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August 2021 | ISSUE No. 66 | Price 350 RSD

02 JULY

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WE HAVE PRESERVED THE SERBIAN ECONOMY DESPITE THE CHALLENGES

US INDEPENDENCE DAY

ANDJELKA ATANASKOVIĆ

Minister of Economy in the Government of the Republic of Serbia

THE SILENCE OF SAINT STEFAN Reportage by Robert Čoban

15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SERBIAN ASSOCIATION OF MANAGERS

EUROPEAN FILM IS THE CLOSEST TO MY MENTALITY AND ME

Executive Director of SAM

Actor and pop singer

JELENA BULATOVIĆ

REAL ESTATE IN SERBIA

TOMISLAV MOMIROVIĆ Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure

FRANO LASIĆ

STABLE AND GROWING RELATIONS BETWEEN SERBIA AND INDONESIA H.E. MOCHAMMAD CHANDRA WIDYA YUDHA Ambassador of Indonesia

S P E C I A L

E D I T I ON

Hungary FOCUS ON

H.E. ATTILA PINTÉR Ambassador of Hungary

Failed Region FOLLOW US TO STAY UPDATED

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TANJA BANKOVIĆ Editor in Chief tanja.bankovic@color.rs ILIJA PETROVIĆ INDIGOCHILD Art director indigochild.ilija@gmail.com JOVANA MARKOVIĆ Advertising manager jovana.markovic@color.rs NATAŠA NEŠIĆ Advertising director

natasa.nesic@color.rs

DRAGANA RADOVIĆ Advertising manager dragana.radovic@color.rs JELENA RANDJELOVIĆ Advertising manager jelena.randjelovic@color.rs NEVENA KUVELJIĆ Journalist nevena.kuveljic.cpg@ gmail.com VANJA KOVAČEV PR&Event support Nord Communications vanja.communications @gmail.com

RUŽA VELJOVIĆ Magazine director ruza.ristanovic@color.rs ROBERT ČOBAN Director robert.coban@color.rs

Photos GORAN ZLATKOVIĆ SHUTTERSTOCK Translation SNEŽANA BJELOTOMIĆ Print ZLATNA KNJIGA Jagodina Bagrdanski put bb

FOREWORD

ROBERT ČOBAN Director

he President of Haiti, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, was killed in his residence, on July 7th. In the 19th and 20th centuries, murders of kings, emperors, presidents and prime ministers were quite common. I wrote about this in the editorial for the magazine’s December issue. In just over two decades of the 21st century, only 8 heads of state or government have been killed around the world. 24 of them were killed in the last two decades of the 20th century alone, i.e. from 1980 to 2000, three

CIP - Katalogizacija u publikaciji Biblioteke Matice Srpske, Novi Sad 33 Diplomacy & Commerce / glavni i odgovorni urednik Tanja Banković, 2016, br. 1 (mart)-.Novi Sad: Color Media Communications, 2016 - , -33cm Mesečno. ISSN 2466-3808 = Diplomacy & Commerce COBISS.SR-ID 303269895

tion about his native Haiti, a country that was among the first in the Western Hemisphere to gain independence from colonial invaders (in 1804, immediately after the United States). Today, Michel is at the helm of UNICEF in Madagascar, another country bordering on being a “failed state”. While I’m listening to the news from Bosnia Herzegovina these days, and the statements made by certain high officials from Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro and the Republic of Srpska, I think about why we, “the righteous and free-spirited”, we who were among nations the first to rebel against the Turks (Serbs in 1805) and Hungarians (Croats in 1903) are now at the verge of becoming a “failed state”, side by side with Haiti and Madagascar.

CONTENT

WE HAVE PRESERVED THE SERBIAN ECONOMY DESPITE THE CHALLENGES ANDJELKA ATANASKOVIĆ

THE APPLICATION OF STANDARDS HAS MULTIPLE BENEFITS RADIŠA KNEŽEVIĆ

Minister of Economy in the Government of the Republic of Serbia

Head of the Sector for General Standardization Areas at the Institute for Standardization (ISS)

STABLE AND GROWING RELATIONS BETWEEN SERBIA AND INDONESIA H.E. MOCHAMMAD CHANDRA WIDYA YUDHA

”Color Media Communications” LTD, 21132 Petrovaradin, Štrosmajerova 3 TIN 107871532 Matriculation number 20887303 Phone: +381 21 4897 100 Office: Braće Jugovića 23/2, Belgrade Phone: 011 4044 960

times more than in the 21st century so far. Fewer wars, revolutions and coups-d'etat and better security systems are just some of many things that have contributed to the “safety” of the heads of state in the 21st century. Among these 8 killed in the 21st century are Muammar Gaddafi, the King of Nepal Birendra, Laurent-Désiré Kabila, President of Congo, presidents of Guinea Bissau, Chad and Haiti, and the only European country on the list, Serbia (the assassination of Zoran Djindjić in 2003). What does the fact that the murder of a ruler was possible in the 21st century say about that country? Are these the so-called "failed states"? My friend Michael Saint-Lot, the former head of UNICEF in Belgrade, spoke to me many times with great affec-

Ambassador of Indonesia

MIROSLAV MILETIĆ Advisor to the president of the CCIS

60 EUROPEAN FILM IS THE CLOSEST TO MY MENTALITY AND ME

AN ACCREDITED CERTIFICATION BODY SHOULD BE SELECTED

FRANO LASIĆ

DUŠAN STOKIĆ

Actor and pop singer

MScME, Head of the CCIS Centre for Environment, Technical Regulations, Quality and Social Responsibility

15th ANNIVERSARY OF THE SERBIAN ASSOCIATION OF MANAGERS

THE INTRODUCTION OF ISO 9001 MUST BE DRIVEN BY A DESIRE FOR IMPROVEMENT

JELENA BULATOVIĆ

Ministry of Economy, Product Quality and Safety Sector

Executive Director of SAM

ISO CERTIFICATION PUTS YOU AMONG THE ELITE

MIODRAG DUGANDŽIJA

62 MOROCCO IS NOT ONLY MARRAKESH NOR CASABLANCA. IT IS SO MUCH MORE! MRS. SAFAE SIJILMASSI IDRISSI-BELHAJ Spouse of ambassador of The Kingdom of Morocco in Belgrade

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INTERVIEW

by Nevena Kuveljić

We Have Preserved the Serbian Economy Despite the Challenges Economic indicators show that our country is politically and economically stable today, has international credibility, is attractive for new investments and is brimming with opportunities and possibilities ANDJELKA ATANASKOVIĆ Minister of Economy in the Government of the Republic of Serbia

ast year was very challenging for all economies worldwide. In order to mitigate the negative consequences caused by the coronavirus and preserve the stability of the financial and economic system, the Government of Serbia has been supporting companies in maintaining their business operations. We talked with the Minister of Economy, Andjelka Atanasković, about the implemented measures, as well as current projects and competitions.

You became the Minister of Economy during the biggest health crisis. How did the coronavirus affect the Serbian economy? — We have managed to preserve the Serbian economy despite all the challenges. Just like global economies, we also had to face risks and uncertainties due to the Covid-19 epidemic. Thanks to the responsible actions of the Government of Serbia and the policy of President Aleksandar Vučić, we have been supporting the economy and businesses thanks to the proper economic measures and considering that our economic indicators are excellent, we can now calmly wait for the end of the pandemic. We ended last year with the lowest GDP decline in Europe, while in the region, we have had the highest GDP growth for quite some time. We are more than satisfied with the results achieved at the beginning of 2021, namely, a 1.2% growth of the national GDP in the first quarter and we now have economic results that are parallel to those from the first quarter of the previous year, which is promising because we will overcome the problem faster and simpler, as well as eliminate the possible consequences of the crisis caused by the pandemic much quicker.

OUR GOALS ARE IMPROVING THE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT AND CREATING AN EVEN BETTER ECONOMIC CLIMATE IN SERBIA

al support programmes for SMEs and entrepreneurship, while a total of 1.6 billion dinars of budget funds will go towards infrastructure projects and regional development measures.

How would you rate economic development in Serbia today? — Economic indicators show that our country is politically and economically stable today, has international credibility, is attractive for new investments and is brimming with opportunities and possibilities. Our optimism is based on reality, which has been validated by the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund’s forecasts, which predict Serbia having greater resilience and growth in the current global crisis than other countries.

What other projects/programmes do you plan to implement this year? Apart from state funds, how else do you support businesses? — As I mentioned earlier, this year, we have allocated a total of 2 billion dinars in grants under the auspices of four support programmes for small and medium-sized enterprises for purchase of equipment, encouraging entrepreneurship through development projects, helping beginners in business and, for the first time, for the women and youth programme. The Ministry has also set

We have ensured the vitality of our economy and the liquidity of companies while preventing factory closures, thanks to the state’s adequate response and financial support packages. This year, 17.6 billion dinars from the state budget was allocated to the economy. How will you distribute that money and what will be your main focus? — Just over 15 billion dinars has been set aside for incentives for direct investments, 2 billion dinars has been set aside for sever-

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aside 1.55 billion dinars in grants for the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Support Programme for the Procurement of Equipment in 2021, 200 million dinars for the Entrepreneurship Encouragement Programme with Development Projects, and 150 million dinars for beginners in business. There are also programmes implemented by the Development Agency of Serbia (RAS): - Programme for entering the supply chains of multinational companies intended for automotive companies. - Micro- and SME-export promotion programme intended for companies from the food and wood industry sector (furniture production). I should also mention the reimbursement of 50% of the costs for participation in international trade fairs. Plus, there are also advisory services and training sessions for cooperatives, clusters and micro enterprises and SMEs, both future and existing. Also, with the help of regional development agencies, cooperatives and clusters can use a set of standard services free of charge - from obtaining information and training to advisory services, mentoring, promotion and field supervision of their business operations. It is also important to mention that the Development Fund set aside the amount of 3.5 billion dinars (from its own funds) for 2021. Furthermore, in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, and under the auspices of development project support programme and programme that supports beginners in business, the Fund also plans to allocate 450 million dinars worth of grants. This is in addition to the Fund’s loans. Additionally, the Serbian government and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have recently concluded a 200-million-euro financing agreement. The programme that will be financed with this money is envisaged as the Government’s support to small and medium-sized enterprises affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, when we add all of the aforementioned funds up, we come to the figure of 19.2 billion dinars that will be allocated via the Fund in 2021. We are talking about extremely favourable loans, never before granted in our country. They are long-term loans with an affordable interest rate.

that President Aleksandar Vučić has with the leaders of the superpowers and his commitment create new opportunities and chances every day for even greater growth and development of our economy.

THIS YEAR, 17.6 BILLION DINARS FROM THE STATE BUDGET WAS ALLOCATED FOR BUSINESS INCENTIVES Public competitions are open until the available funds are used up, but no later than December 31 this year. You can find all information and required documentation on the official website of the Ministry of Economy and the Development Fund. When it comes to EU funds for businesses, I would like to mention two programmes: • Horizon Europe, an EU programme that funds innovative business ideas for SMEs. The programme’s total budget stands at 100 billion euros, and the best projects will be financed regardless of which country they come from. • WB EDIF (The Western Balkans Enterprise Development and Innovation Facility) has secured over 300 million euros of direct financing for the SME sector in the region. I would also like to single out FINNO, a new online platform for business development of companies from the region, which provides SMEs with complete information on available sources of funding from European and regional funds and financial support programmes.

In cooperation with the business sector, the Ministry of Economy has successfully implemented 177 investments. What contributed to Serbia becoming the desired investment location? — Since the Law on Investments entered into force to date or during the past five-year investment period, in cooperation with the business sector, the Ministry of Economy has awarded incentives and successfully implemented 177 investments worth 158 billion dinars (about 1.35 billion euros). As a result, over 50,000 people found jobs in 78 municipalities in which these investments were made. As for ongoing projects, i.e. those investments that we are currently realizing, 113 projects pertain to new technologies and require even bigger capital investments, worth a total of 350 billion dinars. On a global economic scale, Serbia is now seen as an appealing investment location and today, foreign investors choose Serbia to invest in. We have achieved this with overall stability and by insisting on the fact that economic development is based on investment policy. The good relations

Recently, the Minister of Finance, Siniša Mali, and the Vice President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Lilyana Pavlova, signed an important financial agreement. How will this contribute to the economic recovery of our country and who will be the beneficiaries of these funds? — The European Investment Bank (EIB), the bank of the European Union, will provide a loan of 200 million euros to the Development Fund of the Republic of Serbia that will be used towards the faster recovery of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and medium market capitalization companies from the consequences caused by Covid-19. This is the sixth EIB loan for Serbia under the auspices of the financial package of Team Europe for the Western Balkans, which brings the total amount of EIB support for faster recovery of Serbia from Covid-19 to 380 million euros. The loan will expedite the recovery of the private sector, boost economic activity and help preserve over 47,000 jobs while creating 5,500 new employment opportunities for Serbian citizens. With the help of the EIB, this project will contribute to the recovery and development of SMEs by supporting new investments, preserving jobs, encouraging economic development based on the principles of sustainable development and improve competitiveness through investments in digitization and the application of new technologies. What are your further plans for improving and developing the country’s economy? — Improving the economic environment and creating an even better economic climate in Serbia are the goals that my team and I have been working hard to achieve. We want to equally develop all parts of Serbia, to open as many factories as possible, to provide new jobs, to invest in infrastructure projects and to work on improving the standard of living in order to provide our children with a better future.

POLITICS

by Žikica Milošević

The Longest American War is Over ...and America is defeated fghanistan has again justified its name – „The Cemetary of Empires“. The British first came here in the 19th century, after conquering all of India, Ceylon and putting half of the Persian Gulf under protectorate thus creating an empire where the sun does not set. But they failed to subjugate this little „blob“ on the map, which was last conquered by Alexander the Great, then Tamerlane and the Mogul dynasty. When The Great Game became history, the progress-led Soviets took the stage. At the invitation of the authorities in Kabul, they came to support the creation of a secular socialist materialist society in the hills brimming with the poor conservative Muslims. They failed, the Kino band made songs about the tragedies of soldiers, monuments to Afghans were erected everywhere in the former USSR, and when the Soviets withdrew, the mujahedin, armed by the Americans, marched on Kabul a few years later, taking bloody revenge on the communists left without help, installing a caliphate, which will soon metastasize to the Taliban's Islamic corner of the world, where ancient Buddhas are destroyed and women are covered in burqas from head to toe. All that would not be so terrible, if, driven by the idea of taking revenge on the West for everything, and especially to his former American friends, Osama bin Laden did not dare to make al-Qaeda and attack New York directly. George W. Bush did not keep a cool head, he immediately attacked Afghanistan, and quickly conquered it. He also had allies - the Northern Alliance - which was always a kind of mixture of pro-Soviets and mujahideen who did not become Taliban. But then the biggest nonsense happened, which the Americans seem to repeat from country to country in which they intervene (except, in part, Bosnia and Herzegovina). They tried to create a centralized civil democracy in a country that is tribal, religious and divided linguistically. If they had tried to make the unitary United States,

EITHER WAY, AMERICA AND ITS ALLIES WILL LEAVE 40 MILLION PEOPLE TO A TERRIBLE DESTINY. AFTER AMERICA, EUROPE WILL BE THE SECOND CONTINENT TO SEE A HUGE INFLUX OF AFGHANI REFUGEES a hundred armed groups would have already risen up against the abolition of Texas or California, so why did it even occur to them that they could succeed in Afghanistan? Instead of making a wise federation based on ethnic principles, and at least stabilizing the situation a little, they blatantly ignored the facts - to people who have only faith, no money and only tribal pride, they tried to sell a civilization in which it didn't matter what religion or nation you are but only personal freedom and how much money you have. Of course, this endeavour did not succeed, and now, after 20 years, in another tragic defeat, after 2 trillion US dollars spent, America is withdrawing. What can the American president offer today? Obama has de-

cided to close the "bottomless pit", Trump has announced his withdrawal, and Biden will carry it all out. What's the good news? The good news is that Bin Laden and Al Qaeda are gone. The Islamic State is not very strong in the Afghan hills either. The old, proven Taliban is the main force there. They claim they control 85% of the country, which is probably not true (information from the field speaks of some 50%) but that may come true very soon. The pro-American government is perceived as extremely corrupt - it has eaten billions of dollars in aid, and the people are no better off. The government is slowly withdrawing, although, in theory, the Taliban and pro-Americans are negotiating some kind of transitional government, an agreement

on national reconciliation. Field reports speak of revenge. The Taliban will certainly try to turn the already Islamic conservative country into an even bigger theocracy, during negotiations with the Government. Maybe girls will again be banned from schools, women will be locked in their houses, and terrible punishments will be prescribed for those who wear the wrong clothes or listen to the wrong music or watch the Premier League, for example. That's a better scenario. The worse scenario is that the Taliban will conquer the entire country with weapons. Already, the ethnic Tajiks in the Afghan army have fled to Tajikistan, their homeland, with all weapons. The Uzbeks and Turkmen, who also have homelands, are preparing to do the same. This already leads to the inevitable conflict with the CSTO, because having American armed allies in countries that are Russia's sphere of interest is not a good idea security-wise. Once, Jordan received armed members of the PLO, conflicts broke out between "locals" and "guests". Their values are not the same either Uzbeks from Uzbekistan are more similar to Russians and Istanbulites, they are more Europeans than Asians, while Uzbeks from Afghanistan are deeply Islamic Asians. Either way, America and its allies will leave 40 million people to a terrible destiny. There are indications and promises that Americans, as in the case of Vietnam or Laos, will take loyal locals with them to America, and the history will repeat itself. Just maybe... For now, they are not too keen on issuing visas and for time being, they are only issued in Guam. After America, Europe will be the second continent to see a huge influx of Afghani refugees, while Afghanistan will be in the same bad place as after the departure of the Soviets in 1989. The opportunity to make a functional federal state is no longer there, just like the idea of a unitary democracy and a civil state. It didn't work in Iraq either. Not even in Somalia before that. Not even in Libya. Simply, this idea has failed.

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INTERVIEW

by Tanja Banković

Stable and Growing Relations Between Serbia and Indonesia We must work more closely together and work harder to ensure that the strong bonds between our two countries can be even more beneficial for the prosperity of our peoples, especially in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic

tions remain solid, there is a lot of homework to be done. We must work more closely together and work harder to ensure that the strong bonds between our two countries can be even more beneficial for the prosperity of our peoples, especially in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. This means that the three pillars of cooperation, namely political, economic and socio-cultural, between our two sides must be further enhanced. We should seek further opportunities and find means to capitalize on those opportunities.

H.E. MOCHAMMAD CHANDRA WIDYA YUDHA Ambassador of Indonesia

ndonesia and Serbia established diplomatic relations in 1954, with the legal frameworks were inherited from the Yugoslavian era. These two countries have very good political relations, without open issues and with a tendency for further improvement. We spoke to H.E. Mochammad Chandra Widya Yudha Ambassador of Indonesia on relations between the two countries.

Bilateral relations between Indonesia and Serbia were established in 1954. How would you

rate the relations between these two countries so far? — Since 4 November 1954, our two countries have been enjoying steady and growing relations as well as sharing a common vision for a peaceful and prosperous world. This friendship between

made an official visit to Belgrade, during which he met and had fruitful discussions with President Aleksandar Vučić. Also in 2020, the Indonesian Embassy in Belgrade has received the Kapetan Miša Anastasijević award from the Chamber of Commerce and Indus-

I LOVE DIVERSE CULTURE AS WELL AS FRIENDLY AND HOSPITABLE PEOPLE IN SERBIA two countries that was forged decades ago by our leaders, President Soekarno and Marshal Tito, has continued to progress positively across various sectors. In the fields of politics and law enforcement, last year, Indonesia’s Minister of Law and Human Rights has

try of Krusevac for the strengthening of economic cooperation. Meanwhile, our people-to-people contact has also been continuously maintained through scholarships and various cultural programmes. Although our bilateral rela-

In the first eleven months of 2020, trade between Serbia and Indonesia amounted to 65.03 million euro. How can we boost our economic relations? — Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, our bilateral trade relation is on a positive track. Based on data from the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia, bilateral trade in 2020 reached US$ 29,1 million. It is an increase of 25,2% as compared to 2019. Both exports and imports in 2020 improved as compared to 2019 which indicate that bilateral trade between Indonesia and Serbia is growing significantly. On the other hand, Serbia recorded that bilateral trade between Indonesia and Serbia is more than US$ 81 million in 2020. The gap between the Indonesian and Serbian data indicates that many of Indonesia’s products were traded through third parties. Going forward, and in order to recover from the negative impact of the pandemic, both countries need to explore ways to increase and enhance economic relations. Several endeavors to boost our economic relations are as follows: • S trengthen the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Indonesia and Serbia in 2019 to encourage both chambers to ac-

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tively engage and communicate to each other and seek any business opportunities; ncourage the implementation •E of a counter-trade mechanism as a quick remedy to address the negative impact of the pandemic. A concrete step to achieve this, among others, is to facilitate our Indonesian state-owned company to import wheat from Serbia; acilitate the negotiation of an •F MOU on agriculture cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia. ork towards a trade agreement •W which is crucial to enhance our trade relations. The coronavirus pandemic has hit everyone. How is Indonesia coping with this challenge? — As with the case with other countries around the world, Indonesia is concentrating its efforts on two fronts, namely addressing the pandemic and getting its economy rolling. Indonesia is therefore ardently pursuing health security and expediting economy recovery. As no country can tackle this gargantuan crisis alone, a means to support Indonesia’s efforts in achieving its goals is through the strengthening of cooperation at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels. Albeit the current challenging situation in Indonesia, the Indonesian Government has never ceased to take all the necessary measures to curb the pandemic. The Indonesian Government has been implementing multi-tiered public activity restrictions (PPKM) and has continued to step up the acceleration and expansion of the vaccination program. To pursue the target of herd immunity, the Indonesian government is targeting vaccine recipients of up to 2 million people per day. In addition to vaccination, the Government also continues to increase the capacity of health facilities and the number of health workers. The need for medicines, oxygen concentrators is met through various collaborations both within and outside of the country. With all these necessary measures already been taken, we hope that the situation will soon improve and a significant decrease in cases will soon be observed. You recently met with the Serbi-

an Foreign Minister, Mr Selaković, to talk about the 5th Bilateral Political Consultations that should be held in Belgrade, as well as the possibility of holding the Serbia-Indonesia Business Forum. Could you tell us a bit more about that? — The 5th Indonesia-Serbia bilateral consultation forum, which is scheduled to take place this year, will discuss several key issues in the areas of education, agricul-

enter the Indonesian market. On the other hand, Indonesia's export products such as palm oil, natural rubber, preserved fish and textile have great potential for direct export to Serbia. We are also looking forward to discuss with Serbia regarding opportunities to work together in the area of aircraft industry. Indonesia has PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) which produces various types of aircraft to meet the

AUGUST IS A FESTIVE MONTH FOR INDONESIAN CITIZENS, AS THE COUNTRY CELEBRATES ITS INDEPENDENCE DAY ON THE 17TH ture and other areas of mutual interest. It also provides an opportunity for both countries to explore possibilities of future cooperation and ways forward for the strengthening of bilateral ties between Indonesia and Serbia. Furthermore, this forum brings forth a momentum to conduct business engagement activities to increase direct trade between the two countries. Based on the last visit from the delegation of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2019, Serbian agricultural products such as wheat and fruits have great potential to

needs of civil airlines, military operators and special missions. PTDI offers expertise in designing new aircraft as well as altering the configuration and structure of aircraft systems for special mission purposes such as marine patrol, surveillance and coast guard. August 17th is Indonesia’s Independence Day. How are you going to celebrate it? — August is a festive month for Indonesian citizens, as the country celebrates its Independence Day on the 17th. The Indonesian Independence Day is typically cel-

ebrated in both formal and informal fashion. The Embassy annually conducts a flag-raising ceremony at the Embassy compound attended by the Embassy’s staff, Indonesian communities, and members of the Indonesia-Serbia Friendship association. We also organise outdoor games and sports participated by the Indonesian communities and diaspora in Serbia. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Independence Day celebration activities involving Indonesian communities this year will take into account the epidemiological situation in Serbia. Last year, for instance, we conducted a flag-raising ceremony which was attended only by the Embassy staff, while other activities and games for the communities were held online. You came to Serbia in 2019. What do you like the most in our country? What would you recommend to our people to see in Indonesia? — I have been living in Serbia for more than two years now. I love its diverse culture as well as friendly and hospitable people. Its rich history is also a great source of interest for me to learn. The cuisine is very delectable and I won’t be able to refrain myself if gibanica, kaymak and ćevapi are offered. Coming from Indonesia where spices are inherent in the preparation of the diverse cuisine, I certainly enjoy Serbian food which is diverse and spicy. I also am very much impressed with the architecture of the buildings here in Belgrade and other cities which are inspiring. With regard to places to see in Indonesia, you will find plenty of wonderful places. This is because we have more than 17,000 islands and diverse cultures from the east to the very west of Indonesia. At present, the Government is promoting a beyond Bali (which is of course a must to visit) program to attract foreigners to visit places in Indonesia just as beautiful and unique as Bali. These destinations are Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Tanjung Lesung in Banten, Kepulauan Seribu in Jakarta, Tanjung Kelayang Beach in Bangka Belitung, Borobudur Temple in Central Java, Mount Bromo in East Java, Mandalika in West Nusa Tenggara, Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara, Wakatobi in South Sulawesi, and Morotai Island in North Maluku.

INTERESTING FACTS

NATIONAL DAYS

Golden Banana or Rich Europe 2.0 ack in the day, we learned that the zone from Milan and Turin to Liverpool (now no longer in the EU), called the Blue Banana, is considered the richest region in Europe, today we will learn that in the meantime, in a new area of economic expansion in southern Europe, there is a part of Europe that can be called Rich Europe 2.0 or the Golden Banana, also sometimes known as the Sun Belt. Just like the new wealthy parts of the southwestern United States, starting in California and stretching to Texas, including Las Vegas, New Mexico and Arizona, are now perceived as great for living and becoming wealthy. The Golden Banana is defined as an area of high population den-

sity that lies between Cartagena in the west and Genoa in the east, stretches along the Mediterranean coast, across Valencia, Barcelona, Marseille, Nice, the Cote d'Azur, Monaco and Sanremo. To make things more interesting, this area is included in the 1995 report, written by the European

Commission, and is similar to the Blue Banana. The Golden Banana is all about tourism because it has the top travel destinations for travel. It also focuses on ICT companies, which are very represented here. Some believe that the Golden Banana is seen as an extension of the Blue Banana which includes the Mediterranean. Some believe that this southern "banana" extends to Trieste, and some that the blue and yellow bananas can be considered the same, thus creating the so-called Rich Horseshoe of Europe. The Blue Banana may be richer, but the Golden Banana is more beautiful to live in. It has nicer beaches and as much money as its blue counterpart.

ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES

AUGUST

SINGAPORE National Day

ECUADOR

Independence Day

PAKISTAN

Independence Day

INDIA

Independence Day

SOUTH KOREA Liberation Day

INDONESIA

Independence Day

HUNGARY

NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND NEW PRESIDENT OF CCIFS APPOINTED Members of the newly elected Board of Directors of the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (CCIFS) appointed a new president and vice president. Dragan Stokić (from the ATOS Company) and Philippe Thiel (the Suez Company) will be at the helm of the largest French business association in the region for the next three years. Dragan Stokić, CEO for Southeast Europe at ATOS, a global leader in digital transformation which 100,000 employees, operates in 73 countries and has an annual turnover

St. Stephen's day

of EUR 10 billion, was unanimously elected president last night at the first session of the Board of the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce after the General Assembly meeting on June 24. Dragan Stokić has over 25 years of experience in the IT industry, from engineering to top management positions, and has been an active member of the CCIFS Board of Directors since 2019. He succeeds Dragoljub Damljanović (Schneider Electric) in this position, who led CCIFS in the previous two terms.

UKRAINE

Independence Day

MOLDOVA

Independence Day

KAZAKHSTAN Constitution Day

MALAYSIA

Independence Day

VLADISLAV CVETKOVIĆ New Chairman of NALED's Managing Board Vladislav Cvetković, Director of Business Consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers, is the new chairman of NALED's Managing Board. This was decided at the constitutive session of the new convocation. In the next four years, the functions of vice president will be performed by the executive vice president of Hisense Gorenje Europe, Stanka Pejanović, on behalf of the business sector, the mayor of Kragujevac, Nikola Dašić, on behalf of local governments, and Tijana Gajić, director of the Pexim Foundation, as a representative of the civil sector. Mr Cvetković has abundant experience in financial advice, bank-

ing system reform and privatization. In the second half of the 1990s, he worked for Deloitte, and after the beginning of the transition, he worked for the National Bank of Serbia and the Deposit Insurance Agency, as an advisor to the governor, a leading advisor for bank privatization and a member of the NBS Council. He also performed the function of the director of the Privatization Agency and, among other things, managed the largest privatization project in Serbia (Telenor's acquisition of the Mobi63 operator). Mr Cvetković also taught at the Business Finance and Accounting Department at the Belgrade Faculty of Economics.

SEPTEMBER

SLOVAKIA

Constitution Day

BRAZIL

Independence Day

MEXICO

Grito de Dolores

CHILE

The First Junta Day

CZECHIA

St. Wenceslas Day

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FORUM

Regional Economic Forum in Skopje A large regional economic forum was held in Macedonia, gathering about 350 companies from the Western Balkans dom - movement, people, capital and services. Today, we signed an agreement to work together under any circumstances and in any case if one of our three countries finds itself battling a natural disaster. If helicopters from all our countries join forces, that is the soul of this initiative," Mr Rama said.

OPEN BALKANS - WITHOUT BARRIERS, WAITING IN LINES AND REDUNDANT RED TAPE

big regional economic forum was held in Skopje, attended by the Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and the prime ministers of North Macedonia and Albania, Zoran Zaev and Edi Rama, respectively. The forum brought together about 350 companies from the Western Balkans. The President of Serbia noted that 217 companies from Serbia are participating in the Economic Forum. At the forum, the so-called Mini-Schengen initiative was renamed Open Balkans and three agreements have been signed aiming to improve the cooperation in the region. These are the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Facilitating the Import, Export and Movement of Goods in the Western Balkans, the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Relation to Free Access to the Western Balkan Labour Market and the Agreement on Cooperation in Disaster Protection in the Western Balkans. On this occasion, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, stated: "This initiative will change everything in the region but we have to work hard and succeed. We did not do this so we can impose new levies onto each other. On the contrary, we think that we function as one in the economic sense and want to attract more investors and enable free trade since. Serbia will be a reliable partner for both North Macedonia and Albania on the road to getting even closer to each other, improving regional stability and securing a better life for all our citizens." The Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, stated that the Serbian, Albanian and Macedonian people share the same European values. "We are connecting so we can foster economic development, build a common economy, develop the region and secure

a better life for each of our citizens. This initiative will be acknowledged and widely accepted in both Brussels and Washington. It can also make a strong contribution to the political relaxation in the region," Mr Zaev pointed out. The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, pointed out that we should not constantly look to the past. "This region will be a good example just like the European Union. We have a single goal and that is to restore four types of free-

WE EXPECT THAT, AS OF JANUARY 1, 2023, THERE WILL BE NO BORDER BETWEEN SERBIA, NORTH MACEDONIA AND ALBANIA

The Economic Forum for Regional Cooperation was organized by the chambers of commerce of Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania. On that occasion, the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Marko Čadež, stated: "The Western Balkan economy has received strong political support to start building something new and different, namely, a region of success and trust, without barriers, unnecessary administration and waiting at borders. We expect that, as of January 1, 2023, there will be no border between Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania, and that job qualifications and work permits will be mutually recognized next year.” Our goal, as he said, is no waiting in lines at the borders and companies operating more competitively in the region and the EU. “At the moment, trucks have to wait from 120 to 180 minutes to cross regional borders and over 10 hours to cross into the EU. It is important to simplify the procedures for issuing work permits and to recognize each other's qualifications because that will enable better mobility of the workforce and stop the migration of population abroad,” Mr Čadež added. The presidents of the chambers of commerce of Albania and North Macedonia, Ines Mucostepa and Branko Azeski, respectively, also participated in the Skopje forum.

RECOGNITION OF THE MACEDONIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR VACCINATION IN COMPANIES The President of the Chamber of Commerce of North Macedonia, Branko Azeski, presented letters of thanks and awards to Serbia for helping with the successful vaccination of the business community and citizens of North Macedonia. The letter was received by the Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS), Marko Čadež. At the end of March, the CCIS organized the vaccination of more than 10,000 business people from the region, and on that occasion, about 4,000 business people from Northern Macedonia were vaccinated, most of them in the Serbian town of Niš.

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INTERVIEW

by Ruža Veljović

15 Anniversary of the Serbian Association of Managers th

We want Serbia to be a better place to live and work in, not only for us but also for the generations to come JELENA BULATOVIĆ Executive Director of SAM

he Serbian Association of Managers (SAM) was founded in Belgrade in 2006 and today has over 400 members who successfully manage teams of more than 70,000 employees, in companies that generate nearly 10 billion euros in revenue annually. This year, the Association is celebrating 15 years of operations which was the reason why we wanted to interview the SAM’s Executive Director, Jelena Bulatović.

SAM is celebrating its 15th anniversary. Looking back, how much has the SAM, as an organization, changed since its inception?

— In essence, the Serbian Association of Managers’ mission has not changed much since its inception until today. I would rather say that it has become more focused. When the SAM was founded in

with the managers who create it, as well as with those who will become managers. We want Serbia to be a better place for life and work, not only for us but also for the generations to come.

WE NEED TO CONSTANTLY INVEST IN PEOPLE, FACILITATE THEIR PROGRESS AND DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS AND THEIR FULL POTENTIAL 2006, our mission was to contribute to the improvement of the business environment in Serbia and boost the capacity of managers through dialogue with relevant institutions. Even today, we strive to improve the business environment, but we do so by sharing know-how and experience

How important is to promote managers in their individual roles, given that human resources are one of the most important, if not the most important segment of the company? — It is extremely important to understand that it is up to us, that change starts from individ-

uals and that we cannot expect and wait for the environment, society or world to change for us to change. The same goes for companies. That is why the individual is at the core of the SAM's mission, who, thanks to their constant progress, improves their company and society as a whole. We want to promote that individual and validate the managerial profession. Companies have realized what it means to have loyal and dedicated managers and employees especially during the pandemic and that their people are exactly that, not an expense, but the most important resource they have. We need to constantly invest in people, facilitate their progress and help them to develop their skills and reach their full potential. That is why it is important for us,

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as an association, to help managers to be better, and to enable young people to acquire skills and knowledge that will help them progress further to lead companies and society in the future. As an organization that brings together individuals, not companies, what does the SAM do? — The goal of all business associations is to improve the business environment, and that is what all of us, in the business community, deal with and strive for. What sets the SAM apart from similar associations that have companies as members is the strong focus on the individual, i.e. constantly working on improving and empowering that individual. The professional development and education of managers and young people are extremely important to us and a lot of our activities are focusing on that. It is also important for us to provide managers, accomplished and successful business people and leaders with a platform where they can share their knowledge and experience, and give back to society the knowledge they have acquired. There is nothing more valuable than listening directly and talking to, say, a successful entrepreneur who has developed his/her business from a small firm to a large company. Or with a manager who is the CEO of a multinational company and who started his career 20 or 30 years ago. This is a huge advantage that our members have. We organize meetings and events in various formats - from business breakfasts to podcasts, special evenings and lectures, mentoring programmes, entrepreneur programmes, the SAM Academy, etc. In the end, the SAM is extremely successful in connecting and networking, because in addition to exchanging positive energy and sharing a pleasant atmosphere, these meetings are also for establishing new contacts and friendships and finding new jobs and new joint businesses. Our network of members and our reputation are our strengths and we are especially proud of that. During the pandemic, you held successful workshops and you continued to transfer knowledge. What were the biggest challenges? — In the year of COVID-19, we provided great support to our members and the wider busi-

ONLY FOUR DAYS AFTER THE STATE OF EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED, WE HAD THE FIRST ONLINE CONFERENCE AFTER WHICH WE GAVE ADVICE AND USEFUL INFORMATION TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ness community and we reacted very quickly. Only four days after the state of emergency was declared, we had the first online conference after which we were giving advice and useful information on a weekly basis, as well as providing continuous support to the business community. We also launched new educational and informative programmes to support and share knowledge, because, at that time, it was extremely important to transfer the knowledge and advice to those who did not have headquarters abroad and procedures for such situations, on time. That is why we had daily communication with our members, informing and connecting them, and they also encouraged, supported and showed solidarity with each other. Preserving the health of employees, business processes and jobs, as well as partners’ companies that have been working with for years was the biggest challenge. The pandemic-induced crisis has demonstrated that only those companies that reacted and adapted quickly found a faster way out of the crisis. As an asso-

ciation, led by our president and the Board of Directors who have shown both speed and readiness to react, I think we did well. We know that our members felt this because the number of SAM members did not decrease even during the pandemic, and we are still growing. The loyalty and trust that our members have given us and continue to give are priceless. You also launched the SAM Academy, a new programme designed to educate managers, this year. What are the Academy’s goals? — We are very proud that we started the SAM Academy in this jubilee year when the Serbian Association of Managers celebrates its 15th anniversary. We believe that the exchange of knowledge and experience, learning from other people's mistakes and learning from best business practices is the greatest value that an association of managers can offer to its members and the wider business community. This is what guided us in devising the SAM Academy. The Academy is a truly exclusive educational programme, because all our lecturers, and we have over

30 of them, come from the business world. These are leading, renowned managers, entrepreneurs and company owners, with domestic and international experience, who manage the most successful companies in Serbia. The SAM Academy is intended for managers and entrepreneurs and is also open to participants who are not SAM members. The Academy’s goal is to empower participants to one day manage companies, people and business processes through the synergy of exchange of experience, knowledge and the best examples from corporate and entrepreneurial practice. The lectures are devised in line with the latest educational trends in managerial practice, which are primarily focused on the future of business. We want to create leaders and drivers of change in companies, businesses and society, and we want, as the slogan of the Academy says, to create leaders of the 21st century. Such a modern curriculum, along with top lecturers the from business world, set the SAM Academy apart from similar educational programmes on the market. What are your plans for this year and further on? — Managers and companies still need support in this post-pandemic time, so we are going to continue with activities aimed at sharing experience, knowledge and advice, and holding conferences aimed at sharing best business practices. By the year-end, we will focus our activities on celebrating 15 years of the SAM, during which we want to highlight the most important values of our Association, experienced successful managers and entrepreneurs, but also managers who developed under the auspices of the SAM and subsequently became very successful business people in Serbia and the region. We hope that the epidemiological situation will allow us to get together and connect because networking and in-person meetings are something that we all especially missed in the previous period. Either way, we are continuing to plan all our activities, and the circumstances will dictate the way of their realization. We are ready for all options. In the end, we hope that, in December, we will be able to gather again at the SAM Gala, to give out the SAM Awards to the best managers out there and thus to leave the pandemic behind.

ECONOMY

by Žikica Milošević

No Place to Hide With increasingly unpredictable climate, a more and more hotter world is becoming a dangerous place to live in n the Russian series Catherine the Great from 2015, there is a scene when the wife of the newly crowned Tsar Peter III wife gives birth at the castle to a child who is not his. The courtiers loyal to Catherine (later the Great) did something to draw the Tsar's attention away from the child - they set fire to one of the nearby palaces, knowing that he liked disasters. Peter III quickly forgot about his wife and her child. He hurried off in a carriage and watched in amazement, with a smile on his face, as the palace was engulfed in flames. In the meantime, Catherine hid the baby. The deception was successful because of the emperor's perverse desire to watch disasters as they unfold. Not much has changed in the meantime. They say that people like to watch disaster movies because they are horrified and fascinated by the power of nature and its forces. They also like watching disasters but from afar. Still, this theory has one big flaw today, to quote Blackadder: "It has a tiny little flaw: it's bo***cks!" The problem is that there is no safe place to watch disasters from in today's world. We watched disasters happen in Haiti, torrents sweeping people up into the backwaters in China, fires destroying towns in 'developed' Canada, and the torrents that, back in the day, could only happen in the tropics destroying towns and properties in West Germany, the Netherlands and the richest country Europe, Luxembourg. It is no longer the case of an unpredictable tsunami in Japan or a volcanic eruption in Montserrat. All this is due to climate change, which was induced by humankind. We now have a planet that is 1°C warmer than in the pre-industrial era. However, since 1990, our planet has become warmer. When I was a teenager, in the 1980s, temperatures in Serbia rarely exceeded the 30°C. If the temperature was over 30 ° C, the working hours were shortened and the TV warned of the dangers of heat. But, during the 1992 civil war, the weather became much warm-

THEY SAY THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO WATCH DISASTER MOVIES BECAUSE THEY ARE HORRIFIED AND FASCINATED BY THE POWER OF NATURE AND ITS FORCES er, with the temperature staying 35°C all summer. Back then, we thought that was an anomaly but it was actually the first of many hot years to come. Today, we can draw some very tangible conclusions. For example, the German flood alarm system must be improved, because it failed. That is, actually, so typically German. They have great emergency procedures in the world, but since they almost always have everything under control, they don't have the opportunity to implement these procedures so they are completely unprepared when a catastrophe hits. The Germans will also have to invest a lot of money in water control, as did the Dutch, who have lived by the water for centuries. Just like Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina improved their flood prevention systems after the catastrophic floods in 2014, Germany and other countries hit by this year's

floods will also do so. However, even rich countries will not be able to prevent catastrophic fires like those that happened in Australia and California or remote areas such as the Amazon and Siberia. How will then poor countries manage to cope with climate change? The poor expect the rich to help them. The Paris Agreement on Climate Change, with the U.S. renewing its support for the agreement when Biden took office, demands that 100 billion dollars a year be transferred from rich to poor countries, to prevent the catastrophic consequences of climate change. The Saharan Green Wall is one of the better initiatives under the Agreement. Preventing climate change in poor countries is also useful for the rich. If the desertification of the Sahel is prevented, millions of people from Africa will not want to come to Europe, which cannot receive

the entire Sahel population, even though there is room for some migrants. Joe Biden’s special envoy for climate change, John Kerry, said the U.S. will triple its existing $1.5 billion aid package for the poor by 2024 to $4.5 billion, but others must follow suit too. All in all, the temperatures are getting higher. There will be floods due to rain somewhere, and scorched land somewhere else. Both are destroying countries and further impoverishing people. The Paris Agreement says that 2°C is the upper limit of the temperature increase. Also, all countries are obliged to reduce their CO2 emission. In some places, this will be done slowly, because how can a country switch to a zero-emission economy if nature is destroyed in order to dig lithium or cobalt? Some countries will not be able to do that, simply because they are too poor. How do you explain to someone in Ghana that they must not use crude oil when there is no other option? Soon, the economy will have to drastically change or radically new solutions will have to be devised, such as solar geoengineering, for example, meaning inserting particles into the upper parts of the atmosphere that will reflect the sun's rays and cool the planet. This could reduce rainfall and thus become counter-effective. There are no easy solutions. Mini-hydropower plants are destroying the habitat and environment more than they help generate green energy. There are many doubts about the green economy. Some doubt that it will be a screen for ousting poorer countries, because only green standards will be imposed that can be implemented only in rich countries, making the poor uncompetitive. The world is changing. The 2030 Agenda, which conspiracy theorists often talk about in panic while the environmentalists are thrilled with, will be a battle for a world with as few catastrophes as possible, and without unbearable heat, species and ultimately human extinction. Everyone is quoting Greta Thunberg again, perhaps rightly so.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF IMPLEMENTING IN STANDARDS SERBIA 2021

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INTERVIEW

THE APPLICATION OF STANDARDS HAS MULTIPLE BENEFITS

Depending on the type of activity, the number of employees and other important performance and characteristics, a company may apply a certain type of standard - product, processes and/or services, management systems and conformity assessment, assessment methods, and other types of standards RADIŠA KNEŽEVIĆ Head of the Sector for General Standardization Areas at the Institute for Standardization (ISS)

here are many benefits to implementing a standard. Some of them include improving product quality, improving the organization's performance and its greater reliability, increasing work safety and security for its employees and consumers, boosting trust and customer satisfaction, reducing costs, reducing waste and increasing efficiency, facilitating access to the latest scientific advances and techniques and compliance with relevant legislation (including EU directives).

How to choose a reliable certification body? — In order to select a reliable certification body or conformity assessment body, it is very important that it performs its tasks in a reliable manner, that it is competent to implement its activities and that it does so in accordance with the requirements of the relevant standards. If you want to use the services of a certain certification body, you must first determine whether that body is accredited and check whether the result of the certification comes under the scope of accreditation for which the organization received an accreditation certificate. Also, an accredited organization should have an accreditation symbol obtained from the ATS. Can you tell us something about standardization in the Republic of Serbia in the field of circular economy? — Standardization in the field of circular economy (CE) was launched in 2019, when ISO / TC 323, Circular Economy, was established. Although this area is multidisciplinary, it was decided to establish a technical committee at the international level that will develop umbrella standards in this area. Immediately after the formation of this technical committee,

Standardization in the field of circular economy (CE) was launched in 2019, when ISO / TC 323, Circular Economy, was established

the ISS held a round table discussion to inform all stakeholders and to propose to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) areas to be standardized according to ISO/ TC 323. As a result of the round table, the circular economy was added to the national commission for standards, KS Z183, which monitors the development of CE standards and which conceived the topics for standardization in the field of CE at the national level, which have also been proposed by ISO / TC 323. The relevant national commission has appointed three experts in the working groups of the international technical committee, who have been actively working on developing standards since 2019. The ISS also cooperates with relevant institutions operating in the field of CE, such as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia and the Ministry of Environmental Protection. In this sense, representatives of the ISS have been appointed to participate in the CE Working Group for CE, which was formed with the aim of defining the strategic framework for the development of CE through the development of the CE Programme. The CE concept itself is a closed circle, with 7 phases that are managed in a controlled manner with the view of maintaining the value of products, materials and resources as high as possible while minimizing waste. The phases are sustainable procurement, eco-design, industrial symbiosis, economy and functionality, sustainable use of products, an extension of life span and management of materials and products at the end of life span. Appropriate standards already exist for each of the phases.

How much has Serbia advanced in implementing standardization? — Our country stands shoul-

der-to-shoulder with the most developed countries in Western Europe, i.e. the EU members. This was made possible on January 1, 2017, when the ISS became the 34th full-fledged member of the European standardization organizations CEN/CENELEC. The ISS has incorporated more than 23,000 European standards into the national standardization system, or about 99%. The ISS' mission is to make European and international standards available to its citizens as Serbian standards, as well as to bring original standards when there are no European and international standards in a certain area. Furthermore, the ISS represents and protects the interests of our country in international standardization organizations such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), of which our country has been a full-fledged member since 1950 and 1953 respectively. In addition to the ISS' core activity, which pertains to the development and adoption of Serbian standards, in recent years, the ISS has developed various services for its users such as training sessions, seminars/webinars on the most important and most common standards used in our country, professional assistance services in the implementation of standards, standard translation services and other services related to standards and standardization. It is also important to note that about 1,500 experts, who come from various organizations in our country, participate in the standards commissions for the development of standards in various fields, and that they are at the source of information on the latest standards adopted at European and international level that they will apply in their organizations. 

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INTERVIEW

AN ACCREDITED CERTIFICATION BODY SHOULD BE SELECTED

The worst thing is to stick to the criterion that someone will do something for you quickly and cheaply DUŠAN STOKIĆ

MScME, Head of the CCIS Centre for Environment, Technical Regulations, Quality and Social Responsibility

curement requirements is one of the primary motives for implementing standards in their business processes. However, the main motive is launching their goods without any special obstacles and technical barriers.

n each country, between 95% and 99% of all business entities come from the SME sector, and as a whole, they represent a very important segment of the economy, which is why it is especially important for them to recognize the significance of applying quality standards. We talked to Dušan Stokić, MScME, from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS), about the CE mark, as well as about which CCIS services are available to companies in regards to setting up standards and the CE mark certification process.

Do you think that small and medium-sized enterprises are aware of the benefits of implementing business standards? — Sometimes it seems to me that this awareness is never sufficiently developed. Sometimes we come across positive examples, but there is a larger segment of SMEs that still does not attach enough importance to the implementation of standards or recognize their importance. Management needs to understand that standards will help them organize their own system and their own processes within the organization better. There will also result in concrete savings in money and time, as well as benefit them in many other aspects. Also, the introduction of standards facilitates innovations, i.e. developing products that will be not only safe and high quality but also innovative in order to break into some new markets. The biggest motive for companies should be that the economic benefits from the application of standards in the company’s total profit can range from 0.15% to as much as 5% of total annual sales revenue. Meeting public pro-

How to choose a reliable certification body? — The selection criterion that is often used is the offered price, but before we come to any offer, it is necessary to get information about which credible bodies are available. It is important to contact those bodies that are accredited by the national accreditation body - the Accreditation Body of Serbia (the registry of these organizations can be found on the Accreditation Body’s official website). Of course, not all bodies are accredited in regard to issuing 9001 and 14001 with ATS management system certificates. It is possible that they are members of some of their national bodies, which is why we should then check if they are members of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF). The worst thing is to stick to the criterion that someone will do something for you quickly and cheaply. You have to choose a credible, reliable and accredited certification body.

Companies need to consider standardization even during the product design phase

What is a CE mark and which products are subject to this type of marking? — The CE mark has existed since 1985. This is not a mark that indicates product quality. Rather, it is a mark that indicates that the product is safe for the end-user, the environment and the property. It is a label placed by the manufacturer at the end of a process that lasts for several months and even longer, depending on the

type and complexity of the product, the degree of risk that the product leaves on the end-user. Products that are subject to CE marking are primarily those made by the machine-building industry, means of transport, household appliances, electronics, personal protective equipment, medical devices and equipment, a large number of products used in the construction industry and a wide range of products classified into 24 groups.

What Chamber’s services are available to companies in regard to standards and CE marking? — The CCIS has developed a special web portal dedicated to the CE mark. You can find it on our website as part of the services and is free. This web portal contains all important information contained in European directives and the relevant Serbian regulations. There are also links to European standards that accompany these directives, as well as information on what a CE mark is. The portal also contains a questionnaire. Once the user fills out this questionnaire, they receive a comprehensive, preliminary assessment of whether the CE mark is applicable to their product and if so, which directives apply to it. The CCIS also provides regular advisory services related to the introduction of the CE mark and we have published numerous brochures and publications on the topic. What is your message for the SME sector? — They need to think about standardization on time, i.e. when they want to launch a product on a certain market. It is important to know what the requirements are for that product even during its design phase. 

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INTERVIEW

THE INTRODUCTION OF ISO 9001 MUST BE DRIVEN BY A DESIRE FOR IMPROVEMENT

We expect four new laws to be passed soon. No major changes are planned, because the system has been established, but some progress is expected right after the adoption of all bylaws MIODRAG DUGANDŽIJA Ministry of Economy, Product Quality and Safety Sector

ome small and medium-sized enterprises approach standardization in an organized manner and with a clear insight into the link between standards and development strategy for their core business, while some apply standards for formal reasons. We talked with Miodrag Dugandžija, from the Ministry of Economy’s Product Quality and Safety Sector, about the importance of implementing standards and the legislative framework in this segment.

Is there a sufficiently developed awareness among SMEs of the importance of introducing standards? — The awareness is never sufficiently developed, but there are some improvements. We have held numerous seminars at the Ministry of Economy where we talked about the importance of standardization, the requirements regarding setting standards, technical regulations and the like. However, after doing all that, small and medium-sized enterprises still do not have the same privilege to develop standards as large companies. In that respect, they are at a disadvantage, because standards are mostly being implemented in large companies. Although there have been some improvements, SMEs are still not aware of all the benefits of standardization. Also, I would like to underline the importance of not only implementing a management system, which is the first step, but also of the application of standards in the design, production and product control phase and the like.

Small and medium-sized enterprises are not fully aware of all the benefits of standardization

What does it really mean when a company is implementing quality standards? How does that look in practice? — While conducting a research, we realized that the reasons for the implementation of standards are sometimes of a formal nature, most often because a public procurement system requires so, and not essential and real reasons. However, standards exist, precisely as a result of best business practices, and their aim is to help. When companies adopt that kind of approach, then certification is sustainable in them. If the reasons for setting standards are formal, companies will usually pick the cheapest certification, which leads to problems. They choose someone whose competence has not been assessed through the regular accreditation process, and thus, due to unfair competition, the system will collapse. We need to convince companies to introduce the standard for themselves, not to meet the demands of others. When the company understands why it is necessary to work according to certain rules that have been translated into a standard, its motives will no longer be of formal nature. The most important thing is to make it clear to companies that they understand that the implementation of a management system in a company must be driven by a desire for improvement. The legislator views standards and their implementation as voluntary. We are trying to boost the implementation, highlight its importance and let companies know that no law prevents the use of a certain standard.

What are the Ministry of Economy’s plans for the next period? — This year, we decided to start working on revising certain laws governing this segment. In terms of standardization, there is no need to revise the existing legislation and there won’t be changes in the law, at least for now. The number of adopted European standards is quite high, somewhere around 99%, so that the Institute has been maintaining a high level of harmonization with European and international standards. In terms of accreditation, in the first half of this year, we adopted an amendment to the relevant law, the main goal of which is to slightly improve the accreditation system. Setting deadlines for the completion of the accreditation procedure is one of biggest novelties that were introduced. In the field of metrology, we are working on a new law that has been forwarded to the National Parliament. We expect it the Parliament to pass it soon as it has already been included in the parliamentary agenda. We hope that in the first half of the year, together with the metrology-related law - the Law on Precious Metals - we will have four innovative laws regulating this area. The bylaws that we will pass in the coming period will contribute to the higher efficiency of the system. We are not planning on doing major improvements, because the system is already in place, but certain improvements are expected to be carried out right after the adoption of all bylaws. 

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INTERVIEW

ISO CERTIFICATION PUTS YOU AMONG THE ELITE

Companies that do not have an ISO standard spend time on solving problems through improvisation. Companies that have an ISO standard, spend it on innovation and development MIROSLAV MILETIĆ Advisor to the president of the CCIS

he strategic goal of every SME is to achieve a higher level of competitiveness, while product competitiveness implies the implementation of appropriate quality standards and certification of products, processes and systems. However, procedures for implementing standards can sometimes take longer than expected. We talked with Miroslav Miletić, advisor to the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS), about the importance of the implementation of standards in companies.

— Twenty-five years ago, when a

Could you tell us why is the implementation of standards important in all business segments? — The introduction and consistent implementation of ISO standards are crucial in all business segments and beyond. Figures show that there are about 400 million small and medium-sized enterprises in the world. Of the total number of certificates, according to the ISO organization, which is close to one million certificates (ISO 9001), 80% are issued to SMEs. ISO standard certification means entering that elite, the Class A clients, suppliers and long-term partners and once they start doing business, they practically do not stop it. This is evidenced by the overall appearance of a company, the way of communication is carried out in the company itself, inconspicuous and demanding rules, but above all the way of doing business at all levels. How does that look like in practice?

There is a lack of strategic and systemic activity on setting up standards

company in this part of the world was certified with the ISO 9001 international certificate, it meant that in certain years of business, it had produced and sold 100,000,000 stock-keeping units (SKU). Per 100,000,000 stock-keeping units (SKU), there were 12 to 15 complaints per year, of which 3 to 5 are justified, which are dealt with by the entire company, from the top to the bottom of the ladder. This had a direct impact on the company's business results, which, in some years, went up to 30% and created an incredible space for savings of between one and two million per year. In terms of competitiveness on the domestic and global market, and according to the latest data of the ISO organization, the Western Balkans region currently has a total of 9,500 ISO 9001 certificates, while, for comparison, the Czech Republic has 12,500. In the last decade, the number of the ISO 9001 certificate ranged between 2,500 and 3,200. For instance, Italy has close to 100,000, and at a certain point in time, there were over 150,000. ISO standards help with coping in crises and pandemics. What for others is a waste of time, for a quality management system is a normal occurrence. The emphasis is on efficiency - doing things the right way, and effectiveness - doing the right things, because companies that do not have an ISO standard spend time on solving problems through improvisation. Companies that have an ISO

standard, spend it on innovation and development.

How to develop awareness among small and medium-sized enterprises about the importance of implementing standards? — Our SMEs have a somewhat developed awareness of the need to implement an ISO standard. However, I think that there is a lack of strategic and systemic activity in the direction of introducing standards. We have noticed that the cost-cutting in times of crisis resulted in companies giving up on certification, although these costs are immeasurable in relation to the benefits that the standards bring. In my experience, setting up standards takes approximately 15 months, while their implementation and improvement are continuous. It is important to point out is that investors are much more open to investing in companies that are ISO-certified. What would be your message for the end? — A time of crisis, like the pandemic, is a time to make huge decisions. I think that our small and medium-sized enterprises do not lack courage, let alone understanding and awareness of the importance of introducing standards. I believe that, in a medium-term period of 3 to 5 years, Serbia will overcome limits in terms of the total number of certificates that will bring our country closer to the countries of Central Europe, in the same way that Yugoslavia was a good example in regard to JUS standards. 

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TMS – CLIENT SUCCESS

TMS CEE, as a company which this year marks 20 years of work, very well understands the needs of the modern companies regarding standards BOŠKO GAVOVIĆ CLICK ON ICON 

Director of TMS CEE d.o.o. Belgrade and a member of the Supervisory Board of the Accreditation Body of Serbia

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he forerunner of today's TMS CEE - TÜV Bayern Sava Representative Office Belgrade started working exactly two decades ago. From a small office with one employee, in 20 years they have become a company with 25 employees and over 2,000 satisfied clients. And the crown of this success is the appointment of the director of TMS CEE d.o.o. Belgrade of Boško Gavović as a member of the Supervisory Board of the Accreditation Body of Serbia.

You have been in this business for more than 20 years, in your opinion, how important is the application of standards in business, as well as the choice of a company that provides certification services? — Today, standards are the best way for a company to ensure its place at the market. It can be equally applied both to the production or service oriented organizations. What differs the companies is the way of applying the standards. Most successful companies are accepting the standards in a systematic and planned way. With standards, quick solutions lead to the quick problems. Therefore, the choice of the supplier of the certification services can be considered as the strategic decision. TMS CEE, as a company which this year marks 20 years of work, very well understands the needs of the modern companies regarding standards.

How developed is the awareness among companies in Serbia about the importance of applying standards in business? — In Serbia, companies are mostly aware of the standardization needs and there is a rather comprehensive process ongoing of adjusting the legislative with EU frame. It is the fact that the Chapter 1 itself – Free movement of goods - in negotiations with EU, deals with more than 80% of the total laws of a country! So, today, the companies in Serbia are exposed to the strictest requirements, not just of the New approach directives and regulations, but with also to the other best practice or EU and international regulations and standards.

Today, standards are the best way for a company to ensure its place at the market

TMS CEE has a wide portfolio of services, tell us a bit more about it. — All said above maintains TMS CEE in position to offer support to most of our clients using our “traditional” portfolio, comprising certification of management systems, certification of products and other services in industry and energy, CE mark, food safety, and other. When we are talking about CE mark, it is the legal requirement for all products which are covered by the homologous directive or regulation. But it is good to know that putting the CE mark on

the product which is not relevant to the directive or regulation is the illegal act, susceptible to high fines. It is also the case for the products which is CE marked but does not fulfill the requirements of the legislation or standards. Therefore, we recommend to our clients that they take the process of CE marking very seriously and with enough resources, in order to get the robust and sustainable technical solutions. It is long known that the right application of standards not just increase the efficiency, quality and the stability of the processes and products, but also elevates the value of a company.

You are dedicated to your own service development, what are the innovations that you have introduced, what is it that sets you apart from others? — The standardization follows the requests of the global trends of modern economy: Circular Economy, Sustainability, Work-Life Balance, Corporate Social Responsibility, Bio Diversity, Carbon-neutral production and other. The echo coming from the global market of New Millennium directed TMS CEE to the „new territory“ and we decided to make step ahead from usual stand-

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ards like ISO 9001 or other, to the advanced techniques and certifications - including the exclusive FFE (Family Friendly Enterprise) certification. FFE helps companies to achieve work-life balance and the positive experience for their employees, and thus to retain the best people. Also, we became the Certification Institution (CI) for GSES system (www.gses-system.com ), as the first company from Eastern Europe and one of several in the world, to bring the objective assessment of the six pillars of the Global Sustainability and to help companies to fulfill their Global Compact reporting faster and more economical. We developed also the range of Risk and Corporate Security services with the Faculty of Security, University of Belgrade. In a way all those mentioned services diverse us from other certification bodies and gives us a USP, but also offer to companies in Serbia and Region new opportunities and ideas, enables wider competition, and finally – creates additional quality. The development of Serbian economy in recent years and the number and quality of our clients for those services confirmed that this decision was in the right direction. There are also techniques and standards, like the Lean Six Sigma, which enables organizations to achieve the world class in the ef-

ficiency, effectiveness and to raise the economic effects.

How much is TMS CEE present in other markets, except Serbian? — Regarding the internalization, TMS CEE is already present on other markets in the region including some of EU countries. TMS CEE is raising client base out of country with consideration, respecting all challenges and concentrated on certain number of services. It can be said – slowly but surely. Nowadays world of business, particularly in certification, simply encourages those who feel able to look over the national boundaries and borders and now the export of services represents more than a quarter in our revenue. You recently spoke at the conference Why do SMEs need standards, what would you extract as a key message from that conference and from your presentation? — As said at the recent conference on standards for SME sector, the biggest risk and challenge the managers see today is that of the “red tape”. Especially for SMEs, it is practically not possible to possess all the function that a modern company need – for example, very few SME companies have the functions of Risk, Compliance, Corporate Security, CISO, Business Development or other.

The application of standards may be the optimal mean to implement the vast majority of those complex functions, even with the limited human resources. Our slogan is “TMS – Client Success” which obliges that we help with all resources that our clients became more successful.

You have been in this business for many years, what are you most proud of so far and what are your plans for the future? — I would like to emphasize that by decision of Government of Serbia I recently became a member of Supervisory Board of Accreditation Body of Serbia (ATS). This appointment coincides with 20th anniversary of our company and represents bounden duty both to TMS CEE and myself. I see this honor as extraordinary chance to be in position to speak fairly about advantages and usefulness of our mission as well to promote „world of quality“. Naturally, I would do that from prospective of profession and my personal experience lasting longer than two decades. But then again, I will be obliged to underline some other aspects of our business that need to face certain changes. We see the additional space for structural initiatives, even though corrections, that has to be in the benefit of our clients, our business and our community. 

Our slogan is “TMS – Client Success” which obliges that we help with all resources that our clients became more successful

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20 YEARS OF TOP-NOTCH BUSINESS STANDARDS

SGS Belgrade employs over 240 full-time workers and provides its services through 5 business lines - Industrial & Environmental, Connectivity and Product, Health and Nutrition, Natural Resources and Knowledge MARINKO UKROPINA Managing Director at SGS Group for Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, BiH and Montenegro

ounded in 1878, SGS is the leading global company engaged in activities related to control, verification, testing and certification. As a full-fledged member of one of the world's most prestigious certification companies, SGS Belgrade was founded in 2001. Soon after, the company started to rapidly develop and conquer new markets in the segment of specialized services. We talked to the renowned expert and director of SGS Belgrade, Marinko Ukropina, about the company's two decades long successful operations, as well as the importance of introducing standards in business.

This year you are celebrating the company's 20th anniversary. Could you tell us about SGS Belgrade's development stages? — Twenty years ago, SGS Belgrade started its development through two business lines - Agriculture and System and Services Certification. We initially provided our services under the auspices of a management system control and certification body, through the continuous development of our laboratory. As the regional market developed, we have also developed as a company. Today, SGS Belgrade employs over 240 fulltime workers and provides its services through 5 business lines - Industrial & Environmental, Connectivity and Product, Health and Nutrition, Natural Resources and Knowledge. We provide a wide range of services, and the validity of the methodologies we use for the implementation of ser-

As a certification body, SGS Belgrade today has over 1,200 valid certificates, most of them in the field of management system certification

vices is continuously validated by the Accreditation Body of Serbia for the ISO 17020, ISO 17021, ISO 17024, ISO 17025 and ISO 17065 standards. We also provide certain services under international accreditation primarily in management system certification. In terms of the certification segment, as a certification body, SGS Belgrade today has over 1,200 valid certificates, most of them in the field of management system certification. Our clients are usually the most successful companies and leaders in their industries. Thanks to the constant development of our human resources, we can now provide certification services continuously, while adhering to high professional standards due to the implementation of internationally validated methodologies for this type of service.

Member States, while in our country, the number is incomparably higher. On regulated markets, it is implied that laws and regulations and appropriate technical standards must be applied in business, so that the corporate culture and market differences in terms of competition, customers and other stakeholders are validated by having a management system certificate. We still have a long way to go in terms of raising the level of understanding of the importance of the essential implementation of business standards. When you genuinely apply standards, one of the advantages is that you can pass customer checks very effectively, which is a trend in EU countries. If you apply standards only formally, customers notice that very quickly which can lead to customers losing trust in your supply chain.

You are the director of SGS for Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Do these countries differ in understanding the importance and application of business standards? — The EU market, such as the Slovenian and Croatian markets, is less complex than in other countries in the region that are not members of the EU. In Slovenia and Croatia, the number of certification bodies is approximately the same as in most EU

How aware is the business sector in Serbia about the importance of introducing quality systems in their operations? To what extent do they do it for formal reasons, and to what extent because they out want to change and develop their business? — It is important to understand that the best proven international practices for certain areas such as quality, environmental protection, occupational safety and health, informa-

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tion security, food safety, etc., are the basis of the standards. Management systems should be a tool that management uses to ensure longterm sustainability and profitability in business while meeting the requirements and expectations of the wider community. This is not just writing down procedures and filling out some forms which some companies see as a hindrance to their daily operations. There are excellent examples in our region whereby companies have properly applied management system standards and as a result, have been constantly developing their business. The Plan-Do-Control-Act methodology, which is the basis of these standards, is actually a life philosophy. If it is interesting to apply and understand it in everyday life, why is it difficult to understand and apply it in business life?!

What types of certificates have you issued the most so far, and which industries have you issued them to the most? — We have issued the largest number of certificates for the ISO 9001 standard, and we have also issued a substantial number of certificates related to food safety, such as HACCP, FSSC, IFS, BRC, certification of organic products, Danube Soy, etc. The pharmaceutical industry consistently implements high standards and has a systemic approach, as do the food sector, IT industry and the energy sector. It is very important to note that large logistics

systems are continuously working on improving their management systems. In the education segment, most of the people who attended our SGS Academy in Serbia came from the automotive industry.

How much have your services changed or broadened due to the coronavirus pandemic and the growing need for different IT solutions? — As a global leader in the TIC industry, SGS has established an efficient crisis communication process between Head Office and all other SGS affiliates worldwide. Continuous review, harmonization and implementation of the Business Continuity Plan, have helped us to efficiently manage a very efficient and complex system such as SGS during the pandemic-induced crisis. In addition to improving the SGS business model, we have developed many services worldwide during the pandemic-induced crisis, one of them being Hygiene Monitoring. In Serbia and Croatia, we have successfully completed a project with Lidl in this segment. Also, as a certification body, SGS Belgrade, provides certification and verification services in line with various information security standards, such as SRPS ISO / IEC 27001: 2014 - Information security management systems, SRPS ISO / IEC 20000-1: 2018, Information technologies - Service management, SRPS ISO / IEC 27701: 2019, Security techniques for privacy information

management, SRPS ISO / IEC 27017: 2019, Information technology — Security techniques — Code of practice for information security controls for cloud services. Also, in cooperation with our laboratories in Austria and Spain, we can provide very specific cybersecurity services. It is very important to note that these standards do not apply only to the IT Industry, but that they can be applied to all other industries too. The development of digitalization implies bigger responsibilities for data and information management. Establishing a systematic approach in this area by applying these standards is certainly the best and proven way.

You have worked a very long time in a successful and innovative business. What challenges await you in the future? — First of all, we need to constantly develop human resources in our company. This will help us to efficiently implement new services and process methods that are being developed at the global level in SGS. All of us who work at SGS have the privilege to witness global trends in the TIC industry and to apply them in our region. Thus, in addition to developing our company and the people who work for it, we can contribute to the development and improvement of the economic environment in the Republic of Serbia, which SGS Belgrade has done in the past 20 years and will continue doing so in the future. 

The validity of the methodologies we use for the implementation of services is continuously validated by the Accreditation Body of Serbia

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INMOLD MAKES THE BIGGEST INVESTMENTS IN ITS HISTORY

Although the last year was challenging, Inmold managed to accomplish significant growth that followed after the largest investments in the company's history SLOBODAN JANKOVIĆ Business Development at Inmold Plast d.o.o. Požega

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nmold Plast is a family business that produces high-quality tools for injection moulding of plastic and non-ferrous metals. Inmold Plast is a member of the most prestigious toolmaking associations and the recipient of the Iskorak Award for achieved success and conducting business responsibly in the challenging year 2020.

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What is your experience with implementing business standards and what certificates do you have? — Year after year, standards are becoming increasingly important in business. They have become a kind of entry ticket into the supply chain of foreign companies. From the very beginning, Inmold organized its business in such a way as to be as attractive as possible for cooperation with foreign companies. In addition to the ISO9001 and ISO14001 certificates, our company has had the IATF16949 standard since 2019, which is intended primarily for automotive companies. Although you have to have quality products and services to keep customers, companies also need to cooperate with other companies and to do that, they need certificates. Inmold became a member of the German Toolmakers Association (VDWF) and is the only member outside the German-speaking area. Tell us a bit more about the importance of this prestigious membership. — VDWF is the umbrella organization of the toolmaking sector in Europe. The opportunity to exchange experiences with our counterparts from Germany and other countries has undeniable value. For the first time, I met an association that functions in such an organized and efficient manner. It is a great honour and privilege to get acquainted with the work of such an association from inside and to be its member. In addition to being committed to innovation in the production of top-notch tools, the company is also focused on its youth scholarship programme. How do you implement it?

— Companies need to invest in people, equipment and infrastructure all the time if they want to grow. If any of these elements are left out, the company will encounter problems at some point. This year we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of our high school education programme. We started this programme with the goal of overcoming the problem of a lack of a skilled workforce. Even then, we were aware that if we did not do something, that the further development of the company will come into question, due to the lack of qualified people. Today, this is a well-organized unit of our company, which takes care of 40 high school students every day, along with several other students at the faculties of mechanical engineering in Belgrade and Kraljevo. The programme is devised in Inmold and modelled on similar programmes in Austria and Germany. This past school year we had a record-breaking number of students with scholarships – 40. In the final year, we had 18 students and they all started working right after high school. For the first time, students of the Technical School in Priboj entered our programme. Also, this was the first time that we employed six programme graduates in Inmold.

Companies need to invest in people, equipment and infrastructure all the time if they want to grow

In 2020, you won the Iskorak Awards given by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia. How much of an incentive was this award for you? — Although the last year was challenging for the global economy, Inmold managed to overcome challenges and record substantial growth compared to 2019. The growth was accompanied by the largest investments in the history of Inmold. We have invested in purchasing new premises and new machinery and hiring new people. The award is an additional incentive for us to accomplish even better results in 2021. It is important to note that our company has over 70 engineers and that the average age of Inmold workers is only 31 which tells us that our company has great potential and a bright future ahead. 

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Hungary DI PLOM ACY

COM M E RC E

PR E S E N T S

FOCUS ON

OLD UNIVIERSITY The University of Pécs, the oldest university of Hungary, was founded in 1367. It is just 279 years later the famous Bologna University or 217 years younger than Sorbonne.

HUNGARORING The 1986 Hungarian Grand Prix was the first Formula One race to take place behind the Iron Curtain. It was placed in Hungaroring, the iconic racing field.

SPA TRADITION Hungary has one of the most important thermal spring cultures in Europe. The country boasts no less than 1,500 spas, typically featuring Roman, Greek and Turkish architecture.

EX PLURIBUS UNUM Around two-thirds of the Hungarians are Roman Catholic, about a quarter are Calvinist. The Hungarians are also from different stock: Turkic Kumans, Ossetian Yazighs and Serbian Hajduk all merged into Hungarians.

MAGIC CUBE Inventions by Hungarians in Hungary include the noiseless match (by János Irinyi), Rubik’s cube (by Ernő Rubik), and the krypton electric bulb (Imre Bródy).

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by ŽIKICA MILOŠEVIĆ

Our relations Have Never Been Better We have more things that connect us than those that separate us

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e took the opportunity to talk to H.E. Attila Pintér, Ambassador of Hungary, about the culture, economy, infrastructure and tourism, and we concluded that in the last two centuries we have never had better relations, thanks to the reconciliation process and infrastructure works.

Hungary and Serbia are entering the new period of good relations – after centuries of ups and downs, turbulent and harmonious periods. How do you assess the relations of Serbia and Hungary – they say the relations have never been better? — I fully agree with you. So our bilateral relations have never been so good as in the past couple of years. And I think this is due to the process of reconciliation, which was initiated by our two presidents in 2012. Mr. Tomislav Nikolić, former president of Serbia, and Mr. János Áder, President of Hungary. The whole process started with the official visit of Mr. Nikolić late mid-November 2012. And we continue this process next year in late June, with the official visit of our President, Mr. Áder, to Serbia. And a very important part of this visit was the ceremony in Čurug by two presidents and Šajkaš region was that that part of Serbia, which really suffered a lot during the Second World War, thanks God today, we can commemorate together our innocent victims. So at the beginning of January, we commemorate together with our Serbian friends at the Serbian monument, and late October, we commemorate also together with our Serbian friends at the Hungarian monument in Čurug. The past couple of years, we had a really wonderful examples concerning our bilateral relations, since 2014. Practically every year, we had a so-called joint government session. And the latest one we had is

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supported in 2019. And the next one, perhaps, we will have this autumn in Budapest. And during these government sessions, we signed a series of agreements, which are mainly focused on the economic cooperation. Let me mention two very important memoranda of understanding, which were signed by two prime ministers, the first one in 2015. The next one in 2019. And in these memoranda of understanding we put focus on infrastructural projects, because it is our firm conviction that we can develop together our economy only if we have good cooperation in the field of connection of infrastructures. Hungary created Visegrád Group back in the 90s. It helped V4 countries approach the EU and finally join it. Do you think it could be a good example for WB6 group? And how do you assess the Mini Schengen Area as the core of this region? — For the countries of Southeast Europe, I don't like to use this expression Western Balkans, our corporation can be a very good example. Why we initiated this cooperation immediately after the collapse of the communist regime in Central Europe? And in 1990, every Central European country was free to have their own foreign policy. And our natural allies were Poland and Czechoslovakia, later Czechia and Slovakia. We signed an agreement about the cooperation in 1991. So this year, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of this special cooperation. And, and although our main goal was to harmonise our efforts in foreign policy, because every country's main goal in Central Europe was to join as soon as possible to NATO and the European Union. We joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004 but our common goals remained, so the V4 did not collapse. We have never had stronger coopera-

H.E. ATTILA PINTÉR Ambassador of Hungary

We managed to duplicate the turnover of our bilateral trade during the past 7-8 years

tion with these countries than today. So every time when we have high level meetings in Brussels, on the level of the European Union, foreign ministers, prime ministers and presidents have the possibility to meet before these summits, and to harmonise our views concerning the agenda. Because if you see these countries alone, Poland has 40m million people, Czechia 15, Hungary 10, Slovakia 5, so separately we are week, but together we are almost like Germany. The bilateral trade of V4 with Germany is bigger than Germany's bilateral trade with France. These figures support this political cooperation. This cooperation can be a wonderful example, for the countries of the region. Because it is very difficult to imagine how certain countries can survive within the European Union, if they can't make allies, more cooperation, before their accession to the European Union. Mini-Schengen initiative is a really very useful format of cooperation. And you mustn't forget about that this kind of cooperation must remain, even after these countries join the EU. Is the mutual trade following the growth of political relations? What more can we do in the f ield of economy? — Our bilateral trade has had very significant growth in the past couple of years. We managed to duplicate the turnover of our bilateral trade during the past 7-8 years. The biggest breakthrough came in 2016 and 2017, when the Hungarian government initiated Vojvodina development plan, we initiated it in 2016. And in 2017 the overall growth of bilateral trade was 35%. From Serbian side, the growth was 40%, by Hungarian side 20-25%. Before and after 2017, the yearly growth was approximately 5-6%. Last year, although we had a crisis this COVID-19

crisis, we reached the historical peak in our bilateral trade, reaching 2.7 billion euros, which was 3.4% bigger than the previous year. The biggest Hungarian bank OTP has been present on the Serbian market for years, and recently the bank made acquisition of Vojvođanska and Societe Generale banks. Due to these acquisitions, the bank has become the second or the third biggest bank in Serbia. You mustn't forget about the biggest Hungarian oil company Mol and the biggest Hungarian pharmaceutical company Richter which are also present in the Serbian market for years. And what is quite still important that Hungarian SMEs enterprises are more and more active on the Serbian market, which is a very good signal. Because, you know, when I started my career in the Minister of Foreign Affairs, I still remember those sentences, which we regularly repeated in different analysis, that we have excellent political cooperation, but unfortunately, economic relations do not reflect the excellent political cooperation. Now, due to the really good political cooperation and the activity of Serbian and Hungarian businesspersons, we can say that we have better and better results in the field of economy. And during past couple of years, we managed to welcome the first Serbian investment in Hungary in Szolnok, a big Hungarian city not very far away from Budapest. Our cooperation is so multilateral now. We are well connected in infrastructure, and it will be even better. It promises a lot of tourists. Budapest and Szeged were always hot spots for Serbian tourists. And what about vice versa? Can we boost the mutual understanding through tourism? — The developing of infrastructure on both sides has enormous importance from the point of economic cooperation, but it's equally important for the tourism as well. We have very good connection concerning the motorways, but we have some difficulties concerning the railway infrastructure. From this point of view has a very big importance development of Belgrade- Budapest Railway, and in our view, it is also very important to develop direct railway connection, between Szeged and Subotica, because these two cities has always had very good cooperation during the history. Concerning tourism, the past couple of years, Budapest has had bigger and bigger importance for Serbian tourists. I have a lot of friends here in Serbia, and particularly I don't remember if I meet Serbian friends who didn't vis-

it at least one time Budapest. But of course, Budapest is not the only destination for Serbian tourists. We can welcome them very regularly in Szeged or in Morahálom. So if you visit during Morahálom during weekends or Serbian holidays, you can you can hear all the Serbian words in the city. It is our aim as well to convince our Serbian friends not to visit only Budapest. We have wonderful places is in the North and Southeast. We have very famous wine regions, which really deserve the attention. Considering Hungarian tourists in Serbia, until very recently, our tourists were mainly focused on Vojvodina, which is understandable for some historic reasons. But in the past couple of years, a number of Hungarian tourists who visited other parts was slowly but surely growing. I suppose Serbia has a lot of quite interesting places to see, which really deserve the attention, let's say famous Serbian monasteries, or Serbian wine regions. Serbia is very strong in so-called rural tourism. I guess slowly but surely more and more Hungarian tourists will discover your beautiful country. I would use assertive campaign in Hungary to convince Hungarian tourists to come to Serbia. It seems that the two countries benefit the personal relations between Mr. Orbán and Mr Vučić. I think Hungary and Serbia follow similar politics, although they are in the opposite blocs: Hungary is in the EU and NATO, but has good relations with Russia and China, while Serbia is out of the EU and especially NATO, but it has good relations with everyone? — Yes, they have had very good cooperation for years. And I'm sure that both countries use this opportunity. It is my firm conviction that we Hungarians and Serbians have always had more common things which connected us then those which separated us. So practically, we have a similar celebration, similar habits, similar practices. We are members of other political organizations. But this doesn't mean that we couldn't have good neighborly relations, and really good cooperation with each other. I remember during my studies at the University, I read a lot of article about articles about our common history. And what was quite interesting for me that during the history when Hungary and Serbia lived together, it was not a problem for Hungarians to celebrate Serbian holidays and for Serbs to celebrate Hungarian holidays. So it was quite normal on those places, where I believed together, so it is quite normal. If we have a common fate, a

common history and a common life with each other. China or Russia are both countries with a great importance in a global scene. Cooperation with both countries had a lot of advantages, and my country's aim to use these advantages. And sometimes I'll receive a very strong criticism but I suppose it is quite normal to have a good cooperation with these two big countries. And I suppose your president has the similar view. Today it is impossible to avoid cooperation with Russia or China, even though Hungary is a member of NATO and the EU, but it doesn't mean we don't respect NATO or EU principles or rules, but it is in our interest to cooperate with these countries concerning the vaccination. Our two countries are leaders in Europe and in the world as well, concerning the vaccination.

The V4 countries are weak separated, but together we are as many as Germans, and our bilateral trade with Germany is bigger than France’s – which is the great example for SEE6

What can we do in cultural field to bring our nations closer? — Yes, you know, since the 1st of July 2014, we have had a cultural centre in the heart Belgrade. Until the virus, we were very satisfied with its activity, which has become a well known brand in Belgrade due to the activities of my colleagues, who really did a lot to promote Hungarian culture in Serbia. When I started my career here as an ambassador, my goal was to promote the Cultural centre. The Hungarian culture from Hungary and of Vojvodina, and the culture of Serbs, who have been living for centuries in Hungary, because it is my firm conviction that this cultural centre can be whole only if we are ready to promote these three parts of our common culture. As you may know, in Hungary, we have had for decades a Serbian theatre, which has had always very good spectacles and we have a lot of Hungarian theatres in Vojvodina. Last year we reopened the reconstructed Serbian Orthodox Museum in Szentendre and Serbia was represented by its FM Mr. Nikola Selaković. I would like to mention the field of culture and education. Since a couple of years, we have had wonderful programme in the field of education name is a Stipendium Hungaricum. And with this programme, the offer 45 places for Serbian students for education at the universities in Hungary. And every year, we have more and more interested people in this programme. So I would like to use this opportunity to emphasise the importance of this programme. And what's still very important that the scholarship programme practically provides everything for the interested Serbians students, of course, including the scholarship.

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New OTP banka Srbija

New Banking Force on the Market resulting from Synergies of Large Banking Brands CLICK ON ICON 

C O R P O R AT E

he new OTP banka Srbija a.d. Novi Sad, created from the integration process between OTP banka Srbija a.d. Beograd (former Societe Generale Srbija) and Vojvođanska banka a.d. Novi Sad, has started operations in early May 2021. The most complex banking integration ever implemented in this region represents a strategic move of OTP Group, aiming to form the largest banking institution in Serbia. Upon generating the annual growth in loans of 15% in 2020 the total net loans in Q1 2021 amounted to EUR 3.8 billion, thus positioning OTP banka as a market leader with 16.9% of market share in the loan segment, and the second largest bank in terms of asset size with a total of EUR 5.3 billion. OTP banka has the largest number of ATMs in Serbia at 322 locations and more than 200 branches across the whole country. "The integration journey that lasted for 19 months would not have been successful if it were not for more than 3,000 of our colleagues and their commitment to this process, professionalism and expertise. It seemed that the pandemic crisis stopped the world at times in 2020, but neither this slowed us down in our efforts to integrate two big systems. Because when you know where you are going, you can clearly see the road ahead. The ideal joining of values, the combination of techni-

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OTP banka is a market leader with 16.9% of market share in the loan segment, and the second largest bank in terms of asset size with a total of EUR 5.3 billion

cal sophistication, top customer experience and tradition represents a synergy of the best solutions of two major banking brands", stated Predrag Mihajlovic, President of the Executive Board of OTP banka Srbija. “This integration is a milestone in the history of OTP Group. We have expanded throughout the region both organically and via acquisitions, and as a result of our growth strategy OTP is not only present in eleven countries, but we are a market leader in Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and Montenegro, and a play key role in several other markets. We are proud of this achievement and OTP Group is keen to contribute to the long term success of the Serbian economy and the well being of Serbian society. Our regional expansion strategy is recently recognized by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2021, as OTP Group was named the best bank in Central and Eastern Europe. I am proud that Euromoney, which has run the awards since 1995, pointed out that our Group was the only bank in the region to post a double digit return on equity and had an impressive 9% growth in the loan portfolio, all while completing two complex merger processes including the one in Serbia” - said Mr. László Wolf, Chairman of the Board of Directors of OTP banka Srbija and Deputy CEO of OTP Bank. The new OTP banka opened its doors

to its clients with a significantly enriched offer - new welcome packages, representing a diverse offer with a wide choice of benefits and focus on enhancing digital banking. Clients have the following at their disposal: online cash loan and automatic overdraft renewal, online purchase of travel-health insurance, online standing order and direct debit activation, early credit card debt repayment, but numerous benefits for our card holders as well, using the phone as a card (with mCard and ApplePay), P2P payment and transferring funds to private individuals by e-mail and phone, and a lot more. OTP Leasing Srbija, a leader in the leasing market of Serbia by production, also operates within OTP Group, as well as OTP Insurance, which provides life insurance services. OTP banka remains a loyal longterm partner to the Olympic Committee of Serbia and is fully supporting Olympic athletes representing Serbia at the current Olympic Games in Tokyo. In order to provide better conditions for athletes, OTP banka has enabled a part of the funds to be invested in the sports investment fund from each transaction with the Visa Gold Olympic credit card at the expense of the bank. Through the 5th Generator project this year the Bank will support social entrepreneurship and those who care about ecology and environmental protection.

H U NG A RY

External Trade Between Serbia and Hungary On the Up In 2020, the total external trade with Hungary amounted to 1,943.8 million euro, which is 10.3 percent more than in the same period in 2019

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rade between Serbia and Hungary has been continuously growing, as are Hungarian investments in Serbia. Hungary is also Serbia's third most important external trade partner in the EU. According to the data collated by the State Bureau of Statistics, in the period from January to March 2021, the total external trade in goods with Hungary amounted to 530.6 million euro, which is a 7.3 percent increase compared to the same period in 2020. Total exports in the same period amounted to 245.1 million euro, an increase of 28.5 percent, while total imports amounted to 285.5 million euro, a decrease of about 6 percent. The external trade deficit, in the period from January to March 2021, dropped by 64.2% and amounted to 40.4 million euro. The export to import ratio in the same period was 85.9 percent, which is 23 percentage points more than in the period from January to March 2020.

ECONOMIC COOPERATION BETWEEN SERBIA AND HUNGARY IN 2020

According to the data of the State Bureau of Statistics, in 2020, the total external trade in goods with Hungary amounted to 1,943.8 million euro, which is 10.3 percent more than in the same period in 2019. Total exports in the period from January to December 2020 increased by 8.5 percent and amounted to 805 million euro, while total imports amounted to 1,138.8 million euro, which is an increase of 11.7 percent relative to the same period in 2019. The external trade deficit in 2020 was 333.8 million euro (a 20 percent

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increase). The export to import, in the January - December 2020 period, was 70.7% (a 2 percent decline relative to the same period in 2019), Serbia's mostly exported the following products to Hungary in 2020 - sets of ignition wires, other sets for vehicles, new tires for passenger cars, parts for piston engines for ignition using spark plugs, pipes and hoses. Also, in the same year, Serbia mostly imported the following products from Hungary - goods unclassified in the customs tariff register, gas oils for non-standard purposes (S = <0.001%, without biodiesel), medicine for retail and others.

COMPANIES IN SERBIA WHICH ARE MAJORITYOWNED BY HUNGARIAN NATIONALS

According to the data collated by the Business Registers Agency of the Republic of Serbia, there are 635 active companies registered on the territory of the Republic of Serbia which are majority-owned by the Hungarian nationals, i.e. legal entities registered in Hungary. When it comes to the economic branches, as part of the plastics and plastic product category, products used for transport of packing of goods would be interesting to pay more attention to when talking about the prospect of improving the external trade balance of the Republic of Serbia with Hungary. In 2019, Hungary imported 158-millioneuro-worth of these products from Serbia, as well as 61.4-million-euro worth of self-adhesive plates, sheets, films, etc. made of plastic. Regarding the Furniture product group, the

There are 635 active companies registered on the territory of the Republic of Serbia which are majorityowned by the Hungarian nationals

most interesting product is seats, including those that can be converted into beds. In 2019, Hungary imported 160 and 21-million-euro worth of these furniture products respectively. In regard to the paper and cardboard product group, Hungary mostly imported toilet and similar paper, as well as corrugated paper and cardboard from Serbia. Other rubber products, as well as car tires, have been identified as promising products that can be used to improve the cooperation between Serbia and Hungary. There is also potential for the export of copper pipes, flatrolled non-alloy steel products and iron or steel pipe fittings. Pastries, cakes and biscuits, but also pork also have great export potential, as does malt-derived beer. In order to increase Serbian exports to Hungary, as well as to balance out the existing trade, Serbia should focus more on the segment of infrastructure, more precisely on the reconstruction of the Budapest-Belgrade railway, financed by a loan granted by the Chinese fund for CEEC, then on the longterm forms of cooperation, investments, production cooperations, etc. Serbia should also intensify the cooperation in promising sectors, as well as have a more active export strategy, among other things through appearances at the most important trade fairs in Hungary, as well as at specialized exhibitions that would present selected branches of our economy. Economic and trade relations with Hungary, which remains a strategic partner of Serbia both politically and economically, have significant prospects for growth and mutual benefit.

Customers are the Focus of Everything We Do During the previous year, which brought challenges in all fields, we have opened five new service stations, and we are planning to maintain a similar progress this year as well

that, it is important to work on building a team that is ready to respond to all challenges. That is why one of my priorities is to invest in people, in a top-grade team of professionals who recognize MOL Serbia as an employer that helps their professional development and appreciates the commitment to mutual success.

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OL Serbia appointed Milenko Janković as the new CEO in April this year. Mr. Janković has more than 20 years of experience in various management positions. We talked with Mr. Janković about the successful results of MOL and further goals of managing this company.

After 20 years of experience in various managerial positions, you came to the position of CEO at MOL Serbia. On what principles do you base your business attitude and what goals have you set for yourself in the new position? — Customers are the focus of everything we do. By expanding the network and increasing the number of stations, we strive to get closer to them and offer them our products and services. In five years, I would like to increase significantly the number of locations and stations, which will provide us one of the leading positions on the market. MOL Group's 2030+ Shape Tomorrow Strategy defines the goal we are aspiring for - to become a digitally oriented leader in the consumer goods retail and a provider of innovative mobility services. In order to achieve

MILENKO JANKOVIĆ CEO at MOL Serbia

Our goal is to offer customers high quality fuel that will contribute to the preservation of the engine and its extended service life

One of the main goals of MOL Serbia is to expand the retail network. What has been done so far, and what is planned for the future? — Serbia is an important market for MOL and in accordance with that, we are looking for opportunities for further growth and expansion of the retail network. During the previous year, which brought challenges in all fields, we have opened five new service stations, and we are planning to maintain a similar progress this year as well. The first in a series of stations we have opened this year was in Temerin. The company has begun to transform its service stations six years ago based on the Fresh Corner concept. How much has this concept contributed to the quality and integrity of the services, but also to customer satisfaction? — Refuelling is only one part of the service that customers expect at the service station. What customers state as their expectations based on our research include also pleasant atmosphere, top quality service, as well as additional facilities such as - a terrace, children's corner, and an offer of warm meals. First Fresh Corner has been opened at our service station Horgoš 2, five years ago, and today we have 27 Fresh

Corners in the MOL Serbia network. In accordance with the 2030+ Strategy, our idea is to further develop this concept in Serbia with additional enhancement of the offer in order to become the number one choice for customers. As a part of the regional network, Fresh Corner has brought top quality service that is common to all our facilities, with an offer customized to the local tastes. Customers can enjoy quality coffee, fresh hot dogs, sandwiches, pastries, or take a break at our highway stations and try one of the warm dishes. It can be read on various forums that customers state that MOL fuel is of exceptional quality, and given that fuel plays a key role in preserving the functionality and efficiency of the engine, what makes MOL fuel so high quality? — Engine reliability, longer service life and quality fuel are extremely important to our customers. That is why we are constantly working on improving MOL EVO and EVO Plus fuels, as well as the MOL EVOTECH formula, which we have enriched with additional amounts of additives. Our goal is to offer customers high quality fuel that will contribute to the preservation of the engine and its extended service life. MOL EVO and EVO Plus fuels which are offered at our service stations come from MOL Group refineries. That gives our customers additional security when it comes to the product quality. The customers recognize the quality of our fuels and we are proud of that. The strategic goal set by the long-term Strategy of the MOL Group 2030+ is to sell kilometres instead of liters and be ready to expand the offer with alternative fuels.

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H U NG A RY by ŽIKICA MILOŠEVIĆ

ECONOM Y

Stable Central European Pillar Economy on several ”legs”

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nce upon a time, Austro-Hungary had one of the ten most powerful economies in the world. It was a superpower into which money and culture simply flowed. Independent Hungary inherited a lot, but it also lost a lot, and yet it never left the top of Europe. After losing 600,000 people and a huge part of its industry after the Second World War, it entered the SEV, where it was one of the best countries. Then, the country embarked on a transition, from which it emerged victorious, but somewhat bruised. The strong Hungarian national and community spirit helped a lot in this. It is interesting to note that, unlike some other countries, Hunga-

ry has a very complex economy. Instead of relying mainly on services, the robust Hungarian economy also relies on strong agriculture, industry, oil fields and tourism, and thus, as a mixed economy with high income, is ranked the 9th most complex economy according to the index of economic complexity. That is, Hungary’s economic “table has many steady legs." Also, Hungary, along with Poland, did not accept the euro as its official currency and thus has a greater opportunity to influence fiscal flows. Hungary is a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), has a very high human development index, a skilled workforce, and the 13th lowest in-

The Hungarian economy will only show its strength in the second half of this decade, when, according to IMF estimates, it will become a serious competitor to many "old" EU members

with 20%. Due to this orientation, Hungary is still one of the leading countries in Central and Eastern Europe for attracting foreign direct investments: FDI in the country amounted to 119.8 billion dollars in 2015, while Hungary has invested more than 50 billion dollars abroad. Since 2015, Hungary's key trading partners have been Germany, Austria, Romania, Slovakia, France, Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic, and more recently Croatia and Serbia. Major industries include food processing, pharmaceuticals, motor vehicles, information technology, chemicals, metallurgy, machinery, electrical goods and tourism (Hungary had 12.1 million international tourists in 2014). Hungary is the largest producer of electronics in Central and Eastern Europe. Ferenc Liszt Airport is the main flight hub of Central Europe, and the automotive and electronics industries are the flagships of the economy. In the last 20 years, Hungary has also grown into a major mobile technology, information security and related hardware research centre. Well-known Hungarian companies include MOL Group, OTP Bank, Gedeon Richter Plc., Magyar Telekom, CIG

Pannonia, FHB Bank and Zwack Unicum, many of which operate in Serbia too. The German Mittelstand was also well-received in Hungary, and Hungary has a large number of specialized small and medium-sized enterprises. When Yugoslavia "abdicated" from the world stage in 1991, Hungary stepped on it. It is no wonder that most of the world's companies today are based in this alpha city, which is the second fastest-growing urban economy in Europe. Trianon and the change of borders have made the once divided state very centralized: at the national level, Budapest is the capital of Hungary for business, as it generates up 39% of the national income. It is also a global metropolis. In the ranking of global competitiveness of cities by the EIU, Budapest is, among others, ranked above Tel Aviv, Lisbon, Moscow and Johannesburg. All in all, conservative and cautious, and always looking to the future, just like the Hungarians themselves, the Hungarian economy will only show its strength in the second half of this decade, when, according to IMF estimates, it will become a serious competitor to many "old" EU members.

come inequality in the world. Probably, the egalitarian Hungarian spirit would not allow for greater differences. Today, the Hungarian economy is only the 57th largest economy in the world and ranks 40th in the world in terms of GDP per capita, measured by purchasing power parity, but for a country with such a small population, this is a great success. Hungary has an export-oriented market economy with a strong emphasis on external trade; thus, the country is the 35th largest export economy in the world. Hungarians like to spend money on their families. Household consumption is a major component of GDP and accounts for 50% of its total value, followed by gross fixed capital formation with 22% and government expenditure

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H U NG A RY by ŽIKICA MILOŠEVIĆ

Spa Culture

The Bonvivents in Healthy Water

CUSTOMS

hey say that the ancient Romans had a tradition of enjoying thermal baths for good health and that this tradition was continued by the Eastern Romans - the Byzantines, and later, on the same land, by the Turks. It makes sense! However, very few tourists expect to find such a wealth of spas and such a love for the spa in Hungary, of all places. And that's exactly what's happening here!

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

The Roman Empire was large, and on its periphery, there was a province called Pannonia, which covered approximately half of present-day Hungary.

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The Romans discovered many good baths, the gift of the old and never completely diminished Pannonian Sea. Then the Slavs and the Germans move to the area, followed by the Hungarians in the 9th century, and several other nations that will merge with them. They all continued the tradition of building a balanced life and maintaining health thanks to the use of spas and thermal baths. Although the Hungarians were steppe people, they quickly got used to the benefits of spas. The key to Hungarian spa culture lies in its location in the Carpathian Basin, that is, the central part of the Pannonian Plain. Geology makes all the difference here - the Earth's crust is very thin here, and that allows water

The Roman Empire was large, and on its periphery, there was a province called Pannonia, which covered approximately half of presentday Hungary

to easily rise to the surface and break through the thin layer that separates groundwater from the ground. Then, it starts to boil, produces bubbles, and makes people happy. From ancient times, and throughout Hungary’s history, the hot water that was released throughout this region has been used well for its beneficial effects. The ancient Romans appreciated the healing effects of Hungarian thermal waters and developed a bathing culture in Hungary more than 2,000 years ago, as we have already mentioned. There is also a link to the famous Turkish hammams. Although many peoples in the region boast that they were not conquered by the Ottomans, this is simply not true. The Hungarians are ready

and proud to say that Hungary was part of the Ottoman Empire for about 150 years and that during the Turkish occupation in the 16th century, the Turks brought their beautiful Turkish baths, some of which are still in use today.

HOW MANY OF THEM ARE THERE?

More than enough, not only to live healthily thanks to them but also to set up businesses based on them. Hungary is home to more thermal springs than any other place in the world – they have more than 1,000 of them. All this has resulted in very beautiful and historical spas located in lovely buildings and adorned with attractive architec-

ture. From ancient times, Hungarian springs have attracted some of the most famous people in the world. They say that it all started with Emperor Marcus Aurelius, but the famous Hungarian acting star Zsa Zsa Gabor was also known to use them. Mórahalom, and earlier, Harkány, which is located in the region of Baranya, not far from Pecs, are the two most popular spas with the Serbs. Since the discovery of water with medicinal properties 150 years ago, the number of tourists visiting the Harkany Spa has reached one million people a year. Harkany is one of the city’s most famous spas; a lot of places for accommodation and recreation have been

Imagine swimming in something that resembles a castle or a fortress from the Middle Ages. That’s the kind of experience that spas in Budapest and Gyula will give you

built around it, and it is also popular for treating rheumatism. The Szent Erzsebet spa is located in Mórahalom, and it has four wells with healing water (Arpad, Erzsebet, Szent László and Mátyás). The spa water is used to treat gynaecological diseases, abrasive and inflammatory diseases of the joints, problems with the spine and muscle rheumatism, so it is rightly called the "the knee and shoulder centre”. Visit Hungary advises that we should also visit Gyula, as one of the most beautiful spas. "Further south, the unique Castle Baths in Gyula are set around a medieval fortress, the spa converted into a recreational area in 1970, 450 years after the Turks bathed here,” the website says. However, spas in Budapest are the biggest hit with tourists and locals. The Széchenyi Spa, which is the largest in Europe, has two thermal springs, with water temperatures ranging from 74°C to 77°C. This spa is the most popular because it is the most beautiful - it is located in the City Park and was built in the Neo-Baroque style. Imagine swimming in something that resembles a castle! People frolic and play chess here. Of course, there is also the Gellért Spa, built in the Art Nouveau style, and is part of the famous Gellért Hotel in Buda. The list goes on and goes because Hungary is rife with beautiful spas like Egerszalok, with cascading pools as in Pamükkale. Hungary is spa heaven and spas are definitely part of Hungarian culture and national customs.

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H U NG A RY by ŽIKICA MILOŠEVIĆ

Sziget Festival

C U LT U R E

Role model for everyone

irst, it was Sziget, then came Exit and then INmusic. The three festivals followed in the footsteps of each other. But, the first in our part of the world was Sziget - monumental, set in Pannonian plains, Budapestian, Danubian, often identified with daylight. The Sziget Festival or literally "The Island Festival" ("Sziget" means “island” in Hungarian) is one of the larg-

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est music and cultural festivals in Europe. It takes place every August in northern Budapest, Hungary, on Obudai-sziget ("The Old Budim Island"), a green island on the Danube. spanning 108 hectares. More than 1,000 concerts are held here every year. In addition to music, the festival offers many other activities, including cinema, dancing, theatre, tattooing, Internet access, volleyball, tennis, football,

Sziget is back on in 2002, in all of its glory, when it will again offer a “dream team” to regional giggoers

indoor rowing, rock climbing, bungee jumping and life-size soccer. The island is located in the city of Budapest, and festival visitors can take daily trips to the city centre. While we, in Serbia, were languishing under sanctions, in the 1990s, Hungary was opening up to the world. Like Exit 2000, Sziget 1993 was a student event that did not receive much attention at first. Its evolution is also interesting - the next year, in 1994, it was named Eurowoodstock, and it featured performers from the original Woodstock. It did not resemble today’s Sziget one iota. But then the madness started... By 1997, total attendance exceeded 250,000, reaching the number of 496,000 visitors from 95 countries in 2016 (daily capacity increased to

90,000). That record was once broken in 2019, when 565,000 visitors attended the festival. Since the mid-2000s, the Sziget Festival has been increasingly referred to as a European alternative to the Burning Man Festival due to its unique features ("electronically amplified, a distorted amusement park that has nothing to do with reality"). Although, it seems that the organizers carefully observed the English Glastonbury, and subsequently managed to make "Eastern Glastonbury" out of Sziget.

And while Exit soon reduced its duration from initial 9 days to 4, like most festivals in the world, Sziget continued with its neverending party which, to this day, lasts 7 days. Most of the visitors are not Hungarians though. They come from Serbia, Ukraine, Central and Eastern Europe, but perhaps mostly from Western Europe. In 2011, The Independent ranked Sziget as one of the top 5 festivals in Europe. The festival is a two-time winner of the European Festival Awards in the Best Major European Festival category, in 2011

In 2002, Sziget branched out into Transylvania when its organizers co-created a new annual festival called the Félsziget Fesztival

and 2014. It also has a dedicated "party train" service (with resident DJs) that transports festival visitors from all over Europe. Like Exit, Sziget expanded long before. In 2002, Sziget branched out into Transylvania when its organizers co-created a new annual festival called the Félsziget Fesztival (Romanian: Festivalul Peninsula), which soon became the largest of its kind in Romania. In 2007, the organizers jointly created Balaton Sound, an electronic music festival held on the south coast of Lake Balaton that quickly gained popularity. While others always tried to be, like Iznogoud, "a caliph in place of a caliph" and become "Sziget in place of Sziget", the festival was always ahead of them. Sziget always knew how to create a perfect middle ground between the alternative, the mainstream and electronics, satisfying everyone's tastes. Thoughtful and balanced, it became almost ideal. In 2021, like in 2020, due to the still uncertain situation with the Covid-19 pandemic and the fact that most visitors could not come, the festival did not take place unfortunately although Hungary has had a really good epidemiological situation. However, Sziget is back on in 2002, in all of its glory, when it will again offer a “dream team” to regional gig-goers. Let's remain nostalgic this August and come next year, let's enjoy Sziget 2022.

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H U NG A RY by ŽIKICA MILOŠEVIĆ

TOURISM

Lake Balaton

Welcome to the Hungarian Sea!

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uring the Habsburg Monarchy, spas and lakes were as popular as the sea, if not more so. There were no planes to fly you there, so every trip was an adventure. Lake Balaton was conveniently located right in the heart of the K. und K. monarchy and Hungary - which made it a hit destination at the time. And not only at that time... Many Yugoslavs, especially from Slovenia, Croatia and Vojvodina, liked to spend their summer vacations on Lake Balaton, during the socialist era. It was an adventure abroad, financially affordable and exotic. "Let's go to the 'Hungar-

ian Sea'!" - exclaimed the children excitedly in the 1980s. Indeed, after Hungary lost its access to the Adriatic Sea 100 years ago, Lake Balaton was and remains the closest seaside atmosphere in this part of the world, without it being located on the seaside. If you feel like you are at sea on lakes Ohrid, Doiran or Prespa, then you can imagine how a person feels on this, many times larger lake. Today, in an era of travel restrictions, various certificates that we need to have to cross borders and the risk of contracting viruses, the Hungarians have rediscovered "their little sea". In 2020, when the Serbs discovered lakes

of railways in 1861 and 1909 significantly boosted tourism, but the post-war boom of the 1950s was even greater. During the 1960s and 1970s, Lake Balaton became a major tourist destination thanks to focused government efforts, with the number of overnight stays at local hotels and camps went up from 700,000 in July 1965 to two million in July 1975. With weekend visitors to the region, including tens of thousands from Budapest, the number exceeded 600,000 by 1975. The lake was popular with everyday working-class Hungarians, especially for subsidized holiday trips for trade union members. It also attracted many East Germans and other residents of the East Bloc, including the Yugoslavs. West Germans could also visit, making Lake Balaton a common gathering place for families and friends separated by the Berlin Wall until 1989. For the Austrians, it was a close alternative to the sea.

NOW WHEN, NOW WHAT? Siófok, Keszthely and Balatonfüred are the main resorts situated around the lake. However, others have something to offer too. Zamárdi, a town on the south coast, has been the site of Balaton Sound, a major electronic music festival since 2007. The town of Balatonkenese has hosted a number of traditional gastronomic events. Siófok is

known for having big and interesting nightclubs, so it is, rightfully so, very popular with young people. Keszthely is the site of the palace of the Counts of Festetics, and Balatonfüred is a historic city. If you doubt the attractiveness of this city, just remember that Rabindranath Tagore, a famous Bengali poet, who went for medical treatments to Novi Sad’s Jodna Banja (The Iodine Spa), also stayed there. Today, there is an entire promenade dedicated to the famous Indian. Also, the famous actress Louise Blach had a house there, which is still dedicated to her. The peak tourist season extends from early June to late August. The average water temperature during the summer is 25°C, which is the same as any warmer sea. Most beaches consist of grass, rocks or muddy sand, which also forms most of the lake’s bottom. Many resorts have artificial sandy beaches, and all beaches have a small staircase that leads you into the water. At some parts of the lake, you could have sworn you are at the seaside. Other tourist attractions include sailing, fishing and water sports, as well as visits to the countryside and hills, wineries on the north coast and nightlife on the south coast. If you like two-wheelers, the lake is almost completely surrounded by separate cycling tracks to facilitate cycling tourism.

Pačir, Golubac or Neum, the Hungarians rushed to the shores of the magnificent lake, which fell into oblivion somewhat.

A TOUCH OF HISTORY There is no valid reason why this lake should fall into oblivion. Several settlements on Lake Balaton, including Balatonfüred and Hévíz, have long been some of the favourite resorts of the Hungarian aristocracy and were widely popular as Karlsbad or Marienbad. However, it was not until the end of the 19th century that the Hungarian middle class began to vacation on the lake since the middle class did not use carriages very often. The construction

If you doubt the attractiveness of Lake Balaton, remember that Rabindranath Tagore stayed there

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40 Years of Modern Tourism on Kopaonik How the most famous Grand Hotel has changed the image of the destination over four decades or 40 years in the heart of the Silver Mountain lies its pearl - the largest and most famous - the Grand Hotel. This pride of the Serbian hotel industry and a status symbol for generations is an inseparable part of their family memories, a witness to meetings and partings, first ski steps, growing up, making acquaintances, closing business deals, adventures and enjoyment. An ideal starting point for an unforgettable day on skis, indulging in the experience of Kopaonik and a time to remember. Today, Kopaonik can boast the fact that it is a counterpart to developed European mountain destinations that successfully follow in the footsteps with their facilities and offer. Along the way, the Grand Hotel has always played a driving role, dictating trends and continuously investing in new facilities and service. We are witnessing the rapid development and progress of this destination, not only in the winter months, but also in the segment of summer tourism where MK Resort and Grand Hotel for years now have played a crucial role in promoting Kopaonik, investing great efforts in popularizing natural values and attractions of this mountain, promotion of active vacation and stay in nature and advocating for the development of tourist infrastructure and sustainable development. The era of modern tourism on Kopaonik began in 1980, when the then Government of the SFRY launched a project for the development of the Kopaonik area, after the devastating earthquake that hit this region. Only a year later, the Karavan Hotel was built - today's Grand Hotel, which opened the door to fashionable, and above all ski tourism, which until then had been shyly present thanks to young enthusiasts and mountaineering associations. In the same year, the Assembly of Serbia declared a part of Kopaonik a National Park, and the International Ski Federation granted this mountain the status of an In-

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THIS YEAR, INSEPARABLE FROM EACH OTHER, BOTH THE GRAND HOTEL AND THE KOPAONIK NATIONAL PARK, CELEBRATE 40 YEARS OF EXISTENCE AND 40 YEARS OF MODERN TOURISM ON THIS MOUNTAIN ternational Ski Center. Although the Grand Hotel has always been ahead of its time, in 2008, with the privatization by MK Group, it gained its new shine and became the hotel we know today. Thanks to capital investments and efficient business strategy, with the application of world standards, the entire hotel complex with the leading Grand Hotel was revitalized in a short time, and the destination itself was returned to the map of the most popular ski

centers in the region. The Grand still retains its authenticity and charm, although it was built in the original "Kopaonik architectural style" which includes construction adapted to climatic and landscape conditions and folk tradition, but also a humane and pleasant ambience that cultivates the values of traditionally warm hospitality. The soul of the hotel has always been its guests and legendary caterers who welcomed the most fa-

mous people of their time from public life, art, culture, entertainment, sports, politics, diplomacy and the clergy, along with many domestic and foreign guests. As the epicenter of social life on the mountain, the Grand Hotel is the initiator and host of many events and manifestations such as Ski Opening, Music Week, Kopaonik Business Forum, Kopaonik School of Natural Law, which are now traditionally held on Kopaonik. Grand's premises have always been ideal scenery for grand celebrations, and often the guests themselves were able to create an atmosphere to remember for all visitors. In the year when it celebrates 40 years, the Grand Hotel will mark the jubilee important for both Kopaonik and Serbian tourism in the best possible way. The new hotel will shine in a new edition at the beginning of the winter season, thanks to a capital investment worth 20 million euros, which will provide a completely new luxury atmosphere for all visitors, as well as new facilities. In the same way that the fashionable charm intertwines with the "pulse" of the mountain, so the traditional hospitality of the most famous hotel on Kopaonik will be embraced by a refined and luxurious approach to the new needs of the guests.

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Novi Sad Fair - a Symbol of the City of Novi Sad In the period from 2014 to 2019, we managed not only to stabilize the Fair’s operations but also to generate additional income of around 1.5 million euros per year

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SLOBODAN CVETKOVIĆ MBA, Director-General and Chairman of Executive Board of Novi Sad Fair

he coronavirus pandemic has strongly affected operations of the event industry and has led to the cancellation of numerous fairs, as well as changes in how fairs operate. However, despite the new circumstances, the Serbian government’s Crisis Response Unit has given the Novi Sad Fair permission to hold fairs in the period from 18 to 24 September, namely the 88th International Agricultural Fair, 53rd International Hunting and Fishing Fair and Ecology Fair. We talked with the Novi Sad Fair’s Director-General, Slobodan Cvetković, MBA, about how the Fair adjusted its business during the pandemic, but also about the events they will organize in the upcoming period.

You have been at the helm of the Novi Sad Fair since 2014. What results would you especially like to single out during these past seven years? — Being the director of the Novi Sad Fair for seven years is a short and a long period, in a way. The difficult situation we encountered in 2014, namely laying off workers and the practical reengineering of all existing fair events posed a great challenge. During this period, we worked on stabilizing the company and introducing, devising and holding new events. We listened carefully to the needs of our clients and took into account the best interests of Novi Sad, the Province and of course, the state. We have intensified cooperation with diplomatic missions, by, among other things, organizing special events and creating opportunities to meet such organizing the Diplomacy Day, with the view of establishing new and boosting the existing relations, but also to bringing in new foreign partners, such as those from Israel, Tunisia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Chi-

THE NOVI SAD FAIR IS ALSO A COMMUNICATION INTERFACE, NOT ONLY FOR BUSINESS BUT ALSO FOR CULTURE na, Egypt and Morocco, who will participate in this year’s fairs. We have expanded our cooperation to include event-organizing companies. We have implemented several good ideas together by adding more dates to our fair calendar and using spacious fair premises that were re-functioned and re-purposed. I would like to mention a few of these events the Novi Sad Oktoberfest, the Beekeeping Fair of the Danube Region, Auto-Moto Exchange, and the Milling and Baking Days conference and fair.

The coronavirus pandemic, in particular, has affected those fairs that gather a large number of people. How did the pandemic affect the Novi Sad Fair’s operations and results? How did you adjust your programme during the pandemic? — I will follow up on the answer to the previous question in which I briefly described the development path and the crisis management until 2019. Following the onset of the coronavirus epidemic, we, as the Fair’s management, encountered a completely new

form of business crisis and a set of limitations created by the new situation, as well as the absence of classic management tools because these new challenges had not been analyzed so far, especially in the event industry. This was a second crisis during my term in the office, considering that, in the period from 2014 to 2019, we managed not only to stabilize the Fair’s operations but also to generate additional income of about 1.5 million euros a year. This gave us vitality and stability. We started the first pandemic year in good condition, i.e. have 1 million euros in our foreign currency account and managing a balanced business without the need to borrow money. Regardless of all the aforementioned, the coronavirus has created extraordinary challenges for us and our business, which we definitely could not have imagined even in our wildest dreams. After taking out a loan in order to help our company to function normally, we focused on online formats as the only available market space at that time, which meant that we could continue working and remain a communication channel where supply and demand meet. We saw the new reality as a challenge that prompted us to change our business model and adapt to the situation. Hence, we created a bilingual platform called ExpoOnline.rs, for business connections, meetings and dissemination of information and knowledge, thus strengthening old and establishing new connections in cyberspace. The pandemic, but also the fast development of new technologies, have contributed to their greater application and faster introduction into business. To what extent does the Novi Sad Fair use new technologies in its activities? — As a company, the Novi Sad Fair adapted relatively quickly to the new circumstances, using out-

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sourcing as the only shortcut in overcoming the gap in the new technological environment. However, this does not apply to all our employees and reduced employee operability could prove to be a problem. If the business environment continues to be oriented towards virtual business, we will have a surplus of workers because part of the activities related to the real business will disappear, and there will be no space for them in the new business environment because they have not mastered the new skills and knowledge required to solve business tasks. However, with agile and vigilant management, the company will quickly meet all the requirements to keep its business stable for a foreseeable future. The Novi Sad - European Capital of Culture Foundation and the Novi Sad Fair have recently signed a cooperation agreement. What does this agreement include and imply? — In addition to all the details related to the joint project, the agreement stipulates that the Novi Sad Fair is also a communication interface, not only for business but also for culture, and as such, is an ideal place through which to communicate with various members of the public. We are participating in this project as one of the most recognizable symbols of Novi Sad. We have signed this agreement to successfully implement activities related to the Migration programme. We are talking about an innovative book fair that will include numerous performances, theatre plays concerts and other programmes thematically integrated into one of the eight programme arches the

Novi Sad - European Capital of Culture Foundation. The International Agricultural Fair is your trump card, which will be held for the 88th time. What are visitors going to see at

ical circumstances, we decided to keep all the segments that we had in previous years and add an online format. I have to mention the largest National Exhibition of Livestock that will take place this year too.

IN ADDITION TO THE AGRICULTURAL FAIR, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE FROM SEPTEMBER 18 TO 24, WE PLAN TO HOLD THE 53RD INTERNATIONAL HUNTING AND FISHING FAIR AND THE ECOLOGY FAIR AT THE SAME TIME the Fair this year? — This year will certainly be a test for everybody who organizes fairs in the so-called hybrid format, but with an emphasis on a realistic fair. Being mindful of the challenges of holding a fair in both outdoor and indoor venues, as well as specialized and business events, but also catering to visitors in the new epidemiolog-

The Novi Sad Fair has announced that it will revert to organizing events in the traditional way as of this autumn if the circumstances allow it. What are your plans for the rest of 2021? — In addition to the Agricultural Fair, which will take place from September 18 to 24, we plan to hold the 53rd International Hunting and Fishing Fair and the Ecol-

ogy Fair at the same time. We have received permission from the Government of the Republic of Serbia’s Crisis Response Unit for doing this, and we are planning to hold these events while adhering to necessary health protocols, such as those applied at the recently held Exit Festival, as well as all measures and protocols determined by the Crisis Response Unit, so that we can make the event can be safe for all exhibitors and visitors. We have the support of the Czech Republic, which is our partner country, Generali Osiguranje Serbia (our general sponsor) and Al Dahra (the gold sponsor and donors of our competition prizes). Both domestic and foreign exhibitors have expressed great interest in the Agricultural Fair which will feature collective exhibitions of the Czech Republic, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Hungary, the Republic of Srpska, Belarus, Russia and Poland. Due to the epidemiological situation, we are cautiously optimistic, but also ready for a reduced number of visitors and people getting used to the new protocols that are important for life and work in the current environment. The beginning of September is reserved for the Auto-Moto Exchange, an event which we co-organize, and the EV Days fair and conference dedicated to electric mobility, which is a new global technological solution for transporting people and goods. BalCCon - Balkan Computer Congress is planned for October, as is the Conference of the Seed Producer Association of Serbia and the Homeland Fair. In November, we are going to hold the Serbia Hair Fair.

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Turkish and Serbian Medical Systems Acibadem and Bel Medic Merge The strategic merger of two strong brands such as Acibadem and Bel Medic will bring global medicine closer to the people in Serbia and positively contribute to the Serbian economy ollowing the signing of a contract, the integration of two large medical systems became official in Belgrade on July 16th. Turkey’s Acibadem, one of the largest hospital chains in the world, and Bel Medic, a reputable Serbian private hospital have merged. The contract was signed by the owners and founders of Bel Medic, Jasmina and Milan Knežević and the owner and founder of Acibadem, Mr Mehmet Ali Aydınlar. Thus, Acibadem became the majority owner of Bel Medic, the leading private health institution in Serbia with a 26-year-long tradition. In the future, Bel Medic will operate under the name Acıbadem Bel Medic, while Dr Jasmina Knežević remains its co-owner and director-general. The Acibadem Health Group operates under the world's second-largest hospital chain, IHH. Serbian patients have already had positive experiences with the Acibadem health system, which is also known for its top-notch medical services that focuses on the patient and their complete satisfaction with the services rendered. Dr Jasmina Knežević, founder and director-general of Bel Medic, expressed her satisfaction with Bel Medic becoming a partner to a chain of world-class hospitals. “This is a new beginning and great success for Bel Medic, and we will all progress together. We want to make medicine and Bel

THE ACIBADEM HEALTHCARE GROUP HAS BEEN OPERATING IN TURKEY SINCE 1991, WHILE BEL MEDIC WAS FOUNDED IN 1995 BY DR JASMINA AND MILAN KNEŽEVIĆ AND IS A LEADER IN THE PRIVATE HEALTH SECTOR IN SERBIA AND THE REGION Medic a success story that will benefit both patients and Serbia,” said Dr Jasmina Knezevic after signing the contract and added that one of the plans was to further educate the staff at the Acibadem educational centre and faculty. Acibadem’s owner and founder, Mehmet Ali Aydınla, said that that was an important move for everyone involved. He expressed

confidence that health services in Serbia would be raised to a much higher level thanks to the synergy that would be created following the integration of Acibadem with Bel Medic. “We worked hard to bring this story to life. The business will be managed by Ms Jasmina Knezevic, and we will help her improve Bel Medic to offer even better health services in Serbia. We

want healthcare in Serbia to progress and I am happy that we are becoming partners,” Mr Aydınla underlined and added that Dr Jasmina Knežević would continue working on improving Bel Medic. The strategic merger of two strong brands such as Acibadem and Bel Medic will bring global medicine closer to the people in Serbia and positively contribute to the Serbian economy. The Acıbadem Healthcare Group has been operating in Turkey since 1991. The system operates globally in Northern Macedonia, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, and now in Serbia, and has 21 hospitals, 13 outpatient centres, over 4,200 beds, and more than 22,500 employees and 4,000 doctors. Bel Medic was founded in 1995 by Dr Jasmina and Milan Knežević and is a leader in the private health sector in Serbia and the region. Bel Medic is renowned for its top-quality health services and is accredited according to European standards. It includes a general and maternity hospital, an operating room, an angio-room, intensive care units and apartments, as well as four outpatient facilities. More than 800 doctors in Bel Medic are committed to providing health services to both children and adults 24/7, 365 days a year.

BUSINESS NEWS

IO TINTO COMMITS FUNDING FOR R JADAR PROJECT

Rio Tinto has committed $2.4 billion for the construction of a lithium borate mine and processing plant for the Jadar project in Loznica, one of the world’s largest greenfield lithium projects. The Jadar project is obliged to obtain all relevant approvals, permits and licenses and will continue to be implemented in cooperation with the local community, the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the non-governmental sector. Jadar will also be the largest mining-process investment in Serbia. The project has the potential to contribute 1% directly and 4% indirectly to Serbia’s GDP, including many Serbian suppliers during the mine construction phase. In the construction phase, the project will enable the creation of about 2,100 jobs, while in the work phase of the mine and the processing of mineral raw materials, 1,000 people will be employed. Approval of the environmental impact assessment study is necessary for the start of works, and the construction of the mine is planned to begin during 2022.

ULTIMA VEZ AT BITEF AGAIN

The 54th and 55th Bitef festival will be held 13–25 September 2021, in Belgrade, with the participation of leading global directors and choreographers from France,

I TALIA SOCCER CAMP FOR KIDS IS BACK IN BELGRADE

After a break in 2020 Italia Soccer Camp is back in Serbia! This sports event is intended for children aged 7 to 14 years and Banca Intesa, as a member of Intesa Sanpaolo Group, is the main partner of this project together with traditional partner DDOR osiguranje, a member of Unipol Group. The camp will provide for the 16th time its participants with a unique opportunity to learn about the skills and secrets of this sport by working with the best Italian coaches. A press conference was organized at the Banca Intesa HO to announce the sixth Italian Soccer Camp, with speakers such as: Vanja Udovičić, Minister for sport and youth in the Government of Serbia, H.E. Carlo Lo Cascio, Ambassador of the Republic of Italy to Serbia, Marco Elio Rottigni, Head of International Subsidiary Banks Division, Draginja Đurić,

President of the Executive Board of Banca Intesa, Giorgio Marchegiani, President of the Executive Board of DDOR Novi Sad, Marco Schembri, CEO of World Camp International Srl, the Italian company organizing the Camp and Alessandro Del Piero himself, the legendary Italian football player.

HE FIRST PRESENTATION OF JAPAN IN T SAKURA PARK

The Japanese Business Alliance in Serbia organized an extraordinary gathering in Sakura Park in Belgrade, presenting the specialities of Japanese gastronomy. The famous Japanese grilled speciality, Jakitori was prepared by the chef of the Japanese embassy, Mr. Otsuka, for numerous guests from economic and public life, which is the first time that this master chef prepares unique Japanese tastes for the public in Serbia. “Apart from merging the businesses of Japan and Serbia, JBAS is also actively promoting Japanese culture in our country, of which gastronomy is an integral and important part.” We are grateful to H.E. the Ambassador of Japan Takahiko Katsumata and the staff of the Embassy of Japan who supported this extraordinary culinary experience today,”, said Goran Pekez, President of the Japanese Business Alliance in Serbia.This is also the first presentation of Japan in Sakura Park in New Belgrade, a unique area where Japanese cherry trees in the form of Olympic circles were planted in April 2021 as a sign of eternal friendship between the two countries, donated to the city of Belgrade by JBAS members.

Belgium, Germany, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Iran, Austria, Mexico and Chile. The prominent authors who will present their works as part of the main programme include Thomas Ostermeier, Ersan Mondtag, Sebastian Horvat, Miloš Lolić, and others. One of the greatest stars of the festival is renowned Belgian choreographer Wim Vandekeybus, founder of the Ultima Vez company from Brussels, which has existed for already 35 years. Vandekeybus’ performance Traces will officially open the Bitef Festival, on September 15, on the Ljuba Tadić stage at the Yugoslav Drama Theatre. Due to the current epidemiological situation, reservations and sales of tickets for this year’s Bitef will start in the second half of August. Follow the Bitef website and social networks for more information.

UROBANK IN NEW E E-GOVERNMENT PROGRAM

Eurobank is participating in the program ‘My Data for Bank’ initiated by the eGovernment portal of the Republic of Serbia in cooperation with the Association of Serbian Banks. This project corresponds with Eurobank’s strategic focus on business digitalisation, representing an important step in the process of further connection and collaboration between the public administration and the private sector. Via

this program, citizens using the eGovernment services will be enabled to apply for a loan without validating a certificate of employment and income with their employer or the pension fund for pensioners, as well as to execute a lending product with a single visit to the bank. “I believe that the service ‘My Data for Bank’ will contribute to providing unique user experience to our clients, helping us make the processes even faster and more efficient’, said Slavica Pavlović, President of the Executive Board at Eurobank.

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PEOPLE & EVENTS

23 JUNE

With the traditional June Gathering of Managers, the Ser JUNE bian Association of Managers (SAM) began celebrating its GATHERING OF MANAGERS 15th anniversary. At the event, the SAM summed up the challenging year behind us, during which the Association actively supported its members and the business sector, continued

to contribute to the improvement of the business climate and remain a responsible partner to the state and the business community in finding efficient solutions for maintaining business operations and the number of employees. The SAM also announced the events and projects for this year.

Jelena Bulatović, Executive director of SAM

JUNE

AMBASSADORS VISIT THE FIRST COLONY OF ORDINARY AND GOLDEN EMBROIDERY IN INDJIJA

The first weaving colony, located in the village of Krčedin in the municipality of Indjija, presented its gold and white embroidery techniques, which are traditionally used on folk costumes, towels and handicrafts in the Srem region. Embroiderers from eight cities and municipalities in Serbia had the opportu-

Violeta Jovanović, NALED and wife of US Ambassador

Violeta Jovanović, Executive director of NALED

01 JULY

THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR TOURS HIDDEN ATTRACTIONS OF NOVI SAD ON BICYCLE

nity to showcase their skills in the colony. The Mayor of Indjija, Vladimir Gak, welcomed the representatives of the international community - the embassies of the United States, the Kingdom of Belgium, Canada, Mexico and Brazil – who visited the final event of the three-day weaving colony.

The British Embassy personnel visited Novi Sad for a few days as part of its PopUp Embassy project, during which visits to Niš and Valjevo are also planned. The British ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Sian MacLeod and the mayor of Novi Sad, Miloš Vučević, officially opened this "mobile embassy" at the Svilara Culture Centre and then proceeded to visit lesser-known parts of Novi Sad on a bike. The ambassador, the em-

bassy employees and several cyclists from Novi Sad visited the Kamenica Park, the Marcibanji-Karácsonyi mansion, Ribnjak, lesser-known parts of the Petrovaradin Fortress, an abandoned train tunnel under the fortress and the suburbs around the fortress. The British ambassador and her colleagues were pleasantly surprised by the beautiful parts of Novi Sad that they did not know about until now.

H.E. Sian MacLeod Photos: Mladen Sekulić

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PEOPLE & EVENTS

JUNE

INDONESIAN FESTIVAL

The Indonesian Crafts and Culture Exhibition was officially opened at the Belgrade City Library. At the opening ceremony, the Bidadari Dance Troupe, hired by of the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, performed several very inter-

esting and colourful Indonesian traditional dances accompanied by the kolintang musical instrument, which originates from the island of Sulawesi. The event took place at 56, Knez Mihailova Street, in front of the Belgrade City Library.

H.E. Mochammad Chandra Widya Yudha, Ambassador of Indonesia and H.E. Hyoung-chan CHOE, Korean Ambassador to Serbia

H.E. Mochammad Chandra Widya Yudha, Ambassador of Indonesia

JULY

US INDEPENDENCE DAY

A traditional reception at the residence of the American ambassador in the Belgrade neighbourhood of Dedinje was held in celebration of the US national holiday, Independence Day, in memory of July 4, 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was published in Philadelphia. The US Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Anthony Godfrey, said on the occasion, that, according to him, Serbia had no better friend than the United States. The reception, which Ambassador Godfrey hosted, was attended by the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, government members, church dignitaries, public figures and members of the diplomatic corps. The American ambassador underlined that 2021 was a challenging year for everyone, and especially for the United States, but that the 245-year-old democracy would come out of all that even stronger. He also said that Serbia was facing numerous challenges this year, adding that he was confident that the country would successfully overcome them with the help of the U.S. since it was in the United States’ best interest for Serbia to become a fully advanced democratic state. At the end of his speech, the Ambassador toasted with a shot of šljivovica (plum brandy) in honour of the 140 years of Serbian-American relations, which started with Serbia exporting plums to the United States.

H.E. Anthony Godfrey

H.E. Anthony Godfrey and Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia

Ana Brnabić, Prime minister, Maja Gojković, Minister of Culture and Information and H.E. Anthony Godfrey

US Ambassador to Serbia and Zorana Mihajlović, Minister of Mining and Energy

PEOPLE & EVENTS

07 JULY

CELEBRATION OF THE FRENCH NATIONAL HOLIDAY

The French national holiday is celebrated on July 14, and this year, it is marked with the slogan "conquer the future", which refers to the collective capacities of the French nation to overcome the difficulties related to the health crisis. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the French national holiday is marked by a traditional re-

H.E. Jean-Louis Falconi

21 JULY

THE EMBASSY OF BELGIUM IN BELGRADE CELEBRATES A NATIONAL HOLIDAY

H.E. Koenraad Adam with his wife

JULY

EGYPT'S NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATED

Darija Kisić Tepavčević, Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs, H.E. Jean-Louis Falconi and Zoran Radojičić, Mayor of Belgrade

The Ambassador of Belgium to Serbia, H.E. Koenraad Adam, hosted a reception in honour of the national holiday on July 21, the Day of the Statehood of Belgium. Belgium celebrates July 21st as its national holiday, in memory of the same date in 1831, when the independent Belgian state was

established. On that day, Leopold of Saxe-Coburg swore allegiance to the new Belgian Constitution and became King Leopold I of Belgium. The reception at the Belgian Embassy in Belgrade was attended by diplomatic representatives in Serbia and numerous public, political and cultural figures.

H.E. Sem Fabrizi Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia, H.E. Koenraad, Adam, H.E. Amr Aljowaily, Ambassador of Egypt, H.E. Raúl Bartolomé Molina, Ambassador of Spain and H.E. Mohammed Amine Belhaj, Moroccan Ambassador

On the occasion of the National Day of Egypt, the Egyptian Embassy in Belgrade and the National Library of Serbia staged an exhibition called "The Art of Calligraphy, Jewelry and Artifacts, from Ancient to Modern Egypt". The exhibition was officially opened with the anthems of Serbia and Egypt played, after which the Egyptian Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Amr Aljowaily, addressed the

President of the Justice and Reconciliation Party and academician, Muamer Zukorlić and Ivica Dačić, The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia

ception at the residence of the French Ambassador, H.E. Jean-Louis Falconi with a limited number of guests, representatives of the French community. Bilateral cooperation between Serbia and France draws strength from the 182-year-long history of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

H.E. Amr Aljowaily

guests and welcomed them to the celebration of the National Day of Egypt. The Ambassador said that choosing a Serbian national institution as a place to mark this day is symbolic and speaks of the strong friendship between the two countries. The reception was also attended by senior state officials, representatives of the Ministry of Defence, religious communities and the diplomatic corps.

H.E. Seyf Allah Rejeb, Ambassador of Tunisia, H.E. Abdelhamid Chebchoub, Ambassador of Algeria and H.E. Nada Al Akl, Ambassador of the Republic of Lebanon

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ANALYTICS

Photo: Đurađ Šimić

The Future of Giving Back Regulating Donation-Based Crowdfunding in Serbia BILJANA DAKIĆ ĐORĐEVIĆ

MILOŠ JANKOVIĆ

Executive Director, Trag Foundation

Partnerships and Engagement Director, Catalyst Balkans

igital transformation has completely changed the way businesses work, yet the current legal and fiscal framework has not accommodated for this. At best, we could say that it is a “work in progress”. Along with businesses, digital transformation has changed whole societies, including philanthropic giving. Are Serbian laws adequate? Are they supporting the growth of digital philanthropy, especially donation-based crowdfunding? With support from USAID and the European Center for Not-forProfit Law, Trag Foundation and Catalyst Balkans ran a series of research this past year on crowdfunding practices and developed a set of policy recommendations to address existing gaps in giving at home and from the diaspora. Serbia has one domestic donation-based crowdfunding platform, Donacije.rs, launched with support from USAID. Since Donacije.rs’s inception in 2018, citizens and companies have used this platform to donate over 590,000 EUR for public good. Available data show that for just one year, 265,000 EUR was raised for projects from Serbia through global crowdfunding platforms. These amounts may not seem significant compared to the billions of dollars of the global crowdfunding market. However, what is significant is that donation-based crowdfunding in Serbia ensures access to funding to smaller, rural communities and provides support to causes that are generally less visible in “traditional” philanthropy. This way of fundraising also has clear and long-term impacts (renovation

of classrooms and cultural venues, purchase of equipment, support to young talent), and enables quick reaction during crises (support to hospitals in COVID hot spots last year). However, there are many uncertainties and obstacles for backers, campaign owners, and platforms. If there is a will, the state can make two simple but important changes right now. The first change concerns giving to projects from Serbia through foreign platforms. Many

people, organizations, and companies (including companies that operate in Serbia but are part of multinational groups) want to use global platforms when giving for local projects. When a domestic entity successfully raises money this way, they encounter unnecessary delays when trying to transfer funds from the platform to their account in Serbia. This is because banks do not have a purpose code in the Codebook of collection, payment, and transfer regarding cross-border payments. The National Bank

SERBIA CAN JOIN THE WORLD IN EMBRACING NEW WAYS OF DOING GOOD THROUGH MAINSTREAMING DONATION-BASED CROWDFUNDING, THUS DEMONSTRATING LEADERSHIP IN THE REGION WHICH REQUIRES NO INVESTMENTS WHILE YIELDING BENEFITS FOR ALL

of Serbia can quickly fix this issue by adding a new code for donation-based crowdfunding. The second change would require clarifying the Corporate Income Tax Law, Article 15, which regulates tax relief for giving for public good. If a company donates through a third-party (intermediary) platform, can it receive tax reliefs, as is the case with a direct donation? The answer to this question is not clear since the law only refers to the purpose of direct giving to recipients registered for that exact purpose, and crowdfunding did not exist in Serbia when this law was written. The Ministry of Finance can easily fix this if they provide an official opinion clarifying that tax reliefs apply to giving through donation-based crowdfunding platforms, rendering them eligible for tax reliefs. These two things can be done right now, and they would immediately influence how companies give and how nonprofits and institutions like schools and health care centers raise money. Trag Foundation and Catalyst Balkans will address both the National Bank and the Ministry of Finance with these proposals. Apart from these two changes, there are other laws that need to be updated regarding payment institutions, foreign exchange transactions, personal income tax, and property tax. Step by step, Serbia can join the world in embracing new ways of doing good through mainstreaming donation-based crowdfunding, thus demonstrating leadership in the region which requires no investments while yielding benefits for all.

NO FUN AND GAMES

Japan is Struggling to Keep Covid-19 at Bay at the Olympics It has banned spectators and fraternising among athletes, among other things

hen the world’s best athletes gather for the Olympics every four years, they do a lot more than run, jump and swim. In a memoir published after the previous Tokyo games, in 1964, Dawn Fraser, an Australian swimmer, pulled back the curtain on life inside the Olympic bubble. “Olympic morals are far more loose than any outsider would expect,” she wrote. The village’s reputation for debauchery has only grown since. Organisers began handing out condoms to athletes in 1988, ostensibly to raise awareness about HIV; at the last summer games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, they handed out a record-breaking 450,000. As one former Olympic skier put it to ESPN The Magazine, an American sports publication, the Olympic village is “just a magical, fairytale place, like ‘Alice in Wonderland’, where everything is possible. You could win a gold medal and you can sleep with a really hot guy.” At this year’s Olympics, the atmosphere will be gloomier, duller, chaster. For the athletes, life in the village will be circumscribed,

AT THIS YEAR’S OLYMPICS, THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE GLOOMIER, DULLER, CHASTER. FOR THE ATHLETES, LIFE IN THE VILLAGE WILL BE CIRCUMSCRIBED, AS LAID OUT IN A 70-PAGE BOOK OF PROHIBITIONS as laid out in a 70-page book of prohibitions. They have been asked to arrive in Japan as late as possible (no earlier than five days before the start of their events) and to leave as soon as possible (within two days after their event’s end). They must present negative results in two tests taken during the four days before they leave for Japan, and another negative test result on arrival. Though more than 80% of athletes are expected to be vaccinated, they will undergo daily tests, with a confirmed case leading to possible disqualification. Masks will be mandatory except when sleeping, eating and competing, meaning that athletes will be required to wear them even while working out in the Olympic village’s gyms and, if they make it that far,

while standing on the podiums to receive their medals. They will not be allowed to go anywhere except to their accommodation and competition venues. All meals must be eaten quickly and with-

out mingling at the village’s cafeteria. Alcohol will not be served in the village, and drinking in groups or in public areas will be forbidden. Organisers admit that it will be impossible to control the virus completely. A handful of athletes and officials arriving early have already tested positive. The authorities hope instead to avoid an Olympian outbreak. That will require compliance not just from athletes, but from 53,000 officials, staff and press who are expected to attend. They will be bound by a “written pledge”, but face less drastic penalties for misbehaving than the athletes, who risk disqualification. Many worry they will be less rule-abiding than the Japan ese public, which has tended to heed the government’s requests. Those fears were amplified this week when four foreigners working for a subcontractor at a venue were arrested on suspicion of cocaine use in a nightlife district far from the Olympic facilities. Pandemic or not, the Olympics will be a temptation for some to party. That may be one reason why the organisers backtracked on plans to hand out condoms in the village this year. Instead, the athletes will receive their prophylactics only when they leave Japan. From The Economist, published under licence. The original article, in English, can be found on www.economist.com

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DIPLOMACY

by Žikica Milošević

We Have Learnt New Tools During the Pandemic ...but old friends, Serbia and its beauties and delicacies remain in our hearts! iplomacy & Commerce magazine, in each issue, among other things, represents the diplomatic corps, as well as everything that happens in the diplomatic community in Serbia. Now we also want to show our readers where the former ambassadors or heads of international institutions work and what they

01.

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING SINCE YOU LEFT BELGRADE?

02.

do. In this issue, we present the ambassadors of two countries or entities: Norway and Finland. We asked them what they did after leaving Belgrade, what they miss the most from Serbia and how much the pandemic has changed diplomacy and the daily life of a diplomat or a manager.

WHAT DO YOU MISS THE MOST ABOUT SERBIA?

03.

HOW MUCH HAVE DIPLOMACY AND THE EVERYDAY LIFE OF A DIPLOMAT CHANGED DURING THE PANDEMIC?

Everyday Belgrade Life and Skiing in Kopaonik are My Favourites!

H.E. PEKKA ORPANA Former Ambassador of Finland to Serbia, current Ambassador of Finland to Japan

Helsinki about six years ago I served 01. in my Ministry for Foreign Affairs as AmbassaWhen I returned from Belgrade to

dor for External Energy relations and Climate change for three years. The focus of my work was in energy related issues with geopolitical implications and in the energy transition process as part of climate policies. The climate change and energy transition are issues that every diplomat, and every citizen should be well aware of as they will have a huge impact in our lives in the years to come.

It was very motivating to work on those issues and to try to give my small contribution to ensure better life for the future generations. I was appointed three years ago in summer 2018 as Ambassador to Japan. Half of the time I have been in Tokyo the Covid19 pandemic has been on which has affected the patterns of the work of the Embassy. Before the start of the pandemic we celebrated in 2019 the 100th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between Finland and Japan with huge success. We had an incredible amount of cultural events, high level visits and business related activities. It has been quite astonishing to see how well Finland is known and liked by many Japanese. We are very famous here for instance for Moomin Characters, music, design, sauna and northern lights. Japan is still the third biggest economy in

the world with huge opportunities for Finnish companies and, of course, the importance of the region has been growing also politically particularly because of the rise of China and the implications and increasing rivalry related to that. Serbia was the seventh of my eight postings in different countries as diplomat. Of some of them I can say, that they will always have a warm place in my heart. Serbia is one of them. I truly miss Serbia with my wife Paula. It is difficult to define a single thing which we miss most because in Serbia we just felt really at home and happy. We enjoyed our everyday life in Belgrade, which is absolutely a wonderful and vivid town with excellent food and culture, and our journeys around beautiful Serbia including skiing in Kopaonik.

02.

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During my time Serbia was also particularly rewarding place to work as Serbia entered the negotiations to join the EU and also Kosovo dialogue moved forward. The positive mood encouraged also a lot of new business activities. But at the end of the day, where ever you are, the most important thing for your happiness is how the people are around you and how they treat you. In Serbia people are the best! Yes, the answer is that I miss most the friendship and hospitality of our friends in Serbia and Serbian people in general. The pandemic has had a dramatic 03. change in diplomatic work and our everyday life as diplomats. The very essence of

being a diplomat is to connect with people and that has been very difficult for the past one and a half year. In Japan our work at the Embassy normally turns around very active schedule of high level visits with business and cultural delegations and all that was postponed because of the heavy travel restrictions. We have been able to compensate many activities with online events and visits, but they can never fully replace physical human to human contacts. The good thing is that we have learned new online tools which will complement our work once we come back to normal, or rather back to new normal as it is called.

I am Still Connected to Serbia! for the Western Balkans. Due to travel restrictions and now also my work with vaccines I have just back even a handful of times since the pandemic began. I regret this very much. It is difficult to follow developments in the region and to be useful to our friends in the region without being present. We have very good ambassadors, so I am not too concerned, but it is frustrating. It is on the other side rewarding to work with EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajčak, who knows the region very well and is an excellent diplomat, although of course from the side lines I have to follow his important, but very difficult task of bringing the Belgrade- Priština dialogue forward. H. E. ARNE SANNES BJØRNSTAD Former Ambassador of Norway, today Norway’s Special Representative for the Western Balkans

Special Representative for the West01. ern Balkans. The idea was that I would travel to I left Belgrade to become Norway’s

the region every month. I did for a while, but then the pandemic suddenly made it very difficult to travel. By the end of March last year, I joined the crisis management team of the Ministry of Health. Most of my working hours I since last summer work with vaccine supply and sharing. Since January I’m in charge of a group of lawyers assisting “Team Europe” (the European Commission, EU Members States and its EFTA partners) with legal issues and contracts related to vaccine sharing with COVAX or individual countries outside “Team Europe” as well as some transfers of vaccines within “Team Europe”. This is completely different from anything I’ve done before, but very rewarding. Besides, coming from Norway, standing outside the EU, it is a quite unique opportunity to work within the EU system. I’m still, however, Special Representative

Serbia gives me the feeling of really 02. being at the centre of Europe with its different The people. All the friends. Being in

cultural influences.It would be easy to explain this by its history, or its position on the crossroad between eastern and western Europe, between the old Habsburg and Ottoman empires, but it doesn’t explain it all. But I have to admit that I also miss Belgrade. It is a very special city. The changes I saw while living there were impressive, but it just continues. While the cityscape change, and you can see an improvement in living standards and the choices you have in how to spend your money and your time, it still remains the same unique Belgrade.It must be the people of Belgrade and Serbia that makes it into this great city But I have to admit: I also miss Serbian food, rakija and wines.

changed a lot too, with people having problem getting home or needing medical care, and later due to the decrease in international travels. I suppose the diplomats on a foreign posting experienced bigger change than I did. The diplomatic life, so to speak, with receptions, lunches, briefings etc just disappeared. Some where isolated from their home country and their families. for months. Being based back at HQ, the major changes were extensive use of home office – which I quite like – and travel restrictions. One thing is for sure: virtual meetings cannot replace physical meetings. That being said, some larger meetings I find more efficient when we all sit in front of our screens or listen in on a phone. The kind of open discussions that is perhaps the most important tool we have, and especially for diplomats serving abroad, cannot be adequately replaced by a videoconference or a phone. One problem is the security of communication, but it is more than that. You need to se and hear people in person. A screen and earphones are poor substitutes.

Most of us experienced both a 03. change in what we were doing and how we were doing it. Suddenly a part of our ordinary work disappeared because of all the restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the virus and keep us safe. Just imagine how much work had been laid down in planning different cultural or trade events, high level visits and so on. Consular work must have

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INTERVIEW

by Nevena Kuveljić

European Film is the Closest to My Mentality and Me

Photo: Vladan Milisavljević

”The Elegy of Laurel”, the debut feature film by the young director Dušan Kasalica, will have its world premiere this year at Sarajevo Film Festival, as part of the main competition programme

FRANO LASIĆ Actor and pop singer

he protagonist Filip, portrayed by Frano Lasić, is an esteemed university professor going on a vacation with his wife, played by Savina Geršak. After a few days in a pleasant, albeit monotonous spa hotel, their seemingly perfect marriage ends. It seems that Filip’s life is falling apart, and yet, armed with confidence, he tackles each new situation in life with an unusual ease. Filip runs from his problems to a small mountain village and into a deep forest, where he meets his mother and falls in love with a girl who used to be a snake. On the occasion of the premiere, we spoke with the film’s leading actor, the legendary Croatian and Yugoslav actor Frano Lasić.

In the film “The Elegy of Laurel,” you are playing what only appears to be a typical protagonist. What drew you to the script and how did Dušan Kasalica “persuade” you to be in the film? — In “The Elegy of Laurel” I play the main protagonist, a very in-

through his inner dramas and dilemmas, in a way that is a bit selfish and that is sometimes very typical of men. And that’s why a script of this kind was appealing for creating the main protagonist. Dušan didn’t need to talk me into it at all. After reading the script

“THE ELEGY OF LAUREL” IS A PSYCHOLOGICAL DRAMA AND I HAD NO DOUBTS ABOUT WANTING TO BE A PART OF THIS INTERESTING CINEMATIC PIECE

teresting character. I have to admit that after I first read the script, I sat down and gave it a good amount of thought. “The Elegy of Laurel” is a psychological drama. The main protagonist goes

and after talking with him, the author and the director, in great detail about his vision of the script and about bringing this psychological, but also relatable story to the big screen, I had no doubts

about wanting to be a part of this interesting cinematic piece, and, naturally, I agreed to do it. How did you prepare for the role? How much did you add to it, and to what extent did you rely on Kasalica’s ideas? — Like for every character I get to play, I studied this one to great detail. It was particularly alluring to play the type of character that I do in this film. I thought about him a lot, I put myself in his position, entered his head, thinking like this man who is fighting his inner demons. I believe that it’s a great challenge for every actor to play a man who is lost, scared of life, of his age, projecting his fears in a very specific way. A way that harms his spouse. Dušan was directing and explaining his characters to us in a very professional,

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skilled way. He watched each take in silence and, whenever needed, made suggestions based on his vision, like a painter that applies color on a clean white canvas according to his inner image of the painting that he wants to create and, more importantly, that he does create in the end, giving all art lovers something to enjoy and ponder. The director is the most important link in a project as he is the one who holds the baton, and Dušan had a crystal clear vision of how this film should look. What sort of relationship did you develop with Savina Geršak on set? Did you perhaps already know each other, since you were both extremely popular throughout Yugoslavia? — Savina plays my wife in the film, a wife who suffered, waited and observed my behavior, and finally decided to leave, a move that proved to be inevitable. We had great collaboration on set. In addition to being a real, serious professional on set, I was blown away when I saw that no matter how hard the previous filming day was, she would go on a 10km run every single morning. I have known Savina since she acted in the Živko Nikolić film. You have been working on a lot of television shows recently. Is there a difference in your ap-

I BELIEVE THAT IT’S A GREAT CHALLENGE FOR EVERY ACTOR TO PLAY A MAN WHO IS LOST, SCARED OF LIFE, OF HIS AGE, PROJECTING HIS FEARS IN A VERY SPECIFIC WAY proach to television and to the film, and which of the two do you enjoy more? — Like Balašević says, “the principle is the same, the rest is just details.” When you do soap operas with a tremendous number of episodes, you logically work much faster and it often happens that you miss certain things, since you’re literally on the set for months, day after day, from dawn to dusk, something that I call “working in a mine,” especially if 90% of the filming takes place in a studio. Of course, work is work, but I do enjoy working on films much more, because with films you have more time to prepare the character, the scenes are filmed gradually, more thorough-

ly, and the same goes for editing and post-production. Also, here you can see the difference between different productions - domestic, foreign, European, Asian or American…so to speak. European film is the closest to me and my mentality. When done well, these films leave the viewer thinking about them for a while, inspiring discussions among friends after watching...Because what is the purpose of a film if you forget all about it after five minutes, except of course for superficial entertainment and a way to kill time. You have already worked in Montenegro before. What professional experiences and personal feelings do you have about

this country? — I am a man who has worked everywhere. I have worked in the entire region, and also in English, German, Italian, American productions. During my long career, I have to admit I did not have any bad experiences. I honestly feel great no matter where I’m filming. I always try to visit beautiful and important places in my free time in every country I work in, and that’s what I did in Montenegro too. This isn’t my first role in Montenegro, so everything was familiar, but since the filming was long I had even more time to spend there, and my hometown was also near, so on my days off I would go to Dubrovnik. Each frame of this film features the beauty of the nature, that’s something that should be mentioned. Part of it was shot in Durmitor and Žabljak, where I used to go often as a child, and I remember the gorgeous lakes of Durmitor where I would run after frogs that were jumping out of the water, but also the stunning forests and grassy hills.

MIDDLE CLASS TRANSITION What is your opinion on the subject of the middle class transition in post-Yugoslav territories that the director addressed in “The Elegy of Laurel?” — At that time, the middle class had started to erode and crises started to emerge in individual families, as well as on the global plane. Capitalism and the material world too center stage, leading to a complete change in consciousness, a shift in moral values, to frustrations, a desire to be forever successful, good looking, young… The film deals with these topics in a subtle and artistic way, without judgement and without criticizing, and yet delivers a very clear message.

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FOOD PLANET

by Vanja Kovačev

Morocco is Not Only Marrakesh Nor Casablanca. It is so Much More! Culture and food are building bridges between people used when cooking using a slow process most of the time with olive oil in a traditional clay pot with a cover called “Tajin”. I cannot imagine, for instance, preparing a Moroccan Tajin or another dish without the taste of saffron of Taliween or without ginger, cinnamon, curcuma or even garlic, fresh parsley or coriander! For me, Moroccan cuisine is my grand-mother’s recipes made with passion. It is simply a mouth-watering combination of subtle flavours to charm your taste buds. A real journey full of flavours! Which part of Morocco do you come from and which are the three most known Moroccan meals and sweets from your region?

cialities in Fez is definitely “Pastilla with chicken” or pigeon. This Pastilla, which is made of a range of sweet and savoury flavours, since almonds are mixed with orange blossom, cinnamon, caramelized onion with chicken, is the most luxurious and finest dish in Moroccan cuisine. Then, “Khliï” which is dried meat, usually beef, prepared with specific spices that could be kept for months. It is usually served in a traditional Tajin with poached eggs and homemade bread accompanied with mint tea for breakfast. As for sweets, I would say, “Kaab ghzal” which is the Moroccan pastry “par excellence”. It is made of almond paste mixed with Gum Arabic, orange blossom flavour and sugar, all wrapped in a thin layer of fine

FOOD HAS ALWAYS TRAVELLED WITH POPULATIONS THROUGH HISTORY AND THANKS TO THE SILK ROAD, PEOPLE ARE CONNECTED WITH BEAUTIFUL CULTURAL HERITAGE SUCH AS POPULAR DISHES

MRS. SAFAE SIJILMASSI IDRISSI-BELHAJ Spouse of ambassador of The Kingdom of Morocco in Belgrade

t is hot in Belgrade these days, almost like in Africa. But two ladies, Mrs. Safae Sijilmassi idrissi-Belhaj and myself, that actually met thanks to the director of the Museum of African art in Belgrade, Mrs. Marija Aleksić during Afro festival 2021, have been stronger than the North African heat. Our July synergy resulted in these interesting lines about the amazing Moroccan gastronomy tradition, food heritage and Moroccan family food tradition. The day of this Food planet interview, which was by the way, first “live interview” after several interviews done “via email” due to corona, was the day that this lovely, charming, smart and very dedicated lady reserved

for Diplomacy and Commerce and the day when my tastebuds went to paradise and back and so will yours when you prepare and taste the star of this Food planet text“Chicken pastilla with almonds”. What are the main characteristics of Moroccan cuisine? — The Moroccan cuisine is widely known through its varied and unique dishes that highlight the rich cultural heritage of the Kingdom. Moroccan gastronomy encompasses specialities from Amazigh, Arabic, Jewish, Andalusian and African origin. This reflects the Kingdom’s coexistence between different civilizations and cultures since ancient times. Certain dishes are prepared for specific occasions or special rituals and differ from one region to another. Therefore, the secret of the marvellous tasty meals lies firstly on their fresh ingredients. Then, on the authentic spices

— I grew up abroad but lived in Rabat for many years. My family comes from the city of Fez that used to be the first capital founded by the first Dynasty of the Kingdom, the “Idrissi’s”, in the VIII century. It is important to emphasise here that this first imperial Islamic city has known a rich and extraordinary cultural development through its history in terms of architecture, fine arts, trade, education etc. due to many factors. Furthermore, the city has welcomed not only refugees from Al Andalus or Kairouan at that time but also many artisans, musicians, scholars, intellectuals and traders from other parts of the world. Cultural influences are obviously seen in our kitchen. With all such influences or ingredients, I must say, the cuisine of Fez is one of the finest in the country. Besides the variety of couscous and tajins, the first thing that strikes you when it comes to spe-

pastry. The shape of this sweet is like a gazelle horn, which explains its name in Arabic. What are the Moroccan meals you and your chef prepare in Serbia? Can you find the ingredients here? — At the residence of the Kingdom of Morocco in Belgrade, we are always pleased to prepare Moroccan dishes for our guests. Our gastronomy is one of the top three best in the world according to different studies, institutions and specialized blogs - CNN, Govoyages, WorldSIM, Tripadvisor, etc. Moroccan gastronomy first represents centuries of culture and history. We are not only speaking about food but also about a “way of living”, customs, “art de la table”, crafts and specific ceramics from different regions, fine embroidery from Rabat or Fez and so on. Then comes the dishes. We are always keen on serving the “es-

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sentials” such as Royal Couscous, Chicken Tajin with olives and preserved lemon, veal Tajin with seasonal vegetables but also seafood pastilla as well as the sweet and savoury chicken variety. In addition, some starters and typical salads like zaaluk - eggplant purée with tomato, garlic, spices and coriander, taktuka, a popular ancient Jewish Moroccan recipe and many more other specialities are on the menu most of the time. Moreover, Moroccan mint tea, our “national drink”, served with homemade fine pastries is always

thanks to the silk road, people are connected with beautiful cultural heritage such as popular dishes. This Soft power with flavour definitely builds bridges. How do you like living in Belgrade? Which region/cities have you visited and which is the one you would recommend to your expat friends and why? — I really enjoy living in Belgrade and I like to feel its vibes when I’m walking through Vračar or Dorćol. I like the old buildings and the small cafés with nice ter-

MOROCCAN MINT TEA, OUR “NATIONAL DRINK”, SERVED WITH HOMEMADE FINE PASTRIES IS ALWAYS A “MUST” AFTER A MEAL a “must” after a meal. Regarding the ingredients and spices not available in Serbia, I usually bring them from Morocco when needed. For instance, good quality saffron, Gum Arabic, orange blossom, fresh cinnamon sticks, organic oils -olive and argan are must-haves in our kitchen. What is your favourite Serbian dish and why? — I would definitely say Ajvar! It is really interesting to see cultural influences and connexions through food. This Serbian speciality reminds me of “taktuka” which is, as mentioned earlier, a popular ancient Moroccan recipe made from pepper and tomato with garlic and spices. I also like Punjene paprike, especially the delicious recipe with local cheese. Food has always travelled with populations through History and

races in Knez Mihailova. I also like the Kalemegdan fortress, which is definitely the landmark of the city. In addition, one of the most beautiful regions in Serbia is Vojvodina with its multicultural and ethnical diversity. Orthodox Monasteries in Fruška Gora are wonderful places to visit and the capital city of this autonomous region, Novi Sad, has an incredible combination of unique history and architecture. I would also recommend in the North- Eastern part of Serbia, Golubac with its 14th century medieval fortress, and the National Park of Đerdap, where you can enjoy an amazing hike in the middle of stunning nature. There are of course so many other places to visit in beautiful Serbia and I am happy to live with my family here and experience the Balkan’s rich cultures from within Belgrade.

RECIPE

Chicken Pastilla With Almonds

INGREDIENTS • 1 whole (skinless) chicken split into 4 parts •4 .4 Ib finely chopped onion • 1 parsley head finely chopped • 1 /2 head coriander diced • 3 cinnamon sticks • 1 0 saffron petals •2 tbsp. coffee ginger • 1 C. pepper • 1 C. of ghee or clarified butter •8 cl of oil •S alt • 1 cup honey •4 eggs FOR ALMONDS: •6 50 g of blanched almonds • 1 00 g icing sugar (or according to taste) • 1 C. cinnamon powder FOR THE DOUGH •U se phyllo sheets or 400 g of pastilla leaves •8 0 g of butter •O il for cooking • 1 egg yolk FOR THE GARNISH: •P owdered sugar •C innamon powder

PREPARATION:. 1. In a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pot, insert chicken, onion, butter, oil, and herbs, 2. Cook over low heat. The onion needs to melt into the chicken and with the spices. Remove the chicken once it thoroughly cooked and discard the bones. 3. On low heat add honey to the sauce, stir until the onion takes the consistency of a jam. Separate oil from “jam” and reserve for the pastilla or (phyllo) leaves. 4. Add boneless chicken into the onion sauce. Add eggs. 5. Cook the filling on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside. 6. Fry or grill the blanched almonds until they turn a golden sunset yellow. 7. Finely chop the almonds and mix with powdered sugar and cinnamon. 8. Mix the reserved oil with the melted butter. Coat the phyllo or pastilla sheets. 9. Insert the stuffing in order to have two layers then put back the pastilla sheets to cover the stuffing (as a pie). 10. In a cast-iron pan, brown the pastilla in a preheat oven to 200°c-240°c. 11. Decorate the pastilla in a lattice pattern with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

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WORLD EVENT

Dubai Expo 2020 – “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” The Republic of Serbia will present itself at this World Exhibition as the host of the national pavilion with an area of almost 2,000 square meters, located in the thematic district called "Mobility"

WORLD EXHIBITION – GATHERING WORLD IN ONE PLACE The first World Expo took place in 1851, and since that time, many of the greatest achievements of the modern world have been first presented to a global audience at a World Expo, making it an event that cannot be compared to any other. Technologies and discoveries without which we cannot imagine modern life - such as the telephone, the first computer or Tesla’s city lighting based on the AC system - were presented to the world public for the first time at some of these exhibitions. Some of the most fascinating buildings of our civilization were built for the needs of the Exhibition, only to become lasting historical heritage, among them the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Atomium in Brussels. Therefore, the history

MORE THAN 190 COUNTRIES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD HAVE CONFIRMED THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE WORLD EXPO IN DUBAI THAT WILL BE LOCATED IN THE DUBAI SOUTH DISTRICT SPREADING OVER AN AREA OF 4.38 km2 of Expo also represents the history of the development of human thought and human progress. The World Exhibition was conceived in the middle of the 19th century out of the need to gather all ideas, cultural goods and industrial achievements of the world under one roof. The World Exhibition is, indeed, a gathering of nations and peoples in one place, with the aim of developing mutual relations through the quest for a vision for the progress of humanity.

World Expo is still a global event, a unique concept dedicated to improving people's lives, i.e., finding solutions to the challenges faced by humanity. The "World Expo" connects countries and people, promotes science and innovation, thus leaving a clearer vision of the future and a lasting legacy to humanity. As a part of the global scene, Serbia, has been proudly presenting its tradition, achievements, culture and economy at the World Exhibition since 1885.

DUBAI EXPO 2020 – WORLDWIDE CENTER OF IDEAS AND OPPORTUNITIES Expo 2020 (Arabic: ‫وبسكإ‬ 2020), the World Exhibition hosted by Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, originally was scheduled for 20 October 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be organized starting from 1 October 2021 till 31 March 2022. This will be the first Expo in the history to be staged in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region and the Arab world. Expo’s theme is "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future", and it will include three subthemes: Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability, each with its own pavilion. More than 190 countries from all over the world have confirmed their participation in the World Expo in Dubai that will be located

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BRIEF HISTORY OF THE WORLD EXPO INVENTIONS AND ACHEIVEMENTS

in the Dubai South District spreading over an area of 4.38 km2. In response to Expo’s theme, the countries will demonstrate their solutions to the modern challenges of humanity, which connect, move and make the present more interesting, and the future more optimistic and sustainable. This is also a unique opportunity for the participating countries to show their industrial and economic achievements, their touristic offerings, and to present significant elements of their society, culture, tradition and history.

SERBIAN PAVILION AT DUBAI EXPO 2020 "SERBIA CREATES IDEAS - Inspired by the past, shaping the future". From 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, the Republic of Serbia, together with more than 190 countries from all over the world, will participate in the prestigious world exhibition Expo 2020 Dubai. The theme of Serbia's participation in the World Exhibition is "SERBIA CREATES IDEAS - Inspired by the past, shaping the future". The Republic of Serbia will present itself at this World Exhibition as the host of the national pavilion with an area of almost 2,000 square meters, located in the thematic district called "Mobility". The exhibition setting of our pavilion will show that modern Serbia is the natural heir to the Neolithic Vinča Culture. Vinča changed the way humans lived and thrived and Modern Serbia will be presented as the natural successor its supreme artistry, technology, innovation, trade and peaceful coexistence. It will further demonstrate that the Serbia of the future is driven by the creative and innovative ideas of a number of exciting and inventive individuals, companies and organizations. The pavilion will present a unique dual platform for displaying Serbia’s stories – a physical pavilion in Dubai and a virtual / digital pavilion online – that integrates timeless and limitless con-

London, 1851 "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations" The largest diamond in the world and the first revolver Paris, 1855 "Universal Exhibition of Agricultural, Industrial and Fine Arts Products" Reveal of an early version of the Statue of Liberty London, 1862 Electric telegraph and plastic Philadelphia, 1876 "Centennial Exhibition" The first “Remington” typewriter, telephone and “Heinz” ketchup

THE EXHIBITION SETTING OF OUR PAVILION WILL SHOW THAT MODERN SERBIA IS THE NATURAL HEIR TO THE NEOLITHIC VINČA CULTURE tent with real space. The pavilion is a "time capsule" uncovering not only Vinča and modern Serbia, but also ways of living harmoniously for the future. Serbia’s Expo participation will be rolled out across a number of activations, initiatives and events under the brand message SERBIA CREATES IDEAS. This includes the purpose-built Serbia Pavilion in the heart of the Expo, a comprehensive B2B programme that connects Serbian businesses with UAE, MENA and world-wide counterparts, G2G and G2B activities, Serbian business hubs in key sites across Dubai, and a whole range of other events, festivals and activities that promote Serbia as a forward-facing nation with innovation, ingenuity and creativity embedded in its DNA. By engaging and embedding Serbian content across all of Expo’s programmes, we will position Serbia as an Open, Collaborative, Cooperative and Fun, Creative, Innovative and Resourceful nation.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY By participating in Expo 2020 Dubai, the Republic of Serbia wants to present and promote the Serbian business communi-

ty on the international scene. The Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the Development Agency of Serbia and the Operational team for the World Exhibition are in charge of the realization of the business program, and the business strategy involves B2B meetings, presentations and investment conferences, as well as participation in official Expo business forums and Serbian international business forum. During the Expo 2020 Dubai, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce will be in charge of business networking of Serbian business representatives with potential partners from the world and the UAE. For that purpose, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce has rented space in the Dubai South Free Zone, which will be made available to business representatives during their stay in Dubai, as well as to those who intend to start doing business in this Emirate. The space will be equipped with all the necessary elements of infrastructure (exhibition space, smart tables, office space) that they will be able to use to present their products/services, as well as for meetings with their potential partners.

Antwerp, 1885 Serbia's first appearance at the World Exhibition where our country won 157 awards Paris, 1889 "Universal Exhibition" Reveal of Eiffel Tower and phonograph Chicago, 1893 "World's Columbus Exhibition" Nikola Tesla’s alternating current Paris, 1900 "Universal Exhibition 1900" Diesel engine, talking film, escalators and X-ray St. Louis, 1904 "Louisiana Purchase Exposition" Cordless telephone and cars running on petrol and electricity Milan, 1906 "Great Exhibition of Work" The longest tunnel in the world “Simplon” was built San Francisco, 1915 "Panama - Pacific International Exhibition" Panama Canal, telephone line and color photography New York, 1939-40 "The World of Tomorrow" The first TV Brussels, 1958 "New Humanism" Atomium; Yugoslav Pavilion designed by Vjenceslav Richter won the golden medal of the Belgian crown Seattle, 1962 "Man in Space" Space Needle and the Cold War Montreal, 1967 "People and Their World" Osaka, 1970 "Progress and Harmony for Humanity" Stone from the Moon

PRESENTATION OF SERBIA

Seville, 1992 "Age of Discovery"

During Expo 2020, we will show why Serbia is the 1st country in Europe for FDI, why it is called the Sillicion Valey of the Balkans, why it is the frontrunner in eGovernment, how it proudly hosts a European Center of Excellence for ICT solutions for agriculture, how Belgrade was proclaimed one of the 5 most creative cities in the world, how Serbia became one of the most successful countries in dealing with the pandemic and immunization and many other interesting facts about modern Serbia.

Shanghai, 2010 "Better City, Better Life" Milan, 2015 "Let's Feed the Planet, Energy for Life"

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TRAVELOGUE

by Robert Čoban

The Silence of Saint Stefan

FROM CAVIAR TO TOMATOES: The Saint Stefan beach

oughnuts, corn, figs, doughnuts", the strong voice of a local woman, built like the typical Mediterranean, has been echoing for more than a decade along the beach of the Maestral Hotel in Pržno. This year, she is not accompanied by her daughter, who always helped her mother and carried "goods": "She got married, she left, she doesn't want to work anymore!" the woman says as she pushes the cart loaded with fruit, freshly baked doughnuts and corn on the cob. The problem of labour shortage does not only bother the saleswoman from Pržno. There aren’t enough waiters, cooks, restaurant support staff and security in bars and this is prevalent throughout the Montenegrin and Croatian coastline. The situation is no bet-

MONTENEGRIN PRESIDENT MILO DJUKANOVIĆ SAID RECENTLY THAT ONLY A TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT WOULD TURN THE MOST OUTSTANDING PART OF THE QUEEN'S BEACH’S TOURIST OFFER INTO A REAL EYESORE ter in Belgrade or Zagreb because everyone from the hospitality sector went to work on the coast for much higher salaries. This summer, hotel complexes and restaurants in Saint Stefan and Miločer will not be experiencing that kind of trouble, because they welcomed the summer season closed up, with chairs resting on the tables, signalling closure. What about the beaches? People say that the current situation is reminiscent of Havana on Jan-

uary 1, 1959, when dictator Batista fled to the Dominican Republic, on a plane loaded with crates full of gold. The people used to flock to the casinos, hotels and luxury beaches – Queen’s Beach, King’s Beach and Saint Stefan Beach. When I strolled down these beaches last week, there were brimming with tourists. "People happened to them", as some would say. There is no trace or mention that these were the places where globally popular ce-

lebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Sophia Loren, Bobby Fischer, Boris Spassky, Claudia Schiffer, Elizabeth Taylor, Kirk Douglas, Andrea Bocelli, Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro and others spent their summers, lounging at the famous pool at the back of the island or on the hotel’s private beach in front of it. Still, this is not Cuba in 1959. There was no revolution in Montenegro and even the President is still the same... What happened then? Namely, after the leaseholder, Adriatic Properties, and the hotel operator Aman Resorts announced that they would not open the Saint Stefan and Miločer hotels this season, people could freely access the beaches which had no beach furniture. Also, spas, restaurants and cafes behind the

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beaches remained closed. These are exclusive locations that have been reserved for hotel guests for decades, who were willing to pay thousands of euros for a onenight stay. People who were not hotel guests could use the beaches but for a huge price so, for instance, a set of deck chairs with a parasol cost up to 150 euros a day. When I took a walk there last year, deckchairs were spaced out five metres away from each other because of the epidemiological situation. The leaseholder's decision to close the hotels was preceded by several protests by locals early this year which received support from the Budva authorities when the protesters removed the fences on the road leading to the hotels and beaches. They opposed the construction of new facilities in the new Kraljičina Plaža Hotel, financed by Adriatic Properties, and demanded unconditional access to the leased hotel beaches. Montenegrin President Milo Djukanović said recently that only a totally irresponsible government would turn the most outstanding part of the Queen's Beach’s tourist offer into a real eyesore, and allow for Montenegro to lose an investor. Djukanović also said: "You have probably seen on social media what the most outstanding part of the Queen's Beach looks like – brim-

The Queen’s beach

THE IMPRESSION IS THAT THE MUNICIPAL AND STATE AUTHORITIES IN BUDVA AND MONTENEGRO DID NOT DO THEIR BEST IN MANY SEGMENTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO TOURISM

The King’s beach

ming with street beer and kebab vendors who sell their goods for one euro." Last week, social media were inundated with photos of a man who brought a rolled-up carpet to the Saint Stefan beach. And how did the story about tourism on Saint Stefan even start? "In the 1950s, the idea of turning the fishing village of Saint Stefan into a luxury town/hotel came from the top Yugoslav politicians. This idea was first initiated by the then high federal official Edvard Kardelj. His idea was wholeheartedly supported by Blažo Jovanović, back then the top politician in Montenegro, as well as the famous painters Petar Lubarda and Milo Milunović," writes a long-time Montenegrin tourist worker and expert Vlado Duletić in his book "Budva, from Myth to Reality". None of the actors in this story is alive anymore, not even the book’s author. And their dream seems to have died, too, along with them. The impression is that the municipal and state authorities in Budva and Montenegro did not do their best in many segments, especially when it comes to tourism. Budva used to be known for its mass tourism, on the one hand, and on the other, for the hotels frequented by the world's elite. Noisy open-air discos were the backbone of mass tourism, because of which Budva received numerous pejorative nicknames

CONTROVERSIAL BUILDING: Construction site of the Kraljičina Plaža Hotel in the middle of the Miločer Park

such as "Leskovac-on-Sea”. Two years ago, all six large open-air discos were razed to the ground - Trokadero, Rafaelo, Paris, Ambiente, Maltez and Miami, just like 14 fast-food restaurants. Like it or not, these discos were the main bait for tens of thousands of young people from all over the region who came to Budva for fun. Close by, there was a large outdoor amusement park where I always had crazy fun with my daughters driving so-called crash cars. Now, there is no such amusement park either - someone came up with the ridiculous idea to relocate it to the hot, stuffy hall of the Adriatic Fair, where you can almost see with the naked eye the coronavirus flying through the air. The second segment of Budva - elite tourism – which was based on the aforementioned hotels Saint Stefan and Miločer and Queen’s and King’s beaches - has also collapsed because the facilities are closed and the beaches have been given the status of ‘unregulated’ instead of ‘exclusive’. If you swim a hundred metres away from the beach in Pržno and turn around, you can see a giant concrete structure emerging from the otherwise crowded streets of this once quiet fishing village – these are the outlines of the future Kraljičina Plaža Hotel, which construction is financed by Adriatic Properties, which I mentioned at the beginning of this story. Covering the coast in concrete, which is something that no resort in Ita-

ly or Greece would do, is the main malady of Montenegrin and partially Croatian tourism. This is, in part, the same concept that saw Kopaonik and Zlatibor being covered in concrete buildings instead of pine and spruce forests. Every

lapse of the bank and chief Jezda's empire, Saint Stefan embarked on a gradual path of recovery. I visited it for the first time in 1997, and then, although it looked like a worn-out plush robe, it still had some glamour. All that was missing was the casino scenes from the James Bond movies, while the roulette was mostly played by local mobsters or people who aspired to become them one day. Across the island, Bogoljub Karić paid for a real feast for his guests at the Pod Maslinom restaurant, which included fillets of a shark, which he, by his own admission, had caught. The last time we, mere mortals, could spend the night on Saint Stefan was in the summer of 2006. I spent a few days on the island with my wife Sandra who was, at that time, pregnant with our daughter Indija. My favourite little pool at the back of Saint Stefan was covered in dried pine needles that no one bothered to clean up. Still, it had timeless charm. The following year, 2007, the hotel was leased to Aman Resort for 30 years. Subsequently, the lease was extended to 42 years and the contract was taken over by Adriatic Properties

THE LAST TIME WE, MERE MORTALS, COULD SPEND THE NIGHT ON SAINT STEFAN WAS IN THE SUMMER OF 2006

reasonable person sees the big issue here - investors and corrupt officials, who issue investors with building permits, could not care less who will come to spend their summer or winter in such places. The money these investors and local officials earn here will be used to send their children to school in ‘normal’ countries and buy real estate in London, Vienna or Trieste, places where everything is tightly regulated. By the way, this is not the first downfall of Saint Stefan in its 61-year-long hotel history. The first downfall happened in 1991 when, due to the war in Yugoslavia, the resort did not welcome the usual international tourist elite for which it had been opened in the first place. The second downfall came a year later when Saint Stefan was leased to Jezdimir Vasiljević, the owner of the Jugoskandik Bank, who defrauded numerous people in Serbia and Montenegro. After the col-

with Aman continuing to run the hotel business. The hotel opened in 2013 and a year later, Jelena and Novak Djoković had their glamorous wedding there. I managed to negotiate exclusive photos from that wedding to appear in our Hello! magazine. This issue, from July 14, 2014, will be remembered as having the biggest number of sold copies out of all Serbian weeklies in the 21st century. We passed by the beach, where, truth be told, we did not see any kebab vendors from Djukanović's statement, although it is quite possible that some visitor took them together with fresh tomatoes. Walking down a narrow strait that connects the island with the mainland, we reach the walls of Saint Stefan, the former fishing village of Paštrović. A white stone tablet dedicated to the WWII soldiers and the victims of fascist terror was put there on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the liberation at a time when the locals still lived on the island. The letters have faded out, erased by storms, both meteorological and historical, so it is almost impossible to read what is written on it. To the left of the plaque, there is a wrought-iron gate painted black, through which you enter the labyrinth of Saint Stefan’s streets. The gate is now closed, while a lock wrapped in a thick chain patiently waits for the Saint to awaken again.

Closed gate of Saint Stefan’s streets

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CULTURE NEWS

by Vanja Kovačev

Summer Festivals 2021 Some festivals that are still ON for August ast year, the pandemic “wiped out” summer festival season. At the start of 2021, organisers were more optimistic. But as the year has progressed, the summer season has collapsed in “slow motion”. Looking back to July - It is fortunate that Serbia’s and Novi Sad’s “festival star” EXIT FESTIVAL made it! While we wait to find out if the biggest Belgrade August festival will take place, namely Beer Fest from 18-22.08. (Still TBC) we give

you few suggestions for the festivals abroad. Most of the tickets are sold out since the audiences was craving for entertainment due to festival fatigue from 2020 but for example most of the festivals in Sweden are ON so check them on! On line watching from Belgrade is also an option so make yourself a cold lemonade, sit back, relax and listen from a “safe distance”. Let’s be patient one more Summer! 2022 should be better!

DURING THE BANK HOLIDAY 2021 CINCH PRESENTS CREAMFIELDS 2021 26 August 2021 12:00 - 29 August 2021 23:00 Creamfields Festival, Warrington, United Kingdom David Guetta, deadmau5, Carl Cox https://creamfields.com/

ALL MY FRIENDS ARE STARS MUSIC FESTIVAL 2021 Saturday 28 August 2021

AIRBEAT-ONE FESTIVAL 2021 LIMITED EDITION Wednesday 08 September 2021 – Sunday 12 September 2021

Lindholmen street food and design market Anders Carlssons gata 2-4, 417 55 Göteborg Gothenburg, Sweden Line-up: Sabina Högdahl https://www.allmyfriendsarestars.com

Flugplatz Neustadt-Glewe, Neustadt-Glewe, Germany Line-up: David Guetta, Marshmello, Steve Aoki, Afrojack, Robin Schulz, Martin Solveig, Flux Pavilion, Krewella, Lost Frequencies, Sam Feldt, and more… https://airbeat-one.de/ die-airbeat-one-2021-wird-zur-limited-edition

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