CorD Magazine No.139

WAR BETWEEN THE CULTURE OF LIFE AND THE CULTURE OF DEATH

TRADITIONAL CLOSENESS, DESPITE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTANCE

Ambassador of the Tunisian Republic

Indian Ambassador to Serbia

DANIEL BERG

EBRD Director for Serbia

H.E. NARINDER CHAUHAN

MAY ’16 / ISSUE No. 139

www.cordmagazine.com

H.E. MOHAMED BOUGAMRA

EBRD: 25 YEARS ON

interviews opinions news comments events PRICE 300 RSD

TANJA MIŠČEVIĆ, PHD, HEAD OF THE NEGOTIATING TEAM FOR THE ACCESSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA TO THE EU

Essential Reforms for the Benefit of Citizens When you Fall, You Must Learn How to Stand Up Scratching the surface KATARINA JOVANOVIĆ, SOPRANO, PROFESSOR AT THE FACULTY OF MUSICAL ART

MARVIN LIAO, PARTNER AT 500 STARTUPS

MIRO CERAR SLOVENIAN PRIME MINISTER

Our Relations

CAN ONLY IMPROVE

ISSN1451-7833

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COVER MIRO CERAR, Slovenian Prime Minister

Our relations CAN ONLY IMPROVE

May 2016

Slovenia and Serbia are friendly countries that have a lot in common and are known to have varied and rich relations. I am confident that, after the next Serbian government is elected, we will further strengthen our economic cooperation to the benefit of our citizens

CONTENTS

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ESSENTIAL REFORMS FOR THE BENEFIT OF CITIZENS Tanja Miščević, PhD, Head of the Negotiating Team for the Accession of the Republic of Serbia to the European Union

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Delice

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OUR RELATIONS CAN ONLY IMPROVE VUCIC WON – SIX MORE LISTS IN PARLIAMENT

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Early Parliamentary Election 2016

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WAR BETWEEN THE CULTURE OF LIFE AND THE CULTURE OF DEATH H.E. Mr. Mohamed BOUGAMRA, Ambassador of the Tunisian Republic

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GLOBAL DIARY

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EBRD: 25 YEARS ON Daniel Berg, EBRD Director for Serbia

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Economy

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EMPOWERING AND INSPIRING STUDENTS

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INITIATOR OF TECHNICAL AND TECHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF WESTERN SERBIA Mladen Petković, CEO at Krušik a. d. Valjevo

CONTRIBUTORS: Rob Dugdale, Mirjana Jovanović, Miša Brkić, Radmila Stanković, Steve MacKenzie, Zorica Todorović Mirković, Sonja Ćirić EDITORIAL MANAGER: Neda Lukić n.lukic@aim.rs PHOTOS: Zoran Petrović COPY EDITOR: Mark Pullen TRANSLATION: Snežana Bjelotomić, MRP Editorial PROJECT MANAGERS: Biljana Dević, b.devic@aim.rs Aleksandra Ebilji, a.ebilji@aim.rs Ljiljana Knežević, lj.knezevic@aim.rs Dragana Radović, d.radovic@aim.rs Nataša trifunović, n.trifunovic@aim.rs EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Maja Vidaković m.vidakovic@aim.rs GENERAL MANAGER: Ivan Novčić i.novcic@aim.rs

Katarina Jovanović, Soprano, professor at the Faculty of Musical Art

FINANCIAL DIRECTOR: Dragana Skrobonja d.skrobonja@aim.rs

RACE OF FRIENDSHIP, HUMANENESS AND GOOD VIBRATIONS

MAY MEANS SOCIALISING IN NATURE Fashion

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ART DIRECTOR: Jasmina Laković j.lakovic@aim.rs

WHEN YOU FALL, YOU MUST LEARN HOW TO STAND UP

Belgrade Marathon: 10th CorD Charity Masters humanitarian race

Brian Lettinga, Lower School Principal at The International School of Belgrade

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INDIA: THE COUNTRY OF PROSPERITY World’s Markets &Opportunites

SCRATCHING THE SURFACE IMF CUTS GLOBAL GROWTH OUTLOOK AGAIN

STANDARDS ARE A COPMANY’S GREATEST VALUE Aleksandar Peters, Lift Truck CEO

Marvin Liao, Partner at 500 Startups

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BEAUTIFUL SMILE - MORE THAN HEALTH Centre for Dental Aesthetics and Implantology

Miro Cerar, Slovenian Prime Minister

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WORLD OF EXCELLENCE

EDITOR: Ana Novčić a.novcic@aim.rs

OFFICE MANAGER: Svetlana Petrović s.petrovic@aim.rs PRINTING: Rotografika d.o.o.

Segedinski put 72, Subotica CorD is published by: alliance international media Makenzijeva 67, 11111 Belgrade 17, PAK 126909, Serbia Phone: +(381 11) 2450 508 Fax: +(381 11) 2450 122 E-mail: cordeditorial@cma.rs www.cordmagazine.com www.allianceinternationalmedia.com ISSN no: 1451-7833 All rights reserved alliance international media 2016

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COMMENT

Essential Reforms for the

Benefit of Citizens

Essentially the most important things that will lead us into the European Union are internal reforms implemented in line with the standards and good practices of the European Union. They are of paramount importance to us as citizens, and which we, as citizens, actually mostly expect TANJA MIŠČEVIĆ, PHD, Head of the Negotiating Team for the Accession of the Republic of Serbia to the EU

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ast year’s Progress Report recognised Serbia’s readibia and its bodies, but also civic society, as well as representaness for reforms, as well as serious efforts related tives of national minorities. Its contents and measures have to the “Fundamentals first” approach, which already been approved by the European Commission and adopted by showed visible progress. Two areas in which particular 27 Member States, with the exception being Croatia. progress was noted here in Serbia are economic and public adThe Chapters are also important in the context of playing ministration reform. In addition to the quality of the rule of law, an active role in dealing with the migrant and refugee crisis. these reforms will be among the most important measures of Our actions and behaviour in the crisis are esteemed by all, not our success during negotiations. only in the EU, as an example of coping well and finding a reIn December last year we opened two chapters, one of which sponse to a very difficult question. The EU is confronted with was chapter 32 on Financial Control, which deals with internal three main challenges related to the migrant crisis – how to and external monitoring of budget spending. There can be no resolve the status of those who are already in Europe, how to successful fight against corruption help Turkey to be the first place of without sound control, no financial triage and how to find solutions for For both citizens and consolidation and no respect for the the root cause of the crisis. Serbia is rule of law. That’s why we thought very interested in being part of the businesses it is important to this was a very important Chapter to solution to such an important probestablish stable institutions, be opened, and the EU and its Memlem as this. There can be no successclear standards and rules, and ful EU foreign, security and defence ber States understood those arguments. policy if all Balkan countries are not that is why we insist on the We currently expect to open part of the dialogue. An additional inclusion of all in the chapters related to the rule of law element is a common approach and negotiating process and the - 23 and 24 - during the Nethera solution that have to be based on lands presidency of the EU. There is the fundamental values of the EU: achieving of a broad awareness that these chapters are solidarity and responsibility, especonsensus the backbone of a country’s reform cially bearing in mind that the migraprocess, as well as the foundation tory crisis is primarily humanitarian. for our private and business security, as well as the safety of Regardless of the parliamentary elections, which haven’t all those who invest. Two years ago we received the Screenslowed down the integration process at all, we work very acing Report for Chapter 23, with recommendations on how to tively on the preparation of documents for several more chapimprove the situation in the area of judicial reform, the fight ters, which we plan to open by the end of this year. against corruption and the protection of human rights, as well For both citizens and businesses it is important to establish as one additional requirement to compile a dedicated plan for stable institutions, clear standards and rules, and that is why improving the position of national minorities, but not as part we insist on the inclusion of all in the negotiating process and of the criteria for the opening of the chapter. All the recomthe achieving of a broad consensus. We have an ambitious but mendations were taken into account and activities were envisrealistic and feasible agenda for this year. There can be many aged to materialise them, which duly became part of the Action challenges, but, to quote last year’s Progress Report, Serbia is Plan for Chapter 23. Inclusiveness in preparing this document “…unstoppable in the process of reforms, guided by and supmeant that it was not only prepared by the Government of Serported within the European integration process.” ■ 6 |

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INTERVIEW

Our Relations

CAN ONLY IMPROVE

MIRO CERAR

EXCLUSIVE

SLOVENIAN PRIME MINISTER

Slovenia and Serbia are friendly countries that have a lot in common and are known to have varied and rich relations. I am confident that, after the next Serbian government is elected, we will further strengthen our economic cooperation to the benefit of our citizens 8 |

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CONFIDENCE

POTENTIAL

SUPPORT

After implementing comprehensive institutional and structural reforms, Slovenia has once more regained the confidence of the international investors, and revived its economic activity

Our good economic cooperation still hides a lot of potential waiting to be seized to the benefit of both economies and hence our citizens

Slovenia has been always an active supporter of bringing the Western Balkan closer to the EU, not just in the context of the enlargement process, but also in terms of infrastructural projects

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fter exerting a lot of effort to respond constructively to the challenges of the migrant crisis, both at the European level and internally, the Slovenian government is turning attention to its regular activities. In this interview for CorD Magazine, Miro Cerar, Prime Minister of Slovenia, discusses possible terror threats in the EU and the region and Slovenia’s role in countering those threats; promising economic trends in Slovenia and expectations when it comes to cooperation with the new Serbian government.

see as being most responsible for taking action?

- I am confident that the migrant crisis can be resolved, but let’s not forget that its beginnings are complex and rooted in the past, and will in this respect require a lot of political will and international effort for the root causes to be eradicated. A

■ Do you believe that the current EU plan for dealing with the migrant crisis will hold firm?

- I am very pleased that at the last EU Summit we finally came reached a common and comprehensive European solution to the migrant crisis. Namely, we jointly decided to get back to the full implementation of the Schengen Borders Code, to stop the irregular flows of migrants along the Western Balkan route and to end the wave-through approach.

Based on the number of EU meetings, trust me, this was not easy.

Serbian Prime Minister ALEKSANDAR VUČIĆ and Slovenian Prime Minister MIRO CERAR March’s European Council meeting provided a very good basis to stabilise the milong-term solution to the conflict in It is crucial that there is grant situation. In order to assure conditions no opening of new migra- Syria is crucial for bringing an end to for such stabilisation, from our perspective, the catastrophic humanitarian sitution routes or the the previously agreed closure of the Western ation for the people living there. The Balkan Migration Route was of particular im- re-opening of the Western political will and solutions recomportance – not only because of the problems Balkan route. In order to mended by major world players is we have had with the flow of people passing key in this respect. achieve this, we, Slovenia through our territory, but also because we And then there are also other and countries along the understand the importance of the stability pressing issues that we must simulof the Western Balkans, especially Bosniataneously address individually by Western Balkan route, Herzegovina. eradicating the root causes of global need to show a great deal warming, which causes environNow we – all EU Member states and of cooperation, as we Turkey – have to do our utmost to implemental migrants and, of course, miment this agreement, to help all countries grants fleeing poverty and a lack of already have on the “front lines” with these assignments any perspective in terms of ensuring and prevent the emergence of new irregular a prosperous future for themselves and their children if they routes. I hope sincerely that all points of the agreement will stay in their countries of origin. be properly implemented without delay. This is an agreement we have to respect.

■ In this respect, how do you view the terrorist attacks in Eu■ Can the migrant crisis be resolved if there are ongoing tensions creating migrants in many parts of the world; who do you

rope and do you think the region will be open to such risks in the future?

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condemn all terrorist attacks worldwide. Every terrorist attack is an attack against humanity! The tragic attacks in Brussels and elsewhere were just the latest hostile acts against innocent people and peace-loving European society.

In the fight against radicalism and terrorism, a united response of solidarity by the international community is urgently required. Slovenia is committed to a joint fight of the international community against terrorism. Having stressed that, the Western Balkan region will remain an area of Slovenia’s particular interest and activities when it comes to countering these threats. On the other hand, we must simultaneously ad-

future and the future of our children, is still the strongest integration policy to date. Being abandoned on the periphery of society, being forgotten by the rest, breeds depression, apathy and, in the most severe cases, extremism. We, leaders, politicians and all citizens, are all responsible for preventing such worst-case scenarios.

■ What has been the cumulative effect of all these events on the Slovenian government’s schedule?

- The events have taken a lot of space away from my political agenda, both at home and abroad, I must say. If I go back, I need to stress that the activation of the Slovenian Police, Army, humanitarian and other public or socially aware workers, also took a lot away from their regular daily activities. It was a burden. Nevertheless, our services and volunteers did an amazing job. Because of them and their helping attitude, I can claim that Slovenia presented itself through the lens of humanitarianism and solidary. Ours is a system that is incomparable to the kind of system some bigger country can provide.

■ Has the migrant crisis created a seri-

ous challenge for bilateral relations between the countries in the region, or has it opened up new avenues for better cooperation? In this respect, how do you see the level of trust between our two countries?

- From today’s perspective I find it crucial that there will be no opening of the new migration routes or a re-opening of the Western Balkan route. Nevertheless, in order to achieve this, we, Slovenia and countries along the Western Balkans dress conditions or root route needed to show a great deal of coExports will remain the engine of causes to the spread of operation and coordination which could growth, with the contribution of radicalisation, violent have only been achieved because we all private consumption to economic have sincerely demonstrated sufficient extremism and terrorism. The actions of the growth continuing to increase, and political will for its realisation. world’s major powers Today I can estimate Slovenia’s relabooming tourism adding to are crucial here! tion with neighbours in the migration Slovenia’s economic revival Of course, there are crisis as good. Apart from initial problems some serious security that we have had with the previous Croathreats that we have to deal with in relation to such masses tian authorities, I must say that our neighbours Croatia, Hunof migrants entering the EU – especially considering the fact gary and Austria have fully understood the importance of rethat their entry into the EU is more or less successfully regspecting the Schengen regime and stopping the irregular flow istered. In general, and irrespective of the migration crisis, of migrants going through our countries. The same can be stathowever, I need to stress the meaning of cultural differences. ed for Serbia and Macedonia, of course. All of these countries They are important and need to be addressed in an informed have supported my initiative of stopping the irregular flow of and educated way. All the institutions of our democratic migrants via Western Balkans by supporting or strengthening countries play probably one of the biggest roles here, includthe Macedonian border with Greece. ing the media and non-governmental organisations. This will The level of trust has increased among Slovenia and respecbe a challenge! tive countries, that means also with Serbia, which showed a Nevertheless, in my opinion the best integration policy great deal of comprehending the complex situation of leaving is still employment. To see ones future, to have hope in the the extreme flows of irregular migration flows moving through 10 |

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Western Balkans. Every successfully implemented cooperation among Slovenia and the countries from the region is an impetus for further deepening of our mutual relations when it comes to issues of common interest. Security and well-being of our people should, of course, also in the future be on top of our common agenda.

■ Apart from the challenging political situation in the EU

caused by terrorism, there are other burning issues, such as the possibility of Brexit and a new global economic slowdown.

In your opinion, what does the future holds for the EU in political and economic terms?

- The EU and its Member States have challenging times ahead of us. Although the financial and economic crisis is behind us, we are still not on the level we would prefer to. The EU hence faces further efforts to significantly increase employment, especially among the younger generations, and economic growth that would further feed the investment cycles upon which our development depends. Politically wise, we should preserve and strengthen EU’s unity and raise awareness that only together we can be successful at competing on a global scale.

My government is therefore above all focused on development, both economic and social as well as other areas, which can preserve Slovenia on the global map and enable a better life for our citizens.

■ Will the government follow the IMF’s advice to speed up reforms and the privatisation process?

- Irrelevant of the institution the advice is coming from, my government is aware of the situation and times we are living in and is hence already tackling institutional and structural reforms with the aim to boost its productivity and growth. As

■ Do you think that the Slovenian econ-

omy is on a solid recovery track, albeit a moderate one, or do somewhat reduced predictions for 2016 and 2017 indicate new uncertainties?

- Slovenia’s economic outlook for this year is encouraging. The spring forecast for GDP growth in 2016 is 1.7% and in 2017, 2.4%. Together with the fasterthan-expected 2.9% in real terms GDP growth in 2015 and 3% in 2014, SloOECD presented in the The joint session between venian economy is expanding well in Economic Survey of Slothe Slovenian and Serbian govern- venia, we have done a international comparison. Exports, alments will happen as soon as the though they will fall slightly this year, considerable progress in will remain the engine of growth, with newly elected ort re-elected Serbian recent years in reforming the contribution of private consumpthe pension system and authorities decide on a tion to economic growth continuing to labour market as well as proper time for us to meet increase, tourism is booming. A lot rein recapitalizing the fimains to be done to boost the construcnancial sector and in retion sector, however. structuring the corporate sector. In order to ensure long-term The labour market will continue to recover in 2016 and in fiscal consolidation we have adopted the fiscal rule. According 2017, in line with the recovery of economic activity. The curto this, the general government deficit is expected to be below rent account surplus, which has reflected the widening gap 3% of GDP in 2015. between saving and investment in recent years, will stand at Due to decisive actions, Slovenia has once more regained the 7.5% of GDP this year and remain high in 2017. confidence of international investors, which is crucial for the At the same time I am well aware of the challenges ahead. revival of our economic activity. All the big three credit ranking Those – as goes for the majority of European countries – inagencies – Fitch, Moody’s, Standards & Poor’s – have upgraded clude tackling the demographic pressure of ageing, further their outlook for Slovenia, and what is more Slovenia’s rankfiscal consolidation, a strong need to foster business dynamings have advanced, including at IMD’s World Competitiveness ics to adapt to the market demand and least but not least, Yearbook Scoreboard, the World Bank’s Doing Business Report putting innovation as a driver of inclusive and green growth. and WEF’s Global Competitiveness Report.

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The impact of governmental policies on the domestic economy is reflected in the improvement of the general trust and higher key macroeconomic indicators. For example, we can witness higher consumer confidence than a year ago, as values measuring business confidence have been the highest since beginning of the crisis. Now we need to upgrade and deepen these processes.

advantages of the region haven’t been fully exploited, thus preventing more dynamic regional cooperation as well as cooperation between the region and EU. In this context Berlin process as well as Brdo Brijuni process established a so-called “connectivity agenda”, which aims to re-connect countries of the region with the EU in terms of infrastructure, energy and economy. The implementation of the agreed infrastructural projects inside of the connectivity ■ What causes the reluctance of the government and the agenda remains essential in order to boost the economic resociety regarding the privatisacovery of the region and to link it tion process? In this context, more closely with the European how would you comment on the economic and infrastructural fact that some Serbian investors corridors. have gained an ownership stake Slovenia has been always an in some Slovenian banks? active supporter of bringing the re- I would not say that there is gion closer to the EU, not just in the reluctance of the government context of the enlargement pronor the society at large regardcess, but also in terms of concrete and viable infrastructural projects. ing the privatisation processes.

It is simply the fact that, when it While the projects have been agreed upon, the real focus right comes to privatisation, my government follows the principle now should be on viable mechaof welcoming all those investors nisms of financing for their imthat are orientated towards the plementation. European Comlong-term development of the mission has pledged appx 1. billion Euros for these projects, company in question. Usually the processes slow down at a now it is also up to the counpoint when it gets clear that potries of the region to make these projects attractive for potential tential investors are only after a quick profit or do not have a investors in order to complete the transport and infrastructural proper capital backing. In this respect I cannot comment any network in the Western Balkans.

With this in mind I believe that specific investors, but invite all the Paris Summit of the Berlin those which have a long term Process will produce concrete strategic outlook for the future and viable results, especially in of the companies at stake.

When it comes to privatisation, the field of transport and infra■ Is the Serbian election camstructural connectivity. my government follows the Lastly I want to stress that paign slowing down cooperation principle of welcoming all those inbetween our two governments, regional infrastructural projects vestors that are orientated towards will have a positive impact on the or will we see another joint session of the two governments domestic projects, since both are long-term development of the soon? complementary and essential in company in question, irrelevant - The joint session between Sloorder to complete the infrastrucof their origin venian and Serbian government tural network in the region and will happen as soon as the newly connect it with the EU corridors. or once again elected Serbian authorities will decide on a proper time for us to meet. Despite the scheduled and postponed ■ What are your priorities when it comes to cooperation with the new Serbian government to be formed after the upcoming joint schedule, it is completely understandable that the elecgeneral election? tions take their time and with them all international activities of the state.

- Slovenia and Serbia are friendly countries that have a lot in common and are known to have differentiated and rich rela■ From Slovenia’s perspective, how do you see the plans to tions. I am confident that after the next Serbian government reconnect the region in terms of infrastructure; do these plans will be formed we will continue in the same direction while impact on domestic infrastructure projects? keeping our high level political dialogue and further strength- The region of Western Balkans is at the geostrategic and ening our good economic cooperation that still hides a lot of infrastructural crossroads of Europe and a natural bridge potential waiting to be seized to the benefit of both economies between North and South, East and West. In the past those and hence our citizens. ■ 12 |

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INTERVIEW

War Between the Culture of Life and

THE CULTURE OF DEATH

H.E. MOHAMED BOUGAMRA AMBASSADOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF TUNISIA

No country is immune to the threat of terrorism. Many countries around the world have suffered recently from the scourge of terrorism. Jihadist violence is an international threat to peace, security and stability in the world. Terrorists are targeting democratic countries, killing innocent people of all backgrounds and faiths

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e, in Tunisia, are in a war against terrorism and radicalisation. It’s a war between the culture of life and the culture of death, bloodshed and barbarism; a Battle for freedom, dignity and future generations. My country is calling for joint international efforts and reinforced cooperation to fight and defeat terrorism and violent extremism.

■ Foreign tourists in Tunisia were targeted by extremists last summer. Back then, your prime minister said in parliament that the goal of those extremists was to destabilise the country and destroy its economy. What are the consequences of these threats a year after they happened?

- Tourism is an important sector and a key driver of our economy.

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a great deal for employment and social development, engaging more than 400,000 people. Driving tourists away is aimed at destroying the economy. Since security is a key precondition for the development of tourism everywhere, the Tunisian Government has made safety its top priority. Thus, it has thoroughly reviewed and enhanced security procedures. Tunisian security forces have retaken the initiative in combating and preventing terrorism. Real and tangible progress has been made in boosting security readiness and efficiency in addressing terrorist threats.

■ The United Nations declared last year that over 5,000 Tunisian citizens had joined terrorist organisations in the Middle East. How is Tunisia defending itself against the pressures from ISIS (Da’esh) and other extremist organisations?

- Individual Tunisians, like many others across the world, have joined the so-called Islamist State, but the number of Tunisians is frankly exaggerated, since many of these jihadits were holders of fake Tunisian passports. The appeal of jihadist elements is

JIHADIST

MIGRATION

THE QUARTET

The appeal of jihadist elements is very limited in Tunisia, relying mainly on support from regional and international jihadist movements

At the national level, migration is one of the top issues of the government and is included in its priorities

The Quartet was instrumental in paving the way for the adoption of a New liberal Constitution

very limited in Tunisia, relying mainly on support from regional previously experienced this kind of challenge, the Tunisian Auand international jihadist movements. Anyway, the challenges thorities managed, in collaboration with the IMO and with the are the same everywhere, as the world is witnessing increasing support mainly of the Tunisian Red Crescent, the UNHCR and acts of hate crimes and terrorism in many countries. other countries, and the solidarity of the Tunisian local populaIn Tunisia, we have moved against terrorism with new detertion, to provide this huge number of refugees with shelter, food, mination and have achieved many successes. The legal framehealthcare facilities... We also had to deal with the return of work has been strengthened to fight terrorism.

We are preventing and tackling terrorism and radicalisation not only with security solutions and military actions, but also by reinforcing the values of democracy and the respect for human rights, by implementing plans and programmes for balanced and fair regional social and economic development. Along with these measures, employment, mainly of the youth, is among the government’s priorities. The first stage of the National Dialogue on Employment in Tunis led to the 29th March 2016 adoption of the Tunis Declaration for Employment as a short-, medium- and long-term roadmap to address the challenges of unemployment.

This also encompasses women empowerment and promotion of the culture of tolerance, for which various programmes have been devised.

In the same framework, the government is investing in education and reforming its curricuTourism is an important around 100,000 Tunisians who had la as a key to engaging the youth in countering sector and a key driver of been working in Libya. The task was violent extremism. Many youth and civil society initiatives and programmes are now being not easy. Today, the Tunisian authoriour economy. It implemented in an effort to halt extreme ideties are dealing with a few hundred contributes to around ologies. I would also like to stress the special migrants, mainly from sub-Saharan seven per cent of our GDP African countries that cannot be refocus on the contribution of media and communication. and provides a great deal patriated and whose demands for Terrorists will continue to try to undermine asylum are denied in third countries. for employment and the Tunisian model, but Tunisia will persevere Shortly after the revolution, many social development, in forging its democratic destiny and fulfilling young Tunisians fled the country for its promise. Ultimately, that is to prevent young economic reasons and arrived in Itaengaging more than people from losing their bearings and drifting ly, which provoked crisis at that time.

400,000 people towards extremism.

In 2012 Tunisia and Italy signed a technical agreement to tackle illegal â– Europe is going through a migrant crisis, but someimmigration in the Mediterranean. Since then our Naval forces, times we forget the fact that countries like Tunisia have which are now better equipped for maritime border control, been dealing with a huge influx of refugees for many have contributed to dramatically reducing the numbers of peoyears. What is the current situation like? ple who tried to cross the Mediterranean illegally. The Tunisian - In early 2011, while deeply involved in dealing with the afCoast Guard has rescued hundreds of illegal migrants sailing termath of its own revolution, Tunisia opened its borders to from neighbouring Libya. hundreds of thousands of Libyans and foreign migrant workAt the national level, migration is one of the top issues of the ers fleeing violence in Libya. The total number of migrants and government and is included in its priorities. Important measrefugees the country hosted was close to 1.8 million. Despite ures have been taken and implemented, such as the adoption the economic difficulties and the fact that Tunisians had not of a national five-year migration development strategy (2015M AY

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■ In which direction is Tunisia heading following the 2014 elections and what are the biggest challenges being faced by the Tunisian authorities, with President Mohamed Beji Caid Essebsi and Prime Minister Habib Essid at the helm? Critics say that representatives of the old regime are making a comeback to the governing structure.

- Obviously, the success of the political transition in Tunisia could not hide the economic, social and security challenges the country is facing. The Tunisian Authorities devote their efforts to achieving the country’s set objectives, namely the consolidation of our democratic institutions and the revival of our economic growth, development, the fight against terrorism and a better future for the Tunisian people.

Besides the fight against terrorism, the Tunisian Government has ■ The Nobel Committee last year also taken the lead in meeting Tunidecided that the Nobel Peace sia’s economic and social challenges.

Prize was to be awarded to the It is pressing ahead with a package of Tunisian National Dialogue Quareconomic reforms to create a better tet in recognition of the demoenvironment for business and investcratic forces in Tunisia. How was ment, in order to energise growth and that received in Tunisia? satisfy the urgent demand for jobs, - The awarding of the 2015 Nobel mainly for its unemployed youth. We Peace Prize to four Tunisian civil are laying the foundations for a free society organisations for their “deand prosperous market economy, in cisive contribution to the building of order to bolster strong growth and a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in balanced regional development, as the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of well as creating opportunities and 2011” represents international recjobs. But in order to meet these chalognition of the value of this unique lenges Tunisia’s emerging democraexperience. The Quartet was instrucy requires significant international mental in paving the way for the support and solidarity to confront its adoption of a New liberal Constitunew challenges. My country is calling tion that expanded civil liberties, and on its friends and traditional partin the organisation of free, fair and ners to provide more tangible assisdemocratic Parliamentary and Presitance to support the socio-economic We are laying the dential elections in 2014. Following development upon which Tunisia has foundations for a free and these major achievements, Tunisia embarked. As mentioned in the Euprosperous market economy, ropean Commission’s press release concluded its political transition peacefully and the Government of the in order to bolster strong dated 31st July 2015, “a strong and Second Republic took office in Februgrowth and balanced regional democratic Tunisia is vital for the ary 2015. Tunisia has earned rapid stability of Europe”. development, as well as recognition as the best case of postWhen it comes to the fight against creating opportunities Arab Spring success; a fledgling deterrorism, the cowardly and horrific mocracy enjoying civil liberties, poattacks that targeted Tunisia were a and jobs litical moderation and inclusion. The desperate reaction by Islamist terTunisian people and all the Tunisian rorists to the determination of the stakeholders, including a vibrant civil society, are committed to Tunisian people to move forward in building its democracy, a strengthening the country’s democratic processes. Let me here model of an open society sharing with other democratic counonce more express our great appreciation for Serbia’s continutries the values of freedom, democracy and respect for human ous support to Tunisia. rights.

Beyond the Quartet, the Nobel Peace prize is a tribute to the The Tunisian people chose, in 2014’s free and fair parliaTunisian model of peace, dialogue, consensus and unwavering mentary and presidential elections, their representatives in democratic aspirations. the Assembly of the Representatives of the People (Parliament) 2020) to consolidate good governance in the management of migratory flows, prevent illegal migration, promote the organised immigration of Tunisians and to enhance the contribution of our nationals abroad, to aid the socio-economic development of the country. This strategy also provides for the protection of foreign migrants and asylum seekers in Tunisia. A draft bill on the right of asylum in Tunisia will be discussed by the House of People’s Representatives (HPR).

Tunisia and the EU, along with ten of its Member States, signed the Declaration on Mobility Partnership in March 2014, in an effort to enhance political dialogue on migrations with neighbouring countries to the south. We firmly believe that the priorities in terms of mobility should be focused on the correlation between migration and solidarity development and employment.

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held in both countries, and facilitating economic missions and elected Mr Beji Caid Essebsi as the new President of the Reseeking to explore the potential for strengthening bilateral public. Tunisia’s parliament overwhelmingly approved the first and sustainable trade, particularly in goods, agri-food and Government of Prime Minister Habib Essedi in February 2015, services. Our mutually beneficial cooperation has to expand and also again in January 2016, following a partial reshuffle of in scale and scope. Tunisia and Serbia have high potential and his cabinet. we have to bring out our comparative advantages.

In other respects, the President of the Republic has submitted to Parliament a draft bill on all-inclusive national reconcilia■ It has been announced that tion in Tunisia, to involve all Tunisians Tunisia and Serbia could sign an in coping with the economic and soOur mutually beneficial intergovernmental agreement cial challenges. However, as noted by cooperation has to expand in on investment incentives and inPresident Beji Caid Essebsi, this reconciliation does not mean clearing scale and scope. Tunisia and vestment protection in order to faster development of anyone who embezzled state funds Serbia have high potential and facilitate and who should be brought to justice economic cooperation. Do you we have to bring out our know when that will happen and for their actions. what is the importance of such a comparative advantages document?

■ In which way can the several- Both sides are working to expand decades-long friendship bethe legal framework of our cooperation. The draft agreement tween our two countries evolve into more solid economon investment incentives and investment protection, once ic cooperation? signed, will be an important instrument intended to broaden - We are committed together to enhancing our economic coand foster economic cooperation and trade. Many other draft operation and trade exchanges, as well as optimising existagreements covering fields such as air services, defence and ing opportunities in a win-win sprit. This objective could be vocational training are ready for signing during the forthcomreached, amongst others, by supporting the private sector and ing session of the joint committee that is due to be held in encouraging the business communities, encouraging comTunis, hopefully during 2016. ■ panies from both sides to participate in exhibitions and fairs

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RACISM

GLOBAL DIARY

“The international community cannot accept that whole communities are marginalised because of the colour of their skin. People of African descent are among those most affected by racism.” - Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations

RECORD SUPPORT FOR ADVANCING PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT ▶ In an extraordinary show of support for the Paris climate agreement adopted last December, 175 countries signed the Paris Agreement at a ceremony at UN Headquarters on 22nd April that far exceeded the historical record for first-day signatures to an international agreement.

“The world will have met the requirement needed for the Paris Agreement to enter into force,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Kimoon, “if all 175 countries that have signed today take the next step at the national level and join the Agreement.”

Fifteen countries submitted their ratifications during the signing ceremony, including small island developing countries that are on the frontlines of climate impacts.

Several countries announced plans to join the agreement in 2016, including Australia, Argentina, Cameroon, Canada, China, France, Mali, Mexico, Philippines, and the United States. Other countries, including Brazil, the European Union, and the Russian Federation, pledged to swiftly work to complete the necessary steps for joining the agreement.

‘I WON'T LEAVE FOR ANOTHER 10 YEARS IF YOU MAKE ME ANGRY' ▶ Facing protests due to recent poor

results in the Turkish Super League championship race, Fenerbahçe Sports Club’s 18-year long president Aziz Yıldırım vowed to remain in his position for another 10 years.

Yıldırım’s comments came following their 4-1 home win against Mersin İdmanyurdu, in which some fans chanted the name of Ersun Yanal, the renowned Turkish manager who coached Fenerbahçe in the 2013-2014 Season. Claiming that some fan groups are looking after their own profit, Yıldırım said that he will struggle with these groups until the end.

“If these stands behave like this, if they make me angry, I will not leave for another 10 years. They shouldn’t mess with me anymore,” Yıldırım said.

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'ROPE JUMPING' SETS WORLD RECORD ▶ Rope-jumping, an extreme sport,

consists in jumping from impressive heights while tied to a nylon rope. Unlike those used in bungee jumping, the rope has no bounce and participants just slow down at the end of the fall.

Hoping to establish a world record, 149 people jumped together off a bridge in

Hortolandia, Brazil.

Photos of the stunt show 149 participants each tied to a rope as they take the plunge from 30 meters high. One jump can require months of preparation due to the complicated system of pulleys and bolts involved.

Some credit American rock climber Dan Osman with pioneering rope jumping.

He died in 1998 aged 35 after jumping from the Leaning Tower summit in Yosemite National Park.

U.S. Secretary of State JOHN KERRY holds his granddaughter as he signs the Paris Agreement

MOST U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES SPEAK AT LOW GRADE ▶ A readability analysis of presidential

candidate speeches by researchers in Carnegie Mellon University’s Language Technologies Institute (LTI) finds most candidates using words and grammar typical of students in grades 6-8, though Donald Trump tends to lag behind the others. A historical review of their word and grammar use suggests all five candidates in the analysis -- Republicans Trump, Ted Cruz and

Marco Rubio (who has since suspended his campaign), and Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders -- have been using simpler language as the campaigns have progressed. A comparison of the candidates with previous presidents show President Lincoln outpacing them all, boasting grammar at the 11th grade level, while President

NOVAK ĐOKOVIĆ WINS LAUREUS SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD ▶ World No.1 Novak Đoković was named the 2016 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for the second year in a row. He was on hand in Berlin to accept his award, dedicating it to Formula One driver Niki Lauda and footballer Johan Cruyff. Đoković beat off fellow star athletes Stephen Curry, Lewis Hamilton, Usain Bolt, Jordan Spieth and Lionel Messi for the award.

“He had a great year again,” said Đoković’s coach Boris Becker, a Laureus Academy member. “He’s played 88 matches, has won 82, He won three out of the four Grand Slams, reached the final of the French Open, the’s won seven other tournaments. Very few players, if any, had a year like that.” Đoković also earned Sportsman of the Year honours in 2012, following in the footsteps of Rafael Nadal (2011) and four-time winner Roger Federer (2005-08).

HUMANITY

“Even the very progress that humanity has made … shines a brighter light on those who still struggle, reveal the gap in prospects that exist for the children of the world.” - Barak Obama, U.S. President

DID YOU KNOW

The average distance between the stars in the sky is about 32.2 million kilometres

QUEEN ELIZABETH II CELEBRATES 90TH BIRTHDAY ▶ Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 90th birthday on 21st April, marking a milestone that drew thousands of well-wishers to the streets near Windsor Castle in honor of Britain’s longest serving monarch.

While the queen usually doesn’t like to make a fuss about her birthday, preferring to spend the day privately, she started it by greeting the crowds in the town, accompanied by Prince Philip. At midday royal gun salutes were fired to mark the occasion.

In the evening, she lit the first of more than 900 beacons lighting up across the UK and overseas in honour of the monarch who has ruled Britain for 64 years. While 21st April marks her actual birthday, lavish celebrations commemorating the occasion won’t take place until 10th-12th June, when her birthday is officially celebrated.

George W. Bush’s 5th grade grammar was below even that of Trump.

10.8% in 2014; and for women, it rose from 6.4% to a whopping 14.9% over

MORE PEOPLE ARE NOW OBESE THAN UNDERWEIGHT

▶ Wealthy Qataris now own a $1.4

▶ Globally, the proportion of people

who are underweight has declined, dropping about 5% in the last 4 decades. On the other hand, the drop has been offset by a rise in the number of obese people, who now outnumber the underweight 641 million to 462 million, BBC reports. For men, the obesity percentage rose from 3.2% in 1975 to

QATAR’S ROYAL FAMILY IS LEADING LUXURY INVESTMENT IN LONDON

the same period, according to a new study in The Lancet. The researchers say this makes the chances of reaching the World Health Organization’s global obesity target—no rise by 2025 over 2010 numbers—at best, a fat chance.

billion chunk of London’s posh Mayfair neighborhood, with the royal family leading the way. Most of this investment is concentrated in ‘Qatari Quarter’ on the Northwest side of Mayfair, bordering

Park Lane and Hyde Park. According to real estate consultancy Rokstone, this enclave is centered around the $285 million Dudley House on Park Lane, the London home of Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani, the cousin of Qatar’s ruling Emir. Meanwhile, on nearby Green Street, the $57 million former Brazilian Embassy is reported to have been purchased by Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, the mother of the current Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The ruling family are also believed

to own a $57 million townhouse on Mount Street; an $18.6 million house on Park Street; a $17 million townhouse on Davies Street; and the $257 million Lombard House on Curzon Street.

XINHUA DICTIONARY SETS TWO GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS ▶ Guinness World Records confirmed

that the Xinhua Dictionary published

by China’s The Commercial Press is the “most popular dictionary” and the “bestselling book (regularly updated).”

As of 28th July 2015 (last updated date), Xinhua Dictionary, the first modern Chinese dictionary since the foundation of the People’s Republic of China on 1st October, 1949, has sold 567 million copies globally, Guinness World Records announced at the presentation ceremony in London. Yu Dianli, President of The Commercial Press, said the two Guinness World Records titles would bring.

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INTERVIEW

EBRD:

25 YEARS ON DANIEL BERG EBRD DIRECTOR FOR SERBIA

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) was created 25 years ago, following the collapse of the Berlin Wall.

The bank’s mandate was to help the countries of Central and Eastern Europe move from central planning to build market economies.

The first project was approved in Poland

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ollowing the political crisis in the former Yugoslavia, we opened our office in Belgrade in 2001 and our first project – a credit line with a local bank – was signed on 29th March that year. Since then we have invested around €4.3 billion in Serbia across all sectors of the economy – explains current EBRD Director for Serbia, Daniel Berg.

■ What have been the most historic moments marking the last 25 years since the establishment of the EBRD? - Certainly, the last 25 years have certainly been dramatic. We have witnessed new countries emerge and have responded to financial crises, as well as natural and manmade disasters. We have witnessed a move towards an innovative and green economy and, most recently, we have been addressing the fallout of demographic and migration trends.

Over this period, the EBRD’s remit grew dramatically, from the original eight borrowing nations to 36 countries today, including Mongolia, Turkey, the countries of the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean (SEMED) region and most recently Cyprus and Greece. One country (the Czech Republic) has “graduated” from being a country of operations; others would have followed by now, but the 2008 crisis brought new challenges for all of us.

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The EBRD prides itself on being able to respond quickly where there are needs for our services. We played a key role in keeping the financial sector in Central and Southeastern Europe afloat after the 2008 crisis. We helped Ukraine diversify its energy supply and strengthen energy security last winter and have remained Ukraine’s largest foreign financier through the latest turmoil. We are the largest donor and manager of international donor funds for the New Safe Confinement in Chernobyl, which is nearing completion 30 years after the accident occurred on 26th April 1986.

The EBRD has supported renewable energy development across the region, both with policy advice and equity and debt financing . A third of our annual financing now goes to sustainable energy projects (in fact, we are ready to support wind farms in Serbia) and we aim to raise that to 40 per cent by 2020. We are working to support local currency lending and local capital markets and we were behind the issuance of the first bonds in local currencies in some of our countries.

We also support female entrepreneurs in a dozen countries.

■ How much have the problems of emerging markets catered to by the EBRD changed; and what were the major historical and economic forces behind those changes?

- Transition economies have experienced an uneven development since the start of transition. Some countries (especially in Central Europe and the Baltic) have taken major strides towards establishing well-functioning market economies. Others still face major transition gaps, with underdeveloped markets and economic sectors.

Opening up of the economies in CE and the Baltic region early on, with wide-scale privatisation and support for foreign direct investment (FDI), were important factors in their successful transition. These measures supported the transfer of cutting-edge technology and competitiveness. Strong ties to a large EU market, leading to full accession, also played a positive role in improving the investment climate.

The countries of the Western Balkans were, of course, impacted by violence and political unrest throughout the 1990s and thus reforms could only begin in earnest after the year 2000. Unfortunately, reforms have become more difficult following the 2008 financial crisis. Across the Bank’s countries of operations, we have seen a slowdown in reforms, and even less public support for reform, since 2008.

It is important that each government continues with reform measures, so as to take advantage of their competitive potential.

■ How has the bank itself evolved, considering that it has gradually expanded its operations to a much larger part of the world than initially conceived?

- The Bank has adapted to significant developments throughout the region and was asked by shareholders to expand its area of geographical operations. The EBRD’s business model stresses the need to support the development of competitive private businesses both directly and indirectly. A strong local presence (with offices at national and even regional level in larger countries) has helped the Bank achieve its objectives by providing local contacts and context, so that we understand local developments better. Besides our traditional lending activities, which continue to develop, we have expanded our advisory services, both for small business and for government policies.

since transition began in 1990. However, income gaps remain despite popular expectations that there would be a very rapid convergence towards developed countries following the fall of communism. This may contribute to a so-called “happiness gap”. In our most recent Life in Transition survey, a lower share of households indicated “satisfied” with their lives compared to households in more advanced countries. Households in the transition region have been negatively impacted by the global financial crisis, as much as or more than their Western peers, with more job losses, wage reductions and reduced remittances. This “happiness gap” is a risk to popular support for democratic and market institutions, so it is important to continue reforms which will help economies converge with those of more advanced countries.

Large shares of the local populations are not supportive of privatisation. In some cases, this is due to badly managed privatisation processes and unfulfilled expectations. These findings reflect privatisation processes that were often strongly managed by special interest groups

The EBRD prides itself on being able to respond quickly where there are needs for our services.

We played a key role in keeping the financial sector in Central and Southeastern Europe afloat after the 2008 crisis

■ Which of those countries can today be considered fully open market economies?

- If you look at the transition gaps we publish in each Transition Report, which is one of our flagship annual publications, you will see that CE and the Baltic had mostly caught up with advanced economies’ indicators by the early or mid-2000s. Other countries also, in general, advanced but in many cases convergence slowed from the mid-2000s, except for the Southeastern Europe region, where transition started later due to the conflicts of the early 1990s.

There still remain large transition gaps in governance, enterprise restructuring and competition policy in the Western Balkans. That is why we focus our policy and technical assistance activities under our Investment Climate and Growth Initiative on these areas.

■ How does the EBRD’s Life in Transition Survey reflect those changes, when it comes to the expectations, hopes and fears of citizens across countries in transition?

- We should not forget that much has changed and been achieved

and, thus, the majority of the population did not see the benefits of the process.

However, we do not believe that re-nationalisation or the state management of assets will lead to better results than through quality private managements.

■ Why did the hopes of some countries that their world would thoroughly change for the better after the fall of the Berlin Wall partly end up as illusions?

- The success of economic reforms also depends on strong political institutions.

Public institutions can ensure transparency, accountability, and quality governance of a state’s assets, but in many countries these institutions remain weak and unable to effectively implement necessary economic reforms effectively (such as privatisations).

Unfortunately, while growth has occurred, this growth has not been shared widely and large sections of society have not enjoyed the benefits.

■ How well is the transition to market economies followed by democratic changes; and how do you see the role of the EBRD in this part of your task?

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- The EBRD supports reforms that strengthen both democracy and economic efficiency. The EBRD believes that democratic and market reforms back each other and our experience supports this claim: advancement of economic reforms, according to the EBRD’s transition indicators, is strongly correlated with the development of democratic institutions in the EBRD region. At the regional level, we have been pleased to promote regional cooperation. This has been highlighted most recently by the coming together of all Prime Ministers of the Western Balkans region at a conference held at EBRD headquarters in London, where they discussed the promotion of infrastructure and regional investment.

■ The EBRD is today also investing temporarily in Greece and Cyprus, in order to help them emerge from their deep economic crisis. How does the bank’s role there differ from its original focus on transition countries?

- The EBRD is operating in both Greece and Cyprus on a temporary, time-bound basis. In both cases, the Bank has committed to being operational until the end of 2020, after which it will cease any new investments. In both cases, the Bank is using its expertise and knowhow to help these economies recover from deep crises. In this respect, the EBRD can play an important role by acting as a catalyst for fresh private investment and by helping to stabilise and strengthen the financial sectors of these countries.

■ To what extent are the countries of the Western Balkans that fell behind after the fall of the Berlin Wall still lagging behind their CE counterparts?

- Western Balkan countries are still behind CE in most areas and sectors, but we should take into account the fact that they started the transition almost a decade later. GDP per capita in purchasing power parity terms is about half that of the CE region. Convergence, which was fast before the 2008-09 crisis, has slowed down significantly. That may be explained partly by the drop in investments seen since 2008 and the accumulated stock of FDI which is still below that of CE countries. Without additional investment it will be difficult to catch up with more advanced countries.

■ Almost a year has passed since you became EBRD director for Serbia. How have Serbia’s reforms progressed in the mean time?

- I arrived in Serbia in August 2015 and have been impressed by the commitment to implement tough reforms, which have been backed by a credible IMF macroeconomic programme. Besides achieving macroeconomic targets, numerous measures have been taken, including: legal reforms to streamline permits and labour issues; addressing some key obstacles to resolving banking sector non-performing loans (NPLs); initial restructuring measures at some large state-owned enterprises (SOEs); and measures aimed at reducing government bureaucracy through “rightsizing”.

These steps have led to an improved business climate (notable in the World Bank’s Doing Business ratings), but have also helped set the stage for the start of EU accession negotiations. The EBRD has responded by expanding our policy dialogue actions and last year we signed an MoU with the Government to implement at least 10 projects geared towards support improvements in governance and the investment climate..

At the same time, the country cannot rest on its laurels. It is important to press forward with often difficult reforms, including privatisation and further restructuring.

I look forward to working on these issues in the years ahead. I also hope that improving the business climate will create opportunities for EBRD financing for private investment.

■ What do you see as the major points of interest for the EBRD when it comes to Serbia?

- As noted above, we would like to support increasing private investment in Serbia.

This can be foreign or domestic investors.

We are looking at some interesting small We do not believe that companies and hope to work with them to re-nationalisation or the support their growth to become national and perhaps international champions. state management of Some partners and domestic companies are assets will lead to better already becoming international champions – particularly in the agricultural and telresults than through ecommunications sectors. quality private In the state sector, it is necessary to managements continue with restructuring measures. Last year we agreed to support EPS as it takes steps to improve its commercial standing. I look forward to working ■ How much have these countries been able to catch up with with the company and the government on implementation. Given your support? relatively high debt levels, we need to work with creative financial - The EBRD focuses on closing the transition gaps through investments, structures – partnerships between the public and private sector – to easing access to finance constraints for the private sector and specifically develop important infrastructure. for some groups (SMEs, women entrepreneurs), but also supporting instiFinally, I see deep opportunities to utilise the EBRD’s experitution building and improving the business environment through technience in supporting the Green Energy Transition in Serbia. We are cal and policy advice. Our investments in Western Balkans (Albania, Bosprepared to support private and state companies in reducing their nia and Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia) have carbon footprint. We are seeking to improve efficiency in areas of reached €9.3 billion cumulatively (8.7per cent of the total EBRD investthe municipal sector – such as lighting, buildings and water distriment to date) by year’s end 2015. About half of the investments have been bution. We also expect to support the growth of renewable energy in infrastructure, reflecting the largest gaps, with a fifth invested in energy. production in Serbia, which is just in its initial stages. ■ 22 |

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EARLY PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS 2016

Vučić Wins – Six More Seats in Parliament On the day this issue of CorD went to print (25th April) the Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) announced that the Progressives (SNS) had won 48.28 per cent of the votes cast the previous day

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ased on 96.23 per cent of counted ballots, the SPS-JS coalition received 11.02 per cent of votes, while the Radicals (SRS) won 8.04 per cent. The five-per cent threshold was also crossed by the coalition led by the Democrats (DS), who gained 6.04 per cent, the Enough is Enough Movement (DJB), with 5.95 per cent, the Ivica Dačić – Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), United Serbia (JS) SDS-LDP-LSV coalition with 5.02 per cent, and DSS-Dveri, with five per – Dragan Marković Palma: 250 candidates cent. These are the parties and coalitions that will have representaDr Vojislav Šešelj – Serbian Radical Party - 250 candidates tives in parliament, while all others remained below the threshold and Dveri – Democratic Party of Serbia – Sanda Rašković Ivić – will not gain any seats, according to these results.

Boško Obradović: 240 candidates Early parliamentary elections were held across Serbia, while local Vajdasagi Magyar Szovetseg - Alliance of Vojvodina and Vojvodina Provincial Assembly elections were also held.

Hungarians - István Pásztor: 250 candidates • 8,378 polling stations - including 29 in prisons, 90 in Kosovo, Boris Tadić,Čedomir Jovanović – Alliance for a Better Serbia – and 38 abroad - opened at 07:00 CET and closed at 20:00 CET, with Liberal Democratic Party, League of Social Democrats of 6,739,441 citizens eligible to vote.

Vojvodina, Social Democratic Party: 250 candidates • 3,270 candidates on 20 electoral lists, six of which representing Muamer Zukorlić – Bosniak Democratic Community of minorities, competed for 250 seats in Serbia’s National Assembly.

Sandžak: 99 candidates • 1,687 domestic and 196 foreign observers monitored the vote.

SDA Sandžak - Dr Sulejman Ugljanin: 29 candidates Serbians were also casting their ballots in 17 Belgrade municipaliFor a Free Serbia – Zavetnici – Milica Đurđević: 66 candidates ties and 138 other municiCivic Group for the palities and 25 cities across Revival of Serbia – the country.

Based on 96.23% of counted ballots,The Slobodan Elections were not held Komazec: 186 Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won 48.28% for the Belgrade City Ascandidates sembly, nor for the city of of votes cast, the SPS-JS coalition Russian Party – Zaječar. The municipalities Slobodan Nikolić: received 11.02% of votes, while the Radicals of Aranđelovac, Bor, Vrbas, 55 candidates (SRS) won 8.04%. The 5% threshold was Kovin, Kosjerić, Lučani, MaRepublican Party jdanpek, Medveđa, Mionica, Republicánus párt also crossed by the coalition led by the Negotin, Odžaci and Pećinci – Nikola Sandulović: Democrats (DS), who gained 6.04%, the were also excluded from 131 candidates the vote, having held elecEnough is Enough Movement (DJB), with Serbo-Russian tions on various dates beMovement – 5.95%, the SDS-LDP-LSV coalition, with tween 2013 and 2015.

Slobodan Dimitrijević: 5.02%, and DSS-Dveri, with 5% Some 15 electoral lists 200 candidates competed for 150 seats in Borko Stefanović – the Vojvodina Provincial Serbia for All of Us: Assembly.

190 candidates Dialogue – Youth With a Stance – Stanko Debeljaković: 20 LISTS 50 candidates These were the 20 electoral lists in the early parliamentary Enough is Enough - Saša Radulović: 250 candidates election, in the order in which they appeared on the ballot papers: Party of Democratic Action – Ardita Sinani Partia Per Veprim Demokratik – Artita Sinani: 8 candidates Aleksandar Vučić – Serbia is Winning: 250 candidates Green Party: 106 candidates For a Just Serbia – Democratic Party (NOVA, DSHV, ZZS): 246 In Defiance – United for Serbia – People’s Alliance: 164 candidates candidates ■ Source: B92, BETA, TANJUG (MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016; 10:27) M AY

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INTERVIEW

Scratching

THE SURFACE MARVIN LIAO

PARTNER AT 500 STARTUPS

Marvin Liao is a Partner at 500 Startups, a global Seed Venture Capital Firm & Startup Accelerator based in Silicon Valley. He invests in Digital Media, Enterprise SAAS, Marketplace, Fintech, Digital Health & Mobile start-ups across the globe

is interested in opportunities with top growth companies, both large and small, with a focus on driving monetisation and expanding into new international markets.

■ In this time of rapid technological change, what are the key factors for the long-term survival of your business?

- An ability to adapt, learn and re-learn things. This requires grit and passion to tackle the problem you are trying to solve. Additionally, I think it requires a true service mindset.

As they say, “how do you become a millionaire? You solve the problems of a million people.”

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e has P&L management experience and was most recently responsible for 100% YoY revenue growth while running a business unit and building new sales channels in EMEA & the Emerging Markets regions for the last four years at Yahoo!. A 10.5-year veteran of Yahoo! Inc., Marvin has held roles in various departments, including Sales, Business Development, Ad Operations and Marketing. Most of his roles were regional or global management roles, providing him with extensive experience across Asia, Europe, Latin America and the United States in his career at the company.

Marvin presently serves on the boards/advisory boards of several internet advertising and ad technology companies across the globe.

He holds a BA, Major History/Minor Asian Studies, from the University of British Columbia.

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■ In which ways has the start-up landscape changed today compared to the initial phase?

- There have been a lot of changes in the start-up world since I entered it back in the late ‘90s. Cloud Services, like Amazon Web services, CRM etc., as well as global marketing and distribution channels, like Facebook, Google and the Apple Appstore, has allowed start-ups to reach customers globally and to punch above their weight.

There are new and easier programming languages that allow people to build products faster than ever. Because of this, it’s become cheaper than ever to launch a start-up (I’d even say a 1000 times cheaper).

■ Besides running the 500 Start-ups San Francisco accelerator programme, you are a mentor at many European and Asian accelerators. How do you manage your commitments and do you still enjoy it?

- Yeah, I absolutely enjoy it, otherwise I wouldn’t do it. I did it before I joined 500 Startups. I am definitely busier now with my day job, but I do try to find the time to continue with mentorship.

■ You have noted in a number of your interviews that Europeans are not as good as Americans at “telling the story”.

How would you explain that statement?

- Well this is not just Europeans, its Canadians, Latin Americans, Israelis etc. America is a unique place where many people are just excellent presenters and storytellers. I’m saying this as someone who grew up in Canada, so I recognise the difference. The ability of Americans to do story telling is really impressive. The good news is that this can be learned & improved upon by anyone. It’s definitely something we spend a lot of time working on with our companies at 500 Startups.

■ There are various claims about which country is more creative and “talented” for the start-up business.

Is there any basis for such statements?

- I think creativity and talent for startups resides in every country, but a friendly and supportive environment for start-ups certainly helps. We see this, of course, in Silicon Valley, but also in Israel, Estonia, Stockholm – all of which are places that to spring to mind. These include examples of start-up winners, (Skype in Estonia for example), many angel investors & VCs, as well as cadre of entrepreneurial minded employees as well. There are lots of factors that are too numerous to name here.

Japan, Korea, India etc.) and vertically (Fintech, Mobile etc.). I expect you will see more of this.

■ You are in the unique position of having vast insight into the global start-up ecosystem and the differences between the local start-up regions. What are the major differences?

- A lot of the difference is due to culture and time. Silicon Valley has a unique culture and lots of successful start-up examples that act as a guide for the next generation.

It’s a culture of accepting failure, of Openness and Paying it forward (i.e. helping others), thinking Win-Win (especially for investors) that has contributed to the growth of tech in Silicon Valley. This ethos is spreading all across the world, but it takes time for it to be absorbed.

■ What are the biggest problems and obstacles faced by young entrepreneurs today?

- Intense competition, which is the down side of it being easier than ever to launch a start-up, means there are tremendous numbers of players in every single niche and sector. Distinguishing yourself from your competition is critical and something founders don’t think enough about.

■ What are the greatest advantages of TruckTrack and BuildCon – the Serbian start-ups that have been ■ How do you know if an initial included in the 500 Startups – and candidate and idea presented to how can they serve as good examI think creativity and talent for you could be the right one at first ples for other young entrepreneurs? glance?

- The founders of TruckTrack & Buildstart-ups resides in every - It’s really hard, to be honest, and I’m not Con are good founders, because they country, but a friendly and sure any investor knows at first glance. have a unique view of the industry in supportive environment for But the first things I notice are 1) paswhich they are working as they come sion and excitement and 2) clarity of the start-ups certainly helps. We see from families that have been working in idea and problem they are working on. that industry. They have deep passion this, of course, in Silicon Valley, and interest in the problem they are Without these things, I lose interest very quickly in the wave of the dozens of starttrying to solve and because of that they but also in Israel, Estonia, up pitches I see every week. are deeply committed to their startStockholm – all of which are up. They are missionaries in a start-up places that to spring to mind world that is sadly filled with start-up ■ On average, to what extent can mercenaries who only do what they do start-ups contribute to the growth because they foolishly believe they can make a lot of money (never a of the economy, especially in developing countries, and what good signal for a good start-up founder, generally speaking). are those development prospects like, in your opinion?

- I think start-ups are critical to the growth of every economy, especially in developing countries. Anywhere where there is a lot of techni■ What is your biggest success to date? cal talent, like in Serbia or other parts of Central or Eastern Europe, - I’ve only been doing this for few years, so it’s too early to tell to be I am hopeful. Technical talent is the building block of start-up ecohonest. I’ll be able to tell you in three to five more years. systems. You can teach technical people business skills, but you can’t teach technical skills to business people (or at least it’s harder).

■ From this perspective, what does the future of start-ups look like?

■ What were the priorities of 500 Startups in the past year - I’m SUPER bullish on the future of the start-up economy in genand what will they be in the year ahead? eral. I think it’s just getting started. There are so many exciting - Solidifying our accelerator programme and making sure we are ideas and initiatives, and we are just scratching the surface here. getting better here. We will also be focusing on international expanSo I’m very much looking forward to seeing what emerges here in sion via our Microfund strategy, both at the regional level (Thailand, the future. ■ M AY

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ECONOMY

IMF Cuts Global Growth Outlook Again The International Monetary Fund warned in mid-April of the risk of political isolationism, notably Britain’s possible exit from the EU, and the risk of growing economic inequality as it cut its global economic growth forecast for the fourth time in a year

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n the run-up to the annual spring meetings of the IMF and the World Bank in Washington, D.C. this week, the IMF said the global economy was vulnerable to shocks such as sharp currency devaluations and worsening geopolitical conflicts.

In its latest World Economic Outlook, the IMF forecast global economic growth of 3.2 per cent this year, compared to a forecast of 3.4 per cent in January. The growth estimate also was lowered in July and October of last year.

For 2017, the IMF said the global economy would grow 3.5 per cent, down 0.1 percentage point from its January estimate.

Its latest report cited a worsening spillover from China’s economic slowdown as well as the impact of low oil prices on emerging markets such as Brazil. It also highlighted persistent economic weakness in Japan, Europe and the United States.

The gloomier picture sets the stage for the IMF and the World Bank to call this week for more coordinated global action to support growth.

“In brief, lower growth means less room for error,” IMF’s chief economist, Maurice Obstfeld, told a news conference, adding that “scarring effects” from years of tepid growth could in turn weaken demand, thin the workforce, and reduce potential output further, creating a scenario of “secular stagnation.”

ISOLATIONISM GROWS

In its report, the IMF warned that the rise of nationalist parties in Europe, the 23rd June “Brexit” referendum, and anti-trade rhetoric in the U.S. presidential campaign posed threats to the global 26 |

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economic outlook.

A British exit from the EU could do “severe regional and global damage by disrupting established trading relationships,” it said.

“We’re definitely facing the risk of going into doldrums that could be politically perilous,” said Obstfeld, who pointed to stagnant wage growth as fueling a growing sense of economic inequality that is spilling into the voting booth in many countries.

The IMF urged policymakers to boost growth with actions such as deregulating certain industries and raising labor market participation. It recommended nations with fiscal breathing room boost investments in infrastructure and cut labor taxes, and it encouraged central banks to keep monetary policy accommodative.

The IMF’s report and the gathering of officials and central bankers in Washington this week comes against the backdrop of widening rows in Europe over negative interest rates, a refugee crisis, and how to shore up Greece’s financial bailout program.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday that the European Central Bank’s record low interest rates were causing “extraordinary problems” for German banks and pensioners, and risked undermining voters’ support for European integration.

Official negotiations over Greece’s bailout review have been idled during the IMF and World Bank meetings, but the debate over whether to provide more debt relief to Athens in exchange for further budget cuts is expected to continue on the sidelines.

Obstfeld repeated the IMF’s demand for a bailout program that would put

Greece on a path to sustain its debt and begin growing again, adding that there should be some flexibility to help its government deal with the massive numbers of refugees who have fled to Greece from war-torn countries.

FORECASTS FOR JAPAN & U.S. ALSO CUT

The IMF on Tuesday cut Japan’s growth forecast for 2016 in half to 0.5 per cent. It said Brazil’s economy would now shrink by 3.8 per cent this year versus the previous forecast of a 3.5 per cent contraction, as Latin America’s largest economy struggles through its deepest recession in decades.

Meanwhile, the United States, one of the relative bright spots in the global economy, also saw its 2016 growth forecast cut to 2.4 per cent from 2.6 per cent.

The IMF said it anticipated an increased drag on U.S. exports from a stronger U.S. dollar, while low oil prices would keep energy investment weak.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew will urge G20 and IMF members to take steps to bolster demand, but also to “avoid persistent exchange rate misalignments and refrain from targeting exchange rates for competitive purposes,” a senior Treasury official told reporters.

The IMF nudged China’s growth forecast slightly higher to 6.5 per cent this year, and 6.2 per cent in 2017, partly due to previously announced policy stimulus moves. However, the Fund added that it was reducing its longer-term growth forecasts for China and said the Asian nation’s “momentous” shift away from investment-led growth was continuing to chill global trade. ■

APRIL BUSINESS LEADERS’ MEETING POINT

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BRIAN LETTINGA Lower School Principal at The International School of Belgrade

DELICE

Empowering and Inspiring Students

World of Excellence

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MLADEN PETKOVIĆ CEO at HK Krušik a.d. Valjevo

ALEKSANDAR PETERS Lift Truck CEO

Initiator of Technical and Technological Development of Western Serbia

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INTERVIEW

BRIAN LETTINGA, LOWER SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AT THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BELGRADE

Empowering and Inspiring Students Opportunities for academic excellence, artistic expression and international understanding are accessible to every student at The International School of Belgrade (ISB). The school’s challenging and diverse programmes offer a high quality international education with a global perspective. ISB relies on innovation and the best instructional practice to ensure they address pupils’ varying learning styles

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he ISB staff is a representative group comprising more than 10 different nationalities, while the students come from more than 40 different countries. ISB welcomes learners from all parts of the world, as well as working to inspire members of the community to embrace their responsibility to make the world a better place.

during understanding takes place each and every day here at ISB. Our students connect their learning through offcampus field trips and are involved actively in serving others and our school through various action projects that we undertake each year. Our curriculum is also balanced, providing students with opportunities to take educational risks in learning other modern languages, physical education, the performing arts, or visual arts.

bers are regularly trained in the inquiry process and possess advanced level university degrees. Our staff is a representative group comprising more than 10 different nationalities, while the students come from more than 40 different countries. ISB welcomes learners from all parts of the world, as well as working to inspire members of the community to embrace their responsibility to make the world a better place.

■ In addition to basic education, IBS also takes care of the social development of children. Which channels of education do you utilise in order to achieve that?

- All International Baccalaureate schools embrace the IB Learner Profile, which consists of ten attributes that ■ The ISB has for years represented we aim to instil in our community. a shining example when it comes to Children are encouraged to be inquireducating children of all ages. What ers, thinkers, communicators, caring, forms the basis of your educational balanced, principled, knowledgeable, curriculum for the youngest children? reflective; risk-takers who keep - Empowering and inspiring stuan open mind. ISB welcomes dents begins with our youngest The PYP represents a framework learners with various educational learners here at The International needs and we can support them for learning through which School of Belgrade (ISB). We folby having a full-time counsellow the Primary Years Programme students and teachers can lor, learning support teachers, (PYP), which is one of the proco-construct understanding and doctor on staff to help meet grammes of the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO). The together. It is through inquiry that the needs of all of our students.

We have a systematic orientaPYP represents a framework for deep and enduring tion process that welcomes new learning through which students understanding takes place each students and families to our and teachers can co-construct community, as well as a ‘buddy’ understanding together. It is and every day here at ISB system in place so all new stuthrough inquiry that deep and en28 |

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■ What distinguishes your education system from those of other similar schools in Serbia?

- What makes ISB Serbia’s flagship school is its international nature. While the PYP is a framework, our curriculum is based on resources from around the world. We use various sources, ranging from Australia to the United States, to draw upon the best teaching practices and instructional outcomes. Staff mem-

dents have support in their classrooms and during break times.

in the ISB Lower School?

- ISB enjoys an open enrolment system, meaning all children are welcome to apply. We follow a rolling admission process, which ensures new students can join at any point during the school year. ISB seeks to look at each applicant as an individual and we work to follow

I would like to invite the Belgrade community to contact ISB for access to our upcoming ISB Open Day event on 18th May, at which we will welcome prospective students to ISB.

■ How do you manage to “conduct” the needs, habits and cultural differences of children coming from differ■ How would you assess the educaent countries and cultures?

- ISB seeks to be inclusive in its education system for the youngest age groups in Serbia? tion. Our staff members recognise - There is a good body of research and celebrate the many differOur programme is designed to ences that can be part of a truly that supports organised play at eclectic school population. We early ages, and we refer to this as encourage a balance of embrace challenge, change, and ‘play-based learning’. ISB begins child-initiated and teacheropen-mindedness in all that we instruction with our programme facilitated activities, taking into do. Our school enjoys a strong and for three-year-olds. Our prosupportive spirit of community gramme is designed to encourage account the individuality and that extends to new students and a balance of child-initiated and diversity of each learner families from our staff, students teacher-facilitated activities, takand parents, welcoming all new ing into account the individuality that model with all student applicants. members into our community regardless and diversity of each learner. Our proof their cultural or ethnic origins.

A desire to learn alongside a group of gramme creates learning opportunities internationally-minded community and individual inquiries which spark members is about all it takes to apply ■ Are there specific criteria that a children’s natural curiosities, interests to the Lower School. child needs to satisfy in order to enrol and enthusiasm. ■

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LOCAL

NEWS

CONDITION “Serbia wants to put its state in order based on the model of EU members, wants to meet all requirements, but Serbia has a single condition for Europe - never to ask of us to recognise the independence of Kosovo”— TOMISLAV NIKOLIĆ, Serbian President

SRBIJA KARGO

OLAF&MCATEER

Srbija Kargo Expects Surge in Operations Freight railway operator Srbija Kargo expects a sharp increase in operations on the back of a rise in transported goods produced by steel mill Zelezara Smederevo after its recent sale, the state-owned transportation company’s acting director Miroljub Jevtic said.

Serbia’s government signed with China’s Hebei Iron and Steel a €46 million sale agreement for the struggling state owned steel mill, which the investor has pledged to transform into a vital company after investing in it $300

Digital Trends in Serbia

According to the digital team of Olaf&McAteer, more than 43 per cent of people worldwide are online.

In Serbia, 65 per cent of the population uses the internet every day, while 52 per cent have profiles on social networks. There are 3.5 million Facebook accounts in Serbia, of which 53 per cent are men. 60 per cent of Serbia’s Facebook users are aged 18-34. Instagram has reached more than 360,000 users in Serbia and this number is growing as we speak. Nowadays, video content becomes more and more popular among

brands, companies and organisations and a crucial part of their integrated communication strategy. How can one gain the attention of the target audience and keep them active for more than a second? Use video streaming! Instagram, a second booming network with almost half a billion users worldwide, is becoming a powerful business tool. At the right time, in the right place, Instagram has recognised every person’s need for visual expression. The growing trend of social media influencers helped all stakeholders to capitalise, shifting TV content to digital, display advertising to sponsored content and online video traffic.

“Social Media without a strategy invites social media tragedy” is the motto that the Olaf&McAteer digital team believes in strongly.

THE BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

“Medieval Fantasy Fair” Charity Event

million in fixed capital and infrastructure within an unspecified timeframe. Srbija Kargo expects to transport some 5 to 6 million tonnes of cargo for the needs of its steel mill client alone, as compared to one million tonnes at present.

Srbija Kargo was established following the unbundling of railway operator Zeleznice Zrbije into a holding company with three subsidiaries, as part of the terms of a stand-by agreement with the International Monetary Fund.

Source: seenews.com

The British International School is delighted to invite you to our “Medieval Fantasy Fair” charity event!

Come join us and bring your children along to our Primary Campus at Uzicka 7a on 21 May, from 10:30 until 16:00 for a day of fun activities, international cuisine, face painting, an interesting programme and valuable raffle prizes! This year all proceeds will go to the “Life Values” Project to support their 2016 summer camp.

The British International School was opened in Belgrade in 1997 and caters for the needs of diplomatic and foreign business families, as well as local families seeking education in the English language for their children. BIS was the first school in Serbia to be registered by the British Department for Education (DfE) and the University of Cambridge. BIS is a regular member of the European Council of International Schools (ECIS), an associate member of the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) and is recognised by the Serbian Ministry of Education.

BELGRADE FAIR

TIGAR A.D.

"Strong Pulse" at the Belgrade Fair The 60th anniversary edition of the International Fair of Technique and Technical Achievements )16th – 20th May) represents a top event in this part of Europe and the largest, oldest and most important event covering regional technological development. In the 60 years of its existence, the fair has had international UFI accreditation for 59 years.

This year it is expected that more than 500 direct and indirect exhibitors will come from the region and Europe, but also from other continents, to gather at the Belgrade Fair. Under the slogan “Strong Pulse”, the International Fair of Technique and Technical Achievements will present major innovations in the field of processing technique, telecommunications, logistics, electrical engineering, electronics, traffic and transport, shipbuilding, air conditioning, heating and cooling, materials, equipment for professional and scientific purposes etc.

The focus this year is on innovativeness, innovations and new technologies, in other words on the “Factories of the Future” and industrial automation, electrical energy, modernisation of the energy infrastructure in general etc.

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Rubber Compound Factory Opens Company Tigar A.D. from Pirot has officially opened its new rubber compound factory, spanning an area of 1,780 square metres and costing €1.2 million.

“Despite undergoing reorganisation, the company mustered enough strength in the last nine months to implement the €1.2 million investment from its own funds. This is a huge event, first and foremost for Tigar, but also for the local authorities and the state of Serbia,” said Tigar A.D. CEO Nebojša Đenadić.

The opening ceremony was attended by Aleksandar Vulin, Serbian Minister of Labour, Employment, Veterans’ Affairs and Social Policy, Dragan Stevanović, State Secretary at the Ministry of the Economy, as well as representatives of the local authorities, business partners and the media.

STABILITY

DID YOU KNOW As many as 16 Roman emperors were born in Serbia

“A politically stable, socially fair and economically successful Serbia, which advances along its EU path, is in the interest of all of us in Europe, not only Serbia.”— GERHARD SCHROEDER, former German chancellor

ENERGOPROJEKT

Energoprojekt Bags €10.2 mln Construction Contracts in Africa Serbian civil engineering group Energoprojekt Holding has signed two contracts in East Africa worth a total of €10.2 million.

Energo Nigeria, a unit of the holding company’s subsidiary Energoprojekt Oprema, has signed a €6.55 million deal to build an electrical substation with 110/33 kV voltage level in Rwanda, Energoprojekt reported.

Deadline for the project delivery is 18 months.

Another of its subsidiaries, Energoprojekt Niskogradnja, has won a €3.7 million road construction order in Uganda. The deadline for the project delivery is 10 months.

Source: seenews.com

Placements & postings appointments@aim.rs

ANA RAČIĆ

New Marketing And Communication Division Director In Vojvođanska Banka Ana Račić,appointed to the position Marketing and Communication Division Director in Vojvođanska Banka.

Ana Račić has a masters degree in psychology from Moscow state university M. V. Lomonosov, where she also earned her bachelor’s degree. She is fluent in English and Russian. She has gained her professional experience since 1999, in marketing companies IDEA Plus Communications and Publicic Grup (Publicis and Saatchi&saatchi). Since 2007 she had been working in Vip mobile. There, in the past four years, she held the managerial roles in Marketing communications.

CARLOS DE CORDOUE

New Chairman of the Crédit Agricole Srbija Executive Board Carlos de Cordoue (54) is an experienced corporate banker who comes from the position of director of business cooperation between CA-CIB and Crédit Agricole Group, which he held since 2011. He was previously engaged in Asia, where he held highly responsible financial positions from 2007 onwards, first at CA-CIB in Hong Kong and then at company CA-CIB Thailand.

As the new Chairman of the Executive Board, de Cordoue will be responsible for the business operations of Crédit Agricole Bank in Serbia, which has 80 branches and employs over 900 people.

DRAGOLJUB DAMLJANOVIĆ

New President of the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce VOJVOĐANSKA BANK

Enjoy the Advantages of the Visa Olympic Card In the Olympic year of 2016 Vojvođanska Banka will delight users of the Visa Olympic card with falling interest rates, which will fall by four per cent each month, while in August the rate will be an unbelievable to 0%.

“The Olympic card is specific in that its users participate actively in the strengthening of the Serbian Olympic family and the preserving of Olympic values, in that every time you make a payment part of the proceeds are donated to the Serbian Olympic Committee, at no cost to cardholders,” said Maria Constantinou, Director of the Function of Managing the Network and Population at Vojvođanska Bank.

An additional benefit for users of the Olympic Visa card is the possibility of servicing the repayment obligations of the credit cards of other banks, with an incredible fixed interest rate of just four per cent annually, which is valid until the debt has been repaid in full.

Olympic card users realise a discount of three per cent, or six per cent in July and August, at all EKO petrol stations in Serbia and two per cent in sporting goods stores, sports and recreational centres, health and beauty centres, all box offices, cinemas, theatres and museums in Serbia.

The Management Board of the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce has selected a new president in the form of Dragoljub Damljanović, director of the energy and services sector for the region of Southeast Europe at Schneider Electric. Damljanović started his career at the Electric Utility of Belgrade, where he advanced from project engineer to director of investments and planning. He has been employed by Schneider Elecric since 2004, and in 2012 he became the company’s director for the territory of Serbia and Montenegro. He is married and has a son. In his new position at the Chamber he replaces Patrick Collin from Findomestic BNP Paribas Bank, who has ended his professional engagements in Serbia.

Eric Grasser, director of the company Hit Auto in Serbia, has been appointed vice president of the association. Grasser is a graduate of the Ecole Superieure de Commerce in France, while he also studied in Germany before working in the Czech Republic, Romania and Macedonia. He is a married father of two daughters.

MIŠA LUKIĆ

New CEO, Publicis One Central and Eastern Europe Miša Lukić has amassed 23 years of experience in top management positions during his career. He has led five marketing communications agencies in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, including serving as CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi (1997 to 1999) and Leo Burnett (2000 to 2010). His leadership has resulted in the agenices he has managed receiving awards at leading creative festivals around the world, including Cresta, Eurobest, EACA, Cannes Lions, EPICA Moscow RedApple and Golden Drum. Lukić is also the youngest recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award (UEPS); winner of Marketing Person of the Year Serbia 2010 (World of Marketing); Leader in Creative Thinking in Serbia 2013; Top 100 most successful Managers in Serbia (2009) and Top 100 Business Leaders of Southeast Europe – Summit 100 (2011/2014).

His is currently president of the management board of Publicis Group Serbia, encompassing Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi and Publicis.

BRITISH-SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EXPANDS MANAGEMENT TEAM The British-Serbian Chamber of Commerce has announced the appointments of four new team members to work in the office in Belgrade.

The new team will consist of three new directors with rich and extensive experience of doing business in Serbia – David Webb, Nebojša Ćirjaković and Slavko Caric – who will join current directors Stephen Fish and Tahir Hasanović, as well as Nebojša Milićević, director of the office in Belgrade. The Belgrade team will work closely with the London team, which is led by Sir Paul Judge, Chairman of the British-Serbian Chamber of Commerce.

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INTERVIEW

MLADEN PETKOVIĆ, CEO AT HK KRUŠIK A.D. VALJEVO

Initiator of Technical and Technological Development of Western Serbia HK Krušik has recently received the prestigious Captain Miša Anastasijević Award for sustainable development and competitiveness, mainly due to the high value of signed contracts that provided employment for 565 new workers and a positive result in 2015, and that will surely guarantee (lucrative business opportunities) for the next two years

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K Krušik a.d. Valjevo has, in a relatively short period of time and thanks to the great efforts of the management and all employees, grown out of a company that was on the brink of oblivion into a stable organisation with clear and realistic development plans that the Company is able to implement using its own resources.

cerns the construction of plant for primers production. The total value of these two projects amounts to 19.4 million euros.

In early 2016, the works on the construction of a new plant for rocket motor chambers production have been completed covering the area of 2,800m2. The plant was built on the site of the former Tool factory, which was destroyed in NATO bombing in 1999. The new building is equipped ■ When you took over the leadership with the flow forming machines, being the of Krušik two years ago, the Company “core” of this technology. The entire investment is financed from our own resources was in huge debt. What is the financial and the value of the first phase is estistability of the Company at present?

- When I took on the role of CEO in January mated at 9.4 million euros. The construction of this facility will create conditions 2014, I found a bad financial situation at for renewal and modernization the factory. Namely, in 2013 alone, of the production resources the Company generated a loss The number of employees has close to a billion dinars, while for Krušik missile program, as well as creation of brand new financial obligations towards increased by 565 from the the state, suppliers and banks products in this domain. This beginning of 2014, while there are amounted to over 40 million is the only factory of its kind in euros. We faced unconnected emthe region. plans to employ additional 155 ployment status for all employees In cooperation with the Pubworkers. The factory currently for a period of four years, delays lic Enterprise Jugoimport SDPR in the payment of salaries, while employs 1,732 workers, only seven per we launched the implementain a Company where main activity tion of an investment project cent of whom work in administration is the production, 60 per cent of to build a new primers plant, or the total number of employees to expand the capacity of the have been working in administration.

■ You recently announced a new investfactory for initial devices and detonators.

After a number of of ”unpopular” meament of around 20 million euros. How The entire quantity of produced primers sures and decisions having been taken by is the realisation of this investment will be delivered to companies belonging to the management in the past two years, HK progressing? the OIS (Defence Industry of Serbia) group, Krušik a.d. Valjevo has currently been clas- The implementation of two investment thereby replacing the import of these prodsified as a successful and stable company, projects is underway: the first relates to ucts. The value of this investment in the a leader in the field of defence industry and the construction of a factory for rocket mofirst phase amounts to 10 million euros. the initiator of technical and technological tor chambers production, which enables Completion of these plants with all the development of industry in Western Serbia. conditions for the serial production of envisaged equipment will enable employWe have ended last year with a positive missile systems, while the second conment of 190 new workers. The number of 32 |

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result in the amount 201 million dinars and contracted projects worth approximately 140 million US dollars, which secures the capacity employment for 2016 and 2017.

We also signed a contract for transfer of technology in 2015, worth 30 million euros.

In comparison to the results of 2013, we have achieved implementation growth of almost 130 per cent.

The trust of our business partners and our former reputation have been restored, while we achieved liquidity and the Company’s ability to generate money required for normal operations and accomplishment of commitments, without expensive external sources of financing.

employees is conditioned by the choice of modern technology and highly productive and automated equipment.

■ Late last year you announced some projects, for which you expected to sign the contracts worth about 140 million US dollars, with over 90 per cent due to be exported. What is the status of these projects?

- We have started the 2016 with signed contracts worth approximately 140 million US dollars, which secured the employment of capacity for 2016 and 2017. The Company also signed a contract for transfer of technology in 2015, worth 30 million euros.

The implementation of the contracted projects is progressing according to the plan and in line with the agreed schedule.

Continuity has been achieved in terms of the financing of the Company and compliance with inflows and outflows, thus possible production delays and bottlenecks have been reduced to a minimum.

undeniable that good expert staff form the backbone of good, high quality production in our conditions.

In March this year we signed a Contract on business and technical cooperation with the Technical School in Valjevo, which defines the method of introducing practical classes for students with the educational profile of machine processing operator, scholarships for them and their employment at HK Krušik a.d. Valjevo upon graduation. Practical classes will be given on the premises and in the facilities of HK Krušik a.d. Valjevo, starting from the second grade in the duration provided by the curriculum for that educational profile, with the participation of teachers of the

a.d. Valjevo to provide jobs upon graduation for all students who met the aforementioned criteria and in accordance with their qualifications.

■ When one thinks of Valjevo, one necessarily thinks of Krušik. How much does the economy of Valjevo depend on Krušik’s successful business activities?

- Krušik represents the industrial heart of Valjevo. Given that our products are mainly intended for export, in addition to the impact it exerts on the economic life of Valjevo, Krušik also provides a specific contribution to the country’s overall foreign trade balance.

In addition to regular wages and

■ In the first quarter of this year you hired 146 new workers, while you expect about 200 new workplaces to be created by the end of the first half of the year.

In which parts of the Company have you found room for such mass employment?

- The number of employees has increased by 565 from the beginning of 2014, while there are plans to employ additional 155 workers. The factory currently employs 1,732 workers, only seven per cent of whom work in administration.

Increasing the number of In addition to regular wages and paid employees is a consequence of the increased workload, due to taxes and contributions, our the high value of signed contracts employees also have all of their rights and their implementation within the agreed deadlines. secured and protected, the quality

paid taxes and contributions, our employees also have all of their rights secured and protected, the quality few companies can boast. Our employees feel like they have a name and a surname, and are few companies can boast. Our ■ Are you satisfied with the not just a number in personemployees feel like they have a name nel records. skills and quality of work shown by new employees, who In the procurement of raw and a surname, and are not just a mainly come from the Valjevo materials priority is given to number in personnel records Technical School, and what kind local, Valjevo-based compaof cooperation do you have nies, so we can say that Krušik with this educational institution?

Technical School and experts from Krušik also promotes the economy of Valjevo in - In the last 20 years the Technical School as demonstrators and associate practitiothat way. All financial obligations to local in Valjevo has not included the educaners. During the realization of this agreegovernment and utility companies are paid tional profiles of metal-milling machinist, ment, Krušik will provide scholarships for regularly. lathe-turner, and the like, due to which all students of this educational profile who After a long period, HK Krušik a.d. these occupational profiles became scarce, achieve minimum overall success of 3.5 (of Valjevo is again in a position to undertake while metal industry companies, including 5.0), appropriate behaviour and an assessspecific activities that contribute to the Krušik, found themselves in an unenviable ment of 5.0 for practical classes, as well as improvement of the wellbeing of the entire situation. Namely, on the one hand, we two students from families in the worst community. In accordance with this orienhave expert staff members who are about financial situation, provided they have aptation, in 2015 we took a number of decito retire, while on the other hand, there is a propriate behaviour. sions to realize donations, amongst which lack of young people who could be trained As the ultimate result and goal of this was a donation for the hospital in Valjevo, and introduced to this job, while it is contract, an obligation is set for HK Krušik amounting to 4.5 million dinars. ■ M AY

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REGIONAL

NEWS

STABILITY “We will always be for regional stability and I think that we have demonstrated that we are doing everything in that regard. I think that the ball is in the other court,” — ZORANA MIHAJLOVIĆ, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister

ALBANIA

Tirana Airport Sold to Chinese Company for $90mln

Tirana International Airport (TIA), which operates Mother Teresa airport in the Albanian capital, has been reportedly sold to a Chinese company to China Everbright for $90mn.

The region’s relatively low costs and proximity to Central Europe and Germany make it attractive for Chinese investors. It is also an important transit route between Greece’s Piraeus Port, where China’s Cosco recently acquired a majority stake, and major EU economies. TIA is a consortium owned by Germany’s AviAlliance, DEG Deutsche Investitions-und Entwicklungsgesellschaft, a member of the KfW banking group, and the Albanian-American Enterprise Fund (AAEF). China Everbright Limited is a financial services company active in asset management, direct investment, brokerage and investment banking in China and Hong Kong.

FYR MACEDINIA

'Macedonia Employs' Project Municipalities Kumanovo, Lipkovo and Staro Nagoricane employed a total of 874 people through the project “Macedonia employs “.

Largely micro and small enterprises took advantage of the project, which ended end last month, mostly through trade and service activities. Until the April 20 the companies were also able to submit another request and hire one more or several people without paying taxes.

‘With this project, the companies redistributed its funds for other needs. The unemployed also benefited by getting a job, while the companies saved money for paying benefits’ - said the head of the Kumanovo Employment Center, Milorad Trencevski .

Companies that employed young people under 35 were given exemption from payment of contributions for a period of three years, for employment of people 35 to 55 of age, the exemption is for a period of five years and for those over 55 exemption from payment of contributions is up to their retirement.

Croatia’s 121 boating ports generated 753 million kuna (€100 million) before tax in revenue last year, growth of 5.1% from the previous year, the Croatian Bureau of Statistics reported. The majority of the revenue, around 70%, was generated by berth rentals at the 121 boating ports in Croatia.

The revealed that there were 17,350 berths at 121 ports last year and 9 more boating ports.

At the end of 2015 there were around 13,000 vessels permanently berthed in Croatia, which was 3% less than at the end of 2014. The flag state for a majority of these vessels was Croatia with 43.6% of the total, followed by Austria (16.6%), Germany (15.2%), Italy and Slovenia (5.2% each) and the United Kingdom (2.3%). The city of Zadar had the most ports – 36, but the largest income generated at boating ports was in the Šibenik-Knin County.

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German automotive supplier Otto Fuchs will double production capacity at its plant in Tatabánya with a 12.8 billion forint (€41.3m) investment. The company will receive a 1.2 billion forint governmental grant for the project.

Aluminium wheel hub production at the plant in Tatabanya could reach 2 million pieces by the end of the year, up from 1 million pieces in 2014.

The plant currently employs 380 workers and the investment could create 180 jobs. The Hungarian unit of Otto Fuchs supplies wheel hubs to Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

EVERY BUSINESS PLAN SHOULD INCLUDE

Nautical Tourism Generates €100mln

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Otto Fuchs to Double Production

10 SURPRISING THINGS

CROATIA

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HUNGARY

A solid business plan can be the difference between just an idea and a successful business. It allows you to set goals and determine how to realistically measure them. Here are 10 unexpected items every business plan should have.

1. A review of the competition 2. Innovation. Companies that value innovation must make it a priority from the start 3. A contingency plan 4. Preparation for success 5. Psychographics. "Psychographics ― customer values, lifestyles, habits and interests ― give you a deeper insight into your customers' needs 6. A social media strategy 7. Employee engagement tactics 8. An exit plan. Providing an exit strategy can be a great help if you decide to sell the business later on 9. A way to implement the plan 10. A commitment to follow the plan

BULGARIA

SOLUTIONS

DID YOU KNOW

“As soon as the Serb elections are over, leaders in Belgrade will have to tell Serbs in Kosovo they need to look for solutions to their problems in Pristina.” — ISA MUSTAFA, Kosovo Prime Minister

The Ohrid’s lake is the oldest lake in Europe, and the deepest in Balkan. The lake is believed to be 4million years old and has more than 200 endemic species.

New High-Tech Plant Creates 1200 Jobs

More than 1200 jobs will be created in a new high-tech plant near Plovdiv, an investment of $40 million by US company Sensata. The plant will produce sensors and electrical protection devices for use in motor vehicle and aircraft production.

This is the American company’s second plant in Bulgaria. The first is in Botevgrad, employing 1850 people.

Prime Minister Boiko Borissov said that the new plant was proof of the improved investment climate in Bulgaria. Such investments are key to reducing unemployment and increasing economic growth, Borissov said.

Prime Minister Boiko Borissov (middle) cut the ribbon at the official opening of the new plant

MONTENEGRO

MK Group, Stratex eye Budvanska Rivijera Serbian conglomerate MK Group has signed a partnership agreement with property developer Stratex on joint investments in privatisationbound hotel operator Budvanska Rivijera and other projects in hotel services in Montenegro, the two companies said in a joint statement.

The two investors expect cooperation on the part of the government in Podgorica in ensuring Budvanska Rivijera’s future, they said.

At the end of 2015 Montenegro’s privatisation council adopted a privatisation plan which envisages the sale of stakes in several large companies including hotel operators Budvanska Rivijera and Ulcinjska Rivijera.

Budvanska Rivijera’s net profit increased 5.4% to 3.5 million euro ($3.96 million) in the first nine months of 2015, according to company data.

The Montenegrin government and state funds control a combined stake of 58.7% in Budvanska Rivijera.

The remainder is in the hands of small shareholders.

ROMANIA

World Bank Grants €48 mln Loan For Pollution Control Initiative Romania has received another €48 million from the World Bank to expand the Integrated Nutrient Pollution Control Project.

It is estimated that around 30,000 small farmers and 100 localities will benefit from fresh investments due to the loan.

The €48 million additional financing will complement the ongoing €50 million WBbacked project and will focus on scaling-up investments and management practices to reduce nutrient pollution from agricultural, livestock and human sources nationwide. There are not EU grants allotted for such initiatives in the country.

The project will support Romania’s efforts to reduce the discharge of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) into Romania’s water bodies and meet EU provisions in this area.

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CORPORATE DELICE

World of Excellence Meet Marija, a businesswoman, mother and bon viveur. From a tender age she was introduced to the most refined taste: Her father, a studious and inventive man, taught her the beauties of the world, and ballet school imprinted on her the most impeccable manners

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er love of French culture and gastronomy was present long before she married Francois, who was the cherry on top of this love story. Together they came up with the idea of sharing with the world the most exquisite secrets of France, and Delice was born.

way to immerse oneself in France and the magical French palate.

We select products from world-renowned producers, of which one of the best known is Comtesse Du Barry. This century-old company is the ambassador of French gastronomy. It produces the most refined goose and duck foie gras, to name just one delicacy.

Another favourite is Maxim’s chocolates. This company’s 19th century factory is a per excellence representation of the Belle Époque. Their flavours

most influential oenologists, with 30 carefully grown vintages in 30 years. Having him in Delice is more than a privilege.

Champagne can only be called champagne on one place on Earth: its place of birth. Canard-Duchene is champagne.

Their house dates back to the mid-18th century and there is a reason why champagne is to this day considered the most sophisticated beverage of all.

Those who appreciate cognac must know Armagnac, its classy relative. The Chateau de Laubade is the epitome of

THE BIRTH OF DELICE

As John Krakauer said: “happiness is only real when shared”. And the birth of Delice was the only logical step for Marija. She was slowly but surely becoming an expert on French gastronomy. She started being part of the most important wine tastings, both in Serbia and France, and her palate was becoming increasingly refined. Matching bites and sips seemed to be in her DNA, and passion craves growth. She opened her very own shop in the heart of Belgrade: a reflection of both herself and her France.

We have diverse clientele. Some of them know exactly what they want and some of them come in wondering THE HOUSES OF DELICE

We have diverse clientele. Some of them know exactly what they want and some of them come in wondering.

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transport us to long forgotten childhood memories and no one represents a secret pleasure quite like they do.

Our wine love story is endless. All the houses we work with are worthy of mention. Just to mention some: Michel Rolland, a man who needs no introduction, is perhaps one of today’s

good taste and its production process is high-level engineering. This centuries’ old house blends the most exquisite grapes in ancient oak barrels, in order to provide us with the most perfect taste of Armagnac.

This is just a ‘to be continued’ for Delice, with a selection of the very best French cheeses about to arrive on our shelves. ■

Belgrade, Njegoševa st. 52 Phone +381 11 242 07 04 www.delice.rs

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E Office building FOR RENT GREEN SQUARE is a luxury building of exceptionally high quality situated in a unique location in the city centre.

GREEN SQUARE is built to the highest standards of class A+ office buildings.

Equipped with innovative technologies that provide care for the preservation of nature and offers maximum comfort to clients with a highest standard of business. the building is located at heart of Vračar in Mutapova Street, overlooking the courtyard of St. Sava Temple.

GREEN SQUARE consists of ● ground floor, with entrance hall and exclusive restaurant ● four floors, each with around 580m2 ● fifth floor - VIP etage of 335m2, with a terrace covering 230m2. ● a parking garage on three underground levels with 50 parking spaces ● 24h security with nonstop video surveillance ● cleaning and building maintenance works provided

Granit Invest Mraovića sokače 6, 11000 Belgrade - Serbia Tel: +38111 30 88 850 Fax: +38111 30 88 851 E-mail: granit.invest@eunet.rs Web: www.granitinvest.co.rs

NEWS

TRAFFICKING “In Greece refugees are being waved through to the heart of Europe. That is simply unacceptable in the long run. The European Union cannot act like a human trafficker.” — SEBASTIAN

WORLD

KURZ, Austria’s Foreign Minister

CZECH REPUBLIC

CHINA

YunOS Becomes World's Third-Largest Smartphone OS Securing 40 million users in 2015, YunOS, backed by Alibaba Group, has become the world’s third-largest operating systems (OS) for smartphones, according to domestic tech website MyDrivers. “YunOS, accounting for 20 to 25 percent of the domestic market share, has surpassed the share of Apple Inc’s iOS,” said Wang Jian, chief technology officer of Alibaba.

Taking cloud computing as an example, he said that Alibaba is expected to compete with industries such as IBM that have represented the advanced technology of the US since 19th century.

“Today’s China is like the US in 100 years ago. Time has given us a great opportunity to serve all mankind with technology and change the world with technological innovation,” said Wang Jian. He believes that China is likely to become the first country that turns computing into public service and offers the world a smart operating system apart from Android and iOS. SPAIN

Spain Could Lose €3.6bln if it Bans Bullfighting Calls to ban bullfighting in Spain are growing louder and louder, but a new report claims the economic impact could be huge.Spain could lose an estimated €3.6 billion a year if it banned bullfighting according to data from the National Association of Bullfighting Organizers (ANOET). The figures, quoted by Europa Press, are based on the 6.1 million tickets sold last year as well as the 199,000 jobs and 57,000 positions directly linked to bullfighting. Madrid alone would face a loss of €244 million in revenues if it banned bullfighting: €232 million would be lost indirectly while €12.2 million would be lost directly.

AUSTRIA

The results of the 2016 Air Transport News Awards were announced: Turkish Airlines has been awarded "Airline of The Year" As the only international prizes that award all the main categories of the air transport industry, 2016 Air Transport News Awards Ceremony took place in Mozart Residence, Salzburg. Turkish Airlines and its sub-brands were again among the winners. Turkish Airlines has been awarded “Airline of The Year”. Turkish Cargo won “Cargo Airline of the Year” award and Turkish Technic won “MRO Company of the Year” award in 2016 Air Transport News Awards. Operated by TAV Airports, Istanbul Ataturk Airport won the “Airport of the Year” award in 2016 Air Transport News Awards. İlker Ayci, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Comittee Turkish Airlines stated as follow for the “Airline of the Year Award”: “As the Turkish Airlines network grows every day by offering more and more services, the satisfaction of our guests is still our first priority. We have succeed a significant rise by increasing the number of our passengers from 10.3 million (in 2002) to nearly 62 million last year. With total 288 flight destinations to 113 countries, we became the airline that flies to the

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most countries in the world. In 2016, we anticipate carrying 72 million passengers. Our fleet has reached 304 today; one of the youngest fleets in Europe. We’ll continue to grow by purchasing new airplanes and by adding new destinations to our global flight network. Turkish Airlines has been awarded the Best Airline Europe by Skytrax five years in a row. In 2023, we aim to increase our number of passengers from nearly 60 million to 120 million, and our number of aircrafts from 300 to more than 450. With the completion of the new airport in Istanbul,Turkish Airlines will achieve a much different momentum.

The Chairperson of the jury for ATN Awards 2016 was Jeff Poole, Director General, CANSO. The other members of the jury were Bob Aaronson, ex Director General, ACI, Raymond Benjamin, ex Secretary General, ICAO , Dr. Pierre Coutu, Program Executive, AMPAP, Ralph Kaiser, CEO, UATP, Simon McNamara, Director General, ERA and Dr. Charles E. Schlumberger, Lead Air Transport Specialist, World Bank.

CzechInvest Aiming at US Automotive Giants Representatives of CzechInvest visited the United States with the objective of further strengthening the Czech Republic’s dominant position in the automotive industry in Central

Europe and gaining new investors. Their first stop was the New York International Auto Show.

The two-week series of meetings with American vehicle manufacturers and parts producers continued in other states in the American Midwest.

In mid-April, CzechInvest took part in the biggest automotive symposium in North America, the SAE World Congress & Exhibition.

“The Czech Republic is associated with the best automobile brands. In future, we want to strengthen our presence in high-tech sectors such as ecological drive units and intelligent and assistance systems,” says Charles Kucera, CEO CzechInvest, describing the focus of the campaign.

10 THINGS

TO CONSIDER BEFORE INVESTING IN A NEW PROJECT OR BUSINESS IDEA

1. Test Assumptions 2. Ensure It Aligns With Key Performance Indicators (KPI) 3. Take a Step Back 4. Analyze the Pros and Cons 5. Don’t be too proud to ask for help or advice 6. Ask If It's What People Want 7. Organize the Project First 8. Define What Success Looks Like 9. Run Some AdWords Tests 10. Talk to Real-Life Customers

MIGRANTS

DID YOU KNOW

“We have to restore dignified living conditions for refugees and migrants in Europe as swiftly as possible.” — CHRISTOS STYLIANIDES,

If you were to remove all of the empty space from the atoms that make up every human on earth, the entire world population could fit into an apple.

EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management

NETHERLAND

KUWAIT

Japanese Brewer to Take Over Grolsch Dutch brewing group Grolsch and Italy’s Peroni are set to be taken over by Japanese brewer Asahi in a deal said to be worth some €2.55bn. The world’s biggest brewer, AB Inbev, has agreed to the deal, which clears the way for Inbev to merge with SABMiller. Grolsch was put up for sale in an effort to win Brussels’ approval for a merger between the world’s two biggest beer groups. The deal is conditional on the takeover of SABMiller by AB Inbev going through and on European Commis-

Kuwait to Import 2.5mln Tons of Gas Annually

sion approval of the Asahi takeover. British-South African brewing group SABMiller bought Grolsch for €816m at the end of 2007.

Kuwait’s state-run oil firm has signed contracts to import 2.5 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) a year through 2020 to meet the emirate’s needs. OPEC member Kuwait is rich in crude oil but its natural gas production is too small to meet its needs,

ESTONIA

Trackdrone Developing Unmanned Tractor

PAKISTAN

Thousands of Pakistani Doctors and Engineers Left for Gulf States The Senate was informed last month that 2,510 doctors and 3,596 engineers got employment in Gulf countries during the last three years.

Replying to question in the upper house of the parliament, minister for Inter Provincial Coordination Riaz Hussain Pirzada said that a total of 22,52, 446 persons of different categories including doctors, nurses engineers and other skilled and un skilled persons got employment in Gulf States during the last three years (2013-2015).

He said that Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development is making their best efforts to maximize the export of manpower from Pakistan to Gulf States.

“In this regard Pakistan has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with Bahrain Kuwait Qatar and UA,” he said.

The Estonian company Trackdrone OU is developing an unmanned tractor that would be capable of performing simpler gardening and maintenance jobs and ploughing snow in the winter “For the start the tractor is planned to be controlled via a mobile device using image from an onboard camera,” Kaspar Koov, one of the founders of the company, told BNS. “ Our plan is to deliver a completed product to the first buyer at the beginning of 2017 at the latest.”

In the future the tractor could operate independently using positioning data and data from sensors.

Trackdrone has received roughly €20,000 from Enterprise Estonia to develop the prototype and is working closely with the Estonian University of Life Sciences.

which surge during the heat of the summer when power consumption soars.

“Kuwait Petroleum Corp. signed contracts with British Petroleum and Royal Dutch Shell to buy 1 million tons a year from each company,” said Nabil Buresli, companije’s marketing chief. It also signed a third contract with Qatar Gas to import half a million tons a year. Buresli did not provide details of the value of the contracts.

He said after 2020, KPC plans to sign long-term contracts of up to 15 years to import 6 million to 7 million tons of LNG a year.

CUBA

Protecting Environment From Tourists Despite fears of environmental ruin, both Cuba and the U.S. have been working to ensure the restoration of diplomatic ties doesn’t come at the expense of Cuba’s land and marine ecosystems.

An influx of tourists and businesses will likely bring investment to Cuba, but some experts fear the expansion of tourism, mechanized agriculture and oil exploration could threaten its well-preserved natural ecosystems. In fact, the Cubans “have a lot to lose in terms of biodiversity, marine and coastal habitat and fish populations if they don’t do things right moving ahead,” said Daniel Whittle, senior director of the Cuba program at the Environmental Defense Fund.

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INTERVIEW ALEKSANDAR PETERS, LIFT TRUCK CEO

Standards are a Company’s Greatest Value IDMS represents a unique business model which has the main purpose of creating value for its customers. The platform on which it is made is itself of a character value, as it is made on dependent-independent construction, which gives this system a highly adaptable character

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very job we analyse, and where we need to apply IDMS, has a certain value. Our task here is to increase and solidify that value by way of establishing a new standard.

These standards represent the highest value for every company. They are reflected in the unique mix of products and services in our portfolio that are presented with the help of modules, which is also the source of the full name of this business model “Independent-dependent modular system”. The synergy of modules creates value through several segments, namely: savings at the level of machines, processes, security systems, time streamlining and complete control of fleets and personnel through the use of ICT (LogiMind software), which in the end leads to a reduction in the total cost of the functioning of internal logistics, while at the same time increasing the efficiency and operability of the system. While striving to create a value proposal for the market, which forms the basis of successful operations, we succeeded in creating something that is more than a successful business model.

■ Considering that LTC is the exclusive distributor for global brands in internal logistics and that you have clearly established rules of doing business, what prompted the idea to innovate your business model and thereby change the rules of the game?

- Every market has its own specificities

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in relation to the economic situation, geographical location, culture, and is characterised the most by the mentality of the population. Achieving a competitive advantage and creating value is not possible when you have a lot of barriers.

In the specific case when you are not a manufacturer and thus do not have the ability to innovate and create value that directly impacts on the product you place on the market, you are left to overview the environment in which these products work well, and to focus on creating value within the framework of the working environment. Business model innovation implies a change in the functioning of the

Business model innovation implies a change in the functioning of the company, both externally and internally, which is what we did. We have completely changed the value chain and operations that are essential in order for everything to work as we imagined company, both externally and internally, which is what we did. We have completely changed the value chain and operations that are essential in order for everything to work as we imagined. With this we achieved a transformation so that now we now have in our offer the value of the entire system with all its variations, compared to the standard forklift offer.

■ Companies are increasingly choosing

to entrust the control of their fleet of forklifts to professionals. What have you identified as the main reason for this global trend?

- Companies have realised that certain supporting activities are not their core business operations and that trying to establish sectors of logistics, marketing and the like leads to them losing more money and time than when it is left to companies specialised in this area, while they also gain an entire sector that is organised in a more efficient and economical way. In essence, the greatest benefit you have is the ability to focus on your core business, which is the core of the generating of profits for your company.

■ In your portfolio you have companies like FCA Serbia, Johnson Controls, Tarkett, Phillip Morris, as well as Michelin. What are your plans for the next stage of the company’s development that will ensure you remain competitive and harmonised with the high standards that aforementioned companies demand of their suppliers at the global level?

- Regardless of the size of the companies which are our partners, we constantly strive to advance the standards of internal logistics. Innovation and responsible operations have placed us in the position of being suppliers of the global companies that you mentioned. Through many years of experience we have realised that global companies do not set standards in industries in which they are not engaged, but rather they expect innovations from their partners and are happy to implement them. ■

CORPORATE

CENTRE FOR DENTAL AESTHETICS AND IMPLANTOLOGY

Beautiful Smile-More Than Health Dentistry has changed more in the last ten to fifteen years than in the previous hundred in many aspects

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odern people are starting to care more and more about their dental health and this is something that the population in our region is also becoming aware of increasingly. We – at the Centre for Dental Aesthetics and Implantology (CDEI) – help them to find what fits them best, and give them a beautiful smile.

Back in the day, the main reason for visiting the dentist was an acute dental problem and pain, or, to a lesser degree, searching for suitable prosthetic solutions to compensate for missing teeth.

Now, more than ever, patients visit dentists to have an aesthetic or functional problem resolved, or to prevent potential problems (such as the irregular position of teeth or irregular development of the jaw), as well as various other orthodontic problems.

Nowadays braces are no longer used to correct dental problems only in children and teens: over 50 per cent of patients coming for orthodontic treatment are actually adults. And this is the best possible investment in their future oral health!

Furthermore, technologies and materials that are available today were unheard of a decade or two ago. We are now able to adhere to the principle of minimal invasiveness and, with insignificant or non-existent damage to natural teeth, completely change one’s smile visually. Our work has become more precise; we use magnifying glasses and microscopes and, in a visual sense, the materials resemble natural tissue more. In the field of implantology, and with the help of 3D x-ray, we can now plan implantations to the minutest detail. No longer are patients happy with just an implant being integrated into the bone. Today, the prosthetic part of the implant has to look like a natural tooth, and anything else is considered a failure. With the help of intraoral scanners, we, at the CDEI, can make a crown in less than 60 minutes.

Our intention was to show that we have a committed and professional team that is passionate about reaching the highest goals of dentistry and that you can find such a team in Belgrade, hence the video contains images of our city. We are also very grateful for the recommendations of our colleagues abroad, who viewed the clip and were inspired to undertake similar projects and realise the vision of the modern dental practice. The most important thing for us is our patients realising that we can do a lot for them, and that we have encouraged them to contact the dentist in the first place. This fulfils our mission and makes us happier and more motivated. ■ M AY

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AFTER WORK

29 KIM-TEC DAYS OF

MAR

30 IMPORTANT RECOGNITION FOR MK FINTEL

JAPAN HELD

The Kim-Tec Days of Japan has taken place in Belgrade, with the support of the Embassy of Japan. Those in attendance were able to see Sony Professional’s complete product portfolio (projectors, conference video beams, home video equipment etc.), Bravia Professional’s TV sets, innovative products and new networking software solutions from Allied Telesis Company and Fujitsu’s products and business solutions. In addition to commercial presentations, visitors were also able to see interesting content inspired by Japanese culture and tradition.

MAR

OSHIFUMI KANNO, First Secretary at the Embassy of Japan in Belgrade

02 EXTEND LIFE – COLOUR IN RED APR Fashion studio Click and the Hemofarm Foundation organised a fashion show at Belgrade’s Crowne Plaza Hotel, entitled “Extend life – Colour in red”, presenting the creations of more than 20 prominent local members of the BFW Design Collective, with well-known public figures appearing on the catwalk. The magazine was dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of organ donation and transplantation, as well as heart disease prevention, which the Hemofarm Foundation has insisted on for many years.

“It’s harder to split prejudices than atoms, said Einstein. That’s why tonight we were in a kind of revolt against the prejudices and stereotypes linked to this topic – said Sanda Savić, member of the Management Board of the Hemofarm Foundation.

Every hour six people die from cardiovascular diseases in Serbia and only 10 per cent of people on waiting lists receive a new organ, while Serbia has only three donors per million inhabitants.

The Directorate for Biomedicine and the Hemofarm Foundation enabled visitors to the Black ‘n Easy Fashion Week to sign a donor card.

SANDA SAVIĆ, member of the Management Board of the Hemofarm Foundation

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WIND

ZDRAVKO LONČAR and KORI UDOVIČKI with the Winners

MK Fintel Wind Company is this year’s recipient of the Aurea Social Utility Award that is awarded by business portal eKapija.

MK Fintel Wind last year opened the Kula wind farm, the first wind farm in Serbia, with total installed capacity of 9.9MW. A total of €15 million was spent on its construction.

The wind farm in Kula, which has already started generating electricity, comprises three Vestas wind turbines produced in Denmark. They stand at a height of 178 metres, making them the tallest wind turbines in Southeast Europe.

Petar Kovačević, an engineer at MK Fintel Wind, accepted the award on behalf of the company.

PETAR KOVAČEVIĆ, an engineer at MK Fintel Wind

03 YUGOSLAV DRAMA THEATRE DAY APR

RECIPIENTS OF ANNUAL AWARDS 1PRESS

The Yugoslav Drama Theatre celebrated its 68th birthday with a party attended by members, associates and friends of the theatre. Director of the Yugoslav Drama Theatre, Tamara Vučković Manojlović, spek about the theatre’s previous years, after which annual awards were presented to Jagoš Marković, Dragan Mićanović, Radovan Vujović, Nataša Tapušković, Branislav Lečić, Maja Mirković, Anđelika Simić, Ljubiša Blagojević, Svetlana Paroški, Jovana Petrović, Nada Bojanović, Dejan Racić, Miroslav Korićanin, Zoran Jakšić, Aleksandar Borovec and Nataša Tapušković.

The celebration was also attended by Dejan Mijač, Branko Cvejić, Nebojša Bradić, Žarko Laušević, Gorica Mojović, Branka Petrić, Branka Veselinović, Vlasta Velisavljević, Srđan Timarov, Nikola Đuričko, Vojin Ćetković, Predrag Ejdus, Anita Mančić, Jovana Gavrilović, Sonja Vukićević and many others.

05 DSW: “BIOMASS & BIOGAS IN SERBIA”

APR

MARTIN KNAPP

A gathering organised by the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Serbia (DSW) and the Federal Ministry of Economy and Energy of the Republic of Germany saw leading experts from Germany and Serbia provided with the opportunity to speak on the topic of renewable energy. Representatives of German companies, including Ekcentec, AP Bioenergietechnik, Strawterm, Vecoplan and New eco-tech Verfahrenstechnik, familiarised hosts with the latest technologies in this field, while Serbian representatives informed their guests from Germany about the situation on the local market. The main topic was the use of biomass and biogas as sources of renewable energy, which is insufficiently utilised in Serbia. “Biomass has a share of 64 per cent of the total technical potential of renewable energy sources in Serbia and represents the equivalent of 3.4 million tonnes of oil, while the utilisation of biomass is quite high, at 66.7%, while the potential of agricultural biomass is used almost marginally, at about two per cent,” explained Martin Knapp, director of DSW in Serbia.

05 UNIQA SUPPORTS

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05 HOTELI BERNARDIN CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF

SERBIAN OLYMPIANS

UNIQA Insurance has signed a contract with the Olympic Committee of Serbia by which it has become the official insurer of our Olympic team. President of the Olympic Committee of Serbia, Vlade Divac, thanked Uniqa for deciding to support Serbia’s Olympians on the road to Rio and welcomed the company to the Olympic family of Serbia.

The press conference announcing the deal was attended by kayaker Marko Tomićević, the new face of the UNIQA Insurance promo team during the Olympic year, as well as female kayakers Nikolina and Olivera Moldovan and the captain of the men’s national water polo team, Živko Gocić. UNIQA Insurance is continuously investing in sport in Serbia and sponsors many sporting events.

It is the sponsor of the Volleyball Federation of Serbia, supports the implementation of the Belgrade Marathon and cooperates with the Nataša Kovačević Foundation. The main promoter of UNIQA insurance is famous Serbian basketball player and national team coach Aleksandar Đorđević.

LENA KELLER, ECLAREO GMBH (left), SLOBODAN CVETKOVIĆ, Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protections, Professor BRANKO GLAVONJIĆ, Forestry Faculty, and CHRISTIAN LETALIK, C.A.R.M.E.N.

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DOING BUSINESS

To mark the 40th anniversary of its existence, Hoteli Bernardin from Portorož, Slovenia, organised a celebration for its friends and business partners from Serbia. The host was top chef Sandi Mikolič, who used selected ingredients brought from Slovenia to prepare authentic dishes from Slovenian-Istrian cuisine live. On behalf of Bernardin Hotels, guests were welcomed by Mojca Gobin, MICE Department Manager, and Eva Ržen Rajh, Sales Manager - Leisure.

The cocktail reception was attended by representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Belgrade – Miha Vilar, head of the consular department, and Goran Križ, economic attaché – as well as Danijela Fišakov, President of the Management Board of the Slovenian Business Club, representatives of the British Embassy, the Vice President the Belgrade International Women’s Club, as well as numerous personalities from business and public life.

VLADE DIVAC, President of the Olympic Committee of Serbia

DANIJELA FIŠAKOV, MOJCA GOBINA and EVA RŽEN RAJHT

05 SPEED BUSINESS MEETING

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Novi Sad hosted a regional business meeting of representatives of French, Serbian, Romanian and Hungarian companies, under the title “Speed Business Meeting” (SBM), organised by the French Chambers of Commerce in Serbia, Romania and Hungary. This is the second in a series of regional meetings of the three French chambers, which this time brought together some thirty companies from the most varied sectors. Companies had 12 B2B meetings, after which talks continued during a cocktail reception.

SBM is a concept that has been organised by the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce for many years and is intended for all companies seeking to expand their business in the region and meet potential partners.

Following the meetings, participants visited the premises of company Schneider Electric DMS in Novi Sad and had the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the activities and operations of this IT company, which achieves excellent business results and employs over 1,000 workers in Serbia.

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AFTER WORK

06 FIRST HEINEKEN BEER PLANET APR

FESTIVAL OPENS

Company Heineken Serbia officially opened the first Beer Planet festival of beer and music. The grand opening at Belgrade’s Mikser House saw numerous guests given the opportunity to try Heineken’s new brands for the first time - Czech beer Krušovice, Germany’s Kapuziner and British Newcastle Brown Ale, but also to enjoy the well-known tastes of the beers of Heineken Serbia. The Planet Beer Festival ran from 7th to 9th April and true lovers of beer and good music were able to enjoy the tastes of this renowned beer company and try out completely new Heineken brands.

“Heineken Beer Planet is a new concept for entertainment in the city. In one place, with plenty of prizes, and in an innovative way, we are striving to present our portfolio of products and to share interesting stories with our visitors about each of our brands,” said Dragana Savić, marketing director at Heineken Serbia.

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CARLSBERG PRESENTS ITS NEW LAV PRODUCT

Carlsberg’s most famous beer on the Serbian market, LAV, is now produced exclusively from four gifts of nature: barley, water, hops and yeast, without addition corn meal, which makes it unique in its segment, with a slightly different taste and outstanding standards of quality.

Barley, hops, water and yeast are four gifts of nature that form the basis of real beer filled with flavour and ideal bitterness. That’s why 100% barley content is the gift that LAV gives its consumers.

“We’ve returned to the original beer recipe with 100% barley content, which gives the beer fullness of flavour, a pleasant bitterness and a richer head. Our new LAV with four gifts of nature will remain with 11% extract and 5% alcohol, while we are sure that the different taste will be well received by consumers,” said Nataša Šarčević, Marketing Manager for Carlsberg Serbia’s domestic brands.

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NATAŠA ŠARČEVIĆ

TOP WINES FROM ŠUMADIJA

On 7th April a select wine audience at Belgrade’s Azbuka Restaurant on Terazije had the opportunity to sample the best wine labels from the region of Šumadija, under the organization of the Centre for Wine Culture.

This event was not only specific due to the exclusive tastings of selected wines, but also for its unique promotional format. This was the first time in Serbia that a united group of winemakers had appeared with the aim of promoting a specific wine region, with the desire of Šumadija gaining its place on the wine map of Europe.

On the repertoire were the wines of the Kraljevska vinarija (Royal winery) from Oplenac (Pinot Blanc 2015), the winery Despotika from Smederevska Palanka (Morava 2014), Arsenijević winery from Vinča (Rose Cabernet Sauvignon 2015), winery Aleksandrović from Vinča (Regent Reserve 2012) and Cellar Radovanović from Krnjevo (Cabernet Sauvignon 2012).

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SWISS DONATION TO GRAFIČAR ROWING CLUB

A delegation of the Grafičar rowing club visited the rowing clubs of the city of Zurich on 3rd and 4th March 2016 and on this occasion collected valuable donations of rowing equipment.

Four clubs from the Zurich Region - Küsnacht, Damen Ruderclub Zurich, Erlenbach and Thalwil –donated seven rowing boats and 20 pairs of oars.

Pamela Weisshaupt, former world champion in the lightweight single sculls, donated five packs of sportswear for children, as well as spare parts for rowing boats.

To mark this occasion, the Grafičar Rowing Club hosted a ceremony and reception on 11th April for a delegation from the Küsnacht Zurich rowing club and the Swiss Embassy in Belgrade. H.E. Swiss Ambassador Jean-Daniel Ruch officially revealed the names of each boat, after which the members of the Grafičar rowing club ceremoniously lowered the boats into the water.

H.E. JEAN-DANIEL

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FINNISH FILM WEEK FESTIVAL OPENS

PETAR BALKOVIC, Native Consulting (left) and H.E. Norwegian Ambassador ARNE SANNES BJØRNSTAD

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The fourth edition of the Finnish Film Week festival opened to a full house at the Culture Centre of Belgrade.

The audience was wel- H.E. Finnish Ambassador PERTTI IKONEN (left) and H.E. Canadian Ambassador and MRS PINNINGTON comed by H.E. Finnish Ambassador to Serbia Pertti Ikonen, director of the Finnish Film Fund, Jaana Puskala, Festival Selector and guest editor of the DKC film programme, Stefan Arsenijević, film director Jukka-Pekka Valkeapää and director Amir Escandari, whose film Pixadores officially opened this year’s festival.

The festival’s accompanying programme is represented by an exhibition featuring a selection of original posters of one of the world’s most important and most distinctive filmmakers, Aki Kaurismäki.

BELGRADE TOWER CORNERSTONE LAID

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MOHAMED ALABBAR (left), Belgrade Mayor SINIŠA MALI and PM ALEKSANDAR VUČIĆ

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić and the Chairman of the Managerial Board of Eagle Hills, Mohamed Alabbar, jointly laid the cornerstone for the Belgrade Tower, due to become the tallest building in the Balkans, on a site on the Sava promenade.

“I quoted de Gaulle – that it’s more important to organise the country than to run it. I am proud of Serbia and Belgrade; I’m proud of our people and I’m especially happy and satisfied that I have had the honour of being part of the team of people who are changing the face of our country, said PM Vučić .

AXEL DITTMANN and ALEKSANDAR ANTIC, Minister of Energy and Mining

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INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY FAIR OPENS

The German Ambassador to Serbia H.E Mr. Axel Dittmann opened the German Energiewende / Energy Transition exhibition at the third international renewable energy and energy efficiency fair RENEXPO Western Balkans. This this is the first time that the exhibition was showcased in the Balkans. Previously, it had been held only in China. Through interactive presentations, the exhibition showed energy transition in Germany which, following the accident in Fukushima, Japan, voiced its opposition to nuclear energy in favour of renewable energy resources.

Energy transition is also Germany’s most important contribution towards mitigating climate change and imposes huge technical, logistic and financial challanges on the country. It also provides a great opportunity for both the national and international economies.

“Energy transition is Germany’s response to climate change. We have denounced nuclear energy and turned towards renewable energy resources.

Thus, the German energy supply becomes safe for the future, sustainable and efficient”, said Ambassador Dittmann.

TRILATERAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN, GREEK AND SWISS BUSINESS COMMUNITIES

The American Chamber of Commerce, the Hellenic Business Association and the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce jointly organised a Speed Business Meeting for member companies at Belgrade’s Metropol Palace Hotel. The meeting was attended by representatives of 41 companies.

Representatives of companies from different sectors of commerce and business used short business meetings to gained the opportunity to connect with one another in VERA NIKOLIĆ DIMIĆ, Executive Director of AmCham, an effective way and FANINA KOVAČEVIĆ POPAZ, HBA Executive Officer, ANA GRUJOVIĆ, Executive Director of SSCC present their activities for the purpose of business development and the acquisition of new potential customers.

Upon completion of the eight-minute ‘one-to-one’ meetings, which were determined by the drawing of lots, a networking cocktail reception was organised for all participants.

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CULTURE CALENDAR CONCERTS

Serbia World Music Festival 1st-2nd – Gornji Milanovac The Serbia World Music Festival is attempting to create a new musical universe in which traditional music is presented in a not-sotraditional way.

The festival area is located in the centre of Gornji Milanovac, an area well-known for its

interpreted in their own unique way.

Drummer Tore Solheim and keyboardist Runar Boyesen have played with Trond for many years, while the three of them have also performed as backing artists for the legendary Jeremy Spencer, of Fleetwood Mac fame, both in Scandinavia and India!

Trond performed with his original band at the Serbia World Music Festival three years ago and could not wait to come back for more!

21:30-23:15 Van Gogh, with guest performer Dejan Petrović (Serbia).

Constantine traditional cuisine and long tradition of rakija making, especially šljivovica (plum brandy), which is regarded as being of very high quality.

Sunday 01.05 (City Square) 19:30-20:00 Culture-Art Society “Šumadija” with guests (Serbia) 20:00-21:15 Divanhana (Bosnia-Herzegovina) 21:15-21:30 Opening ceremony 21:30-23:00 Garavi Sokak (Serbia) Monday 02.05 (City Square) 19:15-20:15 Gypsy Aleksići – (Serbia) 20:30-21:15 Bratsberg Longhorns (Norway) Trond Ytterbø, frontman of the famous Norwegian group Notodden Blues Band, has been among the leading figures on the Norwegian blues scene since the 1970s, while he was also active in establishing one of Europe’s biggest and best renowned blues festivals in his hometown.

The Great Bratsberg Longhorns is a side project for Trond – a feel-good ensemble performing his own music, as well as famous R&B tracks and sometimes even Irish music -

13th – Sava Centre – 20:00 During the eight years since the Constantine vocal ensemble was established it has made numerous performances both at home and abroad.

With over 200 performances and more than 20 solo concerts to date, Constantine has received excellent reviews from prominent musicians around the World.

The group’s repertoire consists of works of local and foreign artists: folk, pop, rock, jazz, film scores and spiritual music. The programme is focused on folk music, in an attempt to expand traditional boundaries. The group won the Grand Prix of the Klapa Festival in Perast, Croatia, in 2013, and the Golden Diploma of the International Choral Competition in Vrnjačka Banja, while the City of Niš has also acknowledge

Enrique Iglesias 10th – Kombank Arena – 20:30

Multi-talented, award-winning artist Enrique Iglesias, who – in addition to enjoying a rich music career – has also proved himself as a successful songwriter, producer, dancer and actor, is coming to Belgrade!

Enrique has sold over 100 million the importance of Constantine’s work and awarded it with the city’s most prestigious prize, “11. Januar”.

The Belgrade concert at the Sava Centre will see Constantine introduced by special guests Galeta - Kerber and Duo Moderato, as well as an instrumental group that will accompany Constantine on stage.

Leo Borisavljevic 28th – Guarnerius – 20:00 One of Serbia’s most promising young pianists, Leo Borisavljević, will perform at the Guarnerius Fine Arts Centre on 28th May at 8pm.

Leo Borisavljević is a fourth year student of piano at the Belgrade Music Academy. He has won numerous awards at national and international competitions, including first prize at the International Competition for Young Pianists in Šabac in 2007 and 2009, the Promenade Piano Talents in Belgrade (2007, 2008 and 2009), Banja Luka Biennale 2008, the 2009 Dr Vojislav Vučković Competition for Young Pianists in Belgrade, the 2009 Republican Contest of Students of Music and Ballet Schools of Serbia (soloist) and 2010 (piano duo), and the 2013 Chopin Fest in Belgrade. He won second prize at the International piano competition in

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Vienna Boys’ Choir

Gorizia, Italy, in 2008, came third in the Petar Konjović International Competition in Belgrade in 2010 and that same year’s Zlatko Grgošević International Competition for Young Pianists in Zagreb.

Leo is also the winner of the Bolshoi International Competition (Golden Matrjoška) within the framework of the festival on Mokra Gora in 2015.

Programme: Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Schumann

21st – Sava Centre – 20:00 For the first time in more than thirty years, the famous Vienna Boys’ Choir, one of the most recognisable brands and cultural “ambassadors” of Austria and the City of Vienna, will perform in front of the Belgrade audience in the Great Hall of the Sava Centre.

The Vienna Boys’ Choir is known for its unique sound and recognisable outfits – stylish sailors’ uniforms. Their music, but also pure energy, fills the hearts of listeners from Europe to Japan, from America to China, and wherever they perform.

The choir was founded in 1498 and until 1918 performed exclusively for the imperial court, to the masses, concerts and private events, as well

albums worldwide and prestigious Billboard magazine “crowned” him the “King of dance” and the “King of Latin pop”.

This will be his second concert at the Kombank Arena, the first having been held seven years ago. as during national festivities. Musicians such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Antonio Salieri, Christoph Willibald Gluck and Anton Bruckner worked with the choir. Brothers Joseph and Michael Haydn were members of the choir of the St. Stephen’s Cathedral and often sang with the choir boys.

The choir’s repertoire includes everything from medieval to contemporary and experimental music. Motets and solo songs comprise the core of tour performances, as well as special arrangements typical to Viennese music, such as waltzes and polkas by Laner and Strauss, made especially for the Choir.

The Belgrade concert of the Vienna Boys’ Choir will present one of its most popular projects, entitled Around the World in 80 minutes.

This programme is very diverse and includes songs ranging from folk, classical and pop songs, from all the countries visited by Phileas Fogg, the hero of the famous novel by Jules Verne, which served as inspiration for the creation of this programme, including songs from England, France, Italy, India, China, Japan, Ireland and America.

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Mihailo Radovic 5th – Guarnerius – 20:00

The first solo concert of young Mihailo Radović, the great-grandson of famous conductor and violinist Vlastimir Pavlović Carevac, will be held at 8pm at Guarnerius on 5th May. This richly talented young artist will perform alongside pianist Vera Gatalica.

Severin Filipovic 12th – Guarnerius – 20:00 Severin Filipović, a master’s student at Belgrade University’s Faculty of Music, has won numerous

awards in national and international competitions: first prize at the 18th Šabac International Competition for Young Pianists, first prize at the 2015 Republic Competition of Chamber Music in Belgrade (piano duo), second prize at the 11th Davorin Jenko International Competition in Belgrade, 2nd prize at the 10th Davorin Jenko International Competition as a chamber ensemble (piano, mandolin) and a semi-finalist of the 49th Jeunesses Musicales competition in Belgrade. He has attended master classes with many renowned professors and teachers, such as Arbo Valdma, Aleksandar Madžar, Ruben Dalibaltayan and Michael Uhde. He has also given numerous impressive performances at various cultural festivals and group concerts at home and abroad.

Programme: Beethoven, Chopin, Smetana, Ravel

Best Young Pianists from Macedonia 16th – Guarnerius – 20:00 In the framework of regional cultural cooperation, the Serbian public will be presented with the best young pianists from the Republic of Macedonia, students of the Ilija Nikolovski-Luj Music School and the Faculty of Music in Skopje, in the class of Professor Kristijan Karovski.

The Belgrade concert of young pianists from Macedonia will be held on Monday, 16th May at 8pm in the concert hall of the Guarnerius Fine Arts Centre.

Magic Flute 4th – National Theatre – 19:30 A celebration of true love conquering all, The Magic Flute transports us into an enchanted world where good faces the forces of darkness. Packed with exquisite singing and stage wizardry, Mozart's delightful blend of high comedy and serious drama enchants young and old alike.

The concert will feature 10 brilliant young pianists, the best students from the class of Kristijan Karovski: Labina Pop Dučev, Anastasija Kočeva, Mileski Damjan, Džaferi Njomza, Ivana Janakieva, Amina Nikočevik, Todor Spandžov, Matej Nikoljski, Viktorija Miteska and Mimica Dučeva.

Programme: Chopin, Scriabin, Liszt, Brahms, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky.

9th BELDOCS 12th – 18th – Sava Centre

OPERA

La Traviata 11th – National Theatre – 19:30 La Traviata, the opera in three acts by Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi (libretto in Italian by Francesco Maria Piave) premiered in Venice at the La Fenice opera house on 6th March 1853.

Based on the 1852 play by Alexandre Dumas fils (La Dame aux camélias), the opera marked a major step forward for Verdi in his quest to express dramatic ideas in music. La Traviata means “the fallen woman” or “the one who goes astray” and refers to the main character, Violetta Valéry, a courtesan. The opera features some of the most challenging and revered music in the entire soprano repertoire. The aria “Sempre libera”, at the end of Act I, is particularly well known.

DANCE

In its ninth year, the BELDOCS festival brings many changes. First, the list of venues has been extended, with several halls added. After the opening, which will take place, as is tradition, in the Sava Centre, the festival will continue at Belgrade’s Dom Omladine, the Culture Centre of Belgrade, the Yugoslav Cinematheque film archives, then cinema Fontana and, for the first time, Budva’s renovated Cadmus Cineplex

this region and thus depict the beauty of past times in a unique way.

This spectacle is a combination of authentic folklore and upgraded new formations, which consists of young professional dancers who reflect and foster rhythmic art. This concept follows the story embodied through 3D technology, which links dance and visual experience in a unique way.

ART

Public Propositions Una Saga Serbica 7th – Sava Centre – 20:00 The Belgrade audience will again have the opportunity to see the dance, music and theatrical spectacle performed by the dance ensemble Una Saga Serbica. Founded in 2012, this dance company finds an inexhaustible source of inspiration in the beauty of the Balkans, its history, heritage, culture and, above all, the dance in which these artists use dance steps to tell stories with notes and create a new perspective on the culture of

4th – Goethe Institut – 20:00 Participants of the conversation: Mischa Kuball artist and professor at the Faculty of Media, Cologne Barbara Steiner, newly appointed director of Graz’s Kunsthaus Museum Miodrag Šuvaković, professor and dean of the Belgrade Faculty of Media and Communications

cinema.

Films are arranged in several categories, two of which maintain their competitive character. Of course, these are the international and Serbian official programmes that will be in the national selection for the first time this year, in addition to the Grand Prix for Best Film and two professional awards - for Best Editing and Best Cinematography in a documentary film.

The main selector of the International programme, as well as the homage programme dedicated to famous documentary filmmakers Robert Flaherty is Greg Di Cure, film theorist and author, while the selector of local films is director Lungulov Darko.

For more information and the festival programme, please visit the website beldocs.rs

what the term “public” means today and how to differentiate it from different theoretical positions. The way Kuball approaches the problems of specific urban or social context can be characterised by the term city-specific artistic practice. This term opens up a new field for rethinking the possibilities of artistic reactions to urban transformation at the global level, as well as analysis of the process of homogenisation conditioned by the dominant neo-liberal model of social reproduction.

FILM

Don Quixote madness 13th – Yugoslav Cinematheque Film Archives – 20.00 This unusual work is two-thirds feature film and one-third classic documentary, with the principle of footnotes or “comments in the text” of the films. It can be said that this is a kind of anthology of Don Quixote in pictures that reveals the biography of Cervantes, following his literary creation. The director wanted to give us the opportunity to respectfully approach the mythical figure of Don Quixote by examining, using simple language, the moral and universal values of Cervantes’ masterpiece, through the perspective of the present.

Zoran Erić, head of the department of art collections and exhibitions at the Belgrade Museum of Contemporary Art (moderator) Public prepositions is the name of a series of projects, performances and interventions that Mischa Kuball implemented over several decades in numerous cities around the world.

A recently published monograph of the same name will provide the starting point for discussion and reflection of artistic interventions in urban contexts and the public sphere. One of the topics of discussion will be the question of

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FACES & PLACES 31.03.2016

End of Francophonie Month marked

IVAN TASOVAC, CHANTAL MORENO and H.E. CHRISTINE MORO

In the presence of a large number of guests, H.E. French Ambassador Christine Moro, H.E. Belgian Ambassador Leo D’aes, and Ms Chantal Moreno, director of the regional office of CE Europe MOF, jointly organised a reception at the Embassy of France to commemorate the successful completion of the Month of Francophonie.

The embassies of Francophone countries and their partners provided a rich and varied cultural programme: songs, music, literature, comics, poetry, theatre, film etc. However, at the centre of focus was politically engaged Francophonie: freedom of expression in newspaper cartoons, tissues of ethnicity in literature and comics, economic aspects of the strategies of the French language, in an effort to open up French-speaking markets to Serbian companies.

Speaking on this occasion, Ms Moreno conveyed the message of MOF Secretary General Michael Jean calling on young people to take advantage of what Francophonie can offer Serbia. The reception was also attended by Serbian Culture Minister Ivan Tasovac.

04.04.2016

01.04.2016

Entrepreneurs Association “Start Up for Your Business” Founded

First Diplomatic Forum The First Diplomatic Forum, organised at the Palace of Serbia by the Ministry of State Administration and Local Self-Government and NALED, saw Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Kori Udovicki and ambassadors of many European and world countries sign a declaration of support for the professional development of Serbia’s public servants. The declaration envisages cooperation in the development of a platform for the continuing education and skill development of employees in state administration and local government, with the aim of creating efficient and professional public administration.

The gathering was attended by Minister without Portfolio in charge of European integration, Jadranka Joksimović, Head BRANISLAV NEDIMOVIĆ and KORI UDOVIČKI of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Michael Davenport, Director of the World Bank Office in Serbia Tony Verheijen, as well as ambassadors or representatives of the embassies of Australia, Argentina, Austria, Belarus, Finland, France, India Israel, Canada, Cyprus, Germany, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

MICHAEL DAVENPORT and JADRANKA JOKSIMOVIĆ

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The Serbian Chamber of Commerce & Industry officially marked the beginning of the “Start Up for Your Business” Association of Entrepreneurs. The Association will bring together entrepreneurs who have participated during the past six years in the entrepreneurship support programme “Start Up for Your Business”, which is conducted by NGO ENECA, with the support of company Philip Morris.

The association will also be open to all micro and small enterprises operating on the territory of Serbia, and will focus on advancing operations and improving the position of entrepreneurs and small family-owned companies on the local market. The association’s activities will be coordinated in accordance with the EU Small Business Act and will be aimed towards creating a favourable environment for the development of entrepreneurship in Serbia.

The ceremonial event commemorating the founding of the association was attended

by Serbian Economy Minister Željko Sertić, as well as representatives of Philip Morris, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the National Employment Service, NALED, AmCham, USAID, the Serbian Association of Managers and other organisations that support the development of entrepreneurship in Serbia.

IVAN MILETIĆ, Director of Corporate Affairs at Philip Morris Southeast Europe

MARKO ČADEŽ, ŽELJKO SERTIĆ and IVAN MILETIĆ

08.04.2016

Antonio Grimaldi holds charitable fashion show in Belgrade

06.04.2016

Regional Business Meetings The Association of Business Women of Serbia, in cooperation with the Slovenian and Croatian business clubs in Belgrade, organised speed business meetings with the aim of establishing new contacts, presenting products or services, exchanging information on current business needs and opportunities to establish cooperation.

“Today’s event confirmed that networking most important to member companies of the Association and business clubs,” said Sanja Popović Pantić, president of the Association of Business Women of Serbia. “The Croatian Business Club took part in a gathering of this kind for the first time, which I believe is extremely beneficial for all participants,” said Marija Radulović, president of the Croatian Business Club.

Danijela Fišakov, President of the Slovenian Business Club, said: “I am glad that we have today gathered together, a large number of businesspeople who will have the opportunity to exchange contacts and information”.

13.04.2016

NALED proposes reform priorities Amendments to tax legislation should be the reform priority of the new Serbian Government, agreed members of the National Alliance for Local Economic Development (NALED) at the 10th annual meeting of the organisation, held on the premises of the National Bank of Serbia. Among the five most

NALED members with Deputy PM ZORANA MIHAJLOVIĆ

Under the organisation of agency Fabrika and in cooperation with the Italian Embassy, the Italian Ambassadorial Residence hosted a fashion show for one of Italy’s leading producers of high fashion, Antonio Grimaldi.

The show was held to raise money for the renovation of the new space of Belgrade’s children’s shelter, “Prihvatilišta”.

The Italian Embassy, headed by H.E. Ambassador Giuseppe Manzo, and agency Fabrika, led by Vesna Mandić, did everything to ensure this evening would be remembered for glamour and humanity. The fashion review was attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps, Serbian government ministers, culture workers, public servants and young designers.

H.E. Canadian Ambassador PHILIP PINNINGTON (left), and H.E. Norwegian Ambassador ARNE SANNES BJØRNSTAD

ANTONIO GRIMALDI with Ambassador and Mrs MANZO

important regulatory issues for improving the business environment, they also included regulations on e-commerce, taxation and social security contributions on income, regulations governing the operation and position of local governments, as well as regulations in the field of environmental protection.

“We hope that we will get a government with which we will be able to work quickly and efficiently and NALED will propose to ministries that they implement the reform priorities selected by our members,” said Ana Brnabić, President of the NALED Managing Board.

ANA BRNABIĆ

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FACES & PLACES 14.04.2016

14.04.2016

German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce established With the signing of a bilateral founding act, the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce has been established as the first interstate chamber in Serbia.

“This is the first chamber to have been established with the agreement of the German and Serbian governments and, alongside political will, it formalises economic and business relations between the two countries,” said Roland Seelinger, President of the Chamber. “German companies have invested more than 1.8 billion euros and created 30,000 new jobs in Serbia. In the past 15 years, Germany has provided Serbia with more than 1.7 billion euros in development aid. The Chamber will contribute to the development of new ideas for improving bilateral relations between the two countries, with a focus on improving the climate for doing business, investment and trade in both countries,” said H.E. Axel Dittmann, German Ambassador to Serbia.

MARTIN KNAPP, Director of the Delegation of the German Economy in Serbia, MARKO ČADEŽ, president of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, H.E. AXEL DITTMANN, German Ambassador to Serbia, ŽELJKO SERTIĆ, Serbian Economy Minister, and ROLAND SEELINGER, president of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce

AmCham working lunch

ROBERT DUNN, U.S. Embassy (left), Hemofarm CEO RONALD SEELINGER and Schneider Electric’s DEJAN MARKOVIĆ

ZORAN PETROVIĆ (LEFT), TANJA MIŠČEVIĆ, MICHAEL DAVENPORT AND VERA NIKOLIĆ-DIMIĆ, AMCHAM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

There is strong support for the enlargement policy among all member states in the European Union, and that also goes for Serbia’s membership – said Ambassador Michael Davenport, Head of the EU Delegation in Belgrade, speaking at the recent business luncheon organised by American Chamber of Commerce in the Republic of Serbia (AmCham), while the head of Serbia’s E accession negotiation team, Tanja Miščević, highlighted the need for further progress on economic reforms.

Miščević welcomed AmCham’s efforts aimed at improving and establishing a more efficient legal framework and institutional mechanisms, which are clearly visible in the case of the fight against the grey economy.

AmCham Board Chairman Zoran Petrović concluded that harmonisation with EU standards is essential to ensuring legal certainty and protection, a predictable business environment and tax and fiscal policy, which are important to the operations of every company.

19.04.2016

Turkish Airlines Celebrates 10th Anniversary in Serbia Turkish Airlines, the national carrier of the Republic of Turkey and a top airline in Europe, celebrated the 10th anniDORMAN, Turkish Airlines Vice President versary of its flights to Belgrade at the MERT for Eastern Europe, the Balkans and the city’s Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Caucasus, MEHMET ALAGOZ, General Manager Turkish Airlines for Serbia, ZIYA TAŞKENT, General Manager of Turkish Airlines of Turkish Airlines Senior Vice President for Serbia, Mehmet Alagoz, together with top Turkish Airlines’ officials Ziya Taşkent, Turkish Airlines Senior Vice President, and Mert Dorman, Vice President for Eastern Europe, the Balkans and the Caucasus, hosted numerous guests on this occasion, including the Ambassador of Republic of Turkey to Serbia, H.E. Mehmet Kemal Bozay, H.E. Turkish Ambassador MEHMET KEMAL BOZAY other representatives of the diplomatic corps, media representatives and business partners.

“Turkish Airlines currently operates in 113 countries, with 285 destinations covered by 309 aircraft,” explained Mehmet Alagoz, General Manager of Turkish Airlines for Serbia.

22.04.2016

Serbian Army Day Commemorated A reception in honour of 23rd April, Serbian Army Day, took place at Dom Garde in Belgrade. Guests included Serbian Defence Minister Zoran Đorđević, Serbian Army Chief of Staff General Ljubiša Diković, political and public figures, as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps.

“Serbia will remain true to its position of armed neutrality. That is the country’s commitment,” said Minister Đorđević, reminding of the letter that St. Sava wrote to Prior Irinej in 1221 in which he said that “the Serbs were preordained by destinty to be East in West and West in East”.

Serbian Army Day is marked on 23rd April in remembrance of the date in 1815 which marked the beginning of the Second Serbian Uprising.

ZORAN DJORDJEVIĆ, Defense Minister (left) and LJUBIŠA DIKOVIĆ, Chief-of-staff of the Serbian Armed Forces

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IVAN CURKOVIC (Partizan Footbal Club), H.E. ISABELA CRISTINA DE AZEVEDO HEYVAERT, Ambassador of Brazil and H.E. MICHAEL DAVENPORT, Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia

S P E C I A L

E D I T I O N

World’s Markets &Opportunities

INDIA

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INTERVIEW

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MANY 2012

Traditional Closeness, Despite Geographical Distance H.E. NARINDER CHAUHAN INDIAN AMBASSADOR TO SERBIA

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ood mutual understanding is of the utmost importance to successful bilateral cooperation between the two countries, and that is most effectively realised through dynamic contact between businesspeople, but also political, cultural and diplomatic leaders. When it comes to cooperation between India and Serbia, the committee for economic cooperation between the two countries provides a major contribution to strengthening bilateral links.

H.E. Narinder Chauhan, Ambassador of India to Serbia, is certainly among the welcome guests of all important gatherings of the diplomatic corps in Serbia. Always adorned in the colourful costumes of her country, Ambassador Chauhan works tirelessly to unite the people of the two countries which, despite the geographical distance, have cultivated friendly relations for decades.

The extent to which she does not want to talk about herself is only matched by her desire to use every moment to promote India – from the country’s past to its present. She finds the ambassadorial role she performs a challenge, while she considers diplomacy to be, first and foremost, about creating friendships between peoples and nations. She enjoys all aspects of her job, which encompasses public, economic and cultural diplomacy, as well as political and strategic dimensions. And confirming that she has proved successful in her role are the new economic and cultural ties between Serbia and India, as well as upcoming projects.

India is today a major economic, military, technological and space power. India is an open market for Serbia in modern technologies, the ICT sector, energy, agriculture and biomedicine, while the entrance ticket is education and language skills. Investors from India also want to invest in this area in Serbia, and those who are already here are the best example for all potential investors

• You are one of the few women heading diplomatic missions in Serbia. From your perspective, how would you define the field of diplomacy generally, and the challenges you face on a daily basis?

- Diplomacy is all about making friends and influencing people. Therefore, what you see me do is but one aspect of diplomacy, which goes by the rubric of ‘public diplomacy’ and that connects me with civil society, schools, universities, cultural institutions, libraries etc. Indian culture is popular in Serbia and I have exerted

political and strategic aspect of diplomacy, which undoubtedly lies at the core of relations between nations. I have enjoyed working on all of these aspects in a wholesome manner.

• What do you think is the most important aspect in terms of Serbia and India cooperating more closely in the future?

- Our past history provides a very good foundation on which to build the present day relationship. There are no outstanding issues.

There is no historical baggage. In fact the

OUR PAST HISTORY PROVIDES A VERY GOOD FOUNDATION ON WHICH TO BUILD UPON THE PRESENT DAY RELATIONSHIP. THERE ARE NO OUTSTANDING ISSUES. SERBIA IS A TRANSITION ECONOMY AND INDIA IS AN EMERGING ECONOMY THAT IS RECORDING THE HIGHEST RATE OF GROWTH SPURRED

BY DOMESTIC DEMAND efforts to build bridges through cultural manifestations, whether performance arts, exhibitions, tourism, books, photography etc.

There is still another aspect of our job, i.e. economic diplomacy, which is becoming an increasingly important part of our portfolio.

India is today a major economic, military, technoogical and space power. Here, media such as CorD play an important role in projecting India’s evolving policies, as well as how India can make itself relevant to Serbia and where Serbia can contribute to Indian economy. There is still a third dimension that is not so visible, the

baggage is only positive. Serbia is in transition and India is an emerging economy that is recording the highest rate of growth spurred by domestic demand. Serbia has a very important role to play in new economic projects in India, including Digital India, the Smart City project, Make in India etc. Serbia has a young, technically qualified, English-speaking population that is largely employed in the services sector, which contributes the bulk of GDP in both India and Serbia, where the ICT sector also plays an important role. We are in the advanced stages of negotiating a Memorandum

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INVESTMENT

RELATIONSHIP

The Embassy Group, which operates in India’s Silicon Valley, Bangalore, has invested about 15 million euros to create a state-of-the-art IT Park in Inđija, near Belgrade. This is also the first Gold LEED certificated building in the Western Balkan region

Despite the breakup of Yugoslavia, our political relations continue to be exceptional, marked by a long tradition of mutual support on issues of core interest. This is amply demonstrated on the floor of many international organisations

of Understanding on ICT. Tech Mahindra is the online mentor to ICT Hub, Belgrade. The Embassy Group, which operates in India’s Silicon Valley, Bangalore, has invested about 15 million euros to create a state-of-the-art IT Park in Inđija, near Belgrade. This is also the first Gold LEED certificated building in the Western Balkan region. Several Serbian executives are visiting India regularly to provide tech support to Indian companies, which is a very positive sign. One Indian company has invested in the Car-Go start-up, which aims to provide urban transportation solutions in Belgrade. Another important sector is agriculture and biomedicine, where there is history of cooperation that needs to be revived. Indian agricultural and irrigation machinery companies such as TAFE, Mahindra, Sonalika and Jain irrigation enjoy a fine reputation here and elsewhere in the Balkans.

Happily, Yoga, Ayurveda and Homeopathy are recognised in Serbian law, and we will soon open an Ayurveda Information Centre at the Embassy, in order to guide practitioners in the right direction. These alternative therapies can bring immense health benefits to our Serbian friends. Himalaya Herbal is well represented in Serbia as are other Indian drug companies.

port on issues of core interest. This is amply demonstrated on the floor of many international organisations. It is a matter of immense satisfaction that Serbia also supports India’s international role. India sees Serbia as a reliable partner. We are aiming at exchange of political level visits.

WE REPRESENT A SIXTH OF HUMANITY, SPEAKING DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, PRACTICING DIFFERENT RELIGIONS, WEARING DIFFERENT KINDS OF CLOTHES AND EATING DIFFERENT KINDS OF FOODS • Political relations between Serbia and India have a long tradition and a stronghold in the Non-Aligned Movement, while the leaders of our two countries have close personal relations. How would you assess current bilateral relations between Serbia and India, and what do you think should be the next step in their development?

- Despite the breakup of Yugoslavia, our political relations continue to be exceptional, marked by a long tradition of mutual sup-

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• What should Serbia do in order to increase its export to India or attract Indian investors, and in which areas could that be done?

- I think we need to do a joint economic survey on how we can boost bilateral trade. Obviously Serbia needs to export more to India and to identify which agricultural products and industrial goods would meet the requirements of the Indian market, apart from the defence sector and vice versa. Biomedicine is another area where there is a history of excellent co-

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TOURISM

We are seeing annual growth of 17 per cent in the numbers of Serbians visiting India and each one is a potential tourist. India recently provided electronic tourist visa facilities for a one-month stay for Serbians

operation through Torlak Laboratories, which helped India eradicate polio. The sectors for enhancement of bilateral trade include retail medicaments, metals, petroleum products, agro and agro-chemical products, mobile phones, petrochemicals, personal care products, ayurveda amd herbal products etc. Intelligent production is what we are looking at doing in Serbia. ICT and renewable energy sources are other sectors with potential for joint projects. Other potential sectors for Indian FDI can readily be identified as pharmaceutical, chemicals and fertilizers, waste management, ago and agro-processing, power, construction and infrastructure, mining and metals etc.

About 135 mid-level Serbian executives in the government, public and private sectors have benefited from our capacity-building programmes, which results in the sharing of experiences and thus an ethos of cooperation in the economic domain. Given that investment leads to trade, we would also like to see structured economic delegations from Serbia visiting India in order to familiarise themselves with the Indian market and invite Indian industry to invest in Serbia. The Joint Economic Committee can prove itself to be a potent instrument in this direction.

• As an official representative of India, has diplomacy changed and enriched your personality, or has it perhaps taken more away from you?

- Every day is different. I meet different people and deal with different issues. Every day I respond to new developments. One is always reinventing oneself and in a constant process of rediscovering different aspects of one’s own personality. What is eclectic about my work is the diversity and range it offers, and there is never a dull day.

• Indian TV shows are very popular in Serbia.

How would you explain the popularity of India television serials in Serbia and around the world?

- It is incredible that Indian TV serials have a large fan base in Serbia. India is entering the living

rooms of Serbia every day, which is such a boon.

Bar the dramatic storylines, these TV serials are a mirror of Indian society, family relationships, costumes (saris), jewellery, beliefs, cuisine etc.

One important element in the India story is the triumph of good over evil. This is the everlasting theme around which Indian folklore and mythology is built. Another important element is the diverse nature of Indian society, which makes it a very interesting place to be. Over and above this is the unity in diversity around which the social fabric of the Indian nation is woven. We represent a sixth of humanity, speaking different languages, practicing different religions, wearing different kinds of clothes and eating different kinds of foods. We are simultaneously an ancient civilisation and a youthful nation, with 40 per cent of the population under the age of 25 and 65 per cent under 35. There are more than 600 million women in India who are making themselves useful in every aspect of human endeavour, including in non-conventional areas, such as working as fighter pilots and astronauts. There can be no denying that the cultural continuity which has characterised the Indian civilisation has resulted in India being by far the most diverse and culturally tolerant country. India has the largest number of mosques in the world (300,000) and New Delhi has the largest number of churches (271) of any capital city! All of this, despite the fact that the country is approximately 80 per cent Hindu and is the birthplace of four major religions – the oldest being Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, while Sikhism is the youngest. Hindi is understood the length and breadth of our country and we will very soon be offering Hindi language classes in Serbia’s universities.

are very popular and draw full houses. Our two governments have decided to renew the cultural cooperation agreement on the arts, media, sports and youth cooperation. This will lead to several projects through institution-level cooperation, including museums, archives, media, theatres, film institutes, youth organisations etc. Film shootings have already begun both ways. Very soon we should have Indian performance art experts attached to the cultural institutions of Serbia.

• India participated in this year’s Belgrade Tourism Fair. What would you recommend Indian tourists see in Serbia and how can we

Online Visas for India

India recently introduced the possibility of electronic visas for all Serbian citizens who intend to visit India for up to one month.

Applicants do not need to go to the embassy in Belgrade, as they can do everything online – including completing application forms and paying fees - and they don’t even need to collect their visa in person from the embassy, rather they receive online confirmation and can go straight to the airport and onwards to India.

Ayurveda Info Centre to Open in Belgrade

THERE CAN BE NO DENYING THAT THE CULTURAL CONTINUITY WHICH HAS CHARACTERISED THE INDIAN CIVILISATION HAS RESULTED IN INDIA BEING BY FAR THE MOST DIVERSE AND CULTURALLY TOLERANT COUNTRY • Serbian film director Goran Paskaljević made a film about India and you helped him to bring this complex project to fruition. How much does cultural cooperation unite peoples and nations, and do you think there are also opportunities for the further development of joint projects in other segments of culture?

- Nothing succeeds like culture when it comes to bringing two nations together. The Indian cultural manifestations we bring to Serbia

spiritual tourism, touring forts and palaces etc. We are seeing annual growth of 17 per cent in the numbers of Serbians visiting India and each one is a potential tourist. India recently provided electronic tourist visa facilities for a one-month stay for Serbians who can complete the visa application form online from the comfort of their home, submit documents online, pay online and carry the downloaded document to the designated Indian airports. They do not have to come to the Embassy, though, frankly, I would like them in our Chancery so that we can share a lot of information with them. ■

increase tourist activities in both directions?

This year’s theme of the India Pavilion at the Belgrade Tourism Fair was Ayurveda tourism, which can be planned for the monsoon months (June to August) in the Southern part of India and the Himalayan region. India is otherwise a year-round tourism destination, including medical tourism and destination weddings. There is something for everyone in India, including adventure tourism, desert tourism, beach tourism, Himalayan tourism,

We will soon open an Ayurveda Information Centre at our Embassy in Belgrade, in order to focus and train those wishing to apply to deal with this alternative medicine method that has proven to be very successful. At the recent Belgrade Tourism Fair, the focus of the India Pavilion was Ayurveda tourism, particularly in the southern part of India and the Himalayan region during the monsoon months, from June to August.

Country of Diversity and Tolerance

Did you know that India has the most mosques in the world? New Delhi is the capital city with the most churches – a total of 271. This is the country with the greatest diversity and tolerance. It is an old civilisation with the youngest population: 40 per cent under the age of 25 and 65 percent under 35. More than 600 million women in India contribute every day to a better life and the country’s development, and among these are fighter pilots and astronauts.

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BRICS 2016 SUMMIT: INDIA HAS TO PLAY A LEADING ROLE AS CHAIRMAN AT BRICS 2016 SUMMIT

Urgent Steps Needed to Strengthen Alternative Financial System

B y N I T YA C H A K R A B O RT Y

India will be hosting the eighth summit of BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa in Goa in October this year and as the Chairman of the BRICS group, the Indian Government has been entrusted with a major responsibility to contribute to the process of easing the global economic crisis by identifying the areas where immediate action is needed to correct the distortions

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he five members of BRICS represent more than two-fifth of the world population and a combined GDP of over US$ 16 trillion. As a multilateral organization, BRICS has a crucial role to play in the global economy apart from expanding the scope of cooperation between the members of the grouping. India has to impart an innovative leadership to the BRICS summit this

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year by focusing on the issues which have been ailing the global economy due to the partisan policies of the rich nations led by the United States.

Right now, India is having most comfortable situation in terms of both economy and polity among the BRICS nations.

All other countries are having serious economic problems. That way, India is better placed to give the leadership for taking concrete steps to some of the decisions which were taken at the 2015 summit at UFA in Russia. The 2015 summit expressed its disappointment at the prolonged failure by the United States to ratify the IMF 2010 reform package which continues to undermine the credibility, legitimacy and effectiveness of the IMF. Further, the BRICS declaration

RIGHT NOW, INDIA IS HAVING MOST COMFORTABLE SITUATION IN TERMS OF BOTH ECONOMY AND POLITY AMONG THE BRICS NATIONS. ALL OTHER COUNTRIES ARE HAVING SERIOUS ECONOMIC PROBLEMS

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shared concerns regarding the challenges of sovereign debt restructurings. Debt restructurings have often been too slow and too late thus failing to reestablish debt sustainability and market access in a durable way. India has to take the lead in ensuring that the handling of sovereign debt restructurings be improved to the benefit of the developing countries.

BRICS members are aware of the need for a strong alternative to the existing international financial institutions like IMF, World Bank and ADB. This can be done in phases and to start with, the arrangement can be a supplement to the existing operations of the West backed international financial institutions. But the process has to start and the setting up of the BRICS Bank New Development Bank as also the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) are good signs that the alternative financing mode has a place in the global system and this will be in the interests of the developing countries for their speedy infra development and this will expand the areas of infra cooperation among the BRICS nations also.NDB has already approved its investment projects for 2016 and India is going to get projects in the

to the west backed international financial institutions. At UFA summit, the ratification was done to the treaty establishing a Contingency Reserve Arrangement (CRA) of the BRICS .Further the BRICS members welcomed the signing of the BRICS Inter Central Bank Agreement that sets technical parameters of operations within BRICS CRA. In fact the creation of BRICS CRA is an important step in the financial cooperation of the BRICS members. This mechanism is a valuable contribution to the global financial safety net.

The strategy for the BRICS Economic Partnership that was adopted at 2015 summit, is presently the key guideline for

THE STRATEGY FOR THE BRICS ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP THAT WAS ADOPTED AT 2015 SUMMIT, IS PRESENTLY THE KEY GUIDELINE FOR EXPANDING TRADE AND INVESTMENT, MANUFACTURING AND MINERALS PROCESSING, ENERGY, AGRICULTURE COOPERATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, CONNECTIVITY AND FINANCIAL COOPERATION BETWEEN THE BRICS MEMBERS first lot. Apart, the NDB is cooperating with AIIB and this ensures a sort of synergy in operations to the benefit of the borrowing countries and this gives a competition to the existing financing agencies like World Bank and ADB. In fact the time has come to take more concrete steps to strengthen the alternative financial system on behalf of BRICS. Russia and China have already moved in this direction and India also can take a leading role to coordinate the BRICS positions and make use of its chairmanship in 2016 to push forward the global financial system reform and prepare the alternative

expanding trade and investment, manufacturing and minerals processing, energy, agriculture cooperation, science and technology, connectivity and financial cooperation between the BRICS members. As the present Chairman of BRICS, India must ensure that the member countries ministries take appropriate steps to implement the programmes mentioned in the Partnership and urgent steps are taken for corrective steps if there is some critical gaps. The Economic Partnership strategy has to be put into action by the joint efforts of NDB, BRICS Business Council, BRICS Think Tank Forums and InterBank Cooperation Mech-

anism. India has to give the lead in preparing a feasibility of developing a BRICS trade, economic and investment cooperation roadmap for the period upto 2020.

The issue of taking concrete measures for stepping up investment cooperation is very much on the agenda at Goa summit.

Indian Government is preparing a list of priority projects for which investments could be sought from the other four members of the BRICS group. Investments will be sought for the projects, mostly in infrastructure sector from other member countries Brazil China, Russia and South Africa.

At the last summit, Russia also submitted a list of 60 projects in oil and gas, coal, water resources, high tech manufacturing, mining, engineering, aviation, agriculture, transport & logistics, and information technology.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has innovative ideas on cooperation among the BRICS members. At the last summit, he mentioned of the scope for investments in India by the BRICS members in his pet Make in India programme. Now India wants to hold a trade fair and investors forum to promote the government’s flagship schemes such as Make in India, Digital India, Smart City Project. Start Up India, Stand Up India and National Mission for Clean Ganga. Indian officials feel that there are immense opportunities for the four other BRICS members to be benefited by investing in these innovative projects in India.

Indian economy is now among the fastest economies in the world. Despite some problems, all other BRICS economies are also looking for new investment opportunities. India can really play a big role at BRICS summit by preparing a concrete roadmap for the maximum utilisation of the BRICs nations capabilities for their respective economic growth. At the global level, it is also an opportunity for New Delhi to raise its international role as a global and regional actor by steadfastly protecting the interests of the developing countries by fighting the western pressures and interests led by the USA. â–

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AGRICULTURE: INDIAN COMPANIES GEAR UP TO PARTICIPATE IN NOVI SAD AGRICULTURAL FAIR (MAY 2016)

Lots of Room for Dynamic Cooperation Agriculture plays a vital role in India’s economy and is the principal source of income for more than 58 per cent of the country’s population.

Agriculture and allied sectors (livestock, fisheries and forestry) are among the largest contributors to India’s Gross Domestic Product (16%)

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ndia’s arable land area of 159.7 million hectares (over 60 % of land area) is the second largest in the world, after USA. Agricultural products of significant economic value includes rice, wheat, potato, tomato, onion, mangoes, sugar-cane, beans, cotton, etc.

Over the recent past, increase in agricultural exports together with growth in household income& consumption and expansion in the food processing sector have resulted in growth in the agriculture sector in India. Rethinking on antipoverty priorities and the recent economic slowdown are among the factors that are causing a positive shift in the Indian economic policy in favour of greater support for agriculture. The Indian agriculture sector is now moving towards another green revolution. The transformations in the sector are being induced by factors

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like newfound interest of the organised sector, new and improved technologies, farming becoming more mechanised, new markets and demands, easy credit facilities, rapid growth of contract farming, agriculture friendly policies from the government, etc. Agriculture is now evolving from just a traditional way of life to a professionally managed industry the agriculture industry.

MARKET SIZE

India is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of spices and spice products.

India’s fruit production has grown faster than vegetables making it the second largest fruit producer in the world. India’s horticulture output, comprising fruits, vegetables and spices was a record 283.5 million tonnes in 2014-15. It ranks third in farm and agriculture outputs. Agricultur-

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al export constitutes 10 per cent of the country’s exports and is the fourth-largest exported principal commodity.

India is the world’s second largest producer of wheat and rice. As per Indian Ministry of Agriculture, food grain production is estimated at 253.16 million tonnes (MT) for 2015-16 and production of pulses estimated at 17.33 million tonnes. India is the largest producer of pulses in the world.

With 6.51 million tonnes of cotton in 201415, India beat China to become the largest producer of cotton. With an annual output of 146.3 MT, India is the largest producer of milk, accounting for 18.5 per cent of the total world production. It also has the largest bovine population. India, the second-largest producer of sugar, accounts for 14 per cent of the global output. It is the sixth-largest exporter of sugar, accounting for 2.76 per cent of the global exports.

Spice exports from India are expected to reach US$ 3 billion by 2016–17 due to creative marketing strategies, innovative packaging, strength in quality and strong distribution networks. The spices market in India is valued at Rs 40,000 crore (US$ 5.87 billion) annually, of which the branded segment accounts for 15 per cent.

ishi Corp for manufacturing agrochemicals in India. ● Rabo Equity Advisors, the private equity arm of Netherlands-based Rabo Group, raised US$ 100 million for the first close of its second fund – India Agri

State Bank of India (SBI) and State General Reserve Fund (SGRF), invested Rs 95 crore (US$ 13.94 million) in GSP Crop Science, a Gujarat-based agrochemicals company. ● The world’s seventh-largest agro-

INVESTMENTS

According to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, the Indian agricultural services and agricultural machinery sectors have cumulatively attracted Foreign Direct Investment equity inflow of about $ 2,261 million from April 2000 to December 2015.

Some major investments and developments in agriculture in the recent past are as follows: ● Agri-research institute ICRISAT’s incubation arm is looking to set up a Rs.100 crore (US$ 14.67 million) fund in a year, an initiative that could help small entrepreneurs from the agri-business and nutrition space raise money. ● Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), India’s leading tractor and utility vehicle manufacturer, announced its entry into pulses retailing under the brand ‘NuPro’. Going

INDIA IS THE LARGEST PRODUCER AND EXPORTER OF SPICES, LARGEST PRODUCER OF PULSES, MILK AND BOVINE IN THE WORLD. INDIA IS THE SECOND LARGEST PRODUCER OF FRUITS, WHEAT, RICE AND SUGAR chemicals firm, Israel-based ADAMA Agrochemicals plans to invest at least US$ 50 million in India over the next three years.

INITIATIVES BY THE GOVERNMENT

forward, the company plans to foray into e-retailing and sale of dairy products. ● Fertiliser cooperative IFFCO launched a joint venture with Japanese firm Mitsub-

Business Fund II. The fund plans to invest US$ 15–17 million in 10–12 companies. ● Oman India Joint Investment Fund (OIJIF), a joint venture (JV) between the

The Government of India realizes the importance of agriculture to the development of the nation and hence has adopted several initiatives and programmes for this sector’s continuous growth. In its Budget 2016–17, government proposed measures to improve agriculture and increase farmers’ welfare such as 2.85 million hectares to be brought under irrigation, Rs 287,000 crore (US$ 42.11 billion) grant in aid to be given to gram panchayats (village councils) and municipalities and 100 per cent village electrification targeted by May 01, 2018.

Steps have been taken to improve soil fertility on a sustainable basis through the soil health card scheme and to support the organic farming scheme ‘Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana’. Other steps include

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improved access to irrigation through ‘Pradhanmantri Gram Sinchai Yojana’; enhanced water efficiency through `Per Drop More Crop’; continued support to Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and the creation of a unified national agriculture market to boost the incomes of farmers.

The budget placed a renewed focus on the farm sector in a bid to revive agricul-

ture growth and improve farm incomes.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of India said that farmers and rural india will get the government’s immediate attention and that government aims to double farm income in the next five years.

The Indian Ministry of Agriculture has inked MOUs/agreements with 63 countries including Serbia for bilateral partnerships. These agreements would provide better agricultural facilities in areas such as research and development, capacity building, post-harvest management, value addition/food processing, plant protection, animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries etc and help in enhancing bilateral trade.

ROAD AHEAD

The agriculture sector in India is expected to generate better momentum in the next few years due to increased investments in agricultural infrastructure such as irrigation facilities, warehousing and cold storage. Factors such as reduced transaction costs and time, improved port

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gate management and better fiscal incentives would contribute to the sector’s growth. Furthermore, the growing use of genetically modified crops will likely improve the yield for Indian farmers.

Realizing the importance of storage infrastructure, Indian Government plans additional 35 million MT warehousing capacity for storage of all major crops in order to curb wastage.

lations with good potential for trade and investment growth. Indian tractor manufacturers Mahindra & Mahindra (represented by Agropanonka), Sonalika (represented by FPM Agromehanika) and TAFE (represented by Amalgamations Group) have been regularly participating in International Agricultural Fair in Novi Sad. Priority objective of Serbian agriculture is to increase general level of compet-

INDIA AND SERBIA CAN IMPROVE COOPERATION IN AGRICULTURE SECTOR BASED ON THE AGREEMENT ON COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF AGRICULTURE AND ALLIED SECTORS SIGNED BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES IN MARCH 2009 INDIA- SERBIA COOPERATION

India Serbia bilateral relations in the agricultural and food processing industry are mainly in the field of import of agricultural products from India such as coffee, sesame seeds, dehydrated onion etc.

India also exports tractors (Mahindra, TAFE and Sonalika) as well as irrigation equipment from the brand Jain irrigation.

Mahindra and Sonalika tractors are being assembled in Serbia through their Serbian partners. Serbian exports of agricultural products are mostly tobacco and cigarettes. Agriculture & food processing and agricultural machinery are crucial industry segments in India-Serbia trade re-

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itiveness, find new markets, adapt to rules and standards of the EU and WTO, conquer new know-how and technologies that will change the existing structure of agriculture and be ready to meet competition on local and international market.

India and Serbia can improve cooperation in agriculture sector based on the Agreement on Cooperation in the field of Agriculture and Allied Sectors singed signed between the two countries in March 2009.

The agreement envisages establishment of a Joint Commission which is supposed to monitor the realization of the Agreement, and to propose measures for improving cooperation in Agriculture and food industry. ■

‘BABASAHEB’ DR B.R. AMBEDKAR:

Maker and ConscienceKeeper of Modern India A pioneering social reformer, jurist, economist, author, polyglot orator, scholar of comparative religions and thinker Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambdekar, the principal architect of Indian Constitution and independent India’s first law minister, was a multi-faceted man who remapped the frontiers of human achievement by his sheer tenacity, perseverance and the will to excel against all odds

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abasaheb, as he was fondly called by friends, admirers and followers, braved the walls of prejudice and caste discrimination in early 20th century India to emerge as an exemplar and an unflinching crusader against the inequities of caste system and socio-economic deprivation that afflicted millions of Indians. His life is an inspirational story of achievements despite trying circumstances and the indomitable will to move beyond individual strife for the larger cause of social justice and national renaissance.

Born into the Hindu Mahar caste, which was scorned as “untouchable” by the upper class of the time, Babasaheb did not allow the limitations of his background to come in the way of acquiring firstrate education and pushing the bar for academic excellence. He earned a law degree from Lincoln’s Inn and doctorates from Columbia University in the

Minister Jawaharlal Nehru spoke eloquently about at the fateful hour of India’s independence, saw Dr. Ambedkar being entrusted with a monumental responsibility: he was appointed Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee on August 29, 1947.

He fashioned a pluralistic and inclusive Constitution that guides and animates India to this day, guaranteeing equal opportunity and freedom of expression and faith for all citizens in a secular democracy.

Famous scholar Granville Austin has evoked the revolutionary spirit of Dr. Ambdekar that is reflected in the Indian Constitution. “The majority of India’s constitutional provisions are either directly arrived at furthering the aim of social revolution or attempt to foster this revolution by establishing conditions necessary for its achievement,” wrote Austin. The Constitution, drafted under Dr. Ambedkar’s leadership, abolished untouchability, and outlawed all

THE CONSTITUTION, DRAFTED UNDER DR. AMBEDKAR’S LEADERSHIP, ABOLISHED UNTOUCHABILITY, AND OUTLAWED ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION US and the London School of Economics, carving a place of eminence as a scholar extraordinaire for his research in law, economics and political science.

His early career saw him donning many hats: economist, professor, and lawyer. In the next stage, he emerged as a national leader with a pan-India vision of modernity underpinned by the ideals of social justice and equality. As India’s freedom movement gained traction, he harnessed his formidable intellectual energies to script an anthem of an inclusive India and strove tirelessly for political rights and social freedom for Dalits and the marginalized groups.

India’s tryst with destiny, as India’s first Prime

forms of discrimination. An ardent proponent of the rights of women, minorities and the socially underprivileged, he argued eloquently and won the Constituent Assembly’s support for introducing a system of reservations of jobs in the civil services, schools and colleges for members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Class. This was later reflected in the policies of affirmative action adopted by the Indian government.

An erudite economist and institution-builder, Dr.Ambedkar authored many scholarly treatises on economics and was the driving force behind establishment of the Finance Commission of India. His

ideas also laid the foundation for the setting up of India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India. hile Dr. Ambedkar’s achievements were manifold and straddled a wide spectrum, his inner life was richer and marked by spiritual vitality. In 1956, he converted to Buddhism. He later died in the same year in New Delhi while working on “The Buddha and his Dhamma”, which was published posthumously.

The popularity and esteem he enjoyed among all lovers of social justice was seen at his funeral at Dadar Chowpatty beach on December 7, 1956, which was thronged by at least half a million mourners.

Babasaheb’s myriad contributions to the forging of a modern inclusive India were recognized posthumously through the Bharat Ratna in 1990. Dr. Ambedkar’s ideals of social inequality redesigned the contours of Indian politics. His surging popularity was reflected in scholarly biographies, numerous statues and memorials across the country. In 2012 Ambedkar was voted the “Greatest Indian” by a poll organized by History TV18 and CNN IBN. Today, Ambedkar is revered nationally, and figures in the national pantheon as one of the makers of modern India, along with Gandhi, Nehru and Tagore. His birthday, April 14, has been christened as ‘Ambedkar Jayanti’ or ‘Bhim Jayanti’ and is celebrated as a public holiday.

As India celebrates the 125th birth anniversary of this national icon, Babasaheb remains an inspiration for millions of Indians and proponents of equality and social justice across the globe. Fittingly, although it’s a matter of coincidence, one can see the trace of Babasaheb’s radiant vision in the “Sustainable Development Goals” that are set to be formally adopted by the UN General Assembly to eliminate poverty, hunger and socio-economic inequality by 2030. ■

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INDIA TOURISM

Get, Set and Go Adventure tourism is rapidly gaining popularity in India as tourists seek vacations of a different kind

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ravelling to remote areas, trying challenging adventure sports and testing one’s endurance to its limits account to what we know as adventure tourism. Be it in the east, west, north or south, the country has ample options that offer the desired adrenaline kicks to the adventure enthusiasts.

ROCK CLIMBLING The possibilities for rock climbing in India are immense and to a large extent, unexplored. Classified into free climbing, aid climbing and free and aid climbing – rock climbing can be performed throughout the year, expect monsoon months. The ecstasy of reaching the top and calling out to the world is simply inexpressible. Some of the best sites for rock climbing in India are Sar Pass in Himachal Pradesh, Miyar Valley in Himachal Pradesh, Shey Rock in Kashmir, Paithamala in Kerala, Madhugiri in Karnataka, Malshej Ghat in Maharashtra and Hampi and Badami in Karnataka. ■

HERITAGE: JOURNEY THROUGH HYDERABAD’S ROYAL PALACES Hyderabad’s true beauty lies in its historical core from where the modern city took shape Hyderabad, home to monuments like Charminar and Mecca Masjid, is known for the opulence of its fascinating palaces and havelis. A number of these architectural wonders lay hidden in its narrow alleys which few, except locals, were aware of.

But the most splendid ones, however, are the ones built and occupied by the Nizams themselves.

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WALKING DOWN For over half-a-century, these palaces remained a mystery. It was in the late 1990s when they were thrown open to public that these palaces made news. The aura of romance and mystery surrounding them is still strongly embedded in peoples’ imagination, be it Falaknuma, Chowmahalla or Purani Haveli, the once official residence of the Nizams.

The Nizam rule in Hyderabad started in 1724 under Nizamul-Mulk who established the Asaf Jahi dynasty after the fall of the Golconda Qutb Shahis in 1687. Subsequently, seven generations of his successors who came to be known as the “Nizams” ruled Hyderabad and parts of Deccan for almost two-and-one quarter centuries. The period, mainly during the reign of the sixth and seventh Nizams, was marked by a flood of construction activities as many of the great edifices the city is proud of today were built back then. These are largely concentrated in the southwestern and southeastern quarters of the city. “The total area of the palaces built by the successive Nizams in the Old City alone would be more than a million cubic feet which is three times more as compared to that of their predecessors, the Qutb Shahis,” says Narender Luther, a former civil servant and historian based in Hyderabad.

If you travel from anywhere in the Old City in southwestern or southeastern direction with Charminar as the starting point, you can witness some of these magnificent palaces.

“In recent times, Hyderabad’s cyber techno-hype,” as Luther says, “has overshadowed its historic charm, nawabi lifestyle and elegant courtesies”. But the pageantry and extravagant exploits of the royal courts that once enthralled the world hungry for something “exotic” have left an imprint in these intriguing palaces. From Charminar, the three important palaces: Falaknuma in south, Chowmahalla in west and Purani Haveli in east form Old City’s golden triangle. ■

BEAUTY GALORE Sikkim is beyond forested hillsides and snowcapped peaks. Take a tour to discover some of the state’s hidden jewels GANGTOK You can start a Sikkim tour from the southeast where the capital, Gangtok, introduces you to the state’s rich culture. The city became a Buddhist

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centre after the Enchey Monastery, first built in 1840s, was blessed by “flying” tantric master Drupthob Karpo. From then, its importance grew and Gangtok became the capital of the kingdom of Sikkim in 1894, ruled by a dynasty with the hereditary title of Chogyal. The monastery is scenically set at the top of the town with a thick tree cover.

You can watch masked dances during festivals like Detor Chaam in December and January.

The Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, established in 1958, has a wide collection of artefacts related to Vajrayana Buddhism and Tibetan culture including stunning painted and embroidered thangkas, tantric ritual objects, Buddhist icons and scriptures. A library on the first floor houses precious Buddhist tomes while a revamped souvenir shop sells a collection of jewellery, mementos, books, ritual objects and documentaries on Sikkimese culture and tradition. From here, visit Do-Drul Chorten, a large white stupa surrounded by glasswalled galleries with innumerable flaming butter lamps and a monks’ hostel.

Walk along the ridge to see the exterior of the Chogyal Place and the impressive Tsuglhakhang Temple.

From Enchey Monastery, head north to Ganesh Tok, one of the best viewpoints in Gangtok together with Tashi Point and

Hanuman Tok. The Himalayan Zoological Park near Ganesh Tok is one of the best places to see clouded leopard, snow leopard, Himalayan bear, red panda and mountain birdlife.

ARTS, CRAFTS AND CUISINE Head west from Ganesh Tok to the Government Institute of Cottage Industries that promotes skills like paintings, weaving, woodcarving and mask-making. Watch artists paint Buddhist scenes, mandalas or deities on cotton or silk cloth on what is called thangkas. Else observe Lepcha and other women weave on traditional back-strap loin-looms.

Another interesting art form they create here are the masks made by carving wood or in papier-mache worn during lama dances. Woodcarving is done to produce low tables called Choktse which are exquisitely carved, polished and painted in red, blue, pink, orange, brown and golden.

About 24 km from Gangtok, Rumtek is famous for carved Buddhist figures. It has an extensive monastic complex, one of the most important institutions of Tibetan Buddhism and seat of the Black Hat sect. The impressive flat-topped main building has gold finials and a beautiful silver and gold chorten is studded with semi-precious stones and houses relics of the 16th head of the Black Hat sect.

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CUSINE: RELISHING THE BEST TICKLE YOUR TASTEBUDS WITH THESE MOUTH-WATERING DISHES

Kashmiri Kofta Curry

Preparation Time: 50 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 persons

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Gangtok is an excellent place to try Sikkimese cuisine which has distinct links to Tibet. Dumplings called momos with various stuffings and different noodle broth collectively called thukpas are common delicacies. Stinging nettles called sisnu, ferns called ningro, local cheeses called churpi, fermented soyabeans, bamboo shoots and wild mushrooms are used in dishes along with locally grown vegetables.

SOUTH SIKKIM Head south from Pelling to Ravangla in south Sikkim. This part of the state has coniferous forests, tea plantations, breathtaking sceneries and religious monuments. The hamlet of Namchi is known for its religious structures like the 33 m high Shiva statue in a complex called Char Dham and the 45 m high statue of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) in the Samdruptse complex. ■

THE GOLDEN TEA STORY Tea tours in India have gained popularity in the past one decade and have now become an important part of many travel itineraries WEST BENGAL One of the most popular hill stations in the state, Darjeeling is surrounded by tea gardens that produce the famous light-coloured and aromatic Darjeeling tea. It is interesting to note that around 25 per cent of the country’s total tea outcome is from Darjeeling which has about 80 operational tea plantations. Makaibari Tea Estate and Homestay is one of the oldest tea estates of the region. Located at Kurseong, 37 km from Darjeeling, it is one of the top tea producing gardens in the world.

The Happy Valley Tea Estate is another wellknown estate. Located 3 km north of Darjeeling, it

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is one of the highest tea gardens in the world. The estate grows some of the finest tea. It was established by an Englishman in 1854. Later, it was taken over by an Indian aristocrat from Kolkata.

Best time to go March to November.

ASSAM Assam is the largest tea producing region of the country. The tea is mostly cultivated in the Brahmaputra Valley region. Tea-lovers should not miss the tea estates that are integral to the state.

There are several stay options here too where one can relax and rejuvenate amid tea gardens. Every year, the Assam Tourism Board organises the Assam Tea Festival where tea enthusiasts visit magnificent tea gardens and enjoy exciting river cruises while sipping hot tea. One can visit the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre, the largest in India.

Best time to go May to June.

KERALA Soak in the fresh aroma of tea leaves as soon as you enter Munnar as the region is dotted with lush tea plantations. The tea journey must start with a visit to the country’s first Tea Museum at Nallathanni Estate to have a captivating look at the history of tea production in the region. One can opt to stay at the KTDC Tea County in Munnar.

Nestled between two hills, it is an important destination for ecotourism activities centred around Eravikulam National Park, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary and Pampadum Shola National Park and the newly developed Neelakurinji Sanctuary.

Kundala Tea Plantation is another must-visit unit in Munnar. Surrounded with a lake, it will be a heart-warming moment to witness the entire tea-making process here. One can also visit The Tea Sanctuary that has a series of refurbished old colonial bungalows in the middle of a huge tea estate. ■

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Ingredients For the koftas: ½ kg well-ground minced mutton, 1 tsp aniseed powder (saunf), ½ tbsp dry ginger powder (saunth), 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, ½ tsp garam masala powder, ½ tsp powdered black cardamom seed (badi elaichi), ½-1 cup beaten yogurt and salt to taste.

For the gravy: 3 tbsp mustard oil or ghee, ¼ tsp asafoetida powder (hing), 5-6 cloves, 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, ½ tsp aniseed powder (saunf), 2 tsp dry ginger powder (saunth), 2-½ tsp coriander powder, ½ cup yogurt, beaten; 1 cup water, almonds to garnish and whipped cream or yogurt to garnish.

Method: Put all the ingredients for the koftas in a bowl, knead well, cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for 30 minutes. Divide the mixture and shape into small balls or koftas; bake the koftas in a pre-heated oven for 10 minutes. Put the oil/ghee in a pressure cooker. Add the asafoetida, cloves and red chilli powder. Add the koftas and stir for 2 minutes. Sprinkle the aniseed, ginger and coriander powders.

Add yogurt and water. Cover and bring to pressure. Cook for about 10 minutes and remove the cooker from the stove. Allow to cool. Remove the lid and simmer on low heat till the gravy thickens. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with almonds and swirls of cream/ yogurt. Serve hot.

AYURVEDA

Naturalistic System of Medicine Benefits of Ayurveda

The word Ayurveda is composed of two Sanskrit terms – Ayu meaning ‘life’ and Veda meaning ‘knowledge’. Therefore Ayurveda means the knowledge of life or science of life

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yurveda is the oldest healthcare system in the world and it combines the profound thoughts of medicine and philosophy. Today, it is seen as a unique, indispensable branch of medicine, a complete naturalists system that depends on the diagnosis of your body’s humours-vata, pitta and kapha-to achieve the right balance.

In Ayurveda, diagnosis is always done of the patient as a whole which sums up the principal objectives of Ayurveda, i.e. maintenance and promotion of health, prevention of diseases and cure of sickness.

According to Ayurveda all objects in the universe including human body are composed of five basic elements namely, earth, water, fire, air and vacuum(ether). There is a balanced condensation of these elements in different proportions to suit the needs and requirements of different structures and functions of the body matrix and its parts. The growth and development of the body matrix depends on its nutrition, i.e. on food. The food, in turn, is composed of the above five elements, which replenish or nourish the like elements of the body after the action of bio-fire (Agni). The tissues of the body are the structural whereas humours are physiological entities, derived from different combinations

and permutations of Panchamahabhutas.

The basic therapeutic approach is, that alone is the right treatment which makes for health and he alone is the best doctor who frees one from disease. This sums up the principal objectives of Ayurveda, i.e. maintenance and promotion of health, prevention of disease and cure of sickness. Treatment of the disease consists in avoiding causative factors responsible for disequilibrium of the body matrix or of any of its constituent parts through the use of Panchkarma procedures, medicines, suitable diet, activity and regimen for restoring the balance and strengthening the body mechanisms to prevent or minimize future occurrence of the disease.

Normally treatment measures involve use of medicines, specific diet and prescribed activity routine. Use of these three measures is done in two ways. In one approach of treatment the three measures antagonize the disease by counteracting the etiological factors and various manifestations of the disease. In the second approach the same three measures of medicine, diet and activity are targeted to exert effects similar to the etiological factors and manifestations of the disease process. Today, large number of people from all over the world visit India for specialized Ayurvedic treatment.

* Ayurveda aims at removing the cause of illness and not just curing the disease itself. Based solely on herbs and herbal compounds, Ayurvedic remedies do not operate against the body’s metabolism. * Ayurvedic and herbal medicines ensures physical and mental health without side effects. The natural ingredients of herbs help bring ‘arogya’(health) to human body and mind. * Ayurvedic treatment is non-invasive and non-toxic, so it can be used safely as an alternative therapy or alongside conventional therapies. * Ayurvedic physicians claim that their methods can also help stress-related, metabolic, and chronic conditions. * Ayurveda has been used to treat acne, allergies, asthma, anxiety, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, colds, colitis, constipation, depression, diabetes, flu, heart disease, hypertension, immune problems, inflammation, insomnia, nervous disorders, obesity, skin problems, and ulcers.

In pursance of furthering the cause of Ayurveda, the Embassy of India participated in the recently held Belgrade international Tourism fair with ‘Ayurveda Tourism’ as the main theme. Soon there will be an Ayurveda Centre in the Embassy of India in Belgrade to guide the practice of Ayurveda in Serbia in the right direction. An International symposium on Ayurveda is being organized on 9-10 May, 2016 in Belgrade in association with Ayurveda Association of Serbia.

Indian Ayurveda companies such as Himalaya Herbal and Maharishi Ayurveda have a presence in Serbia and in other parts of Europe. To guide the international practice of Ayurveda, the Government of India has created a separate Ministry AYUSH. Ayurveda is legal in Serbia. Ayurveda Panchkarma centres can be found in different parts of Europe including Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands etc. ■

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INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA 2016

Harmony Between Mind and Body While addressing the 69 session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 27, 2014, the Honorable Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi urged the world community to adopt an International Day of Yoga

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oga is an invaluable gift of ancient Indian tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature and a holistic approach to health and well-being. Yoga is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with ourselves, the world and Nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us to deal with climate change.

Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day,” Shri Modi said.

On December 11, 2014, the 193 member UNGA approved the proposal by consensus with a record 177 co-sponsoring countries a resolution to establish 21 June as “International Day of Yoga”. In its resolution, the UNGA recognised that Yoga provides a holistic approach to health and well-being and wider dissemination of information about the benefits of practicing Yoga for the health of the world population. Yoga also brings harmony in all walks of life and thus, is known for disease prevention, health promotion and management of many lifestyle-related disorders.

On the occasion of celebration of the 1st International Day of Yoga (IDY) on 21 June, 2015 New Delhi, two Guinness World Records were made viz. the Largest Yoga Lesson involving 35,985 participants and maximum number of Nationalities (84) participated in a single yoga lesson. The IDY

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celebration in Serbia were held across Serbia in more than 50 cities and municipalities.

It is planned to celebrate the IDY 2016 in Serbia on 19 June 2016 (June 21 is a working day). The IDY celebrations will be along the Common Yoga Protocol devised by Yoga experts of India. Yoga shirts will also be distributed on the occasion. The IDY celebration in Belgrade will be held outside the National Assembly of Serbia.

WHAT IS YOGA? Yoga is essentially a spiritual discipline based on an extremely subtle science which focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body. It is an art and science for healthy living. The word “Yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit root ‘yuj’meaning “to join”, “to yoke” or “to unite”. According to Yogic scriptures, the practice of Yoga leads to the union of an individual consciousness with the universal consciousness. According to modern scientists, everything in the universe is just a manifestation of the same quantum firmament. One who experiences this oneness of existence is said to be “in Yoga” and is termed as a yogi who has attained a state of freedom, referred to as mukti, nirvāna, kaivalya or moksha.

“Yoga” also refers to an inner science comprising of a variety of methods through which human beings can achieve union between the body and

mind to attain self-realisation. The aim of Yoga practices to overcome all kinds of sufferings that lead to a sense of freedom in every walk of life with holistic health, happiness and harmony.

The concepts and practices of Yoga originated in India about several thousand years ago.

Its founders were great Saints and Sages. The great Yogis presented rational interpretation of their experiences of Yoga and brought about a practical and scientifically sound method within every one’s reach. Yoga today, is no longer restricted to hermits, saints, and sages; it has entered into our everyday lives and has aroused a worldwide awakening and acceptance in the last few decades. The science of Yoga and its techniques have now been reoriented to suit modern sociological needs and lifestyles. Experts of various branches of medicine including modern medical sciences are realising the role of these techniques in the prevention and mitigation of diseases and promotion of health.

Yoga is one of the six systems of Vedic philosophy. The yoga steps are believed to have a potential for improvement of physical health by enhancing circulation of oxygenated blood in the body, retraining the sense organs thereby inducing tranquility and serenity of mind. The practice of Yoga prevents psychosomatic disorders and improves an individual’s resistance and ability to endure stressful situations. ■

The Embassy of India invites yoga enthusiasts to come and participate in the IDY 2016 celebration in their respective cities/municipalities. More details are available on Embassy’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/IndiaInSerbia and Embassy’s website: www.eoibelgrade.gov.in.

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INTERVIEW

B y R A D M I L A S TA N KO V I Ć

When You Fall, You Must Learn

HOW TO STAND UP KATARINA JOVANOVIĆ SOPRANO, PROFESSOR AT THE FACULTY OF MUSICAL ART

What is happening today inevitably reminds me of the ‘90s, although without baseball bats in the streets, without people being chased, killed and buried in Topčider or some other forest. Everything else is characteristic of a relatively totalitarian regime that has a great love for tabloidisation of every type, including bad music, the dross in which we drown as though submerged in faeces

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oprano Katarina Jovanović recently became an associate professor at Belgrade University’s Faculty of Musical Art. She does not hide her satisfaction at achieving this in a society where corruption is an essential need and where she officially, along the road that’s less travelled and tougher to traverse, became a professor of song as a result of respect for her knowledge and pedagogical skills.

This top opera singer has amassed a rich international career during which she gave an average of 120 performances a year.

She was director of the Opera of the National Theatre from February 2010 to November 2011 and launched some major music festivals, such as KOZART and BUNT, but today she is not active on the official opera scene of the National Theatre – along with many other highly qualified and high quality young people.

Most artists seek to make some changes when entering a cultural institution and as a result they meet with resistance.

Asked if she wanted to change something when she arrived at the National Theatre, Katarina admits: “I wanted to, of course. There are various levels of change, and I tried to make changes where I thought that was simplest.

But it turned out that nothing is simple. It is impossible to say that something is wrong, that something is below the permitted

artistic level. It was important for it to survive as a blank wafer without artistic content. It is important not to touch anything, so that one day the National Theatre could host some folk pop star.

Of course, it’s not her fault that she found herself where she does not belong, because she does what she does better than many soloists from opera, ballet or drama.

■ Others are to blame for the fact that a folk pop singer had a concert in the National Theatre, instead of the other concert halls reserved for that in Belgrade?

- The initial blame lies with the manager of the National Theatre, the entire board of directors of the National Theatre and the Minister of Culture, all of whom permitted that. If was prime minister, all of them would have been dismissed from their duties. They did not fulfil the moral imperative of their jobs. Unfortunately, when you say “moral imperative” they look at you as though you’re not normal.

And that is the most important element: to be able to look someone in the eye and tell them that something is not good and cannot be done in the way they are doing it. The Governing Board should have unanimously demanded the resignation of the manager of the National Theatre at the moment he signed a contract with the agent of the aforementioned singer. And long before that, unfortunately.

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■ WIs it really so difficult to solve the problems in the functioning of such a large, bulky national institution as the National Theatre?

- In contrast to the other former Yugoslav republics, Serbia had the additional burden of picking up a terrible reputation after the breakup of Yugoslavia, which undermined and humiliated us. We were no longer able to handle any criticism, because the last criticism to arrive had come in the form of the bombs that fell on us at the end of the 20th century. Thus, in such a devastated country, which was devastated both economically and morally, how could anybody explain that the theatre is important? How can you allocate money for the theatre when there is no money for the treatment of children, but rather contributions are collected via text messages?

And, to answer your question, when you enter the National Theatre it’s initially tough to remind people why they are there and how important it is that they realise their vocational calling and don’t merely act like an employee in that institution. It is tough to understand the degree of nepotism when it comes to employees in various departments; it is tough to see the boundaries of that soft corruption eating away at the fabric of the theatre. It’s tough to put together a repertoire for the month of May when you don’t have enough employees in the orchestra to perform a single work and you have to engage freelance associates, and that costs money that you don’t have. It’s tough to work on a new performance when you’re not sure if the artists will come to rehearsals or whether the conductor will arrive on time.

ceeded, because it was decided that an oasis would be made in the desert. And only an oasis has water, while everything else is an arid desert. And then it is logical to ask what happened to the Symphony Orchestra of RTS, which, according to the rules of the European Union, cannot be a national institution if it does not have a national orchestra, jazz orchestra and production? What will we do about the constant erosion of the artistic integrity of that organism? What will we do about the constant erosion of the integrity of the artistic organism called the National Theatre?

The National Theatre, like every great national institution, is a miniature version of the state. You can determine precisely the level of corruption, the strength, or impotence, of the unions. It is a demonstrative exercise that serves to show the people what culture is for, that this is a gathering of malcontents, disrespectful individuals and people who are unbecoming of even the worst epithets. In my eyes, the National Theatre is today a political playground approved by the state in which you have two guys who are playing - one is in the house, the other is out of the house, and they use this house as their terrain for “outwitting”.

■ I would say the latter is closer to the truth.

- It is closer to the truth because this government is not interested in culture at all. Just look at the mockery it has made of national pensions. How has it come to be that this is a critical political issue, with the prime minister having said that there will be a national again? And this is, in fact, a soThe National Theatre is today pension cial issue par excellence. What kind of ■ It seems that it was much easier to a political playground a hellish idea is it to force an artist to get rid of a director of the Opera than to change the habits that have lasted approved by the state in which declare and explain their own work and their own achievements, while you have for years? you have two guys who are a commission that works for money - The little time I spent in that post cost and that should do that job, along with me my health and endangered my life. I playing - one is in the house, bunch of bureaucrats at the Ministry? wanted employees to immediately stop the other is out of the house, aThey should be responsible for the seplaying computer games, I wanted eveand they use this house as lection of the best in a given year. That ryone to immediately come to rehearsis not thousands of people, but rather a als on time, to immediately all behave their terrain for “outwitting” few dozen people a year who retire and responsibly, to immediately stop stealwhose contribution to culture should be decided by the selected ing toilet paper from the toilets, to immediately start doing their committee. jobs, and not to neglect those jobs while waiting for the exact day and hour of the month when they will receive their wages. All of ■ It seems that the system of values has been disturbed to unimthat was, of course, impossible. agined limits?

■ Renowned director Dejan Mijač said at the beginning of Culture

Minister Ivan Tasovac’s term that he wold only succeed as minister if he managed to solve the problem of the National Theatre. It seems, however, that he did not succeed in that?

- He didn’t, because he fell into his own trap. It’s hard for me to talk about that, because I have a lot of respect for the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra as a living, breathing organism. However, the Philharmonic is actually a political experiment that succeeded.

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- It is enough, for example, to look at the television programming of the three most watched channels with a national frequency, which are Pink, Happy and Prva. This is a hellish, devilish machine of distaste of the lowest motivations that should not be broadcast, no way and never. When you add to that the state of the National Theatre, and the state in culture generally, you can see how we have the impoverishment of ideas and the impoverishment of the spirit.

And when something good and interesting emerges, it seems to disappear in a flood of mediocrity.

■ Judging by what you have been doing in recent years on the local scene, it can be concluded that you belong to that circle of artists who survive by self-organising. There are increasing numbers of those who are seeking new ways and new places to appear before the audience?

- That’s true, but such activities do not produce any actual artistic and social power. That’s because the state has successfully destroyed the importance of such a social context. It has been placed ad acta. And then artists, self-organised in such a way, deal with the moment in which they live. Sometimes they act with irony, while sometimes they literally show their great displeasure with the authorities and official so-called culture workers. On the other hand, even these attempts at artistic activity lose their power when they enter the literal-day political showdown with what is around us. Art is a much finer and subtler tool than some crashboom moment.

portant is not contained in your question. And that is the fact that every talented young artist, such as Željko or myself, had to abandon our environment and had to go out into the world, to test ourselves. It is the obligation of every true artist to relocate from their own environment, to go to another latitude and longitude and see what is being done there.

■ Are you able to explain to yourself the very simple sentence when you say that your neutral status is one of fermentation?

What does that mean today?

- The same as it meant yesterday. I am that kind of person. I am always heated and I always have an elevated artistic temperature.

That’s not easy for me, let alone for others, but I finally accepted myself as I am and I live in harmony with that. I am aware of how

■ Nobody from the National Theatre called you in the last year to make a guest appearance in one of the operas in which you used to sing?

- Nobody. No one attempted to offer me the chance to sing in the operas in which I used to sing, such as The Marriage of Figaro, or A Masked Ball. I debuted at the National Theatre in La Traviata and sang in Il Trovatore, Onegin, Faust etc.

My art here and today is the product of what a group of friends and artists agree on and arrange, such as, say, the Small Town Philosophy, devised as a Christmas oratorio of Radomir Konstantinović.

That’s like a combat unit that aims to protect the health and integrity of members of the combat unit. That’s how Bunt originated, that’s how the Dunav Fest functioned, that’s how the festival I created in Aleksandrovac functioned and ran until it was abolished. And all of this takes place on some kind of alternative stages. To me that’s nothing strange; I learned to do that at the very beginning because I thought the system is wrong, be it political or cultural.

What is happening today inevitably reminds me of the ‘90s, although without baseball bats in the streets.

■ Does that mean you wouldn’t sing if you were invited to perform at the National Theatre?

In this life of mine, or more precisely in my artistic biography, there is nothing that worries me. I know exactly where I have made mistakes, what my weaknesses are, but there is nothing that gives me a reason to be unhappy

- Let’s consider that possibility from the other side. Suppose someone calls me and I need to sign a contract, which means I would have to place my signature beside to the signature of the current acting director. I would have no confidence that that man would fulfil his obligations towards me, because he has proved that from day to day since he has held that post. The way he treats freelance associates, and above all young people in that institution, only confirms that he does not enable young, good artists to sing on the stage of the National Theatre, because they are not ready to make any kind of deal with the manager.

■ If New York Metropolitan Opera favourite Željko Lučić had stayed in Belgrade, where would he be today?

- I know Željko and that gentleman could not have stayed here.

That intelligence was unable to work here. But what is more im-

tough it is to survive on the scene, with the cruelty of an audience that today has no time to stop and listen to phrases, to calm themselves. You need to introduce electronic jammers into concert halls to stop people from using their telephones during a performance. That is the horror in which we live, in which we have to fight for our art while the meat grinder takes its digital momentum.

In this life of mine, or more precisely in my artistic biography, there is nothing that worries me. I know exactly where I have made mistakes, what my weaknesses are, but there is nothing that gives me a reason to be unhappy. I have achieved some things that were important to me, while there are many things I will never achieve and much more that is still in front of me to do.

I learned the most important thing that I want to convey to my students: you can fall, you can smash every bone, but you must learn to get up and do it all over again from the beginning. There is no suffering as a result of wrong moves and defeat. You learn the most from defeat. All great artists endured artistic death and rose again from the grave to show that they are alive and once again feel every nerve. It’s like with skiing – the first thing you learn is how to fall. This is the simplest rule for survival in life: knowing how to get up when you fall. ■ M AY

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BELGRADE MARATHON: 10TH CORD CHARITY MASTERS HUMANITARIAN RACE

Race of Friendship, Humaneness and

GOOD VIBRATIONS

This year's 29th annual Belgrade Marathon was rated by the majority of participants as being the most successful of the previous three decades! That was not only because of the fact that this year’s edition of the traditionally biggest sporting event in Serbia attracted participants from over 60 countries, 5,000 athletes and over 20,000 recreational runners, and gained its millionth participant, but primarily due to the positive spirit, wonderful atmosphere, friendship and the absence of any incident. These are the reasons why every participant in the race can be declared a winner at the very start, but also what have set the Belgrade Marathon apart from all other similar events in our country for almost three decades

O

ne of the races held under the auspices of the 29th Belgrade Marathon was the 10th annual traditional CorD Charity Masters humanitarian race, which this year broke its previous record of 400 participants. Representatives of embassies, companies and individuals from all over Serbia exerted their last atom of strength, in order to collect as much money as possible for organisations and individuals who need help the most.

In a sign of recognition, the promoter of this year’s marathon, reigning high jump world champion, Cuban Javier Sotomayor, first joined in the congratulating of participants in the CorD Charity Masters race and personally awarded diplomas and recognition for the humanitarian runners of CorD magazine.

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Certainly the greatest credit for the record number of participants goes to Piraeus Bank, ProCredit Bank, Schneider Electric, the embassies of Australia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Ukraine and other embassies and companies, as well as individuals who worked in a unique way, through their own effort and dedication, to raise money.

This year’s CorD Charity Masters Race resulted in the collecting of a total of around €10,000 , which will be paid onto the accounts of 27 organisations and individuals, which increased the total amount of donations raised in the past ten years to €147,000. ■

PIRAEUS BANK HAD THE LARGEST NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS

THE TEAM OF AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY WAS AMONG THE MOST AMBITIOUS PARTICIPANTS

JAVIER SOTOMAYOR AND NATAŠA KOVAČEVIĆ

TEAM PURATOS

PROCREDIT BANK CAME TO THE START WITH OVER 50 PARTICIPANTS

JAVIER SOTOMAYOR and H.E. ADELA MAYRA RUIZ GARCÍA, Ambassador of Cuba to Serbia

TEAM SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC

UKRAINE IS A TRADITIONAL PARTICIPANT OF THE MARATHON

JAVIER SOTOMAYOR AND REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PIRAEUS BANK TEAM

JAVIER SOTOMAYOR WITH THE TEAM OF PROCREDIT BANK

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GALLERY

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RESULTS AND DONATIONS

This year's CorD Charity Masters humanitarian race brought together more than 400 participants, who ran a combined distance of over 1,250 kilometres and collected 904,166 dinars. This money will be donated to the following institutions and individuals: • Australian Embassy - TBA; • Embassy of Ukraine – The Moša Pijade Home for children without parental care, Ustanička 19; • Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina – The Novak Đoković Foundation; • PURATOS d.o.o. – the Stari Grad-Živimo Zajedno Association for assistance to persons with disabilities; • PIRAEUS BANK – The Life+ Association project “Dobar rođak”; • PROCREDIT BANK – The Life Association for the fight against rare diseases in children; • EXECUTIVE GROUP - Donation to Viktor Miletić for an operation to treat the results of cerebral palsy –travel abroad for an operation; • SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC - TBA; • NOVO NORDISK PHARMA - TBA; • Neil Howie - The Association of patients with colon and liver cancer and Europ Colon; • Nikola Đurić – Serbian Institute of Oncology and Radiology.

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CHILL OUT FRANCE

FIGHTS FOR RIGHT TO PROTEST TOPLESS IN FRANCE ▶ The Paris-based topless feminist group Femen is fighting for its right to protest bare-chested, saying the laws preventing its members from displaying their upper bodies to get their messages across are nothing short of discrimination against women.

Iana Zhdanova was the first Femen activist to be convicted of a topless stunt in France.

“For us at Femen, our chests are our weapons,” she was quoted as telling French daily Le Parisien.

Her lawyer, Marie Dosé, said that the ruling against her client was running against all principles regarding equality between men and women.

CHINA

JAPAN

CHINESE MORTICIANS RESTORE BODIES WITH 3D

JAPAN’S FUTURISTIC NEW TRAIN ▶ So often at the forefront of in-

▶ The dead aren’t above receiving

a facelift, according to a Chinese funeral home using 3D printing technology to restore and reconstruct the bodies of its clients.

Longhua, a Shanghai-based funeral home, is reportedly taking advantage of 3D printing advances to restore bodies damaged in accidents, natural disasters or

fires. The results can make the bodies appear younger and more attractive posthumously, the funeral home said.

novation, Japan is set to unveil an express train designed to blend into the landscape. Architect Kazuyo Sejima’s design for the next generation of Seibu Railway Co. trains has them covered in a semireflective metallic skin which gives them the impression they are part of the surrounding scenery.

‘The limited express travels in

EAST ANGLIA

THE SOFTWARE THAT CAN PREDICT YOUR LIFESPAN ▶ You might decide to live your life differently perhaps spending your money in other ways, or making your health a bigger priority.

Whether you’re ready to find out or not, researchers from the University of East Anglia have started a project creating a software that

- among other things - will be able to predict a person’s lifespan.

The researchers argue that knowing when our

a variety of different sceneries, from the mountains of Chichibu to the middle of Tokyo, and I thought it would be good if the train could gently co-exist with this variety of scenery,’ said Sejima.

The trains will roll out officially on the tracks of Tokyo in 2018.

time is up could be helpful for planning retirement funds, getting better advice from physicians and understanding how drugs treating chronic illness could affect one’s lifespan.

They won’t be able to provide an exact figure, but they plan to match people by age, sex, health and lifestyle to come up with an educated guess of how many years you have left to live.

It’s a Big Data project, meaning it uses vast amounts of information - in this case the medical records of 3.4 million British citizens.

RUSSIA

STARS OF THE WHITE NIGHTS ▶ The Stars of the White Nights festival was created in 1993 by Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Theatre as a “musical gift” to the city. The festival ( 27th May 31st July, 2016) focuses on classical masterpieces from around the world, including some rare treasures not often performed live. There are lots of options from May to July, not just in the historic Mariinsky Theatre, but in other equally impressive venues throughout the city. There’s also a Jazz Festival, a Brass Music Festival, a Film Festival, a Romantic Music Festival, a Dance Festival, Dostoyevsky festival, even a Sand Sculpture Festival.

One of the most important rituals of St. Petersburg is the 2 a.m. opening of the drawbridges on the River Neva. They open during the summer navigation season from April to November to allow larger ships to pass into the Baltic Sea.

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ENGLAND

GLOUCESTERSHIRE CHEESE ROLLING ▶ On a farm near Gloucester, England, thousands gathered for the annual Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake, continuing a tradition that dates back at least 200 years, despite recent warnings from police. In the event, groups of fearless racers risk life and limb chasing an 3.5 kg round of Double Gloucester Cheese down an extremely steep and uneven hill, with a 1:1 gradient in some sections. The last officially organized race was in 2009, since then, it has continued unofficially every year, despite the potential for serious injury. Earlier, local police warned cheese-maker Diana Smart, who has supplied cheese to the race for 25 years, that she may be construed as a race organizer, and therefore legally liable.

While in reality the cheese can never actually be caught the race winner is the first person to cross the line at the bottom of the hill and take home the cheese as the award.

— and looking forward to watching the TV replay.

“It will be fun to see it,” he said. “I was lucky, I must say.

Right place at the right time, I guess.”

USA

ĐOKOVIĆ CATCHES BALL IN HIS POCKET ▶ Along with some nifty shots, tennis star Novak

Đoković came up with the catch of the day at the Miami Open. The world’s No 1. player caught a ball in his pocket during his opening match against Kyle Edmund.

When Đoković hit a first serve long, Edmund swung and shanked the ball high in the air. It fell almost straight down toward Đoković, who used both hands to position his left pocket under the ball.

That’s where it settled. Even Đoković was impressed USA

SOUTH KOREA

NOT GUILTY!

WOMAN IN SOUTH KOREA THROWS AWAY $19,000 – NO ONE TAKES IT!

JAPAN

JAPAN SEEKS TO HIRE SIX FULL-TIME NINJAS ▶ According to the job ad, Japan’s Aichi region is seeking to hire six fulltime ninjas.

The applicants are required to be in peak physical condition and possess acrobatic skills. Once hired, ninjas will be paid 180,000 yen per month ($1,600), which isn’t much… until you remember that you are being paid to be a ninja.

Your primary duties are not, as you

▶ A woman in South Korea threw $19,000 cash into a down-

▶ A New York City man has pleaded not guilty

after police say they found more than 1,400 bags of heroin stashed inside his body.

Vermont State Police say 41-year-old Fernando Estrella of the Bronx was pulled over for a traffic violation in St. Albans.

A police dog detected drugs but police did not find any in the minivan, but they got a warrant for a body cavity search and 1,428 bags of heroin were removed from Estrella at a hospital.

Estrella pleaded not guilty to felony heroin possession, heroin trafficking, heroin importation and violating conditions of his release.

town Seoul walkway, but police said no passersby stopped to pick up the money.

Police said the 56-year-old woman threw 22 million won ($19,000), onto the ground in Seoul Square, but witnesses seemed content with snapping photos of the scene and no one was seen taking any of the cash. The witnesses may have had reason to decline the free money, as the country’s laws view taking unattended money as a form of theft.

However, police said the woman surrendered her rights to the cash by willingly throwing it into the square and no one would have been punished for picking it up. The woman told police she was afraid her son and ex-husband were trying to take her money, so she decided to give it away to strangers to prevent them from getting it.

may suspect, fighting off bad guys or being a bad guy yourself.

Even though ninjas are known as “experts in the art of assassination, espionage, sabotage and other forms of irregular warfare,” the six chosen ninjas will have duties that are a lot less bloody.

In fact, the main purpose of the six ninjas will be to promote tourism in Japan’s Aichi region.

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FASHION

May means socialising in nature There is no special fashion advice for such occasions, other than to suggest that you choose clothes in which you will feel the most relaxed. Comfortable linen pants, t-shirts or loose-fitting shirts, jeans, light sports shoes or sandals ... everything that you will provide you with the satisfaction of feeling free and not thinking about the tasks that await you when you return to work.

For this issue of CorD we have selected a few proposals for him and for her, and it is up to you to choose, alongside everything you already have in your wardrobe, between some of the details suggested.

You will agree that May is one of the most beautiful months of the year – not only because of the high temperatures and the knowledge that summer is on the way, but also because of the abundance of opportunities to spend your free time, alone or with friends, in nature

Marni Square-frame Sunglasses Marni chocolate sunglasses, Brown lenses, 100% UV protection PRICE: €260

Burberry Sheer Mega Check Scarf A sheer scarf becomes instantly iconic with Burberry's signature checks and soft eyelash fringe.

PRICE: €375

PRICE:

€50

Linen Blend Jacket Cut to create a fitted silhouette, choose your normal size. Take a look at our size guide for more information.

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Braided Trim Fedora Top off your warm-weather look with this cranberry woven fedora with fauxsuede braided trim.

PRICE: €32

Iris and Ink Tasseled Leather and Cotton Belt

PRICE:

€195

Iris and Ink black leather (Calf) and cotton, tassels belt PRICE: €74

High-Rise SlimLeg Jeans Mid-weight stretchdenim with belt loops, five pockets, button and concealed zip fastening at front, fits true to size.

Michael Kors Strap Espadrilles PRICE:

€220

'Soledad' Denim Romper Made from supersoft cotton denim, this workwear-inspired romper is cinched at the waist with a dangling belt and styled with a crisp spread collar and patch pockets.

Stretch Denim Crop Boyfriend Jeans

The perfect alternative to sandals, update your warm weather footwear strap espadrilles. Featuring a slip on design with crossed straps, sitting on a fashion forward woven sole.

PRICE: €110

Comfortable stretch-denim jeans are cut with a little more room in the hips and thighs for a relaxed boyfriend look. Roll the cropped cuffs for a totally laid-back attitude.

PRICE: €65

PRICE: PRICE:

€83

Dune Hobbi Leather Woven Ballerina Pumps This shoes feature a woven effect leather upper, a resin sole and a feminine bow to the toes completes this versatile design.

€110

Longchamp 'Le Pliage' Backpack Strap on a stylish standby with a durable, water-resistant nylon backpack topped with a textured leather handle and logo-embossed flap.

Sweetheart Update your weekend wardrobe for the new season with the Ely Top from Fat Face. Crafted from a lightweight jersey for comfort, it features three-quarter length sleeves and a classic round neckline.

PRICE:

€32 M AY

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FASHION

Gant Band Straw Trilby Hat Exude finesse on your spring/summer getaway with this trilby hat from Gant. Intricately woven from lightweight straw, it is adorned with a floral band for a natty finishing touch.

PRICE: €44

Céline Bridge Sunglasses Boasting a sleek subtle hexagonal silhouette, they feature an acetate design with a double metal bridge and are offset with a built-in UV filter for a practical finish.

PRICE: €355

MCQ Linear-Print Cotton Polo Shirt Graphics underpin McQ Alexander McQueen's SS16 collection, and this black cotton-piqué polo shirt is elevated with a contrasting white linear print.

PRICE: €140

Rockport Washable Venetian Loafers PRICE:

€165

Irish Linen Naval Popover Shirt This popover shirt is inspired by U.S. naval deck smocks worn during WWII and is made from linen woven by Baird McNutt, Ireland's finest linen mill.

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The shoes boast leather uppers, a durable rubber outsole and an EVA footbed that conforms to the shape of your foot.

PRICE: €95

PRICE:

Givenchy Light Blue Shirt

PRICE:

€830

Billionaire Crest Buckle Belt Embody Italian luxury with your everyday look from Billionaire. In the smoothest leather from Italian craftsmen, it boasts a polished silver-tone oval buckle adorned with a logo crest.

€740

Givenchy Backpack Crafted in buttery-smooth leather, it boasts a utilitarian-inspired design with buckle detailing and is accented with a spacious interior and multiple pockets.

Givenchy light blue denim shirt, designerstamped leather flap at chest pocket, press stud fastenings through front.

PRICE:

€2,430

PRICE:

€45

Fitted Pique Polo This pique polo offers the same textured softness with a slimmer shape and some intriguing depth of color, creating a casual look that's easy to love.

Wallace & Barnes Cotton Chino For those who prefer a traditional fit with more room to move in. It falls straight through the hip, thigh and leg.

PRICE: €255

Red Wing Shoes Ivory rubber sole measures approximately 25mm, distressed finish, Goodyear welted, cork midsole, round toe.

PRICE: €285

PRICE:

€370

Junya Watanabe T-shirt Junya Watanabe MAN white cotton T-shirt is made of 100% cotton; trim.

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PROFILE

Orchestrated Creativity My business philosophy is based on the belief that art and business have something in common. That “something” is presented by creativity. The importance of creativity is shown in the resulting efficiency, which also delivers profits. The story of Scholz&Friends Belgrade, as well as my own, has grown and developed on the basis of this principle

TIJANA ADAMOV Managing Director, Scholz&Friends Belgrade

I

guess it was meant to be. My parents were high school professors. My mother was a literature teacher and my father was a passionate writer who taught history. They definitely passed on to me their love of words. My first venture into advertising was when I was a child and I used to make radio commercials. I always had an interest in writing, psychology, sociology, history and literature. Apart from that, my fascination was systematisations of knowledge. I was passionate about studying behaviour, emotions, and motivations, and the mix of rules and art, system and chaos, economy and creativity; in short, the field of the creative economy was a perfect match for me.

After finishing the prestigious Belgrade gymnasium school and spending many years as a pianist, I was not entirely sure about studying Economics. Then I discovered the marketing course and, in a way, it set me free completely. When I graduated from the Faculty of Economics at Belgrade University, I was certain that my thesis on “Socio-cultural dimension of International Marketing Surroundings” would be a huge asset. That also established my “playground” – marketing communication within international cooperation.

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At the dawn of the new millennium, I stumbled on an appealing advertisement: “Good morning creative Belgrade”.

It was a job offer and I knew right away that I would get it. Out of 700 people who applied, I was chosen to work with, according to Advertising Age an “almost mythical figure, a man who transformed propaganda into advertising in this region” – Dragan Šakan. That was my big break. One of the most special awards I received in my life bares that name - “The Dragan Šakan New Idea Award” for the “Unheard Song” project.

Back in early 2000, everything was unfolding perfectly. I had the privilege of working with such a figure, with many clients, on several outstanding projects and with different international networks.

In our region, Scholz& Friends is indeed the only agency that can offer the unique combination of German efficiency and local creativity Cooperation with Scholz&Friends, The Orchestra of Ideas, one of the leading agency groups in the German-speaking world, started in 2002 when offices opened in Belgrade, Skopje and Ljubljana.

By 2005 I was already the representative for Southeast Europe and from 2008 I was running the Scholz&Friends Belgrade office. In 2009, Scholz &

Friends was named one of the top three agencies in the world and it continues to rank highly among marketing decision makers in terms of strategy, creativity and solutions.

In our region, Scholz& Friends is indeed the only agency that can offer the unique combination of German efficiency and local creativity. My personal quest to bring together these two worlds – structure and creativity – and my professional challenge are envisaged under the Scholz&Friends brand. The “German way” is important in communications, because it contributes precision with much needed efficiency.

The Scholz&Friends method, called Orchestration, is based on one strong conducting idea and a harmonious integration of different communication instruments. This ensures effective use of the entire communications palette and adaptability to the ever-changing market environment.

Now, after 17 years of experience in the agency business, I feel obliged to nurture creativity and professional standards of the highest value. My mission is to demonstrate that creativity leads to achieving business goals and maximising client’s profits. As Managing Director of Scholz&Friends Belgrade, and as a member of almost all professional societies, I look forward to making further contributions in the future by keeping creativity fascinating and the business profitable. 

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