CorD Magazine, May 2018 Issue, no. 163

CONTINUITY IN CUBA

BANKS CANNOT THRIVE IN A STAGNANT ECONOMY

Ambassador of Cuba to Serbia

Professor at the Faculty of Economics, University of Belgrade (EFB)

DEJAN ŠOŠKIĆ

RAJKO GRLIĆ

Film Director & Producer

MAY ’18 / ISSUE No. 163

www.cordmagazine.com

H.E. GUSTAVO TRISTÁ DEL TODO

I’M TOO OLD TO GROVEL TO GOVERNMENT

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COMMENT

Can A Trade War Be Averted?

12TH CorD CHARITY MASTERS

Vivaldi At The Marathon VLATKO VEDRAL

Life In Parallel Worlds

ZORAN ZAEV PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

Year To

E XC L U S I V E

REMEMBER ISSN1451-7833

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COMMENT BARRY EICHENGREEN

Can A Trade War BE AVERTED? PAGE 8

Because China has a higher export-to-GDP ratio than the US, its leaders are more concerned with defending the global trading system than with preserving any particular bilateral balance. By eschewing escalation in response to the Trump administration’s widening tariffs on its exports, China avoids jeopardizing the system

CONTENTS

10

YEAR TO REMEMBER

51

CONTINUITY IN CUBA

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Zoran Zaev, Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia

16

GIVING UP IS NOT MY OPTION

Jelena Kovačević, Media Advisor to the Prime Minister

H.E. Gustavo Tristá del Todo, Ambassador of Cuba to Serbia

INFLUENCE OF TRADITION ON MODERN APPROACH South Korean Contemporary Ceramics

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GLOBAL DIARY 56

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BANKS CANNOT THRIVE IN A STAGNANT ECONOMY

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Dejan Šoškić, Professor at the Faculty of Economics, University of Belgrade (EFB)

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LIFE IN PARALLEL WORLDS

FACES & PLACES I’M TOO OLD TO GROVEL TO GOVERNMENT

Rajko Grlić, Film Director & Producer

64

CHILL OUT

Vlatko Vedral, Scientist and Musician

66 30

VIVALDI AT THE MARATHON

TRENDS YOU NEED TO TRY IN 2018

Spring/Summer 2018 Fashion Trends

12th CorD Charity Masters

68 35 70

@CorD_Magazine

@cordmagazine

CULTURE CALENDAR AFTER WORK

May 2018 EDITOR: Ana Novčić a.novcic@aim.rs DESIGNER: Jasmina Laković j.lakovic@aim.rs CONTRIBUTORS: Rob Dugdale, Maja Vukadinović, Mirjana Jovanović, Miša Brkić, Radmila Stanković, Steve MacKenzie, Zorica Todorović Mirković, Sonja Ćirić EDITORIAL MANAGER: Neda Lukić n.lukic@aim.rs PHOTOS: Zoran Petrović COPY EDITOR: Mark Pullen TRANSLATION & EDITING MRP EDITORIAL Halifax Translation Services PROJECT MANAGERS: Biljana Dević, b.devic@aim.rs Nataša Trifunović, n.trifunovic@aim.rs Vesna Vukajlović, v.vukajlovic@aim.rs Nevena Đurković, n.djurkovic@aim.rs OFFICE MANAGER: Svetlana Petrović s.petrovic@aim.rs FINANCE: Ajilon Solutions m.damjanovic@aim.rs EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Maja Vidaković m.vidakovic@aim.rs GENERAL MANAGER: Ivan Novčić i.novcic@aim.rs PRINTING: Rotografika d.o.o.

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COMMENT

Can A Trade War Be Averted?

Because China has a higher export-to-GDP ratio than the US, its leaders are more concerned with defending the global trading system than with preserving any particular bilateral balance. By eschewing escalation in response to the Trump administration’s widening tariffs on its exports, China avoids jeopardizing the system BARRY EICHENGREEN

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itself as a champion of free and open trade. It demonstrates constructive robably the question most frequently asked of international leadership of the multilateral system. To the extent that other countries economists these days is: “Are we seeing the start of a trade rely on China for preserving the trading system, they are correspondwar?” This is not a question that admits of a simple yes-or-no ingly less likely to object to China’s other strategic initiatives, in the answer. In contrast to a shooting war, there’s no government South China Sea and elsewhere. declaration to mark the official outbreak of hostilities. Tariffs have been Now comes the hard part. On 3rd April, the Trump administration raised and lowered throughout history, for reasons both good and bad.

Even when the reasons are bad, moreover, tariff increases do not announced its intention to impose tariffs on $50 billion of Chinese always provoke foreign retaliation. There was no retaliation, for example, exports, in response to industrial espionage, licensing, and other when President Richard Nixon imposed a 10% across-the-board import intellectual-property concerns. Obviously, these trade actions are much surcharge in 1971, arguably in violation of both the General Agreement larger and more dangerous than those affecting $3 billion of Chinese on Tariffs and Trade (the forerunner to the World Trade Organization) aluminium and steel. and United States law.

The irony is that U.S. intellectual-property concerns are valid. But But there’s always the danger of events spiraling out of control. neither those concerns nor Chinese retaliation will win the U.S. any China has clearly indicated its intention of responding to U.S. actions, sympathy, because the administration’s latest action comes on the raising the risk of escalation by an erratic U.S. leader. President Donald heels of bogus U.S. steel and aluminium tariffs, trumped up, as it were, Trump’s threat on 5th April to impose tariffs on an additional $100 billion on national security grounds. This sequencing and reckless use of the tariff instrument encourages observers to dismiss of Chinese exports, provoked by China’s response even valid concerns as fake news. to his own earlier action, points to just this threat Is it still possible to avoid the worst? The soonof escalation.

For those still est the administration’s $50 billion of proposed That said, there are still reasons to hope that hoping against hope, tariffs can come into effect is at the end of a 60-day sanity will prevail. First, Trump has been forced to the good news is that, comment period. This gives foreign governments, nuance some of his earlier actions. He exempted business and the stock market time to push back.

Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, the European behind the scenes, Feeling the heat, the Trump administration Union, Mexico, and South Korea from his steel the US and China are could choose to nuance its intellectual-property and aluminum tariffs, minimising the impact on policy, just as it nuanced its steel and aluminum those countries and also on domestic metal-using still talking measures. Rather than imposing sweeping tarindustries. Foreign governments and domestic iffs, it could tailor its actions to the intellectualbusinesses objected to the initial across-theproperty dispute. It could use the Committee on Foreign Investment board tariff, and so did the stock market, through its negative reaction. in the United States to reject bids by Chinese companies in specific The market will exercise a moderating influence on the president, if sectors where the U.S. possesses valuable intellectual property. It could anything can. pursue its complaints through the WTO. Those who question whether Second, China’s response so far has been carefully calibrated, in the administration has any inclination of going this route should note each case almost exactly matching the breadth of U.S. action. Doing that it did, in fact, file a WTO complaint against Chinese technology less would have been seen as lying down in the face of U.S. provocation. licensing practices in March.

Doing more would have been seen as a dangerous escalation.

For its part, China should maintain its calm and steady hand. But it Some say that China’s leaders have no choice but to exercise reshould also show a willingness to address valid U.S. concerns when the straint. Because it runs a surplus with the U.S., China stands to lose if U.S. takes a WTO-based approach to pursuing them – for example, by bilateral trade grinds to a halt. But that’s like saying that one country relaxing its joint-venture rules and strengthening its intellectual-property stands to lose more than another in an exchange of nuclear weapons. protections. For those still hoping against hope, the good news is that, In fact, Chinese policymakers have broader motives. Because China behind the scenes, the US and China are still talking. ■ has a higher export-to-GDP ratio than the U.S., they are more concerned with preserving the global trading system; by eschewing escalation, The author is Professor of Economics at China avoids jeopardising it. And by appealing to the WTO, it positions the University of California, Berkeley/Project Syndicate 8 |

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Year To

INTERVIEW

REMEMBER

EXCLUSIVE

ZORAN ZAEV PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

After many lost years, 2018 might become historic for the Republic of Macedonia, and for its EU and NATO future. Positive changes are coming on the wings of the new government’s determination to implement the necessary reforms and bring stability and prosperity to a country that has long been shackled by internal political disputes and battles with Greece over the official name of the country 10 |

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RESPONSIBILITY

PRIORITIES

DETERMINATION

I see awareness of the responsibility that we all – the Government, the opposition and the citizens – have for the future of our country

For us, the external priorities - Euro-Atlantic integrations - mean real opportunities for the more efficient realisation of domestic priorities

If the Western Balkans has ever been firm in its orientation to the common future, that time is now

"I

f we all focus on finding a solution for the dispute with Greece, 2018 can be a year to remember for the Republic of Macedonia, but also for the region, and for the EU and NATO. Therefore, I am a tireless optimist,” says Macedonian PM Zoran Zaev, whose country recently fulfilled all conditions to commence negotiation with the EU. It is with the same hope that the country is expecting an invitation to join NATO in July.

■ Macedonia received a recommendation to start EU accession talks back in 2005 and was almost invited to join NATO as far back as 2008. However, progress has been stalled ever since, due to the country’s unresolved name dispute with neighbouring Greece. Do you consider the reaching of agreement with Greece over the name of Macedonia today as a symbolic or far-reaching decision that opens the door to Macedonia’s future?

- The Decision of the European Commission to provide a crystal-clear recommendation to the European Council, stating that the Republic of Macedonia has fulfilled all conditions for launching negotiations with the EU, has confirmed the policies of the current government. In just 10 months, we have unravelled processes that were deeply ensnared by the irresponsible behaviour of the previous government and the political crisis. I expect 2018 to bring new significant positive changes in

negotiations”. How close do you think you are today to achieving this goal?

- The announcements and forecasts by EC President Juncker proved to be based on real foundations that he built with consideration for our real achievements. Our vigorous and committed

The changes we make - nationally, internationally, internally - are multidimensional and will yield the expected results in stages

the realisation of the country’s strategic Euro-Atlantic goals and the quality of life of the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia. We have placed negotiations with Greece on a friendly and dignified level, and my expectations are that they will lead to a solution that brings a good future for the citizens of both Macedonia and Greece, as well as the entire region.

■ During his visit to Macedonia, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said that “if you continue with the reforms for a few more months, you will allow the [European] Commission to address to the Council [of the EU] an invitation to start accession

efforts in the reform process are currently resulting in 95% implementation of the Reform Plan 3-6-9. The Government, in broad consultations with the expert public and the civil sector, and through inclusive policies with political entities in the country, submitted the package of reform laws to the Parliament. As is visible to both the domestic and international public, the adoption of laws based on the recommendations of the EC and the remarks of the Reinhard Priebe Expert Group began with a broad consensus.

I see awareness of the responsibility that we all – the Government, the opposition, the citizens – have for our future, for the future of our country, and the future of a stable and secure Europe. And I also see that the European Commission recognises and values our work, which propels Macedonia and the region forward. And that’s why a clear recommendation came, and in M AY

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June I expect a date for the start of the Republic of Macedonia’s accession negotiations with the EU.

■ Over the past two years, the EU additionally conditioned its recommendation with demands for the holding of democratic elections and the fulfilment of urgent reform priorities drafted in the so-called Priebe Report. From this perspective, which reforms are the most pressing, and what has your government done to date to address them?

economic development, and the opening of the doors to the EU and NATO. We believe sincerely in the benefits of these European values, which is why we succeeded in making such a step in this short period of time.

■ Many believe that NATO membership opens the door to a future in the EU, and not vice versa. What are your expectation from the NATO summit in July in that respect, both in the short and the long run?

- The reform process that we have started, as well as the policies of good neighbourly relations, contribute to European and Atlantic integration.

We are working simultaneously on achieving both of these strategic goals. Yes, the Republic of Macedonia has an open invitation for NATO, which will come into effect as soon as there is a solution to the dispute with Greece. I believe it’s clear to everyone that this is the moment when this can be achieved and, if we all focus on finding a solution, 2018 can be a year to remember for the Republic of Macedonia, but also for the region, the EU and NATO. Therefore, I am a tireless optimist and I expect an invitation to join NATO in July.

■ The Western Balkans is seen by many as a back door to the rivalry between Russia and the West. How do you perceive this in the context of Macedonia’s political life and your interactions with neighbouring countries?

- The Balkans have always been a point of interception for wider geostrategic goals. But if we are all focused towards world peace, stability, security and

The Balkans have always been a point of interception for

- All urgent reform priorities are wider geostrategic goals. But if we are all focused towards addressed through amendments world peace, stability, security and economic development, to the legal solutions that the Government has submitted to the then everything will be easier Parliament and, as I said, their economic development, then everything will be easier. Citizens adoption has started. This refers to reforms that have begun in of Western Balkan countries are largely determined in their wish the operations of the secret services, protected witness laws that for democracy, respect for human rights, freedom and justice. The were adopted by a two-thirds majority, the establishment of an Euro-Atlantic commitments of the majority of citizens of Western independent body, the OTA (Operational Technical Agency), the Balkan countries are clear, just as it is clear that the countries of monitoring of communications, and the voting on laws for ensurthe Western Balkans all need friendly economic relations with all ing an independent judiciary and rule of law. We also anticipate countries worldwide. legal changes that will ensure the professional work of the media, institutions that work in the interest of citizens, an efficient and ■ Do you consider that the Western Balkans is today closer non-partisan public administration, an electoral law that gives to its role as a factor of stability in this part of the world, confidence etc. In short, we are creating an efficient state system or is it still a fragile underbelly of Europe? that will guarantee rights and justice in the Republic of Macedonia, - The Western Balkans has shown that there can be sincere, enin accordance with European democratic standards. That is also ergetic and committed political leaders who want, can and know what we need as citizens; we need it to provide a stable climate how to assess what their citizens need, while at the same time for investments that will result in the creation of new jobs and

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being more comprehensive and willing, without calculations, to set the countries on the right track. Therefore, if the Western Balkans has ever been firm in its orientation towards a common future, that time is now. And this is a very important juncture. We recognised the needs for interconnection and cooperation, and we showed Europe that it can only be whole, safe and stable with the full integration of all countries that belong to it geographically, historically and culturally. We are undoubtedly a factor of stability in Europe, not of instability. The fact that Europe has recognised this and decided to reach out to the Western Balkans should be welcomed.

as the Republic of Macedonia, in friendly, principled cooperation, based on healthy democratic relations with all countries in the world, because peace, security, stability and economic prospects are of national interest, but are also global needs.

■ Considering that your government has so many tasks to address both on the national and international fronts, how do you assess the capacities of your team to face all challenges?

■ From the Macedonian perspective, what are the substantial outcomes, if any, of the Berlin Process?

- I have already mentioned some of them: connection and cooperation between the countries of the region. We started working and have already received the first results in the infrastructural connectivity agreed at the Trieste Summit, the establishment of a regional economic zone - the business community is already cooperating actively, there are more customs incentives in flows of goods and people, the harmonisation of legislation and, last but not least, we have the Digital Summit in Skopje... It is one thing that Europe has asked for such unification in the Western Balkans, but it is more important that the countries themselves have realised that if they are joined together they can be a bigger, more attractive and more respectable partner at the European level and worldwide, regardless of whether that is on the economic market or in other areas. That will also

I see that the EC recognises and values our work.

That’s why I expect to receive a date in June for start of the Republic of Macedonia’s EU accession negotiations

improve quality of life for the citizens of our countries. Therefore, we view the Berlin Process with great seriousness and are focused on how we can provide our contribution to it and even lead the process, in the interest of the whole region.

■ How do you see the roles of Turkey and China in the region, and in Macedonia specifically? What are the political and economic dimensions of their stronger role in the Balkans?

- Turkey and China, like Russia, are traditionally good friends of the Republic of Macedonia. We have excellent cooperation in the fields of the economy, culture, education and agriculture, and I only expect to deepen relations in these and all other areas of importance for the everyday lives of our countries’ citizens. I believe that there is interest among the countries of the region, as well

- I have formed a Government widely set at both the political and civic levels - to restore the democracy in the country, to reinvigorate institutions, to deal with the consequences of the decade-long regime system.

Yes, thorough reforms are needed, good will is needed, sincere politics of friendship are needed, we need a firm belief that we are on the right track – and we have all proven that it is there. But it is also necessary to change the awareness of perceiving things, since it is not possible for the 10-year regime not to leave any consequences in the collective sense of perception of things and actions. Therefore, you are right, the changes we make – nationally, internationally, internally – are multidimensional and will give the expected results in stages, but if you’re asking if they have already started to deliver results, I would say yes, and I am satisfied when I hear that from citizens and our friends from the international community, who almost always start their meetings with us by remarking that positive, energetic changes in Macedonia can be M AY

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felt. - We still haven’t completed a year of our mandate. I analyse, monitor the reactions of citizens, listen to the opinions of every citizen, and it will all be seen whether and where strengthening is needed among expert, professional, efficient, honest, accountable, transparent and, above all, responsible authorities for the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia.

■ How would you assess public support for the changes initiated with the establishment of your government?

providing higher salaries and new jobs. By doing this, we want to motivate young people to live and work in our country, since emigration and the outflow of young people and high-quality workers is one of our major problems. We have provided multiple forms of state support for companies and the equal treatment of foreign and domestic companies, and we will continue to act in that direction. We consider that this relaxes the political climate, in addition to building a society for all citizens. I expect to see effective changes in the health and education sectors, while also working on decentralising many services at the local level, so that they are easily accessible by citizens. According to the Constitution, the Republic of Macedonia is a welfare state and our challenge is to tackle the enormous poverty that we have encountered as a condition, while in the meantime providing adequate social protection for everyone in need. For us, the external priorities - Euro-Atlantic integrations - mean real opportunities for the more efficient realisation of domestic priorities, and therefore full stabilisation of the citizens and the state.

■ How has the Berlin Process impacted on bilateral relations between Serbia and Macedonia? How would you describe these relations today and what are the major factors contributing to their further development?

- Both the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia and the citizens of the Republic of Serbia need to live in a modern, European, democratically-developed society. We have friendly relations with Serbia, the citizens of both countries have historically close

We are working very seriously on raising living standards,

- I believe that citizens are feelproviding higher salaries and new jobs. By doing this, we ing the positive changes, since want to motivate young people to stay in Macedonia gaining the pleasure of having the freedom to say what they think, the freedom to be what they are, the open chances for everelations; we have a common past, but also, more importantly, a ryone – there are things that cannot go unnoticed. I am aware that common future – via integration into the European Union. The there is some impatience regarding certain essential changes in Berlin Process is only helping us on that road. specific areas that impact directly on the everyday life of citizens; that there is some impatience in us as a Government as well, and ■ After having almost the same types of economic disputes with Serbia over agricultural products, would that is a good thing, since that civil pressure gives us additional you say that the two sides are now closer to finding a strength to exert maximum efforts for both efficient and quality sustainable solution for these issues? results. We found a broken system – in every sense of the word; - xThere is a solution for every open issue, if there is a will to make in some places we laid foundations, in some we started to build, one. We are determined to solve agriculture issues, as well as all with every new day bringing a qualitative change – sooner or later, other issues, through dialogue – as should be done by a country but these changes are becoming obvious. that aspires to be part of the Euro-Atlantic family. The Republic of Macedonia provides reasons, and will further give even more ■ What do you see as your priorities when it comes to compelling reasons, to have and maintain the great support it rethe domestic political scene? ceives from the international community in achieving these goals. ■ - We are working very seriously on raising living standards,

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INTERVIEW

Continuity IN CUBA H.E. GUSTAVO TRISTÁ DEL TODO AMBASSADOR OF CUBA TO SERBIA

All processes are currently being considered, and among the priorities is developing the National Plan for Economic and Social Development until 2030... simultaneously with conformation of the irrevocable nature of our socialism and the leading role of the Party in Cuban society - H.E. Gustavo Tristá del Todo

F

ollowing the election of Miguel Diaz-Canel as the new President of Cuba, analysts around the world are wondering which direction Cuba will head in, after the many decades of the rule of Fidel then Raul Castro. Speaking in this interview for CorD, Ambassador Gustavo Trista del Todo says that there will be a progression of the revolution and a continuation of the implementation of that which was agreed at the 6th and 7th congresses of the Communist Party of Cuba. The start of this ambassador’s mandate in Serbia coincides with the anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between Serbia and Cuba.

The ambassador notes that the two countries have been fostering friendly relations for 75 years and support each other in international organisations: Cuba does not recognise Kosovo’s independence, and Serbia supports Cuba’s resolution in the United Nations against the U.S. embargo on the country.

■ Your Excellency, you took on the post of ambassador to 16 |

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Serbia just a few months ago, in a year that marks the 75th anniversary of the establishing of diplomatic relations between Cuba and Serbia. How do you view this period of cooperation between the two countries?

- Precisely, this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations. On the date of 31st August 1943, King Petar II Karađorđević issued a decree proclaiming – on the proposal of the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia – an open Mission to Cuba, based in Havana. Nevertheless, the January 1959 Victory of the Revolution represented the start of a solid and lasting relationship that has strengthened over time.

Belgrade was among the first to recognise the new government in 1959. In August of that year, Commander Ernesto Che Guevara headed a goodwill mission that travelled over and was received by President Josip Broz Tito. Both nations formed part of the founding group of the Non-Aligned Movement, and those ties have been held without interruption, always to the benefit of both sides.

ANNIVERSARY

PRINCIPLE

INDUSTRY

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between Kingdom of Yugoslavia – an open Mission to Cuba

For Cuba, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a country is an inviolable principle

Cuba has ideal conditions to develop so-called industry without chimneys: natural beauty, culture, safety, infrastructure and hospitable people who are worth meeting

■ The recent visit of the President of Serbia to Cuba was realised at the very beginning of your mandate in Serbia, following an invitation extended by Cuban President Raul Castro.

How would you assess the impact of this highest-level meeting on bilateral relations between the two countries?

- The visit of President Aleksandar Vučić to my country in December last year is of great importance and marks the beginning of a new phase in bilateral relations. Accompanying the Serbian leader were the ministers of the economy, agriculture and health, as well as the mayor of the capital, who had meetings with their Cuban colleagues regarding future cooperation, and the result of everything was the signing of an agreement on the joint production of medicines. The president was received by the highest officials, especially President Raul Castro, which ensured the visit was very successful, in accordance with the nature of our relations.

This visit confirmed the close friendship and sympathy that has historically existed between our two governments and nations, as well as providing an opportunity to consider the potential for bilateral cooperation. For this reason, I consider it a milestone to intensify relations in the coming years.

■ The meeting in Havana saw a reiteration of Cuba’s stance not to recognise the independence of Kosovo. Will Cuba endure in this position if it comes to a debate in UN, before the General Assembly, regarding Kosovo possibly gaining observer status in that organisation?

- For Cuba, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a country is an inviolable principle.

As far as the topic of Kosovo is concerned, we have no doubt that it is an integral part of Serbia, which is why our position is clear, and I see no reason for it to change.

United Nations condemning the economic, trade and financial blockade imposed by the United States in 1962, which has been supported for almost 25 consecutive years in that voting by the entire international community. Without a doubt, the contribution of this friendly country to the adoption of such an important document is very important and

Cuba is leading a difficult battle within international organisations, where the politics of manipulation and double standards on human rights are applied, on the basis of politicisation and selectivity

■ How important is Serbia’s support to Cuba in other bodies of the United Nations, such as the Human Rights Council or opposition to the U.S. economic embargo?

- Cuba is leading a difficult battle within international organisations, where the politics of manipulation and double standards on human rights are applied, on the basis of politicisation and selectivity.

Serbia supports the Cuban resolution in the General Assembly of the

is something that we appreciate and are grateful for, considering the harm it causes to our people and the need to end such an inhuman policy.

■ Good bilateral relations do not equate to the level of economic cooperation between Cuba and Serbia, given that the total economic exchange is less than a million dollars annually. Do you believe this situation could change for the better?

- We could explore opportunities in the domain of tourism, based primarily on the known enormous interest in Cuba among Serbian tourists. There were 6000 of them last year, and that number is gradually increasing. We know that the government is ready to contribute to the development of Cuban tourism through support in the promotion of this destination, in an effort to increase the number of visitors.

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Cuba has ideal conditions to develop so-called industry without chimneys: natural beauty, culture, safety, infrastructure and hospitable people who are worth meeting.

I am of the opinion that this tendency can change depending on the extent to which the points of interest for both sides can be harmonised.

For a start, I think we can work together on the production of medicines, which has already been decided.

■ How will implementation unfold when it comes to the two countries’ Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Health, which should include joint activities on the production of vaccines and treating the most serious diseases?

- Cuba’s biotech industry is renowned around the world. The vaccines, biological products, medical treatments, diagnostic resources and monoclonal antibodies created by our scientists in top-class facilities rank us among the developing nations that have made the most progress in this sector.

There are renowned medicines like Heberprot-P, the best treatment for diabetic foot ulcers; the Cimavax-EGF vaccine, which represent hope for lung cancer sufferers; Polycosanol (PPG), a natural treatment for lowering cholesterol; Va-mengoc-bc, a vaccine against meningococcus b and c; and Neuroepo, a medicine to slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Similarly, scientists are also working on clinical trials with Heberferon, which is used in the treatment of kidney cancer and for patients with malignant brain tumours; while testing is also being done on therapeutic vaccine Teravac-VIH, which is aimed at reducing the viral burden of HIV carriers.

The aforementioned agreement on the joint production of medicines was signed during the visit of President Vučić, and a delegation of experts should visit Serbia to start negotiations. I am optimistic about the possibilities being explored in this area.

This senior Serbian official also mentioned his visit to Cuba, in the company of President Vučić in 2017, and he referred to existing possibilities to transfer technology and materials for the development of livestock, as well as seed production. As such, there are opportunities for cooperation that we must encourage.

■ Media reported that Havana’s response to the U.S. policy towards Cuba was to strengthen relations with China, Russia and North Korea.

Do you believe that today’s world is experiencing a repetition of something resembling the Cold War’s division between countries?

- Relations with these countries are based on mutual friendship and are not the result of external pressures. The anti-Cuban measures implemented by President Donald Trump are absolutely unsustainable, the blockade is part of the Cold War; it is unfair, arbitrary, and represents a clear violation of human rights.

■ Following March’s parliamentary elections in Cuba, and in anticipation of the election of Raul Castro’s successor, analysts are already talking about the end of a political era.

Alongside the change in personnel and generations, will there also be shift in the course in Cuba’s policies, for example with a reorientation towards Cuba’s biotech industry a market economy? is renowned around the world. - The Sixth Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, held in 2011, adopted – as The vaccines, biological component of development strategy products, medical treatments, a– key the Party and the Revolution’s Economic diagnostic resources and and Social Policy Guidelines for the Upmonoclonal antibodies dating of the Economic Model of Socialist Construction. At the Seventh Congress, five created by our scientists in years later, the Update of the Guidelines top-class facilities rank us for the period 2016-2021 was adopted among the developing nations and supported by the National Assembly that have made the most of the People’s Government.

All processes are currently being conprogress in this sector sidered and among the priorities is the development of the National Economic and Social Development Plan ■ Historians note that it was in 1959, during the visit to Yugoslavia that you mentioned, when Ernesto “Che” Guevara spoke until 2030, as well as a comprehensive review and improvement of the about the possibilities of cooperation in agriculture. Does measures that requires, with appropriate proposals. agriculture remain an area with the potential to strengthen Likewise, research is also being conducted on the future reform of the bilateral cooperation today?

Constitution, which should reflect the main economic, political and social - I am of the opinion that the potential exists. In a conversation I had transformations of the agreements adopted at the VI and VII congresses with Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Minister Branislav of the Party and the objectives of its First National Conference; at the Nedimović, it was confirmed that the Cuban side could benefit from the same time, there will also be confirmation of the irrevocable nature of experience acquired by Serbian experts, in accordance with specific needs. our socialism and the leading role of the Party in Cuban society. ■ 18 |

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KNOWLEDGE

GLOBAL DIARY

“I think I have great knowledge of - for military, and I think I have better vision for Syria than a lot of the so-called great military geniuses that are saying how to fight the war with Syria. In my opinion, they’re doing just the opposite.” - Donald Trump, US President

BORACAY ISLAND IS TAKING A HOLIDAY ▶ Boracay Island, Philippines topped list of best islands in the

world in 2017. Unfortunately, the tiny stretch of sand—just under five square kilometres - is a victim of its own growing popularity. With 2.1 million tourists arriving in 2017 alone (spending more than $1 billion), Boracay now has to contend with environ­ mental degradation, traffic congestion, insufficient solid waste management, illegal construction, property disputes, illegal fishing...to name a few.

“I’ll give you six months to clean the iseland,” President Rodrigo Duterte told Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu in February. Obviousuly the worning didn’t work, so the government has announced an unprecedented six-month closure of the island until September. In order to avoid huge financial damage the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Departments of the Interior and Tourism, and local authorities are now working together to decide how exactly to implement the temporary ban on Boracay tourism.

PUTIN EARNS $302,000 IN 2017

M21 sedans as well as a Niva SUV and a Skif tent trailer. Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev earned $138,114 in 2017.

Source: TASS

OVER 30,000 'FAKE NAMES' IN NIGERIAN POLICE PAYROLL ▶ The Nigerian government has ▶ Russia’s President Vladimir Putin

earned 18.728 mln rubles ($302,201) in 2017, up 9.8 mln rubles ($158,013) compared with 2016, according to the tax return posted on the Kremlin’s official website.

Last year, the President’s average monthly income was 1.5 mln rubles ($24,183) against 738,000 rubles ($11,898) a year earlier. The president does not own a land plot of 1,500 square meters anymore. The other real property, an apartment with the area of 77 square meters and a garage of 18 square meters, remains unchanged. Putin also uses an apartment with the area of 153.7 squaremeters and a parking lot of 18 square meters. All property declared by Putin is in Russia. Among Putin’s official assets are two vintage Volga GAZ 20 |

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eliminated names of over 30,00 ‘ghost workers’ from the payroll of the police, it has been revealed.

The elimination of names of the fake police officers followed the introduction of Integrated Personnel Payroll System platform, which brought the number of names on the police payroll down to 291,685 from 370,000. Government officials said bringing the police force on the Integrated Personnel Payroll system platform, has ended the corrupt activities of the police officers that feed fat from manipulation

the payroll of the police force. Reports indicated that President Muhammadu Buhari is determined to end corruption associated with payrolls in Nigeria by ensuring that every Federal government agency is enrolled on the IPPS platform.

SOROS TO MOVE BUDAPEST OFFICE TO BERLIN ▶ The Open Society Foundations,

backed by US-Hungarian billionaire

George Soros, is to close its Budapest branch and open a new one in Berlin by the end of August.

Hungarian-born US billionaire George Soros established the OSF in the early 1990s with the aim of promoting democracies in formerly communist states of Eastern Europe.

However, the organization has faced intense pressure in Hungary after Prime Minister Viktor Orban took power in 2010. Orban has portrayed Soros as a powerful and sinister figure intent on undermining the power of

CHINESE HOMEMADE AIRBUS A320 PASSENGER JET ▶ The homemade Airbus A320 jet plane made by Chinese farmer Zhu Yue is being built at an open space in Kaiyuan city, northeast China’s Liaoning province.

As a plane lover since childhood, the farmer, Zhu Yue, has always wanted to have an aircraft of his own. The model is being built at a factory in an industrial park of Kaiyuan, in northeast China’s Liaoning.

Being a 1:1 scale model of an Airbus A320, it is 37.84 meters in length, 36 meters in width, and 12 meters in height. Zhu has used 40 tons of steel and spent over 800,000 RMB (about $121K) to date. The model is expected to be completed around May this year.

POISON

“No one doubts that poison gas was used in Syria. But there is every reason to believe it was used, not by the Syrian Army, but by opposition forces to provoke intervention by their powerful foreign patrons, who would be siding with the fundamentalists.” - Vladimir Putin, Russian President

TIME FOR A PLASTIC-FREE PLANET ▶ Plastics are everywhere. Made from fossil fuels,

consuming energy only to be thrown away, piling up in landfills, clogging our oceans, and contaminating food chains — they somehow sum up everything that’s wrong with how we treat our planet.

Plastic doesn’t biodegrade — it sticks around forever. So it’s no surprise so much of the stuff is polluting the environment. Yet the statistics are shocking: We produce close to 300 million tons of plastic waste each year, and an estimated 8 million tons of that ends up in the sea. Some collects together to form “trash islands,” including the Great Pacific Garbage Patch — recently estimated to be three times the size of France. The European Union plans to make all plastics recyclable by 2030; and in other parts of the world, plastic bags, for example, have been outlawed for years.

Soros has also faced increased pressure from right-wingers in other parts of the world, including UK and the US, for his support of liberal policies and opposition to Brexit. the state and reversing Orban’s strict anti-migrant policies. The Hungarian prime minister is currently pushing a legislation dubbed the “Stop Soros” plan to crack down on NGOs and their foreign founders. Late last year, a ruling party politician posted a photo of a dead pig with Soros’ name on it.

about their longevity in Asia. The confidence could be due to Hong Kong having the highest life expectancy in the world, with women on average living to 87 years and men 81 years, according

MAJORITY OF RICH HONGKONGERS ARE PLANNING TO LIVE BEYOND 100 ▶ Nearly six in 10 wealthy Hong-

kongers expect to live to the age of 100, making them the most confident

to 2016 data calculations by Japan’s health and welfare ministry. The UBS survey revealed 59 per cent of Hong Kong’s wealthy investors believe they will become centenarians, higher than 46 per cent of Singaporean investors and 47 per cent in Taiwan. The survey polled 5,000 high net worth individuals worldwide in 10 markets, including more than 400 individuals in Hong Kong. To qualify, individuals must have at least US$1 million in investible assets. But Hong Kong’s wealthy investors were not alone, as 76 per cent of affluent Germans expected to reach age 100, while the figure for rich Swiss investors was 68 per cent. Meanwhile, only 30 per cent of American millionaires expected to live to 100.

QUEEN LETIZIA WEARING ZARA ▶ It appears it’s not only Kate Middle-

ton or Meghan Markle that recycles their best fashion buys, Queen Letizia of Spain also isn’t afraid of being seen in the same clothes twice. Whilst making an appearance at a university in Andalucia wearing, Queen Letizia wore her beloved Zara coat (€52.00), Uterqüe neutral trousers, Magrit pumps and finished her look with another firm favourite, her Carolina Herrera snakeskin clutch bag. Red is a great option for us all as it goes with every skin tone and easily fits in to any season, so what more excuse do you need to make an investment? Although this Zara coat has now sold out look regal in red by shopping alternatives via the carousel below.

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INTERVIEW

Banks Cannot Thrive In

A STAGNANT ECONOMY DEJAN ŠOŠKIĆ PROFESSOR AT THE FACULTY OF ECONOMICS, UNIVERSITY OF BELGRADE (EFB)

Major obstacles to faster economic growth in Serbia are not in the domain of the limited financial potential of domestic banks.

Obstacles lay elsewhere: in the domain of a stagnant economy, weak institutional framework, rule of law, and credit risk sharing instruments for SMEs. As such, we shouldn’t be surprised if more foreign banks decide to leave in the medium- to long-term

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t the start of this decade, foreign banks were the biggest investors in Serbia, while today we are increasingly witnessing the departure of these banks from the domestic market. This month we spoke with Dejan Šoškić, professor at the University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Economics and former governor of the central bank, about the factors that have led to such a disappointing turnaround.

■ How do you interpret the key factors leading to this trend?

- There are several factors that have contributed to this situation. First of all, the global financial crisis placed a strain on financial institutions worldwide and contributed to increased losses among many banks and other financial institutions, both in the U.S. and also in Europe, where most of the parent banks of those operating in Serbian originate. The global financial crisis was followed by the Sovereign debt crisis in Europe, and that placed additional strain on European banks, especially 22 |

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Greek banks, which also had subsidiaries in Serbia. The new stricter European banking regulations in the aftermath of that crisis provoked deleveraging and a more conservative outlook among most European banks towards their international networks and expansion. However, these were not the only factors contributing to the current situation.

On the internal side, the Serbian market has proven to be relatively limited in terms of development potential. A stagnant economy, weak institutional framework, low financial reporting standards and underdeveloped, and sometimes inadequate, rule of law have all proven to be significant limiting factors on the development of banking. In addition, in terms of the number of banks, the Serbian market was relatively dispersed and prone to mergers and acquisitions even before the crisis.

■ At that time, as was to be expected, the biggest investors were banks from Austria and Greece, while it could also have been expected that after them, once the market had matured,

some German and possibly American banks would arrive. However, such a flow of events, as was seen in Eastern European countries, didn’t happen here. Why? - Yes, it was normal to expect that banks originating in neighbouring countries (Austria, Italy, Greece, etc.) would react sooner and enter the market before other banks. Larger banks from Germany, the U.S. or UK are global players and must see their clear interest before opting to enter any specific national market. The Serbian market is relatively small and is regulated in such a way that foreign banks cannot open branch offices, rather only subsidiaries (separate legal entities) or representative offices. Under such circumstances, large international banks that are disinterested in retail banking development in Serbia could opt to stay out or just have a representative office in the country, as we have witnessed as being the case with some of them. On the other hand, it is not clear that additional banking capacity in Serbia (coming from Germany, the U.S. or UK) would generate additional benefits in terms of real sector development. Even the current financial capacity of banks operating in Serbia is underutilised.

it is important for Serbia that the headquarters of the Bank of China for the Balkans and Europe are located in the country?

- The Bank of China is one of the largest banks in the world. Its presence in any national market is, therefore, a good signal for the country and its financial system. Being chosen as one of the countries in which the Bank of China has opened its subsidiary is an important thing for Serbia. This is not just an issue of financing Chinese projects in the region, but also opening opportunities for Serbian companies. As for Serbia’s financial system, the diversification of banks operating within the system is a good thing; it limits dependence on one large financial centre, and also limits the impact of its potential negative spill-overs onto the domestic financial system.

■ Nevertheless, Russian and Turkish banks began appearing on the domestic market, especially after the financial crisis, and the Bank of China also recently launched operations in Serbia. Was this diversification primarily influenced by global trends or the need of foreign banks to follow their investors?

- Perhaps both. Banks coming from China, Russia or even Turkey were not exposed to heavy losses due to the global financial crisis and European Sovereign debt crisis. Therefore, they have not been exposed to Just as there were years of debate pressure to deleverage and the pressure of the new China is not just a global ■over whether it was necessary to European banking regulations, as was the case for economic powerhouse, close four state banks in the early banks originating in the EU. It is also important to note 2000s, thus today there is debate, what is going on in terms of economic growth in the but also has tangible with somewhat less intensity, about countries of origin of the banks that are approaching, long-term and very whether it is wise to sell Komercijalna or are present on, the Serbian market. If growth is ambitious economic Banka – the only major bank in which relatively low, as was the case in the EU in the years development projects the state owns a significant share. following the crisis, banks coming from these countries What is your opinion? find it hard to have an “expansionary mentality”. On involving Central and - The necessity to close the four state the other hand, banks coming from the countries you Southern European banks in the early 2000s is a different mentioned are in a different position, because their countries problem compared to the potential sale countries are in a different economic and strategic position. Russia had steady and robust economic growth of the government’s stake in the equity of until the collapse of oil prices and the imposing of economic sanctions Komercijalna Banka. The former was an unavoidable move if there was

by Western countries, but it has traditional ties in the region. Turkey has no additional capital to recapitalise those four big ailing state banks. been growing quickly for more than a decade and has ambitious expansion It was not a sale, since there was nothing to sell – due to the negative plans in its European neighbourhood, i.e. Southeast Europe. China, much net asset value of these banks. The situation with Komercijalna Banka more than the aforementioned two countries, is not just a global economic is different. The government has an equity share in this bank and can powerhouse, but has tangible long-term and very ambitious economic decide to sell part or all of that. This government ownership stake is development projects involving Central and Southern European countries. substantial, so it has effective control of the bank. In my opinion, the Government can only keep its ownership stake in companies (both in ■ You are a member of the Governing Board of Bank of China the financial and real sectors) if it proves capable of imposing effective Srbija JSC. To what extent can it be said at this juncture that corporate governance and acting as an efficient agent in the name of M AY

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taxpayers. If this is not the case, then privatisation is an obvious longterm preference, with benefits both for clients of these companies and for taxpayers. I do believe that effective corporate governance in state-owned companies is possible, but it demands a developed institutional framework and effective public oversight.

■ Do you consider that the best moment to sell Komercijalna Banka has passed? Given the circumstances, do you expect a buyer for this bank to come from the ranks of players already present or new ones?

- The banking business in Serbia has not been growing in recent years, nor has it proved to be very profitable. If we combine this with the stagnant Serbian economy in past years, it is no surprise that it is not easy to sell banking businesses in Serbia these days. However, things may change, while potential investors might also have different perspectives and interests. It is vital that every potential new owner of a bank in Serbia fulfils the criteria of credibility, competence and long-term dedication to the development of banking business. Banks that are already present have an advantage as potential buyers, since they know the market. However, as Komercijalna is one of the largest banks, local takeovers may pose a threat to the future competitiveness of the market.

■ Under such conditions, what makes banks in Serbia and the surrounding countries interesting to domestic private owners?

- Local private entrepreneurs have expressed interest in banks continuously in the past. However, Serbia and other similar countries, unfortunately, experienced cases of bank failures due to bad corporate governance on the part of local private owners. It was sometimes the case that so-called “tycoons” considered buying and operating a bank predominantly as a source of growth for their own business empires.

That, naturally, is strongly contradictory of prudent banking behaviour. Financial stability risk, and the potential costs to taxpayers arising from such behaviour, is high. Of course, it would not be fair to propose that all domestic private owners would behave in such a way, but regional regulators must be cautious and vigilant, due to bad experiences from the past.

■ In your opinion, could the current dispute over the processing of the costs of credit, which is threatening to reach Strasbourg, have a long-term impact on the operations of the banking sector?

- What is happening is not good, and no one is innocent in this dispute. Banks should have realised that charging various (and often relatively high) fees, besides interest, is not good for their long-term relations with their clients (which could rightfully ■ Despite interest rates remaining low, perceive this as deceptive and being in the economy is borrowing very little, bad taste). On the other hand, clients are and even citizens, who were until remature people who know the seriousness cently very willing to borrow, are now of a signature freely placed on a contract. In The current dispute taking credit only rarely. Will this lead addition, they knew the hole price of credit to further departures of foreign banks over the processing of the in the form of a so-called “effective interest from the domestic market? costs of credit is not good, rate” that was clearly advertised for every - You are right. Credit growth is very low, and credit product. and no one is innocent in at certain points in the previous few years Moreover, the regulator could have inthis dispute, neither the tervened earlier and not shied away from it has even been negative. The reason for administrative (prohibitive) measures in this primarily lies in very low investments banks nor consumers response to unacceptable behaviour in the and a stagnant economy. Serbia is lagging and regulators marketplace. For example, loans in Swiss behind in terms of the share of investments Francs were prohibited and the Law on protection of users of fiin GDP and - with a level of around 18% - we are at the bottom of the nancial services enacted only in 2011 (when I was serving as NBS list in Europe. Similarly gloomy analysis appears when we compare Governor), but those things should have been done earlier. Finally, ourselves with the rest of our region, Europe and the World, in terms our legal system isn’t innocent either. A lack of sufficient understandof GDP growth rates in past years. Serbia has one of the lowest growth ing of banking issues and various decisions made by our courts on rates in Europe, among the lowest in the region and especially among same issues do not send a good message. Legal uncertainty is not European post-transition economies. According to the IMF, the world good for business. economy is expected to grow by around 3.9% this year. In comparison, As we can see, most of our economic and financial problems are Serbia grew by only 1.8 to 1.9% in 2017. In a stagnant economy, with caused by problems also noted in the EU Commission Report on Serbia relatively low investments, both households and companies tend not to for 2018. Therefore, more effective effort towards EU integration will borrow from banks. And that is precisely what we see in Serbia. If this also help alleviate problems of low economic growth, investments and persists in the medium to long run, it will unfortunately but naturally the development of the financial system in Serbia. ■ lead to more foreign banks considering their withdrawal.

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Life In Parallel

INTERVIEW

By SONJA ĆIRIĆ

WORLDS VLATKO VEDRAL

SCIENTIST AND MUSICIAN

How do you comprehend the notion, as considered by quantum physics, that parallel worlds exist? The answer is very easily, if you discuss it with Vlatko Vedral, the most cited physicist today

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roving that physics doesn’t have to be interesting and acceptable exclusively to experts is Dr Vlatko Vedral, who did so during two lectures held recently at the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Belgrade, at the Quantum Music Conference (21st and 22nd March) and at the Symposium on the latest scientific achievements in physics that commemorated the occasion of two decades of the existence of the Dr Marko V. Jarić Foundation (23rd and 24th March).

Belgrade-born Vedral (47) is among the most cited scientists today. He graduated from the Mathematical Grammar School in Belgrade, continued his education in the UK at Imperial College, London, celebrated the theory that the world is composed of information, which should begin with an understanding of the cosmos, dealt with the question of teleportation, fused quantum physics and music, began lecturing in quantum physics at universities in Oxford and Singapore, published 220 scientific papers, received an array of renowned awards, wrote two books on popular science, one of which – “Decoding Reality” - has been translated into Serbian, began playing guitar in the band “Vedders” – and much more besides.

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■ Let’s start with the latest development in your career: the lectures you recently held at SANU. We will cite a question from one of them: what is it like to live in the quantum world?

- When quantum physics was discovered, physicists thought this discovery could only be applied to tiny particles. However, with the development of technology in the early 1990s, we also conducted experiments with large molecules and realised that they can also behave like quantum particles. My lectures were about this, about the transition of quantum physics from the micro domain to the macro.

How can we explain phenomena in the universe in a quantum way?

This is interesting, because quantum physics proves that every subject can be in multiple positions at the same time. This is a wonderful and frightening revelation, because - how can it be understood? This is a topic we constantly debate at conferences: how is it possible that you and I are here now, while according to quantum physics we may simultaneously be located in another universe discussing some other topic. With regard to this, there are now theories suggesting that quantum physics may be consigned to history at one point. This is, of course, a great challenge for us physicists, because we have to examine all of this experimentally: does there exist some critical magnitude at which the world no longer behaves in a quantum way, but rather reverts back to Newtonian laws and classical physics? Gravity will force us to be in one place or another, but not in the same places simultaneously. Likewise, when it comes to

playing two notes on a piano. In quantum physics, that’s one note, but at two different frequencies simultaneously. It is now being investigated to see whether the superposition of two sounds can be expressed musically, whether it touches our other senses. This really depends on how we experience sound. We know how the ear and brain function, but does there exist in the brain some quantum element that could be in that superposition where we heard both sounds at the same It is good that the time? We haven’t reached that level experi■ How did you draw a connection relationship between between physics and music, as two mentally. Quantum physics says that there is science and art is also seemingly incompatible things? a copy of you that hears one sound, but also - It is good that the relationship between discussed at the Serbian another you that hears the other sound, but science and art is also discussed at the Academy of Science and that still remains at the same time and in the Serbian Academy of Science and the Arts. place. There is no contact whatsoever the Arts. I know they seem same I know they seem incompatible, but they between these two spaces. One of your copincompatible, but they can be fused – though this topic is now ies cannot come into contact with the other being considered at the level of metaphor, and say: I hear this sound, what do you hear? can be fused impression, as it would sound. Specifically, That’s what I discussed at the other lecture. although we know on the basis of the experiments that particles can be located in different places at the same time, if we want to see ■ The existence of parallel worlds is probably the quantum where a particle is, we will never see it in two places at once. The physics theory that most intrigues laymen. Can they grasp same applies to sound. It is interesting that a phonon can vibrate at it? And what would we do with that? This question is dealt two different frequencies simultaneously. Could we hear those two with by the quantum computers that you’ve introduced frequencies simultaneously? That’s not the same as simultaneously into science. gravity, the following is being investigated: when you smash an atom and wait for a particle of light, a photon, to be emitted, you wait for a nanosecond or less, but if you do the same with gravity, then you have to wait much longer than our universe lasts. That’s why many scientists hold the theory that we will never get to know the quantum side of gravity. That’s what I spoke about at the lecture; that’s what’s new in quantum physics.

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- When I started, physicists were sceptical about whether they would be able to experiment with quantum computers, but today, almost 25 years on, all major companies are investing in that: Google and Microsoft, and I think some others in China and the EU, invest in quantum computers. The latest news is that Google has a computer with 72 quantum bits, so I expect this year it will be possible to use this computer to perform some sort of computational operations that cannot be performed elsewhere. What’s the trick there? When there are parallel worlds, there is a quantum way to unite them in a single world. That’s like having many classic computers all working in their own universe, but there are some types of operations that can unite them.

However, the computers themselves cannot do that, rather that operation must somehow be controlled from outside.

Google announced that it would conduct that experiment, and now we are all very excited to see what we will discover.

■ Can physics explain everything, such as feelings, for example?

- That’s a difficult question. Will physics, chemistry, biology, psychology and all other branches of science ever be able to be united and explain everything that interests us? There is so much that we do not know. In science there are no final answers: you discover something, but you never know if you’ve discovered everything. The laws of gravity are confirmed at the level of the cosmos – large planets and galaxies; however, quantum physics and gravity cannot yet be brought together mathematically.

We still don’t know the ramifications of this theory, or how to test it. I think gravity will be able to be reduced in a quantum way, but – that is unknown.

■ You also have experience with the education systems of Serbia and the UK. What does our system lack?

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■ How does music fit into everything you do? Are you perhaps planning some concert?

- Perhaps in the autumn. We’ll see. You can’t practise for a concert via Skype, so it’s necessary to set aside time for rehearsals and all the organisation.

But we are working on it – truthfully, that is being worked on most by my friend Dragan Novković, whose studio we used to record a few songs. I began playing a classic acoustic guitar, then someone showed me the electric guitar, but I don’t think that’s popular either now – I think everyone raps now. I’m not interested in that – there is no music in that. When it comes to performing on a classic guitar, I like Flamenco, because it enables the greatest virtuosity, and when it comes to electric guitars I like blues and rock. You know, this job of mine demands frequent travel, so it’s difficult to find time for all obligations. My life is strange, but everyone lives like me in our profession. ■

The laws of gravity are confirmed at the level of the cosmos – large planets and galaxies; however, quantum physics and gravity cannot yet be brought together mathematically

■ You talk about great scientific secrets in a way that makes them clear to everybody. This is probably one of the reasons why your students have declared you their best professor several times.

- I don’t think lectures should ever be about the writing of formulas; there are countless textbooks and programs on the internet with formulas. I prefer to talk about the ramifications of quantum physics, i.e. what it tells us about the world, rather than drilling students by presenting formulas.

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- I think that financial resources are an important problem in our country. I know that the Mathematical Grammar School, which is one of the strongest in the world in terms of results, had no money to provide learning through experimentation, so everything came down to theory. If you don’t have insight into financing at the state level, it’s tough to say if more could be earmarked for education. There probably always can be, but... I don’t believe I would have achieved all that I’ve achieved if I’d stayed in Serbia. The conditions of our higher education are insufficient for scientific development.

We have good physicists, but these are people who acquired their knowledge abroad and conditions need to be created to entice them to return. You can’t do serious experiments without, for example, a Bose-Einstein condensate, a large group of atoms at very low temperatures, for which it is necessary to set aside a million dollars a year for ten years.

That is difficult even in the West.

And in our country people are dealing with photons and lasers. It would be nice to have a centre for quantum physics here – many people would come back from abroad if that were to happen. There is a lot of talent here, but it’s tough to be at the international level without that technology. The culture of life here is fantastic, and I think many would return if they only had adequate working conditions.

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12TH CORD CHARITY MASTERS

Vivaldi At

THE MARATHON For the American two-time world record holder Khalid Khannouchi it was an “incredible charge of energy and great atmosphere enjoyed by everyone”, for Kevin Lee, Director of the “Wisdom Sports” agency that organises 30 marathons in China, it was a “city festival”, for Predrag Tasovac, Director of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, it was a “great artistic and sporting event, because people shared the most beautiful emotions”

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or the participants of CorD Charity Masters, a humanitarian race that has been held regularly for 12 years, it was another day filled with positive emotion. Over 100 runners from various countries, diplomatic missions, friendly companies and readers gathered at the start of the race to earn money for those most in need with every kilometre they covered.

Over 27,000 participants ran the marathon, half-marathon or the 5km Fun Run along the streets, boulevards and bridges of Belgrade, on 30 |

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Saturday, 21st April - 7,300 runners from 73 countries took part in the marathon, half-marathon and half-marathon relay races, while organizer and police estimates indicate there were just over 20,000 runners for pleasure. All of them were followed by the applause of Belgraders lining the entire course, with drummers, horn orchestras and DJs cheering them on from a dozen concert stages. However, the real hit was the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra on Ada Bridge, welcoming and sending off the runners with the music of Vivaldi.

CorD had representatives in nearly all categories, while our Neda Lukić, Editorial Manager, ran the whole 21 kilometres!

The sports winners of the marathon were runners Kristijan Tošić (2:45.23) and Nora Trklja (3:08.46), while the half-marathon was won by competitors from our neighbourhood – Macedonian Dario Ivanovski (1:08.03) and Croatian Matea Matošević (1:18.47).

A member of the Vranje marathon runners club, Kristijan Tošić is the first Serbian athlete to win the marathon since the 2nd Belgrade Marathon in 1989. Dario Ivanovski defended his title as winner of the half-marathon on the new course, beating the record he set last year, while Matea Matošević, running in Belgrade for the first time, beat last year’s record set by Montenegrin Slađana Perunović. ■

TEAM CORD

OUR EDITORIAL MANAGER, NEDA LUKIĆ

BELGRADE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA AT THE MARATHON

AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY TEAM

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GERMAN EMBASSY TEAM

RUNNER FROM KFW OFFICE, BELGRADE

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THE UKRAINIAN EMBASSY'S NATALIJA MARKEVIC

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MAJA VIDAKOVIĆ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND NEDA LUKIĆ, EDITORIAL MANAGER

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BUSINESS LEADERS’ MEETING POINT

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PAGE 44

JOVO VUJČIĆ, PRODUCTION DIRECTOR, CARLSBERG SRBIJA

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BELGRADE

Investing In The Future Has No Cost

A Celebration Of Learning

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VOJIN ĐORĐEVIĆ, CREATOR OF THE VODAVODA BRAND

ČEDOMIR JANJIĆ, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF ZRENJANIN

VODAVODA Conquers The World

There Will Be Ever More Jobs

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JOVAN MILIVOJEVIĆ, SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR AT KERAMIKA KANJIŽA LTD.

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Setting Out To Conquer Europe

ALEKSANDAR MIŠKOVIĆ, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF LIVNICA PRECIZNIH ODLIVAKA (PRECISION CASTINGS FOUNDRY) PAGE 49

Little Ada For A Big World

CESTRA D.O.O.

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CORPORATE

JOVO VUJČIĆ, PRODUCTION DIRECTOR, CARLSBERG SRBIJA

Investing In The Future Has No Cost At the Čelarevo Brewery, which forms part of the Carlsberg Group, one of the world’s leading producers of beer, 224 million euros has been invested to date. Some €4.5 million was invested in 2017 alone, while investments worth €6.5 million are planned for the current year 2022 you will use electricity produced 100 per cent from renewable sources.

Are these really achievable goals?

- We are already working a lot on this, as evidenced by the opening of the new biomass boiler room, representing an investment worth a million euros. Apart from being an innovation on the Serbian ith the opening of a new market, the new boiler room also represents a breakthrough in the overall operabiomass boiler room worth tions of the Carlsberg Group. Our brewery a million euros, Carlsberg at Čelarevo is the first Carlsberg brewery has clearly shown its strategic commitment to making numerous in the world that will use the implementation of this technology to contribute investments in Serbia and ensuring to improving its own energy efficiency stable operations in order to achieve Within the framework of the and reducing the negative effects of long-term plans and successful reCarlsberg Group, a lot of young production on the environment. sults on the Serbian market By introducing this technology, people are employed and ■ Carlsberg has for decades been tasked with using their energy alongside the pre-existing biogas one of the global leaders in the boiler, we have more than doubled and broad perspectives fields of ecology, environmental our use of renewable energy in the to conquer alternative protection and sustainable develproduction process, which now acopment. What forms the basis of counts for 40 per cent. The biomass technologies and develop your strategy? used as a fuel by the new boiler is oralternative principles ganic matter of plant origin, or wood - At a time when the entire world is of operations chips that are obtained by purchasfacing challenges like climate change, ing and breaking down waste pallets water shortages and public health from the brewery itself. As a renewable issues, the Carlsberg Group has adopted biomass and electricity, means more to energy source, biomass is CO2 neutral, its SAIL’22 strategy and a programme for us than financial benefits. which means that during combustion it achieving sustainability under the title We are doing everything globally, because we focus on the use of knowledge, emits exactly as much carbon dioxide as ’Together Towards ZERO’. It implies four as well as the development and improvewas bound to the plant through the promajor ambitions: zero carbon footprint, ment of existing knowhow and experience, cess of photosynthesis during growth. zero wastewater, zero irresponsible alcohol consumption and zero injuries at work. all in order to develop sustainability and We have also invested in a CO2 station, Although the strategy was adopted improve balance in the production process. a wastewater treatment plant, and now just a year ago at the Group level, we at the new biomass boiler room, all of which ■ You announced last year that carbon Čelarevo are working intensively on its clearly shows that we are heading in the dioxide emissions at your breweries will realisation. I will allow myself to note right direction and that our plans and be reduced to zero by 2030, and that by that we have become a pilot plant, a strategy are implementable. pilot brewery, so when people come from elsewhere in the Carlsberg Group to visit us, they ask if there is anything new and what we are working on right now. As early as next week, in front of the Group’s most eminent experts in charge of energy, we will present in detail what we have done here, with our boiler room that works on biomass and biogas.

The opportunity to present what we are doing to such experts, as well as the trust placed in us by the Group when we initiate new projects related to biogas,

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■ It is estimated that as much as two thirds of the planet could face severe water shortages by 2025. How does the Carlsberg Group combat water scarcity?

- We really look to see how this purified water can be used in the production process... for irrigation, cleaning, disinfection... We are reducing yearon-year the amount of water needed to be consumed for the production of

facility. It is practically sludge that has optimal levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content, thanks to which it can be used as an organic soil cultivator. By registering “supercompost” as a cultivator, the amount of waste dumped at landfill sites has been reduced by half, and the aim was for waste to be handled in an environmentally sound manner. “Supercompost”

heritage, protecting the environment, raising awareness of social problems and investing in future generations.

How are experiences to date with the work of the Foundation?

- We launched the Foundation in 2015, with the desire of following all that is good, and everything left through the legacy of Jacob Jacobsen. We worked on nurturing history through investing in

VLADIMIR VAVA, CEO, Carlsberg Srbija

one unit of our finished product. We are even endeavouring to reduce to levels below those outlined in our development strategy, by moving to below three hectolitres of water per hectolitre of product by 2022. And our current level of consumption is also considered very low.

Our wastewater treatment plant is technologically conceived so that in the process of wastewater treatment, among other things, biogas is produced replaces part of the natural gas used for the production of heating energy. Carlsberg Srbija uses this gas as a substitute for natural gas, in quantities of up to 18%.

■ So-called “supercompost” was also created at Čelarevo and is used as a land cultivator. Is this “invention” being used by other breweries in the Carlsberg Group?

- “Supercompost” is created as a byproduct in the wastewater treatment

the future. We invest a considerable part of the Foundation’s funds in new young talents and talented future colleagues. We have very good cooperation with universities – technical, technological, economic, legal – and the Foundation connects all of that through scholarships. Meanwhile, on the other hand, we also have an internal programme with which – through the model of work placements – we engage talented youngsters at the brewery and develop among them a spirit of proactivity, belonging, enthusiasm, a high level of energy and a desire to change things.

We are aware that no one can work along anywhere, not in any entity. In order to achieve good results, you don’t only need high-quality people, but rather people who can work with you as a team, to be committed to a common mission, vision and idea that precedes everything. ■

All products that are incinerated in the new boiler room, including ash and smoke gases, adhere to the legal regulations of the Republic of Serbia and the European Union, which means that they don’t have a negative impact on the environment can be used as an additional fertiliser for field crops, vegetables, fruits and grapevines. Following successful implementation at Čelarevo Brewery itself, the ecological concept of “supercomput” has been adopted throughout Europe at many other companies of the Carlsberg Group.

■ The Carlsberg Foundation was established with the aim of advancing science and education, preserving cultural

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LOCAL NEWS

DIPLOMACY “The EU is suffering from a serious illness, which is deafness when it comes to Serbia. Perhaps the disease is curable, we should work on it.”— IVICA DAČIĆ, Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs NALED

MILENIJUM OSIGURANJE

Strategic Goals By 2021

Fair Discount - Casco 25% Cheaper

Atthe12thAnnualAssembly,itwasestimatedthatNALED wasaverysuccessfulyearandthatthenumberof300members from the ranks of the economy, local self-government and civil society organisations were reached.

InadditiontothepositiveresultsachievedbyNALEDinthe previous period, and more talked about by President of the Management Board Aleksandar Ružević, the NALED strategic plans for the period 2018-2021 were presented at the meeting. NALED members voted in the vote that NALED’s two key NALED program goals in the medium term would be to improve the regulatory framework for business and capacity building and accountability of the public administration.

Within the first goal of the critical activity will be the work on further reduction of the grey economy, development of e-government and e-business, improvement of the cadastre operation, development of the agriculture and health sector, as well as the improvement of international competitiveness and regional cooperation. The second objective envisages engagement in improving the capacity of state administration and local self-government to support the economy, develop the process of adoption and the quality of laws, and engage in the process of EU accession to strengthen the competitiveness of the economy.

The upcoming “BG CAR SHOW” auto fair, to be held at the Belgrade Fair, has prompted Milenijum osiguranje to prepare a special fair package. Anyone who purchases a policy in the period from 22nd March to 31st May will receive a 25% discount on a casco insurance policy. This fair discount applies to all insurees - both private individuals and registered companies. In addition to this discount, Milenijum osiguranje also offers other benefits, such as paying premiums in 12 monthly installments.

Casco insurance policies cover a large number of risks that can cause the destruction, damage or disappearance of vehicles, for example, vehicle theft, destruction or damage to vehicles in motor accidents, fire, lightning strikes, explosions, adverse weather conditions such as storms and flooding, and the like. Apart from advantages for purchases of casco insurance, with the purchase of just one policy, Milenijum osiguranje, under the name PACKAGE 5+, citizens can simultaneously insure their

HELLENIC PETROLEUM

Greece Launches Tender For Hellenic Petroleum Privatisation

DIREKTNA BANKA

Direktna Banka Buys Piraeus Bank Beograd Greece launched an international tender to sell a majority stake in its biggest oil refiner, Hellenic Petroleum. At least 50.1 percent of Hellenic will be sold, in one of the biggest asset sales under Athens’ privatisation scheme launched in 2010, and interested investors must submit expressions of interest by May 18.

Major shareholders Paneuropean Oil and Industrial Holding and the Greek government agreed to divest at least 50.1 percent of Hellenic, which is Europe’s third biggest oil refiner based on its market value of €2.6 billion. Paneuropean Oil owns 45.5 percent of Hellenic and the Greek government holds a 35.5 percent stake. Suitors need to have at least three years of experience in the oil and gas industry, while in the case of a consortium, at least one member must meet this requirement.

Direktna Banka a.d Kragujevac officially acquired 100% ownership of Piraeus Bank a.d. Beograd, to expand its business and strengthen its position on the Serbian market. As a universal bank, Direktna Banka aims to provide services for natural persons and medium-sized enterprises.

Merging with Piraeus Bank a.d. Belgrade will provide better accessibility for Direktna Banka to its clients, as this integration will increase the sales network of the bank by as much as 50%.

After the merger, which is expected in November 2018, the banks will operate under the name of Direktna Banka and will have a consolidated network of branch offices throughout Serbia and assets of approximately €500 million.

In the previous year alone when it bought Findomestic banka a.d. Beograd, Direktna Banka recorded a profit of €1.9 billion, and it continues with a positive business trend in 2018, as evidenced by the bank’s RSD 118 million profit in the first quarter of this year.

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Seventies Disco Event British International School invites you to the Seventies Disco event that will take place on 19 May at BIS Primary School Campus, Uzicka 7a, Belgrade, from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm.

This year the proceeds will be donated to the Children’s Hospital in Tirsova, Belgrade, Department of Hematology and Oncology.

For many years, a great number of embassies and companies have participated in our charity events, contributing to the causes and helping us in raising the awareness of our students about the importance of charity work.

The entrance to the event is free. Raffle tickets will be sold on the day, and visitors will have the opportunity to win valuable raffle prizes donated by a variety of prestigious hotels, restaurants and companies…

There will be an exciting stage programme, food stalls, activities and games for children and much more.

For additional information contact us on info@bis.edu.rs or give us a call on 011-3066-096.

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AIR SERBIA “I hope that Etihad would not leave Air Serbia. However, if that does happen, and Etihad decides to go, Air Serbia will be stronger than Jat.” — ALEKSANDAR VUČIĆ, Serbian President

Placements & postings appointments@aim.rs

▪ H.E. CARLO LO CASCIO, NEW ITALIAN AMBASSADOR TO SERBIA

cars, themselves and other travellers. PACKAGE 5+ covers the following risks: accident insurance of vehicle occupants and passenger vehic, road assistance, insurance of passenger vehicles due to natural hazards (storms, lightning strikes, hail damage, flooding), insurance against vehicle glass breakages, aswellas“replacementvehicle”.Theannualinsurancepremium is fixed and amounts to RSD 3,600 with a tax on premiums.

Milenijum osiguranje is focused on satisfying the demands of clients at the highest level, which is also confirmed by the fact that it is one of the leaders in timely claims handling.

Ambassador Carlo Lo Cascio (55) was born in Palermo, Italy, where he graduated in law. He began his career in diplomacy in 1990, with his first foreign posting as second commercial secretary, then first commercial secretary, in Bonn, German, in 1994. He became first commercial secretary in Sarajevo, later confirmed in the same position as an advisor, in 2001.

Returning to Rome, from 2001 he served in the Directorate-General for Multilateral Political Affairs and Human Rights, after which, in 2005, he was appointed first counsellor at the Italian Embassy in Belgrade. In 2008 he became ambassador resident in Maputo, Mozambique, whilst also accredited to Mbabane, Swaziland.

In 2012 he served the Director-General for Globalisation and Global Issues, then subsequently the Coordinator for EU relations - sub-Saharan Africa, while in 2013 he was appointed head of the unit for the Balkan Countries.

He became Deputy Director General for the EU and Principal Director for European Countries in 2014, then served as Vice Director General for the EU at the Italian Foreign Ministry in 2015.

Ambassador Lo Cascio was awarded the title of Official Knight of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy in 2007.

▪ FEZA TAN, NEW CHAIRWOMAN OF UNICREDIT BANK SERBIA JSC

AFI EUROPE

A One-Of-A-Kind Experience For All Potential Buyers

”Skyline Belgrade” residential-business complex played host to the representatives od the media at its sales house located at the corner of Kneza Miloša and Durmitorska streets.

On this occasion, the media representatives had a chance to get acquainted with all the amenities available to potential real estate buyers within this residential-business complex in addition take a virtual walk around the apartments within the complex by using VR technology. The sales house will provide relevant guidelines to all interested parties related to apartment acquisition, as well as support in all phases of the sales process: from presenting the apartments to potential buyers,givingadviceregardingthebeststructuralsolutionsto fit the buyers’ needs, to the final apartment selection and the handover of keys. Thanks to well-versed staff and the most modern technology that sets “Skyline Belgrade” apart from the rest on the Serbian market, “Skyline Belgrade” aims to develop professional yet personalized relations with clients and adapt to their needs and desires.

As the up-and-coming symbol of the Serbian capital, “Skyline Belgrade”. “AFI Europe”, an Israeli investment and development company behind this residential-business project, has been operating on the Serbian market since 2005.

Its projects “Airport City Belgrade” and “Central Garden” are testament to the evident market leadership role of “AFI Europe”, both when it comes to architectural solutions and urban development.

FezaTan holds a Bachelor degree in Economics from Boğaziçi University, İstanbul and Risk Management Program Diploma from Manchester Business School.

Ms.Tan started her career in Turkish Yapi Kredi, member of UniCredit Group, in 1993 as Management Trainee in Corporate Credits where after two years she became Analyst in Corporate Credits. In 1997, Feza was appointed as Corporate and Project Finance Underwriting Manager where she established first project finance team in Turkey. From 2001 she was Head of Corporate and Commercial Credit Underwriting, while in 2009 she took over the position of Head of Corporate and Commercial Credit which she was leading until 2013 when she was named Head of Corporate and Investment Banking. Moreover, Feza was also a Credit Commıttee and Board Member in leasıng and factorıng companies, as well as in 3 foreıgn subsidiaries of Yapı Kredi. She is coming from the position of Head of Corporate and Investment Banking in Yapi Kredi Bank where she was also Executive Committee member.

▪

ALEKSANDAR JAKOVLJEVIĆ, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL FOR SOUTHEAST EUROPE As of last month, the new managing director / CEO of company Philip Morris International for Southeast is Aleksandar Jakovljević, who succeeds Jelena Pavlović in this position.

Jakovljević joined Philip Morris in 2015, and within the company has previously held the positions of financial director for the market of Southeast Europe and financial director for the markets of Ukraine, the Caucasus and Moldova. Prior to joining PMI, he held financial and general managerial positions in various international companies.

Pavlović, outgoing managing director and current president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Serbia, has been appointed Chairwoman of the Board of Directors.

▪

ROBERTO MANCUSO, NEW GENERAL DIRECTOR AT METRO CASH & CARRY FOR BOTH SERBIA AND CROATIA Roberto Mancuso has been appointed general director of METRO Cash & Carry Serbia, while he will also maintain his existing position as general director of METRO Cash & Carry Croatia.

Mancuso began his career at METRO in Italy in 2001, and since then has held numerous positions within the company in five different countries, including spending more than four years as general director of METRO Serbia, before being appointed general director of METRO Croatia in July 2017.

During the period of his leadership of METRO in Serbia, Mancuso successfully managed the transformation of the company from a traditional cash & carry retailer to its current model with multiple sales channels.

Deliveries of goods intended for professionals (B2B customers) is available to thousands of customers, with five delivery platforms located within METRO facilities.

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CORPORATE THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BELGRADE

A Celebration Of Learning The International School of Belgrade (ISB) is proudly celebrating its 70th anniversary. Thousands of children have passed through the portals of knowledge at ISB since the school was founded in 1948.

This would not be possible without ISB’s caring, committed and highly qualified educators

ANNE GOSLEE-JOVOVIĆ

A

nne Goslee-Jovović joined ISB in 1970 and continued her stellar work until retirement in June 2017. She worked for almost five decades in various teaching capacities and taught Language Arts, Social Studies, Visual Arts and Art Enrichment classes.

grams) all have enriched the mission of ISB throughout the years.

Enrolment fluctuations from 10 to over 400 students from K-12 have demanded a flexible staff and administration.

The amazing teachers and administration who have passed through ISB classrooms have brought teaching methods and experience from around the world.

Changes in the host country’s government and economy, as well as international communications/relations, have varied greatly during the history of ISB.

What kind of results has this concept yielded?

- The results include a student population that is not afraid to try something new, to help each other and others in Belgrade, to accept differences, to independently design research projects, to feel confident in displaying their work in the school and community, to study in foreign countries and in foreign languages.

■ The International School of Belgrade was established way back in 1948 and this year celebrates seven decades of work. Which years ■ For the International School of and periods proved crucial to your Belgrade, the interests of pupils school? and their most diverse needs have - Each period in ISB’s history has always been at the centre of attention. How difficult is it to create proved challenging in its own way: a balanced curriculum that is Adapting buildings, developing The amazing teachers and tailored to the majority yet also grounds and campuses, including administration who have to the individual? specialised technology, sports, art, passed through ISB classrooms customised - Rather than being difficult, I drama, music, science and adminishave brought teaching methods would say that it is a joy as a tration rooms, has continued from the 1950s to the present day. teacher to develop a class curand experience from around riculum that is flexible enough to Liaisons and accreditation with the world encourage many different ways of the ECIS (European Council of InterI believe that each challenge has national Schools), CEESA (Central and mastering it. served to make ISB a stronger school.

Eastern European Schools Association), NEASC (New England Association ■ Your school has always been ■ Your teachers strive to inspire and of Schools and Colleges), the Pittsford, known as an empowering and direct school pupils towards disNY, School to School project, the IB healthy environment that promotes covering their interests, talents and (International Baccalaureate Primary learning. What specifically sets you passions, towards being leaders.

Years, Middle Years, and Diploma Proapart you from the schools of the 40 |

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MIDDLE SCHOOL ART STUDENTS, 2015

education system of the state of Serbia, but also other international schools?

- As an international school, ISB has the privilege of sharing the varied viewpoints of students from more than 40 countries and teaching them to learn beyond an assigned, fixed curriculum.

The positive relationship with the host country of Serbia and the significant Serbian student population at ISB have ensured that international families posted to Serbia feel welcome.

■ Despite its long tradition and rich experience, your school also respects and accepts the demands of modern times and adapts to them

STUDENT ARTWORK IN ISB, 2013

SHARING MIDDLE SCHOOL ART WITH THE BELGRADE COMMUNITY, 2012

accordingly. Is this one of the secrets of the success of both your school and your pupils?

- Yes, it certainly contributes to the success. ISB has followed advances in

festivals, debate, model UN and a rich offering of languages have all consistently enhanced the ISB curriculum.

■ Although you are an international school, you both respect and cultural differences.

As an international school, ISB promote How do the pupils handle such has the privilege of sharing the an environment?

- Cultural diversity has been the varied viewpoints of students norm at ISB. Teaching at ISB enfrom more than 40 countries abled me to celebrate students’ and teaching them to learn individuality and also explore what beyond an assigned, fixed each of their cultures offered. In my middle school art and English curriculum classes, students worked towards information technology since the bethe goal of each lesson with the appreginning. And such activities as sports, ciation of how much the work of each travel, art exhibits, drama, music, of their classmates might differ from community outreach, cultural arts their own. ■

STUDENT ART EXHIBITION, 2011

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REGIONAL NEWS

BEHAVIOUR “The attempt at tearing apart a Croatian or any other flag or state symbol and insulting members of official delegations on a friendly visit to Serbia is not the kind of behaviour that represents Serbia.”— ANA BRNABIĆ, Prime Minister

ROMANIA

FYR MACEDONIA

Mitsubishi Electric Europe Opens Subsidiary In Romania

First Western Balkans Digital Summit

Mitsubishi Electric Europe has launched its first subsidiary in Romania through Mitsubishi Electric Living Environmental Systems citing the favorable economic conditions and the growth of the local market. Last year, the company recorded sales of around €10 million, accounting for 10 percent of the market for air conditioning systems. For 2018, Mitsubishi forecasts additional growth of sales. Yoji Saito, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Electric Europe, pointed BULGARIA

Mondi Invests Over €600mln In A New Plant

out that the expansion in Romania marks the beginning of fresh growth in Eastern Europe.

Mitsubishi Electric Living Environmental Systems has been present on the local market through distributors since 1990.

The International Packaging and Paper Production Group Mondigroup intends to invest over €600 million in the construction of a new plant in Bulgaria.

Mondi is an international group for packaging and paper production, with about 26,000 employees in production units in 31 countries located on four continents. It serves markets around the world. Mondi’s main production units are located in central Europe, Russia and South Africa.

Mondi Stamboliiski EAD was established 60 years ago on the banks of the Maritsa River in the town of Stamboliyski. Today it is the biggest pulp and paper producer and the biggest user of technological wood in Bulgaria, using entirely local coniferous timber as its main raw material.

It is owned by Mondi since 2006.

At a joint press conference, Minister of Information Society and Administration of Macedonia Damjan Manchevski, Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society Mariya Gabriel, and Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Goran Svilanović, pointed out the importance of the first Digital Summit held in Skopje.

“The Western Balkans Digital Summit 6 is a confirmation that we are all working towards the same goal”, said Commissioner Gabriel. “For us, the Western Balkans is part of the European Union, while the digital transformation will help us succeed in intensifying our cooperation. Under the recent Enlargement Strategy for the Western Balkan Countries, digitalization is placed high on the political agenda. We have important projects before us, such as reduction of roaming prices and cyber security”.

CROATIA

Croatian Hotel Resort Project In China Set To Open The impressive LN Garden Resort Hotel, designed

by Zagreb-based architect studio 3LHD, is set to open in June 2018. This huge project in China is another feather in the cap for the Croatian firm.

Located in southern China’s Guangdong province, on the Zhu Jiang (Pearl River) estuary, the LN Garden Resort is part of the Nansha Seaside Park. The hotel forms a unique entity with the surrounding landscape, has 374 rooms and is categorized higher than 5-stars in the Platinum category.

The hotel outdoor areas are designed to merge the building with the surrounding landscape. Green elements from the exterior appear in the interior linking it with the environment. Shade is provided with tree canopies placed on the water surfaces, or on the green or paved areas next to them.

The investor is Chinese state firm Guangzhou Lingnan International Enterprise Group.

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“With the adoption of the laws on e-Commerce and e-Government, Serbia has eliminated all obstacles for e-Government’s rapid development”, said Mihailo Jovanović, Director of the Serbian Office for IT and e-Government.

“It has passed all necessary legislation for the complete digital transformation of the public administration and local government.

The project for electronic identification of e-Government users is under way as one of the priority projects of the Office, aiming to provide citizens and companies with a very simple online access to e-Government services, without the need for qualified electronic certificates on smart cards, relying instead on electronic signatures in the cloud.”

He added that mutual recognition of electronic identification of citizens and companies in the Western Balkans region is the basis for cross-border use of electronic administrative services, and that regional cooperation and the improvement of neighbourly relations are among Serbia’s foreign policy priorities.

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CORPORATE VOJIN DJORDJEVIC, CREATOR OF THE VODAVODA BRAND

VODAVODA Conquers The World VODAVODA comes from a depth of 605 metres, is filled at the very source without any additional finishing, and has an outstanding mineral composition, which the most demanding and fastidious consumers recognise and appreciate.

Many new markets have been conquered; the conquest of the rest of the world is under way but we are patient and confident that our goals will be achieved.

N

atural properties and quality are what distinguishes VODAVODA from all other waters and opens the doors to hotels and restaurants, from the Belgrade Metropol to Qatar’s Four Seasons. We are also proud of being partners of some of the biggest sporting events, because only quality counts there.

■ Only two years after VODAVODA’s market comeback, you have reached Singapore, Korea, Hong Kong and all the countries of the Persian Gulf.

How do you explain this success?

- Success is much easier in these markets because they are well regulated. They recognize and appreciate quality and the law clearly defines the requirements to be declared as a premium product. Precisely for this reason, its quality, VODAVODA has not only returned to the foreign market but has occupied even better positions, because in those markets there is a clear differentiation between processed waters and premium waters that are completely natural.

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■ VODAVODA is the first mineral water in Serbia that has received the NSF certificate. Was it hard to enter the most exclusive restaurants in which, until then, only Evian, One and Fiji water were served?

- Natural properties and quality are what distinguishes VODAVODA from all others and opens the doors to hotels and restaurants, from the Belgrade Metropol to Qatar’s Four Seasons. The prestigious NSF certificate is a confirmation of this quality, which allows marketing in America and other distant countries. The

We wish to use our abilities to support the noble idea and vision carried out by UNICEF so that VODAVODA can contribute to and continue to live in a high-quality environment. We will pay special attention to coming generations NSF has verified properties due to the fact that the water comes from a depth of 605 metres, is filled at the very source without any additional finishing, and has an outstanding mineral composition.

This composition was analysed by the Medical Faculty in Belgrade, showing that VODAVODA enables all of the body’s cells to function properly.

■ A partnership between VODAVODA and Unicef will enable the work of development counselling centres for children in 15 Community Health centres in Belgrade. What’s next?

- Our future is in what we are creating now, and what we are dreaming about.

Our vision, desire and responsibility are that one day VODAVODA should reach all corners of the world. When we are now suffering the consequences of centuries of man’s carelessness towards nature, we find it important that something good and useful to the planet should come from Serbia and to enable the whole world to enjoy its benefits. Unicef has goals that focus on health, early child development and the quality of life for future generations, and we allow ourselves to say that our values and goals coincide.

■ VODAVODA is the only domestic partner of Euroleague and the official drink of Final Four, which is held this year in Belgrade. How did these prestigious contracts come about?

- We are fortunate that many people recognise true values and quality and do not compromise when organizing big events. That’s why the Euroleague has chosen us, a special honour. We think it is good that VODAVODA as a partner of these sporting events comes from Serbia, as a land of basketball and important global names in the game. It is especially important to us that this year’s Final Four will be in Belgrade and that the presence of VODAVODA will provide all the players with additional strength. ■

CORPORATE ČEDOMIR JANJIĆ, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF ZRENJANIN

There Will Be Ever More Jobs The City of Zrenjanin is among the first in Serbia to open new, fully-equipped industrial zones and to attract investors with various benefits and the efficient work of the administration. This has paid off for the city

I

am satisfied that serious investors are coming to our city, that existing ones are expanding their operations, and that we are interesting to foreigners, but I am even more satisfied that domestic companies see Zrenjanin as a good place to invest ■ There is ever-increasing interest in your city among investors. This spring alone, company Essex launched operations, MB invest bought land, Unionimpex and Momo announced new advances, as did MPZ Agrar, UM-ING etc. How many new jobs can Zrenjanin residents expect in the period ahead?

- I can state with pride that we have made great strides forward in the last four years and that we are in constant negotiations with new potential investors. Reducing the number of unemployed is one of our priorities, and we are very dedicated to that job and also, I would say, successful.

The investors that already operate in our zones are very satisfied, and some of them, such as Dräxlmaier, Fulgar, Gomex and UM-ING, are expanding their capacities. Dräxlmaier alone has hired around 2,000 new workers, which is extremely important for us.

Unionimpex is planning to open a showroom for Peugeot cars and to employ 12 to 15 new workers, while

Momo, a local Zrenjanin firm with a tradition dating back 32 years, has begun expanding its capacity, which will naturally also require an increase in the number of workers.

The largest investment – not only in Zrenjanin but in Serbia as a whole – is construction of the production facilities of South Korean company Essex, which is being realised in the “Jugoistok” (Southeast) industrial zone. This contract is worth €30 million, and the production complex will employ 160 workers who will have an average net monthly salary of 90,000 dinars.

ment of this branch of the economy.

Company MPZ Agrar, which operates within the framework of Meat Industry Matijević, purchased 10 hectares of land in the “Northwest – Elemir” Industrial Zone and will construct the most modern cold storage facility there, with a capacity of 15,000 tonnes. MPZ Agrar also plans to plant fruit on an area of around 1,000 hectares, 300ha of which are on the territory of Zrenjanin, and 200 workers will get jobs.

Otherwise, every investor enhances the attractiveness of the industrial zone in which they operate, enticing new investors, which in turn raises the price of construction land and improves the economic environment.

Thanks to the environment that we’ve created, small businesspeople have expanded their operations.

This led to 448 workers being sought at the 22nd Employment Fair, from drivers, sales staff and sales agents, via warehouse staff, locksmiths, bakers, bricklayers, steel fixers and tailors, to sales managers ■ Do you also expect new investors and, if so, from which industries? Is the local government working on the creation of even better conditions; do you plan to expand industrial/business zones?

- Apart from industry, the City of Zrenjanin also devotes special attention to agrarian policy and the creation of optimal conditions for the develop-

■ Zrenjanin is also awaited by important tasks in utility infrastructure. What are your plans like?

What is happening with the project to construct a water factory?

- We work for every day to be better and, of course, it is a great wish of mine to do everything that we promised citizens we would, and we are doing that – from the bypass and water factory, to large infrastructure works such as the construction of four lanes on roads to Belgrade and to Novi Sad. When it comes to the water factory projects, after overcoming procedural and legal problems, it will finally be made operational, and supplying citizens with safe drinking water will finally be solved, after 14 years. This did not progress as fast as we wanted and expected, but we are still just a step away from a lasting solution to this problem. ■ M AY

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WORLD NEWS

SANCTION I “Regardless of the political situation, the German private sector is invested in Russia like no other.

This was and is the case, and will remain so.” — MATTHIAS SCHEPP, AHK Chairman FINLAND

GREECE

The Largest Rooftop Solar Power System In Nordics

EIF And NBG New EU Guarantee Agreements

Fortum and S Group have come to an agreement on the installation of the largest rooftop solar power system in the Nordics.

Themajoritystate-ownedenergycompanyrevealed thatitsubmittedthewinningbidforimplementingthe electricity system on the rooftops of approximately 40 commercial buildings owned by S Group, a Finnish retail co-operative, across Finland.

With a total capacity of roughly 10 megawatts, the system would have accounted for nearly a third of the total solar power capacity of Finland in 2017 and will become the largest rooftop solar power system ever inaugurated in the Nordics.

S Group stated that its objective is to use its renewable energy assets to generate 80 per cent of the energy it consumes in 2025.

The Finnish government has pledged to provide 20 per cent of the eight million euros required for the energy project, according to YLE.

The European Investment Fund (EIF) and the National Bank of Greece (NBG) have signed three guarantee agreements worth €640 million to improve access to finance for smallandmedium‑sizedenterprises(SMEs)inGreece.These agreementsbenefitfromthesupportoftheEuropeanFund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the heart of the Investment Plan for Europe, the Juncker Plan. Under the new InnovFin agreement, NBG will provide loans at favourable terms to innovative SMEs and small mid-caps for two years. EIF’s guarantee is provided under the initiative “EU InnovFin finance for Innovators” with the financial backing under Horizon 2020, the EU research and innovation programme.

The EU’s support for innovative Greek companies under this transaction is expected to generate a portfolio of €100 million of loans. In addition, EIF signed an EaSI microfinance guarantee transaction with NBG, supporting €40 million of loans to 3,400 micro-borrowers – very small companies – who have difficulties in accessing credit across the country.

NETHERLAND

Wageningen University To Develop Chinese Agriculture Research Centre Wageningen University is to head the development of a new food and agriculture research centre east of Beijing.

Wageningen’schancellorArthur Mo said that the university was not investing any money in the €1bn project, but it would supply a great deal of knowledge. The research centre will house academic institutions and the business community who will work together to make Chinese agriculture more productive and to tackle environmental issues. The aim is to create China’s leading R&D centre in the field of agriculture and food. The University is also involved in a joint venture with China to improve standards in the dairy industry. Chinese students, both MSc and PhD, make up 10% of the Wageningen students population and the trend is set to continue, the university says on its website.

TURKEY

Turkey’s Metcap, Fusion Of Qatar Ink $5.2bln Deal Metcap Energy Investments of Turkey and Qatar’s Fusion Dynamics signed a $5.2 billion protocol to invest in natural gas and petrochemicals in Turkey.

The two firms will build a natural gas-based chemicals plant in northwestern Turkey’s Trakya province for $4 billion with a capacity to produce 2.6 million tons of methanol and 1 million tons of light olefins annually, according to a report in the Daily Sabah newspaper.

The investment, backed by government incentives, will reduce the country’s current account deficit by $1.4 billion.

The companies will also complete a natural gas combined-cycle power plant of 550 megawatts for $1.2 billion. Construction of the facility in Turkey’s Kırklareli and Karaman region is already underway and will meet about 5 percent of Turkey’s total electricity production needs, Daily Sabah said. Metcap is run by Celal Metin, former chief executive officer of Sabanci Holding, one of Turkey’s largest industrial groups. The company has completed three wind farm projects and built a small power plant in Turkey’s Samsun region. The investments will be completed by 2023, Turkey’s centenary year.

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10 BUSINESS

ETIQUETTE RULES EVERY PROFESSIONAL SHOULD KNOW

When it comes to the business world, etiquette goes far beyond using the right salad fork. Many people assume 'etiquette' refers to which fork you use for the salad and how quickly you should send a thank you note after receiving a gift. When it comes to the business world, however, the way you behave says a lot about your professionalism.

Here are 10 business etiquette rules you need to be aware of and avoid breaking at all cost: 1. Use your full name when introducing yourself.

2. Stop crossing and uncrossing your legs.

3. Don't eat at your desk.

4. Don't just walk into someone's office.

5. Keep personal items off the table.

6. Keep questions to a minimum in meetings.

7. If you did the inviting, you pay.

8. Reply to everyone on emails when it's necessary.

9. Remove people from email threads who don't need to be there.

10. Limit your "thanks yous."

SANCTION II “The sanctions aren’t just increasing; they’re turning into a tool of real economic war. We will take all measures needed to stabilise the situation.”— DMITRY MEDVEDEV, Russian Prime Minister ISRAEL

CHINA

“Together Pharma” Signs Deal To Sell 5t Of Cannabis Oil In Canada

Top 10 Influential Chinese Business Leaders In 2018

Israeli cannabis company Together Pharma has announced that its subsidiary Globus Pharma, specializing in the medical cannabis sector, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to sell medical cannabis or oil to an unnamed Canadian company with a license to grow, produce and import medical cannabis.

Under the agreement, the Canadian company will buy 50 tons of dried inflorescences (flowers) of cannabis each year or its equivalent, five tons of medical cannabis oil from Globus Pharma. The companies will also collaborate in R&D and promoting technologies in the medical cannabis sector. The companies estimate that the sales revenue of this deal will be between $3.17 and $4.7 per gram of inflorescence. Globus Pharma will provide the Canadian company with medical cannabis from farms in Israel “subject to receiving an export permit for medical cannabis” or from its farm in an overseas country, which has an export agreement with Canada.

Technologies No 3: Jack Ma, founder and chairman of Alibaba Group No 4: Wang Jian, chairman of Shenzhen Huada Gene Research Institute, No 5: Liu Qiangdong, board chairman and CEO of JD.com No 6: Lei Jun, chairman and CEO of Xiaomi Technology and Chairman of Kingsoft Corp No 7: Yu Liang, chairman of China Vanke No 8: Wang Chuanfu, chairman and president of BYD No 9: Fang Hongbo, chairman and president of Midea Group No 10: Zhang Yiming, founder and CEO of Bytedance, the developer of Toutiao

MA HUATENG

Ma Huateng, chairman and CEO of Tencent Holdings, is the most influential Chinese business leader in 2018 according to Fortune China. Ren Zhengfei, founder and CEO of Huawei Technologies, and Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group Holding, grabbed second and third place respectively in this year’s ranking. Let’s take a look at the rest of the list.

No 1: Ma Huateng, chairman and CEO of Tencent Holdings No 2: Ren Zhengfei, founder and CEO of Huawei VIETNAM

Fintech On The Rise Start-ups in Vietnam have invested around US$129 million in the field of fintech, according to Ernst & Young (EY) The survey was carried out on more than 250 fintech (technology used to support banking or financial services) companies in more than 10 countries, providing insights from regional fintech experts. The number of incubators and accelerators and innovation labs in Vietnam is estimated at 24, the second most among ASEAN region, following Singapore. The country has also launched a fintech club, which allows businesses to improve knowledge, support and share experiences. The most important thing though is to develop a legal framework for this service. According to EY experts, policy support from authorities will form the foundation for a fintech ecosystem that encourages creativity and healthy competition. EY experts also said many banks want to hire fintech to provide digital banking services, instead of developing solutions themselves. This way will benefit both sides and help save costs.

KOPAONIK

The Other Side Of The Mountain, Top Destination For Team Building Good relationships among staff have been shown to improve the working environment and contribute to their satisfaction and higher productivity. That is why, in recent years, in many companies a new business philosophy of improving interpersonal relationships is used, more commonly known as team building. One of the destinations that is not only known for skiing and good fun, and which, apart from the summer and winter season, has developed a high quality offer for the organisation of the most diverse corporate events, but also for team building is - Kopaonik.

What distinguishes MK Resort and the Grand Hotel for organising this type of event is a good combination of modern congress capacities, the possibility of accommodating a larger number of participants in one place and a natural environment at the centre of the National Park, which provides many opportunities for organising innovative team building games. Organisers have numerous sports and entertainment facilities in the hotel and outdoor facilities that will complement each programme at a business event. Safari tours, mountain biking, orienteering, archery, picnic in nature, quad driving, rafting and many other activities, get them from the business

Spring team building package – hotspot of the season at the Grand Hotel • Team building games of your choice: Escape Kopaonik, trophy hunting, archery training, team building polygon • Lunch in nature • Conference facilities and equipment • Sports in the hotel - basketball, volleyball, handball tournaments • Bowling - team competition • Gift for team building game winners For groups of 30 to 200 participants. Valid until 30 June 2018. From as little as 61 EUR per package.

More information at www.mkresort.com.

stereotype into a natural environment where business processes are simulated through various exciting games.

On the other hand, the Grand Hotel congress centre is one of the most famous and most modern in Serbia, and it is no wonder that there are about 250 events a year, both national and international. More than 70% of these events are team building groups, and the demand is increasing year after year, not only by international companies, but also by a large number of domestic companies that have recognised the benefits of investing in their staff.

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CORPORATE JOVAN MILIVOJEVIĆ, SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR AT KERAMIKA KANJIŽA LTD.

Setting Out To Conquer Europe Ceramics company Keramika Kanjiža has existed for 38 years, and for the last three has been the official leader on the domestic market. Thanks to the quality of its products, and modern equipment that would be the envy of many global companies, this comppany is also highly rated in developed Western countries

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rom the very beginning, our idea was to provide every customer with the opportunity to define their own space, in accordance with their individual style, intentions and habits. With the brand’s evolution and the introduction of new formats and dimensions, we provide a huge range of possibilities to combine and express. In that sense we are unique.

■ You were the first company in Serbia to introduce the Ink Jet digital printer into regular production, and two years ago you completely digitised the process of decorating ceramic tiles. You’ve now modernised your production facility with the strongest presses and introduced Gres quality tiles. How important was this for the production process?

- The introduction of digitisation to the production process in 2016 certainly represented a revolution on our market. We recognised the transition to IT technology as the right business move and an opportunity for us to develop, to decorate tiles more boldly, and to bring quality control to perfection. That is why we now have optical-laser control, thanks to which we can detect even the 48 |

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tiniest imprecision. We are able, in this way, to provide customers with perfect ceramic tiles with a wide range of decorations and dimensions.

With the installing of the strongest presses in the region, which we possess, we have created a new space in which we produce large dimension “Gres Poreclain” tiles. Due to the high thrust that this press has, we produce extremely strong tiles.

■ You have enriched your offer with realistic imitations of natural and building materials, including cement, brick, concrete, Carrara marble etc.

What sells the best?

It is very important for us to retain the leadership position on the domestic market that we have had for the last three years - Our customers’ needs are our driving force. We are happy that we are able to satisfy their desires and the style they have and are developing. Thanks to the best pigments from Italy, we succeed in implementing the ideas of our customers, and that’s what led to the rise of our interpretations of natural and building materials, such as wood, marble, brick and stone. These tiles act better spatially, are easier to maintain and are more cost-effective than the original natural materials.

Domestic consumers still prefer to choose slightly “richer” décor, such as stone, marble and Carrara imitations. An absolute hit on Western markets is the replica wood, the weathered design, socalled Shubby Chic.

■ What’s more difficult: retaining a leading position on the domestic market or conquering foreign markets?

- It is very important for us to retain the leadership position on the domestic market that we have had for the last three years. This is not an easy task, considering all the disloyal competition, both among domestic retail chains and with imported junk products. But we have existed on the domestic market for 38 years and quality is synonymous with our products, which gives us something of a slight advantage when it comes to maintaining our leadership position.

However, along with the introduction of numerous innovations for this season, we have also set new goals – we will pay special attention to the idea of becoming one of the leading manufacturers of ceramic tiles on the European scene, standing side by side with the world’s best known manufacturers. This will be a special challenge. It is definitely more difficult to conquer foreign markets, but that also carries with it excitement, as well as great joy for every consignment of tiles we sell. ■

CORPORATE ALEKSANDAR MIŠKOVIĆ, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF LIVNICA PRECIZNIH ODLIVAKA (PRECISION CASTINGS FOUNDRY)

Little Ada For A Big World Founded in 1978, the Ada-based precision castings foundry - Livnica Preciznih Odlivaka – has today been rejuvenated, thanks to the support of Israeli company Bet Shemesh Engines Ltd., as a supplier of the world’s leading manufacturers of engines and components for turbojet engines

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e overcome the competition with our devotion, industriousness, dedication, discipline and knowhow.

Customers always seek the same things – high quality, deliveries on time and competitive prices, and that’s precisely what we offer. In addition, we observe strict discipline in our work and culture of communication, which is very important in the aviation industry.

■ You supply some of the world’s leading companies in the aviation industry. How did you acquire such respectable clients from Germany, the U.S., Canada, Spain etc.?

- The Livnica preciznih odlivaka foundry is orientated fully towards foreign markets, or rather the Western market, which is the only one that has respectable manufacturers of engines and components for turbojet engines for commercial aviation. The criteria for entering such an exclusive club are extremely stringent. Becoming a successful supplier, adopting new programmes and acquiring new clients is a very painstaking, arduous and enduring process, but the satisfaction of a job well done ultimately justifies the effort exerted.

And that satisfaction is even greater when one considers that we are located in a deeply provincial area, far from major industrial centres.

We have mastered all the lessons; our employees are highly disciplined, welltrained and dedicated to the company’s success. All of our managers, engineers, inspectors and an enviable number of personnel in the facility can communicate independently in English, which is something that doesn’t exist in other companies from other countries.

■ How did you succeed in breaking into the world aviation industry market and becoming competitive?

Young, educated people must be given an opportunity to remain in their own country, to feel useful and successful - We found a way to maintain ourselves and develop as a supplier of the aviation industry with the continued and unselfish support of parent company Bet Shemesh Engines Ltd. from Israel. Our success has also been recognised by the Government of Serbia, with which we’ve implemented a successful 2013 grant agreement, and I hope we will soon sign another agreement that will represent an important message to all current and future investors.

Success always comes thanks to employees, and this is the answer to the question of how we have beat the competition - devotion, industrious-

ness, dedication, discipline... There is no other recipe for the constant growth of production, revenue and profit. We have been certified by companies like MTU Aero Engines from Germany, Pratt Whitney Canada, Pratt Whitney America, UTAS from the U.S., and Goodrich and ITP from Spain. We were the first company in Serbia to receive the AS9100 certificate, just as we are now the first company to possess an NADCAP certificate for special thermal processing and HIP processes, while we also plan to acquire two more NADCAP certificates. Being in this business and remaining successful and profitable for years is not easy, but for us every day is a new battle.

■ Youngsters today are reluctant to opt for professions based in production. How do you gain the required professional personnel?

- A lack of qualified workers is becoming our country’s most serious problem, and it is one that we recognised a few years ago, when we launched cooperation with the local secondary school and thus tried to “build up” the necessary personnel.

That approach has now become difficult, so we will develop, train and educate the required personnel by ourselves. When it comes to engineers, we solve the problem through a combination of reasonable salaries and possibilities to advance and learn, but also by providing them with the opportunity to resolve their housing issues in the most affordable way. ■ M AY

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CORPORATE CESTRA D.O.O.

Cestra, The Pride Of Serbia The Belgrade Company Cestra has been pronounced National Winner in the European Business Awards competition and business winner in Serbia in the category ‘Turnover from 0 to 25 million euros’. In May, we will see if they are the best in Europe

Owing to its professionalism, extensive operating range, numerous demanding apid change requires constant parking facilities, cycling infrastructure and projects that have been successfully completed, the company has been pronounced adjustment and seeking optimal, building construction. Environmental and National Winner in the European Business innovative and sustainable soluSocial Impact Assessments (ESIA) for existtions in all areas of human activity. ing infrastructure projects, and for plans Awards competition and business winner in When solutions for new and existing infraand programmes, are an integral part of Serbia in the category ‘Turnover from 0 to structure projects are needed, clients turn the core business and represent one of the 25 million euros’. The decision was made by to Cestra as a leader in this field. steps in designing sustainable solutions. the votes of independent judges, including The beginnings of our company Cestra Consulting and technical assistance, business leaders, politicians and academics from the most developed countries, date to 2005 when the Danish company which imply comprehensive technical, environmental, legal and financial assessment and Cestra will represent Serbia in the final COWI A/S established a company in Serbia of a project, also represent one segment stage of the competition. within the COWI group, so as to extend the Adrian Tripp, CEO of the European Business experience and knowledge it has acquired Awards said: “This is a remarkable achieveacross the globe to this part of Europe too. ment, and Cestra is clearly a leader in its A team of local and international experts field. To be a National Winner means to repwas soon formed, who strengthened their resent our key values of success, ethics position on the market and became a and innovation, and to be one of the best recognisable brand. Last February, the Cestra has generated in Europe”, wishing the best of luck in the company became one hundred per cent more than EUR 3.5 million final round of the competition. locally owned, retaining a strong connecof revenue, it operates in 14 tion with its international partners.

The European Business Awards have The company specialises in the areas countries, with 60 permanent been awarded for 11 years. The primary of infrastructure development, waemployees and more than 100 purpose of the competition is to support ter and environmental engineering, the development of the business comtemporary staff (at the annual munity across Europe. This year, more consulting and technical assistance, level), working on over than 110,000 companies from 34 counand it participates in some of the most tries participated in the competition. important and largest projects in the 50 ongoing projects Cestra is also competing in the catcountry and the region. Current activities include consulting, designing, planning, egory ‘European public winner’, where the of the company’s activities. The services and research in the field of engineering and public from around the world will vote on cover assistance and managing projects for infrastructure projects, including spatial the winner. The competition’s popularity is construction, rehabilitation, reconstruction, planning, transport planning, planning for shown by the fact that as many as 250,000 supervision and public–private partnerships roads, railways, tunnels, bridges, terminals, votes were registered last year. ■ in large infrastructure projects.

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PROFILE

Giving Up Is Not My Option JELENA KOVAČEVIĆ Media Advisor to the Prime Minister

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rom my current perspective, it’s difficult for me to accurately define where I found the motivation to carry on. I was raised never to give up and to give my all for that which matters to me. At that point, giving up wasn’t an option – of course, in my head. I wanted to help end the strike and ensure we received the support of the public and the media. The strike ended with our visit to Kragujevac, and that was our first joint victory. At the time, the politically inexperienced PM Brnabić managed to keep Fiat in Serbia and save 2,500 jobs. The media, albeit timidly, declared this as her first success.

While studying marketing, I dreamt of being at the centre of events, of having information and influence that relies on knowledge, good contacts and professionalism. While on our first official visit to Norway, seeing myself in Oslo, as the Prime Minister talked with students and I sat in the last row, because from there I could send press releases, photos and her statements, I realised that I am living the dream from my childhood. As I said, giving up wasn’t an option.

My challenge is to ensure Ana Brnabić isn’t only acknowledged once Serbia gains its next prime minister. That’s the challenge of working with a person who is ahead of their time and who holds modern values in a country where the majority is traditional. By working with her, I have the opportunity to promote my own values: equality, accessibility, acceptance of minority groups, dialogue and communication. These values lead me to

A month from now will mark exactly one year since I became an adviser for media to the Serbian Prime Minister. And that’s not just any Prime Minister, but the first lady PM in the history of Serbia. The start of her mandate, and thus my start in this position, was marked by a strike at Fiat. I didn’t have my team formed, I didn’t even know the number of my office, and I expected of myself, and Serbia expected of Ana Brnabić, for the strike to be ended and the workers sent back to work. In just one day, I had more than 96 telephone conversations.

There were just too many, which is why I remember the amount try to understand even those for whom the absence of good intentions is obvious.

I believe that my education gives me strength and a broader perspective. I think reading gives breadth and the possibility for a person not to “hammer” at a given moment or in some situation. I grew up on rock’n’roll culture, American movies and Russian literature. Someone has already gone through all of that, while only a few get the chance to do what they desired during childhood.

I was offered that chance by Serbia’s first gay prime minister, and I accepted it. At that

I am aware that in changing the world I am changing myself.

Accepting the chance offered, I also accepted the obligation not to give up and to carry on.

And that’s how it is every day, because each new day brings a new challenge time, it was a possibility, while now it is an opportunity for us to, together, change the image of us that is in front of us and out in the world. Changing the image in the world begins with changes within ourselves.

Change also starts at a New Year’s media reception when there is a response from the majority of editors who don’t have a habit

of attending such gatherings or who have a critical attitude towards the government they were coming in for a cocktail. I believe deeply that changes are visible, and I personally want them to be so deep that we cannot return to the point at which we started. Even if the second year at Nemanjina 11 started with a strike, I’m sure I wouldn’t personally make more than 96 calls, because I have a team and experience. And now I know exactly where I sit.

As I said, change happens even when we aren’t aware of that. When we become aware of changes, some other people will then be fighting for the new world. The world as it is at present will be different, because, among other things, the media advisor of the first lady Prime Minister of Serbia never raised her voice to a single journalist or editor, which initially felt like mission impossible.

I believe in dialogue and tolerance. I truly strive to nurture civic decency and have the strength to listen to contrasting opinions and not get angry. I believe that knowledge is the most important resource in this century. The desire to move borders, personal dignity and professional attitude should be enough to be successful and recognised in society, and I try to promote these values on a daily basis through my personal example. That often implies sleepless nights finishing a speech adapted to a particular audience and conducting difficult conversations with people whose worldview differs from mine, and to do so without a bitter taste being left in anyone’s mouth.  M AY

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SOUTH KOREAN CONTEMPORARY CERAMICS

Influence Of Tradition On

MODERN APPROACH

MYUNG JIN KIM

The tension between long-held traditions and modernisation has become commonplace in the discourse of Korean contemporary art. The Korea Society’s exhibition of Korean ceramics presents the work of eight living artists through such a familiar conflict, implying that the dialectic between ancient practises and demands for innovation is at the core of contemporary ceramic art’s concerns 52 |

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LEE EUN MEE: Stoneware

JONG SOOK KANG: Wall Instalation

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he historical facts seem to support this reading. Approximately 5,000 years old, the Korean ceramic tradition has produced an expansive body of stoneware that is renowned for its technical virtuosity and imaginative formal vocabulary—a formidable artistic legacy with which present-day Korean ceramists must grapple. But despite this long history, Korean

RO HAE-SIN: From Circle

Korean ceramic history begins with the oldest earthenware dating to around 8000 BC. Influenced by Chinese ceramics, Korean pottery developed a distinct style of its own, with its own shapes, such as the moon jar or maebyeong version of the Chinese meiping vase, and later styles of painted decoration

ceramics were not appreciated or revived as an art form until the 1960s and ’70s. Born in the distant past yet resurrected only a few decades ago, ceramic art as a medium epitomizes the productive clash between old and new.

Although modestly scaled, the exhibition displays exquisite work by celebrated ceramists Yoon Kwangcho and Kim Yik Yung. Kim gives us delicately faceted porcelain vases, whose surfaces glisten subtly thanks M AY

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to an expertly applied celadon blue glaze. Their restraint is reminiscent of the simplicity embraced by porcelain ware produced under the Joseon Dynasty’s (1392–1897) neo-Confucian ideology.

Yoon, on the other hand, deliberately cultivates a rustic

JI WAN JOO

The most eye-catching works come from relatively lesserknown artists. Jong Sook Kang’s wall installation dominates the gallery space through its expansive scale and dramatic play with light. At first, Kang’s serial repetition of porcelain spheres in the pattern of a grid—that enduring modernist form—recalls the “one thing after another” of Donald Judd’s brand of minimalism. Because each sphere

KIM JUREE: Hwigyeong

KANG JONG SOOK: Ceramic Sculpture

naivity through the coarse and highly expressive surfaces of his sculptural vessels. The artist is inspired by buncheong, a style of Korean gray-green stoneware covered in white slip that emerged at the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty in the late 14th century. Dismissive of technical perfection, Yoon revels in his artistic freedom by producing dynamic asymmetrical shapes that break with traditional buncheong forms. Instead of covering his works in an even white slip, he allows thickly applied brushstrokes to drip down the surface of the receptacles. Incorporating the chance effects of gravity adds to the overall vitality and boldness of his pieces.

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YOON KWANG-CHO

has a different position relative to the gallery’s light source, the installation also functions as a systematic list of all the possible permutations of the shadow—an aspect of the work that aligns it with Sol LeWitt’s conceptualism. Upon closer inspection,

the spheres reveal themselves to be apples, a recurring motif in Kang’s work, that symbolizes the abundance of the Big Apple itself. In this fashion, Kang, who lives near New York City, endows her work with a metaphorical content that celebrates the immigrant experience (including her own) so emblematic of today’s globalized world.

HONG SOON JUNG: Mixed clay body and bronze wire

labyrinthine patterns also function as an outgrowth of the decorative designs on celadon ware from the tenth-century Goryeo dynasty. To Joo, however, the cube symbolizes above all the rationality and convenience of the present, making her

KIM YIK YUNG in her studio in Seoul

Korean ceramics were not appreciated or revived as an art form until the 1960s and ’70s. Born in the distant past yet resurrected only a few decades ago, ceramic art as a medium epitomizes the productive clash between old and new

GUAC ROH HOON: Mixed clay body

YOUBG MI KIM: Untitled vessel,wood-fired stoneware

Also based in the United States, Ji Wan Joo is the artist whose work best corresponds to the multi-generational theme of the show. Her precarious stacks of small cubes allude to the small towers of stones created by pilgrims on their way to Buddhist temples in Korea and other parts of Asia. The cubes’

work a meditation on the past’s relevance to modern times.

Often likened to fossilized botanical or marine forms, Young Mi Kim’s ceramics are the most arresting. Much like the Eccentric Abstraction idiom identified by artist and critic Lucy Lippard in the 1960s, Kim’s works evoke with their fleshy hues, veiny lines and dimpled surfaces a whole range of human body parts: nipples, belly buttons, intestines and even the cavernous tunnels of ears. Such anthropomorphism immediately provokes a visceral reaction in the viewer. It is only before Kim’s works—so clearly preoccupied with the fragility of life—that the exhibition’s premise seems to finally fall short. ■ M AY

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FACES & PLACES

SEE MORE WWW.CORDMAGAZINE.COM 27/3/2018

100th Anniversary Of The Founding Of Czechoslovakia Marked On the occasion of marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia, the Embassy of the Czech Republic and the Embassy of the Slovak Republic, in cooperation with the Belgrade’s Science and Technology Museum, organised the exhibition “Glass - Origin and Life”.

As part of this exhibition, Czech glassmakers from Czech studio Dechem demonstrated how the glass stove worked and discovered the secrets of their crafts, as well as presented the display of glass objects, photographs from Czech glass houses whose tradition dates back to the Middle Ages.

The Academy of Art and Design from Bratislava brought an exhibition of glass and jewellery of modern design “Correlation”.

Ambassador of Slovakia H.E. Dagmar Repčeková and the outgoing ambassador of the Czech Republic H.E. Ivana Hlavsova addressed the participants at the opening of the exhibition.

Ambassador IVANA HLAVSOVA and Ambassador DAGMAR REPČEKOVÁ

12/4/2018

28/3/2018

Day Of Arab-Serbian Friendship The Arab League, consisting of ambassadors of the Arab countries, and the Arab Cultural Centre hosted an event marking the Arab-Serbian Friendship Day and the Arab Culture Day. Guests were greeted by H.E. Mohammed Nabhan, Ambassador of the State of Palestine and the Arab League President. “Arab countries have a long history of relations and friendship with the Republic of Serbia, and the ambassadors of the Arab countries in Belgrade are trying to promote further relations of their countries with Serbia,” said the ambassador.

The President of the Arab Center, Ena Pavlović, spoke about the activities and important role of the centre as the only centre for Arab culture in Serbia.

The event was attended by Minister of Labor, Employment, Veterans’ and Social Affairs of Serbia Zoran Đorđević and representatives of the diplomatic corps.

The Ministers Of France And Serbia Laid Wreaths At The French Military Cemetery Minister of Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Yves Le Drian and Minister LE DRIAN and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ambassador MONDOLONI Serbia Ivica Dačić laid wreaths honouring 375 French soldiers who lost their lives during the World War I, buried at the French army cemetery in Belgrade.

Le Drian emphasised the importance of friendship between the two countries, which during the World War I were allies.

“From now on, Serbia and France should work together for one Europe, for peace and security,” wrote Minister Le Drian.

AMBASSADORS OF ARABIC COUNTRIES

AMBASSADOR MOHAMMED NABHAN

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Ministers DAČIĆ, LE DRIAN, TRIVAN and Ambassador MONDOLONI

At the conference “Education in Serbia - Jobs for the Future”, Prime Minister Ana Brnabić pointed out that significant changes are taking place in the world caused by new technologies, and according to the World Economic Forum report, today’s students will have jobs that do not yet exist, while today’s professions are to be replaced with machines and artificial intelligence.

Quality education is the cornerstone of a prosperous society, Prime Minister said, adding that the Serbian government must respond to the challenge of educating young people for jobs that will exist in the future.

German Ambassador H.E. Axel DitPrime Minister ANA BRNABIĆ tmann said that education is an important topic on the road to the EU, and pointed out that dual education is vital for the country’s progress. “Germany and Serbia are closely cooperating in the field of education. A concrete example is the investments of German companies and German economic cooperation in dual education in Serbia, which provides young people with a good position in the labour market,” said Ambassador Dittmann.

12/4/2018

Education In Serbia - Jobs For The Future Conference

Prime Minister WINFRIED KRETSCHMANN

MARTIN KNAPP

16/4/2018

Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann Visits Belgrade The German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (AHK) organised a visit of a business delegation led by Winfried Kretschmann, prime minister of the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg.

The visit of companies from the Baden-Württemberg, Germany’s most potent province next to Bavaria and Essen, is an excellent chance for potential new investments. Prime Minister Kretschmann who led a delegation of about 100 businesspeople on his visit to Serbia, said at the panel discussion that the visit is a clear indicator of the excellent, overall connections between Serbia and Germany.

President of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce Martin Knapp said that a large number of German companies are interested in moving production to the Western Balkans and Serbia.

DUBRAVKA NÈGRE, Ambassador LUTTEROTTI, Ambassador DITTMANN and PM BRNABIĆ 17/4/2018

Marking The 180th Anniversary Of Russian - Serbian Diplomatic Relations In the framework of the Belgrade photo month festival, an exhibition of photographs “Traditions of Slavs” was opened at the Gallery of the Russian Center for Science and Culture “Ruski Dom”.

The exhibition was organised on the occasion of the 180th anniversary of the establishment of Russian-Serbian diplomatic relations and the 85th anniversary of the Ruski Dom in Belgrade.

Visitors to the exhibition were able to get acquainted with the traditional crafts of Serbia, the places where they are developing, and the people who preserve the traditions of their ancestors. Yevgeny Djomin, Head of the Department of Culture, Sports and Youth of the Ruski Dom, and David Pujado, director of the Belgrade photo month, spoke about the exhibition. Serbia’s CraftBeat project is supported by the Tourist Organisation of Serbia and the Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade.

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FACES & PLACES

SEE MORE WWW.CORDMAGAZINE.COM

20/4/2018

Embassy Of Iran Marks Army Day Ambassador of Iran to Serbia H.E. Hossein Molla Abdolahi hosted a reception marking Iran’s National Army Day. Iran ambassador to Serbia Hossein Molla Abdolahi addressed the guests by honouring Iranian army by pointing out that it has protected country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the lives 80 million of Iranians.

The reception was attended by diplomats, government senior officials and friends of the Iranian Embassy.

Prime Minister BRANIBIĆ (right), with the Ministers of Serbian Government 23/4/2018

Serbian Armed Forces Day

Ambassador HOSSEIN MOLLA ABDOLAHI

TRADITIONAL CAKE CUTTING

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić greeted the guests of the reception marking Day of the Serbian Armed Forces and said that the Army Day is the most significant military day celebrated every 23rd April in memory of more than two centuries of the Takovski uprising.

Vučić said that the investment in the Army of Serbia will continue, but that more results will be expected. “The Serbian Army must be ready to respond to every challenge at any time. I am proud that it has successfully defended the independence of Serbia.”, said President Vučić.

President ALEKSANDAR VUČIĆ 25/4/2018

ANZAC Day Marked Anzac Day, a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, was marked by the Embassy of Australia in Serbia. This year marks the 103rd anniversary of the landing of Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli.

Wreath-laying ceremony, held at the Commonwealth War Cemetery was attended by members of diplomatic corps and GLENN MORRISON, Australian Serbia’s senior repreDeputy Ambassador sentatives.

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MY LIFE RAJKO GRLIĆ, FILM DIRECTOR & PRODUCER

B y R A DM I L A STA N KOV I Ć

I’m Too Old To Grovel To

Photo Credit/Nin/Vesna Lalić

GOVERNMENT

He has signed his name to around 30 feature and documentary films, winning the most awards in Yugoslavia and Croatia, while his latest film, The Constitution, is considered the boldest and one of the best films shot in recent decades on the territory of the former Yugoslavia. He has lectured in America for over 25 years and is a prominent professor and ‘Eminent Scholar in Film’ at Ohio University M AY

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is father, Danko Grlić, who was a famous Yugoslav philosopher and university professor in Zagreb, a Marxist and a member of the Praxis group and the famous Korčula school, was not delighted when his son abandoned his philosophy studies and opted for that circus called film.

And it was only after watching his film In the Jaws of Life, in 1985, when his son Rajko (1947) had already developed a serious career in cinematography, that he led him aside and said to him: now you can play with

Photo Credit/Darije Petković

rather than hate something, and thus the Praxis group and Korčula summer school were for me some kind of base determinants of the time and space in which I was lucky enough to grow up. Intellectuals from this area have never again been in the maelstrom of critical world thinking in the way that they were back then, through those two institutions. In the early 1970s both Praxis and the Korčula school were pretty cruelly banned. I don’t know who had the worse opinion of them: official socialism back then or official nationalism today. In short, I’m very proud to have been able to be an observer, listener and witness to all of that.”

He summarises the upbringing he took away from his childhood home in a single sentence “as a good civic upbringing of the provincial left,” while he calls the most valuable part of that upbringing “joy, some hedonistic interpretation of life mixed with the faith that it is worth fighting for what you care about.”

CorD’s interlocutor has occasionally been accused – primarily due to his films or public statements – of not being a good enough Croat, and at that his blood cells were counted in the most vulgar way. That’s why he clarifies his national doubts in this statement for CorD: “In the birth certificate issued in Zagreb in 1947, it is written that I am a Croat, that my mother and father were Croats. On the other hand, I am a city kid with a long urban pedigree. And in Zagreb, like in every other larger city, that means you are something of a mongrel. film as much as you like!

In the cities, unlike in When it comes to Jewishness, in my case it is Rajko’s mother, Eva, small communities, the a cultural mark rather than a religious one, and was born in Israel but people came together, as such, I carry it with pride. Admittedly, that was a Yugoslav Partimarried and had kids isn’t particularly popular in Croatia today, but san and fighter of the despite national and religious barriers. It is diffifamous First Proletarian that’s not my problem cult to explain to today’s Brigade. Following the children that there were times when people who were different weren’t end of World War II, she came into conflict with a senior officer of the necessarily hated. Thus, my mother’s father, from a Sarajevo Sephardic State Security Service in Zagreb. That cost her three years in prison on Jewish family, married her mother, who was from a Budapest Ashkenazi the barren island of Goli Otok.. Eva wrote a precious autobiographical Jewish family. And that’s how my father’s father, whose ancestors were study of her life under the title of Memories, in which she described an Danube Swabians, married my father’s mother, whose ancestors were exciting life during which she had survived great tragedies.

50/50 – half Banija Serbs and half Germans from the Schwarlades, who Rajko’s parents had been pre-war schoolmates, leftists from urban came to Zagreb three hundred years previously as bell smelters. families of good standing, but they never lost their utopian hope that That mix never burdened me, even though it suddenly fell, with the the world could be better. They never raised their son to hate anyone, emergence of the nation-state, under the category of suspicious origin. nor even the system that had been cruel to them: And finally, when it comes to Jewishness, in my case it is a cultural “It was wonderful for me to grow up surrounded by people who mark rather than a religious one, and as such, I carry it with pride. weren’t frustrated and did not have hatred in their stomachs. That’s what Admittedly, that isn’t particularly popular in Croatia today, but that’s my parents and most of their friends were like, all leftists, practitioners, not my problem.” members of the famous Korčula school. They tried to create something, 60 |

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Photo Credit/Nin/Vesna Lalić

The children of famous parents have various careers, though as a this film had actually led to him being blacklisted all over the then SFR rule they are burdened by the success of their parents, and often their Yugoslavia. He headed to New York and led an MSc. direction workshop success is described only in relation to the blood of those whose surfor postgraduate studies. Student were led in the second year by Spike names they carry. Rajko grew up with his famous father’s surname and Lee and in the third by Arthur Penn. After gaining such an opportunity, it is logical to ask him how much he was burdened or assisted by the fact he was later able to choose what and where he would go next. And so, that he was the son of celebrated and intellectually influential parents: for the last 25 years he has lectured in America, spending the longest “That didn’t burden me, but I don’t think it helped me either, if you’re period in Ohio. Asked if he received an offer to be a professor in Zagreb asking if I gained some public benefit as a result. Those who decided and what working with students means to him, he answers: about my films didn’t particularly pay heed to intellectuals.”

Rajko’s received his first camera for Christmas at the age of 14. He says that it was then that his never-ending game began. He fought successfully for this fantastic position of considering his job a game from then to this day.

This is a game in which there are millions of elements, but it is essentially a game of storytelling. It was with this camera that he shot his first amateur film, Cigla [Brick]: “It lasted a full five minutes. That was way back in 1964. Zagreb thugs back then would approach loving couples in parks and gift them a brick. That ‘gift’ meant that three of four thugs were surrounding the couple on the bench and the young man had to buy the brick from them, or else face a beating.”

Attending the famous FAMU film academy in Prague was then a dream of many youngsters who wanted to become film directors. That dream was realised by the likes of Lordan Zafranović, Srđan ‘Điđa’ Karanović, “I’ve received offers I lost all my illusions about politics back in 1968.

Goran Marković, Goran recently from a number The Prague Spring forever took from me any Paskaljević, Emir Kusof private schools that innocent belief I had in the possibility of politics turica ... and Rajko Grlić, need an impressive tiwith a human face tle, such as my ‘Eminent who was one of the best Scholar’ title here. But students of what was that’s why in Slovenia, at our next-door neighbours, I am a regular then Europe’s most desirable film school. Today we ask him what he professor at the University of Nova Gorica. It is an amazing privilege to remembers best about his studies in Prague: socialise with people who see the world not only from the perspective “The socialism we arrived in was much greyer and more rigid than of their youth, but also from their cultures that are often very different.” the one we grew up in, while culture and some general standards of life Grlić doesn’t accept the idea that he is an emigrant, as he lives in both were higher than that from which we’d come. We were astonished by America and Croatia, lectures in Slovenia and, thanks to technology, also the importance of culture, sexual liberties... It’s strange that I switch to gives lessons via Skype, so the concept of an emigrant has today lost its the plural whenever I talk about Prague. There were several of us and previous meaning entirely. Still, he notes: we became good friends. With the passage of time, Prague somehow “I live there and in Croatia, but I’m actually trying to never leave became our shared past. In short, I went there as a child and returned, Zagreb… as much as that’s possible. However, when you place your life as Bubule – Bane’s father in the TV series Grlom u Jagode [The Unpicked in something called a suitcase once, you never again leave it. You’re at Strawberries] – would say, like a mature man.” home everywhere, and you’re never at home anymore. You are a traveller.”

After the film Charuga, he received an invitation to lecture at the The unique festival that Rajko created in Istria in 1999 is the Motoprestigious New York University. However, he expressed his thanks for vun Film Festival, which screens the creations of small and independent the invitation and then returned to Zagreb, where he quickly realised that

European film production houses. He is no longer part of the festival team, but when asked how much this festival means to him, he answers: “A lot. For me, that wasn’t a film festival. For me it was an event that I worked on and in which I enjoyed myself wholeheartedly for ten years.

And when it was the most beautiful for me I said ‘enough’. Simply to ensure I didn’t spoil the good taste in my mouth.”

Grlić has to date made around thirty films, both features and documentaries, and won numerous awards in Yugoslavia and Croatia, but also

city dressed as a woman. During one of these walks he is beaten up by a group of young men. He is recognised in the hospital by Maja, a nurse who lives in the basement of his building. Maja then begins to take care of him and his father. In return, Vjeko assists Maja’s husband, a police officer called Ante, to prepare for an exam from the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia... And thus begins this story of love and hate; this story about four very different people who are destined to become mutually dependent. More precisely, this is how the story of one of the boldest films ever recorded, not only in Croatia, begins.

For each of their joint films, Tomić and Grlić met up around a dozen times and spent ten to fifteen days together in a room, writing for about ten hours a day, which Grlić summarises as follows: “If that man wasn’t dear to me, I certainly wouldn’t have endured that.

Ante Tomić is a cheerful and wise being, and beneath that humour he can be very dark. But he packs that so well into the ease of smiling that it’s a great pleasure to work with him.”

And when they finished their first joint film, Karaula [The Border Post], Tomić explained: “Rajko has a wonderful gentleness and calmness in his approach. He worked for two years with Ante Tomić and never once told him to get lost.

That has never happened anywhere and with anyone before. To date I have managed to compel all of my associates to at least momentarily consider suicide.

But not him. He seemed RAJKO GRLIĆ, Cape Code 2006 relaxed the whole time.

Policies have caused crimes of an enormous scale It seemed to me that beyond the borders of these countries, and his in this region, and we will try to not talk about that he didn’t expect much latest film, Ustav Repubme. And I ultimately with discomfort for a long time to come. Let’s hope of like Hrvatske [The Congave him more than I that our kids can be at peace not talking about it stitution], is considered thought I could ever give. one of the best films to I extracted unbelievable have been shot in the former Yugoslavia during recent decades. If this sentences from my mind and heart.” film is the crowning glory of his career, does he consider that enough A long, strong and enduring friendship exists between Rajko and for an artist of his age? His friend and colleague Srđan Karanović has Belgrade director Srđan Karanović. They worked together more than long since given up his camera... and his students: forty years ago on the TV series The Unpicked Strawberries, which to “For a man of my age, all that I’ve created is more than enough. this day remains one of the most beloved works of TV among all generations. Grlić and Karanović wrote the series together: However, unfortunately, unlike my friend Karanović, I don’t know how “I recall that we wrote it in Zagreb... It was our custom on joint to stop or, more precisely, I’m afraid to do so.” screenplays for the one who was to direct to do the first and final drafts He has been writing in partnership with writer Ante Tomić, who lives by themselves, and to work together in between. He wrote the last verin Split, for the past 12 years. Together they have written screenplays sion of The Unpicked Strawberries, and by then I was already in the for four feature films. Of particular importance is their latest joint venture, The Constitution, about professor Vjeko, who lives in downtown army, based in Belgrade, in Voždovac, and I was given permission not Zagreb with Hrvoje, his crippled father who is a former Ustasha officer. to sleep for two nights, but to sit in some office and read. And so I sat, Vjeko (played magnificently by Nebojša Glogovac in what turned out read and underlined something, like a soldier. to be his last film role) enjoys walking at night, when the wanders the “When it was filmed in Rovinj, I was given seven days, so I could 62 |

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Photo Credit/Nikola Predović

attend the shoot. It was a lot of fun for me there, because I didn’t do similar, regardless of the fact that every policy starts as the opposite anything... Điđa had a basic structure as an idea for the series. There of that which preceded it. Policies have caused crimes of an enormous scale in this region, and we will try to not talk about that with was nothing similar at that time. And it was infinitely popular. That discomfort for a long time to come. Let’s hope that our kids can be at was a reference to a generation. This series presented what the films peace not talking about it.” of independent American directors did for their generation. It’s a portrait of a certain generation at a certain moment in time. Today it is a And how does this professor in Ohio experience the political scene document. It has nothing to do with fiction. It is a summary of all of in the U.S. over the last year: our experiences, the experiences of our parents, sentences uttered by “Like most others; as though watching a socially devilishly dangerous, both my mother and his...”

And when asked where the characters from that series would be today, Grlić replies: “Well, by now they’d already be entering the period of mild sclerosis, dementia and so on. Yes, that would now be the third part and would testify wonderfully to the collapse of a country, and the dreams of a generation and the demise of those dreams. “ This director, who has circled the world with his films, believes that his colleagues make films for themselves and a few of their friends, which he sees as a measure of reality: “As soon as you start working for millions of viewers, you also start with a series of ingratiating elements. And the film starts to resemble a big general place. We are the authors of films about little nations and we shoot those films in little languages. If you start ingratiating such a film, you lose both yourself and the film. I strive for my films to be as local as possible, to plunge as deeply as possible into reality, because I think infinitely kitsch, bad and The Prague Spring forever took from me that’s the only way they any innocent belief I had in the possibility of politics completely humourless could be understood by reality show”. with a human face someone in Antarctica.”

He says that the How much is Rajko American art scene today is “alive and rich, wise and ridiculous in its diversity.” bothered, moved, regaled or irritated by what’s happening on the Many filmmakers worldwide have a goal of possessing one of the Croatian political scene? What kind of relationship does he have with planet’s most prestigious awards – an Oscar. When asked if he ever the Croatian government today? dreamt of an American Academy Award, Grlić explains simply: “It moves me, but doesn’t rejoice me, and really irritates me. And “I must admit that I don’t consider that the most important thing that when it comes to my relations with the Croatian government today, I can happen to a film. In short, I didn’t dream of an Oscar. However, it’s am too old to ingratiate myself with the authorities, and I also believe good to be acknowledged; though I had no chance. Of the twelve films the government has more serious business than to treat me. I lost all I’ve made, none were officially suggested by the state for that contest my illusions about politics back in 1968. The Prague Spring forever – neither in Yugoslavia nor in Croatia today. So, with The Constitution took from me any innocent belief I had in the possibility of politics the same thing happened as happened a long time ago with You Only with a human face. That distance you receive in your younger years is Love Once – it was selected, then replaced overnight. very painful and prevents you from really warming up to any politics, Rajko is married to Ana and has a daughter, Olga, who is a successful to believe in that money game, which is what politics has more or less designer in America. Asked how he believes she viewed his work while been reduced to today. she was growing up, Rajko smiles: Throughout my entire life I’ve been in conflict with that which is “I don’t think she hated the fact that her dad worked on movies.” ■ called politics. Politics has changed, but ultimately it looks dreadfully

CHILL OUT NETHERLANDS

CHEESE MARKET IN THE NETHERLANDS ▶ The charming medieval cheese markets in The Netherlands are a feast for any cheese passionate out there. Whether you choose to visit the iconic Gouda Cheese Market in western Netherlands (South Holland) or those located in the northern part of the country – including the traditional Edam Cheese Market, the famous Alkmaar, or the one held in the appealing city of Hoorn – you’ll certainly have an excellent experience, filled with plenty of culture, entertaining, and, of course, cheese.

The 400-year old Alkmaar Cheese Market held each year between April and September on the Waagplein square is an equally delightful affair.

Here you can combine a visit to the market with a pleasant sightseeing tour and even a stopover at the Dutch Cheese Museum, in the heart of the city.

NETHERLANDS

“WORLD’S FIRST” FLYING CAR

IRELAND

FIRST OFFICIAL NUDIST BEACH ▶ Public notices are set to go up at Hawk Cliff in Dalkey in County Dublin but there has been a mixed reaction to the news. Some of the concerns include the suitability for children and that it may attract anti-social behaviour. It is still be open to people who don’t wish to go naked, the signs tells others not to be alarmed if they do see nudists. “So for someone reading that, if for any reason they are in fear or distress, at least they will have notification that there may be nude bathers. We have always used the term ‘clothing optional’. “We simply want to go there, lie in the sun, get in the water, have a swim . . . but we don’t want to wear anything, that’s all,” said Pat Gallagher from the Irish Naturist Society.

▶ Dutch aerospace firm Pal-V announced its new Liberty flying car. The car has a 200-horsepower engine that can reach speeds of 160k/ph in 9 seconds and a maximum flying speed of 180k/ph. The “Word’s first” commercial flying car that can convert from drive to flight mode in just 10 minutes. The model can fly 500km continuously without stopping for fuel – meaning it can travel from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, or London to Newcastle nonstop. It has also a driving range of 1,315 km and already certified to fly and has met standard road-safety requirements.

The PAL-V Pioneer model is now available at the market, retailing for $499,000. The vehicle will be cheaper to own and operate than a standard helicopter, while also being able to operate as a car.

SERBIA

WHEN MYKONOS COMES TO BELGRADE ▶ Belgrade has been enriched with yet another hedonistic oasis - The Twenty Two Restaurant and Bar situated on the tenth floor of the Metropol Palace Hotel.

The Twenty Two Restaurant and Bar brings flavours from the wellknown Interni restaurant on the Greek island of Mykonos. The chef de cuisine Thanos Kakaras prepares the splendour of international cuisine, with the special allure of ingredients form our own region.

AUSTRALIA

GIANT DAPHNE DUCK FOUND AFTER GOING MISSING ▶ A giant inflatable duck that blew into the Indian Ocean has been found a week after going missing. The duck was last seen during the early hours of March at Coogee Beach in Perth, Australia, hours before she was set to be used as a turning point during a local swimming competition.

Despite reported sightings hundreds of miles away, Daphne the duck was found just off Rottnest Island, west of Perth.

A major search was launched after the inflatable, worth €600, initially went missing. The duck’s owners, Cockburn Masters Swimming Club launched an appeal on Facebook to look out for the inflatable. They offered free passes to next year’s event along with swimming merchandise if she was returned.

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UNITED KINGDOM

CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW ▶ The importance of gardening and growing plants to help tackle some of the biggest issues facing us today will be key themes at this year’s Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show (22nd May – Saturday 26th May).

Celebrating gardens as beautiful havens to escape and enjoy, the designs demonstrate how they can bring a sense of normality to fractured lives and also how they can help tackle major environmental issues.

Held at Chelsea since 1912, it is the most famous flower show in the United Kingdom, and definitely the world The design will highlights how gardening, or simply being in a garden or green space, can make you feel happier and healthier. There is increasing evidence on the positive impact that gardens and gardening can have on our health and promoting this important message is a key element of this garden.

PORTUGAL

WORLD’ PRICIEST CHOCOLATE ▶ The world’s most expensive chocolate became on display at a chocolate fair in Obidos in Portugal. The diamond-shaped chocolate covered with edible gold is priced €7,728 It has a filling of saffron threads, white truffle, vanilla from Madagascar and gold FLORIDA

flakes. It is also covered with a crown-shaped box decorated with 5,500 Swarovksi crystals and also carries personalized pincers. Guarded by two uniformed men, the declared world’s priciest chocolate is a part of a limited edition of 1,000 bonbons.

Portuguese cholitier Daniel Gomes is the creator of the Guinness Book of Records certified world’s most expensive chocolate.

VA N C O U V E R

'I'M NOT RUDE, I'M JUST FRENCH' ▶ Guillaume Rey, who worked at a Vancouver restaurant was sacked from his job at a restaurant for “aggressive” behaviour, but he insisting his approach to the job was simply down to him being French.

He said he carried out his duties

TURKEY

TURKISH CHEFS COOK UP THE WORLDS BIGGEST BAKLAVA

BOY CLAPS 1,080 TIMES IN 1 MINUTE ▶ A Florida 9-year-old Seven Wade applauded his way into the Guinness Book of World Records by clapping his hands 1,080 times in one minute.

He became interested in the hand-clapping record after seeing the previous record holder, Eli Bishop, on the record-keeping organization’s YouTube channel.

Wade said he studied the former recordholder’s technique until he was able to best his record of 1,020 claps in one minute.

“My son started a practice regimen that saw him setting time aside for clapping several times a day,” said Wade’s father Chikako

▶ A group of chefs in Turkey claimed a world record for the largest baklava with a giant tray of the pastry dessert weighing over half a tonne, presented at a “Gastronomy Summit” in Ankara. Mehmet Kanbur, who led the group of 14 chefs and is also the head of Turkey’s Mado patisserie chain, said the baklava weighed 518 kilos - more than doubling the previous record - and had been in the works for six months.

The feat was confirmed by a Guinness World Records official who monitored the event by video link, state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Baklava, whose origin is disputed between Turkey and Greece, is prepared with fresh pistachios or walnuts and a glistening honey glaze on top of the puffed pastry.

at the eatery with an “honest and professional personality”, and disputed a claim he violated its code of conduct by acting aggressively towards his colleagues.

Mr Rey said he had garnered “great feedback from guests” and had been praised for being “very friendly and professional with his tables”. But the restaurant, owned

by Cara Operations, accused Mr Rey of persisting with his allegedly unacceptable behaviour despite receiving verbal and written performance reviews.

British Columbia’s Human Rights Tribunal has granted the waiter a hearing to make his case, having denied an application by his former bosses to have the complaint thrown out.

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FASHION

SPRING/SUMMER 2018 FASHION TRENDS

TRENDS YOU NEED TO The spring/summer 2018 fashion trends are nothing if not bright, bold and really quite beautiful. In fact, it was a show season full of actual fashion moments

A new season is here signaling that the time has come to take stock of the forthcoming trends and start plotting your wardrobe for the coming season.

But, instead of investing in high-summer items that will be relegated to the back of your closet for weeks, if not months, consider key items you can incorporate into your look right now.

Here, we take a look at the spring/summer 2018 trends you can wear now to really get ahead in the style stakes.

Union Crossbody Inspired by 70’s street style, the Union crossbody is signature circle bag crafted in Hobo hides with thin, boho-tinged tassels at each side.

Price: €160

Dodo Bar Or This swingy beach dress features playful tassel accents and looped fringe trim, finished with a front tie closure.

Price: €321,53

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Polo Ralph Lauren - Linen Eyelet Maxidress Lace-trimmed V-neck.

V-back with a lace-up placket and self-ties.

Concealed left-side-seam zipper with a hook-and-eye closure.

Price: €565

TRY IN 2018

Boho Fitzroy Round Sunglasses Essential round sunglasses from Mr. Boho updated with a modern metal bridge.

Crafted in Italy and comes complete with a protective carrying case.

Price: €72

Alexander McQueen - Crowned Skull Print Scarf Crafted from a fine silk and modal blend, the Italian-made piece is printed with crowned skulls and florals.

Price: €270

Eyelet Cotton Poplin Shirt Straight fit. Intended to hit below the hip and long sleeves with buttoned barrel cuffs.

Price: €160

Maison Michel - Andre Felt Fedora Hat Handcrafted in France, Maison Michel's luxurious hat designs lend a statement and stylish finish to sunny day looks.

Price: €480

Sienna Flat Slide Perfect for easing into the spring season. Worn with nearly every look, from loungewear to evening dresses.

Price: €240

Striped Silk Button-Down Shirt Long sleeves with buttoned barrel cuffs, band collar with buttoned placket.

Price: €200

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CULTURE CALENDAR

Belgrade Tango Encuentro

100th performance of ‘Zona Zamfirova’

1-7 – Belgrade Fair

23 - Terazije Theatre

One of the biggest European tango festivals – six nights and days, best contemporary tango artists and nearly 1000 tangueros from 50 countries on the dance floor.

Each evening of BTE, there will be a new opportunity to enjoy stunning performances of the world class tango artists.

Programme: belgradetangoencuentro.com

known as the Poet of the piano – Frederic Chopin. This music festival presents work of the great composer and the influence of his music on younger generation of composers.

Programme: belgradechopinfest.com

The premiere of the musical ‘Zona Zamfirova’ directed by well-known Serbian director Kokan Mladenović was premiered in November 2012. Since then, this musical has been seen by more than 43,000 viewers, and for years it has been one of the most viewed musicals. At the Sterija theatre’s festival in 2013, ‘Zona Zamfirova’ was the absolute winner with seven awards, and the same year at the Komedija Festival in Jagodina the musical won eight awards.

Music beyond the boundaries of time 14 - Kolarac - 20.00

BELDOCS 7-14 – various Belgrade locations

Queen Margot 4 – National Theatre Belgrade – 19.30

Ballet based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas, “Queen Margo”, for which Goran Bregović wrote the music, is on the Belgrade’s National Theatre repertoire on Friday, 4th May. Our recommendation to those interested in this classic to hurry, because tickets are selling out fast.

Belgrade Chopin Fest 7-13 – various Belgrade locations Belgrade Chopin Fest is an international cultural and educational event which popularizes classical music, and presents to the public one of the greatest composers in the history of music

The upcoming 11th edition of the international documentary film festival BELDOCS will be officially opened on May 7 at 7.30 pm in the Grand Hall of the Sava Centre, with the premiers of two new domestic documentary films “Slatko od Ništa” and “Poslednja avantura Kaktus Bate”.

During all the years of BELDOCS, the festival organisers made a lot of effort to improve the level of festivals competitiveness and to bring domestic documentaries closer to world standards.

Program: beldocs.rs

13th Belgrade International Architecture Week 10-31 – RTS Gallery Belgrade International Architectural Week 2018 – from Communis to Communication. The theme of the 13th BINA Festival is dedicated to the communication in architecture, through architecture and to spreading of the ideas about

300 performance of ‘Cigani Lete u Nebo’ th

26 - Terazije Theatre The musical ‘Cigani Lete u Nebo’ premiered in 2004, and since then, this show saw more than 200,000 people at the Terazije Theatre and numerous guest appearances.

Actors in this story of freedom and forbidden love between the horse thief and the beautiful Gypsy, actors Ivan Bosiljčić and Milena Vasić became the audience’s favourite couple.

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urban space. Communis means “common, community and sharing” and communicare “to do something in common”. Architecture and architects representing the public interest, improving communities and communicativeness stimulate the development of space, social processes and cities.

Programme: bina.rs

Balkanopolis 11 – Serbian National Theatre, Novi Sad – 20.00 On May 11th, at the Serbian National Theater in Novi Sad, Slobodan Trkulja a multi-instrumen-

You are invited to a concert dedicated to the works of Johan Sebastian Bach, performed by the “Saint George Royal Chamber Orchestra” with soloists: Konstantin Bogino (piano), Borislav Nestorov (piano), Mihail Rapaport (violin) and Lav Bogino (violin). The concert will be held on May 14 at the Great Hall of the Ilija M. Kolarac Foundation.

Spanish Meter Film Festival 16-30 talist that the world music critics claim to be a national treasure, and his band Balkanopolis will hold a concert named “Balkanopolis 2.0”.

The show is continued celebration of the bands 20th anniversary. The audience will enjoy the energetic atmosphere created by the Balkanopolis music.

Since the founding of Spanish Meter in 2008, the festival is introducing audience with cinematography from Spain, Peru, Argentina, Venezuela and Mexico. The most current film stories coming from Belgrade and Novi Sad year after year and then to other cities in Serbia.

Bravely stepping into it’s the second decade of existence, the festival became an ‘a must’ for fans of the Hispanic culture. This year festival brings three film programs to be held at the three different venues with an enviable film reputation Cultural Center of Belgrade, Museum of Yugoslav Cinematheque and Belgrade Youth Center.

Programme: spanskimetar.rs

Cinéclub 9 – Institut français – 18.00 Cinéclub invites you to the French Institute this spring, with an array new films. Film gatherings are held from 6pm to 8pm, in the mediateque.

Screenings are free of charge and are led by a

French Institute professor, with whom guests will be able to share impressions of the film whilst also practising their language skills.

May screening will be held on 9th May: Le Joli Mai, Chris Marker & Pierre L’homme, 1962.

15th Museum Night 19 – various locations throughout Serbia Fifteenth Museum Night this year will be held on Saturday 19 May in more than forty cities throughout Serbia.

Every Monday from 17:00 to one hour after midnight, museums, galleries and numerous cultural institutions will open their doors in

another May evening that smells of culture, art and curious minds.

Under the program theme “Victories and Winners”, the Night of the Museum will take visitors on a journey through numerous stories that illuminate the glorious pages of Serbian history, the anniversary of the victory in World War I, and countless other successes in life, art, enlightenment, culture and science.

Programme: nocmuzeja.rs

Barcelona Gipsy Balkan Orchestra 22 - Sava Centre – 21.00 The Barcelona Gipsy Balkan Orchestra (BGKO) is an international formation which has stirred

great interest in Barcelona and various other European countries through its memorable performances. BGKO interprets traditional music of the Balkans, as well as Gypsy and Jewish music of Eastern Europe, with an original approach and great passion, while constantly exploring their roots.

The BGKO’s contemporary, unique and particular sound stems from its tireless and passionate exploration of the timbers and flavours of klezmer and Romany traditions and Balkan music. Balkan music, perceived as a set of musical traditions and a multi-ethnic culture, goes beyond its geographical borders and is moreover nurtured by all those historical traditions that coexisted in this land throughout the centuries: Askenazi, Jewish and Sefardi, Gypsies, Ottomans, Arabs etc.

RECOMMENDS

HIDDEN FRIDA KAHLO: LOST, DESTROYED OR LITTLE KNOWN WORKS Helga Prignitz-Poda 6599rsd

In this fascinating look at over 180 “hidden” images Helga PrignitzPoda, one of the world’s leading authorities on the Mexican artist, pulls back the curtain on masterpieces that rarely, if ever, see the inside of an exhibition or gallery. Illustrated with stunning reproductions of works that Prignitz- Poda has discovered over the course of her career, this book helps expand our knowledge and understanding of this hugely popular artist. Arranged chronologically, the works include those Kahlo completed in her youth, works from her travels to America, paintings she made as an instructor in Mexico City, and a number of still-lifes from the last phase of her career.

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28 MAR

Bilateral Chambers Strengthen Business Links A Speed Business Meeting was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belgrade, attended by over 60 companies, members of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (AHK Serbia), the Canadian-Serbian Business Association (CANSEE) and the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (SSCC). The goal of the meeting is direct acquaintance and enhancement of cooperation between the member companies of the three business communities.

All the representatives of participating companies were given the opportunity to present themselves to a potential business partner, exchange information and establish communication for future cooperation in a ten-minute conversation, one-on-one technique. After the official work, a cocktail was held, during which the participants continued their business dialogue in a pleasant atmosphere.

29 MAR

EuroCons Group, JBAS And AHK Seminar Held

04 APR

DORIS DANILOVIĆ, MIRJANA DONCIC BEATON, ANA GRUJOVIĆ

Australian Embassy Welcomes Sydney Dance Company

Embassy of Australia headed by Ambassador Julian Fenney hosted a cocktail reception in honour of the Sydney Dance company’s performance at the closing of the 15th Belgrade Dance Festival.

The event was held at the Sava Centre before the dance company’s performance and a day after their triumphant performance at the Serbian National Theatre in Novi Sad. Members of the diplomatic community and friends of the Embassy attended the eent.

DANIJELA ČABARKAPA, JBAS Executive Director

EuroCons Group, in cooperation with the Japan Business Alliance in Serbia and the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, held a seminar on “Significant Newspapers in Air Filtration, Impact on Health and Energy Efficiency”.

The seminar was an excellent opportunity for members of JBAS and AHK, as well as partners, to inform about the latest information on the ISO 16890 standard that will be globally implemented from June 2018, as well as on the impact of the proper selection of air filters for human health and energy efficiency.

The participants had the opportunity to ask questions to lecturers, to get useful advice and guidance on their specific company needs and the challenges they face in their work.

10 APR

French-Serbian Chamber Of Commerce General Assembly 2018

The French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (CCFS) held its annual General Assembly, where members unanimously adopted a yearly activity report and financial report for the past year, as well as a budget and action plan for 2018.

The Assembly voted eight new members of the Board of Directors of the Chamber.

Five members have extended their mandates for the next two years, namely: Carlos de Cordoue (Credit Agricole), Milan Lukić (Saint Gobain), Ana Marić (Marić-Mališić-Dostanić), Emmanuel Koenig (PricewaterhouseCoopers) and Olivier Si Tahar (Holiday Inn Express).

They will be joined by Milan Jelić (Lesaffre), Jerome Lautier (MK Resort), Philippe Thiel (Suez).

President of the CCFS Dragoljub Damljanović and general manager Sanja Ivanić presented activities, reports and planned budget for the current year. The members of the Chamber addressed the Head of the Economic Department of the French Embassy in Serbia, Jean-Pierre Gastaud, speaking about the French investments in Serbia, the arrival of new companies, and announced the business forum France-Balkans, to be held in Belgrade from May 31 to June 1.

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Ambassador JULIA FEENEY and GLENN MORRISON, Australian Deputy Ambassador with the Sidney Dance company members

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JEAN-PIERRE GASTAUD, DRAGOLJUB DAMLJANOVIĆ, SANJA IVANIĆ

12 APR

Ambassador Niegodzisz Opened An Exhibition Of Polish Artists

Polish Ambassador H.E. Tomasz Niegodzisz, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade Dimitrije Pečić, Director of Mariusz Kazan Foundation Barbara Kazan and Professor of Fine Arts Agnieszka Cieślińska opened an exhibition of graphic works by Polish artists entitled “Wilanów Genius Loci” and “Homobotanicus” at the Belgrade Gallery ‘FLU’.

The opening was attended by representatives of Serbian scientific and artistic circles, diplomatic corps accredited in Serbia, as well as members of the Polish diaspora.

12 APR

Contemporary Serbian Art At The Norwegian Residency

The Ambassador of Norway H.E. Arne Sannes Bjørnstad and Mrs Hager Jemli Bjørnstad graciously hosted the event entitled “Introduction to Contemporary Art in Serbia today” at the ambassadorial residence.

Ambassador Bjørnstad and his spouse Mrs Hager Bjørnstad welcomed guests at the event dedicated to Serbian art. Mrs Bjørnstad said in her opinion art scene in Serbia today is rich, dynamic and pulsing.

Numerous members of the diplomatic corps attended the event.

Ambassador BJØRNSTAD and Mrs HAGER JEMLI BJØRNSTAD (centre)

AMBASSADOR TOMASZ NIEGODZISZ (left)

12 APR

Future Of Serbia: Integrated Permits Program For Farms And Industries

Sweden continues to support the implementation of the Integrated IPPC Permit Program, which implies that an integrated license for the work of farms and industries in Serbia and the export of their products to the EU market is issued by fulfilled standards applicable to the European Union.

In the Chamber of ComMinister TRIVAN with Ambassador LUNDIN merce of Serbia, the project “Implementation of the Industrial Emissions Directive in Serbia” was presented, a continuation of the project that Sweden already supported. The second phase will last until 2020.

“Economy is the largest environmental pollutant, but also the largest investor in the environment. The benefits of this project are great, as domestic industry and enterprises have to adapt to the standards already in force in the European Union, especially in negotiating for chapter 27, “said Minister of Environmental Protection Goran Trivan.

“Sweden and the European Union are ready to share with Serbia the burden of fulfilling the requirements and implementation of Chapter 27 because it is not just a burden, it is also a potential. It is in European interest and will open a new page in the development of the Serbian economy. In addition to these investments, the Serbian economy will consume less energy and chemicals, it will develop and be more competitive, “ said Swedish Ambassador H.E. Jan Lundin.

16 APR

Danish Business Club And Nordic Business Alliance Members Gathering

Ambassador of Denmark Anders Christian Hougård hosted a gathering of members of the Denmark Business Club and the Nordic Business Alliance (NBA).

H.E. Hougård expressed said he is pleased that the number of Danish companies interested in doing business with Serbia is increasing.

Founded two years ago, the Dan- Ambassador HOUGÅRD, NBA ish Business Club currently has 23 President JASMINA VIGNJEVIĆ, NBA Excutive Director ANDREJA PAVLOVIĆ members.

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17 APR

The EU General Data Protection Regulation Conference

17 APR

Two-day International Conference “The EU General Data Protection Regulation”, held on April 17-18, in Belgrade, organised by the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection with the support of The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Belgrade.

At the conference, it was stated that The General Data Protection Regulation – GDPR, which enters into application in the EU Member States on the 25th of May, provides, above all, an individual greater control over the data that is being processed about an individual.

The Conference was opened by the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection, Rodoljub Šabić, who said that the General Regulation represents a long-awaited response to an ever-increasing privacy interference trend. This document raises the standard of personal data protection that Serbia is trying to achieve.

CCFS General Manager SANJA IVANIĆ with President of the CCFS DRAGOLJUB DAMLJANOVIĆ

17 APR

Ambassador BJØRNSTAD, RODOLJUB ŠABIĆ, Ambassador ORIZI

18 APR

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Croatian Chamber Of Commerce Opens Office In Belgrade

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French-Serbian Chamber Of Commerce Annual Gala Event

The French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (CCFS) held its annual Gala evening, attended by over 150 members of the diplomatic corps, distinguished businesspeople and members of the Chamber.

Chamber’s Grand Prix awards were awarded for best projects and campaigns realised during the last year. Winners are companies Mlekoprodukt, Total and Adria Media Group.

During the event, it was announced that CCFS is forming a regional network “Team France Balkans” aimed to support French companies operating in the Balkans. Ambassador of France to Serbia H.E. Frédéric Mondoloni addressed guests and confirmed France’s increased interest in the Balkans, especially Serbia.

Canada Encourages Serbia To Continue Reforms

Ambassador of Canada to Serbia H.E. Kati Csaba was a guest speaker at the event organised by the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCBP) on the topic of Canada’s foreign policy goals and principles concerning global security.

The Ambassador said on this occasion that Canada is again active in the international arena, promoting through multilateral institutions values such as respect for human rights, including the rights of women and girls, democracy, respect for diversity and the principle of inclusion. She also stated that Canada strongly supports Serbia’s aspirations towards EU membership and encourages continuation of democratic reforms.

She emphasised that Canada is also very engaged in further development of trade relations with Serbia and increasing investments, assessing that there is a “solid base” in that area and that Canada is trying to find ways to improve trade engagement.

The Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK) once again opened its office in Belgrade after five years.

President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce Marko Čadež and President of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce Luka Burilović jointly stated that the economy should be above the politics and that the opening of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce in Belgrade marks a significant milestone for economic cooperation between the two countries.

“Serbian products are increasingly finding their place on the Croatian market, and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce remains a great partner to the Croatian Chamber of Commerce”, said Čadež.

There are about 200 Croatian companies operating in Serbia that employ 14,000 people, and with more than 750 million euros worth of investments, Serbia is the fourth most important country for Croatian investors. Burilović said that the two countries’ economies would continue to look into the future and to further work on improving already good economic relations.

President of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce in Serbia, Pero Mijakić, said that the opening of the HGK in Belgrade would enable better communication between the businessmen of the two countries.

President of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce LUKA BURILOVIĆ

MARKO ČADEŽ AND LUKA BURILOVIĆ

19 APR

Finnish Film Week

AMBASSADOR PERTTI IKONEN

19 APR

The Fifth Finnish Film Week, organised by the Embassy of Finland, the Finnish Film Fund and the Cultural Center Belgrade, took place from April 19 to 23 in the Hall of the Cultural Center Belgrade.

Ambassador H.E. Pertti Ikonen hosted a cocktail for friends of Finnish film and officially opened Finnish Film Week, screening the documentary “Little Wings” directed by Selma Vilhunen, winner of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Film Prize in 2017.

The Festival selector, director Bojan Vuletić, has selected nine Finnish feature films and documentaries.

The audience also had the opportunity to meet both directors and producers from Finland, as well as Jaana Puskala, head of the International Department of the Finnish Film Fund.

The First SPK’s Digitalization Sector Meeting

20 APR

Competition Day

The Slovenian Business Club (SPK) held a meeting of its newly established Digitalisation sector. The topic of the meeting was the key challenges of industrial digitalisation.

SPK President Danijela Fišakov and Branka Pudrlja Durbaba, Senior Sales Director and Vip Mobile Customer Service and the President of the SPK’s Digitalisation sector addressed guests.

Ambassador JUNICHI MARUYAMA and MILOJE OBRADOVIĆ

DANIJELA FIŠAKOV (right) and BRANKA PUDRLJA DURBABA

19 APR

Beginning Of The New Swiss Cooperation Strategy With Serbia Marked

Education, economic development, energy and local government reform are vital areas in which Switzerland will assist Serbia by 2021, in line with the new Cooperation Strategy with Serbia, which is being presented.

Ursula Läubli, Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office Serbia and Counsellor at the Embassy Of Switzerland, said the new strategy is a continuation of the fruitful cooperation between the two countries Swiss Ambassador PHILIPPE and that the areas to which it corGUEX and URSULA LÄUBLI responds coincide with the priorities of the Serbian government in the context of European integration. As she pointed out, Switzerland will invest in development projects in the south and southwestern Serbia in the upcoming period.

Swiss cooperation with Serbia focuses on supporting local government, economic development, job creation, as well as sustainable energy management and urban development.

Ambassador JUNICHI MARUYAMA and Ambassador FABRIZI

On the occasion of the Competition Day, the Commission for Protection of Competition organised the international conference on New Competition Agenda.

This year’s Honorable Guest of the conference was Japan.

The conference was opened with keynote addresses presented by President of the Commission for Protection of Competition Dr Miloje Obradović, Rasim Ljajić, Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications, Nikola Selaković, Secretary General of the President of the Republic of Serbia, H.E. Sem Fabrizi, Head of Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia, and H.E. Junichi Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan to Serbia.

Branko Ružić, Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Goran Pekez, President of the Japanese Business Alliance (JBAS), Danijela Čabarkapa, JBAS Executive Director, Ambassador of Mexico to Serbia H.E. Marco Antonio García Blanco, Lambis Kounalakis, Economic Attache of the Greek Embassy in Belgrade were also in attendance at the conference.

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20 APR

Days of Algerian Culture in Belgrade

AMBASSADOR CHEBCHOUB addressing guests

21 APR

Serbian Ministry of Culture and Information and the Embassy of Algeria from 20 to 26 April, jointly organised the manifestation ‘Days of Algerian Culture in Serbia’.

The program of this event included concerts of the classical music of Andalusian music, projections of Algerian films, an exhibition of the contemporary Algerian painters.

In addition to Belgrade, some events were also held in Sombor and Požarevac.

Ambassador Algeria H.E. Abdelhamid Chebchoub officially opened the Days of the Algerian Culture.

Romanian Spring Bazaar

24 APR

Greek Days in Belgrade

For the second year in a row, the Greek Embassy organised a festival celebrating Greek culture “Greek Days in Belgrade”. The event was held from 19th to 29th April, under the auspices of the Belgrade City Assembly.

The ten-day festival included concerts, film screenings, literary evenings, exhibitions, sports and gastronomic events.

Greek Ambassador H.E. Elias Eliadis attended the screenings of the documentary film Dolphin Man (2017), directed by Lefteris Charitos, who addressed the audience at the Belgrade Cultural Center.

Ambassador OANA-CRISTINA POPA with the Bazaar exhibitors

The Embassy of Romania headed by Ambassador H.E. Oana-Cristina Popa hosted the Spring Bazaar at the ambassadorial premises.

The Spring Bazaar featured arts and crafts from the Romanian community in Serbia, a presentation of traditions and exhibitions of local products, painted eggs, wine and cake tasting.

Among the numerous guests were members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the Romanian national minority and friends of the embassy.

Ambassador ELIADIS with LEFTERIS CHARITOS

RITA LOZINSKY and LAMBIS KOUNALAKIS

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