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INTRO
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PROMISING RELATIONSHIP IN A YEAR FULL OF JUBILEES The first 20 years of investments have passed and the next 20 are expected to be even more dynamic
erbia is the most desirable investment destination in the region, according to German business people, and German companies are the most desirable employers in Serbia, according to polls. It all started in early 2001, when German companies, following the October 5th political changes, started investing heavily in Serbia. After 20 years, Serbs and Germans understand each other better economically. Many advertisements are promoting "the German quality", while people in Serbia are adopting the German way of thinking and spending. Germany remains an important partner of Serbia on its road to EU accession. German companies in Serbia employ over 67,000 people, and the German government has implemented projects worth two billion euro in Serbia in the last 20 years, together with its institutions KfW and GIZ. What you are holding in your hands, dear readers, is the sixth special edition of our InFocus issue dedicated to Germany. Five years ago, around this time, we excitedly put together the first issue and the launch party for Diplomacy&Commerce magazine and a supplement that was entirely dedicated to bilateral and economic cooperation between Serbia and Germany.
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6
Focus
GERMANY 2021
There are two important reasons why we chose Germany as the first country to cover. The first reason was that the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce was the first business association which Color Media Communications joined, and the second, equally important reason is that we wanted to put one of the most important foreign policy and trade partners of Serbia in the first issue. 60 issues later, we are celebrating our 5th birthday, the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (AHK Serbia) is marking five years of its official establishment, and the Delegation of the German Economy is celebrating 20 years of investing in Serbia. This is a year of jubilees and great occasions to celebrate. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 epidemic, we cannot celebrate the jubilee the way we would want to and you are used to - with all of you, giving out D&C awards to companies, organizations and individuals. But that's why we have prepared for you an edition full of interesting stories, an overview of German investments from the year 2000 until today, interviews with over 20 leading figures from the German economy, articles about tradition and culture, and interesting facts about the economy, tourism and history of this beautiful country. Together with the magazine’s found-
er, Robert Čoban, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to our dearest partners and important interlocutors who appear in this edition - Marko Čadež, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia who selflessly supported us all these years and highlighted Germany’s importance for the development of Serbia, the German Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Thomas Schieb, who is always willing to talk about the importance of relations between our two countries, the entire German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (AHK Serbia) together with the Chamber’s newly elected President and Director, Mr. Udo Eichlinger and Mr. Frank Aletter respectively, who were kind enough to share with us their views on bilateral and economic relations, and the staff of both the Embassy and the Chamber - Milica, Doris, Marija and Milica - without whom this issue would not be as interesting. Dear readers, we wish you a myriad of great moments while reading our magazine, but first and foremost, we wish you good health and a good year ahead. All the best!
RUŽA VELJOVIĆ
Director of Diplomacy&Commerce magazine
