Diplomacy and Commerce No. 29

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July 2018 | ISSUE No. 29 | Price 350 RSD

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A VERY SATISFYING TENURE

H.E. NARINDER CHAUHAN Indian Ambassador to Serbia

HIGH STANDARD IS PRIORITY

03 US EMBASSY CELEBRATED JUL

THE INDEPENDENCE DAY

WE NEED OPTIMISM, PRAGMATISM AND MORE REFORMS Ambassador SEM FABRIZI

Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia

DUŠKA VUČINIĆ

Head of Press and Public Relations at RTS

HOW I DIDN'T CATCH THE LAST TRAIN

HELPING THE INTEGRATION OF THE REGION INTO THE EU DUBRAVKA NÈGRE

Head of EIB Regional Representation for the Western Balkans

British

Montenegro

NATIONAL DAY

Essey on Serbian Railway Stations by

ROBERT ČOBAN

H.E. DENIS KEEFE British Ambassador to Serbia

H.E. BRANISLAV MIĆUNOVIĆ

Montenegrin Ambassador to Serbia

ED ITO RI AL

CO N T E N T S

Hit the North!

Dear readers, Lately, we have witnessed two major diplomatic breakthroughs that made us a bit more optimistic about the future of this planet - the first was the meeting between the two “archenemies”, Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, and the subsequent détente, denuclearisation of North Korea, with a lot of praise and criticism coming from all sides. “They deserve a Nobel Peace Prize”, said Trump's fans. “Trump is naive and it is a victory for Korea”, said the critics. “Trump will trick you and withdraw like he did with Iran”, said the anti-Trump skeptics. But it was a compromise nevertheless – rejecting nukes in exchange for safety. At the same time, the southermost former Yugoslav republic agreed to be renamed North Macedonia, making nationalist on both sides furious. Certain Greeks have refused even to hear the name “Macedonia” to be used outside the Greek identity, opting for something African-sounding like “Central Balkan Republic” instead. The Macedonians, rejected the prefix, although it is quite obvious that what constitutes Republic of Macedonia now is approximately 1/3 of the geographical region of Macedonia and some kind of prefix is needed.

Just like if Banat or Srem decided to be separate states from Serbia. We call them Banat and Srem, but only locally. Internationally, they would have to have a prefix: Western Banat (Eastern Banat is in Romania) or Eastern Srem (Western Srem is in Croatia). Of course, there will always be dissatisfied people. But, in essence, it's a compromise, as we point out in the analytical article inside of this issue. In reality, a good compromise means there the involved sides should be partially happy and partially angry. If one side is perfectly happy with the deal, it is not a compromise and it will lead to a new war and new tensions and that's definitely not a solution. ŽIKICA MILOŠEVIĆ

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WE NEED OPTIMISM, PRAGMATISM AND MORE REFORMS Ambassador SEM FABRIZI

Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia

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HELPING THE INTEGRATION OF THE REGION INTO THE EU DUBRAVKA NÈGRE

Head of EIB Regional Representation for the Western Balkans

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A VERY SATISFYING TENURE H.E. NARINDER CHAUHAN

Editor-in-Chief

Indian Ambassador to Serbia

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WE ARE EXPANDING OUR DIGITAL OFFER DRAGINJA DJURIĆ www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs ŽIKICA MILOŠEVIĆ

Editor in Chief

zikica.milosevic@color.rs

TANJA BANKOVIĆ

Editorial manager

tanja.bankovic@color.rs

ILIJA PETROVIĆ INDIGOCHILD Art director

VANJA KOVAČEV

ROBERT ČOBAN

PR&Event support Nord Communications

Director

robert.coban@color.rs

NATAŠA NEŠIĆ

GORAN ZLATKOVIĆ GETTY IMAGES

vanja.communications @gmail.com

Photos

Advertising manager

MINA VUČIĆ

natasa.nesic@color.rs

Editorial manager assistant

DRAGANA RADOVIĆ

Advertising manager

dragana.radovic@color.rs

SNEŽANA BJELOTOMIĆ

JOVANA MARKOVIĆ

RUŽA RISTANOVIĆ

ZLATNA KNJIGA

jovana.markovic@color.rs

ruza.ristanovic@color.rs

Magazine director

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COMMITMENT TO LEADERSHIP IN SUSTAINABILITY

AT THE FOREFRONT OF PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

MSA IP – Milojevic, Sekulic and Associates law firm

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WE DESIGN YOUR BUSINESS Pharma Group

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HIGH STANDARD IS PRIORITY DUŠKA VUČINIĆ

Head of Press and Public Relations at RTS

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HOW I DIDN’T CATCH THE LAST TRAIN

Essey on Serbian Railway Stations by Robert Čoban

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NATIONAL MUSEUM OPENS

The permanent exhibition of the National Museum in Belgrade

ĐORĐE POPOVIĆ

General Manager Laundry and Home Care Henkel Serbia

Translation

indigochild.ilija@gmail.com

Advertising manager

President of Banca Intesa Executive Board

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Print

Jagodina, Bargdanski put bb

”Color Media Communications” LTD, 21132 Petrovaradin, Štrosmajerova 3 TIN 107871532 • Matriculation number 20887303 · Phone: +381 21 4897 100 • Fax: +381 21 4897 126 Office: Vase Čarapića 3/IV/38, Belgrade • 011 4044 960 CIP - Katalogizacija u publikaciji Biblioteke Matice Srpske, Novi Sad 33 Diplomacy & Commerce / glavni i odgovorni urednik Žikica Milošević, 2016, br. 1 (mart)-.Novi Sad: Color Media Communications, 2016 - , -33cm Mesečno.

ISSN 2466-3808 = Diplomacy & Commerce COBISS.SR-ID 303269895

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F L IRT IN G WIT H P O L E X IT ?

Poland’s President Wants a Referendum on the EU Most Poles are keen to stay

TWO years ago Poland looked on in disbelief as the British voted for Brexit. Now the country may face its own vote. Andrzej Duda, the president, wants to tackle the question of Poland’s relationship with the EU in a broader referendum on constitutional reform this autumn, on the centenary of Polish independence after the first world war. With relations between the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party and Brussels fraught, and Brexit looming, the proposal has raised eyebrows. If the referendum gets the Senate’s go-ahead, Europe will be watching.

Mr Duda, a former PiS member, has long argued that Poland’s 1997 constitution needs updating. On June 12th he proposed 15 questions spanning a hotch-potch of subjects, from social policy to food security, adding a reference to “Poland’s and Europe’s over-thousand-year Christian heritage” to the preamble. Two of the questions focus on Poland’s relationship with the EU. The first asks whether Poland’s EU membership should be constitutionally guaranteed.

The other asks whether the constitution should enshrine its own primacy over international and European law.

The timing is awkward. The Polish govern-

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ment is locked in a protracted dispute with the European Commission, which has warned that its judicial reforms undermine the rule of law.

Twenty-seven out of 72 Supreme Court judges will be forced to retire at the start of July. Time is running out: Warsaw has been given until June 26th to assuage Brussels’ concerns. If not, Warsaw might in theory have its voting rights

LIKE VIKTOR ORBAN, THE HUNGARIAN PRIME MINISTER, PIS OPPOSES WHAT HE RECENTLY CALLED “DELUSIONAL NIGHTMARES OF A UNITED STATES OF EUROPE” in the EU suspended, though that remains unlikely. More realistically, the European Commission wants to establish a mechanism that could cut EU funds, of which Poland is the biggest beneficiary, for countries where the rule of law is at risk.

Neither Mr Duda nor PiS is calling for a “Polexit”. But since PiS came to power in 2015 Eurosceptic rhetoric has surged. Like Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, PiS opposes

what he recently called “delusional nightmares of a United States of Europe”. “Sovereignty” is the buzz word in Warsaw. In a speech last month, Mr Duda went so far as to liken EU membership to the 1795 partition of Poland, which wiped the country off the map for 123 years.

Poles remain broadly pro-European. Some 70% of them think that EU membership is good for the country, above the EU average of 60%, according to the latest Eurobarometer survey.

Few want Poland to leave the EU (11%, compared to 83% for staying in). Meanwhile, enthusiasm for the referendum remains low. Even PiS has kept its distance, fearing a poor turnout.

Still, Mr Duda’s questions have caused a stir. Among liberals, they have stoked fears that PiS is leading the country towards Polexit.

Meanwhile, on June 16th, the (tiny) National Movement announced efforts to lead Poland out of the EU. Mr Duda argues that enshrining Poland’s EU membership in the constitution will “strengthen” its presence in the bloc. Yet, as Britain’s referendum shows, he is playing with fire.

From The Economist, published under licence.

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

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I NTERVIEW

We Need Optimism, Pragmatism and More Reforms Serbia should continue to stick to its reforms process, to implement all the recommendations and priorities identified and to move forward with a process fully anchored in common European values and principles. The EU will continue to support this process

AMBASSADOR SEM FABRIZI Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia

We are continuously hearing from various levels of the EU that Serbia is progressing well on its European path, but this is to some extent not reflected in the number of open Chapters. Just recently, Serbia opened two new chapters, while Serbian officials state that four or five chapters are ready for opening. We asked the ambassador Sem Fabrizi, Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia whether we should be optimists or pessimists when it comes to the EU accession process.

If there is progress how come that only two new chapters were opened?

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— The opening of new chapters is of course always positive news, as this reflects progress in the accession process. In fact, the opening of chapters is a complex task and depends on Serbia's preparedness, on the status of reforms within that particular chapter, on the level of implementation of the Action Plan and the level of harmonization with EU legal framework, norms and standards.

chapters. The Serbian government has expressed its appreciation, and its commitment to accession.

We should bear in mind that chapters are a negotiating tool. Reforms are the objective. Accession remains a process and intense work needs to continue. Progress is also closely related to reforms in Rule of Law, fundamental to the overall accession process. Serbia has now opened 14 chapters and provision-

THE NEXT LONG-TERM BUDGET PROPOSED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION CLEARLY CONFIRMS THE EC’S COMMITMENTS TO SERBIA AND THE WESTERN BALKANS On June 25, the last Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) opened two new chapters. Chapter 33, in particular, is an important step as it deals with the financial and budgetary provisions. All Member States of the EU support these two new

ally closed two. In the second part of 2018 further Accession Conferences will be planned, as appropriate, to take the process forward.

Are you an optimist when it comes to the agreement be-

tween Belgrade and Pristina? Is there any chance that the deal would be struck by the end of 2018, which is in public seen as a sort of deadline?

— We should remain optimistic and pragmatic.

The EU facilitated Dialogue has led over the years to a significant normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina.

Now the normalization is being brought to a comprehensive level.

On June 24 Federica Mogherini, High Representative/Vice President of the European Commission, hosted in Brussels a High Level Meeting of the EU-facilitated Dialogue with President Vucic and President Thaci. It was a productive and intensive discussion on the framework of an agreement on comprehensive normalization of relations between the two sides.

The parties agreed to intensify the work in the coming weeks.

That said, I have not heard about

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the deadline you mention except from some media - – it is up to the parties to agree on the speed and timelines on the Dialogue.

How did the EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia contributed to the clarification of the standpoints of the EU partners, Belgrade and Pristina?

— The Summit had a regional inspiration and dimension helping to put all the elements in a wider regional context. It addressed the many challenges and opportunities that lay in the regional integration process, including on the need to find solutions to normalize relations in the region.

The Declaration made clear that good neighborly relations, regional stability, and mutual cooperation are all part of the political mix to progress on the road of the european perspective.

This includes finding agreed solutions to bilateral disputes, also through more efforts to reconciliation. In this sense - without referring to specific situations - it made clear that the EU will not import unresolved disputes and that it will continue to support WB in finding and implementing definitive, inclusive and binding solutions to bilateral disputes.

There is a feeling that after the Summit the resolution of that issue is a sort of a game changer for other Western Balkan countries’ prospects for the prospective EU membership. Is that so, or for example Macedonia may become a new forerunner for the membership, if Serbia and Kosovo fail to reach the agreement?

— The Summit was a clear call to all - in the European Union and Western Balkans - to work hard and together to make the European perspective a reality. This perspective includes many converging elements.

A call to WB partners for continued commitment to fundamental progress on the rule of law, to establish a resilient market economy to create growth and jobs, to fight against corruption and organized

crime, to have good governance, as well as respect for human rights and rights of persons belonging to minorities, and reconciliation.

A call for effective implementation of reforms in these areas, as there will no shortcuts for accession to the EU. A call on the EU to redouble efforts to support this process and to maintain its doors wide open to this region.

The positive and transformative

sion report. It underlined that many of the points in the Serbia report are shared with other partners in the WB region and that progress will also be made through regional cooperation and reconciliation. The findings of our Annual Report stand and we have seen that they were largely confirmed by Serbian government, the business sector and civil society. They have also been confirmed in the draft report from

THE EU FACILITATED DIALOGUE HAS LED OVER THE YEARS TO A SIGNIFICANT NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN BELGRADE AND PRISTINA. NOW THE NORMALIZATION IS BEING BROUGHT TO A COMPREHENSIVE LEVEL

Visit to the new Emergency Room in Novi Pazar, built with the help of EU funds

developments we have witnessed in the past two months, notably the historic agreement on the name between the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Greece on June 12, and the European Council decision of June 28 to set a clear path towards opening accession negotiations with Albania and FYROM in June 2019, are clear signs we are all responding to this call.

What the Summit added to our reading of the EC report? Where Serbia needs the press for changes the most?

— The Summit did put in a regional dimension the European Commis-

the European Parliament – so it is encouraging that there is a shared understanding that the report is factual, objective and fair. More importantly, it should be seen as a tool to stimulate progress across the different sectors of society.

You can read from it that we are seeing some progress related to the rule of law, in particular the reform of the judiciary. The Venice Commission released on June 22 its opinion on the reform of the Constitution that Serbia is introducing to increase the independence of the judiciary system, in line with the commitment taken in chapter 23. The government’s pledge to

fully implement these recommendations is very important and welcome. It is equally important to ensure maximum transparency and inclusivity in this process, starting with the categories immediately interested by the reform.

Serbia is also called to improve its alignment with the EU Common foreign and security policy and to not diverge from the EU common visa policy with which it is expected to progressively align.

Some notable analysts think that the gap in convergence is so deep that the countries of the Western Balkan, Serbia included, should get access to the EU cohesion funds before they become members, like Romania and Bulgaria before them. We know that there is no budget earmarked for countries that will enter membership, but which funds are at hand? What are the sums and the goals we are talking about?

— Serbia is already benefiting from an average of €200 million a year from the Instrument for Pre-Accession funds (IPA). It makes already the European Union by far the biggest donor in Serbia.

In addition to the funds that Serbia receives also from the IPA regional envelope, Serbian institutions, organizations, businesses and citizens are eligible for numerous European programs – Horizon 2020, funds for various youth initiatives, Creative Europe for culture, Erasmus and Tempus for education, Cross Border Cooperation programs with its neighbors. Since 2018 Serbia is also beneficiary of a grant of EUR 175 M euros to support farmers and agriculture (IPARD 2).

So when we talk about funding from the EU, there are significant and diverse funds available to Serbia. It is important that Serbia continues making good use of them to the benefits of its citizens and to get closer to the EU. The next long-term budget proposed by the European Commission is also good news for Serbia and the Western Balkans region.

TWO SCENARIOS FOR THE EU - SERBIA RELATIONS How do you see the best possible scenario for the EU Serbia relations by the years end? How about the one less optimistic?

— The positive scenario for our relations is to continue to remain fully engaged, all of us, and to have the ambition to move forward. Serbia

should continue to stick to its reforms process, to implement all the recommendations and priorities identified and to move forward with a process fully anchored in common values and principles. And the EU will continue to support this process. Not only through substantial and long term financial assistance but also through political commitment.

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I NTERVIEW The Commission has proposed to the EU Member States and the European Parliament to increase its total pre-accession assistance to €14.5 billion. This would represent a 20% increase compared to the current budget period. It would mean more funds for Serbia and the Western Balkans to prepare for EU accession.

In addition, this budget has the necessary flexibility to adapt to new accession once candidates are ready to join. This is what was said in the Western Balkans Strategy adopted in February and this is what the EU already experienced when Croatia joined the EU in 2013, with a long-term budget ending in 2014.

So, this budget proposal clearly confirms the European Commission’s commitments to Serbia and the Western Balkans.

Meanwhile, Serbia is in the process of building necessary capacities and institutions to implement European funds. This is quite a complex and important process and before cohesion or structural funds become available to Serbia, all this mechanisms and institutions, including control and monitoring of the use of European funds need to be in place and fully functional.

Quite often those who see the constitutional changes related to the judiciary as detrimental for the profession, or those who believe that media in Serbia are suffocating in silence, think that the EC should be more vocal on these issues. Do you think that the truly European oriented Serbian experts, civil society and media need more encouragement from your side?

— The annual report on Serbia published in April is objective and clearly pinpoints the areas where more progress is necessary and where more progress are expected from Serbia. As you mentioned judiciary, the Report states that Serbia’s judicial system has some level of preparation to meet European norms and standards. It concluded that some progress has been made, notably by reducing the backlog of old enforcement cases and putting in place measures to harmonize court practice. Improved rules for evaluating professional performance of judges and prosecutors were adopted.

The report also noted that the scope for political influence over the judiciary remains a concern.

To address it a new draft of amend-

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ments to the Constitution in the domain of the judiciary was published in January 2018 and was put forward for public discussion before being sent to the Venice Commission for its opinion. Now that the opinion of the Venice Commission has been released the EU will follow closely - as I said earlier - how the Government will follow the recommendations and re-draft the amendments.

On the freedom of expression

strategy for the development of a public information system, and to be prepared in a transparent and inclusive manner.

We noted that this particular recommendation has been followed and that the Working Group comprising representatives of the government and representative media and journalists’ associations has started to work in the last weeks. This is certainly a positive development.

rights and the progress of negotiations through the chapter will certainly depend also on progress achieved in this area.

I already mentioned in the answer to your previous question, that we are seeing some positive movements, notably related to the Media Strategy.

It is too early to say which real progress it will achieve. The EU is prepared to help the working group to find solutions in line with European norms and standards.

On the bright side, in which areas is Serbia the pupil who most seriously took the task to become the EU member in 2025?

THE PROGRESS SERBIA ACHIEVED ON THE ECONOMIC FRONT PUT FORWARDS THE RECIPE FOR WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ALSO IN OTHER AREAS, STARTING WITH THE RULE OF LAW

EU Project Fair in Arandjelovac

and media, the Report was also very clear on the lack of progress registered. The report was received generally positively by civil society organizations and journalists' and media's representatives. The Report also gave several recommendations what should be prioritized in this area, including for the new

If the current warnings of the EC with regards to media freedom didn’t bring much change what tools the EC has to be more persuasive?

— Serbia is negotiating Chapter 23 which covers judiciary and fundamental rights. Freedom of expression is one of these fundamental

— The annual report assesses the state of play and progress made and provides recommendations on reforms that Serbia has itself committed to do. This is not a teacher - pupil relationship. As is often and rightly recalled, the objective of the reforms is for the development of Serbia itself, also before the EU accession process.

Our report states that some progress has been made in many areas, while of course encouraging Serbia to make further efforts.It is evident that the economic area is scoring the better results: fiscal stability, lower budgetary deficit, growth of external trade. Substantial are the fiscal results, where Serbia moved to a budgetary surplus of 1.2%; an important tool to maintain this stability, possibly also with more stringent fiscal rules.

Economic growth is based on sound fundamentals and we are optimistic that it will strengthen in this and the coming years. There are other good news: export expanded, foreign direct investment increased, and improvements were made in the business environment. These have helped to make the EU the first trading and investor for Serbia.

It is encouraging that Serbia's economic growth for 2018 is currently forecasted at 3.5% by the IMF. If we look into the future from this Report on economic issues: Serbia's focus in the next few years should be on further structural reforms, in particular in public administration, tax authorities, and state-owned enterprises. We also wish to see more efforts in the enforcement of fair competition (in particular state aid), and a reduction of the size of informal economy.

The progress on the economic front put forward the recipe for what needs to be done also in other areas, starting with the Rule of Law.

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NATIONAL DAYS

ARRI VALS & D EPAR T UR E S

in July & August

JULY

ZSUZSANNA HARGITAI New EBRD Director for Western Balkans

Zsuszanna Hargitai has taken over as the EBRD’s new Director for the Western Balkans. Based in Belgrade, she will also head the Bank’s operations in Serbia where she will succeed Daniel Berg, who is leaving the Bank after almost 25 years of distinguished service. Ms Hargitai will be introduced to the Serbian authorities including Prime Minister Ana Brnabić

by EBRD Vice President Banking Alain Pilloux in Belgrade this week.

She said: “I am proud and honoured to take on this new role. My goal will be to further increase our invest-

COLOMBIA

ments and policy reform support in the region in light of the countries’ European Union perspectives. The EU approximation and accession process is a major reform driver and it also enhances the region’s attractiveness for private sector investments. The EBRD is well-positioned to play an important role in this and we are fully prepared to deliver what is needed in financing and policy advice.” After meetings with businesses and partners, the EBRD delegation of Vice President Pilloux and Hargitai will travel through the Western Balkans.

STANKA PEJANOVIĆ

in 1810

Declaration of independence from Spain

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BELGIUM

Leopold of Saxe-CoburgSaalfeld takes the oath as the first King of the Belgians in 1831

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EGYPT

evolution Day, the R revolution of 1952

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LIBERIA

Proclamation of the Republic: independence from the United States in 1847

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The new Steering Committee of Gorenje will have six members

The Supervisory Board of Gorenje has appointed a new Steering Committee to manage the company for the next five years. The Executive Director and President of the Management Board, Franjo Bobinac, to whom the Supervisory Board entrusted the task of appointing the Board of Directors last year, proposed six members of the Management Board. Apart from Bobinac, the board will include two current members - Drago Bahun and Žiga Debeljak - the director of the Human Resources Sector, as well as three new members, Stanko Pejanović,

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PERU

Tomaž Korošec and Saša Marković.

Stanka Pejanović comes to the Gorenje Management Board from the company Gorenje Beograd where she was the general manager of one of the largest international branches of Gorenje in the last four years.

During this period, she successfully restructured a company that managed to retain a large share of the market despite the increasingly competitive market. Prior to joining Gorenje, she worked for Merkator Group, first as Merkator-S's General Manager and then as a member of the Steering Committee in South East Europe.

eclaration of D independence from Spain in 1821

AUGUST

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SWITZERLAND

National Day, alliance between Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden against the Holy Roman Empire in 1291

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MACEDONIA Republic Day

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BOLIVIA

THE HEADS OF UNICEF, THE EBRD, THE EMBASSIES OF BELGIUM, AUSTRALIA, INDIA AND GERMANY SOON TO CHANGE Belgrade diplomatic and business circles will be left this summer without few very active members of the community. According to our sources, the Ambassador of UNICEF in Belgrade, Michel Saint Lot, one of the most beloved and active members of the diplomatic community is leaving Serbia.

Saint Lot will replace Serbia with Madagascar, and we believe that this climate change will not be too difficult for him, since he was born in Haiti. Daniel Berg, director of the EBRD, who was very active

roclamation of Republic P (independent from Spain) in 1825

in his business and diplomatic community with his wife Diane, is also leaving Belgrade these days.

Australian Ambassador H. E. Julia Feeney and the Ambassador of Belgium - H. E. Leo D'Aes and and his wife Monica (photo) are leaving for the new post after more than four years in Belgrade. Also, H. E., Narinder Chahuan, Ambassador of India, one of the most prominent guests at all the events, and H. E. Axel Dittmann, the German Ambassador, one of the most active diplomats, are leaving Belgrade soon.

VLADIMIR VAVA New president of The Association of breweries of Serbia

Vladimir Vava, General Manager of Carlsberg Serbia, took over the position of President of the Brewery Association of Serbia for a two-year term from June 25 this year. Mr. Vava has been leading Carlsberg Serbia since February 1, 2017 after three years of experience as Vice President of the sale of the Baltics Breweries, a Russian company owned by the Carlsberg Group. He gained his rich experience in CB Holding in Belgrade, as well as Metro Cash & Carry in the markets of Spain and Portugal, Romania and Russia. "In Serbia, the beer is the favourite alcoholic drink, and I was pleased to be in charge of presiding over our Association, aware of the obligations and responsibilities I will

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take over the next two years. The Association has contributed to the establishment of better dialogue with the state and cooperation with partners, working to create long-term sustainable conditions for the growth and development of the entire brewing industry, ranging from raw material production to placing finished products on shelves and the disposal of used packaging. My focus will be to unite all breweries in one voice for the benefit of the brewing industry and the whole society," said Mr. Vladimir Vava who replaced Vladimir Novković as president of the Association of breweries of Serbia until today's predecessor and general manager of Apatin Brewery.

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I NTERVIEW

Helping the Integration of the Region Into the EU

EIB has a mandate to help improve social and economic development of the countries in this region but also help to support people’s needs when it comes to the provision of better health care, cleaner water, modern highways and better rail links DUBRAVKA NÈGRE Head of EIB Regional Representation for the Western Balkans

The EIB is the bank of the European Union, present in Balkan since 1977, and we have a political mandate to help the integration of the region into the European Union in line with the EU Strategy. EIB is contributing through concrete projects to improve the connectivity links between people and goods in the countries of the Western Balkans and facilitate their regional cooperation and economic development.

The EIB is in the heart of the European integration and social cohesion processes. Now when there are many deliberations

about the future shape of the European Union, how do you see the legacy of the bank?

— The EIB is the bank of the European Union. In the Western Balkans for example we are present since 1977, when we supported the construction of highways in Yugoslavia, the famous “Bratstvo i Jedinstvo” highway. We follow the EU

comes to the provision of better health care, cleaner water, modern highways and better rail links. We are active in all these sectors across the countries. This is our legacy.

portfolio counts in billions and your recent investments are huge. Which one would you outline as the decisive for the further development of the region?

cooperation between the states in the aftermath of the Second World War. Western Balkans, due to their complex past, should strive to more regional cooperation, which will also facilitate their integration process with the EU. EIB is contributing through concrete projects to improve the connectivity links between people and goods in the countries of the Western Balkans and facilitate their regional cooperation and economic development.

We can mention Corridor X project in Serbia and in FYR of Macedonia, Corridor Vc in Bosnia-Herzegovina or railway modernisation in Montenegro that will help improve rail links with Serbia, but also support to better and faster rail links between Serbia and Bulgaria, or supporting the construction of road connecting Kosovo* and Montenegro.

— Regional cooperation is one of the fundamental values of the EU. The European Union of today has been created thanks to economic

EIB President Werner Hoyer and Vice-President Dario Scannapieco delivered a strong message

EIB has been active in the Western Balkans since 1977, and it witnessed its disintegration as well as its recovery. Your overall

KEY TO INCREASING COMPETITIVENESS OF ECONOMIES IN THE REGION IS SUPPORT TO INNOVATION AND RESEARCH BUT ALSO SUPPORT TO DIGITALISATION policy and in the Western Balkans we have a political mandate to help the integration of the region into the European Union in line with the EU Strategy. EIB has a mandate to help improve social and economic development of the countries in this region but also help to support people’s needs when it

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of integration of the WB in the European Union which resonates with the key messages delivered at the summit in Sofia. From the perspective of the EIB what can spur the convergence the most?

— In our view, key to increasing competitiveness of economies in the region is support to innovation and research but also support to digitalisation. We are active in all these areas. Be it through support to develop modern infrastructure of scientific institutions such as Institute for Physics in Belgrade and science parks in Nis and Novi Sad, be it through the support to the development of the broadband in Albania.

Supporting the development of education facilities is also very important, we are active in Serbia for example in expanding electro-technical faculty in Nis and faculty of organizational sciences in Belgrade, but we also plan to support education facilities in Montenegro.

Through the activities of the European Investment Fund, which is part of EIB Group, we help the financing of innovative small and medium size enterprises through our cooperation with local commercial banks. Better living standards in each country is something we contribute to, so we invest in SMEs encouraging the sustainability of employment. As a proof of it, by investing in SMEs for a decade, the EIB Group has helped sustain over 440,000 jobs in the Western Balkans.

Which of your project do you perceive as the symbols of the true devotion of the WB leaders to work together?

— The project we are currently considering for finance is Nis-Merdare highway, and more precisely the first phase of it – Nis-Plocnik. It is a project that will ultimately connect Nis and Tirana through Pristina. It is an important project under the connectivity agenda of the EU. It will help to connect the people living in Serbia with those living in Albania and Kosovo*, facilitating trade and economic exchange. It will also help the construction of Prokuplje bypass, but equally provide for better infrastructure in this part of Serbia contributing to the attractiveness of this region for private investors.

How much from the impetus of the Berlin Process in Vienna, to this day the region became rewired and willing to cooperate? How the events in Vienna and London, will further forge that alliance?

— One of EIB’s priorities is to sup-

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WE ARE ACTIVELY SUPPORTING THE CONNECTIVITY AGENDA SINCE 2014 IN LINE WITH THE AGENDA UNDER THE BERLIN PROCESS port to connectivity agenda. We are actively working on this since 2014 in line with the agenda under the Berlin process. In the last 4 years, close to EUR 600m have been signed by the EIB in support of those projects across the region. We are also channelling a great amount of EU grants in that regard as well.

The latest examples being EUR 73m grant for the electrification and modernisation of a railways line connecting Nis and Dimitrovrad, or EUR 20m for the rehabilitation of a railway line in Montenegro from Bar to Vrbnica, on the border with Serbia. Regional cooperation is critical for further integration process with the EU, and connectivity among the countries in the region will facilitate those processes.

Your study “Smart Cities, Smart Investment in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe” tells a lot about areas in which WBs are particularly weak. What should be the priorities for Serbia to tackle its meagre BDP growth?

— Our study demonstrates that there are infrastructure, produc-

tivity and innovation gaps and obstacles as well as demographic challenges faced by the cities in South-East Europe. The smart city approach uses digitalisation, clean energy and innovative transport technologies to address the challenges that cities face, to allow inhabitants to make more environmentally friendly choices and to boost sustainable economic growth and innovation, while enabling cities to improve their service delivery.

For example in Serbia, we are looking into possibilities of financing environmentally friendly public transport in Belgrade but also to help enable digitalisation in schools across the cities in Serbia.

This shows that the central and local governments in Serbia have recognized some of those priorities and we are working closely with our partners in order to address them.

How much is Serbia ready to switch from attracting SDI in industries with low labour costs and low to medium economic value added?

— Structural reforms are critical for this to happen. They will enable

SUPPORT TO SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZE COMPANIES According to some prominent Serbian think tanks behind the robust industrialisation and export numbers are not just foreign companies but a brand new domestic economy. How much is this part of the economy in your focus?

— Very much so. Support to small and medium size companies is in the core of EIB priorities. Since 2009, the EIB has provided over EUR 2,5bn of financing towards SMEs in the region. In Serbia only, the EIB has help financed projects of SMEs with over EUR 1,5bn sustaining some 270,000 jobs. Furthermore, the EIF has committed some EUR 300m in dozens of transactions in Serbia since 2008, sustaining more than 5,300 SMEs in the country.

This is the prove that we are supporting local entrepreneurs in making their products more competitive in order to gain advantages not only on local and regional markets, but to help them be competitive in the markets of the EU and beyond.

more competition and attractiveness of the country for the private sector investment and development. The Government must look at ways to introduce measures to promote growth, in particular paying attention to further improving the business environment. Progressing the chapter 25 in the EU negotiation process on the rule of law will certainly raise confidence amongst investors. Efforts to reduce NPLs are giving good results, while reforms of state-owned enterprises and financial institutions are very important.

All these reforms should help to improve Serbia’s external credit rating, which will on the other hand help attracting more private capital necessary to further support country’s development and competitiveness, paving the way for the increase of salaries. Investing and supporting innovation and high growth companies will further help these processes. The continuation in building up Serbia’s infrastructure, such as transport, energy and municipal infrastructure, as well as support to financing of SMEs are equally important, and all these sectors are supported

by EIB Group investments.

Some of your most remarkable investments in Serbia are focused on education, science and innovation which are they key for development. How much Serbia use the opportunity to rely on its smart resources?

— Serbia has recognized the importance of investing in these sectors. We have been supporting public sector research and development since 2010. The EIB financed alongside other partners and the Serbian Government completion of Zvezdara Science Park which today hosts some 50 companies and hundreds of engineers. We are helping to complete the construction of a similar technology park in Novi Sad as well as the one in Nis. This will enable these university towns to help promote research and provide better infrastructure for the young scientists.

More links between science and economy are needed and an excellent example of this is the Biosense Institute in Novi Sad, supported also by the Horizon 2020, EU Reasearch and Innovation programme aimed at supporting innovation, alongside EIB financing of the infrastructure. * This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence

www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

13

O UTGO ING INTE R VI E W

A Very Satisfying Tenure This assignment has been very satisfying for me in every respect

H.E. NARINDER CHAUHAN Indian Ambassador to Serbia

During the past several years, we have ventured into new areas and become a credible partner of Serbia. In doing so I have had excellent support at the highest levels from the Serbian government. I wish Serbia all success as we enter the 70th year of diplomatic relations.

The several few years in the office were marked by very dynamic activities both in India and in the Indian Embassy in Serbia. Are you satisfied with the past period?

— It has been a very satisfying tenure for me in every respect.

We have taken several initiatives, implemented all the agreements, resumed the tradition of exchange of high level visits and revived economic and technological collaboration. We have ventured into new areas and become a credible partner of Serbia. Defence related exchanges are on the rise.

The historic visit of Hon’ble Aleksandar Vučić to India provided the opportunity for an extensive discussion in all areas of bilateral cooperation with PM Modi. Another big step was the participation in World Food India 2017 by Serbian agro-companies led by Agriculture Minsiter Branislav Nedimović. Recently, Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić visited India and held bilateral talks with Mrs. Sushma Swaraj, External Affairs Minister and signed a new bilateral agreement on cooperation in the field of Culture, Youth, Sports & Mass Media.

In another positive development, Serbia made Indian company, TAFE,

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a strategic partner in the crucial sector of tractor manufacturing under IMT brand. CG Food India has invested in a noodle factory in Ruma.

India’s Embassy Group has invested USD 20 million in an IT Park in Indijia which has the potential to be developed as IT hub in Serbia.

Serbian company Schneider DMS NS is working in “Smart Cities” projects of Government of India. Serbian defence production companies are partnering with Indian companies. Exchanges in tourism and film sectors are on the rise and at present two Indian films are being shot in Belgrade.

As a result of persistent mutual efforts, bilateral trade has seen year on growth of 40%. Recent visa liberalization on both sides has helped accelerate the process.

of films with film shootings happening both ways. Tagore, Gandhi and Nehru are well known names in Serbia. As a result of increased cultural activities, people in Serbia definitely know India much better today than a few years ago.

How can we implant Indian experiences, like Digital India?

— There are great similarities in Digital India programme and Serbia’s push for digitalization. India can assist Serbia in the field of IT industry, e-Governance including Cloud Computing, IoT, Big Data etc.

India can offer expertise in solving

RECENT VISA LIBERALIZATION ON BOTH SIDES HAS HELPED ACCELERATE THE PROCESS India promoted itself and its culture heavily in Serbia. Do you think that people here know India better?

— Serbia being a pro-India country has always cherished Indian culture including Indian cuisine, Yoga, Ayurveda, films, TV serials, etc. We have been able to successfully consolidate the cultural connection between the two countries through the medium of dance, art, exhibitions, films, etc.

Growing Serbian interest in Indian culture is evident in the institution of a course on Cultural History of India at Belgrade University and permanent exhibition of Chandigarh’s Rock Garden at the Museum of Naive and Marginal Arts.

ICCR Hindi Chair at the University of Novi Sad has contributed to promotion of Hindi in Serbia. There is close collaboration in the field

challenges in start-up ecosystem and technology incubation and provide Serbian companies with market as well as opportunities.

We can share the vision, approach, strategy and management structure needed for developing and evolving e-governance. India can share experiences and technology for smart city projects. Indian institutions can provide training and education in adopting digital technologies for the benefits of digitalization to reach all sections of the Serbian society.

BRICS and SCO are new players.

Are they a new perspective in the economy of the world?

— India‘s active participation in the BRICS and SCO shows our willingness for multilateral cooperative arrangements to solve shared problems and challenges of globalization. BRICS brings together almost 42% of global population, with impressive growth, investment and trade share. While trade and economy have been the foundation of cooperation, the BRICS agenda has considerably widened over the years to encompass global issues such as international terrorism, climate change, food & energy security, economic situation etc. India attaches great importance to its engagement with BRICS. The SCO is an important forum focused on promoting multidisciplinary cooperation on security and economic development related issue in the Eurasian region. As a new member, India attaches special importance to SCO in promoting multilateral, political, security, economic and people-to-people interaction in the region. India has enjoyed long-standing relations with the Central Asia region for thousands of years and we are committed to working with SCO to strengthen our economic and investment ties.

I DON’T FEEL LIKE A FOREIGNER What are you taking with you from Serbia?

— Serbia has left a very positive impression on me. Serbian people are very friendly and hospitable. I don’t feel like a foreigner in Serbia, thanks to cultural similarities and the shared history of our two people. This assignment has been really satisfying for me both professionally and personally.

www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

Your Excellency

Mrs. Chauhan During the past several years, India and Serbia ventured into new areas and become credible partners.

Glotec team wants to thank you for all the effort in bringing our two countries closer and helping us and other companies from Serbia, improving our relations in India.

We wish you all the best in future private and professional life.

This is not "goodbye"! It is "until we meet again"!

Yours sincerely, GLOTEC TEAM

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C O RPO RATE

Banca Intesa

We are Expanding Our Digital Offer I am proud to say that Banca Intesa has long been at the forefront of the banking sector digitalization in Serbia. The next big stop on our digital transformation agenda is the roll-out of a virtual branch whereby a number of physical functions of the brick-and-mortar branch office will be transferred into the virtual sphere

DRAGINJA DJURIĆ President of Banca Intesa Executive Board

Digital banking offer in the market is expanding, ranging from mobile wallets and online loans to digital branches and chat bots. What is particularly important is that we have a strong support system in the government’s efforts to reduce the share of cash in the economy and put in place a solid regulatory framework in line with EU legislation, says Draginja Djurić, President of Banca Intesa Executive Board. This, underpinned by clear digital priorities set by individual banks and increasing online preferences of our customers, gives the Serbian banking sector strong prospects for further improvement and growth in the future.

How would you describe the current level of digitalization in the domestic banking sector?

— The banking landscape in Ser-

bia as we know it is rapidly changing and moving into the digital sphere more and more each day.

Dynamic technological development, global banking trends and evolving customer expectations are making a fundamental impact on how banks conduct their business and compelling them to rethink the viability of their business models. This implies not only to their product and service offering and distribution channels, but also

16

to their operating processes and organizational culture. As a result of such a trend, we have been witnessing a true upsurge in the number of digital transactions over the past couple of years. Banca Intesa is leading the way in this trend with a 30% rise in both the number and volume of digital transactions recorded last year.

Banca Intesa is the leading bank in the market. How are you responding to the requirements of the digital consumer?

— Embracing the digital age as

our strategic imperative, we have made substantial investment into migrating from our legacy to a new core banking platform and we also launched an all-embracing digital transformation program to boost operational efficiency and deliver better customer experience.

As part of this initiative we have recently enabled our retail customers to apply and get cash loans and

online, get support and advice, and communicate with us without visiting the branch, while still being able to experience that much needed personal interaction with the bank.

What will be the next steps in your transformation strategy?

Are you preparing more novelties for your customers?

— It is not true transformation unless branch service model is transformed as well. As customers take more and more transactions to the digital realm, our branch network development strategy will increasingly focus on maintaining physical footprint while taking the role of the branch office to a new level.

For this reason we have launched the branch network transforma-

WE HAVE BEEN WITNESSING A TRUE UPSURGE IN THE NUMBER OF DIGITAL TRANSACTIONS OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. BANCA INTESA IS LEADING THE WAY IN THIS TREND current account overdraft through a fully online end-to-end solution without having to leave their home or office. The next big stop on our digital transformation agenda is the roll-out of a virtual branch whereby a number of physical functions of the brick-and-mortar branch office will be transferred into the virtual sphere. In this way, our customers will be able to bank

tion program that seeks to migrate the largest part of transactions to self-service facilities and digital channels while on the other hand boosting the commercial role of the branch with a clear emphasis on building long-term relations with our customers.

And when it comes to your product offer this year?

— Running a universal business

model with a balanced mix of retail and corporate banking, we have always been delivering market-leading solutions to our customers in both segments and tailoring our products to their specific needs.

In line with this approach, we will continue to put a special emphasis on EU facilities in the corporate segment, targeting small businesses and SMEs as the driving force behind economic growth. Building on the success of the COSME and InnovFin programs offering 360 million and 100 million euros in lending without hard collateral respectively, we are preparing to start a brand new EU support initiative in the form of working capital and investment loans with a longer maturity and relaxed collateral requirements.

On the retail front, we remain committed to innovating our offer in order to best serve our customers in the digital age while also keeping up pace with the needs of clients whose lifestyle requires premium service and the highest level of personalization. Pursuing such a strategy we have recently introduced Visa Infinite - the most prestigious debit card not just in our portfolio, but in the domestic market in general. Given the benefits of this exclusive card, I am confident it will be a welcome addition for all our customers who expect more from their bank.

www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

CO RPO RATE

Henkel Serbia

Commitment to Leadership in Sustainability

Our goal for 2030 is to triple the value we create for the footprint made by our operations, products and services. We refer to this goal as ‘’Factor 3’’

ĐORĐE POPOVIĆ General Manager Laundry and Home Care Henkel Serbia

Henkel is worldwide known for various households brands.

Since our arrival on the Serbian market we have invested more than 200 million euros in market, new factories, regional warehouse and in many projects of modernization and new production technology.

On which foreign markets do you export your production?

— Our products are exported to more than 36 regional, European and global markets from our factories and regional warehouse in Kruševac and we are glad to meet the expectations of more than 70 million satisfied consumers. Additionally, we are supplying Western and Central European markets such as Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Poland and others, as well as central warehouses in Russia and

— The new Somat factory, opened in April this year, represents an investment worth 20 million euros, which provides the opportunity for 50 new job positions. The plant uses the latest technology and it has brought a whole new product to the market - Somat tabs for machine washing with disposable foil. This product is completely new on the world markets and is produced for the first time in Serbia, from where it is distributed on the local, regional, European and global markets.

Which brands of Henkel in the Laundry and Home Care sector enjoy the highest reputation in the market?

— When it comes to Laundry and Home Care business unit in Serbia we have to mention our domestic brands Merix and Mer, as well as global brands Persil, Bref, Somat, K2r, Perwoll and Silan. Our domestic laundry detergent Merix, has received two prestigious recognitions this year - ‘’My choice’’ and ‘’Best of Serbia’’.

These awards are showing us that consumers trust in Merix for more than 30 years. Futhermore, this year our flagbrand Persil has been awarded with Supebrands Serbia recognition. Persil holds first place in sales in the category of universal liquid detergents in Serbia which confirms our aims to constantly deliver premium cleanliness, convenience and innovation to consumers. We are very proud that our brand Bref is highly accepted by our consumers, and leads the sales in category of toilet blocks in Serbian market.

in Serbia to receive ISO 50.001 energy efficiency certificate, as well as the international Gold LEED certificate for leadership in energy design for environmental protection.

However, not only Henkel's plants are focused on reducing environmental footprint, but all our employees are. Two years ago, the program “Sustainability Ambassadors” was launched, inviting all employees to take part and to become a Sustainability ambassador. Now, more than 50.000 employees worldwide have been trained in sustainability topics and educated how to pass their knowledge to children and others. By the end of 2017, ambassadors reached more than 137.000 school children in more than 53 countries, and the Henkel Serbia’s employees are actively participating in this program.

What is for you, after decades of successful business, the next business challenge?

HENKEL IS COMMITED TO BE A RELIABLE PARTNER AND GOOD CITIZEN FOR THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH WE OPERATE Turkey and the countries of Saudi Arabia, USA and many others. After the first five months of 2018 we are on the 13th place on the list of exporters in Serbia and we believe that in future we will have the opportunity to improve this result.

In terms of transfer of new technologies what does it mean to open new Somat factory?

How many new Henkel plants are energy efficient?

— Commitment to leadership in sustainability is anchored in our corporate values. Following Henkel's Sustainabillity Strategy, we have introduced the latest technologies and achieved significant savings in water and energy consumption, as well as waste generation.

Our factory in Kruševac was the first

— Numerous acknowledgements and rewards, both by consumers and among the Henkel company are the best indicators of our successful business strategy for the last 15 years.

Recently Serbian Laundry and Home Care team won in Vienna 3rd place for outstanding achievements and valuable contribution in category Best performing country in the EE region. That is a great motivation for us to be even better. We will continue to invest in our production facilities and inovations, as well as in our employees as one of our core values. As a responsible company, Henkel is commited to be a reliable partner and good citizen for the community in which we operate, believing that business results are complete only in strong and healthy environment.

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C O RPO RATE Audiovox

Will I go Deaf if I Don’t Use Hearing Aids?

The simple answer is „no“. If your hearing is damaged and you decide not to use a hearing aid, then it is highly unlikely that you will go deaf. However, this is definitely not the entire story.

The truth is that, for most people with damaged hearing, this condition is permanent and irreversible and it is rather unrealistic to expect any improvement.

MEMORY RISKS

Neglecting hearing damage affects not only the quality of life, but also the ability of the brain to remember the usual, everyday sounds. When the hearing nerve loses its function and no longer transmits an effective sound to the brain, then, over time, the brain starts to forget the sounds and loses the ability to understand them.

The longer people delay wearing hearing aids, it's more difficult for the brain to adapt to them, and the earlier they start, they have greater chances of success.

DO THIS INITIAL TEST AND CHECK IF YOUR HEARING IS OKAY

- Do you have difficulty listening to a conversation involving more than one person?

- Are you increasing the volume on your TV to understand what they are saying?

- Do you have to ask people to repeat what they said?

- Do you think that people often

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speak too quietly or incomprehensibly?

If you answered at least one question with a YES, then you need to do a professional hearing check as soon as possible!

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO WEAR HEARING AIDS

People with impaired hearing face unpleasant situations on a daily basis, starting with business communication and chatting with their family to being at a store, bank counter, post office, etc., which in the long run, leads to increased tension, fatigue, nervousness, anxiety and stress. There is help and it consists of having a good diagnosis and wearing the appropriate hearing aid.

shows that Oticon OPN increases voice understanding by 30% and reduces effort spent on listening by 20%, while the brain tries to understand speech. As less energy is spent on listening to a conversation, people who use OPN are able to remember 20% more of what is being said.

OPN offers wireless connectivity to smartphones and other iOS and Android devices, as well as the free Oticon OPN App application that can control the sound of devices, programmes and other features via a mobile phone. This device can also be directly connected to the Internet and have very useful additional features.

Telephone conversations no longer pose any difficulty.

OTICON OPN INCREASES VOICE UNDERSTANDING BY 30% AND REDUCES EFFORT SPENT ON LISTENING BY 20%, WHILE THE BRAIN TRIES TO UNDERSTAND SPEECH OTICON OPN – THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY FOR HEARING IMPROVEMENT

Oticon OPN was created in order to support the people who do not hear well and is the first hearing aid designed to function by imitating natural hearing.

People who do not hear well and use this device cannot only hear better and with less effort, but also they can remember more of what is being said. The research

Ear ringing (tinnitus) is hearing a ringing sound in the ear, and the majority of the population has experienced it at some point.

It is usually very unpleasant and persistent. Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom that leads to disturbances of sleep, tiredness, stress, memory problems and concentration. An important feature of OPN is the ability to mask tinnitus and thereby eliminate or reduce it to an acceptable level.

THERE IS NOTHING SHAMEFUL IN WEARING A HEARING AID

Hearing impairment is a widespread phenomenon throughout the world. If you do not hear well, you are not the only one, because it is estimated that every fourth person over the age of 55 has a hearing impairment. The right solution is a modern hearing aid that will enable you to understand your interlocutor, even in the most difficult situations, and help you do your work, lead an active life, use your telephone without an problems, spend more time with your family and friends, help you with shopping and with other activities The vast majority of the people you talk to will not even notice that you are using a hearing aid, but they will immediately notice that you have misunderstood some the said words, or that you have not heard them at all. It can be very uncomfortable if this becomes a regular occurrence.

Now, that we have explained this in more detail, we highly recommend that you act immediately if you suspect that you have a hearing impairment. You can schedule a check up at any of Audiovox’s offices, and, if needed, try on hearing aids so that our professional team and the latest digital hearing aids can help you to hear well again. Also, you can do all of this in the English language too. You can schedule an appointment by calling 011/26-21071. For more information, please go to www.audiovox.rs.

www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

C O RPO RATE

MSA IP – Milojevic, Sekulic and Associates law firm

At the Forefront of Protection of Intellectual Property Rights A law firm from Serbia is successfully protecting Intellectual Property rights across Southeast Europe The region of Southeast Europe is very important for Intellectual Property rights holders, particularly multi-national companies, due to the fact that it represents a large and continuously growing market of, at present, approximately 80 million people.

Moreover, being the “Southeast gate into Europe”, it has become an important port of entry of counterfeit and pirated goods into the EU. As far as Intellectual Property rights are concerned, all countries in the region have, with somewhat success, adjusted their laws and regulations to fall in line with equivalent EU laws and regulations. The governments are constantly increasing their efforts to improve the environment for the successful protection of Intellectual Property rights through more consistency and greater speed in the work of the Courts, and by also involving customs and other authorities in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy.

MSA IP – Milojevic, Sekulic and Associates is a boutique law firm which specializes in prosecution and litigation of trademarks, patents, designs and other Intellectual Property rights, as well as enforcement in the region of Southeast Europe. From its head office in Belgrade, Serbia, MSA IP directs and coordinates the work of its local offices in nine countries in the region, as well as the work of its associated firms in other neighboring countries.

The firm was established in March 2012 by a group of professionals, led by Milan Milojevic and Vuk Sekulic, who had previously worked together in a well-established regional IP firm. The essen-

tial idea behind the establishment of MSA IP was to strive in providing clients with the best possible service, on one hand by providing a more motivating working environment for smart, talented lawyers and paralegals, and, on the other hand, by being highly proactive in working alongside clients to better understand their needs and to offer the best possible solutions in a complex and constantly changing environment. The firm’s founders further stress that their wish was to focus on legal work, namely, in the words of Mr. Milojevic, to do “more litigation, more enforcement, more anti-counterfeiting work”.

In its relatively short lifespan, MSA IP has grown significantly and today represents one of the major players on the regional IP

scene. The firm’s many clients include leading international companies from various sectors, including luxury goods, automotive, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, to name just a few.

MSA IP has received phenomenal market feedback; the reputable World Trademark Review 1000 research directory praised MSA IP as having „(f)ormidable insight into the idiosyncrasies of the local trademark system“ which „results in premium, bespoke solutions to clients’ problems“.

MSA IP takes pride in its team of local attorneys and trademark agents across the region, who possess an in-depth knowledge of local Intellectual Property laws and procedures, and are backed by an experienced team of administrative

MSA IP IS ALSO INVESTING SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS IN EDUCATION OF AUTHORITIES WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

staff, which enables a quick and expert response to its clients’ needs.

With new times come new challenges. Enabled by technology, the continued yearly growth in online shopping has been fueled by a new generation of consumers who want greater convenience, value and options. For holders of Intellectual Property rights, this trend poses a great challenge. The digital world is filled with various ways for counterfeiters to attack well-known brands and turn a profit for themselves, all while under the cloak of anonymity. Online marketplaces, social media, rogue websites, fraudulent mobile apps, the “Dark Web” – they all foster a world of ways to process illicit sales, providing counterfeiters with more tools at their disposal than ever before. MSA IP has adapted its activities to successfully face this challenge and in the last few years has developed a program that includes monitoring of all major local online marketplaces and other web platforms, sending take-down notices and organizing desktop investigations to find clues in the online world which would lead to counterfeiters who operate in real world.

MSA IP is also investing significant efforts in education of authorities who are in charge of protection of Intellectual Property rights.

In addition to organizing and participating in trainings for customs officers across the region, the firm has recently helped MARQUES, the European association representing the interests of brand owners, to organize the first meeting with judges and other trade mark experts in Serbia, which took place on 31 May 2018 at the Office for Intellectual Property.

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CA N S H A RE , WO N ’ T S H A RE

Why Japan’s Sharing Economy is Tiny Hotel rooms are in short supply yet regulations hamper Airbnb and other sharing platforms

AIRBNB, an American platform for booking stays in other people’s houses, can barely conceal its frustration. A law passed last year for the first time legalised minpaku, or home-sharing, in Japan, but also sharply restricted it. From June 15th hosts can rent out their property for a maximum of 180 days each year, provided they register with the local authorities. Most hosts will not meet that deadline because they are still obtaining their registration numbers, and on June 1st Japan’s main tourism body unexpectedly decreed that any without them had to cancel reservations at once. Airbnb accordingly eliminated four-fifths of its roughly 60,000 listings in Japan. Holidays are at risk.

The experience illustrates the country’s hesitant approach to the sharing economy, in which people rent goods and services from one another through internet platforms (a broader definition includes companies renting out goods they own, such as bikes, for a short time). A generous estimate of the sharing’s economy value in Japan is just ¥1.2trn yen ($11bn), compared with $229bn for China. “It’s a very difficult situation,” says Yuji Ueda of Japan’s Sharing Economy Association.

Opportunities certainly abound. Almost 29m tourists visited Japan last year; the goal is to attract 40m by 2020, when Tokyo hosts the Olympics. But the number of hotel rooms is not keeping up with demand. Japan’s government reckons that sharing could also help it to provide public services such as transport, especially in rural areas, as it struggles with a declining and ageing population.

Successes do exist. There are thriving platforms to share meeting rooms, office space and parking spots. One popular site is Laxus, which lets cash-poor city dwellers share designer handbags. Airbnb’s own offering of “experience sharing”, in which people sell and buy experiences such as city tours and cooking classes, is more successful in Japan than almost anywhere else, says Mike Orgill, its head of policy in Asia, as foreigners in particular seek a window into the country.

Yet regulation, which tends to favour big companies and industries, is a key obstacle to faster and more mainstream growth. The minpaku law’s 180-day limit, which local authorities have the right to tighten further, is a nod to powerful hotel chains. Shinjuku, a ward in Tokyo that is popular with visitors, is banning home-owners in residential areas from renting out their homes from Mondays to Thursdays.

20

Uber, a ride-hailing firm, is prevented from offering anything but its premium services, such as black cars with professional drivers, thanks in large part to the objections of established taxi fleets. There are ways to get round it—a local ride-sharing app, Notteco, has avoided the regulations by getting passengers to pay for petrol and tolls rather than a fee for transport, for example. But the rules hinder growth.

THE EXPERIENCE ILLUSTRATES THE COUNTRY’S HESITANT APPROACH TO THE SHARING ECONOMY Another hurdle is the attitude of the Japanese public. Many people are simply ignorant of the existence of sharing apps. Others reckon they may be illegal. “Public anxiety is the main factor impeding the development of the sharing economy,” thinks Yusuke Takada of the government’s Sharing Economy Promotion Office. Another barrier is social custom. Chika Tsunoba, the head of Anytimes, a local platform where users share skills from gardening to baby-sit-

ting, says women in particular feel they should be doing everything themselves, pointing to criticism she attracted after hiring a cleaner through the site. Mr Ueda says the Japanese fret that sharing platforms will not provide the high level of service they are accustomed to. Because of this, the Sharing Economy Association has developed a “trust mark” to give consumers more confidence.

International firms are also adapting their tactics. Airbnb is “partnering with areas that don’t get as much love as they might like,” says Mr Orgill. It worked with the authorities and locals in Kamaishi, on the north-east coast, to attract tourists, even creating a local guidebook. As for Uber, helping established firms is not something the firm does anywhere else, notes Ann Lavin, who heads policy in Asia-Pacific for the firm, but it is piloting a ride-hailing programme for local taxis on the remote island of Awaji, near the city of Kobe. This caring, sharing approach may pay off, but it will take more time.

From The Economist, published under licence.

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

www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

CO RPO RATE

Pharma Group

Text: MINA VUČIĆ

We Design Your Business

Pharma Group- Your reliable partner in investment project implementation Pharma Group Ltd. is a leading engineering company specializing in design and construction of industrial facilities, including pharmaceutical plants, and medical institutions, delivering turn-key solutions in compliance with European and Russian standards (GMP, FDA, WHO, ISO) The general director of the company Vladan Vucic is proud to announce the companies 11 successful years on the pharmaceutical market, saying “Our client’s satisfactory outlooks and positive impressions are a leading objective to stay on “top of the

game”. The company additionally follows all services in full compliance with the EU requirements.

The head of the pharmaceutical company adds - “Pharma Group owns three very important factors. We are process-oriented and technology-focused. We are a team of professionals, and we are ready to provide a complete cycle: from design to production.”

Pharma Group Ltd. has a long standing history of successful constructions, performing general designer and contractor functions with all necessary licenses and permits for design and construction. The company’s project

management is executed by highly qualified specialists with experience in industrial facilities implementation, as well as project activities, development of conceptual design, preparation of basic, detail, and as-built documentation.

PG is well known in the region for performing full construction work scope on a turn-key basis, from preconstruction stage to facility commissioning, liaising with authorities, and obtaining all necessary documentation and permits.

It’s additional work scope lies within the delivery and installation of clean rooms, clean environments,

implementation phases.

Some of the company’s greatest works include Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, with the building area of 23400m2, as well as the successful monopoly of a Russian Hospital chain “Мать и Дитя” (Mother and child), built for intensive care, obstetrics and out-patient care. The company’s current workload lies within these multifunctional medical centers, constructing in Tyumen, Kazan, and Moscow, with a recently finished object in Samara, built for World Cup purposes. www.pharmagroup.ru

PHARMA GROUP IS THE WINNER OF THE GLOBAL TAKEDA AWARD 2012 FOR THE MOST SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTED PROJECT AROUND THE WORLD process and laboratory equipment, HVAC systems, high and low current systems, automation and dispatch systems (BMS), etc. During the decade of their history, they have assembled more than 27000m2 of clean rooms for various clients.

Russia holds numerous large premises that have been designed and built by Pharma Group through the “turn-key” production concept.

Out of six turnkey pharmaceutical projects in Russia, for the worldwide renowned pharmaceutical manufacturers, the company successfully implemented four of them, including Takeda, Berlin-Chemie, AstraZeneca, Teva, Nycomed, Valenta and many more.

The base office is situated in Moscow, with over 700 people employed. The company additionally has its own project management team, with over 40 engineers, as well as a trained and experienced work force with foremen for different types of construction and installation works. By integrating various teams inside one company, Pharma Group ensures minimizing of risks across all planning and

CLIENTS FIRST ”During the period of service, the Unicredit Bank did not have any complaints.

Pharma Group proved itself as a reliable partner, in timely and properly performing all contract obligations” Unicredit Bank, Moscow Throughout the full duration of this complex project LLC Pharma Group has proven to be the right choice, by demonstrating a high degree of flexibility to multiple required operational changes...”.

Clement Matthys, Nycomed “We would like to additionally mention the added value of LLC Pharma Group, its focus on further projects and successful growth- as evidenced by the proffesional execution of turn-key projects for other companies in the pharmaceutical engineering business“.

Dr. Hans-Jorg Kilian, Berlin-Chemie Menarini

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I NTERVIEW

High Standard is Priority In 2018, the Radio and Television of Serbia (RTS) had over 100 most watched broadcasting days, as it continues to provide viewers with the highest quality programming and be the place they can always return to search for content of all genres

DUŠKA VUČINIĆ Head of Press and Public Relations at RTS

In the year in which Radio and Television of Serbia celebrates its 60th anniversary, the broadcaster has launched TV and radio platform of the future called RTS Planet. RTS will continue to progress through the development of OTT services, which are taking primacy over traditional television in many countries around the world. We are talking with Duška Vučinić, the head of press and public relations at the RTS, about the new platform, further digital development, financing and the quality

of the programme, as well as about one of the RTS’ trademarks –the Eurovision song contest broadcast.

RTS has recently launched a mobile phone app. How popular is this app? Did this new way of receiving content change the structure of viewers in terms of their age?

— In the year in which Radio and Television of Serbia celebrates its 60th anniversary, the broadcaster has launched TV and radio platform of the future called RTS Planet. This online multimedia platform shows a new world that is viewed and listened to via desktop computers, tablets or mobile phones. There are 11 television and 4 radio channels of Radio-Television of Serbia available on this online multimedia platform - RTS

1, RTS 2, RTS 3, RTS World, and RTS HD, as well as specialized channels - RTS Life, RTS Drama, RTS Kolo, RTS Music, RTS Treasury and RTS Poletarac, plus Radio Belgrade 1, Radio Belgrade 2, Radio Belgrade 3 and Radio Belgrade 202.

The RTS archive is a segment that makes RTS Planet extra special, as it comprises of an extremely valuable television and radio footage that will be accessible to everyone. RTS Planet's popularity

RTS programmes and platforms, which suggests to us that viewers are always on a lookout for quality content, and we just need to find a way to get it to them.

What are further stages in the digital development of the public media service?

— RTS will continue to progress through the development of OTT services, which are taking primacy over traditional television in many

WE HAVE SET PROGRAMMING STANDARDS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO REACH FOR OTHER TELEVISIONS is growing daily, and in just several months after its activation, the platform has managed to have over 150,000 users. The World Cup in football is broadcast via our online platform for the first time in Serbia. In addition to several thousand people who watch every live game, viewers can also use the Catch-Up feature, which allows them to watch content 72 hours after it was aired. An increasing number of young people follow

countries around the world. The 21st century television and radio is our goal which we have already started to realize. We believe that we will continue to successfully work in that direction.

What kind of reception did the RTS’ new cultural programming got and how popular are cultural channels?

— Out of all TV broadcasters which use national frequency, the RTS

RTS PLANET IS THE FUTURE OF TV AND RADIO Since its launch, the RTS' OTT platform – RTS Planet – has had over 150,000 registered users. They are given the opportunity to watch RTS and listen to Radio Belgrade live or with a 72-hour-delay, as well as have access to TV and radio programme archives. RTS Planet contains some of the oldest songs sang by music stars from the beginning of the 20th century (from 1904 and 1920) that were given to Radio Belgrade for safe keeping. These are folk songs, or rather the oldest

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songs recorded on phonograms and other sound platforms. In terms of video-content distribution, RTS Planet has no intermediaries so the content reaches our audience directly and is available to all online users worldwide. This means that there is no waiting time or technical limitations in terms of the number of people who can watch or listen to our programmes, both in Serbia and abroad. At this moment, they can access the content via their PCs, tablets and smartphones.

www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

CORPORATE Medic Booker

programmes are the only ones that broadcast the content of all genres, as prescribed by the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media. Thanks to the quality of our domestic feature films, as well as domestic and foreign documentary programmes, we are setting new goals and tasks for ourselves. The RTS' Channel 2 is brimming with such content, and the figures show that RTS 2 is now more popular than ever before thanks to airing globally popular series, and children, science and

tinue to provide viewers with the highest quality programming and be the place they can always return to search for content of all genres.

RELAXED & HEALTHY

Your trusted companion in health & medical tourism

Does the current financing method enable you to cover production costs?

— It takes a lot of money to produce a quality programme. Although the RTS has a significantly lower annual budget compared to public broadcasters in neighbouring countries, our Channel 1 is the

Deana A. Stanković, CEO & Founder

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RTS WILL CONTINUE TO PROGRESS THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF OTT SERVICES, WHICH ARE TAKING PRIMACY OVER TRADITIONAL TELEVISION IN MANY COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD education programmes. Our Channel 3 broadcasts only culture and art-related content.

Who are your competitors in terms of programming and viewing figures?

— We have set programming standards that are difficult to reach for other televisions. For years, Radio and Television of Serbia has had no competitors. Last year, we achieved the best results in terms of viewing ratings in Serbia – out of 364 days in 2017, the RTS Channel 1 was the most watched channel for unbelievable 359 days.

This year, we have already had over 100 days of having the most popular programmes. We will con-

most viewed channel by far. Last year, we managed to produce three times more in-house programming than a year earlier, and this year, we are continuing at the same pace.

The RTS is the only television station that has staff and equipment needed to broadcast global political events - from the OSCE session to the China + 16 Summit.

Although broadcasting sports events is very expensive, we are able to provide this for our viewers, plus we have the exclusive right to broadcast events such as Eurovision Song Contest and Junior Eurovision song contest, along with the top quality series of high standard of production.

Our connections with the most esteemed medical institutions, beauty centers, hotels and other tourist service providers, along with a tourism organization license, which are held by Serbika Health DDO, we have made it possible for MedicBooker to become a mediator in scheduling medical services and organizing additional, individually designed travel arrangements.

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By having Their travel packages personally organized, our clients will not only get to enjoy all the privileges of an all-inclusive medical service provider, but also gain access to the finest accomodations available. Our team of experienced experts is here to make sure your travel arrangements are created in sync with Your wishes and financial means. www.medicbooker.com

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PEO PLE & EVENT S

06 GERMAN JUN

SOMMERFEST PARTY

H.E. Axel Dittmann with his spouse

On the 7th of June, the traditional Sommerfest Party (Summer Fest Party) was held in the Residence of German Embassy in Belgrade, on the lawn of the magnificent building in the best summer manner. Attended

H.E. Isabela Cristina de Azevedo Heyvaert, Ambassador of Brazil

by many dignitaries, politicians and business people, the Fest was opened by H.E. Axel Dittmann, German Ambassador to Serbia, who greeted the guests who enjoyed excellent food, beer and wines from Germany.

H.E. Branislav Mićunović, Ambassador of Montenegro

08 MOJA KRAVICA JUN

FOOD TALK 2018

Food conference "Moja Kravica Food Talk held in hotel Sheraton Novi Sad, and was opened by Ivan Djoković, Vojvodinian Deputy PM and the Provincial Secretary for Economy and Tourism. Tanja Miščević, the Head of Serbia's Negotiating Team with EU and Israeli Ambassador H.E. Alona Fischer Kam, Member of the City Council Milorad Radojević, also opened the conference.

Attendees experienced the stories about food and wine, as well as gastronomic specialties. The conference was supported by: Provincial Secretariat for Economy and Tourism, Provincial Secretariat for Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry, City of Novi Sad – City Administration for Economy and Tourism, Imlek Company and brand “Moja Kravica”, hotel Sheraton Novi Sad, Winery Kovačević, Cluster ” Vojvođanski dućan”, Vizba Valadovo Winery from Macedonia, Association Bač in the heart of Bačka.

H.E. Robert Leigh Turner, Ambassador of the UK to Austria and Wolfgang Sobotka, President of the Assembly of the Republic of Austria

Lukas Wiesboeck, Press and Public Affairs Officer and H.E. Robert Leigh Turner

13 QUEEN´S BIRTHDAY RECEPTION JUN

Tanja Miščević

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Ivan Djoković

IN VIENNA

On Wednesday, June 13th, at the residence of the British Ambassador in Vienna, a reception was held on the occasion of the celebration of the 92nd birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. The reception was attended by a large number of representatives of the diplomatic establishment in Vienna, and Austrian officials celebrated the Queen's birthday with Wolfgang Sobotka, President of the Austrian Parliament, as well as Finance Secretary Hubert Fuchs, US Ambassador Trevor Traina, German Ambassador Johannes Haindl, Yukiya Amano the International Atomic Energy Agency with headquarters in Vienna, university rectors Heinz Engl and Eva Blimlinger, as well as Danielle Spera, director of the Jewish museum in Vienna, accompanied by wife Martin Engelberg who leads the Austrian-British friendship group in parliament.

The extension of now international coverage of “Diplomacy&Commerce” magazine, DC Austria, was announced for the November this year, after a succesful launch in Croatia and more than two years in Serbia.

www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

14 QUEEN ELIZABETH II'S BIRTHDAY JUN

CELEBRATED IN BELGRADE

The official 92th birthday of British Queen Elizabeth II was celebrated on June 14 by a solemn reception at the residence of the British Embassy in Belgrade. Hosts of the celebration, the British ambassador to Serbia, H. E. Denis Keefe and his wife Kate, hosted a large number of guests from Serbia and the world. This year's celebration was marked by the Summit for the Western Balkans, held in London from 9 to 10 July, and British music was promoted at the celebration. After the toast “Long live the President of Serbia, long live the Queen!” by ambassador, the guests started the garden party.

H.E. Alexander Chepurin and H.E. Denis Keefe H.E. Denis Keefe

14 CHEPURIN GAVE BRITISH AMBASSADOR JUN

Jasna Jovanov, Director of the Pavle Beljanski Memorial Collection, H.E. Kyle Randolph Scott, US Ambasador and H.E. Denis Keefe

17 DANIEL BERG JUN

FAREWELL PARTY

THE WORLD CUP CAP!

Relations between the UK and Russia a few months ago probably fell to the lowest point since the end of the Cold War. The cause, of course, was the "Salisburry affair" with the poisoning of former Russian Sergei Skripal and his daughter and the subsequent mutual expulsion of a number of diplomats between the UK and its allies and Russia. The detente in of relations came in the spirit of the World Football Championship in Russia – it is obvious by the fact that the reception on the occasion of the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II at the residence of the British ambassador - was also attended by Russian Ambassador H.E. Alexander Chepurin. On that occasion, Chepurin gave his British counterpart H.E. Denis Keefe a cap with a World Cup logo. In recent months, Russian Ambassador has avoided the receptions hosted by embassies of Western countries, and this is his first such appearance this year.

Daniel Berg, director of the EBRD, who was very active in his business and diplomatic community with his wife Diane, left the EBRD and started a new job.

The farewell cocktail party was organised by Karla Robin

Hershey and Stephen Ndegwa at Bistro Bien in a casual atmosphere, and the party was attended by many high profile guests from economic and political life of Serbia.

Berg was very popular because of his cheerful spirit.

Daniel Berg and Karla Robin HERSHEY, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Serbia

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PEO PLE & EVENT S

20 INDIAN AMBASSADOR JUN

LEAVES AFTER 5 YEARS

H.E. Narinder Chauhan, the ambassador of India in Belgrade, who has been in office since July 2013, has her five years' mandate expired.

On this occasion, in her residence in the Serbian capital, she organised a cocktail for representatives of the media, diplomatic corps and the Serbian business and political scene with whom she had worked greatly over the past half of the decade. This lovely and affectionate lady was one of the favourite diplomats in Serbia, and during her mandate, she tried to maintain excellent friendly and business relations between the two countries.

H.E. Philippe Gérald Guex, Swiss Ambassador and Andrea Dramićanin

H.E. Sem Fabrizi, Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia and H.E. Narinder Chauhan

21 THE EMBASSY OF SWITZERLAND JUN

SUPPORTS THE YOUNG SERBIAN TALENTS

The exhibition of works by five Serbian visual artists of the youngest generation was opened at the residence of the Ambassador of Switzerland to Belgrade. Their vision of the topic "Private Value" was given

by Nebojša Adamović, Kristina Bajilo, Andrea Dramićanin, Nadežda Kirčanski and Jelena Pantelić. They are the finalists selected at the competition with the same name announced by the Embassy of Switzerland with the idea to provide support to young Serbian talents. At the opening, the winner of the competition - Andrea Dramićanin, who received a € 2,000 cash prize from the embassy, was declared as a support for further work.

20 27th ANNIVERSARY JUN

OF THE STATEHOOD OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA

H.E. Vladimir Gasparič

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The Embassy of Slovenia marked the 27th anniversary of the Statehood with a solemn reception at the Metropol Palace Hotel. The celebration was attended by several hundred officials, including representatives of political and diplomatic corps, church dignitaries, as well as a large number of guests from Serbian public and

cultural life. The ambassadors of the Republic of Slovenia in Serbia addressed H.E.Vladimir Gasparič, said that Slovenia is proud that it has achieved its initiative that the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York on 17 November last year adopted a resolution promulgated on May 20 as World Bee Day.

H.E. Philippe Gérald Guex, Swiss Ambassador, H.E. Augusto José Pestana Saraiva Peixoto, Ambassador of Portugal and H.E. Carlo Lo Cascio, Ambassador of Italy

www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

21 CROATIAN JUN

STATEHOOD DAY

In commemoration of the Constitutional Decision on Independence and Sovereignty, which the Parliament passed on June 25, 1991, which began the process of separating Croatia from Yugoslavia, the Republic of Croatia celebrated that day as the Statehood Day. At the

Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belgrade there was a reception with more than a hundred officials from Serbia's political, economic, military, religious, scientific, cultural and public life, as well as representatives of institutions and associations of the Croatian National Minority in Serbia

H.E. Gordan Bakota with his wife and H.E. Marco Antonio García Blanco, Ambassador of Mexico with his wife

Gordana Predić, State Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Information and Srđan Šaper, founder of McCann Erickson Belgrade and I&F McCann Group

22 EIB GATHERS THE PM AND JUN

"DISOBEDIENT" MINISTER!

Celebration of the 60th birthday of the European Investment Bank, which was held in the Yugoslav Cinotheque, one of the premises financed by the EIB's reconstruction - attracted a great number of business, diplomacy and public officials. Dubravka Nègre, EIB Director for the Western Balkans was visited by the PM Ana Brnabić, surprisingly accompanied by Minister Nenad Popović, who is known for his pro-Russian stance but also for frequent disagreements with the Prime Minister - such as those related to LGBT-promoting picture books.

H. E. Ambassador Mohammed Amin Belhaj

Dubravka Nègre

24 AFRO JUN

Nenad Popović, Minister of Innovation and Technological Development, PM Ana Brnabić, H.E. Sem Fabrizi, Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia

FESTIVAL

The 21st Afro Festival was held last weekend at the Museum of African Art. During the two days of the programme, with the support of the African Diplomatic Community in Belgrade, African music, dance, art and crafts were celebrated in this museum. Especially arranged stands with handicrafts, fabrics, jewellery, and gastronomic specialties, have presented to many visitors the cultural treasury of Africa. The Honorary Guest of the Festival this year was Morocco. H.E. Ambassador Mohammed Amin Belhaj, on behalf of Morocco, presented to the Museum an extremely valuable exhibit - a traditionally handmade saddle of eighty years old, pointing out that the Museum of African Art presents the "House of Africa" in Belgrade in the best possible way with its programmes and activities.

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PEO PLE & EVENT S

26 CANADA JUN

DAY

Ambassador of Canada to Serbia Kati Csaba hosted a reception at the Canadian embassy’s residence in Belgrade on the occasion of Canada Day and marking the 151st anniversary of the country's existence. H.E. Kati Csaba said she is grateful for the friendship and support she has

Hom Parviz, General manager of the Hotel Hyatt Belgrade and H.E. Frederic Mondoloni, French Ambassador

received from so many people during the past year, which marked the first year of her term in Belgrade. The reception was attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps, religious communities, guests from the political, business, cultural and public life.

H.E. Radko Todorov Vlaykov, Ambassador of Bulgaria and H.E. Kati Csaba with spouse

28 THE TRADITIONAL "EVENING OF JUN

TUNISIA" HELD IN BELGRADE

Ambassador of Tunisia in Serbia, H. E. Seyf Allah Reyeb, hosted the traditional "Evening of Tunisia" in the Belgrade hotel "Hyatt". Representatives of Serbia's public, political and cultural life and the diplomatic corps showed the opportunity to enjoy the tastes of the national cuisine, the sounds of Tunisian music and the fashion show hosted by the hosts.

H.E. Nikolaus Lutterotti, Ambassador of Austria with his guests

H.E. Seyf Allah Reyeb

02 AUSTRIAN EU JUL

PRESIDENCY COCKTAIL

On Sunday, July 1st, Austria took over the semi-annual EU presidency. For the third time, after 1998 and 2006, Austria will preside over the EU, this time under the motto "Europe that protects", with migrations and EU security and competitiveness issues as main priorities, as well as with the theme of further convergence of the WB countries. On this occasion in Belgrade, a formal reception was held during which the guests from the political, public and cultural life of Serbia congratulated the representatives of the Austrian diplomatic corps in Belgrade on this important task entrusted to their country by the EU.

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www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs

02 EGYPTIAN JUL

FILM WEEK

Egypt has continued its rich cultural diplomacy with the Egyptian Film Week which this country organised in July in Belgrade. On this occasion, the ceremonial Opening night of the Egyptian Film Week took place on July 2nd 2018 at 7:00 p.m. at Yugoslav Kinoteka. This was a part of the Egyptian Cultural month, July 2018 and it was hosted by H. E. Amr Aljowally, the Egyptian Ambassador to Serbia, who greeted the guests.

H. E. Abdelhamid Chebchoub

05 ALGERIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY JUL

H.E. Hossein Molla Abdollahi, Ambassador of Iran, Ms. Randa Ben Ammar, Embassy of Tunis, Ali Mohammedi Ali Galaly, Charge d'affaires of Iraq ,Mufti of Belgrade ,H.E. Amr Aljowaily, Ambassador of Egypt, H.E. Mohammed K.M. Nabhan, Ambassador of Palestine,H.E. Mr. Seyf Allah Reyeb, Ambassador of Tunisia,H.E. Abdelhamid Chebchoub, Ambassador of Algeria and Moneer Abou Qrein, Charge d'affaires of Libya

03 US EMBASSY JUL

CELEBRATED THE INDEPENDENCE DAY

H. E. Kyle Scott

CELEBRATION

On the occasion of the 56th anniversary of the independence of the People's Republic of Algeria , Ambassador Algeria, H. E. Abdelhamid Chebchoub, held a formal reception in his residence in memory of the day when, on July 5, 1962, the fighters of the Algerian Revolution won the victory.

The anti-colonial struggle of the Algerian people - the Algerian War of Independence - is considered one of the greatest events in the history of the 20th century. This struggle has influenced the liberation of many colonised African countries, and in essence reversed the course of Africa's history.

The US Embassy in Belgrade celebrated its Independence Day and on that occasion, US Ambassador H. E. Kyle Scott hosted a reception at the Embassy Residence in Dedinje. Traditionally, the yard of the residence was decorated with American colours and motifs of American culture. The reception was attended by numerous representatives of the diplomatic corps,

Ivica Dačić, Minister, Maja Gojković, President of the National Assembly, PM Ana Brnabić, Zoran Djordjević, Minister and Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia

Minister Zorana Mihajlović with his husband and Ambassador Scott with his spouse

public, cultural and political scene of Serbia. Apart from President Aleksandar Vučić, PM Ana Brnabić, many ministers, Mayor of Belgrade Zoran Radojičić, Patriarch Irinej and representatives of other religious communities, among the guests were also representatives of the opposition: Vuk Jeremić with his wife Nataša, Dragan Šutanovac, Saša Radulović, Čedomir Jovanović...

Alexander Jung, Permanent Deputy of the German Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Axel Dittmann , German Ambassador with his spouse and H.E.Kyle Scott with spouse Nevena

Minister, Jadranka Joksimović, Kyle and Nevena Scott

Zoran Radojičić, Mayor of Belgrade and Ambassador with his spouse

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B USINESS NEWS PEOPLE IN SERBIA RECOGNISE SIGNIFICANCE OF HEALTHIER DIET

TRADITIONAL 12TH JUNE GATHERING OF MANAGERS HELD More than 200 managers, business leaders from Serbia and special guests from the region met at the annual June Gathering of the Serbian Association of Managers who welcomed the most prominent guests from the business community, government institutions and representatives of the diplomatic corps and regional associations of managers.

This year’s event was marked by a retrospective of activities executed in the first half of the year and an announcement of events and activities expecting managers and the wider social community by the end of the year. “In the first half of the year, we executed numerous activities for our members, worked on professional development of managers and entrepreneurs, realised the third round of the

mentor program for young members, but we are not planning to stop there, noted Stanka Pejanović, President of SAM. “Today, SAM is an organisation with more than 400 members, successful and responsible managers, who, in addition to continuous efforts invested in professional development and improvement of their business operations, also aim to provide their contribution to the social community and support young managers and generations to come,” underlined Jelena Bulatović, SAM Executive Director.

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE OUR FUTURE

Miodrag Kostić, President of the MK Group, talked with twenty students and their mentors, young managers within the AmChamps mentoring programme of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham).

Kostić, who leads one of the most successful companies in Serbia and the region, spoke about his beginnings, challenges, and also gave tips for achieving business success and starting his own business. Speaking about the importance of regional and economic integration, Kostić told students that working in a business requires the

creation of a strong system with further ambitions for expansion and growth. With its growth, the company also enables the growth of the communities in which it operates. He pointed out that perseverance, resourcefulness and decisiveness are the qualities that are valued in every business and which ultimately lead to good results, regardless of the industry in question. "Be persistent and persistent in your intentions. The fact that you are in this program means that you recognise the importance of continuous learning, that there are no frameworks for you and you can build your future" Kostić said. The president of MK Group pointed out that programmes like this are necessary because they are oriented towards young people who are "a priority in every successful company because of their driving energy and new ideas.

BANCA INTESA INTRODUCED THE VISA INFINITE DEBIT CARD OFFER Banca Intesa, in cooperation with Visa, introduced Visa Infinite premium debit card, the most exclusive payment card in the Serbian market and one of the most prestigious in the world.

Banca Intesa Visa Infinite Card was created to respond to the needs of the most demanding clients providing a range of special benefits, privileged treatment and personalised top-level services.

Among them, the personal concierge service is especially distinguished for users of the card 24 hours a day as assistance in organising trips, booking accommodation in luxury hotels and tickets for the most sought-after cultural and sporting events,

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as well as in providing access to shops outside of working hours. Banca Intesa Visa Infinite Card is intended for users who spend a lot of time on travel, having in mind that free of charge allows them unrestricted access to VIP lounges at airports around the world, the use of "fast lane" and fast check in, global travel insurance for the whole family, special facilities in the most elite hotels around the world, as well as cover for sudden travel costs. .

Last year only, Delhaize Serbia donated more than 1,000 tons of fresh fruit and vegetables to various charities and 180,000 non-food products to the Red Cross of Belgrade. It also managed to influence higher awareness regarding the significance of healthier diet, since healthier products accounted for as much as 38 percent of total private brand sales. The fact that the company with consumers recycled more than nine tons of waste confirms that care for the living environment is equally important. In an atmosphere of an authentic Belgrade oasis – Botanical Garden “Jevremovac”, Delhaize Serbia presented its sustainable business results for last year. Upon the occasion, the company representatives highlighted the importance of sustainable business as an integral part of day-to-day operations, adding that care for the society and environment is the obligation of all companies, as well as individuals. “Good initiatives and adequate goals are always recognised and supported, as confirmed by the fact that last year our customers realised the importance of healthier diet.” said Quentin Royer, Chief Operations Manager of Delhaize Serbia.

QUICKLY AND EASILY TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL HELP

Generali Insurance Serbia presents a novelty in the domestic insurance market - a free-of-charge call and a chat from abroad in case of need for emergency medical assistance. Clients who purchase travel insurance, from June 1st, can contact the duty assistant center free of charge via a mobile application Generali Serbia available in the App and the Google Play Store. There are two options available: chat and call. Only a WiFi network is required for free communication with an assistant. Generali Insurance Serbia always strives to develop its services and provides its customers with even better service. The cost of a roaming call can sometimes be higher than the cost of the client's own intervention during the stay abroad. In order to provide the client with the most favourable service, we have created options for free calls and chats when registering travel insurance damage while staying abroad.

"- said Vladimir Milosavljević, Director of the Population Directorate and announced further development of this functionality for other types of insurance.

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JTI SUPPORTS THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF REDUCTION OF EXCISE TAXES ON CIGARETTES Income from excise duties on tobacco products in Montenegro in the first four months of 2018 decreased by 25.6 percent, while Bosnia-Herzegovina lost 770 million euros of tax revenue from 2010 to date. Such losses are caused by an aggressive increase in excise and the growth of illegal trade. "In order to stop the growth of the black market, it is necessary to revise the excise calendar in both countries. We welcome the statements of the Minister of Finance of Montenegro that the excise policy will be re-examined. We hope that the amount of excise will be repaid in the period from December 2017. We also strongly support the recommendations of the Experts of the Indirect Taxation Authority of BiH who have recommended a three-year moratorium on increasing excise on tobacco" said Goran Pekez, director of corporate affairs and communications at the company JTI for the Western Balkans. The JTI welcomes the good practice of adopting excise calendars that gradually change the tax burden, such as Serbia, Macedonia, AP Kosovo and Albania.

THESE ARE THE REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD CALL SKYLINE BELGRADE YOUR HOME! If you are after a new property and would like to find a home in Belgrade, a new oneof-a-kind residential-business complex is being constructed in Kneza Miloša Street bearing the name “Skyline Belgrade”. Before visiting our sales office, read about the reasons why “Skyline Belgrade” will, without a doubt, become one of the most desirable places to live in Belgrade. Your partner in making this life-changing decision will be the renowned investor “AFI Europe”, known for the first and the only business park in the city - “Airport City Belgrade” and the unique downtown condominium - “Central Garden”. “AFI Europe” has been present on our market for years and is synonymous with quality, responsibility and dedication. The premium quality of finishes and furnishings, central waste disposal system, the largest closed pri-

vate pool in Belgrade, gym and wellness, multi-level underground garage, piazzetta, reconstructed park – are the future of “Skyline Belgrade” residents. Thanks to its representatives and the most advanced technology, “Skyline Belgrade” is one step ahead of everyone else. Why would you then be running behind?

”WHAT ARE WE EATING?“ – THE 3rd INTERNATIONAL FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE

JUBMES UNUSUAL HUMANITARIAN EVENING In the premises of JUBMES bank, an unusual humanitarian evening was held to help children's surgery of Serbia and children suffering from cardiovascular diseases. Six young academy-trained painters: Kasja Milenković, Kristina Pirković, Nataša Ristić, Veljko Valjarević, Stefan Lukić and Nemanja Đukić hosted an exhibition that was created during one night, live, portraying guests at the event. The whole event was designed by the JUBMES bank to support the Humanitarian Foundation For Child's Heart, which the Bank established in cooperation with the Institute for Mother and Child, New Belgrade in 1992, in order to raise funds to help the Department of Cardiac Surgery and to provide them with necessary equipment. Help in treating children suffering from cardiovascular diseases has been a part of the Bank's mission in past 26 years. Portrayed guests were able to buy their portrait according to their capabilities and in that way donate funds for children's surgery and the treatment of children.

A renowned certification and control body, the TMS CEE Company has successfully organized another conference that contributed to raising awareness of trends in IFS certification, controlling the safety of aluminum packaging, designed foods of

animal origin, the importance of certificate integrit, the dangers associated with food and how to prevent them, organic sugar, defending against food scams, raw milk quality, drinking water quality, the importance of selenium intake for the body, and the IPARD programme.

A COUPLE OF NOTES ABOUT MEXICO President Aleksandar Vucic congratulated the winner of the presidential elections in Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, from the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA for its initials in Spanish), who obtained the 53.19% of the votes with a turnout of 63.4%. His presidential term will be for six years starting from December 1st.

Mexico is the 10th most populous country in the world with 130 million inhabitants and the 11th largest economy by GDP. Through VIP, subsidiary of Telekom Austria, the European unit of the Mexican Company América Móvil, is the third largest provider of mobile telephony and internet services in Serbia. With a net in-

vestment in Serbia of 980 million euros, VIP represents the largest “greenfield” investor in Serbia, having a market share of 24.1% with 2,181,800 active lines and generating 1,200 direct jobs.

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B USINESS NEWS SERBIA DOES SPECIALTY FOOD From June 30 to July 2, Serbian high-quality food manufacturers were presented at the Summer Fancy Food Show, New York, in the United States. In the organization of the Serbian Food Promotion Association, with the support of the USAID Competitive Economy Project, 17 high quality food producers have been introduced, under the common name "Serbia Does Specialty Food". "Summer Fancy Food Show is the biggest business event in the food industry where high quality products and innovations from this industry are presented. Serbian companies had the opportunity to present themselves to an extremely wide audience, and we hope that some of them will start exporting their products to the US and international markets" said Aleksandar Pavlović, director of the USAID Competitive Economy Project, a $12 million is aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of the Serbian food processing industry, especially the value chain of fruits and vegetables.

SUMMER DISCOUNT UP TO 30% Thanks to the partnership of UniCredit Bank, the shopping center BIG FASHION in Belgrade and the shopping center BIG in Novi Sad, summer discounts have already begun. Namely, with payment by debit or credit cards of UniCredit Bank customers can make discounts up to 30%.

Special discount offers apply to selected traders whose list is on UniCredit Bank's website https://www.unicreditbank.rs/ rs/pi/big. Make yourself and your loved ones happy with the necessary things for a summer break, new home, cosmetic and sports equipment for the summer transition period.

NEW BELGRADE GETS FIRST CONDOMINIUM!

VOJVOĐANSKA BANKA SUPPORTING SERBIAN OLYMPIC ATHLETES Vojvođanska banka has enabled a portion of the money to be donated from each Visa Gold Olympic Card transaction to create better conditions for our athletes and thus support the Serbian Olympic team in preparation for the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

This card was developed by Vojvođanska banka in cooperation with the Olympic Committee of Serbia and VISA, and it was officially presented in the presence of representatives of the Olympic Games, VISA and members of the national team: Milica Mandić, Olympic champion from London 2012; Velimir Stjepanović, swimmer; Andrea Arsović, archer; Milica Nikolić, Judge and Sava Ranđelovic, Olympic champion from Riga 2016. “We are proud that we have the opportunity to help our athletes, especially at this sensitive stage - when preparing, they are strenuously trained and when they need maximum support.” - announced Predrag Mihajlović, president of the Executive Board of Vojvođanska banka.

After the condominium of Central Garden and Voždova Kapija, the renowned Israeli company Shikun & Binui Group is building a residential complex Wellport in New Belgrade. An investment of 130 million euros will offer 500 housing units to the market, from studios to five-room

ZAJEČARSKA BREWERY SUPPORTS THE REVITALISATION OF PUBLIC DRINKING FOUNTAINS IN ZAJEČAR

Water is the most important resource of the future, and citizens of Zaječar will be able to use healthy drinking water from renovated public drinking fountains thanks to today's signed Agreement on patronage of reconstruction and revitalisation of public drinking fountains in Zaječar.

The agreement was signed by the Mayor of Zajecar, Boško Ničić, the director of HEINEKEN Serbia, Viktor Gillhofer, and Boban Pogarčić, president of the association “ZA česme”. According to the Mayor of

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apartments. The condominium will be located right next to the first business park in this area - Airport City Belgrade, in the immediate vicinity of the cultural monument - a hangar designed by the famous Milutin Milanković. At the same location, in Tadija Sondermajer Street, a sales office was opened, within which the apartment was shown. Wellport was designed by world-renowned Israeli architect Rami Wimmer, and tenants will be provided by premium quality construction, 24/7 reception and security, professional maintenance, video surveillance, garage, card access. Exclusive sales were entrusted to the leading real estate consultancy in Serbia, CBS International, which is part of the Cushman & Wakefield Group.

Zaječar, Boško Ničić, healthy drinking water is the future of humanity and a natural resource that needs to be adequately used.

Director of HEINEKEN Serbia Viktor Gillhofer is convinced of the contribution of Zaječarska Brewery, which operates within the company HEINEKEN. Revitalisation of the first drinking fountains is expected in autumn. The process of reconstruction and revitalisation should last for the next 4 years, as it is necessary to renew each of almost 50 fountains in Zaječar.

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T H E P O WE R O F F O O D

Anthony Bourdain's Legacy of Wit and Gourmet The immortal passion

WHEN interviewers dug to the essence of him, Anthony Bourdain said he was a simple man. He knew his life didn’t give that impression.

Much of it was set in roaring, steamy, yelling kitchens, from his first job as a dishwasher at the Dreadnaught in Provincetown, Massachusetts, through the slow climb as prep drone, line cook or sous chef at various eateries round New York, to head chef at Les Halles in Manhattan.

He weathered the hazards of pots, knives and fire, the dread of scorching the demi-glace or spilling a plate, under the half-friendly hail of colleagues denouncing him as a pédé, a maricón, a puta and a motherfucker, the international language of cuisine everywhere.

At Les Halles, he got through by crunching aspirins like sweets. Before that he was high all the time. From his teens he dropped acid, furiously miserable that he was too young and too suburban to have experienced the 1967 Summer of Love. In New York he moved on to heroin, just because it was the most dangerous drug in the room. He would always try anything once, but he used heroin for seven years. Should have died. He quit cold turkey, then stuffed his nose with cocaine. On drugs he was a self-destructive lout. Aggressive, depressive, almost unemployable. A mess.

And when all that changed in the 1990s, most definitively in 1999 when the New Yorker published a piece by him and he became a storyteller, life got no simpler. The piece was called “Don’t Eat Before Reading This”. It reminded finicky New Yorkers that fine cookery was all about cruelty, blood, engorged livers, rot and decay. People liked it, so he wrote a book, “Kitchen Confidential”, mostly at 5am between kitchen shifts, in which all the dirty secrets of restaurants came out. Uneaten bread sent out to the next table. Leftover butter strained of cigarette ash and used for hollandaise. Long-stored fish served up on Mondays. He praised offal and foie gras, cursed fascist vegetarians. People devoured it, and out of that came TV series on three networks. He just floated the idea of going to cool places, eating great food, while they paid. And they bought it.

From that point he travelled seven months a year, to almost every country on Earth. There he’d hop on a boat, a train or motorbike. He rode like a rocker with his gristly, tendony, jujitsu-honed body lean in jeans and T-shirt. He would seek out dim, hidden dives known only

seawatery oyster on a fishing boat in France, at 12, was an initiation. It determined his future.

As for that nerve-shattering kitchen chaos, it masked the mechanical precision of a submarine crew. Endurance. Achievement. Three hundred eggs Benedict, not one returned. Food imposed absolutes: the things you must do (use a sharp knife) and things you must not do (eat unopened mussels, use a garlic press). And food conferred a place in a hierarchy of the scarred.

Even if you entered as a miserable puta, hard work got you respect.

The power of food was also extraordinarily simple. His aim in his first TV series, “A Cook’s Tour”, was to find the perfect meal. And he knew it wouldn’t be in some five-star restaurant. Food made him happiest if he experienced it in a purely emotional way. It might be the company, the moment, or some memory it evoked: of his mother’s grilled-cheese sandwiches, or his mother-in-law’s meatloaf. A plate of piss-poor peasant food could become something sublime, like feijoada in Brazil.

His perfect meal was the street-stall pho of his favourite country, Vietnam. In “Kitchen Confidential” he warned readers to beware of restaurant dirt. He learned to relish many unwashed hands delving in one pot.

FERMENTED SHARK

GOOD FOOD WAS MADE WITH LOVE, JUST AS GOOD AS SEX WAS to locals. (Once, in deepest Tokyo, he ate the best seafood of his life in such a place. Twenty courses, a saké shot between each one). As well as eating, he would have adventures. Go sky-diving. Swim in a frozen lake. Hack through leech-filled jungle. Deliberately get lost. For he was famous now. Not as a chef, for he’d never been a really great chef, and he loathed the commercialism of the celebrity-chef crowd; he would rather write “serial wanker” in his passport. But just as his own curious, restless self. His motto was to keep moving, as far as he could. Keep moving. Try everything.

In all this buzzing around, however, one thing was certain. Food had power. He recognised no god, was hostile to any kind of devotion. But “the food thing” ordered his life.

That first taste of a glistening, vaguely sexual,

So much globe-trotting frayed him. And it destroyed his marriages, though few knew better how food could bring people close. In his TV series perfect strangers opened up to him, telling him their stories over meals in their homes. He didn’t go in as a journalist, but as a guest, asking “What do you like to cook? What makes you happy?” In reply they would offer him food steeped in culture, history and memory. It could be vile—fermented shark in Iceland, warthog rectum in Namibia. But he would always eat it. It wasn’t worse (he said) than a Chicken McNugget. And he wanted to return the kindness. On one trip to the Middle East he wondered aloud—as similar feasts were served up by both Jews and Arabs—whether the world’s problems couldn’t all be solved if people just sat down, without fear, and ate together. For good food was made with love, just as good sex was.

To share it was to love one another.

From The Economist, published under licence.

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

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REPO RTAGE

Text: ROBERT ČOBAN

How I Didn’t Catch the Last Train This is a story about the railway stations in Bač, Novi Sad, Sremski Karlovci, Petrovaradin and Belgrade, about how Serbia could have looked if we had not allowed the total devastation of the railway infrastructure and how it is connected to the huge General Motors corruption scandal in the USA 60 years ago

TRAIN RIGHT UNDER THE WINDOW: When the railroad passed through the Strossmayer Street in Podgradje, beneath the Petrovaradin Fortress

Bač, the place where I was born, used to have its own railway, as well as the railway station built by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A friend of mine from elementary school, Saša Milenković, whose father was a train dispatcher, lived in that yellow building with the identical, subsequently “cleaned” façade plaster just like all other stations in the Habsburg Monarchy at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century – from Lvov to South Tyrol. Our relatives from Sombor came to visit us along that railway, in a small train. Then at the beginning of the 1990s, about the same time that the cinema in Bač was closed, the railway was also closed and a padlock was put on the railway station.

Senior citizens of Novi Sad have told me that, in the capital of Vojvodina, there was the sentiment similar to the one in today’s Belgrade, when in 1961, the railway station from the Grbavica town quarter was relocated next to the bus station and was connected to the rest of the town by the wide Bulevar Oslobodjenja. Since the construction of the railway in 1883, the train entered Novi Sad through the tunnel dug under the Petrovaradin Fortress. The tunnel

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is in excellent condition today – I have gone inside recently – but it is completely unused. However, it might serve, for example, as an excellent new exhibition space for the upcoming 2021 European Capital of Culture events.

After passing through the tunnel, the train would get directly to the Joseph Frank Bridge and the passengers used to describe the wonderful sight, when after the dark of the tunnel, they saw the light and Novi Sad with the towers of its seven churches on the right.

In 1944, the bridge was destroyed for the last time by the German troops withdrawing from the town.

People say that the last people to go through Novi Sad, before the arriv-

part of Petrovaradin. The wheels of the trains on this railroad were at the same height as the windows on the first floor of the 18th century baroque buildings, which must have been a special experience for the people living there.

TUCINDAN TRAGEDY AND MODERN-DAY FARSE

Engineer Predrag Djuranović wrote the following for the KCNS’s website: “Hundreds of people and dozens of trains passed through the Novi Sad station every day, and the station’s environment was tailored to the needs of an everyday man. It was alive day and night, on weekdays, weekends, and especially on holidays. This is where people had their New Year Eve’s parties. , The Novi Sad railway station was the hub of the famous historical event, the Tucindan Tragedy. Namely, on Tucidan, 4th January, 1890, Jaša Tomić killed Miša Dimitrijević at a crowded train station. In the period between the two wars, there was a

MY FIRST MEMORY OF THE CENTRAL RAILWAY STATION IN BELGRADE WAS FROM THE EARLY 1990S WHEN, AS A YOUNG JOURNALIST, I CAME FROM NOVI SAD al of the Partisans, were the allies of the occupying army – the Circassian riders on their black horses.

The railroad then turned right after the tunnel and went over the Varadin Bridge (destroyed on 1st April 1999) into the territory of Bačka. During those 17 years, the railroad passed through the Strossmayer Street in Podgradje - the old

notable expansion of railway traffic at the Novi Sad station with 60 trains departing the station daily, and the same number arriving. 17 trains a day used to leave for Subotica, 22 for Belgrade, 6 for Bečej, 4 for Titel, 8 for Sombor, 2 for Palanka and 2 for Parage, which made a daily total of 200.”

From 1961 to the present day,

not counting a couple of months of railway traffic interruption due to the destroyed Žeželj Bridge, the railroad entered the city the same place, and only the oldest citizens of Novi Sad remember the old railway station which was located in the place of today's Liman Post Office. From this station, the passengers were driven by trams and horse-drawn carriages to the city.

However, everybody still vividly remembers a farcical attempt to relocate the Bus Station in Novi Sad from a decade ago that completely failed, namely the already constructed new bus station building was abandoned, and a number of lawsuits between the City of Novi Sad and the developer of the new station ensued.

My first memory of the Central Railway Station in Belgrade was from the early 1990s when, as a young journalist, I came from Novi Sad and from that station, trying to dodge smugglers and street tricksters, I walked up to Terazije, or picked up the tram to the BIGZ building, where the offices of Duga magazine were located at that time. Then, over time, buses became faster than the trains, so our journey to Belgrade was usually by a bus, and later by a car.

SILVER-PLATED HACK AND BLUE TRAIN

After a long time, I came to the Central Railway Station in Belgrade on 16th March this year, when we held a promotion of Hello! Travel: Vojvodina tourism magazine on Tito's Blue Train. Our guests

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NO WANDERING: Several decades old advertisement for the defunct Novosadska Bank at the Novi Sad railway station

gathered in the newly opened restaurant Station 1884, located in the very heart of the station, and, from the platform 1, boarded the Blue Train to go to Sremski Karlovci. The Vojvodinian Prime Minister, Igor Mirović, the ambassadors of the USA, Israel, Norway, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Indonesia and Albania, the deputy ambassadors of Russia, France and Germany, twenty other diplomats, media representatives and public figures were all on the train. For this occasion, we staged an exhibition of paintings titled "Tito on the Blue Train and the Galeb Ship" on the train, which showcased to our foreign guests, both younger and older, all the guests that joined the President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on the aforementioned train and the ship which included the King Haile Selassie I, Sophia Loren and Queen Elizabeth II. Only two weeks earlier, I had “inspected” the Blue Train to make sure that it was in a good condition. However, I could not presume what was the state of the Serbian railways. The event that we were about to organize in the Blue Train, with 30 or so ambassadors and the Vojvodinian PM in attendance, on a railroad which reputation left a lot to be desired, was not routine

by any stretch of imagination even for us, considering the fact that we put together at least 50 different events each year. I used to stick my head into the darkness of Srem every now and then to check how far along we were. Our “inspection” of the building that housed the Sremski Karlovci railway station a couple of days earlier has lead to the decision for the train to stop a few meters before the actual station so that our guests would have to cross the railroad on foot to avoid seeing the interior of the station’s building which resembled the perfect location for Eli Roth’s film “Hostel 4”.

Exactly 137 years after King Mi-

SERBIA’S HISTORY OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS: Kiosk inside the Novi Sad railway station

from the mid-1930s to the 1950s, while "encouraging” them to take out tram rails and calling them "obsolete technology ", in order for GM to sell more cars and buses, shook the US for a long time. As a result, many US cities, that were accustomed to the European way of life (trams, pedestrian zones, parks), became alienated places where people did everything in their cars - go to work, east fast food at McDrive, buy fuel and get home.

DREAMING ABOUT HIGH-SPEED RAIL

Maybe, one day, we will find out who has been bribing the politicians in Serbia for the past 30 years

MAYBE ONE DAY WE WILL FIND OUT WHO HAS BEEN BRIBING THE POLITICIANS IN SERBIA FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS TO HAVE ALLOWED SUCH DEVASTATION OF THE RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE lan Obrenović I used a silver-plated hack to officially mark the beginning of the construction of the Belgrade-Niš railroad on 3rd July, 1881 (the railroad was eventually opened for traffic in 1884), the same railroad is in a catastrophically bad condition. The scandal relating to the accusations that General Motors had been bribing mayors and governors all over the country

to have allowed such devastation of the railway infrastructure - railroads, station buildings, marshalling stations and other facilities.

Or are we talking about endemic negligence here? Imagine Serbia with good railways! A person from Požarevac going to work to Belgrade every day by train... An enjoyable 30-minute drive in one direction, enough to read the newspapers or

check e-mails. This person lives in Požarevac, in their family home, in a town where the living costs are low and works in a capital where the salaries are high and job selection even higher. People from all over Serbia would be arriving in one of the large industrial or administrative centres in half an hour (Belgrade, Nis, Novi Sad, Kragujevac) by train. The smaller towns would not resemble ghost ones and high school students would not dream so much about moving to Novi Sad or Belgrade, as the first step in the process of leaving their own country for good.

On 1st July, we received the news that the Central Railway Station in Belgrade would close. A couple of days earlier, my colleague Zlatko and I took the last train from Novi Sad to this station. Some ten days earlier, accompanied by a song “Now, Let’s Bid Goodbye” (“A sad adio”), the last train leaving for Bar left the Central Railway Station in Belgrade. The trains for Montenegro now depart from the Topčider Station, which looks like a small village station somewhere deep in Hungary, with a waiting room that has no benches and chairs.

We decided to celebrate our last departure by train for Novi Sad by having lunch at the Station 1884 restaurant. The four of us sat alone,

DRIVING FORCE BEHIND CITY’S DEVELOPMENT IN LATE 19th CENTURY: Old railway station in Novi Sad

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SILENCE OF THE PIGEONS

in a completely empty restaurant with the contemporary interior and excellent cuisine. Then somebody said: "Your train leaves in one minute. Zlatko and I paid our lunch and I literally flew into the train on the platform number 3, which headed to Novi Sad only a couple of seconds later, at exactly at three o'clock in the afternoon.

COUNTRY IS FALLING APART, BUT PEOPLE ARE STILL HOLDING ON

We sat in the first class that has only 12 seats. Apart from the two of us, there were three workers of the former Railways of Serbia (Železnice Srbije), a national railway company that has been split into several companies. We see the platforms, covered in grass, passing us by, and workers taking the benches apart. After 134 years, this train station is counting its last days.

“Do you see this building? We'll have to tear it down at our expense!

We are giving away the land worth billions of euros for free, and we still have to pay for the building to be torn down”, says one of the fellow travelers, pointing towards one of the smaller facilities that will be destroyed in order to make room for the Belgrade Waterfront project. "Railroads have been systematically destroyed in this country for years. The Prijepolje railway station is used by the local private bus companies which uses one of the station’s counter to sell their tickets. The departure of the train running between Šabac and Ruma was scheduled exactly every three hours so that the workers from local factories would not make it and for a private bus company, owned by a local politician, to get all the passengers”, the fellow traveler

SCANDAL THAT CHANGED THE FACE OF AMERICA: Trams in scrap yard in San Francisco, 1957

SENIOR CITIZENS OF NOVI SAD HAVE TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS THE SENTIMENT SIMILAR TO THE ONE IN TODAY’S BELGRADE, WHEN IN 1961 THE RAILWAY STATION WAS RELOCATED continues. A man selling peanuts and other bits and bobs gets off the train at the Zemun Polje station.

“This man has been selling his stuff on this train for almost 30 years, and we are powerless to throw him out.” The display announces the next station, albeit written only in the Cyrillic writing. Five people from Slovenia, who are sitting in the next train car while their bicycles are stored away (yes, there is a place for bicycles on the train), will maybe be able to decipher the word “Indjija” in the Cyrillic writing, but I seriously doubt that other foreigners would be able to do so.

The train stops and then goes into a different direction. “We are now going to Golubinci, where we will wait for ten minutes or so, because the railroad is being repaired”, other fellow traveler informs us.

Station after station - Indjija, Beška, Čortanovci, Karlovački Vinogradi, Sremski Karlovci, Petrovaradin – are passing before our eyes, and we are finally entering Novi Sad via “the new Žeželj Bridge”. We are right on time, exactly two hours after we departed Belgrade.

All railway stations on the Belgrade - Novi Sad stretch look neglected, with muddy facades and graffiti written all over them.

In contrast, the girl who works as a train dispatcher at the Beška station, dressed in a perfectly tailored uniform, has greeted us with the kindness that you see on trains in Austria

or Switzerland. We had a similar impression of the young, charming conductor woman who checked our tickets. The country is falling apart, but the people are still holding on.

We get off the train at the Novi Sad station. Through the window on the platform, we see an exhibition of photographs of railway stations in Vojvodina, while it is virtually impossible to enter the room that should house the Railway Museum from the station’s platform.

The adjacent room, which looks like "a first-class waiting room" with leather armchairs enveloped in thick dust and a bizarre model of a train from, I would guess Austria, is also locked.

At the entrance to the station’s restaurant, which looks exactly as it did in the early 1990s when we went there as students after a night out in the nearby Area night club, there is an old-fashioned advertisement for a brand that no longer exists - "Novosadska Bank" (which changed the name to Erste Bank after it was acquired by the eponymous bank). The advertisement of the non-existent bank and its slogan “No Wandering” promises a lot - among other things, there is a promise of a prize game and gifts for newborn babies. On the ground floor, at the hair salon called Mira, which, it seems, has not changed since the Socialist era of the 1970s, the salon owner, Mira is cutting the hair of an elderly gentleman.

In the spacious station hall, which construction was completed in 1964 and which was designed by architects Imre Farkaš and Milan Matović, I counted more pigeons than people at the counters. At night, they say, people outnumber pigeons. Homeless people come to sleep here because it is dry. Pigeons nest in the hall, feathers and everything else that the pigeons leave behind can be seen at every step. There is something very creepy about an abandoned kiosk which bears the faded Coca-Cola advertisement and a sticker with Šešelj’s image. A dead pigeon lies in it.

While searching online for the information about the Novi Sad railway station on the 021.rs website, I found the following comment:”This station made me sick to my stomach a few years ago. I waited for my cousin there who was supposed to arrive on the last train from Belgrade, around midnight.

I came into the station’s building, and the floor was full of blood, as if I stepped in an abattoir. I got momentarily scared because I thought that a killer psychopath was running around, stabbing people. And then, in the corner of my eye, I saw a guy, dressed as a railway worker, shooting pigeons all over the station with a pellet gun. When shot, they fall down on the floor, broken bones and all, flapping their wings while blood is splattered everywhere. It was a horrific sight! Now, I can see that they have installed anti-bird spikes all over the station. But the scene with the railway worker shooting pigeons with his pellet gun will never leave my mind!” This comment was left by a man who signed himself as Evgenije.

Let's go back to the central railway station in Belgrade, known worldwide for being featured in the famous films such as "From Russia with Love" and "Murder on the Orient Express". If we are to believe the authorities, one day this building will house a museum and in front of it, there will be a monument erected in honour of the founder of the Nemanjić dynasty. "Beograd, Belgrad, Belgrade!" These words that echoed in Bond's ears in the above mentioned film, will be heard in some other places from now on.

YOU ARE WELCOME: Yours truly at the Novi Sad railway station

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C O RPO RATE

Year of Fighting Against Shadow Economy The conference titled “Economy and Public Administration on the Same Task: The Year of Fighting Shadow Economy“ took place in at the Hilton Hotel in Belgrade, on 8th of June.

Companies Color Media Communications and Samsung Electronics were the organizers.

The National Conference on the Shadow Economy assembled state officials, representatives of business associations, NGOs and corporations who shared their experiences, knowledge and research results on all aspects of the shadow economy. As an interdisciplinary forum, the conference provided the opportunity for researchers, practitioners and educators to present and discuss the latest research, trends and problems, practical challenges faced and adopted solutions in the field of the shadow economy.

Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs, Zoran Djordjević officially opened the conference, and stated that the Government of the Republic of Serbia was actively engaged in solving the problems associated with the shadow economy. He added that, according to the available data, the implemented measures were already bringing positive results.

According to the minister, when fighting against the shadow economy, it is extremely important for the state authorities to have the

Zoran Djordjević, Minister of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs

support of the judiciary that has to do its job efficiently and in accordance with the law.

“The fight against shadow economy will not only focus on penalizing employers, because charging exuberant fines can lead to the closure of the company, which is by, no means, the Government’s goal. Rather, the focus is on preventive action. Also, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice, it is necessary to change

vić added, that causes a lot of damage to consumers in the long run.

"We are developing an application for inspectors, with all the required information and tutorials on the detailed steps of checking the devices that are made for the Serbian market and are legally purchased. I would like to invite companies and manufacturers to join us and create their content, which will be distributed through the application to inspectors and help them with their field work”, Vujovic said and urged other companies to do so or help prevent the illegal sale of goods in other ways.

WHEN FIGHTING AGAINST THE SHADOW ECONOMY, IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR THE STATE AUTHORITIES TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE JUDICIARY THAT HAS TO DO ITS JOB EFFICIENTLY AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW the statute of limitation for employers, which is currently two years”, Djordjevic added.

Marketing Director for the Adriatic Region at Samsung Electronics, Milan Vujović said that people have a high tolerance level towards goods sold in the shadow market because it is cheaper due to the fact that no taxes are paid on it. However, Vujo-

H.E. Dae Jong Yoo, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Belgrade

The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea in Belgrade, H.E. Dae Jong Yoo and the standing deputy of the German ambassador to Serbia, Mr. Alexander Jung also spoke at the conference.

The first panel discussion was dedicated to the effects of the shadow economy on the state and the panelists were the following:

Goran Kovačević, CEO Gomex and Vice President of NALED Board of Directors

Dragana Vujko, AmCham Committee for Combating Shadow Economy, Goran Pekez, NALED / Fair Competition Council, Dragan Pušara, Head of the support unit to the Coordination Commission for Inspection Supervision, Miroslav Miletić, advisor to the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Amali Pavić, AmCham.

The participants of the second panel - Aleksandar Vučić, CarGo, Milan Vujović, Samsung, Ivan Kordić, Gigatron, Dragan Penezić, BAT and Goran Papović, National Consumer Organization of Serbia - discussed the impact of the shadow economy on consumers and brands. The panelists agreed that shadow economy in Serbia was the most pronounced in the field of employment, and this was also confirmed by the results of the survey.

In 1-on-1 interview with the moderator Olivera Stefanović Stanković from PRoglasPR, Goran Kovačević from NALED talked about the beginning of the systemic fight against shadow economy in Serbia and NALED’s role in it.

Chief of Party at the USAID Business Enabling Project in Serbia, Dragana Stanojević, talked about the reform of the inspection supervision system and its effects on the shadow economy.

Milan Vujović, Head of Marketing for Adriatic region at Samsung Electronics

Alexander Jung, Permanent Deputy of the German Ambassador in Serbia

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EXI B I TI O N

National Museum Opens The permanent exhibition of the National Museum in Belgrade is again open to people in Serbia and Belgrade In the presence of the Speaker of the National Assembly, members of the Government of Serbia, representatives of the diplomatic corps, cultural figures and a number of different mediums, the Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabić officially opened the National Museum, which was closed for 15 years. The PM’s cabinet was in charge of the entire opening ceremony.

In her speech at the National Assembly one year ago, the Prime Minister promised that the National Museum, as well as the Museum of Contemporary Art, would be open during the government’s term. The both museums opened in the first year of the new government’s term in the office.

"The opening of the National Museum is a great, festive day for culture and for our country. After 15 years, we have given back the Serbian citizens our most important cultural institution. The National Museum is the core of our cultural tradition and heritage of masterpieces of the best Serbian

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and world artists. I am pleased that visitors from all over the world will have tje opportunity to see the wealth of culture and history of our country. It is especially important that young people from Serbia will now be given the opportunity to see and experience our greatest artistic treasures and artwork by world-renowned artists. Culture inspires, refines and makes us better people, while, at the same time, encouraging social development," said Serbian PM, Ana Brnabić.

The initial idea in terms of put-

ting the new museum exhibition together, with the participation from the National Museum’s curators and designers Jelena Stefanović and Igor and Irena Stepančić, was trying to find a balance between combining the conventional and the innovative, and by doing so, provide an insight into art and the past at the same time.

“At this permanent exhibition, our visitors will be able to see exhibits selected among 400,000 cultural items. They are part of the collection consisting of the

NATIONAL MUSEUM AT NIKOLA TESLA AIRPORT The passengers on Nikola Tesla Airport will have the privilege of seeing the masterpieces from the National Museum by the end of September. Djura Jakšić's "The Girl in Blue", Nadežda Petrović's "Self Portrait", Paul Gauguin's „Tahitian Woman“, Pablo Picasso's "Head of a Woman" and many other masterpieces will no greet the airport's passengers. The airport's exhibition space spans over 130 square meters, it is located between the gates C2 and C3 in the transit zone, and it will now feature the replicas of the iconic art pieces. The facade of the Airport building will be draped in some of the best known masterpieces of Serbian painting. This exhibition called „The excerpt from the National Museum“, is an invitation for all airport passengers and guests of Belgrade to come and visit the National Museum.

representative cultural assets, testimonies to the development and civilizational changes from prehistoric times to the late Middle Ages, as well as the best work from the key artistic styles and movements from the new era to the modern age. Over 30 curators worked on the exhibition, aiming to establish correspondence between the exhibits themselves as the witnesses of wonderful stories about the area in which we live, "said Bojana Borić Brešković, Director of the National Museum in Belgrade.

The permanent exhibition encompasses an extensive chronological range from the distant Palaeolithic time to the 20th century time. Organized on three levels of a building of a building, which, in itself, represents a monument of culture, the exhibition spans 5,000 m2 of exhibition space.

The best pupils from Belgrade's primary schools were the first to see the permanent exhibition of the renovated National Museum, who, for the first time in their life, went to the National Museum, the day before the opening ceremony.

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