CorD Magazine, May 2020, no. 187

H.E. TARZAN MILOŠEVIĆ

GORAN TRIVAN

The Level Of Bilateral Cooperation Must Be Raised

We Talk Loudly About All Environmental Issues

Film and theatre director, screenwriter, writer and playwright

Successes Corrupt, Failures Fortify

MAY 2020/ ISSUE NO. 187

www.cordmagazine.com

Ambassador of Montenegro to Serbia

GORAN MARKOVIĆ

Serbian Minister of Environmental Protection

interviews opinions news comments events COMMENT

Four

Pillars FOCUS

WINNER CERTAIN, CONSEQUENCES UNCERTAIN

Exclusive

HIS EMINENCE BISHOP IGNJATIJE

783002 771451 9

From Individual Beings To Beings Of Community

ISSN1451-7833

OF POŽAREVAC-BRANIČEVO AND SMEDEREVO

CONTENTS

COMMENT

ZORAN PANOVIĆ

FOUR PILLARS In a paradoxical way, Aleksandar Vučić is also a proponent of the ‘four pillars’ policy (EU, U.S., Russia, China) in the foreign policy that was formulated by Boris Tadić during is tenure as president of Serbia

08 FROM INDIVIDUAL BEINGS TO BEINGS OF COMMUNITY

HIS EMINENCE BISHOP IGNJATIJE of Požarevac-Braničevo and Smederevo

UNCERTAIN

FOCUS: Covid-19 impact on the outcome of parliamentary and local elections in Serbia

24 CHANCELLOR’S SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND COULD SAVE GERMANY

44 BREAKING BARRIERS BETWEEN INSIDE & OUTSIDE GEOFFREY BAWA Architect

ANGELA MERKEL

27 BUSIENSS DIALOGUE 14 THE LEVEL OF BILATERAL COOPERATION MUST BE RAISED

40 HOW ONE IDEA COULD MAKE BILLIONS GEORGE LUCAS Artist

48 FACES & PLACES 51 GREEN SERBIA 2020

H.E. TARZAN MILOŠEVIĆ Ambassador of Montenegro to Serbia

75 CULTURE IS NOT A LUXURY UNESCO

76 SUCCESSES CORRUPT, FAILURES FORTIFY

@CORD_MAGAZINE

@CORDMAGAZINE

CORD MAGAZINE

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Ana Novčić a.novcic@aim.rs DESIGN: Jasmina Laković j.lakovic@aim.rs CONTRIBUTORS: Rob Dugdale, Maja Vukadinović,

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18 GLOBAL DIARY 20 WINNER CERTAIN, CONSEQUENCES

Mirjana Jovanović, Miša Brkić, Ljubica Gojgić Radmila Stanković, Steve MacKenzie, Zorica Todorović Mirković, Sonja Ćirić, Miloš Belčević EDITORIAL MANAGER: Neda Lukić n.lukic@aim.rs PHOTOS: Zoran Petrović COPY EDITOR: Mark Pullen

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43 WE WOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW TO THE WORLD

PROFESSOR DR. ALEKSANDAR JERKOV CEO of the University Library “Svetozar Marković”

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GORAN MARKOVIĆ Film and theatre director, screenwriter, writer and playwright

80 HIKING SAFELY IN THE AGE OF COVID-19 FASHION

82 CULTURE CALENDAR Phone: +(381 11) 2450 508 Fax: +(381 11) 2450 122 E-mail: office@aim.rs office@cordmagazine.com www.cordmagazine.com www.aim.rs ISSN no: 1451-7833 All rights reserved alliance international media 2020

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Comment

Four

Pillars

BY ZORAN PANOVIĆ

V

učić Merkelised his foreign policy, which was only relatable with the Trump administration’s more pragmatic approach to the Kosovo crisis.

The Corona situation further emphasised China from the ‘four pillars’. And to that extent the untwisted consternation of EU officials. And so did EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell.

With emotional outbursts towards Russia and China, Vučić also gave an outlet and relapses into the policies of Milošević and Šešelj, so those nostalgic of resistance to NATO and the West no longer feel so psychologically impaired. It would be a real sensation for the EU, without the United States, to embark on a new agreement or the reviving of the old treaty (of Brussels) on the topic of Kosovo. The legacy of Richard Holbrooke is strong. And ordinary people in this part of the region doubt that the job can be done without the Americans. And without any cynicism – would be best under quarantine (which the negotiations in Dayton were).

With further Serbian hope that ‘Holbrooking’ now relates more to Priština, even when the twisting of arms is carried out by the ‘new Holbrooke’ - Richard Grenell – who is reminiscent of the ‘liquid metal’ terminator, or actor Robert Patrick, who played the new terminator model in Terminator 2. When the first case of a Corona infection emerged in Serbia (6th March), Ambassador Godfrey and Minister Dačić promised even better cooperation at a gathering dedicated to Serbian-American

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In a paradoxical way, Aleksandar Vučić is also a proponent of the ‘four pillars’ policy (EU, U.S., Russia, China) in the foreign policy that was formulated by Boris Tadić during is tenure as president of Serbia friendship, but Covid-19 caused Kosovo to fall markedly on the list of U.S. priorities.

If Biden were to defeat Trump on the topic of Corona, it’s not hard to imagine the streets of Priština filled with exalted people, beeping their car horns and waving flags of Albania, Kosovo and America. Just as it is not difficult to imagine rows of Serbian and American flags if, by any chance, Trump were to fly into Belgrade. It would be most desirable for the deal that the Americans make to receive the approval of the Russians. Like Dayton, but also extremely importantly like 5th October – the day of the overthrow of the Milošević regime.

The international ‘battle for the soul of Serbia’,

The international ‘battle for the soul of Serbia’, apart from the growth of provincial arrogance here, nonetheless gives a certain uniqueness to the foreign policy of a country that’s formally on the path to joining the EU, whose attackers are so sweetly rejoicing in the dysfunctionality of this community manifested in the Corona crisis

apart from the growth of provincial arrogance here, nonetheless gives a certain uniqueness to the foreign policy of a country that’s formally on the path to joining the EU, whose attackers are so sweetly rejoicing in the dysfunctionality of this community manifested in the Corona crisis. A little optimism in EU integration is also introduced by the cynical remark that Serbia is already some kind of associate member of the Visegrád Group, and that Vučić’s hypothetical proposal to Orbán to create a confederation would be much less extravagantly bizarre than that old one of Milošević to Mitsotakis for Serbia and Greece to do that.

Borrell proposed that Miroslav Lajčák reconcile Belgrade and Priština, and Brussels approved that. The Lajčák paradox is reflected in the fact that this Slovak diplomat is seen in Belgrade as a friend, but that he, as a representative of Brussels (and therefore Germany), opposes the partition of Kosovo, or that which Vučić and Thaçi would agree to with the blessing of America.

Vučić’s foreign policy will continue to offset his internal shortcomings. Primarily those democratic-media and institutional, which the EU will remind him of mostly ritually. Just as Vučić will not miss the opportunity to also ritually emphasise that Serbia is on the path to Europe. A real or contrived ‘reputation in the world’ is an important part of maintaining ratings, and sometimes ‘Brother Si’ does even better than Putin. Let alone better than confused European leaders.

Interview Exclusive His Eminence Bishop

IGNJATIJE

OF POŽAREVAC-BRANIČEVO AND SMEDEREVO

“It is clear that the Church needs to take strides forward and innovate at all times, but it is also clear that not every innovation in the Church is in the spirit of the Church,” says His Eminence Bishop Ignjatije of Požarevac-Braničevo and Smederevo in this interview with CorD magazine, in response to the question of the extent to which the church should be open to modernisation in the 21st century. The bishop refutes the widespread thesis regarding the unwillingness of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) to engage in ecumenical dialogue and points to the existence of an official Mixed Commission for dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, with the aim of achieving unity between the two churches. However, as he says, conditions have not yet been met for Pope Francis to visit Serbia. In his recent Easter epistle, Serbian Patriarch Irinej urged believers to reflect

From Individual Beings To

Beings Of Community We must realise that we cannot exist alone and that others, no matter how different they may be in many life situations, are the source of our existence. This is also demonstrated by this pandemic, which is beginning to unite people and nations in the fight against it. So, whether the world will draw lessons from this pandemic, in order to change the way of life, depends largely on those who teach and educate future generations,“ Bishop Ignjatije of Braničevo 8

May

DISCOVERIES

The whole of history, and particularly the events of the last two centuries, are related to scientific discoveries, for which huge sums of money are allocated on the basis of the excuse that they serve to improve living conditions

on themselves and the entire world that has been thrown to its feet by the coronavirus.

How did you interpret his words, “Calm down, proud-spirited man”?

The words you cited from this year’s Easter Epistle of the Patriarch, “Calm down, proud-spirited man”, belong to noted 19th-century Russian writer F. Dostoevsky. These words were addressed by Dostoevsky primarily to Western European man, but they also refer to contemporary generations around the world. They are directed as a response to the reaction and behaviour of that man in accordance with the principles of that time that were established by the Age of Enlightenment, and those were that human logic and human reason are an absolute measure of truth, and even of existence.

Everything that does not fit into human logic does not exist (we recall Descartes and his phrase Cogito, ergo sum).

Such an orientation of man, that his reason is a measure of existence and truth, in conjunction with Newton’s understanding of nature as a machine that acts and functions in accordance with the laws of causality that govern it, inspired the development of science and technology that’s the result of a logical analysis of the nature that surrounds us. This, in turn, has resulted in major breakthroughs in the field of science, above all technically, and today also in technology. We need only recall the great modern inventions of the 18th and 19th centuries, such as the lightning rod, steam engine, motor vehicle, telegraph, telephone, aeroplane etc. Modern technology, as the name itself implies, is nothing but human logic transposed into technology (we are yet to see the devastating consequences of the development of technology and its application to life; here I mean, among other things, medicine, and thanks to technology, its implications for the human being, i.e. its genetics. What we see now is just that, that human life has become unthinkable without technology. He who does not develop technology or, God forbid, speaks out against it and distances himself from

THESIS

I am the first to advocate the thesis that the Church is not a museum exhibit that should be kept and admired as something that existed in the past. Nor is theology a repetition of what the Holy Fathers once said

it, is doomed to annihilation! At the same time, thanks to technology, most people have turned the real world into a virtual one and they live within that world.)

All of this has led to deep changes, both to social life as a whole, and to man as a single person. Under the influence of these discoveries and their application in life, modern man has got the impression that he is the absolute master of life and death. He saw himself as a god and thought that there was no other God besides

Modern man has forgotten that he cannot exist without the other and without nature. This has also impacted greatly on the religious life of man; he concluded that, like others, he did not need God. Even if he believes in God, he does so only for his own interest. If there is no usefulness, there is no faith him. Anything that could not be confirmed and justified by human logic was doomed. This relates to religion in particular. It is thus no coincidence that, at this very time, atheism has been emerging as a life philosophy and is preached publicly in society (this was not the case in previous human civilisations).

The vast majority of intellectuals who were contemporaries of Dostoevsky believed, with religious conviction, that, through education and the application of modern discoveries, man would

POLICY

The dividing of Serbs and weakening of their ideological identity depends directly on the smashing of the Church and its unity.

I think that such a policy still continues in Montenegro, as well as in other places

create a “paradise on earth” (we recall only Victor Hugo and others), and would do so very soon, in the subsequent 20th century (hence the saying that is found everywhere in Europe when it comes to something that is bad but is not related to logic: “is this even possible in the HH century?!”). This is the reality of modern life that Dostoevsky had in mind when he uttered the words cited. However, Dostoevsky is among the few intellectuals who prophetically reacted to all that optimism and euphoria of his contemporary Western European man, about the creation of “paradise on earth”without God, solely on the basis of human logic and logical human behaviour, predicting it would have catastrophic ramifications for the world. And his prophecy, unfortunately, came to pass. All these discoveries and achievements of modern man that we’ve talked about, and many others that happened in the meantime, of which man was overly proud, were used in two world wars, and in that very 20th century, for the mass destruction of people and nature. Thus man, who thought he had “removed God” and climbed onto his throne, was humiliated by himself and reduced to an animal and even lower than that. There has been much talk during these months about the Covid-19 pandemic stripping bare all the problems of the modern world, which have emerged as a result of the tendency to create a “false earthly paradise” for individuals, as the patriarch stated. This paradise for individuals often implies an absence of care for the collective, so a strong, high-quality healthcare system for all, for example, is considered a big expense for budgets. How would you respond to the question from the Easter epistle; will the world emerge smarter from the pandemic?

Another important characteristic of our civilisation is that man in Western European civilisation is considered a thinking individual and is sufficient

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Interview Exclusive in and of himself. In order to exist, he does not need another. If one adds to this the propaganda that is widely utilised today in politics, that man is created for enjoyment and will be provided with that by science and technology, other people and the world as a whole is understood by modern

man as objects for research and possible use, i.e. for use that will bring happiness and enjoyment to the individual. Unless they prove to be such, they are not worthy of existing. Hence comes also the relentless exploitation of nature, as well as of other people if they are weaker, for the purposes of one’s own enjoyment. Modern man has forgotten that he cannot exist without the other and without nature.

This has also impacted greatly on the religious life of man; he concluded that, like others, he did not need God. Even if he believes in God, he does so only for his own interest. If there is no usefulness, there is no faith. Of course, he determines on the basis of his own logic what is useful and what is not. The same is true of the healthcare system that you mentioned, and which is most often managed by those who are currently healthy, or who think they are healthy. Since he personally does not need that at the moment, then the cost is set aside for the healthcare system.

The whole of history, and particularly the events of the last two centuries, are related to

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scientific discoveries, for which huge sums of money are allocated on the basis of the excuse that they serve to improve living conditions, and which often turn into devices for torturing and killing another person and entire nations by those that are more powerful than them, as

The modern education system still insists on the development of human logic and man as an individual, according to that maxim of logic: perfect individuals - perfect society. I don’t think that is so. That’s why we need to change the ontology: from being (existing) as an individual, to being as a community with other well as for exploiting (see: destroying) nature.

But even if this were not the case and there

was no misuse of scientific advances, the fact still remains that one cannot escape the vicious circle of death through his own force. Our entire “advanced world”, which includes medicine, and which has advanced so much in recent times, is in fact revolving in the vicious cycle of death: new medicines and devices are created in medicine against many diseases, but new diseases are being created at the same time, and so the circle turns. This has also been demonstrated by the latest Coronavirus pandemic in our time. All of our mighty human knowledge and achievements are simply useless to save us from this tiny, almost invisible organism that sows death. Thus, it is simply impossible for man to secure his life alone without God. Of course, the very belief in God, that he is the only master of life and death, has an eschatological character in Christianity.

That will be shown at the end of history. What remains now when it comes to believing in God is that we cannot live without the help of God, i.e., Other, and to turn this faith into a relationship towards other people and the world. For us to understand that we cannot exist on our own and that the other, however different that other may be in many life situations, is the source of our existence. That is also demonstrated by this pandemic, which is beginning to unite people and nations in the fight against it. So, whether the world will draw lessons from this pandemic, in order to change the way of life, depends largely on those who teach and educate future generations. The modern education system still insists on the development of human logic and man as an individual, according to that maxim of logic: perfect individuals - perfect society. I don’t think that is so. That’s why we need to change the ontology: from being (existing) as an individual, to being as a community with other. There has been a lot of controversy between the SOC and the experts of the Crisis Staff on the fight against the virus, in terms of the way in which it is appropriate for believers to end their multi-week fasting and then also celebrate Easter. At the heart of the controversy was the question of whether faith can be practised outside the church, under the conditions of a state of emergency?

The essence of the Christian faith, especially Orthodoxy, is the Church, i.e. the liturgical

community. Through liturgical assembly and communion, believers declare both their unity with God and their unity with other people and nature. That is why in Orthodoxy no one can serve the Liturgy alone, nor without the gifts of nature, bread and wine. The pattern of this is the Christian God who is the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit – the community of personalities. This community makes God simultaneously the Trinity and the One. Liturgy as a gathering around the first one that serves is indeed the iconic existence of the Holy Trinity.

That is why Christians believe that liturgical unity will bring deliverance from death to the whole world. According to the words of St. Ignatius of Antioch, Liturgy is a “cure for immortality”.

That is why every Liturgy is a celebration of the Resurrection, both of Christ’s and of our future one, and not just of the Resurrection.

However, this unity is eschatological in nature. It will be shown in its full truth on the last day, at the end of history, when the Lord Christ comes again in power and glory. Then the world will become the “Cosmic Liturgy”, as stated by St. Maximus the Confessor, and will be set free from death. Until then, it is an expression of faith, and faith as a liturgical practise. And that is why the Church refers to the importance of the Liturgy and Communion, but it can – for justifiable reasons – bless one’s Holy Communion without that being with attending the Liturgy.

Such is the case with the sick. In these days of the pandemic, there is a real danger that the gathering of the people, even for the Liturgy, could turn into a source of spreading this deadly virus. That is why the Church heeded the word of health workers and advised the people to stay temporarily at home and for the Liturgy to be served by a priest with a maximum of two to three believers. Under these circumstances, the people can pray to God at home, but this cannot permanently replace the Liturgy. The public has for some time now been following with interest the developments within the SOC, which the media have been reporting by suggesting that there is a conflict between church dignitaries. Is there any truth about the divisions within the SOC on various issues, from whether there is a place for more modern worldviews exist in the preaching of religion, through the

autocephalous controversy prompted by the status of the Ukrainian church, to the attitude towards state politics in Kosovo?

The SOC has 45 bishops who participate in the Assembly and make decisions on various issues that relate to faith and life in general.

The problem with the Romanian Orthodox Church is that its actions divides the Church along national lines. However, the Church is above nations.

It contains neither Greeks nor Jews nor Scythians, but rather all are children of God and people of God Their age ranges between 36 and 100. Given that all decisions are preceded by discussions, which may take several days, depending on the complexity of the issue, it is natural that – based on the aforementioned information – there are

differing and conflicting opinions among the bishops. Decisions are made by consensus or by majority vote. All of them are executive and binding on all bishops, regardless of their earlier views that may remain the same. Some bishops may also express their opinions publicly. This

does not mean, however, that there are opposing clans within the SOC who are fighting one another and tearing the Church apart. Your departure from the post of dean of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology was explained by your refusal to remove from the faculty allegedly ineligible professors, at the request of the Synod. How do you expect the SOC to respond to the latest reaction from the rectorate of the Belgrade University, which also includes the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, which expresses concern over the “explicit ban on free speech imposed on a member of the University of Belgrade’s academic community”, Vukašin Milićević, an assistant professor at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology?

In the Church there is an established order that everyone is obliged to respect, regardless of the duties and functions they hold, if – of course – they wish to belong to the Church. This should

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Interview Exclusive not be confused with human rights and various freedoms. Of course, various institutions take care of the preservation of this order, such as the bishops and the episcopal court, the Synod, the Great Church Court, the local Bishops’ Council, as well as the Ecumenical Council. If any member of the Church is accused of disturbing the church order and its unity, he is subject to the judgement of these institutions, which have the final say regarding that.

The Faculty of Theology is an ecclesiastical institution and its work falls under the control of church bodies. It is also part of the composition of the University of Belgrade, and that obliges it to respect the laws that govern the University.

The two sectors should differ, and in accordance with that both the Church and the University should take care of their own domain. Professors and faculty staff must also know this and behave accordingly. If that is the case, and I don’t think there’s any reason for it not to be, then there will be no problem whatsoever.

feat. There are many theologians, but do they all know what the essence of the Church is, as well as what is fundamentally bad in the world in which they live, in order to change that?! For example, most people today, especially youngsters, both those in the Church and those outside the Church, mostly communicate via computers and mobile phones and have no need for live contact.

I wonder how they view liturgical assemblies and Communion, where a completely different kind of communication is realised between people, and which represents the very essence of the Church?

On the other hand, another very delicate problem exists in theology. Can a theologian know theology and gain insight into what is wrong in the society in which he lives, but if he himself is a slave to that way of life, how will he criticise it? He is more likely to justify it, in order justify himself, rather than criticise it. Before the world came to a halt due to the fight against the coronavirus, a battle was being led in Montenegro against the Freedom of Religion Act, which you at the SOC consider as an attempt to take on the SOC and place its property under state control.

Given that talks between representatives of the Eparchy of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral and the Government of Montenegro have begun, do you believe a solution can be found that will satisfy both parties?

Do you consider that the SOC, without some of the steps advocated by younger professors of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, can adequately communicate with younger believers of the so-called digital era, which largely shapes their relationship to the world?

I am the first to advocate the thesis that the Church is not a museum exhibit that should be kept and admired as something that existed in the past.

Nor is theology a repetition of what the Holy Fathers once said. There are many challenges for the Church in present times that didn’t exist in the past. You have provided an example of digitalisation. This implies that her approach is also changing, with a consideration of time. However, this does not mean adapting the Church to the world, as many young theologians think, in order for the Church to survive in it and find its place.

The church is not of this world but is in the world, and it is called to act in it and to fulfil its mission at all times. So, it is clear that the Church needs to take strides forward and innovate at all times, but it is also clear that not every innovation in the Church is in the spirit of the Church. There is always a danger of secularisation of the Church.

That’s why it is necessary to have good familiarity with the essence of the Church, which differs significantly from everything else in the world.

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The objective of the Church’s existence in the world is to save the world from death. Its activity, thus, depends on the purpose for which the Church is in the world. This goal of the Church is very often unknown, both to those in the Church and those outside it, or, if it is known, there is a lack of conformity as to how that is to be accomplished. The church should always have a critical approach to the world, or rather, more precisely, it is there to be in judgement of the world. This, of course, implies that you first know what is devastating to the life of the world, and that you are critical in order for it to change, pointing to the solution offered by the Church, in order for that not to be merely criticism for the sake of criticism. This, of course, is no mean

There is an obvious tendency, which dates back to Tito’s period, to break the unity of the SOC through the creation of quasi-churches or schismatic groups. It is a well-known fact that the Communist leadership constantly pointed its finger at the Serbian Church as being a “disruptive factor”, because it was convinced that the Church, among other things, kept the Serbian people in unity, wherever they were. The dividing of Serbs and weakening of their ideological identity depends directly on the smashing of the Church and its unity. I think that such a policy still continues in Montenegro, as well as in other places. So, this is also the essential background of this latest law, which has been adopted in Montenegro relating to the Church. Of course, other motives also exist, such as church properties by the sea that are highly prized and the like, but in my opinion this first factor is the foundation of that law. I would like a just solution to be reached regarding the

relationship between the Montenegrin authorities and the Serbian Church in Montenegro, but that would imply the authorities giving up their dividing of the Serbian people, which I don’t think will happen. At least until they find another model to achieve that goal. This is especially because that is also in the interest of the West at this juncture.

such a visit would not have beneficial effects for both Churches, due to some recent events and interventions by Western powers in our country, which are still fresh in the memories of our people.

That is why it has been delayed for a while, until the situation normalises.

along national lines. However, the Church is above nations. It contains neither Greeks nor Jews nor Scythians, but rather all are children of God and people of God. Ethnophyletism in the Church was condemned at a pan-orthodox level in the Assembly of Constantinople in 1872.

One of the states that rejects calls to recognise Kosovo’s independence is the Vatican. To what extent is such a decision a result of contact between the Roman Catholic Church and the Serbian Orthodox Church?

The SOC and the Roman Catholic Church have been on good terms in recent times. And this is because there has been a great shift in the attitude of the Roman Catholic Church towards the Orthodox Church in general, and towards us in particular. This is especially so following the Second Vatican Council, which recognised the Orthodox Church as a sister Church. I don’t precisely know the reason why the Vatican does not recognise Kosovo’s independence. I presume that’s the fruit of our good relations. A large part of the public in Serbia considers that the SOC opposes any form of ecumenical dialogue. Does such an impression correspond with the real state of relations and cooperation between the SOC and the Roman Catholic Church?

It is not true that the SPC opposes ecumenical dialogue. On the contrary. An official Mixed Commission for Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic exists with the aim of achieving unity between the two Churches.

Our Church is also a member of that Commission, specifically I am personally one of the representatives of our local Church. In addition to this, our Church also participates, through its representatives, in dialogue with other Christian churches, as well as with non-Christian communities. What would have to happen for a visit to Serbia of the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, to be acceptable to the SOC?

In principle, our Church has nothing against His Holiness the Pope visiting our country and our Church. No significant barriers to such a visit exist. At the moment, however, I consider that

In the Church we are all one. The Church also demonstrates that with its organisation, which is established on the basis of territory and not on a national basis You were once engaged in a committee for negotiating the overcoming of problems between the SOC and the Romanian Orthodox Church with regard to the issue of whose right it is to worship in the Timok Frontier region and the Braničevo district.

Has that dispute been resolved?

The problem with the Romanian Orthodox Church is that its actions divides the Church

In the Church we are all one. The Church also demonstrates that with its organisation, which is established on the basis of territory and not on a national basis. All believers from one place, one diocese, regardless of their national, racial and other characteristics, belong to that diocese and are under the spiritual oversight of the bishops of that diocese. The Romanian Church would like to separate Romanians from our Church, which they belong to on the basis of birth, Christening and residence, and to annex them to the Romanian Church, because they are ethnically Romanian. This is not permitted and contradicts the nature of the Church, which is supranational.

For now the non-canonical (illegal) activities of the Romanian Church on the territories of some of our dioceses have not ceased, but I have hope in the Lord that our brothers, the Romanian bishops, will also realise that this is devastating for Orthodoxy as a whole, and will cease with such activities.

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Interview H.E. TARZAN MILOŠEVIĆ

AMBASSADOR OF MONTENEGRO TO SERBIA The new ambassador of Montenegro arrived in Serbia at the end of October last year, setting himself the aim of improving relations between Belgrade and Podgorica. Your Excellency, Montenegro, like the rest of Europe, is battling against the Coronavirus.

Can you speak about the current situation with this issue, in relation to the expectations of experts?

Unfortunately, the entire world is struggling with the Coronavirus, and this fact itself confirms to us the old saying that “Disease does not choose”.

Examples from history, on the other hand, show us that such pandemics or epidemics recur periodically and have taken many lives. What is characteristic of our age is that, despite science having advanced, the emergence of a new pathogens previously unknown to the professional public around the world

The Level Of Bilateral

Cooperation Must Be Raised

I want to believe that the misunderstanding over respirators is the last between our countries during this difficult time. I would like to emphasise the excellent cooperation we’ve had with the relevant institutions in Serbia, from the introduction of the state of emergency until today, when it comes to transporting our citizens, their passing through Serbia, treatments and other needs that our citizens have had - Tarzan Milošević 14

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DIALOGUE

We believe that dialogue is the only solution, which the Government of Montenegro has demonstrated over the years, since the start of the drafting of the law in question

has accelerated the need to develop international cooperation in the field of science and technology, all in order to preserve as many human lives as possible and preserve the economy.

In this regard, although some countries have to date suffered large numbers of casualties, both in Europe and around in the world, the situation in Montenegro - in relation to the threat that we have faced and still face - is satisfactory, which is a result of the timely and adequate response of our Government in regard to the development of events.

As a reminder, Montenegro has been closely monitoring the situation since the outbreak of the epidemic in the People’s Republic of China, and acting responsibly and expertly in response.

Perhaps I could reiterate the conclusions of our leading epidemiologists that we have endeavoured to be one step ahead of the virus - to the extent that this is possible. Being a step ahead of the virus meant that the Government had taken some more stringent measures with the aim of protecting the life and health of each individual in Montenegro, even before the first patient was confirmed positive for the Coronavirus.

What I would single out as being important is the fact that the vast majority of Montenegrin citizens have accepted and praised the measures taken by the relevant authorities of Montenegro, while - on the other hand - the citizens themselves have taken a very mature and responsible approach to this problem, and as a result the mortality rate is among the smallest in the Region, with a very small number of patients and a high percentage of Montenegrin citizens who’ve recovered, and finally the start of easing previously adopted measures, at the suggestion of experts. Economists agree that the effects of the several-month halt to the economy will impact on national economies. According to the analysis of the IMF, all Western Balkan countries will see negative GDP growth in 2020. What will be the greatest challenges in Montenegro?

COOPERATION

Montenegro is committed to regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations, and I am convinced that regional initiatives are an opportunity to restore trust between countries

The Coronavirus pandemic, which has been causing headaches to health authorities across the globe over recent months, taking thousands of lives, will undoubtedly have a major impact on the global economy. Although, there was no hint of what the magnitude of the crisis would be when the epidemic broke out in China in late 2019, in many countries today they are already talking about millions of jobs having been lost. Both in the world press, but also increasingly in the domestic media, the numbers of infected and deceased have in recent days been replaced by figures for economic decline.

Experts warn that Covid-19 could do that which didn’t happen when the world was rocked by the SARS virus - flooding the world markets. Even

I would like to emphasise the excellent cooperation we’ve had with the relevant institutions in Serbia, from the introduction of the state of emergency until today the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as you mentioned in the question, has calculated that the economic decline in 2020 will be the largest since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

In terms of both health and economics, no country around the world is immune to the Coronavirus. And that goes even for the most advanced.

Specifically, the richest economies in the world are already beginning to apply assistance measures, with all parameters indicating an economic downturn.

It is now already clear to lay people that nothing will be the same again in the world after the pandemic. And that in itself is a new challenge for contemporary flows.

‘MINI SCHENGEN’

I consider that this initiative is preparation for the EU and will help in the Europeanisation of the countries that participate

And when the world’s developed economies suffer because of the pandemic, it is to be expected that both the region, and our Montenegro, will be hit, which is facing many challenges, as it is a country with an economy that is mainly focused on tourism and hospitality, which at this point we can say have been deleted. In the world, as well as in our country, tourism and air transport have suffered the most, because there is an insistence on minimal contact between people in order to combat the pandemic.

Flights have been suspended, state borders closed, hotels are empty just at a time when the preseason period was set to break last year’s records. In fact, numerous hotels have been turned into quarantine sites, occupied by people under health-sanitary supervision instead of tourists. It is precisely the mitigating of the consequences of the pandemic that will be the greatest challenge for Montenegro, as it is necessary to act in several directions in order to preserve jobs, small businesses, serious major companies and the stability of public finances, and to continue with serious investments at the state level.

In parallel with the adoption of measures for the control and prevention of infectious diseases, the Government has also implemented a number of urgent activities related to preserving the vitality of the Montenegrin economy – considering that measures for preserving health automatically exclude certain economic activities. Given that the epidemiological situation in Montenegro is currently under control and stable, and I can even say favourable, it has been announced that - with mandatory and rigorous consultation among experts - measures will be gradually eased in order to enable Montenegro’s economic and social life to continue. In this regard, Montenegrin Prime Minister Duško Marković asked ministers and heads of institutions to prepare a precise and sustainable plan for mitigating the adopted measures in several phases over the course of the next 45 days. The government has already adopted two programmes to support the economy, and I believe further support will depend on the development of the pandemic. It will be particularly important to make the most of the tourist season, depending

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15

Interview on the epidemiological situation, in Montenegro, the region and across Europe, given that the Montenegrin economy “harvests” more than a billion euros in revenue during the course of a year from tourism alone. One of the challenges for the state, regardless of the pandemic, will be the chance and obligation to make greater use of natural resources, above all the timber industry, agricultural and food production, as well as mineral and water resources.

we’ve had with the relevant institutions in Serbia, from the introduction of the state of emergency until today, when it comes to transporting our citizens, their passing through Serbia, treatments and other needs that our citizens have had.

It is also important to emphasise that Montenegro, through the continuous affirming of the development and strengthening of good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation, through securing the return of Serbian citizens, but also nationals of other countries, in such a complex situation as the struggle against the pandemic, sent a message of solidarity, assistance and togetherness.

Epidemiologists are unable to determine when it will be possible to lift any of the restrictive measures introduced to combat Covid-19. Do you think there will even be a tourist season in Montenegro this summer?

Despite the situation, I believe that regional tourist flows will nonetheless start in July and that there will still be a season, but one that’s much shorter and much less effective.

Although it is very difficult to estimate the end of the pandemic, as well as when we will see the reopening of borders and all forms of international transport that is necessary for the obvious inputs and the foundations for entrepreneurial decisions in the field of tourism, I am optimistic and convinced that Montenegro will, as a recognised tourist destination, this year also be visited by a certain number of tourists from the surrounding area and nearby European countries. For us, tourism is a powerful market instrument of economic and monetary stability, an activity that gives the greatest economic impetus to the national economy and society, which is why it is an obligation of the state in the period ahead to prepare precise support and economic measures, with the aim of preserving the potential of tourism in the period ahead.

On that front, I appreciate the fact that investments in timber, agriculture and food production give tourism additional competitive advantages and quality, while investing in hotels and restaurants preserves a market opportunity for agriculture. In the current situation, with reduced imports, I believe this is an opportunity for domestic producers, given that tourism and agriculture are complementary to the wider tourism system. It is actually agriculture tourism that is opening up the market in my own country, and the offer of local food products makes hotels and restaurants more attractive to tourism consumers.

Alongside the many uncertainties, I consider that the aforementioned is a chance, and that it is necessary to focus on mitigating the consequences, which will certainly be there, at the global level.

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You arrived in Serbia fairly recently, as the new ambassador of Montenegro. Do you have an explanation for the low level of bilateral relations and cooperation between these two former republics of the common country?

My ambition, despite the difficult current situation, remains the same: to advance relations in economic, cultural and political terms At the height of the battle against the pandemic, Serbia was accused of having taken possession of three respirators that Montenegro had already paid the manufacturer for. Serbia denied this, and Montenegro then refused to receive them as a gift from Serbia. Has the misunderstanding over this procurement been resolved?

The embassy was not informed, either by the supplier or by the ordering party, about the delivery of respirators! The public heard the offer of President Vučić and the response of the National Coordination Body, while the Embassy and the Ambassador weren’t invited to arbitrate on this issue. I want to believe that this is the last misunderstanding between our countries during this difficult time. I would like to emphasise the excellent cooperation

Serbia is Montenegro’s neighbour. Alongside good cooperation, primarily economic, Montenegro also has some known differences with Serbia, both in terms of the foreign policy of our countries and in terms of some issues concerning bilateral relations.

Differences sometimes boil to the surface and become the subject of political discourse, which is normal and will happen.

The Law on Freedom of Religion, which was adopted by the Parliament of Montenegro at the end of last year, caused sharp tensions between the two countries, bearing in mind that the Serbian Orthodox Church and part of the public in Montenegro do not accept this law. What is important to note is that, with this legislation, Montenegro regulated, among other things, the legal framework in which all religious communities are separated from the state and function as part of the legal system. The law guarantees every citizen of Montenegro freedom of religion or belief, while the state protects property and cultural treasures that belong to all citizens. It certainly wasn’t the intention of the legislature to usurp any rights, including property rights.

I firmly believe that there are no kind of hidden intentions or interests against any religious community in Montenegro. Do you believe the dialogue between representatives of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Government of Montenegro could lead to the reaching of a solution regarding the property of the SOC

that would be acceptable to both parties?

We believe that dialogue is the only solution, which the Government of Montenegro has demonstrated over the years, since the start of the drafting of the Law in question. Furthermore, following its adoption, all religious communities, including the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, were immediately invited to engage in a dialogue on the implementation of the law and all other issues of common interest.

Specifically, so far, the dialogue between the Government of Montenegro and the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, or rather their expert teams, has been held in a spirit of mutual respect and openness. The arguments that could be heard, though contradictory, are expert, and we believe that there is room for a mutually acceptable solution to be reached through further talks, which is why the continuation of talks has been agreed.

Considering that the issue of religion is understandably sensitive, it is necessary to exert joint efforts to put emotions aside and try to look at things objectively and wisely, and to make decisions that are aimed at stabilising the situation, precisely because of all the links that exist between Serbia and Montenegro. I am convinced that it is our common obligation to advance these links and relationships. What have you set as the priorities of your mission in Belgrade?

Montenegro has always striven to pursue policies that will contribute to the stability of the region, and good neighbourly relations are one of the three pillars of our foreign policy. Montenegro remains committed to developing good neighbourly relations with the Republic of Serbia, which are further strengthened by common European goals and the regional context, and founded on real interests, with economic, geographical and political orientation towards one another.

My ambition, despite the difficult current situation, remains the same: to advance relations in economic, cultural and political terms; to raise the level of bilateral cooperation, which is the basis for improving economic, political, scientific, cultural and sporting cooperation. Do you believe that the European integration process of Montenegro, Serbia and the rest of the region will continue in the near future, or do you think that the latest crisis will delay that process?

I hope that, after the stabilisation of the health situation in our countries and in Europe, the positive dynamics of EU enlargement will continue It is expected and completely natural that the pandemic has impacted on the priorities of all world governments and countries, including the agenda of the EU and its member states, placing the dynamics of enlargement on the back burner and channelling all energy into defending the lives of citizens and thinking about mitigating the consequences that the pandemic will surely leave behind. However, the pandemic did not affect the stance that the enlargement policy is one of the EU’s key policies, and that the admission of new members must continue in the future.

EU support has not been lacking even during the period of the pandemic, and here I don’t only mean the significant financial aid to the health systems of the Western Balkan countries, but also to the message that we re-

ceived, which was that we can count on the EU, as well as that we are unified in our belief that the place of the countries of this region is in the European community of states. I hope that, after the stabilisation of the health situation in our countries and in Europe, the positive dynamics of EU enlargement will continue.

The European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted a report in recent days on recommendations for extending the duties of EP Rapporteur for Montenegro Tonina Picula. That document represents the European Parliament’s recommendations to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Western Balkans Foreign and Security Policy Commission ahead of the Western Balkans Summit that had been scheduled for early May, but the new date will only be known in June. The adoption of this document in very specific circumstances, in a situation in which all EU member states are focused on combatting the Coronarvirus pandemic, represents a clear message of support to the countries of the Western Balkans and encouragement for the continuation of reforms that will lead to fundamental changes in our countries, and thus to meeting the criteria and progressing on the path to membership. One has the impression that Montenegro has reservations regarding the new idea of connecting the countries of the region in the so-called ‘Mini Schengen’. If such reservations exist, can you tell us why?

Montenegro is committed to regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations, and I am convinced that regional initiatives are an opportunity to restore trust between countries. Not only has Montenegro accepted its commitments from the regional cooperation documents signed thus far, rather it has also been implementing them very successfully.

I consider that this initiative is preparation for the EU and will help in the Europeanisation of the countries that participate. We will certainly continue to cooperate with all our friends from the region, but Montenegro will decide for itself what is in its interest and whether this is already contained in other cooperation initiatives. That’s because Montenegro only wants initiatives that will not conflict with the cooperation initiatives that we’ve already signed, but I believe that, in the participation of other countries, there is no idea to replace the common desire and idea of us being part of the EU with some other union.

May

17

GLOBAL DIARY

Nature

“The history of science shows that theories are perishable. With every new truth that is revealed, we get a better understanding of Nature and our conceptions and views are modified.” – NIKOLA TESLA, INVENTOR

ONLINE EASTER On 10th April Pope Francis gave live stream Easter mass for the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics, many of whom are in various forms of confinement to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Rome and the rest of Italy, the European country hit hardest by the virus, have been living under confinement since early March. Italy has recorded more than 19,000 confirmed virus deaths, with the official death toll in the world passed 100,000, though the real toll is feared higher.

Pope Francis live-streamed his Easter Vigil from an almost empty St Peter’s Basilica, and his only audience were cameras in his private library. Last year the blessing drew 70,000 people to Saint Peter’s Square. On Friday he lead a Good Friday procession in the dark and empty Vatican square. For over 50 years the procession has taken place in the Roman Colosseum in the presence of at least 20,000 faithful. Pope Francis has admitted that the entire experience makes him feel “caged”.

WWII CONCENTRATION CAMP COMMEMORATIONS IN JASENOVAC Jews, Serbs, Roma and anti-fascists joined top Croatian officials for the first time since 2014 in commemorating the victims of a notorious World War II concentration camp Jasenovac, but the community representatives warned that more needs to be done to curb right-wing sentiments in the European Union country.

AMAZON - WINNER DURING THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS The online retailer Amazon has been described as a “clear winner” during the time of coronavirus crisis. Its share price is surging by more than a third inside a month, its customers spending almost $11,000 a second on its products and services, and its owner, Jeff Bezos, reinforcing his position as the world’s richest person with a fortune of $138bn.

While most businesses have been hit hard by the impact of the pandemic and the looming recession, shares in Amazon have risen to a record high as hundreds of millions of people stuck in lockdown conditions turn to the delivery giant to keep them fed and entertained.

Bezos so far handed $100m to the food bank charity Feeding America; critics have pointed out that the $100m donation made public by Bezos represents less than 0.1% of his fortune.

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May

The delegations laid wreaths and flowers at the memorial site for the Jasenovac camp complex, where tens of thousands of people were brutally executed by the pro-Nazi regime that ruled Croatia during the war. Annual observances at the memorial south of Zagreb mark the attempted escape by 1,073 prisoners as the camp was being dismantled and its remaining occupants killed in April 1945. No official program took place at this year’s 75th anniversary commemoration to prevent crowds from gathering during the coronavirus Source: The Times of Israel pandemic.

Roses

“We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.” – DALE CARNEGIE, AMERICAN WRITER

ORTHODOX EASTER HELD IN NEAR-EMPTY CHURCHES More than 260 million Orthodox Christians celebrated Easter under exceptional conditions, encouraged by the authorities to stay at home to limit coronavirus contagion.

An Orthodox clergyman holds holy fire to transfer to predominantly Orthodox countries from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, traditionally believed by many Christians to be the site of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus Christ. In Jerusalem’s old city the traditional Holy Fire ceremony was called off amid coronavirus on Saturday, April 19th.

The coronavirus did not stop the tradition of the Holy Fire, the centuries-old ceremony held annually at the tomb of Jesus in Jerusalem the day before Easter on the Eastern Orthodox Christian calendar. But some adjustments were made.

Usually, tens of thousands of pilgrims pack the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and surround the Edicule. This inner sanctum houses the spot where tradition says Jesus was entombed and resurrected.

This year, no pilgrims attended. The church has been closed to visitors since last month, as all houses of worship in the Holy Land have shuttered their doors.

ĐOKOVIĆ WORRIED ABOUT CORONAVIRUS VACCINATION World No. 1 Novak Đoković says he’s not sure what he will do if tennis players are required to have vaccines against the coronavirus once the sport returns to the court. Speaking during a Facebook live stream from Spain where he is isolated with his family during the pandemic, the Serbian player said he is opposed to vaccinations

in general and “wouldn’t want to be forced by someone to take a vaccine in order to be able to travel.” “But if it becomes compulsory, what will happen? I will have to make a decision,” he said in a chat with several other Serbian athletes on Orthodox Easter. “I have my own thoughts about the matter, and whether those thoughts [on being vaccinated] will change at some point, I don’t know,” he added. Some people like Đoković refuse vaccinations because of concerns about sideeffects or industry ethics.

WWII VETERAN RAISES $3.3 MILLION FOR HOSPITAL WORKERS

KIM JONG UN UNDERGONE HEART SURGERY?

An English World War II veteran, 99-year-old captain Tom Moore, who has been walking laps around his back garden has raised over $3.3 million for the NHS in just one week. As a way of saying thank you, the former civil engineer has been doing daily laps of his 25-meter-long garden with the aim of walking 100 lengths by his 100th birthday on April 30th. Moore, who began his walks on April 6th, initially set a fundraising target of $1,200 for NHS Charities Together with the sole expectation of garnering support from his village of Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire. After hitting international headlines, however, Moore has quickly smashed through his target and has now raised over millions for frontline health workers fighting the novel coronavirus. Although Moore has already broken his original donation goal, he is now hoping to complete another 100 laps of his yard to continue raising money for the NHS. To support Moore’s charity efforts, be sure and visit his Just Giving crowdfunding page.

Supreme Leader of North Korea Kim Jong Un’s last public appearance was earlier last month at a politburo meeting. Still, the leader missed a public celebration of the birthday of Kim Il Sung, Kim’s grandfather.

Kim’s absence led to speculation about his health. Latest sources report that Kim’s health situation was exacerbated by obesity, stress and heavy smoking. However, according to Yonhap News, a North Korean government official said there was “no special estimate [for Kim Jong Un’s health abnormalities.]”

North Korea has recently begun to admit coronavirus cases exist in the country, telling residents only three cases have been acknowledged, according to an anonymous source. In February, North Korea closed its borders to mitigate the spread of coronavirus.

May

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Focus

How will the new circumstances that have arisen (Covid-19) impact on the outcome of parliamentary and local elections in Serbia?

Winner Certain,

Consequences Uncertain Although it already appeared certain that the ruling party would secure a convincing victory in the upcoming parliamentary and local elections even before the outbreak of the pandemic and the imposing of a state of emergency, the reasons for that are now different, given that new political topics have emerged – the securing of health and the revoking of certain political freedoms, to which the opposition has (yet) to prepare a response

I

f it occurs that citizens of Serbia are called upon to vote in parliamentary and local elections almost immediately after the lifting of the current state of emergency, this will not be news on a global scale, because in many countries election campaigns – and even voting itself – is taking place during a pandemic or at its (immediate) end.

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May

A consensus exists among the experts interviewed by CorD that the ruling party will emerge even stronger than it was. However, there is no agreement as to whether its (expected) convincing supremacy in parliament will result in an even further narrowing of the space for democratic action, or whether it will cause (insufficiently politically articulated) protests.

BOJAN KLAČAR

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRE FOR FREE ELECTIONS AND DEMOCRACY (CESID)

DIFFERENT AGENDA, EXPECTED OUTCOME THE POLITICAL CAPITAL OF THE RULING PARTY AS A WHOLE WILL BE ASSESSED THROUGH THE SUCCESS OF THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19. IF THERE ARE NO MAJOR FAILURES, A GOOD ELECTION RESULT FOR SNS IS EXPECTED. THIS IS ESPECIALLY SO SINCE SUCH CRISES SIGNIFICANTLY NARROW THE OPPOSITION’S ROOM FOR MANOEUVRE Chroniclers have calculated that at least 47 countries have decided to postpone elections since early March. Serbia is also among them, having halted the election process and decide to resume elections immediately after the lifting of the state of emergency.

This means that (unless there is a change) elections will be held on the 41st day after the decision to end the state of emergency.

How, then, will the new circumstances impact on the electoral process?

We will already see the first changes in the campaign: we will witness a completely different political WE WILL WITNESS A agenda compared to that from the start of the year. All the topics that COMPLETELY DIFFERwere on the table at the beginning ENT POLITICAL AGENDA of March have been “swept away” by COMPARED TO THAT the pandemic and that table is again FROM THE START empty. The priorities of citizens will OF THE YEAR... THE be different, they will be interested PANDEMIC HAS SWEPT in some other topics, they will have different worries, expectations and AWAY ALL PREVIOUS fears. And they will seek different TOPICS AND THE TABLE answers.

IS AGAIN EMPTY The outcome of elections will depend on two things. The first is the success(or failure) in managing the crisis, because the entire political capital of the ruling party will be evaluated through the success of the fight against Covid-19. If the state is successful or, at least, there are no major failures, it is difficult to expect a change in trends that guaranteed a good election result for SNS and the party’s dominant role in political life. SNS also benefits from the fact that during the crisis

citizens have more solidarity and more willing to come together ‘under state interests’, as well as the small gap between the end of the state of emergency and the holding of elections. Even outside Serbia, the approval ratings of European leaders (Kurz, Merkel, Rutte, Macron) show that the crisis has not weakened them, but strengthened them, and even those who lead the countries most heavily hit by Covid-19 (Such as Italian PM Conte, who has a rating of 71%).

The second thing that determines the outcome of elections is the opposition’s reaction after the state of emergency, or the opposition’s ability to recognise citizens’ expectations, to devise an agenda based on them, and to find topics and measures that critique the ruling party. This will not be easy, because such crises significantly narrow the oppositions room to manoeuvre and take action. Simultaneously, low motivation among opposition voters can be challenging for the entire outcome of elections, as it can reduce political competition and voter turnout, but also lead to an unrepresentative parliament. Also influencing the outcome of elections is a possible change in the decision to boycott, because in such circumstances it is questionable how much a boycott can cast doubt over the legitimacy of the future government.

Finally, such a crisis is also a good opportunity for Serbian society to reconsider, seek and find a “new social contract”: to restore confidence, recognise the importance of years of devalued professions and foster dialogue between political stakeholders.

This is the news that citizens are awaiting.

DRAGOMIR ANĐELKOVIĆ

POLITICAL ANALYST, CRMS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

SNS VICTORY CERTAIN, LEGITIMACY (POSSIBLY) QUESTIONABLE WITH THE PANDEMIC, THE SPACE FOR THE PROFITABLE ELECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNING STRUCTURES HAS BECOME EVEN LARGER THAN IT WAS. THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN TO THEM IS FOR THEM TO WIN CONVINCINGLY IN CONDITIONS OF A RELATIVELY LOW TURNOUT May

21

Focus

How will the new circumstances that have arisen (Covid-19) impact on the outcome of parliamentary and local elections in Serbia?

The outcome of the election will be formally the same as if there hadn’t been a state of emergency. They will be won by Vučić with his block. However, post-election processes that depend on whether the ruling party succeeds in picking up the fruits of election results cannot be ruled out as being significantly different than if there had been no Covid-19.

The state of emergency provides a drastic benefit to the ruling structures. Their scope for profitable election action is even greater than it was, while the hands of the opposition – particularly the part that opted for a boycott – are all but tied, although even here there is a strong desire to instrumentalise the circumstances politically. Setting off from its own positive results and striving to avoid the coming wave of economic and other negative consequences, the government will decide on the date at which to lift the state of emergency and hold elections. The worst thing that can happen to them is for them to win convincingly in conditions of a relatively low turnout.

In the “Age of Corona”, certain changes have emerged in the configuration of the electorate. Among many supporters of the government, there is even greater adoration of Vučić. However, these people are with him anyway.

There is no doubt that part of the ac- ALTHOUGH THE HANDS tive opposition-minded voters (those OF THE OPPOSITION who, as a rule, go to the polls to vote HAVE BEEN ALL BUT against the government, even if they TIED DURING THE have now opted for a boycott) and PANDEMIC, THE QUESthose who are passively orientated TION IS WHETHER THEY (they oppose the government in principle, but are not satisfied with WILL RECOGNISE THE the opposition on offer, so often MOMENT WHEN IT IS do not head to the voting booths) REALISTIC FOR PART OF – basically support the so-called THE CITIZENRY TO MOVE anti-epidemic course set by the establishment. However, it is unlikely FROM A PASSIVE STATE that this will change their stance in TO ENGAGE ACTIVELY IN his favour.

PROTESTS. From the model of communication of the top of the government with the public, to the assessments of certain measures (rarely does at least something there not disgust someone), much of this also generates dissatisfaction among the noted category of voters. It immediately became an additional opposition driver among those who weren’t aligned with the government and who aren’t now too afraid of the Corona virus. It is realistic to expect the transition from a state of passive opposition to an active one among a not so small segment of the citizens in this category, as well as the radicalising of those who already were.

That said, given the pre-existing form and timing, it will not be projected significantly on the outcome of the upcoming elections, but it is realistic to act as an additional powder charge for protests and other forms of opposition action that are likely to follow afterwards. If many do not yet see who they are in favour of, it is becoming clearer to them who they perceive as the problem.

Whether the upcoming victory of the governing party will turn out to be pyrrhic depends on the (in)ability of the existing opposition to take advantage of that clarity and the (un)willingness of new factors to venture into opposition waters!

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May

DUŠKO RADOSAVLJEVIĆ PH.D. POLITICAL SCIENTIST

NEW, EVEN WORSE POLITICAL PRIMITIVISM WE ARE DEEPLY CONVINCED THAT MANY FORMS OF BEHAVIOUR AND RESTRICTIONS FROM THE SO-CALLED “STATE OF EMERGENCY” WILL LEGITIMATELY FLOW INTO A STATE OF NORMALITY, IN WHICH THERE WILL AGAIN BE AN ESCALATION OF POLITICAL AND ALL OTHER FORMS OF PRIMITIVISM The so-called “state of emergency”, which at the time of writing still continues in Serbia, has consciously deadened many political activities, especially those of opposition parties, civil society and independent intellectuals and experts. Some would say that the ruling coalition also isn’t visible now, but that is just an illusion.

As the most active political factor of the government, and its undisputed highest political authority, SNS president Aleksandar Vučić, is more present in the media and on the public scene, even more than in the time of “normality”. This is so obvious that a question arises as to which branch of government in Serbia, other than the president, is still functioning? Justifying this fact of (evident) contagion and concern for the people seems at first glance reasonable, justified and humane, until we look at the situation in the region and see that political life WE ARE AWAITED BY there, if not flourishing, is regulated FURTHER PRESSURE ON it at a fairly solid level. So, contagion OPPOSITIONAL WAYS is a fact, but the fact is that there exists - and must exist - both public OF THINKING (PARand political life, with indications of TIES, CIVIL SOCIETY, the restoration of normality in other EXPERTS), AS WELL AS segments of life.

ANY ALTERNATIVE TO We mention this because we are THIS KIND OF EMBEDdeeply convinced that many forms of behaviour and restrictions, from DED REGIME-BASED the so-called “state of emergency”, POLICIES. will legitimately flow into the state of normality, which will – as a consequence of the current state of affairs – also be a so-called “normal state”. In it there will again be an escalation of political and any other primitivism, using material and other resources of government, at all levels of political organisation, with the aim of gaining as many mandates as possi-

ble in the assemblies of political communities. The same will be used to carry out the same or similar policies, which have been present in continuity for the past eight years, with all the characteristics of neo-liberalism, interspersed with our own specificities, primarily of the brotherly, party-affiliation and “back scratching” type of interest. This means all sorts of eliminations of oppositional ways of thinking (parties, civil society, expert), as well as any alternative to this kind of embedded regime-based policies.

To conclude, all circumstances in which the level of human and civil rights in Serbia are being reduced, not only now, will always correspond to options and regimes that do not have trust in citizens, because such regimes only see their ways of being and ruling in restricting those rights.

JELICA MINIĆ

PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN MOVEMENT IN SERBIA

DEMOCRACY ALSO PERISHED WITH THE PANDEMIC THE STATE OF EMERGENCY HAS BEEN USED FOR THE PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN OF THE BIGGEST RULING PARTY IN SERBIA, WHICH IS A TREND THAT CAN ALSO BE OBSERVED IN MANY COUNTRIES WHERE ELECTIONS ARE SET TO BE HELD IN THE NEAR FUTURE The Covid-19 pandemic did not have a stimulating impact on democratic processes around the world. On the contrary. In most countries, government have brought the decision to limit many citizens’ freedoms, in order to save many lives, as well as health systems that would not be able to handle the impact of an unfettered spread of infection. And it’s precisely there that differences arise.

In places where institutions had sufficient strength, and the rule of law was deeply embedded, the government had to establish a relationship of trust with the citizens, and exercise the necessary (self) discipline that was required by the introduction of the quarantine. Citizens are persuaded, requested, receive extensive reports, not discriminated against, widely informed via the media.

Even the U.S. president didn’t succeed in imposing centralised and uniform management of the crisis on American states. This was not the case with the (effective) Chinese model of fighting

against contagion, which was adopted by Serbia, and which to a large extent reflects the characteristics of the societies in which it was implemented.

In times of great crisis, a state is expected to protect its population and measures must be commensurate with the problems needing to be resolved. Then there is usually neither space nor time for major debates. However, around the world, and especially in Europe, there is increasing fear that the matrix of social life imposed by the pandemic could be extended in some countries in a modified manner, through undemocratic practises.

Particularly under fire from criticism, due to his authoritarian rule, is Hungarian Prime Minister Orban, whose government has been empowered by parliament to administer decrees, suspend some laws and restrict the right to freedom of information. For the same reasons, European officials and parliamentarians are also criticising Serbia’s leading figures, IN THE TIME OF with the Serbian parliament having COMBATTING THE not even been consulted on the introduction of the state of emergency PANDEMIC, THERE IS and the further restricting of media NOT MUCH ROOM freedoms.

FOR DEBATE. SUCH Experts believe that the threat of UNDEMOCRATIC Covid-19 will persist, with more flexPRACTISES MAY ible measures to counter it and with the expectation that the epidemic STRENGTHEN AS LONG will recur. Under such conditions, unAS THE VIRUS der a regime of total citizen control THREATENS that may only be alleviated, nothing good can be expected of the upcoming elections in Serbia, unless they are postponed for many months. The state of emergency has also been utilised the entire time for the pre-election campaign of the largest ruling party - the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and its president. This political instrumentalising of the epidemic, admittedly, can also be seen in the United States and France, and more or less everywhere where elections are due in the near future. However, in places where electoral conditions are beyond question, citizens will still have space to freely choose between more freedom and democracy or populist and authoritarian rule. In places where there is no social agreement around electoral conditions, such as in Serbia, one can only expect deeper and more irreconcilable divisions to emerge within society.

Feature ANGELA MERKEL

Chancellor’s Scientific Background Could Save Germany Today, we face the global outbreak of a disease that has the potential to catalyze what the historian Eva Schlotheuber terms a “pandemic of the mind.” As misinformation proliferates and lines between fact and fiction are routinely and nonchalantly crossed, world leaders must, now more than ever, illuminate a thoughtful path forward, one reliant on science and evidence-based reasoning. Indeed, many have

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ne leader goes further still.Trusted by her people to navigate this outbreak’s murky waters, without inciting or succumbing to a pandemic of the mind, one politician is less a commander in chief and more a scientist in chief: Angela Merkel.

For weeks now, Germany’s leader has deployed her characteristic rationality, coupled with an uncharacteristic sentimentality, to guide the country through what has thus far been a relatively successful battle against COVID-19. The pandemic is proving to be the crowning challenge for a politician whose leadership style has consistently been described as analytical, unemotional, and cautious. In her quest for social and economic stability during this outbreak, Merkel enjoys several advantages: a well-respected, coordinated system of scientific and medical expertise

distributed across Germany; the hard-earned trust of the public; and the undeniable fact that steady and sensible leadership is suddenly back in style. With 30 years of political experience, and facing an enormous challenge that begs calm, reasoned thinking, Merkel is at peak performance modelling the humble credibility of a scientist at work.

Merkel was raised in a small East German town to the north of Berlin. Her father was a Lutheran pastor and a target of surveillance

by East Germany’s security service, the Stasi.

A brilliant student, Merkel learned early on “not to put herself in the centre of things” lest she exposes herself or her family to undue scrutiny, according to Stefan Kornelius, her official biographer and the foreign editor of the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper. When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, Merkel, who had by then earned a doctorate in quantum chemistry, was working as a research scientist. Soon after, she left her job to join a new political group that had formed in her neighbourhood, thus quietly launching her political career. She rose in German politics and, through sheer smarts and a series of well-timed tactical manoeuvres, ascended in 2005 to the chancellery, the head of Germany’s federal government. Her trajectory was dramatic and uncommon—for a woman, for an East German, and a trained scientist with no background in law or civil service.

Why did Merkel leave what appeared to be a promising career for the uncertainty of politics? In a New Yorker profile of her, George Packer called the decision “the central mystery of an opaque life.” Kornelius attributes the drastic change to a realization that, as a scientist from poorer and under-resourced East Germany, she would be “outpaced” by her western peers.

Merkel has never spoken publicly about why she left science, but perhaps that is because it never really left her. Scientific thinking—her deliberate probing of each new bit of information, her cautious consultation with experts—remains integral to Merkel’s daily decision-making process and her political persona. She is undoubtedly aware that her

measured, modest handling of Germany’s affairs is at least partially why she has, for almost 15 years now, enjoyed the support of a country whose historical reverence for scientific achievement and great minds (think Kant, Einstein, innumerable others) is forever balanced by an acute wariness of charismatic

A brilliant student, Merkel learned early on “not to put herself in the centre of things” lest she expose herself or her family to undue scrutiny, according to Stefan Kornelius, her official biographer leaders with big ideas (think Hitler).

Prior to the pandemic, Merkel’s political star had been waning. She had become known, according to Kornelius, as the chancellor “who avoided things, much less as the one who built things.” Yes, she had prevented Europe from falling apart during the financial crisis

and led the continent as it grappled with the subsequent migration crisis. But of late, she had been left politically sidelined by the domestic rise of populism, the far right, the far left, and by autocratic leaders around the world.

Then came the coronavirus. Germany’s first case was confirmed on 28th January, but

the threat didn’t truly transform everyday life here until the middle of March. Governmentmandated restrictions in Berlin were incremental, but more and more disruptive. Few were bothered by the cancellation of large gatherings such as industry conferences, but when the city’s creative centres—its theatres, operas, and concert halls—closed on 10 March, something essential went missing. A few days later, Berlin’s notorious and celebrated nightlife scene went dark too. Pedestrians dispersed, spooked restaurant owners closed up shop or erected plexiglass barriers. The very fabric of the capital’s social and cultural life was fraying. Residents of this once-divided city were again reminded just how quickly freedom could be lost.

Merkel—for whom, as a former East German, liberty and freedom are known to be paramount—understood all too personally what the lockdown meant for her fellow citizens. On 18th March, after the country had closed its schools, its economy, it’s a way

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Feature

of life, she gave a rare televised speech that solidified her leadership.

Facing the camera from behind a desk, with both the German and European Union flags to her side, she began on an emotional note, by conceding that “our idea of normality, of public life, social togetherness—all of this

is being put to the test as never before.” She emphasised the importance of democracy and of making transparent political decisions, and she insisted that any information she shared about the pandemic was based on thorough research. Then, in an astonishing statement for a German leader, one she “must have considered endlessly,” Kornelius told me, she made reference to her country’s darkest hour. “Since the Second World War,” Merkel said, “there has not been a challenge for our country in which action in a spirit of solidarity on our part was so important.”

What stood out from the address was not so much Merkel’s medical advice, but her unusually direct appeal to the notion of social togetherness and to her own limitations as an individual and as a leader (“I firmly believe that we will pass this test if all citizens genuinely see this as their task”). Her rational assurances and her emotional appeal were crucial at a time of rising panic. While the mood isn’t quite so dark here anymore—thanks to a variety of factors, Germany appears to have

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dealt with the outbreak better than many other countries—Germans largely continue to heed the chancellor’s detailed directives.

The number of people infected by the coronavirus has increased, as it has throughout the world. But unlike in Italy, where more than 22,000 have lost their life to COVID-19,

Scientific thinking—her deliberate probing of each new bit of information, her cautious consultation with experts—remains integral to Merkel’s daily decisionmaking process and her political persona

or in the United States, where the death toll has surpassed that figure and continues to rise rapidly, total deaths in Germany have been inching up from 4,000. To put this in perspective, more than twice as many New Yorkers have lost their life to the coronavirus as have individuals in all of Germany to date.

While country-level comparative data

may be somewhat unreliable, and the numbers can certainly take a turn for the worse in Germany as anywhere else, experts cite a number of possible factors for the country’s relatively low number of deaths: The average age of coronavirus patients has been lower here than elsewhere, which limits the risk; the number of people tested for the virus is higher than in other countries, and cases are for the most part carefully tracked; and the public health-care system has been efficient enough to ramp up the number of available intensive-care units to meet potential demand.

Given her longevity, any resulting successes are at least in some degree attributable to Merkel’s leadership. The chancellor has a way of bringing “divergent interests together in compromise,” Kornelius said. Her ability to admit what she doesn’t know, and delegate decisions, has been a particularly good fit for post-war Germany’s federalized political structure.

Merkel has relied on experts from wellfunded scientific-research organizations, including public-health agencies such as the Robert Koch Institute and the country’s network of public universities. The Berlin Institute of Health, a biomedical-research institution, has, like other organizations, recently pivoted its efforts in order to study the coronavirus.

Its chairman, Axel Radlach Pries, told me that Germany’s research institutions are currently working closely together to “establish nationwide systems” of research. The federal government, with Merkel at the helm, plays a convening role, recently gathering all of the country’s university medical departments into a single coronavirus task force.

The virus is still far from defeated, and no one knows what challenges lie ahead for Germany, or the rest of the world. But judging

by Merkel’s approach—her rigour in collating information, her honesty in stating what is not yet known, and her composure—she may someday be remembered not as Germany’s greatest scientist, but as its scientist in chief: the political leader who executed, celebrated, and personified evidence-based thinking when it mattered most.

Leaders’

IVANA MARAŠ Attorney at law, Aleksić & Associates law firm

We Are Available To Clients 24/7 PAGE /28

MIROSLAV VRANEŠ Account Executive, DELL Technologies

Virtual World Instead Of F2F PAGE /31

MEETING POINT IVANA ĐERISILO Training Centre Coordinator, Ingram Micro

IGOR UROŠEVIĆ Head of Technical Department, Ingram Micro

Work From Home Will Bring New Challenges PAGE /34

GABRIELE PACE Deputy President of the Banca Intesa Executive Board

Banks Wellpositioned To Withstand Pandemic Impact PAGE /36

IVANA MARAŠ, ATTORNEY AT LAW, ALEKSIĆ & ASSOCIATES LAW FIRM

We Are Available To Clients 24/7 Thanks to a dedicated team of experienced professionals, Aleksic & Associates is considered the leading Serbian law firm providing services in all areas of commercial, civil, labour and criminal law. Their clients most value their commitment, reputation, proactive approach and the highest ethical standards

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nd even under the conditions of the state of emergency, Aleksić’s office has continued to meet the needs of its clients 24/7, whilst respecting all the recommendations of the authorities. They believe that, thanks to the timely and decisive measures taken, our country will recover quicker than some other countries.

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Your law firm, as one of the largest and most renowned in Serbia, has not stopped working?

How have you organised your work under the conditions of the state of emergency?

In accordance with the new situation caused by the Covid-19 virus pandemic, Aleksić & Associates has implemented and is implementing all measures essential to monitoring and maintaining business continuity. Our teams analyse the situation on a daily basis and, in accordance with daily changes, we apply all necessary measures in order to enable unhindered operations and protect the health of our clients and employees.

We would like to emphasise that, regardless of the state of emergency, our law firm has continued operating and continues to operate, and has not laid off employees. Nor in the future will there be a reduction in our capacity and number of employees, regardless of how long the state of emergency lasts. Our law firm will continue operating responsibly and will always strive to meet the needs of its clients 24/7, whilst respecting all the recommendations of the authorities.

The National Bank of Serbia has decided on a moratorium, with no courts or public bailiffs working, but your office still strives to meet the needs of its clients 24/7, while respecting all the recommendations of government agencies. What are you being asked for the most right now?

In the domain of commercial law, clients approach us in search of the interpreting of

legal issues related to the effect of force majeure on the fulfillment of contractual obligations and the impact on deadlines.

Likewise, corporate clients are also interested in implementing emergency measures to mitigate the economic consequences of the Covid-19 disease.

When it comes to labour law, the most common questions that clients ask the office regarding the state of emergency that has been introduced on the territory of the Republic of Serbia relate to: 1. the method of organising labour among employers; 2. Acts that it is essential to adopt; 3. Measures of occupational health and safety that should be taken; 4. The adequacy of using and referring employees to take annual leave; 5. The method of approaching employees who have been directed to apply isolation or self-isolation measures; 6. Methods of payment of earnings and other income from employment relations; 7. How to organise work from home; 8. The organising of work

All human rights guaranteed by the Constitution and international conventions must be respected even under the conditions of the state of emergency

and approach to employees who are parents of children under 12; 9. The organising of work and approach to employees who belong to vulnerable groups, i.e. employees aged over 60 and employees with chronic illness.

What are all the challenges that companies are currently facing?

Almost all companies face many of the most diverse legal challenges, which are specific to each of the noted business sectors, which they are helped to overcome by our law office 24/7. There are numerous issues that are in the course of being resolved, of which we single out only one part. The most common requests are related to giving legal opinions and developing models of decisions and solutions related to the work of employees from home and compensation for employees who work from home, using annual leave and permits allowing the movements of employees.

Part of the requests of business clients related to the issue of the fulfillment of contractual obligations from a contract in the economy that was concluded before the enforcement of the decision to declare a state of emergency and the possible delay of obligations.

In the area of real estate, especially leases in large shopping centres, which are closed, a question has been raised about the termination of lease agreements by tenants, who are unable to use their business premises, or possibilities reductions in rent etc.

How will the pandemic impact on the fulfilment of contractual obligations (force majeure)?

A pandemic and a state of emergency certainly represent examples of force majeure, and thus the general basis for the exclusion of civil law liability for compensation for damages and other consequences of the inability to fulfil an obligation. The same applies to the administrative measures of state bodies that may lead to an objective legal impossibility of a client fulfilling their obligations.

It has been shown that we were able to shift many areas of life to the virtual world – paying bills, school and college teaching, business

Under normal circumstances, market competition is important to keep prices low, but a priority is now given to cooperation due to the Covid-19 crisis

electronic filing, are also envisaged for criminal proceedings.

The current situation will help to “activate� the quoted provisions, i.e. for them to become more frequently applied in the practise of our courts, and will certainly also influence future legal amendments in the direction of the virtual world of communication, which will have a positive effect on reducing costs for parties seeking court protection for their violated or threatened subjective civil rights.

meetings, purchases and procurements, while there have also been online hearings via Skype... Is this our future?

The pandemic will certainly have lasting consequences in the economic and social spheres, some of which may not necessarily be negative. An example of such positive consequences is precisely the transferring of one part of business activities to the virtual world of online communication.

Our positive regulations already contain standards for electronic communication between a court and parties. Thus, in litigation proceedings there are a number of rules that allow the referring of court filings by email, in accordance with a separate law, which are specified by the relevant standards.

Electronic submissions, i.e. on the website of the bodies of procedure, as well as

A few days ago, the Public Procurement Office came forward and provided further clarification regarding the conducting of public procurement procedures during the state of emergency. How would you comment on that?

The implementation of public procurement procedures during the state of emergency, during the crisis caused by the Covid-19 virus pandemic, should be carried out in a swift and efficient manner, which is enabled by our positive regulations that are also indicated in the Notice regarding the implementation of public procurement procedures during the state of emergency, which was published on the website of the Public Procurement Administration on 24th March this year.

First of all, we point to the fact that all

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disturbing markets worldwide, a priority is given to cooperation. Specifically, the widespread economic impact of the pandemic has forced national governments to strike a balance between protecting competition - so that prices do not become high - and granting exceptions to competition rules, in order to ensure the survival of entire economic sectors.

participants in public procurement procedures are obliged, even during the declared state of emergency, to act, in everything, in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Law on Public Procurement, including in terms of deadlines for the submission of tenders, the procedure publicly opening tenders, performing reviews of documentation ona conducted procedure by interested bidders and others.

However, we emphasise that those placing orders have the possibility to procure goods, services and works to which the provisions of the PPL do not apply. Thus, certain procurements can be carried out without the procedure prescribed by law, respecting only its principles, primarily the principle of the economical spending of public funds. Procurements aimed at eliminating the consequences of disasters and accidents, to which this Law does not apply, are procurements made for the securing of basic living conditions during and immediately after the occurrence of a disaster and accident, related to the implementation of sanitary-hygiene conditions and sanitary-technical measures in the field, in settlements and facilities, aimed at preventing the spread of infectious diseases, epidemics and other adverse effects to the population and material assets.

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We currently most often provide legal opinions related to working from home and compensation for employees who work from home, using annual leave and permits allowing movements...

Also closely related to public procurement is the issue of competition protection.

What is your stance in terms of the issue of competition protection during the time of the pandemic?

Our firm tracks global and domestic experience in the field of competition protection, as well as press releases and the Competition Commission Bulletin. We note that the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) calls on competition bodies to use all of their mechanisms in the struggle against the negative impacts of Covid-19 on markets. Under normal circumstances, market competition is required in order to keep prices low, but due to the Covid-19 crisis, which is

The state of emergency itself brings many challenges. How can one ensure respect for rights, in the broadest and narrowest sense, while it lasts? Does the state of emergency put to the test all those in charge of enforcing and controlling the implementation of all laws?

The very term “state of emergency� indicates that the state of society, including the legal system, has deviated from the ordinary state. In any case, all human rights guaranteed by the Constitution and international conventions must be respected, with deviations and restrictions only when necessary and commensurate with the purpose of introducing a state of emergency.

State bodies of the executive government really have a great responsibility, as they are the most active in the state of emergency, while the legislature has reduced its activity.

Moreover, courts and public prosecutors’ offices must take care to ensure the efficient and consistent implementation of all laws, as well as regulations adopted during the state of emergency.

How much time will we need for everything to get back to normal once all this is over?

Do you think you will be able to realise all the plans that your firm set for this year?

Our estimation is that once the state of emergency ceases and the pandemic is suppressed, the situation will very quickly return to normal. We consider that our country, thanks to the timely and decisive measures taken, will recover faster than some other countries, especially the surrounding countries. The favourable economic environment created in the Republic of Serbia prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, as well as developed agricultural production, which gives us great comparative advantages, will contribute to a rapid return to normalcy and the recovery of the economy and the entire society.

MIROSLAV VRANEŠ, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE, DELL TECHNOLOGIES

Virtual World Instead Of F2F Dell Technologies believes in business sustainablity and strives to help its customers grow their businesses and overcome new challenges, adopt new trends and transform to the model of online and work from home

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believe strongly that this global crisis will be a great opportunity for all industries to continue their digital transformation and accept new models, as that will become their pillars for the future, explains DELL Technologies Account Executive Miroslav Vraneš How will the global crisis that we’re currently experiencing impact on the world as we’ve known it to date? Will Covid-19 unify or separate us?

Besides pushing countries’ medical systems to and beyond their limits, this crisis is more than “just” a health crisis.

It represents human, economic and social crises that modern civilisation hasn’t previously experienced, and not in this global pattern. This crisis will reshape the current postulates of the world’s entire economy. There is no way to tell exactly what the economic damage of the global Covid-19 pandemic will be. In certain areas we are witnessing huge business declines (tourism or aviation) or instant economic slowdowns (infrastructure or real estate) or great progress (Amazon or Netflix). From the general perspective of IT, a slowdown process is currently underway. All sides are using this time to reshape or rethink their current business strateigies and align

them with the current situation. We also see a great opportunity and obligation to help different businesses in achieving and adopting their digital transformation.

This is happening as we speak, and it progressing fast (eSchools, eTrials, eGovernment or the “Online everything” trade approach). Faster transformation helps us overcome challenges easier as a society.

The world is changing and nothing will

I believe we are all helping each other in different ways, both privately and professionally, and this makes us humane

stay the same; we will have to adapt to the new “rules of the game” during and after this pandemia, the sooner the better.

Since we’ve been “trapped” in our homes, we have led much of our lives in the virtual world. There we pay our bills, buy online, have classes, lectures, exams and business meetings, and we also work from home...

Is this our future?

The “Stay at Home” message that we see and hear numerous times per day ensures that we are utilising different networks and ways of comunication with our loved ones and for business needs. The work from

home model is currently the only way of doing anything. In some instances, this is the most efficient way of doing business to date.

All current industries must transform towards the work from home and online model, in order to survive current challenges.

Technology is already there - it is mature and ready to be utilised. Although we are already utilising digital services, more and more services will become available as digital or online services. The current situation is additionally accelerating this transformation. Eventually this model will become the standard, and will replace the existing Face-to-Face (F2F) model wherever possible.

Dell has donated millions of dollars to the fight against the Coronavirus, because you believe that we need to protect one another, especially the most vulnerable. Are people the most important to you?

Social distancing is the current highlight, and will probably be the phrase of the year.

However, social responsiblity against this common threat helped bring us together to fight this disease. As people are the most important asset of any company, we are helping all of us to stay healthy and be well, through various internal and external programmes. I am very proud to represent and work for a company whose owner, Micheal Dell, and his wife Susan Dell, already donated $100 million to identifying treatments for the disease and bringing relief during this crisis, helping to support healthcare systems, non-profits, education and small businesses.

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Support

„Serbia is grateful to the European Union for its assistance, support and solidarity in the fight against COVID-19,“– ALEKSANDAR VUČIĆ, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

LOCAL NEWS GALENIKA

DONATES HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE SULFATE WORTH 400,000 EURO

“FIRE EYE”

2,000 CORONAVIRUS TESTS A DAY IN NEWLY OPENED LABORATORY

Galenika a.d. Belgrade produced and placed 372,000 tablets of the medicine Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate on the disposal of the Government of Serbia in fight against COVID-19.

The value of the manufactured medicines, which Galenika will donate to the health system of Serbia, is 400,000 euros. Hydroxychloroquine production is completed today and complete quantities will be handed over to the Republic Health Insurance Fund in the coming days.

The technology used in the production of Hydroxychloroquine was provided by an EMS company from Brazil which is the owner of Galenika a.d. Belgrade since November 2017.

The parent company confirmed the adequacy of technological conditions, expertise and ability of Galenika employees to produce this, in the world during the pandemic of COVID-19, a highly sought after medicine by EMS technology. EMS, as its contribution to the fight the Republic of Serbia and its citizens are fighting against the pandemic, has donated complete technology for the production of the drug to Galenika. In this way, Galenika was able to produce the quantities that we donate today to the citizens of Serbia, but it has also permanently acquired the production capacity to assist in its own production in cases of threatened regular supply or emergency needs of our health system.

The new laboratory at the Clinic of the Clinical Centre of Serbia “Fire Eye”, with a capacity of 2,000 coronavirus tests per day, was opened The opening of the lab was also attended by Minister of Health Zlatibor Lončar, Director of the Clinic for Infectious and Tropical Diseases Dr Goran Stevanović, Belgrade Mayor Zoran Radojičić, Ambassador of China to Serbia H.E. Chen Bo as well as Chinese experts based in Serbia.

40 microbiologists will work in the laboratory 24 hours a day.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabić said the new laboratory was a significant aid for Serbia in the fight against coronavirus, but also an important basis for further strengthening the Serbian health system.

CONFINDUSTRIA

ITALIAN COMPANIES IN SERBIA HELP LOCAL COMMUNITIES, INSTITUTIONS AND CITIZENS Italian companies in Serbia, members of Confindustria, the Italian business association in Serbia, help local communities, institutions and citizens of Serbia during the pandemic through donations and humanitarian initiatives.

Italian companies, members of Confindustria Serbia, continue to operate responsibly even more in times of the coronavirus pandemic by implementing numerous measures of support to the health system of the Republic of Serbia, its institutions, businesses and directly to the citizens. In this way, the Italian companies further prove their strong connection to Serbia and to the territory where they operate.

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Volunteer

„Since 24 March, over 7,000 people in 27 cities and municipalities became involved in helping fellow citizens to volunteer through the national “Be a Volunteer” platform,“ – MIHAILO JOVANOVIĆ, DIRECTOR AT OFFICE FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES AND E-GOVERNMENT

Placements postings

&

appointments@aim.rs

CARLSBERG SERBIA

DONATES 5 MILLION RSD TO HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS Carlsberg Serbia has donated five million dinars to some of Serbia’s leading healthcare institutions to help curb the COVID-19 epidemic Clinical Hospital Centers “Zvezdara” and “Zemun” each received the funds worth 2.5 million dinars for the purchase of necessary medical equipment.

“The situation we are in presents a great challenge for the whole society and that is why it is important that we all stand together in solidarity and work together through this time. We look forward to the days when we will be able to socialise again, but now is the time to stay home and thus save our own and also lives of others,” it was said in a statement from Carlsberg Serbia.

To remind, in mid-March, the Carlsberg Foundation raised more than $13.8 million to help combat the global pandemic.

“SVET HOĆE DOMAĆE”

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE FRESH FRUIT & VEGETABLE INDUSTRY IN TIME OF CRISIS On 14th April 2020, USAID Competitive Economy Project, under the “Svet hoće domaće” (SHD) initiative organised the third live webinar panel to inform food producers on key issues and ways to better cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The panel, titled “The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Industry: Obstacles and Opportunities in a time of crisis”, addressed the current situation in the fresh fruit and vegetable industry, its impact on export, the situation in retail and how producers and exporters are adapting, as well as how the market will look after the crisis and the opportunities for domestic producers.

Key panellists were Branislav Raketić, Head of Group for Food Quality and Food Labelling at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia; Aleksandar Pavlović, Chief of Party, USAID Competitive Economy Project; Igor Milenković, Director, Fruit & Vegetables at Delta Agrar; and Ana Bošnjak, owner of Agro Bel System.

MIKE MICHEL, NEW PRESIDENT OF THE FOREIGN INVESTORS COUNCIL

Mike Michel, Telenor Serbia CEO, is the newly elected President of the Foreign Investors Council, while the new FIC Vice President - substitute is VIP Mobile CEO Dejan Turk and Roche General Manager Ana Govedarica is new FIC Vice President spokesperson.

Mike Michel has been appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Telenor Serbia, effective as of 8 October 2018.

Before joining Telenor Serbia, Michel was Chief Marketing Officer of mobile operator Banglalink, Bangladesh.

In his previous roles, he also served as Chief Marketing Officer in Telenor Hungary and Vice President for Brand in Telenor Group, Norway. Michel has over 20 years of leadership experience in global telecommunication companies in CEE region, North America and Asia.

As the new FIC President, he succeeded Market Head – Nestlé South East Market Yana Mikhailova, who leaves Serbia to take new responsibilities within Nestlé Group.

HEINEKEN

MAKES DONATION TO RED CROSS HEINEKEN announced today the measures it has been taking since the beginning of the COVID -19 outbreak to support the health and livelihood of employees and communities in which it operates and announces it is donating to the Red Cross to support the most vulnerable “Our thoughts are with all those affected by COVID-19 and the people working tirelessly to care for them. In this unprecedented situation, at HEINEKEN we have been following from the start of the outbreak three guiding principles: First, the health, safety and trust of our people are of paramount importance.

Second, we do everything we can to safeguard the continuity of our business and appeal of our brands, which includes supporting the business continuity of our customers and suppliers. And, third, through our local initiatives, we offer our support to the communities who are most impacted by the pandemic”, commented Jean-François van Boxmeer, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO.

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IGOR UROŠEVIĆ, HEAD OF TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT, AND IVANA ĐERISILO, TRAINING CENTRE COORDINATOR, INGRAM MICRO

Work From Home Will Bring New Challenges Ingram Micro, as a leading distributor of IT equipment and software, in collaboration with vendors, was among the first to join the Serbian Government’s “Digital Solidarity” project (https://www. digitalnasolidarnost.gov.rs/#digitalnasolidarity) and make available to citizens free training, tools and software for learning and working from home

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fter the Covid-19 pandemic abates, many companies will switch to permanent work from home, which requires the development of new tools, services and security solutions to protect against cyber threats. Discussing this with CorD are Igor Urošević, Head of the Ingram Micro Technical Department, and one new member of the Ingram Micro team, famous Serbian volleyball player Ivana Đerisilo.

The Government of Serbia quickly found its footing under the conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic and launched the Digital Solidarity project. For whom is it intended and what motivated you to join immediately?

Igor Urošević: The Digital Solidarity project is intended for all legal entities and private citizens, in order for them to have, in one place, consolidated and systematic

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insight into all solutions, applications, tools and virtual training, which can be used instantly at no cost, whether they relate to vendor solutions or the in-house solutions of domestic companies.

The overarching goal was certainly to offer solutions that facilitate and ease work from home, but at some point the entire idea diverged in the direction of enabling online education in various fields that are not exclusively linked to working out of an office in the traditional sense.

Although the business model of Ingram Micro, as a distributor, is linked solely through a network of partners, i.e. our customers are not end users, this idea immediately caught our attention because, thanks to the number of contracts with reputable IT equipment manufacturers that are in our portfolio, we can offer a wide range of services, solutions and training, and thereby contribute to to everyone overcoming this crisis period as easily as possible.

We have shown ourselves to be able to adapt quickly and relatively easily to the newly emerged situation and to organise ourselves to work from home, which even has many good sides. Is this our future?

Judging by numerous analyses, the Covid-19 pandemic will certainly change many habits, and even the way of life in the future, not only in IT. It is thankless to predict the extent to which this will be expressed, but it should be expected that

many companies will consider work from home increasingly seriously.

Working from home is nothing new in the IT world, with virtual teams an everyday occurrence in IT, so from that point it is irrelevant whether an employee is sitting at home or in an office. The challenges of working from home will be much greater in some other industries. The problems that will arise, such as the separation of private and working life, will be more at the sociological and organisational level than at the technical level.

How has the situation we’ve found ourselves in as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic pointed to the need to develop some new software, services and tools for working from home? Is that a “homework assignment” for IT companies?

Igor Urošević: If we’re talking about transmitting video signals and audio in real time, as well as enabling virtual meetings of multiple participants, many tools enabling work from home already exist in their basic form.

The question is the extent to which they are already represented on the market and how much the pandemic will add to the demand for these tools. On the other hand, one should expect technical upgrades of this kind of software, primarily from the perspective of satisfying the more complex requirements of users that are now available or through various 3rd party solutions, appropriate plug-ins or integrations.

Particular attention should be paid to security solutions and protection against cyber threats, as the risks are much greater when working from home than in the corporate environment, where security solutions are implemented - advanced firewalls (NGFW Next Generation Firewall), protection against Zero-Day attacks (Sandboxing), SIEM etc. All these solutions aren’t available if the user is working from home. Endpoint protection at workstations and connectivity via VPN to a corporate environment are practically the only level of protection for a remote user.

If we put all of this into context with BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) equipment, which includes personal mobile phones, computers and tablets that are not protected by company security software and policies and that access company resources, it is clear how many risks there are in this area and that we should expect the development of, and increased demand for, security solutions in this area, with an increasing trend of work from home.

Did your vendors also respond immediately to the invitation to join the Digital Solidarity project?

Ivana Đerisilo: Ingram Micro and its vendors have a tradition of joint operations, with trust that has been built over the years. We also share that which is most with them - the successful realisation of projects, as well as distribution itself, so there was no doubt that they would respond to our invitation to join the project. Everyone accepted in the first conversation.

You entered the project with your free online training. What kind of interest in free training have you seen? Which citizens were the most interesting? Tell us more about this...

Ivana Đerisilo: At the very start of the pandemic, our training centre team had already organized VILT training sessions that don’t differ from classic classroom training, because they have the possibility, through audio/video calls, for interactive communication with the instructor and other participants. Everyone was able to ask the instructor anything they were interested in, in real time. A large number of citizens signed up for all three training courses that we offered: Veeam -VMCE v 9, Kaspesrsky -

Zoom, one of the leading manufacturers of software for collaborations, generated a leap in profits during the pandemic that can be measured in the billions of dollars

Endpoint Security and Check Point - CCES. Despite the infrastructure limitations, we tried to go out of our way to reach all interested participants and I can say with pride that we received positive feedback from our students after only a few days. They were extremely satisfied with the training, because they were able to obtain all the certificates that were essential to them, despite the state of emergency.

As a former volleyball player of the Serbia national team and medal winner for our

country, you recently took up employment at Ingram Micro, during the pandemic. Is the transition from the sporting terrain to the business terrain a big change?

Ivana Đerisilo: At the beginning of your career, you don’t know where life will take you; you do not know whether you will be successful or not, so just a few months after winning a bronze medal in Japan I defended my undergraduate thesis and became a graduate engineer. After winning the medal, numerous offers arrived for me to play from all over the world, and I knew then that I would have to postpone my diploma for a while and dedicate myself to volleyball.

But nonetheless, precisely at the time of the

Covid-19 pandemic, I joined the great team at Ingram Micro.

The business terrain is actually very similar to going out on the court. I view my daily work as training, while my matches are the training sessions with our users, and I compare sporting victory with customer satisfaction, because there’s nothing better than when someone advances because of your work. That’s the greatest victory for me.

The most important thing in sport is to have a good team, which - as you know – in volleyball means 12 players and an expert staff, who must all breathe as one! I’m so fortunate that we all breathe as one at Ingram Micro, and that we’re led by a great management team.

If you would like to familiarise yourself with the portfolio of training and services that we offer within the scope of the Digital Solidarity project, please visit our website: https://rs.ingrammicro.eu/ or contact us directly: +381 (11) 20 42 070 info-serbia@ingrammicro.com

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GABRIELE PACE, DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF THE BANCA INTESA EXECUTIVE BOARD

Banks Well-positioned To Withstand Pandemic Impact As the biggest bank in Serbia, part of the Intesa Sanpaolo international banking group and a systemically important institution in the domestic financial industry, we are aware that we have a unique role in supporting families, businesses, communities and all of our stakeholders

B

anca Intesa will take an active part in the implementation of the Serbian government’s set of economic measures through the disbursement of liquidity and working capital loans, while at the same time placing a special emphasis on favourable loans from existing guarantee arrangements with international financial institutions.

The Covid-19 pandemic has exerted downward pressure on economies worldwide, with experts warning that the global economy faces the biggest challenges since the financial crisis. How do you see the global economic impact of the Coronavirus?

With the Covid-19 pandemic continuing to make an unprecedented impact on lives, communities and businesses across the

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globe, there seems to be no doubt that the global economy is facing the most difficult juncture in recent history. As countries worldwide record plummeting external demand and lost export income, coupled with capital outflows and currency depreciations, the world economy is evidently sliding into recession this year. Even though it is impossible to assess the full impact of the pandemic at this point, given that its magnitude and duration are still unknown, the IMF indicates that the Covid-19 crisis could cause the sharpest economic downturn since the Great Depression, even more serious than the global economic crisis of 2008. Still, as all major central banks and governments adopt massive fiscal and monetary stimulus packages, in an effort to shield their economies from the shock, hope remains that the global economy could rebound in 2021, even though GDP levels are expected to fall behind the preCoronavirus trend.

How do you expect Serbia to cope with the economic pressure of the Covid-19 crisis?

Do you think the government’s measures will help cushion us from the blow?

As I mentioned, the global pandemic is sending economies around the world into recession, and Serbia will not be an exception to this trend, with its GDP expected to contract in 2020 after five years of growth.

The government was able to deliver a robust response to the crisis by adopting a 5.1 billion euro package of economic measures, thanks to consistent fiscal discipline maintained during the past few years. In line with similar international programmes, the measures in

Serbia aim to encourage Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which represent the backbone of the economy, to preserve jobs through wage and tax incentives. Support for larger enterprises includes subsidised lending through the Development Fund and a guarantee programme being implemented with commercial banks. While insufficient to prevent economic decline, I expect the government’s abundant fiscal stimulus will help preserve economic activity, mitigate the adverse impact of the crisis on the most vulnerable segments and return the economy to a growth path next year.

Economists agree that small businesses will take the brunt of the negative economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. What can Banca Intesa do to help them maintain business activity and weather the crisis?

As the Coronavirus outbreak continues to make a dramatic impact worldwide, it is inevitable that the crisis will put pressure on Serbia as well, particularly by exposing the vulnerability of some small businesses and SMEs. Looking to provide this strategically important part of the local economy with necessary support, we will take an active part in the implementation of the Serbian govern-

Banca Intesa made a 10 million dinar donation in support of the healthcare system during the pandemic

ment’s set of economic measures, through the disbursement of liquidity and working capital loans, while at the same time placing a special emphasis on favourable loans from our existing guarantee arrangements with international financial institutions.

Acknowledging the gravity of the situation for small business that are facing a loss of customers, we have also developed a special social network programme to support their operations and help them reconnect with buyers across the country. We are aware that we have a significant responsibility in helping to reduce the negative impact of the crisis and will continue to explore other measures, so that our clients can overcome business disruptions during these challenging times.

The pandemic has locked down people and affected businesses. How do you expect the situation to impact on the banking sector in Serbia?

The Serbian banking sector met the Covid-19 pandemic in a stable and sound position, with comfortable liquidity and capital positions that will shelter it from the adverse impacts of the spread of the virus.

As the Coronavirus crisis exerts financial pressure on people and businesses in Serbia, some banks will inevitably feel the strain of the new situation and face rising exposure to non-performing loans. As for Banca Intesa, I can say that we are well-positioned to counter potential problems thanks to our stable fundamentals, improved risk management processes and readiness to help clients tackle their financial difficulties in the period ahead.

At the same time, the social distancing imperative will definitely speed up the sector’s shift to digital banking, as consumers continue to reduce branch visits and start increasingly using online and mobile channels. I expect to see most customers who are already familiar with home banking solutions increase the use of digital services and products, while those traditionally orientated towards personal, branch-based banking will start to adapt to the new reality. More than ever before, it is time for banks to invest in digital infrastructure and remote platforms, in order to be able to minimise the impact

These unprecedented times call on us all to show empathy and cooperation, so that we can overcome the difficult situation we face together

of the current limitations, maintain stable operations and ensure customer retention in the long run.

What steps has Banca Intesa taken to help the citizens and the economy endure during the state of emergency?

We have an obligation to place additional resources at their disposal during these challenging times. In confirming our full commitment to the country, we have suspended dividend payment to our shareholders in order to further strengthen our capacity to address the crisis.

Also, setting health protection as our utmost priority, we have invited our clients to stay at home, make maximum use of our digital channels and reduce branch visits, even though we are keeping our branches

open to make sure our services are available to the greatest possible extent. We have long enabled our customers to obtain loans via online channels and have now also trimmed interest rates and waived loan processing fees. We also support our clients in activating online and mobile services remotely, whilst also extending the validity of their payment cards so that they can avoid leaving their homes. Furthermore, in line with the measures published by the National Bank of Serbia, Banca Intesa - together with the rest of the banking system - has introduced a 90-day postponement on loan repayments for all customers struggling with financial hardship and enabled people aged over 65 to receive their pensions without having to visit their branch.

Taking care of our employees, we have rolled out remote work for over 90 per cent of our Head Office staff and also ensured the highest level of protection for those who cannot work from home. In a situation in which market conditions have temporarily challenged our efforts to procure the necessary protective equipment, Olimpias Knitting Serbia has donated face masks for all our employees, and I would like to use this opportunity to publicly express our gratitude to our client for this appreciated gesture of solidarity.

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Economy

”What we intend to do with the introduced measures is to alleviate the pressure on our economy and the estimation that our GDP is going to drop by several per cent,” – ANDREJ PLENKOVIĆ, PRIME MINISTER OF CROATIA

REGIONAL NEWS NORTH MACEDONIA

BULGARIA TELLS SKOPJE THEY MUST DROP CLAIM THERE IS A “MACEDONIAN LANGUAGE” TO JOIN THE EU

CROATIA

PANDEMIC THREATENS CROATIA’S STRAWBERRY FARMERS

Bulgaria has given a list of conditions to Skopje if they want to be able to join the European Union and not be vetoed by Sofia.

Although the Macedonian name dispute was resolved between Greece and what we now call “North Macedonia” with the signing of the Prespa Agreement in 2018, opening the way for the Slavic country to join NATO and the European Union, Bulgaria has now put a list of conditions before they will greenlight their accession to the Bloc.

According to the news, Bulgaria is asking Skopje to drop claims that there is a “Macedonian” minority in Bulgaria and to stop claiming the existence of a “Macedonian language.”

“North Macedonia” claims that a “Macedonian” minority exists in Bulgaria’s western Blagoevgrad Province, something ardently rejected by Sofia.

Restrictions on movement and border closures mean Croatia’s strawberry growers cannot import their usual pickers – or market their crop very easily, once it is harvested.

To protect pickers from infection, strawberry growers have supplied their staff with all the protective equipment they need, which means masks, gloves and disinfectants. They also have to keep to social distancing measures.

However, like other farmers in the country and beyond, Croatia’s strawberry growers fear that their harvest will be jeopardised by the continued spread of the pandemic, and, possibly by other measures the authorities take to prevent the virus from further spreading.

SLOVENIA

REVOZ, LEK, KRKA & GORENJE ARE SLOVENIA’S TOP EXPORTERS

ROMANIA, BULGARIA

ROMANIANS AND BULGARIANS ONLINE SHOPPING LAW IN THE EU Online shopping is continuing to increase in the European Union. A Eurostat survey released on 20th April shows. But numbers in Bulgaria and Romania are among the lowest. Large numbers of people who shopped online during the previous year were recorded in particular in Scandinavian countries.

The highest shares were found in Denmark (84%) and Sweden (82%), followed by the Netherlands (81%), Germany (79%) and Finland (73%).

Romania (23%) and Bulgaria (22%) were ranked at the bottom of the online shopping chart.

The highest increase over the last 10 years was in Estonia, with the share of online shoppers up 51 percentage points from 17% in 2009 to 68% in 2019.

Sixty per cent of people in the EU aged 16 to 74 shopped online during the year prior to the 2019 survey, compared with 56% in the 2018 survey, Eurostat said.

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Revoz, the Slovenian subsidiary of the French carmaker Renault, continues to top the Delo list of Slovenia’s largest exporters, followed by pharmaceutical companies Lek and Krka, and the household appliances maker Gorenje, the only four companies whose exports exceeded a billion euro in 2019.

Revoz recorded exports of EUR 1.77 billion, followed by Lek with EUR 1.48 billion and Krka with EUR 1.4 billion.

Gorenje was at EUR 1.12 billion, shows a list published by Delo on Monday.

The top ten is rounded off by aluminium producer Impol, steel group SIJ, industrial conglomerate Kolektor, home appliances maker BSH Hišni Aparati, foundry LTH Castings and aluminium producer Talum.

Overall merchandise exports totalled EUR 33.5 billion in 2019 and trade continued to grow through February, but the coronavirus pandemic has probably already led to a sharp contraction.

Challenges

WORLD NEWS

“The lessons learned will be essential to address similar challenges effectively. But now is not that time … It is also not the time to reduce the resources for the operations of the World Health Organization or any other humanitarian organisation in the fight against the virus.”

– ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN SECRETARY-GENERAL UK

BRANSON TO MORTGAGE CARIBBEAN ISLAND

US

APPLE ANNOUNCES NEW IPHONE SE Apple has announced a new iPhone SE, reviving a mid-market brand it had discontinued in 2018.

It resembles the form of 2017’s iPhone 8, with a 4.7’’ screen and a fingerprint ID sensor, but no depth camera for facial recognition. It is powered by the same processor as the flagship iPhone 11 Pro but lacks multiple rear cameras.

The handset costs the same as the original SE in the U.S. but is more expensive elsewhere. The iPhone SE is priced at $399 in the U.S. and £419 in the UK. One analyst said that having a mid-range phone again could help Apple compete for new customers against rivals such as Samsung and Google, which have a strong presence in that market sector.

AUSTRIA

LAST COAL POWER PLANT SHUTS DOWN Austrian power provider Verbund has shut down its coalfired district heating plant in the state of Styria as planned.

This means that coal power generation in Austria is now history, paving the way for a switch to a 100% renewable power supply by 2030. Austrian largest power provider, Verbund, shut down the Mellach district heating plant in the Austrian state of Styria. The shutdown marked the end coal-fired power generation in Austria because the district heating plant was the last operational coal-fired unit in the country. For 34 years, the power plant produced more than 30 billion kWh of electricity and 20 billion kWh of district heating. In the future, it will be kept ready for back-up, according to Verbund. Photovoltaic Austria emphasizes that Austria needs a well-considered plan for clean energy, as a quarter of the nation’s electricity is still generated from fossil fuels.

Sir Richard Branson has said he will mortgage his private Caribbean island to raise money to help his Virgin Group empire, as he pleaded with the UK government to step in and save his Virgin Atlantic airline from collapse.

Branson, who is the UK’s seventh-richest person with an estimated €5.35 billion fortune, and has lived tax-free on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands for the last 14 years, promised in a public blog post that he would “raise as much money against the island as possible to save as many jobs as possible”.

Branson, 69, made the pledge as he tried to convince the government to give his airline a €568 million loan to help it through the “devastating impact this pandemic continues to have”.

INDIA

PRIME MINISTER MODI EXTENDS NATIONWIDE CORONAVIRUS LOCKDOWN UNTIL 3 MAY

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended the country’s nationwide lockdown until 3 rd May in a bid to contain the continued spread of the coronavirus, but said that some states which have avoided outbreaks might be allowed to resume “important activities.”

Speaking in a televised address Modi said it was vital that the virus is prevented from impacting parts of the country that remain unaffected.

The 21-day lockdown for India’s 1.3 billion people came into force at the end of the day on 24th March and was set to expire on Tuesday, 14th April.

Since the lockdown was enforced, only essential services have been operational. Those include water, electricity, health services, fire services, grocery stores and municipal services.

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Enterpreneur

GEORGE LUCAS ARTIST

How One Idea Could

Make Billions

Famed director, writer and producer George Lucas was born George Walton Lucas Jr. on May 14, 1944, in Modesto, California. Lucas’s parents sold retail office supplies and owned a walnut ranch in California. His experiences growing up in the sleepy suburb of Modesto and his early passion for cars and motor racing would eventually serve as inspiration for his Oscar-nominated low-budget phenomenon, American Graffiti (1973) 40

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Out of all the extremely rich celebrities on the planet, George Lucas is the most extremely rich celebrity, with a personal net worth of $5.4 billion.

That’s enough to make him $1.7 billion richer than his good buddy Steven Spielberg. That makes him $1.9 billion richer than Oprah! What’s perhaps most incredible about the Lucas fortune, at least compared to other entertainment billionaires, is that George essentially made vast majority of his fortune solely from one idea: Star Wars.

As a director, George’s resume is actually pretty thin. Technically speaking, Lucas has only directed six feature films in his entire career, and four of them were Star Wars movies. By comparison, Steven Spielberg has directed more than 30 different feature films, many of which went on to become some of the most successful classic films of all time. So how did George Lucas generate such a huge personal fortune from a single movie franchise?

Before young Lucas became obsessed with the movie camera, he wanted to be a race car driver, but a near-fatal accident in his souped-up Fiat just days before his high school graduation quickly changed his mind. Instead, he attended community college and developed a passion for cinematography and camera tricks. Following the advice of a friend, he transferred to the University of Southern California’s film school. There, he produced a short futuristic sci-fi film called Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB, and garnered a comfortable spot under the wing of Francis Ford Coppola, who took an active interest in unleashing new filmmaking talent. Coppola convinced Warner Brothers to make a feature-length version of the film, and although a few critics recognized some philosophical depth behind all the technical wizardry, THX 1138 (re-titled) flopped terribly in its 1971 release.

Although intimidated by the failure of his first film, Lucas went back to work on his next project, American Graffiti. Released in 1973, the film featured burgeoning young talents such as Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss and Harrison Ford, and was recognized as a stunning portrait of listless American youth in 1962 depicting, in Lucas’s own words, “a warm, secure, uninvolved life.” The film, made for only $780,000, grossed more than $100 million domestically. It earned five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Director for Lucas, and is still considered one of the most successful low budget features ever made.

Ticket sales for American Graffiti soared, totaling

$140 million in sales. Made for $780,000, American Graffiti is still considered to be one of the greatest success stories among low-budget films.

Before American Graffiti, Lucas made $2,500 for his work on a film and received his paycheck in $250 installments, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Now that Lucas had won back the confidence of his supporters, he set out to make a children’s Saturday morning serial that would be part fairy tale, part Flash Gordon and complete fantasy and adventure set in the imaginary frontier of outer space.

The project eventually evolved into a full-length feature entitled Star Wars. Released in May 1977, Star Wars blew audiences away with its awe-inspiring special effects, fantastical landscapes, captivating

characters (the erroneous pairing of two bumbling droids providing, ironically, the most heart and comic relief ) and the familiar resonance of popular myth and fairy tale. Made for $11 million, the film grossed over $513 million worldwide during its original release.

Lucas continued the story of the Jedi Knights and the Dark Side in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and The Return of the Jedi (1983). In the meantime, he set up a state-of-the-art special effects company, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), as well as a sound studio, Skywalker Sound, and began to execute more and more control over the finished product of his films.

He eventually built his own moviemaking “empire” outside of the controlling influence of Hollywood in the hills of Marin Country, California.

Overlapping with his work on Star Wars, Lucas

2 ‘STAR WARS’ TRILOGY

Technically speaking, Lucas has only directed six feature films in his entire career, and four of them were Star Wars movies. By comparison, Steven Spielberg has directed more than 30 different feature films, many of which went on to become some of the most successful classic films of all time.

developed a new adventure series featuring a tough but humorous archaeologist named Indiana Jones.

He cast Star Wars antihero Ford in the title role, and Steven Spielberg signed on as director for Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), the first film in the franchise.

Instead of deep space, Lucas mined the past for this box office hit, in which Indiana Jones battles the Nazis over the Ark of the Covenant.

Lucas helped create the stories and worked as a producer on the two sequels that followed. Ford starred with Kate Capshaw (Spielberg’s future wife) in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), and in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), audiences got to meet the hero’s father, played by Sean Connery. After the third Indiana Jones film,

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Enterpreneur

GEORGE LUCAS AND HIS WIFE MELLODY HOBSON however, Lucas prepared to return to the film franchise that made him world famous — Star Wars.

‘STAR WARS’ PREQUELS Finally, technology was catching up with Lucas’s creative vision for his famous science-fiction saga. He had seen ILM’s capabilities when it was commissioned to bring the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park (1993) to horrifying life. The progressions in technology convinced Lucas that it was time to go back to Star Wars.

Lucas embarked on the development of three new prequels — beginning with the menacing Darth Vader as an innocent, gifted young boy. The first in the series, Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, was released in the spring of 1999 to high expectations and unprecedented hype and fanfare.

The response to the film was mixed. Some critics and Star Wars fans found the characters childish and racially stereotyped. Others complained that the story lacked dramatic depth. No one, however, could argue about the magical quality of Lucas’ technologically masterful creations.

Defending his latest creation, Lucas argued that The Phantom Menace was a children’s movie, as all the Star Wars movies were meant to be before their cult-like magnetism took hold of the American public. However, a behind-the-scenes featurette that accompanied the film’s release to DVD in 2001 told a different story, revealing a director who wasn’t entirely satisfied with his product. “It’s a little disjointed,” Lucas says at one point, after watching a rough cut

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At the beginning of this year Lucas announces return to “Star Wars” if he has full control, meaning that he himself would return to work on Star Wars if Disney gave him the green light to do so — and only if Disney said that Lucas could have full creative control over the films of the film. “It’s bold in terms of jerking people around. I may have gone too far in a few places.”

The second installment, Episode II—Attack of the Clones, premiered on May 12, 2002, at the Tribeca Film Festival. The third episode, Revenge of the Sith, debuted in May 2005.

LIFE AFTER ‘STAR WARS’ In 2008, Lucas released the latest installment of his Indiana Jones series. He served as one of its writers and as a producer while Spielberg once again acted as director. Ford returned as the famed adventuring archaeologist in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and was joined by Cate Blanchett and Shia LaBeouf on this new challenge. The film proved one of the summer’s biggest hits.

The following year, Lucasfilm produced the first in its anthology series: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which starred Felicity Jones, Ben Mendelsohn and Diego Luna. In 2017, Lucas’ friend and old collaborator, Ron Howard, was tapped to direct the subsequent film, Solo: A Star Wars Story, which premiered in May 2018.

In addition to being a filmmaker, Lucas has been dedicated to helping improve education through the George Lucas Educational Foundation. Created in the early 1990s, the organization encourages the use of project-based and team-based learning, among other education reforms. The foundation’s mission is deeply personal to Lucas, who spent many years as a single father to his adopted daughter Amanda after his divorce from film editor Marcia (Griffin) Lucas in 1983. Following their split, Lucas also adopted two more children, Katie and Jett.

In January 2013, Lucas announced his engagement to Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Investments. The couple had been dating for five years prior to their engagement. The 69-year-old Lucas and 44-year-old Hobson wed in late June 2013 at Skywalker Ranch in Marin County, California. Shortly afterward, they welcomed daughter Everest to the family.

At the beginning of this year Lucas announces return to “Star Wars” if he has full control, meaning that he himself would return to work on Star Wars if Disney gave him the green light to do so — and only if Disney said that Lucas could have full creative control over the films. Disney is well aware of the fact that Lucas took issue with Star Wars films that Disney has released since the company acquired Lucasfilm. And Lucas isn’t alone in his disapproval with “Disney’s Star Wars” — there are plenty of fans who think that the franchise pre-acquisition was much better. And according to some sources, it looks like Disney and Lucas are willing to set aside their differences to make movie magic happen…or at least, to let Lucas make movie magic happen.

But what would it mean for Lucas to return to the Star Wars franchise? Would we get an entirely new saga, apart from the Skywalkers, and would Lucas come up with something we’ve never seen before? We’re not so sure, especially since a lot has happened in the past few months regarding the future of the Star Wars franchise. With creatives backing out of their trilogies to the Obi-Wan Kenobi series reportedly being rewritten, there seems to be a lot that Disney itself is trying to figure out.

PROFILE

We Would Have Something To Show To The World You never know where life will take you – I was good at mathematics, played chess, considered studying astrophysics and dealt with electrical engineering, and after a decisive encounter at the 10th Belgrade Gymnasium, I went off to study Serbian, Yugoslav and World Literature, earned my PhD degree and became a full professor of the 20th Century Serbian Literature

PROFESSOR DR. ALEKSANDAR JERKOV, CEO OF THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY “SVETOZAR MARKOVIĆ”

W

hile studying, I was the editor of the then still renowned weekly “Student” and the magazine “Vidici”, and later, already being a professor, became the editor-in-chief of Prosveta, Plato and Mono and Manjana, edited and published hundreds of top titles and collected works. I enjoyed it all, and wondered what I needed it all for, and yet I launched the publishing activities of the University Library, which I’ve been managing for some time, and the last autumn, together with the Official Gazette, received the Award for Publishing Venture of the Year at the Book Fair - for selected works of great Serbian scientists who were also writers, from Atanasije Stojković and Stojan Novaković, Laza Lazarević and Vladan Đorđević, Mihajlo Petrović Alas, Mihajlo Pupin and Milutin Milanković, to Radovan Samardžić and Goran Milašinović. What a perfect array of great people, exceptional scientists and wonderful writers.

I look on with regret at the declining levels of knowledge and culture today.

Serbian culture is under attack in surrounding, emerging and ill-fated states, if indeed they are states and not political provisional arrangements. The Serbian language and Cyrillic script are savagely suppressed, with apartheid rule in parts of the former Yugoslavia, where Serbs are ‘Black’. This relates in particular to the authorities in Montenegro. We live in an age of kleptocracy and political savagery, but we need to be fully aware: not just in the surrounding countries. Despite this, Serbian literature still somehow resists the impact of ideology and brutality, and survives despite its small and divided market, and this is a kind of a miracle.

But apart from the top works, one has to take care of the whole system of education, which is not in a good state, care must be taken of the cultural habits of the citizens, who are exposed to media vulgarity and ideological primitivism, which are represented by ‘reality shows’.

That kind of ‘reality’ is all around. Public communication and conducting brutal politics is often reduced to the level of threats, cursing and abhorrence.

However, excellent poetry is written, sometimes also prose, and dozens of young colleagues study literature and writes criticism, translations of great slow-selers still emerge. We would have something to show the world: symbolic

capital, great works of art and cultural resilience. Serbian frescoes in famous monasteries don’t lack anything on Giotto, and the most liberal constitution of the 19th century was written in Serbia, which at the time had liberated itself from the Turks and erected, as famous German historian Leopold von Ranke put it, a torch of freedom across the whole of southern Europe.

We suffered terribly in the two world wars, fighting with the allies against fascism, while, like the Jews, they also killed us in concentration camps, one of the largest in the world being Jasenovac, built in the then Independent State of Croatia just for the Serbs. In such a century, we also gave Europe two of the world’s greatest writers: Andrić and Crnjanski. We are specific in that there were so many writers in the Serbian ruling families, which was not the case anywhere in the world: from Saint Sava, who was the founder of Serbian culture and the first Serbian archbishop, and his brother, the first crowned Serbian ruler, Stefan the First-Crowned, to Njegoš and Prince Nikola, who both ruled Montenegro; from Mihajlo Obrenović to Đorđe Karađorđević, coming from the two ruling families which were exchanging places at the throne by the mid-20th century. We are better than they think of us in Europe and America, when they think of us at all, and we are much harder on ourselves than should be the case for any nation with such a history and tradition.

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Architecture Geoffrey Bawa

Breaking Barriers Between Inside & Outside

When the late Geoffrey Manning Bawa entered the world of architecture, he made his mark with every design he produced.

Exploring modernism and its cultural implications, he created unique designs that were recognized by architects across the world. The result of these works made him the principal force behind the global concept of “tropical modernism”. As Sri Lanka’s most influential architect, Sir Bawa built houses, hotels, schools, offices and government buildings including the Sri Lankan Parliament Building 44

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Bawa’s work is characterized by sensitivity to site and context. His work is instinctively, rather than self-consciously, sustainable. His designs break the barriers between inside and outside, between buildings and landscape, and he characteristically links a complex series of spaces

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he Sri Lankan Architect Geoffrey Bawa is now regarded as having been one of the most important and influential Asian architects of the 20thcentury. Bawa came to architecture late, only qualifying at the age of thirty-eight in 1957, but he soon established himself as Sri Lanka’s most prolific and inventive architect, establishing a whole canon of prototypes for buildings in a Tropical Asian Context. Although best known for his private houses and hotels, his oeuvre also includes schools and universities, factories and offices, public buildings as well as the new Sri Lankan Parliament.

Bawa’s work is characterized by sensitivity to site and context. His work is instinctively, rather than self-consciously, sustainable. His designs break the barriers between inside and outside, between buildings and landscape, and

he characteristically links a complex series of spaces – rooms, courtyards, loggias, verandahs – with distant vistas in a single scenographic composition.

Bawa was born in 1919 in what was then the British colony of Ceylon. His father was a wealthy and successful lawyer of Muslim and English parentage, while his mother was of mixed German, Scottish and Sinhalese descent.

In 1938 he went to Cambridge to read English, before studying Law in London, where he was called to the Bar in 1944. After World War II he joined a Colombo law firm, but he soon tired of the legal profession and in 1946 set off on two years of travel that took him through the far East, across the United States and finally to Europe. In Italy he toyed with the idea of settling down permanently and resolved to buy a villa overlooking Lake Garda. He was now twenty-eight and had spent one-third of his life away from Ceylon. Not only had he become more and more European in outlook, but his ties to Ceylon were also weakening: both his parents were dead and he had disposed of the last of his Colombo property. The plan to buy an Italian villa came to nothing however, and in 1948 he returned to Ceylon where he bought an

abandoned rubber estate at Lunuganga, on the south-west coast between Colombo and Galle.

His dream was to create an Italian garden from a tropical wilderness, but he soon found that his ideas were compromised by lack of technical knowledge. In 1951 he was apprenticed to H. H. Reid, the sole surviving partner of the Colombo architectural practice of Edwards, Reid and Begg. When Reid died suddenly a year later Bawa returned to England and, after spending a year at Cambridge, enrolled as a student at the Architectural Association in London.

Bawa finally qualified as an architect in 1957 at the age of thirty-eight and returned to Ceylon to take over what was left of Reid’s practice. He gathered together a group of talented young designers and artists who shared his growing interest in Ceylon’s forgotten architectural heritage and his ambition to develop new ways of making and building.

One of Bawa’s most impressive achievements has been the Garden at Lunuganga, which he has slowly fashioned for himself from an abandoned rubber estate over a period of fifty years. The result is a series of outdoor rooms conceived with an exquisite sense of theatre as a civilized wilderness set within the greater garden of Sri Lanka. He died in 2003 and was cremated on the cinnamon hill of his Magical Garden. In 2001 Bawa received the special Chairman’s award in the eighth cycle of the Aga Khan award for architecture, becoming only the third architect to be so honored since the awards inception.

Bawa’s work was mainly in Sri Lanka, but included several other countries as well: in India, Indonesia, Mauritius, Japan, Fiji, and Singapore. His works include houses, hotels, schools, clubs, offices and government buildings, most notably the Sri Lankan Parliament Building. It is no exaggeration to say that Geoffrey Bawa transformed the look of South and South-East Asia.

One of Bawa’s earliest domestic buildings, a courtyard house built in Colombo for Ena De Silva in 1961, was the first to fuse elements

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Architecture Geoffrey Bawa

During the 1980s Bawa designed the new Ruhunu University near Matara, a project that enabled him to demonstrate his mastery of external space and the integration of buildings in a landscape. The result is a matrix of pavilions and courtyards, arranged with careful casualness and a strong sense of theatre across a pair of rocky hills of traditional Sinhalese domestic architecture with modern concepts of open planning, demonstrating that an outdoor life is viable on a tight urban plot. The Bentota Beach Hotel of 1968 was Sri Lanka’s first purpose-built resort hotel, combining the conveniences required by demanding tourists with a sense of place and continuity that has rarely been matched.

During the early 1970s a series of buildings for government departments, developed ideas for the workplace in a tropical city, culminating in the State Mortgage Bank in Colombo, hailed at the time as one of the world’s first bio-climatic high-rises.

Bawa’s growing prestige was recognized in 1979, when he was invited by President Jayawardene to design Sri Lanka’s new Parliament at Kotte, 8 kilometers east of Colombo.

At Bawa’s suggestion the swampy site was dredged to create an island at the centre of a vast artificial lake, with the Parliament building appearing as an asymmetric composition of copper roofs floating above a series of terraces rising out of the water. Abstract references to traditional Sri Lankan and South Indian architecture were incorporated within a modernist framework to create a powerful image of

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By author

Bawa was invited by President Jayawardene to design Sri Lanka’s new Parliament at Kotte. At Bawa’s suggestion the swampy site was dredged to create an island at the centre of a vast artificial lake, with the Parliament building appearing as an asymmetric composition of copper roofs floating above a series of terraces rising out of the water CELEBRATING AN ICON In celebration of the centenary of Bawa’s birth, the Geoffrey Bawa Trust and the Lunuganga Trust have planned a year-long programme of curated events. Featuring an exciting lineup of works by Amitav Ghosh, Chandragupta Thenuwara, Dayanita Singh, Dominic Sansoni, Lee Mingwei, Kengo Kuma, Sarah Sze, and many others, the programme commenced on July 2019 and will continue for an entire year, concluding in July 2020.

democracy, cultural harmony, continuity and progress and a sense of gentle monumentality.

During the 1980s Bawa also designed the new Ruhunu University near Matara, a project that enabled him to demonstrate his mastery of external space and the integration of buildings in a landscape. The result is a matrix of pavilions and courtyards, arranged with careful casualness and a strong sense of theatre across a pair of rocky hills overlooking the southern ocean.

Some of these ideas came to fruition in three hotels built in Sri Lanka in the 1990s: the Kandalama, conceived as an austere jungle palace, snaking around a rocky outcrop on the edge of an ancient tank in the Dry Zone; the Lighthouse at Galle, defying the southern oceans from its boulder-strewn headland; and the Blue Water, a cool pleasure pavilion set within a sedate coconut grove on the edge of Colombo.

These projects brought Bawa international recognition and his work was celebrated in a Mimar monograph by Brian Brace Taylor and in a London exhibition. But the Parliament building and Ruhunu had left Bawa exhausted and at the end of the 1980s he withdrew from his partnership with Poologasundram and relinquished the name Edwards, Reid and Begg. He was now seventy and it was widely assumed that he would retire to Lunuganga and contemplate in his garden.

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world

SAUDI ARABIA

Virtual Meeting Of UN Broadband Commission For Sustainable Development

Governor of the Communications and Information Technology Commission Dr Mohammed bin Saud Al-Tamimi participated at the beginning of April in the virtual meeting of the UN Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development.

The leaders of the communications and information technology sector from various governmental, international and private agencies took part in the meeting to discuss ways to harness technology to combat the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

During the meeting, Dr Al-Tamimi delivered a speech in which he expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s keenness and commitment to combat this pandemic through taking precautionary and preventive measures.

He pointed out that safe communication has become an important requirement today, in light of the of applying the remote work procedures taken by most countries.

ZIMBABWE’S PRESIDENT EMMERSON MNANGAGWA LIGHTS THE ETERNAL FLAME OF FREEDOM

ZIMBABWE

Celebrates 40 Years Of Independence

Tens of thousands of people traditionally flock to Independence day festivities around Zimbabwe on 18 April to honour the struggle that freed Zimbabwe from colonial rule in 1980. At the main ceremony, the so-called eternal flame of independence is lit each year for good wishes for the nation’s future.

This year, because of the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, Zimbabwe has cancelled what would have been its 40th celebration. The coronavirus crisis aside, a growing number of Zimbabweans don’t believe they have that much to celebrate on the day.

The majority of Zimbabweans had high hopes when their country declared independence from the British, who ruled Zimbabwe, then called Rhodesia, from 1890 to 1979.

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UNESCO

CodeTheCurve Hackathon Launched

UNESCO, in partnership with IBM and SAP, has launched the CodeTheCurve Hackathon to support young innovators, data scientists and designers across the world to develop digital solutions to counter the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aside from its terrible impact on the health of tens of thousands so far, the COVID-19 crisis is having profound effects on societies, from reliable information sharing to education, with school closures currently affecting more than 1.5 billion students across the planet. “Solving this unprecedented global crisis will require the collective expertise and imagination of all of us,” said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO. CodeTheCurve is organized in two phases, beginning with a video competition for ideas, a Hackathon will follow it among 40 selected teams. The Hackathon was completed in late April, with teams working on one of three main themes: 1) Ensuring continued learning 2) Data management and information, and 3) The present and the future: societal and health issues.

Participating ‘Hackers’ received experience pitching their innovative solutions from relevant and supportive organizations that have been brought together under the umbrella of CodeTheCurve.

SERBIA

More EU Assistance Arrives In Belgrade

The first ten out of a total of 100 containers for triage and emergency care of patients potentially infected with COVID-19, purchased with EU funds, have been installed in seven healthcare institutions in Belgrade. These containers, each fitted with all necessary equipment, constitute an important role in the overall fight against a pandemic in Serbia. The purchase and installation of these initial 8 containers – at a cost of € 590,000 – are part of the EU € 4.9 million aid package, signed on 3 April by Ambassador Fabrizi with Minister Joksimovic and the Head of UNOPS in Serbia Michela Telatin.

The EU on 8 April announced its «Global response» worth €15.6 billion тo combat COVID-19 all over the world. Serbia has been allocated initial support worth €93 million for the health, economic and social consequences or the COVID-19 pandemic.

The remaining containers, as well as other medical equipment, are being allocated to health institutions in Serbia according to needs assessed by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation.

ITALY

Rome Celebrates 2,773rd Birthday

Rome celebrated its 2,773rd birthday, Natale di Roma 2020, with a day-long programme of cultural events on television and social media on 21 April.

The online birthday tribute to the Eternal City, conducted by Max Giusti, was filmed on the Capitol hill, from inside the Capitoline Museums and against the backdrop of the Roman Forum.

The show was broadcasted on Rai2 during the Patriae broadcast and was also available from 22 April in its full version on the Roma Capitale website and social media.

In addition to this, there were many other initiatives aiming to celebrate city of Rome’s birthday with feature characters from the world of entertainment and culture, such as Ennio Morricone, Sabrina Ferilli, Antonio Pappano, as well as Roman museums and cultural institutions such as Accademia S. Cecilia, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma and Romaeuropa Festival.

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world

ĐOKOVIĆ & MURRAY:

Instagram Live Session

With 125 tour-level titles between them, Novak Đoković and Andy Murray united for a star-studded Instagram Live that included plenty of colourful banter.

Both men dropped in from their respective homes to answer fan questions and playfully rib some of their fellow players. When Nick Kyrgios logged in to watch, Murray noted the Aussie’s recent ink and joked that he’s “not certain about the sleeve tattoo, although you can probably pull it off better than me.”

The current and former No. 1 Novak Đoković also called out Wawrinka’s attire when he won the 2015 Roland Garros title by defeating Đoković in the championship match. ”Stan, if you’re watching, I hope you burn those shorts,” Đoković said, laughing. Murray chimed in by adding that the shorts “were horrific.” Wawrinka, who was watching along, responded in the comments with a laughing emoji. Đoković and Murray also built their perfect tennis players during the Instagram Live session. Both men aligned on who they’d select for serve, volley and mental toughness, while also paying their respects to each other on return and backhand.

THE ROMA

Europe’s Forgotten People

Since they arrived in Europe more than 600 years ago, the Roma have endured hardship and persecution, forcing them to live in conditions of economic and social deprivation. Today around 10 to 12 million Roma live in Europe, yet very few Europeans know about their history, culture or way of life. Their communities are one of the most discriminated and disadvantaged groups in Europe, facing hatred and human rights abuses every day. Roma are refused access to decent housing, evicted without notice and left open to attack by prejudiced neighbours.

Roma have even been forgotten by history. Over centuries they have been enslaved and persecuted, culminating in the Porajmos, a word that means ‘devouring’ in Romani - the genocide of over half a million Roma in Nazi concentration camps. To this day, we commemorate 2 August - the day thousands of Roma were murdered in the gas chambers at the Auschwitz concentration camp.

There is much to do to change things for the better. That’s why the Council of Europe has a unit dedicated to Roma and Travellers, and why the Council considers them in every part of the work it does, guided by its Strategic Action Plan. One of the most important aspects is to create a level playing field so that the Roma, at last, have the opportunity to rise above the circumstances that discrimination.

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GREEN SERBIA 2020 HOME AND WORK ENVIRONMENTS PLAYS A FUNDAMENTAL ROLE IN OUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH

Goran Trivan, Serbian Minister of Environmental Protection ● H.E. Sem Fabrizi, Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia ● H.E. Jan Lundin, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to the Republic of Serbia ● Francine Pickup, UNDP Resident Representative to Serbia ● Nikos Zois, Managing Director of HEINEKEN Srbija ● Nevena Čolić Mohora, Director at MITECO Kneževac ● Zorica Bilić, Country Coordinator, Open Regional Funds for Southeast Europe - Modernisation of Municipal Services, GIZ GmbH ● Maja Živković, Managing Director, and Maja Muškinja, Logistics and Environmental Manager, Steel Impex ● Žarko Miljanić, B.Sc. EE, Green Wall Plus

INTERVIEW

We Talk Loudly About All Environmental Issues We are determined in our intentions to systematically and consistently resolve environmental issues and participate actively in all regional and global activities that contribute to resolving climate challenges.

The current pandemic has only led to us determining that we've been messing dangerously with planet Earth

the environment, which has a direct impact on our health,” says Minister Trivan. “Warnings are being issued almost worldwide that economic recovery following the pandemic cannot be separated from the climate and environmental issues. We hear messages and calls, emanating from both the UN’s highest representatives to the governments of all countries - to withhold financial assistance to industries that destroy the planet and to target economic solutions to climate change - and from the world’s environmental organisations, calling for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to be amended to include the (universal) right to a healthy natural environment, upon which man and all life on Earth depend”.

GORAN TRIVAN, SERBIAN MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

» Will humanity end its self-destruction and provide an opportunity for recovery and progress, relying on innovative technologies, a green economy and environmental protection?

- “The coming months will show whether we, as a civilisation, have stepped into a healthier, better and more humane future. Experience tells me that, as a civilisation, we haven’t been glorious in drawing lessons from the mistakes we’ve made...,” says CorD’s interlocutor.

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t the time of this global pandemic, the human health issue of the Covid virus has ensured the issue of the planet’s health is more relevant than ever, says Goran Trivan, Minister of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia. “A simple truth has resounded – that we need a healthy planet in order for us to also be healthy. And a harsh pandemic has stripped bare the fact that everything on planet Earth is connected, and that a problem in any part of the planet can quickly become a problem for the whole world,” says our interlocutor.

“We’ve alienated ourselves from planet Earth. We “pay” for the advancement of our civilisation, which has been dependent on fossil fuel technologies and energy over the last two hundred years, through increasing pollution and the concentration of greenhouse gases, with long-term effects on climate, biodiversity and

THINKING GREEN & LIVING CLEAN

» After several alarming news items about the level of pollution in various urban and industrial centres of Serbia, citizens began monitoring the air quality on a daily basis. What does your ministry intend to do to ensure citizens are provided with truthful and timely information?

- From the first day of the founding of the Ministry, we’ve been speaking publicly about all environmental problems, raising the attention of the general public, given that citizens have the right to

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know what kind of environment they live in, and with an awareness that we will not be able to preserve and improve the environment without the help of the media, civil society and citizens. Testifying to the fact that we’ve succeeded in that is the raising and constant presence of the topic of the importance of environmental protection among the public and in the media.

The solution to air pollution caused by the thermal power and industrial sectors, city heating plants, especially individual boiler rooms and transport, is in the removal of the causative agent and that’s a multi-sector job. Bearing witness to this is the composition and activities of the Working Group for Air Protection, which was set up by the Government of Serbia.

However, the Ministry has certainly already taken measures within its jurisdiction: we are preparing an Air Strategy together with international organisations; we are providing subsidies for the purchase of electric and hybrid vehicles; we have forested 281 hectares in local municipalities, assisted municipalities in the development and implementation of air quality plans, increased allocations for monitoring air quality and opened two new measuring stations, as well as conducting 177 oversight inspections and the control of pollutants over the last two years, submitting reports for infractions and economic misconduct. Alongside all of this, the Ministry proposes: subsidising the installation of LPG or KPG devices in 100,000 used cars and 10% of public transport vehicles, connecting district heating and gas pipeline facilities, replacing individual boilers with heat pumps that use petro-geothermal energy and groundwater for 150,000 households, the production and installation of filters for the purification of gases emitted from individual combustion plants, banning import of vehicles with euro 3 and 4 engines.

It is important to reiterate that air quality data at all measuring

as the most efficient and simplest way to mitigate climate change.

Serbia has begun making changes in the environment, is determined to effectively address environmental issues through systematic and consistent measures, and is engaged actively in all regional and global activities that contribute to resolving climate challenges.

We have drafted a number of projects, prepared ourselves for the “Serbia 2025” Investment Plan, which also envisages investments in the field of wastewater, sent a negotiating position to Brussels for Chapter 27, finalised and submitted for procedures the Draft Law on Climate Change. In the capacity of vice-presidents, we participate in the work of UNEA -5 and COP-26, and the Ministerial Conference of South and Southeast European Countries was held in Belgrade, which had regional and international significance in seeking solutions to

The Ministry is active both in the legislative field and in creating specific prerequisites for improving the environment in Serbia, such as afforestation points are available to the public at all times, but that in these new circumstances, all authorities – from local to national – must inform the public in different ways. It is important that health institutions publicly advise citizens on how to behave. Every local government must have plans on how to deal with the problem of pollutants and how to react in such situations - how to regulate traffic, what vehicles are allowed to be on the streets and which aren’t, what citizens should do to protect their health etc.

environmental problems.

There is no doubt that the new European Commission and its first priority – the historic Green Deal – is also of key importance to us.

» To your knowledge, how many companies are involved in CSR activities aimed at protecting the environment and how does the Ministry cooperate with them?

- The Ministry cooperates actively with all companies that demonstrate socially responsible behaviour and operate in ways that protect the environment, particularly in reducing or eliminating pollution and switching to clean technologies. It is important when making strategic decisions that an increasing number of companies carry out environmental impact assessments and anticipate measures to prevent or mitigate adverse impacts. In accordance with Chapter 27, the implementation of which awaits us in the process of European integration, companies are directed to align their production and operations with environmental requirements, in order to compete on the European and world markets and to protect the environment.

» Early March saw the launch of a major afforestation programme for Serbia. How many trees do we need and in which ways are we involved in the European process of creating a green continent?

- With the planned launch of a large afforestation action with “Exit”, Serbia may have the ambition to increase its level of forestation to 40 per cent and to initiate the extending of this activity to the region,

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THINKING GREEN & LIVING CLEAN

PANDEMIC, CLIMATE CHANGE AND EU ENGAGEMENT IN THE REGION

After The Crisis, The Time Will Come To Rebuild Better The Covid-19 crisis further emphasises the importance of the Western Balkans' embracing values set by the European Green Deal, and making a shift in its economic model towards the principles of the circular economy and new pathways to job creation.

It is with this in mind that the EU has invested around 400 million euros in environment sector so far in supporting Serbia over the past 19 years

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e welcomed this year’s Earth Day in our homes, isolated and worried about how our world will look following the Covid-19 crisis. There is, however, some certainty: we will, more than ever, need a healthy planet with healthy people.

While we are suffering and mourning our losses, this crisis is testing the limits of our system. After the crisis, the time will come to rebuild better. A new Ipsos poll conducted in 14 countries shows support for government actions to prioritise climate change in post-Covid-19 economic recovery, with 65% agreeing that this is important. Now, perhaps more than ever, is the time for ambitious plans.

The European Green Deal, which aims to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, will set out actions in the fields of climate, energy, the circular economy, construction, mobility, agriculture, sustainable

THINKING GREEN & LIVING CLEAN

EU PROJECT "IPA VISIBILITY AND COMMUNICATION"

food chains, biodiversity and de-pollution.

The engagement of the Western Balkans I achieving these goals will help the economy and create jobs.

Carbon reduction commitments, based on a clean energy supply and smart mobility solutions, are in the best interest of the citizens of the region, especially younger generations, as is the energy efficiency of buildings and industrial plants.

A complete paradigm shift is needed in the region’s economic development model, integrating circular economy principles, where the use of natural resources is reduced and recycling and reuse are improved. There is a huge opportunity for the Western Balkans to take a step forward to innovative green technologies.

The region faces waste management challenges, with more waste to manage, pac-

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kaging, demolition and construction waste, but low recycling. Few waste management facilities meet modern standards, and most of the waste ends up in illegal dumps or unsanitary landfills. The region faces an urgent need to improve waste collection and separation, and to increase industrial recycling.

Air pollution affects both the public health and the economies of the region and beyond. The main causes are known: outdated energy production methods, household and small unit heating, transport... Recent studies show that the percentage of deaths due to air pollution is higher in the Western Balkans than in the EU. This is linked to 16 coal power plants operating in the region, which pollute more than 250 coal plants operating in the EU. Indoor smoking and related health risks create an additional burden.

The Western Balkans’ biodiversity and

habitats are unique in Europe and shelter a large number of endangered species. The future is in protecting these ecosystems while promoting green economic activities. As the region’s economic growth makes headway, its biodiversity and habitats need to be actively encouraged and restored.

According to Sem Fabrizi, Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia, “all of our projects are designed and implemented to achieve a positive impact on the environment and citizen’s quality of life. In Serbia, over the past 19 years, the EU has invested around 400 million euros in environmental protection. We are talking of grants and not loans.”

On 21st January 2020, the Government adopted the Negotiating Position for Chapter 27, as the result of a colossal three-year work, continuously supported by the EU and its member states, such as Sweden. This document officially recognises many key policy decisions, prepared implementation plans for EU Directives and a Multi-annual Investment and Financing Plan. Key for Serbia are adoption of the climate law and strategy and revision of the Nationally Determined Contributions, with the notable support of the UNDP. In the sector of air quality, the EU has installed 28 automatic monitoring stations and will invest in more. We financed an ash disposal system and filtration system at Nikola Tesla power plant, and in Obrenovac

nanced a regional landfill that serves nine municipalities, which can treat 80 tonnes of waste, resulting in reduced threats to the environment and public health. In Šabac, the EU has invested in waste removal and disposal, wastewater treatment and a flood defence system. We’ve also helped to develop a management system for hazardous medical waste at the national level.

When it comes to water management, Serbia is in dire need of investment. The EU has supported the construction of wastewater

EU PROJECT "EUINFONET"

“We need to protect, restore and fund the green recovery and transition, for the sake of the health and well-being of all citizens” ~ Sem Fabrizi, Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia emissions of matter particulates into the air was reduced as much as sixfold. In February 2020, when air pollution in Serbia exceeded all prescribed levels, the EU offered support and advice to Serbia, coordinating its actions with the international community, and hosting public and TV debates. The first national Air quality strategy is under preparation.

In Subotica, the EU has built a modern Regional Waste Management Centre worth over 20 million euros. In Duboko we co-fi-

Serbia, 89 habitat types, 150 animal species from the Habitats Directive annexes, and 116 bird species from the Annex I of the Birds Directive have been found.

The EU is raising awareness of environmental issues with all stakeholders, and engaging citizens by urging them to be agents of change through campaigns such as “Look around, Let’s Move”, the tree planting campaign launched with the EXIT Foundation, support for Green Fest and others, and the organisation of public discussions and de-

treatment plants in Subotica, Šabac, Leskovac, Kula and Vrbas, as well as the upgrading of water supply systems in Požarevac, Inđija and many other places. The first ever River Basin Management Plan for Serbia is currently being prepared by a pool of national and international experts.

The EU supports the protection of biodiversity through its Natura 2000 project, to protect core areas for species or habitat types listed in the Habitats and Birds Directives. In

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bates. Taking environmental actions and adopting small changes can create huge collective change! The EU Delegation also has its own Green plan: reduce the use of paper and electricity, refrain from using single-use plastic etc.

To quote EU Delegation Head Fabrizi: “Together with the government, civil society, and the public and private sectors, we will continue to raise citizens’ environmental awareness. We will not stop investing for the benefit of Serbian citizens. We need to protect, restore, and fund the green recovery and transition, for the sake of the health and well-being of all citizens.”

For more information, visit: Europa.rs, Euinfocentar.rs, Euzatebe.rs, Exitfondacija. org/treezone, pogledajokosebe.rs,

THINKING GREEN & LIVING CLEAN

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Trends Expected In 2020

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he year 2019 was action-packed in terms of CSR. With the companies taking a proactive interest in improving their CSR practices, and the government encouraging them by bringing in various amendments in the CSR Act, it is being predicted that 2020 will be even more dynamic for CSR. Following are five trends that can be expected in CSR in 2020.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an important buzz word in the business world. The practice of CSR has evolved and matured over time. CSR now includes strategic philanthropy, employee volunteerism, cause marketing, disaster response, peer-to-peer fundraising, non-profit board service, and even incorporating social responsibility into core business practices and offerings

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FOCUS ON ESG (ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE) More and more people are getting aware of their carbon and social footprint. And while they may not be able to indulge themselves entirely in activism, they certainly prefer to associate with brands that have a good ethical standing in terms of their ESG impact. ESG investment thus is no more only a philanthropic activity. It is more of a business feature that is a must-have for the brands if they want to sustain in the competitive market.

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more transparency in the CSR projects of a company. Thus, there will be introspection on how 5G, AI, Blockchain Technology, etc. can be used to improve transparency in systems.

Therefore, the companies will need to provide a transparent roadmap of activities and progress. All this will help drive collective impact.

Thus, in the year 2020, the rise in ESG investments is certain.

Climate change crisis is at its peak at present. The global community, especially the millennials, are calling for serious climate action from the businesses. In 2019, we saw several climate action movements, including the Climate Strike at the UN. Such movements have compelled the business community as well as the governments to embrace renewable energy and reduce emissions. For example, in India, Cochin Airport became the world’s first completely solar-powered airport. Japan is leading in producing cars that use hydrogen fuel, which leaves behind only water vapour in the form of emissions. In the U.S.,

EMPLOYEES ACTIVISM Various studies have shown that employees prefer to work for companies that believe in a cause or has a purpose. Numerous other studies have also demonstrated that indulging employees in volunteer work for a social cause helps in getting job satisfaction and Instead of just doing philanthropic work, the companies will step improve their retention. forward to have a holistic CSR strategy that will be impactful and In 2019, we saw that employees of sustainable popular brands such as amazon, lush, etc., participating in Climate Strike, Pride Week, and so on. In 2020, this trend is set to increase as the state of California has passed a solar mandate, according to more number of young people enter the workforce. which new construction homes are required to have a Photovoltaic solar system as an electricity source from January 1, 2020.

FOCUS ON IMPACT Such examples and policies across the world are set to inActions speak louder than words. This is why the consequences spire more investment in developing, adopting and promoting of the actions count more than the intent behind it, especially renewable energy. in the eyes of the critical young generation. This is why the investors in the coming year will focus more on the impact of TRANSPARENCY IN PROCESSES their CSR project than on the intent. Thus, instead of just doing Digitalisation has reduced the cases of corruption and increased philanthropic work, the companies will step forward to have a transparency in the processes. This includes processes in CSR. holistic CSR strategy which will be impactful and sustainable.

The rising awareness among consumers will create a demand for

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INTERVIEW

This is How We Cook The Change!

Within our UNDP project Climate Smart Bio-waste Challenge, we want to pave the way for a larger and climate smart waste reform in Serbia. We are looking forward to receiving innovative business ideas for reducing food and green waste H.E. JAN LUNDIN, AMBASSADOR OF SWEDEN TO THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

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journey to a sustainable future leads through many exciting initiatives and encompasses literary everybody interested in contributing to a better world, with less waste and a cleaner environment.

The Swedish involvement in the Western Balkans shows how you can start from culinary challenges and progress to potentially large scale innovations, leading to a clean and healthy environment.

» How has the Swedish Embassy engaged in food and sustainability issues?

- Food is on our plate and in our minds every day! It connects many parts of life, nature, society and the economy, and is an excellent way to discuss Agenda 2030! When I was the new ambassador in 2017, the idea emerged to produce a sustainable cookbook, Swedish Culinary Diplomacy, with cooking experiences from the Swedish Ambassadorial Residence.

This soon turned into a regional project called Food for Tomorrow, where five countries in the Western Balkans and Sweden exchanged experiences on sustainable food production!

Food lovers and entrepreneurs from the region made more than 15 different events.

With an online challenge, we gathered 700 participants from 75 countries, inventing the most sustainable recipes that now included waste and food produced locally. The next step on our food journey was to shift the focus to food consumption. We engaged students and

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food entrepreneurs in challenges to reduce food wastage from cooking, and this has now turned into a new cookbook: Agenda 2030 Cookbook – Food for Tomorrow, which is soon to be finalised, to share ideas on how to reduce food wastage! This year we are paying special attention to better food in schools, and we reach out to schoolchildren to help them learn about health, sustainability and food!

to strengthen Environmental democracy – engagements of businesses, civil society and young people in the environment and climate change. In our UNDP project Climate Smart Bio-waste Challenge, we want to pave the way for a larger and climate smart waste reform in Serbia – innovative business ideas for reducing food and green waste will be coming!

» How does the Embassy focus on food connect to the Swedish development portfolio in Serbia?

- They go very well together! Sweden is the major bilateral donor for the environment to Serbia, providing more than two million euros per year! Our focus is on supporting Serbia in moving towards the EU’s environmental standards for a clean and healthy environment. Healthy food can only come from a

» What possibilities exist for exchanges of experience, innovations and trade between Serbia and Sweden?

- Many! The EU has a strong focus on innovation and clean technologies, and Sweden is well advanced, while many good ideas are already developing in Serbia! At the Kopaonik Business Forum we had a round-table discussion at which Swedish companies like IKEA and Tetra Pak shared their innovative

There are many possibilities for exchanges of experience, innovations and trade between Serbia and Sweden. Many good ideas are already developing in Serbia! clean environment. For many years, Sweden has supported waste and water management and investments, but also improved chemical management and reduced industrial pollution.

Swedish and EU will help launch the start of waste recycling in 17 municipalities. We work closely with the Serbian Government, but also with local administrations, to develop reforms.

We have this year launched several projects

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solutions and showed how they work with sustainability in Serbia. In the project Climate Smart Bio-waste Challenge, we will place a special emphasis on exchanges of experience. Let’s see what ideas will come out of the innovation call that’s now open for applications in Serbia. And let’s not forget that Sweden imports delicious blueberries, raspberries and honey from Serbia!

INTERVIEW

No Good Ideas To Waste The proper recycling of bio-waste could create new products and jobs in Serbia. Local governments, public utility companies, business, civil society and research institutions are being challenged to propose innovative ideas for reducing, reusing and recycling bio-waste FRANCINE PICKUP, UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO SERBIA

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he current Covid-19 crisis presents an opportunity for Serbia to combine green transition and digital transformation and accelerate its economic recovery in a carbon-neutral and sustainable way, says Francine Pickup, UNDP Resident Representative to Serbia. With this in mind UNDP launched the “Bio-Waste Management Challenge Call”. » What is the main idea behind the call?

- We are looking for ideas that can help reduce the amount of food and kitchen waste, and green waste from gardens and parks that currently ends up in landfills. We produce large quantities of bio-waste, but estimates suggest that in Serbia only one per cent of that is collected and processed. The rest is left to rot, emitting harmful Greenhouse Gases (GHG) that accelerate climate change.

Compared to other countries, I’ve noticed that in Serbia waste separation is not done within households. There are communal containers here and there, but they are far apart and not available in all local communities. The proper recycling of bio-waste could create new products and jobs, and at the same time lower GHG emissions. For example, inedible leftovers from households and food industries can be converted into compost that improves the quality of soil or can be used to produce biogas.

To find innovative technology and business solutions that can help manage the

bio-waste more efficiently, in a climate- and environment-friendly way, the UNDP launched this challenge in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and with financial support from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA).

This Call aims to engage local governments, public utility companies, business, civil society and research institutions to propose innovative ideas for reducing, reusing and recycling bio-waste. The best candidates will receive mentorship and guidance to develop their ideas into projects. At least five of the most successful projects will receive co-financing for their implementation. In close cooperation with the Ministry and SIDA, we will also support the development of policies and regulations governing biodegradable waste management in line with EU standards. » Why is it important for Serbia to transition to a circular economy, and what role is played by innovation in this process?

- Transition to a circular economy leads to longer-term, sustainable growth that generates jobs and boosts the local economy, while protecting our health and our planet. Innovation can help transform our economy and behaviour, making them more energy efficient, and resource efficient.

For example, by using modern waste containers with fill level sensors, cities could

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lower their transportation costs and their GHG emissions by only sending out waste collection vehicles when needed. » How does this initiative fit into the overall portfolio of the UNDP in Serbia?

- This initiative is part of our broader portfolio of work aimed at contributing to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals targeting climate, sustainable consumption and production, green economic growth & innovation.

Last year we developed the first national Circular Economy Roadmap and prepared policy options for reducing the impact of single-use plastics. We also worked with youth to raise their awareness on the need to reduce, reuse and recycle.

To tackle the food waste, we have partnered with Delhaize to develop an online platform for food donations. With private investors, we enabled the construction and operation of six biomass heat and power plants throughout Serbia, producing electricity in rural areas from agricultural waste.

Our ‘Climate-Smart Urban Development’ initiative has provided co-financing for 11 of the most advanced solutions for GHG emission reduction in cities, and helped the teams behind them to implement their concepts in practise. We expect these solutions to cut more than 0.5 million tonnes of CO2 for Serbia, which is equivalent to planting trees on a territory of 145 football pitches.

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CORPORATE

We Are Active, Supportive And Optimistic These are challenging times where solidarity and collective efforts are vital to fight against the spread of Covid19. Since this unprecedented situation occurred, our moto was to prepare ourselves for the worst and hope for the best and we started the implementation of all the measures earlier, even before the first reported case in Serbia NIKOS ZOIS, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF HEINEKEN SERBIA

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e have always clearly followed two guiding principles. First, the health and safety of our people which does not only mean that all our people are safe and sound at every moment, but also that each and every of us do everything we can personally and professionally following all the measures so as to avoid any contact or spread of the virus. Second, we are doing everything we can to safeguard the continuity of business and maintain our breweries operational, followed by regular payment of all our employees, with no layoffs or reduction of workforce, and supporting the business continuity of our customers and suppliers.

We believe that this way of working supports recovering of the entire economy much faster and we are glad to see that so far all the steps taken are proving to be right choices and bring us smooth everyday operations.

Our hearts go out to all who have been hit by this disease, and we need to stay active, supportive and optimistic. From one hand, staying responsible and loyal employer caring for our employees and, thanks to all the efforts from our employees, being a role model company in all the recommendations, presents a support to the State in these times of crisis. One more step ahead and a helping hand was a donation of 12million dinars to the Government in their effort for more respirators to treat those in the biggest need. On global level, HEINEKEN donated 15 million euros in order to support the International Federation of Red Cross, followed by many other activities such as donation of water and

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non-alcoholic beverages and the production of hand sanitisers.

At the beginning of this state of emergency, we all found ourselves trying to adjust to a new reality. We felt obliged to make a bold public statement which shows the importance of being involved and encourage the others to stay strong and give our best to safeguard each other, by promoting solidarity and care.

Through Zajecarsko brand we have kept on communicating relevant hart-warm messages of optimism and responsibility every time that we saw we were entering to a different stage during this stage of emergency.

At all time, we all from Zaječar, Novi Sad and Belgrade were together. This was a conscious discipline where each of us had the same target to stay healthy and keep each other safe, which makes me proud of all HEINEKEN Serbia employees, their flexibility, efforts they put on daily basis and their approach to work.

I am glad that we may see the light at the end of a tunnel. At the stage that we are entering now, our priorities and guiding principles stay the same: safety of all our people, customers and consumers as well as business continuity and its acceleration in this new environment. It is a careful balance – we want to get back to work but we also need to make sure we do it in a way that ensures the safety of our people and is in line with continuing public health measures.

We believe that many happy gatherings in the future will come and can come faster with responsibility and solidarity.

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BREWING A BETTER WORLD Doing business all over the world comes with important responsibilities that extend beyond just running a profitable business. We strive to have positive impact and sustainability is embedded in our business strategy - Brewing a Better World, as long-term approach for creating shared, sustainable value for all.

Sustainability is our business imperative and an integral part of our business. This means that Brewing a Better World is rooted in each of our activities – from sourcing, producing, marketing and selling our products all the way to how they are consumed, and how we can reuse and recycle waste.

We have defined new 2030 strategies for water and climate change and we are looking at how we can harness the power of wind and solar energy, biomass and biogas by making good progress and following Drop the C, the programme to reduce our carbon footprint. Water is vital to our business; beer is 95% water and great beer requires high quality water. Over the past decade, we have lowered our water use by almost a third. To keep watersheds healthy and communities thriving, we must replenish the water we use.

This is the basis of our water strategy – Every Drop Matters.

Even in these challenging times, we stand by our values: passion for quality, enjoyment of life, respect for people and for the planet.

We are committed to consistently improve the impact we make on the planet and to grow sustainably, never compromising on our mission to Brew a Better World.

HEINEKEN Srbija presents the brewer, which actively operates in two breweries.

While the brewery in Zajecar is proud of its long lasting tradition and brewing expertize dating back to 1895, Novi Sad brewery is one of the most technologically advanced and modern breweries in the region.

The Company’s core business is production, distribution and sales beer. Transparency in the daily work and communication, respect for the individual, local community and society, passion for quality and corporate social responsibility present the core values of the company. www.heinekensrbija.rs LinkedIn / HEINEKEN Srbija

Our passion for brewing great beers has been at the heart of our business for more than 150 years. Ever since we started, we’ve been translating our passion for brewing into building an unparalleled range of great beer brands. Today, we’re proud to be the most international brewer in the world. With over 300 brands available across more than 190 countries, every beer we make is part of its own story, with its own history and character, tailored to individual moments of joy the world over. In Serbia, our breweries in Novi Sad and Zajecar produce and distribute the following portfolio of brands: Heineken, Heineken 0.0., Amstel Premium Pilsener, Kapuziner Weissbier, Krušovice Imperial, Sol, Laško Zlatorog, Zaječarsko, Zaječarsko Crno, Zaječarsko Pšenično, Tiger, Red Stripe, Birra Morreti, Sajder Bandit, PilsPlus i Master pivo.

COVID-19

Lockdowns Clearing The Air As the novel coronavirus tears around the world, it’s exploiting our biggest weaknesses, from creaking health care systems to extreme social inequality. Its relationship with one pervasive and neglected problem, however, is more tangled: Air pollution has intensified the pandemic, but the epidemic has—temporarily—cleaned the skies

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hen new evidence emerged this week that dirty air makes Covid-19 more lethal, it surprised no one who has followed the science of air pollution—but the scale of the effect was striking. The study, which must still undergo peer review for publication, found that the tiny pollutant particles known as PM2.5, breathed over many years, sharply raise the chances of dying from the virus.

Researchers from Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed data on PM2.5 levels and Covid-19 deaths from about 3,000 U.S. counties covering 98 per cent of the U.S. population. Counties that averaged just one microgram per cubic meter more PM2.5 in the air had a Covid-19 death rate that was 15 per cent higher.

“If you’re getting Covid, and you have been breathing polluted air, it’s really putting gasoline on a fire,” said Francesca Dominici, a Harvard biostatistics professor and the study’s senior author.

That’s because the fine particles penetrate deep into the body, promoting hypertension, heart disease, breathing trouble, and

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diabetes, all of which increase complications in coronavirus patients. The particles also weaken the immune system and fuel inflammation in the lungs and respiratory tract, adding to the risk both of getting Covid-19 and of having severe symptoms.

Dominici and her colleagues illustrated the impact with a specific example: Manhattan, the current epicentre of the pandemic, where PM2.5 averages range as high as 11 micrograms per cubic meter, and where 1,904 deaths from Covid-19 had been reported as of 4th April. Had particle levels averaged just one unit lower over the past two decades, the researchers calculated, 248 fewer people would have died over the past several weeks. And of course, the toll has mounted since 4th April.

But while pollution inhaled in the past is still causing harm today, the temporary experience of cleaner air brought about by widespread shutdowns may offer lessons for the kind of world we want to build after the pandemic.

People so accustomed to the pollution they hardly think about it may realise, “Actu-

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ally, I really do quite enjoy clean air: Do you think we could get it, or keep it?” says Simon Birkett, founder and director of Clean Air in London, an advocacy organisation. “There’s a chance to really get people to stop, take a deep breath,” and reflect on questions like “How was your asthma during this period?”

Although a near-halt in normal life and economic activity is no one’s idea of a good way to reduce pollution, the brief respite might, in Birkett’s view, turn this dark time into “a catalyst, or a tipping point, which could get us to say ‘Clean air—there’s something special about it.’”

CLEANER PANDEMIC SKIES From China’s Hubei province to industrial northern Italy and beyond, pollution levels have plummeted as lockdowns aimed at slowing the viral spread have shuttered businesses and trapped billions of people at home. In India, where air pollution is among the world’s worst, “people are reporting seeing the Himalayas for the first time from where they live,” Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, said in an email.

India’s hastily imposed shutdowns have been devastating, leaving hundreds of thousands of migrant workers without homes or jobs. But in Delhi, where air is normally choking, levels of both PM2.5 and the harmful gas nitrogen dioxide fell more than 70 per cent.

CORPORATE

We Plan To Enter New Markets MITECO Kneževac is the leading operator in the field of industrial and hazardous waste management in Serbia and the region. With a strategic approach to finding sustainable solutions, quality service and experience dating back 50 years, the company is positioned as the first choice of firms operating in various industries NEVENA ČOLIĆ MOHORA, DIRECTOR AT MITECO KNEŽEVAC

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o date we’ve invested more than 2.3 million euros, and for the future we’re planning the further development of the company in the processing industry through the improving of existing services, but also through the introduction of new recycling services, such as the reconditioning of packaging, says Mrs Čolić Mohora

» You are leaders in the industrial and hazardous waste management, particularly in the segment of soil remediation and the rehabilitation of PCB-contaminated sites. In which direction will you develop further?

- In order to grow and develop, companies must invest continually in new facilities and manufacturing techniques, but also new expertise. We have to date invested more than 2.3 million euros in order to give ourselves a chance for our services to grow

waste. The plan for the future is to further develop the company in the manufacturing and processing industry, through the provision of existing services, but also the introduction of new recycling services, such as the reconditioning of packaging.

Considering that MITECO Kneževac constantly listens to the needs of the market, our plan is to continue expanding our business in the region, but also to enter other markets that aren’t sufficiently recognised, such as the MENA region. » Many types of industrial packaging represent hazardous waste. How can these types of packaging be reused?

- Apart from the excessive use of plastic packaging, which is a problem not only in Serbia but globally, an even bigger problem is perhaps the inadequate and uncontrolled disposal of

Our plan is to continue expanding our business in the region, but also to enter other markets that aren't sufficiently recognised, such as the MENA region bigger and better. From its founding to this day, the company has gone through various development stages – from the trade with secondary raw materials, via various services, to today offering a holistic approach in strategic consulting, but also in the management of streams of hazardous and non-hazardous

such waste, which has serious ramifications for the environment. The reuse of packaging for industrial purposes is a relatively new circular approach that implies the logistics of collecting packaging and reconditioning it, along with the proper management of the leftovers of reconditioning, such as the

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treatment and recirculation of water. As a company that always focuses on protecting the environment, we recognised the importance of introducing such a circular system in order to create a renewable and sustainable recycling system. » Over the past few months, since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, incredible amounts of medical waste have been “produced”. How will the world tackle this?

- What the Covid-19 virus pandemic teaches us is that it is no longer sufficient to worry only about our own personal interests and that we will have to look at all the problems caused by this event in a much broader context in order for us to preserve human existence in the future and further develop society on healthy foundations. The lack of certain systemic solutions is felt now more than ever and, as a consequence, a lack of awareness about the proper treatment of waste has also emerged. These are issues that we constantly address at the MITECO Forum, an informative and educational platform for exchanging experiences and knowhow among numerous experts from the country and around the world, which is this year being organised for the sixth time. It is very important for us to work in this way to reach conclusions that can further represent important guidelines for the creation of an improved social and economic environment.

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CORPORATE

Green Projects Are A Development Opportunity German Development Cooperation, through its development partnership mechanism and the develoPPP.de programme, combines forces with companies with the aim of responding jointly to the biggest challenges, most notably the challenges of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ZORICA BILIĆ, COUNTRY COORDINATOR, OPEN REGIONAL FUNDS FOR SOUTHEAST EUROPE - MODERNISATION OF MUNICIPAL SERVICES, GIZ GMBH

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ssues related to environmental protection are similar if not the same in all Western Balkan countries, so joint efforts through cooperation and exchanges of experience and solutions are not only useful, but rather essential.

» German Development Cooperation aimed at supporting sustainable development has for many years encouraged the inclusion of the private sector in the implementation of joint projects. What are development partnerships with the private sector like and how are they implemented?

- Considering that there can be no sustainable development without the involvement of the private sector, German Development Cooperation, through its development partnership mechanism and the develoPPP.de programme, combines forces with companies with the aim of responding jointly to the greatest challenges, primarily

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challenges in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainable business initiatives are thus jointly funded and implemented, which, in addition to commercial goals for companies, also brings long-term benefits to the local populations in developing countries.

Through this mechanism, the economy can find a strong partner in projects that are implemented by GIZ, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), whether bilateral projects implemented in Serbia or regional projects at the level of Southeast Europe, such as the Open Regional Fund for the Modernisation of Municipal Services - ORF MMS. » How much space in such projects is taken up by environmental protection?

Will this area be increasingly important at the global level in the coming years?

- Our experience shows that the largest number of development partnerships in Serbia and the region relate specifically to environmental protection, while this topic holds a high third place globally, immediately behind economic development and agriculture. This shows that

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businesses operating in this part of Europe are increasingly seeing their development opportunity and business success in so-called green projects. From the aspect of development cooperation, reforms that lead to environmental sustainability, such as rational use of natural resources and adequate waste management, certainly comprise the biggest contributors to the sustainable development goals. » It was also through this mechanism that the recently completed project “Towards Better E- Waste Management in Serbia” was implemented. How satisfied are you with the results you’ve achieved?

- In cooperation with companies Gorenje and Coca Cola HBC, in the past two and a half years we’ve implemented a project aimed at improving the framework conditions, including the legal and institutional framework, as well as raising awareness for the management of electrical and electronic waste. Thanks to a partnership with the Ministry of the Environment, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Alliance for Local Economic Development (NALED), the collection and analysis of data on streams of this waste

has been improved significantly, as has the collection of eco-taxes through a more transparent and efficient process and the use of digital solutions in conducting procedures.

As the fastest growing category of waste in the world, there is still a lot that needs to be improved, especially with regard to adequate disposal and recycling, but I think that all project partners can be satisfied with the basis that have been established through this project.

on concerns are similar, if not the same, in all Western Balkan countries, and joint efforts through cooperation and exchanges of experience and solutions are not only useful, but rather essential. All parties are undoubtedly aware of this, judging by their openness to cooperation and the increasing number of projects being implemented in this way. Cooperation also takes place between companies and institutions and, of course, civil society organisations.

- The Call for the develoPPP.de programme is open year-round, with projects submitted quarterly. EU-based companies can apply for support through the mechanism of development partnerships with the private sector, but also, as of more recently, domestic companies too. In addition to its regularly open call, through this programme BMZ is currently supporting measures from private companies that alleviate the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic in developing countries. Private

Under conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic, the most important aspect for GIZ is the health of the employees, and providing support to the healthcare systems in all countries where we work

companies can apply for such projects at any time until 30th September this year.

» What is the situation with other waste streams? What projects are active at present and how important to their implementation is the development partnership with the private sector?

- Thanks first and foremost to the good experience on the project “Towards Better E- Waste Management”, but also the great interest of companies in this field, German Development Cooperation, through GIZ ORF MMS, has been able to initiate the solving of problems of various waste streams in Serbia and the region in the previous period. Some of the projects we

are implementing include addressing food waste issues in partnership with EsoTron company, then increasing the rates of recycling for batteries and light bulbs, in partnership with companies Božić i sinovi and E-reciklaža, as well as managing glass packaging waste that we carry out together with companies Sekopak in Serbia, Ekopak from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Pakomak from North Macedonia. » These projects also include regional cooperation between Serbia and other Western Balkan countries. Is it improving year on year? Are we making progress?

- Regional dialogue and cooperation are certainly very important for the realisation of these projects. Environmental protecti-

» What role is played in such projects by the civil sector and civil society organisations?

- As without the private sector, sustainable development is not possible without civil society organisations. They are an indispensable and key partner for us. We wouldn’t be able to realise the majority of these projects if NALED and the Network for business friendly environment BFC SEE weren’t engaged in the front row, working on generating ideas and developing projects, but also bearing the greatest burden on realisation. » Who can get involved in these projects?

Are there currently open invitations for companies to join developmental partnerships?

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» To what extent has Covid-19 influenced your current operations and functioning?

Are you considering adjusting the plans you had for this year?

- Like GIZ globally, the Open Regional Fund for the Modernisation of Municipal Services also continues to work with together our partners during the pandemic, but with approaches adapted to the current situation. In cooperation with our partners, we adapt plans and activities within the scope of all the projects that we’re implementing. Unusual circumstances require us to adopt new ways of working, and digital technologies and creative concepts help us to cope with these challenging conditions. Certainly the most important aspect is the health of our employees, and providing support to the healthcare systems in all countries where we work.

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CORPORATE

Targeting Network Expansion Steel Impex is a Serbian market leader in scrap metal recycling and has the latest state-of-the-art recycling centre. The company also has contemporary, very well-equipped recycling centres, where the best mechanisation is always used MAJA MUŠKINJA LOGISTICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGER, STEEL IMPEX

MAJA ŽIVKOVIĆ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, STEEL IMPEX

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e are competent at what we do, mostly calling on our almost two decades of experience competing against sector giants. We are defined by swift decision making and a straightforward approach to clients and suppliers, says Steel Impex Managing Director Mrs Maja Živković with pride.

» Your network of business partners and suppliers extends across Serbia, the Balkans and the EU. Is this prevalence one of the reasons why Steel Impex is the Serbian market leader in scrap metal recycling and has the latest, state-of-the-art recycling centre?

- Scrap is a tradition for us. We have been working with scrap since the early 2000s, as a buyer, seller, handler and operator. As a commodity, it always evolves from ferrous and non-ferrous metals, to ELV (End life Vehicles), plastics and WEE (Electronic scrap).

The more you focus, the more waste you’ll find to collect and to expand in the recycling

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business. Competition on the market is strong and there is always someone trying to do more, or in a different way that leaves more margins for doing it. We aim to increase the waste categories that we are handling and expand our network. As a member of the BIR (Bureau of International Recycling) and the EURIC (European Recycling Industries Confederation), we operate not only in Serbia, but also in Hungary and Austria as well, while we have just opened a new market in the Netherlands, under our main body of Black Gold Holding Gmbh (www.bgholding.at).

This is important for us as a company, because when you are competing outside of your local market there is no room for mistakes. We are competent at what we are doing, mostly by using our almost two decades of experience to compete against sector giants. We are defined by fast decision making and a straightforward approach to clients and suppliers. By always thinking how differently, what else or in which other way

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we can do business, we constantly strive to cut costs and increase our profitability in waste management.

We are proud that we have contemporary and very well-equipped recycling centres, where we always use the best mechanisation (trucks, handlers and treatment equipment such as shredders, shears, balers,strippers, granulators etc...) » All of your processes, procedures and products are accompanied by international accreditations and certification. Without that you would not be so successful on both the local and foreign markets? Do you insist on quality, but also on setting high goals?

- Our processes and procedures need to satisfy both local and global regulations, and we need also to follow international quality guidelines. We plan high but reachable targets. To achieve them, we need to be smart and highly motivated. As a company, we have succeeded in having a young and

dynamic employment structure, while we also support open conversations with our team, and we have additional education and a promotion plan for every member of our team. Our every day goal is to improve ourselves, our team and our business. Steel Impex has major competition on the market, which is why it needs to be present for its customers and their needs, and to reduce the possibility of claims as much as possible. At the same time, we also need to collect, sort and treat the waste at the lowest possible cost. With this model of operation, we can realise our previously projected targets.

our main goal was to ensure the safety and security of our employees. When we equipped them with all the equipment they need, we started listening our customers - their needs, and of course the needs of our country. This is not the first time that we’ve been undertaking humanitarian actions – it is something regular, and we believe that every company should have social responsibility by contributing back to our system. When we are projecting the

- This was a completely new situation for us, so we had to act smart and fast. We reorganised our colleagues and followed the instructions from the Serbian Government.

From this situation we learn a few things: • to use our time more efficiently (instead of an hour-long meeting, we are now making 15-minute conference calls); • how to maintain social distance (except our colleagues in the field, we are working at the level of one person per office space);

» The volume of purchases of scrap metal increased in the last two weeks of March, only to be followed by a drop in prices and levels of purchases. What are your expectations for the period ahead? How will Covid-19 impact on the economy, the business world, and the scrap metal market in particular?

- We are used to having regular price changes in this business, but we are optimistic. There are limited buyers on a limited market. Most of the markets are still closed, but we need to admit that recyclables are also limited. It is definitely true that the economy is out of balance due to Covid-19. We will continue working on controversial sectors that de-

We support an open conversation with our team, we provide education and have promotion plans for every member of our team pend on steel, such as construction and the automotive industry. As you know, this is a circular economy in which the buyer, seller, producer and consumer all depend on each other. Therefore, with all government support programmes around the world, perhaps the market will bounce back, with limited profits. » Although demand for steel products has fallen during the state of emergency, Steel Impex hasn’t halted its operations or its humanitarian actions. How did you make such a decision?

- When we decided to continue our operations and thus preserve job positions,

coming year, we do so on a turnover basis and separate a percentage of what we can use for humanitarian activities. Regarding the state of emergency and Covid-19, our opinion is that we can overcome the problem by focusing only on our citizens: if we are all healthy, we will work, buy, sell, consume, and the economy will recover faster. » You have managed to organise your operations by complying with and applying all the prescribed safeguards. What have you learned during this situation; and what do you still you need to learn?

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• to always be ready for possible crises and to have a prepared plan; • a clean working environment is key. We must continuously develop and provide our employees with that. » Your company helps those in need. Is it true that you gave a donation of two million dinars to the Serbian healthcare system?

- Over the past few years, we’ve created a culture in the company to provide support every time that our support is needed. We are honoured to answer this question and confirm that we donated two million dinars to Unicef Serbia. Our donation this time was for protective gear for healthcare workers, such as gloves, uniforms, masks etc. As that has by now become a habit, we will also continue contributing in the future.

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COMMENT

A Green Reboot After The Pandemic In addition to threatening millions of lives and the global economy, the Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated that human societies are capable of transforming themselves more or less overnight. In fact, there's no better time than now to usher in systemic economic change

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financial institutions, and corporate crisis managers to respond.

Indeed, the “coronacrisis” has already done so.

The Club of Rome issued a similar warning in its famous 1972 report, The Limits to Growth, and again in Beyond the Limits, a 1992 book by the lead author of that earlier report, Donella Meadows. As Meadows warned back then, humanity’s future will be defined not by a single emergency but by many separate yet The coronavirus pandemic is a wake-up call to stop exceeding related crises stemming from our fathe planet’s limits. After all, deforestation, biodiversity loss and ilure to live sustainably. By using the climate change all make pandemics more likely Earth’s resources faster than they can be restored, and by releasing wastes and pollutants faster than they can be absorbed, we have long European Commission’s European Green Deal, which offers been setting ourselves up for disaster. several ways to support the communities and businesses most On one planet, all species, countries, and geopolitical at risk from the current crisis. issues are ultimately interconnected. We are witnessing how Covid-19 reflects a broader trend: more planetary crises the outbreak of a novel coronavirus in China can wreak havoc are coming. If we muddle through each new crisis while maon the entire world. Like Covid-19, climate change, biodiverintaining the same economic model that got us here, future sity loss, and financial collapses do not observe national or shocks will eventually exceed the capacity of governments, he Covid-19 coronavirus has forced entire countries into lockdown mode, terrified citizens around the world, and triggered a financial-market meltdown. The pandemic demands a forceful, immediate response. But in managing the crisis, governments also must look to the long term. One prominent policy blueprint with a deep time horizon is the

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By SANDRINE DIXSON-DECLEVE

on the principle of living within our planetary boundaries. In even physical borders. These problems can be managed only other words, we must work within the planet’s natural limits through collective action that starts long before they become (the outer boundary of the doughnut) while also ensuring full-blown crises. that marginalised communities do not fall behind (into the The coronavirus pandemic is a wake-up call to stop exceedoughnut hole). ding the planet’s limits. After all, deforestation, biodiversity For policymakers responding to the current crisis, the goal loss, and climate change all make pandemics more likely. Deshould be to support citizens’ livelihoods by investing in reforestation drives wild animals closer to human populations, newable energy instead increasing the likelihood that zoonotic of fossil fuels. Now is the viruses like SARS-CoV-2 will make time to start redirecting the cross-species leap. Likewise, the the $5.2 trillion spent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate on fossil-fuel subsidies Change warns that global warming every year toward green will likely accelerate the emergence infrastructure, reforestaof new viruses. tion, and investments in Governments that succeed in cona more circular, shared, taining epidemics all tacitly follow the regenerative, low-carbon same mantra: “Follow the science and economy. prepare for the future.” But we can Humans are resilient do much better. Rather than simply and entrepreneurial. We reacting to disasters, we can use the science to design economies that will mitigate the threats of climate change, We must work within the planet’s natural limits (the outer biodiversity loss, and pandemics. We must start investing in what matters, boundary of the doughnut) while also ensuring that marginalised by laying the foundation for a green, communities do not fall behind (into the doughnut hole) circular economy that is anchored in nature-based solutions and geared are perfectly capable of beginning again. If we learn from our toward the public good. failings, we can build a brighter future than the one that is The Covid-19 crisis shows us that it is possible to make currently in store for us. Let us embrace this moment of uphetransformational changes overnight. We have suddenly entered aval as an opportunity to start investing in resilience, shared a different world with a different economy. Governments are prosperity, wellbeing, and planetary health. We have long since rushing to protect their citizens medically and economically exceeded our natural limits; it is time to try something new. in the short term. But there is also a strong business case for using this crisis to usher in global systemic change.

For example, there is no good reason not to be phasing out fossil fuels and deploying renewable energy technologies, most of which are now globally available and already cheaper than fossil fuels in many cases. With the recent oil-price plunge, perverse fossil-fuel subsidies can and should be eliminated, as the G7 and many European countries have pledged to do by 2025.

Shifting from industrial to regenerative agriculture also is immediately feasible, and would allow us to sequester carbon in the soil at a rate that is sufficient to reverse the climate crisis.

Moreover, doing so would turn a profit, enhance economic and environmental resilience, create jobs, and improve wellbeing in both rural and urban communities.

Regenerative agriculture features prominently in many of the new economic models that are now being explored by city governments around the world – all of which are based

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THINKING GREEN & LIVING CLEAN

ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION

Effects Of Environmental Degradation

Environmental degradation is the disintegration of the earth or deterioration of the environment through consumption of assets, for example, air, water and soil; the destruction of environments and the eradication of wildlife. It is characterised as any change or aggravation to nature’s turf seen to be pernicious or undesirable. Ecological effect or degradation is created by the consolidation of an effectively substantial and expanding human populace, constantly expanding monetary development or per capita fortune and the application of asset exhausting and polluting technology. It occurs when earth’s natural resources are depleted, and the environment is compromised in the form of extinction of species, pollution in the air, water and soil, and rapid growth in population

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uman health might be at the receiving end as a result of environmental degradation. Areas exposed to toxic air pollutants can cause respiratory problems like pneumonia and asthma.

Millions of people are known to have died off due to indirect effects of air pollution.

Loss of Biodiversity: Biodiversity is important for maintaining the balance of the ecosystem in the form of combating pollution, restoring nutrients, protecting

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water sources and stabilizing climate. Deforestation, global warming, overpopulation and pollution are few of the major causes for loss of biodiversity.

Ozone Layer Depletion: Ozone layer is responsible for protecting the earth from harmful ultraviolet rays. The presence of chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere, is causing the ozone layer to deplete. As it will deplete, it will

a country may have to borne due to environmental degradation can have a big economic impact in terms of restoration of green cover, cleaning up of landfills and protection of endangered species. The economic impact can also be in terms of loss of tourism industry.

As could be seen, there are a lot of things that can affect the environment. If we are not careful, we can contribute to the

There are a lot of things that can affect the environment. If we are not careful, we can contribute to the environmental degradation that is occurring all around the world emit harmful radiations back to the earth.

Loss for Tourism Industry: The deterioration of the environment can be a huge setback for the tourism industry that rely on tourists for their daily livelihood. Environmental damage in the form of loss of green cover, loss of biodiversity, huge landfills, increased air and water pollution can be a big turn off for most of the tourists.

Economic Impact: The huge cost that

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environmental degradation that is occurring all around the world. We can, however, take action to stop it and take care of the world that we live in by providing environmental education to the people who will help them pick familiarity with their surroundings that will enable to take care of environmental concerns thus making it more useful and protected for our children and other future generations.

CORPORATE

Green Wall As A Source Of Energy ŽARKO MILJANIĆ, B.SC. EE, GREEN WALL PLUS

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f you want your employees to enjoy the scents of nature every day, to be 20 to 30 per cent more productive, to have more energy and willingness, provide them with a natural environment in the form of green walls, says Žarko Miljanić, speaking to CorD

required to work, and it has been proven that workers who work in the natural environment are 20 to 30 per cent more productive. That’s why all major world companies invest major resources in installing them in business and other premises, hotels, schools, nurseries etc.

» Your walls are true works of art, while they also represent the perfect coupling with nature. How does spending time in spaces with green walls reflect on health, mood, working atmosphere etc.?

- Green walls in an interior are one of the most effective ways to link that interior with nature and thus introduce a specific freshness. They are designed in such a way as to enrich the

» What are among your most sought-after products? Do you mainly use imported or domestic materials?

- Moss walls and pictures are currently most sought after. The moss is 100% natural, dehydrated and doesn’t demand any additional maintenance, while it also has excellent sound insulation.

Most of the mosses come to us from France,

Green Wall Plus is a branch of the Green Wall company and brand, which has been operating successfully for many years on the territories of Serbia and the region, and which enriches its clients' commercial and residential premises with natural materials such as moss, flowers or wood

We use the highest quality natural material to decorate walls in office buildings or residential units ambiance without taking up too much space, while there is also the aesthetic element, which is certainly one of the main reasons to envisage vertical greenery in some future facility.

The strongest feeling is that of being in the natural environment, in the forest with the scents of nature. The colours and 100% natural environment provide the energy and will

Germany and Iceland, as raw materials, and our workers do the design, assembly and final installation together with the customers.

Green plus d.o.o –Beograd, www.greenwall-plus.rs, Tel: 063 294 520

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EU WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE

Guide To European Water Legislation Early European water legislation began, in a "first wave", with standards for those of our rivers and lakes used for drinking water abstraction in 1975, and culminated in 1980 in setting binding quality targets for our drinking water. It also included objective quality legislation on fish waters, shellfish waters, bathing waters and ground waters. Its main emission control element was the Dangerous Substances Directive

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n 1988 the Frankfurt ministerial seminar on water reviewed the existing legislation and identified several improvements that could be made and gaps that could be filled.

This resulted in the second phase of water legislation, in 1991, the adoption of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, providing for secondary (biological) wastewater treatment, and even more stringent procedure where necessary.

Other legislative results of these developments were Commission proposals for action on a new Drinking Water Directive, reviewing the quality standards and, where necessary, tightening them (adopted November 1998), a Directive for Integrated Pollution and Prevention Control (IPPC), adopted in 1996, addressing pollution from large industrial installations, later transformed into the Industrial Emissions Directive.

Getting Europe’s waters cleaner by ma-

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naging water on a river basin scale: the new European water policy Pressure for a fundamental rethink of Community water policy came to a head in mid-1995: The Commission, which had already been considering the need for a more global approach to water policy, accepted requests from the European Parliament’s Environment Committee and the Council of Environment Ministers and the outcome of a broad process of consultation.

RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT The best model for a single system of water management is management by river basin - the natural geographical and hydrological unit - instead of according to administrative or political boundaries. Initiatives taken by the States concerned for the Maas, Schelde or Rhine river basins have served as positive examples of this approach, with their cooperation and joint objective-setting across

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Member State borders, or in the case of the Rhine even beyond the EU territory.

CO-ORDINATION OF OBJECTIVES There are several objectives in respect of which the quality of water is protected. The key ones at European level are general protection of the aquatic ecology, specific protection of unique and valuable habitats, protection of drinking water resources, and protection of bathing water. All these objectives must be integrated for each river basin. It is clear that the last three - special habitats, drinking water areas and bathing water - apply only to specific bodies of water (those supporting special wetlands; those identified for drinking water abstraction; those generally used as bathing areas). In contrast, ecological protection should apply to all waters: the central requirement of the Treaty is that the environment is protected to a high level in its entirety.

SURFACE WATER – ECOLOGICAL PROTECTION For this reason, a general requirement for ecological protection, and a general minimum chemical standard, was introduced to cover all surface waters. These are the two elements “good ecological status” and “good chemical status”. Good ecological status is defined in Annex V of the Water Framework Directive, in terms of the quality of the biological community, the hydrological characteristics and the chemical characteristics. As no absolute standards for biological quality can be set which apply across the community, because of ecological variability, the controls are specified as allowing only a slight departure from the biological community which would be expected in conditions of minimal anthropogenic impact.

GROUNDWATER - CHEMICAL STATUS The case of groundwater is somewhat different. The presumption in relation to groundwater should broadly be that it should not be polluted at all. For this reason, setting chemical quality standards may not be the best approach, as it gives the impression of an allowed level of pollution to which the Member States can fill up. A very few such standards have been established at European level for particular issues (nitrates, pesticides and biocides), and these must always be adhered to. But for general protection, we have taken another approach. It is essentially a precautionary one. It comprises a prohibition on direct

QUANTITATIVE STATUS Quantity is also a major issue for groundwater. Briefly, the issue can be put as follows. There is only a certain amount of recharge into groundwater each year, and of this recharge, some are needed to support connected ecosystems (whether they be surface water bodies or terrestrial systems such as wetlands).

For good management, only that portion of the overall recharge not needed by the ecology can be abstracted - this is the sustainable resource, and the Directive limits abstraction to that quantity.

One of the innovations of the Directive was that it provided a framework for integrated management of groundwater and surface water for the first time at European level.

CO-ORDINATION OF MEASURES There are a number of measures taken at Union level to tackle particular pollution problems. Key examples are the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive and the Nitrates Directive, which together tackle the problem of eutrophication (as well as health effects such as microbial pollution in bathing water areas and nitrates in drinking water); and the Industrial Emissions Directive, which deals with chemical pollution. The aim is to co-ordinate the application of these to meet the objectives established above.

At this point, the effect on the problems of each body of water of full implementation of all existing legislation is considered. If the existing legislation solves the problem, well and good, and the objective of the

Historically, there has been a dichotomy in approach to pollution control at the European level. Each approach has potential flaws discharges to groundwater, and (to cover indirect discharges) a requirement to monitor groundwater bodies so as to detect changes in chemical composition and to reverse any anthropogenically induced pollution trend upward. Taken together, these should ensure the protection of groundwater from all contamination, according to the principle of minimum anthropogenic impact.

framework Directive is attained. However, if it does not, the Member State must identify exactly why, and design whatever additional measures are needed to satisfy all the objectives established.

These might include stricter controls on polluting emissions from industry and agriculture, or urban wastewater sources, say. This should ensure full co-ordination.

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THE COMBINED APPROACH Historically, there has been a dichotomy in approach to pollution control at the European level. Each approach has potential flaws. Source controls alone can allow a cumulative pollution load which is severely detrimental to the environment, where there is a concentration of pollution sources. And quality standards can underestimate the effect of a particular substance on the ecosystem, due to the limitations in scientific knowledge regarding dose-response relationships and the mechanics of transport within the environment.

For this reason, a consensus has developed that both are needed in practice - a combined approach. The Water Framework Directive formalises this. It does so as follows.

On the source side, it requires that as part of the basic measures to be taken in the river basin, all existing technology-driven source-based controls must be implemented as a first step. But over and above this, it also sets out a framework for developing further such controls. The framework comprises the development of a list of priority substances for action at EU level, prioritised based on risk; and then the design of the most cost-effective set of measures to achieve load reduction of those substances, taking into account both product and process sources.

THE RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN All the elements of this analysis must be set out in a plan for the river basin. The plan is a detailed account of how the objectives set for the river basin (ecological status, quantitative status, chemical status and protected area objectives) are to be reached within the timescale required. The plan will include all the results of the above analysis: the river basin’s characteristics, a review of the impact of human activity on the status of waters in the basin, estimation of the effect of existing legislation and the remaining “gap” to meeting these objectives; and a set of measures designed to fill the gap. One additional component is that an economic analysis of water use within the river basin must be carried out. This is to enable there to be a rational discussion on the cost-effectiveness of the various possible measures.

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UNESCO

More than 130 Ministers call for support to the culture sector in Covid-19 crisis response

Culture Is Not A Luxury On April 23rd, over 130 Ministers and Vice-Ministers of Culture joined the online meeting convened by UNESCO to discuss actions to bolster the cultural sector, which is facing unprecedented upheaval due to the Covid-19 pandemic

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pening the debate, the DirectorGeneral of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, reminded participants that “We need culture, so we need to help it to sustain this shock. We must assess the impact of the crisis, launch a joint reflection and coordinated initiatives. UNESCO fully intends to play its role in this process, in line with its mandate.”

Ministers highlighted the social and economic benefits of the culture sector in their countries and agreed on the urgent need to invest in the sector during and following, the crisis. The mobility restrictions and containment measures that governments have been forced to adopt due to the pandemic have drastically curbed access to culture in the short term and – if action is not taken – could weaken the entire cultural ecosystem for generations to come.

A large majority of countries cited the closures of their World Heritage sites and cultural institutions and the ripple effect this is having within their countries. Indeed, to date, 90% of countries have closed or partially closed their UNESCO World Heritage sites, and 128 countries have closed their cultural institutions.

In fact, Ministers repeatedly noted that artists and creative professionals have been among the hardest hit in this crisis due to the fragility of the sector, with many being self-employed, employed in small and medium-sized enterprises and, in some cases, working in the informal sector. Recent figures from the World Travel and Tourism

Council show that 75 million jobs in the tourism sector are under threat.

Thanks to online platforms, access to culture have been ensured in many parts of the world, including through virtual museums, galleries and libraries. Countless musicians, dancers, visual artists and writers have made their works accessible online. Many such initiatives are also ensuring the continuity of arts education activities. However, culture is not only been disseminated via digital platforms, as many parts of the world do not have the relevant infrastructure. Cooperation with television stations, radio and the press, are also ensuring that people can connect with culture as a source of comfort, wellbeing and togetherness during these traumatic times.

To address the fact that the cultural sector has been one of the first to be affected by this crisis, and yet often the last to receive budgetary support, many ministers highlighted the emergency funding packages that they have put in place in their countries to safeguard the livelihoods of artists, artisans and creative professionals in the short term. Some of these include commissioning new works, often adapted to the new reality of the digital environment, to provide a continued income for individuals and access to culture for society as a whole.

Whilst countries are at different stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, many have already begun to undertake impact assessments to address not only the short-term impact but also to devise strategies in the longer term.

The massive participation in the meeting itself was a testament to the need for international solidarity at this time, a sentiment that was echoed repeatedly by the Ministers. For example, China, the first country to be affected

by Covid-19, noted that “culture can - and should - bring us together, boost international commitment and restore hope and confidence.” Several other Member States called for a strengthened platform for dialogue to share good practices among states. Others highlighted the need for international financial mechanisms to support the countries least able to reinforce their cultural sectors.

Many Ministers noted that the impact of the crisis on the cultural sector is not to be understated and the world will look different after the lifting of these exceptional measures. Sweden implored fellow ministers to “join our efforts to defend open and democratic societies where creators can work under free, fair and safe conditions and where artistic freedom is protected and promoted”.

Indeed, many countries said that in the long term we must adapt to a “new normal.

Closing the debate, the Assistant DirectorGeneral for Culture, Ernesto Ottone said “This meeting has shown your great commitment, and UNESCO will continue to support you. We cannot reverse the progress seen over the past few years in the cultural sector. It through a culture that we will forge our collective resilience, and it is a culture that will bring us closer together.”

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My life

Goran Marković, Film and theatre director, screenwriter, writer and playwright

He has made 13 feature films, mostly based on his own screenplays, has written seven theatre plays and directed several. Professor emeritus at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, he has long since held the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He is an anarchist by political orientation, because he believes that every artist should take on the overthrow of power

Successes Corrupt,

Failures Fortify

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e came into life as the son of celebrity parents, but great actors Rade and Olivera Marković quickly experienced what it means to be proud of the talent and successes of their only son, a film and theatre director who graduated from the renowned Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, the recipient of two Golden Arena awards from the Pula Film Festival, the Best Direction Award from San Sebastian, Sterija’s Award for Best Contemporary Dramatic Text...

Asked if he recalls first becoming aware that his parents were famous actors and stars of film

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May

and theatre, Marković (1946) told CorD: “No. That followed from early childhood. For example, two large big boxes arrived each year from Avala Film. Father’s photographs were in one and mum’s were in the other. All pictures were printed with a signature. Neither of my parents went onto the street without taking at least a dozen of them.

Their popularity was huge. When I went walking with them, sometimes I would walk a dozen steps behind them, in order to avoid adoring fans. They were horrible to me.

“My father would say ‘popularity is not glory’.

He despised television and the popularity that he’d gained in a short period and which passed

quickly. ‘That doesn’t represent anything to me, while on the other hand it consumes me relentlessly,’ he would say.”

As an unwritten rule, parents are divided into good and bad cops, but that wasn’t the case in Goran’s life: “I only had a good cop, and that was my grandmother (on my father’s side) Anđelija. I grew up with her. My parents worked too much, they were in the limelight, while my grandmother had time for me. A bad cop was justifiably absent.”

Gathering at his parents’ house were artists who would often gossip about Tito’s regime, making jokes at his expense. Goran listened to them, and he had to hear some of that despite being just a boy.

Many years later, in August 1968, as a student, he witnessed Soviet tanks entering Czechoslovakia. It was then that his illusions about it being possible to live in accordance with justice and one’s own feelings in such systems dissipated definitively. And when he decided to make the film Tito and Me, it was an autobiographical story, written from the perspective of a 10-year-old boy who then saw Tito for the first time. He described his recollections of

Photo by Alex Dmitrović

By Radmila Stanković

Tito’s red hair shattered all of my illusions. He resembled a cartoon character. Somehow artificial, unrealistic...

And he dyed his hair

that greatest son of our peoples and nations with words that testify to what shattered his illusions that day at the White Palace, when he greeted him: “Tito’s red hair. He resembled a cartoon character. Somehow artificial, unrealistic. Although he was allegedly a great lover of children, he didn’t seem to me like a man of flesh and blood. And he dyed his hair... Another circumstance caused me to lose my illusions: as the best of the best, I belonged to the Selenites, a pioneering organisation whose members were prepared to land on the moon.

We trained for ten days at Pioneer City: we were dressed in paratrooper costumes, lowered by some cable in an attempt to conjure up a moon landing...

Although at one point I believed that I was a future Neil Armstrong, those training session shook me up a lot; it seems that I was already back then ready to reconsider my own love for the great leader! ” Goran graduated from one of the best high schools in Belgrade, the famous Fifth Belgrade Gymnasium grammar school, where he was taught by some excellent professors, while he had friends with whom he spent a lot of time: “That was a golden time of rock ‘n’ roll, in the neighbourhood was the Tašmajdan ice rink, where Belgrade’s most beautiful girls skated harmoniously on the ice. We lived in a happy era, beautifully described in Karanović’s television series Grlom u jagode [The Unpicked Strawberries]. I still have relationships with several of my high school friends.

I studied together with Karanović in Prague, and we remain close friends to this day.

“Well, nonetheless, I mostly looked forward to the girls. It’s by that that I remember my boyhood years - by beautiful, unreachable girls who were

interested in older guys. That’s how it’s always been and will be.”

When his father on one occasion earned a large amount of korunas from a film shot in Czechoslovakia, he suggested that his son enrol in Prague’s Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts, FAMU, which he accepted. Out of snobbery, he said on one occasion, but today he confirms that it had been a good idea of his father: “I did not regret it, because if I did I would have changed my profession. I’ve had several crises, caused by doubts about the choice of what I do as a career, but I’ve always emerged from those crises stronger.

That’s presumably why crises exist – for them to be overcome and for you to become stronger.”

Father Rade brought Srđan Karanović and his son to Prague, and Goran was quite unprepared for the entrance exam for FAMU. He watched a few Miloš Forman films, primarily Black Peter, and that was all when it came to the cinematography of the country where he’d come to study! Still, he easily passed the entrance exam, and at the college, where studies were actually free of charge, most of the students were foreigners. Those two were the first to come from Yugoslavia, but they were followed by the likes of Rajko Grlić, Lordan Zafranović, Goran Paskaljević, Živko Zalar... It should be noted that the Prague Film School was founded after World War II, that the first Yugoslav to enrol there was Aleksandar Petrović, who had to return to Belgrade after the Informbiro resolution of 1948. Even prior to World War Two, there’d been a student dormitory of King Aleksandar in Prague, which was erected to house Yugoslav students. Many of them, including composer and conductor Oskar

Danon, studied music there. During those years, Prague was a true centre of pan-Slavism, where the illusion of the cultural unification of the Slavic peoples was exceptionally strong. Secondly, it is also worth noting that Prague is an old university centre, with high-quality colleges. Moreover, the Czech language was very close for the Yugoslavs.

Goran learnt it in just three months. And he describes his fondest memories of writer Milan Kundera, who taught them literature for a year, in the following words: “As students, we were living in a dormitory that was located at the last Strahov trolley-bus station. It was a strange, alienated place near the Spartakiad stadium. As the Spartakiad was held only once every four years, the stands could accommodate 200,000 spectators and tens of thousands of athletes alone in the training area, the changing rooms were used by participants only once in those four years, and in the meantime they represented the pavilions of Student City. Well, our professor Milan Kundera lived at the penultimate stop on that trolley-bus line. We, the Yugoslav students, and he – as our professor of literature and a young emerging writer - regularly returned home on the last bus. The only thing was that we were regularly tipsy and flushed with nostalgia, and he was in the company of a different woman every time. We later recognised those women in his iconic collection of short stories Laughable Loves.”

When Goran started shooting films, some of the roles were played by his parents, sometimes just one of them, sometimes both. Did they have it easy with their son as the director?

“There is no protection in my work and theirs.

Either you are or you aren’t. Secondly, shooting a film is sometimes such an exhausting undertaking that relations of relatives and friends are very quickly forgotten. The drama of creation is much stronger than private feelings. However, my parents weren’t

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My life

Goran Marković, film and theatre director, screenwriter, writer and playwright

the only ones close to me on the set. I established strong relationships with all the actors I worked with, so I consider them all relatives.”

Is there an actor or actress that this director strongly desired to hire to act in one of his films but didn’t manage to do so?

“There are a few actors that I used to love privately and, for some reason, we never worked together. That’s the case, for example, with Ljuba Tadić, who, as a young actor, bought me rubber boots from his first salary instalment at the Belgrade Drama Theatre. He took those few banknotes and asked me: ‘What would you like me to buy you?’ I had no dilemma, as a kid, my greatest wish was to have a pair of Bora’s boots. I loved Ljuba for that my whole life, and I think he loved me too, yet we have never film anything. How; why? I don’t know.”

The Prague students in a certain way replaced the generation of directors who had been qualified by the Tito regime as representatives of the black wave. They were Aleksandar Saša Popović, Živojin Žika Pavlović, Dušan Makavejev, Želimir Žilnik.

And the young ones coming through to replace them were Srđan Karanović, Dejan Karaklajić, Jovan Aćin, Goran Paskaljević and, of course, Goran Marković. They initially made documentaries for TV Belgrade, the editor of which was Zora Korać.

It was said that they were her favourites, that they were privileged so they could easily shoot television shows, documentaries and feature films one after the other: “Do you really believe that there are privileged people who can make films easily, just like that?

Do you believe that anyone entering this arena has some kind of credit, a guarantee that they will succeed? It’s always all from the beginning. Your chances of failing are always equally great. And you always fear what comes next. In our profession there’s no undeserved success and accidental failure.

With us everything is fair and stern. And it’s good that it’s that way.”

However much Marković has long been an acknowledged and successful artist, few know about how he catastrophically entered the world of film.

And if it hadn’t been as he describes it, surely his value system would not have been formed as the strictly rigid maxim that he still holds to this day: “With my first graduation film, Untitled, based on the themes of the stories of Boris Piljnjak, I experienced a real debacle at the 1973 Festival of Documentary and Short Film in Belgrade. The whole auditorium whistled at me, like when, for

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May

I’ve spent my whole life writing various stories, but writing a novel is something else. That’s not something done on the side; it’s the most difficult task. I’m 73, and I’m afraid I’ve still not matured into a novelist example, a referee gives an imagined penalty against the home team. Thus, immediately from the start I survived a real cataclysm. I remember that after that I went to the military department and requested that, instead of freeing me, they send me to the army?! There, with a machine gun on my shoulder, I had plenty of time to think about whether the director’s profession was really for me or whether it was too late to start dealing with something “human”. I returned and succeeded, I would say.

That harsh moment at the beginning of my work in filmmaking led to the emergence of a rule that I still adhere to: successes corrupt, failures fortify.

That helped me not to take later successes seriously, and to emerge from crises as a winner.”

CorD’s interlocutor has never been a member of any political party. He is currently a member

of the political council of the Movement of Free Citizens, but is not a member of that organisation.

He thinks that being an artist by definition means being an anarchist: “In my opinion, every artist must deal with the overthrow of power. Especially these current ones - malignant.”

Marković initially displayed his anarchist political engagement in the 1990s. Knowing what we all endured living in Serbia during that decade, I ask him whether the 1990s brought some insurmountable differences between him and his colleagues from the territory of the former shared country, which led to them ending their friendship with them: “It’s interesting that I didn’t have the misfortune of having a colleague or friend from our former home country disappoint me so much that I would cease socialising or cooperating with them. That’s perhaps because our long distance relationships were motivated by the feeling that this or that man was upstanding and we didn’t have too much of an opportunity to convince ourselves of the opposite.

But here in Serbia the situation was quite the opposite. Many of my colleagues proved themselves to be worthless and unscrupulous. They joined the dark forces, that is to say this regime, not hiding their self-serving motives much. Insatiable predation, shameless sycophantism and unprecedented lying became their way of life. I won’t give their names, but you know who I’m talking about…”

What were Goran’s expectations after 5th October 2000, and what has remained of that after twenty years?

“To be truthful, I, who was born in socialism, lived a lifetime under Tito and later under Milošević,

Photo by Mitar Mitrović

By Radmila Stanković

With my first graduation film, Untitled, based on the themes of the stories of Boris Piljnjak, I experienced a real debacle at the 1973 Festival of Documentary and Short Film in Belgrade.

The whole auditorium whistled at me, like when, for example, a referee gives an imagined penalty against the home team

expected that after 5th October I would finally feel the benefits of a civilised, democratic life. I was happy about that for a few moments, I felt a zest of life. And then that slowly began to collapse and everything soon fell, only to bring us to this terrible, primitive regime in which we are ruled by an ordinary leader of hooligans who considers everyone who thinks as an enemy from the terraces opposite.

Sometimes I think I was born at the wrong time.”

For Marković, the Balkans themselves are a danger, and the very idea of Yugoslavia is at the same time both magical and life-threatening: “The Balkans are a mixture of mentalities, a combination of the people who inhabit this shithole.

It’s all incurable. But it is also what I love. This is my homeland, no matter how often that homeland has changed its names. “Like a whore’s knickers,” as my grandmother would say. On the other hand, so many people died for the ideal that was called Yugoslavia.

And how many of them just tried to destroy it. I still can’t reconcile myself with the fact that that magical country is gone. When some stranger asks me what happened, why the country disappeared, I just shrug. I don’t know any other answer.

“And in Serbia today we have a special, centuriesold conflict over whether or not we need Europe.

Always when a European spirit starts sprouting here, someone finds a baseball bat to shatter it all. Or what we’ve had in the last few years: the government is like trying to get into Europe, and everything is working to thwart that. They really play one nasty, lying, dirty game. What’s even worse, those on the periphery, who support this government, know that, but they don’t care a jot, we don’t really matter to

them. It is enough for someone here to keep things under control, as far away from them as possible, even at the cost of Asian terror. It’s good for them like that, even if it the leader is a hooligan, thus an ordinary peasant.

“In the depths of my soul I’m an anarchist. The only thing is that no form of organising this worldview exists here. Okay, I told myself, then you’re a leftist. But there aren’t many of them anymore either.

Back during Milošević’s time socialists became the most common interest group that crowded in the millions and who in no way represent leftist ideas.

The Movement of Free Citizens is an honest group of thinking people who will never do anything practical. But at least they think freely, though, as I said, only for their soul.”

He has described his life in two books, converted much of his life autobiographically into films, but is there anything else in Goran’s life that he would like to film?

“My daughter Maša, who is herself a director, constantly tells me that I didn’t make a love film.

Even more interestingly, I adore melodrama as a genre. I often can’t hold back the tears when I watch a heartwrenching story. But I still haven’t plucked up the courage for a true love film. So we understand one another: I consider melodrama a kingly genre, far from despising it or suspecting it of sentimentalism, or I don’t even know what.

But for that one needs courage. It’s easy to shoot all the fighting armies – divide the costumes and weapons, divide the people left and right and say, “Fight each other!” But two people who love each other within four walls, that’s devilishly difficult...

On the cover of Goran’s book, The Belgrade Trio, which was shortlisted for this year’s NIN Award for Best Novel of the Year, it is written with reason: “Moving and fun simultaneously, humorous, inventively composed as a collage of documents, letters, diaries, Darel’s reports to the Foreign Office, reports of concentration camp executives of the Udba headquarters, correspondences of British diplomats, deciphered dispatches, official minutes and testimonies, the Belgrade Trio won’t leave your hands until the last page. However, the author says of himself: “I’m not a writer. At least I’m not a professional writer. I wrote a load of screenplays, several theatre plays and published five or six books that, until The Belgrade Trio, were not novels. I’ve spent my whole life writing various stories, but writing a novel is something else. That’s not something done on the side; it’s the most difficult task. I’m 73, and I’m afraid I’ve still not matured into a novelist.”

What is Goran’s biggest recognition, his best critique for everything he’s done in his professional career as a whole?

“Alongside the entrance to my building is a cafe, and every morning the waiter who worked there would perform a different scene from the film National Class as soon as I stepped onto the street.

There recently, at a screening to commemorate the 40th anniversary of my film Majstori, majstori, the entire hall recited the lines of the actors in advance.

That was a really unforgettable moment for me. I don’t need any more praise than the. That silenced the memory of that whistling after my graduation film.”

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Patagonia

Berghause

Women’s Short Sleeve Capilene Cool Lwt Shirt €45

Women’s Hillwalker Interactive Waterproof Jacket €200

In The Age Of COVID-19

Hiking Safely With so much that is cancelled or closed due to the pandemic, more people are planning to go to nature for solace, recreation, and respite from cramped quarters. Recreational activities such as walking, cycling and jogging will be possible soon.

Whenever it happens, you should respect social distancing, currently defined as keeping at least 1.5 metres from others whenever possible.

Whether you want to go deep into the mountains or stay closer to home, the places to go are numerous; many national parks offer broad networks for trails. Hiking and mountaineering in Serbia will make you both healthier and happier.

To determine what you need to bring on a hike, think about how far you plan to go, how remote the location is and what the weather forecast has in store. In general, the longer and/or more remote the hike and the more inclement the weather, the more clothing, gear, food and water you’re going to want.

Here are some advices.

Koral Activewear

Base black mesh bomber jacket €180

Marc Jacobs

Tie-dyed printed cotton sweatshirt €300

Off-White

Tie-dyed shell shorts €380

The North Face

Women’s Pro Tights €60

Salewa

Women’s Wildfire GORE-TEX Shoes €155

Adam Selman Sport

Blue leopard-print leggings €125

REI

The North Face

Activist FUTURELIGHT Walking Women’s Shoes €130

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Co-op Quarter Dome 3 Tent €350

Berghaus

Prism Polartec Interactive Fleece Vest Men’s €60

Berghaus

Corbeck Wind Smock Men’s €80

Arcteryx

Zeta FL Jacket Men’s €450

Arcteryx

Pelion Polo Shirt Men’s €450

Kuhl

Renegade Convertible Pants Men’s €85

Garmin

Cotopaxi

Luzon 24L Backpack €75

GPS Handheld and Satellite Communicator €450

Garmin

Fenix 6X Pro Solar Multisport GPS Watch €950

Salomon

Outback 500 GTX €190

Arcteryx

Sawyer

Squeeze Water Filter System €30

Norvan LD 2 Shoe Men’s €170

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Culture

#StayAtHome

Ideas While 35 You Stay At Home

Visit the Versailles Museum virtual exhibition for free > http:// en.chateauversailles.fr/ Visit the Yugoslav Drama Theater in Belgrade > https://jdp.futuring.rs/ On the YouTube channel of the Serbian Film Center watch local movies > https://www.youtube.com/channel/filmskicentarsrbije/ Metropolitan Opera launches “Nightly Met Opera Streams” > https://www.metopera.org/ Enjoy Berlin Philharmonic concerts > https://www.digitalconcerthall. com/ Belgrade theatre Atelje 212 will broadcast recorded performances every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday on its the Facebook page > https://www.facebook.com/ atelje212/ Scribd is making a digital library of ebooks and audiobooks available for free 30 days > https:// www.scribd.com/ Anybooks is an application where you can download books for free > https:// play.google.com/store/apps/ anybooks/ List of podcasts from Serbia and the region > https://podcast.rs/lista/

While travel has stopped during the coronavirus crisis, this comes as the perfect time to enjoy some armchair adventures. Much content has become available online for free during this time. We’ve put together a list of freely available content from around the World 82

May

200 universities just launched 620+ free online courses > https://www.freecodecamp.org/ news/new-online-courses/ Take a virtual tour of some of the World’s greatest museums and heritage sites > https://artsandculture.google. com/project/streetviews

Harry Potter At Home hub where you’ll find all the latest magical treats to keep you and kids occupied > https://www. wizardingworld.com/collections/ harry-potter-at-home

tion has announced that 6,000 of its ebooks and more than 150 journals are freely available to the public > https://about.jstor.org/ oa-and-free/

The National Museum in Belgrade virtual tours > http://www.narodnimuzej.rs/ virtuelnimuzej/

ANDREW LOYD WEBBER

Classical music concerts > https://www.classicfm.com/ music-news/no-audiences-concerts-streamed-to-world/

The Globe Theatre from London is streaming a Shakespeare play for free every fortnight (and 34 foreign-language productions) > https://globeplayer.tv/globe-toglobe

The National Theater in Belgrade offers free online performances > https://www.narodnopozoriste.rs/ NASA Live Library > https://images.nasa.gov/ Apple Books offers ‘stay at home’ collection of free read-alongs for kids, cosy mysteries, and audiobooks > https://9to5mac. com/2020/03/22/free-applebooks/

THE GLOBE THEATRE FROM LONDON

The Royal Opera House from London, UK is offering a schedule of free broadcasts and live content > https://www.youtube.com/user/ RoyalOperaHouse/videos

Over 600 audio and video workouts and hundreds of DJ mixes to keep you moving at home.

Free until 31 May 2020 > https:// www.goldsgym.com/anywhere/

Belgrade Philharmonic #Stayathome program > https://www.bgf.rs/en/belgradephilharmonic-offers-programs-forchildren/ The famous American publisher Comics is offering free access to its comic

Live stream the Aurora Borealis - Northern Lights > https://explore.org/livecams/ aurora-borealis-northern-lights/ northern-lights-cam Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals are streaming for free on YouTube > https://www.youtube.com/ channel/UCdmPjhKMaXNNeCr1FjuMvag/

Amazon lets you stream Arthur and other kids shows for free > https://www. amazon.com/gp/video/storefront/

The Archives of Serbia provides free digital content > https://arhivsrbije.rs/novosti/138/ kompletna-objava

Join a virtual choir The Sofa Singers is a free online singing event which aims to ‘bring people together from around the world to spark joy and human connection.’ > https://www.thesofasingers.com/

JOIN A VIRTUAL CHOIR, THE SOFA SINGERS

titles > https://imagecomics.com/ comics/read-first-issues Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade is streaming documentaries daily from 18.00 to 20.00 > https:// nikolateslamuseum.org/en/virtual/documentary/ Babbel offers free language learning for college students > https://www. babbel.com/

SEE MORE: WWW.CORDMAGAZINE.COM

Get crafty and learn how to make adorable origami > https://www.youtube. com/channel/UCjiv4tetole8FoXW6KPI0oA/ Opera Madlenianum virtual journey > https://operatheatremadlenianum.com/en/madlenianumsvirtual-journey JSTOR digital library that usually requires a subscrip-

#StayHome and create Make your own hand-lettered cards, knit your own hats and bake gorgeous cakes > https://www. youtube.com/user/RoyalOperaHouse/videos Booklist announced free online access for all > https://www.booklistonline.com/ Audiobooks and spoken-word entertainment on Audible > https://stories.audible.com/ start-listen

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