Diplomacy & Commerce 22

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December 2017 | ISSUE No. 22 | Price 350 RSD

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OPPOSITION HAS MANAGED TO MAKE POLITICS ODIOUS TO THEIR VOTERS

DRAGOLJUB DRAŽA PETROVIĆ

Editor-in-Chief of Danas daily

30 THE UAE EMBASSY IN NOV page 45

SERBIA MARKED ITS NATIONAL HOLIDAY

BRAZIL IS BACK ON TRACK

PEACE IN HEART, MUSIC IN SOUL

E X CLU S IV E

DUŠAN KOVAČEVIĆ Director of EXIT Festival

GENTLEMAN STEALING YOUR HEART

MICHEL TEMER

President of Federative Republic of Brazil

WE WILL HELP SERBIA TO MOVE FASTER WITH THE REFORM AGENDA STEPHEN NDEGWA

World Bank Country Manager for Serbia, Europe and Central Asia Region

United Arab Emirates

Slovenia

IN FOCUS

MASSIMO SAVIĆ Singer

H.E. VLADIMIR GASPARIČ

Slovenian Ambassador to Serbia

H.E. JUMA RASHEED AL DAHERI UAE Ambassador to Serbia

E D I TO RIAL

CO N T E N T S

The Endless Game Dear readers, In the world, the IS is fading away as new coalitions loom large, since the winners – Russia, Assad, the Kurds, Turkey, the USA, Israel, Iran, Hezbollah, Saudi Arabia – are prepared to fight for their slices of the cake. It seems that the game of domination is, unfortunately, endless. There are some encouraging moves in diplomacy, with Suriname and Guinea-Bissau having withdrawn their recognition of Kosovo. That will certainly be helpful in a negotiation process that should see two solutions clearly ruled out: independence of Kosovo and its direct rule from Belgrade. It seems that the game of diplomacy is also endless.

And, in the end, comes the end of The Hague Tribunal. There’s no need to explain that someone is certainly guilty for unspeakable crimes, and especially the Srebrenica massacre, which came at the end of a war that the Serbs were actually winning. Terrifying from the human aspect, stupid from the military aspect. General Mladić is sentenced, and the main problem is not that his sentecning is unjust. The problem is that many war criminals from other nations walked free. So, instead of purification and reconciliation, many Serbs have now completely rejected The Hague Tribunal as a whole. Now, once again, two versions of history have been created, and everyone is “right and just” (in fact, no one is), and the hatred continues. In its endeavour to reconcile the people of the former Yugoslavia, the Tribunal failed; in its attempt to punish everyone according to their deeds, it failed; in its efforts to create one universal narrative accepted by everyone, it failed... So sad.

It seems that the game of hatred is, unfortunately, endless. Another missed opportunity.

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SAUDI ARABIA’S UNPRECEDENTED SHAKE-UP

PROPOSED CHANGES TO FREQUENT- FLYER PROGRAMMES MAY BE BAD NEWS FOR BUDGET TRAVELLERS

All the crown prince’s men

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Loyalty on the cheap

BRAZIL IS BACK ON TRACK

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MICHEL TEMER

PEACE IN HEART, MUSIC IN SOUL

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Director of EXIT Festival

President of Federative Republic of Brazil

DUŠAN KOVAČEVIĆ

WE WILL HELP SERBIA TO MOVE FASTER WITH THE REFORM AGENDA STEPHEN NDEGWA

ŽIKICA MILOŠEVIĆ

Editor-in-Chief

UN-poplar architecture

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A NEW MIDDLE EAST

GENTLEMAN STEALING YOUR HEART MASSIMO SAVIĆ

16 ŽIKICA MILOŠEVIĆ

Editor in Chief

zikica.milosevic@color.rs

TANJA BANKOVIĆ

Editorial manager

tanja.bankovic@color.rs

VANJA KOVAČEV

PR&Event support Nord Communications vanja.communications @gmail.com

NATAŠA NEŠIĆ

ILIJA PETROVIĆ INDIGOCHILD

Advertising manager

indigochild.ilija@gmail.com

DRAGANA RADOVIĆ

Art director

JOVANA MARKOVIĆ Advertising manager

jovana.markovic@color.rs

natasa.nesic@color.rs

Advertising manager

dragana.radovic@color.rs

RUŽA RISTANOVIĆ Magazine director

ruza.ristanovic@color.rs

ROBERT ČOBAN Director

robert.coban@color.rs

ROBIN HOOD GARDENS AND THE DIVISIVENESS OF BRUTALISM

World Bank Country Manager for Serbia, Europe and Central Asia Region

Politics

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Singer

OPPOSITION HAS MANAGED TO MAKE POLITICS ODIOUS TO THEIR VOTERS DRAGOLJUB DRAŽA PETROVIĆ Editor-in-Chief of Danas daily

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MEGDAN: BROTHER – MEGDAN GLADIATORS IN NOVI SAD ALEKSA BALAŠEVIĆ Promoter of Megdan

Photos

GORAN ZLATKOVIĆ GETTY IMAGES Translation and lecturer

MRP EDITORIAL Translation

SNEŽANA BJELOTOMIĆ

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A L L T H E CRO WN P RIN CE ’ S M E N

Saudi Arabia’s Unprecedented Shake-up Muhammad bin Salman has made himself the sole face of Saudi policy

EVEN by standards of recent palace intrigues, it was a dizzying Saturday in Saudi Arabia. On November 4th the kingdom announced that scores of people had been held in a massive anti-corruption sweep. The best-known figure was Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a billionaire businessman and investor who owns big chunks of American firms such as Citigroup and News Corporation. But the detainees also include ten other princes; dozens of current and former ministers; the chairman of the Saudi Binladin Group, a construction conglomerate; and the owner of MBC, the largest satellite network in the Middle East. Some are reportedly being held in Riyadh’s opulent Ritz-Carlton, which told paying guests to leave and stopped accepting new bookings. Private jets were grounded in a bid to stop wealthy businessmen from leaving the kingdom.

Even more significant is the separate move to sack several ministers, notably Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah, the commander of the National Guard, consolidating the power of the young crown prince, Muhammad bin Salman (often known as MBS), the hugely ambitious son of King Salman.

To call all of this unprecedented would be an understatement. For decades, Saudi kings tried to forge consensus within the sprawling royal family. Change was incremental and power was divided, particularly among members of the

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so-called Sudairi Seven branch—the sons of King Abdulaziz, the founder of the state, and his favourite wife, Hussa bint Ahmed Al Sudairi.

Power among the brothers has long been balanced delicately. One Sudairi, Prince Sultan, served as defence minister for 48 years. Another, Prince Nayef, and later his son Muhammad, controlled the interior ministry for more than four decades. And since 1963 the National Guard was the preserve of Prince (later King) Abdullah and his clan.

IF HIS AMBITIOUS PLANS FALTER, SAUDIS WILL KNOW WHOM TO BLAME All three positions are now under the control of MBS. The crown prince became defence minister just hours after his father (also a Sudairi) ascended the throne in 2015. In June the ruling duo sacked the interior minister, Muhammad bin Nayef, the former crown prince, and placed him under house arrest. On Saturday they finished the job by sidelining Prince Mutaib, the second son of the late King Abdullah, who had once been mooted as a possible future king.

The shake-up of the top economic and military posts officially bore the name of the fading monarch. But real power rests with his son.

Just 32, he has gathered unprecedented power and is attempting to ram through an ambitious

social and economic agenda to modernise the country and wean it off oil.

In September police rounded up dozens of critics, from Muslim clerics to human-rights activists. Then the king abruptly decreed that women would be allowed to drive next year, ending a decades-long ban. A few weeks later MBS wooed investors at a glitzy conference in Riyadh, where he spoke of the need for “moderate Islam” and announced plans for a $500bn economic zone, called Neom, which would be staffed largely by robots. He has a long list of other economic and cultural reforms, from opening cinemas to offering part of Aramco, the state-owned oil giant, in an IPO. The domestic turmoil comes at an already fraught moment for Saudi Arabia. A ruinous two-and-a-half-year war in Yemen, meant to crush Houthi rebels who ousted the government in 2015, has plunged that country into a humanitarian crisis. Though the Houthis have lost territory, they still control Sana’a, the capital, and most of northern Yemen. As the Saudi shake-up began on Saturday night, they fired a ballistic missile at Riyadh. (It was intercepted.) Just as unsuccessful is the five-month-old blockade of Qatar, which was meant to force the gas-rich emirate to drop its support for Islamist groups.

Meanwhile Saudi Arabia’s arch-rival, Iran, is gaining influence across the region. Indeed, Saturday’s wild news started with the resignation of Saad Hariri, Lebanon’s pro-Saudi prime minister.

Mr Hariri announced the move from Riyadh, blaming Iran’s malign influence on his country and saying he feared being assassinated, as his father, a previous prime minister, was in 2005.

Many ask themselves whether the Saudi palace purges are a sign of strength, or reflect nervousness about internal resistance to MBS’s wrenching changes. Few believe the official talk of a clamp-down on corruption. In many ways, the latest arrests seem unnecessary.

Aside from Prince Mutaib, the blacklisted officials are a weak lot. Though Prince Waleed is rich, brash and outspoken, he is also an outsider, a prince with little influence on Saudi policy.

Still, the arrests send a message to other would-be critics. MBS, more than any other leader in decades, has fashioned himself the sole face of Saudi policy. If his ambitious plans falter, Saudis will know whom to blame.

From The Economist, published under licence.

The original article, in English, can be found on www.economist.com

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5 MYTHS ABOUT COCA-COLA AND WHY THEY ARE SIMPLY NOT TRUE

Myth

Myth

If it can remove rust, what, on earth, will it do my body

Coca-Cola contributes to obesity!

Truth You must have read somewhere that the acid from Coca-Cola can remove lime and rust, as well as various fatty stains. True, Coca-Cola does contain a small amount of edible acid, as do many other products, but this acid is perfectly safe for consumption, and is even milder than stomach acid.

Truth Excessive consumption of any type of high-calorie food and drink can lead to obesity. The key to maintaining a healthy weight is to eat and drink in moderation. Also, if you are careful about your weight, there is sugar free CocaCola which has the same, refreshing taste as the regular Coca-Cola but no calories.

Myth Myth

Coca-Cola spoils your teeth!

Truth Any food or beverage that contains sugars and has sour taste can spoil your teeth if consumed frequently. The key to good dental health lies in dental hygiene, regularly brushing your teeth and going on preventive visits to you dentist.

Also, it is important to be moderate in consumption of food and beverages with a high percentage of sugars and acidity.

5 myths about Coca-Cola that are simply not true

Drinking Coca-Cola will give you cellulite!

Truth There is no specific food or drink that is the sole culprit of cellulite; Coca-Cola included. Many factors like life habits, genetics, hormons and others contribute to appearance of cellulite.

Myth

If you mix fizzy sweets with Coca-Cola, your stomach will explode!

Truth Nothing even remotely similar is going to happen if you mix fizzy sweets with Coca-Cola. When mixed with soda, these sweets release carbon-dioxide, and all that is left after is sugar.

In this Internet age it is sometimes quite hard to find out what is truth and what myth, especially if we are talking about famous brands and popular products. As one of the most popular global brands, Coca-Cola is often front row centre in such articles. However, before you come to a conclusion, please read what exactly are those myths, and why are they completely unfounded.

For more information go to www.pronadjimeru.com

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EXC LU SI VE

C O LUM N

Brazil is Back on Track The results are already visible

MICHEL TEMER President of Federative Republic of Brazil

Just over eighteen months ago, I took office as the President of Brazil with the task of facing up to the most severe economic crisis in the history of Brazil along with its deep social impacts on our people. Faced with this kind of challenge, I have put forward a transformation agenda without recourse to populist measures. The agenda comprises the broadest set of structuring reforms for the past thirty years based upon the pillars of fiscal balance, social responsibility and increase in productivity.

The results are already visible. The economic recession in Brazil has been reversed and the Brazilian economy has grown for the last two consecutive quarters.

Some analysts have forecast a 1% growth in GDP in 2017. Inflation, which was about 10% in May 2016, stands bellow the inflation target, recorded at 2.54% in September.

Purchasing power got better with a real increase of more than 6% in wages. The basic interest rate for May was 14.25%, and has been dropping in a sustainable manner.

The SELIC rate is currently 7.5%, the lowest in four years, and bank spread has dropped substantially.

The responsible decrease in the interest rates alone has ensured an additional 80 billion Reais to the public coffers (current 18.5 billion pound sterling).

Our trade balance has been breaking records: Brazil reached a trade surplus of US$ 58.477 billion between January and October 2017 (an increase of 51.8% in relation to the same period of 2016). Industrial output increased by 1.6% over the same period (in May 2016, it was in

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free fall of 9.8%). Vehicle exports grew by 55.7% in relation to 2016 and have already reached the 560 thousand units produced in 2017 aggregate. Sales of new vehicles in the domestic market grew by 9.28% this year in comparison with 2016. Grains crops in Brazil should reach the historic record of 242 million tons in 2017, an increase of 30% in comparison to the last year.

As a reflection of the acceleration of the Brazilian economy, port usage has grown by 5.7% in 2017 and the domestic aviation market also increased by 6.6% in comparison to September 2016.

This virtuous cycle lies at the root of the recovery of trust in the Brazilian economy. The Business Confidence Index (GetĂşlio Vargas Foundation-FGV) peaked at 90.3 points in October, the highest level since July 2014. The Brazil Risk (Emerging Market Bond Index - EMBI) has dropped 544 basis points (Jan 2016) to 239 basis points (Oct 2017), a reduction of 56.1% in the sovereign spread. Also the five-year Credit Default Swap which was at 328 basis points has come down to 173.5 at the present

date. The IBOVESPA index has surpassed 76 thousand points in September 2017, recovering from 38 thousand points at which it stood in January 2016. The aggregate FDI data for the first semester of 2017 was US$ 40.3 billion (US$ 78.9 in 2016).The energy auctions, which were held under the new regulatory model, including those of presalt, raised 22 billion Reais (about 5.1 billion pounds sterling). Only in the energy sector, investments of 444 billion Reais (102.9 billion pounds sterling) are expected over the next few years, creating up to

THE ECONOMIC RECESSION IN BRAZIL HAS BEEN REVERSED AND THE BRAZILIAN ECONOMY HAS GROWN FOR THE LAST TWO CONSECUTIVE QUARTERS

500 thousand new jobs.

Economic rationality and predictability measures have improved the business environment by means of initiatives such as de-bureaucratization in the agricultural, services, retail and foreign trade sectors. The State Enterprise Responsibility Law has enabled a professionalization of state enterprises.

Discredited in the past, the state enterprises have now been regaining value. With losses of 32 billion Reais in 2015 (7.4 billion pounds sterling), they generated profits of 4.6 billion Reais in 2016 (0.2 billion pounds sterling) and 17.3 billion Reais (4 billion pounds sterling) in the first half of 2017. Aiming at raising productivity, an employment reform has been passed. Without removing rights, the law was modernized and brought workers from the shadow economy into formal employment.

The success of this agenda has already been reflected in employment recovery, with an increase in the employment rate indexes.

The accumulated surplus for 2017, measured by the General Register of Employed and Unemployed Persons of the Ministry of Employment (CAGED-MTE), is of 163 thousand jobs created, in comparison to the loss of 448 thousand jobs between January and May 2016. According to measurements of the Brazilian Institute of Ge-

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ography and Statistics (IBGE), in the third quarter of 2017 alone more than 1,061 million jobs were created in Brazil and from those more than 524 thousand people have left the unemployed ranks.

Employee real aggregate income rose 3.9% in the third quarter of 2017 in comparison to the same period of 2016.

The reinstatement of fiscal responsibility along with the economic growth has enabled an increase in the resources allocated to social welfare. Social welfare programs, which had been previously put at risk on account of fiscal collapse, have been recovered in tandem with the ceilings established under the Constitution and thanks to efficiency in public spending. The ‘Bolsa Família’ benefit has been increased by 12.5% (after more than two years without any adjustment) and waiting lists have been extinguished. The Government has gone further and launched the ‘Progredir’ (Getting ahead) programme, which helps families on benefit to obtain employment and credit, and as such, to achieve autonomy. Boldly, I have released the dormant FGTS accounts and advanced the PIS-PASEP

withdrawals, which has benefited millions of Brazilians and injected R$ 60 billion into the economy.

The health and education budgets have increased. The rationalization of health care management has brought more resources to essential services: R$ 4 billion have been redirected for equipment purchase, opening of new

health care units and hiring new staff. The ‘Farmácia Popular’ (low cost Pharmacy) programme had been spending 80% of its budget on administrative costs. A new allocation system has increased the resources for the purchase of essential medicines by R$ 100 million/year. In the field of education, the high-school/secondary reform

THE NEXT STEP WILL BE THE CONTINUITY OF REFORMS, WHICH WILL ENSURE SOLVENCY AND SURVIVAL OF THE SYSTEM, IN ADDITION TO REMOVING PRIVILEGES

has updated the curriculum for the students taking into account individual skills and the realities of the employment market. The Student Financing Fund (FIES) has been reassessed offering 75 thousand new study places, and has now become sustainable. Over R$ 700 million were allocated to this fund, for the same reason, avoiding delays in resource transfers. With the launch of the Geostationary Satellite, a decisive step has been taken towards the universalization of access to broadband Internet in Brazil.

The results show that the strategy put forward and implemented by the Government is the right one.

We have left the economic crisis behind and are back on the development track. Persuaded that there is no time to waste, I will advance the approval of the reform agenda. The next step will be the continuity of reforms, which will ensure solvency and survival of the system, in addition to removing privileges. Simplifying tax law, another priority, will increase the competitiveness of our domestic production. With the indispensable support of the National Congress, of workers and the business community, we are putting Brazil back on track.

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I NTERVIEW

We will Help Serbia to Move Faster With the Reform Agenda The World Bank has declared Serbia a leader in Southeast Europe in terms of implemented reforms with the goal of attracting more foreign investments. However, a lot has to be done because when we compare Serbia with new EU member states at the same stage of transition, Serbia seems to be moving slower, despitwe recent good results

STEPHEN NDEGWA World Bank Country Manager for Serbia, Europe and Central Asia Region

In the coming year, the World Bank will be working closely with the Government on modernizing tax administration, which is one of the areas where Serbia is lagging. In addition, the Bank will support reforms on stateowned financial institutions and will help the government in their plans to strongly improve e-governance, says Mr. Stephen Ndegwa, World Bank Country Manager for Serbia, Europe and Central Asia Region. The Bank will also remain active in the areas it has been supporting for a long time, such as structural reforms, including on privatization and/or improvement

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of corporate governance of public enterprises. We spoke to Mr. Ndegwa about Serbia’s progress in reforms in the context of the major challenges lying ahead.

The World Bank has declared Serbia a leader in Southeast Europe in terms of implemented

— Importantly, countries like Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, etc. started their transition a decade before Serbia, and they are further advanced with their reforms. This includes more progress in structural reforms, business environment, privatization of SOEs etc. These countries are now EU member states, meaning their business environment and regulatory framework are fully harmonized with the EU, so there is much more predictability for investors. So, it is not surprising that Serbia is lagging these countries. That said, although Serbia started late, when we compare it with new EU member states at the same stage of transition, Serbia seems to be moving slower, despite recent good results. An example is how Serbia’s

ALTHOUGH THE DIRECT SUBSIDIES TO ATTRACT INVESTMENTS HAVE HELPED CREATE ADDITIONAL JOBS WHICH WOULD MOST LIKELY NOT HAVE BEEN CREATED, WE BELIEVE THAT POLICY MAKERS SHOULD NOW TRANSITION TOWARD ALTERNATIVE INCENTIVES reforms with the goal of attracting more foreign investments.

Why, do you think, Serbia attracts only 2-billion-euro worth of investments annually unlike Hungary or the Czech Republic, for instance, which are of similar size as Serbia?

pace of reform compares to new EU member states in their first ten years of reform as recorded on the EBRD transition indicator.

Serbia’s pace of reform was better than these countries’ in their first three years but its pace falls behind after the third year.

Many experts in Serbia have been critical of this model because it draws in investors from work-intensive sectors that are on a lookout for cheap labour, and that generate small added value in Serbia, as well as negatively affecting the import segment of the country's external trade balance. How realistic are these objections, and what would you say are positive features of the said model?

— We should keep in mind that until very recently Serbia had an unemployment rate of over 20 percent. In that context, it makes sense for any government to fully prioritize creating jobs. Our recent analysis shows that the incentives program has indeed helped create additional jobs which would most likely not have been created in the absence of the policy.

However, we believe policy makers should now transition toward alternative means that rely less on direct subsidies to attract investments. A focus on strengthening the capacities for coordination and business development of relevant agencies (such as Serbia Development Agency at the national level, and regionally relevant agencies and institutions) should be included in this approach. Improving overall business environment should also be a priority. The presence of a well-coordinated local business enabling institution, guiding

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companies through the processes of investment, growth, and integration in a local economy, can make a big difference.

The longer a company is successful in a location (that is, it remains competitive and grows) the higher are the possibilities to create positive linkages to local businesses and spillovers that have a real impact in the economy. Going forward, the authorities should put more emphasis on business development initiatives (for example, investor aftercare and supplier development programs) which aim to integrate investment firms through greater participation within the local economy and by incorporating a greater reliance on locally produced inputs.

Serbia has been constantly advancing on the Doing Business list, but this progress is recorded in only few segments. In which segments should our country make a more pronounced progress in the following period?

— Over the last three years, Serbia has implemented reforms related to a number of Doing

IN THE COMING PERIOD, SERBIA SHOULD BE WORKING ON THE AREAS WHERE IT IS LAGGING BEHIND ON THE DOING BUSINESS LIST AND THOSE ARE INDICATORS WHICH IN ESSENCE, REFER TO STRENGTHENING THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND RULE OF LAW Business indicators. Significant reforms have been noted in five out of ten indicators – Dealing with Construction Permits, Paying Taxes, Starting a Business, Registering Property, Enforcing Contracts (more details: http:// www.doingbusiness.org/reforms/ overview/economy/serbia). Serbia’s tenth position globally on reforms in dealing with construction permits indicates how much Serbia can achieve with focus and commitment.

Going forward, and looking at the Distance to Frontier indicator, Serbia is still lagging good practices in the areas of Resolving Insolvency, Enforcing Contracts (despite improvements), as well as Protecting Minority Investors.

In essence, these refer to strengthening the judicial system and rule of law, and these should be prioritized, in addition to continued improvements on all other indicators.

One of the obstacles that the World Bank says is hindering Serbia's growth is lack of entrepreneurship. How much is this situation changing for better due to education reforms?

— Yes, the lack of an entrepreneurship spirit emerged as a constraint in one of the surveys we conducted a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, we haven’t done a follow up survey so we don’t have data to see if anything has changed.

In which areas could you cooperate even more with the Serbian government during this reform momentum?

— In the coming year, we will be working closely with the Government on modernizing tax administration – you will recall ‘paying taxes’ is one of the areas Serbia lags behind on the Doing Business indicators. We will also be supporting reforms on state-

owned financial institutions and the government agenda on e-governance. In addition, we will continue our support to structural reforms, including privatization and/or improvement of corporate governance of public enterprises.

What is the current volume of NPLs in the country's banking system, and how can we address this problem?

— The level of NPL decreased significantly after the adoption of the NPL Strategy, both in nominal as well as in relative terms, as a result of manifold activities undertaken so far by relevant institutions.

At the end of April 2015, the NPL ratio in Serbia amounted to 23%.

According to the latest official data this has dropped to 15.6%, which is the lowest since February 2009.

The World Bank Group has been providing support to the NPL Working Group, especially focused on improving the legal framework for consensual financial restructuring, enhancing performance of the bankruptcy administrator and commercial courts’ judges dealing with bankruptcy cases, and ultimately by improving the protection of secured creditors to reduce the average period of settlement through draft Amendments to the Insolvency Law whose adoption is expected soon.

PRIVATIZATION IS A BRIDGE TO SERBIA’S PROSPERITY There have been announcements that Komercijalna Banka will be privatized soon. Why is important to complete this process, and how is the bank's privatization going to affect the banking sector in the country?

— The World Bank is not involved in Komercijalna, so I am unable to comment. However, we think greater privatization of the economy is needed to make space for private sector to generate growth, jobs and fiscal revenues. Finalizing privatization is a bridge to Serbia’s prosperity.

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PO LI TI C S

Text: ŽIKICA MILOŠEVIĆ

A New Middle East

Rearranged, realigned

Nobody really knew what would happen when Vladimir Putin ordered Russian Airforce and Cosmic Force to intervene in the Middle East and crush the Islamic State. Now, the changes became tectonic, and after decades of lawlessness and terror and status quo, the Middle East might be calmer, or, even crazier than ever before. But, definitely different.

TUKISH SHIFT

The first thing that set the wheels in motion happened in Turkey, in the summer of 2016. As we were sleeping through a summer night, an army group, allegedly inspired by Abdullah Gulen, decided to remove Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power and bring down his Islamophilia and neo-ottoman policies in a good-old tradition of Turkish military coup d'états. They failed, unlike their predecessors.

After this, Erdogan again became good with Russia with which he had previously almost went into a war against because of Turkey's downing a Russian warplane, and the Russian intervention in Syria.

Eventually, Erdogan and Putin started to collaborate on many levels – gas pipelines started popping everywhere, together they are forming de-escalation zones in Syria, and have both developed a softer stance toward Iran. Certain hickups, like banning ships that were previously stationed in Crimea from entering Turkish ports, or welcoming the illegally appointed Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people to Turkey, did not

harm the relations that much.

But the most crucial of all was an agreement, which stipulates Turkey buying S-400 anti-aircraft missiles from Russia. NATO, of course, reacted by sending a diplomatic message that such systems could not be integrated into NATO's joint defence system. Its future in NATO could be jeopardized? Although, this does sound like a pretty unimaginable scenario, the Turks did withdraw their soldiers recently from NATO military drills after someone 'accidentally' marked Erdogan as an enemy. When he found out, Erdogan became furious and warned that „such Alliance should not exist“. Also, at a press conference, he accused the US of funding the IS and protecting Gulen. The situation with Turkey, that is still finding its direction, was,

ALTHOUGH THE KINGDOM'S BUDGET IS DEVASTATED BECAUSE OF THE WAR IN YEMEN AND LOW CRUDE OIL PRICES, IT IS RECOVERING, JUST LIKE TURKEY until recently, unthinkable. Turkey as a big non-bloc state, or Turkey as a major player in the Middle East?

SAUDI SHIFT

Just as we thought that we had enough of strange news from the region, and after finding out that Trump might scrap the nuclear deal with Iran (which would also create a new arms race and more tension), the next shock came from Riyadh.

Prince Mohammad bin Salman decided to carry out a reform, unheard

A STEP FURTHER — Things are becoming complicated in Central Asia too. The Uzbek President, Islam Karimov has died, and the country now fears Islamic extremists because of whom the government has upped its security measures. Considering that one of the people who attacked NYC was an Uzbek, and that Uzbekistan is allegedly the homeland of many people who were accused of conspiracy in Russia, this should not be treated lightly. If Imran Khan wins the election, Pakistan will turn more towards China and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation which is an incredibly important shift.

Following the demise of the Islamic State, Afghanistan is yet again becoming the bedrock of extremism.

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of until now. In a country where the Wahabi movement has been flourishing all these years, and were the holy Islamic places have been mercilessly destroyed because they were not „super pure“, Prince bin Salman 'dared' to announce that, the country was moving towards moderate Islam (probably like the one in Emirates, Oman, Kuwait or Qatar), the main economic branch-

es would now be tourism and high technology, and most Saudi princes would have to stay in their luxury prisons until they are properly investigated for corruption. This U-turn came after the prince met with Putin following which there was more mention of the S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, the collaboration with Russia on fighting terrorism, and coordinating crude oil prices. Bearing in mind that we are talking about two strategic allies of the US, their inching towards

Russia would be unheard of decades ago. Allegedly, bin Salman said that he would release all those that he had arrested on corruption charges providing that they gave 70% of their wealth to the state as compensation. There have been also rumours about Saudis recognizing the state of Israel in exchange for the permanent solution of the Palestinian issue. Let's not even go into how unthinkable that would be. If the situation with Shiites in Saudi Arabia is also resolved, that could possiblly bring the ever so important peace to the region that would result in peace in Yemen, and warming up to archenemy Iran.

IRAQ AND IRAN

When Russia intervened in Syria, Iraq, tired of dealing with the Western allies, immediately asked Russia do the same thing there too but Russia let the US to complete their job. The Western allies got involved in Syria and Iraq only when there was a danger of the Russians taking all the credit for destroying the Islamic State (IS). There was also Iran which relentlessly kept helping the governments in Damascus and Baghdad in their fight against the IS which absolutely despises Shiites.

As a result of their unnecessary referendum, Kurds lost their territory and national self-confidence, while Iraq, for the umptieth time, now has to find a system that would not be abusive in peace situation while avoiding another war from erupting. Maybe the federation of the Iraqi Sunnistan, Shiastan, Kurdistan, Turkmenistan and Assyria (a Christian community living around Nineveh) is a solution that could give hope.

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C O RPO RATE

Belmax Center Belgrade

Belmax Center Becomes Main Distribution Center for Serbian Fashion Products Is “Made in Serbia” becoming more and more often tag for products around the world?

Belmax Center visitors say YES Only 6 km far from Belgrade center, on the cross of two very important European E rutes – E75 and E70, widespreaded on 55.000 m2, this unique trade and logistics center opens its doors for You. In 2007 Belmax Center was built with a vision to become center for fashion manufacturers. Today, almost 150 manufacturers from Novi Pazar, Pančevo, Ivanjica, Arilje, Šabac, Subotica and others are located here.

With successful history and experience in international and domestic trading, this center and it's companies offer many good things to visitors. On the other hand, traders from Hungary, Poland, Croatia, Montenegro and other neighboring countries testify that products they import from Belmax Center companies and distribute on their market are very interesting with its affordable price and enviable quality.

“I tried before to visit manufacturers around Serbia and it was

very difficult for me. Now I can order most of the products in one place and so near to airport and highway.” – said Bernard from Poland.

Clothes, shoes and accessorize, as main product categories are being distributed through international retail network which counts

very competitive to world known fashion brands coming from Italy, France, USA etc.

In very short tour organized by professional team which will take You through the center and provide all important information and give full support, every world fashion trader will easily meet proper com-

“EVERY DAY MORE AND MORE INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES SHOW INTERESTS TO PURCHASE PRODUCTS FROM BELMAX CENTER. WITH AFFORDABLE RENT PRICE AND OTHER ADVANTAGES IN THIS MOMENT WE ARE THE BEST OPPORTUNITY IN REGION FOR ALL COMPANIES WHO WANT TO BE IN THE FOCUS OF WHOLESALE BUSINESS “ – SAYS LEADING MANAGEMENT OF BELMAX CENTER more than 2000 distributors and 20000 shops. Domestic products such as jeans, jackets, dresses, shoes, bags and other textile products found it’s place all over the Europe and more than 300 different brands proved that they are

pany to cooperate with.

After main agreements between associates, position of center combined with logistic service will make operational part easy and simplified. Bookkeeping, freightage, 850 free parking places,

small distance from airport, hotels nearby etc are different important services available in Belmax Center and its close environment.

Well organized showrooms with stock, parking places and easy access for vehicles are positioned in eleven different buildings with streets between what allows smooth passage through center for all visitors. Also, center is reachable by car, city bus and train.

Still, Belmax Center is constantly developing and has to offer space for new companies in any moment.

Expectations in 2018 are significant growth of showroom area and number of companies.

“Every day more and more international companies show interests to purchase products from Belmax Center. With affordable rent price and other advantages in this moment we are the best opportunity in region for all companies who want to be in the focus of wholesale business “ – says leading management of Belmax Center.

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NATIONAL DAYS

in December & January

ARRI VALS & D EPAR T UR E S

DECEMBER

JELENA MATEJIĆ

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Appointed director Elektromreža Srbije

KAZAKHSTAN

Serbian government has appointed Jelena Matejic, the current acting director general of Elektromreža Srbije (EMS), as director general of this shareholding company. She has been the acting director general for almost a year, and prior to that appointment she was the company's executive director for investments and strategy. Ms Matejic has been at the helm of some of the biggest projects in the history of EMS like construction and commissioning of the Belgrade 20 transformer station, and the

Independence Day

ongoing construction of the Trans-Balkan power transfer corridor. Jelena Matejic graduated economics from the University of Belgrade's Faculty of Economics, and also has a Masters's degree in public sector management.

Furthermore, she holds a title of project manager at the WIFI Institute (Austrian Institute for Economic Promotion). In her career she worked both in private and public sector, including the companies Mark Plan, Delta Sport, Droga Kolinska and Atlantic Group.

She has been in EMS since 2012.

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QATAR

National Day, the assumption of power by Emir Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani in 1878

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JAPAN

ational Day N (Emperor's Birthday)

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LIBYA

National Day

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SOTIRIS KOSTOUROS

SLOVENIA

New General Manager of British American Tobacco

New general manager of British American Tobacco for Serbia and Montenegro is Sotiris Kostouros, who came to this position after being CFO of British American Tobacco in France.

Kostouros took over his new position from Thanos Trimis, previous general manager who successfully managed the company for 5 years and has achieved significant rise in the Serbian market. On his new position, Thanos will be one of the leading

people incharge for the implementation of the biggest company’s acquisition, making BAT the new owner of the American company Reynolds.

Since joining British American Tobacco in 2004, Sotiris has been incharge for some of the most important jobs in the field of finance in the several regions where BAT conducts its business operations and has significantly contributed to the strategic development and the company’s record market shares.

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EC O NO MY

Text: ŽIKICA MILOŠEVIĆ

Find Your Own Way

And say “no” to “no future”

health service would increase to 2,700 EUR from the current 1,000 EUR, while nurses would earn 900 EUR compared to the current 530 EUR. Salaries of certain university professors will go up by 100%, and this increase will be implemented gradually, in the period from 2018 to 2022. The effects of such changes will cost the state close to 10 billion EUR in the next five years.

WHO IS AGAINST?

Romania has instigated a rebellion in the EU, but this is a type of rebellion that shoud be widely copied. They raised the salaries in the public sector, principally for medical workers and teachers, thus stopping braindrain of the educated Romanian workforce towards the West. The move was highly criticised by the EC and, no surprise, by the IMF. But, should anyone listen to them at their own risk?

ROMANIAN SECOND REVOLUTION

Around about this time of the year, in 1989, Romania experienced its first revolution when a mass of dissatisfied people removed the then President Nicolae Ceausescu from power because of the nation's low living standard. Back in the day, the living standard in Romania was the worst out of all Socialist countries in Europe. Romanians were the butt of joke in Bulgaria with the Bulgarians mocking them by saying „Compared to you, we are like Yugoslavia“. Now that Yugoslavia is gone and Bulgaria and

Romania are in the EU, they are not doing badly at all. Romania is still in a slightly better position than Serbia. But Romanians were never willing to „disappear quietly into the night“, but were rather keen to rebel. This time around, the rebellion did not take place in the streets, but in the national parliament which passed a law that should put an end to a tragic situation that is similar to the one happening in Serbia too – that of the most educated people, doctors

Of course, nobody. At least not in Romania. However, the world centres of power could not let the sleeping dogs lie. The EC has recently warned the official Bucharest not to raise civil servant salaries, while the IMF underlined that the successive decrease in tax rates in the last two years had already significantly depleted the state budget. According to them, Romania is doomed because of the said costs as if these costs don't already exist because you are schooling scientists and doctors

HOWEVER, DECLARING THE CONSENSUS 'DEAD' HAPPENS ONLY WHEN A CRISIS IS LOOMING, AND ONCE THE CRISIS IS OVER, A NEW BUBBLE OF THE ZOMBIFIED WASHINGTON CONSENSUS IS FORMED. THE QUESTION IS FOR HOW LONG? and nurses, leaving the country to go and work in West Europe, namely in Italy, Norway and especially Germany. The law, for which 188 Romanian MPs voted in favour and 28 against, stipulates that the monthly salary of the best ranked doctors who work in the national

who are anyway going to leave the country. How about costs that arise as a result of inadequate healthcare which adversly affect the nation's health? But let's dig deeper into what the IMF has actually been doing in the world this year. Actually, the IMF is not concerned with your

development, but is more concerned with helping you to achieve macroeconomic and budget stability so you can pay your debt. No country has ever achieved development by listening to the IMF. The case of South Korea is a pretty telling one because this country did not listen to the IMF, and did everything the opposite. Today, South Korea is called Asian Tigar because of its economic prowess.

Following in the South Korean footsteps, Sri Lanka also refused to obey by the IMF's conditions. The Sinhalese clearly demonstrated just how detrimental the IMF's therapy was. Despite voting „yes“ at the referendum, Greece did decide to listen to the IMF, and now their chances of recovery are slim.

Greece is dependant on „international assistance“ (that's a pretty way of saying it), or rather has been neck deep in unfavourable loans granted by the IMF and EU's financial institutions since 2010. In order to be eligible for more financial assistance, Greece had to cut back on public sector salaries, increase taxes, and implement market reforms in order to increase budget revenue. In the meantime, the recession deepened, a quarter of economy was erased, and almost every fourth work-capable person is left jobless. There is no future, to quote Sex Pistols. Hungary, Poland, Turkey, Russia and Kazakhstan have all managed to escape IMF's 'embrace'. However, the poorest countries like Moldavia, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, are still in IMF's clutches. Sapienti sat!

THE WASHINGTON CONSENSUS After they decided to leave the Consensus, the Latin American countries experienced a huge economic growth. Case in point – Brazil! Whichever country remained in the Consensus, it recorded a negligible growth and suffered from mass impoverishment with the elite continuing to amass their riches. Western states, which abode to the Consensus' rules, found themselves in budget problems due to lowering taxes for the richest segments to the society. Twenty five years since the implementation of this neoliberal system in the US, there have been huge social and financial

changes. In the begining of its implementation, the richest 1% earned 12% of all disbursed salaries in the US, and controlled 33% of its economy. Today, these 1% earn 25% of all disbursed salaries in the country, and control 40% of its economy. Economic growth in the country has been much slower than during the so-called Keynesian golden age, and we all know that there is no success without development. Critics of the Consensus advocate returning to the European model or the so-called Beijing Consensus. Back in 2009, the then British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown declared Consensus dead.

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I NTERVIEW

Opposition Has Managed to Make Politics Odious to Their Voters People are gullible, corruptible and indoctrinated

DRAGOLJUB DRAŽA PETROVIĆ Editor-in-Chief of Danas daily

In today's world, run by tabloids, which values only superficial information and scandals, and where electorate is edging towards iron fist rule, populism and nationalism, it is no easy feat to run a daily like Danas. Although Danas has small circulation, Dragoljub Draža Petrović is successfully steering this ship, as the newspaper is deemed to be quite influential as a voice from the other side.

Danas is considered today to be at the forefront of criticism, while some people call it the only independent daily that is critical of the government. Could you compare the 1990s and the period from 2001 to 2012 to today's period and the work done by the so-called opposition media?

— In the 1990s, you had a mix of good dailies and weeklies, radio

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and TV stations, on one side, and a total opposite, i.e. the war mongering media which wanted to obliterate everyone who thought differently. The latter were mostly state-run media. Today, you have privately run, commercial media which are ordered what to do with the exception of Nedeljnik magazine, N1, Danas, Vreme and NIN, and occasionally Kurir. After the political upheaval from 5th Octo-

and rude, and it is actually the media that perpetuate this that are forerunners today.

Journalism in Serbia is a profession that, quite frequently, can be likened to waiting tables, driving a taxi, or playing the trumpet at a local festival. You can drive journalists in circles and make them dance on the tables whenever you feel like it. For a very small tip!

The entire Serbian society is like a tabloid – from media and economy to nurseries and universities; especially the private ones. Tabloidism is never-stopping entertainment.

They are so simplistic it hurts.

They command superficiality at any cost that attacks your brain cells. If a Serbian tabloid were to recount the book ‘Na Drini Ćuprija' (Bridge on the Drina), their version would be about lazy trade union activists who protested against construction of some sort of bridge with access roads that nobody knows how much it cost. And the bridge is rubbish too! 'Anna Karenina' would be crime news about some psycho woman who threw herself under the train, and nobody knows why. The investigation into the matter would be pending.

Are we experiencing new conservatism? And what kind of role do media play in this „brave new world“?

I AM FRIENDS WITH AN ODD SEGMENT OF OUR SOCIETY, AND I AM SURE THAT THIS WILL BE TO MY DETRIMENT SOONER OR LATER ber, the entire world of journalism felt liberated which, in time, turned into anarchy. Back then, journalism was mainstream, while today it is tabloids that are considered mainstream. Everything is starting to resemble a witch hunt.

The quality press has low circulation, and very few people are reading it. Actually, readers don't want free media; they want to be lied to. The most important thing in journalism is not to be pathetic

— Quality media should not succumb to readership's taste.

Journalists have always been like violin players in a bordello, but, in our country, they have now become pimps. Serbian audience is conservative, and the media are just adding fuel to the fire by contributing to the expansion of this conservatism. Today, there are only a handful of media that would publish an analytical article about this brave new world, as you call it,

and all of its negative sides. Our audiences are fired up by right-wing politicians and conservatives. They like Putin, Trump and Orban, i.e. every iron fist ruler with nationalistic tendencies.

The columns you write for N1 and Nedeljnik are both very humorous and direct. Have you experienced problems because of them and the daily that you run?

— I have experienced far bigger problems as the editor-in-chief of Danas which is a serious daily. My columns, on the other hand, are mostly frivolous. The pressures, be it financial or political, on Danas have been huge since I took up the position of the editor because we are the only daily of the civil orientation, and the only one that thinks that a person who killed civilians cannot be hailed as a hero in Serbia. The problem is that we are stripping down Vučić's arrogant rule so we are branded as enemies, foreign agents, mercenaries and whatnot. This struggle with Vučić happens on a daily basis.

Yes, our circulation is small compared to other dailies, but we are frequently quoted and are quite influential so, oftentimes, government jumps in its own mouth when they call us a low circulation tabloid that nobody reads. And yet they are so offended by this low circulation tabloid that their high circulation tabloids often attack us.

In fact, they cannot stand our 'low circulation' criticism.

The daily's segment “Be Smart Today“ (“Budi Danas Pametan”) raised a lot of eyebrows because of Hitler's quotes. They even accused you of „promoting fascist ideology“, and reported you to the Press Council. What do you think about all of that?

— In our regular section „Be Smart Today“, which, truth be told, says nothing about the intelligence of the people we are quoting but rather pushes the readers to discern for themselves (and we do have smart readers), in the week

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marking the Victory in Europe Day, we quoted, among other people, Hitler's architect and minister of war production, Albert Speer and Leni Riefenstahl who said, and whom we quoted in our section, that she „propagated Hitler's regime through her superb craft“. We also quoted the philosopher Martin Heidegger, who was a member of Hitler's party.

In regard to Hitler, we clearly stated that he was „the biggest evildoer in the 20th century“. Then we had to deal with those people from Twitter who have nothing better to do, and who clearly could not tell anti-fascism from salmon carpaccio. So they started with their online lynch because Twitter is the perfect place for all these dubious creatures who have not done anything worthy with their lives. Right after this online lynch, I was contacted by one of the best Yugoslav journalists ever, Viktor Ivančić who asked me to send him the pages of our daily where we quoted Hitler because he had a journalism workshop in Sarajevo and had to teach students about media literacy, fascism and negative taboos in our socalled liberal-democratic societies.

He mentioned the Danas' provocation, i.e. the Hitler case, to illustrate what an intelligent and progressive media practice looks like, how to break these negative taboos, and how to fend yourself from false anti-fascists. Also, in that lecture, he used the similar examples from Mladina and the former Feral Tribune. So, as I said earlier, this section of our newspaper was properly understood by our smart and well-meaning readers like Ivančić, while those who were malicious and stupid clearly missed the point of it.

Election in Belgrade is ahead of us. What chances for victory does the opposition have? Do

you think that constant divisions and fights among the opposition parties are a product of an extremely badly picked membership pool?

— The opposition parties are probably going to lose these elections because, during the latest turmoil in their ranks, they have managed to make politics odious to their

Grad, Saša Janković blew Vučić out of water at March presidential elections. But, as soon as you start moving towards outskirts of Belgrade (and by outskirts I mean all the way down to Ljig), Vučić's victory is written in stone because people down there are gullible, corruptible and indoctrinated

by Vučić's media machinery and

MILOŠEVIĆ DID NOT FALL BECAUSE THE OPPOSITION WAS SO STRONG, BUT BECAUSE HIS PARTY COMMRADES AND LATER THE POLICE, ARMY AND MEDIA THAT HE HAD CONTROLLED, TURNED THEIR BACKS ON HIM

electorate. Vučić does not fare well in Belgrade as he does in other parts of Serbia, but this is also a myth that we are quick to believe.

The truth is that Vučić's electorate is more rural than urban. Belgrade is wrongly perceived as an urban area when, in all actuality, more of a rural type of people live in it. Central municipalities in Belgrade have always voted for the opposition.

In my neighbourhood, that is Stari Grad municipality, the opposition beat Milošević when nobody else did. Also in Stari

propaganda. An average Serb cannot tell the difference between propaganda and proper journalism. I have the same problem now that I had in the 1990s. Although I don't know anyone from my surroundings who would vote for Vučić, just like in the 1990s I knew nobody who would vote of Milošević, and yet, miraculously, Vučić wins 55.6% of votes. This just shows that I am friends with an odd segment of our society, and I am sure that this will be to my detriment sooner or later.

Some say that every rule has its end. Where is the dividing line that could cause serious trouble to Vučić because, as things are at the moment, it seems that he is going to rule for quite some time?

— Vučić will be brought down by bad boys in his ranks when, of course, they decide that the time has come for him to go. Milošević did not fall because the opposition was so strong, but because his party commrades and later the police, army and media that he had controlled, turned their backs on him. The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) even views elections is small local communities as decisive. We are talking about a group of people who are hungry for power in any shape or form. And they have crawled from under various rocks. When they started their run for Serbia, the Progressives had a very clear target group in mind. They always took an acting troupe Kursadžije with them who were known for their dramatic interpretations of infantile jokes like „a grandpa is walking down the street, a cooker falls and kills him“, or „two women are walking down the street, especially the left one“. The electorate laughed and laughed, although nobody could discern whether it was Kursadžije who led the Progressives or vice versa. Today, we have this growing force which, for instance, won by landslide at local elections in the little town of Kovin in South Banat County; you know, the place widely known for its psychiatric hospital. At the election, the Progressives included a pen in their promotional election material with a caption that read “Vučić for Kovin“. As it happens, they turned Serbia into an ultra-modern nuthouse. And you know how it goes... A psychiatrist never wins the election, the biggest loony does.

MAIDAN SCENARIO Do you think that in terms of Kosovo and EU there will come the time when we would have to choose between the EU and the Eurasian Union, and do you think that 'Maidan scenario' is possible in Belgrade?

— A typical voter of the Serbian Progressive party is a confused human being who intimately is against the EU, and is gravitating towards Russia. So, I don't think that Vučić will have problems in spinning its policy by 90 degrees only if he estimates that that could bring him even more power. He practically had stolen the ideology of the Democratic Party because that was the only way he could rule. Otherwise, the West would have

very quickly turned its back on him. In this way, he is performing a balancing act, and digging his heels in deeper in the pool of power so that one day he could confuse his electorate even more.

Just like one of his grandfathers who, back in the day, saddled up a horse in his village of Čipuljići near Bugojno in Bosnia, and embarked on a trip to Moscow. He only reached Doboj, though. As it turned out, Moscow was too far away. Vučić saddled up two 'horses' – one that he would 'ride' to Brussels and one to Moscow, but I am afraid that he is also going to reach the figurative Doboj with his politics. When you don't have a clear goal, even your neighbour is too far away.

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WHO IS A CONSTRUCTS Miloš Šimpraga Laza Kovačević

Ivan Kurtuma

Marko Mitrovic

Residential building, Zelena Avenija, 2017 Amir Aqel

During our 14 years of operations, we have put our ‘stamp’ on over 200 facilities, spanning more than 500,000 square metres, with a team that comprises over 50 engineers of all profiles, 100 direct employees, and 500 indirect employees who work on all of the company’s construction sites.

Konstruktor’s key competitive advantage is having a high quality team in every segment of the company’s operations.

Marko Jovanović

Nevena Poledica

Although we design and implement projects of different types, scope, complexity, deadlines, we have one constant and underlying feature which is the ability to listen and

Factory, CG Foods Europe, 2017

Boris Jovanović Darko Žardin

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www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

Borislav Mašić

TEAM THAT YOUR VISION? Željka Jovašević Dragan Marković

Milica Mitrović

understand client’s requirements and devise a project together, as a team.

Complementary mix that comprises highly educated experts in the fields of architecture, construction, and electrical and mechanical installations, with their decades-long experience, as well as young experts with high operational efficiency, are a guarantee of our success.

Positive energy, teamwork, corporate socialization, and desire for even greater success make our working atmosphere more productive and more successful.

Konstruktor. Because we construct your vision.

Milan Petrović

Administration building, LIDL, 2017 Ljubinko Kodžopeljić

Igor Bijelić

Marina Janićijević

Retail Park, Stop Shop, 2017

Milan Josipović Jelena Petronić Ivana Ilić

WE CONSTRUCT YOUR VISION

www.kkonsalting.com 19

C O RPO RATE Ada Mall

New Brands come with the Ada Mall shopping center The Ada Mall shopping center, which is buing built at Ada Ciganlija, besides the specific design, for which it has recently received international recognition, will bring news to the market and in terms of brands.

"We are proud of the fact that part of our center will be CineStar Cinema, the first in Belgrade, equipped with the latest standards, as well as the Mohito and Forever 21 brands, which will offer the latest fashion trends at affordable prices to visitors. We will also be the

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first to present the Asics Mono brand store, which will, along with the already famous Sport Vision, Planet, Nike, Buzz, Under Armor complete the sports offer. We also communicate with other international brands such as H & M, Reserved, Sinsay, LC Waikiki, Orsay, Tom Tailor, Fashion & Friends, Guess, Replay, Superdry, DM Drogerie and others. Our primary goal is to satisfy different needs and tastes with this kind of choice, "said Peđa Petronijević, General Manager of GTC, which invests over 100 million euros in this project.

www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

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AC TI VI TI ES

The Annual SAM Awards

This initiative was launched in 2012, and it is one of the most prestigious business events in Serbia For the sixth consecutive year, the Serbian Association of Managers (SAM) is holding an annual award ceremony with the goal of promoting companies, managers, education institutions and journalists that are advocating better conditions for doing business, professionalization of 1

What is the significance of the Serbian Association of Managers?

2

Why are the Annual SAM Awards important?

STANKA PEJANOVIĆ

MILOŠ PEROVIĆ

President of SAM and Director General of Gorenje Srbija d.o.o.

M.Sc.M.E., COO and Head of CRE Department, TERMOVENT Komerc – member of the Serbian Association of Managers’ Managing Board

nual income of 12 billion EUR, and promote responsible leadership and ethical business, as our members.

This is our strength which creates influence which, in turn, encourages positive developments in the economy and society and gives a good example to young generations.

1 It is very important for our association to be recognized as a place that assembles professional managers with the aim of facilitating their professional development, and promoting managerial profession and responsible, ethical and sustainable development. We want our influence to be focused on creating strong managerial staff who will successfully lead companies and develop their teams. We are proud to have over 400 professional managers, who manage teams of over 90,000 people, generate an-

managers, upholding ethical and socially responsible business, developing youth leadership, and advancing regional cooperation.

We have talked to the SAM’s President and members of the Managing Board about the importance of this event, and asked them the following two questions:

2 The goal of the Annual SAM Awards is to promote excellence in business, management, and in dealing with community, employees and young people. We want to use this award to endorse best managers, young managers, small and medium companies, socially responsible companies and individual acts of heroism. By highlighting positive examples we want to inspire and encourage other companies and individuals to be as good as possible in their work. This year, we have a number of fantastic nominations in 8 categories, and it will give us a great pleasure to present them all to the public.

positive changes in the business environment, but also in the positive impact on young managers, society, and entrepreneurs.

1 I think that the Serbian Association of Managers is the right place for any manager who wants to develop, exchange their experiences and connect national to regional. The SAM assembles managers and entrepreneurs who run successful companies in Serbia, and who, through their daily work and acquisition of knowledge, aspire to be better and improve their know-how and skills.

This is the type of influence that we want to exert because this influence is not only reflected in

2 The Annual SAM Awards are significant because they promote best managers and employers, i.e. those companies that invest in the development of local communities and young people, and those managers who successfully lead companies that are innovative and do their business in a responsible manner. For winners, the award represents confirmation of their efforts and investments, and for others, motivation and inspiration to continuously improve and work on themselves. As one of the winners of the Best Young Manager award, I can say that the award for me represented a new kind of responsibility and challenge to be even better in what I do.

JELENA GALIĆ Chairwoman of AIK Bank’s Executive Board – member of the Serbian Association of Managers’ Managing Board

1 The importance of the Serbian Association of Managers is reflected in gathering together professional managers who want to work on themselves, share their knowledge and experience, improve the business environment, and actively participate in creating the future for the generations to come. As an association of managers, we want to contribute to the promotion of managerial skills, and affirmation of young managers, as well as to offer a platform for their professional development and networking. By creating strong managerial staff, we also positively influence compet-

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itiveness in companies, and thus the overall economic growth of our country..

2 The awards given every year by the Serbian Association of Managers are important as an incentive for managers to be even better, and, through their work, to give a positive example for others, especially for young people. By rewarding employers and socially responsible companies, we want to promote a responsible attitude towards society, employees, and local community.

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LOYA L T Y O N T H E CH E A P

Proposed Changes to FrequentFlyer Programmes May be Bad News for Budget Travellers British Airways and Air France-KLM are hacking back their loyalty schemes to help them compete against low-cost rivals

ALONGSIDE Eurocrats, straight bananas and anyone who opposes Brexit, Britain’s tabloid press has found something new to hate this year: British Airways (BA). Britain’s flag carrier has been criticised for cutting legroom in economy, axeing free food and drink on short-haul flights and—horror of horror—the amuse bouche that used to be served before dinner in first class. To save face, this week BA’s chief executive, Alex Cruz, who has come under sustained criticism for the cuts to service quality, announced that the carrier would be tarting up its offer. This would include more free meals, better Wi-Fi and 72 new planes. “We’re bringing back the glory days,” Mr Cruz proudly crowed. But not all of the improvements may be as good for frequent flyers as he advertised.

Among the changes planned for 2018, BA is moving to so-called “dynamic award pricing” in Executive Club, its loyalty programme. This means that tickets paid for with points from the programme will be no longer calculated in distance, but the cost BA is selling the ticket at.

Air France-KLM, a rival legacy carrier, also an-

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nounced similar changes as part of an overhaul of its Flying Blue loyalty programme. Starting in April, in addition to dynamic award pricing, members of the scheme will also earn points based on how much they spend on a ticket rather than how far they fly.

This shift will fundamentally change the relationship between loyalty-programme members and airlines. Instead of earning miles

INSTEAD OF EARNING MILES AS A FUNCTION OF DISTANCE TRAVELLED, PASSENGERS WILL SOON BE REWARDED FOR SPENDING THE MOST MONEY as a function of distance travelled, passengers will soon be rewarded for spending the most money. And instead of published tiers dictating the price of an award ticket, the way loyalty programmes traditionally managed the fares, dynamic pricing will allow the required points needed for a free flight to fluctuate dramati-

cally as the retail price of the ticket changes.

There is no doubt that the changes will shrink the loyalty programmes to focus on those that tend to be high spenders on tickets. But from the airlines’ perspective, a smaller scheme with fewer potential liabilities is what is necessary to compete with the likes of Norwegian, a lowcost carrier with much lower overheads.

The impact of these changes will gradually be felt by BA and Air France’s frequent flyers, as the incoming stream of miles slows to a trickle and as it becomes more expensive to swap points for free flights. Such schemes used to be a key part of their strategy to keep passengers coming back to them, rather than change to budget airlines that offer lower fares but leaner offerings for frequent flyers. The question that remains is whether BA and other legacy carriers are sacrificing the very thing that keeps their passengers away from the clutches of Norwegian and the like.

From The Economist, published under licence.

The original article, in English, can be found on www.economist.com

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C O RPO RATE Vero

Vero - 15 Years in the Serbian Market We try to be stable, service our customers and keep our company economically healthy

NIKOS VEROPOULOS Owner and CEO of Veropoulos Group

Veropoulos Group is celebrating 15 years of operations in Serbia.

We are talking to Mr. Nikos Veropoulos, owner and CEO of the company, about their plans and results.

Mr. Veropoulos, could you tell us something about the structure of the Veropoulos Group?

— The Veropoulos is a holding company that operates Vero Supermarket in Macedonia and Serbia. Vero has two proprietors – myself and my nephew Efstratios Batagias. I am the third generation in business and he is the fourth, so one can say that we are a very old retail family.

It is important to understand that we are neither too big nor too small. Last year, our total turnover was almost 110 million euros, and we have seen an increase in sales, both in Macedonia and in Serbia. In 2016, we had 12.8 million consumers making a purchase in our stores. Last year alone, we employed 1,400 people, and expanded our retail space to 52,000 m2, while the asset value of our buildings and equipment excedes100 million euros. There aren’t many companies with this kind of turnover – value ratio.

the first to invest in a big modern store while implementing the latest retail standards which immediately resulted in a higher competition level.

We established the Veropoulos d.o.o. Company in 2002, and were the first to invest in this country when everybody else was hesitant to do so. It was a very motivated and thoughtful decision, and it wasn’t made by accident.

We now employ 549 people in Serbia. So far, we have invested 49 million euros in buildings and equipment in Serbia. Only in 2016, we invested 1.5 million euros, and in 2017, almost 1 million euro. But, our biggest investment is the one in our customers through giving them the best prices and offers. In 2017, our customers saved 180 million

In which way does a different retail concept that is Jumbo attract new customers, and do you have plans to merge Jumbo stores with Vero stores?

— It has positively contributed to the already existing clientele of Vero because it attracted families with children. Jumbo’s strategy is a bit different, but in many instances, it can be coupled with Vero. We are planning to expand the both formats.

WE WERE THE FIRST TO INVEST IN THIS COUNTRY WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE WAS HESITANT TO DO SO

How did the arrival of Vero contribute to setting the high quality standards in the local retail markets?

— The major contribution to the Serbian market was that we were

dinars from various promotional offers, 23.3 million dinars from discount coupons, and 17.7 million dinars from discounts for pensioners. That is 228 million dinars in total, which we are giving back to our customers through the best possible deals.

Nikos Veropoulos and Efstratios Batagias

Vero group also operates in Macedonia.

We have been present in Macedonia since1997. By that time, we had already gained a lot of retail experience in Greece, and decided to try and multiply our retail business somewhere else. We felt that former Yugoslavia and its citizens were the right kind of customers for our retail business.

We opened our first store in Skopje in 1997, followed by Tetovo, Bitola… Our business performances in Macedonia have always been extraordinary.

Are you going to expand your business to the whole region?

— No, we are not contemplating that move at the moment. We have a lot of work to do in the Serbian market and with our expansion in Macedonia.

What about future plans?

— Our operations are a result of a long history. We try to be stable and family focused. We know what we are doing, and we stick to what we know. Our estimate for 2017 for both countries is to reach 124 millıon euros in turnover which is quite significant.

We like to innovate and you’ll see the transformation of Vero stores in the 2018. We are company that is progressing, with an owner who has a good reputation and firm presence.

Our objectives are to satisfy our customers, keep our company economically healthy so we can pay our financial obligations on time, and be a trustworthy partner to our suppliers. We will open more stores that are profitable, in good locations, that will be at full service to our customers and that will keep us financially sound.

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PEO PLE & EVENT S

15 THE FIRST DONOR NOV

DINNER OF THE BITEF FESTIVAL

The first donor dinner of the Bitef Festival was successfully held at Hotel Square Nine, with the support of friends of the I & F McCann Group. The funds were collected funds that would be directed towards the realisation of the Bitef festival programme

and an auction of works by our famous artists was held. The surprise of the auction was a special Bitef experience, a trip with Ivan Medenica, artistic director of Bitef on a study tour and a theater workshop for 10 people in Bitef theater.

Miloš Latinović, Director of Bitef Theater, H.E. Kyle Scott with his spouse Nevena Scott and Ivan Medenica, Ivan Medenica, artistic director of Bitef

16 EMBASSY OF ALGERIA CELEBRATED NOV

NATIONAL HOLIDAY

The Algerian embassy in Belgrade celebrated the reception of Algeria's national holiday in the Hyatt Hotel, and the ambassador of Algeria in Serbia, H. E. Abdelhamid Chebchoub, highlighted good bilateral relations between the two countries and mutual support in international forums. "When we celebrate this day, we cannot, forget to recall the support that the former Yugoslavia and the Serbian people provided to the struggle of the Algerian people in those long war years for independence" Ambassador said welcoming the audience.

H.E. Vladimir Gasparič, Ambassador of Slovenia

Daniijela Fišakov, President of the SBC

H.E. Abdelhamid Chebchoub, wife of the Ambassador of Mexico, wife of the Ambassador Algeria, H.E. Marco Antonio Garcia Blanco, Ambassador of Mexico, M'hammed Sahnoune, First Secretary, Embassy of Algeria with wife and Colonel Ahmed Boudra, military envoy

17 MARTINOVANJE 2017 NOV

IN BELGRADE

In Belgrade, as every year in the organisation of the Slovenian Business Club, an old Slovenian holiday dedicated to young wine - Martinovanje is celebrated, which is most celebrated in Slovenia by all the wine holidays. The act of baptising a young wine was attended by Ms. Diana Baša, a somaliser and head of TIC Nova Gorica, Mr. Matej Arčon, Mayor of Nova Gorica, Danijela Fišakov, President of Slovenian Business Club PK and Ambassador of Slovenia to Serbia, H. E. Vladimir Gasparič, who greeted all guests.

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24 SERBIAN NOV

VISIONS

The third multicongress in Serbia "Serbian Visions" was held during the weekend, November 25 and 26, 2017 at the Radisson Blu Old Mill Hotel. A large weekend event with 60 different two-hour events attracted around 4000 visitors. Participants of the "Serbian Visions" had the opportunity to present the work of their organizations, their projects, ideas, visions, solutions and topics they advocate to present their capacities, advantages, needs, etc. and to meet important experts from different areas.

H. E. Tanju Bilgiç, Ambassador of Turkey to Serbia and H.E. Syed Adil Gilani, Ambassador of Pakistana to Serbia with his spouse

Ronald Seeliger, President of AHK and Martin Knapp, Director of AHK

26 TURKISH NATIONAL NOV

MUSICAL “PHOENIX”

The Embassy of the Republic of Turkey organised a unique experience for music lovers by bringing in the Turkish national musical "The Bird Phoenix" in the performance of 45 members of choir, orchestra and dance ensemble under the auspices of Turkish National Television TRT. The concert was held on Sunday, November 26, 2017 at 8:00 pm National Theater, Scene "Raša Plaović".

28 THE FLAG DAY NOV

OF ALBANIA CELEBRATED

The most important national holiday of the Republic of Albania, The Flag Day, was celebrated in the Belgrade Hotel Hyatt Regency.

The celebratrion, which was attended by many dignitaries and personalities from the cultural and social life, was hosted by H. E. Ilir Boçka, Ambassador of Albania. It refers to the Albanian Declaration of Independence on 28 November 1912 and the rise of the Albanian flag in Vlora, coinciding with the day in which Scanderbeg raised the same flag in Kruje, on 28 November 1443.

H.E. Axel Dittmann, Ambassador of Germany and H.E. Ilir BOÇKA, Ambassador of Albania with his spouse

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PEO PLE & EVENT S

29 KOREAN TOURISM NOV

PRESENTED IN BELGRADE

On the occasion of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongyang, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, in partnership with the Korean Tourism Organization and Turkish Airlines, organized a tourism seminar at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in order to present the tourist offer of Korea and to look at the creation of a new pictures of the situation on the Korean peninsula. The participants will be addressed by H.E. Dae Jong Yoo, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Mr. Yang Won KIM, Korean Tourism Organization, Istanbul, Mr. Mehmet Alagoz, Director of Turkish Airlines Office in Serbia, Ana Kwon, Turkish Airlines, Marketing Representative Office in Seoul.

H.E. Oana Cristina Popa delivering her speech

H.E. Dae Jong Yoo, Ambassador of Korea

H.E. Isabela Cristina de Azevedo Heyvaert, Ambassador of Brazil and H.E. Ricardo Fernando Fernandez, Ambassador of Argentina

29 ROMANIAN NOV

UNIFICATION DAY

On the occasion of December 1, the Statehood Day and the national holiday of Romania, the Embassy of Romania hosted a reception for high officials of Serbia, representatives of the Serbian Army and diplomatic corps at the Hyatt Hotel in Belgrade. Romania's Ambassador to Belgrade H.E. Oana Cristina Popa stressed that marking the Statehood Day of Romania is an opportunity to convey a strong message of unity, especially when it comes to the ways and values shared by Serbia and Romania, such as dialogue, mutual understanding, trust and respect for human rights.

30 16 YEARS AND 17 NOV

REASONS FOR CELEBRATION

The company "Ninamedia" marked the 16th year of successful business with a traditional celebration for all clients, associates and friends at the Belgrade restaurant "Topčiderac". The founder and director of company "Ninamedia", Dragan Radić, announced that this company will change the address in Novi Sad, where it will acquire a new building, and gather old friends: "In an upbuilding business year, to us, there has been another significant change that we are proud of. "Ninamedia" starts its new office building next year - that's why we say that in this 16th year we have 17 reasons for celebration."

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Zdravko Kotur, Ninamedia Director, Draža Petrović, Editor-in-Chief of "Danas", Aleksandar Apostolovski, "Politika", Dragan Radić, General Director and owner of Ninamedia and Veljko Lalić, Editor-in-Chief of "Nedeljnik"

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H.E. Juma Rashed Saif Zayed Al Haderi and H.E. Mohammed K.M. Nabhan, Palestinian ambasador

30 THE UAE EMBASSY NOV

IN SERBIA MARKED ITS NATIONAL HOLIDAY

Aleksandar Vulin, Defence Minister, Nebojša Stefanović, Minister of Internal Affairs, H.E. Juma Rashed Saif Zayed Al Haderi, and Zoran Đorđević, Minister of Labour, Employment, Veterans' Affairs and Social Affairs

The UAE Embassy in Serbia marked its national holiday and during the ceremony the UAE Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Juma Rasheed Al Daheri, said that relations between the two countries are fraternal and based on principles of cooperation and mutual respect. "Bilateral relations have reached

the level of strategic partnership in the last few years," Al Daheri stressed. The UAE Ambassador said that he left "his brothers and sisters" at the end of his mandate with grief in his heart and thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other state bodies for their support.

04 ITALIA-SERBIA: DEC

CELEBRATION OF 15 YEARS OF WORK

The Chamber of Italian-Serbian businessmen has celebrated 15 years of engagement in the construction of traditionally good economic cooperation between Italy and Serbia. At the ceremony in the City Hall of the City Assembly, the Italian Ambassador to Serbia, H E Giuseppe Manzo, highlighted the very important economic role of Italy and Italian companies in Serbia last night. "Italy is one of the largest foreign investors and another foreign trade partner of Serbia, with a trade exchange that is constantly growing, and so it was in 2017," Ambassador Manzo said.

H.E. Pertti Juhani Ikonen

H.E. Giuseppe Manzo, Ambassador of Italyi, Dr. Giorgio Marchegiani, President of the Italian-Serbian Business Chamber and the President of Executive Board of „DDOR Novi Sad", Anino De Venezia, General Director of Aunde Srb. d.o.o and Stevan Nikčević, State Secretary at the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications

06 100TH ANNIVERSARY DEC

OF FINNISH INDEPENDENCE

The 100th anniversary of the Finnish independence was celebrated in Belgrade by a cocktail which was hosted by many Finnish ambassadors H.E. Pertti Ikonen together with his wife. On December 6, 1917, the Parliament of the Autonomous Great Duchy of Finland adopted a declaration of independence, which was the beginning of an inspirational story of the rise of a state to the world summit. On the occasion of the celebration of this jubilee, in honour of Finland, the Palace of Albania and the Bridge at Ada were bright blue and white.

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PEO PLE & EVENT S

21 CREDO NIGHT NOV

FOR ALL SENSES

Numerous guests gathered at the CREDO restaurant, located on the first floor of the Marriott Hotel, to enjoy in gastronomic delights and elegant ambiance with the most spectacular view of the historic square in the heart of Belgrade.

The guests enjoyed in the delicacies prepared by Nenad Jovanovic, the main chef of the CREDO restaurant who has a wealth of experience working for Michelin star restaurants.

This gastronomic event, called “Five Senses”, consisted of the servings of ten dishes including liver with pomegranate and walnut, porcini mushrooms and truffles, smoked duck with polenta, and white chocolate cream with raspberries and chocolate sorbet, with each dish perfectly paired with a chosen wine from the Temet Winery.

The guests, which had a really fun time together, included: the US Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Mr. Kyle Scott and his wife Nevena, Erich Cossutta and his wife Sonja, Radivoje Petrikić, CMS’ government affairs manager Duško Krsmanović with his partner Marija, Branka Grujić, Aja Jung, pianist Jovanka Višekruna with her husband Pavle, Lena Bogdanović, opera singer Ana Petrović, Nebojša Aleksić and Ruža Ristanović from Diplomacy&Commerce.

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Foie gras crème with hazelnut and pomegranate

Radivoje Petrikić and H.E. Kyle Scott

White chocolate cream with chamomile and berries

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GREY HOTEL. NEW MOUNTAIN TOP! Located in the prime position, in the very heart of the tourism and mountain centre of Serbia, the Grey Hotel is a haven of peace and sophistication.

STEP INSIDE AND FEEL AT HOME. If you are searching for something spectacular, allow us to offer you exactly that. When you enter our hotel, you will feel like you have stepped into a private home, secluded and protected from the outside world. The interior ambiance is an alchemic amalgamation of natural wood of different hues and stone, as well as of elegant colours and refined textures that effortlessly create a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere.

GREY EXPERIENCE. Surrounded by the uniquely beautiful nature of the Kopaonik Mountain which we infused into the extravagance and prestige that Grey offers to modern day travelers, skiing aficionados or families in search for an active holiday, we are creating an opportunity for all of them to discover the new heights of holidaying. The flawless service which is discreetly personalized to suit every need you migth have, all day, every day, and the invigorating mountain air will make you sigh with relief at 1,700 metres altitude.

GREY MOMENTS. The moment you step inside our hotel, you are entering the world of true hospitality, harmony and time set especially for you that will delight your body and soul.

PASSION AND CARE. With each new meeting, service package, room or apartment, together we celebrate the experience of a mountain holiday! Keep discovering it through a unique entity that Gray’s experience is, created with special attention and passion that is found in each detail.

GREY IS THE COLOUR OF SILVER. The Silver Mountain is the habitat of a very rare animal specie – the grey wolf – which is a symbol of independence, wisdom and freedom.

THE SILVER MOUNTAIN IS HOME TO THE GREY HOTEL. ONE STEP IS ENOUGH TO FEEL AT HOME.

Independence. Wisdom. Freedom.

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B USINESS NEWS Banca Intesa and Intesa Leasing

UniCredit

SIGNED THE THREE CREDIT LINES WITH EBRD

JOINT DECLARATION For the first time in the European banking sector, a joint declaration on establishing a balance between business and private life was signed by UniCredit and UniCredit European Works Council, which both parties committed to improving social dialogue within all countries in which UniCredit Group operates. The Joint Declaration was signed by the President of the Executive Committee of UniCredit Group, Jean Pierre Moustiere and Chair of the UniCredit European Works Council, Francesco Colasuono, in response to recent changes in the social and economic environment, where an important driver is a technological innovation that allows defining new ways of working. The Joint

Declaration promotes a set of specific, concrete actions that will support the establishment of a balance between private and business life in all countries in which UniCredit operates. New technologies have been applied to enable employees to make the best use of their skills and time without neglecting their private lives.

FSCC

FRENCH WEEK

In the period between November 16 and 23, in organisation of the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, "French Week" was held this year in Belgrade, a manifestation that includes a series of cultural, educational and business events. "French Week" is bound for the third Thursday in November, the

day when, in France, restaurants and cafes are waiting for New Beaujolais, a young French wine that is released for sale immediately after fermentation. After the opening party, all lovers of French culture had the opportunity, through various activities, to get acquainted with French brands, companies, as well as digital trends along with top-quality French wines and culinary specialties. As this year's event is held under the slogan "Live in digital", the first in a series of educational events is the student debate "Digitalize Your Future". The French Week event was supported by Schneider Electric, Sanofi, Atos, Credit Agricole, Renault, as well as media partners Adria Media Group and Havas Adriatic.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has signed three credit lines with Banca Intesa and Intesa Leasing worth a total of 60 million euros to be used for financing citizens and the real economy. A 30 million euro credit line will be on-lent by Banca Intesa to citizens as favorable housing lending, while a 5 million euro credit line will be used to continue implementation of the Women in Business program of support for the development of female entrepreneurship as part of which the bank provides loans for financing working capital and investments to women-led SMEs. A credit line of 25 million euros will be used by Intesa Leasing to support SMEs in the purchase of commercial vehicles, equipment and investment property. “Successful cooperation with the EBRD has been enabling us for a number of years to bolster our own credit potential and provide our clients, both households and the economy, with access to favorable long-term sources of funding.”, said Draginja Đjurić, President of Banca Intesa Executive Board.

SERBIAN PM ANA BRNABIĆ VISITS MCCANN OSLO

SSCC

INNOVATIONS OF KEY IMPORTANCE In line with its mission to contribute to the further development of Swiss-Serbian economic relations, the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (ŠSTK) organized the conference "Innovations: the driving force of Swiss-Serbian economic relations" at the Science and Technology Park in Belgrade. As the most prominent speakers, at this gathering, the Ambassador of Switzerland to Serbia and Montenegro took part in it. His Excellency Philippe Guex, Minister without Portfolio in charge of Innovation and Technologies in the Government of Serbia Nenad Popović, as well as dr. Olivier Küttel, Head of European Public Relations at the Federal Polytechnic School in Lausanne. In the introductory address, the chairman of the Steering Committee of the ŠSTK, Ms.

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Yana Mikhailova, highlighted the importance of innovations for further strengthening of the economic relations between Switzerland and Serbia. Swiss ambassador to Serbia, Philippe Guex, emphasized that innovations are crucial for the development of Swiss-Serbian relations, citing the Science and Technology Park (NTP) as an example.

During her visit to the Kingdom of Norway, Serbian PM Ana Brnabić together with the President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce Marko Čadež visited McCann Oslo and Scandinavian Design Group, which operate as part of the I & F McCann Group, headquartered in Belgrade. In conversation with the management of these companies, it was pointed out that there is a wide space for cooperation and exchange of knowledge and experience between companies from Norway and Serbia. Hans Martin Megard, director of the Scandinavian Design Group agency for three decades, pointed out the Norwegian re-branding project in the field of innovation, investment and tourism that can serve as a successful example for many countries.

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USAID

PROJECT FOR BETTER BUSINESS CONDITIONS The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Government of the Republic of Serbia marked the success of the USAID Project for Better Business Conditions - a $7 million worth of seven-year initiatives that helped Serbia become a better place for business. "From the very beginning, USAID provided support to the reform of the building permitting system - from the adoption of the Law on Planning and Construction, to working together with municipalities on the introduction of e-licenses. In the past three years, Serbia has reached the top 10 in the world in the area of issuing building permits from 186th place, according to World Bank ranking, which is why this is an example of how we should implement all future reforms, "said Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Zorana Mihajlović. "Doing the World Bank business list, the World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report, and the Comparative List of Investment Destinations of the British Journal of the Financial Times clearly show that Serbia is in a better position today", said US Ambassador to Serbia H E Kyle Scott.

Delhaize Serbia

FUTURE IS SAFE FOR THOSE WHO LISTEN TO CONSUMERS Adapting to changes, constant listening and meeting consumers’ needs are the basis of the success of a large retail chain, said Quentin Royer, general manager of Delhaize Serbia. At the opening of this year's FMCG Summit, the largest gathering of representatives of the trading sector in the region, Royer also added that global changes have occurred in retail, which are felt in Serbia.

"Future’s stores will need to be at the same time a place of inspiration and a source of information, as well as a place for meeting, involving and gathering communities, which will offer their

consumers the most modern technical support and professional employees," Royer stressed. Royer and the other participants of the Summit agreed that one of the greatest values modern times and digitisation has brought, and which makes a breakthrough in the business of "big data", that data will be the main means by which retail chains will be able to recognise, approximate and satisfy the needs of its consumers.

NALED

EVERY THIRD PERSON CANNOT RECOGNIZE THE CORRECT FISCAL ACCOUNT

Tetra Pak

SWEDISH EMBASSY DELEGATION IN VISIT The largest Imlek factory, in Padinska Skela, was visited by H.E. Mr. Jan Lundin, Ambassador of Sweden in Belgrade to mark the multi-annual successful cooperation between the regional dairy industry and the famous Swedish company Tetra Pak. Cooperation between Imlek and the world-renowned cardboard packaging company has been ongoing for more than five decades, and this year again, after 20 years, "Moja Kravica Trougao" (“Triangle Yoghurt”) was launched as a result of two years of work by Imlek and Tetra Pak's engineers.

Apart from visiting the production in which the Tetra Pak line occupies a significant place, the delegation of the Swedish Embassy presented a number of other joint projects of two economic giants related to improvement of environmental protection, care of the local community and further joint plans.

Almost every third citizen of Serbia cannot recognize the correct fiscal account, and 59% performs all payments solely by cash and thus "feeds" the grey economy. The data of the new NALED survey indicate the need for continuous education and motivation of the citizens to contribute to its suppression by responsible purchasing behaviour. - The support of the population to combat the grey zone is still very high and reaches

90%. Two-thirds believe that the business is not justified by law, and every other citizen believes that the 2017 and 2018 proclamations will help suppress the years of the struggle against the gray economy. However, there remains a problem of participating in this fight, as only 22% are willing to report a shop or a café where it does not receive an account, and 33% of the employers employs black workers. Among them are some 27% of workers who admit that part or all of their salaries are in the hands - said Vladimir Tipsarević, vice president of the NALED Fair Fair Competition, at the presentation of the survey.

TELENOR

DIGITALISATION IN SERBIA FUTURE OF E-GOVERNMENT AND E-BANKING Digitalisation will enable citizens and companies to have a more practical, efficient and transparent approach to public administration. In the banking sector, new financial technologies influence and change traditional banking models and introduce new ways of communicating with clients. The market is ready for these changes, just like customers are, whereas the security of network and information systems must be raised to the highest level. These are just some of the conclusions of the conference “Digitalisation of Serbia – future of e-government and e-banking” organised by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway to Belgrade in Telenor premises. „Digitalization is all about making life

easier for everyone. It is easier, quicker and chipper. But it is also fragile, so we must always put strong focus on safety and privacy“, said H.E. Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway, Arne Sannes Bjørnstad. The Conference rallied many experts, leaders of the business community and representatives of the Government of the Republic of Serbia so that they could talk on Serbia’s future steps on the path of full digitalisation of both public, as well private electronic services.

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B USINESS NEWS MITECO

MODERN BUSINESS MAKING A DOWNTOWN COMEBACK

FINISHED 5TH INTERNATIONAL FORUM Why is the development of the ambitious goals of the circular economy in the European Union impeded? If the industrial cemeteries in Serbia are full, thanks to the former giants who finished at the dump, does the processing of this waste represent an economic opportunity for our country? Is the cooperation between the state and the private sector necessary in a sustainable systemic management of industrial and hazardous waste, and what do the examples from the region tell us? These are just some of the questions that experts from the country and abroad tried to give answers as well as to point out the possibilities for further action in the field of environment and sustainable development, within the framework of the International MITECO Forum, which was held for the fifth time under the slogan "Today responsible. Tomorrow is sustainable. "Some of the main conclusions of the Forum put the necessary implementation of the systematic concept of waste management, which is supported by the state, but also by the private sector. From the perspective of the economy, the importance of Chapter 27 has been highlighted in order to reach the demanding European standards, as well as investing in environmental and circular economy issues.

Art Ival

BLACK AND WHITE – THE STORY OF CHOCOLATE Ambassador of India, H.E. Mrs. Narinder Chauhan attends inaugural of Exhibition ‘Black and White – the Story About Chocolate”, held on November 16,2017 on the occasion of 25 years of successful work of company Art Ival. Art Ival, the creator of the brand of Premier Chocolate, organised a special exhibition and dedicated it to its fellow citizens and all fans of this irresistible treat originating from the Azteca times. It is one of the greatest inventions in the history of mankind since it made our lives better. The exhibition wase held from November 16 to 18 at the Museum of Applied Art, and the authors of the exhibition were Dr. Olja Vasić and Dr. Desa Đorđević from the Natural History Museum in Belgrade. The exhibition was attended by HRH Prince Aleksandar Karađorđević, since Art Ival is an official Court Supplier.

H.E. Mrs. Narinder Chauhan was a dear guest as she appears at all events Art Ival organises.

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After the recent expansion of business activities throughout New Belgrade, this fall will be marked by the construction of Business Garden development – a modern A-class office building in downtown Belgrade.

The project’s investors are Israeli companies “AFI Europe” and “Shikun & Binui Group”. Dur-

Direct Media

TWO GOLD SEMPLERS IN PORTOROŽ At the Sempl Marketing Festival in Portorož, Media system Direct Media won two prestigious awards - the golden Sempler 2017, for traffic safety campaigns and support for young entrepreneurs. The campaign "Beware!", Awarded as the best targeted one, is a socially responsible campaign of Direct Media realised in cooperation with the League of Paraplegics and Quadriplegists of Serbia and the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Serbia. The honest and powerful emotions of the campaign has managed to capture more than 5.5 million people on the Internet and challenge over 250 thousand reactions.

At Sempl Festival, the project "Start, Slovenia!", Created and executed by Direct Media in Slovenia in partnership with Formitas BBDO, was selected as the best in the category "strategic use of media mix".

In this campaign, they joined efforts with the largest retail chain SPAR and Slovenian POP TV, to help young entrepreneurs to promote innovative products on the market.

ing an informal gathering at downtown restaurant, the representatives of the media were acquainted with Business Garden concept and all the benefits that this office building will offer to its tenants starting from spring 2019. On this occasion, the partner investor Mr. Gili Dekel stated the following: “Since more than 70 percent of modern A-class office buildings is in New Belgrade, we surveyed the market and decided to offer top-notch working conditions at a downtown location that is well connected to all important institutions and transit routes.”

GOJKOVIĆ WITH KAZAKH OFFICIALS TO STRENGTHEN CO-OPERATION

Serbian Parliament Speaker Maja Gojković paid an official visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan, the first visit of the parliamentary speaker and at the same time the first inter-parliamentary visit in the history of relations between the two countries, and with Kazakh officials discussed strengthening friendships and strengthening cooperation as well as in the fields of economy, trade, agriculture and culture. Gojković met with the Kazakhstani PM, Bakytzhan Sagintaev and Senate President KasimZhomart Tokaev, and it was emphasized that the intensive political dialogue, led by the presidents Aleksandar Vučić and Nursultan Nazarbayev, gives great impetus to the new prospects for the development. Gojković said that Serbia is committed committed to developing cooperation with traditionally friendly countries, such as Kazakhstan, and thanked Kazakhstan for continuing and principled support for respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia.

PHILIP MORRIS

NEW CYCLE OF SUPPORT TO INNOVATIVE ENTERPRISES The competition for the new, ninth, national programme cycle "Get Started for Work", conducted by Philip Morris in cooperation with ENECA, will be open from December 7th and will last until March 15th next year. The programme will focus particularly this year on supporting innovative entrepreneurial ideas, which are not available to commercial bank loans. The "Get Started for Work" programme was launched in 2009 with the aim of encouraging employment through the development and improvement of small businesses. Besides the

donation in the form of equipment necessary for upgrading the activity up to $10,000, the programme also includes business training and advisory assistance. Jelena Preradović Stevanović from Filip Moris pointed out that the "Get Started for Work" program has been operating successfully for eight years and that thanks to it, more than 700 small businesses have been launched." More information on the competition, the way of applying as well as the application form itself You can find the competition at www. pokrenisezaposao.rs.

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I NTERVIEW

Peace in Heart, Music in Soul

Every year, EXIT generates around 15 million EUR for tourist industry, in addition to strongly promoting Serbia through its activities

DUŠAN KOVAČEVIĆ Director of EXIT Festival

What is more important for our region and surroundings is that we are uncompromising in promoting peace, freedom of speech, human rights, and social, racial and gender equality, namely all social values that influential music festivals have been advocating throughout history.

EXIT Festival has been promoting our region across the world.

We are asking the Festival’s director, Dušan Kovačević how important is EXIT for Serbia and for neighbouring countries?

— For a number of years, EXIT has been building its image in the world, and today, it gives us a great pleasure to hear others, locally and worldwide, say that we are one of the biggest brands that Serbia and the entire region have. In our campaign that lasts all year around we are not only promoting the Festival’s programme and performers, but destinations too such as Petrovaradin Fortress, Novi Sad and Serbia. Many media reports, written by our PR offices in London and Amsterdam, speak about the beauty and the significance of Petrovaradin Fortress, culture, rich history and hospitality of Serbia, but also about

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Novi Sad’s recognizable charm. We are trying to be generators of GOOD news from Serbia at any given moment, and we really do have a wide reach in terms of media and fans alike. We are talking about 5,000 representatives of the international media. Estimates have shown that, during our last campaign, the news about our festival reached over 30 million people.

You have also launched four other festivals in the region. What are you planning on doing next, and how are you going to develop the brand that is EXIT festival in the following five years?

— EXIT was the first ever event to amass young people from the entire region following the conflicts from the 1990s, which was and still is our basic social mission.

I would like to quote one of the leading music magazines in the world, DJ Mag which writes: “EXIT has become more than a festival, more than a movement, more than a brand. EXIT is becoming a culture in itself, and a reflection of music as the driving force behind change.” We don’t have a feeling that EXIT has “stepped into” the region because we see our five festivals, that take place in five regional countries, as something completely natural. In every one of these locations, we feel at home and our team comprises of people from the entire region. And this is a relatively small team compared to a network of quality people from

all over the world that we are cooperating with all year around.

Last year, we have publicly released a letter titled “Quiet Balkan Majorities” which was supported by renowned artists and activists from the region who spoke to the public about openly standing against war mongering rhetoric from the 1990s which keeps coming back as persistent mould if you don’t treat it right. The most vulnerable people affected by this rhetoric are young people of pure hearts which are easily tarnished if they are left to their own devices in its day and age when parents are suffering under the cruel race against time and money.

Are you planning on launching new festivals, and if you are, in which towns / locations? Do you think that you can be the driving

force behind regionalization that all big brands, aiming to transcend borders and bring Western Balkans together, aspire to?

— There is this ongoing joke in our team that whenever I come back from a trip we have a new festival.

Jokes aside, in the last few years we have been very active indeed, and have launched four new festivals.

First, following an invitation from Montenegro, we founded the Sea Dance Festival in Budva in 2014. Then our Romanian team launched an initiative to start the Revolution Festival in Timisoara in 2015. Right after that, we received an important call from Croatia, which attracted a lot of attention both in the region and Europe.

We have to say that, contrary to our expectations and malevolent forecasts, EXIT was welcomed in Croatia as a domicile festival. Fol-

EXIT IS ONE OF THE VERY FEW ACTIVE MUSIC FESTIVALS THAT HAS GROWN TO BECOME A FREEDOM MOVEMENT WHICH NURTURES THE HERITAGE OF THE FIRST MUSIC FESTIVALS THAT HAD AN IMPORTANT SOCIAL MISSION

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lowing that, many people said that the festival marked the end of an old era and the beginning of a new one in regional culture which aspires towards one market because of, first and foremost, our similar languages and mentality.

The first Sea Star Festival in Umag has tripled its capacity compared to initial plans, and, in its first year, won an award for the best new festival in Croatia. At the moment, the festival is nominated for two very prestigious European awards. Considering all of this, it seemed logical for us to accept an invitation to come to the Olympic mountain of Jahorina, and, next March, launch the first Festival 84 there. The title of this festival doesn’t need a special explanation because we all remember the 1984 Winter Olympic Games in Sarajevo.

Our expansion strategy entails launching one new festival each year. Apart from the invitations we have received from several regional countries, we have been also invited by certain transatlantic countries so it should not come as a surprise if we start ‘exporting’ our creative industry outside Europe too.

position the entire region as one of the most attractive destinations in the world for creative industries and youth tourism which has been recording an incredible global growth for many years now. We think that just as metal processing industry was the one that led to the creation of the EU post-World War II, creative industries and youth tourism can also be something that young people in the region could gather around, create new jobs, and open up economic perspectives. On the other hand, they can

What is the Festival’s vision in the context of creating a launch platform for creative industries in Serbia and the region?

You marked 20 years of activism in 2017, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of the iconic “Summer of Love”. How important are these activities

— One of our key visions is to

which are promoting very significant but forgotten values in this day and age? Also, this year’s festival was officially opened by the Native Americans from the Standing Rock movement and Nick Vujicic who were accompanied by the actors from the Újvidéki Színház Theatre and drummer Dragoljub Đuričić. How did all of this fit with the ideas that you promote?

— EXITis one of the very few active music festivals that has grown to become a freedom movement

ONE OF OUR KEY VISIONS IS TO POSITION THE ENTIRE REGION AS ONE OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD FOR CREATIVE INDUSTRIES AND YOUTH TOURISM also aid cultural development and promote better connectivity between people in this part of the world. We were given an opportunity to present this platform at the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Trieste this summer, and we are also going to take it to the following summit in London next year.

which nurtures the heritage of the first music festivals that had an important social mission. This year, we are celebrating 20 years of EXIT team’s activist history.

We have also celebrated another jubilee – 50 years since the original Summer of Love in 1967 which brought to this world an entire set of values that EXIT has been advocating since its foundation like peace, freedom of speech, human rights, and social, racial and gender equality. Through our campaign and opening ceremony we wanted

to demonstrate the strength of the EXIT brand and use it to convey these messages to young people gathered at Petrovaradin Fortress.

EXIT team met Nick Vujicic back in 2016, and we immediately had an idea of him addressing the festival’s audience from the main stage. As one of the most prominent motivational speakers in the world, he had a unique opportunity, like never before in the history of EXIT, to directly relay messages of hope and encouragement to over a million people worldwide who watched the broadcast of the official opening ceremony. Nick was joined by the members of the Standing Rock Movement who are today the most important symbol of resistance to total destruction of our planet and the life on it. People worldwide got to know them thanks to their peaceful protests last winter, and efforts in stopping the construction of an oil pipeline in North Dakota which threatened to destroy the entire eco-system in their land. Furthermore, there was no-one better to complement the opening ceremony than our own symbols of freedom – the fantastic troupe from the Újvidéki Színház Theatre, who performed the numbers from the musical Hair, and another symbol of democratic change in our society, drummer Dragoljub Đuričić.

ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING CITIES IN EUROPE Novi Sad has been chosen as the 2021 European Capital of Culture. What can we expect from EXIT in that respect? What kind of role do you play in this project, and in which way are you going to participate in it?

— After Novi Sad’s candidacy for this title, which was led by the Novi Sad Culture Centre and its management, was almost withdrawn, it became apparent that Novi Sad would drop out of the race all together if something drastic was not done. At that time, EXIT was already a coordinator of Novi Sad’s candidacy for the European

Youth Capital. After a lot of internal deliberation and fear that such process would significantly exhaust our human and material resources, we still decided to get on board and lead Novi Sad into a new candidacy. As the famous proverb says “fortune favours the bold”, we did manage to win this most prestigious cultural title for Novi Sad. It is worth mentioning that, in the period from 2019 to 2021, we going to celebrate a triple jubilee – Novi Sad becoming the European Capital of Culture and the European Youth Capital, as well as the 20th anniversary of Exit.

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U N - P O P L A R A RCH IT E CT U RE

Robin Hood Gardens and the Divisiveness of Brutalism The Victoria and Albert Museum is saving a chunk of the East London estate from demolition. Will it encourage a new appreciation of brutalist design?

IT HAS an almost mythical status in the canon of post-war British buildings. Clad in precast concrete panels, with apartments rising and descending from wide, raised decks (referred to as “streets in the sky”), Robin Hood Gardens embodies the brutalist desire to renegotiate the relationship between architecture, citizens and society. Built as two long concrete superstructures with a ceremonial mound at the centre of its ample public gardens, it is considered the realisation of the ideas that Peter and Alison Smithson, the great ideologues of brutalism, had promulgated through their teaching. The buildings, and its 252 flats, were to be a “demonstration of a more enjoyable way of living…of a new mode of urban organisation”.

But by the time of the building’s completion in 1972, brutalism was already old hat. As with many public housing projects, the local authority budgets used to manage the estates were slashed in the late 1970s, and it fell into disrepair. Despite a campaign to have it placed on Historic England’s heritage list, the site is now being demolished to make way for more than 1,500 new homes. That is, apart from a small section rescued by the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London.

A three-storey module of Robin Hood Gardens is currently being dismantled for assimilation into the V&A archive: it is the largest fragment of a modern building to be accepted by a museum. The rear and front concrete façades, concrete door casements and exterior decking will all be preserved, as will the interior maisonette. Museum technicians have already begun the painstaking work of removing original light fittings, kitchen units and airing cupboards which will later be reassembled.

Although far bigger than previous acquisitions—the largest structure currently in the V&A’s possession is a 19th-century cast of Trajan’s column in Rome—the Robin Hood Gardens piece is in keeping with the museum’s attitude to architectural preservation. The 17th-century timber façade of Sir Paul Pindar’s house in Bishopsgate, London is currently on display in the museum. And while brutalism still leaves many cold, and Robin Hood Gardens is a particularly polarising incarnation of that style, contemporary historians of the period are excited.

“Collecting a sample portion of RHG makes for a fascinating updating of the V&A’s 20th-century policy of collecting rooms and elements from

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stately homes that were being demolished,” says Barnabas Calder, the author of “Raw Concrete: The Beauty of Brutalism”.

Few institutions have attempted anything like this in terms of modern architecture, and Olivia Horsfall Turner, Senior Curator of Designs at the V&A, states that they have been incredibly ambitious. “The Cité de L’Architecture et du Patrimoine in Paris has a 1:1 model of an apartment from Le Corbusier’s classic Habi-

WHILE THE BUILDING STILL DIVIDES OPINION—IS IT THE ACME OF A NEW SOCIAL VISION, OR A GREY AND DAMP FAILURE?— THE V&A’S ACQUISITION WILL ALLOW THE PUBLIC AND DESIGNERS TO STUDY ITS CONSTRUCTION MORE CLOSELY tation in Marseille, but that isn’t original. And the Science Museum has a small section of the Ronan Point high rise [which partially collapsed in 1968].” But there are no examples of entire modernist apartments, both exterior and interior, in contemporary collections.

The size will undoubtedly create interesting problems for creators and technicians in the months and years ahead. The poured concrete structure which supports all the rescued ele-

ments will need to be replaced so that the whole thing can stand up. Yet the decision to choose a tricky piece of public housing that is located in east London is not accidental. It came from Liza Fior, a partner at Muf, an architecture and art practice, who used a year-long residency at the V&A to explore how the museum’s new facility in Queen Elizabeth Park, the former Olympic site near Stratford, might relate to the community which surrounds it. Although the museum is remaining tight-lipped about the V&A East (as it is currently known), it is likely that the Robin Hood Gardens acquisition will be displayed there.

While the building still divides opinion—is it the acme of a new social vision, or a grey and damp failure?—the V&A’s acquisition will allow the public and designers to study its construction more closely. It is possible that this process of re-contextualising the building may win it some new fans. “One of the many privileges of the residency was witnessing the thoughtful precision of the contractors, recording and planning the reverse construction processes of taking apart the two flats, piece by piece,” Ms Fior says. “It was a process which revealed, in turn, the thought involved in so many of the design moves in Robin Hood Gardens.” The irony is that the building had to be destroyed for this appreciation to take place.

From The Economist, published under licence.

The original article, in English, can be found on www.economist.com

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C O RPO RATE

National Tourism Organisation of Serbia

Growing Interest in Serbia and Belgrade Year-on-Year Serbia's comparative advantage in tourism lies in the diversity of tourist products, the country's availability or proximity to both traditional and new tourist markets, a rich cultural and historical heritage, and preserved nature

MARIJA LABOVIĆ Director of the National Tourism Organisation of Serbia

We are talking to the Director of the National Tourism Organisation of Serbia, Marija Labović about Serbia's appeal as a tourist destination.

“Serbia has positioned itself as a city break destination, with

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Belgrade, Novi Sad and Niš taking the lead, as well as a country of events, primarily musical ones like EXIT, Guča, Beer Fest, Nishville etc.

Mountains are equally appealing in summer and winter due to a higher demand for an active vacation in nature”, Ms. Labović says and adds: “Our national airline company, Air Serbia contributed to Serbia’s better positioning as a tourist destination thanks to its direct flights, like the ones to New York and Beijing, and good connecting flights. The fact that Serbia is located in the centre of

the Balkan region is also an advantage, while our capital city, Belgrade is approximately 400km from all major regional towns, and, as such, could be considered the regional hub. Considering the potential that Serbia has in developing health tourism, we are working on our country becoming recognized as such destination too in the following period, primarily in terms of dental services and aesthetic surgery, in addition to promoting our spas not only as spas and wellness centres, but also as health tourism locations”.

How much did the construction of new hotels improve the accommodation offer both in Belgrade and Serbia?

— Foreign tourists are becoming increasingly interested in Serbia year-on-year which is why it makes sense to invest in hotel business here. The arrival of global and regional hotel brands, and the change in the structure and category of accommodation facilities in the last few years with a boost in construction of 4* and 5* hotels, contributed to a notable

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growth of overnight stays in Serbia and Belgrade, especially those by foreign tourists. In the past few years, construction, rehabilitation, and adaptation of a number of hotels owned by domicile, Serbian companies has picked up, as these companies are also complying with the international business standards. However, in order for these hotels to be able to catch up to global trends in tourist demand, and thus record better results, they have to continuously improve their quality standards, competitiveness, hotel management and promotions / reservations. Hotels in Serbia are developing, and are using new communication and promotional tools that are based on e-marketing technology for communication with consumers, and, in this way, are significantly increasing efficiency of their marketing activities which, in the end, result in bigger turist revenue, both in a specific destination and the country on a whole.

How appealing in Serbia in terms of business trips and conference tourism? — In the last 10 years, the National Tourism Organisation of Serbia (through its Convention Bureau of

Serbia) has been working hard on promoting Serbia in the international conference tourism segment.

Today, with 66 international conferences held, which is four times more compared to a decade ago, Serbia is one of the top 50 conference destinations in the world.

According to the data collated by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Serbia has been the fastest congress destination in the world in the

past five years. We jumped from the 73rd place in 2007 to top 50 destinations in the world in the space of five years. In the last ten years, Serbia, and especially Belgrade, has been characterized by a complete transformation of hotel products which entails a bigger presence of international hotel chains, better service quality, and a bigger number of available rooms. The issue of Serbia's availability is no longer an issue. Today, Serbia is considered

IN THE PAST 8 YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN A NOTICEABLE AND STEADY INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FOREIGN TOURISTS COMING TO SERBIA, AND THESE ARE, PRIMARILY, TOURISTS FROM THE REGION

one of the most available destinations, and owing to the development of our national airline company, the situation has improved drastically. In terms of hotels in Serbia, they offer the quality of service that is either at the same level or higher than other destinations, and clients do recognize that.

Tourists from which countries are coming more to Serbia?

— According to the data from the State Statistical Office collated in the period from January to October 2017, a total of 1,292,515 foreign tourists came to Serbia which is an 18% hike compared to the same period last year, when the increase was 17%. In terms of foreign countries, and measured by the number of overnight stays, the number of Israeli tourists has gone up the most (+314%), followed by the Chinese tourists (+115%), the Islandic tourists (+44%), and the tourists from Poland and Canada (+30% each).

If we consider the absolute number of overnight stays in the first 10 months of this year, the tourists from Bosnia and Herzegovina top the list, followed by the tourists from Montenegro, Turkey, Russia and Germany.

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CU LTU RE

Text: ŽIKICA MILOŠEVIĆ

Gentleman Stealing Your Heart The Mighty Voice, the Brittle Soul mains your big inspiration. Who else is inspiring to you?

— Let's start with Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and Led Zeppelin, and then move on to Jimi Hendrix, Prince and many others, who feel the sound and hear it in several layers. This capability is a curse and a blessing at the same time. I would give anything to be able to hear music like ordinary listeners, and enjoy in it.

MASSIMO SAVIĆ Singer

Massimo Savić started his career in the 1980s, and even back then he managed to attract a lot of attention with his performance style, image, lyrics and emotions.

As a co-author he additionally positioned himself as a bard of 'skillful pop'; a gentleman in an elegant suit who steals your heart over a glass of wine, and gives it back to you, happier than ever before. Massimo is coming to Belgrade soon to give pre-New Year's concerts. We are talking to him about his impressive career and new plans.

It all started with the band Dorian Gray who wo over the audience's hearts with their excellent new wave music in the early 1980s. Why the band did not last, and how come you embarked on your solo career so quickly after?

— Dorian Gray decided to make their second studio album in Sweden. Back in the day, Sweden was almost at the end of the world for us. We spent the budget, that covered only 15 days in the recording studio, pretty quickly, and spent a total of 43 days in the studio, absolutely oblivious to who was going to pay for it all. When we returned to Zagreb we experienced a rather rude awakening, and a depressive

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period during which the costs of making of our album had to be covered. That meant that some people in the band had to obtain loans, and our 42-concert-tour was supposed to cover a part of the costs.

As musicians, we only got food, drinks and paid travel costs. Obviously this was too much pressure for everyone in the band. We succumbed to it and fell apart the mo-

You have become an apostle of emotions and the favourite of female audiences. In your career that spanned over 30 years, are you happy with were all of this has taken you?

— If I were not happy with everything that led me to this moment, I would give up this business all together. You see, my

IN 2018, WE ARE PLANNING A NEW TOUR AND A NEW ALBUM, AS WELL AS TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS ment my voice broke due to such a high level of stress. I spent the next few years with Toni Varga in Stockholm, perfecting my craft. In the meantime, I also got a call from Zrinko Tutić who had been trying to get hold of me for two years, and who told me he wanted to work with me. And that's how my solo career was launched.

In the beginning and even now, it is quite evident that Bowie re-

entire career left a big mark on me.

Everything I created is a part of me and my path towards becoming what I am today.

You are known for your elegant style. How important is personal style today considering that we live in a visual age?

— It was my grandad Giovanni who contributed the most to my style. On one side, I had aunts that loved taking me to cheap shops

and stuff my suitcases with bad quality clothes, while, on the other, my grandad had a different philosphy all together. He would take me to see the best tailors. They would take my meaures, and make the perfect suit for my age. With that in mind, you simply have to like my grandad's view of the world. He always used to tell me: „My dear grandson, we don't have enough money to buy garbage“.

There are two main ways in music business to present yourself on stage. One is to identify with your audience, i.e. to perform in jeans you have been travelling in, or to strip down to your undershirt.

The second way, and the one that I chose, was to be specially prepared for stage, both psychologically and visually. In this way, dressing up for performances is a ritual of sorts that elevates me to the best state to perform. The people who inspired me were David Bowie, Brian Ferry, Peter Gabriel and Prince.

Who reacts the best to your music?

— Women are my biggest audience, but, over the years, we have managed to draw in men who now accompany women. They also feel great at the concerts, and keep coming back. Actually, the men decided to give us a chance to show them how well practiced we are. And once they come to our concerts, they become our loyal audience.

NEW TOUR & NEW ALBUM What do you expect from the Belgrade audience? What are your further plans?

— I expect the audience to enjoy in the concert as much as we are going to enjoy performing. The Belgrade audience has proved to be very musical and having really good vocals. I do hope the both concerts in Belgrade will be something that will be talked about for a long time. Some time ago, I said that I was going to release a new album by the end of 2017, but, considering that our work pace is pretty fast now, my team and I have decided to postpone everything for next year so, in 2018, we are planning a new tour and a new album.

Photo: Zoran Lazarević

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SPO RT Can you believe that you did all of this with your two hands? You were quoted once as saying that you found it hard to believe that you did it all.

— I have created Megdan Group on my own. Megdan is a project that is sponsored by the Foreign Ministry and the City of Novi Sad. I did not create everything else by myself though, especially not only with my two hands, to be honest. I am backed by most of my family members; my mum, who is also a producer, a former athlete worthy of Olympics, and my long-standing love, is my PR manager, the host and the first lady of Megdan. Could you believe that two women are developing this typically male, gladiator project with me? Our director Damjan Kuba Ničić also contributed a lot to setting up Megdan Group. He is a financial wizard that made our wishes possible. It gives me a great honour that Novi Sad now has Megdan, a ‘younger brother’ of Tambouritza Fest and EXIT. We are expanding into other towns in Serbia too, regardless of the fact that the ongoing negotiations to hold Megdan in Oma.

Megdan: Gladiators in Novi Sad

MMA is evolving at incredible speed

Promoter of Megdan

that you had been a wrestler?

Does this mean that you are also a fan of martial arts?

Aleksa Balašević might be young and have a famous surname, but he is not doing anything remotely similar to his father Đorđe and his sister Jovana’s art. This creative young man first became a wrestler, and later became widely known as the promoter of a hugely popular MMA event called Megdan.

— I wrestled for my country’s cadet / junior wrestling team, and since I am a fan of all sports, my wrestling career does not have any connection to Megdan per se. I have organized this event, first and foremost, for financial and marketing purposes, to be completely honest with you, and secondly, out of love towards gladiator sports. MMA, or as laymen call it freestyle fighting, is a sport that has been evolving at the speed of butterfly-like metamorphosis, to quote the iconic film Rollerball. The first gladiator sport becomes the most popular one!

ALEKSA BALAŠEVIĆ

Where did you get an idea to organize such event, considering

Megdan is one of the biggest sporting events in Serbia. How difficult was it to organize it considering its size?

— Apart from Davis Cup, which does not take place in our country every year, Megdan is definitely the biggest and the most complete sporting event, to quote the Ministry. It was extremely difficult to organize it, especially the first ever Megdan since we were breaking the figurative ice and facing the terribly escalating costs that came out of nowhere. But I have to say that it took much less effort to organize the second Megdan because we went through trials and tribulations with the first Megdan. I use Napoleon’s business strategy where one worker can do several jobs better than two workers that are new to the job.

Bearing this mind, with each new Megdan, we have fewer workers but more jobs which makes things easier for me because I really do have a dream team.

The popularity of martial arts is growing in the world, as is the popularity of other sports and going to the gym. Is there any fear that this kind of events could backfire, i.e. how do you deal with people who say that the events of this type promote vio-

lence instead of responsible use of martial arts in self-defence?

— I have been battling with that all the time, but I am doing good. I have come to realize that Megdan is an event for everybody when I saw people of all ages, genders and professions in the audience.

There is violence in every sport in a way – from intentional foul plays to physical altercations between competitors or trainers. The fact remains that this sport is extreme in a sense of its completeness and freestyle fighting with limited rules. But it is also just a sport like any other, and I strive to present it as such in my own country, as do the betting shops and TV stations which cooperate with us.

What are your further plans?

— The plan is to invest in marketing and the brand as much as possible, and to hold Megdan in all towns in Serbia just like football matches or any other sporting events. Our press conference is scheduled for the beginning of 2018 when we are also going to announce the final location of Megdan 3.

TAMBOURITZA FEST AND EXIT IN NOVI SAD NOW HAVE A YOUNGER BROTHER – MEGDAN For the first time in the history of Serbia and the region, Megdan, i.e. MMA and K1 fights, have found their way to betting shops?

— Only two days before Megdan took place, I was very pleasantly surprised by establishing a cooperation with Meridian betting shops which have made a great move in their line of business by being the first to allow live betting on MMA and K1 fights. This another incentive for me to do my job even better, because every big sporting event has to cooperate with betting shops which, through their announcements, are making the event much bigger and more important. Our purpose is to make Megdan, first and foremost, an important event for our sporting community and our country, and then for martial arts and this region. I can describe Megdan Group as a train that embarked empty on a long voyage, and by stopping at each station, has managed to collect valuable cars along the way.

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D I NE&WINE

INFO Restaurant ‘Veliki’ 24, Nikole Pašića Novi Sad Vojvodina - Serbia Tel: 021/ 553-420 www.cafeveliki.com

Fusion of Traditional and Modern

The VELIKI restaurant is located in the eponymous hotel in the Pasiceva Street in Novi Sad. VELIKI is an unusual amalgamation of traditional and modern, both in terms of interior and food that is served here Our mission is to resurrect the forgotten urban Vojvodina and its cuisine.

Usually, when one thinks of Vojvodina and its hospitality, the first images that come to mind are granges and tables with checkered tablecloths, while Vojvodinians are symbolized by a chubby, well-meaning man with moustache in wide white linen trousers and black vest. The civil history of Vojvodina is almost forgotten.

People from all sides have been coming to live in Vojvodina. In 1820, Novi Sad had the population of 20,000, and was the biggest Serbian town in the region (the current biggest town – Belgrade – reached the population of 20,000 only in 1853). Despite being under the Austro-Hungarian rule, Novi Sad was the centre of cultural and political life of the Serbian people which is why it was also affection-

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ately called ‘the Serbian Athens’.

Many people have left their trace in Vojvodina, and this is very noticeable in the food of this area.

Our menu reflects this diversity the best. It is our wish to offer Vojvodinian, and by Vojvodinian we mean Austro-Hungarian-Slovakian-Serbian food concept. We are preparing dishes based on our grandmothers’ recipes but presented in a modern way, along with good wine and pleasant ambiance.

Combination of meat and sweet sauces is a very frequent one in Vojvodina, and we have various variations of that dish like chicken stuffed with apricots and prunes, or turkey in sour cherry sauce. We are very proud of our Debreziner and Slovakian sausages which are widely popular here, in Vojvodina.

Also, pork is the main ingredient of everyday dishes in Vojvodina, and Veliki serves it in many different ways, like, for instance, with but-

ton mushroom sauce and mustard.

Our signature dish – Hortobágy meat in sauce – already has its cult following. Somlói Galuska is very in-demand dessert in Veliki. The legend says that this cake originated from a part of Hungary called Somló where one cake-maker made this utterly delicious dessert for his loved one. Our favourite dessert is made from the original recipe. Also, we have to mention our authentic copy of the popular Sachertorte. Our guests say that we could stand proud if our Sachertorte were served in Vienna.

Of course, we are keeping up with modern trends while respecting other cultures and customs.

Veliki serves a variety of vegetarian and vegan dishes, as well as special food to suit religious customs.

In order to closely portray the wave of migrations into our city

and its multi-culturality, our restaurant has a 200-year-old travel trunk that is a part of our décor.

We presume that the owner of the trunk moved to this area many years ago and simply stayed here, and that the trunk is evidence of their journey. It is possible that the descendants of the trunk’s owner are our neighbours now.

The VELIKI restaurant is all about warmth and hospitality. Here, you might read and hear something about history, see grandparents and grandchildren coming in for cakes, young people having business lunches, try our tasty coffee, and enjoy in good food, good wine, soft music and unique ambiance.

Visiting, socializing, good food and welcoming guests are all main features of the typical Vojvodinian household. So, come in and experience it to the fullest!

IT IS OUR WISH TO OFFER VOJVODINIAN, AND

BY VOJVODINIAN WE MEAN AUSTROHUNGARIAN-SLOVAKIAN-SERBIAN FOOD CONCEPT

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C O RPO RATE

Mlekoprodukt

Ile de France Cheeses Arrive to Serbia

Roland Barthélemy

In the solemn ambience of the French Embassy in Serbia, members of the diplomatic corps and fans of French culture and gastronomy were given an opportunity to try a range of Ile de France cheeses imported by the Savencia Company, known in Serbia as Mlekoprodukt

Back in 1936, Mr. Alfred Schratter had the people in the United States rejoicing for being able to enjoy in something that, up to that point, was a well-kept French secret. The luxurious Ile de France ship transported the famous brie cheese, the king of the French cheeses, to the US. Thanks to its authentic taste, this full-fat, soft cheese with white noble mould quickly won the palates of the most demanding gourmets all over the planet.

In honour of this famous and prestigious ship, we named our products Ile de France with the aim of evoking the elegant luxury of the 1930s, and the lifestyle on this legendary ship.

The Ile de France cheeses - brie, camembert and emmental - were presented to the Belgrade audiences in a way that is very fitting to the French culture, coupled with

top-quality French wines. These cheeses of authentic aroma and rich and creamy flavours are produced in France, in the factories of the Savencia Group.

On this occasion, the renowned cheese master from Paris, Roland Barthélemy, visited Belgrade. Many people credit Mr. Barthélemy with the fact that the vendors of top quality cheeses in France today enjoy the similar status as sommeliers in rest of the world.

Bartelémy started his career in 1971 when he opened a small cheese shop in the City of Love. Soon, celebrities started flocking to his shop, including the famous actress Catherine Deneuve and numerous French presidents.

Today, Roland Bartelemy travels around the world and promotes French cheese culture.

FRENCH GASTRONOMY The French gastronomy and art of living are known all over the world. In 2010, UNESCO included the French gastronomy in the Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

France is a country of "1,000 different kinds of cheese", and cheese is one of the pillars of its gastronomy.

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KOLARAC

C ALEND AR & NE W S

Concert hall

BELGRADE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

FIRE 3 Dec 15, 20:00 Kolarac Foundation Grand Hall

Michail Jurowski

Conductor: Michail Jurowski Soloist: Narek Hakhnazaryan, violoncello Academic Choir Collegium Musicum

AIR 2 Dec 22, 20:00

Grand Hall of the Kolarac Foundation Gabriel Feltz

Conductor: Gabriel Feltz Soloists: Radovan Vlatković and Nikola Ćirić, horns

NEW YEAR’S CONCERT 1 Dec 28, 20:00

Grand Hall of the Kolarac Foundation Alan Bjelinski

Conductor: Alan Bjelinski

NEW YEAR’S CONCERT 2 Dec 29, 20:00 Grand Hall of the Kolarac Foundation

Conductor: Alan Bjelinski

CONCERT PROGRAMME December 2017 Thursday, 7th at 20.00 Concert Hall

PHILHARMANIA(C )

Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Hans Graf Soloist: Sergey Babayan, piano Programme: I. Stravinsky, P. I. Tchaikovsky, S. Rachmaninoff Production: Belgrade Philharmonic Friday, 8th at 20.00 Concert Hall

EARTH

Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Hans Graf Soloist: Sergey Babayan, piano Programme: I. Stravinsky, P. I. Tchaikovsky, S. Rachmaninoff Production: Belgrade Philharmonic Saturday, 9th at 20.00 Concert Hall

FMU SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA & CHOIR COLLEGIUM MUSICUM

Conductor: Bojan Sudjić Programme: Beethoven Production: Faculty of Music Sunday, 10th at 11.00 Concert Hall

CYCLE: KOLARAC PODIUM OF CHAMBER MUSIC

PIANO

RTS Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Bojan Suđić Programme: Dvorak, Chopin Production: RTS Music Production Sunday, 17th at 11.00 Concert Hall

CYCLE: KOLARAC PODIUM OF CHAMBER MUSIC

Jazz Department of Faculty of Music Production: Music Centre Monday, 18.at 20.00 Concert Hall

KOLARAC - YOUR MUSIC WORLD

Ivo Pogorelić, piano Programme: L. Van Beethoven, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin Production: Music Centre Wednesday, 20th at 18.00 Music Gallery

CONCERT OF MASTER ART ACADEMY

Production: Music Centre Thursday, 21st at 18.00 Music Gallery

LARISA TEREŠČENKO, VIOLIN

Production: Music Centre

Production: MUZIKON Music Association Monday, 25th at 18.30 Music Gallery Concert of pupils of Piano School and young pianists of Music Workshop Magic Flute Monday, 25th at 20.00 Concert Hall

BELGRADE STRING ORCHESTRA DUŠAN SKOVRAN

Sreten Krstić, violin

Tuesday, 26th at 18.00 Music Gallery Final concert of the piano course by prof. Jokut Mihailović Tuesday, 26th at 20.00 Concert Hall

ENSEMBLE KOLO

Wednesday, 27th at 18.00 Music Gallery

CYCLE: MUSIC WORKSHOP

Concert of Students – class of professor Marija Špengler Production: Music Centre Wednesday, 27th at 20.00 Concert Hall

Family Uhde`s Concert Mihael, piano, Katarina, violin, Gabriel, viola, Sanja, cello & guest Jurija Otaki Programme: Schubert, Joachim, Brahms Production: Music Centre Sunday, 10th at 20.00 Concert Hall

CONCERT AND CD PROMOTION

Piano Duo Vasil Hadžimanov & Bojan Zulfikarpašić Tuesday, 12th at 20.00 Concert Hall Maja Rajković, piano, Belgrade Dennis Krasnokurtsky, viola, USA Bagdat Abilkhanov, violin, Astana Aisulu Baikenova, violin, Astana Guest: Maurizio Bignone, composer, Palermo Programme: S. Rachmaninoff, C. Cook, Z. Erić, M. Bignone, Y. Brusilovsky,..., V. Milanković, A. Vujić Wednesday, 13th at 18.00 Concert Hall

CYCLE: MUSIC WORKSHOP

Concert/ Vocal Department of Faculty of Music Production: Music Centre Thursday, 14th at 20.30 Concert Hall

FOLK POP/ROCK BAND GARAVI SOKAK

Friday, 15th at 20.00 Concert hall

FIRE

Conductor: Michail Jurowski Soloist: Narek Hakhnazaryan, violoncello Academic Choir Collegium Musicum Programme: R. Schumann, F. Liszt Production: Belgrade Philharmonic Saturday, 16th at 20.00 Concert Hall

IVO POGORELIĆ,

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Thursday 21st at 20.00 Concert hall

RADMILO

Friday, 22nd at 20.00 Concert Hall

AIR

Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Gabriel Feltz Soloists: Radovan Vlatković & Nikola Ćirić, horns Programme: W. A. Mozart, A. Rosetti, A. Bruckner Production: Belgrade Philharmonic Saturday, 23rd at 20.00 Concert Hall

MUSIC SCHOOL / PUPIL`S CONCERT

Sunday, 24th at 11.00 Concert Hall

FINAL CONCERT/ OPERA MASTER CLASS OF DJORDJE NEŠIĆ

Production: Music Centre Sunday, 24th at 20.00 Concert Hall

HYPERCUBE/ CONCERT SEASON 2017/2018.

MUZIKON Chamber Orchestra Miloš Petrović, violin, concertmajstor Programme: J S Bach, Mendelssohn , Mozart, Janacek

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA & CHOIR RTS

Conductor: Bojan Sudjić Programme: Handel/Messiah Production: RTS Music Production

Thursday, 28th at 18.00 Music Gallery New Year's Concert of Students of Music Workshop Magic Flute Saturday, 30th at 11.00 Concert Hall

SMALL SCHOOL OF BONTON/HOW TO LISTEN TO THE MUSIC

Host: Miloš Milovanović Production: Music Centre Saturday, 30th at 20.00 Hall

NEW TRINITY BAROQUE'S ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT BY CANDLELIGHT

Programme: Bach, Vivaldi, Corelli, Scarlatti, Teleman Tuesday, January 3rd at 12.00, Concert Hall

THE MOST PROMINENT YOUNG MUSICIAN FOR 2017

ArtLink Award Production – Music Centre and ArtLink

www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

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