Diplomacy&Commerce #82

EVENTS

BIRTHDAY CAKE FOR 44 th ANNIVERSARY OF IRANIAN ISLAMIC REVOLUTION

CONNECTING OUR HISTORY WITH THE FUTURE

Hereditary prince

ECONOMY IN THE SHADOW OF POLITICS

Vice President of the Freedom and Justice Party

ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMMES AS A REFLECTION OF OUR REALITY

NEVER-ENDING MEMORIES

H.E. MOHAMMED NABHAN

Palestinian Ambassador to Serbia

THE QUEST FOR THE HOLY GRAIL

ROBERT ČOBAN

OLIVERA KOVAČEVIĆ

Director of the Serbian Broadcasting Corporation’s Entertainment Programme

ILIA KOBERIDZE GEORGIA–SERBIA RELATIONS

THE LIST BY DUŠKA JOVANIĆ PEOPLE WHO CHANGE BELGRADE

DUŠAN NIKEZIĆ

FILIP KARADJORDJEVIĆ

Like a Rolling Stone

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DRAGAN NIKOLIĆ Editor in Chief dragan.nikolic@color.rs

ROBERT ČOBAN Director robert.coban@color.rs

OGNJEN TRMČIĆ Advertising Director ognjen.trmcic@color.rs

ALEKSANDRA RISTOVIĆ Advertising Manager aleksandra.ristovic@color.rs

Design and prepress ISIDORA RISTIĆ

Translation SNEŽANA BJELOTOMIĆ

Photos GORAN ZLATKOVIĆ SHUTTERSTOCK

Contributors: Dragan Nikolić, Robert Čoban, Miloš Mihajilica, Duška Jovanić, Žikica Milošević

Print BIROGRAF COMP D.O.O. Zemun, Atanasija Pulje 22

Together with investigative journalists Sophia Jones (the USA), Nidžara Ahmetašević (Bosnia) and Milivoj Pantović (Serbia), Rolling Stone magazine published an in-depth investigation into one of the numerous war crimes committed thirty years ago by members of the paramilitary formation called Arkan’s Tigers.

The article by three investigative journalists revealed previously unpublished documents proving that one of Arkan’s Tigers was an active DJ years after the crime. Srdjan Golubović has been spinning turntables at European festivals and clubs for the past few decades - Rolling Stone reported on something that we, in Belgrade, have known for a long time, but (almost) no one talks about it, much less writes. Even if people talk about it in bars and apartments, their voices are quickly silenced.

by Robert Čoban, Director

American photographer Ron Haviv recorded the incursion of Arkan’s people into Bijeljina and the massacre they committed back then. Haviv previously met the Tigers in Croatia, where he photographed them in the destroyed Vukovar. One picture that Arkan particularly liked was the one where he poses in front of his uniformed men with a tiger cub in one hand and a gun in the other. Thus, on April 2, 1992, Haviv was allowed to film the Tigers in Bijeljina. Award-winning photographer Haviv took some of the first photographs showing the obvious war crimes in the Bosnian war. Among them is a photo of Arkan’s people kicking a body lying on the ground. Haviv hoped that these photos would alarm the world public and bring the perpetrators to justice. Today, 30 years after the massacre in Bijeljina, many of Arkan’s Tigers still walk freely. One of them actually lives quite a public life. You can meet him in European clubs, writes the magazine.

transferred by helicopter from the war zone to the Belgrade club and that he was returned to Bosnia after his performance.

Arkan was killed in January 2000, and the following year, in 2001, Serbian police arrested former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milošević. Meanwhile, fans of Golubović’s music were still largely unaware of his past as a Tiger. Golubović was a co-owner of Ultra Groove Records and performed in clubs in Belgrade and all over Serbia, including some of the biggest international festivals.

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“Dženita Mulabdić hugged the ground, the sound of gunfire fast approaching. The pregnant 20-year-old Bosnian woman and her husband, Muhamed, eyed the locked basement door. Their toddler played close by, unaware of the armed men outside. The commandos from Belgrade, wearing black balaclavas, jumped the fence and entered the house in the ethnically mixed Bosnian city of Bijeljina, a two-hour drive from Serbia’s capital”, writes the magazine, referring to April 2, 1992, the beginning of the war in Bosnia, when Arkan entered Bijeljina with his paramilitary force.

“By the end of 1995, the war in Bosnia was over, and an underground rave scene was flourishing in Belgrade. For the city’s youth, it was a welcome distraction from the crushing reality of everyday life”, Rolling Stone reports.

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“In the early nineties, Yugoslavia was breaking apart. Ultra-nationalist Serbian President Slobodan Milošević exploited the myths of a “Greater Serbia” and the victimization of Serbs. One after another, Yugoslav republics declared independence, including Bosnia and Herzegovina. Milošević propaganda urged Serbs to fight, and Arkan’s men carried that message into war”, the magazine writes.

“One of the scene’s promising young up-and-comers, Srdjan Golubović had worn the uniform of Arkan’s Tigers. He had been a combatant in the war that they had protested. He would come to be accused, by local press and members of the public, of being the uniformed young man who Haviv photographed in 1992, his boot raised, aimed at the bloodied body of Tifa Šabanović. When deployed to Bosnia, according to multiple sources, members of Arkan’s Tigers called him Max. At Belgrade parties, people called him “Captain Max.” At raves and concerts, he was DJ Max, the name under which he still performs, though his performances are more of a rarity these days,” Rolling Stone reports. Golubović was, as some called him, a “weekend warrior”. There is also a story that Golubović was

“Golubović declined multiple interview requests to respond to allegations of having played a role in the mass killings at Bijeljina. Rolling Stone sent him two photos taken by Haviv — Haviv’s most famous Bijeljina photo, and the previously unpublished motorcycle photo. “I am not giving my consent for my name or my photo to be mentioned in your story. I consulted my lawyer, and as I understood it’s not lawful to publish any false information about someone,” Golubović said in a Viber message. Srdjan Golubović walks free in Belgrade. He continues to perform. Whatever he did as one of Arkan’s Tigers, even some of his friends wonder how he lives with his past if secrets haunt his dreams”, Rolling Stone writes.

Only two local dailies quoted parts of the Rolling Stone article. These two dailies have very modest circulation and their readers are people who have an established attitude concerning war crimes. In January, I spoke on this topic with several very influential business, marketing and media people in Belgrade. None of them had heard of this case (and it’s been 31 years) nor did they know that Rolling Stone had published an in-depth article about DJ Max.

IT FEELS NATURAL TO LIVE AMONG OUR PEOPLE

FILIP KARADJORDJEVIĆ

Hereditary prince

20

AMBASSADOR’S POSTCARD

THOMAS SCHIEB

Former ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Serbia

26

TRAVELOGUE: VALENCIA THE QUEST FOR THE HOLY GRAIL

ROBERT ČOBAN

10

NEVER-ENDING MEMORIES

H.E. MOHAMMED NABHAN

Outgoing ambassador of Palestine to Serbia

18

A NEW MOMENTUM OF GEORGIA–SERBIA RELATIONS

ILIA KOBERIDZE

Head of the Belgrade office of the Embassy of Georgia to Serbia

30

THE LIST: PEOPLE WHO CHANGE BELGRADE

New featured column by DUŠKA JOVANIĆ

32

ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMMES AS A REFLECTION OF OUR REALITY

OLIVERA KOVAČEVIĆ

Director of the Serbian Broadcasting Corporation’s Entertainment Programme

40

ECONOMY IN THE SHADOW OF POLITICS

DUŠAN NIKEZIĆ

Vice President of the Freedom and Justice Party

44

SUPPORTING DEVELOPMENT IDEAS AND CAPABLE PEOPLE

TATJANA MATIĆ

Director of the Republic of Serbia’s Development Fund

1. Award for best socially responsible campaign (company)

CATEGORIES

2. Awards for supporting cultural institutions and artists (company)

3. Award for best humanitarian efforts (company)

4. Award for green projects and sustainable development (company)

5. Award for business innovation (company)

6. Award for digital transformation (company)

7. Award for improving business conditions and the economic environment (institution)

8. Award for advancing bilateral cooperation (institution)

9. Award for development of local self-government and communities (company)

10. Award for contribution to the development of civil society (company)

11. Award for best relations with media (institutions)

12. Award for best relations with media (company)

13. Award for best relations with media (embassy)

14. Award for best social activism (individuals and organisations)

15. Award for most professional media person (individuals)

Jury

members: Marko Čadež, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Boško Vučurević, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Vojvodina, Brankica Janković, Commissioner for Protection of Equality, Tijana Palkovljević, director of the Matica Srpska Gallery, Nenad Milić, IAB, Biljana Stepanović

, “Nova ekonomija”, Nada Filipović, The Serbian Brewing Association, and Doris Danilović, AHK, German-Serbian Business Chamber

Deadly earthquake in Türkiye and Syria

The powerful earthquake of 7.8 magnitudes on the Richter scale, which occurred on the 6th of February, struck Southeast Türkiye and parts of northern Syria and was also felt as far as Lebanon, Jordan, and Cyprus. Several strong aftershocks were felt across the region in the following hours and continued causing significant damage to buildings and infrastructure. In Türkiye, close to 45,000 people were recorded dead, the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said. In the government-controlled portion of Syria, 1,414 people have died, according to the state-

Serbian passports will no longer be stamped

Holders of passports from countries of the former Yugoslavia that are not members of the European Union will no longer have their travel documents stamped at the airport when entering or leaving the bloc’s member states that are part of the Schengen area. Known as the Entry/Exit System (EES), information on entering and exiting the EU will be automatically recorded through the new automated system. The new system is linked to the upcoming European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which is expected to be im-

plemented in November. “EES will replace the existing system of manual stamping in passports, which is time-consuming, does not provide reliable data on border crossings, and does not allow systematic detection of those who overstay,” announced the EU Commission for Migration and Internal Affairs. The system will record specific information about passengers, including their name, fingerprints, facial image, type of travel document, date and place of entry, the date and place of exit, and the period of their stay in the Schengen area.

run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). The rebel-run Syrian Salvation Government’s Health Ministry reported 3,160 deaths. Rescue teams are still searching the rubble days after the earthquake, although aid agencies and authorities have warned that the chances of finding survivors are diminishing. The Serbian rescue team, with 45 members and equipment for rescuing from the ruins and fire engines, is engaged in rescuing the survivors in Odabasa. Also, Serbia sent an emergency fire engine, four vans, and four off-road vehicles to the areas threatened by the earthquake.

Illegal immigration to Germany reaches a six-year high

More people entered Germany illegally in 2022 than in the six previous years, information obtained on Tuesday by dpa showed. However, the information noted that illegal immigration was lower from 2020-21 due to the coronavirus. There was also an increase in the number of people smugglers identified from 2,132 in 2021 to 2,553 last year. Last year, the Federal Police, which is responsible for border protection, registered 91,986 people entering Germany without permission. In the previous year,

Mexico has implemented a strict ban on smoking in all public places

Mexico has enacted a law that bans smoking entirely in all public places, including parks, beaches, and hotels. Initially approved in December 2021, it’s an expansion of a 2008 law prohibiting smoking in public indoor spaces like bars and restaurants. The new reform also bans tobacco advertising and sponsorship and the display of cigarettes in shops. It puts new limits on e-cigarettes and vaping, as well. The reform

has drawn pushback from some smokers and has raised concerns about enforcement. But the World Health and the Pan American Health organizations praised the move, with PAHO noting that 10% of deaths in Mexico yearly are attributable to tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke. Mexico’s law is currently among the most robust smoking prohibitions in the world.

(source: fronterasdesk.org)

that number was 57,637. In 2022, a significant increase was observed in the second half of the year. While in January, 4,436 people were detected entering the country without permission, that number tripled in October, when more than 13,000 unauthorized entries were reported. In December, there were about 8,600 illegal entries. The federal government is currently voting on reforming a law that regulates the tasks and powers of the Federal Police.

(source: dpa)

Mexico City, Mexico, June 3, 2022. Vape users demonstrated the prohibition of the use of their vaping articles before the Federal Commission for the prevention of health risks in Mexico. © Octavio Hoyos / Shutterstock

FILIP KARADJORDJEVIĆ

Hereditary prince

© Ana Marija Jovanović

It Feels Natural to Live Among our People

My title gives credibility to the important issues we aim to resolve

In his interview for our magazine, hereditary prince and then pretender to the throne Filip Karadjordjević talks about his return to Serbia, the challenges Serbia is facing during these difficult times, ideas on how to fight for national interests, and the role of the modern monarchy.

What does it mean to you to be a prince in modern Serbian society?

I want to continue the tradition of the Karadjordjević dynasty who paved the way for the monarchy. We come from Karađorđe, who was born in the heart of Šumadija. Later, King Peter I and King Alexander I traveled the country, met with the people, shook hands, stayed in the houses of ordinary people throughout Serbia, drank coffee with them, listened to their problems, and helped in solving them. I am open to people on the same level. I want to continue that, not traditional, but rather a normal way of life. By our life in Belgrade, Danica and I want to preserve that tradition, and we will continue to connect all branches of our big family. I have a very good relationship with all Karadjordjević members, and we will strengthen family ties. We will continue to tour the country, work and live here, and provide everything we can for a better future for my family and country. I want to connect our history with the future. Preserving and understanding our cultural heritage is important to our prosperity. If we lose that, we stand to lose ourselves, to lose our identity.

It is imperative that we protect our cultural assets, our nature, and the natural resources of our beautiful Serbia.

The Serbian public praised your return to the homeland. How important is it for you and your family to return to Serbia?

Ever since our wedding took place in Belgrade, my wife and I have been thinking of returning back to Serbia. We made our final decision to move to Belgrade during the pandemic in 2020. It feels natural to live among our people, especially in the very difficult times that the world was going through during Covid. The Karadjordjevic dynasty came from the people, so we chose to live in downtown Belgrade in Vračar.

toms, that is a significant part of the cultural package of being a prince – the interaction with it, nurturing it, fostering it, sometimes gently guiding it into a beneficial frame, in a nutshell giving it a face and giving that face-expression.

As a successful entrepreneur and business person, you meet various people all over the world. How do they react to the fact that you are actually a hereditary prince and then pretender to the throne?

In the business world, through my professional activities and, more recently, in Bitcoin, my title gives credibility to the important issues we aim to resolve. I can see that my added presence is giving hope to those

IN MY PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITIES, I ALWAYS TRY TO UNDERLINE HOW IMPORTANT THE SOLUTION TO THE KOSOVO AND METOHIJA ISSUE IS FOR SERBIA

To be able to live life with our citizens, to understand the mentality and the customs but also to have a very organised and functional life.

Given that you were born and raised abroad, do you think you easily fit into Serbian society, our mentality, and customs?

Both our son and my wife were born in Belgrade, which really helped me to get accustomed to our new life in Serbia. However, it’s not hard to fit into an open, easy-going society. Serbs are, by nature, warm and embracing people. As to mentality and cus-

whom I share common goals with. I will continue to use my voice and platform to improve individual rights and freedoms further and to shine a light on the various economic, social, and cultural issues I see in our world. This is why we are establishing the “Foundation of Hereditary Prince Filip and Princess Danica of Serbia”. Through the Royal Foundation that Danica and I created, we envisage a “roof” to all our activities that will present our vision of the future. It is a young project that we started one year ago. The goals are mainly to preserve our traditions and cul-

tural heritage and to talk and raise important issues relating to today’s society, supporting individuals to prosper, so our communities work at their best. This is where my engagement in the sphere of bitcoin will play a big role, as I believe that its implementation will change the future for the better. But also to think about our people in the diaspora, one of the largest numbers of expatriates in the whole world. Both Danica and I have spent time with Serbs that live in Paris and London, and we want to help our diaspora feel united and preserve belonging to the country they live far away from. These are only some initiatives and projects that we want to work on and develop in the future to continue to give a contribution to our beautiful country.

What are your views on the issue of monarchy in general, and do you think that the subject of monarchy is discussed properly in Serbia?

Quintessentially positive. I do not think the subject of monarchy is discussed properly in my homeland. Therefore, we are working on leading this conversation. I wish for our Serbian people to connect with traditional values, as Serbia has a far larger history as a Monarchy. When understanding monarchies, one can begin to see how monarchies, at their best, can represent a lower time preference approach to governance. On the one hand, the monarchy is hereditary and passed down through the family. That is, there is a sense of ownership rather than

short-term control or mere caretaking. On the other hand, the monarchy only retains any power at all among its citizens because it satisfies the needs of those very citizens. Given this, there is an incentive to make prudent decisions that take the long term into account. To increase the value of their property, the monarchs must make decisions that, in the long run, continue to improve the conditions of their citizens. I like to use Liechtenstein as an example; they have developed an incredibly successful economy for a small nation. It has low taxation and strong property rights, and its state focuses only on managing that which it

close family ties with the heirs of the French Bonaparte dynasty, and I discuss with all of them the situations in our countries where there are various challenges at the social and political levels. I also have excellent relations with the Royal House of Spain, with which my mother is a close relative. King Felipe is my mother’s cousin. I am especially happy because Spain did not recognize the independence of Kosovo and Metohija. In my private and diplomatic activities, I always try to underline how important the solution to the Kosovo and Metohija issue is for Serbia. It is an open question that hurts us all. In conversations with

I WANT TO CONNECT OUR HISTORY WITH THE FUTURE

is uniquely suitable to manage. On the contrary, most republics we see around the world are continually increasing taxes, reducing property rights, and getting their hands on any and all business.

With all of this in mind, I hope it becomes clear how, while perhaps non-intuitive, a welltuned monarchy can actually be wonderfully suited to develop strong property rights, individual liberty, and an interest in long-term economic planning.

You are known to use your name and reputation to promote vital Serbian interests, especially the preservation of the status of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia. To what extent do your connections with European dynasties help preserve our national interests?

To a certain extent. I am not the Head of the family, and my numerous connections show in the private meetings and correspondence. The state of Serbia has not used them still. We need our system and people who believe in and live for it. Uncoordinated valiant one-man army attempts are, unfortunately, our Serbian trait – it just needs a bit of positive management.

I have good relations with most representatives of European royal houses. The Crown Princess of Sweden was the witness at our wedding. I also maintain

diplomatic representatives of other countries, I mostly emphasize the situation in which our people live, which is a problem that represents a very unstable and uncertain situation because of which the people are afraid of us, and their position is difficult. We very often talk about this problem publicly.

Why are Serbian interests misunderstood throughout the Western world, especially by some traditionally friendly countries?

We need our diplomatic system and people who believe in and live for it. Results would come in six months. Serbia needs the most efficient and professional, dedicated Serbian diplomacy, and under my dynasty, Serbia had the best diplomacy in her history, and I am not afraid to say it publicly. I believe in Serbia. We can do it, and we will do it.

What is your opinion about the current state of the Serbian economy? What are its potentials, and where do we stand in relation to the world regarding modern technologies and innovations?

The world is in turmoil and a state of the international clash. I see dissatisfied people everywhere. We need to give a fighting chance to an average

© Nemanja Jovanović

Serbian citizen to weather this storm out, not tax him/her even harder! Only a free citizen is a productive citizen in the long run, and there is no freedom in economic servitude.

Serbia has great potential as it has open-minded people. The state should help them so that they can help the state, not burden them.

And with regard to modern technologies, Serbia can offer a lot to bitcoin, and bitcoin can offer a lot to Serbia. It is no secret that Serbia and the sur-

rounding region have a brain drain problem. However, I’m not happy with the new crypto regulations in Serbia put into place

believe Serbia can be a prosperous country using bitcoin. Bitcoin will do many great things for our economy and

in 2021. I was talking to fellow Serbian bitcoiners and entrepreneurs, who told me it is very difficult for new companies to start and for old companies to get licenses. Despite this, I still

citizens. We need more education and awareness. When people learn about bitcoin and get it, they often become humbler. The deflationary nature of bitcoin, with its 21 million hard

cap, incentivises us to save rather than spend. People’s time preferences are lowered because they are incentivised to save money, they know it will still be there in the future and will have appreciated in value instead of being debased. They feel more comfortable having children and starting families, knowing their savings are protected for the future. They will engage in productive and sustainable jobs or activities.

More employment opportunities will be created, economies will naturally become more localized, and people will be better off and less stressed. An economy shaped by bitcoin will be less or non-reliant on foreign monetary powers, such as the IMF or the World Bank. A bitcoin economy focuses on producing real, lasting value. Serbia, with a bitcoin economy, will encourage other Serbians worldwide to move back. Take a look at El Salvador, who in 2021 made bitcoin, together with the US dollar, legal tender. El Salvador is similar in population size to Serbia, both in local population and diaspora. Ever since introducing the new advantageous bitcoin law, El Salvador happens to be one of the world’s best-performing countries according to its GDP growth. As a result of impressive business growths in areas such as tourism, tech-entrepreneurship, and energy, El Salvador is now experiencing circular migration; Many of their nationals are moving back to El Salvador after years working abroad, finally confident they can have a better future at home. And there is a notable migration of non-Salvadorians relocating to El Salvador, also seeking a better future due to its very attractive and progressive new laws that focus on individual rights, freedoms, and prosperity.

I will work with local entrepreneurs and bitcoiners on spreading awareness and education of the many net positive benefits and incentives of bitcoin. It is important that our state understands that if we make it a difficult environment for bitcoin in Serbia, then the fastest-growing industry in the world will happily find other countries that welcome bitcoin. This is simply government arbitrage.

SERBIA HAS GREAT POTENTIAL AS IT HAS OPEN-MINDED PEOPLE. THE STATE SHOULD HELP THEM SO THAT THEY CAN HELP THE STATE, NOT BURDEN THEM

© Ana Marija Jovanović

Never-ending MEMORIES

The ties between Serbs and Palestinians are not recent as they go back a long way in history, from the time when Saint Sava stayed in Palestine in the 12th century

MOHAMMED NABHAN H.E. Outgoing Ambassador of Palestine to Serbia

After 17 years of service in Serbia, and previously during his studies in Belgrade, our capital and our country left a deep mark on the outgoing Palestinian ambassador, H.E. Mohammed Nabhan. We talked with the ambassador shortly before his return to Palestine about why he considers Serbia his second home and the relations between the two countries and peoples.

In the 1970s and the early 1980s, numerous students from Arab countries studied in Serbia, yourself included. How would you describe that experience and the difference between how Belgrade looked then and now?

In the 1980s, Belgrade was a global capital, not in terms of buildings and cars Belgrade residents drove, but by the number of visits by people from other countries. There were so many students then who studied with the help of scholarships given by Yugoslavia which was, at that time, one of the leading countries in the Non-Aligned Movement. Yugoslavia was a serious and strong country that had connections with the whole world, especially with third-world countries. At that time, we, as young students, lived a very nice life in Belgrade, made a lot of friendships, and some even started families and stayed here. Today, Belgrade is much more beautiful, there is a lot of construction and it has been modernized. We can see that today’s Belgrade is a true metropolis. What I miss today is more socializing and young people strolling in the main city parks, but things were different in my time. I studied at the Faculty of Political Sciences and I must admit that it was not easy to finish my studies here. The professors were extremely strict but professional, and those of us who graduated are successful business people today.

You served as the Ambassador of Palestine in Serbia for more than 17 years. What are your favourite memories and what will you miss the most?

There are many memories that I will take with me. People I met during my stay in Belgrade

made the biggest impression on me. I remember when I met the Chinese ambassador at the beginning of my mandate and we found out that we studied together in Belgrade and lived in the same dormitory. We reminisced about the student canteen when we ate bean soup and joked about various topics.

treated Serbs and Palestinians wrongly, which is why today we are two nations that are close and share a similar feeling towards the outside world. The ties between Serbs and Palestinians are not recent as they go back a long way in history, from the time when Saint Sava stayed in Palestine in the 12th

the Republic of Serbia. Do you think that in today’s turbulent world with major geopolitical changes going on, small countries like Serbia can fulfil their interests by adhering to international law?

These are memories that a person will remember forever. I had the opportunity to meet a number of Serbian politicians who left a pleasant impression on me and demonstrated that they love their country. In my student days life was simpler, we had great parties and in my opinion, it was a much nicer and more carefree time.

You’ve said that Serbs and Palestinians have gone through similar challenges. How similar are the two nations?

Our two nations are extremely similar. A number of Serbs were expelled from their country, as was half of the Palestinian population. A part of the Serbian territory is occupied, just as a larger part of the Palestinian territory is occupied. The West

century. Sava came to Palestine as a member of the then-ruling family in Serbia and spent three years in Palestine as a religious leader. At that time, my country was Christian, and Saint Sava was met with the greatest honours. These good ties were maintained for centuries and are reflected in today’s modern relations between Serbia and Palestine. Another similarity is that our countries are among global leaders in terms of the number of monasteries we have on our respective territories. Also, it is interesting to note that a large number of newborns in Palestine are named Sava because Sava is also a holy name in our country.

Palestine provides continuous support to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of

International law has its positive and negative sides. Small countries like Serbia can use the positive sides of international law and cite its norms when they need to protect national interests, protect territorial integrity and sovereignty. However, the negative side is that great powers dominate and implement international law according to their interests. When referring to small countries like Serbia and Palestine, I like to use an Arabic saying that goes - “even large boulders carry small stones”. This also reflects the situation with our two countries - we are small, but we are very important in the positions we occupy. Serbia is a key country in the Balkans, and without it, there is no peace and stability in this region. It has always been like that and it will always be like that. Palestine is the cradle of civilization and the land from which everything we believe in today came from. That is why Palestinians today cannot accept anyone to be their tutor – only God and no man can be their mentor. For this reason, we cannot accept

PALESTINE IS THE CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION AND THE LAND FROM WHICH EVERYTHING WE BELIEVE IN TODAY CAME FROM

the Israeli occupation and any form of injustice that is inflicted on us. The conclusion is that international law is a cornerstone that we can always refer to, but as long as the superpowers do what they want, it will be difficult for us, but we will endure.

As time progresses are we closer or farther away from finding the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

At this point, it no longer matters whether we are closer or farther away from solving the problem. The bottom line is that there are only two possibilities for conflict resolution. One option is to divide into two states, where each nation will live in its own country and have good neighbourly relations, or for all live as equal citizens in a well-organized democratic country. There is no third solution. Currently, 14 million people live in this country that is located between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, which is called Israel or Palestine. More than half of these people are Palestinians. It is high time

that the people sitting in Tel Aviv realized this and started serious negotiations with the Palestinians about a common future, and not continue bringing in the settlers and seizing our territory, which can only

poorer then and it had a sparse infrastructure, while today progress is visible in all segments - the economy, IT sector, and infrastructural large-scale projects which are very important for Serbia. I am one of those

lead to further violence. And we all know that violence solves nothing, as history has proven countless times.

Since you have spent many years in our country, you witnessed many political and socio-economic changes our country went through. Can you compare Serbia now and from 20 years ago?

It is very different. I have witnessed political changes and I remember how Serbia looked in 2006 when I arrived in Belgrade. The country was much

people who see that Serbia has room to be one of the most advanced countries in this part of Europe. This requires peace and stability, as well as good neighbourly relations in the region because no one wants to invest in a country that has problems and instability.

In the last few years, many Palestinian students came to our country under the auspices of the World in Serbia scholarship programme. Our readers will surely be interested in finding out just how big is the Palestinian community in Serbia.

You see, we have two types of communities here. One is a community of students, of whom there are about 65 together with students who will come to Serbia this year. I am happy that young people are coming here to study medicine or natural sciences and then go back to Palestine and help our people there. A number of students stay here after studies, especially those who come from Gaza, given that they live in difficult conditions in their homeland. They are successful and respected people here today. I spoke with many people who stayed in Serbia and who are respected members of Serbian society. Another community of Palestinians came to Serbia a while ago, stayed and formed families here. Their number is between 150 and 160. They are mostly doctors who work in towns across Serbia, restaurant owners or tradesmen who have been successful businesspeople for many years. These are successful citizens who do not live at Serbia’s expense but participate equally in the country’s development.

INTERNATIONAL LAW IS A CORNERSTONE THAT WE CAN ALWAYS REFER TO, BUT AS LONG AS THE SUPERPOWERS DO WHAT THEY WANT, IT WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR US, BUT WE WILL ENDURE

© All photos: Goran Zlatković

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, received the Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba, Gustavo Tristá del Todo, on a farewell visit, whom he thanked for his exceptional cooperation, as well as for the fact that he contributed to the improvement of friendly and partnership relations between the two countries with his dedicated work. President Vučić said that he expects good political relations to be the basis for strengthening economic ties between Serbia and Cuba and cooperation in other areas of mutual interest. Ambassador Del Todo handed President Vučić a letter from President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermudez, congratulating the national holiday - Statehood Day, and expressing his readiness to continue developing the historical ties of friendship and cooperation between Serbia and Cuba. President Vučić expressed his gratitude for the principled stance of Cuba regarding the non-recognition of the so-called unilaterally declared the independence of Kosovo and on clear support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia. The two interlocutors stated that the two countries share a commitment to the principles of international law. Wishing Ambassador Del Todo success in his future work, President Vučić pointed out that it would be a great pleasure for him to host President Díaz-Canel in Belgrade.

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, received the Palestinian Ambassador Mohammed Nabhan on a farewell visit and thanked him for his outstanding contribution to the close relations between our countries and peoples during his long-term mandate. President Vučić said that Ambassador Nabhan left a deep mark on Serbian society with his personality and hard work.

“As a proven friend of Serbia and a good connoisseur of the opportunities in our country and region, I believe that in the future, as far as your opportunities allow, you will promote our cooperation,” said President Vučić, wishing him good health and personal happiness. Ambassador Nabhan said that during his many years of work in Serbia, he witnessed significant economic progress in the last ten years and added that President Vučić is a model of how national interests should be defended.

President Vučić thanked Palestine for supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia. The two interlocutors agreed that there is an interest in further developing cooperation in areas of mutual importance.

H.E. Gustavo Tristá del Todo

H.E. Mohammed Nabhan

outgoing ambassador of Cuba to Serbia

outgoing ambassador of Palestine to Serbia

NATIONAL DAY OF SERBIA

PHOTO STORY

Flag of Serbia with vertical stripes according to the 1835 Sretenje Constitution. Contemporaries described the flag as similar to the French revolutionary flag.

Photo: © MilanM1982 / Wikimedia

The Oldest Cities in Europe

With tragic events like wars and earthquakes in Turkey and the Middle East, we frequently talk about the oldest cities in the world. But what about Europe? Here’s a surprising Top 8 list for our continent! First of all, Chania is No 8. Founded in 1600 BC, this Cretan city was one of the most important cities in Crete and was the site of a Minoan settlement that the Greeks called Cydonia. Yes, just like in the Muse song. No 7: Mantua, Italy. It has been here since 2000 BC and is featured in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet as the city to where

Romeo is banished to. No 6: Nicosia has been the capital of Cyprus since the 10th century AD, but the city’s history dates back to around 2500 BC. It is the only Bronze Age settlement in Cyprus that still survives. No 5: Thebes is about as old as No 4 Athens and has been inhabited since around 3000 BC. Now, they are not nearly the same size. No 3: Varna, Bulgaria, the splendid Black Sea resort, has been here since 4600 BC and at the time was called Odessos, accidentally naming the port of Odesa further north. And then, No 2: Argos was one of the first city-states

or polis of Ancient Greece and has been inhabited since 5000 BC! Argos is featured in many Greek myths and was named for King Argus (or Argus), the son of Zeus and Niobe. And finally, our winner, Plovdiv, is in neighbouring Bulgaria. People have been continuously living in Plovdiv since at least 6000 BC, making Plovdiv the oldest city in Europe. Archaeological remains all over Plovdiv show that people have settled in the area for over 8,000 years. Now it is one of the most beautiful cities in the Balkans, and arguably, the prettiest in the continental Balkans!

Plovdiv, Bulgaria - 5 November 2021.Old city street view with colorful buildings and the ancient gate of the Medieval part of the city © Shutterstock

20 DECEMBER 2022

The Chamber of Italian-Serbian Businessmen celebrated 20 years of existence

On December 20, the Chamber of Italian-Serbian Businessmen celebrated 20 years of work together with the Italian-Serbian business community, representatives of the institutions of both countries, members, and friends of the Chamber. On this occasion, CCIS organized a gala dinner at the beautiful Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belgrade, where proceeds were donated to the Institute for the Protection of Mother and Child Health of Serbia „Dr. Vukan Čupić“, to the department of hemato-oncology”. The President of the Chamber of Commerce, Annino De Venezia, began his speech by greeting the attendees, thanking the other members of the Italian system, such as the Embassy, ICE and Confindustria for the fruitful cooperation that marked these twenty years. He also expressed his gratitude to the presidents who preceded him, the Administrative Board, the team of the

Chamber, and above all, the members who have been supporting the Chamber for years. Also, he presented the extremely positive results achieved this year and emphasized the will to continue with increasing involvement in order to enable increasing economic and business exchange between Italy and Serbia. The Ambassador of Italy, His Excellency Luca Gori, who was unable to participate in the event in person due to institutional obligations, wished to send his congratulations and greetings in a virtual way, stressing that the governments of both countries want to promote economic cooperation in the coming year. Seven companies also received awards in the category for their continued commitment to improving bilateral relations between the two countries, dedication, and valorization of association networking. The Loyalty Award went to Con-

findustria Udine and the Color Media Communications company for their support to the Chamber over the years and numerous joint projects. During the dinner, representatives of the Italian and Serbian business community, representatives of the Italian Embassy, and institutions and protagonists of public life and world culture had the opportunity to enjoy a menu carefully designed with the aim of combining Serbian and Italian cuisine, made with products from both countries. They also had the opportunity to taste wines from the Deurić winery. The CCIS gala evening was supported by renowned companies and friends of the Chamber: Generali osiguranje, law firm Nikolić and Stanković, Aunde SRB, Deurić winery, National Foundation for the Artistic Game, Vibac Balcani, Banca Intesa, Fercam, DDOR osiguranje – Unipol Grupa and Jugotub.

26 JANUARY 2023

Celebration of Republic Day of India

The Embassy of India in Belgrade celebrated the 74th Republic Day of India on 26 January 2023 to commemorate the coming into force of the Constitution of India on 26 January 1950. On occasion, Ambassador of India H.E. Mr. Sanjiv Kohli hoisted the national flag of India at an event held on the morning of 26 January 2023 at the Embassy premises and read out the address of the Hon’ble President of India. Members of the Indian community and many Serbian friends of India joined the celebration. India chose 26 January as the official enactment date of the constitution’s promul-

gation in recognition of the Purna Swaraj (complete self-rule) declaration of independence from British rule. With the enactment of the constitution, India was officially known as the Republic of India — a “sovereign socialist secular democratic republic” that “secures to all its citizens’ justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity,” according to its Preamble. The main event of Republic Day was celebrated today at Rajpath in Delhi with a parade by Indian armed forces showcasing India’s Defence Capability, including a display of India’s rich cultural & historical heritage.

JANUARY 2023

Celebration of Chinese New Year from January 21 to 26

The Government of Serbia, the Embassy of China in Belgrade, and the Belt and Road Institute, in cooperation with Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, Bor, and Smederevo, are organizing the celebration of the Chinese New Year in the Republic of Serbia from January 21 to 26, 2023, the organizers announced. The central celebration will be held on January 21 at 5 pm

in Belgrade, on the large promenade on Kalemegdan. Officials who will attend the event will revive the traditional dance of the Lion Game, which will lead the crowd through Knez Mihajlova Street to Republic Square, where the Festival of Tastes of the Belt and Road, which has a humanitarian character, will be held. The celebration in Belgrade will continue on Sun-

day, January 22, from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Chinese New Year will be celebrated in Bor on January 23, Novi Sad on January 24, Smederevo on January 25, and Niš on January 26. The Government of the Republic of Serbia invites all citizens to come to celebrate the Lunar New Year, have fun, learn something new, and get acquainted with Chinese tradition.

26 JANUARY 2023

The 60th anniversary of the Elysée Agreement

The French and German embassies in Serbia, in cooperation with the French and Goethe Institutes, organized an event in Dorćol Platz on the occasion of the closing of the Franco-German week and the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Elysée Agreement. At the official closing, Anke Konrad, the German ambassador, and Pierre Cauchard, the French

ambassador to Serbia, addressed the audience, followed by a program during which the laureate of the Francophone song competition, Sara Simonović, sang her winning number. The video game industry association of Serbia presented the Playing Narratives program, a mentoring cycle for young creatives in the field of video game development, which

08 FEBRUARY 2023

National Day of Iran Marked

Iranian Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Rashid Hassan Pour Baei, organised a reception marking Iranian National Day and commemorating the 44th anniversary of the country’s Islamic Revolution. The reception at Belgrade’s Crown Plaza Hotel was attended by a large number of guests, including representatives of the Serbian government and numerous representatives of the diplomatic corps in Serbia.

was implemented in the previous two years in cooperation with the French Institute in Serbia and the Goethe Institute. The French gaming company “Ubisoft” demonstrated its most successful current video games to the attendees. After the official part and cocktails, DJ Gringo animated the visitors with French and German music.

Greek Language Day

International Greek Language Day is celebrated every year on February 9, the day which also honors the memory of the Greek national poet Dionysios Solomos. The Department of Neo-Hellenic Studies, with the support of the Embassy of Greece in Belgrade, the Embassy of Cyprus in Belgrade, and the Hellenic Foundation for Culture, organized the celebration of the Greek Language Day in the Hall of the Faculty of Philology of the University of Belgrade. The program included performances by the “Helenofonia” and “Irida” choirs, a performance by the KUD “Kantakuzina” dance ensemble, as well as recitations and musical performances by students of the Greek language. H.E. Mrs. Maria Levanti, the new ambassador of Greece in Belgrade, also attended the commemoration of the International Greek Language Day.

never sleeps’ at the Embassy of Austria

The “Culture never sleeps” platform was presented today at the Embassy of Austria in Belgrade, which brings together information on the activities and initiatives of 20 members of the Network of Cultural Centers of the European Union (EUNIC). Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum and chairman of EUNIC Serbia, Adrien Feix, stated that Serbia has always been firmly anchored in the European basic cultural framework and will remain so. “The first goal of EUNIC is to communicate in a unified way in Serbia, to show the diversity of European cultural offers and scholarships. The second is to be a central point of contact for cultural workers throughout Serbia and to maintain a common network of partners. The third is to

establish a pilot multi-member projects that can be continued with EU financing programs,” he said. The Head of Information, Communication, and Media of the EU Delegation in Serbia, Paul-Henri Presset, said that the EU is proud to support and promote the ways in which people express their culture and the cultural diversity of European nations. “Now, thanks to the project that was launched for the first time in Serbia, it is possible to find all offers of cultural events and opportunities throughout Europe in one place,” he said. Since 2007, EUNIC Serbia has been gathering cultural institutes, and EU member embassies in Belgrade that exchange ideas and develop joint projects to contribute to diversity and creativity in Serbia.

A conference on Finnish education

In the Palace of Serbia, a conference on Finnish education, “Drivers of change – new roles in education,” was held, jointly organized by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Serbia, the Embassy of Finland in Belgrade, the Nordic Business Alliance, the Foundation “Education for Serbia” and UniCredit Bank. Experts from Serbia had the opportunity to become better acquainted with the Finnish educational system and pedagogical model, which are among the most successful in the world. The conference was opened by H.E. Kimo Lahdevirta, the Finnish ambassador to Serbia, who pointed out that the Finns have confidence in the education system, which is built on the belief that the nation can use its full human and economic potential only if every citizen has the opportunity to realize their personal potential.

‘Culture

by Dragan Nikolić

A New Momentum of Georgia–Serbia Relations

It’s

impossible not to fall in love with Belgrade

ILIA KOBERIDZE

We spoke with the Head of the Belgrade office of the Embassy of Georgia to Serbia, Ilia Koberidze, about how close historic bonds and friendship have transformed the relations between the two countries into a progressive partnership and strengthened mutual trust. Koberidze also talked about how similar our two nations are, the spectacular Georgian cuisine, and what it’s like living in Serbia’s capital.

Two countries, Georgia and Serbia, still don’t have embassies on a resident basis. The Georgian embassy in Athens covers Serbia, while the Serbian embassy in Armenia covers Georgia. Are there any plans to upgrade diplomatic relations?

Georgia–Serbian relations have roots throughout the history of European culture, complemented by the common faith of Orthodox Christianity. Close historic bonds and friendship have transformed the relations between the two countries into a progressive partnership and strengthened mutual trust. Frequent exchange of high-level visits as well as regular dialogue and consultations between the representatives of the two countries, provide an excellent opportunity for comprehensive discussions on the current state of cooperation in the bilateral and multilateral forum as well as on prospects of future interaction.

The bilateral relations between the two countries were upgraded to a qualitatively new level in 2019 after the opening of the Embassy Office and Honorary Consulates of Georgia and the Republic of Serbia, respective-

ly, in Belgrade and Tbilisi. We are working hard to prepare the ground for the next step, as having resident embassies in both countries will successfully contribute to further strengthening bilateral dialogue and, at the same time, will broaden the perspective of exploring the wider Region thoroughly.

networks. The task of the diplomats is to give the right direction to this natural flow to promote their country and advance its national interests. Intensification of diplomatic relations between Georgia and the Republic of Serbia during the last years has been naturally followed by the positive

ESTABLISHING DIRECT FLIGHTS BETWEEN GEORGIA AND THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA WOULD GIVE A BIG BOOST TO OUR RELATIONS

It seems that you succeed in raising public knowledge about Georgia. What is your mission here in Serbia?

Relations between two friendly countries usually develop naturally and are facilitated by bilateral trade and tourism, student exchanges, mixed marriages, and frequent people-to-people interaction, especially in the times of social

dynamics to deepen political, economic, cultural, religious, and people-to-people ties. At the same time, it should be underlined with great regret that despite our common religious and cultural proximities, public awareness, and practical knowledge of each other’s history, modernity and traditions are not sufficiently upheld. Our mission is to fill this gap and promote Georgia in the Republic

of Serbia as much as possible. With the support of Honorary Consuls of Georgia and the Republic of Serbia and in close cooperation with relevant Georgian and Serbian institutions, we have organised several business forums in Tbilisi and in Belgrade and thus created an important platform for the business community of two countries to meet each other and discuss perspectives of possible cooperation. Furthermore, we follow different international and local exhibitions with great interest and invite Georgian companies to participate and present their products. We support other business, tourist, and information visits from Serbia to Georgia to help Serbian citizens establish contacts with their Georgian counterparts or just enjoy Georgian hospitality. At the same time, we are always happy to facilitate the visits of Georgian cultural representatives to share our rich culture with the Serbian public.

Head of the Belgrade office of the Embassy of Georgia to Serbia

© All photos: Goran Zlatković

Are there plans to establish a direct air link between Georgia and Serbia? Have you talked with airlines that could do that?

We are witnessing the post-pandemic recovery of the aviation industry and positive dynamics in Georgia and the Republic of Serbia, which we are seeing giving us additional perspective to reactivate our communication with different airlines operating in our respective regions. The Embassy office had active contact with them before Covid-19, discussing several options and modalities. For sure, establishing direct flights between Georgia and the Republic of Serbia would boost the development of economic cooperation and tourism.

How can you see the potential for economic, tourism, and cultural cooperation between two countries?

In times of global turbulence and uncertainties, strengthening economic ties and increasing trade volume between countries is vitally important. In this respect, Georgia is highly interested in consolidating joint efforts to further advance trade and economic cooperation with the Republic of Serbia because the potentials are still untapped. Despite the adverse effects of multidimensional shocks from the international environment,

there are positive developments in the two countries economies. For example, the Georgian economy grew by 10.1% in 2022, and double-digit growth was recorded over the past two years. We have to use this opportunity and help businesses implement new projects that will bring significant benefits to our people and further deepen ties between the two countries. When it comes to tourism, before the pandemic crisis, the tourism sector in Georgia had grown dynamically with record results in 2019, when the coun-

cultural events in the coming months. The Serbian public will have the opportunity to enjoy traditional Georgian polyphonic songs and dances, different exhibitions, and artifacts of rich cultural heritage, with the elements of famous Georgian cuisine and wine.

Spectacular Georgian cuisine came closer to Serbian food lovers. What is the secret ingredient of your national cuisine?

Georgia has absorbed neighboring culinary influences over

try had up to 9.4 million international visitors, thus generating foreign exchange income of over $3.3 billion. After the coronavirus pandemic, Georgia recovered its tourism income and received $3.5 billion in 2022. At the same time, the number of international tourist visits retrieved by 71.9% in 2022. We hope that the complete opening of borders and restarting of tourism services will facilitate boosting tourist flows between our countries. Undoubtedly, there is significant potential to enhance cultural ties between two countries and people. Our embassy office will organise several high-level

the centuries by geographical and political design. Throughout history, Georgia has been a territory of interest to many foreign countries, primarily due to its strategic location between the Black Sea, the Caucasus Mountains, and the Caspian Sea. Georgia has been invaded by many, all bringing their influences to the Georgian table and creating a unique and exciting cuisine unlike any other. At the same time, as part of the Silk Road, Georgia served as a stop on East-West trade routes for centuries. As traders passed through, the Georgians borrowed and assimilated the flavors and aromas of visitors’ culinary traditions. Georgian dishes now incorporate flavors and influences from the foods of our neighboring countries and regions. Furthermore, each Georgian region has developed its own distinctive contribution to the country’s culinary identity over time.

And, of course, Georgian cuisine is not complete without Georgian wine and polyphonic singing and dancing. We are a proud Country to be recognized as the birthplace of wine, with 8 000 years of wine-making traditions.

There are many similarities between the two nations. We consider ourselves brothers. Do you feel that way?

Similarities between Georgia and the Republic of Serbia are due to their strategic geopoliti-

cal location, challenging but diverse history, Orthodox religion, unique culture, rich traditions, and common foreign policy priority to become a full member of the European Union. Georgia and the Republic of Serbia have been historically and culturally integral parts of Europe, and logically, they want to establish their place in the big European family. According to my observation, there is probably a rare nation in the world with which Georgians have as much in common as we have with Serbs. This is expressed in the daily lifestyle, attitude towards the family, relations with friends, and celebration of various holidays and important dates, which of course, is primarily determined by our common Orthodox religion. Furthermore, the world recognizes Georgia and the Republic of Serbia as the most hospitable countries. Guest is considered a gift from God in Georgia. In this respect, we can easily compete with Serbia, which is also famous for its hospitality, and my family and I feel it every day during our stay in Belgrade.

What do you think about life in Belgrade? Is there anything you miss from your homeland?

It’s impossible not to fall in love with the city that is the birthplace of your two sons. Our family will have unforgettable memories of Belgrade and will always be happy to revisit this wonderful city.

Considering the famous Serbian hospitality and similarities between Georgians and Serbs, everything is very familiar to us, and we never felt like strangers in Belgrade. Living and working in this city and country is very comfortable for us.

In addition, Belgrade is distinguished by the fact that in this city you can suddenly discover a new exciting place where you can spend time well and enjoy. Mainly for this reason, I would like as many Georgians as possible to visit this city, and I am doing my best to bring my family and friends to Serbia frequently. Probably, it is the closeness to them that I miss the most in Belgrade, although the friends I made in Serbia compensate to some extent for being away from my loved ones.

THE GUEST IS CONSIDERED A GIFT FROM GOD IN GEORGIA. IN THIS RESPECT, WE CAN EASILY COMPETE WITH SERBIA

Directly from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague, Netherlands, we received a postcard from Thomas Schieb, former ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Serbia. H.E. Mr Schieb, who now serves as the Permanent Representative of Germany to the OPCW, shared with us his memories from his period of living in Serbia.

A Wonderful Experience

What have you been doing since you left Belgrade?

What (and who) do you miss the most from Serbia?

Well, it goes without saying that I still miss many of my Serbian interlocutors, partners, and friends, as well as many of my former colleagues.

Being Germany’s Ambassador to Serbia, your most important mission is to help bring Serbia closer to the European Union. That’s not an easy job – explaining the intricacies of EU integration, fighting misconceptions, prejudices, and disinformation, advocating for EU membership and showing that it’s definitely worth being a member of this club – even if it takes a lot of hard work. Having

completed my tenure after four years, it was time to move on. However, I can’t help missing it. Four years is quite a long time. We travelled a lot in Serbia and in the region and it was a wonderful experience. I miss the great Serbian hospitality, the almost Mediterranean vibes of Belgrade in summer, the Friday evening concerts of the wonderful Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, and the many cultural festivals … Luckily, Serbia isn’t so far from the Netherlands – I’m already looking forward to spending a long weekend in Belgrade next spring.

Leaving Belgrade on 30 July 2022, I drove straight up to The Hague in the Netherlands, where I started working, at the beginning of August, as the Permanent Representative of Germany to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). With its 193 Member States, the OPCW is the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), overseeing the global endeavour of eliminating all chemical weapons. It has been quite successful as 99 percent of the chemical weapons stockpiles declared by possessor States Parties have been verifiably destroyed. The OPCW was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2013 for “its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons”. The OPCW will continue to play an important role in the future – to ensure that no State Parties retain undeclared CW weapon programmes; prevent terrorists from getting hold of certain precursors that would enable them to build and use chemical weapons; help State Parties to implement the CWC – i.e. to have the necessary legislation and capacities in place; and, last but not least, to in-

spect the chemical industry to make sure that all activities are in accordance with the CWC. Recently, I was honored to witness the inauguration of a new group of OPCW inspectors, including two inspectors from Serbia (see photo).

Currently, the OPCW has a number of very difficult issues on its agenda. Among other things, Syria is refusing to cooperate with the OPCW, irrespective of many open questions regarding the production and use of chemical weapons in the past, and Russia is conducting a disinformation campaign against Ukraine, accusing it of preparing the use of chemical weapons without ever presenting any evidence.

My new home, The Hague –the international city of peace and justice – is a very pleasant city with beautiful architecture, a rich history, and wonderful museums, and it’s also home to the Nederlands Danse Theater (which regularly performs at BDF!). It is close to the sea, and you can reach everything by bicycle. And we have started discovering the many touristic highlights to be found all over this beautiful country.

Why Poland Loves to Hate Germany

The two NATO allies can’t stop squabbling

Germany and Poland should be happy neighbours. Bound by close personal ties as well as €150bn in yearly trade, the two are key members of both the European Union and NATO. As Russia’s invasion confronts Europe with the gravest security threat since the cold war, the pair are also, after America and perhaps Britain, Ukraine’s most vital strategic allies. Poland is the main arms conduit into Ukraine and a host to millions of its refugees. Because of their own history with Russia, Poles have been among Ukraine’s most ardent, generous, and timely supporters. Germany, Europe’s richest economy, has been slower to react but is now by far the continent’s biggest contributor to the war effort.

Yet on January 3rd, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Poland’s deputy foreign minister, lashed out at Germany. Calling the ostensible ally “disrespectful” and “unfriendly,” he accused Berlin

study that tots them up. Sponsored by his Law and Justice party (known by its Polish acronym PiS) and published in September, it puts the bill for damages caused to Poland by

POLAND PUT THE BILL FOR DAMAGES CAUSED TO POLAND BY GERMANY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR AT A COLOSSAL €1.3TRN, ABOUT DOUBLE POLAND’S GDP.

THE GERMAN RESPONSE IS A FIRM NEIN

of trying to turn Poland into a “vassal state”. He also called on the United Nations to intervene in support of Poland’s claims against its neighbour.

Mr Mularczyk is particularly familiar with these claims. He helped write a three-volume

Germany during the second world war at a colossal €1.3trn, about double Poland’s GDP. On October 3rd, Poland formally presented this demand to Berlin. The German response is a firm nein.

No one disputes the monstrosity of Nazi crimes in Poland. But

they took place eight decades ago. Since then, Germany has ceded vast tracts of land to Poland and signed deals with varied Polish governments to close the books on the war. So the timing and blindness to the precedent of the mounting Polish campaign against Germany, of which the reparations demand forms just a part, do raise questions.

There is a simple answer to all of them: Poland’s polarised politics. Opinion polls show a slow slide in support for United Right, the coalition dominated by the nationalist, socially conservative PiS that has run the country since 2015. Strains have grown inside the coalition since it won a second term in 2019. Micro-parties on the far right whine that their bigger ally has

© All photos: Shutterstock

gone soft, failing to stand up to what they see as bullying from the EU. With elections looming in autumn 2023, PiS is keen both to rally its base and to hold this alliance together.

Souring relations with Germany should be seen in the context of Poland’s European policy, explains Piotr Buras of the European Council on Foreign Relations, a think-tank. As Brussels has pressed Poland, particularly over the government’s efforts to quash judicial independence and enforce traditional “family values,” PiS’s leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, has increasingly pointed to Germany as a behindthe-scenes source of trouble. In December 2021, he claimed that its real agenda was to turn the EU into a “Fourth Reich.” (Tellingly, Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s former president, put precisely the same contention in a New Year’s message.) Even months after Russia invaded Ukraine, Mr Kaczynski was still suggesting that Berlin was colluding with Moscow to “enslave” Poland.

Neighbours with history

Such dark suspicions are not the only excuses to bash Germany.

Mr Kaczynski’s main sparring opponent on the left, Donald Tusk, Poland’s prime minister from 2007 to 2014, happened to have partial German ancestry (quite common in western Poland) and served as president of the European Council. PiS and its allies, whose strongholds are in the rural east, have not shied from tarring Mr Tusk as a treacherous Germanophile.

eration of German leaders who blindly trusted Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, so saddling Germany with a feeble army and a dangerous dependence on Russian energy.

“This may sound crazy, but it makes sense in their particular bubble,” says Wojciech Przybylski of Res Publica, a Warsaw research group.

Germany has also attracted blame to itself, and not just for failing to pay Poland the humble respect it has shown to others, such as Israel and France, in recognition of Nazi crimes. Mr Kaczynski is hardly the only eastern European to wag a “we told you so” finger at a gen-

Mr Kaczynski draws strength from this sense of moral superiority, says Mr Buras. The irony is that he chooses to flaunt it just when Germany has, at last, admitted the error of its ways on Russia, and just as the two countries’ policies converge more than ever. Despite responding heroically to Ukraine, it is Poland that is making trouble for the broader Western alliance.

When Germany found that the weapons it gives Ukraine are so heavily used that they often break down, Poland proved hesitant to allow the Bundeswehr to build a repair center

on its territory. This vital facility opened in Slovakia instead. When a stray Ukrainian rocket fell in Poland in November, killing two farmers, Germany hastened to offer its neighbour a battery of sophisticated Patriot air-defence missiles. The Polish government at first welcomed the offer, but Mr Kaczynski then said no, adding that German soldiers would anyway be too sissy to shoot at Russian aircraft. Only after an embarrassing week-long muddle did Poland back down, allowing the system to be deployed.

As elections approach, flip-flops by PiS may grow more common. Another occurred just before Christmas when the government announced a compromise that would allow the release of some €36bn in eu grants and loans that have been stalled by a long quarrel between Brussels and United Right over judicial independence. Then came a sudden reverse, as PiS appeared to bow to objections from ultranationalist coalition allies. The issue remains unresolved.

United Right’s anti-German drumbeat, gleefully echoed by state broadcasters, has clearly influenced Polish public opinion. An annual barometer of sentiments finds that last year, for the first time, more than half of Poles said relations with Germany are not good, with 35% describing them as downright bad. In December, perhaps in an effort at damage control, Andrzej Duda, Poland’s largely titular president, a former PiS mp who often acts as a “good cop” to soften Mr Kaczynski’s bluntness, paid a cordial visit to his even less powerful German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. But it will take more than diplomatic niceties, dismissed by Mr Mularczyk as “fairy tales,” to fix the current mess.

AS BRUSSELS HAS PRESSED POLAND, PARTICULARLY OVER THE GOVERNMENT’S EFFORTS TO QUASH JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE AND ENFORCE TRADITIONAL “FAMILY VALUES,” PIS’S LEADER, JAROSLAW KACZYNSKI, HAS INCREASINGLY POINTED TO GERMANY AS A BEHIND-THE-SCENES SOURCE OF TROUBLE

New BIGZ Building in the Spring

The renovation of the BIGZ building will be completed by the end of spring and open for the first tenants to move in, Marera Properties has confirmed. The company also announces that currently 80 percent of the work on the exterior has been completed, as well as most of the work on the interior of the building.

The comprehensive reconstruction of this cultural monument began in the second half of last year, and it foresees a complete renovation of the building’s interior and exterior. Works on the building are still ongoing and include the reconstruction of the facade, changing all doors and windows to achieve better sound insulation, waterproofing works, as well as yard landscaping. At the same time, interior work is being carried out, which includes the replacement of complete electrical and plumbing installations, the installation of new fire protection and security systems, the installation of new lifts, and the installation of completely new air conditioning and ventilation systems.

BIGZ was designed by the architect Dragiša Brašovan and spans a total of 40.000 square

metres which, once the reconstruction is finished, will be adapted to the requirements of a multifunctional class ‘A’ business centre. BIGZ will keep its monumentality and industri-

al style, and the warmth of the space will be enhanced with modern details, including linear exterior lighting that will emphasize the contours of this historic building. With its size and complexity, it represents

one of the largest building reconstruction projects that are under the protection of the City of Belgrade Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments that has been implemented so far in our area. The total value of the works is 20 million euros. The renovated BIGZ will be unique in terms of the individual floors which will span as much as 3,500 square meters per floor, with offices of differ-

ent sizes designed to fulfil all the requirements of the future tenants, and the large windows that will decorate the building. All of this will make the interior bright and pleasant to work in.

The building that used to house one of the biggest state-owned printing companies was built at the very beginning of Vojvoda Mišić Boulevard, in the immediate vicinity of important industrial and infrastructure buildings, and is one of the most famous architectural achievements of Yugoslav modernism since 1937. Thanks to its location, it sovereignly defines views not only of the Boulevard, Senjačka Padina, Mostarska Petlja and the Gazela Bridge but also the neighbouring quarters of Dedinje and Topcider, representing a symbol at the entrance to the southern part of our capital.

Marera Properties is engaged in the acquisition, development, rental and management of the commercial real estate. The company’s portfolio consists of more than 200,000m² of office, retail and industrial buildings, located throughout the country, which puts it in the group of the largest developers in the Serbian real estate market. The company stands out the most for projects related to the successful reconstruction of old buildings that are under the protection of the City of Belgrade Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments. One such building is the Belgrade Palace, which was officially opened after comprehensive reconstruction in early 2021 and today is a first-class office space downtown. Also, another example is the former Beko building which was abandoned for a whole decade, roofless and windowless, but today it is a multi-functional office space. Last but not least, there is the ongoing renovation of the BIGZ building.

The comprehensive reconstruction of this cultural monument was started in the second half of last year

BIGZ WILL KEEP ITS MONUMENTALITY AND INDUSTRIAL STYLE

© Photos: Marera Properties

The Quest for the Holy Grail

In the decades that followed, Valencia turned the catastrophic flood of 1957, when 81 of its residents died, into an opportunity for the city’s complete transformation, which today, according to many surveys, is one of the most beautiful places to live in Europe

by Robert Čoban

Huge bonfires were burning in the squares of Valencia when we were there in March 2012. We are talking, of course, about the famous Fallas festival, which traces its roots back to the Middle Ages. At that time, near the end of winter, on March 19, on the feast of St. Joseph, local artisans brought their unsold handicrafts and generated waste to the nearest squares and burned them as a sign of welcoming spring. In the 20th century, year-on-year, the aesthetic and artisanal effigies that burn in the squares became more and more perfect so today you just

feel sorry when you look at them because you know that all that beauty will disappear in flames on St. Joseph’s Night.

A decade later, an Air Serbia’s direct flight from Belgrade brought

“This is due, in large part, to the port where a large quantity of the cocaine comes from Latin America to Europe. It is no coincidence that Luka Bojović was arrested there in February 2012. In the 21st century, Valencia

budget. It’s just that, unlike us, they know how to reconcile public and private, so everything looks as it should in the end”, a friend of mine who has an apartment in Valencia told me while we were sipping on wine in a restaurant near Palilula outdoor market.

us back to this magical city, which in 11 years, has become visibly wealthier, more orderly and embellished.

flourished because of that drug money, a lot of new buildings were built and huge amounts of money ended up in the city’s

So we arrived on a morning flight from Belgrade and after a half-hour taxi ride from the airport, we checked into a hotel on the beach. As it was still morning, Sandra and the children went to bed to catch up on some sleep and I, of course, rented a bike and set off along the long

NO COUNTRY IN EUROPE HAS LEARNED LIKE SPAIN HOW TO INCORPORATE NATURE, HISTORICAL HERITAGE AND MODERN DESIGN INTO THE EXCELLENT QUALITY OF CITY LIFE

Holy Grail © Shutterstock

coastal promenade. The sun and sand can deceive us continentals, so the next morning, I tried to swim in the sea and got out soon after because the water was terrifyingly icy, so much so that I remembered a dialogue from the movie “Titanic”.

After the paella washed down with a bottle of rioja wine, we headed towards the city centre, which you can reach by an easy one-hour walk along the dry bed of the Turia River.

After the catastrophic flood of 1957, when the Turia overflowed, covering two-thirds of Valencia and killing 81 residents, the city heads decided to move the course of the river to the western suburbs and in its old bed, create a spectacular park with both old and new bridges, and which has been constantly upgraded since then. It has cycling and jogging routes, fountains, magnificent museums and palaces, designed by Santiago Calatrava, outdoor children’s playgrounds, botanical gardens and dozens of other facilities. As we walk between spectacular buildings designed by Calatrava, I think that no country in Europe has learned like Spain how to incorporate nature, historical heritage and modern design into the excellent quality of city life. We can really learn a lot from them, so I often recommend Balkan politicians to go to Valencia, Barcelona, Seville or Bilbao to see how the Spanish organize their cities, apart from frequenting restaurants, stadiums and shops.

As we approach Calatrava’s L’Agora, the 1960 film “Time Machine” springs to mind. The Christmas market, located under the arches of the City of Arts and Sciences, looks somewhat surreal in that environment at 18 degrees Celsius.

We arrive in the city centre where many streets are closed off, even for pedestrians, because it is January 5th and the procession is expected to start in honour of the Three Kings holiday. On the Queen’s Square (Placa de la Reina) where the Cathedral is also located, we sit in the outdoor area one of the cafes where we are supposed to meet Michel Saint-Lot and

Katia advises me to put a backpack on my back every time: “Valencia is not like Barcelona, there are fewer street theftsbut you still have to be careful, especially on days like this!”

The morning after, I arrive at the city’s central train station - Estación del Norte (North Station). While the rest of Europe was bleeding in the fourth year of the Great War, in 1917, in neutral Spain, the lavish Estación del Norte railway station opened in Valencia on the site of an old station building from 1852. The god of war came 20 years later here when, in 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, the station was bombed from the air. It is

AFTER THE CATASTROPHIC FLOOD OF 1957, WHEN THE TURIA OVERFLOWED, COVERING TWO-THIRDS OF VALENCIA AND KILLING 81 RESIDENTS, THE CITY HEADS DECIDED TO MOVE THE COURSE OF THE RIVER TO THE WESTERN SUBURBS AND IN ITS OLD BED, CREATE A SPECTACULAR PARK WITH BOTH OLD AND NEW BRIDGES, AND WHICH HAS BEEN CONSTANTLY UPGRADED SINCE THEN

his wife Katia. Michel, a native of Haiti, was the director of UNICEF in Belgrade until four years ago, after which he went to Madagascar and retired in a house with a swimming pool in Provence. Michel and Katia, who also spent the New Year’s holidays here, advise us where to try the best churros, a local speciality, a pastry similar to thin tulumbas that are dipped in melted chocolate. We often get up from the table to see the Three Kings procession, and

located in the very centre of the city and 15 million passengers pass through it annually.

Not far from the station is the Mercado Central, the main market in Valencia, which construction began in 1914 and was completed in 1928. This is one of the largest covered markets in Europe, spanning as much as 8,000 square metres. During the Christmas holidays, the centre of this space was dominated by a model of the biblical Beth-

lehem, the place where Jesus was born, and the aromas, colours and tastes of this region spread in all directions - fruits, vegetables, fish, hams, cheese and oriental sweets left behind (just like the hammams) from the time of Moorish rule over the peninsula.

In Queen’s Square, a large tyrannosaurus doll is moving about, while in front of it is a container for inserting coins. We stare at it, trying to figure out if there is a man inside or if it is a machine. A man “managing the figure” arrives, pushes a large bottle of Coca-Cola and a sandwich into the T-rex through the opening on the back and says - “There’s a man inside!” - in fluent Serbian while laughing. I ask him where he is from: “Romania, Timisoara, we’re neighbours!” After Romania joined the EU in 2007, hundreds of thousands of Romanians came to Spain, as Spanish (one of the Romance languages, just like theirs) was easier for them to learn than German, for instance. “If they hadn’t come, factories like Porcelanosa could have closed because they would have become uncompetitive against Chinese and Turkish ceramic manufacturers. They are willing to work for 700 euros a month, while the Spaniards would never do that”, a representative of the Porcelanosa brand in Serbia told me this in 2012.

Many believe that the Holy Grail, the jar that Jesus used during the Last Supper, is located in one of the chapels of the Cathedral in Valencia (Iglesia

Photos: Left - Calatrava’s L’Agora © Shutterstock; Middle - Paella; Right - North Station © Robert Čoban

Catedral-Basílica Metropolitana de la Asunción de Nuestra Señora de Valencia). A 1st-century jar with Arabic cathedral inscriptions was donated in 1436 by the Spanish king Alfonso V of Aragon. The cathedral was built in 1262 and was extended in the following centuries.

Next to the Cathedral, there is a group of tourists gathered around a guide pulling a map branded with the words “Indiana Tours”. Apparently, Spielberg’s film is the first thing most tourists think of when the biblical Holy Grail is mentioned.

In the Museum of Fine Arts, on the other side of the Turia’s dry bed, we saw a painting of General Francisco Franco, a sight rarely seen in modern Spain. I saw a work of art depicting him only once more and that was

in the Legion Museum in Ceuta, the Spanish exclave on the African soil from which Franco went to the Spanish civil war. We also saw an El Greco, a Hieronymus Bosch, a lot of altars and other masterpieces of Spanish medieval art. Entrance to the museum is free.

seats that we stumble upon by chance, guided by Sartre’s quote “When you come to a city for a few days, don’t rush to see everything, but find the best bar and let the city pass before you!”. However, this time around, we acted upon recommendations. One of them was the legendary

When you come to a city like Valencia, all your friends who have been there or lived in it will overwhelm you with recommendations for a good place to have lunch. By the way, we like restaurants with street

“La Pepica” which was opened back in 1898 on the beach in Valencia and is located right next to our hotel Neptune. This famous restaurant was founded in the late 19th century by Francisco Balaguer Aranda and

his wife Josefa Marquis Sánchis, and it was initially just a kiosk selling sandwiches and beer to port workers. King Alfonso XIII granted licenses to Francisco and 44 other restaurateurs to erect wooden shacks on the beach in which to serve food and drink to swimmers. The couple had eight children, and today their grandchildren and great-grandchildren run the restaurant where you can find pictures of numerous famous guests hanging on the walls. From Spain’s King Philip to our own Pedja Mijatović, who played in Valencia from 1993 to 1996. Mijatović often comes here because the family that adopted his sick son Andrej, who died in 2009 at the age of 15, lived there.

If, while in Valencia, you crave the Swiss speciality fondue

PALACIO DEL MARQUÉS DE DOS AGUAS, WHICH TODAY HOUSES

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CERAMICS AND DECORATIVE ARTS, IS ONE OF THE MOST LAVISHLY DECORATED BUILDINGS IN SPAIN, PERHAPS IN THE WORLD

Photos: Left - the Silk Exchange; Middle - the Museum of Fine Arts; Right - The Fallas Museum © Robert Čoban

Photos: Left - The Central Market of Valencia; Right - Coastal promenade © Robert Čoban

with cheese (in our case, we are always craving it), “La Fondue” is the best place to be. The restaurant is excellent and inexpensive, but there are not many tables, so you have to reserve your seat up to several days in advance. We were served by a young blonde waiter who was obviously not Spanish. He came here in March, as part of the first wave of refugees from Ukraine when it was still possible to leave the country. We are chatting about Manu Chao’s song “Clandestino”, which talks about refugees – those who left Spain, from the direction of Ceuta, for Latin Americans and who swam across the Rio Grande to reach “the land of the free and the home of the brave”. From the moment when the song was written (1998), many other peoples were forced into exile due to the war - Ukrainians being the latest.

I also visit the Valencia History Museum, which is a little further from the city centre. In the not-overly-impressive collection, I am drawn to the compilation of newsreels, covering the period from the early 20th century to the end of Franco’s reign, which describe events in the city such as the Regional Exhibition in 1909, during which some of the most beautiful buildings were erected, including the famous Bridge of Exposición Regional Valenciana. During the infamous flood of 1957, the river Turia wiped the bridge off the face of the earth. King Alfonso XIII, who ruled Spain for 45 years, i.e. from his birth in 1886 until the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931, is on one of the recordings depicting his visit to the Exhibition. Alfonso XIII is the grandfather of the former king, the controversial Juan Carlos, and the great-grandfather of King Philip VI, the current ruler of Spain.

The newsreels also show see scenes from the Second Spanish Republic (1931-1939) and the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), during which planes from Mussolini’s Italy and Hitler’s Germany bombed the city 442 times, leaving behind 3,831 dead and 847 wounded. After Franco’s victory in the war in 1939, Spain, including Valencia, was

bypassed by the Second World War and the city’s recovery began, only to be interrupted by the catastrophic flood in 1957, after which the period of progress begins again, which, with a greater or lesser pace, continues to this day.

Since we were in Valencia on Orthodox Christmas on January 7, I decided to check if there was a Russian church in

of Europe because of the war in Ukraine, seem to celebrate their Christmas almost in secret, like the first Christians.

The next morning, I visited the Museo Fallero de Valencia, dedicated to the Fallas Festival from the beginning of this travelogue. Namely, every year, a special jury chooses the most beautiful effigy to be “rescued” and then exhibited in the mu-

centre and as I passed the cathedral I heard the sound of trumpets. I entered the cathedral and I saw young men and women, dressed in traditional Spanish costumes, offering the priest gifts in the form of flower arrangements accompanied by pop music from a brass band. Another of the many testimonies about how much the Spaniards hold on to their tradition and show it at every step.

the city and I found it in a small place not far from the city centre. Christmas service in the Russian Church of St. George was held at 6:00 p.m., and in the temple, I found priest Sergei and a dozen believers, mostly elderly women. It was somewhat shocking to see that the Russians, despised in most

seum. There are also posters for Fallas from 1930 to the present day. There was an interesting poster from 1936. Four months after the Fallas Festival took place that year, the Civil War broke out and real fires were burning in the streets of Valencia and other Spanish cities. I continued cycling towards the

La Lonja de la Seda (the Silk Exchange) is a Gothic building opposite the Main Market in Valencia. It was built in the late 15th century and during the Civil War (1936-1939), it hosted sessions of the Parliament of the Spanish Republic as well as the Anti-Fascist Exhibition. It has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and looks absolutely spectacular with high arches held up by thin “twisted” stone pillars.

The evening flight to Belgrade gave us a whole day before we depart to see the remaining sights of Valencia. I still have to see the Church of St. Nicholas (San Nicolás de Bari and San Pedro Mártir), which is considered one of the most beautifully decorated temples in the world. It was built in the 13th century and Juan Pérez Castiel completed the decoration of its interior in the Baroque style in 1693. You can sit for hours there and observe the splendour of its ceiling in amazement.

Finally, I left one more building, which beauty you can admire for hours, for the next time - Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas, which today houses the National Museum of Ceramics and Decorative Arts, is one of the most lavishly decorated buildings in Spain, perhaps in the world. The palace is said to have been built on a Roman cemetery and changed owners over the centuries until today when it is owned by the Spanish state.

The current look of the Rococo-style facade is from 1745. It is described as “La Gran Belleza”, the Spanish translation of the famous Italian phrase or “Beauty to Die For”, in English. And many did, indeed, die for its beauty!

A DECADE LATER, AN AIR SERBIA’S DIRECT FLIGHT FROM BELGRADE BROUGHT US BACK TO THIS MAGICAL CITY, WHICH IN 11 YEARS, HAS BECOME VISIBLY WEALTHIER, MORE ORDERLY AND EMBELLISHED

Photos: Upper - National Museum of Ceramics and Decorative Arts; Lower - the Church of St. Nicholas © Robert Čoban

The List: People who change Belgrade

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

NOTE: The list is made in alphabetical order

Masterchef of the Zepter Hotel first came to Belgrade ten years ago. The unearthed and gloomy city was not much to show off then but the famous Belgrade parties turned out to be a special and unforgettable story for him. Maybe that’s why the rest of the night is the highlight of his day when he leisurely creates gastronomic art. Because that’s what he is: a world-class chef, always possessed by an inconceivable good mood. Thanks to such a demeanour, he seems reliable like a brother, a trait the Serbs understand very well. Born in Zagreb, he cooked all over the world, mostly for the rich and famous with spoiled palates. A chance meeting brought him back to Belgrade when he had already become a doctor of molecular gastronomy. What did he do first? He incorporated a lemon balloon and raspberry glass, which simply melts away in one’s mouth, into our hedonistic habits. He created a special place for candles made of lard that melt with scones made of cuttlefish ink. He dedicated the Zepter mono cake to childhood when we only liked poppy seeds out of the entire juicy homemade strudel. He even managed to defeat the unsurpassed bellini from the legendary Harry’s bar. His personality could be described with a single sentence - I am Damir Sertić and I am living my dream.

What a woman! One of the most important Serbian architects and interior designers, globally recognized and author of many projects that are so Belgrade-like. The Moskva Hotel, the Philharmonic’s Informbiro café, the West 654 Tower… Currently, she is very busy with the reconstruction of the famous rustic pre-war hotel called Bristol in the Belgrade Waterfront quarter. With her recognizable minimalism, as a defined style, she authored many conceptual solutions for restaurants, clubs, cafes, mansions and apartments. Although she has been working across the region, she sees Belgrade as a respectable example of cosmopolitan and avant-garde life. She grew up in Arandjelovac, with ballerinas Jelena Šantić and Marija Janković, because her parents opened the first private ballet school in the town, in their family home. She graduated high school in England, after which she realized that she felt the best in architecture, as a discipline, but also as a man’s job, wearing a white shirt. Belgrade provided her with the perfect scenery and she learned to build her vocabulary as a designer on the contrasts of the historical and the contemporary, so in 2007, she opened the KDA Bureau. She has always walked fearlessly, even in ballet flats, never losing sight of life for a second. Recently, in the wonderful Miloš Savčić’s house on Andrićev Venac, she created a unique showroom - The Apartment by KDA - which is arranged like an everyday apartment, but from which you can take home everything you see - from furniture to the wine in the fridge. The best part for her is enjoying brunch with a glass of champagne. And when at the end of the party she throws for friends, Ksenija sways her hips to the rhythm of dance music, while wearing her favourite black trousers.

© Marko Krunić

© Goran Popovski

KSENIJA DJORDJEVIĆ Architect and interior designer

DAMIR SERTIĆ Doctor of molecular gastronomy

© Sanja Stefanović

Descendant of the famous Serbian politician Jevrem Grujić, translator, model, owner of the first disco club in this part of the world, owner of the copyright to the best city parties, a mythical figure of Belgrade’s nightlife and a strict guardian of the memory of the time when society was ruled by charmers with courtly manners. We are talking about Lazar Šećerović, the professor of a more beautiful reality, the most active, agile and strong citizen of Belgrade, who, even though lives in a museum, struts like a young man. His family home was given the prestigious status of a museum and is open to visitors several times a week. Even though there are valuable art paintings, rare china and cultural heritage of national importance, his everyday life is overcome with unprecedented excitement, as if every day is the best part of his life. Classy and measured, yet a great conversationalist, he believes that a little gentlemanly gossip never hurt anyone. Known in the city as Laza Šećer, he addresses those he loves exclusively and unpretentiously with chéri. Although overwhelmed by the exuberance of his mischievous nature, he is never offended and feels nothing but contempt for any kind of quarrel. He believes that the world is an inexhaustible source of joy, and where there is none, he is ready to invent it. Long live Lazar Šećerović, the last true Belgrade gentleman!

When he started conquering the world from a small town in THE fascinating Sardinia, he never dreamed that he would spend fifteen years beautifying Belgrade. In which way? It is an indisputable fact that hairdressing gave him a lot. He studied at the Academy of Design and Fashion in Florence. After graduating, he got his first job in London at the famous Vidal Sassoon salon located on the top floor of the iconic Harrods. During the filming of an editorial, he met the famous Rossano Ferretti and joined his crew. The rest is the philosophy of top hair cutting and colouring. He arrived in Belgrade in 2007 and is married to a Serbian woman. He also fell passionately in love with her city and its warm-hearted people, so after returning from every trip, he always says that he came back home. Rossano Ferretti Belgrade Hair Spa is a salon apartment with black walls and the best espresso in town. Customers are treated like friends and warmly welcomed by his dream team. The question is why should we love Marcello Mura? Because he loves hair more than anything and wants only the best for it, without making a show of it. As one of the most famous Italians in Belgrade, he persistently insists on speaking in his lovable version of the Serbian language and behaves not only as a hairdresser but also as a leader, who has no problem using a sweeping brush and scissors alike.

Perhaps even more pronounced than her movie or theatre performances is her walking the streets of Belgrade or talking about books as the most important fashion statement pieces. Tamara Krcunović brings the aesthetics of nonchalance to perfection every day. She is relentless in that. She once walked out of an editorial shoot because she was suggested to wear a red lace dress. She is the supreme proof that Parisian and Belgrade women have the same DNA. Perhaps the deciding factor was that she studied acting in both Belgrade and Paris. After returning from France, the ringer on her phone seemed to have broken. She sweetly lied to her parents that, instead of a job, she had a secret weapon that she would one day put to work. In that waiting, she became so hardened that today she is a real actress/labourer. She acts as if there is nothing more important or useful than the theatre, and despite the sloppiness that accompanies her profession, she is mathematically precise, even when it comes to engaging in dramatic steps such as the play “Hotel 88” performed in a hotel room or the “Lepa Brena Project”. While acting in the genius play “Death and a Girl”, she does everything in her power to make our small Belgrade community prosper.

© Ljubomir Dorontić

MARCELLO MURA Hairdresser 4

LAZAR ŠEĆEROVIĆ Urban legend 3

TAMARA KRCUNOVIĆ Actress 5

© Nebojša Babić

© Nebojša Babić

OLIVERA KOVAČEVIĆ

Entertainment Programmes as a Reflection of our Reality

Director of the Entertainment Programme of the Serbian Broadcasting Corporation (RTS), Olivera Kovačević, is often the target of attacks from all sides. Because of her straightforward and noholds-barred statements, she knows how to stir up the political public in Serbia, just like recently when she declared that RTS would change when the people want it to change or how she is very aware of all the flaws of Serbian society, including the public broadcaster she works for. She does not hesitate to criticize and ask questions, even when she is the one who is expected to answer.

In light of the current situation in society and the media, entertainment programme is rarely mentioned. How important is this kind of programme for society and what can the latest entertainment trends tell us about the society we live in?

I would disagree with your statement. In terms of media, one of the most frequently used terms is “reality show” and how reality shows are poisoning our society, which means that entertainment programmes are very often mentioned and analyzed. It is obvious how important enter-

tainment programmes are for society as they can be seen as an intersection and a reflection of both our reality and social values. What we watch on our televisions speaks volumes about what kind of society and what kind of people we are.

RTS IS THE MOSTWATCHED TV STATION IN SERBIA AND ONE OF THE 17 MOST-WATCHED PUBLIC BROADCASTERS IN EUROPE

Entertainment content is very important in the life of every individual. They are a kind of remedy for eliminating stress but often the way we have fun is an indicator of certain serious health and social problems. How to determine and maintain the line between healthy entertainment and satisfying basic instincts?

You say that entertainment programmes are a kind of remedy for eliminating stress but I can cite several examples of how they actually increase stress like sports programmes, for instance. I know quite a few women that were fuming while they were watching Novak Djokovic play and waiting for him to win.

Director of the Serbian Broadcasting Corporation’s Entertainment Programme

© Photos: Andreja Damnjanović

It is my privilege to have extensive media experience, so I can judge and separate the essential from the unimportant and truth from lies

Yes, the way we have fun can be an indicator of social problems, but I think it’s pretentious to say that it can be a source of health problems. They are, after all, individual things. Entertainment can certainly reflect society’s poverty, primitivism and intolerance, but when you offer quality content, it attracts the attention of a large number of viewers. The fact that the most watched show in our country is the general knowledge quiz Slagalica tells you a lot about Serbia, and that is, you will agree, quite impressive. As for guarding the line between decent and indecent content, this is the responsibility of the editors and the media, and how they ‘loosen the brakes’ in order to mask some other events and problems in real life.

The Serbian Broadcasting Corporation and its entertainment department hold the rights to Serbia competing in the Eurovision Song Contest. This event has been criticized a lot both in the artistic world, as well as by nationalists. It has also been often the target of homophobic attacks due to its immense popularity in the LGBTQ+ community. Why is the Eurovision Song Contest important and what values does our traditional society gain by participating in such an event?

In addition to critics, whether they are artists or nationalists, the Eurovision Song Contest has far more fans, supporters and viewership, and it is one of the biggest television productions in the world, and as a television show program, it is certainly the most watched. About 350 million people watch the competition each year. The Eurovision Song Contest is important for Serbia because it represents the world stage on which states and nations rise above each other, shows how our country belongs to the world and the ability of creative people from Serbia to participate in global trends and global music visual and television brands. It would be good if Serbia was as successful in other spheres of our life as it is at the Eurovision Song Contest, such as football. The values that the Eurovision Song Contest promotes, such as a sense of togetherness, music,

creativity and closeness with other people, are certainly the values of our society as well.

A year on, what do you think of Konstrakta’s success at last year’s Eurovision? What did the fact that we picked such an artist and song show and how much influence did it have on the domestic music scene and our conservative society?

Konstrakta’s victory at the national competition shows our society in a good light, and that our society is not predominantly conservative, but on

Why is the Serbian tradition almost uniformly presented as one-dimensional, as seen in numerous TV shows and programmes? A foreigner might get the impression that all Serbs live in the countryside, that they all play the flutes and wear traditional costumes. Aren’t there other topics that distinguish Serbia, which could be presented on television - science, education, innovation, ecology, contemporary art...?

I think that the Serbian tradition is presented exactly as a tradition should be presented. Other

when people want it to change. With this statement, you caused a real storm in the domestic public. Does this mean that RTS is currently bad and that Serbian society deserves it as it is?

the contrary, it is open, modern and in step with the times and global trends, and if you like, advanced in the creative sense. Your insistence that our society is conservative can be justified, on the one hand, by that there is greater visibility of various nationalist minority groups, but I do not think that such an image is dominant.

topics such as innovation, ecology and contemporary art are not traditional topics but modern ones, and they are presented in many public broadcaster programmes, on all 12 channels, from national to cable.

At the recent media festival in Rovinj, you were quoted as saying that RTS would change

The fact that RTS is the mostwatched TV station in Serbia and one of the 17 most-watched public broadcasters in Europe means that it has won over the trust of viewers and citizens of this country. The fact that they are watching RTS is good news. Commercial national stations that also record good viewership cannot compete with the Serbian Broadcasting Corporation primarily in terms of the decency of their programming. Of course, RTS will exist as long as its programmes are watched, i.e. as long as its content is relevant and influential. Those hollow theories that viewership is not important, but only quality, nullify the very essence of putting in the effort, working hard and producing TV content, because why wouldn’t people watch something that is good quality? My experience says that the top quality content is also the most viewed.

What should the Serbian Broadcasting Corporation look like?

What would you like it to look like? Very often you will hear among certain people that certain other public broadcasters are better or have better quality programming, but this is often a very narrow-minded observation. Since you have already mentioned the Eurovision Song Contest, I would just like to mention that the competition for Serbia’s entry to the Eurovision Song Contest was declared by European critics to be one of the best in Europe.

From the position of a consumer of television and media content, what do you like to watch and how much do you trust news programs in general?

I watch most Serbian TV stations, both national and cable. I also watch what I like and what I don’t like. It is my privilege to have extensive media experience, so I can judge and separate the essential from the unimportant and truth from lies.

COMMERCIAL NATIONAL STATIONS THAT ALSO RECORD GOOD VIEWERSHIP CANNOT COMPETE WITH THE SERBIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION PRIMARILY IN TERMS OF THE DECENCY OF THEIR PROGRAMMING

Challenges of the Music Industry in Serbia

We strive to make each event better than the last

In the last few years, there has been a noticeable boom in event tourism, and today Serbia is the regional centre of music production. We spoke with the owner and founder of Skymusic, Milenko Škarić, about the challenges that the music industry in our country faces, how difficult it is to organize large-scale production events and which music genre is considered the future.

Skymusic’s portfolio includes the most prestigious music festivals in our country - Exit, Beer Fest, Music Week and Guča Trumpet Festival. Is event tourism finally blooming in our country?

For sure! The events you mentioned gather hundreds of thousands of visitors from the country and abroad each year, and they definitely contributed to the development of event tourism.

This is why the Music Awards Ceremony (MAC), Belgrade Beer Fest, Belgrade Music Week and Classico were declared events of importance by the Belgrade government and this is something I am very grateful to the city authorities. Speaking about the beginnings, Exit somehow opened the door to event tourism, from its humble beginnings in 2000, to eventually growing

al stars, and had over 350,000 visitors, which is a huge success after the festival had to be drastically scaled down during the pandemic years. The number of visitors to Music Week has been growing year-on-year, and as a very young festival, which was held only four times so far, it had more than 250,000 visitors last time, both from the country and region. Guča Trum-

to the level it deserves, thanks to an excellent programme and the most advanced audio-visual production.

The regional music award event, Music Awards Ceremony (AMC), is one of the events that you are the proudest of. You must have encountered various challenges when implementing such a large project. What makes this event unique and how difficult is it to organize a project of this scale in Serbia?

into one of the best and biggest European festivals visited by several million people from more than a hundred countries. Belgrade Beer Fest, which also has a long tradition, will celebrate its 20th edition this year, and this will be the second year that Skymusic is in charge of organizing and holding the festival, together with the Belgrade authorities. Last year, Belgrade Beer Fest played host to numerous domestic, regional and glob-

pet Festival has the longest tradition out of all mentioned festivals, and last year, it took place for the 61st time. For the first time, Skymusic was one of the organizers and our task was to restore Guča to its former glory. I think we succeeded to a large extent in this since over 100,000 people visited the festival. This is the highest number of visitors in the last decade and a half, and I am proud to say that we have succeeded in raising Guča

Music Awards Ceremony is an event that thanks to music, united all the republics of the former Yugoslavia and brought together the most outstanding regional performers, from different musical genres, on the same stage. MAC gathered the seemingly incompatible musicians while hosting a glamorous awards show with spectacular performances from the region’s biggest music stars. When you add to that the stateof-the-art stage and audio-visual production, you get the

MILENKO ŠKARIĆ Owner and founder of Skymusic

EVERY MUSIC GENRE HAS ITS OWN FUTURE, WITH SMALLER OR BIGGER ADJUSTMENTS TO MARKET TRENDS

© Private archive

biggest regional music event, which rightly belongs to the group of the biggest European and world events. MAC received seven international recognitions for its first two editions - Best Ceremony, Best European Event, Excellence In Brand Strategy and Creation, Brand Communication - Brand Events, Live Show, Set Design Supplier, Audiovisual Supplier and Best Musical Event. This year, we organized MAC for the third time which, if we considered all relevant parameters, has set new standards in the entertainment industry, not only in this part of Europe but also much wider. We really try to make each next edition better than the last, and I’m glad we’ve succeeded in this every time. This is something that both performers and audiences recognize. I owe a great deal of gratitude to the people who participated in the months-long organization of MAC, where everyone worked extremely professionally and with great responsibility, and thus made a huge contribution to this project.

Like many others, the music industry has seen its ups and downs in the past two years. How difficult is it to work in the music industry in Serbia today and how do you keep up with the changes?

The pandemic has strongly affected the music industry, and I’m not only referring to the performers, but also to the technical staff without whom it is impossible to realize even the smallest event. In less than a year, the situation has slowly restored to its previous state, but surviving during the COVID

pandemic was a big challenge. That’s why, during the pandemic, Skymusic focused on video production, television shows and recording videos, films and series. Also, we recently launched our cable TV channel called Skymusic Entertainment (SE), the Sky Academy educational platform and the most innovative ticketing serviceefinity.rs.

It is noticeable that big global showbiz stars have been bypassing Belgrade lately. What is the reason for this? Are they production restrictions in place, is the lower living standard of people in Serbia to blame or is it something else?

Trying to organize a concert for a global music star is an extremely expensive undertaking and often unprofitable since it often turns out to be impossible to cover all the costs of the organization. This brings the issue of ticket prices to the forefront, which, in the case of global stars, would be too high in relation to the purchasing power of our citizens.

Which music genre is the future? What will music be like in 20 years?

I think that every music genre has its own future, with smaller or bigger adjustments to market trends. In recent years, we have seen the expansion of new musical trends in Serbia, and I am primarily referring to trap and drill. However, this does not mean that pop and rock are extinct. The same trends are in the rest of the world. We are witnessing

Also, world-famous performers prefer to choose other concert destinations in the region, such as Zagreb and Budapest, that is, they usually presume that having a concert in Belgrade would mean a half-empty venue, and hence would not generate them the income that they would certainly manage to earn in another town in one of the neighbouring countries.

the hyperproduction of all types of content, including music, while platforms such as YouTube, Spotify and even Tik-Tok play a crucial role in this today, as they facilitate that content reaches a large number of users in a very short time interval. I believe that this trend will continue in the future and that the way of distribution and consumption will determine its future. I certainly expect that the greatest progress will occur in the field of multimedia interpretation.

Last year’s Eurovision Song Contest aroused great public interest. There was talk about the songs and performances, but special attention was also paid to the stage, the creativity of the performances, production and technical standards. Skymusic was one of the Serbian Broadcasting Corporation’s partners in organizing this event. Will it be the same this year and how do you see our country’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest?

During its almost 30 years of operations, and thanks to numerous projects, Skymusic has validated its regional leadership position in organizing and technically producing largescale events in this part of Europe. We devote equal attention to every project and this is the reason why we are recognized as a reliable partner and the first choice for organizing the most diverse types of events. Skymusic has had long-term and fruitful cooperation with the Serbian Broadcasting Corporation (RTS), so organising the competition for Serbian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest was in some way expected. This does not mean that the project was easy to implement, on the contrary. Production had to be adapted to the performance of each contestant and meet very high technical standards. It makes me proud to say that we have successfully responded to each task. Skymusic has also contributed to the modernization of the Eurovision Song Contest, which not only reflected on the competition’s technical segment, but also on the musicians that were competing and the performed songs. We are very glad that our company was part of the revival of this prestigious event, and we are honoured to be at the same place again this year, with the mission to raise the level in terms of organizing, technically producing and implementing the competition for the Serbian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. Regarding our country’s participation in the contest, I believe that we have top-quality performers and that our candidate will be noticed, regardless of who will be chosen to represent us.

MUSIC AWARDS CEREMONY IS AN EVENT THAT PROVED THAT MUSIC REALLY HAS NO LIMITS

Since the beginning of its operations in Serbia, the company Lidl Serbia has taken care of the preservation of the environment, which is achieved, among other things, through various resource-saving measures, whose effectiveness is confirmed by the internationally recognized EDGE and LEED certificates. The energy management system with a series of measures to reduce energy consumption (ISO 50001) is just one of the ways that enable Lidl to save over 6,850 MWh of energy per year, which is enough for the twelve-month consumption of over 1,000 households in Serbia.

Coca-Cola HBC named World’s most sustainable beverage company again

The 2022 Dow Jones Sustainability Index, one of the world’s leading global sustainability benchmarks, has ranked Coca-Cola HBC as the world’s most sustainable beverage company after its score improved by six points last year to a record 93 out of 100. It is the 12th consecutive year that Coca-Cola HBC, with Coca-Cola HBC Serbia as its member, has featured among the top three performers, and the sixth time it has been named the industry leader. “Our goal is to deliver a more sustainable future while continuing to build value for our stakeholders,” said Coca-Cola HBC Group CEO, Zoran Bogdanovic.

UniCredit - Top Employer Europe for 2023

The 2023 Top Employers have been announced, and UniCredit has been recognised as a Top Employer in Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and Serbia. Being certified as a Top Employer showcases an organisation’s dedication to a better world of work and exhibits this through excellent HR policies and people practices. The Top Employers Institute programme certifies organisations based on the participation and results of their HR Best Practices Survey. This survey covers six HR domains consisting of 20 topics, including People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, well-being, and more. Being certified as a Top Employer showcases an organisation’s dedication to a better world of work and exhibits this through excellent HR policies and people practices.

MT-KOMEX is building a solar power plant for NURDOR

The MT-KOMEX Company, a pioneer in solar power plant construction projects in Serbia, will donate a solar power plant to the NURDOR association to mark the company’s 30th anniversary. During three decades of business, MT-KOMEX has built and supplied equipment for a large number of ground and roof solar power plants, with a total installed power of 60MW. They supplemented their turn towards innovation and renewable energy sources with a new segment by expanding their business to develop a network of chargers for electric cars. As a socially responsible company, MT-KOMEX works regularly on promoting renewable energy sources and projects in this segment while paying special attention to environmental protection.

LIDL Serbia annually saves energy needed for over 1000 household

19 JANUARY 2023

Drugstore chain dm has launched the mobile app

The drugstore chain dm drogerie markt launched the mobile app named “Moj dm”, which made online shopping even simpler. The mobile version of the recently launched online store allows a simple overview of the wide range of selections and ordering of favorite products from anywhere, at any time, and through just a few clicks on the smartphone screen. The advantages of using the new service offered by dm were presented at an event that gathered a large number of media and influencers. The application Moj dm provides a personalized approach to shopping that is an upgrade to the news and benefits offered by the largest drug store chain in Europe.

Rakuten Viber introduced exceptional new functionalities of super-apps

Viber introduces Business Inbox and Commercial Accounts to improve user experience and increase brand presence on the platform while still protecting its users from fraudsters. Rakuten Viber, the global leader in private and secure messaging and voice-based communication, announces two major launches worldwide as a new stage in the evolution of brand-user interaction on the app. The new offerings include a Business Inbox and a searchable Commercial Account, which will become the next step in Viber’s long-term super app strategy. The two features are available globally, including in Serbia, starting January 23, 2023.

IKEA and Sabine Marcelis launch the VARMBLIXT collection

IKEA and Rotterdam-based designer Sabine Marcelis launch the VARMBLIXT collection, which highlights sculptural lighting objects, unique serve ware, vibrant rugs, and more. The 20-product collection which is designed to interact with both direct and indirect light, with sales starting this February.

The VARMBLIXT collection marks the beginning of the IKEA journey to strengthen people’s curiosity connected to lighting in the home. As part of a long-term goal, IKEA is looking to encourage a shift in the perception of lighting as simply functional to lighting as emotional. It is designed to inspire a new interest in how light can transform the look, feel, and atmosphere of our homes.

1 FEBRUARY 2023

1 FEBRUARY 2023

Strategy and clear vision

What are the business challenges and risks in the domestic economy? We talked about these topics with Nenad Tešić, a partner in Egzakta Advisory.

Was 2022 a good business year for Egzakta Advisory and what do you expect in 2023?

We finished a very successful business year and achieved the set budgets. Continuity in our business has been achieved, and the set plans were realistic. The most important indicator of a successful year is that we further increased our team, which now numbers 20 consultants. When we started, we knew that bringing an entirely local management consulting company to our market would be challenging. We can even say pioneering. Dozens of completed projects, new clients, and a stable team have brought us a result we are proud. But we have no intention of stopping. For this year, we are planning further growth, additional expansion of the team, as well as a serious entry into the regional market. We know how difficult it will be to realize our plans, with the expected recession and all the disruption in the geopolitical and economic sense. However, we at Egzakta believe that knowledge and dedication must bring results at the end of the road.

Egzakta Advisory is known for strongly believing that digital transformation is imperative for all businesses. How is the digitization process going in our country?

I guess we started to talk about it before others, aware of the upcoming trend. Digitization has become our everyday life. Serbia

started the digitization of processes systematically so that almost most state administrations and services implemented many digital strategies, the use of paper was reduced or abolished, and the waiting time for a decision or response was reduced. With other state administrations and services, the path has already been taken. It is not far when every citizen of our country will truly become an eCitizen. The speed of digitization comes from the demands of end users. We saw how quickly the economy had to turn to digitization and how demanding consumers became with their expectations. New generations of young people don’t want to wait, and they don’t wish to queue. They are used to having everything available immediately, preferably through their mobile phone. They are the ones who dictate the changes and the speed of the expected adjustments. Awareness of the benefits of digitalization has quickly become commonplace in the business environment. Some of them are cost reduction due to time savings in processes, increased efficiency, elimination of business bottlenecks, and faster decision-making. However, the biggest challenge is that everyone has already become aware that digitization is imperative to keep up with the competition and maintain or increase market share.

Last year was full of challenges for many companies. Inflation and the energy crisis have significantly affected the business of many. How have businesses adapted to these changes?

If we look at last year and the indications in the economy at the global level, the economy recognized the crisis and start-

ed to adapt in time. What is not good is that significant investments have stopped, and assets are necessary to avoid the problem. Inflation has consumed the whole world. This is the first time that in a recent economy, we have had this kind of inflationary pressure and joint actions of some of the world’s largest economies to suppress it. The energy crisis was caused primarily by the state of war. It will calm down soon, and relations regarding energy products will return to normal flow. Our experience with the local economy tells us that our businesspeople are aware of difficult times and that they know how to prepare in time. We already see drastically less credit activity, the introduction of savings measures and attempts to optimize operations. Of course, what pleases me is that I noticed how much is thought about workers as the most severe resource. Our company will do everything to save the business. But we must be aware that due to our size, we are very dependent on the fate of many of the largest global economies and will feel the effects of their functioning on our local market.

What makes your company stand out from other similar companies in Serbia?

When we started, we had a clear vision of what we wanted to achieve and where we would be in 5 years. We have set ourselves the task of being one of the top 3 management consulting companies in Southeast Europe. Egzakta was created by having a very passionate leadership team that loves what we do. We are still here daily and approach all business segments with the same passion. Every day we encourage our employees to take on their crucial roles in joint success and business development. To behave within our strategy, to take responsibility and skip micro-management. Those things can be the biggest failure generator for any company that wants to grow further. We work on diversification, try to set up different business units, and involve people and teams in other projects within various industries. In that manner, we increase knowledge and experience and create a team capable of adapting tomorrow to any task and challenge.

We in Egzakta believe that knowledge and dedication will be bringing success at the end of the road

NENAD TEŠIĆ Partner in Egzakta Advisory

The Labor Market is Changing

YOU NEED TO TRANSFORM THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Old model of a manager who assigns tasks and sets deadlines is no longer fit for purpose

field of talent management and psychometric solutions, whose methodology has been applied for more than 40 years, in more than 150 countries around the world and in more than 30 different languages.

How can companies in the 21st century best attract and promote their employees?

quality, and interpretation. That is, whether the person who interprets the data has the competence for data analysis. The data source must be valid and reliable, and the psychometric assessments rooted in science.

make objective decisions about employee promotion.

What do you advise companies to do in 2023 to retain employees?

The work environment is changing rapidly. Both because of the entry of millennials into the labor market, and because of the increasingly rapid implementation of technological solutions for various activities in companies. Because generation Z has entered the labor market and their number is growing, companies will have to keep up with technological trends and change the way they do business and manage people. We spoke with Kristina Jevtić, the director of consulting company PsyConsulting about the ways in which technology can help the HR sector. Since 2020, PsyConsulting has been the official regional representative of SHL, a global leader in the

By combining powerful AI technology, predictive analytics, and psychometric analysis. We live in the age of data and we know that technology, data, and analytics have enormous potential when it comes to making objective decisions in the hiring process. In general, data increasingly influences the decision-making process within companies. However, with all the available data, technology and analytics, the HR sector still has difficulties in making the best decisions.

Do you think that data is a challenge for the decision-making process?

The challenge is not the data. The challenge is the data source,

SHL tests are designed by experienced psychologists and scientists. To create any product or tool they use advanced methodology and analytics, as well as more than 45 trillion pieces of data. Each product is tested using scientific methods.

What is the advantage of data-driven decision-making?

SHL data answers a variety of talent-related decisions, not just one, and that’s what makes it useful and adds extra value. Also, the data makes it possible to follow the entire employee development, from the initial position to the one that is in line with his potential and interests. By interpreting this data and understanding it, companies can make more adequate decisions during the candidate selection process, save time and money, approach talent development more effectively and

Shift the focus from top talent to everyone with potential - who could learn a new skill? Who could successfully carry out a risky project? Who can thrive in an environment of uncertainty? Quite often, the right answer lies right in front of you, you just haven’t seen the potential yet. Keep in mind that employees are more likely to judge a workplace based on its culture than its salary. Culture creates happiness and loyalty and encourages productivity and innovation. If you understand each individual, personalize the experiences of employees, and provide time for learning and development during the workday, you will very quickly have motivated and agile employees.

Statistics say that employees in Serbia most often quit because of their work environment, what is your opinion on that?

The old model of a supervisor manager who assigns tasks and sets deadlines no longer fits the purpose. Good management in the 21st century means empowerment, coaching, personalization, and support. Understanding and nurturing a team is often undervalued and can both make or break a business.

What are the ways in which you can help companies?

We focus on the individual needs of each client and provide customized solutions. Our detailed reports help decision-makers hire and promote the best people for a specific position and to discover and use the full potential of each employee. Thanks to SHL reports, companies can build agile and motivated teams with adequate skills.

WE FOCUS ON INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF EACH CLIENT AND PROVIDE CUSTOMIZED SOLUTIONS

KRISTINA JEVTIĆ

The director of PsyConsulting

Economy in the Shadow of Politics

DUŠAN NIKEZIĆ Vice President of the Freedom and Justice Party

At a time of great geopolitical changes and economic crises, it is a real challenge to find a solution that will effectively solve the problem the country is facing. Is there a strategy and a longterm plan for getting out of the current crisis and which path should Serbia take? These are the topics we discussed with Dušan Nikezić, economist and vice president of the Freedom and Justice Party, who is also one of the best experts to talk about economic conditions in the country and abroad.

We are in the midst of a major global energy and economic crisis. Is the war in Ukraine the main reason for the crisis or is it just an excuse, while the real reasons lie elsewhere?

The war in Ukraine did not cause, but probably accelerated the inflationary crisis, which had to appear due to the imbalances caused by the excessive printing of money, which was pumped into the world’s leading economies, as well as Serbia, for years. Look at Switzerland, where annual inflation is 2.8%. This can be an indicator of the impact of “imported inflation” since Switzerland did not print money. Everything else is a consequence of internal economic policy.

Moreover, the economic crisis in Serbia really has nothing to do with the war in Ukraine. Logically, the EU faced a shortage of energy and food due to the interruption of gas and grain supplies from Russia and Ukraine, while in Serbia, it happened due to the business and financial collapse of the Electric Power Industry of Serbia (EPS) and a decade-long neglect of agricultural production.

Is neoliberal capitalism experiencing its peak that indicates an imminent change in the global social system?

I think that neoliberal capitalism has already passed its peak since the economic crisis of 2008. The biggest objective complaint is that it has been proven to deepen inequality in society. The unprecedented economic success of China, which has achieved fantastic rates of eco-

and investment in education, health care, culture, the environment and social protection.

As a trade unionist, how do you see the position of workers today, both in Serbia and in the world? Is socially responsible business just a myth and a story for PR campaigns, or does it really exist?

I cannot boast that I am a trade unionist, but I do carefully fol-

which show that in the last 10 years, as many as 397,000 Serbian citizens received their first residence permit in EU countries alone.

nomic growth for decades and is well on its way to becoming the world’s leading economy, even though it has an arrangement that is far from neoliberal capitalism, deals a strong blow to advocates of neoliberal capitalism. That’s why I believe that it will be replaced by a new, hopefully, more humane, social and economic system, which will pay more attention to the redistribution of wealth, job security

low the negative changes in the position of workers, especially workers in Serbia, who, according to Eurostat, work the longest hours of the 31 observed European countries, but have the lowest wages.

I believe that the workers’ standard and position are of great importance for the future of our country, which is perhaps best seen from the official data

Serbia is emptying out and dying, and labour rights are one of the key reasons why we insist on the implementation of EU standards in Serbia, since, in addition to higher wages and living standard, these standards would also result in a visible increase in labour rights. That is why we, in the Freedom and Justice Party, supported our colleagues from the Sloga Trade Union, who prepared a new and modern Labour Law, based on European standards, which will ensure accelerated economic growth, while guaranteeing decent wages and workers’ rights.

You are one of the very few and very serious critics of the current political regime in Serbia. Your criticism is quite sharp, well-grounded and very offensive to the government. How would you initiate change if you had the chance? What is the first move you would make?

Criticism must be grounded, but criticism in itself must not be the goal

THE KEY CHANGES MUST BE SYSTEMIC BECAUSE ONLY SYSTEMIC CHANGES CAN TAKE SERBIA OUT OF THE VICIOUS CYCLE OF POVERTY

© All photos: Jovan Marković

Criticism must be grounded, but criticism in itself must not be the goal. That’s why the Freedom and Justice Party tries to provide concrete solutions to the problems we present every time.

So, for example, back in June of last year, we warned about the negative consequences of inflation and demanded the implementation of a windfall tax, which would tax undeserved, excessive earnings, primarily generated by energy and mining companies. Furthermore, we requested that relevant inspections determine the price structure for 100 basic foodstuffs and limit retail margins, in order to reduce inflationary pressure on citizens.

However, the key changes must be systemic, because only systemic changes can take Serbia out of the vicious cycle of poverty. Otherwise, we will shut down due to the dramatic outflow of the working-age population. Education must become the most important infrastructure project, we must significantly increase wages and improve working conditions in health care, reduce acute environmental pollution and implement an economic patriotism programme, which in practice means investing in science and developing domestic technology instead of foreign factories with manual labour, as well as support economic branches in which we have natural predispositions, such as food, energy and IT. These are all essential reforms. They are long-term and they must start immediately. Most importantly, there is

enough money in the state budget, because the room for savings is huge and is measured in billions of euros annually.

You’ve been commenting a lot on EPS lately. How do you view the announced transformation of EPS? Would appointing professional management in the company be a sufficient solution or is some kind of privatization still necessary?

The business and financial collapse of EPS is a reflection of this political regime - from incompetent party, siphoning money through corrupt practices and party-instructed employment to consciously leaving the market to foreigners, neglecting domestic investments, excessive borrowing, capillary votes of workers and oversight by the line ministry and the Government. All of this contributed to the fact that the once most powerful Serbian company became the biggest problem and that Serbian taxpayers are going to pay

ly believe that the solution lies in the adoption of the National Energy Strategy, in which EPS plays a key development role, with the engagement of professional management, who will implement such a strategy professionally and responsibly. We do not need privatization, and this is confirmed by numerous examples of successful stateowned energy companies from around the world.

Interest rates on both retail and corporate loans are on the rise, which makes loans more expensive and further lowers the purchasing power of citizens and investments in the economy. What is actually happening? Are the banks using this kerfuffle caused by the economic crisis to make an extra profit or is the rise of Euribor just a reaction to the increased risk?

The growth of Euribor is a response to high inflation, which is again a product of excessive money printing, both in the EU and in Serbia.

ten years. The share of public debt in Serbia’s GDP is higher than the average of 21 Central and Eastern European countries, and currently, only five CEE countries have a higher share of public debt (in the national GDP) than Serbia.

We can also see how serious the state of public finances is by the fact that, apart from Serbia, only Azerbaijan, Armenia, Moldova and North Macedonia have a financial arrangement with the IMF.

All of this is alarming data, especially if we add to the public debt the collapse of the energy sector, the slowdown in the manufacturing industry and the dramatic decline in agriculture and construction in the past year.

Despite justified criticism of the current government, there is certainly something that the state cannot influence and for which it is not to blame. What are the real problems that our country is facing that come from outside, and what well-intentioned advice would you give to those in power?

over 3 billion euros to have the company rehabilitated. That’s why the EPS must be a serious warning to us, because the way the EPS is run today, that’s how the current political structures run the country.

Everything could have been avoided if we had a responsible government and professional management. That’s why I firm-

Experience has shown us that banks are always the fastest, and that’s why I’m confident that they won’t miss the opportunity to increase their earnings even in the current kerfuffle, as you call it, which we already see in action through an unfounded increase in bank fees or a proposal for extended loan repayment terms, which further increases earnings of banks.

What about public finances?

Government calls every criticism that the public debt is significant a lie. Well, is it so difficult to determine whether public debt is high or not? Aren’t there clear indicators that will not be considered controversial?

Let’s just look at the facts. In the last four months alone, the state borrowed over 5 billion euros from the UAE, the IMF and new Eurobonds, while Serbia’s public debt will exceed 35 billion euros this year. This means an increase of 20 billion euros or 133 percent in the last

The state cannot have too much influence on the coming economic recession, which will certainly have an impact on Serbia, as an export-oriented country.

The recession will hit the economy the hardest, which is already reeling from reduced demand and a significant increase in interest rates. That is why the state must not be an additional generator of illiquidity in the economy, as this is the case today, since the state is late in settling over the 800-million-euros worth of its financial obligations, while in the case of EPS and Telecom Serbia that amount stands at over 500 million euros.

That’s why I would advise the government to immediately settle all public sector’s liabilities towards the business sector, as well as to reallocate budget funds from unnecessary public procurements and administrative costs to concrete support for the domestic economy and investment in new technologies.

EDUCATION MUST BECOME THE MOST IMPORTANT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT

Xenios Academy’s Powerful App

Changing the future of the luxury hospitality

Imagine the following situation: The music is just right for a group of friends in a buzzing restaurant. Good conversations and good times. This is the base of the recipe for great hospitality. Yet, those who opt

for a more luxurious experience will want more. Imagine your drink is finished, but the bartender fails to notice for a long time. Your friend asks for a wine suggestion, but the sommelier is diffident. Rather than staying

in that buzzing restaurant, you might decide to go elsewhere - or at least might not want to come back. But what if the same bartender or sommelier were focused, attentive, secure, and thought swiftly and out of the

box? Imagine that the sommelier, at your friend’s request for a wine suggestion, promptly replies: “We have a gorgeous New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc by the glass. The top notes of peach, rock melon, and lime, and its vibrant acidity would complement the rest of your salmon perfectly while balancing the fish’s natural sweetness.” The sommelier also notices that you finished your drink and adds: “in the meantime, let me ask the bartender to prepare a palate cleanser while you choose another cocktail! What about a low abv option? I would suggest vermouth and tonic, served tall with an orange peel.” As we can see here, luxury hospitality is all about out-of-the-box thinking and what pushes the customers to stay longer and order more, and after they leave - spread the word, return and spend even more money. The surprise effect, commitment, thoughtfulness, and attention make all the difference. At Xenios Academy, we believe that a crucial ingredient for an outstanding luxury hospitality experience is attention to detail provided by well-trained and knowledgeable staff. That being said - we invite you to join our training program and empower your employees to blossom into an elite A-class team. Just imagine having a team that exceeds all expectations for reliability, competence, and skillfulness, ready to become as formidable in the luxury hospitality arena as Rolex and Ferrari are in their respective industries. Wouldn’t you want to see your employees rise above the competition and position themselves among the top 0.01% of the world’s 173 million hospitality workers? We can picture you nodding your head up and down, smiling and thinking, “You bet!’’ Well, you are not alone - we feel the same way. As a matter of fact - this is exactly why we will do everything in our power to make that happen.

“As

The research has shown that revenue generated per employee is 26% higher for companies that invest in e-learning for their staff (ELearning Magazine, 2014). At the same time, hospitality businesses that spend 5% or more of their budget on training experience 23% less staff turnover (TDn2K and CHART, 2015). With this in mind, we created a fun, effective, and engaging online training app designed to help the employees within the luxury hospitality industry to develop or improve the knowledge and confidence needed to upsell the products and create an unparalleled experience for your customers. The Xenios Academy program is designed to provide hospitality employees with the highest quality level of education and training in the industry. Our curriculum is, among others, inspired by the curricula of the World’s top universities’ most prestigious hospitality management programs such as “EHL,” “University of Nevada – Las Vegas,” “SHMS – Swiss Hotel Management School,” “Glion Institute of Higher Education,” and “Les Roches Global Hospitality Management Education.” With the invaluable help of industry leaders and our endorsers, and through research of books and curricula of institutions mentioned above, we have created 18 courses for your future superhero employee. These courses will transform your staff into a master of: Wine production and service, Bar and

beverage, Hospitality management, Cultural awareness, Restaurant service, Kitchen fundamentals, Catering and events service, Front office fundamentals, Housekeeping fundamentals, Coffee, Latte art and barista, Physical health awareness, IT and security fundamentals, Mental health awareness, Psychology of consumer’s decisions, Psychology of communications, Corporate finance, Human resources, and Marketing and digital marketing. As mentioned above, all our courses have been developed in collaboration with esteemed industry professionals,

including Master Sommeliers, managers and directors from Michelin-starred restaurants and the World’s top-ranked bars, and leaders in the hotel and resort industry and experts in the fields of sociology and psychology. At Xenios Academy, we truly do understand that acquiring new knowledge - particularly for adults - can be a daunting task. However, we assure you that our approach is unique and effective. Rather than relying on traditional presentations or video lectures, we utilize immersive challenges and quizzes to facilitate the retention of information. We chose to take this route because decades of cognitive psychology research have demonstrated that experiential learning is one of the most powerful methods for building and retaining knowledge. Our platform utilizes artificial intelligence to personalize the learning experience for each individual employee, catering to their specific learning style and pace, and continually assessing their progress to optimize their learning rate. To enhance the overall learning experience, Xenios Academy has created an interactive fantasy world inspired by ancient Greece, where employees can engage in quizzes, challenges, and game-like features (such as collecting points and competing in knowledge with their “opponents” worldwide). As a result, both managers and employees have access to a leaderboard that can be filtered

by course and global/local/companywide placement. This, in turn, means that managers have the ability to track their employees’ progress in real-time and see where they stand in comparison with other users worldwide. To further motivate employees and encourage excellence, we have partnered with some of the world’s premier vineyards, distilleries, and coffee and beer producers to reward outstanding performance with monetary incentives. Last but not least, industry leaders and experts in the field will be made available to employees for direct communication and interaction through a variety of learning forms.

“Inspired by my experience of working in luxury bars and hotels across Italy, the UK, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi and participating in various cocktail competitions worldwide, I am determined to give back to this magnificent industry and, with my co-founders, create a powerful online training platform I wish I had years ago when I was climbing the ladder of the luxury hospitality world.”

Our team at Xenios Academy is a dynamic blend of individuals from different generations (X, Y, Z), bringing together various unique backgrounds in hospitality, psychology and neuroscience, graphic design, and software engineering. Our founders, Željana, Marco, and Filip, have leveraged their diverse expertise to revolutionize the approach to hospitality training programs. Željana, born in 1991 in Belgrade, Serbia, holds multiple degrees in the fields of Neuroscience and Psychology from the prestigious University of California, San Diego, and is a young entrepreneur and scientist with multiple reputable scientific publications on the cutting-edge fields of fluid intelligence, learning and decision making. Her perseverance, determination, and ability to bounce back from adversity have been instrumental in her decade-long tenure in the highly competitive academic arena. Additionally, her innovative thinking and drive have facilitated opportunities for networking in Silicon Valley. Our team has since grown rapidly and is now reinforced by the invaluable contributions of both experienced professionals and rising talents determined to reshape the world of luxury hospitality. Make sure not to miss this early opportunity to connect with our team and gain access to our revolutionary app. Sign up now and be among the first to experience our beta version launching in March before the full release in April.

Reach out to us at: info@xenios.academy

Find out more at: www.xenios.academy

ŽELJANA BABIĆ, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Xenios Academy

a lifelong science aficionado who spent a decade in the midst of Silicon Valley’s high-achievers and their visionary goals, my mission is to empower other entrepreneurs and executives to rediscover the transformative power of knowledge in luxury hospitality and the way it can further shape the future of their businesses growth and success.”

MARCO CORALLO, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Xenios Academy

© All photos: Xenios Academy

Supporting Development Ideas and Capable People

In 2023, the Development Fund will be focused primarily on micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and development projects

We spoke with Tatjana Matić, the director of the Development Fund, about ways in which the Fund helps the domestic economy, inequalities in society, economic and social development, and the Fund’s plans for this year.

You have had a long and abundant career. You were appointed to important positions in state institutions. To what extent is the position you are currently holding different from previous ones, and how is that previous experience currently benefiting you?

The experience I gained as the Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications is a huge advantage for me in terms of becoming a successful director of the Development Fund. The jobs I had done before I was appointed a government minister, such as the state secretary and other responsible positions, helped me to acquire great knowledge in terms of managing capital projects and large teams, and cooperating with businesses. Perhaps the greatest experience I have gained during 20 years of

working for my country relates to acquiring and developing the skills like long-term planning, forming a clear vision and setting and achieving high goals for the benefit of the economy and society. Although these

stances. Since the Fund’s goal is to facilitate entrepreneurship, the implementation of good ideas, and business growth that will generate multiple profits in the economic sense, I am very excited about the opportunity to express myself in this position.

How difficult is it to be a woman in Serbian politics and entrepreneurship today?

goals once seemed impossible, due to global upheavals, such as the pandemic-induced crisis, I have managed to find formats that will not only help sensitive economic branches like tourism flourish but also develop them further despite unforeseen and unfavourable circum-

In my work, I try not to pay attention to discrimination or to fuss about the obvious obstacles that are placed on every woman who tries to express herself professionally. I simply focus on work and try to positively and constructively deal with the prejudices related to the position of women in our society.

TATJANA MATIĆ Director of the Republic of Serbia’s Development Fund

THE FUND STILL PROVIDES THE BEST TERMS AND CONDITIONS ON THE FINANCIAL MARKET BOTH IN REGARD TO INTEREST RATES AND PAYMENT TERMS

© All photos: Marina Lovrić Jančević

I have to admit that it would all be impossible if I didn’t have the support of my family and my mentors. In our society, but also European countries and the rest of the world, women in responsible positions, with successful careers, are still an object of astonishment. There has been some progress made, but we need to continue pointing out the need for equal opportunities. I have repeatedly spoken about the fact that equality is also an economic growth factor because women are equally capable of making a profit and contributing to overall social progress, as well as bringing a creative and development-oriented spirit to any job for which they possess skills.

The Development Fund is one of the oldest state institutions in Serbia and has decades of experience in cooperation with businesses. Can you tell us more about the Fund’s activities and plans for 2023?

For many years, the Development Fund has been focusing on economic growth, and when we planned our activities for the next period, our emphasis was on the good practices that the Fund has implemented so far, but also on improving its activities, especially when it comes to digitalization and sustainable development. In 2023, the Development Fund will be focused primarily on micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and development projects. We are continuing to grant loans, both investment-related ones and loans for permanent working capital. In addition to the loans approved under the Fund Programme, we are continuing to implement the programme in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, which was launched eight years ago and relates to the allocation of grants provided by the Serbian state budget. This is the programme for beginners in business and young people, the programme for women entrepreneurs and the development programme for business entities that have been in business for a long time. We are also continuing to implement the Recovery and Development Programme, which includes a credit line from EIB funds, which, in turn, ensures the ap-

proval of loans for a period of up to 12 years, with a grace period of up to 2 years. This year, we are continuing our long-term cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and Youth in the implementation of the Regulation on the Conditions and Manner of Granting and Using Credit Funds to Improve the Quality of the Tourist Offer.

more attractive for domestic businesses this year. Investment loans are approved with a payment term of up to 10 years for companies, or 8 years for small businesses with a grace period of up to one year. Also, interest rates are still far below the current National Bank of Serbia’s benchmark interest rate.

for programmes that are implemented with the Ministry of Economy and has a larger amount of available grants.

To what extent can the Development Fund match the subsidies granted by the Serbian government to foreign investors? Have the subsidies granted to domestic companies reached the level of those granted to foreign ones?

Given that business loans are becoming substantially more expensive due to the growing benchmark interest rates, how much has the importance of the Development Fund for investment lending to domestic businesses increased?

The Fund still provides the best terms and conditions on the financial market both in regard to interest rates and payment terms. This will make it even

How do you support decentralization and the even development of all parts of Serbia, programme-wise and financially?

The Development Fund has special terms and conditions when approving loans to companies that operate in underdeveloped areas which belong to the third and fourth groups of development. The Fund provides better conditions related to security instruments and

The Development Fund approves loans under the same conditions to companies registered in the relevant register on the territory of the Republic of Serbia, regardless of whether their founder is a foreign or domestic legal or natural person.

Will you continue implementing assistance and support programmes for small and medium-sized enterprises in 2023 in order to overcome the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic? What are your assessments regarding the potential for the economy’s return to the pre-pandemic level?

The Fund continues to implement support programmes for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, including small businesses, both through the implementation of the Fund Programme that provides extremely favourable lending conditions and through the Programme that we implement with the Ministry of Economy. These programmes are ongoing and important especially because segments of certain grants are approved together with loans. All programmes aim to ensure that businesses can overcome pandemic-related consequences much easier. In 2022, the Development Fund of the Republic of Serbia approved a total of 491 applications, namely 58 for investment loans, 136 for start-ups, 87 for development projects, 52 for women’s entrepreneurship, 50 for young people, etc. In total, in the past year, the Fund approved 7.3 billion dinars in loans and 627 million dinars in grants. As all these investments show great results not only in terms of recovery but also in terms of development, we will continue to support both the businesses and capable people.

IN TOTAL, IN THE PAST YEAR, THE FUND APPROVED 7.3 BILLION DINARS IN LOANS AND 627 MILLION DINARS IN GRANTS

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How Technology Changed B2B Sales, Sellers and Customers

Retail companies should invest in an omnichannel solution and provide their customers with an outstanding user experience

B2B sales in 21st century no longer means calling and visiting customers because the customers are more educated, information is available more than ever before, and sales representatives replaced the phone book and catalogs with new tech tools.

According to Nemanja Mališić, CEO of IT company Intelisale, which developed an omnichannel platform for improving sales and business processes in various industries, everyone who wants to remain competitive in the market needs to invest in technology and implement the omnichannel solution in their business.

-The essence of the omnichannel solution is the integration of all sales channels and all communication channels. Today’s customer wants to make a purchase anywhere and anytime, expects to be provided with an exceptional user experience, and to be given personalized offers. Companies that do not have all information about the customer, their purchase, and communication history in one place cannot fulfill that requirement. Given

that we live in a time when the shopping experience directly affects sales, there is no doubt that omnichannel is the key to success - says Mališić.

The omnichannel platform of the Intelisale company is currently used by over 5000 users in 12 countries, and more than a million transactions are realized through it annually. Although the users of the solutions are different, their results are the

enables, is the connection of retail, field sales, e-shop, and telephone sales, as well as all communication channels with the customer. Users of our platform have all data and complete analytics about each customer in one place, regardless of which channel the customer uses to make a purchase. With just one click, the sales representative gets a “customer’s identity card” on one page - what he bought

have good software that tells you everything. We have actually transformed a classic salesman into a consultantNemanja points out.

Aside from solutions that enable the optimal organization of sales representatives’ working days and monitoring of the success of sales in real-time, the Intelisale platform allows users to automate routine tasks, such as the exchange of information with customers, creating offers, and tracking orders.

same- higher productivity of salespeople, higher selling goals every year, and lower costs.

In his words, technology can significantly improve sales through processes of automation, personalization, and optimization. -The main task of sales has always been to build relationships with customers, and nothing has changed in that regard.

Likewise, I believe that the seller’s kindness and persistence are still important, perhaps even more important than before. However, what technology has brought, and what our platform

and what his financial parameters are. In addition to the data available to him, he also has product suggestions that he can recommend to that particular customer. Why is it important? Because a person is not as fast as software to know what to offer to whom at a moment’s notice - says Mališić and adds: - When customers find out that sales representatives, either in the field or by phone, use the Intelisale platform and what it does, they have a comment - all this time, I thought you knew me very well, and you actually

-All our solutions are built based on the experience of people who need them. We continue to develop them to be even better. However, what I want to emphasize is that our solutions cannot replace people, but they can make them more productive, work less time, and have better results. We have developed solutions for the field, telephone, and online sales, as well as merchandising, retail solutions, route, and call planning. Our clients can choose only one of the functionalities, and later they can introduce others, or we can even develop a new product together - emphasizes Nemanja.

A PERSON IS NOT AS FAST AS SOFTWARE TO KNOW WHAT TO OFFER TO WHOM AT A MOMENT’S NOTICE

Intelisale

Together, We Celebrate Dance!

Two sacrosanct stars of the dance universe will have guest appearances at the upcoming 20th Belgrade Dance Festival. The famous choreographer and drummer, an Israeli with a permanent address in London, Hofesh Shechter and the most famous flamenco dancer on the planet, Israel Galván from Seville, will put Belgrade on a global dance map.

ISRAEL GALVÁN

The Belgrade audience will have the opportunity to attend your performance for the first time. What does dance mean to you and what do you think of the fact that flamenco will be performed at the jubilee edition of the contemporary dance festival?

I fell in love with the world of dance, because dancing came naturally to me. Dancing is the devil’s business, and it’s not easy when you’re not good at it. I don’t remember ever practising. It was always like I was playing, and people seemed to really enjoy watching me. Yes, this will be my first time performing in Belgrade at this truly sensational festival. Flamenco?

Believe me, if the dance is good, nothing will limit you to a certain form. My journey continues, but it is important that, as an artist, I reach a certain goal every time. It is extremely rare in any genre to see a dancer with unwavering imagination and authority.

The piece that you will bring to the 20th Belgrade Dance Festival is titled “The Golden Age”. What was the golden age for flamenco and how far are we today from the golden age when we talk about theatre, acting or performing arts in general?

I like to think that flamenco’s golden age is now. Flamenco evolves but also suffers due to

various influences and contaminations. However, the most important thing is that it retains very strong roots that people can see. Flamenco takes us from the past to the future, and in the present, what we dance today, is our golden age. In general, art is more open and closed off at the same time. Artists who know the tradition, and at the same time are tied to their era, are the ones who will succeed in achieving their mission and influencing a large number of people. When a dancer comes on stage, you can see exactly how much they know, how educated they are, how much they read, how much intelligence and experience they carry with them...

We can also watch you in the Netflix documentary called “Move”, in which you appear with Akram Khan and Ohad Naharin. How important are projects like this for the popularization of dance and could you relay to us your experiences?

I had a very special performance in Seville when I danced in the main square of my city. It was a unique moment in my career. I am aware there are other ways of communicating today too. I’m a dancer, but I also love movies, and when I dance I always imagine a camera that zooms in on details and create a small story in my mind, an inner state... I will always be a supporter of moving dance out of its usual spaces.

You are known for your expressive personal language, not only as a dancer but also as a stage creator. What makes that language special?

Considering that I have been acting since I was a boy, I believe that I have a good command of the stage and that I know my connections with the audience very well. Because of my personality, I “talk” better while dancing rather than speaking. In order to feel free, without the pressure of hav-

ing a virtuoso performance, I choose the freedom of movement, sound and theme, and of course, I adore flamenco. Actually, the world I create is like a cocktail. A man plays what he is or how he feels.

How would you describe the position of flamenco today?

I am THE virus.

How do you create your works? What is your process like?

In order to avoid thinking about everyday life, I always focus on my ideas and create my own way of understanding things. These are my images and sounds. The process is such that every time I create a new piece I become a new person who dances, a new body, with a new aesthetic. My way of creating is to transform myself into a different person. For me, it’s more interesting to invent my new body than to invent the steps.

Could you tell us about the amazing artists you’ve collaborated with? How important is it for an artist to be open and inspired by different artistic voices?

My collaborations started with my family because I started dancing at the age of three. After that, there were my teachers, with ingenious ideas, a sense of rhythm, with an inimitable voice and courage. More recently, I have collaborated with Akram Khan and Ohad Naharin. I love Frankenstein. Like cutting out pieces of artistic creations and merging them with the works of other artists. I like the various combinations you can get. It’s a formula of a sort.

Could you tell us more about “The Golden Age”? Can we consider this piece as the beginning of a long friendship with the Belgrade audience?

MY JOURNEY CONTINUES, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT, AS AN ARTIST, I REACH A CERTAIN GOAL EVERY TIME

I am thrilled to bring you “The Golden Age”. This play is my laboratory. It opened in 2005, but I keep changing it and I hope you can breathe in that golden moment in time. I think it is very romantic to perform it in Belgrade.

We heard that you will perform a solo act at the Belgrade Dance Festival, as a gift on the festival’s anniversary. Yes, that’s the performance that Aja Jung chose. It is a sound revolution but without musicians. I’m alone on stage. Me and just a few spotlights! I also performed this piece in the theatre run by Mikhail Baryshnikov in Manhattan, New York. I guess the two of them were colluding, and believe me, it’s a dangerously good piece. I cannot wait to see what your audience thinks of it.

HOFESH SHECHTER

entered the big world of dance with the Batsheva Dance Company. What is the secret of that wonderful place which created globally renowned artists?

I think this is due primarily Ohad Naharin and his incredible artistry, focus and energy. I learned a lot from working with him and watching him create. When I danced in the Batsheva Dance Company, Naharin gave us the opportunity to create our own pieces, and that’s how we progressed. Also, dance is very important in Israel. It is the art of living! Folk dance is a part of the culture there and a way of bringing people together. You can see examples of modern dance wherever you turn. Last but not least, the highly charged political reality always creates a need in people to express themselves - often without words.

Your place of birth is Jerusalem, and your place of work is London. Apart from those two cities, is there any other that holds importance in your life?

I’d say it’s Paris. I lived there for a short time, but I began to deepen my exploration of percussion and drums, composing music. It was a moment of creativity that was a turning point in my life.

At the previous Belgrade Dance Festival, the German troupe Gauthier Dance performed “Swan Cake” and the title next to your name said “choreography, stage and lighting design, music”.

My first artistic love was music, then film, and then - acting. I have always been aware that there are more ways to express myself, and that a powerful theatrical experience can only be created if we know how to use different art forms. For me, every detail is important, because every detail leads to the emotional and energetic experience we have while watching and listening to the play. What we see, hear, images, lighting, the atmosphere of the whole scene - all this affects the experience. Paying attention to all this is part of my joy in creating art.

Just like you, many important contemporary choreographers

The human body deteriorates quickly and a dancer’s stage life is short. That’s why you said that dancing is akin to a beautiful tragedy... Does tragedy inspire you?

I’d rather not obsess over the tragedy, but enjoy the life of dance while we still have it. Enjoying the moment of creation, strength and my own creativity, as well as the creativity of the people around me, discovery, surprises, the feelings that arise while we work in the studio, on stage... If all that is a tragedy, then it’s worth living for.

Your name – Hofesh – means ‘freedom’ in Hebrew. Your works are quite free and bold. Does your name carry a certain responsibility?

I think a name can be a blessing or a curse. It is placing a word in a person’s mind for their entire life, a word that is supposedly synonymous with that person. So, of course, the concept and definition of freedom is something I’ve dealt with and

thought about a lot in my life, but that’s part of examining many other definitions. In the end, you come to the conclusion that freedom is a fictional idea. Or that it is just close to some feeling that we imagine.

What is your dance language?

I like to examine everything that cannot be answered with words. Death, hope, loss, disappointment, oppression - we can talk about all these without deep understanding - but when we experience the emotions that these things provoke, or when we discover them together in the theatre, something much more powerful and greater happens.

Why do you see your dance troupe as a family?

The feeling of belonging motivates me - me and the whole team.

How would you briefly describe the pieces you will present at the 20th Belgrade Dance Festival?

It’s going to be a wild ride...

“Clowns” is a piece of theatrical entertainment and theatrical murders. The story ranges from grotesque to disturbing. There are funny, but also creepy moments. In the second part of the evening, we are going to perform a gentle piece called “The Fix” that creates a kind of balance against the first piece. It brings gentle human energy and another way of looking at the world or being in it.

Your dance pieces “Political Mother” and “The Sun” were performed at the Belgrade Dance Festival, as did “Swan Cake”, for which you won the Jovan Ćirilov Award. Exactly! And this will be the first time that I, too, will come to Belgrade with the troupe. I’m really looking forward to it because I usually don’t have time to follow performances and go to festivals. This is a really special occasion. I am honoured by the attention and the prize that I will take home. We are closing the 20th Belgrade Dance Festival on April 12th and 13th.

© Todd MacDonald

Companies and citizens contribute to community development through philanthropy

ual philanthropy, and Award for young philanthropists.

“When we talk about philanthropy development in Serbia, it can be said that there has been a shift in the very understanding of the idea of philanthropy. This is also confirmed by the fact that philanthropic giving is constantly increasing, that we jumped from the bottom of the World Giving Index to 27th position in the previous two years, and that people under the age of 30 increasingly show solidarity with vulnerable individuals and groups in our society”, said Marija Mitrović, Philanthropy and Partnerships Director at Trag Foundation, which is awarding the VIRTUS Award for Philanthropy for the sixteenth time this year.

In how many categories is the VIRTUS Award being presented?

VIRTUS Award for 2022 will be presented in the following categories: Award for corporate philanthropy, Award for small and medium-sized enterprises, Award for a long-term partnership between business and the civil sector, Award for individ-

With young people being increasingly engaged in charitable actions, we desire to pay special attention to those who have shown great willingness to make positive changes in their communities by doing good deeds.

How do individuals practice philanthropy, and how do companies perceive it?

When initiating philanthropic activities, individual donors are deeply motivated by emotions and a genuine desire to help people in need, mostly children, those seeking medical treatment, and the poverty-stricken. Companies aim their philanthropic activities mostly towards community development, the benefits of these actions are more longterm, intended for a larger number of beneficiaries, and are often related to their core business. While citizens are mostly oriented toward giving money, companies donate goods and services, and their employees often volunteer their time and expertise. Trag Foundation wishes to encourage as many companies and

enterprises as possible to engage in philanthropic activities through long-term solutions which will be beneficial to a larger number of people.

What contributed the most to the philanthropy development in Serbia?

Several factors influenced philanthropy development in Serbia. Among many is the arrival of a large number of international companies, which showcased socially responsible business behavior that is further being adopted and improved by numerous domestic enterprises. An important factor has been the establishment of a large number of foundations, which have launched numerous philanthropic initiatives over the years, often in cooperation with both domestic and foreign companies. Last but not least, the media played a significant role in building trust in initiators of philanthropic actions and increasing

transparency of their charitable initiatives by informing the general public about all relevant aspects of their doing for the common good.

How does the Trag Foundation cooperate with citizens’ associations?

Trag is a regional foundation operating in Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. For 24 years, it has been supporting and encouraging citizens to actively participate in the development of the local communities they live and operate. The Trag Foundation empowers people who believe that joint initiatives can create a big impact and want to be drivers of positive change in their communities. Over the past two decades, the Trag Foundation has invested more than 15 million US dollars of direct assistance to over 1,700 successful projects in more than 250 local communities across Serbia and the region.

Nominations for the VIRTUS Award can be submitted until February 14th, while more information about the competition can be found at the following link: www.tragfondacija.org/virtus-nagrada

The Trag Foundation empowers people who believe that joint initiatives can create a big impact and want to be drivers of positive change in their communities

MARIJA MITROVIĆ

Philanthropy and Partnerships Director at Trag Foundation

© Jakov Simović / Trag Fondacija

The World is Changing

We are Changing with It

Conference was organised by CMC in cooperation with the Central Bank and with the support of the British Embassy and the EU Delegation in BIH

The World in 2023 conference brought together government representatives, economic experts, business people and the diplomatic community to analyze the economic environment and investment climate in Bosnia and Herzegovina through constructive dialogue. Opening the conference, the Governor of the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Senad Softić, said that in 2023, the country expects a slowdown in economic activity, but not a recession. The largest part of the banking sector is capital-linked with banks from the European Monetary Union, which affects the banks’ policy. However, banks in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) primarily rely on domestic sources of financing. The head of the EU delegation in BiH, Johann Sattler, pointed out that now that BiH has EU candidate status, he expects the authorities to achieve progress in the establishment of electronic business registers, reconstruction of public companies, accession to the WTO and a green energy transition. British Ambassador, H.E. Julian Reilly, pointed out that 2023 is a year of unpredictability, but also of opportunities, and that BiH

has great economic potential that should be utilized. Resident representative of UNDP, Steliana Nedera, noted the decline in development in the past two years and increased insecurity, which augmented mistrust

the second panel, Faruk Hadžić, Dean of the Faculty of Economics of SSST University, moderated the topic ‘Circular Economy and Energy Perspectives of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Region’. UNDP Deputy Res-

among people. During the ‘Brave New World’ panel discussion, the ambassadors in Bosnia and Herzegovina pointed out that the energy crisis demonstrated the need to eliminate energy dependence on Russia. French Ambassador, H.E. Christine Toudic, spoke about the steps France is taking in energy production using nuclear reactors. German Ambassador, H.E. Thomas Fitchen, pointed to climate change and the need for Bosnia and Herzegovina to use more energy from renewable sources. Swedish Ambassador, H.E. Johanne Strömquist, underlined that Sweden, through UNDP, is one of the biggest donors towards energy efficiency. Sweden invests 3% of its GDP in research and development, of which more than 2% comes from the private sector, which speaks to the importance of cooperation with the private sector. In

ident Representative, Stephen Kinloch Pichat, highlighted the importance of maintaining resources in circulation for the preservation of biological diversity. Lada Buševac, head of the IFC Office for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, pointed out that rivers and the environment are at risk, that 70% of carbon dioxide comes from production and that solutions must be comprehensive, systemic and solidarity-based. Head of the Operational Department for Economic Development and Natural Resources of the EU Delegation, Gilles Rebattet, spoke about the EU’s green plan, pointing out that the linear economy is in effect in Europe and only 12% of materials are reused. Regional Director of Trade and Investment for Central Europe and the Western Balkans, UK Department for International Trade, Richlove Mensah, pointed out

that more and more resources will be needed to meet the needs and that it is necessary to move away from a linear economy to stop the destruction of biodiversity. Branimir Muidža, director of Heidelberg Materials in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, presented the experiences of this business group, pointing out that concrete is the most used material today, and that Heidelberg does not generate any by-products, since in production they also use waste products found elsewhere. Business leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region participated in the third panel called “Money Never Sleeps”, namely Director of the Violeta Company, Petar Ćorluka, Vice President of the External Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ahmet Egrlić, Director of the Adriatic Metals Company, Paul Cronin, Chairman of the Managing Board of ASA Bank, Samir Mustafić. Other participants were Jelena Ristić, director for Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Mastercard, Amir Softić, Chairman of the Managing Board of Sparkasse Bank, and Amer Hadžikadić, a Managing Board member of the same bank.

THE ENERGY CRISIS DEMONSTRATED THE NEED TO ELIMINATE ENERGY DEPENDENCE ON RUSSIA © All photos: Eldin Hasanagić & Haris Čalkić

Senad Softić, Governor of the Central Bank of BiH opening the conference

Welcome speech: H.E. Johann Sattler, Head of the EU to BiH and the EU Special Representative in BiH

The ambassadors in BiH participating in the Brave New World: Europe and the World in 2023 panel

256 Milica Jovanović from Serbia set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS®

As of February 4, they are GWR holders for the largest gathering of people with the same first and last name

256 women named Milica Jovanović gathered in the BIG FASHION Mall Belgrade and, following all the instructions received from the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS, they broke the existing record that was set last year in Japan and was held by 178 gathered people with the same first and last name Hirokazu Tanaka. The world record for the “largest gathering of people with the same first and last name” was previously held by 164 Martha Stewarts gathered during a television show in New York in 2005. Based on statistical data, the most common female name in our country is Milica, and the last name is Jovanović. Therefore, the company Color Media Communications decid-

ed to organize the breaking of the GUINNESS WORLD RECORD in Serbia. In order to confirm the legitimacy of the entire record-breaking attempt, an official adjudicator representing GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS,

Mr. Glenn Pollard, was on site to monitor the process of gathering, registering, and counting the female candidates. In the central atrium, for all present Milica, guests, and media, the achievement of a new GUINNESS RECORD was announced. On that occasion, Mr. Pollard presented the GUINNESS

WORLD RECORDS certificate, confirming the achievement of the new record, to Robert Čoban, director of Color Media Communications and organizer of the event. We proudly announce that as of Saturday, February 4, Serbia and 256 women named Milica Jovanović are GUINNESS WORLD RECORD holders for the largest number of people with the same first and last name, which is confirmed by the certificate presented to us by the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS. The gathered women named Milica Jovanović wit-

nessed the historic breaking of the GUINNESS WORLD RECORD and shared a photo with the world. The ladies also received vouchers for lunch at the “McDonalds” restaurant, as well as vouchers for shopping at BIG FASHION Mall Belgrade. In addition, “Batiste” prepared gifts for them from its range of products. For participants living outside Belgrade, transportation was provided from four regional centers: Novi Sad, Niš, Kragujevac and Čačak. In the musical part of the program, Milica Milisavljević Dugalić, a singer of traditional folk songs from Kosovo and Metohija, sang several compositions that mention one of the most beautiful Serbian names - Milica.

THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS SET LAST YEAR IN JAPAN AND WAS HELD BY 178 GATHERED PEOPLE WITH THE SAME FIRST AND LAST NAME HIROKAZU TANAKA

© All photos: Goran Zlatković

PODRECCA –АRCHICULTURE

An exhibition about the famous architect Boris Podrecca, entitled “Archiculture,” will be held in the Museum of Applied Art from 30 January to 15 March 2023. Boris Podrecca’s Belgrade-based exhibition at the Museum of Applied Art consists, first of all, of architectural solutions, both those that were carried out and those not executed. Also, for the first time, Podrecca will show the Belgrade audience his works of art, as well as several works of applied art that he has authored.

24 FEBRUARY – 5 MARCH 2023

51. FEST Passion of life

This year’s slogan and visual identity of FEST were inspired by the legendary film ‘Amarkord’ (1973) by Federico Fellini, which this year marks 50 years since its first screening. The slogan ‘Passion of life’ was inspired by Fellini’s famous statement. There is no end, there is no beginning, there is only the endless passion of life”, said Jugoslav Pantelić, artistic director and selector of FEST, and added: “with the slogan and poster of the 51st FEST, we wanted to celebrate half a century of ‘Amarkord’, and at the same time pay tribute to the great Master of the Seventh Art who only physically left us 30 years ago.” During this year’s FEST, which takes place from February 24 to March 5, the Belgrade audience will be able to watch the premiere of more than 100 movies in 9 cinema halls.

Belgrade Dance Festival

Belgrade Dance Festival celebrates two decades of continuous success and international recognition. As in previous years, the program is sensational, although the jubilee brings a special radiance and the selectors’ decision that all performances should bring inspiration and enthusiasm. In honor of dance, amazing artists and great companies will gather, open up important topics that analyze modern society through an interesting and diverse vocabulary of movement, and create moments that have the power to change the world and trigger the most beautiful emotions. Under the slogan Together, we celebrate dance, the promoters of the next festival are dancers born at the same time when the first editions of the event that became a world brand were created.

The evening of Swing and Latin Jazz GRAZ MEETS BELGRADE

“Evening of Swing and Latin Jazz” with world star and professor at the Jazz Academy in Graz Luis Bonilla will be held at the Kolarac Concert Hall on the 28th of February. Sigi Feigl, head of the jazz department at the University of Arts in Graz, will conduct the RTS Big Band, and Renato Chicco, professor of jazz improvisation at the University of Music in Graz, will play the piano. Tickets are on sale at the Kolarac ticket office and can also be purchased online.

THE MUSEUM OF APPLIED ART BELGRADE

8. MARCH – 13. APRIL 2023

KOLARAC CONCERT HALL BELGRADE

Stjepko Gut ©

Nebojša Babić