2019: Serbia The Year As It Was

2019:

SERBIA THE YEAR AS IT WAS

WHICH EVENTS MADE

Perhaps We Are Yet To See What The Most Meaningful Events Were Although we have attempted to conclude the year by compiling a list of the most memorable events of the last 12-month period, and to place them in a historical perspective, we are sometimes blind to the most important events that shape our destiny. When it comes to 2019, some hope is provided by the fact that it wasn’t just another year during which we wasted our precious time

W

hat makes a year memorable or just one of many that are unworthy of occupying a specific and indelible place in our hearts and minds? Obviously, disasters like the 2008 financial crisis end up being carved into the memories of almost every country and all people. We measure our days between those before and after the crisis that resulted in us losing a job or barely escaping personal financial collapse. But what about a year that saw your country attract nearly 12 times as much FDI as other economies of equivalent size? It sounds like a good one, but the real gains – major or modest – will probably only be properly measurable in years to come. Or how about the year that saw the first ever cargo train depart from China bound for Serbia? Would that represent a milestone in Serbia-Sino relations, a watershed event signalling a shift of the Serbian economy towards the Chinese market, or just an episode with no additional value?

Each year we delve into the calendar behind us, and the one ahead of us, in an attempt to make sense of the events that seemed only momentarily important and/or those that set the stage for events that are yet to come. Indeed, some events seem to be important on a large scale – like if Serbia and Kosovo had reached a final agreement on their relations in 2019, it would mark the resolving of a problem that has hung over the Western Balkans for years. However, we already know that 2019 is one of the many years in which nothing important happened in that respect, or during which some things made the eventual reaching of a solution even harder. And 2020, at least for now, doesn’t promise to be any different.

Some years are important because they mark anniversaries of decades, centuries or even longer periods since something relevant happen. For example, it was on 22nd December 2009 that Serbia officially applied for European Union membership,

2019 A MEMORABLE YEAR FOR SERBIA?

which was considered an important milestone in our mutual relations. From today’s perspective, this anniversary may also cause bitterness, given that not as much as we hoped for has happened since.

Some events will probably dissipate from our collective memory. One of them is the huge queues in front of the first ever Starbucks coffee shop in Belgrade, which opened at the Rajićeva Shopping Centre in April 2019. After all, it is hard to beat a new McDonalds in that respect.

For some years, we only discover that they were historical long after they’ve passed. For example, perhaps one of the Belgrade Mathematical Grammar School’s winners of the three gold medals, one silver and two bronzes at the 60th International Mathematical Olympiad, held in the UK in July 2019, will one day become a Nobel Prize winner in mathematics.

Perhaps the beauty is precisely in that which is unknown.

MORE ON EACH OF THE FOLLOWING EVENTS IS AVAILABLE ON WWW.CORDMAGAZINE.COM

JANUARY

PUTIN VISITS SERBIA, ANNOUNCES $1.4 BILLION INVESTMENTS AND THE RETURN OF A 166TH MISSING PAGE FROM “MIROSLAV’S GOSPEL”, ONE OF THE OLDEST SURVIVING DOCUMENTS WRITTEN IN THE SERBIAN RECENSION OF CHURCH SLAVIC

ETIHAD CANCELS ORDER OF 10 AIRBUS AIRCRAFT FOR AIR SERBIA PROTESTS “ONE OF FIVE MILLION” 4 |

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SERBIA IN PICTURES

JANUARY

NOVAK ĐOKOVIĆ SETS RECORD WITH SEVENTH AUSTRALIAN OPEN TITLE

RECORD COMPETITION FOR NIN AWARD, VLADIMIR TABAŠEVIĆ WINNER WITH THE NOVEL “SAINT SEBASTIAN’S DELUSION”

SERBIA RECORDED SOLID ECONOMIC GROWTH IN PREVIOUS YEAR, BUT FACE A LARGER TRADE DEFICIT AND BRAIN DRAIN SERBIA’S POPULATION WILL HAVE REDUCED BY 21 PER CENT BY 2060 COMPARED TO 2015 GOVERNMENT DECIDES TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO AIRLINES OF PUBLIC INTEREST SERBIA IN PICTURES

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FEBRUARY

SERBIA BECOMES FULL MEMBER OF ERASMUS+

RALF FIENNES GUEST OF THE 47TH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (FEST)

COCA COLA BUYS BAMBI 6 |

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FEBRUARY

38,000 PEOPLE VISITED EXHIBITION OF ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS 20TH CENTURY SERBIAN PAINTERS MARKO ČELEBONOVIĆ

VINCI TAKES OVER BELGRADE NIKOLA TESLA AIRPORT

SERBIA PROGRESSES 11 PLACES ON THE LIST OF ECONOMIC FREEDOMS SERBIA IN PICTURES

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MARCH

RESTORED GOLUBAC FORTRESS OFFICIALLY OPENS

SERBIA MAKES PROGRESS ON PREVENTION OF MONEY LAUNDERING

ONE OF THE GREATEST BALLET ARTIST IN THE WORLD TODAY, POLUNIN, MADE A GUEST PERFORMANCE AT THE NATIONAL THEATRE IN BELGRADE

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MARCH

ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIUSEPPE CONTE VISITS BELGRADE, HIS FIRST VISIT TO THE WESTERN BALKANS SINCE COMING TO OFFICE

IVANA ŠPANOVIĆ DEFENDS GOLD MEDAL WITH 6.99M JUMP AT THE GLASGOW 2019 EUROPEAN ATHLETICS INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

SERBIAN-RUSSIAN FILM ‘THE BALKAN LINE’ (BALKANSKA MEDJA) SEEN BY AROUND TWO MILLION VIEWERS IN SERBIA AND RUSSIA

SERBIA IN PICTURES

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APRIL

NBS STARTS MONITORING BANK ADVERTS AS OF 1ST APRIL

GORENJE TO RELOCATE ALL PRODUCTION TO SERBIA

SERBIA POSTS €100M LOSS AFTER 100 DAYS OF TARIFFS IMPOSED BY KOSOVO

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APRIL

SERBIA’S FIRST STARBUCKS OPENS IN BELGRADE’S KNEZ MIHAILOVA STREET

30 YEARS OF BITEF THEATRE MARKED WITH THE GUEST APPEARANCE OF FAMOUS ITALIAN THEATRE DIRECTOR ROBERTO CIULLI

SERBIA IN PICTURES

DURING THE WESTERN BALKANS DIGITAL SUMMIT HELD IN BELGRADE THE AGREEMENT WAS REACHED FOR THE WB COUNTRIES TO ABOLISH ROAMING CHARGES BY 2021

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APRIL

THE 32ND BELGRADE MARATHON & CORD CHARITY MASTERS

SERBIA BECOMES A MEMBER OF CERN

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SERBIA IN PICTURES

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M AY

AMBASSADOR FABRIZI OFFICIALLY SUBMITS 2019 EU REPORT TO PM BRNABIĆ

MERGING OF VOJVOĐANSKA AND OTP BANKS FINALISED

SERBIA INTRODUCES LIFE IMPRISONMENT, INITIATED BY IGOR JURIĆ, A MAN WHO LOST HIS DAUGHTER TIJANA (14) WHO WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED

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PARLIAMENT ADOPTS LEX SPECIALIS FOR LOANS IN SWISS FRANCS

SERBIA IN PICTURES

M AY

NIKOLA JOKIĆ NAMED ONE OF THE NBA TOP FIVE BEST CENTRES

SERBIA AMONG WORLD’S TOP 54 COUNTRIES FOR DIGITAL START-UPS 54TH STERIJINO POZORJE HELD UNDER THE SLOGAN “REBELLION - FEMALE GENDER” 12TH BELDOCS OPENS WITH THE SCREENING OF “LINE OF LIFE” SERBIA IN PICTURES

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JUNE

SERBIA WINS FIFTH CONSECUTIVE WATER POLO WORLD LEAGUE TITLE

VILENICA INTERNATIONAL LITERARY PRIZE GOES TO DRAGAN VELIKIĆ 16 |

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JUNE

MORAVA AIRPORT BECOMES SERBIA’S THIRD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

TELENOR OPENS FIRST 5G BASE STATION IN SERBIA

SERBIA ISSUES FIRST STATE BONDS IN EUROS SERBIA IN PICTURES

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JUNE

DUŠAN TADIĆ AMONG CHAMPIONS LEAGUE’S TOP 20 PLAYERS

IMPOSING TARIFFS BRINGS NO BENEFIT TO KOSOVO ACCORDING TO GAP INSTITUTE REPORT

AFTER 70 YEARS OF OPERATIONS, THE FUTURE OF GRAFIČKI KOLEKTIV IS UNCERTAIN 18 |

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SERBIA IN PICTURES

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J U LY

FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON VISITS SERBIA DURING THE YEAR THAT MARKS THE 180TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ESTABLISHING OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN SERBIA AND FRANCE

SERBIA’S YOUNG MATHEMATICAL TEAM AMONG THE WORLD’S TOP TEN AT 60TH INTERNATIONAL MATHEMATICAL OLYMPIAD

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SERBIA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM WINS BRONZE MEDAL AT THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS IN BELGRADE

SERBIA IN PICTURES

J U LY

RECORD-BREAKING NUMBERS ATTEND THIS YEAR’S EXIT FESTIVAL

INTERNET ROAMING IN THE WESTERN BALKANS BECOMES 87 PER CENT CHEAPER IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, MORE THAN 51,000 PEOPLE LEFT SERBIA FOR GERMANY

NOVAK ĐOKOVIĆ IS CROWNED WIMBLEDON CHAMPION SERBIA IN PICTURES

IMF WARNS SERBIA THAT IT WILL LOSE A FIFTH OF ITS WORKERS

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AUGUST

PRIME MINISTER OF SLOVENIA MARJAN Å AREC ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO SERBIA, SAID SERBIA IS THE SECOND LARGEST RECIPIENT OF SLOVENIAN INVESTMENTS

YOUNG SERBIAN CHEMISTS SECOND IN THE WORLD (ICHTO, MOSCOW)

SERBIA OFFICIALLY BECAME THE 73RD NON-REGIONAL MEMBER OF THE ASIAN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT BANK 22 |

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AUGUST

SERBIAN CANOEIST STRAHINJA STEFANOVIĆ WON SILVER AT THE 2019 ICF CANOE SPRINT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

AFTER MORE THAN 30 YEARS, A THEATRE PLAY FROM SERBIA PARTICIPATED IN THE DUBROVNIK SUMMER FESTIVAL IN CROATIA WITH THE BALKAN SPY EPOCHAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERY FROM THE VINČA CULTURE IN VITKOVAČKO POLJE, DATING FROM BETWEEN 4,500 AND 3,500 BC

SERBIA IN PICTURES

BELGRADE-BASED COMPANY CARGO AMONG THE WORLD’S TOP TEN COMPANIES ON THE FORBES LIST WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGING INDUSTRY

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AUGUST

MILOÅ THE GREAT HIGHWAY CEREMONIOUSLY OPENED

RED STAR QUALIFIES FOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

SERBIA AMONG TOP 50 COUNTRIES FOR MEDICINE SAFETY 24 |

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SEPTEMBER

MARINA ABRAMOVIĆ EXHIBITS IN SERBIA AGAIN AFTER 40 YEARS

SERBIA STORMS TO TOP OF FDI LIST

MOODY’S HAS IMPROVED THE CHANCES OF INCREASING SERBIA’S CREDIT RATING FROM “STABLE” TO “POSITIVE”

SERBIA IN PICTURES

LARGEST WIND FARM IN SERBIA, ČIBUK 1, LAUNCHES OPERATIONS

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SEPTEMBER

HEADQUARTERS OF THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED WESTERN BALKAN TRANSPORT COMMUNITY OPENS IN BELGRADE

SERBIA WINS 2019 WOMEN’S EUROPEAN VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

OTP GROUP ACQUIRES SOCIETE GENERALE SERBIA

REPUBLIC SQUARE OPENED AFTER THE RENOVATION

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SEPTEMBER

53RD BITEF HELD UNDER THE SLOGAN “LET’S START LOVE OVER”

FIRST CARGO TRAIN DEPARTS FROM CHINA TO SERBIA

MATE NEMEŠ AND MIKHEIL KAJAIA WIN BRONZE MEDALS AT THE WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS SERBIAN COMMUNICATIONS MARKET WORTH 200 BILLION DINARS SERBIA IN PICTURES

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OCTOBER

KALEMEGDAN’S VICTOR TRANSFERRED TO SMEDEREVO FOR RESTORATION

PROCREDIT BECOMES FIRST BANK IN SERBIA WITH AN INVESTMENT RATING

EU REMOVES SERBIA FROM “GREY LIST” OF TAX HAVENS 28 |

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OCTOBER

TURKISH PRESIDENT ERDOGAN DURING HIS VISIT TO SERBIA SAID THAT TRADE BETWEEN SERBIA AND TURKEY HAS INCREASED BY 200 PER CENT SINCE 2010

GOOGLE PLAY MERCHANT ACCOUNT ALSO AVAILABLE IN SERBIA

SERBIA ADVANCES TO 44TH ON DOING BUSINESS LIST

SERBIA IN PICTURES

RICH CULTURAL LIFE OF BELGRADE IN OCTOBER WITH THE BELGRADE JAZZ FESTIVAL, BEMUS AND BELGRADE INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR

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OCTOBER

FIC WHITE BOOK: STEADY BUT MODERATE PROGRESS ON REFORMS IN SERBIA

SERBIA SIGNS FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WITH THE EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION

NEW LAW ON ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT FUNDS ADOPTED

SERBIA RANKED IN THE MIDDLE OF GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS LIST

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NOVEMBER

NOVAK ĐOKOVIĆ SECURES 5TH PARIS MASTERS TITLE

INSTITUTE FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE OPENS IN BELGRADE

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BAN ON HIRING IN PUBLIC SECTOR SET TO REMAIN UNTIL YEAR’S END 2020 SERBIA IN PICTURES

NOVEMBER

SINIŠA MALI’S DOCTORAL DISSERTATION PROVED TO BE PLAGIARISED

CITIZENS OF SERBIA RATE THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATION AS 4.4 OUT OF 10

ALBANIA, NORTH MACEDONIA AND SERBIA FORM SO-CALLED “MINI-SCHENGEN”

POLICE SEIZE FOUR TONNES OF ILLEGAL CANNABIS FROM JOVANJICA ORGANIC FARM EASTERN ARM OF CORRIDOR 10 PUT INTO SERVICE SERBIA IN PICTURES

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DECEMBER

TIJANA BOGDANOVIĆ WINS GOLD, BECOMES EUROPEAN TAEKWONDO CHAMPION

46 SERBIAN ATHLETES QUALIFY FOR TOKYO 2020

FAKE SALE OF MEGATREND UNIVERSITY SERBIA OPENS CHAPTER 4 IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH EU Photo source: Zoran Petrovic, Spanovic/Archieve, NIN/Archieve, Serbian Government, BUNT, Airbus Archieve, EU Delegation, Russian Government, Nikola Tesla Airport Archieve, Coca Cola Archieve, Fest/ Archieve, Gallery Rima/Archieve, Polunin/Archieve, Golubac Fortress Archieve, NBS Archieve, ilovezrenjanin.com, Sterijino Pozorje, Beldocs, Graficki Kolektiv, Serbian Water Polo Federation, EXIT/Archieve, Basketball federation Serbia, Dubrovacke igre, Canoe Federation of Serbia, blic.rs, Bojana Janjic / MSUB, Jerris Madison, Envato, FK Red Star Archieve, Cultural Monument Protection Institute.

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