CorD Magazine, August 2021 issue no. 202

AMBASSADOR OF CANADA TO SERBIA

MUHAREM BAZDULJ

AMBASSADOR OF SWITZERLAND TO SERBIA

WRITER

I Loved Belgrade At First Sight

Longstanding And Excellent Relations

www.cordmagazine.com

80th Anniversary Of Diplomatic Relations

H.E. URS SCHMID

AUGUST 2021/ ISSUE NO. 202

H.E. GILES NORMAN

interviews opinions news comments events COMMENT

WhitherThe US-German Relationship?

FOCUS

How Serbia Looks Through The Eyes Of Creatives

Exclusive

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Compromise Is Possible

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EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RAPPORTEUR FOR RELATIONS WITH SERBIA

ISSN1451-7833

VLADIMÍR BILČÍK

CONTENTS

06 WHITHERTHE USGERMAN RELATIONSHIP? Comment BY JOSCHKA FISCHER / PROJECT SYNDICATE

08 COMPROMISE IS POSSIBLE

VLADIMÍR BILČÍK European Parliament Rapporteur For Relations With Serbia

18 ON A QUEST FOR ANOTHER FACE

HOW SERBIA LOOKS THROUGH THE EYES OF CREATIVES FOCUS

24 VATICAN INDICTS CARDINAL AND 9 OTHERS ON MONEY LAUNDERING Affair

50 I LOVED BELGRADE AT FIRST SIGHT MUHAREM BAZDULJ, WRITER My life

12 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS H.E. GILES NORMAN Ambassador Of Canada To Serbia

27 BUSINESS DIALOGUE 40 16 YOUNG AND SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS WHO PROVE THAT AGE IS NOTHING BUT A NUMBER Enterpreneur

16 GLOBAL DIARY

43 HEALTHCARE INNOVATIONS WITHOUT BORDERS

56 CHILL OUT 58 DOLCE VITA Fashion

60 CULTURE CALENDAR

IVANA KOSTIĆ, PH.D, CO-FOUNDER OF HEALTHTECH LAB Profile

@CORD_MAGAZINE

44 28 OF THE MOST FASCINATING PUBLIC SCULPTURES

@CORDMAGAZINE

CORDMAGAZINE

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Neda Lukić n.lukic@aim.rs ART DIRECTOR: Branislav Ninković b.ninkovic@aim.rs CONTRIBUTORS: Rob Dugdale, Maja Vukadinović,

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60 FACES & PLACES

Art

CORD MAGAZINE

“CorD does not criticise or critique. We are a place where people can inspire and be inspired by others” Mirjana Jovanović, Miša Brkić, Ljubica Gojgić Radmila Stanković, Steve MacKenzie, Zorica Todorović Mirković, Sonja Ćirić, Miloš Belčević PHOTOS: Zoran Petrović COPY EDITOR: Mark Pullen TRANSLATION & EDITING MRP EDITORIAL

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Comment

Whither The US-German Relationship?

BY JOSCHKA FISCHER / PROJECT SYNDICATE

G

erman Chancellor Angela Merkel’s farewell visit to the White House this month offers an ideal opportunity to reflect on the state of US-German relations. But it is not a sentimental opportunity.

The long, complicated history of the bilateral relationship may be about to enter a new phase.

States shepherded the country’s reconstruction and economic resurgence. This epoch could be summed up under the heading “Guardian and Ward,” which was far more fortuitous than the preceding chapter, “Enmity and War.” In that chapter, Germany’s ruthless pursuit of world power in two savage world wars eventually ended in its complete and utter defeat. The Allies victory in WWII left Germany divided into four occupation zones. Large swaths of its eastern territory were lost, resulting in 12 million refugees and expellees. And, everywhere, there was the moral abyss of the Nazis’ monstrous legacy.

Since post-war reconstruction relied on US protection and aid, it occurred exclusively in Western Europe, and thus also only in West Germany. Joseph Stalin viewed the Soviet Union as the socialist Greater Russian counterpoint to the US-led capitalist West. From the late 1940s onward, this ideological and geostrategic posturing sustained the Cold War, which played out largely in Germany, and particularly in Berlin, the central point of the new great-power divide.

Germany’s twice-defeated bid for European hegemony and global domination gave way to a close

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With German Chancellor Angela Merkel on her way out, and America still vulnerable to Trumpism, Germans can neither rely on their traditional protector nor pursue outright strategic autonomy. In a world beset with risk and uncertainty, the long, complicated history of the bilateral relationship may be about to enter a new phase. alliance between the US and the Federal Republic of Germany. A degree of political distrust on the part of the US persisted, but German “transatlanticists” refused to see it. From their perspective, the alliance (which included a military component with the establishment of NATO) had supplanted all previous antipathy, and that was that.

They were wrong. Throughout the Cold War, the US pursued a multi-pronged strategy, both deterring the Soviet Union and maintaining control over Germany, in recognition of its vital position at the heart of Europe. The transatlantic relationship was never as simple as its champions wanted it to be, and it still isn’t today.

In normative terms, the Federal Republic was successfully integrated into the West more or less immediately, under its first post-war chancellor, Konrad Adenauer. But in terms of raw interests and political economy, significant differences remained. Since the mid-1950s, for example, the transatlantic perspective competed with a more distinctively European one. And with German Chancellor Willy Brandt’s Ostpolitik (Eastern Policy) in the 1970s – which coincided with the nascent détente between the US and the Soviet Union – the protector and the ward’s diverging interests became even more obvious.

Nonetheless, when the Soviet Union collapsed, the US was the only transatlantic power to issue immediate and wholehearted support for German reunification. For Germany’s European neighbors, its potential return as a geopolitical force brought

back old fears of the “German question.”

When Germany became a fully sovereign state through reunification, the old protector-ward relationship necessarily changed. And yet, Germany has not shaken the post-war mindset. Consider other similarly sized European powers.The United Kingdom and France are nuclear powers with permanent seats on the UN Security Council, where they do not hesitate to lay claim to a global leadership role.

By contrast, Germany – the world’s fourth-largest national economy – makes no such claims.

Germany therefore will remain dependent on the US security guarantee for a long time to come. Not only is it haunted by its own history; it also must manage enormously complex security conditions. Lying in the heart of Europe, Germany must account for the interests of smaller Central and Eastern European countries – both within and outside of the European Union – while also getting along with an increasingly expansionist, nucleararmed Russia. And it must do all of that at a time when its economic foundations are fracturing.

Moreover, Germany must account for the strategic interests of its protector, even though they are not always congruent with its own. The US is engaged in an escalating confrontation with China, the twenty-first century’s new global power; but China is one of Germany’s most important trade partners. Even more important is the EU, whose future Germany has a key role in shaping.

German diplomacy is an immensely complicated enterprise, to say the least.

Interview Exclusive

VLADIMÍR BILČÍK

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RAPPORTEUR FOR RELATIONS WITH SERBIA

COMPROMISE

IS POSSIBLE

I do believe that there is enough space and time to continue this dialogue and to reach a meaningful agreement that would lead to free and fair elections in Serbia. I hope that we will have a clearer picture, in terms what should and can be done, in September. I hope all political actors will continue their constructive engagement ~ Vladimir Bilčik 8

August

By Ljubica Gojgić

DIALOGUE

The most promising news for me was that everyone was willing and able to sit around the same table; to sit in the same room for two days and discuss some of these difficult issues

T

he European Parliament will spend the summer in a working atmosphere, because

by September it should have prepared the document intended to serve as the basis for the continuation of Serbia’s interparty dialogue on election conditions, confirms Vladimir Bilčik, a member of the European Parliament delegation tasked with moderating this process, speaking in this interview for CorD Magazine. Bilčik is of the opinion that the resumption of this dialogue should focus on issues that are able to be resolved, rather than expectations of revolutionary change. He says that he still doesn’t understand proposals to boycott elections in the case that a compromise cannot be reached.

“This is the agreement that we reached during a meeting in Belgrade earlier this summer. We proposed to move forward and prepare for our meeting in Belgrade on 17th and 18th September. We will have collected all possible feedback from the participants in this dialogue by the end of July, and on the basis of that we will draft a paper that we will present during discussions in early September. This should serve as the basis for that dialogue in Belgrade. That paper is not intended to come up with solutions, rather it is meant to identify the key issues and the key stakes, and key possible ways of moving forward. But, as we’ve always said, our role as facilitators is to create space for Serbian politicians to have a genuine dialogue on difficult, divisive issues that have to be discussed regardless of whatever we believe. Dialogue is the only way we can address these issues and find solutions for these numerous questions, especially in the run up to the next elections. So, indeed, we have been working and will continue to work throughout the summer, and we will be ready to have an engaging debate in early September, which I hope can bring us to a constructive meeting on 17th and 18th September. Last month, when the interparty political dialogue finally resumed, you said the session was fruitful and constructive. Do you believe there is enough time and willingness to improve the political situation and create the atmosphere required for free and fair elections by next spring?

ELECTIONS

The “must do list” is in the hands of Serbian politicians. We just create space for the dialogue. A “must” would be that everyone must be willing to participate in the next elections Due to the pandemic, the mission to Belgrade was actually the first mission that the European Parliament authorised as an external mission, beyond the borders of the EU. I think this only underlines how important this interparty dialogue is to us at the European Parliament and EU institutions. We have previously been very engaged online, because we launched the second phase of the dialogue in the March online meeting with Ivica Dačić. We had more than 20 different meetings with interlocutors and bilateral meetings in the run up to our session in Belgrade. So, I think that our session was wellprepared, while the most promising news for me was that everyone was willing and able to sit around the same table; to sit in the same room for two days and discuss some of these difficult issues. When I say ‘everyone’ I mean the major political parties with representatives in the Parliament, as well as political forces that decided not to participate in the last parliamentary elections. For us, as mediators, this very fact was an important indication that there is a serious engagement and serious willingness to take part in this interparty dialogue. I do believe that there is enough space and time to continue this dialogue and to reach a meaningful agreement that would lead to free and fair elections in Serbia. I hope that we will have a clearer picture in September, in terms of what should and could be done. I hope that all the political actors will continue their constructive engagement in this process. In that respect, what do you think should be on a “must do” list for securing free and fair elections?

The “must do list” is in the hands of Serbian politicians. We just create space for the dialogue. A “must” would be that everyone must be willing to participate in the next elections. It is important for these elections to be as representative as they can possibly be. It is also clear that there are a number of issues that weren’t resolved to the satisfaction of everyone in the first phase of the interparty dialogue and that we need to address in this phase. They concern the situation in the media, particularly with regard to the public broadcaster and access to the

KEY ISSUES

We are very much aware of the situation when it comes to public broadcasters, which is one of the key issues when it comes to the interparty dialogue

media for political acters. I think this is important. It is also important to look at ways to enable good-quality political competition. And, of course, it is important that voting on election day is itself free and fair. I also hope we can have international observers on the ground, including the mission from the European Parliament, to help create an atmosphere of greater trust in the process. At our next meeting, we will be discussing the implementation of a number of electoral regulations – both those that already exist

We are here to really help create space for a genuine discussion, genuine debate, and this is our interest. We are certainly not taking part in any domestic political games and those waiting to be adopted – in order to elevate general trust in the institutions of public life among all political actors. Some opposition leaders disagree with your views on the current political situation in Serbia calling it too positive vis-à-vis the government. What forms the basis of your assessment that there is “good faith” to implement the necessary political reforms within the ruling coalition?

Parliament Speaker Ivica Dačić played a good, constructive role in the run up to the July meeting, and also during the two days of the meeting. He was very heavily engaged and very much present. I think this also sent important signals and signs that the dialogue is being taken seriously by everyone in Serbia. It also became very clear that this dialogue is an important aspect of overall progress when it comes to Serbia’s European path. We made that very clear in the last EP report, which was adopted with a majority of our

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Interview Exclusive

538 MEPs. It is also an important aspect of the documents issued by the European Commission, including its regular report. It is also something that member states see as an important part of progress when it comes to assessing Serbia’s readiness to open more clusters in negotiations. So, I think it is being taken seriously. I also want to underline that we, as mediators, are here to really help create space for a genuine discussion, genuine debate, and this is our interest. We are certainly not taking part in any domestic political games and fights when it comes to Serbian politics, especially when it comes to free elections. Some others believe that you shouldn’t refrain from increasing political pressure on the Serbian Government if it fails to implement the necessary reforms and change its often-hostile attitude towards the opposition. Are you ready for such steps?

At the moment, I think space exists to achieve these results, so let’s concentrate on that. Let’s take it step by step, and not discuss what might happen, because that’s not very helpful and only diverts our attention away from the immediate focus. The immediate focus is on what we have asked parties to do: to send us their contributions in order for us to prepare a document that I hope can move us forward towards a meaningful meeting on 17th and 18th September. Once we get that meeting, let’s then discuss the next steps, or let’s discuss ideal, good and meaningful conclusions. Also, let’s not divert attention away from the core of the exercise, and that’s the

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The immediate focus is on what we have asked parties to do: to send us their contributions in order for us to prepare a document that I hope can move us forward towards a meaningful meeting on 17th and 18th September focus on the next immediate steps. This is what we will stick to and continue to do, while also stating that we are willing to engage for as long as it takes. The last session of the political dialogue in Serbia was about the importance of professional and free media in the election process. What followed were the appointments of new members of the managerial structures of RTS and RTV. The opposition sees the selection of candidates as evidence that the ruling coalition intends to keep two public broadcasters under its control. Did you respond to the complaints detailed in the letter sent to you?

We, of course, received a number of statements and a number of letters, but we also made it clear

that we are currently busy preparing our assessment and our framework for September. We are very much aware of the situation when it comes to public broadcasters, which is one of the key issues when it comes to the interparty dialogue. We spent much of the time in July discussing that. We hope to spend a lot of a time discussing possible ways forward in September. I always said that this was as important as a general statement when it comes to Serbia. A well-functioning democracy needs a well-functioning public, independent media, which serves the public interest. Media companies that don’t have any other agenda than to protect the wider public interest. I think this is how we can help improve political and public institutions in Serbia, which I do hope will have a much longer life than any of us sitting around the table. Politicians come and go, but institutions stay.

This is something that I hope all of us who will be sitting around the table during the interparty dialogue will have in mind: how we can work to improve those institutions so that politicians, whether they are in power or in opposition, feel comfortable with the state of public institutions, and especially with the state of public media broadcasters. This is important.

This is an essential task and I hope that we can help Serbian politicians to take those important steps. If you were to compare the atmosphere surrounding political dialogue this year with the one from 2019, when would you say the situation was less favourable to achieving a positive outcome?

There are couple of issues here. One is clearly the situation in terms of the governing majority and the opposition being more asymmetric.This is also a result of the fact that the opposition decided to boycott the last elections. As a result, they are not represented in the institutions of public life and the parliament.This makes the whole exercise in which we are engaged more challenging, in some respect, because a number of the issues we are now tackling are issues that we were tackling back in 2019. So, the context is not easy. At the same time, what I feel is promising is the willingness of all political actors to make this dialogue successful; to see results and ensure that next National Assembly of Serbia has better representation. And that means that the opposition will participate in elections. That also means that the government will be willing and able to engage, not only in a dialogue, but also in some important steps to improve the environment of political competition in the run up to the next elections. A number of the difficulties that we faced back in 2019

remain. I believe there is an understanding in Serbia that there is a need, for the sake of democracy and Serbia’s European path and perspective, to achieve a better outcome in the next elections and in the process leading up to the next elections, based on a number of recommendations published by OSCE following the 2020 elections. Again, the outcome here, the very details of any agreement and any measures taken as a result of the interparty dialogue, is in the hands of Serbian politicians. As long as we feel that they want this dialogue to succeed, we are encouraged, I am encouraged. Some participants in the interparty dialogue are again talking of boycotts and mass protests as the only solution to the current political situation. Have you changed your views on that?

I’ve always said that boycotts are bad, boycotts of institutions and elections are bad, and I say this in Serbia and also say it openly and loudly in Montenegro, where I serve as chair of the European Parliament delegation. Boycotting across the Western Balkans is always bad news. It is bad news for democracy and bad news for people who I think deserve representation in public institutions. It is bad as a tool of political conflict. I think that all conflicts in a parliamentary democracy should be resolved through parliamentary institutions and through the parliament. I hope that, through this dialogue, we can help foster a culture, a political culture, that will be less keen on using boycotts as a tool. What has the boycott brought to Serbia in the aftermath of the 2020 elections? I don’t think it has brought good news to Serbia as a country; I don’t think it has brought good news for the opposition, as a credible and meaningful political force. So, I don’t think it is a way forward. One of our key goals is to create great conditions in which boycotts will not take place during the next elections.

When it comes to protests, they are a common part of democratic societies. We protest on different issues across Europe. It is an important tool that can be used by political forces, but again it should be used responsibly and in line with laws and constitutions. It should be used as part of the democratic rules of the game. So, this will be my response in the interparty dialogue. We are also concentrating on creating space for dialogue among those who are interested and keen on making important institutional changes in the run up to the next elections.

This is something that we will continue to do, and I also know that we can create space through our

exercise. There is certainly less reason to use means and ways of political engagement that we don’t believe are in line with good democratic practice and standards that represent values across the EU. A boycott certainly isn’t something you’ll see in just about any democracy in the EU. And as long as it continues to be an important part of politics in Serbia, then of course it will continue to raise questions marks about the readiness of the country’s democratic institutions to really engage as partners in a wider partnership with democratic institutions in the EU. That’s why we are engaging in this interparty dialogue and I hope that we can make the difference in a positive direction here. How do you see the ongoing, parallel political dialogue without the EP mediators?

Dialogue is important, as we’ve said, but we also feel and believe that the dialogue being led by the mediators doesn’t only have wide support among EU institutions – like the European Parliament, European Commission, member states and the Council – but has also become an important part of Serbia’s European path and perspectives. We also believe it is the only meaningful and crucial dialogue when it comes to making a key difference in the run up to the next elections. And that’s particularly in line with Serbia’s future goal of joining the EU.This is why we are engaging in this dialogue. We will, of course, look closely at the results of any other parallel dialogues, but it is important that these dialogues don’t undermine our efforts in any way. I think this

A well-functioning democracy needs a well-functioning public, independent media, which serves the public interest.

Media companies that don’t have any other agenda than to protect the wider public interest is really the key message. I know that the dialogue with radical parties that didn’t opt to engage with us should have closure, and we will look at the numerous issues that should be tackled. We should ideally look at ways to improve political conditions for everyone in Serbia in the run up to the next elections. Our dialogue really aims to reinforce not only what we see as essential principles that are key to functioning European democracies in Serbian politics, but also to reinforce the space for all those political forces that must seriously engage in work on Serbia’s European perspective. We do hope that these political forces can benefit fully and engage in the results of our dialogue. My statement is very simple: our dialogue is the dialogue that I believe can make an important change when it comes to the next elections and also when it comes to progress on Serbia’s European path.

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Interview

H.E. GILES NORMAN

AMBASSADOR OF CANADA TO SERBIA

80

TH

ANNIVERSARY OF

DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

We are today enjoying positive bilateral relations that have the potential to expand and grow stronger. Relations between Serbia and Canada are multifaceted. Canada’s priorities in Serbia include increased bilateral commercial and economic cooperation ~ Giles Norman 12

August

By Ljubica Gojgić

PRIIORITIES

We have much to learn from each other about how our respective countries recognise, accommodate, support and treasure diversity

ENVIRONMENT

Environmental concerns should be addressed in an inclusive, facts-based discussion and in accordance with relevant domestic laws and regulations

MINING

Serbia’s geological attractiveness, coupled with solid mining legislation and good infrastructure, have made this country an attractive destination for mining

T

he year marking the 80th anniversary of the establishing of diplomatic relations between Serbia and Canada is also marked by bilateral trade surpassing CAD100 million for the first time in the last decade, says ambassador Giles Norman in this interview for CorD Magazine, adding that “this shows that companies from Canada and Serbia have developed strong mutual ties and recognised our two markets as being very important for their businesses”. In view of their long tradition in the mining sector, Canadian companies are also mentioned as possible investors in this field in Serbia, which offers great growth potential, but is also causing great concern for the environment among citizens. As Ambassador Norman explains, “a key component of the ‘Canada Brand’ in the mining industry is corporate social responsibility and the voluntary actions of companies that serve to integrate social, environmental and economic considerations into their activities”. Your Excellency, how would you summarise the experience of your first few months in the region? What do you consider as the biggest challenges in Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia?

My overall experience is very positive. I witnessed for myself the famous Serbian hospitality, especially outside Belgrade, and have visited some interesting places since my arrival last December.

I have visited Montenegro and North Macedonia and will visit both of them more frequently in the coming months. The region is fascinating; a meeting place of cultures and perspectives, with a rich history and culture. Challenges lay in building sustainable futures for all three countries that will attract investment and respond to the demographic challenges that all three countries are facing, and which will have profound socioeconomic effects. Your tenure in Serbia began during a year that marks the 80th anniversary of the establishing of diplomatic relations between the two countries. How would you characterise those relations today?

Yes, this year we marked the 80th anniversary of establishing Belgrade-Ottawa relations, and I am certainly glad to start my diplomatic

To commemorate the anniversary of 30th May 1941, when a royal decree launched diplomatic relations between the two capitals, the Embassy, in cooperation with the Archives of Yugoslavia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, organised an exhibition on the premises of the Archive in Belgrade

mission here by celebrating this jubilee. To commemorate the anniversary of 30th May 1941, when a royal decree launched diplomatic relations between the two capitals, the Embassy, in cooperation with the Archives of Yugoslavia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, organised an exhibition on the premises of the Archive in Belgrade. This was the beginning of our formal, diplomatic relations, which blossomed rapidly. We today enjoy positive bilateral relations that have the potential to expand and grow stronger. Relations between Serbia and Canada are multifaceted. Canada’s priorities in Serbia include increased bilateral commercial and economic cooperation. In addition, we have much to learn from each other about how our respective countries recognise, accommodate, support and treasure diversity.

Diversity is a national resource, and inclusion makes us stronger, as the Serbian diaspora in Canada has proven. There are many examples of our cooperation, such as Canada’s support

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Interview Midwestern United States, as well as by businesses from both countries. Economic exchanges have been up by as much as 20% during the time of the COVID-19 Pandemic. To what would you attribute this?

for Serbia’s successful candidacy to be re-elected to the UNESCO Executive Board for the 2019-2023 term. We have vibrant cooperation in the arts, literature and culture, including the participation of Canadian dance theatre, visual art exhibitions, film and music at local festivals.

There are over 300 Canadian book titles that have been translated into Serbian. We also have a modest Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, which we use to support civil society and NGOs, focusing on inclusive governance, peace and security, the environment and gender equality. Canada is home to one of the world’s largest Serb communities. To what extent does that fact continue to influence the quality of bilateral relations?

Diplomatic relations may be eighty years old, but the history of this diaspora is more than twice as long. Immigrants from this region began arriving in Canada in significant numbers during the 19th century, thus establishing a Serbian diaspora in Canada, and these flows continue to this day. According to the census, there are almost 100,000 Canadians of Serbian origin, although that number is undoubtedly higher.

The diaspora is an active contributor and actor, deepening and strengthening our relations. It has contributed enormously to building Canada, and it has been the basis of people-to-people ties that have helped build bridges between our countries.

Citizens of Serbia continue to immigrate to Canada, and some Canadians of Serbian origin have returned to Serbia, creating a migration

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Our bilateral trade surpassed CAD100 million in 2020, for the first time in the last decade, and that shows that companies from Canada and Serbia have developed strong mutual ties and recognised our two markets as being very important for their businesses. Trade growth has been well balanced, as both countries recorded export growth, which is an important factor for reducing the negative impacts of COVID-19 on our economies. It is interesting that the Serbian market shows increasing interest in fish and seafood products from Canada, as Canada is recognised globally as a major exporter of these products worldwide. Our embassy was involved in several projects to introduce local companies from Central and Eastern Europe to Canadian fish & seafood exporters, and I’m glad that this resulted in good cooperation being established between businesses.

Companies from Canada started investing in the mining industry in Serbia more than 15 years ago.

Their presence includes projects in all parts of Serbia, including in, but not limited to, the region around the city of Bor circle. Canadians of Serbian origin have long been contributors to arts and literature, and to business ties, most recently in the IT industry. Could this jubilee year be used to finally implement the idea of establishing a direct aviation route between Belgrade and Toronto?

I certainly hope so. In May 2018, the governments of Canada and Serbia signed an Air Transport Agreement that put in place the framework in the cases that the aviation sector begins direct flights.The decision on whether to launch direct flights is now a business decision, in the hands of the airlines. The introduction of a direct flight between Canada and Serbia would be highly welcomed by the large Serbian and regional Diaspora in Canada and in the

The increased interest in lithium reserves among foreign investors is accompanied by increased public concern over, and citizen resistance against, the constructing of mines that will, according to experts, undoubtedly lead to the long-term contaminating of the parts of Serbia where that kind of mining is initiated. How would you comment?

Building a sustainable, green future will require more global mineral production in order to meet increased demand for the components required for: semiconductors, advanced computers, smartphones, electrical vehicles and batteries, solar panels, wind turbines etc.

A key component of the “Canada Brand” in the mining industry is corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the voluntary actions of companies that serve to integrate social, environmental and economic considerations into their activities. Canadian companies operating abroad are expected to respect human rights and all applicable local laws, and to meet or exceed recognised international standards for responsible business conduct. Considering that you stated in your address to the region’s citizens that you will focus on the areas of “human rights and social inclusion”, do you consider it an imperative to seriously consider the environmental concerns of local communities?

The right to a clean environment is a constitutional right of the citizens of Serbia and a concern for a growing number of citizens across the region. Environmental concerns should be addressed in an inclusive, facts-based discussion and in accordance with relevant domestic laws and regulations. Canadian companies have been engaged for decades in mining projects in Southeast Serbia, which has rich deposits of copper and gold. Has the arrival in the Bor Basin of Chinese company Zidjin brought an end to Canadian interests in this location?

Serbia’s geological attractiveness, coupled with solid mining legislation and good infrastructure, have made this country an attractive destination for mining. Companies from Canada started investing in the mining industry in Serbia more than 15 years ago.

Their presence includes projects in all parts of Serbia, including in, but not limited to, the region around the city of Bor.

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GLOBAL DIARY

“We will carry out a full review and investigation into the events that took place at Wembley Stadium before and during the UEFA EURO 2020 final” ~ ALEKSANDER CEFERIN, PRESIDENT OF UEFA

FRENCH PROTESTS AGAINST VACCINE More than a hundred thousand people marched across France on July 16th to protest against President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to force vaccination of health workers and require a COVID-19 free certificate to enter places such as restaurants and cinemas.

Macron announced sweeping measures to fight a rapid surge in coronavirus infections, which protesters say infringe the freedom of choice of those who do not want the vaccination. The interior ministry said 137 marches took place across the country, gathering nearly 114,000 people, of which 18,000 were in Paris.

The measures had already prompted smaller demonstrations earlier this week, forcing police to use tear gas to disperse protesters.

HAITIAN PRESIDENT JOVENEL MOISE ASSASSINATED IN HIS HOME

a.m. and that his wife Martine Moise was also wounded and taken to hospital. Acting Prime Minister Claude Joseph, who is now leading the country, declared a state of siege in Haiti and closed the Port au Prince international airport.

The assassination was carried out by a “well-coordinated” commando group with “foreign elements,” AFP news agency reported, citing interim Prime Minister Joseph.

The president of Haiti, Jovenel Moise, 53, was shot and killed in his private residence, the interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph announced.

The president’s residence said in a statement that the attack occurred on July 7th around 1

RICHARD BRANSON SOARS TO SPACE ABOARD VIRGIN GALACTIC FLIGHT British billionaire Richard Branson soared more than 80 kilometres above the New Mexico desert aboard his Virgin Galactic rocket plane and safely returned in the vehicle’s first fully crewed test flight to space, a symbolic milestone for a venture he started 17 years ago.

Branson, one of six Virgin Galactic Holding Inc (SPCE.N) employees strapped in for the ride, has touted the mission as a precursor to a new era of space tourism, with the company he founded in 2004 poised to begin commercial operations next year.

“We’re here to make space more accessible to all,” an exuberant Branson, 70, said shortly after embracing his grandchildren following the flight. “Welcome to the dawn of a new space age.”

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August

“When you represent your country at the Olympic Games, it is an indescribable feeling. I’m inspired to play my best tennis” ~ NOVAK ĐOKOVIĆ, SERBIAN TENNIS PLAYER AND WORLD NO. 1 RANKED PLAYER

TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES FINALLY OPENED At the National Stadium in Tokyo, spectacular fireworks and an energetic introduction marked the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

After a year of delays and uncertainties due to Covid-19, the 2021 Summer Olympics (still officially referred to as the “2020 Olympics”) kicked off on July 23rd evening with a dazzling though at times subdued Opening Ceremony in Japan.

Athletes from more than 200 countries, including Serbia’s 86 athletes, marched into Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium for the traditional kick-off to the two-week-long event, though delegations were considerably smaller this time around, with many choosing to remain at the Athlete’s Village rather than congregate with their peers at the national stadium.

INZKO IMPOSES BAN ON GENOCIDE DENIAL

Bosnia’s Serbs to deny the scope of the 1995 massacre in Srebrenica, Europe’s only post-World War II genocide.

The killings of more than 8,000 Bosniaks by Bosnian Serb forces in Srebrenica was declared a genocide by the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court for the Former Yugoslavia. But Bosnian Serb officials and neighbouring Serbia have refused to accept this.

Valentin Inzko has set jail terms for anyone who ‘publicly condones, denies, grossly trivialises or tries to justify’ the genocide in Srebrenica or war crimes committed in Bosnia.

Inzko has banned denial of genocide in the Balkan country to counter attempts by

EXIT FESTIVAL VISITED BY 180,000 PEOPLE Held every July in and around Novi Sad’s sprawling Petrovaradin Fortress, Exit Festival drew around 180,000 people spread across four nights (the event wrapped up in the early morning hours on Monday, July 13th), according to organizers. And while the event, which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, has long been a magnet for music fans from neighboring Balkan countries, new festival aficionados from countries such as France, Germany and Spain flocked to Exit over the weekend as most major music festivals in Europe were forced to cancel events for a second successive year due to continuing coronavirus concerns.

EU APPROVES FIRST STAGE OF COVID RESCUE PLAN EU finance ministers approved a coronavirus recovery plan for 12 of its members that would provide grants and loans for countries including Germany, France and Italy. Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Latvia, Spain, Luxembourg, Portugal and Slovakia will also benefit from the national recovery programs presented by finance ministers.

The €672.5 billion (roughly $800 billion) Recovery and Resilience Facility aims to “power the European economic recovery by supporting member states’ reforms and investment projects,” the European Council said in a statement.

August

17

Focus

HOW SERBIA LOOKS THROUGH THE EYES OF CREATIVES

On A Quest

For Another Face

Digitalisation and the information age have contributed to the erasing of the border between the centre of the world and its periphery, while the improved visibility of new brands, patents, artworks and start-ups originating in Serbia or involving Serbian people are scattered around the world. Is that enough for today’s Serbia to be recognised for its creative potential, innovative ideas and originality?

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ed by the notion that creativity addresses everyone by way of the universal language, the Serbia Creates national platform was launched in Serbia four years ago, with the initial idea of enabling Serbia to show off its creative talents as a springboard to transition the country to a knowledge-based economy.

CorD Magazine surveyed some of the creative ambassadors of Serbia Creates, asking them for their opinion on what the modern Serbia should look like and what should form the basic fundamentals for es-

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tablishing a process of giving and offering between the state and creatives. Judging by the answers of the creative ambassadors of the Serbia Creates project, deliberations on a new image for Serbia represent a constant dialogue between the past and the present, between creatives who are scattered around the world and those who decided to physically return to Serbia, between efforts to change Serbia’s image in the eyes of others and to change ourselves, and to utilise the historical legacy, in a meaningful way, to leap onto a “unicorn”.

STEFAN MILENKOVIĆ VIOLINIST

ART IS THE BEST WAY TO PROMOTE A COUNTRY IT IS INVALUABLE THAT SERBIA IS NURTURING ITS CREATIVE PEOPLE AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES, AND THAT THIS IS RECOGNISED ABROAD, GIVEN THAT WE REALLY HAVE A LOT OF POTENTIAL AND A LOT OF FANTASTIC PEOPLE WHO WANT TO WORK, CREATE AND BE PART OF THE WORLD, IN THE MOST PROFESSIONAL SENSE.

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t really seems as though Serbia is on the right track; that today’s Serbia is a modern, creative country that’s open to various ideas. It is a country that isn’t afraid to have a dialogue with anyone, that isn’t afraid of having a different opinion, but also of respecting different attitudes. This is important, because it is often in those points where thinking becomes skewed, coming up with a creative step and new ideas. It is invaluable that Serbia is nurturing its creative people and creative industries, and that this is recognised abroad, given that we really have a lot of potential and a lot of fantastic people who want to work, create and be part of the world, in the most professional sense.

And today, thanks to technology, that’s easier than ever before. In this area Serbia is also very well positioned on the international map. It is important for us to be aware of global trends generally, regardless of the branch of industry in question, because that’s what puts us on the map and enables people to want to work with us. Communication and understanding form the basis of every job and every success.

We have many individuals who’ve been Serbian ambassaI AM HERE TO HELP, WITH MY KNOWLEDGE dors to the world throughout the years. Unfortunately, they’ve AND ENERGY, AS MUCH AS I CAN. THAT WAS most commonly been ambassadors who were resident abroad, because it was extremely tough for almost every industry in NOT PREVIOUSLY THE CASE, WHILE NOW THE Serbia at one point or other. Those who had the opportunity SITUATION IS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT. to leave did so just to maintain continuity and that, in a way, THAT’S VERY NICE TO SEE was their only opportunity to help their country. To continue their activities… That has changed a lot and it now seems to me that Serbia is very fertile ground, precisely for creative and innovative people, talented individuals with lots of ideas and the energy to work and create. And then it is certain that such people, groups or even companies really contribute to positively improving the image of their country. I can only personally talk about my industry, about art. In my opinion, that is the best way to promote any country. Not only with the help of talented people who are already celebrated and have stable and successful careers, but also with the help of young people who are on the rise. They need an environment in which they can develop themselves freely. And that always, and I mean always, must be a two-way street; for us to be open to the world and to leave the door open for the world to come to us. We need to set aside space for the exchange of ideas and quality, because that is the recipe for a good reputation and optimal development.

As for how much Serbia has given its creatives, I can only speak on the basis of what I’ve seen in recent times and state that a lot of work is really being done on that. One can see positive momentum and a willingness to invest in all creative industries, talented and young individuals who are just being formed, with the idea that their country takes care of them and enables them to acquire the best possible education. It is particularly dear to me to see really good will, energy, a positive and strong tailwind for personal growth and development. And, again, that is the best way to promote the country itself. I’m very happy to be part of that wave!

August

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Focus

HOW SERBIA LOOKS THROUGH THE EYES OF CREATIVES

SOFIJA STEFANOVIĆ

SLOBODAN TRKULJA

PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGIST

WE NEED TO BELIEVE IN OURSELVES WHAT HELPS US TO UNCOVER THE VALUES OF THE MODERN SERBIA IS THE INCREASING PUBLIC PRESENCE OF THE RESULTS OF THE WORK OF CREATIVE PEOPLE. THEIR PRESENCE INSPIRES AND DEMONSTRATES THAT OUR COUNTRY HAS AN ESSENTIAL TREASURE: PEOPLE WHO ARE CAPABLE OF CREATING TOP WORKS, REGARDLESS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THEY LIVE.

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hen we consider the image of the modern Serbia, I think it is worth mentioning the book Imagining the Balkans, the brilliant work of historian Marija Todorova. Specifically, she explains how the centurieslong negative image of the Balkan countries in the Western world led to an incredibly terrible and enduring effect that is even present to this day – we have ourselves begun to believe that we are bad precisely because of the impression that others had of us. In that sense, image – as the sum of beliefs, impressions and ideas that someone has about us SERBIA SHOULD ENABLE THE – is not at all insignificant when it comes to forming RECOGNISING, SUPPORT AND our opinion of ourselves.

RESPECT OF CREATIVITY, AND THAT It is precisely because of WILL RESTORE OUR FAITH THAT WE that, and due to the need for the opinions of others ARE GOOD. BELIEF THAT WE ARE to stop influencing us in a GOOD SHOULD BE THE NEW IMAGE negative way, that the key OF SERBIA to our change is not in the planned creation of some new image of Serbia in the eyes of others, but rather in us starting to believe that we are good and not bad in the way that we are still often viewed today.

The first step in really making that happen is for us to get acquainted with our own values, to recognise the pillars of our heritage and culture, because we will then walk proudly through the ramparts of ancient fortifications throughout Serbia and stop using them as rubbish dumps.

What helps us to uncover the values of the modern Serbia is the increasing public presence of the results of the work of creative people. Their presence inspires and demonstrates that our country has an essential treasure: people who are capable of creating top works, regardless of the circumstances under which they live. That character, that drive for us to create no matter what, is perhaps one of our greatest values. Creatives don’t only change our perception of Serbia, but their works also represent an inexhaustible source of inspiration. It is precisely because of the values of creative people that it is necessary for our society to create a lasting support pillar for their creativity, because creativity is actually the foundation and source of the development of humanity as a whole.

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MUSICIAN

“MODERN TRADITION” IS THE KEY ELEMENT OF SERBIA’S IMAGE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR SERBIA’S IMAGE IS PROBABLY THE FACT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN AN UNBELIEVABLE NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL START-UP PROJECTS, CREATIVE PEOPLE, LARGE GAMING COMPANIES AND FINTECH PROGRAMS IN RECENT YEARS.

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erbia is a land of so many qualities, a land of kind and talented people, with a rich history spanning all the way back to the Neolithic period. It is a land of creative minds, top world sportsmen and music that moves and touches every single soul. I love the fact that our countrymen are also at the forefront of so many technological inventions being brought to the world, from Tesla to Pupin, and nowadays from the security patterns of Teslagram to the smart technologies of Strawberry Energy, the gaming wizards of Nordeus and the avatar creators of 3Lateral. As with the music of my group, Balkanopolis, the beauty of the Serbian image lies in the strength of our roots, our traditions and customs, thousands of years of Orthodox Christianity and generations of our elders that have shaped and formed the character of our nation THE SERBIA CREATES PLATFORM whilst we boldly embrace the possibilities of the HAS ACHIEVED AN INCREDIBLE FEAT modern times in which we

BY BRINGING STRONG INDIVIDUALS live. “Modern Tradition” is TOGETHER UNDER ONE UMBRELLA for me the key element of the Serbian image.

OF THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES Creative minds and creative thinkers always break the boundaries and are able to stun the world with their talents and gifts. Now, by being creative ambassadors of Serbia, me and my creative colleagues not only represent ourselves and our art and achievements, but officially also represent our country! For me, that’s a privilege and a boost to create and work more.

The Serbia Creates platform has achieved an incredible feat by bringing all these strong individuals together under one umbrella of the creative industries. Many of these ambassadors had never previously met each other, but once we did, the feeling was as if we’d all known each other for a lifetime. That was the necessary leap needed to progress from having creative individuals to forming the Serbian creative industry.

Sometimes all it takes is to have these people in one room and miracles start happening! These miracles are the new image of Serbia.

ANA KRSTAJIĆ

MILOŠ BIKOVIĆ

COMPOSER

ACTOR

FREE, CREATIVE AND SUPPORTED

CREATIVITY IS TODAY’S MOST SOUGHT-AFTER RESOURCE

TODAY’S TECHNOLOGIES ALLOW US TO VERY QUICKLY MODERNISE THE COUNTRY’S IMAGE AND SHED LIGHT ON OUR MULTITUDE OF YOUNG AND SUCCESSFUL CREATIVES WHO WILL SELFLESSLY GIVE THEIR SKILLS AND TALENT TO THEIR COUNTRY, PROVIDED IT SUPPORTS THEM.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR SERBIA’S IMAGE IS PROBABLY THE FACT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN AN UNBELIEVABLE NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL START-UP PROJECTS, CREATIVE PEOPLE, LARGE GAMING COMPANIES AND FINTECH PROGRAMS IN RECENT YEARS.

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eople are the key for Serbia, their spirit. The average Serb has a friendly and hospitable disposition, is a person who loves their country and, with some things having started to change rapidly, a Serb is someone who expects better times. A great role in changing Serbia’s image for the better is actually played by our successful people, talented individuals, scientists and creatives who promote such a positive image of Serbia on the international map. The modern Serbia should direct its powers and invest additionally in forming and developing significantly more successful young people, who can then subsequently, without any hindrances, practically apply their knowledge, skills and THE MODERN SERBIA MUST talent in their own country.

They should have the SUPPORT CREATIVE YOUNG conditions to utilise their PEOPLE UNCONDITIONALLY capacity to the maximum AND SECURE THEM WITH and the possibility to SATISFACTORY SPACES FOR improve themselves and practise their skills and IMPROVING THEMSELVES AND knowledge in their country.

PRACTISING THEIR TALENTS The modern Serbia must support creative young people unconditionally and secure them with satisfactory spaces for improving themselves and practising their talents. By investing in our creatives, we directly invest in the image of Serbia, which these people often promote with their successes and achievements, both in their own country and around the world. The modern Serbia takes care of its environment, public areas and infrastructure.

During my first longer stay abroad, with my fellow creatives from all over the world, I discovered what people abroad actually know and think about our country. The only things that stood out as positive impressions of our country were the successes of our athletes, scientists and artists. The image of Serbia is definitely shaped the most by the achievements of its successful and talented individuals. Our country is rich in talent, which inspires and forms a modern and positive image of Serbia on a daily basis. This talent must be nurtured and supported, in order for the promotion of a creative Serbia to continue.

see the modern Serbia as a progressive, creative society that has embraced and applied the Nemanjić legacy. The Nemanjićs were very progressive for their time. They implemented and lived their creative and inspired, yet spiritually ennobled, ideas.

I also see the modern Serbia as a country that embraced and crowned the Nemanjićs’ ideas with the teachings of Nikola Tesla in the 19th and 20th centuries. What we see today are successes in sport, culture, music and art in general, but also in a new art form represented by the art of creating new values in the digital space. That’s our face.

That’s why I see Serbia as a country that would, by preserving the principles of its ancestors, reconcile and integrate the traditional with OUR SPONTANEITY AND DIRECTNESS, the advanced, progressive ABILITY TO REPENT, SIMPLICITY and new, which would - by preAND UNPRETENTIOUSNESS CAN serving its spiritual tradition - respond to the challenges AND MUST DEFEAT PRIMITIVISM, of the present day, when all CORRUPTION, HATRED AND NEGLECT values are being destroyed, OF OUR CULTURAL, HISTORICAL AND including values of the family, humanity and solidarity. Our SPIRITUAL HERITAGE spontaneity and directness, coupled with our ability to repent, our simplicity and unpretentiousness, sense of humour, energy and work on ourselves, crowned by top results, can and must defeat primitivism, corruption, hatred and neglect of our cultural, historical and spiritual heritage.

The most important thing for Serbia’s image is probably the fact that there have been an unbelievable number of successful start-up projects, creative people, large gaming companies and fintech programs in recent years. This is no longer incidental, rather we’re talking about dozens if not hundreds of startups that have attracted global companies which are now very relevant on the digital market globally. I’ve spoken with many people who are part of the Serbia Creates platform and the Digital Serbia Initiative – it would seem inexplicable that a single country that has gone through so many difficulties would see the emergence of so many young and creative initiators… If we weren’t aware of the characteristics of our people that enable them to turn a crisis into a strength, a threat into a challenge and a difficulty into an opportunity… Because we had everything other than the ability to solve problems in a stable, comfortable and expected way. Our motto is “manage it yourself”. Resourcefulness actually is creativity, and creativity is today’s most sought-after resource.

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Focus

HOW SERBIA LOOKS THROUGH THE EYES OF CREATIVES

IVANA VASIĆ ENGLISH COSTUME DESIGNER

WE SHOULD MEET OUR NEW FACE

BY REMEMBERING THE FACES OF ALL DEPARTED SERBS, LEARNING FROM MISTAKES, BOTH OUR OWN AND THOSE OF OTHERS, AND BY RETAINING AND DEVELOPING OUR CONSTRUCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS, WE CAN CREATE A DESIRABLE COUNTRY WHERE PEOPLE ARE HAPPY TO STAY AND OTHERS COME TO INTENTIONALLY.

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riceless natural wealth, a multitude of extremely gifted scientists, artists and athletes, and the wise selection of instruments for the modernisation of society are all imposing themselves as being the natural route to shaping the image of the modern Serbia. By remembering the faces of all departed Serbs, learning from mistakes, both our own and those of others, and by retaining and developing our constructive characteristics, we can create a desirable country where people are happy to stay and others come to intentionally. The modern Serbia should primarily nurture education, preserving its cultural heritage and constantly improving the quality of life in every sense. My husband is an Englishman who decided to move to Serbia and who speaks passionately about the new face of Serbia, which is on the rise, based on foundations of survival skills, the desire to endure, the ability to create improvements and an ear for the innovations brought by the new world. I believe that pretty much sums up the idea of the modern Serbia – open, progressive, comfortable and inspirational.

If we recall that the 1995 Belgrade concert of the band The Prodigy was the first international musical event (and not only OUR INTERNATIONAL IMAGE HAS musical) in Serbia since the imposing of sanctions in 1991, SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED FOR THE BETTER, and that it represented much more than just the performance of a vocal-instrumental ensemble, but rather came to AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT OUR IMAGE OF symbolise Serbia’s reopening towards the rest of the world, or OURSELVES HAS PERHAPS FINALLY ENTERED vice versa, we can see how much art – regardless of whether AN AFFIRMATIVE PHASE that’s academic art or pop culture – is often of great importance to the forming of an image of a society, even a political image. Viewed from the aspect of the creative industries, borders between societies are blunted and blurred, because creativity speaks the universal language, whether it relates to visual, audio or performance media. Authors from Serbia have long since existed on the world map of art and the creative industries, while digitalisation and the information age have contributed to the increased availability of new brands, patents and artworks that are of equal quality as those available anywhere else on the planet. The growing number of domestic creatives who are present on the global scene, as well as the liberalisation of the domestic market and the boom in domestic producers and brands, certainly form a very impressive picture of the cradle of all these creators. In that sense, our international image has significantly changed for the better, and it seems to me that our image of ourselves has perhaps finally entered an affirmative phase. It is thankless to talk about what Serbia has given creatives in the second year of the pandemic. For now, I think the most important thing for us is that we can continue to work unhindered. We can dedicate ourselves to the finer details when the time comes for that.

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UROŠ PETROVIĆ WRITER

OUR GREAT PAST NEEDS A GREAT PRESENT WE SHOULD OBSERVE THE BEST CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND OTHER EXPERIENCES FROM ALL ANGLES AND TRY TO APPLY THEM, FOR US TO FORM THEM – TO A CERTAIN EXTENT – INTO A COMMON SET OF VIRTUES, AND TO PRESERVE, REFINE AND PROUDLY PRESENT THAT WHICH IS ONLY OURS.

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ur country has always been in a vivid windstorm between East and West, but also between North and South, which is rarely noticed and mentioned. I think that this challenging position, which has often meant trouble, is something that we could prudently turn into an advantage – for us to be a little mystical, colourful, an inspiring East to the countries of the West and a modern, bright and open West to the countries of the East; a warm, hospitable and cheerful South to those from the North and a green, advanced and developed North to lands of the South.

We should perhaps observe the best cultural, economic and other experiences from all angles and try to apply them, for us to form them – to a certain extent – into a common set of virtues, and to preserve, refine and proudly present that which is only ours. Countries from different parts of the world would thus look upon us as something recognisable and close, yet completely different and inspiring.

Serbia should continue to strive for the position of one of I WOULD LIKE SERBIA TO BECOME A COUNTRY the centres, because everything revolves around the centres.

The centres are the liveliest and are, naturally, at the centre OF BALANCE, BECAUSE EQUILIBRIUM IS of events. The centres have gravity and attract everything THE MOST RECOGNISABLE SCRIPT OF BOTH around them, including attention. The centres are the richest.

BEAUTY AND WISDOM The centres are the most beautiful. The centres are the most important.

There are two strong forces acting at the centres. Thus, we should seek a balance between two principles – openly turning towards others and openly turning towards ourselves. If it is balance that holds the cosmos together, how important and precious is balance for one country? I would like Serbia to become a country of balance, because equilibrium is the most recognisable script of both beauty and wisdom.

There exist times in which a multitude of great, significant things emerge for the place where they’re created.

There also exist times in which works simply don’t originate, or at least don’t survive. A lot of that has happened in these areas during certain periods. We now need good times again, and we should realise them thoughtfully.

I think that balance between the past and the present is also important for Serbia. Our country is located on the territory where Lepenski vir, Vinča and countless other discovered and undiscovered cradles of culture exist. So, we have a past that’s important and great, of global proportions. And it’s because of this that we need an equally significant present. That means a lot of work for creators. Many great people have thought that creativity is the only meaningful thing to share. And perhaps it is, but within a broader concept – one needs to create an environment for creativity. Finally, how much have creatives managed to change our concept of Serbia, and how much has Serbia given them? Enough! Although there should never be enough of that.

August

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Affair

POPE FRANCIS STEPS UP BATTLE AGAINST CORRUPTION INSIDE THE VATICAN

Vatican Indicts Cardinal And 9 Others

For Money Laundering A Vatican judge has ordered 10 people, including an Italian cardinal, to stand trial for alleged financial crimes including embezzlement, money laundering, fraud, extortion and abuse of office. Those indicted include Cardinal Angelo Becciu (73), who was fired by the pope last year, the former heads of the Vatican’s financial intelligence unit, and two Italian brokers involved in the Vatican’s purchase of a building in a luxury area of London.

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By Elisabetta Povoledo

A

Vatican judge indicted 10 people, including a once-powerful Italian cardinal, on charges including money laundering, fraud and abuse of office in relation to a London real estate deal and other investments in which it lost millions.

The 487-page indictment comes on the heels of a two-year investigation by Vatican prosecutors who sifted through what Vatican News described as an “enormous number of documents.”

The pope personally gave the required approval last week for Becciu to be indicted, according to a 487-page indictment request seen by Reuters. The Vatican announced the indictments in a two-page statement.

Those indicted include Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, the former chief of staff in the Vatican’s Secretariat of State, whom Pope Francis dismissed in September as the investigation gathered steam. Cardinal Becciu has maintained his innocence.

Also indicted were two former top officials at the Vatican’s financial oversight unit; officials at the Secretariat of State, including the cardinal’s former secretary; and Italian brokers and bankers involved in the London deal and other transactions. The Vatican also issued indictments against four companies, two in Switzerland, one in Slovenia and one in the United States.

The investigation, which began in 2019, brought to light “a vast network of relationships with financial market operators that have generated significant losses,” the Vatican said in a statement announcing the indictments. The investigation, it added, was “directly connected” to the pope’s efforts to “clean up Vatican finances.”

The accusations stem largely from the Secretariat of State’s investment in a building in London’s affluent Chelsea neighborhood, originally a showroom for the Harrods department store that had permits allowing it to be converted into luxury apartments.

Archbishop Nunzio Galantino, the president of the Vatican office that administers the financial assets of the Holy See, told the Catholic newspaper Avvenire last

year that the Vatican lost millions on the deal. In December, the pope stripped the Secretariat of its most significant financial assets, turning them over to Archbishop Galantino’s office.

Initially, the Secretariat bought a minority stake in the London building. An initial €200 million deal was put together

by Raffaele Mincione, a banker whose

The 487-page indictment comes on the heels of a twoyear investigation by Vatican prosecutors who sifted through what Vatican News described as an “enormous number of documents.”

investments of Vatican funds had led to substantial losses, according to Vatican News. He has been charged with embezzlement, abuse of office and fraud.

In 2018, the Vatican decided to buy the building outright, and turned to another broker, Pierluigi Torzi, to help with the deal. But Vatican prosecutors — who have charged Mr. Torzi with extortion, embezzlement, fraud and money-laundering — say he refused to turn over ownership of the building. Mr. Torzi has denied any wrongdoing.

In all, the Vatican invested around €350 million in the venture, according to Vatican media.

Prosecutors accused the Vatican’s financial watchdog of failing to raise the alarm on the deal. René Brülhart, a Swiss anti-money-laundering expert hired by the Vatican in 2011 to head the unit, was charged with abuse of office. He said in a statement that the indictment was “a procedural blunder” and that he would be cleared at trial.

The Vatican has released information on its real estate holdings for the first time, revealing it owns more than 5,000 properties, as part of its most detailed financial disclosures ever.

The released information was contained in two documents – a consolidated financial statement for 2020 for the Holy See and the first ever public budget for the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (Apsa).

ST PETER’S BASILICA

August

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Affair

RAFFAELE MINCIONE, A BANKER OF VATICAN FUNDS

The deal was initiated when the Secretariat of State was under the watch of Cardinal Becciu, who was indicted on embezzlement charges and abuse of office. His boss at the time, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Pope’s No. 2 at the Vatican, authorized the deal but was not indicted.

Francis was also aware of the transaction.

Last year, Francis ousted Cardinal Becciu from his job as the head of the Vatican’s saint-making department.

Prosecutors also set their sights on operations in which they claim that Vatican funds were inappropriately used by Cardinal Becciu to finance his brothers’ businesses and charities in Sardinia, as well as an external consultant who had been hired to help free Catholic hostages held in Africa. Instead, the consultant, who will also stand trial, made personal luxury purchases, prosecutors say.

Some defense lawyers expressed concern about the Vatican City-State’s legal code, which dates to a 1889 Italian code no longer in use. Critics say the code severely limits the rights of defendants, particularly in the pretrial phase when the defense has no access to the evidence that will be presented against their clients.

A legal code that is over 100 years old

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CARDINAL GIOVANNI ANGELO BECCIU

The accusations stem largely from the Secretariat of State’s investment in a building in London’s affluent Chelsea neighborhood, originally a showroom for the Harrods department store that had permits allowing it to be converted into luxury apartments “runs counter to modern judicial systems,” said Filippo Dinacci, who is representing Mr. Brülhart.

In the Vatican legal system, prosecutors can directly indict someone without going through a judge or grand jury that would determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed.

Mr. Torzi was arrested in the Vatican last year when he testified before prosecutors, but was released and returned to London.

“The only documentation I have relates to the arrest warrant from a year ago,” his lawyer, Ambra Giovene, said in a telephone interview. But a year of fresh investigations followed, “and we know nothing about them,” she said. “We have to better understand what happened.”

Cardinal Becciu said through his lawyer, Fabio Viglione, that he would prove his “absolute innocence.”

“I had been waiting for some time to know the accusations against me to allow me to promptly refute them,” he said in a statement.

The first hearing in the case was on July 27.

Cardinal Becciu and his former secretary, Monsignor Mauro Carlino, were the only two defendants to attend the hearing.

Both men have denied all wrongdoing.

The others on trial exercised their right to be defended in absentia.

The trial mostly revolves around the purchase by the Vatican’s Secretariat of State of a building in one of London’s smartest districts.

“The pope wanted me to go on trial. I am obedient. I am here,” Becciu, wearing a black “clergyman” suit with a priest collar, told reporters before leaving the room.

Leaders’

MEETING POINT

FME STUDENT EXCELLENCE CENTRE

VUJADIN ŠĆEKIĆ, Director, Jugo-impex d.o.o. Niš

TIJANA JOVANOVIĆ, Director of Free Zone Svilajnac

DUŠAN RADIČEVIĆ, Al Dahra Serbia CEO

Where The Engineers Of The Future Develop

Waste Is A Strategic Raw Material

Investors Recognise A Good Business Environment

Alfalfa Will Be Our Export Ace

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FME Student Excellence Centre:

Where The Engineers Of The Future Develop An electric racing car, a solar-powered catamaran for collecting waste along riverbanks, drones, small autonomous robots, detecting cancers and melanomas with the help of light – these are the projects currently being developed by students of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and their peers from other faculties of the University of Belgrade.

Architecture, Law, Economics, Organisational Sciences – as well as the Military Academy, the Academy of Applied Arts and others. In that sense, the Student Excellence Centre has great importance not only for the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, but also for the entire University of Belgrade.

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ith their innovative engineering solutions, these young, creative people are achieving top results at international student competitions and are on a par with the teams of the world’s leading universities.

They are actually often also ahead of them.

Under the conditions of ever-increasing competition on the international academic scene, with the world’s leading universities innovating their study programmes and introducing content that implies the development of practical abilities, it is very important for Serbia to keep pace with the rest of the world in this area, and to take its place in the highest echelons of higher education. One way of achieving this is precisely by supporting young and talented students in working on tangible projects that enable them to develop

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the necessary skills and successfully implement their ideas on the market.

In order for creative academics to enable this, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering established its Student Excellence Centre.

This provides future engineers with space to create and further develop their ideas, and to ultimately convert them into genuine product prototypes.

The Student Excellence Centre is housed in the “old building” of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Ruzveltova Street. There are five student teams currently working in this renovated and modern-equipped space, which encompasses an area of 500m2. Apart from FME students, projects also include the participation of academics from other faculties of the University of Belgrade – Electrical Engineering, Technology and Metallurgy,

“ROAD ARROW” – BIRTH OF THE AGE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN SERBIA The team that has the longest tradition is called Road Arrow - the first and most successful Formula Student team in Serbia. These young fans of Formula 1 have already spent ten years been designing and building racing cars for Formula Student competitions held across Europe. They have under their belt eight racing cars with internal combustion engines and more than 20 competitions at which they achieved enviable results, recognition and praise from experts of the world’s leading automotive industry players.

The COVID-19 Pandemic led to last year’s competition plans being postponed, but that didn’t discourage these talented youngsters from dedicating themselves to new challenges.

They are currently finalising testing of their vehicle for the 2021 season, during which they are awaited by four competitions – in Italy, Hungary, the regional competition in Croatia and the most prestigious competition held in Austria, on the famous Red Bull Ring circuit.

The Road Arrow team is this season

premiering its first electric-powered Formula Student class vehicle, for the purposes of which the team developed unique lithium-polymer batteries and other original solutions. The team will compete in the competition of internal combustion engine Formula vehicles with its ninth successive racing car, which has a significantly improved performance as a result of the application of the most innovative construction design and technological solutions.

and “Danube”. These projects brought the team numerous medals at the prestigious “Hydrocontest” international competition, where they won first place in the category of heavy-lift cargo ships in 2018.

The members of this team are currently working on the “Sava Eco” project, which is developing a solar-powered catamaran intended to collect refuse and other waste from rivers and other bodies of water and their shores.

“BEOAVIA” – THE HOPE OF SERBIAN AVIATION Beoavia is a student team that deals with the design, development and production of unmanned aerial vehicles, aka drones, for international competitions in the domain of

ROBOTOID - TEAM THAT MAKES AUTONOMOUS ROBOTS The students of the University of Belgrade Faculty of Mechanical Engineering who come together in the Robotoid team are working to develop and produce small, autonomous mobile robots for EUROBOT - an international contest in the field of robotics. The team secured sixth place at this year’s national competition, held in Novi Sad, in competition against the country’s 11 best teams.

Designing and building an autonomous mobile robot is a very serious and demanding undertaking for students who exert a lot of effort to raise their device to a competitive level.

There are numerous challenges to overcome…

In order to be able to participate in the contest, robots must go through so-called homologation. This means confirming their complete autonomy in terms of energy and operation, as well as the ability to perform tasks and solve emerging situations independently.

aviation. The team recently qualified for the finals of the Airbus Sloshing Rocket Competition 2021. Its “Aurora 2” rocket solution was declared the best in the first round of this competition, which included 20 competing teams from around the world.

Members of the Beoavia team are also engaged in two other projects. The project with the symbolic name “Phoenix” is developing a cargo UAV for Munich’s “Air Cargo Challenge 2021” competition. Presenting a special challenge for the team is its project to develop a solid-propellant rocket, called “Pupin K12”, with which it will make its debut at the upcoming Teknofest in Turkey.

“CONFLUENCE BELGRADE” – SERBIAN SHIPBUILDING ENGINEERS The future shipbuilding engineers who are gathered together in the Confluence Belgrade team are working on the development of advanced, energy efficient and environmentally friendly vessels.

They are extremely proud of their first projects: the electric-powered boats “Sava”

“BMI/ZEPTOHYPERTECH” - LIGHT AS MEDICINE The young researchers included in the BMI/ ZeptoHyperTech team are working on the development of innovative products in the field of biomedical engineering that are intended to improve both health and quality of life. The research is focused on the quality of air, water, food, dynamic human activities etc.

They are currently working on the early detecting of cancers and melanomas with the help of light, the therapeutic effects of light, the impact of negative ultraviolet and blue light radiation, the improving of existing air and water purifiers and food preparation processes, the structures of various types of beds for patients and several orthopaedic aids.

THE AIM IS TO EDUCATE TOP ENGINEERS “Since its establishment, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering has been providing its students with top theoretical knowledge. However, in the world of high technologies, that is no longer sufficient. A contemporary engineer must also possess practical abilities, as well as other professional and personal skills. It is expected that education encourage innovation, creativity and the entrepreneurial spirit among young people. That’s precisely why we established the Student Excellence Centre.

Our maxim is “THE STUDENT AT THE CENTRE OF LEARNING”, while the aim is to educate top experts who will be ready to respond to future technical and technological challenges, says Radivoje Mitrović Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.

CREATORS OF THE FUTURE “Road Arrow is a team of students, but, for me, these young people are already proven engineers, economists, marketing experts etc. I’ve watched them in action during competitions across Europe, when their performances raised my professorial pride, but also our national pride, to the maximum limits.

First and foremost, they demonstrated superior innovation in their technical solutions, limitless resourcefulness in their economic analyses of the project and unprecedented authoritativeness in design presentations. It is due precisely to their enthusiasm, strength of will and engineering enthusiasm that they are the agents in the fantastic future that I see when I’m with them. It is a privilege and an honour to be their mentor,” says Marko Miloš Ph.D., mentor of the Road Arrow Formula Student team.

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“The Census of Serbian agriculture will be implemented in 2023, and the results of the Census will be published in 2024” ~ BRANISLAV NEDIMOVIĆ, MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND WATER ECONOMY

LOCAL NEWS

VINCI AIRPORTS MODERNISES AND IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF SERVICE AT BELGRADE AIRPORT

EUROBANK AND DIREKTNA BANKA ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT ON MERGING IN SERBIA Following the merger of Eurobank and Direktna Banka, the combined bank will have total assets in excess of €2bn and the market share exceeding 6.5%, making it the seventh largest in Serbia. After the completion of the transaction, Eurobank will control c.

70% of the combined bank, while Direktna’s shareholders will own the remaining 30%.

Both parties have committed to a growthoriented business plan, incorporating ambitious expansion targets that will allow the combined bank to finance the Serbian economy and grow profitably in the next few years.

At an official ceremony held at Belgrade airport, Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia, Nicolas Notebaert, CEO of VINCI Concessions and President of VINCI Airports, and François Berisot, CEO of Belgrade airport, presented the advanced stage of the airport’s extension and modernisation plan and celebrated its first-ever Service Quality award, in the presence of Olivier Jankovec, ACI Europe Director General. The works are progressing as planned, including the upgrade and extension of the existing terminal. With a total surface area of 12,000m² and a smart flow management system, the new Pier C terminal extension will be fully completed by the end of this year.

INTEGRATION OF TURKISH ACIBADEM AND SERBIAN BEL MEDIC By signing the contract, the integration was finalised of two major medical systems - Turkish Acibadem, and Bel Medic.

The contract was signed by the owners and the founders of Bel Medic Jasmina and Milan Knežević and the owner and the founder of Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar. Thus, Acibadem became the majority owner of Bel Medic, leading private health institutions in Serbia with a tradition of 26 years. In the future, it will operate under the name “Acıbadem Bel Medic”, and the co-owner and the General Manager, will be Dr. Jasmina Knežević.

MTU BREAKS GROUND ON NEW FACILITY IN SERBIA – MARKING €100 MILLION INVESTMENT Tanjug/Zoran Zestic

Leading German aircraft engine manufacturer MTU Aero Engine started the construction of its new repair facility at an industrial park in the Municipality of Stara Pazova, near Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport.

The MTU Maintenance Serbia investment project is worth €100.9 million and will create around 400 new jobs in the first phase. The project is extremely important from the aspect of technology and the impact it can have on the further development of the aerospace industry in Serbia, as well as the education of future professionals in this particular industry.

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“We provide resources and encouragement, but the Serbian government and people are taking a leadership role in deciding how best to use these resources” ~ BARON LOBSTEIN, ECONOMIC SECTION CHIEF, U.S. EMBASSY TO SERBIA

SERBIA GETS OPPORTUNITY TO COOPERATE WITH GOLDMAN SACHS Prime Minister Ana Brnabić stated during he r v is it to t h e U . S . that Serbia has been given the opportunity to cooperate with one of the most powerful investment groups in the world, Goldman Sachs, which it will use.

PM Brnabić, who spoke with Goldman Sachs President David Solomon, emphasised that the presence of Goldman Sachs gives a completely different level of respect and credibility to the country. “We tried to bring Goldman Sachs to Serbia, it seems that we have succeeded for now, on a small scale. We managed to agree on a small joint project,” she explained.

DELTA HOUSE, THE NEW HEADQUARTERS OF DELTA HOLDING The new headquarters of Delta Holding, the Delta house office building, was opened in the presence of guests from the business and public life of Serbia.

Delta’s new headquarters, Delta House with its 23,000 square feet and 13 floors, is located next to the Crown Plaza Hotel which is also owned by Delta Holding.

On the ground floor of the building are meeting rooms, restaurants for employees and a fitness and health zone. The floors are intended for renting business space, while the upper floors will be the working space of Delta Holding and member companies.

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DRAGAN STOKIĆ, NEW PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH-SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, CCIFS

The French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, France’s largest business association in the region, will be led over the next three years by Dragan Stokić (CEO of Atos SEE) and Philippe Thiel (Suez Country Manager for Serbia), as president and vice president respectively. Stokić, who was elected CCIFS president unanimously, heads up operations in the region of Southeast Europe for ATOS, a global leader in the field of digital transformations that boasts 100,000 employees in 73 countries, generating an annual turnover of 10 billion euros. Stokić has amassed over 25 years of experience in the IT industry, having advanced from engineering posts to the highest management positions. An active member of the CCIFS Board of Directors since 2019, he succeeds Schneider Electric’s Dragoljub Damljanović, who led the CCIFS over the previous two terms.

VLADISLAV CVETKOVIĆ, NEW PRESIDENT OF THE NALED MANAGEMENT BOARD

Vladislav Cvetković, director of Advisory Services at PricewaterhouseCoopers, has become the new President of the NALED Management Board, in accordance with a decision taken at the constitutive session of the new convocation.

Over the next four years, the functions of vice presidents will be performed by Hisense Gorenje Europe Executive Vice President Stanka Pejanović, as the representative of the economy, Kragujevac Mayor Nikola Dašić, as the representative of local governments, and Pexim Foundation Director Tijana Gajić, as the representative of the civil sector.

Cvetković has amassed vast experience in the areas of financial consulting, banking system reform and privatisation. He worked for Deloitte during the second half of the 1990s, only for the beginning of the country’s transition to see him engaged at the National Bank of Serbia and the Deposit Insurance Agency, as an advisor to the governor, a leading advisor for bank privatisation and a member of the NBS Council.

He also served as director of the Privatisation Agency, where he managed, among other things, the largest privatisation project in Serbia (Telenor’s acquisition of operator Mobi63). He has also lectured in the Business Finance and Accounting Department of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Belgrade.

KATARINA EGOROVA, NEW REGIONAL DIRECTOR/CEO OF IKEA SOUTHEAST EUROPE

IKEA Southeast Europe (Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Ukraine) has announced that Katarina Egorova will take over the role of regional director/CEO and managing director for sustainable development at the company, as of 1st September.

Katarina has amassed great experience working for IKEA since first joining the company in Russia, in 1998. She performed various functions on the Russian market, including the role of store manager, before transferring to the UK and taking on the function of market manager for the territory of the northern UK and Ireland.

Egorova replaces Sara del Fabro, who vacates the position of CEO at IKEA Southeast Europe after having accepted a new challenge within the scope of the company, as deputy head of global retail operations at Ingka Group.

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VUJADIN ŠĆEKIĆ, DIRECTOR, JUGO-IMPEX D.O.O. NIŠ

Waste Is A Strategic Raw Material As a company that was founded during the time of the former Yugoslavia, 31 years ago, Niš-based Jugo-impex isn’t relinquishing its position as a leader in the sector of collecting and processing raw materials. It is also a leader in the Balkans when it comes to the recycling of electrical and electronic waste, with 10,000 to 14,000 tons recycled annually

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hen it comes to recycling, we must all work a lot, learn, raise the level of responsibility and professionalism in the administrative part of the country, and use regulations and standards to lay the foundations for quality and a better tomorrow, says Jugo-impex Director Vujadin Šćekić in this interview for CorD Magazine.

Your company is among the pioneers in the collecting and processing of raw materials,

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and in the recycling of electrical and electronic waste. Would it be correct to say that surviving and succeeding hasn’t been easy?

Our company has existed for 31 years. I founded it during the time of the former Yugoslavia. It has changed many countries, many laws and tax systems, but to this day it has the same ID number. We have been dealing with recycling since 1994, while Erecycling emerged in 2010. It is specific in that it deals exclusively with the recycling

of electrical and electronic waste, and we are the leader of the Balkans in that area, handling 10,000 to 14,000 tons of electrical and electronic waste annually. We are also dealing with both new regulations and administrative problems. We have grown accustomed to having to adapt to these demands, conditions and permits.

And our parent company, Jugo-impex, is linked exclusively to the processing of non-ferrous metals. In that domain we work on products for export, working a lot with industrial waste, importing raw materials from the region and processing and marketing them on the European market.

We have between 90 and 110 employees at Jugo-impex, and between 220 and 300 in E-recycling, depending on current needs.

Our workers don’t leave Jugo-impex, unless they are taking on better paid managerial positions abroad, so we have employees who’ve been with us since the company’s first day, but also those who left the company to go into retirement and who we invite – like members of our family – to all company celebrations.

Things are changing for the better from year to year. Can this process be sped up?

The economic environment is improving, investments in infrastructure are being made and new factories and plants are being opened, which naturally bring benefits to our industry. Today’s market is also much larger, so the labour market is improving.

There is rising awareness of ecology, of the importance of protecting the environment

in which we live, but we should be aware of the fact that we must accept and change some things, because reality will force us to look at the actual state of affairs. The Smederevo Steelworks is designed to smelt iron ore to produce steel, but it doesn’t do that. Rather it only melts secondary raw materials, because there is no iron ore. Ore minerals are a disappearing limited resource, which is why we will have to replace them with secondary raw materials and seek new bases of raw materials from recycling. Many of these items are more expensive when sourced from recycling, but you have no choice when you lack something you need.

There will be no antimony in the mines in 20-25 years, so we will only be able to source it from recycling, while zinc will disappear in 40 years, and life is impossible without it.

Investing in ecology isn’t a cost, rather it is an investment in health. You know that, when you reduce pollution, you consequently reduce the long-term costs of healthcare. We must view ecology as preventive healthcare.

We would like all that to change faster, for us to increase responsibility at all levels, in every segment of society. Then the results would come by themselves.

When will we finally start treating waste as a raw material that can be processed into a marketable product?

Not all waste, as it is said, can be placed in the same basket, because there are thousands and thousands of categories – from industrial waste, via raw materials and construction waste, to household waste.

And, in legislative terms, we’ve legislatively categorised many of these types of waste where they don’t belong, which is understandable on one hand and not on the other, because if we’re striving to develop, we must liberalise internal trade and determine, as a state, what is a strategic raw material for the country.

Non-ferrous metals are a strategic raw material worldwide, even in our country, and trade in them among large companies is classed exclusively as a product, and in no way as a raw material. You can’t easily buy that kind of waste in Austria, Germany or Italy, you can only sell it. This only shows that developed countries take care of their resources, and we also need to start taking

care of our own resources. We issue export licenses for many things that we have sufficient processing capacities to handle, so we export the raw material instead of exporting a product, which is not good for us. We need to introduce quotas, introduce order and establish a clear system in order for it to be known what can be exported, and to what extent.

It’s important to take a strategic approach regarding which products can be exported and which should be processed here in Serbia

We also need to open a complete investment cycle for the processing of all other waste that’s classed as hazardous. There are thousands of different types of waste that cannot be recycled and they will be used as energy sources. For example, tyres that are 20 years old cannot be recycled and must be used as an energy source. Everything that has high calorific values should be used to generate energy from waste. This is done well in our country by cement plants, which have monitors on their chimneys and take care not to pollute the air.

Do we have sufficient processing capacities?

When it comes to metal waste, I think there is a plenty of iron and that we still don’t have sufficient capacities for the full amount, but we certainly have the capacity for all metals, all metal raw materials, except aluminium.

There is much more aluminium waste than the two existing factories are able to process. If we had a development strategy, we could very quickly open new plants. This is achieved by granting administrative incentives or some other breaks, which would certainly pay off, because why we would pay 100 euros for the transport of a ton of aluminium to sell instead of processing it here? Finding a market for products used to be a problem, but that’s no longer the case today, with so many factories and the auto industry. That’s why it’s important for professional associations and the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Serbia to take a strategic approach regarding which products can be exported and which should be processed here.

How important is Business Club Naissus for the economy of the city of Niš, the region of Southern Serbia and the country as a whole, but also for all businesspeople and entrepreneurs? What will it bring you?

We founded it five years ago and it has grown and strengthened, little by little, so that it today has 28-30 companies that have existed for a long time and are respected in their industries. The goal isn’t to achieve mass membership, on the contrary. The admission criteria are very serious. One must go through several levels of selection to join. The club accepts one to two new members a year, and a maximum of three.

It is important for us that those are people who have behind them works, who are respected by both their buyers and suppliers, that they enjoy a good reputation among partners, that they work on creating a better economic environment and that they cooperate with the city administration... I hope that Business Club Naissus will quickly become an important partner of the local government and a driver of development, because the goal of the people gathered together in the Club is for life in our city to be better, higher quality and healthier.

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REGIONAL NEWS

“The Youth Guarantee has been a useful tool for facilitating the labour market integration of young people in the EU. In Slovenia, we have been effectively implementing it since 2014” ~ JANEZ CIGLER KRALJ, SLOVENIAN MINISTER OF LABOUR, FAMILY, SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

ROAMING FREE REGION WITH EU SUPPORT The “Roam Like at Home” regime in the Western Balkans enters into force. From 1 July, all roaming costs within the region will be eliminated. This is a historic achievement of cooperation amongst the telecom Ministries and Independent Regulators of the region, supported by the European Commission, and a stepping-stone in the digital transformation of the region.

The benefits this Agreement brought in the previous, gradual cost-reduction phases from July 2019 until today were tangible across the region, leading to a significant cost reduction of roaming, cross-border calls, messaging and data transmission, thus supporting individual users, businesses and operators alike and strengthening intra-regional digital connectivity.

CROATIA BANS THE SALE OF SINGLE-USE PLASTIC PRODUCTS On 15 July, the Croatian Parliament announced that it has adopted the Waste Management Act. According to a press release, the act was approved by a majority vote, with 75 votes in favour, 2 abstentions, and 43 votes against.

By adopting the Waste Management Act, Croatia seeks to ban the sale of single-use plastic products such as cotton buds, straws, and cutlery made of plastic etc.

According to the Croatian Parliament, states and counties will now be responsible for drafting a waste management plan. Prior to the adoption of this new law, only local government units have been obliged to outline such plans.

NORTH MACEDONIA COMMITS TO EXITING COAL BY 2027 North Macedonia will be the first country in the Western Balkans to quit coal. The country will close its two coal plants by 2027, a date that is compatible with the UN Paris climate agreement.

North Macedonia signed up to the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), a coalition of national and sub-national governments, businesses and organisations working to advance the transition from coal power generation to clean energy.

Another Western Balkans country, Montenegro, has also joined the alliance, but its 2035 phase out plan overshoots UN Paris climate agreement compatibility by five years.

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“The EU bank is looking forward to cooperating with the European Commission, fellow financiers and the Western Balkans partners on the roll out of the Commission’s €9 billion Economic and Investment Plan for the region” ~ WERNER HOYER, PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK (EIB)

EBRD BACKS LANDMARK BOND ISSUED BY ROMANIAN REAL ESTATE INVESTOR In a fresh boost to Romania’s capital markets, the EBRD has invested €50 million in a €550 million bond issued by Globalworth Real Estate Investments, a real estate investment company focused on the Romanian market.

Globalworth is the largest office-property owner and developer in Romania, investing in a diversified portfolio of properties located primarily in Romania, but also in the broader south-eastern European (SEE) region and in central and eastern Europe (CEE). Its shares are listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM), the London Stock Exchange’s international market for growing companies.

CONSTRUCTION OF BALKANS’ LONGEST TUNNEL STARTS IN BULGARIA

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Bulgaria has begun construction of the longest tunnel in the Balkans, as part of the railway between Sofia and the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Bourgas.

The tunnel is located about 30 kilometres from Sofia in a mountainous area and is 6.8 kilometres long, making it twice as long as Bulgaria’s current longest tunnel, in Koznitsa.

It is part of a major project to modernise the Trakia railway from Sofia to Bourgas, which has been under construction for 15 years. The hopes are that the project will be completed by 2030. The funds are provided by the EU Operational Programme, Transport.

The contract for the construction of the tunnel is worth €300 million, and construction is being carried out by Turkish companies involved in the construction of the new airport in Istanbul.

HUNGARY’S 4IG SIGNS AGREEMENT TO BUY TELENOR MONTENEGRO 4iG, Hungarian IT service management company, has signed a non-binding agreement to acquire Telenor Montenegro from PPF Group, 4iG said in a statement.

Both parties agreed to close the transaction by 30 November of this year, subject to the approval of the Montenegrin authorities.

“The acquisition of Telenor Montenegro is in line with 4iG’s regional expansion strategy, and the Target’s solid background and market position, as well as its strong revenue-generating capacity, can bring high added value to our Group,” said Gellert Jaszai, CEO-Chairman of 4iG.

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TIJANA JOVANOVIĆ, DIRECTOR OF FREE ZONE SVILAJNAC

Investors Recognise A Good Business Environment With clear goals and major sacrifices, the Municipality of Svilajnac has spent more than a decade working to strengthen its economy, entice investors and create a favourable climate for local and foreign investors Renowned world brands operate successfully in our zone, but also numerous domestic investors, all of which together ensure that Svilajnac has an economy that’s stable and ever more successful. Testifying to this is the constant growth of economic activity and the foreign trade surplus, which exceeded 15 million dollars in 2020. The number of companies operating under the regime of the free zone is increasing year on year, while existing investors are also expanding their production operations.

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ur business policy is for us to continue attracting investors and we are open to all companies wanting to launch their production operations at Free Zone Svilajnac – a place that has the most favourable conditions for doing business, says Free Zone Svilajnac Director Tijana Jovanović

When Free Zone Svilajnac opened 10 years ago, few believed that it would possible to achieve the kind of results that you’ve managed...

We equipped two industrial zones, changed educational profiles, successfully implemented dual education in high schools, created a sufficiently qualified and professional workforce and fulfilled all preconditions to attract local and foreign investors, thereby gaining the status of the economic leader of the Pomoravlje District.

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What makes Free Zone Svilajnac so unique?

The municipality of Svilajnac has an excellent geostrategic and transport position, located as it is just six kilometres from PanEuropean Corridor 10 and Highway E75. It is the only municipality in the Pomoravski District to have established a Free Zone with fiscal, financial and customs incentives and operational benefits.

It currently encompasses two functional industrial zones, on an area of around 60 hectares, that are fully equipped in term of infrastructure and utilities.

Dual education is being implemented successfully in our high schools, in accordance with the requirements of the economy and the interests of future students.

Investors also know that they have the full support of the local government, before, during, but

also after the launch of their operations in Svilajnac, because the municipal administration is fast, professional and efficient.

Both large and small investors choose their business environment.

Which renowned brand was the first to come to Svilajnac and which ones followed that example?

Vossloh-Schwabe is a German company that has spent more than a decade operating in Svilajnac.

It is not only the first arrival, but also our biggest partner, because - with around 500 employees - it represents a pillar of the Svilajnac economy. This company recently bought another hectare of land and is planning to relocate its production to Svilajnac. The largest domestic company, Alfa technics, currently has around 300 employees and is constructing another production and business facility, while there is also Italian company S.H.E. Superior Heating Elements

(Ariston). This represents one of the most significant investments, both because it is a world-famous brand and because it has expanded on its initial plan and now has a production hall covering more than 4,000m2.

Our new foreign investor is Swiss company Regent lighting, which produces industrial lighting. It has built a 6,000m2 factory and will build the same again in the second phase, while its plan is to have more than 250 employees in the next two years.

There is also German company A 2000, which produces electronic components, devices and systems. It bought a hectare of land and built a production plant covering around 1,500m2, while another German company, HDT, built a production plant of about 1,300m2 on the hectare of land that it bought from us, where it will produce electronic measuring instruments.

DUŠAN RADIČEVIĆ, AL DAHRA SERBIA CEO

Alfalfa Will Be Our Export Ace Since procuring the assets of PKB, Al Dahra has modernised its plants, machinery and tools, and invested 50 million euros to improve production, while it will invest another 20 million euros over the next three years

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The most modern factory for the processing of alfalfa has been built, and 40 people will be employed to work there immediately, because Al Dahra – as a global player – has secured its market. Trial production is planned for this September, with the factory set to start operating at full capacity next year.

In the less than three years since PKB was procured, plants, machines and tools have been modernised, while production processes have been improved and modernised. Everything is different today...

To start, I would just like to say that we, as AL Dahra, bought the assets of PKB and not PKB as a company. In a relatively short period, almost 50 million euros was invested in renewing equipment and machinery, as well as in the plant for processing alfalfa.

Specifically, the machines purchased together with the rest of PKB’s assets were in a pretty poor condition and it wasn’t possible to achieve efficiency through the application of new technologies with such equipment.

Over the next three years, we plan to invest an additional 20 million euros in machines that are used in crop farming.

When it comes to the alfalfa factory, the plan is to develop intensive and longstanding cooperation with the farmers that surround our facility, in order to additionally engage the factory so that it operates in three shifts.

Apart from all of that, we are also committed to irrigation and drainage projects, because sustainable agricultural production is only possible if drainage and irrigation systems exist. Initial estimates suggest that our in-

The investment in drainage and irrigation systems, which represents an extremely complex and expensive project, will exceed 75 million euros

vestment in these systems will total more than 75 million euros.

There is also a third segment of our operations: milk production, in which we also plan significant investments over the next year. We are additionally considering the construction of a biogas facility.

When you were appointed as the new CEO half a year ago, you presented very ambitious plans for the company. Do you still possess that initial enthusiasm?

All investments are unfolding according to plan, in principle. The alfalfa factory is the first to be made operational, and that’s something we’re very proud of. That was

an extremely challenging project, bearing in mind the equipment arriving from various countries. And despite everything, operations at the factory are starting on time and we expect to export the first quantities of product this year. The entire production is intended for export.

We aren’t lacking in enthusiasm, because we see the results of the more than thousand people who work at Al Dahra every day.

Thus, today, for the first time in 30 years, the citizens of Vrbovsko can open their windows and breathe air that doesn’t have an unpleasant odour. We treated the canals so that there are no more unpleasant odours and, more importantly, life has returned to them. We have cleared a major dump that was located on one of our fields, while we are currently planning to clean another. We won’t stop there. We’re planning more activities.

You are focused on investing in a new alfalfa plant, an animal fodder factory and the modernisation of dairy farms. How much will that increase your yields and revenue?

Through investments related to crop farming, we plan to increased yields by 10% to 50% depending on the crop, which will allow us to generate profits that are acceptable to a company of this size. Our idea is to take a company with heavy losses, which we inherited in a way, and create a profitable and sustainable company.

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“I am often asked if I will ‘return to cryptocurrency’ or begin regularly sharing my thoughts on the topic again. My answer is a wholehearted ‘no” ~ JACKSON PALMER, CO-CREATOR OF DOGECOIN

WORLD NEWS

LUFTHANSA WILL NO LONGER ADDRESS PASSENGERS AS ‘LADIES AND GENTLEMEN’ “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome on board,” will soon be things of the past on Lufthansa flights.

The German flag carrier plans to use gender-neutral language. The change would apply to all airlines operated by the Lufthansa Group, including Austrian Airlines, Swiss and Eurowings.

Diversity isn’t just an empty phrase, but is a reality for Lufthansa, Anja Stenger, the company’s spokeswoman, told DW. Lufthansa crews would now use gender-neutral phrases such as “Dear guests,” “Good morning/evening” or simply “Welcome on board.” The decision on how to address passengers will ultimately be made by the crew, who were informed about the change in May. The change is effective immediately.

JOHNSON & JOHNSON RECALLING SUNSCREENS DUE TO BENZENE TRACES Johnson & Johnson said that it is recalling five of its sunscreen products after some samples were found to contain low levels of benzene, a chemical that can cause cancer with repeated exposure. The affected products, packaged in aerosol cans, are Aveeno Protect + Refresh aerosol sunscreen, and four Neutrogena sunscreen versions: Beach Defense aerosol sunscreen, CoolDry Sport aerosol sunscreen, Invisible Daily Defense aerosol sunscreen and UltraSheer aerosol sunscreen.

The recall includes all can sizes and all levels of sun protection factor, or SPF. The products were distributed nationwide through retailers. The health care giant said the benzene was found after testing by the company and an independent laboratory. It is investigating how the chemical got into the products.

CHINESE TECH GIANTS LOOK TO MAKE BUSINESS CHANGES IN BID TO PREEMPT REGULATORS Chinese technology giants are looking to make changes to their business models and working practices in order to preempt moves by regulators as authorities crackdown on the once free-wheeling sector.

In the past year, regulators have introduced new rules in areas from anti-monopoly for internet companies to data security, targeting large tech firms. And punishment has come swiftly.

Ant Group’s record-breaking initial public offering was pulled by regulators in November, while Alibaba was slapped with a $2.8 billion fine as a result of an anti-monopoly probe. Ride-hailing giant Didi meanwhile, became the subject of a cybersecurity review days after its massive U.S. IPO. And China’s top cyberspace regulator ordered app stores this month to suspend Didi from being downloaded.

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“The next generation is impatient. And they’re going to hold us increasingly accountable. We all need to respond to that” ~ SUNDAR PICHAI, CEO OF GOOGLE

SINGAPORE’S ECONOMY ROARS BACK WITH A 14.3% SURGE IN THE SECOND QUARTER FROM A YEAR AGO Singapore recorded its strongest economic growth in 11 years in the second quarter of 2021, rebounding from its worst economic slump on record a year ago due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Southeast Asian economy surged 14.3% in the second quarter compared with the same period a year ago, according to advance estimates by the Ministry of Trade and Industry. That performance slightly exceeded the 14.2% year-on-year jump forecast by analysts in a Reuters poll.

“The strong growth was largely due to the low base in the second quarter of 2020 when GDP fell by 13.3 per cent due to the Circuit Breaker (CB) measures implemented from 7 April to 1 June 2020,” the ministry said in a statement. Circuit breaker refers to the partial lockdown implemented in Singapore, when large parts of the economy were shut to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

ERICSSON HITS CHINESE WALL Shares in the $40 billion Swedish telecoms-kit maker fell 9% after its secondquarter earnings showed that sales shrank for the first time in three years.

Most of the hit came from a 60% revenue slump in China, which three months ago accounted for 8% of sales.

The worst-case scenario for Chief Executive Borje Ekholm, who has tried to avoid getting sucked into East-West rivalries, is Beijing red-carding Ericsson in reaction to Sweden doing the same to Chinese rival Huawei Technologies. That would lop a permanent 8% off Ekholm’s top line and almost as much from his earnings.

FORD RECALLING 775,000 SUVS FOR STEERING ISSUE LINKED TO SIX INJURIES Ford Motor Co said in a statement it was recalling about 775,000 Ford Explorer SUVs worldwide for a steering issue linked to reports of six injuries in North America.

The recall covers 2013-2017 model year vehicles that may experience a seized cross-axis ball joint that could cause a fractured rear-suspension toe link, which could significantly diminish steering control, increasing the risk of a crash. The recall covers 676,152 vehicles in North America, 59,935 in China and 38,600 elsewhere. The U.S. vehicles are in high-rust states. Owner notifications will begin in late August. Dealers will inspect cross-axis ball joints and replace if needed and replace the toe links with a revised part.

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Enterpreneur

16

Young And Successful Entrepreneurs Who Prove That Age Is

Nothing But A Number Self-employment has been blossoming over the past decade. In this age of internet and technology, people are now more confident to try and sell their ideas and hit the road to success. With even the basic skills like knowing how to create a website[1] or marketing products online, people can reach out to the world and showcase their talent.

A

study conducted in the year 2015 revealed that about 14% of the total working population in the U.S. was into running a business of their own and we all know that the numbers have been growing since then.

Each day while we drive, when we shower or go through a boring lecture, our minds come up with some of the most intriguing ideas that can potentially become big business plans, but we tend to ignore them as we are never looking to make anything out of it. Our brains are idea machines, but only a few of us go ahead to make these ideas big.

One of the most common complaints of the people who bloom late and succeed in the later ages of their lives is that they didn’t dare enough to sell their ideas sooner. Ironically, one of the most common excuses among the youth is that they are not old enough to start their own business. It is never too early or late to become successful in your life. You can begin the journey to becoming an achiever at any age, and the young entrepreneurs in the list below will just prove this to you.

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MARK ZUCKERBERG: FOUNDER OF FACEBOOK

Of course, Mark Zuckerberg must be at the top of this list. Facebook speaks for all the success the man has achieved by launching it when he was only 19 years old. Within a few years of its launch, Facebook became one of the most used social media platforms across the world. Today, Facebook continues to grow and employ thousands of people. An inspiration to a countless number of people, Zuckerberg is estimated to be worth 61.7 billion USD today and continues to progress as an entrepreneur.

MATTHEW MULLENWEG: FOUNDER OF WORDPRESS

In the year 2005, Matthew founded the company Automattic which later proved instrumental in the creation of WordPress before he was even twenty. WordPress is one of the leading Content Management Systems out there in the market making it the most used platform for blogging. Who would have thought that a college dropout will take the world by the storm with a simple idea of hosting a blogging platform? The net worth of Matthew Mullenweg today is 40 Million USD.

CATHERINE COOK: CREATOR OF MYYEARBOOK.COM

up with an idea of selling school merchandise throughout the country and ended up featuring among the top entrepreneurs in the nation.

Varun has also worked as a film-maker with the Oscar winner A.R. Rehman at the age of 21 years only.

PETE CASHMORE: CEO OF MASHABLE

DAVID KARP: FOUNDER OF TUMBLR

At the age of 15, when people are learning how to write an essay properly[3] for their college applications, Catherine and her brother Dave came up with an idea of digitizing high school yearbooks and putting it online. With the investments of their elder brother, Geoff Cook, Catherine and Dave went on to launch MyYearbook.com which became famous in no time. Catherine and Dave became one of the youngest millionaires around in the prime days of the MyYearbook.

VARUN AGARWAL: AUTHOR OF HOW I BRAVED ANU AUNTY & CO-FOUNDED A MILLION DOLLAR COMPANY

The year 2007 saw the onset of Tumblr. The micro-blogging website which is now owned

by Yahoo was founded by David Karp after he turned 21 years old, whose net worth now is $200 million. Even after all these years of its launch and facing some serious competition from other websites, Tumblr stands its position among the social media platforms.

The CEO and founder of the top blog Mashable, Pete Cashmore has a net worth of $95 million.

The website was found in the year 2005 when Pete was 20 Years old and is popular among people for all the daily news and gossips related to the entertainment world. The popularity of the company can be seen by the 8.82 Million followers of its Twitter account.

JOSHUA DZIABIAK: FOUNDER OF MEDIA CATCH

JON WHEATLEY: CREATOR OF THE DAILYBOOTH

Born in the year 1987, Joshua made his first million at the age of 18 when he sold his first company Media Catch. He later went on to find few more companies including ShowClix and the Zebra. The current estimated worth of Joshua is said to be more than 9 million USD. The author of the book, ‘How I Braved Anu Aunty & Co-Founded a Million Dollar Company,’ Varun Agarwal is also an entrepreneur and a film-maker. Coming from a time in India where parents would force their kids to become future engineers and doctors, Varun also went through the painful drag of completing his engineering. Despite the pressure of the parents and society to follow the crowd and get a job, Varun came

SEAN BELNICK: FOUNDER OF BIZCHAIR

At the age of 22, Jon Wheatley introduced a photo blogging website called the DailyBooth to the internet world in the year 2009. The site allowed the users to upload their everyday pictures and use captions with them.

The simple idea of sharing snaps along with a clean user interface of the website made it famous, and Jon was soon worth a net worth of $1 million.

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Enterpreneur Sean Belnick started selling furniture on his website bizchair.com when he was 14. Since the year it was set up (2004), the company’s sales went on to grow and were generating a revenue of more than 40 million USD at a point in time.

BLAKE ROSS: CREATOR OF MOZILLA FIREFOX

website aimed at bringing quality education among students and that too free of cost. He rejected an offer of a full-time job and admission in an MBA course to come up with the idea of Academic Earth at the age of 22. Richard certainly proved that entrepreneurship is not all about the money and some good cause too.

catch the eyes of the world with his talent when he was 15. Bieber became a worldwide sensation at a very young age, and you can find him among the singers in the top music charts almost every time.

Capitalizing on this popularity, Bieber has used his earned money into investing in some startups like ‘Shots of Me’[4] and has a nail polish line of his own called ‘The One Less Lonely Girl.’ The net worth of Justin Bieber last year was $200 Million.

RYAN BLOCK: PRODUCT MANAGER OF ENGADGET

You might not know him by the name, but you surely know him by his work, Mozilla Firefox.

At a time when people used to stick with the stock browser of their Operating Systems or go for Google Chrome, Firefox made its client-base with its dedicated users. Firefox is now among the preferred web browsers across different platforms like Windows, Linux, and Android. Firefox was launched when Blake was only 19 years old.

FRASER DOHERTY: FOUNDER OF THE SUPER JAM

AARON LEVIE: CO-FOUNDER OF BOX

Fraser Doherty is another brilliant entrepreneur who went on to become a millionaire starting to work at the age of 14. Using his skill of making Jam, that he learned from his grandmother, Fraser started selling his self-made Jam to the Waitrose stores as a teenager. He named his company as the Super Jam and is currently a net worth of 2 million dollars.

With an estimated $30 million worth, Ryan Block is among the most wanted tech experts around. Ryan was an ex-editor of Engadget and became popular when he found a tech community site gdgt when he was 26. He returned to his previous workplace Engadget and worked as the product manager for few years after it.

ALEXANDER LEVIN: CO-FOUNDER OF IMAGESHACK

JUSTIN BIEBER: SINGER AND PERFORMER

At the age of 19, Aaron came up with an idea of providing file storage spaces online to different businesses. He later co-founded the company- Box which is now a premium file storage and content management service for businesses hubs. In the year 2015,Aaron had a worth more than 90 million USD. RICHARD LUDLOW: FOUNDER OF ACADEMIC EARTH

Richard Ludlow saw the potential of the internet becoming a learning place, and he managed to achieve it through his website called Acedemicearth.org. The non-profit

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Coming into the music industry from the popularity of the YouTube, Justin Bieber managed to

Levin is the co-founder of the world’s largest image hosting website- the ImageShack, which was launched when he was 19. With a net worth of more than 50 million USD, Alexander makes it to our list of the top young and successful entrepreneurs. ImageShack today stands firm among all the image hosting services and has not lost its popularity over the years.

Source: lifehack.org

PROFILE

Healthcare Innovations Without Borders A new medical device and medicine that are manufactured and developed in Serbia, a new medical application that comes from Africa and is used worldwide, exchanged medical data in just one day between a hospital in Chile and a hospital in Vietnam – these are just some of the goals of the Laboratorija zdravstvenih tehnologija, aka Health Tech Lab

IVANA KOSTIĆ Ph.D., CO-FOUNDER OF HEALTH TECH LAB

F

rom a student exchange in Brazil to my doctoral studies at MIT, in the United States of America and in Portugal, I realised that there is a huge difference between countries when it comes to the possibilities to develop and use innovations in healthcare. While health challenges are the same everywhere... This huge gap attracted my attention.

Alongside financial inequality, developing countries continue to be unfairly viewed as countries that lack the capabilities and possibilities to solve any challenge, while in fact, the most talented people from developing countries head to developed countries, taking their brilliant solutions with them.

The results of my personal research from my doctoral studies in bioengineering, within the scope of the MIT Portugal programme, are currently being translated into a specific medical therapy. This is a therapy for regenerating the heart muscle after a period of a lack of oxygen and as-

sociated damage. Our solution can also be used as a therapy for other organs that have ended up in similar conditions. This is a seemingly insoluble problem, while a solution is nonetheless in sight.

While working on part of the bioengineering research at MIT, the question that arose was what comes next? What is the bigger challenge? What remains as an unresolved issue?

Alongside financial inequality, developing countries continue to be unfairly viewed as countries that lack the capabilities and possibilities to solve any challenge, while in fact, the most talented people from developing countries head to developed countries, taking their brilliant solutions with them MIT students often say that they were specifically attracted to studying here because it is here that challenges with less than a 1% probability of being resolved are being tackled. That’s something that resonates very strongly with my own thoughts.

This kind of thinking also brought me to MIT and to the development of a previously non-existent therapy.

Not only did the development of the aforementioned therapy appear challeng-

ing to achieve, but so did the very arrival of a biological sciences student from Serbia for doctoral studies within the framework of the MIT Portugal programme; a student with big dreams, led only by the previously noted thought about solving seemingly insoluble health challenges; a student with dreams of creating solutions, who became a bioengineer and an innovative entrepreneur.

However, this thinking simultaneously also led me to the creation of a solution to another seemingly insoluble problem: the formation of a systemic solution for the development of healthcare innovations in a developing country.

I started from the developing country that I am most familiar with: Serbia. It was also there that I met my co-founder, Damjan, who provides our project with a patient perspective.

The laboratory, organised in a way that differs from the way it has been done to date, will enable every single country to develop its own technological solutions for its own healthcare challenges. And it will specifically do so through Health Tech Lab chapter of that country. In this way, each chapter will network with all other chapters in order to exchange experiences, products and knowhow.

Health Tech Lab is today catching the global wave of digitalisation in healthcare, which will enable the first-ever connecting of all healthcare ecosystems worldwide, with minimal investments. After that, a route will be opened for all other technologies and their use around the entire world.

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Art

Public Art

28

FOREVER BICYCLES

Of The Most Fascinating

PUBLIC SCULPTURES

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The world’s most powerful public sculptures from Marseilles to Melbourne, Vancouver to New York City 3/28 - Located in New York’s Brooklyn Bridge Park is Bridge Over Tree, a sculptural installation designed by Iranian-born, Minneapolis-based artist Siah Armajani. The work was first shown as a temporary sculpture in Minneapolis in 1970, and was again on view in 2019—for the first time in nearly 50 years. It comprises a 91-foot-long bridge and a set of stairs at the sculpture’s midpoint. These stairs send visitors up and down over a small evergreen tree. The sculpture was designed to force complete strangers to pass, interact, and cooperate with one another when passing the center of the structure. In a moment of heated political disagreement, finding common ground with any stranger is a welcome change.

S

ometime during the past few centuries, one could argue that the knowledge and appreciation of art surpassed that of religion for the educated classes. Sure, people still associate and practice the many forms: Catholicism, Judaism, Islam, to name a few. But for many more, perhaps, it is art that they look upon religiously.

And while commissioned public artwork has been part of our culture for centuries, it now seems more omnipresent than ever.The meaning, and therefore, impact of a commissioned work can change the fabric of a street corner or city (think of Chicago’s famous Bean or New York’s iconic Knotted Gun).

From the bustling streets of major U.S. cities to quieter corners of the globe in Howick, South Africa, and Las Colinas, Texas, Architectural Digest surveys 28 of the world’s most fascinating public sculptures. Each one responds to a cultural curiosity - a question that was asked by a group or city officials and answered by the artists.

1/28 - Once located in Waller Beach at Town Lake Metropolitan Park in Austin was Ai Weiwei’s Forever Bicycles. This 3D sculpture was created from 1,200 bicycles, a vehicle the artist used throughout his childhood in Beijing to move throughout the city. This work representing childhood and freedom was not destined to stay in Austin forever: It was eventually taken down

SINGING RINGING TREE

in May 2017, as the city was no longer able to fund the beloved installation.

2/28 - Completed in 2006, the Singing Ringing Tree is a 10-foot-tall sculpture meant to resemble the shape and grace of an actual tree. The structure, which was designed by artists Mike Tonkin and Anna Liu, was built using galvanized steel, and placed in such a way that when the wind rushes through, a song is produced. Located in the Pennine hill range overlooking Burnley, England, the sculpture won the National Award of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in 2007.

AYRTON SENNA

4/28 - Brazilian-born Formula 1 race car driver Ayrton Senna was killed during a 1994 race in Italy. His funeral, which took place in São Paulo, is believed to be one of the largest recorded gatherings of mourners: An estimated 3 million people

BRIDGE OVER TREE

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Art

Public Art

“VIEW TM”

AUTODROMO INTERNAZIONALE ENZO E DINO FERRARI

7/28 - Located some 25 miles east of Bologna, the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari is a racetrack near the Italian town of Imola. While the racetrack is known for its many exciting races and the compelling statue outside it (pictured), it’s unfortunately also known as the place where internationally beloved Formula 1 race car driver Ayrton Senna died after a crash during a race.

8/28 - Force of Nature, which is located in several major cities around the globe, was designed by the Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn. He was inspired by the destruction brought on by hurricanes around the globe. Made from bronze, stainless steel, and aluminum, Force of Nature depicts Mother Nature hurling the planet in circles. The sculpture seen in the picture is located in London.

BEAR AND THE STRAWBERRY TREE

FORCE OF NATURE

flocked to the streets of Senna’s hometown to pay their respects. A figure who always seemed larger than life, Senna is now memorialized in a sculpture in Barcelona. Created by British artist Paul Oz, the work of art was unveiled on May 8, 2019, marking the 25th anniversary of Senna’s death.

5/28 - Since 1997, visitors to and residents of Sydney have enjoyed the annual event, Sculpture by the Sea. Located on the famous Bondi beach, the event features 100 sculptures by artists from

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STATUE OF FRANZ KAFKA

around the world. Visitors to the public event will enjoy sculptures similar to the one above: “View TM” is a tongue-in-cheek comment on the vista from the top of a picturesque cliff.

6/28 - Located in central Madrid and designed by the Spanish sculptor Antonio Navarro Santafé, The Statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree is a 1967 work that represents Madrid’s coat of arms. The statue, located in a public square called Puerta del Sol, is made of stone and bronze and stands some 13 feet tall.

9/28 - Designed by the Czech sculptor Jaroslav Róna, Statue of Franz Kafka is based on a scene from Kafka’s first novel, Amerika (1927), in which a political candidate is carried on the shoulders of a giant man during a rally. Located in Prague, the work of art was completed in 2003.

10/28 - Les Voyageurs, by French artist Bruno Catalano, in Marseilles, France, is an enigmatic sculpture thought to evoke memories and parts of themselves that every traveler inevitably leaves behind when they leave home for a new shore.

11/28 - Created by Can Togay and Gyula Pauer, The Shoes on the Danube Bank in Budapest is a 2005 work that commemorates the hundreds of Hungarians who were ordered to leave their shoes on the bank of the river before they were shot during the Holocaust.

THE SHOES ON THE DANUBE BANK

FIRST GENERATION

LES VOYAGEURS

12/28 - First Generation by Chong Fah Cheong, which was commissioned by the Singapore Tourism Board, depicts a spirited group of boys jumping into the Singapore River.

13/28 - Much of the work of Louise Bourgeois (1911–2010) is meant to bring the concepts of jealousy, anger, fear, and her own painful childhood to the public eye. Her sculpture, Maman, is no exception. Located in front of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, this 30-foot-tall structure shows the strength and fragility associated with maternity. The terrifying spider is both powerful and tall while balancing on the slenderest of legs, and thus extremely vulnerable.

SPIDER

14/28 - Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen’s Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is both playful and beautiful.

15/28 - Designed by the Swedish-born sculptor Claes Oldenburg, the Clothespin sculpture sits near Philadelphia’s City Hall. The work of art was completed in 1976 to celebrate the U.S. bicentennial.

CHERRY SCULPTURE

CLOTHESPIN SCULPTURE

POPPED UP

NELSON MANDELA

16/28 - Designed by the Hungarian artist Ervin Loránth Hervé, Popped Up is a giant sculpture that appears to be crawling out of the earth.

The sculpture is located at Széchenyi Square in Budapest.

17/28 - Nelson Mandela by Marco Cianfanelli.

Located near Howick, South Africa, the sculpture was commissioned by Cultural Mechanics, a group that funds cultural projects for governments around the world. Cianfanelli’s work is positioned

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Art

Public Art

along the road where Mandela was captured by apartheid security police in 1962; after his arrest, Mandela spent the next 27 years in prison.

18/28 - Digital Orca by Douglas Coupland.

Both beautiful and bizarre, this 2009 work of digital-looking art was commissioned by the city of Vancouver to overlook the harbor and the mountains of Cypress Provincial Park. Composed of steel armature with aluminum cladding and black and white cubes, the sculpture has become an attraction for tourists and locals alike.

19/28 - Balloon Flower (Red) by Jeff Koons.

This public sculpture is set in the shadow of the new World Trade Center in New York City. The work was commissioned by Larry Silverstein, the businessman who famously signed a lease for the original towers several months before the attacks of 9/11.

BALLOON FLOWER

20/28 - Mustangs by Robert Glen.This impressive bronze sculpture, which was commissioned by the city of Las Colinas, Texas, depicts nine wild mustangs galloping through a fountain.

21/28 - The Architectural Fragment by Petrus Spronk. Located in Melbourne, this sculpture that’s seemingly buried underground, stands before the State Library of Victoria. It’s meant to symbolize the downfall of civilization, while alluding to the transience of the present. The city commissioned the work as part of a larger public art project in 1992.

22/28 - Non Violence (also known as The Knotted Gun) by Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd is aptly located next to the United Nations in New York.

The sculpture has come to represent hope for a

DIGITAL ORCA

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NON VIOLENCE

ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT

MUSTANGS

FREEDOM SCULPTURE

METALMORPHOSIS

LE POUCE

ALBERTA’S DREAM

SCULPTURE OF A HORSE’S HEAD

nonviolent future. The piece—commissioned by Luxembourg as a gift for the U.N.—has been cited as one of the inspirations behind the armsto-art movement.

23/28 - Metalmorphosis by David Černý. Located in Prague, this striking 2014 sculpture is made from stainless-steel layers that rotate 360 degrees, occasionally aligning to create a massive head.

24/28 - Freedom Sculpture is a 2001 piece designed by Zenos Frudakis, located in Philadelphia. The 7,000-pound, 20-foot-long bronze piece depicts the struggle involved in breaking free from all that holds us back.

CLOUD GATE

25/28 - Designed by French artist César Baldaccini, Le Pouce is a giant bronze thumb that stands outside of the Centre Pompidou Modern Art Museum, embodying one of his favourite themes, the fantastical representation of humans, animals and insects.

26/28 - Designed by the British-born artist Nic Fiddian-Green, this sculpture of a horse’s head stands some 35 feet tall. Located in West Sussex, England, the imposing figure comes from the ancient Greek figure Artemis.

The daughter of Zeus and Leto, Artemis is the goddess of the hunt and of wilderness.

27/28 - Alberta’s Dream, a statue by Spanishborn artist Jaume Plensa, is located in Alberta, Canada. The work of art is highly political, and many seem to have differing views on its true meaning. Yet that’s what makes Plensa’s work special, as it starts a conversation that might otherwise have not existed.

28/28 - Cloud Gate by Anish Kapoor.This 110-ton elliptical sculpture (also known as the Bean) is located in Millennium Park and reflects Chicago’s famous skyline—as well as visitors as they walk under the 12-foot-high arch. Inspired by liquid mercury, the sculpture measures 66 feet long and 33 feet high.

Source: architecturaldigest.com

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My life

Muharem Bazdulj, writer

I LOVED BELGRADE AT FIRST SIGHT

He graduated in English literature studies, but defined his career as a journalist, columnist and writer. Leaving his native Travnik, he travelled via Sarajevo to Belgrade, which he’d come to love through his father’s recollections of his days in the military. He recalls his childhood as an idyllic picture of a socialist upbringing in which one’s religious affiliations didn’t matter. The war in Bosnia caused everything to change drastically. Of the four Nobel laureates that he’s met and socialised with, Polish writer Olga Tokarchuk is special. And if he were in a position to write the biography of a literary great, he would deliberate between Meša Selimović and Aleksandar Tišma.

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By Radmila Stanković

I

t isn’t easy to be born in Travnik after Ivo Andrić, and for books to be your love and calling. And that was precisely what happened to Muharem Bazdulj (44), who was born in Travnik exactly two years after the death of the great Nobel laureate. And to this very day he’s the second most famous native of the former Yugoslav town of Travnik, after Andrić, to have gained repute through writing… columns, stories and novels. He is the author of four collections of short stories and eight novels, and has won numerous awards – his favorites being the Open Society Award for the best book of stories in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Staša Marinković Award for journalistic courage and the Bogdan Tirnanić Award for the best column and commentary.

However, Andrić was not the main character in Bazdulj’s childhood in that small Bosnian town at the foot of Vlašić mountain, in the valley of the river Lašva.

“When I was little, Andrić wasn’t as popular as some others who then bore the glory of Travnik. For example, at one point, after a break of 20-30 years, Zagreb-based football club Dinamo won the Yugoslav championship, and the coach, Ćiro Blažević, was a native of Travnik. Ćiro regularly came to Travnik, where he had relatives, and he would also bring his footballers to train at altitude on Vlašić. Back in those years, as kids, when we all played football, it seemed to us that Ćiro was the most important man from Travnik. And in 1981, when Seid Memić Vajta represented Yugoslavia in the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin with the song Lejla, we were again caught up in mass cheering, because Vajta was a native of Travnik. So, as children we had a greater sense of local patriotic pride because of the two of them than because of Andrić.

Later, when I matured, and when literature increasingly began to mean more to me, and when I began to see myself as someone who would deal with literature, I found myself in

When I was little, Andrić wasn’t as popular as some others who then bore the glory of Travnik… We had a greater sense of local patriotic pride because of Ćiro Blažević and Seid Memić Vajta than because of Andrić an ambivalent situation. Travnik and Andrić were like a master’s letter, and yet, I know that I will never be the one from that small town who had the greatest reach.”

Muharem’s father, Salih, left Travnik to study medicine in Sarajevo, graduated from university and returned to his hometown. He was a specialist, as an otorhinolaryngologist physician. His mother, Nura Hubijar Bazdulj, is a native of Sarajevo who completed medical studies in her hometown, but the lack of an opportunity to complete her obligatory internship compelled her to move to Travnik. She

intended to complete her internship there and then return to Sarajevo, but it was there that Salih and Nura met, fell in love, got married, had a son, Muharem, and two years later a daughter, Šejla. Salih died four years ago, while Nura still lives and works in Travnik as a microbiologist, and his sister Šejla is a lawyer who lives in the town with her husband and two daughters. Muharem often travels to visit them from Belgrade, where he lives with his wife Darja, a psychotherapist, and his threeyear-old daughter Hana.

Muharem is the name of the first month of the Muslim calendar, but CorD’s interlocutor mentions something else linked to the etymology of his name: “Muharem also means a fenced off, forbidden world. That root of the word muharem is visible in the word harem, which is the part of a royal court reserved for the sultan’s women.

And that means that it’s fenced off and others are forbidden from entering. However, Muslims also call the cemetery a harem. So, in both cases, a harem is something that’s set apart and shouldn’t be entered.”

Although Muharem’s parents were raised in conservative communities and hail from families with numerous children, they gave

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My life

Muharem Bazdulj, writer

their own children a liberal upbringing, for which Muharem is very grateful to them: “It wasn’t until my own child was born that I realised how much freedom I’d actually had in my parents’ house. They never made decisions on our behalf as children, and we were left to decide whether or not we would attend music school, and whether or not we would start training some sport. It was a case of if you want to you can, and it you don’t want to then you don’t have to. Of course, we had the upbringing that we received from them, with the two of them as examples. Books were our natural environment and it is certain that it was at home that I gained a penchant for reading, and then also for writing.”

As this writer recalls, life in Travnik is easiest to describe through an almost idealistic picture of all the positive aspects of Yugoslavia and life in Bosnia, which was specific in that respect: “Our value system implied honest work, without any displays of material wealth. We spent years building a weekend holiday cottage, we bought a VG Golf car on credit in Vogošća, and every year we spent our summer holidays as a family on the Adriatic coast.

We belonged, in all aspects, to the Yugoslav middle class, with the specificities that existed in Bosnia. The people I socialised with the most were called Vanja, Vedran, Dario…

When that became important later, during the war, it was clear that they belonged to all the peoples who lived in Bosnia, but I hadn’t experienced it that way while I was growing up.

In my childhood, there was no discrimination on the basis of religious affiliation. And then the war began, and that incisive cut was even more unpleasant when compared to the idyll in which we’d lived.”

While the war raged in Bosnia, Muharem attended secondary school, from 1992-1995, under conditions that weren’t particularly normal. And then he moved to Sarajevo to study, which had been devastated to such an extent that it looked to him, as a freshman, like the backdrop for a post-apocalyptic film.

Of course, he had boyhood memories of a beautiful Sarajevo that he’d visited with his mother to see her aunts and other relatives. But the scene he saw after the war was terrifying: “And yet, as paradoxical as it may seem, there was never more optimism among the

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WITH SLAVOJ ŽIŽEK

It wasn’t until my own child was born that I realised how much freedom I’d actually had in my parents’ house.

They never made decisions on our behalf as children, and we were left to decide whether or not we would attend music school, and whether or not we would start training some sport people. That’s because, when things were already so bad, there was nothing left to do but hope that everything would start to improving as early as tomorrow. In one of my short novels, Koncert, which details the 1997 Sarajevo concert of Irish band U2, I tried to capture that feeling in some way.”

Sarajevo’s department of English literature studies had enjoyed a good pedigree in Yugoslav circles prior to the war. Some of the country’s then most respected experts of English literature had studied in that department, including brothers Nikola and Svetozar Koljević. However, of the 18 tenured professors who’d been in that department in 1992, only three remained by the time Muharem enrolled in his studies: “Of that once mighty department, only a few professors remained, and students eager for knowledge. We had that fortune in misfortune that Sarajevo was full of foreigners at that juncture, so we had visiting guest professors from all around the world. So, from the first year we listened to Shakespeare, Chaucer and American literature, exclusively in English. That was very valuable to me in an educational sense, while that change of life was very important to me in the social sense, marking the beginning of my independent life, with three roommates on the ground floor of the house that we rented.”

His father, Salih, completed his military national service partly in Belgrade, just a few years before Muharem was born. And as a

Our value system implied honest work, without any displays of material wealth.

We spent years building a weekend holiday cottage, we bought a VG Golf car on credit in Vogošća, and every year we spent our summer holidays as a family on the Adriatic coast

IN WROCLAW

youngster Muharem would listen to him recalling beautiful memories that connected him to the then capital of Yugoslavia. This ensured that Muharem developed a genuine positive prejudice towards Belgrade, as he says today. He has been writing regularly for Belgrade-based weekly Vreme [Time] since 2003: “I really liked Belgrade and started taking every opportunity to visit. I previously had the idea of moving there, but I was afraid about how I would regulate my legal status. It seemed to me at one point that I’d closed my own circle on achieving some ambitions in Sarajevo. During the 2012 Belgrade Book Fair, it turned out that there was an empty flat that I could pay the rent on for at least the next two months, so I rented it out. I had no idea what I would do next, nor did I know whether that was just a temporary residence or I would stay.Thanks to my constant engagement with Vreme, the Administration for Foreign Residents in Savska Street granted me a residence permit, and it was then that I started becoming aware that I would stay.”

He has never, ever had a problem in Belgrade that he was unable to solve. There was

only one occasion that he came close to an incident, a real kafana tavern kind, but everything passed peacefully: “I found myself in a larger group socialising in the tavern Užice on Autokomada, because all the other taverns were closed and that was the only one that worked all night. We entered, accompanied by several women, and sitting at the table next to ours was a group of tattooed football supporters, all single men.

One of my friends called me by name, and when they heard that they interpreted it as an invitation to fight. However, everything quickly calmed down and we were soon raising toasts to one another.”

He also has a slightly more serious story that recently attracted the attention of the public in both Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Muharem spent an evening in the company of German novelist and Nobel laureate Peter Handke and film director Emir Kusturica, during which they sang the song Romanija [about the eponymous Bosnian montain], which led to him experiencing a kind of lynching among a section of the Bosnian-

Herzegovinian public. This resulted in the cancellation of his column in Sarajevo daily Oslobodjenje, for which he’d written and served as an editor. He was condemned for singing together with a writer who’s guilty of denying the Srebrenica genocide, according to the reports of part of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian public. And then the Mothers of Srebrenica also commented: “It’s still not clear to me how this whole story was provoked by an ordinary gettogether in some tavern on Zlatibor, where, in a larger group of people, Handke, Kusturica and I were relaxing to music. From the perspective of the owners of Oslobodjenje, terminating our cooperation was a form of damage control. I was connected to that media company for a full 13 years, while I was also the deputy editor-in-chief and the longest-serving commentator, and I know that wasn’t the decision of the editor-in-chief. The pressure of the political structures that hold power in Bosnia today was so great that they had to react in the way they did. I try to avoid what my friend refers to as the complex of frustrated ex-husbands. When their marriage ends, their wife is the worst person in the world.

So, why did you marry that worst woman?

As such, I can’t feel anger towards the people from Oslobodjenje, with whom I had wonderful cooperation for 13 years.”

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My life

Muharem Bazdulj, writer

IN SARAJEVO

And when the Mothers of Srebrenica weighed in, Muharem’s own mother, Nura, responded to them by writing on Facebook: “Respected and dear Mothers of Srebrenica, The letter that you sent to my son Muharem, when I was already well shaken, shook me even more. You said everything that needed to be said, and you did so in a humane, personable way, truthfully and objectively, in a way that’s reminiscent of someone who has suffered, is suffering, and will continue to suffer unimaginable pain for the rest of their life. And I also, unfortunately, know what war wounds are.

My mother and around twenty members of my family were brutally killed. But I’m aware that no pain compares to the loss of a child.

I spent the entire war in Travnik, working as a doctor in the hospital, and in the Medical Battalion as a member of the V Corps of the ABiH, until the very end of the war.

And I forgave. And I don’t hate anyone. I haven’t forgetten. One who forgets is not a human.

Every 11th July, on that black day when the genocide took place, I feel sick together with you, and I literally barely survived one guest

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Of that once mighty English literature department, only a few professors remained, and students eager for knowledge. We had that fortune in misfortune that Sarajevo was full of foreigners at that juncture, so we had visiting guest professors from all around the world and from the first year we listened to Shakespeare and Chaucer exclusively in English

appearance in a live broadcast of FTV commemorating that day.

Someone smarter than me wrote “Responding to evil with evil is the same as extinguishing a fire with gasoline”. That’s why I’ve invested my whole life in the sentence, “Love yourselves, people. Believe in good and goodness”.

I’ve spent my life not knowing if that reached anyone and whom. You are the first I’ve responded to, spoken to. It is devastating and terrifying how much evil and hatred exists in people.

How lecherously my son was spat on by those who are incomparable to him in every aspect of life and work. I don’t wish to communicate with them in any way. Let them remember – Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”

It should be noted that Muharem isn’t on social networks, while his mother is one of the most influential women on Facebook: “It wouldn’t cross my mind to apologise to anyone, or to explain why I’m sitting in a tavern with someone. I could only have been impacted because of my mother and my family, who live where they could be exposed to more unpleasantness than would be the case if they

lived elsewhere. I had no idea that she would speak out, so I read her reaction when it was available to the public. And when it comes to Peter Handke, he simply drew attention to the fact that, in the case of the last war in Bosnia, things aren’t black and white, and Serbs aren’t the only ones who are to blame for everything.

But he ended up like the rooster that crows too early - in the pot!”

And while we’re on the subject of a Nobel Prize winner, it is interesting to note that Muharem has met four Nobel laureates to date: Orhan Pamuk, Svetlana Aleksijevič, Olga Tokarchuk and Peter Handke. He particularly values his friendship with famous Polish writer and psychologist Olga Tokarchuk (59): “A university publisher from Chicago published the first English translations of her books and mine. More specifically, her book and mine were published one year apart in the same edition of Northwestern University Press, called Writings From An Unbound Europe.

I would say that, when we first met, we had a good, above-average, mutual understanding. She invited me to a festival in Wroclaw, Poland, which she founded, and we socialised intensively during those days. It was then that I got to know her better, and I can say that she is an unusual, authentic and slightly silly woman. She doesn’t want to waste time on small talk. And she won me over particularly when we were promoting her books at the Student City Cultural Centre. It just so happened that she received the Booker Prize two days before that event, and we were convinced that she wouldn’t show up as planned, via Skype.

However, in accordance with the agreement, she called from the hotel where she happened to be staying and spoke with the students. She thereby additionally demonstrated how much she cares about her readers and translators, and what a wonderful person she is.”

People who start their careers as journalists and then gain repute as writers have a habit of hiding their journalistic careers, fearing that it will reduce the level of their newly acquired literary reputation. However, Muharem is among those other writers who work with equal satisfaction as a columnist, journalist and writer of literature: “I was once strolling in Paris when I found myself in Albert Camus Street. The sign read

IN COPENHAGEN

I really liked Belgrade… it seemed to me at one point that I’d closed my own circle on achieving some ambitions in Sarajevo ‘Albert Camus, journalist and writer’. That is the measure of things to me. First you are a journalist, then a writer. Those are different pleasures, different purposes, but I’m equally devoted to writing for newspapers as I am to writing books. I just do that at different times.

And the only thing I must do every night before going to bed is to read something. That has long been my forced action, or my addiction. Maybe I could imagine myself no longer writing one day, but I could never imagine not reading. For me, reading is an evolutionary way of getting to know the world.”

Biographical books are very popular around the world today, and Muharem is among those writers who are characterised by a diversity of genres. French writer Emmanuel Carrère is the most interesting living writer whose work and character attract Muharem more than all other writers. And if he were in a position to

dedicate himself to writing a biography of some famous writer, as German journalist and writer Michael Martens had when writing his biography of Ivo Andrić, it would be very difficult for Muharem to decide: “I’m deliberating between Meša Selimović and Aleksandar Tišma. Meša is closer to me in terms of the overall context, and that book could be well received at the level of the former Yugoslavia, while on the other hand, Tišma is, for example, a great literary star in Germany that we’re not aware of here. Of course, Meša is more attractive to me because of the whole story about Islam, communists, the family milieu, that Sarajevo-Belgrade relationship…

And, finally, his daughters are alive, as are some of his friends, and for such a biographical story it is very important to be able talk to people who were close to him, who were directly acquainted with him. Unfortunately, it is impossible to write such a biography without some kind of institutional support.”

Over recent days, in the national celebration of the tennis success brought to Serbia by Novak Đoković, Muharem wrote that Novak “restored the pride of a slandered culture and a vulgarised language”. It would be no exaggeration to say that this English literature graduate, journalist and writer preserves the beauty of this language and enriches it with his writings.

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55

CHILL OUT Will Prince Edward Inherit The Duke Of Edinburgh’s Title?

It had long been assumed that Prince Edward would inherit the Duke of Edinburgh title on the death of his late father. Now, however, it’s been reported that although his elder brother, who holds the power to bestow the honour, may not ultimately choose to pass it on.

According to the Times, the expected transfer of Prince Philip’s title may not take place as planned due to Prince Charles’s say over the decision. Edward is currently the only of the Queen’s three sons who does not hold a dukedom, with Philip’s title having passed to Charles on his death in April.

Dubai Sets A World Record: A 200-foot Deep Pool With a ‘Sunken City’ Dubai is already home to the world’s tallest building. Now it can lay claim to the world’s deepest diving pool too.

Deep Dive Dubai opened on 7 July, just 10 days after being named the world’s deepest diving pool by the Guinness World Records.

The new indoor pool is nearly 200 feet deep and holds almost 3.7 million gallons of water. It’s also home to a vast underwater attraction resembling a “sunken city” that divers can explore either on their own or with a guide.

The attraction is open to travelers aged 10 and older, including those who are donning a mask and tank for the first time.

NASA’s Asteroid-exploring ‘Lucy’ Spacecraft Named In Honor Of The Beatles NASA’s Lucy mission to the Trojan asteroids, a group of space rocks that share Jupiter’s orbit around the sun, will bring some inspired words from some very famous people with it when it launches in October 2021. And Carl Sagan, Albert Einstein, The Beatles, Martin Luther King Jr. and more will be among the group.

The US space agency announced that the upcoming mission, like the Pioneer 10, Pioneer 11, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft before it, will bring a plaque that will act as a ‘time-capsule featuring messages to our descendants.’

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Italy Bans Large Cruise Ships From Venice Large cruise ships were banned from entering the Venice lagoon as of 1 August, the Italian government announced.

It follows years of warnings they risk causing irreparable damage to Venice’s ecosystem. “The decree adopted today represents an important step for the protection of the Venetian lagoon system,” Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said in a statement.

The move affects vessels longer than 180 meters (530 feet) or higher than 35 meters.

Never-before-seen Images Of Band The Who On The 50th Anniversary Of Their Album Who’s Next By 1971, they were already legendary for their original sound and out-of-control antics onstage and off. So when The Who decided to throw a shindig for the launch of their latest album on 15 July, rock n’ roll photographer Alec Byrne was looking forward to the revelry. ‘I had been around The Who many many times. I had been to parties, to gigs, to clubs, on the road with them so I’d seen how wild they would get,’ he told DailyMail.com.

Now, on the 50th anniversary of that party, which was to mark the release of their album Who’s Next which includes the iconic song Baba O’Riley, never-before-seen images are being released.

Sony Unveils New Wireless Glass Speaker If you’ve gotten bored with the way most wireless speakers in the market look like, you might want to take a look at the new one that Sony has just unveiled. The Sony LSPX-S3 is a wireless glass speaker, probably the first one of its kind. It might look like an electric lamp at first glance but it actually works with an organic glass tweeter to give “clear and powerful high tones” as well as “widespread sound with uniform volume dispersion.” The way the glass speaker works is through “Advanced Vertical Drive Technology” with its organic glass tweeter and three actuators “discreetly” attached to.

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Dolce Vita 10

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1. Piaget - Eur 26,000 | 2. Ahlem - Eur 380 | 3. Christian Louboutin- Eur 549 | 4. Tom Ford - Eur 850 | 5. Frescobol Carioca - Eur 290 | 6. Sease - Eur 330 | 7. Loro Piana - Eur 475 | 8. Saint Laurent - Eur 760 | 9. Loro Piana - Eur 381 | 10. Bailey - Eur 130

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11. Marchesa Notte - Eur 580 | 12. Gucci - Eur 1,800 | 13. Oscar De La Renta - Eur 2,350 | 14. Saint Laurent - Eur 1,180 | 15. Eugenia Kim - Eur 230 | 16. Gigi Burris - Eur 310 | 17. Eliurpi - Eur 508 | 18. Gianvito Rossi - Eur 564 | 19. Valentino - Eur 730 | 20. Aquazzura - Eur 560 | 21. Dolce & Gabbana - Eur 173 | 22. Alexander McQueen - Eur 259 | 23. YSL - Eur 850 | 24. Dragon - Eur 480 | 25. IWC - Eur 5,450 | 26. Sorellina - Eur 1,700 | 27. Cartier - Eur 3,808 | 28. Christian Louboutin - Eur 656

August

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Culture

calendar Darko Rundek Concert 23 & 24 August, Botanical Garden

Nišville

12-15 August, Niš Fortress The International Nisville Jazz Festival – the most visited jazz festival in Southeast Europe, since its founding in 1995, has consistently defended the European values of multiculturalism and patiently nurtured the refined musical taste of individuals. Confirmation of this is, among other things, the text about the festival “Nishville – European Face Of Serbia” (“Nishville – European Face Of Serbia”) published in the European Union, the magazine “New Europe” published in Brussels, as well as the text in the prestigious British Guardian from 2016, where Nishville was included in the 10 best jazz festivals in Europe!

After a two-and-a-half-year break, Darko Rundek and his band will return to Belgrade on 23 and 24 August with concerts at the Jevremovac Botanical Garden, one of the most beautiful outdoor city spaces, where they will promote the current album “Brisani prostor”.

The Botanical Garden is a jewel of Belgrade with over 1300 species of plants in the open space, of which old elms, imposing Caucasian cabbage trees, giant pedunculate oak trees, ancient species of redwoods, Himalayan pepper bushes and wonderful specimens of Pančić spruce should be pointed out. And the verses of the song Biljka raste, from the Deleted Space of Rundek and Ekipa, at one point say: “All my life I longed to be an apple tree, to be a cypress”.

Summer At Gardoš Until 30 August, Zemun

Summer At Gardoš, a traditional Zemun cultural event, was opened in July and will last until 30 August.

Under the auspices of the City Municipality of Zemun, which is the founder of this event, the Tourist and Cultural Center of Zemun has prepared programs for all generations, in all performing genres. On Sundays and Mondays there are contents for the youngest, and on Fridays and Saturdays there are performances and concerts.

A total of 36 events will be held at this year’s jubilee event - the twentieth year in a row, which lasts until 30 August 2021.

Tickets can be purchased at all Ticketline sales points and at the Gardoš Summer Stage box office one hour before the start of the show.

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SEE MORE: WWW.CORDMAGAZINE.COM

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Hidden away in the Record Department of the sprawling Ministry of Truth, Winston Smith skilfully rewrites the past to suit the needs of the Party. Yet he inwardly rebels against the totalitarian world he lives in, which demands absolute obedience and controls him through the allseeing telescreens and the watchful eye of Big Brother, symbolic head of the Party.

In his longing for truth and liberty, Smith begins a secret love affair with a fellow-worker Julia, but soon discovers the true price of freedom is betrayal.

After joining forces to save Castallan from an ancient magical evil, Alfie and Finn haven’t seen each other in months. Alfie is finally stepping up to his role as heir and preparing for an International Peace Summit, while Finn is traveling and reveling in her newfound freedom from Ignacio. That is, until she’s unexpectedly installed as the new leader of one of Castallan’s powerful crime families.

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August

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&FACES PLACES 30/06/2021

Indonesian Festival 2021 Opened The Embassy of Indonesia hosted the exhibition of the artworks by students who have received the Government Scholarships of the Republic of Indonesia.

Art works of the Indonesian culture was held until 14 July at the library of the City of Belgrade.

The exhibition was organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Belgrade in cooperation with the library of the City of Belgrade, and was opened by the Ambassador of Indonesia in Serbia, H.E. Mochammad Chandra Widya Yudha.

In addition to the exhibition, a variety of traditional Indonesian dances were performed by members of the Dance Group of the Indonesia In Belgrade, at the opening of the Indonesian Festival 2021.

01/07/2021

Ambassador Of Norway Hosted Members Of The Nordic Business Alliance A business networking event was held at the residence of Norwegian Ambassador H.E. Jørn Gjelstad, organized in cooperation with the Norwegian Embassy and the Nordic Business Alliance in Serbia – NBA. The event was a good opportunity to strengthen the ties, weakened to some extend during the pandemic, and to launch a vigorous resumption of cooperation between Nordic and Serbian companies.

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02/07/2021

The US Independence Day Marked In the residence of the American Ambassador, the day of independence was marked, in memory of 4 July 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.

US Ambassador H.E. Anthony Godfrey, addressed the gathered guests and pointed out that this year marks 140 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, as well as 20 years of successful work of USAID in Serbia.

07/07/2021

Ambassador of Austria Opened Exhibition “Nikola Tesla And High Technical School in Graz” In the Gallery of the Science and Techniques of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU), the exhibition “Tesla and High Technical School in Graz” was open to the general public showing the first academic steps of the famous scientist and inventor Nikola Tesla in the Austrian school.

H.E. Nikolaus Lutterotti, Ambassador of Austria in Serbia has opened the exhibition that also marks the World Science Day - July 10 – which coincides with Tesla’s birthday.

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&FACES PLACES 08/07/2021

Day Of Russian Family The day that celebrates family, love and fidelity was marked with the blessing of the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije and with the support of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Russian Orthodox Church in Belgrade, the Serbian Department of the International Fund of the Unity of Orthodox People and Foundations for Social and Cultural Initiatives.

The celebration continued in the Russian House (Ruski Dom) where the medals were presented for long marital life to couples who are married for more than 25 years.

08/07/2021

Shakespeare Festival Held The eighth Shakespeare Festival in Villa Stankovic was opened on 2 July with the “Tragedy of Hamlet” performed by the famous French Theater Des Lumières et Des Ombres and directed by Guy-Pierre Couleau.

This international festival, whose program consists of modern world productions of Shakespeare this year was held from 2 to 6 July and presented the theatre performances from France, Italy, Macedonia and Serbia.

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09/07/2021

Speed Business Meeting After more than a year, members of the German, French and Italian chambers of commerce in Serbia had the opportunity to meet live and initiate potential business cooperation.

Bilateral chambers will continue to strengthen mutual cooperation and expand their business communities in order to provide their members a stable platform for networking and initiating business dialogues.

15/07/2021

Celebration Of The French National Day This year, a celebration of the Day of France, which took place in a small format, was held in view of the still uncertain epidemiological situation, but it was an opportunity to gather the French community in Serbia to celebrate the Republic France.

Fourteenth July is celebrated in France as a day of the Republic, in memory of the fall of Bastille, an event that significantly influenced Europe.

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&FACES PLACES

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19/07/2021

Japanese Business Alliance Summer Gathering Japanese Business Alliance in Serbia organized a summer gathering in Sakura Park in New Belgrade. Introducing the specialties of Japanese gastronomy, Mr. Otsuka, chef of Japanese Embassy, prepared the famous Japanese Yakitori.

“Apart from connecting businesses between Japan and Serbia, JBAS also actively promotes Japanese culture in our country, of which gastronomy is an integral and important part. We are grateful to H.E. Takahiko Katsumata, Ambassador of Japan to Serbia, and the Embassy staff who made this extraordinary culinary experience possible,” stated Goran Pekez, President of Japanese Business Alliance in Serbia.

21/07/2021

National Day Of Belgium Marked Ambassador of Belgium to Serbia H.E. Koenraad Adam hosted a recepetion to mark a National Day of this country.

On this day in 1831, King Leopold I took an oath as the first Belgian king, signaling Belgium as a sovereign state distinct from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.

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COMMENT

Pandemic Push For Digitalisation

AND AUTOMATION

As was seen during the pandemic, online sales and the digitalisation of business operations were both a source of stress and an opportunity for those logistics companies that were open to innovations and digitalisation, as well as the automation of storage operations

F

reight transport and logistics are seen as important drivers of economic development and key ingredients of improved competitiveness, economic growth and employment for any country. Furthermore, developments in logistics and transport go hand-in-hand with the implementation of new technologies, R&D and a highly qualified workforce.

According to the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index (LPI), which is the weighted average of country scores in terms of the efficiency of the clearance process (i.e., speed, simplicity and predictability of formalities) by border control agencies, including customs; quality of trade and transport-related infrastructure (e.g., ports, railroads, roads, information technology), ease of arranging competitively priced shipments; the competence and quality of logistics services (e.g., transport operators, customs brokers), the ability to track and trace consignments and the timeliness of shipments in reaching their destination within scheduled or expected delivery times, Serbia had a rating of 2.84 out of 5 in 2018, which is the latest year for which data are available. This is slightly less favourable than 2015, when that figure stood at 2.96.

Apart from road transport, which is developing at a relatively high pace in Serbia, other forms of transport (rail, water and air) are still in their infancy when it comes to the transport of goods, which represents a serious obstacle to attracting global supply chains. As of 2018, rail transport in Serbia and the Western Balkans has been recognised as one of the priorities of the EU Connectivity Agenda.

2

Transport & Logistics 2021

Although some progress has been made, border procedures remain complicated and time consuming, while trade and nontrade barriers are significant and result in considerable delays and losses in transport and logistics.

At present, due to the pace of infrastructure development, both domestic and foreign logistics companies and logistics centres are mostly concentrated in the area of Belgrade and other larger cities, whereas other parts of Serbia remain insufficiently developed in terms of logistics. These are serious constrains for an industry that is facing an increased push from value chains

the industry expects the state to take further steps to upgrade the business environment, bringing predictability to regulations and laws, and increasing investments in the development of intermodal transport to shorten procedures and allow for smaller and more frequent deliveries, with very short and strict deadlines, and high penalties.

As was seen during the pandemic, online sales and the digitalisation of business operations were both a source of stress and an opportunity for those logistics companies that were open to innovations and digitalisation, as well as, for example, the automation of storage operations.

As expected, the pandemic has hit local companies harder than multinational ones.

Moreover, the pandemic hit those companies that specialise in certain procedures harder, while those with portfolios that feature a wider range of logistics services fared better.

In certain forms of transport, such as rail and river transport, there has been a noticeable drop in handling goods like agricultural products, mineral fertilisers, petroleum products etc. Yet, as confirmed by recent investments in 2020 and 2021, the industry is experiencing intensive growth and it is realistic to expect this growth to

be even higher in the future.

According to real estate consultancy company CBS International, the logistics and industrial market was one of the most progressive and fastest-growing real estate market segments, which showed the greatest resilience even under the altered circumstances caused by the pandemic. The observed space for growth arises from the low level of operations, i.e., significantly lower logistics stock per capita than in the West, booming e-commerce and a short supply of available space on the Serbian market.

Now that the situation has somewhat normalised, the industry expects the state to take further steps to upgrade the business environment, bringing predictability to regulations and laws, and increasing investments in the development of intermodal transport.

Naturally, it is also important for the current programme to construct and renew traffic infrastructure to continue, and for the state to proceed with addressing the problems of huge delays at border crossings, both on the Serbian side and on the side of neighbouring countries.

Transport & Logistics 2021

3

INTERVIEW MILAN PETROVIĆ, ACTING ASSISTANT MINISTER OF CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE – DEPARTMENT FOR ROAD TRANSPORT, ROADS AND TRAFFIC SAFETY

Planned Approach To

IMPROVING TRANSPORT The digital transformation process and increasingly acute environmental criteria create the space for the more efficient organising of domestic and international transport. Alongside these technological criteria for efficiently organising international road transport, it is also important to have high-quality bilateral agreements and investments in new infrastructure.

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Transport & Logistics 2021

E

ven during the darkest days of the pandemic, export operations functioned well in the region, thanks to so-called “green corridors”, but various delays that could be eliminated were nonetheless recorded. This topic, along with digitalisation and the issue of sustainable transport, forms the focus of our interview with Milan Petrović, acting assistant minister in the Department for Road Transport, Roads and Traffic Safety.

How can conditions for conducting international road transport operations be improved to ensure they are more efficient and to avoid excessive paperwork and long delays caused by waiting at borders?

- One of the most effective measures for simplifying procedures at border/administrative crossings is the introduction of a one stop shop system of controls, which implies officials from all competent bodies at a border crossing being housed in a shared facility, so border controls can be conducted exclusively in that facility. The

Republic of Serbia, together with North Macedonia, introduced such a system for road traffic at the Preševo-Tabanovce border crossing. The signing of a bilateral agreement between the two countries represents one of the preconditions for establishing such joint controls.

Another measure for easing cross-border transport is the construction of additional infrastructure at border/administrative cross-

Significant progress was made in the previous period when it comes to the use of modern technologies that ease the operations of domestic hauliers in cargo transport through the introduction of a system of the electronic discharging of foreign permits for international freight transport

ings. This undertaking implies, amongst other things, expanding and reconstructing border/ administrative crossings (e.g., the construction of additional traffic lanes, parking spaces, border control facilities, the digitalisation of border crossings etc.). These kinds of measures generally require additional funds, and it is necessary to attempt to utilise the financial assistance of the EU that’s available through approved financial assistance programmes (IPA, WBIF).

The harmonising of the Republic of Serbia’s national legislation with the parts of the EU acquis related to the transport of passengers and cargo, as well as all procedures at border crossings, would also contribute to simplifying and speeding up transport.

The pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of almost all sectors, while it also has broad applications in the field of transport and facilitating exports…

- The idea of digitalising public transport activities is being mentioned increasingly often of

Transport & Logistics 2021

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INTERVIEW late. It is being implemented within the scope of this ministry, in accordance with the possibilities and by monitoring the progress of other key factors in the state administration system.

Simply digitalising activities without clear goals and control methods cannot represent a goal in and of itself, and therefore the further development of digitalisation and fiscalisation must be defined in accordance with the actual technical, organisational and financial capabilities of this industry. Compared to the previous period, significant progress has been made in terms of providing conditions for the use of modern technologies to ease the operations of domestic hauliers in cargo transport through the introduction of a system of the electronic discharging of foreign permits for international freight transport. This ensures that domestic hauliers can electronically submit data on the permit used, after which they can, within an envisaged deadline, submit this permit and accompanying documentation for discharging in paper form (which is a legal obligation), in order to verify the data entered. On the basis of a permit discharged in such a way, the haulier gains the right to acquire further permits from the plan, in accordance with the relevant regulations. The process of issuing international permits has thereby been accelerated, while the planning of the work of domestic hauliers has been eased and an increase in the number of international transports and the competitiveness of the Serbian transport economy have been enabled.

Further movements towards digitalisation are being made via the establishment of the portal of the Directorate for Joint Affairs, where procedures are envisaged for digitalisation that have no need to use an electronic clerk’s office.

Following the establishment of this part of the system (electronic clerk’s office), conditions will have been secured for the broader application of digitalised procedures in this area, while this ministry’s work will be accelerated for domestic hauliers.

Considering that the transport market is increasingly demanding, road haulage companies place a special emphasis on the complete digitalisation of their operations. Road transport companies that carry out public transport operations for passengers or cargo use digital devices in accordance with their needs when performing transport work, and these are most commonly mobile communications, digital tachographs,

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defined by the category of haulage vehicles of the highest standards, with the aim of establishing competitiveness on the international transport market. By applying international bilateral and multilateral agreements in the domain of road transports of passengers and cargo, with the aim of being able to perform international transport operations, domestic hauliers have completed the procurement of vehicles of the “EURO 5 safe” and “EURO 6 safe” categories, so the participation of these vehicles (21.83%) following the ministry’s decision to allocate the base quota of CEMT permits in the next year is being executed completely in this category: Haulage vehicle Number emission category E0 (vehicle)

One solution that would ease crossborder transport significantly is the construction of additional infrastructure at border/ administrative crossings, which can be achieved by relying on European funds GPS (Global Positioning System), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) etc., which certainly leads to the optimising of business processes, i.e., to more efficient operations, better communication with users and faster data flows.

We are increasingly witnessing the fast pace of changes to regulations related to vehicles and environmental standards, which are particularly important when it comes to international freight transport. To what extent have our hauliers managed to harmonise their operations with these standards?

- When it comes to the fleet of the domestic transport economy, particularly with regard to international freight transport, it is already largely

Participation

19,637

55.64%

E1 (green)

46

0.13%

E2 (green and safe)

63

0.18%

E3 (EURO 3 safe)

1,192

3.38%

E4 (EURO 4 safe)

323

0.92%

E5 (EURO 5 safe)

6,327

17.93%

E6 (EURO 6 safe)

7,704

21.83%

Serbia faces major challenges with the aim of decarbonising and protecting the environment.

The issue of decarbonisation is a cross-sectoral issue, given the existence of different sources of air pollution. In specific terms, in the domain of transport, there are various incentives provided to the economy with the aim of promoting decarbonisation. A good example is subsidised sales of new vehicles with hybrid or fully electric engines, then the subsidised purchases of new vehicles for public transport – taxis (vehicles that have fully electric, hybrid or compressed natural gas engines, or which at least satisfy the EURO 6 standard when it comes to emissions of exhaust fumes), exemptions from taxes on the use of motor vehicles for owners of fully electric motor vehicles, i.e., those that have an electric engine (hybrid vehicles) – these are just some of the environmental protection or decarbonisation measures that are being applied in the road transport sector.

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INTERVIEW DARKO BABIĆ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, DHL

We Connect People To

IMPROVE THEIR LIVES! This year represents the 38th year since DHL began providing services in the then Yugoslavia and 30 years since DHL registered as a Serbian company with 100% foreign capital. This company has always been a leader in the field of transport and logistics. And that is still the case today, when the company pays equal attention to improving its operations and preserving the environment. and innovation will inevitably also influence all forms of business in the future. It is nice to recall our history and all our successes, but my focus is directed towards the future.

There is the future that is being created and the future that we are creating.

A

t the global level, we show our responsibility towards the world in which we work and operate. In Serbia, 70% of our vehicles will be electric by 2025, regardless of state incentives regarding electric vehicles, announces DHL MD Darko Babić in this interview for CorD Magazine You are this year celebrating the 30th birthday of your company. Those have been beautiful years, but what marked them?

- We have been operational for every single

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Transport & Logistics 2021

day of all 30 years, which is the greatest possible success for us, considering the turbulent times that we’ve endured. We worked under the conditions of sanctions, UN resolutions 757 and 820, hyperinflation, the exterior wall of sanctions, bombing, political unrest and all other challenges. The period behind us, particularly over the last decade, has been marked to a great extent by the accelerated development of technologies, which is simultaneously the factor that has the greatest influence on changes to which operations are adapting. Technological development

The pandemic has inflicted heavy damages on many industries, but it has also encouraged accelerated growth in your industry.

What do the figures suggest?

- As with most companies, doing business between March and June 2020 was very uncertain, because the world was confronted by a global crisis. The pandemic has changed lots of things, changed ways of working and the habits and needs of clients, but it quickly became clear that DHL has a purpose which, under these circumstances, became clearer than ever before. We showed that the purpose of our existence is not to compete in a race for profit, but to connect people, connect economies and connect the world with the clear goal of making lives better.

We reacted quickly, at the end of February 2020, to the early signs of the coming crisis so over the course of 10 days, at the level of Europe, including Serbia, we transferred over 9,000 people to work from home. We reacted even before the pandemic was officially declared, because – as a global company that has a presence in over 220 countries and territories – we have plenty of experience of dealing with various crises. We secured, in a timely manner, all essential protective equipment, preventative measures and education for employees aimed at ensure the

continuity of operations. I would emphasise the good cooperation and understanding of state bodies, particularly the Customs Administration and their officials, with whom we traversed this challenging period together, every day.

Following the stabilising of the situation in China, we started catching up with our results from 2019, only for us to end 2020 very successfully and above expectations.

This includes, first and foremost, educating employees and developing an awareness of the contributions and obligations that we, as individuals, have towards the environment in which we live.

The costs of logistics in Serbia contribute twice as much to the price of products than in the developed countries of the West. Does this leave room for optimisation?

- The overall costs of transport and logistics have increased significantly worldwide, due to the fact that demand exceeds the capacity on offer. I expect a certain stabilisation to come in the next few years, which will contribute to reducing logistics costs as a factor of the price of products, through new business models and innovative solutions. In any event, I don’t expect any drastic changes in the next 48 months.

Apart from costs, it is also important to reduce environmental pollution. How will you achieve your goal of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases to 0% by 2050?

- We view that with great certainty and are convinced of that which we’ve proclaimed. We are taking action on both the global and local fronts. We are this year, for the first time in Serbia, introducing electric cars to our fleet, as well as hybrid vehicles, in order for us to reduce the level of environmental pollution.

By 2025, we will use electric vehicles for at least 70% of all deliveries of shipments, both in Serbia and all other countries around the world. All of that requires corresponding infrastructure. DHL in Serbia plans to invest 20 million euros in new business premises over the next two years, which will include the latest cutting-edge solutions and equipment, while we will significantly reduce emissions in all working processes. The full benefit for the environment in which we live and work will only be possible when we, as a country, produce electricity from cleaner sources, including renewable energy sources.

We have various activities under the scope of our sustainable development programme.

We have shown that the purpose of our existence is not to compete in a race for profit, but to connect people, connect economies and connect the world Digitalisation, the automating of processes and robotisation have already arrived in our country. Is it correct to suggest that delivering goods by drone, paying with cryptocurrencies and driverless vehicles are not something in the distant future, but rather a certainty?

- Artificial intelligence is already being applied in some warehouses, performing certain tasks in interaction with employees. Through the Virtual Assistant, clients can today ask various questions related to all operational segments that will direct and lead them to the information they seek in the simplest possible way. The entire logistics industry is at such a high technological level that there is also functional use of robots, drones and

autonomous vehicles. The question is how the applying of modern technologies will impact on social life and human development.

At this moment, approximately four million people are employed in warehouses in the United States and earn 120 billion dollars a year. If we imagine that half of that amount is being invested in the full automating of processes in warehouses, how many people could lose their jobs? On the other hand, according to some studies, experts believe that by 2030, in Europe alone, there will be a shortage of about 50 million experts with new skills, and not only in IT, but certainly among those who possess those new skills and knowhow. This certainly represents great potential, primarily for developing countries, because we are already seeing that our experts are building successful careers thanks precisely to their knowledge of modern technologies.

Does our legislature monitor developments in the transport and logistics domain to a sufficient extent?

- Serbia is on track to harmonise its legislation and norms in accordance with European standards. We expect the period ahead to see the creation of such a framework that will enable the accelerated automating of processes, with full control and risk analysis, as well as simplified customs clearance procedures aimed at speeding up the flow of goods. This is an indispensable and urgent measure.

You mentioned a campaign to plant trees.

Could you tell us more about that?

- We previously noted environmental impacts and the actions being taken by DP DHL in this regard. Our intention is for a million trees to be planted every year by our 580,000 employees worldwide. Through this global action, DHL in Serbia provides its own contribution to the afforestation of territories that we select in cooperation with our partners: Srbijašume and Zelenilo Beograd. We will thereby contribute at least a little to Serbia achieving its goal of having 41% of its territory covered by forests as soon as possible. I expect us to agree on new locations this autumn, and for our employees, under the scope of the Volunteer Day, to plant another 300 trees again this year.

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BUSINESS

BOGDAN GAVRILOVIĆ, SALES MANAGER, WORLD TRANSPORT OVERSEAS (WTO)

LOGISTICS & TRANSPORT EXPERTS World Transport Overseas (WTO), one of the fastest growing logistics companies, with headquarters in Eastern Europe and branches in Bulgaria, China, Serbia, Slovenia and Croatia, was declared “Company of the Year for 2020” in the Bulgarian service sector at the Forbes Awards

I

You have a new platform that you also finished introducing last year... Could you tell us about it?

- Yes, yes ... Last year we also completed the introduction of MS Dynamic NAV at all WTO offices. This new IT platform ensures sophisticated management of the supply chain, which integrates the operations and needs of all WTO offices into a single operating system. The combined functional areas include the tracking of shipments, communication, data and document management, financial activities, warehousing, sales and – most importantly – user support.

And while we’re already talking about what’s most important, for us that’s our employees.

They are our most valuable and most precious resource, without which the progress achieved wouldn’t have been possible. As a response to the growing volume of work, we also increased the number of jobs this year, enriching our collective with more educated young people.

nnovation and the complete digitalisation of all processes – as crucial elements for all companies operating in the field of logistics and transport – remain a priority for our operations, reveals WTO Sales Manager Bogdan Gavrilović, while stressing that employees represent the most important factor of the company’s success.

Your company introduced numerous innovations a year and a half ago, at the start of 2020. What was included in everything that you’ve changed?

- Prior to the pandemic, we introduced numerous changes to our corporate identity.

We adopted a strategic plan, under the title ‘Vision 2030’, with the aim of opening additional branches in all logistics centres around the world over the next 10 years, by the end of this decade, because we think that’s the only way that we can meet all the needs of our clients.

An important step in the implementation of the strategy is represented by the opening of a branch in China, under the name World Transport Overseas China, which started operating as a NVOCC [Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier] on 1st September 2020.

The company has actually had a new logo since August, because changing the visual identity is part of the brand’s evolution. The new logo symbolises the global presence of World Transport Overseas in the sector of providing logistics and all directly and indirectly related services, as well as the three types of transport that we successfully implement: sea, road and air.

Last year, which was very important for you, was marked by the pandemic, as was a large part of this year. Has the pandemic changed the way you operate?

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Transport & Logistics 2021

As a response to the growing volume of work, we also increased the number of jobs this year, enriching our collective with more educated young people - Under the difficult conditions that emerged following the spread of the COVID-19 virus and in the face of the global pandemic, we didn’t stop working, thanks to the digitalisation of our business processes. By respecting all recommendations for preserving the safety of our employees and clients, we responded successfully to all requests, and continue to do so now. On a daily basis, we monitor the situation that’s important in our field of activity and adapt to unfolding changes.

How is WTO preparing for the future challenges?

- World Transport Overseas started the integration of its own ERP system onto the TradeLens blockchain platform, helping ensure a more timely and consistent view of logistics data for its containerized freight around the world.

TradeLens is an open and neutral supply chain platform underpinned by blockchain technology. In addition, it is an interconnected ecosystem of supply chain partners — cargo owners, ocean and inland carriers, freight forwarders and logistics providers, ports and terminals, customs authorities, and more.

Currently, we are the first company in Bulgaria and the region to utilise this platform.

LJUBOMIR LAZAREVIĆ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, ACROSS COMPANY

BUSINESS

AIR CARGO WORLD Apart from organised transportation for export shipments, Across Company organises collections of goods purchased abroad and secures their transportation to the final destination. This implies transport to Belgrade, but also transports from third countries to destinations anywhere around the world

W

e help our clients, both in the country and abroad, to obtain the required documentation, including permits, guarantees, certificates and everything needed to ensure safe transport. Thanks to that, we can also organise the transport of sensitive goods, explainsAcrossCompanyMDLjubomirLazarević As a representative of Across Company, which is a leader in this line of business, could you tell us more about the transport of goods by plane?

- Our experience shows us that the plane is a very powerful resource when it comes to international transports of all kinds of cargo. It is a mistaken opinion to suggest that Serbia, as a small country, lacks possibilities to transport cargo by air, as is ordinarily done in the so-called developed world. It is only with air transport that you can today promise that a shipment with important contents, or a shipment for an exhibition set to start the next day on another continent, will indeed be on that other continent by tomorrow.

All freight forwarding costs for any destination, including air transportation from airport to airport and local transportation to the address of the recipient, can be paid in dinars There’s no congestion on the roads, no waiting at borders, no need to traverse five customs controls from the airport of departure to the airport of final destination.

Does the large number of airlines served by Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport enable goods to be sent by plane to countless destinations around the world?

- Air Serbia has a large number of international flights. With airlines, as contractual partners, there’s no destination that can’t be covered from Belgrade with Air Serbia. What is even more interesting is that all freight forwarding costs, for any destination and with any airline, can be

paid in dinars. This includes air transportation from airport to airport and local transportation from/to the address of the sender/recipient.

We can organise transports of sensitive goods that require specific temperature conditions, transports of medicines, fresh agricultural products, hazardous substances, live animals, pets, animals for zoos and chics aged up to 72 hours.We also have experience with charter transports of live monkeys for theTorlak Institute, transporting vaccines fromTorlak for the entire world, a unique transport of a pair of rhinosfromZimbabwe to the Belgrade Zoo and a charter transport of breeding heifers, transports of cars and various types of equipment. We participated in the organisation of the event “Around the world by car in eight days” by providing charter transports for about 100 cars, on the same day, in three cargo planes, along the route from Belgrade airport to the next destination, where participants used their cars to continue travelling by road.

Transporting by air is considered by many to be an expensive way of transporting goods.

Is that really the case?

- Air transport is an expensive form of transport, particularly for users who opt to use aircraft at the last minute in order to meet an agreed delivery time. However, if air transport was calculated and included in the price of the product, then it is a price like any other transport cost.

Unfortunately, little is known about air cargo transportation and air cargo is rarely mentioned in economic and transport stories.

You will hear stories every day about new planes, new airports, runways, gates, passenger numbers and luxury lounges, but no one mentions cargo.

The Morava Airport in Lađevci, Kraljevo, could be a nice story on the topic of cargo transportation.

Fortunately, the Across Company office and headquarters are located in the building of the Cargo Centre at Nikola Tesla Airport, and our “air cargo world” is present on all sides.

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NEWS

Faster Delivery WORLDWIDE The global pandemic has changed both the world and us - from mind sets, priorities and environmental awareness to our attitudes towards health, business and quality of life. Thanks to this, all companies, whatever their sector and industry, will have to become more efficient, sustainable and consumer-orientated. The need for social distancing and avoiding direct contact to preserve health has led to great innovations, progress, improvements and new services in the transport, logistics and distribution sector, and insiders say that this trend will continue in the years to come. There's no turning back!

DISTRIBUTION CENTRES WITH SMART CAMERAS Thanks to new technology, smart video equipment and video solutions installed in logistics centres, unlike traditional security cameras, make it easier for operators to store, transport, and control the movement of goods and staff. When goods move 24/7, 365 days a year, it is natural to look for a way to increase work efficiency, because goods must always be available to be delivered on time. This is why it is important to install suitable security systems that allow operators to monitor the movement of vehicles and people in the facility and monitor goods, both entering and leaving.

Here are three more reasons to implement smart technology: 1. The level of protection of staff from accidents is raised, because modern video surveillance can signal that the employee does not have part or complete personal protective equipment prescribed for his workplace.

2. The security level of the distribution centre is raised because it is easier to register suspicious movements, both inside and outside the facility. For example, thermal cameras take clear shots even in low light conditions.

3. With the help of smart surveillance systems, the operator can easily follow the entire flow of loading and unloading goods.

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Transport & Logistics 2021

GIVE SOME WORK TO A ROBOT, YOU WON’T REGRET IT One of the biggest hits in warehouses and distribution centres is the introduction of robots, which is why it is estimated that the warehouse robotics market will be worth six billion dollars next year. The fact that there are several types of storage robots that offer different functions allows warehouses to choose the best solution for a particular process.

Warehouse managers should understand the available options for applying the right technologies to suit the needs of the warehouse, so as to invest wisely in technology.

WALMART SENDS FOOD AND TESTS BY DRONE From the very beginning of the pandemic, the American company Walmart tried to contribute to the fight against the virus with donations in money and goods, as well as volunteer actions, innovations for contactless shopping, and by developing delivery systems for Coronavirus testing kits.

To be ready for possible new pandemic waves requiring additional isolation and self-isolation, Walmart has organized trial deliveries of basic foodstuffs, and tests, drugs and other medical substances by drone. In partnership with Quest Diagnostics and Drone Up, a leading national supplier of drones, Walmart launched test deliveries of kits in northern Las Vegas in late September, organized deliveries in New York State in early October, and continued throughout 2021.

THREE TRENDS IN LOGISTICS To more easily meet the growing needs and expectations of their clients, the world’s leading authorities in this economic area advise distribution and logistics companies to become acquainted with trends that will prevail in the next few years. In order to be successful, logistics and transport companies will have to accept technology and automation, to follow customer demands but also to create them, to create the need for their services.

1. R ely on Technology Automation in the industry has been a trend for several years, but this year its wider application is expected because more and more companies are realizing that this saves time and money and other resources. This is due to the automation of the process, efficiency, control over the movement of goods, inventory management ...

2. Insist on Speed and Precision If you ask the client, the delivery would be completed even before the order, when he imagined what he wanted, but there is no solution for that.

But this does not mean that it is not possible to speed up the delivery of packages. The solution for those traveling from one end of the world to the other will be a better combination of different types of transport or the creation of distribution centres at strategic points from which it is easier and faster to deliver.

3. The struggle to protect the environment Consolidation of shipments and packaging, reduction of plastics, use of biodegradable packaging, these are just some of the solutions to the growing need to reduce pollution. This way of doing business benefits the environment, and it is also profitable, because it increases customer loyalty.

GLOBAL TRADE RETURNS TO PRE-PANDEMIC TIMES In the first two or three months of the pandemic, as states closed and citizens were quarantined, the same fate befell international transport.

Currently, however, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), global trade has already jumped to exceed pre-pandemic levels. This rapid recovery in global trade is important for enabling the recovery of major world economies and recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, but also for the survival of the distribution, logistics and transport industry.

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FEATURE

SWISS 2021

FEATURE

3

SWISS 2021

06 LONGSTANDING 08 AND EXCELLENT RELATIONS

NEW WAYS TO PROMOTE GOOD

CONTENTS FEATURE

COMMENT

H.E. URS SCHMID, AMBASSADOR OF SWITZERLAND TO SERBIA

16

IMMEASURABLE CONTRIBUTION TO COMBATING THE GREY ECONOMY

MARINKO UKROPINA, SGS GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR SERBIA, CROATIA, SLOVENIA, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND MONTENEGRO

IN BUILDING 21 LEADERS AUTOMATION

ANA MANIĆ, SALES AND MARKETING AT SAUTER BUILDING CONTROL SERBIA

22 COMMITMENT RESULTS IN SUCCESS

TRUST 27 CONSUMERS NESTLÉ’S PORTFOLIO

MARJANA DAVIDOVIĆ, COUNTRY MANAGER NESTLÉ ADRIATIC SOUTH HUB (SERBIA, MONTENEGRO, NORTH MACEDONIA)

SANJA PEŠIĆ, ALMA QUATTRO CEO

TIME FOR THE NEXT iTestCOMING SOON 12 STEP IN SUPPORTING 18 THE IT SECTOR MAJO MIĆOVIĆ, PRESIDENT OF THE SWISS-SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (SKY EXPRESS GENERAL MANAGER)

COMMITTED TO A 15 FLEET OF CO2NEUTRAL VEHICLES ŠTEFAN VÖRÖŠ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, STAR IMPORT (MERCEDES-BENZ)

BRANKO MILIKIĆ, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SIXSENTIX SERBIA

MORE STEP 28 ONE TOWARDS THE TOP DRIVEN BY 23 EVOLUTION INNOVATION

SARA NOVOSEL, MANAGING DIRECTOR, BLUE OCEAN LAB

MILENA GAJOVIĆ SHRESTHA, GENERAL MANAGER, SR TECHNICS SERVICES

20

SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE IN FINDING DECENT JOBS

OLIVER STREIT, HEAD OF THE EDUCATION TO EMPLOYMENT PROJECT, NIRAS - IP CONSULT GMBH

TO BOTH 29 CLOSE CLIENTS AND TALENTS

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CONNECTIVITY WITHIN THE ICT SECTOR IS OUR PRIORITY

ALEKSANDAR MILOŠEVIĆ, 3AP CEO

ANA GRUJOVIĆ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SWISS-SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

30 SSCC ACTIVITIES HEALTH 33 DIGITAL STARTUP STORY IMPRESSUM EDITOR IN CHIEF Neda Lukić n.lukic@aim.rs ART DIRECTOR Branislav Ninković b.ninkovic@aim.rs PHOTOS Zoran Petrović COPY EDITOR Mark Pullen mrpeditorial@mail.com

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PROJECT MANAGERS Biljana Dević b.devic@aim.rs Vesna Vukajlović v.vukajlovic@aim.rs Mihailo Čučković m.cuckovic@aim.rs OFFICE MANAGER Svetlana Petrović s.petrovic@aim.rs FINANCE Dragana Skrobonja finance@aim.rs

GENERAL MANAGER Maja Vidaković m.vidakovic@aim.rs PUBLISHER Ivan Novčić i.novcic@aim.rs DIRECTOR Ana Novčić a.novcic@aim.rs a.novcic@cordmagazine.com

PRINTING Rotografika d.o.o.

Segedinski put 72, Subotica SWISS 2021 Published by: alliance international media Prote Mateje 52, 11111 Belgrade 17, PAK 126909, Serbia Phone: +(381 11) 2450 508 Fascimile: +(381 11) 2450 122 E-mail: office@aim.rs; office@cordmagazine.com

www.aim.rs; www.cordmagazine.com No 31 ISSN: 2560-4465 All rights reserved alliance international media 2021 The views expressed in this publication are those of the presenter; they do not necessary reflect the view of publications published by alliance international media

THIS PUBLICATION IS FREE OF CHARGE

SWISS 2021

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SWISS 2021

COMMENT

NEW WAYS TO PROMOTE GOOD It is time to reflect on the past 30 years of the bilateral cooperation programme and seek new paths of collaboration. Switzerland’s longstanding commitment to supporting democracy and good governance, today via digitalisation, have an important role to play in harnessing bilateral relations in the years to come.

D

igitalisation is becoming a tool that strongly supports many aspects of the Swiss bilateral cooperation with Serbia. In the period behind us, digitalisation proved to be of outmost importance in providing many important services at the national and local level, as well as opening new paths of collaboration between the Swiss and Serbian economies. On the other hand, this period also showed areas of future collaboration in turning digitalisation into an inclusive process for growth and prosperity.

If we talk about the importance of that support, three main paths are clearly visible.

One is related to the development of e-services at the national, and particularly local, level, serving both the advance of democracy, such as through e-parliament, and e-services to citizens and businesses. Those services showed strong potential in improving approaches to challenges like the COVID-19 Pan-

6

Promoting good governance, a well-established priority of Switzerland’s cooperation with Serbia, is gaining a new shape via digitalisation demic, starting from administrative services to the vaccination process.

Well-known Swiss support to innovation processes in Serbia is not only visible in the success of Science and Technology Park Belgrade (NTP Beograd), but also in the creation of an NTP network around Serbia. In the words of Swiss Ambassador Urs Schmid, “the goal of this support is to increase the competitiveness of the Serbian high-tech industry, thus contributing to increased revenues, exports and job creation”.

Furthermore, Swiss support stands behind the new Raising Stars programme. Distributed via the state Innovation Fund, it is tasked with

securing a route to market for as many as 100 start-up companies in Serbia.

Many experts have noted the critical importance of this programme for strengthening the increasingly attractive Serbian start-up eco system, where start-up companies at an early stage of development need support in bringing initial business ideas to fruition, as well as further investment via venture capital.

However, in order to be embraced fully, digitalisation needs to be accessible to all, which has not been the case during the COVID-19 Pandemic, when many people who are not digitally literate or lack internet access have been deprived of the ability to exercise their rights to access personal documentation, process unemployment and social benefits and schooling. As such, Swiss support in the areas of personal data protection and continued access to information and services for groups without digital literacy is of the outmost importance to Serbia.

SWISS 2021

FEATURE

7

SWISS 2021

INTERVIEW

H.E. URS SCHMID, Ambassador of Switzerland to Serbia

LONGSTANDING AND EXCELLENT RELATIONS My primary goal is to further deepen this relationship. I will work towards increasing the number of high-level contacts, regularly conducting political consultations and supporting our bilateral cooperation programme, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year ~ Urs Schmid

T

he new Ambassador of Switzerland to Serbia arrived in our country after having served a four-year term in Kazakhstan.

Although the COVID-19 Pandemic limited the possibilities of him immediately familiarising himself with Serbia and

8

the capital city, Ambassador Schmid nonetheless says that “Belgrade absolutely lives up to its reputation as the ‘Metropolis of the Balkans’”. In his first interview for CorD Magazine, Ambassador Schmid says that his wish, apart from improving political relations, is to

also to deepen economic relations, which would spark new Swiss investments in Serbia. He adds that he will continue the tradition of supporting culture through the new project “Culture for Democracy”, which will be orientated towards the alternative culture scene beyond Belgrade.

SUPPORT

LIBERTIES

DEMOCRACY

Our support has a strong focus on the local level, where Switzerland has rich experience due to its own decentralised way of functioning

In any society, the enjoyment of individual liberties also requires a high degree of personal responsibility, i.e., a responsible behaviour by every individual

In a democracy, it is important that opinions be openly exchanged, even on controversial topics. Only in such a way can different aspects be considered and a public opinion formed

Your Excellency, what are your first impressions of Serbia and Belgrade?

I am grateful to my government for entrusting me with the responsibility of representing Switzerland in Serbia.

When I arrived here during one of the COVID-19 peaks, in winter 2020, the pandemic put limits on my desire to discover the country and its people.

In the meantime, the pandemic situation has improved significantly, also thanks to the rapid and well-organised vaccination campaign in Serbia. I am therefore pleased to now have the opportunity to get to know the city and the country better, through visits and direct interaction with the people. So far, my impression is that Belgrade absolutely lives up to its reputation as the “Metropolis of the Balkans”.

The size and diversity of the city, the liveliness and the intense construction activity are impressive. It is a city on the move. Also pleasant is the friendliness and courteousness of the people, which makes it easier to settle in this city. I am very much looking forward to getting to know Belgrade and Serbia in all their facets over the next few years.

sification of the economic ties between our two countries by promoting Swiss investments in Serbia. Finally, I would like to further engage the large Serbian diaspora in Switzerland and foster human exchanges between Switzerland and Serbia, since they constitute the backbone of our bilateral relations.

of EU experts highlighting the insufficient power of Serbia’s institutions, the lack of transparency in the work of the government and shortcomings in the fight against corruption?

The overall goal of the current cooperation strategy with Serbia is to contribute to efficient and effective democratic institutions and processes, as well as inclusive and sustainable growth, by supporting Serbia’s reforms on its path to European integration for the benefit of all citizens. Swiss cooperation is complementary and coordinated with the programmes supported by the EU and other donors.

We consider the EU progress reports as a valuable source of information for

What did you define as the priorities of your tenure in Serbia?

Let me start by saying that Serbia and Switzerland have longstanding and excellent bilateral relations and they share many similarities. My primary goal is to further deepen this relationship. I will work towards increasing the number of high-level contacts, regularly conducting political consultations and supporting our bilateral cooperation programme, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. With this long-standing commitment, Switzerland aims to assist Serbia on its reform path, particularly also in the field of fostering democracy and strengthening the rule of law. On the economic level, I would like to contribute to the inten-

Swiss state assistance to Serbia is directed towards the building of an efficient and transparent public administration. How would you assess the current state of affairs in that area?

Promoting good governance is indeed a well-established priority in Switzerland’s cooperation with Serbia.

Our support has a strong focus on the

The recently launched Raising Stars programme is an important component of this cooperation and provides pre-seed funding for more than 100 start-up companies local level, where Switzerland has rich experience due to its own decentralised way of functioning. We work together with the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government and the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities to improve policymaking and law making for all cities and municipalities in Serbia. Moreover, we have many other projects working directly with local governments in various thematic areas, such as citizens’ participation and decisionmaking, public finance management, administration, taxation, social inclusion, gender equality, energy efficiency and others. Through our projects and programmes, directly supporting cities and municipalities, we cover more than two-thirds of the entire country.

Despite Switzerland not being an EU member state, how much attention do you pay to the reports

context monitoring and programme development, along with other reports of international and local organisations.

Does Switzerland intend to continue its project to digitalise local governments in Serbia, which has proven useful during the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The COVID-19 Pandemic has accelerated the use of digital technologies.

Digitalisation offers many opportunities for the Serbian administration to become more efficient and widely accessible to citizens. While we are witnessing progress in digitalisation, the protection of personal data and continued access to information and services for groups without digital literacy deserve special attention. Bearing in mind both opportunities and challenges, Switzerland will continue to promote digitalisation as a means of achieving quicker and better development results.

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between citizens and the government.

However, in any society, the enjoyment of individual liberties also requires a high degree of personal responsibility, i.e., a responsible behaviour by every individual. So far, it seems that most citizens are following the government’s recommendation and are seeking vaccination against COVID-19. Not least, this is also seen as an act of solidarity to protect others, vulnerable groups, from severe courses of the disease. In addition, the government, together with the scientific community, is doing a lot of work to explain the benefits of vaccination. In an open dialogue between government and the people, it should be possible to convince people of the usefulness of a COVID-19 vaccination.

Besides e-parliaments, Switzerland has supported the introduction of e-services at the local level, particularly in the area of social inclusion and upgrades of local websites to provide more transparent and user-friendly information.

The introduction of the Unified Tax System is facilitating the payment of property taxes for legal entities and natural persons, which contributes to more stable local budgets during times of the pandemic. In the coming period, our support will primarily consist of expertise in shaping digitalisation processes, while paying attention to ensure that digital tools include proper governance standards allowing for accessible and inclusive information and service provision.

Speaking about the pandemic, how has Switzerland – as a country 10

In the coming period, our support will primarily consist of expertise in shaping digitalisation processes, while paying attention to ensure that digital tools include proper governance standards allowing for accessible and inclusive information and service provision where vaccination is not generally mandatory – accepted the advice that vaccination against this novel coronavirus be made compulsory?

In Switzerland, we generally attach great importance to the respect of individual liberties. This also explains the high level of trust that exists

Switzerland supported the establishment and development of Science Technology Park Belgrade (NTP Beograd), while you are now providing additional funding to support the creation of an NTP network around Serbia. It has been announced that you will help with the establishment and development of as many as 100 start-up companies in Serbia. What is behind this great assistance?

Innovation is a key driver for boosting competitiveness and economic development. I am therefore very pleased to note that the Government of Serbia has declared innovation a strategic priority, to which Switzerland is contributing through several projects.

One of the “flagships” is our support to Science Technology Park Belgrade, which proved to be very successful and is now being replicated in Niš and Čačak. The goal of this support is to increase the competitiveness of Serbia’s high-tech industry, thus contributing to increased revenues, exports and job creation. The recently launched Raising Stars programme is an important component of this cooperation and provides pre-seed funding for more than 100 start-up companies. With this new financial scheme, Switzerland is contributing to bridging a critical gap that start-up companies at an early stage of development typically face,

i.e., bringing an initial business idea to a level of maturity that’s attractive for investment. I am confident that this support will further contribute to strengthening the Serbian innovation eco-system.

Your predecessors in the position of Swiss ambassador to Serbia also supported the country’s art scene, particularly creative young people just starting out in their careers. Do you intend to continue that practise?

Culture expresses the meaning that people attach to their own existence and development. As a source of identity and dignity, and as a generator of social capital, culture fosters self-confidence in individuals, and cohesiveness and resilience in groups.

Against this backdrop, Switzerland has a long tradition of supporting culture and art in Serbia. It is my strong intention not only to honour this tradition, but to take our engagement to the next level. I am very pleased to announce that Switzerland is currently preparing a new programme, entitled “Culture for Democracy”, which will support the cultural and artistic scene in Serbia in a longer-term perspective.

This project is expected to go beyond the sole production of art and culture, towards valuing exchange and learning processes for exploring the social dimension of art. The “Culture for Democracy” programme will have a specific focus on the independent culture scene outside of Belgrade. I am looking forward to continuing our legacy of supporting creative people, including the youth, in Serbia.

You stated in another interview that an open society can be recognised due to the fact that controversial and engaged discussions are led on many issues. Do you have the impression that such discussions are lacking in Serbia?

In a democracy, it is important that opinions be openly exchanged, even on controversial topics. Only in such a way can different aspects be considered and a public opinion formed. In the best case, the encounter of arguments leads

Culture expresses the meaning that people attach to their own existence and development. As a source of identity and dignity, and as a generator of social capital, culture fosters self-confidence in individuals, and cohesiveness and resilience in groups to a better mutual understanding and to solutions supported by a majority.

The willingness to listen to each other and to treat each other with respect are indispensable prerequisites for any constructive, democratic discourse.

Every country, and I include both Switzerland and Serbia, must work constantly to ensure that these conditions are met, precisely because we need broad societal consensus in order to find solutions to major challenges, such as economic recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic or climate change.

Switzerland is known as a country in which decisions on many issues are made directly by citizens through referenda. If Switzerland was Serbia, do you believe citizens

would be asked if they want a Rio Tinto mine to be opened in their neighbourhood?

It is difficult to compare two political systems, based on a different historical development and a differently structured state. The Swiss political system is characterised by direct democracy, as you mention, but also by federalism and subsidiarity, i.e., the insight that decisions should be taken at the lowest possible level. This bottom-up approach is typically Swiss. Our system thus offers citizens a large degree of political participation and co-determination.

This requires that citizens actively monitor developments and get politically involved. For politicians, this means that they must take into account the sensitivities of the population at an early stage, because they will need the support of voters either to avoid a referendum or to get any project through a required referendum. That is the reason why, in Switzerland, all important stakeholders in political processes are involved from the outset, because a referendum - and a possible rejection of a proposal at the ballot box - requires a lot of time and resources. It is therefore better to listen to and involve people’s concerns and sensitivities already during the initial development of a project.

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MAJO MIĆOVIĆ, President of the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (Sky Express General Manager)

TIME FOR THE NEXT STEP

IN SUPPORTING THE IT SECTOR

The pandemic has served to confirm the huge importance of digitalisation, while it will continue to have a significant impact on companies’ daily operations. During the previous period, thanks to an excellent internal e-government development policy, the Government of Serbia succeeded in bringing dynamism to digitalisation, while it should now provide that same kind of support to various successful clusters of ICT businesses, which are ever-increasing in number in Serbia.

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udging by the results of an online survey on the impact of COVID-19 on the operations of companies, which was conducted by the SwissSerbian Chamber of Commerce among its members in November 2020, it seems that many of them managed to handle the challenges well. “The aim of this research was to gain insight into the main chal-

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lenges confronting the SSCC business community as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, but also to gain a better understanding of the needs of these companies and the issues of interest to them. According to the results of the research, more than half of respondents (approximately 60%) stated that, until that point in time, the COVID-19 Pandemic had not influenced

their investment plans in Serbia for 2021.

Likewise, 63% of respondents had resorted to digitalising their operations (to a greater or lesser extent) due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the need to adapt to the new situation,” says SSCC President and Sky Express General Manager Majo Mićović.

Our interview with him focuses on the digitalisation and development of the IT

DEVELOPMENT

In order to attain a European level of prosperity, Serbia should accept the more innovative motivating of foreign investors and focus on internal investment programmes that are crucial

sector, which Switzerland supports through its bilateral support to Serbia, and the advancement of the domestic economic environment.

amounts to 4.5% of GDP. Mention was also made of the importance of Serbia’s ICT sector to companies’ successful operations. It was with this in mind that Director Vesović noted that the services sector is one of the drivers of the country’s economic recovery, and that the 2020 surplus in exchanges of this sector with foreign countries amounted to 1.1 billion euros, while the ICT sector provides a significant contribution to the realising of that surplus.

Recently, together with other bilateral business associations, you organised a meeting with the Serbian Ministry of Finance and the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Serbia. What are the key issues highlighted by your members today when it comes to the climate for doing business?

Ognjen Popović, acting assistant minister of finance in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, participated together with Mihailo Vesović, director of the CCIS Department for Strategic Analysis, Services and Internationalisation, in the online working meeting “Macroeconomic Trends of the Economy in the Context of COVID-19”. The key issues of companies related to the state’s economic support measures aimed at enabling the more successful overcoming of business challenges during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Speaking on that occasion, Acting Assistant Finance Minister Popović stressed that the total value of state assistance to the economy in 2020 amounted to 12.9% of GDP, while this year’s third support package

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić recently noted that Serbia expects Switzerland’s assistance in advancing the development of Serbia’s innovative and sustainable economy. What can be provided by the corporate sector on this front?

Switzerland is one of the most important investors in the Serbian economy. Over recent years, cooperation between Switzerland and Serbia has been focused on investing in education, science, research and development, innovation and digitalisation, and it should continue in that direction. The IT industry is currently among the fastest growing branches of industry in Serbia and is bringing the potential to develop its own sophisticated software solutions and services, thanks to the growing number of technological start-ups, the entrepreneurial

INVESTMENTS

SWISS 2021

SUPPORT

Cooperation between Switzerland and Serbia in recent years has been focused on investing in education, science, research and development, innovation and digitalisation, and it should continue in that direction

More than half of surveyed member companies of our chamber stated that the COVID-19 Pandemic had not influenced their investment plans in Serbia for 2021

spirit and growing interest in IT sciences among youngsters.

Serbia has embarked on an accelerated path of digital transformation during COVID-19 - albeit from a lower starting point - when it comes to both e-government and enterprises. However, cyber security challenges are now growing. In your opinion, what are the most important steps to take in response to this challenge?

The pandemic has served to confirm the huge importance of digitalisation, while it will continue to have a significant impact on companies’ daily operations, with a focus on supporting remote work, virtual events, an orientation towards online operations and new platforms for productivity.

Cybercrime has become one of the most lucrative “grey” jobs and a serious threat, so cybersecurity shouldn’t be seen as an option, but rather as an indispensable part of every company and organisation’s digital transformation plan. In order for us to reduce the risk of data being compromised, the first step is for us to primarily be aware that cybercrime is on the rise year on year, and that information systems must be protected with adequate technologies, and it is only in this way that can oppose the hacker mafia.

Considering that this is an extremely

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specific branch of the IT industry, I wouldn’t single out concrete unifying steps, because it isn’t necessary for us all to be cyber security experts. I would rather direct companies and organisations to turn to those who are cyber security experts, in order to help them preserve one of the most valuable things that companies have – digital data. We have several companies that specialise in the domain of cyber security in Serbia and the region, such as the company whose operations I’m responsible for, Sky Express, which is a regional leader in the IT security domain.

What is the greatest strength of Serbia’s IT sector, given that many are today warning that it is no longer a cheap professional workforce? How, in that context, do you view the gaming industry, blockchain and AI in Serbia, which, according to some announcements, should repeat the success of the country’s IT sector?

The branches of the IT industry that you mention have to date contributed a significant share to the overall revenues of the IT sector, so I don’t expect that success to be “repeated”, but rather to evolve and develop into a referential ecosystem that will generate new “unicorns”. Blockchain, AI, Big Data and other technologies have become an indispensable part of the “connected world”, and they represent a brilliant opportunity to create new, applicable solutions that will improve the functioning of societies globally. Viewed from that perspective, it is essential to kindle applied creativity – to motivate colleagues to accept new technologies as quickly and with as much commitment as possible, to identify spheres of life that it is possible to improve and to combine and apply those technologies in the right way, with the aim of advancing. Such a milieu enables their even better emergence and the creation of completely new technologies.

The role of IT in the modern world, in business operations, in life, in short, is indispensable, even when that isn’t immediately evident. Modern communications, transportation, electricity and water supplies – all these aspects of life are heavily dependent on information technology, and they have become widely available and easy to operate thanks largely to IT. Such positive dependence will undoubtedly

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resources required to ensure the adequate security of their information systems.

We have several companies that specialise in the domain of cyber security in Serbia and the region, such as the company whose operations I’m responsible for, Sky Express, which is a regional leader in the IT security domain grow, and that’s precisely why we need to develop, strategically and systematically, both the IT sector and associated services which accompany that sector.

The digital transformation has also changed the skills that the workforce needs to have. To what extent are Swiss companies currently able to find suitable personnel?

The altered working environment caused by the pandemic has led to the accelerated adapting of both companies and personnel at the global level. The demands of the market are becoming increasingly challenging and companies and workers are being compelled to adapt in order to survive, and this is generally the case for all industries. Given that I also work in the area of digital data security, I can confirm that the workforce is in exceptionally short supply at the global level, in terms of cyber security engineers.

Research shows that there is a shortage of 3.12 million such experts globally.

This is a worrying fact, considering that cybercrime is rising exponentially and that companies generally lack the human

In your personal opinion and that of the SSCC, what are the most important steps that can be taken today in order for Serbia to maintain its current growth rate?

According to the EBRD report, GDP in the first quarter of the current year increased by 1.7% compared to the same quarter of last year, as a result of the development of the construction sector, industrial production, trade, transport and tourism.

In order to attain a European level of prosperity, Serbia should accept more ambitious programmes, primarily economic, and then general social reforms that are harmonised with EU recommendations.

More innovative motivating of foreign investors, as well as a more focused attitude towards internal investment programmes, are crucial.

In my opinion, the following items are crucial for the Government. The first is to finance companies that are undergoing expansion. Access to credit is the key difference between the expansion of operations or stagnation for smaller businesses or start-ups that have innovative ideas and an entrepreneurial spirit, but which lack financial resources. Serbia’s ICT sector is among the most promising.

Just as the state succeeded in bringing dynamism to digitalisation through an excellent internal e-government development policy, via its Office for IT and eGovernment, so communication should be established with, and support provided to, various successful clusters of ICT businesses, which are ever-increasing in number in Serbia.

The second key item is to create an incentivising business environment. Among the most important issues are increasing the transparency of administrative procedures, simplifying excessively complex laws, improving the management of large systems and combating corruption.

And the third item is to foster and enhance competition. The competition policy should not only imply the combating of practises that undermine competition in the private sector, but also include an even more comprehensive reduction of measures resulting in state influence on the freedom of the market.

SWISS 2021

ŠTEFAN VÖRÖŠ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, STAR IMPORT (MERCEDES-BENZ)

BUSINESS

COMMITTED TO A FLEET OF CO2 NEUTRAL VEHICLES

Mercedes-Benz has dictated trends and set standards from the very beginning, and that continues to this day. It recently also announced the launch of sales of fully electric vehicles on the Serbian market, under the EQ brand, thus confirming its commitment to sustainability and the ecological future.

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n 2021/2022, the company will start selling the EQA and EQC models and, in the luxury sedan segment, the EQS model. The plan for the coming years is to offer a full range of electric vehicles, announces Star Import’s managing director with pride

The global pandemic has also impacted the car market, leading to falling sales. Does Serbia differ from the rest of the world in that respect?

The previous year was like no other, with almost no sphere of life left unaffected by the pandemic. This situation, both around the world and on our markets, has impacted strongly on sales and the maintenance of cars. As a consequence, a fall of around 20 per cent has been recorded in sales of new passenger vehicles in Serbia. Signs of recovery are visible this year, but we plenty of challenges ahead of us. We are not expected to return to the level of 2019 until 2023. The Serbian car market has great potential, which can be seen in the aged fleet and in the beginning of electromobility.

How do you, at Mercedes, view the need to develop new models that will help reduce the polluting of the environment?

The issue of sustainability has been current for some time. At the global level, Mercedes-Benz has expressed its commitment to a CO2-neutral fleet of vehicles.

We are definitely set to receive vehicles with various propulsion units, from classical to hybrid, electric and engines that run on fuel cell units. Part of our offer includes plug-in hybrid vehicles, which

predict what awaits us in the coming years, but change is definitely inevitable and coming faster than we thought.

In the world of new technologies, at a time when the needs of our customers are changing constantly, it’s important for us to focus on the most important ideas that have formed part of our brand since its creation, for the last 130 years - safety, innovation and luxury. We have added the topic of sustainability to this, and that is driving our initiative to electrify, which is in full swing.

Mercedes-Benz has always been, and remains, synonymous with the world’s most desirable cars.

It’s important for us to focus on the most important ideas that have formed part of our brand since its creation, for the last 130 years - safety, innovation and luxury are the perfect combination of electric and conventional drive systems and represent an important step towards the development of technology for driving without emissions of exhaust fumes.

From the Mercedes perspective, how do you see the future of the automotive industry?

The automotive industry is under constant development and has a tendency to change due to different environmental regulations and new needs for the use of vehicles. It is difficult to

A car rental trend currently exists in Europe. What else is trending?

The trend of renting cars has existed in Europe and around the world for a long time. The most common ways to rent a vehicle are long-term rentals lasting longer than 24 months, which are most often used by companies, and shorter ones of up to 10 days (tourists, rentals for special purposes). That process stopped under the impact of the crisis. In our country there’s currently a noticeable trend of using vehicles on the basis of operating leases for a period of 24 to 36 months, which is particularly suitable for companies. Instead of simply buying a vehicle, today’s companies focus on the full service (financing, maintenance, registration, insurance), whilst also demanding a reduction in costs. That’s why we’ve developed our special Business Solution programme for business users, under the scope of which they can find the right mobility solution that’s in accordance with their needs.

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MARINKO UKROPINA, SGS GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR SERBIA, CROATIA, SLOVENIA, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND MONTENEGRO

IMMEASURABLE CONTRIBUTION TO COMBATING

THE GREY ECONOMY

SGS is the world’s leading company in the provision of inspection, verification, testing and certification services. It operates as a global leader and innovator, and is recognised by the world’s leading companies, financial corporations and international institutions

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peaking in this interview for CorD Magazine, Marinko Ukropina, SGS MD for the region, reveals that the company has - through an investment of 2.4 million euros - equipped a modern laboratory for the purposes of monitoring fuel quality and successfully implementing acquired works, as well as

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expanding the scope of accreditation for new testing methods.

Many companies are engaged in inspection, verification, testing and certification services, but SGS is the world leader. Could you tell us more about SGS Group?

SGS Group operates under the framework of a network of more than 2,600 representative offices and laboratories and has 93,000 employees worldwide.

SGS Beograd was founded in Serbia in August 2001 as a full member of this Group, which has spent more than 140 years building its reputation. SGS Beograd is this year commemorating 20 years of successful operations and significant results achieved in inspecting, testing, verifying and monitoring trade in goods and investments in the domains of agriculture, industry, mining, petrochemicals, trade in consumer goods and product certification.

We achieved great success with the introduction of the National Programme for Labelling Petroleum Derivatives back in February 2014. This programme represents the best example of how an independent and neutral company that operates in accordance with the highest ethical, business and technical standards and integrity can contribute to fulfilling the interests of all stakeholders.

SGS Beograd has already proved itself to be a reliable partner of the Serbian Government for seven years, as the leader of the consortium and a designated provider of services for the labelling of petroleum derivatives and monitoring of the quality of petroleum derivatives in the Republic of Serbia.

This is the first anti-corruption pro-

gramme of its kind in the fight to combat the grey economy in Europe, and one of only 20 worldwide. The key objective is to use the marking of derivatives during production and upon import, as well as verifications at filling stations on the territory of Serbia, to ensure the successful monitoring of the legality of trade in petroleum products.

The national project for labelling petroleum products represents the most successful anti-corruption programme in the Republic of Serbia, which has also received high praise from officials of the European Union.

What have you achieved by monitoring the legality of trade in petroleum products?

The consumption of legal fuels in the Republic of Serbia has increased by more than 30%, while the grey economy has been reduced to less than 1%. The inflow of revenues into the budget of the Republic of Serbia from the collection of excise duties on petroleum products has increased by approximately 1,200 million euros. An increase in the consumption of petroleum products, resulting from an increase in GDP, also influenced this increased budget inflow.

Furthermore, with the fight against illegal additives to petroleum products, within the scope of the labelling and monitoring of petroleum products, we have contributed to the quality of fuels being at the level of EU standards.

From an ecological aspect, regular monitoring of the quality of petroleum products has ensured the protection of consumers, whilst also improving environmental protection.

Does everyone know about these results?

It is clear to us that the only ones who wouldn’t favour the labelling and monitoring project are those who’ve benefited massively from the illicit trade in fuel and have become rich at the expense of the state and citizens. The facts and results of the programme to date are quite sufficient as arguments that prove this claim. The programme provides the state, oil companies and consumers with direct and very significant benefits.

The previously cited data provide the best indicator of the programme’s positive results. We also mustn’t overlook the positive environmental impact that results from trade in high-quality fuels.

What is included in everything that’s been done since this programme began in 2014?

The programme is implemented in accordance with the Agreement signed with the Ministry of Mining and Energy, the Decree on the Labelling (Marking) of Petroleum Products and the Instruction Manual for the Labelling of Petroleum Products that was issued

by SGS. Throughout the course of these seven years, more than 21 million tons of petroleum products have been marked

The consumption of legal fuels in the Republic of Serbia has increased by more than 30%, while the grey economy has been reduced to less than 1% and, in cooperation with the competent state authorities, verification of the concentration of markers has been carried out on more than 40,000 petroleum product samples.

In light of the planned advancement and automation of the fuel marking process, SGS has developed an automatic marker injection device (AMID) and proposed a comprehensive solution for the entire marking system. The implementation of this solution would prevent any form of physical interaction with the marker and would have a significant impact in terms of increasing the precision and accuracy of marking, thus contributing to further suppressing illegal activities and increasing budget revenues, on the basis of increased turnovers in legal trade flows, and environmental protection.

In our country, we often hear complaints that the quality of fuel in Serbia is worse than in neighbouring countries. Do those tales hold water?

In parallel with the Programme for Marking Petroleum Products, since 1st

December, 2015, in accordance with the Decree on Monitoring the Quality of Petroleum Products and Biofuels, the implementation of the Programme for Monitoring the Quality of Petroleum Products in Serbia has also been underway. Apart from buying fuel from legal sources, citizens finally also have the opportunity to know what kind of quality the fuel they use has, because the monitoring of the quality of petroleum products has very clear objectives.

The aim is to continuously evaluate the quality of petroleum products and biofuels within the entire distribution chain, gaining insight into the state of the quality of petroleum products on the market and reacting accordingly, depending on the values of the monitored parameters.

In accordance with the Rulebook on the Content and Manner of Implementation of the Annual Programme of Monitoring Quality, 360 to 380 samples are tested on a monthly basis, or more than 4,000 samples annually. Reports on the results of testing are regularly submitted to the competent state authorities.

To conclude, could you explain to our readers the key to your more than successful operations?

Investing in equipment, people and the training of personnel is one of the keys and development goals of any company. SGS doesn’t lag behind in that sense, but rather leads the way.

We monitor the relevant requirements of quality standards and changes to them. Part of the investment is always directed towards monitoring changes, while we set aside part of the investment for the development of new methods that would be interesting to clients. We monitor trends and requirements that appear around the world and work to make it possible for them to be satisfied, because they will inevitably also come to the Serbian market.

Experience from around the world has shown us that the process of marking and monitoring is the most effective way of bringing order to the petroleum products market, and the Republic of Serbia, by following this trend in cooperation with SGS, has built trust both within our country and beyond its borders.

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BRANKO MILIKIĆ, Managing Director of Sixsentix Serbia

iTest COMING SOON Sixsentix is a Swiss company that specialises in software testing and has branches across Europe. The company’s expertise is already recognised by clients, so it comes as no surprise that it is expanding its network of partners and clients, while increasing the number of employees, year-on-year.

but it is important for clients that a model like this enables them to save more, or at least receive a bigger team for the same investment. We currently have 145 employees in Serbia, while the entire group has more than 300.

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peaking for CorD Magazine, Sixsentix Serbia MD Branko Milikić explains that innovations, new ideas, products and start-ups come on the basis of the company’s experience, constant development, work with clients from various fields and cooperation with research centres and other companies

Sixsentix Serbia is a subsidiary of the eponymous Swiss parent company, which has branches throughout Europe. How are the Belgrade and Novi Sad offices that you head rated in that strong competition?

The Serbian part of the company represents the “Nearshore Centre” for all of our locations (Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary and the UAE).

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The company’s policy is to have a specific number of employees at each location, but for most of the employees to work from Serbia. The model that has proven

Our success stories demonstrate how the Sixsentix approach and services save between 30-50% of our clients’ annual budget itself to be the best in working with clients is to have mixed teams on projects, i.e., a number of employees working at the location where the client is located, with the larger part of the team from Serbia. When it comes to delivering quality, it remains on the highest level,

The IT sector is attractive to everyone, but mostly open to developers, while you offer opportunities to both mathematicians and physicists who’ve proven themselves to be excellent during testing. Is that possible without additional training and continuous improvement?

Constant improvements and investments in additional education, certifications and training is required.

Candidates who think analytically fit into our working method very well. We have possibilities to retrain candidates who possess some experience that isn’t strictly related to IT, because we have internal education that’s coordinated by the Education team that was founded six years ago and has numerous coaches, educators and mentors. We invest in methodological and analytical approach to work, consulting skills, agile ways of working, understanding different areas of operations, communication skills, training for the different tools and languages that we use etc. Each of our employees receives regular training throughout the year in various fields, not only from the technical aspect, but rather we also invest in improving various skills.

From the very outset, Sixsentix aimed to develop its own unique approach to testing – software agile testing (SWAT). What makes it special and superior?

We are constantly considering and improving this model, because we want to develop software testing in parallel with innovations in software development.

SWAT implies a methodological approach to work, identifying risks in a system, defining priorities for testing and creating an appropriate number of automated test cases (not all possible combinations, because that takes too much time) with which we can cover a large percentage of systems or applications. We thereby reduce the time needed, which is very important to clients, because everyone wants to their new product or version to appear on the market as soon as possible, but we also reduce the capacity needed for further maintenance.

We are currently developing our new iTest (intelligent testing) product, which is based on machine learning, and we are heading in the direction of artificial intelligence. Our second product, QA Cube, is already working well and delivering results in the world’s leading companies.

You engage in software testing, but also in the development of software for the needs of clients. Who are those clients? From which sectors and areas of industry do they mostly come?

The greatest number of clients come from the banking, financial and investment sectors, but we also have clients from telecommunications, energy, sports organisations, medicine and the like.

We’ve recently been receiving ever more requests from IT companies that develop products for different areas.

Not as much was previously invested in software testing, which was somehow an integral part of development and it was taken for granted that the company developing a product would also test it in parallel. However, this proved to be a very poor approach and it turned out to be better for one company to develop a product and another to test it. Over the past few years, more companies have been earmarking funds for testing and seeking companies like us that are specialised in testing the quality of applications.

Is the work you do measurable?

Do your clients know exactly how much you reduce their costs and

We have possibilities to retrain candidates who possess some experience that isn’t strictly related to IT, because we have internal education how much you shorten the time they need to go to market?

Certainly. We work with large corporations that regularly evaluate your work.

They demand constant improvements in the quality of work, but for costs to be reduced and delivery times shortened.

Good examples can be seen in the fact that we’ve been working with the majority of our clients for many years and that we are constantly expanding our cooperation. We thereby enable manifold reductions in the annual budget that they allocate to develop and test their products and systems. Our success stories demonstrate how the Sixsentix approach and services save between 30-50% of our clients’ annual budget.

Clients are demanding, while their needs and expectations differ greatly. Does this mean that you have to constantly improve your business model and ways of working?

Definitely. If you want to be the best at something, and for others to recognise your work, you must constantly innovate

and develop your approach to work and the models you’re able to offer. The reason for constant improvement mustn’t solely be the needs and expectations of clients, rather you must monitor new technologies, research and monitor the development of various systems and areas, be creative and bring innovations.

You also need to be ahead of the market’s current needs. Only in that way will you also be able to offer the client more than what’s expected of you. We collaborate with research centres and universities, have partnership relations with several companies that develop testing tools, and introduce new technologies to our work, all with the aim of having a good range of possibilities and options that we can offer clients.

What are your plans and goals when it comes to the further development of the parent company and the Serbian branch?

We took a break from our growth and expansion to new locations during the previous year, but we are slowly starting to hire new employees at all locations, including those in Serbia. New projects are being launched, new clients are coming and the market is slowly returning to normal, so we expect the third and fourth quarters to have the most investment. Plans also include expanding to new markets, such as those of the UK, the U.S. and the Benelux countries.

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SWISS 2021

BUSINESS

OLIVER STREIT, HEAD OF THE FROM EDUCATION TO EMPLOYMENT PROJECT, NIRAS - IP CONSULT GMBH

SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE IN FINDING DECENT JOBS From Education to Employment (E2E) is a partnership project between the Government of Serbia and the Swiss Government that’s building alliances between the public, civil and private sectors involved in youth employment Work-Based Learning (WBL) of labour market skills required by companies, which will help young people secure a decent job faster. Through NIRAS - IP, the project creates opportunities for

It is a real pleasure for Switzerland to be part of this successful project, which includes vulnerable youngsters who face more difficulties when entering the labour market

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young jobseekers from selected regions of Central and South Serbia. In order to better match private sector needs with the labour supply, it cooperates with six local partners from Novi Pazar, Knjaževac, Pirot, Kruševac, and Kragujevac who facilitate the training programmes and offer career guidance and matching services for both young people and companies.

What concrete measures included in the project with the Government of the Republic of Serbia would make it easier for young people to gain employment?

At the national level, E2E supports the evidence-based development of youth employment policies, while at the local level it facilitates practical employment and learning opportunities for young people in Serbia. The E2E project provides

What stands behind the E2E workplace training/learning model?

Through E2E, Switzerland promotes modern training in companies, career counselling and other labour market measures that provide young people just embarking on their careers with better chances to gain employment.

WBL training is an ideal opportunity for youngsters, through a combination of theoretical and practical training, to acquire precisely the experience, skills and knowledge that employers are seeking, and hence find a job faster, resulting in economic independence.

ntil June this year, more than 1,500 young people were given an opportunity to train for occupations that are in short supply, with 70% of them immediately finding a job for which they’ve been trained and many of them gaining their first work experience through the project, says Project Head Oliver Streit.

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WBL is a real-life work experience (traineeship) for youngsters in companies, implemented with the support of in-company trained mentors.

The Government of Switzerland supported the E2E programme with 14.7 million euros. What does it mean for young people?

We contribute to the improvement of both national and local policies and legislation in the field of youth employment by giving concrete proposals through the testing and implementing of many innovative methods, such as the WBL approach and Career Guidance Counselling (CGC) instruments. Through such support, embedding these elements into local youth employment policies has been ensured and the capacities of professional counsellors strengthened.

Through E2E, the Swiss experience of top-modern CGC instruments has been successfully adapted to the Serbian context, and Serbia now has the 1st web-based competence assessment and a matching tool in the Balkans, which is raising the employability of young people. Over 16,000 youngsters have so far received advice on how to continue their professional careers.

It is a real pleasure for Switzerland to be part of this successful project, which includes vulnerable youngsters who face more difficulties when entering the labour market. Thanks to our E2E partners throughout Serbia, who have built up trust between actors at the local levels, youngsters can now make informed career decisions and ultimately find decent jobs easier.

SWISS 2021

ANA MANIĆ, SALES AND MARKETING AT SAUTER BUILDING CONTROL SERBIA

BUSINESS

LEADERS IN BUILDING AUTOMATION Your direct partner for the last 30 years.

Sauter Building Control Serbia comprises a team of Swiss-trained specialist engineers who provide maintenance services according to Sauter standards. One of their priorities is ensuring the satisfying of the client, who should be provided with ideal ideal comfort conditions at all times

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he operations of Sauter Building Control Serbia have faced many challenges over the past three decades. Job would be boring without challenges, and the job needs to be fun at least in part in order for one to be able to do it successfully in the long term, says Sauter Building Control Serbia Sales and Marketing Ana Manić.

Sauter has been continuously present in Serbia for 30 years. What were the biggest challenges you faced ,from the time the company was founded in Belgrade back in 1991 until today?

Our parent company, Fr. SAUTER AG from Basel, established its first office in Belgrade, which was then the capital of the much larger country of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, with the intention of it being the centre for the entire region. Belgrade was chosen because of the numerous referential buildings implemented since the early 1950s and representing the result of excellent cooperation with our renowned project design and construction companies of that time. I just would like to mention the Military Medical Academy was realised in 1980 and the Sava Centre a couple of years later, while the Hotel Yugoslavia building emerged two decades prior to that.

Your company has always been in step with innovative technology and the latest developments in the field of smart buildings. How important is the modernisation of such systems

Sauter technology implemented fifteen or more years ago. Apart from that, one should also take care when it comes to spare parts that cannot be sourced after a long period.

We have a chance to annually modernise three or more projects that that used Sauter technology of previous generations.

I can state that our market recognises the importance of modernising systems.

We have a chance to annually modernise three or more projects that used Sauter technology of previous generations and what are the benefits for users?

All our projects have an implemented Sauter technological solution that was high-tech at the time of implementation.

Some projects were realised more than 20 or 30 years ago, so it is certainly important to consider their modernisation.

Although our systems operate impeccably, we always recommend modernisation. After so many years, a situation can occur in which the latest technology in some other segment that the user wants to apply to the building is not aligned with

How important is the maintenance of systems that you have only recently installed and put into operation?

Everything must be maintained, including our systems. We are proud of the fact that our users often tell us that there is no need to maintain their Sauter system, as it has been working flawlessly for years. We take this as a compliment, but it is also trap for the system user.

Maintenance is an important investment, and investment maintenance must be planned in order to extend the life of the equipment and thereby save money later.

All analyses show that regular maintenance leads to a significant increase in the service life of equipment, reducing possible problems in the functioning of a building to a minimum and achieving significant additional energy savings. All this justifies investments in maintenance, even without mentioning the fact that it ensures satisfied users who have ideal conditions at all times and the kind of comfort that such facilities deserve. This latter element has always been the most important for us during these 30 years that we’ve had a direct presence on the Serbian market.

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SWISS 2021

SANJA PEŠIĆ, ALMA QUATTRO CEO

BUSINESS

COMMITMENT RESULTS IN SUCCESS At Alma Quattro, a company that has spent almost three decades operating successfully in Serbia, they hope that they’ve taken a cutting of longevity from the Swiss founder. They have combined their way of working, financial and work discipline, with the Serbian spirit of entrepreneurship and ability to overcome challenges, which is a recipe for success

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think that our good interpersonal relations and employee loyalty are what set us apart from other companies. We are recognised more for that than for the certificates given to us by credit rating agencies and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce & Industry, says the CEO of one of Serbia’s most successful companies.

Decades pass and everything changes, but not your position at the top of the list of the best companies for outdoor advertising. How do you endure and become ever more successful?

In the spirit of the National Day of Switzerland, which was established back in 1891, I would like to point out that Alma Quattro was founded in 1994, and since then it has officially celebrated this important date for Switzerland as a holiday. There is some symbolism in that, because our parent company, APG SGA, has existed for more than 100 years, and we are currently in the third decade of our successful work. Our success is the result of long-term planning and a daily commitment to micro work activities, but also to work on improving relationships with clients and agencies, and all this, at an overall level, results exactly in this position that we have today. Like every overnight success that has now been continuing for 27 years already.

What reflects the specificity of your integrated marketing approach?

Regardless of the level of the budget, it is important to clients that they are able

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habit of consumers spending more time outdoors is a consequence of a dynamic lifestyle in urban areas.

Many major world brands are also our clients, and our portfolio enables them to present their creative solutions throughout Serbia to realise everything that out-of-home (OOH) can offer in one place - from classic billboards to digital media of small and large formats. The breadth of our portfolio guarantees that we can tailor high-quality campaigns for every client.

Over the last three years, OOH has recorded growth compared to the previous period, and that growth has exceeded that of other market segments, which testifies to the fact that confidence in the efficacy of our media is also growing and that the

Does the fact that Alma Quattro is part of a large international family ensure that the latest technological solutions are more accessible to you?

Being part of a large international family makes us very proud, while at the same time it encourages and stimulates us to operate at the level of quality of such an innovative system as JCDecaux and APG SGA. The latest technological and creative solutions that you can see on the streets of Belgrade and other Serbian cities are on a par with those visible on the streets of London, Paris or New York. Many major world brands are also our clients, and our portfolio enables them to present their creative solutions nationwide throughout Serbia. The different technical solutions, dimensions and great coverage of our network of advertising media provide broad opportunities to creative agencies, media buying agencies and clients who implement their advertising campaigns independently.

When it comes to our team, in most cases we’ve been working together for over 25 years. That says plenty about the values and culture that we nurture, and about the attitude of employees towards work and the company, as well as the company’s attitude towards the people who work for it. I believe companies that succeed in striking a balance between profit and good interpersonal relationships and loyalty can consider themselves as being successful.

SWISS 2021

MILENA GAJOVIĆ SHRESTHA, GENERAL MANAGER, SR TECHNICS SERVICES

BUSINESS

EVOLUTION DRIVEN

BY INNOVATION With a tradition and experience dating back more than 80 years, SR Technics is a company that’s become synonymous with Swiss quality, commitment, safety, precision, reliability and ethics. From its headquarters in Zurich, SR Technics gathers around 2,000 employees at locations around the world

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peaking in this interview, SR Technics Services General Manager Milena Gajović Shrestha reveals how the company is traversing these extremely challenging times for the civil aviation industry and the kind of growth that its Belgrade support centre has been experiencing over the last six years.

What can you tell us about your company?

SR Technics is one of the largest independent providers of MRO [maintenance, repair and overhaul] services, with a primary focus on servicing CFM-56 and P&W4000 engines, as well as line & base maintenance. We service most Airbus and Boeing aircraft types. The ’Swiss factor’ certainly enhances the value of our global brand, and that’s why we’re focused on continuously setting benchmark values of the industry and achieving the highest performance, while following all safety standards for our employees and the natural environment.

Innovations are the key to evolution in this industry. Our new component services brand STRADE, launched in 2021,exists as an independent unit within the scope of the Group and provides customers around the world with sales, leasing, lending and replacement services on all major aircraft platforms.

With the aim of expanding our portfolio of aircraft engines, we are working to secure the provision of LEAP-1B MRO services by Q1 2022.

SR Technics Services quickly grew beyond its own capabilities in pro-

continuously provide technical, leadership and Lean CI training courses, as part of the plan for the professional development of our employees. The bar is set high for us, but our aim is to always achieve the highest possible performance, and remain a reliable partner to SR Technics’ entire organisation.

With the aim of expanding our portfolio of aircraft engines, we are working to secure the provision of LEAP-1B MRO services by Q1 2022 viding support to global operations.

Are you still exceeding your aims?

With slightly over 250 permanent employees who provide mostly administrative support, but also operational support, to our global operations, we are working to continuously improve our processes. We have introduced the Robotic Process Automation, which enables the reducing of costs and errors, accuracy of the process, increased retention and satisfaction of customers, an improved focus on value-added activities etc. We

The pandemic has had major consequences for civil aviation. How is SR Technics handling the crisis?

We are now focused on servicing aircraft engines and line & base maintenance in Switzerland. Our global customer base comprises passenger and cargo airlines, leasing companies and VIP operators. SR Technics remains focused on delivering high-quality, integrated MRO solutions for civil aircraft, components and engines, as well as on building long-term partnerships with a diverse base of global clients. When the pandemic started, we introduced essential financial, strategic and personnel measures in a responsible and consistent way, and thus managed to ensure our sufficient liquidity and maintain a highly qualified professional workforce that is crucial to our operations, especially now that we see indicators of stable growth in terms of demand.

The crisis sparked initiatives related to digitalisation in our company, as well as the improving of processes and cooperation in the fight against everything superfluous and complex. This crisis provides us with an opportunity to evolve and work according to the principle of cross-functional teams, with lean methodology, within the scope of our MRO company.

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SWISS 2021

ANA GRUJOVIĆ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SWISS-SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

INTERVIEW

CONNECTIVITY WITHIN THE ICT SECTOR IS OUR PRIORITY By recognising the importance of digitalisation even before the outbreak of the pandemic, the Swiss-Serbian Chamber was prepared to face the new circumstances and organised a series of activities of interest to the membership, including networking with colleagues from the region and dialogue with the Government of Serbia and other actors. In the period ahead, special emphasis will be placed on the further development of Swiss-Serbian cooperation in the economic sector.

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witzerland and Serbia are this year commemorating the 30th anniversary of the establishing of development cooperation between the two countries. The 2014 establishment of the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce primarily provided a significant contribution to strengthening business cooperation between companies from the two countries. In addition to this, the SSCC plays an active role in promoting Serbia’s domestic market as an attractive destination for potential Swiss investors. As the latest example of successful work in the area of networking, SSCC Executive Director Ana Grujović notes the arrival in Serbia of Swiss company Regent Lighting, which has launched the construction of a factory for the production of lighting elements in Svilajnac.

Our interlocutor emphasises in particular that the work of the SSCC – through the implementation of various activities, from gathering members together, to staging conferences that enable public-private dialogue – has enabled the creation of a dynamic and firmly connected Swiss-Serbian business community.

“And finally, we strive, in cooperation with member companies, to promote the concept of “Swissness” and the implementing of basic Swiss values, such as quality, reliability, integrity, transparency and others, in the daily

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business activities of companies,” says Grujović.

You have contributed to the advancing of digitalisation through bilateral cooperation and through your own work.

What would you single out as future goals where the Chamber can provide a significant contribution in these areas?

The ICT sector is acknowledged as being one of the leading sectors for the further improvement of SwissSerbian economic cooperation. The great potential of business activities in this area is confirmed by the fact that the SSCC membership includes a large number of companies from this sector. Our basic goal during the current year is to form an ICT Working Group, in order to enable exchanges of experience between member companies, but also to enable them to have a dialogue with the state and other relevant stakeholders.

Then, in November, we are planning to stage the second webinar covering the topic of Serbia’s ICT sector, which will be organised in cooperation with Switzerland Global Enterprise, our institutional partner from Zurich. During the course of this event, the benefits offered by the Serbian ICT sector will be presented to Swiss companies. Finally, I would like to mention last year’s conference “Digital Transformation of Health Ecosystems”, which was held at the initiative of SSCC member company Roche.

guest appearances of experts from Switzerland, such as representatives of Economiesuisse and Swissmem, on the topic of the impact of COVID-19 on the Swiss economy. Organising this type of event in the form of an “offline” conference would certainly be more demanding in an operational sense, because it would require greater

Our basic goal during the current year is to form an ICT Working Group, in order to enable exchanges of experience between member companies, but also to enable them to have a dialogue with the state and other relevant stakeholders logistical effort.

The way the SSCC works moving forward will depend on the course of the pandemic. We certainly also plan to organise in-person gatherings among members, with respect

for all healthcare rules, as well as online events.

One of the main challenges that we’ve faced during the pandemic is compensating for the loss of connections that are built through direct contact. Did that impact negatively on your cooperation with the Government of Serbia, domestic institutions and other bilateral chambers, and, if so, to what extent?

The opportunity to meet with business partners, and even friends, is indeed one of the basic challenges imposed on us by the pandemic. I have the impression that it is due precisely to this kind of unexpected situation, which none of us has previously encountered, that all SSCC business and institutional partners have exerted additional efforts aimed at maintaining and strengthening cooperation. For example, an online working meeting was held in May 2021 with representatives of the Serbian Ministry of Finance and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce &

What have your most important activities been when it comes to supporting members?

The SSCC recognised the importance of digitalisation to the further development of Swiss-Serbian economic relations even before the outbreak of the pandemic, and accordingly organised a series of events on that topic. We have endeavoured, since the beginning of the pandemic, to utilise the benefits of doing business online, which was imposed on us by the pandemic. Among other things, webinars were held with 25

SWISS 2021

INTERVIEW

about the topics of these future events?

One of the goals of our work, defined prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, was to establish cooperation with the Swiss bilateral chambers of the region. I can state with satisfaction that this goal has been achieved and that, for a start, we’ve established extremely important cooperation with our colleagues from Swiss chambers in Bulgaria, Romania and North Macedonia. We also had honour of our online event “Operations of Swiss companies in Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania and North Macedonia”, held in April 2021, being attended by four Swiss ambassadors from the region, including Swiss Ambassador to Serbia H.E. Urs Schmid.

When it comes to the topics of future events, they will certainly include digitalisation and the application of innovative business solutions.

Industry, entitled “Macroeconomic developments in the Republic of Serbia in the context of COVID-19”.

This event was co-organised together with other bilateral chambers: the Hellenic Business Association in Serbia, the Slovenian Business Club, the Croatian Business Club and the Belgian Serbian Business Association.

The publication “Member 2 Member” was also prepared in cooperation with the aforementioned bilateral chambers and contains special offers of products and services that are available to the member companies of these associations. This publication was created with the aim of offering support to companies in the precise area of compensating for the loss of 26

We’ve established extremely important cooperation with our colleagues from Swiss chambers in Bulgaria, Romania and North Macedonia links that are built through direct contact with potential business partners, and ensuring their additional visibility.

You recently held the first regional event entitled “Operations of Swiss companies in Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania and North Macedonia”, as well as announcing that similar events will be held in the future. What can you tell us

You recently organised the first in-person gathering of members since the pandemic began.

From today’s perspective, in your opinion, what is the best formula for combining offline and online resources?

Every type of event has its own pros and cons, and it is necessary to find the right formula that will maximise the usefulness of both physical gatherings and online working meetings.

Our first physical gathering since the outbreak of the pandemic was held in the form of the SSCC Business Networking working lunch, which was held in Vrdnik. Our guest of honour on this occasion was H.E. Ambassador Schmid.

In addition to this, staging webinars that include guest appearances of top experts reduces the costs of logistics and the time required to organise events, and this type of gathering has its convenience.

For September this year, the SSCC is planning to implement both online and offline events, in cooperation with member firms and institutional partners, both in our country and in Switzerland.

Nestlé is a company that grows constantly thanks to its portfolio. In terms of facts and figures, this means that it occupies the number one spot in the categories of instant coffee, with a 66.2% market share, food products, with a 32.8% share, and cereals, with 20.8%

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ur global aim is to use electricity solely from renewable sources, while our strategic ambition is to halve emissions of greenhouse gases by 2030 and eliminate them completely by 2050, announces Marjana Davidović, Country Manager Nestlé Adriatic South Hub (Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia) in this CorD interview.

You took the helm of the company in November 2020 and achieved excellent results in the first quarter of this year, while you are also preparing to achieve record growth. How would you explain all of that?

The credit for the good results of this year primarily belongs to the dedicated team that worked on the preparing of plans throughout the whole of last year. The next important item is the Nestlé product range, which reflects the changes among consumes that occurred during the pandemic, and we immediately adapted our business strategy to the newly emerging situation. We have updated numerous and launched completely new products such as Starbucks coffee in capsules, for instance. Likewise, new sales channels have also additionally contributed to us growing even more.

The epidemic was a challenge to operations during this period, but owing to timely reactions at several levels – in the supply chain, distribution, and through coordination with our partners – that we managed to ensure continuous production and the delivery of our products to shelves even during the most difficult moments.

The pandemic compelled us to adapt ourselves. Is adaptation actually the word that marked the period that’s behind us?

BUSINESS

CONSUMERS TRUST NESTLÉ'S PORTFOLIO

SWISS 2021

MARJANA DAVIDOVIĆ, COUNTRY MANAGER NESTLÉ ADRIATIC SOUTH HUB (SERBIA, MONTENEGRO, NORTH MACEDONIA)

operations, while being simultaneously adapted to the position and the breadth of knowledge brought by that position. This is just one example of increasing efficiency, particularly under new circumstances when changes occur on an almost daily basis.

Our colleagues very quickly grasped the seriousness of the situation and reacted swiftly, and - most importantly - showed solidarity, which forms an essential part of our corporate culture.

An important pillar of our environmental objectives is represented by the transformation of packaging aimed at eliminating plastics Adaptation is actually the key word – not only in extraordinary situations, rather it will also be key in the period ahead. Business operations have changed under the new circumstances, but we succeeded in adapting quickly and overcoming the challenges. We have kept pace, and continue to do so, when it comes to market trends like the digitalisation of operations and modified communication with consumers. For example, we organised a digital eBusiness academy for our employees – which provided excellent training on the basics of digital

Environmental protection is something else that is currently in the focus of all of us, including your company. Could you tell us more about your environmental objectives?

The Nestlé factory in Surčin is the first plant in Serbia to have stopped depositing waste at landfill sites, or, more precisely, it was the first to achieve the goal of “Zero Waste to Landfill”, which means that not a gram of waste from the factory ends up in landfills.

We also possess a cutting-edge wastewater treatment facility, which purifies and returns as much as 65,000 litres of clean water per day to the Serbian nature. Our global aim is to use electricity solely from renewable sources, while we’ve already achieved that in Serbia through a contract signed with EPS on the purchase of 100% green energy from hydroelectric power plants.

An important pillar of our environmental objectives is represented by the transformation of packaging aimed at eliminating plastics. Smarties represent Nestlé’s first confectionery brand to introduce paper packaging, thanks to which 250 million plastic packages a year will be removed from circulation, and by 2025 the entire Nestlé portfolio will have 100% recyclable packaging. At the local level, we are already 86% of the way to achieving that goal.

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SWISS 2021

SARA NOVOSEL, MANAGING DIRECTOR, BLUE OCEAN LAB

BUSINESS

ONE MORE STEP TOWARDS THE TOP BAD SISTEMS is a company that fosters a culture of developing digital products and brings an analytical overview of data that you didn’t even know existed. In accordance with the growth trend dominating the IT sector, and in support of its aspirations to reach the top, BAD SISTEMS has launched its own subsidiary company: Blue Ocean Lab

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n order to present the Blue Ocean strategy to us, its managing director, Sara Novosel, compares it to the ocean itself, as a vast territory of opportunities that are gained by opening a new market devoid of competition, because its service hasn’t been created relative to other business models.

BAD SISTEMS is a company that the public already knows as an inexhaustible source of ideas and digital products. And this time you are once again bringing innovations.

Could you familiarise us with what this is all about?

Technological growth and development are certainly important parts of our business, but I would emphasise that people, who contribute to the development of the business with their skills and qualities, are also a precondition for success. I would like to hereby announce yet another step of BAD SISTEMS towards the top, and that is the launch of subsidiary company Blue Ocean Lab. Considering that the growth and success of employees is one of the main postulates of BAD SISTEMS, on this occasion I had the honour of being promoted to the position of managing director of Blue Ocean Lab. What will Blue Ocean Lab work on specifically; what lies behind such a name?

The Blue Ocean Lab name of the company stemmed from a business strategy that’s called Blue Ocean around the world. This strategy seeks to launch new markets

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The Blue Ocean business model is directed towards setting its own criteria and rules of the game on the market in order to create new demand. Competition doesn’t have much significance in this domain, because this business model implies that we create the need for a service by creating that service.

The basic objective of Blue Ocean Lab as a company will be to develop data analysis services and raise awareness of the importance of data collection, in an era of high technological advancement, for digital products that use machine learning as part of artificial intelligence.

We already use machine learning as a data analysis method at BAD SISTEMS and will also apply the same method at Blue Ocean Lab. Artificial intelligence based on the machine learning method represents the ability of a system to

learn and improve the user experience through the identifying of patterns of user behaviour and decision making, with minimum human intervention. The Blue Ocean business model is directed towards setting its own criteria and rules of the game on the market.

In order for us to familiarise you with what’s going on that’s contrary to the Blue Ocean strategy, we need to clarify the term Red Ocean. Red Ocean represents a business model that’s entering into a market battle with a large number of competing firms. Companies are on a market with predefined rules of the game that must be respected, and the same product created by different producers doesn’t differ in the slightest, nor can it be distinguished from others.

What plans await Blue Ocean Lab and you personally?

The launch of the Blue Ocean Lab adventure is linked to the date of 2nd August 2021. It will represent one of the foundations of BAD SISTEMS’ boutique of digital products, most of which will rely on data sourced precisely from the Blue Ocean Lab service. Blue Ocean Lab strives to open new markets and offer high-quality and comprehensive analysis of data that you didn’t even know existed, with the aim of implementing digitalisation more efficiently and quickly in Serbia and beyond.

It is a great pleasure for me, as managing director of Blue Ocean Lab, to have the opportunity to continue contributing to the development of the BAD SISTEMS ecosystem, and I look forward to new successes and challenges.

SWISS 2021

ALEKSANDAR MILOŠEVIĆ, 3AP CEO

BUSINESS

CLOSE TO BOTH CLIENTS AND TALENTS It was when company 3ap discovered potential in Serbia beyond the confines of the country’s known “IT Hubs” that it came up with its “Micro Offices” concept. This resulted in 3ap opening its first micro-office in Kruševac – as kind of a first mover in the area

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in a Box® approach, which methodically drives a vision of a solution to a scalable version – and the importance of company culture are right. It underlined what we believe.

s 3ap CEO Aleksandar Milošević explains for this CorD Magazine special, supporting people who want to be closer to their homes correlates with the company’s approach of being close to both talents and clients.

And by working in such a way, these people can help their “homes”.

What is at the foundation of your ideology of IT decentralisation in Serbia?

Our thinking about “decentralisation” generally started five years ago, when we made the strategic decision to be close to both clients and talents. If there is a concept in place COVID-19 has proven, even to the greatest doubters, that results can also be achieved by working remotely, and our “Start-up in a Box®” addresses exactly this. Talented people can be located anywhere, as our results are mostly digital.

They only need to be well-educated and close to the “digital” world. Education will happen from anywhere in the future, and again COVID-19 has shown options in this regard.

Why do you think decentralisation is important for this region?

From an employee perspective, why would you want to spend time on public transport if you can reach your work space within minutes? In the case of families, how can you make sure you spend more time with your kids and be successful in your profession? It is important that you have flexibility, and you decide whether you use it or not. During the past, especially in the Balkans, people had to move to other cities, away from “home”, due to differ-

How do you plan to execute your decentralisation strategy and do you already have some locations in mind?

We want to support people who want to move “back home” or who want more flexibility in their work. We just need to make sure that the internet connection is top notch. Our first office beyond Belgrade is in Kruševac, and we would like to grow there for sure. For the approach to select a location, we rely on just two to three people who are in that city. That’s it. Our People and Culture team takes care of the rest and as a company we have our “Platform in a Box” to provide amazing experiences

Our first office beyond Belgrade is in Kruševac, and our plan is to grow further across Serbia for sure ent reasons, such as education, conflicts, factories etc. The IT industry can support people, especially in the Balkans, who want to be closer to their home, and this correlates with our approach of being close to talents and clients.

How much of an impact did the pandemic situation have on your decision?

COVID-19 has just proven that our concepts – like “Micro Offices”, or our Start-up

Do you see something as a challenge for this mission?

Infrastructure is a key to success. Thankfully, Serbia is investing in this area. We saw during this pandemic, when everybody was at home, that actively engaging our teams is also key, and by doing so we lifted the happiness of our colleagues, which was already at a high level, even higher. So, we ended up having part of the team in the same office, while the remaining colleagues of the same team were at home, in a kind of a hybrid model.

With all that we saw, we used our own methods to explore this challenge and will soon release our first app that will drive the cohesiveness of teams distributed around the world. Stay tuned.

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SWISS 2021

SSCC ACTIVITIES JUNE 2021

SSCC BUSINESS NETWORKING LUNCH

SSCC’s first in-person gathering since the outbreak of the pandemic took place on 9th June 2021 at the Vrdnička Kula Ethno Village. The SSCC guest of honour on this occasion was H.E. Urs Schmid, Swiss Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia and to Montenegro. This event provided an opportunity for SSCC members to share experiences and explore potential business cooperation in an informal and pleasant atmosphere near Belgrade.

APRIL 2021

SWISS BUSINESS IN BULGARIA, ROMANIA, SERBIA AND NORTH MACEDONIA

MAY 2021

DIALOGUE WITH THE SERBIAN MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND THE SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SCCI)

An online working meeting was held on Tuesday, 25th May 2021, between member companies of five bilateral business associations in Serbia: the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (SSCC), the Hellenic Business Association, the Croatian Business Club (CBC), the Slovenian Business Club (SBC) and the Belgian-Serbian Business Association, with representatives of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Serbia and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI). Participants of this working meeting, entitled Macroeconomic Trends in the Economy of the Republic of Serbia in the Context of COVID-19, were addressed by Ognjen Popović, Acting Assistant Minister of Finance in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, and Mihailo Vesović, Director of the Division for Strategic Analysis, Services and Internationalisation of the SCCI, who presented current and expected trends in the domestic economy.

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This occasion provided us with the pleasant opportunity to welcome four Swiss Ambassadors from the region: • H.E. Urs Schmid, Swiss Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia and to Montenegro • H.E. Muriel Berset Kohen, Swiss Ambassador to Bulgaria • H.E. Arthur Mattli, Swiss Ambassador ao Romania • H.E. Sybille Suter Tejada, Swiss Ambassador to North Macedonia Thomas Foerst, Head of the Global Network of the Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE), also presented the Swiss perspective of the region, as well as the results of cooperation established with the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and other participating chambers from the region.

In his speech, SSCC President Majo Mićović welcomed this initiative by emphasising that this event marked the beginning of regional cooperation and that more similar events would take place in the future.

MARCH 2021

FEBRUARY 2021

The Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and the Joksović, Stojanović |+|AMP|+| Partneri Law Office (JSP) organised a webinar on the new Law on Digital Property, which regulates the use of virtual currencies and digital tokens in the Republic of Serbia for the first time. The 4th March 2021 webinar was jointly organised together with the Italian-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the Slovenian Business Club and the GermanSerbian Chamber of Commerce.

SSCC member company Sky Express, a regional leader in digital data protection, has been organising numerous webinars covering the field of IT security throughout the year. In February, SSCC members learned more about the identification and elimination of threats and the protection of existing company infrastructure. These webinars are offered free-of-charge to SSCC members.

WEBINAR: NEW LAW ON DIGITAL PROPERTY

CYBER SECURITY WEBINARS

DECEMBER 2020

ONLINE CONFERENCE “DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE HEALTHCARE ECOSYSTEM”

This online conference was organised by the Swiss Serbian Chamber of Commerce, together with Roche Serbia, an SSCC founding member, and opened by H.E. Urs Schmid, Ambassador of Switzerland to the Republic of Serbia and to Montenegro.

Ambassador Schmid underlined the fact that, thanks to strong economic relations, Switzerland and Serbia can have quality cooperation in the area of digitalisation, while he also noted that Switzerland already supports initiatives aimed at promoting the digital economy in Serbia and cooperation with the section of the Swiss business community that invests in ICT, believing that it is possible to additionally promote trade in digital services and hardware, as well as mutual exchanges of knowhow and talents between the countries.

Also speaking at this conference, Dejan Kovačević, Digital Health Advisor in the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, said that the Serbian Government has identified the need to cooperate with the private sector in setting strategic goals and progressing towards such goals, including the higher quality of healthcare, the improved efficiency of the healthcare system and opening the door to research and innovations in healthcare through the use of modern IT solutions and tools.

Other panel participants included SSCC President Majo Mićović, Roche Serbia and Montenegro CEO and SSCC Vice-President Ana Govedarica, Digital Serbia CEO Nebojša Đurđević and Dr Nick Guldemond, senior researcher at the Leiden University Medical Centre (Netherlands).

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SWISS 2021

OCTOBER 2020

WEBINAR - OPPORTUNITIES AND LEGAL CHALLENGES FOR GROWING E-COMMERCE IN SERBIA

OCTOBER 2020

DUAL EDUCATION

The online conference “Dual Education – Challenges and Opportunities during and after COVID-19” was organised as part of Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation project “Support in the Development and Establishment of the National Model of Dual Education”, in cooperation with the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development and the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce.

The event was opened by Professor Gabrijela Grujić Ph.D., Assistant Minister for Dual Education at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Derek George, Deputy Head of Cooperation at the Swiss Embassy in Belgrade, and SSCC President Majo Mićović.

SEPTEMBER 2020

WEBINAR ‘’THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE SWISS ECONOMY’’

On 9th September, 2020, the SSCC organised a webinar entitled “The impact of COVID-19 on the Swiss Economy”, in cooperation with Switzerland Global Enterprise, the Bulgarian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce and the Romanian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce. The expert guests included, among others, representatives of Economiesuisse and Swissmem.

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SWISS 2021

DIGITAL HEALTH START-UP STORY Switzerland has an increasing number of start-ups in the field of digital health. They focus primarily on technology-orientated offerings and on doctors, hospitals, insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies as customers. This is the conclusion of a new study by ZHAW and Health-Trends illustrates how important high-tech skills are for innovations in the digital health environment. Many start-ups use forward-looking technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing and the internet of things.

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witzerland has a dynamic, rapidly developing startup landscape in the digital health sector. Of the current total of around 180 to 200 start-up companies, the majority are active in the “data health” and “tech health” segments: they offer, for example, digital solutions for the evaluation of health data or digitally controllable medical technology products. More than half of the start-ups included in the survey are located in the Zurich area and employ a maximum of five people. These are the findings of a survey conducted by the ZHAW School of Management and Law and Health-Trends, a Swiss think tank for digital health. The survey is based on an online survey of 42 Swiss start-ups that was conducted between July and December 2019.

The high proportion of start-ups in “tech health” and “data health” also illustrates how important high-tech skills are for innovations in the digital health environment FURTHER GROWTH EXPECTED “We assume that the digital health sector and the associated start-up scene will develop rapidly in the coming years. The COVID-19 Pandemic is likely to accelerate this trend even more,” says Alfred Angerer, head of the Department of Management in Healthcare at the Winterthur Institute of Health Economics at the ZHAW School of Management and Law. “The high proportion of start-ups in “tech health” and “data health” also

WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES Around three-quarters of the startups offer digital products and services in core medical areas, such as prevention, symptom recording, information search, diagnosis and therapy. These can be digital symptom testers or online information platforms, for example, for searching for doctors and therapists. In terms of content, the solutions are often aimed at chronic illnesses like diabetes or cancer, or at psychological complaints.

As the survey further shows, 80 per cent of the start-ups are active in the B2B sector and focus on hospitals, doctors, health insurance companies or pharmaceutical companies as customers. “This is mainly due to the fact that the willingness of private customers to pay for digital health offers in Switzerland has been rather low to date,” explains Matthias Mettler, coinitiator of Health-Trends and expert on the digital health and innovation scene in Switzerland.

Around half of the start-ups already have a well-developed product or service offering. Another quarter has at least one offer in the form of prototypes, whose market demand is currently being validated by the companies concerned. Almost 85 per cent of the start-ups have entered into cooperation agreements with academic partners to develop their offerings.

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SWISS 2021

FEATURE

BY GEORG E. RIEKELES / PROJECT SYNDICATE

SWITZERLAND’S BREXIT MOMENT Many in Switzerland have failed to recognise that their exorbitant privileges vis-à-vis the European Union could not continue. The Swiss government’s recent withdrawal from talks on an EU framework agreement could reduce the country’s single-market access and prompt a fundamental rethink of its relationship with the bloc

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he Swiss government’s recent withdrawal from negotiations on a framework agreement with the European Union has triggered a deep crisis in bilateral relations. For the EU, the fallout is manageable: economic relations will erode, but the Union will carry on. For Switzerland, the consequences could be more dramatic. With Switzerland’s future access to the EU’s single market in jeopardy, its walkout

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might now require a Swiss rethink of its relationship with the bloc almost as fundamental as the United Kingdom’s after the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Switzerland is not an EU member state, but in many respects it comes close. Through some 120 bilateral agreements, Switzerland is a member of the border-free Schengen Area, is closely integrated with the EU in areas such as transport, research, and the Erasmus

student-exchange programme, and enjoys full access to the single market in sectors from finance to pharmaceuticals.

All told, Switzerland probably benefits more from the single market than any other European country, and pays little in return. A 2019 Bertelsmann Stiftung study found that the single market boosts Swiss annual per capita income by €2,900 ($3,515) per year – well above the EU average of €1,000

– whereas Switzerland’s corresponding financial contribution (when it is paid) in effect cost the Swiss less than €14 per capita per year.

Switzerland’s free lunch is not only economic. The main problem with the “bilateral way,” cherished by the Swiss since they voted “no” to the European Economic Area (EEA) in a 1992 referendum, is the lack of continuous updating of single-market law in Switzerland.

Swiss public opinion has long held that “foreign judges” should have no role in interpreting the country’s laws. Yet, this clashes with the single market’s requirement of uniform application of supranational rules.

The Institutional Framework Agreement (IFA) that the EU and Switzerland reached in 2018, after five years of negotiations, was a belated attempt to put bilateral relations on a sustainable footing and pave the way for further Swiss access to the EU market. To secure it, the EU again made significant concessions in the face of Swiss sovereignty concerns.

Rather than requiring automatic incorporation of single-market law, the EU allowed for three years of internal Swiss procedures to adopt it (including possible referendums). And instead of insisting on sole jurisdiction for the Court of Justice of the European Union, the EU agreed to an arbitration-based dispute-settlement mechanism that would seek the CJEU’s intervention only for interpreting concepts of EU law.

Significantly, the EU also conceded that the IFA would cover only five market-access agreements, from transport to the free movement of persons.

The 1972 bilateral free trade agreement remained off-limits, with the two sides issuing only a statement of political commitment to its future modernisation.

But despite these concessions – which would place at risk the single market’s level playing field – the Swiss government never signed the IFA, or even defended it. On the contrary, the Swiss strategy was always to come back for more – until they walked away.

The talks had been made difficult because of disagreements over state-aid

rules. Under the IFA, the EU offered a two-pillar arrangement whereby the EU rules would apply in Switzerland but would be implemented through an autonomous Swiss surveillance mechanism with powers equivalent to the European Commission’s. But when the EU negotiated its post-Brexit relationship with the UK, some in Switzerland thought that the UK received a “better” state aid deal.

This “Brexit envy” is entirely unjustified. Whereas Brexit involved the UK’s complete departure from the single market, the entire purpose of the IFA was for Switzerland to remain within it.

This “Brexit envy” is entirely unjustified. Whereas Brexit involved the UK’s complete departure from the single market, the entire purpose of the IFA was for Switzerland to remain within it The even bigger thorn in the EU’s side has been Switzerland’s remonstrations against EU citizens’ freedomof-movement rights to Swiss social security benefits, and its concerns about downward pressure on domestic wage levels. Here too, the Swiss have a weak case.

Following the Swiss 2014 referendum “against mass immigration,” the EU conceded that Swiss law could require Swiss employers to give priority to domestic job seekers. The IFA grants exceptions – provided these are non-discriminatory and proportionate – to protect Swiss wage levels. And the CJEU has recognised that freedom of movement is not absolute and that economically inactive EU citizens may be excluded from other member states’ social benefits.

The EU could not concede more.

Precisely because these tricky issues are not unique to Switzerland, the EU cannot give the Swiss a free pass. Treating all countries alike matters not only for the integrity of the single market, but also for the EU’s political viability.

If the EU were to give non-members

privileges that even members don’t have, more might head for the exit.

The EU and Switzerland must find solutions within a common framework of rules, not outside them.

Many in Switzerland fail to recognise their exorbitant privileges vis-à-vis the EU, and that this cherry-picking cannot continue after Brexit. All in all, the Swiss government has shown little interest in a fair single-market settlement with the EU, and, having broken off talks, now faces some immediate economic consequences.

For starters, future single-market access in electricity and health is off the table. And on 26th May, Switzerland lost access to the EU market for new medical devices, because the EU-Swiss Mutual Recognition Agreement was not updated. Machinery and chemicals are next in line. Bit by bit, the two economies will decouple in these sectors, at an estimated cost to Switzerland of up to €1.2 billion per year.

The EU must soon make other hard choices, not least concerning Switzerland’s participation in the bloc’s Horizon Europe research programme. Research cooperation is obviously mutually beneficial. But with the Swiss holding up their financial contributions and spurning efforts to find viable institutional solutions, the EU seemingly has little choice but to put its foot down.

The EU-Swiss rupture comes as the UK government is also brazenly confronting the Union by stepping away from key provisions of the IrelandNorthern Ireland protocol and asking the EU to adapt. With Norwegian support for the EEA increasingly unstable, several of the EU’s wider economic partnerships are in play.

But it is the Swiss who face the most difficult choices. A recent opinion poll showed that more than 60% of Swiss are in favour of the IFA. But similar majorities support the EEA model, or even the model of EU-UK and EUCanada agreements.

As the Commission reminded the Swiss government after it broke off the talks, the bilateral relationship urgently needs modernising. Instead, it is now entering the unknown.

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SWISS 2021

SWISS PRODUCTS

THE 12 BEST SWISS WATCH BRANDS FOR MEN

By Leena Kim and Sam Dangremond From Baume & Mercier to Vacheron Constantin, here are the top Swiss watch brands worthy of any timepiece enthusiast’s collection

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s James Bond creator Ian Fleming once said, “A gentleman’s choice of timepiece says as much about him as does his Savile Row suit.” While the best suits may come from England, the best watches, without a doubt, are Swiss. Any timepiece enthusiast should have at least one (preferably more) exquisitely crafted watch in his arsenal. So, whether you’re shopping for the most important man in your life, or are simply adding to your own growing collection, below are the best Swiss watch brands on the market.

REVERSO CLASSIC Jaeger-LeCoultre

$6,450.00 As the story goes, the Reverso was developed in 1931 after a British army officer, who had broken the glass of his watch during a polo match in India, challenged Jacques-David LeCoultre to come up with a watch design that could survive a similar athletic endeavor.

LeCoultre came up with this model, whose face flips over to protect the front of the watch from, among other things, errant polo mallets. It’s become one of the brand’s signatures, and this one features a small second dial and a calfskin strap from Casa Fagliano, the celebrated Argentinian bootmaker.

ALTIPLANO ULTIMATE AUTOMATIC WATCH Piaget

$29,800.00 As one of the thinnest automatic watches in the world, Piaget’s Altiplano Ultimate 910P is just 4.3 mm thick (the watch’s movement is visible through its case). The brand, of course, is no stranger to setting records—its Altiplano 900P is the world’s thinnest mechanical watch.

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CLIFTON BAUMATIC 10399 Baume & Mercier

$2,850.00 For an automatic movement, Baume & Mercier offers a great price point.

The Clifton Baumatic 10399 features a 40 mm case with a date window and a smooth black dial. The black alligator strap is interchangeable, and the stainless steel bezel and rhodium-plated hands of the dial make this model a sleek choice.

SEAMASTER AQUA TERRA 150M CO‑AXIAL MASTER CHRONOMETER Omega

$5,700.00 Tributes to Omega’s maritime heritage abound in this Seamaster Aqua Terra, from the waveedged design on the back to the elegant blue dial, which has a unique horizontal “teak” pattern inspired by the wooden decks of luxury sailboats. Plus, any watch that’s good enough for 007 (namely, Daniel Craig’s Bond) is certainly good enough for you (or your man).

GMT-MASTER II Rolex

$9,700.00 Perfect for the jetsetter, Rolex’s GMT-Master II is designed to tell time in two different time zones during intercontinental flights. The blue and red dial lends a patriotic flair.

PORTOFINO CHRONOGRAPH IWC

$16,800.00 Be transported to the dolce far niente lifestyle of the Italian Riviera with IWC’s Portofino Chronograph collection. This particular model has been given quite the luxurious upgrade, with its gold case (the applied indices and Roman numerals are also of solid gold) and hand-painted black alligator strap.

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SWISS 2021

SWISS PRODUCTS

CARRERA AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH TAG Heuer

$5,750.00 With its sleek black dial and ceramic black tachymeter bezel, Tag Heuer’s Carrera watch strikes a fine balance between being both sporty and elegant, an accessory that would look just as good on the racetrack (for which this collection was made, in 1963) as it would paired with that aforementioned Savile Row suit.

LONGINES SPIRIT Longines

$3,100.00 The glory days of aviation were the inspiration behind Longines’s Spirit collection. It’s the best of both worlds: the watches have an appealing vintage aesthetic, but are made for the 21st century.

PILOT TYPE 20 TON UP Zenith

$7,200.00 This watch is dedicated to the café racer motorcycle community, also known as Ton-up boys, which originated in the United Kingdom in the 1950s. The case is black stainless steel and the strap is black nubuck leather with a rubber lining designed to protect it from anything, including any dirt and grime that might result from a motorcycle ride.

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ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE DIVER Audemars Piguet

$21,300.00 The legendary Audemars Piguet Royal Oak is given the rubber treatment in a chic beige color, perfect for summers in the Hamptons.

GOLDEN ELLIPSE Patek Philippe

$50,460.00 Inspired by the “golden ratio” of great works of art, Patek Philippe’s Golden Ellipse design was a significant departure from everything else available on the market when it launched in 1968. This model includes a striking blue dial and band with a platinum case.

FIFTY SIX SELF-WINDING Vacheron Constantin

$12,000.00 This model is part of a collection for Vacheron Constantin inspired by vintage timepieces. The most notable factor here is its material—steel— offering a previously unheard of price point for coveted entry into the Vacheron owners’ club.

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SWISS 2021

TOURISM 40

THE BEST SCENIC TRAIN RIDES IN SWITZERLAND

There really is no better way to explore the incredibly beautiful country of Switzerland than by train

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ll of the country’s best natural sights - from verdant valleys to dramatic waterfalls and sheer mountain peaks - are train accessible, with a number of these journeys considered the most scenic in the world.

So come along for the ride!

THE BERNINA EXPRESS

Connecting Chur to Poschiavo in Switzerland, and to Tirano in Italy by crossing the Swiss Engadin Alps, the Bernina Express features breathtaking views from its panoramic, red carriages. The two main lines on the Bernina Express route - the Bernina line and the Albula line - were jointly declared a World Heritage Site in 2008.

The Bernina line through this site is a spectacular four-hour journey across 196 bridges, through 55 tunnels and across the stunning Bernina Pass at 7,391 feet above sea level. The first section of the Bernina Express, from Chur to Pontresina, also crosses the famous Landwasser Viaduct, a dramatic, curving single-track viaduct made of limestone and featuring six massive arches. This iconic journey continues to be one of the most popular in the country.

THE GLACIER EXPRESS

The Glacier Express - known as the ‘Slowest Express Train in the World’ (and arguably the most scenic) - connects the mountain resort towns of Matterhorn adjacent Zermatt, and St Moritz in the Swiss Alps. Much of the train’s spectacular journey passes through the same World Heritage Site as the Bernina Express and boasts equally as impressive views, including the Matterhorn and the Matter Valley, the massive rock walls through the town of Visp, and the sparkling river Rhone, just after departure from Brig. Because the train routes feature similar, but different vistas, many visitors make it a point to ride both the Glacier and Bernina Express during their time in Switzerland.

THE BERNINA EXPRESS 41

SWISS 2021

TOURISM

erage gradient of 35%. The Cogwheel Railway operates between May and November, while at other times the top can be reached via a spectacular aerial gondola and cableway. At the top, you’ll find the historic Pilatus Kulm Hotel and restaurant where you can enjoy refreshments, or discover one of the numerous walking trails with stunning views of the surrounding area.

THE GLACIER EXPRESS

GORNERGRAT COG RAILWAY

JUNGFRAU RAILWAY TO JUNGFRAU MOUNTAIN

JUNGFRAU RAILWAY TO JUNGFRAU MOUNTAIN

The historic Jungfrau railway line takes visitors to Europe’s highest railway station, a whopping 3,453 metres above sea level. The snow-capped Jungfrau Mountain is sandwiched between the huge peaks of the Monch and Eiger Mountains, and part of the Jungfrau railway line tunnels through these two mountains, with spectacular views through windows carefully carved into the mountainside. Once you reach the top, marvel in awe at the amazing views, which can extend as far as the Black Forest of Germany and France on a clear day. The mountain peak features an ice sculpture gallery and the opportunity to take a walk on a glacier, as well as a restaurant and what is believed to be the world’s highest chocolate shop. On the way back down the mountain, the route descends through the village of Lauterbrunnen and boasts gorgeous waterfall views.

of the ‘Steepest Cogwheel Railway in the World.’ The 30-minute journey begins in Alpnachstad and has an av-

The Gornergrat cog railway is considered a marvel of modern engineering, climbing from 1,603 metres above sea level near the town of Zermatt, to 3,089 metres at the top in just 33 minutes.

From the top, visitors experience one of the most spectacular panoramas in all of Switzerland - the iconic outline of The Matterhorn as well as the surrounding peaks and glaciers. Enjoy a stroll at the top through the nature reserve and sample a fondue in one of the lovely, panoramic view restaurants. Take the same route back down to Zermatt where you can enjoy the numerous small bars and restaurants on the car-free roads of this beautiful village.

COGWHEEL RAILWAY TO MOUNT PILATUS

COGWHEEL RAILWAY TO MOUNT PILATUS

The cogwheel railway to Mount Pilatus in Switzerland boasts the title 42

GORNERGRAT COG RAILWAY

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FEATURE

SWISS 2021