EU. For this reason, and because of our historic ties to Novi Sad, preparing the European Capital of Culture has been a strategic priority for the Austrian Cultural Forum for the last few years – and

and are now finalizing preparations for the exhibition of Feminist Avantgarde at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Vojvodina as well as a guest concert at the Tamburica festival in August. More highlights will follow in Autumn, we will keep you posted!

You also represent contemporary Austrian culture through scientific achievements. Will such topics be relevant this year or maybe the focus will shift to environmental protection and climate change?

Science lays the foundation of every society and we have once again become aware of this during the pandemic. It drives improvements in life quality, health, but also in innovations in cultural creation. Serbia and Austria already have very strong connections in the field of arts and science, with the Ars Electronica in Linz and the Center for the promotion of Science as two outstanding partners working on topics such as Artificial Intelligence. We are now increasing our efforts also in science communication, with projects of talks and exhibition in physics, mathematics, and archaeology, together with SANU, the Institute of Physics and the National Museum Belgrade. When it comes to ecology, which is one of the future-defining topics globally, we are currently working on establishing an operational scientific network between Austria and Serbia to foster projects in the future.

In March, Austrian films have been showcased to the Serbian audience at the 69th Belgrade Documentary and Short Film Festival. Are there going to be more Austrian film screenings this year?

The Austrian film is present at nearly all notable film events in Serbia. Recently, at FEST, we had screenings of “Hinterland” and “Lucifer”; at Martovski, an excellent short movie programme from the festival “Vienna Shorts”, and we will also be extending our long-term cooperation with Beldocs, Merlinka, and ŠIFF. In parallel to that, we will continue to organize the Austrian Film Festival with the Cultural Centers of Belgrade, Novi Sad and Niš in September as a way to present the diversity of productions and aesthetics coming out of Austria, in-

cluding Serbian premieres and guest filmmakers.

grown stronger? Are there more joint projects and co-productions?

On the other hand, Serbian film is not so well known in Austria. Is the Serbian film industry promoted at all in Austria?

The cooperation was already very close thanks to my predecessors, especially in music and visual arts. I am proud that we managed to maintain it in spite of the pandemic restrictions, including with very visible events, such as the “Ode to Beethoven” in 2020 or the online platform and outdoor exhibition “At Second Glance” in 2021. I believe that in some areas, such as film, we even managed to deepen the ties in the last years, by successfully restarting the Austrian Film Festival last autumn. The same goes for institutional cooperation, fostered by the Novi Sad capital of culture with the Gallery of Matica Srpska, the Serbian National Theatre, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Vojvodina and the Museum of Vojvodina being prime examples of intense cooperation with Austrian counterparts.

Serbian films are actually present in Austria at the excellent “Crossing Europe” festival in Linz and often also at “Viennale”, the most important film event. But it is true that there is still room for improvement to increase the visibility in both directions, given the

I BELIEVE THAT IN SOME AREAS, SUCH AS FILM, WE EVEN MANAGED TO DEEPEN THE TIES IN THE LAST YEARS,

BY SUCCESSFULLY RESTARTING THE AUSTRIAN FILM FESTIVAL LAST AUTUMN cultural and geographic proximity and quality of both cinematographies. Because of the inertia of the film sector, this is a long-term endeavor, which requires establishing solid personal ties between film professionals in both countries. Besides festivals, workshops are a key tool for that.

Since you have been the director of the Austrian Cultural Forum, do you think that the cooperation between the two countries in culture and science has

Since the coronavirus pandemic is winding down, do you have a clearer plan for what will happen this year?

It appears that cultural activities are essentially back to pre-pandemic levels, but with a few important caveats.

There is still some hesitancy of artists to travel and of the public to attend largescale events. We will have to make extra efforts to bring some people back to events, this will not necessarily happen by itself. When it comes to expert exchange, virtual conferences are clearly here to stay, because they are convenient, but since they do not achieve the same impact as live meetings, we tend to focus our support on live or at least hybrid events. And of course, the Russian aggression on Ukraine will upend many things again, also in the field of culture. 

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It is a great honour and exiting challenge for Novi Sad to be the first European capital of culture outside the EU in over a decade.

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HONOUR

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CULTURE

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APPRECIATION AND CONTROVERSY Haneke says that films should offer viewers more space for imagination and selfreflection. Films that have too much detail and moral clarity are used for mindless consumption by their viewers

work as an editor and dramaturge at the southwestern German television station Südwestfunk from 1967 to 1970.

He made his debut as a television director in 1974.

After twenty years of directing for the cinema, he has earned a place in the pantheon of the most acclaimed active auteurs. Haneke's feature film debut was 1989's The Seventh Continent, which served to trace out the violent and bold style that would bloom in later years. Three years later, the controversial Benny's Video put Haneke's name on the map. This feature film in 1992. shocked crowds with its restrained, antipsychological portrait of a teenager who kills a young girl “to see how it is”.

Funny Games (1997) inspired a fierce debate on how one can interrogate violence in film. On the whole, Haneke’s polemical programme attempts to lay bare the coldness of Western society and challenge Hollywood’s blithe treatment of violence. With acknowledged influences including Andrei Tarkovsky, Michelangelo Anton-

EVEN ROMANTIC LOVE IS CALLOUSLY MORTAL, AS DEATH WAGES ITS WAR OF ATTRITION ON THE BODY AND THE MEMORY. HANEKE’S CINEMA PROVOKES, DEMANDS BUT ULTIMATELY FRUSTRATES INTERPRETATION

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ioni, and above all Robert Bresson, his recent work has garnered a host of accolades and arthouse success.

Caché (Hidden, 2005) won the Palme d’or and was voted by The Times as the “film of the decade”. The return of Georges’s repressed guilt ties into a whole legacy of French colonialism, as cues lead him to Majid, an Algerian he had wronged in childhood.

Das weiße Band (The White Ribbon, 2009) earned Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography

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hood Michael Haneke showed a strong interest in music and literature, but he didn’t develop a love for any school form and acted like a ,,rebel’’. Whishing to become an actor he failed at entrance examination at the Max Reinhardt Seminar in Vienna. He later studied philosophy, psychology and drama at the University of Vienna. At that time he was spending most of his time in local movie theatres.

Later, he started writing film critic, abandoned university and begin to

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irthday of esteemed and provocative Austrian film director (80) on march 23. reminded to take a look at his career so far. His unique style always leaves the audience in question and under strong emotions. And the range of questions Haneke sets is vast.

Born in Munchen, Germany and raised in the city of Wiener Neustadt, Austria, from German actor and director Fritz Haneke and Austrian actress Beatrix von Degenschild, from child-

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2001 Cannes Film Festival and also won its stars, Benoît Magimel and Isabelle Huppert, the Best Actor and Actress awards. He has worked with Juliette Binoche (Code Unknown in 2000 and Caché in 2005), after she expressed interest in working with him. Haneke frequently worked with real-life couple Ulrich Mühe and Susanne Lothar – thrice each.

Haneke says that films should offer viewers more space for imagination and self-reflection. Films that have too much detail and moral clarity, Haneke says, are used for mindless consumption by their viewers. In his films, the family is never a unit of happiness. It’s more like a tinderbox of volatile compulsions . Even romantic love is callously mortal, as death wages its war of attrition on the body and the memory.

Haneke’s cinema provokes, demands

FUNNY GAMES (1997) INSPIRED A FIERCE DEBATE ON HOW ONE CAN INTERROGATE VIOLENCE IN FILM. ON THE WHOLE, HANEKE’S POLEMICAL PROGRAMME ATTEMPTS TO LAY BARE THE COLDNESS OF WESTERN SOCIETY

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Michael Haneke and Sophia Loren at the 67th Golden Globe Awards

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and Best Foreign-Language Film. The White Ribbon, his first of two Palme d’Or winners, takes us to a Protestant village in Germany just before war kicks off in 1914. It’s a black-and-white film, shot with ascetic precision. The film deals with strange incidents in Northern Germany, depicting an authoritari-

an, fascist-like atmosphere, where children are subjected to rigid rules and suffer harsh punishments, and where strange deaths occur.

Haneke achieved great success in 2001 with the critically successful French film The Piano Teacher. It won the prestigious Grand Prize at the

but ultimately frustrates interpretation.

His 2012 film Amour won the Best Foreign Language Oscar and was nominated for the Best Picture Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards.

In 2017, his twelfth film, Happy End, was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 70th Cannes Film Festival. 

PROVOCATION AND DIALOGUE TO REPLACE CONSUMPTION AND CONSENSUS In ,,Film as Catharsis’’ Michael Haneke wrote: My films are intended as polemical statements against the American ‘barrel down’ cinema and its dis-empowerment of the spectator. They are an appeal for a cinema of insistent

questions instead of false (because too quick) answers, for clarifying distance in place of violating closeness, for provocation and dialogue instead of consumption and consensus.

CORPORATE

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CREATING LASTING VALUES WITH NATURAL PRODUCTS

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Globally speaking, last year was the most successful one for Wienerberger as the company generated revenue of 4 billion euros. Historically speaking, last year was also the best ever for Wienerberger Serbia Historically speaking, last year was also the best ever for Wienerberger Serbia.

IVAN VUJISIĆ Sales and Marketing Director, Managing Director Commercial WBS Central Balkan Area South East Europe

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esearch shows that we spend almost 90 percent of our lives indoors, which is why the concept of healthy living is the future. Thanks to innovative solutions, but also recognizing market needs, as well as quick responses to these needs, Wienerberger has been the market leader for centuries. We talked with Ivan Vujisić, Sales and Marketing Director, Managing Director Commercial WBS Central Balkan Area South East Europe, about the constant modernization of the company's capacities, new products, substantial investments, and the company's business results.

Our investment cycle was launched in 2014, and so far, we have made 19-millioneuro worth of investments Semmelrock pavers. Also, our daughter company, Pipelife, produces everything that you require in a modern home such as housing, irrigation and water installations while offering top solutions for a pleasant life by using natural materials that will remain healthy for decades and sometimes even centuries.

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Perpetual modernization of your production capacity is just one of the advantages that makes Wienerberger stand out in the market. You have invested 19 million euros in the tile factory in Kanjiža alone. What are your

The leading construction trade fair in Southeast Europe - the 46th International Construction Fair - will be held in Belgrade from April 27 to 30. Wienerberger Serbia is the general sponsor of the event. Could you tell us something about that cooperation and what will this year's Fair bring us?

— This year, we are the general sponsor of the 46th International Construction Fair, which will focus on the region in which we operate. Under the slogan "We are Wienerberger", we will present all the novelties/home products, and reveal a few surprises. Thanks to our creative participation and our offer of innovative solutions, we are confident that this trade fair will be the most interesting one in the last 20 years. 

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What results did Wienerberger achieve last year and is the company's increased market activity reflected in better key financial parameters?

— Thanks to the favourable solution regarding taxes in Kosovo, in 2020, we restarted supplying our consumers in Kosovo, which had a positive impact on our company in 2021 as well. Globally speaking, last year was the most successful one for Wienerberger as the company generated revenue of 4 billion euros.

You have a diverse product portfolio.

What is your current focus on and what do you base your growth strategy on?

— Our company's absolute imperative is to offer top-notch products to its customers. I would like to single out our Porotherm blocks, a staple in masonry, primarily because these blocks don't need thermal insulation. I would also like to single our clay ceiling products. Also, our company Semmelrock produces beautifully designed behaton pavers, made to the highest quality, that are ideal for landscaping. There are also Penter clinker paving stones, which can be combined with

other investments?

— Even before we acquired the Kanjiža Factory, Tondach had already invested 45 million euros in this factory from 2003 to 2013. In 2014, we took over the Tondach Company, including its production plant in Kanjiža. Our investment cycle was launched in 2014, and so far, we have made 19-million-euro worth of investments. We recently opened the state-of-the-art Wienerberger production plant in Kanjiža. We have completely modernized the factory and installed the latest machinery used in the production of the top-notch tiles in Europe. Sustainability is an important aspect of this investment, with the Kanjiža factory now meeting the highest standards in terms of efficiency and environmental impact, which is confirmed by the eco-label that our companies have been having for years.

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TRADITION

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DRIVE FROM THE MOUNTAIN PASTURE Most local farmers set up stalls by the roadside where visitors can try fresh and new products from their farms - from cheese to meat products

he Almabtrieb is an annual event in the alpine regions in Europe that takes place in late September or early October. Almabtrieb is a festive parade, where local farmers steer their cow herds down the mountainside.

During summer, all over the alpine regions cattle herds feed on alpine pastures high up in the mountains, a practice known as transhumance. In numbers, these amount to about 500,000 in Austria, 380,000 in Switzerland, and 50,000 in Germany.

While there is often some movement of cattle between the Almen, or Alpen respectively, during the summer, there is usually one concerted cattle drive in

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the autumn to bring the cattle to their barns down in the valley. If there were no accidents on the Alm during the summer, in many areas the cattle are decorated elaborately, and the cattle drive is celebrated with music, feasts and dance events in the towns and villages. Upon arrival in the valley, joint herds from multiple farmers are sorted in the Viehscheid, and each animal is returned to its owner.

Celebrations commence by 10:30am.

The Kufstein Town Brass Band will give a concert at 12:30 pm and there will be great music with traditional dancers and local heritage groups. Artisans display their ancient handicrafts and traditional techniques, which will be sold at Tirolean and Bavarian market stalls.

Staples of Tirolean cuisine, such as ‘Kiachl’ and ‘Blattl’, are prepared by farmer’s wives and a lively children’s enter-

tainment program awaits.

In many places, this Alpine custom of Almabtrieb has today evolved into a major tourist attraction, with a public festival, and booths set up along the course for selling agricultural, as well as artisans', products along with alcoholic beverages. In the spring, the reverse cattle drive moves from the val-

IN MANY PLACES, THIS ALPINE CUSTOM OF ALMABTRIEB HAS TODAY EVOLVED INTO A MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTION, WITH A PUBLIC FESTIVAL

ley barns to the Alp. It is celebrated in Switzerland, though less well known. It is not celebrated in Germany and Austria, however.

In addition to being visually attractive and defying clichés, this festival offers a plethora of opportunities. Most local farmers set up stalls by the roadside where visitors can try fresh and new products from their farms - from cheese to meat products. Apart from various festival snacks that can be found there, tourists should try Auszeichnen Noodles, which are not noodles at all, but fried dough stuffed with cheese and herbs.

In the fresh air, accompanied by the sounds of traditional music, tourists can enjoy a glass of good quality wine, while locals do their traditional dances. Enjoyment is guaranteed for both old and young. 

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CORPORATE

HOME BUDGET KEEPER

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WHY GET UPSET ABOUT DAMAGE TO YOUR CAR? IT IS UNNECESSARY

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Casco insurance is not a luxury or an unnecessary cost. Casco insurance is the safest form of protection for your vehicle. It is the best ally in protecting the car from damages caused by you or somebody else, and also from situations you have no control over (natural disasters). Casco insurance is also the keeper of home budget, because it saves your money on overpriced repairs and car parts.

DO YOU KNOW... THAT Casco insurance covers the costs of damage caused by: *traffic accident *falling trees, parts of façade and other items on your car *natural disasters *fires

*floods *explosion

PARTIAL CASCO INSURANCE If you want, with partial Casco insurance, you can take out insurance against breakage and damage to standard builtin windows on motor vehicles, which is one of the most common damages.

That is why we offer you partial Casco insurance with which you can insure yourself against breakage and damage to standard built-in windows. Partial Casco insurance does not cover damage to the glass on mirrors and light signaling devices. With the concluded automobile liability insurance policy, the premium of partial Casco insurance shall be determined in a fixed amount; it is annual and unchangeable, and the policy depends on the duration of automobile liability insurance policy.

YOU ALWAYS GET MORE WITH US! Benefit: Along with Casco insurance policy, we are giving away an AMSS membership card Amenity: Discount on payment in full Flexibility: Payment in 12 monthly instalments Scope: Special benefits for fleet insurance DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF THE INSURED, WE OFFER: *FULL *SUPPLEMENTARY *PARTIAL CASCO INSURANCE SUPPLEMENTARY CASCO INSURANCE COVERS: *vehicle theft *theft of windshields/windows on motor vehicles. 

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TOURISM

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CENTER OF ALPINE BEAUTY Guesthouses and inns are the perfect place to sample hearty cuisine and relax after a long day out in the fresh air. And when things hot up in summer, there are plenty of mountain lakes to cool off in, let your thoughts wander and simply lose yourself in the moment

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there are plenty of mountain lakes to cool off in, let your thoughts wander and simply lose yourself in the moment.

According to Egon Kühebacher, the name Tyrol derives from a root word meaning terrain, first from the village of Tirol, and its castle; from which the County of Tyrol grew. Some sources suggest it derives from the Slavic language "ta rola" meaning "this land, farming terrain/farming ground." According to Karl Finsterwalder, the name Tyrol derives from Teriolis, a late-Roman fort and travellers' hostel in Zirl, Tyrol. There seems to be no scholarly consensus.

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lar activities during the warm summer months, while in winter many people come to Tirol to enjoy alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and tobogganing in the snowy landscape. From the valleys of Ötztal, Paznauntal, Pitztal, Zillertal and Stubaital to East Tirol, Lake Achensee, the regional capital Innsbruck and the legendary ski resort of Kitzbühel, Tirol’s villages, towns and regions are famous for their customs and traditions, museums and galleries. Guesthouses and inns are the perfect place to sample hearty cuisine and relax after a long day out in the fresh air.

And when things hot up in summer,

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n 2019 and 2020, the majority of guests travelled to Tyrol and Salzburg. Usually Vienna, the capital city of Austria, is the third most visited destination in Austria, but the COVID-19 crisis has caused an increase of visitors in leisure destinations, such as Carinthia and Styria. Hence, the market share of Vienna has dropped from 11 % in 2019 to 5 % in 2020.’’ as sad on web page of Federal Ministry Republic of Austria Agriculture, Regions and Tourism.

Outdoor enthusiasts are spoilt for choice, both in summer and winter.

Hiking and rock climbing are popu-

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The whole region of Tyrol is located in the Alps. Tyrol is bordered to the north by the state of Bavaria and to the east by the states of Carinthia and Salzburg. West of Tyrol lies the state of Vorarlberg and the canton of Grisons.

On the southern side of Tyrol, the land is bordered by the regions of Veneto and Lombardy.

When in the Middle Ages the Habsburgs took control of Tyrol, it had roughly its modern size. Tyrol was of great strategic importance to the Habsburgs. It controlled several important Alpine passes. It connected their landholdings in Further Austria.

In 1406, as the Habsburg lands were split up by inheritance, Tyrol once again became a separate entity, in which the greater landowners had the right to be consulted. During a confusing succession of events, in 1420 Frederick IV, Duke of Austria moved the capital of Tyrol from Meran to Innsbruck, and Meran lost its earlier importance.

The Tyrolean culture has been cultivated for several centuries and passed on to future generations. The state border between South and North Tyrol is more a political border and is considered less as a cultural border. Many traditions are cultivated throughout the Tyrolean region and show little differences. In all cultural areas such as food, dress or customs there are many similarities. Nevertheless, the individual language groups, especially the minority languages, try to maintain and promote

their own linguistic identity.

Many Tyrolean customs were created centuries ago and are passed on by the population for the next generations. Typical in the Alpine region are the many individual customs in the valleys. Due to the seclusion of the valleys, the locals developed their own customs.

Many customs have been created by legends and narratives, others by the close connection to the church. There

THE FEELING OF SITTING INSIDE AN INFLATABLE BOAT AS YOU ARE BUFFETED FROM ALL SIDES BY TALL WAVES AND RIDE THE RAPIDS AT HIGH SPEED IS ONE THAT PARTICIPANTS WILL NEVER FORGET are also traditions that are cultivated everywhere in the Tyrolean region and do not differ from other valleys and villages. These customs give local people an identity and thus feel the community more connected.

The Innsbruck region is much more than its city alone. It also includes 40 towns and villages that fulfil your every

want and need. You can stay in the alpine countryside, in an idyllic village, in the city centre or at 2,000 metres above sea level. On the Mieming Plateau west of Innsbruck, for example. This sunny area lies on a high mountain plateau with green alpine meadows and secluded groves. It is ideal for golf, leisurely cycling, walking and cross-country skiing.

Plus the impressive Mieming Range is also right on the doorstep for long hikes and challenging summit tours.

From a medieval fortress towering over a charming old town to a valley that can only be reached on foot, Kufsteinerland takes you back. Until 2008, Kaisertal valley was Austria’s last inhabited valley without a road link. And even now, only locals are allowed to drive here – so you’ll arrive in the picturesque valley on foot, after climbing 300 steps.

Every single step is worth it: The wild, untouched land. The thunderous gorges. The perfectly picturesque villages.

There are few mountain activities as spectacular as rafting and kayaking.

The feeling of sitting inside an inflatable boat as you are buffeted from all sides by tall waves and ride the rapids at high speed is one that participants will never forget. And one of the best parts of rafting is that, just like in other situations, it is all about teamwork.

In the summer months, Tirol is one of the top hotspots in the Alps for rafting and kayaking thanks to its many rivers with sections of whitewater catering for everyone from beginners to experts. 