Diplomacy&Commerce 45

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February / March 2023 / ISSUE No. 45. /FREE COPY

conference on the 31st anniversary of the Khojaly genocide 21

Feb.

The health system is there for the patients Vili Beroš

Minister of Health of the Republic of Croatia

We have the opportunity to directly contribute to securing the survival prospects of Croats in Serbia Tomislav Žigmanov

Minister for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue of the Republic of Serbia and President of Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina

We make significant steps to improve the pension system

25 YEARS OF SNV: BETWEEN THE WEIGHT OF WAR AND THE WEIGHT OF PEACE

Director-General of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute

President of Serb National Council

Milorad Pupovac

Ivan Serdar

A journey to the centre of myself The call of the Jungle

Serbia

The Adventures OF THE SPIRIT

Zaglavlje

The price of unnecessary wars

Boban Spasojević, Magazine Director Croatia and Editor in Chief

Foreword

ROBERT Čoban Director

boban@diplomacy andcommerce.hr

Vladimir Dudaš Centrobiro Art Director

Robert Čoban Director

Tomislav Smoljanović Photos

Goranka Milošević Translation

ver since the war in Ukraine started over a year ago, I have been thinking how it’s sad that such a great nation like Russia is constantly putting itself in the situation where it’s waging unnecessary wars while lacking the necessary economic strength. Since the 1094/05 war with Japan when they sent the ships from the Baltic Fleet 18,000 nautical miles

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Aspekt obrt za savjetovanje i usluge

desirable place to live, first of all for the residents of the Russian Federation, and then it also needs to become attractive for tourists, digital nomads and everyone else who wants to enjoy the natural beauty and cultural heritage of this country. As long as Russia tries to prove to itself and to others the status of a superpower and a new “empire where the sun never sets” by waging unnecessary wars, people will leave it, which will make some new societies richer and will forever impoverish their own country..

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DREAMS OF THE “EMPIRE WHERE THE SUN NEVER SETS”: The illustration shows Cossacks raiding a village in Korea during the Russo-Japanese War

CONTENTS

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The health system is there for the patients Vili Beroš

Minister of Health of the Republic of Croatia Predstavnik za RH

from Petrograd to Japan just to be defeated there, to the unnecessary war that the Soviet Union waged in Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989, after which the USSR fell apart, to the aggression against Ukraine today.

In Capri, I found records of Russian intellectuals - Maxim Gorky being the most famous one among them – who ended up in this Mediterranean island after leaving Russia as a sign of protest against the pointless war against Japan in 1904/05. After the October Revolution, millions of people who didn’t agree with the new regime left Russia, and many of them ended up in our regions. Whoever could flee from Stalin’s rule used that opportunity, and this continued until the disappearance of the Soviet Union in 1991. In the past few centuries, people from Russia have been leaving – the Russians are leaving, the Jews are leaving, tycoons are leaving in order to preserve their wealth, the poor are leaving in search of a better life, whoever finds a way is leaving...

I will be happiest when I see that a new generation of Russians has entered the scene, one that is aware that they have to turn their country into a

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We make significant steps to improve the pension system Ivan Serdar

Director-General of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute

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Public administration communication Ian Farrow, Managing Director of Westco and Simon Jones, Director of Communications, Westco

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We have the opportunity to directly contribute to securing the survival prospects of Croats in Serbia Tomislav Žigmanov

Minister for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue of the Republic of Serbia and President of Democratic Alliance of Croats inVojvodina

25 YEARS OF SNV: BETWEEN THE WEIGHT OF WAR AND THE WEIGHT OF PEACE

The New Range Rover Sport – the definition of sporting luxury

Milorad Pupovac

RANGE ROVER SPORT

President of Serb National Council

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Economic cooperation between Serbia and Croatia is stable and increasingly more intense Aleksandar Radovanović

Head of the Centre for Regional Cooperation at Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS)

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Experience a modern fairy tale at the luxurious Kempinski Hotel Kempinski Hotel Adriatic

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Legal Relations in the Gaming Industry Petar Petrić Attorney-at-Law Petrić & Kajić odvjetničko društvo d.o.o.

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Volvo cars understand what diplomats want Volvo

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Learn about the future of the world in Istria Zoran Torbica Adria Summit 2023

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A journey to the centre of myself The call of the Jungle Nikolina Gotal @ShesGotall

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Zaglavlje Column

Day by day of uncertainty Boban Spasojevič Director / CEO Diplomacy&Commerce Croatia Director of “The Economist Svijet u …” Project

e’ve entered month three of 2023, and it seems that things are looking even worse than we hoped for. And while the humanity is drowning in its own greed and stupidity, nature is showing us how powerless we are and how everything we do can change in one second. This time, the earthquake in Turkey and Syria reminded us of that, with thousands of killed, dead, wounded, but also saved. The world teamed up to help – helping one side more than the other, because as in everyday life, we saw on this example that we are all equal in the world of those “more equal than others”.

The end of war in Ukraine is nowhere in sight, what’s more, it seems that they are taking new positions to continue. According to the actors, and also the international community which is a participant in the conflict in some way, conditions have not been met to sit down at the negotiating table because none of the interested parties is satisfied with the current situation on the ground. Many people wonder if World War III is already here, if not, will it be soon, or will everything remain the way it is at the moment.

In addition to the war that affected the lives of us all, a recession is looming in many countries with inflation that is increasing day by day. The question to which we are waiting for an honest answer is whether it is the result of the war alone or both the war and the pandemic and the lock down that preceded it. In any case, someone is “rubbing their hands” while the majority live their days with uncertainty.

Major players are fighting for their positions, some to keep the leading position (US and its allies), others to take a more important one (China), and it seems that this will be the focus of future international relations and crises. Russia is being kept isolated because of the aggression against Ukraine, but it is turning towards new markets and allies, India and the aforementioned China. The rich Europe, slow and torn, seems to be paying the highest price for

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Elections will be held in Finland in April, and one of the main topics in that country is NATO membership. Accra becomes the UNESCO World Book Capital for a year, and our Diplomacy&Commerce team is already working on the next edition.

the current situation. We can only hope that the experiences of great powers in ruling the world and economic power can help us stay at least at the same level we were, both economically and in the international arena.

In January, Croatia joined the Schengen as the youngest member of the EU and introduced euro as its official currency. The prices and inflation are raging, but the proverbial tame Croats are waiting for the end of another crisis and are coping as best they can. In February, Egyptologists of all ages marked 100 years since Howard Carter unsealed the tomb of King Tutankhamun. Presidential and parliamentary elections were held in Nigeria, and Peace Memorial Day was celebrated in Taiwan. March is all about the Oscars, but also the annual meeting of the Chinese Parliament, the National People’s Congress. Xi Jinping remains president in his third term.

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Interview

The health system is there for the patients A resilient and sustainable health system is also a precondition for sustainable economy

Vili Beroš Minister of Health of the Republic of Croatia

ealthcare system reform is not an issue that this Government and healthcare administration will use to raise media visibility, but an issue that will improve the healthcare system to the satisfaction of all patients and employees of that system, Minister of Health in the Government of the Republic of Croatia Vili Beroš told Diplomacy&Commerce. This is mostly proven by the amendments to the Law on Health Care and the Law on Mandatory Health Insurance, which are about to have their second reading in the Parliament, the Minister adds.

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In December, you presented to the Parliament a package of health laws key to health care reform, amendments to the law on health care and on mandatory health insurance. What are the goals of the reform?

In the past year, there was a lot of work on changes in healthcare related to analyses, making projections and creating legal and by-law bases, which were not “visible from the outside”. Now the results of that work and concrete changes in the system are coming to light.

We must be aware that the health system exists for the sake of patients, who oblige us to be guided by comprehensive and sustainable solutions. That is why the general goal of the reform is a sustainable healthcare system with the patient at the center. A resilient and sustainable healthcare system is also a prerequisite for a sustainable economy. We are also directed towards specific goals of the reform, such as strengthening public health, turning 6

to prevention and early detection of diseases, strengthening primary health care, reorganization of hospital health care, investment in human resources in public health, focus on the quality of the system and health services, measurement and evaluation of treatment outcomes and the financial stability of the system. All of the above points to the determination of the Government and the Ministry of Health in creating and implementing a responsible health policy with an emphasis on strengthening public health and fiscal sustainability in changing and challenging demographic, business and economic circumstances.

the coronavirus pandemic, then earthquakes and reconstruction, to geopolitical realignments, financial market instability, inflationary pressures, which left its mark on the healthcare sector as well. We must recognize and be proud that our healthcare system has successfully responded and responds to the aforementioned challenges, but it is important to be aware of the existing context and manage those changes with quality, which means

The specificity of the renovation of health institutions, buildings that are often more than 50 years old, correlates with ensuring continuous access to health services during the renovation works.

What is the deadline for implementation of the reforms and how satisfied are you with what is currently being done?

As we announced, we are implementing the healthcare reform in stages. We are currently in the second phase, which means that after the analysis of the situation, the mapping of health needs and the organization of health capacities in line with them, we are proceeding with the adoption of legislative acts and by-laws and the gradual implementation of changes through the health system.

However, we must also be aware that the current healthcare reform is being carried out in times that have never been more challenging, from

making gradual and sustainable reform strides. It is with such a responsible policy and in challenging circumstances that credit agencies have preserved their trust in the Croatian economy, and health care is a significant reason for this. The most recent example that shows this is the assessment of the Fitch bank, which raised the credit rating to BBB+ in its report, basing the assessment on our reform strides in healthcare.

A large number of clinics and hospitals in Zagreb, but also in Banija, has been damaged in the earthquake. How is their restoration progressing and what does the speed of works depend on?

The dynamics of construction work in the healthcare system is accelerating. In connection with the Zagreb earthquake, 52 contracts were concluded on the allocation of nonrefundable financial resources with a total value of EUR 374.9 million, of which EUR 145.1 million is financed from the European Union (EU) Solidarity Fund, and EUR 229.9 million is financed from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NPOO) and other sources. When it comes to the earthquake in Petrinja, 44 contracts with a total value of 204.1 million euros were concluded, of which 103.6 million euros are financed from the EU Solidarity Fund, and 100.5 million euros are financed from the National Economic and Social Development Fund and/or other sources.

We have to be aware that the renewal processes have a special weight in our department. The specificity of the renovation of health institutions, buildings that are often more than 50 years old, correlates with ensuring continuous access to health services during the renovation works. Therefore, evacuating the entire building in one take and immediately starting the work is not an option in the health care system.

The health system requires parallel processes: • directors, as the key project managers, are obliged to fulfill significant administrative prerequisites that European funds imply, and ultimately carry out the timely renovation of hospital institutions • at the same time, they are also responsible for providing adequate and timely health care to pa-

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Zaglavlje Interview

role of each individual in the health system and public institutions in the function of health are precisely the focus of our reform measures. That all this is easy to achieve and do overnight - it is not. We need to be ready for gradual and long-term changes, which is what this Government and the health administration are aiming for. It is the only way to empower citizens to make good decisions in preserving their health and the health of their loved ones.

tients, which we witness through the reorganization of hospitals, which is a special challenge in a period of higher incidence of respiratory diseases Also, the COVID-19 pandemic, the introduction of epidemiological measures and limited access to health institutions at the very beginning posed challenges to the health system during the assessment of damage to health institutions caused by the earthquake. Namely, the recording of the condition after the earthquake could not take place at the usual pace because the persons who were in charge of assessing the damage after the earthquake could not physically enter the health facilities for epidemiological reasons.

Considering the above, renovations in the health sector are very complex and extensive. Bringing historic buildings to a higher level of seismic resistance while simultaneously providing health care is truly a great challenge for our system in the process of restoration, and directors of the institutions are successfully coping with this. I would especially like to thank the health care institutions that have shown significant progress in the reconstruction so far and have shown that it can be done, and I would emphasize that it must be done! At the same time, with this example, we once again demonstrate the strength, flexibility and resilience of the health system in demanding situations, which we also demonstrated during the acute phases of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Croatia is getting closer to realization of the strategic project of Helicopter Emergency Medical Service. When do you expect that project to come to life and how far has it come in its realization?

We have achieved important prerequisites for announcement of the public procurement procedure and the realization of full operation of the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS), a strategic goal of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, by the beginning of 2024.

Thanks to the contracted technical assistance of the European Commission (EC), with intensive cooperation of the Ministry of Health and consultants, considerable progress was made in the process of preparing the public procurement procedure.

For the project with a total estimated value of 63 million euros, a market analysis, examples of good practices of other EU member states with recent experience in procuring HEMS services from civil operators, and a 8

What do you think is the biggest problem of Croatian healthcare, and what would you single out as something you are most proud of in a positive sense?

We have achieved important prerequisites for announcement of the public procurement procedure and the realization of full operation of the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) by the beginning of 2024. preliminary consultation procedure with interested economic entities have been carried out. In accordance with good European practice and public procurement procedure, before the call which is planned for the end of February 2023, an additional round of preliminary consultation with interested economic entities was announced in order to present to all market participants the minor changes and adjustments to the documentation resulting from previously collected comments from stakeholders who participated in the previous consultation. During the preparation of procurement documentation, special attention was paid to the need to establish HEMS in the shortest possible time, to adopting good practices from other EU member states, to the aspect of security and quality of service, as well as to geographical coverage of the entire territory of the Republic of Croatia within the framework of the golden hour standard for all patients.

In parallel with the mentioned activities, intensive work is being done on securing and preparing the necessary infrastructure, personnel and medical equipment. In the context of the existing global challenges, the mentioned steps speak enough about the determination of this Government

and the health administration as well as the EC in the implementation of this project.

As the minister who was at the head of a key ministry during the COVID-19 pandemic, do you think now that everything that was done on this occasion was a good job, or would you change something?

Today, it seems that COVID-19 is something that is very close to us, but three years ago we were just getting to know this virus and the disease. Then, at the very beginning of the epidemic, we involved the entire profession, created a quick response to the first appearance of COVID-19 in Croatia, but we also looked towards the future. Proof of this is the formation of the Commission for postCOVID in the first 6 months of the epidemic, as well as the provision of a free vaccine against COVID-19 through the EC. There are many challenges behind us that we have overcome, but they also reminded us of the importance of respecting the profession and implementing prevention, which was founded by Dr Andrija Štampar, promoting health literacy and prevention not only in Croatia but throughout the world.

Health literacy, prevention, an active

The COVID-19 epidemic was a challenge for us all, but also an opportunity for us to show our advantages which are often overlooked or taken for granted. It is precisely our health system that showed strength, flexibility and resistance of the health system during the epidemic and it continues to do so during the current reconstruction of health institutions for earthquake victims. Our resilience in crisis situations has been recognized beyond the borders of Croatia, which we should be proud of, and not downplay it. Perhaps it is also a matter of our mentality, which at first does not recognize our achievements until they are recognized outside the borders of Croatia. And we truly do have them, from the excellence of our doctors, medical achievements, a more recent one is the National Program for Early Detection of Lung Cancer to the management of crisis situations and raising the credit rating on the basis of reform strides in healthcare. Of course, there is room for improvement, which I mentioned in my first address to the Parliament and which I am still doing today together with the Government and the health administration. We all agree that we need to improve the healthcare system, implement the necessary reform measures, but if we only criticize and find counter-arguments that something cannot be done, we will not get far.

We can and must find solutions and answers to the many open questions of our healthcare together, in harmony with wishes, expectations, needs and possibilities. I believe that we are on the right track and that all stakeholders in the healthcare system will see that with further reform steps, we can achieve positive developments, both for the patients and for healthcare workers. I have no illusions that it is easy to achieve, but I have faith that the contribution of each of us in their workplace can make a shift for the better.

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Interview

We make significant steps to improve the pension system From January 1st, the Amendments to the Pension Insurance Act provide better social security and reduce the risk of poverty for particularly vulnerable categories of low-income pensioners.

Ivan Serdar Director-General of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute

perating as a public service for citizens, HZMO’s activity covers the implementation of mandatory pension insurance based on generational solidarity, procedures for granting entitlements to child benefits and national benefits for the elderly, explains Mr Ivan Serdar, for Diplomacy&Commerce.

HZMO is also in charge of implementing the decisions of the Government of the Republic of Croatia on the payment of a one-time cash benefit to beneficiaries of child benefit and pension beneficiaries as part of a package of measures to mitigate the consequences caused by the COVID-19 epidemic, to mitigate the increase in the cost of living and energy prices, which i there were six in total in the past two years. An average of approximately 697,000 pensioners were covered by these measures, and HRK 1,855,062,400.00 and EUR 13,590.80 have been paid for this purpose so far. Also, approximately 125,000 beneficiaries of the child benefit for approximately 240,000 children are included, for which HRK 121,421,700.00 and EUR 1,619.11 have been paid so far.

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Last year was marked by one hundred years of pension insurance in the Republic of Cro-

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atia, what did the new century bring?

The year behind us was an opportunity to celebrate one hundred years of pension insurance in Croatia and, based on the traditional values represented by this institution, highlight the goals and direction for the development of the pension system. Along

since 2008, and this is an incentive for the system to develop more efficient business processes that will lead to the removal of administrative obstacles to the economy. Our goal is to implement the most modern tools and software solutions that will make the system more efficient, and on the other hand, enable timely detection and preven-

HZMO pays pension benefits abroad for over 160 thousand beneficiaries in more than 50 countries with the adaptation of the business and financial system to the introduction of euro, this year will be filled with activities aimed at a direct implementation of the Act on Amendments to the Pension Insurance Act and an information campaign on the occasion. Also, HZMO continuously works to improve the quality of its services by investing in IT technologies, increasing the number of e-Services, better connecting with other stakeholders in the process of exercising rights from pension insurance, increasing the level of transparency, and ensuring the right to access information. Despite challenging times, we are continuously recording growth in the number of insured persons. For example, in January, we recorded over 1.6 million insured persons, which is the largest number

tion of possible abuses. The business model dominated by paper documentation and a bureaucratic approach to the user must change. Therefore, the focus is on creating a system of as much digitization as possible.

How does HZMO adapt to requirements of modern business and public service provision?

What challenges do you face concerning changes in the labour market?

HZMO has a clear vision of transformation into a modern public institution with the use of modern technology and computerization, which guarantees legality, up-todateness and quality of business.

Digitization has made it possible for our users to exercise their rights

more quickly. In 2023, we will focus on the further development of eServices and the improvement of the user experience.

HZMO leads in the number of available e-Services for citizens and the business sector. We have enabled online submission of almost all requests and the issuance of almost all certificates from our scope of work, and at the beginning of this year we also introduced two new e-Services: registration and de-registration data, with which employers can electronically submit a request to display the registration and de-registration data for their employees and services related to the issuance of portable document A1. It is a certificate valid throughout the EU as a proof of the legislation that applies to a posted person. Also, it proves that such person is not obliged to pay contributions in other Member States where such person is posted to work.

All electronic services are integrated and accessible on the web portal e-Services of HZMO, within the platform e-Citizens (e-Građani), which enables the submission of applications for exercising various rights from pension insurance, child benefit and national benefit for the elderly.

Upgrading its level of digitalisation and further transformation of HZMO will be achieved through the implementation of ongoing projects - eHZMO and eArhiva. Development and implementation of a modular IT

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Interview

system for supporting HZMO’s main processes have been planned within the eHZMO project as the most demanding and extensive activity, along with the introduction of a new ERP system. The investment is financed through the 2021 – 2026 National Recovery and Resilience Plan, and the value of the investment is EUR 17,081,504.01/ HRK 128,700,592. New IT solutions, partially established on artificial intelligence, will enable users to e-communicate with HZMO for most services. Also, after the end of the project, consolidation of business will allow a more proactive approach to users and the availability of services, regardless of working hours.

Considering that HZMO continuously takes care of more than 1.6 million insured persons, more than 1.2 million pension beneficiaries and more than 120 thousand beneficiaries of child benefit, reliance on ITC is a necessity.

The Act on Amendments to the Pension Insurance Act entered into force on January 1st, 2023, as well as the new model of survivors’ pensions, which caused great public interest. Can you tell us what are the news for citizens and how HZMO implements them?

All survivors’ pensions were increased by 10 percent, and the lowest pensions by 3 percent. This increase in pension income covers approximately 500.000 pensioners. Also, the pensions of those receiving survivors’ pensions increased by 33.18 euros (HRK 250.00) on average.

A significant step forward in the pension system of generational solidarity is the possibility of using two pensions - the personal one and part of the survivors’ pension of the deceased spouse/common-law partner in the amount of 27 percent.

Enabling the cumulation of a part of survivors’ pension with the personal pension is a targeted measure of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, which aims to protect pensioners with lower pension incomes. This novelty is of particular importance at the point in life when a person lost a spouse/common-law partner or life partner, as a prevention of the risk of poverty. For those beneficiaries, the pension will increase by an average of 67.69 euros, or 510.00 HRK. In addition to the increase in pension amounts for beneficiaries of survivors’ pension and those with the lowest pensions, this pension reform also included an increase in the starting factor for two categories of pensioners - beneficiaries of oldage pension and the old-age pension for long-term insured persons for each month of longer stay on the la-

bour market after reaching the pension eligibility by age.

We are witnessing changes and new dynamics in the labour market.

From the HZMO perspective, what is particularly interesting is the change since the 2019 pension reform, through the continuous encouragement of longer participation on the labour market and the expansion of the circle of retirees who can work up

than 66,000 phone inquiries and more than 25,000 e-mail inquiries were processed through Infocentar.

We are aware of the importance and scope of digital communication channels and we communicate with users via social networks. There is also communication and support related to digital services, such as HZMO Lana, e-Services (e-Usluge) for employers through which we

Numerous activities have been undertaken to facilitate and speed up the exercising of users’ rights under the new model of survivors’ pensions.

We have enabled online filing of almost all requests and issuing of almost all certificates from our field of activity. to half the full-time and receive a pension without suspension of their payments. At the end of January, 23,365 pensioners were using this option. As of this year, it is possible to receive an old-age pension in the full amount in case of full-time or half-time employment of military insured persons, police officers, judicial police officers and professional fire-fighters.

As a public institution whose operations entirely focus on users, how do you communicate with numerous users of your services?

Information from our field of activity is often intended for a large number of citizens throughout the Republic of Croatia. We are particularly proud of the work of our Infocenter, where HZMO workers are available to all citizens at every working day by phone and via webform and they respond to all individual inquiries of our users in the shortest possible time. In 2022, more

provide employers with business support in fulfilling their obligations such as registration and de-registration of insurance, notification about the change in status occurred during insurance, notification of the commencement/cessation of operation of contribution payers, as well as changes in their data. In the event of particularly important news and changes for users, we also conduct various media campaigns, and here I must emphasize the importance of good cooperation with the media.

The power of direct communication with users is unquestionable.

Thus, on the occasion of the legal changes related to the new model of survivors’ pensions, in January, we held presentations in more than 40 nursing homes throughout the Republic of Croatia, to which the reactions were extremely positive.

You are also responsible for the implementation of EU regulations and international agreements on

social security. What type of services does HZMO provide to citizens of the Republic of Croatia who are accumulating or have accumulated part of their pensionable service abroad?

In the segment of pensions, HZMO has cooperation and coordination with 40 countries, of which it applies EU regulations to 30 countries, bilateral social security agreements to nine countries and the Protocol on Coordination of Social Security to the United Kingdom.

Since June 2019, HZMO has been participating in the Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information System (EESSI) among the Member States of the EU, the European Economic Area and the Swiss Confederation. As for the application of EU regulations, HZMO is not only a competent institution and a liaison body in the sector of pensions, but also in the sector of family benefits, i.e. child benefits, and determination of applicable legislation. In order to ensure the freedom of movement of labour force within the EU and prevent workers from remaining uncovered by the social security system, HZMO issues about 80 thousand A1 certificates on average per year.

What do you see as the main challenge in HZMO operations?

It is precisely the concept of digitization and centralization, because such concept is necessary to improve processes for better internal efficiency and effectiveness and the quality of services to users. The challenge is also turning HZMO in the direction of administration restructuring, as well as new public management by the application of various tools, standards and methods for measuring quality in public administration.

The most well-known norm is ISO 9001, which applies as a quality standard for both the private and the public sector. Process measuring is important because it is the only way to guarantee the management quality, with an emphasis on reforms and improvements.

This is why we need to rise awareness of the importance of their introduction into the public administration system, which we will work on in the future.

The fact that we received the Certificate according to the international norm ISO/IEC 27001:2013 for the Information Security Management System (ISMS) in February 2020 also shows that we are heading in the right direction. Data security for almost 3 million users insured persons, pension and child benefit beneficiaries, which HZMO disposes of monthly, represents a valuable information asset that needs to be protected and secured in accordance with current legal regulations in the field of information security and personal data protection.

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Corporate

Public administration communication Transparency in public administration is often cited as one of the most important elements of building trust and reputation

Ian Farrow Managing Director of Westco

Simon Jones Director of Communications, Westco

he international PRO PR Conference has the mission of connecting experts who are part of the public relations industry, but also those who are part of the integrated communication process. PRO PR will be held this year from May 4 th to May 7 th at Jezero Hotel, Plitvice Lakes, Croatia.

Among the participants of the conference are Ian Farrow, Managing Director of Westco and Simon Jones, Director of Communications, Westco. Westco is a UK-based agency and training provider that specialises in public service communications and research.

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Our influence grows if we are able to provide intelligence to back-up our argument What should transparent public administration communication look like?

Transparency in public administration is often cited as one of the most important elements of building trust and reputation.

When transparency is removed or undermined, then the connection between public bodies and the people that they represent becomes weaker.

Yet, what do we mean by transparency and, as communicators, what kind of things do we need to

do or think about to make our organisations more transparent?

In one sense transparency in public administration is about making sure that the public are sufficiently engaged in decision-making. Often, this has to start before any decisions are made.

Our role is to ensure that people are aware of the issues that are being discussed and have had the chance to input into the decisions that are being taken. This is particularly important for certain groups of ‘stakeholders’ who are particularly impacted or affected, or who have a vested interest.

There are plenty of examples of leaders of Governments and public

bodies which have had to abandon policies because people have not been sufficiently engaged, or because the scale of opposition has been underestimated.

That is why our job, as communicators, is so important. Our job isn’t just to publicise new policies, our job is to ensure that all of the reputational issues have been considered before new policies have been announced.

For this to happen, the organisations that we work need to value the importance of strategic communications as opposed to tactical. In other words, to ensure that communications is properly planned and is insight-led.

As communicators we need to have sufficient influence within our organisations to enable us to provide effective challenge. Our influence grows if we are able to provide intelligence to back-up our argument. For example, by analysing what people

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are saying on social media or by suggesting that focus groups are carried out to assess likely perceptions.

At its core, communications in public administration should act like a radar to constantly be on the alert for reputational threats while making sure that mitigations are put in place for the different scenarios that might occur. Arguably the most effective public administrations or Governments are those which place strategic communications at the heart of decision-making.

For leaders, transparency is also about being clear what is and isn’t working. The public are much more forgiving about mistakes if leaders own up to mistakes and are clear about the remedies that are being put in place. There are lots of examples of leaders who have had to resign because of attempts to somehow coverup what has occurred.

There is also another important role that communicators play. That is to ensure that the public can easily connect with their services and that information is accessible and clear. After all there is nothing more frustrating than being at a bus or train stop and not knowing if the bus or train will ever arrive.

Clear communication is also essential. The language used should be simple and jargon-free to ensure that everyone can understand it. Timeliness is often critical, particularly when it comes to communicating changes in public services, such as opening times.

The need for transparency underlines is the critical role that effective communication plays in effective public administration. It shows why, as a profession and, as individuals, we can never afford to stand still and must constantly look to learn, improve, and evolve.

Structure and content

It could be said that the purpose of public administration communications is to connect people with government bodies that make decisions in their name.

To do this effectively communications must be capable of building confidence and trust of citizens. For Government and public bodies, trust is a license to operate. Remove it and you erode their ability to effectively operate.

Public service communications is littered with perennial challenges and constraints, along with new challenges that have emerged with changes in society.

The book ‘100 Years of Government Communications’ by AZ McKenna is an excellent journey through the history of the UK’s Government public 14

service communications and outlines many examples.

The first is providing truthful and transparent communications.

Winston Churchill’s famous war time phrase that ‘truth was so precious she should be attended by a bodyguard of lies’ may have been apt during world conflagration, but people will always see through propaganda.

It could be argued that the more extreme falsehoods during the Great War, such as the infamous Kadaververwentungsanstalt – a German factory where corpses were supposedly turned into soap – only ended up undermining trust in government

tion seen as competent and ethical; government is viewed as unethical and incompetent. Business is under pressure to step into the void left by government.”

However, the challenge for public service communications is that it must recognise this polarisation and speak to ‘tribes’ that hold very different beliefs and are becoming further entrenched fuelled by social media.

Communications leaders need to be close to and understand policy, but they must also speak truth to power seen through the prism of an understanding of the society that they serve.

Other challenges include the need

In short effective leadership in public administration is just as much about communications as it is about policy.

Policy alone will not change the world.

Effective communication of it will communications. Could this have been partly responsible for senior mandarins in the Second World War viewing rumours of Nazi death camps as mere propaganda? Public service communications, in the words of Alex Aiken, then Executive Director of Government Communications, must be an enduring goal of delivering “truth well told” to the public.

Public service communications must not be politicised. Experienced communications leaders need political nous to tread this line carefully.

The issue of politicised UK government communications dominated the early 2000s, particularly against the back-drop of the Iraq War. This led to Sir Bob Phillis conducting a review in 2003 which set out seven principles that should underpin government communications which includes (1) Openness, not secrecy; (2) direct, unmediated communication to the public; (3) genuine engagement on the formation of policy: (4) positive presentation not ‘spin’; (5) greater use of communication channels, not just relying on newspapers or broadcasters; (6) co-ordination across government departments to avoid conflicting or duplicated messages and (7) reinforcement of the notion that the Civil Service is politically neutral.

These challenges in the battle for trust are as pertinent today as they were 20 years ago. Trust in government had a bounce during the pandemic as people relied on direct intervention during the crisis. This was however short lived. As the Edleman Trust barometer 2023 points out “Business is now the sole institu-

for communications leaders to get to grips with data and its use in marketing. During the second world war the Ministry of Information set up the Home Intelligence Division (HID) which sent out researchers to compile qualitative insight from conversations across the country. Due to lack of transparency the HID became known as “Coopers Snoopers” but was basically the forerunner for focus groups and data analytics working together to better enable effective public service communications.

Communications leaders need to learn coding, how to develop algorithms, how to use data for predictive analytics and be ready for the tsunami of Artificial Intelligence products landing on the desks as I write. The time to learn this was yesterday!

Is there a lack of education in the field of public administration employees and should politicians know more about public relations?

There is a battle in public administration, particularly at a local level, to ensure that sufficient resources are in place for effective public relations.

In part, this may be because there is a lack of education about what constitutes effective communications.

The importance of our role can often be undervalued by public administration leaders who think our job is to simply relay information in the form of press releases or social media posts. That, in turn, can breed complacency on our part as we fall into a

mindset of simply ‘sending out stuff’ and hoping for the best.

There is a clear difference between the SOS model (‘sending out stuff’) compared with a planned and coordinated model, based on the use of insight and data. The most effective communication strategy is one that fully understands the problem we are trying to solve, understands what is most likely to influence and what channels to use.

The knowledge gap in public administration and sometimes, amongst ourselves ,is failing to appreciate the level of sophistication that is needed.

Think about many of our modern challenges whether it is tackling vaccine hesitancy, helping people to deal with the cost of living pressures or combatting climate change. They all require a sophisticated communications and engagement approach that is just as much about data and psychology as it is about creativity.

For public administration leaders they need to be ready to invest in growing our capabilities because the most effective public bodies are ones that understand and can harness the power of strategic communications by ensuring that the right resources and skills are in place.

Equally, the same can be said for politicians. History has shown that there is a direct correlation between effective leadership and effective communication. The very first president of the United States, George Washington understood this. He had a very clear vision and narrative and was able to bring people with him through his ability to impart that vision.

The same can be said for Barack Obama. His speeches, both as a presidential candidate and as President of the United States, were noted for their clarity, passion, and eloquence.

His communication skills were seen as critical in mobilising support for his policies, such as the Affordable Care Act. At a local public administration level, it is just as important to develop an effective communication style. For many this does not come naturally which is why it is so important to have an effective communication team around that leader to help build skills and confidence. At the heart of this is the need to have an effective narrative and vision, with the ability to use storytelling to help impart that vision and bring communities with you.

Put simply storytelling is the formation of a persuasive argument through the ability to humanise the argument. Often this contains the vivid description of ideas, beliefs, personal experiences through stories or narratives that evoke powerful emotions and insights.

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D i p l o m a c y & c o m m e r c e p r e s e n ts

Serbia FOCUS ON

Serbia

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charge of the implementation of human and minority rights speaks volumes about the awareness in the governing structure of the importance of a systematic approach to this issue and the need for dedicated action to improve this important area of social life.

What would you single out as the most important projects of the Ministry you are leading?

We have the opportunity to directly contribute to securing the survival prospects of Croats in Serbia This implies that, as part of governing structures, we will be able to affect an entire series of social and political assumptions.

Interview

he very act of my election as a minister in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, me being a political representative of the Croatian community, greatly changed the dominant perception of local Croats, Tomislav Žigmanov, Minister for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue of the Republic of Serbia and President of the Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina, told Diplomay&Commerce. If I understood the content and messages in the media address of the participants behind closed doors, it was agreed at the beginning of the „thawing“ of relations between Serbia and Croatia that an analysis of the situation in each of the individual areas would be initiated - from the members of all existing interstate commissions to the analysis of what has been done so far and the challenges that need to be solved, says Tomislav Žigmanov.

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How would you describe the state of human rights in Serbia? Where do you see the application of the highest European standards, and which areas still have some flaws?

First of all, it should be said that in assessments of the state of human and minority rights, the reports of NGOs and organizations marked as international 18

organizations are almost always different from those signed by state institutions, and in this sense, Serbia is no exception. Where there is a high level of agreement between both sides is that Serbia has accepted, i.e. ratified almost all conventions, pacts or charters of the United Nations, the Council of Europe or the Organization for European Security and Cooperation, and that the value and normative framework they contain is almost completely transferred into Serbia’s own legislation. Also, the fact that Serbia is a country committed to the implementation of the law, which is the concept of human and minority rights, cannot be disputed. In the past few years, we have made great strides when it comes to Roma integration, gender equality and the inclusion of marginalized and vulnerable groups. And yet, this does not mean that problems in the application of legal norms do not exist, as pointed out by some non-governmental organizations, or that there is no room for improvement or that there is no need to work on it when it comes to human rights, especially in the area of social rights, but also when it comes to minority rights of certain national minorities.

The very fact that the Government of the Republic of Serbia has a ministry in

Tomislav Žigmanov Minister for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue of the Republic of Serbia and President of Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina

As it seems now, with the advanced improvement of the social position, it can hardly be expected that the (adverse) situations for both Croats in Serbia and Serbs in Croatia “could go back to the way they were”

During the first 100 days of my mandate as a minister, elections were successfully held for members of national councils of national minorities - with the newly elected Council of Gorani people, Serbia today has minority self-governing bodies of 24 national communities. We managed to increase funds by nearly 20% for their functioning and work, which is the first increase after more than 10 years.

We are nearing the end of the process of forming the Council for Cooperation and Development of Civil Society of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, as a new institute in strengthening cooperation between public authorities and civil society. A whole series of activities have been undertaken when it comes to reporting on the achievement of gender equality in the Republic of Serbia, and the first steps have been taken so that women’s “invisible work” will begin to be valued through the social and health care system, for the first time in history.

We established a continuous affirmation of the culture of human and minority rights and all important social events and values that stand at the foundation of democracy, as a political system that Serbia is committed to building.

What are the projects you are working on and which ones would you single out? And how much room is there for some topics (the issue of minority rights, the development of civil society…) in a society where tension and uncertainty reigns?

In the part related to national minorities, the biggest challenge is the completion of the Action Plan for the realization of rights of national minorities. A large number of activities await us in the process of social inclusion of Roma men and women, among which one of the most important is the establishment of a Fund for improving the position of members of this sensitive community. We expect the first real results regarding women’s “invisible work”, so we could begin to value it through the social and health care system. The approach to human rights should be based on one strategic document - the Strategy for Monitoring and Improving Human Rights in the Republic of Serbia must be adopted during this year. It will create a framework for monitoring the state of human rights, which will be the basis for coordinated and multi-sector undertaking of adequate measures to improve the state and the

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associated development and improvement of the culture of human rights. The continuous affirmation of human rights throughout the year should end with the commemoration of 75 years since the adoption of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

You are the leader of the Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina. How would you describe the position of Croats in Serbia today? Is there any progress compared to the previous period and what are you focusing on to improve your position?

very act of my election as a minister in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, me being a political representative of the Croatian community, which happened at the suggestion of the president of Serbian Progressive Party, Aleksandar Vučić, greatly changed the dominant perception of local Croats – it began to change for the better, and a direct consequence of this is that people have become more relaxed.

On the other hand, as a minister in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, although of course I am not a minister for Croats, I will have the opportunity to make decisions that will result in a real improvement of our social position.

This will happen with regard to the entire spectrum of challenges that Croats face - from greater representation of Croats in public administration, through solving problems related to communal infrastructure and living conditions in places where Croats live, to increasing the scope and quality of exercising minority rights. In other words, we now have the opportunity to directly contribute to securing the survival prospects of Croats in Vojvodina, that is, in the Republic of Serbia. This implies that, as part of the ruling structures, we will be able to influence a whole series of social and political assumptions - from the creation of a positive and tolerant atmosphere in society, the creation and implementation of measures in the economy and agriculture that will make it possible to make a living from one’s work, more balanced regional development and creation of quality living conditions and equal access to public services, the strengthening and development of the institutional framework of the Croatian community - from the network of Croatian cultural associations and new institutions such as the professional theater scene, through the increase in the number of schools with classes in Croatian language – and finally the forming of the School Centre, to social centers of local Croatian communities, which will be focal points of national life and our survival.

You and Mr Pupovac from SNV started the mission of “thawing” relations between Serbia and Croatia.

We know what the points of contention are (issues of missing persons,

The open issues are not new, and they were precisely defined in the so-called Subotica Declaration from 2016 – the missing persons, the issues of war heritage, the position of national minorities, borders, economic cooperation..

borders...) Do you think it is possible to improve relations between the two countries if we keep in mind that they have been hot and cold since the end of the conflict in the 90s?

Yes, a kind of «kairos», a happy, convenient moment in the «thawing» this time belongs to sometimes painful actions of political organizations of two minority communities. It should be said that the cooperation between the institutions and organizations of Croats in Serbia and Serbs in Croatia was not hindered during the entire period of stagnation in the relations between the two countries.

Additional importance in the dynamics of those relations was brought by the fact that the political champion of the Croatian community – i.e. me, became part of the executive power in the Republic of Serbia thanks to the decision of the winner in the elections, president of the Serbian Progressive Party and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. This fact, apart from being an act of positive recognition of the political subjectivity of Croats in Serbia that has not been seen before, was almost unanimously positively evaluated by representatives of the authorities in the Republic of Croatia, primarily Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, which was also an important moment in creating the climate for holding the first meetings at a high level. On the other hand, it is necessary to keep in mind the fact that the «freeze» of relations between the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Serbia has simply become difficult to sustain, that is, the burden of unresolved, open issues has generated the need to start solving them anew. It is also necessary to take into account the growing awareness of the need among the ruling political class for a new wave of communication and cooperation. The interests of official Bruxelles, who did not put up with noncooperation, should not be overlooked

either. In other words, the whole range of causes and reasons contributed to the fact that institutional communication, as the zero prerequisite for cooperation between the two countries, started to take place after more than two years. As it seems now, with the advanced improvement of the social position, it can hardly be expected that the (adverse) situations for both Croats in Serbia and Serbs in Croatia «could go back to the way they were».

What are the specific steps being made, and when do you expect some “tangible” results?

If I understood the content and messages in the media address of the participants behind closed doors, it was agreed that an analysis of the situation in each of the individual areas would be initiated - from the members of all existing interstate commissions to the analysis of what has been done so far and the challenges that need to be solved. These issues are not new, and they were precisely defined in the so-called Subotica Declaration from 2016 – the missing persons, the issues of war heritage, the position of national minorities, borders, economic cooperation, and the “inventory of the situation” is a fundamental assumption that is needed for these committees to function in a technical and operational sense. If I understood correctly, the issue of cooperation in European integrations will be communicated during the visit of Minister Tanja Miščević to Zagreb, which was also agreed upon at the meeting in Subotica.

On the other hand, the Croatian side also expressed expectations that the first “official meeting” on the top in a fuller capacity and in a more adequate format should take place after more serious steps have been taken in politically sensitive issues such as the issue of the missing persons, which means that they know what to do in regards to that matter as well.

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25 YEARS OF SNV: BETWEEN THE WEIGHT OF WAR AND THE WEIGHT OF PEACE The legal basis for its establishment was the Letter of Intent of the Government of the Republic of Croatia on the completion of peaceful reintegration of the area under the transitional administration of the United Nations from January 1997.

Photo: Jovica Drobnjak / SNV

Column

he Serb National Council (SNV) was established 25 years ago. Security Council adopted the Letter of Intent and thus its contents became part of international contractual obligations of the Republic of Croatia. Pursuant to Article 4 of the Letter of Intent, the Joint Council of Municipalities (ZVO) was established first on the territory of OsjekBaranja and Vukovar-Srijem counties, and then SNV was established based on Article 9. That is how the Serbs in Croatia received two types of minority government – one regional and one national.

All this happened less than two years after the leadership of Krajina rejected the Z-4 Peace Plan and the Serbs who lived in the territory of Krajina fled, after which the Croatian Parliament suspended the validity of most of provisions of the then Constitutional Law on Human Rights and Freedoms and the Rights of ethnic and national communities or minorities. All provisions concerning political-territorial autonomy were suspended: the proportional representation of the two autonomous districts of Knin and Glina. By suspending the provisions on proportional representation, which were guaranteed by the Constitutional Law to minorities whose share in the total population of the Republic of Croatia is at least eight percent, the Parliament annulled the results of the 1991 population census, which were supposed to be valid until the new census in 2001.

In addition, until the adoption of the Letter of Intent, Serb refugees were treated as optants, so they were only allowed to return individually. If it was not destroyed, their property was declared the property of the Republic of Croatia and given to others for use, and those who were fit for military service were either accused of armed rebellion or proceedings against war crimes were initiated against (a significant number of) them. The largest number of refugees did not have valid Croatian documents.

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This is how SNV and ZVO, which was first chaired by Miloš Vojnović, as well as the Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS), which was also established in 1997 with Dr Vojislav Stanimirović as its President, were established in circumstances that contained two extremes within them – all the weight of war on one side, and all the weight of peace on the other.

Creation of the National Trust Restoration Committee, led by Vesna Šakre Ožbolt, Ivica Vrkić and Vojislav Stanimirović, as well as the United Nations Transitional Authority in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES), with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and later, after the end of the UNTAES mission, the mission of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), significantly helped bring relief from the war and facilitate the path to peace.

Relief from the war included the restoration of inter-ethnic trust, the issuance of certificates of Croatian citizenship and personal documents, the integration of police officers, judges, clerks, doctors, teachers, professors and employees in public companies, adoption of the law on general amnesty and on the convalidation of documents issued during the Krajina period, the return of property to displaced and the refugees, rebuilding houses that were destroyed during and after the war, and ensuring that only those who committed crimes are brought before justice, and that such trials are not part of a campaign to deter return and produce collective guilt.

Organizing SNV, ZVO and SDSS - or better yet, organizing three segments of the Serb community (those who lived in the cities, those who were reintegrated during peaceful reintegration and those who are returning or want to return) into unique organizational entities, in accordance with international agreements such

Milorad Pupovac President of Serb National Council

The status of SNV and ZVO as minority governments established based on international contracts, the Erdut Agreement and the Letter of Intent is still waiting for an adequate and permanent solution.

as the Erdut Agreement and the Letter of Intent, the Constitution and laws, was the first necessary step towards the restoration of political subjectivity of Serbs in Croatia. The restoration of political subjectivity was the second necessary step of the internal cohesion of the community and its political participation in representative and other government bodies.

This process has been going on for 25 years, maintaining existing ones and incorporating new ones.

Peaceful reintegration and the policy of building international trust, then the political changes that followed after the year 2000 and after 2003, with the main course of moving away from the anti-minority politics and moving towards the politics of European integrations, represented a continuously positive context for the organization and operation of SNV, ZVO and SDSS. This process was faster than the relief from the burden of war.

The restoration of inter-ethnic, Croatian-Serbian trust, together with the restoration of political subjectivity of the Serb community and the orientation of the Republic of Croatia towards European integrations, encouraged the members of the Serb community and provided an opportunity to affirm its political activity, as well as to strengthen its political participation at the local, regional and state level. The most symbolically powerful act that contributed to this and created space for pro-minority politics in Croatia was the agreement on coalition cooperation and the arrival of Prime Minister Ivo Sanader to the traditional Christmas reception of the Serb National Council on January 6, 2004, when he greeted the gathered group with the traditional words of the Orthodox faithful: “Mir Božji, Hristos se rodi!” (Peace of God, Christ is born!)

The echo of this greeting resonated until 2012. That’s when the anti-minority politics and politics directed against the left-liberal government and the presi-

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dent started to return. The anti-Cyrillic campaign, first in Vukovar, with echoes throughout Croatia, drowned out that echo, and Croatia, which had just been admitted to the membership of the European Union, turned into a country that cancelled everything that led it to that membership. SNV, ZVO and SDSS, as well as the community they represented, acted under the threat of abolishing political subjectivity and political participation which they renewed - from the Peace Train of President Franjo Tuđman to the anti-Cyrillic riots in Vukovar and the antigovernment riots in Zagreb.

Since then, most things have either slowed down or came to a halt – the reconstruction of family homes and housing care for former occupancy-right holders, the reconstruction of communal infrastructure (electricity, water, roads) in returnee communities, the trials for war crimes committed against Serbs and investment in capacities in municipalities where members of national minorities live, and in particular, investment in the economic development of returnee areas and areas where members of national minorities live has been stopped. The only thing that accelerated and got stronger was historical revisionism and hate speech. Especially towards anti-fascism and towards Serbs.

From 2016-2017, the heritage of peaceful reintegration, European integrations and political subjectivity and political participation of the Serb community began to be restored. And it continues to this day. SNV, ZVO and SDSS together and with the support of the Government of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, unblock the reconstruction of family houses and communal infrastructure, and especially strengthen the capacities of municipalities and the availability of funds for the development of areas where members of national minorities live. Historical revisionism and hate speech are being silenced. Prerequisites are being created for the construction of infrastructure for minority institutions and their programs in the field of culture, education and sports. In one word, from those years until today, the pro-minority policy has been renewed and strengthened with the significant contribution and participation of SNV, ZVO, SDSS and numerous other Serbian organizations.

On December 28, 2020, and the next day, a strong earthquake hit the Banija area and its neighboring areas. This economically, demographically, residentially and communally devastated area was destroyed to such an extent that the words of one of its residents, whom I met the second day after the earthquake, still resonate with me today: “There is no more Banija!”

Many came to help then and they faced the circumstances of how people were living that were not known to everyone until then. SNV joined that crowd with numer-

ous donors from Serbia, Republika Srpska (BiH) and other countries. Together with the Serbian Orthodox Church, SNV donated over 170 containers, large quantities of construction materials, clothes and food.

Representatives of the SNV and SDSS from different regions organized themselves to provide several months of solidarity. The Government of Republika Srpska (BiH) donated ten durable and high-quality prefabricated houses through SNV. And that won’t be all. The experience of helping the first returnees and returnee areas created within the SNV the moral and organizational capacity for that kind of help.

The status of SNV and ZVO as minority governments established based on international contracts, the Erdut Agreement and the Letter of Intent is still waiting for an adequate and permanent solution.

The same applies to the application of the Constitutional Law on the Rights of National Minorities and the Law on Minority Education and the Official Use of the Cyrillic Alphabet and the Language Expression of Serbs in Croatia. We are also waiting for solutions for education against historical revisionism and hate speech, as well as solutions for their social sanctioning. We say that we are waiting for them, and actually we think of them as our first next priorities.

SNV went through seven electoral cycles since its establishment until today.

The first two were conducted according to the Articles of Association, and the remaining five were conducted in minority elections in accordance with the Constitutional Law on the Rights of National Minorities from 2002 and the new SNV Articles of Association. In those seven cycles, SNV held almost seven thousand council mandates, and today it holds close to 1,750 mandates at the municipal, city and county levels. On average, around 150 municipal, city and county councils of the Serb national minority have been

We are also waiting for application of the Constitutional Law on the Rights of National Minorities and the Law on Minority Education and the Official Use of the Cyrillic Alphabet and the Language Expression of Serbs in Croatia, to get for solutions for education against historical revisionism and hate speech, as well as solutions for their social sanctioning.

included in SNV per cycle since 2003, since elections are being held according to the provisions of the Constitutional Law. During all this time, the councils of the Serb national minority worked under different conditions - from complete non-recognition by local and regional self-government units, which means no space for work, financial support and inclusion in the work of representative bodies, to full compliance with the provisions of the Constitutional Law. To all the holders of those mandates, especially the Council presidents, members of SNV assemblies and its presidencies, I express my gratitude at this place and on this occasion. I express the same gratitude to the colleagues in the Central Office of SNV and those who are employed in SNV’s special programs, such as media, research, humanitarian or development programs, and their external or field associates. We certainly owe our gratitude to the original founders of SNV, such as ZVO and members of the Alliance of Serb Organizations, SDSS, SKD Prosvjeta, Serbian Democratic Forum, Community of Serbs of Rijeka, Community of Serbs of Istria, Baranja Democratic Forum, representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church and prominent individuals who transferred their social reputation to SNV. We owe the same debt of gratitude to the members of SNV Council, which acts as a coordinating body of Serb organizations in Croatia and it is a place for discussing program topics and program goals, both of SNV and the entire community. We also owe thanks to the organizations that were created under SNV’s wing: the Youth Network of Serbs in Croatia, which transformed into the new, renewed SDF, and the Sports and Recreational Society of Serbs in Croatia.

Milorad Pupovac, introduction for monograph “SNV/CHB 25”, publisher: Serb National Council, 2022, Editor Nikola Bajto

Photo: Jovica Drobnjak / SNV

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Economic cooperation between Serbia and Croatia is stable and increasingly more intense In contrast to the turbulent political relations burdened by many unresolved open issues.

Interview

leksandar Radovanović, Head of the Centre for Regional Cooperation at Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia explains for Diplomacy&Commerce that business cooperation is based on trade, which is continuously growing, and investment cooperation, which is characterized by a large disproportion in favor of investment by Croatian companies in Serbia. Nevertheless, over the past few years, investment activity of Serbian companies in Croatia has started to increase, Radovanović states.

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Economies of Serbia and Croatia are connected back from the period of the former state. How would you rate the economic relations between the two countries and is there room to increase cooperation?

Mutual trade between the two countries in the past 10 years has increased three times, from 715 million euros in 2012 to 2.047 billion euros in 2022, which is 710 million euros more, i.e. 53.2% more than the exchange recorded in 2021. Exports in 2022 were worth 1.154 billion, which is 472.8 million euros more (69.7% more) than the previous year. Imports in 2022 increased by 237 million euros and amounted to 897.2 million euros, which represents an increase of 35.9% compared to 2021. This increase in the 22

Aleksandar Radovanović Head of the Centre for Regional Cooperation at Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS)

CCIS will continue to provide support to both domestic and Croatian companies when starting business in both markets.

value of exchange was largely influenced by the increase in trade with of energy products, mineral fertilizers, textile and food products, pipes for rail vehicles, new products that were the subject of exchange during 2022, but also the inflation that affected our economies due to the war in Ukraine.

Today, Croatia is among the top 20 investors in the Republic of Serbia, with around 900 million euro invested in different sectors – from trade (where they are market leaders) and services to processing industry, with a total number of around 13,000 employees. Among these, the investments of Agrokor (Dijamant, Frikom, Mercator-S), Atlantic Group (Štark, Atlantic Brands) and Nexe Group particularly stand out.

On the other hand, data on Serbian investments in Croatia are not so favourable and until a few years ago investments of Serbian companies in Croatian market were practically neglectable. The reasons were mainly unrelated to economy, but that period is behind us now. A breakthrough was achieved over the past several years, where significant investment activity of Serbian companies was recorded in a short time. This includes: MK Group, Aleksandar Gradnja, Matijević Meat Industry, Kappa Star, Delta, Mondo INC, which were focused to hotel in-

dustry, agriculture and food industry, advertising and real estate.

The number of Serbian companies expressing interest in investing in Croatia is increasing, and it is expected that, in the coming years, conditions for investment will be more and more favorable and open. There are no economic reasons why this shouldn’t happen, because Serbian companies have made substantial progress in terms of technology, finances, as well as in terms of quality. They have proven to be very successful, as evidenced by investments from your immediate neighbourhood - in Slovenia, Serbian companies are the owners of major hotel chains, airports, banks, IT, construction and food companies, and they achieve outstanding results.

What is the greatest obstacle for development and deepening of these relations? What are the biggest issues and how to resolve them in the best possible interest?

The influence of politics can often be an obstacle to the improvement of business, because it does not always follow economic interests of the economy. It often happens that initiatives that are in the interest of the economy and depend on the goodwill and cooperation of state institutions are postponed or left unresolved. Also,

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the news aired in the media is often not positive and have a negative effect on communication and economic cooperation, which is not used to its full extent.

When it comes to the biggest issues which directly affect Croatian and Serbian businessmen, it’s the long waiting time we have at our joint road and railway border crossings, which have not been solved for years.

We should especially mention the detention of cargo vehicles at the border crossing Batrovci-Bajakovo. At this crossing, 378,000 trucks pass annually in both directions. The waiting time at the border is longer than acceptable - more than six hours on average, and that‘s just for the trucks to be in line for border services to process the shipment. This slow flow of vehicles and the overloading of border crossings leads to the formation of long rows (several kilometres), at both border crossings, starting from the entrance ramps, across the space between the border crossings, at the border crossing itself and further into the territory of Serbia and Croatia.

Such time losses generate additional financial costs for the economies of both countries, and due to the slowed and difficult supply flows and the direct costs of the transport sector, the competitiveness of products is significantly reduced. The result of insufficient exploitation of transport sector vehicles leads to large business losses. Due to the impossibility to plan the time that transport companies spend at border crossings, it is also impossible to plan the redistribution of driving time, compliance with contractual obligations regarding delivery deadlines, as well as inventory planning and production dynamics.

There are no railway border crossings with the Republic of Croatia through which goods subject to veterinary and phytosanitary inspection could be transported. Limiting the flow of goods that are subject to phytosanitary and veterinary controls only to road traffic is not in accordance with the strategic documents of the EU and the Western Balkans.

Bearing in mind the fact that the ŠidTovarnik border crossing is located on Corridor 10 and that a large part of transport of goods is carried out by rail, with the use of the port of Rijeka for the placement of goods to further destinations, it is extremely important that the border crossings on both sides are fully functional, i.e. that all inspection services are present at the crossing, and this would unburden the Batrovci - Bajakovo highway border crossing.

To make the trade with goods more efficient through our border crossings, it is also necessary to establish and

harmonize working hours of inspection services, to increase the number of employees at border crossings, built the lacking infrastructure, secure and install equipment that will enable more efficient implementation of the necessary procedures.

In which areas is there the most room for development of relations and whether businessmen from the two countries are considering a joint performance in third markets?

The economies of Serbia and Croatia are complementary in many areas, so there are opportunities for far more intensive growth of trade and economic relations. For reference, the level of trade exchange that the two republics had in the former common state was about 5 billion dollars.

Also, the possibilities are huge when it comes to increasing the volume of mutual and joint investment.

From a sectoral point of view, the untapped potential of cooperation in the field of energy should be highlighted. There are significant opportunities for improving cooperation in the field of gas infrastructure development in order to connect the two countries, but also the entire region, with the aim of ensuring safe supply, the need for diversification and ensuring competitive conditions for supplying the economy and the citizens with gas. Therefore, it is necessary to work jointly, at the bilateral level, on accelerating the construction of the gas interconnection between the two countries, as well as on removing political, planning, financial and technical obstacles.

Croatia’s market offers great opportunities for placement of Serbian products and services, because the tourism economy accounts, on average, almost 20% of Croatia‘s GDP. The tourism industry of Croatia can hire Serbian companies to carry out works on the reconstruction of existing and construction of new tourist facilities and the supply of building materials produced in Serbia. Serbian agricultural and food products can become part of the supply chains of large hotel complexes, catering establishments and small and family hotels thanks to their high quality.

The interest of companies in strengthening economic cooperation is also expressed in other sectors of the economy, such as processing industry, pharmaceutical industry and the industry of manufacturing rail vehicles intended for third markets.

Cross-border municipalities on both sides of the Danube River also represent a significant economic potential that can contribute to further improvement of relations. Due to its strategic location, this area is suitable for the de-

When it comes to the biggest issues which directly affect Croatian and Serbian businessmen, it’s the long waiting time we have at our joint road and railway border crossings, which have not been solved for years.

velopment of industry and the export of products to the European Union.

To what extent does the fact that Croatia is a member of the EU affect mutual cooperation or is there no difference in that sense (legislation, practice…)?

Serbia’s economy inclines towards the European Union, its export to EU amounted by 17.7 billion euro in 2022, which makes for almost two thirds of Serbia’s total international export. Accordingly, Serbian companies respect and apply the principles and standards of business in the European Union.

Domestic companies comply with the prescribed criteria for doing business on the EU market, even in areas where the standards are not yet harmonized with those in the EU, as part of their accession to full membership. Therefore, business entities speed up the process of European integration, because it is in their interest.

What is it that CCIS does and what are the plans for improving business cooperation between Serbia and Croatia?

As a continuation of good cooperation on improving the business environment, CCIS plans to continue to work on solving the problems of the business community and represent their interests before the decision maker together with colleagues from Croatian Chamber of Economy (CCE), through the Joint Committee for the Implementation and Facilitation of Economic Cooperation between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Croatia (JC Joint Committee). The Joint Committee consists of representatives of relevant institutions of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Croatia, as well as representatives of national business associations, and was established with the aim of creating a more stimulating environment for business, especially when it comes to border crossings and cooperation in the field of energy. In accordance with the above, CCIS has prepared a proposal for measures that could offer results in improving the movement of goods and people across border crossings in a short term. This includes minor infrastructure investments and better organization of border services.

CCIS will continue to provide support to both domestic and Croatian companies when starting business in both markets. It will also continue to encourage its members to invest more in assets and technologies in Croatia.

Both chambers are working on connecting companies through different forms of cooperation (inclusion in supplier chains, exchange of technologies and experts, etc.), and this form of cooperation will continue.

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Serbia

Experience a modern fairy tale at the luxurious Kempinski Hotel After a period of seasonal closure during the winter, as of March 24, this top-class hotel will once again welcome its guests who want an unforgettable and extraordinary experience of Istria and the Mediterranean.

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lose to the sea, in the rural surroundings of northwestern Istria, not far from Umag, is the Kempinski Hotel Adriatic, a prestigious five-star golf and spa resort that reopens its doors with the arrival of warmer days.

The hotel is surrounded by picturesque olive orchards and vineyards, and sun-bathed private beaches of the hotel offer a magic view of the Adriatic Sea and the shore, which also makes this luxurious oasis of peace an ideal starting point for discovering all the charms of Istria.

You can relax on a lavishly furnished private beach of the hotel where you will be greeted by crystal clear sea, you can nurture your sporting spirit at the outdoor or indoor swimming pool, spacious golf courses and tennis courts, and you will find an ideal place to renew your energy at the luxurious Carolea Spa Center.

The hotel’s superior accommodation includes 186 luxurious rooms and suites with balconies or terraces, and there is also the option of staying in Kempinski villas, which will enchant everyone with their refined elegance. Located within the Kempinski Hotel Adriatic, each villa covers an area of 600 square meters to more than 1000 square meters and ensures absolute privacy and comfort.

Along with excellent hotel service and diverse content, the Kempinski Hotel Adriatic guests can also enjoy its superb gastronomic offer. The two elegant restaurants Dijana and Kanova offer exceptional flavors of Mediterranean and

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Kempinski Hotel Adriatic

Istrian cuisine, while at the same time providing a spectacular view of romantic sunsets. There is also the Adriatic, an elegant lobby bar with an outdoor ter-

race, known for its delicious desserts, aromatic coffee, a wide selection of teas and sophisticated cocktails, as well as outdoor pool and beach bars that offer lighter meals, a variety of snacks, fresh fruit, refreshing drinks and attractive cocktails.

Kempinski Hotel Adriatic offers escape from reality and rest and enjoyment for all the senses in the midst of a magical Istrian ambience. Leave everyday life behind and venture on a carefree journey filled with endless relaxation and enjoyment, and let this piece of paradise be your starting point for infinite lightness of being and for exploring the rich Istrian region.

The untouched beauty of the Istrian nature, the rich cultural heritage and the interesting history of the Istrian peninsula leave no one indifferent.

www.diplomacyandcommerce.hr

Novi Sad, Danube, Tourist Organisation of the City of Novi Sad

The Adventures OF THE SPIRIT Serbia is a country with authentic cultural heritage. Hereby, we would like to present to you a part of the abundant cultural heritage we have inherited and are passing it on to new generations, through several cultural and historical entities that we have chosen – Belgrade, Novi Sad and Subotica corporate

elgrade lives life to the fullest, it is the hub for all happenings, and is always interesting. The city's cultural spirit permeates everything - from museums, galleries and theatres to film and music festivals.

The peaceful and sublime atmosphere of a museum can easily turn into a true spectacle. From prehistoric sculptures to helmets of Roman legions or medieval icons; from the handicrafts of the typical Serbian household to the royal crown and the insignia of the Serbian royal dynasties, in Belgrade's museums - the National Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art Belgrade, the Museum of Jugoslavija, the Nikola Tesla Museum - you will experience a cultural, social and political adventure. There are very few cities that are synonymous

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with one name, and there aren't many celebrated and famous people who can identify themselves with just one place.

Art galleries have also left an indelible mark on a city's cultural identity - the Fresco Gallery, Art Gallery of the Cultural Centre of Belgrade, the Prozor Gallery, the Singidunum Gallery – to mention just a few. Classical music is a significant part of cultural heritage.

The Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra is today the leading orchestra in the region and a breath of fresh air on the international concert scene. The Great Hall of the Ilija M. Kolarac Foundation is one of the most representative music concert ven ues in Serbia with 300 music programmes taking place there all year around. The Belgrade Music Festival (BEMUS) is one of the most recog-

Because of its leisurely and relaxed ifestyle, the city of Novi Sad, where 20 different nationalities live in harmony, was included in the „Top 10 Cities to Visit in 2019“ list by Lonely Planet, ranking in third place

nizable classical music festivals in Southeast Europe, which has been held for 50 years. Belgrade also pays a lot of attention to contemporary music production and musical stage performances, which often strive for alternative artistic results. Since its establishment in 1971, the International Film Festival, FEST has always been a prestigious event. The Festival welcomes films and filmmakers from around the world, even those films that are not screened at cinemas. Belgrade International Theatre Festival (BITEF) is one of the oldest, most important, most prominent and rarest festivals in the family of the global theatre festivals. This year, it will be held for the 53rd time and is a must-see event in Belgrade. www.tob.rs 25

Serbia

Belgrade, The Victor Monument, Kalemegdan.

Photo: Aleksandar Matić

Novi Sad, Petrovaradin Fortress, Tourist Organisation of the City of Novi Sad

VISIT NOVI SAD, A CITY THAT PROUDLY CARRIES TWO EUROPEAN TITLES

For three centuries, which is how long it has been called Novi Sad / Vididek / Neusatz, this city has been the hub of diverse and abundant cultural heritage of many nationalities living in it. Novi Sad was declared the Youth Capital of Europe in 2019 and the European Capital of Culture in 2021. With the amazing views from Petrovaradin Fortress, numerous galleries and ateliers, and the beautiful old town centre, this is one of the must-see destinations in Serbia. Petrovaradin Fortress is a real masterpiece of baroque military architecture. It was built in the 17th and 18th century and is a cultural and historical monument. The Fortress is home to the Museum of the City of Novi Sad, Academy of Arts, Art Circle, Planetarium and the City Archives. 16km-long underground military galleries, spanning four levels, represent the biggest tourist attraction of the Fortress. Because of its leisurely and relaxed lifestyle, the city, where 20 different nationalities live in harmony, was included in the „Top 10 Cities to Visit in 2019“ list by Lonely Planet, ranking in third place. www.novisad.travel

The Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra is today the leading orchestra in the region and a breath of fresh air on the international concert scene

Novi Sad, Roman Catholic Parish Church of “The Name of Mary”, Tourist Organisation of the City of Novi Sad

quality wines from the sandy wineyards.

By all means, visit the Palić Lake, which is in the close proximity to Subotica, where you can see the Water Tower, Big Terrace, Women's Beach, Music Pavilion and memorial fountains painted in the

shade of red that is so characteristic of Palić, which all exude the spirit of secession. Make sure to visit the Palić Lake, granges and wineries nearby. www.visitsubotica.rs www.srbija.travel

SUBOTICA, A SECESSION GEM

Subotica, the northernmost city in Vojvodina, a multiethnic environment, and the epicentre of secession, provides numerous opportunities for a meaningful holiday. The strong desire of the citizens of Subotica and the great inspiration of builders, artists and craftsmen have resulted in many Secession style buildings built in Subotica, which even after a whole century, remain equally beautiful, attractive and intriguing - the City Hall, the Synagogue, the Raichle Palace, and various banks. Subotica is also known for its relaxed atmosphere, good food and 26

Subotica, City Hall and Catholic Cathedral (in the background), Subotica Tourist Organization

www.diplomacyandcommerce.hr

IN THE BORDERLANDS... …the great food is made!

TRADITIONS

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erbian culture and identity were shaped in-between the super powers – Venice, Austria, Turkey, Russia, Byzantium - and todayare coloured by their influences. Serbia’s culture has always been known for its cultural splits. Just like Croatia, the country looks like a patchwork of different cultures and customs, only connected by the common sense of belonging to the same nation.

THE BYZANTINE / FRANKISH

SPLIT When the Serbs, or better to say Ancient Slavs came to this part of Europe from the north, they settled on

the frontier of what was and would be known as Byzantine and Frankish Empires. They were not separated back then but the churches, where Latin and Greek was spoken, and which were increasingly diverging, were a bad omen for all the nations around here. So, the Serbs got their influence from both sides - some of them were baptized by Greek missionaries and adopted the Cyrillic script, while others succumbed to Latin and Catholic influences in the southern regions. The dichotomy was pretty obvious when Stefan the First-Crowned was declared king by the Pope. This indecisiveness is still

Serbia’s culture has always been known for its cultural splits. Just like croatia, the country looks like a patchwork of different cultures and customs

present in the Serbian culture and politics, since Serbia has always been trying to serve as a link between the East and the West, sometimes successfully neutral, sometimes paying the ultimate price for not aligning.

THE OTTOMAN / HABSBURG SPLIT

And then came another split! The Ottoman Empire conquered Serbia in 1459 and ruled its territory for several centuries, suppressing the Serbian culture but also greatly influencing Serbian art, especially in the southern regions.

Meanwhile, in northern regions, the 27

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schnitzel), prebranac beans, rinflajš and goulash from Vojvodina, as well as the šopska salad, tarator and urnebes from Shopluk region. The meat products that are very popular are sausages, especially so-called Syrmian sausage (sremska kobasica) and kulen, both hailing from Vojvodina, plus there is pršuta (type of prosciutto), with the most popular one hailing from the Zlatibor area of Western Serbia. Also, cheeses are extremely popular, and local kajmak is a delicacy.

Not to forget that the regions of Sandžak and Kosovo also bear a strong and decisive influence of Turkish and Oriental cuisines, which include mantije, tufahije, urmašice and other delicacies often found in Turkey, Bosnia, Albania and elsewhere.

Habsburg Monarchy expanded into modern Serbian territory starting from the end of the 17th century, culturally interlinking this part of the nation to Central Europe rather than the Balkans.

Central Serbia was the first to emancipate as the Principality of Serbia in 1815, and started to gradually expand into the Ottoman and Habsburg-held regions.

This split was visible in all aspects in life, from food to customs and mentality, and maybe the most strikingly, in architecture.

FOOD, FOOD!

Of course there are a few exceptions! Serbs generally like and eat a lot of meat, including famous pljeskavica (sometimes styled in the West as “pleskavitsa”), and ćevapčići (derivation from Turkish kebab), burek (also common for all of the Balkan areas) and rakija, typical for the wider region from Ukraine to Northern Macedonia and Hungary to Bulgaria. In fact, historically, Serbian food is characterized by a mixture of Byzantine–Greek, Mediterranean, Turkish–Oriental and cuisine of the Austro–Hungarian Empire, as well as medieval Slavic influences. Serbs take a lot of pride in their cuisine, and no wonder that this mixture makes for delicious food. A number of foods which are usually bought at shops in the West are often made at home in Serbia. These include rakija (fruit brandy), slatko, jam, jelly, various pickled foods, notably sauerkraut, ajvar or sausages. The famous dishes that can be considered national are Karadjordjeva šnicla (Karadjordje's 28

Serbs generally like and eat a lot of meat, including famous pljeskavica (sometimes styled in the west as “pleskavitsa”), and ćevapčići (derivation from turkish kebab)

www.diplomacyandcommerce.hr

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RANGE ROVER SPORT The New Range Rover Sport – the definition of sporting luxury

he third-generation model is the most desirable, advanced and dynamically capable yet.

A suite of powerful and efficient powertrains includes six-cylinder extended range Electric Hybrids, a potent new V8 and mild hybrid six-cylinder petrol and diesel Ingenium engines. Pure-electric propulsion will be introduced in 2024, as Land Rover continues its electrification journey.

The new Range Rover is available with S, SE, HSE and Autobiography specifications, with the exclusive First Edition available throughout the first year of production featuring specially curated specifications.

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Designer details

Dramatic proportions accentuate the Range Rover Sport’s distinctive character, with short overhangs, an assertive front-end and steeply raked glazing at the front and back.

The sculpted exterior is detailed with exquisite finishes such as a stealth-like front grille and Digital LED lighting units, which create a distinctive Daytime Running Light (DRL) signature. The details sit above a sculpted, doubleaperture lower bumper that incorporates a horizontal bisecting body-colour element that creates greater visual width, enhanced by black detailing.

Uninterrupted LED light graphics introduce surface LED technology to a production vehicle for the first time. A characteristic shoulder line runs the length of the vehicle, accentuated by new lower fender details and the longest spoiler ever fitted to a Range Rover.

The new Dynamic model brings an even sharper focus to the performance SUV’s purposeful character with unique exterior design elements. Satin Grey alloy wheels are joined by Satin Burnished Copper finishes for the bonnet louvres and side ingots while the front grille and Range Rover lettering are finished in Matte Graphite Atlas.

Flawless technology

Land Rover channels: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LandRover Twitter: http://twitter.com/LandRover Instagram: http://instagram.com/LandRover YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/LandRover With unique front and rear bumpers and bespoke lower cladding finished in body colour, the Dynamic delivers the most dramatic interpretation of the Range Rover Sport formula.

New Range Rover Sport’s reductive design extends to its all-new interior, which features the trademark Range Rover Command Driving Position, the latest technologies and the finest materials, which combine for a compelling balance of sartorial elegance and visceral desire.

Innovative and sustainable material choices include tactile and lightweight Ultrafabrics™ premium textiles finished in attractive new Duo Tone colourways, while a unique textile option that extends to the dashboard and door detailing is also available. Alternatives include luxurious grained, Windsor or soft SemiAniline leather options.

Dynamic Response Pro provides ultimate roll control via a 48-volt electronic active roll control system, capable of applying up to 1,400Nm of torque across each axle, for a confidence-inspiring driving experience and new levels of body control and cornering composure.

Dynamic Air Suspension is fitted to every New Range Rover Sport and the intelligent system enhances the bandwidth of the suspension.

Adaptive Dynamics 2 technology contributes to dynamic capability by continuously controlling the Active Twin Valve Dampers to reduce unwanted body movements. It monitors external factors up to 500 times per second to deliver the perfect responses and, in harmony with the other chassis technologies, delivers the

most precise and composed driving dynamics of any Range Rover Sport.

The very best of the New Range Rover Sport’s chassis systems combine in the Stormer Handling Pack, which includes Dynamic Response Pro, All-Wheel Steering, the Electronic Active Differential with Torque Vectoring by Braking and Configurable Programs.

All New Range Rover Sport models are fitted with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and Intelligent All-Wheel Drive, which intuitively anticipates where traction is required, efficiently engaging to provide the most effective progress in all conditions, while optimising efficiency.

Enhancing the off-road performance is Land Rover’s latest Terrain Response 2® system, which intelligently applies the most appropriate settings for the terrain.

Land Rover’s powerful Electrical Vehicle Architecture (EVA 2.0) supports an ecosystem of seamless connected technologies, including Software Over The Air (SOTA). The clever technology provides remote updates for 63 electronic modules, ensuring New Range Rover Sport remains at the cutting edge of innovation, modern technology and services throughout its life.

Electrified performance

The range includes two extended range Electric Hybrids, six-cylinder Ingenium petrols and diesels using mild-hybrid technology, and an all-new V8 Twin Turbo. In 2024, the New Range Rover Sport line-up will evolve with the addition of a fully electric model.

The new P510e Electric Hybrid is engineered to meet the demands of drivers looking for a high-performance drive, impressive efficiency and more than 100km of zero emissions EV range. It seamlessly blends Land Rover’s 3.0-litre six-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine with a powerful 105kW electric motor and 38.2kWh battery, producing a total system output of 510 HP.

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Column

Legal Relations in the Gaming Industry Gaming industry, i.e. the industry of video games (PC games, mobile games, console games and browser/social network games) is one of the fastest growing industries, whose value reached the number of 196 billion dollars in 2022.

Petar Petrić Attorney-at-Law Petrić & Kajić odvjetničko društvo d.o.o.

t thus exceeds the global film and music industry, and smart devices have brought a big change in the development of gaming and made it a favorite pastime for everyone, regardless of age.

The increase in the value of gaming is contributed by the large Chinese gaming market, which is estimated at 46.1 billion dollars. China is the country with the largest gaming market, followed by the US, Japan, Germany and Great Britain.

In 2020, the number of employees in the video game industry increased to 74,000 in the EU and 98,000 in the whole of Europe. France and Germany are the countries with the largest number of employees in the gaming industry, Germany with over 10,000 and France with over 15,000 employees.

The growing internet connectivity, increasing adoption of smartphones and the advent of high-bandwidth network connectivity such as 5G have further increased the demand in the gaming market worldwide. According to the GSMA report, As of November 2021, 170 mobile operators have launched commercial 5G services with a 7% population penetration at the end of 2021, opening up new opportunities for mobile vendors to introduce 5G smartphones to the market.

Mobile gaming is the most popular form of gaming globally, overtaking both console and PC gaming. One of the main reasons for the popularity of mobile gaming is affordability. Almost everyone has a smartphone with games. The increasing demand for mobile games is the result of various technological advancements and improvements, such as AR, VR, cloud gaming and 5G. AR is becoming perfect for mobile gaming thanks to its impressive and interactive technology. Moreover, mobile games are the most popular AR category in app stores.

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Legal relations

Regardless of whether it is a video game publisher, developer or freelancer or licensor or someone else involved in the video game industry, each of these key players must necessarily understand the legal aspects and relationships, the contracts that must be concluded and that govern mutual relations in the gaming industry.

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Legal service is required from the early stages of concept and pre-production through the stage of production and realization, including documenting the investor’s investment and regulation of licenses, intellectual property, and all other rights and obligations of each of the participants to be contracted.

The contracts governing relations in the gaming industry are: • Development Contract • Investment Contract • Employment Contract • Nondisclosure Agreement - NDA • Distribution Agreement • Licence Agreement • End user Licence Agreement - EULAs • Terms of Service - TOS Participants in the gaming industry are: developers, publishers, distributors, traders, customers, and end users of the product (players).

Developers are people specialized in the field of software development, i.e. in the video game industry, people who create a video game and all the segments it consists of - image, sound, design and other components that a certain game will require.

Publishers are the participants who make sure that the game is placed on the market. Publishers are most often the companies that work with a large number of developers, conduct market research and analyse consumer needs in order to create a game portfolio with the highest possible chance of success.

Distributors allow games to be downloaded in a traditional physical way and/or through digital distribution platforms. Merely two decades ago, there was only physical distribution, and games were sold in physical form, which was the only way video games were sold. With the advent of the Internet, video games began to be sold online, and today that sales channel takes over the majority of sales.

Mutual interaction and connection between developers, distributors and publishers is very common and requires complex legal monitoring of these relationships.

Legislation in the Republic of Croatia

The 2018 Law on Audiovisual Activities introduced the category of video games for the first time. The production of video games is

defined as an audiovisual activity, and is classified in the same audiovisual activity as the production of other multimedia content, series and films, and the provision of on-demand audiovisual services such as the Internet and other media.

This Act also regulates video games as audiovisual works, which created a legal framework for the further development of one of the most propulsive segments of audiovisual industry.

Along with some benefits, the legislator stipulated obligations for the developers as well. There is an obligation to emphasize the categorization of each work before its publication, considering the age of the users for whom it is intended. The law prohibits the distribution, sale and rental of video games to minors if the category of games is not appropriate for their age. It is also prohibited to publicly display and advertise games that are not suitable for minors.

Everyone involved in the production of games must be registered in the register of the Croatian Audiovisual Center (HAVC), which is maintained digitally and whose form is prescribed by the director of the Centre.

Legal support for Gaming and eSports

Some gaming start-ups do not think they need legal support. This often leads to an imbalance in the position of investors and startups, which, despite excellent ideas, do not achieve the desired financial results because of that.

That is why start-ups have the greatest need to be familiar with their legal rights and everything they should do to achieve success in this fastgrowing industry.

We should also point out eSports as a new fast-growing entertainment industry with a significant population of fans in North America, Asia (South Korea and China) and the European Union (Germany and Great Britain).

From a legal point of view, eSports has brought some unique professional needs to the extent that the first law firm dedicated entirely to eSports was opened in early 2017.

The growing field of eSports law covers everything from copyright and intellectual property, contract law, mergers, acquisitions, employment, betting regulation and international legal issues.

www.diplomacyandcommerce.hr

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Volvo cars understand what diplomats want Why is Volvo‘s range of cars for diplomats so popular among the diplomatic community around the world? And why it is often even their first choice when making a decision on vehicles? here are many good reasons for this. The first of them is the unsurpassed quality of Volvo vehicles that has no real comparison in the automotive world. Founded in the distant year 1927, Volvo Cars has built a strong, even legendary reputation over the past decades as a world leader in quality, innovation, design and safety.

Thanks to its many breakthrough achievements, it is Volvo that has raised the level and changed our perception of automotive safety. In addition, Volvo cars are distinguished by proven reliability, numerous innovative and practical features and a luxurious yet reserved Scandinavian style. It is no wonder then that Volvo soon became a popular choice among diplomats. To be precise, Volvo Cars has been serving the diplomat community already since 1956, today offering one of the most comprehensive diplomat sales programs on the market.

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When everything is tailored to your wishes

Of course, the quality of Volvo vehicles is not all that convinces such a demanding public as diplomats. Another decisive advantage of the Scandinavian brand is that it manages to adapt to the wishes and needs of individuals.

What does that mean? As a Volvo Diplomat customer, you can, for example, order a new Volvo, tailored to your unique requirements, with a premium level of service and exclusivity guaranteed. You can choose between a wide selection of cars and various possibilities, also with the option of designing a desired car in the configurator on Volvo website and using Volvo consultants to help you make the right decision.

As a member of the diplomatic community, you can always take advantage of the special diplomatic offer of cars, where selected Volvos can be purchased at a significantly lower price, available only to you.

An offer designed exclusively for you

But that is by no means all. As a member of the diplomatic community, you can always take advantage of the special diplomatic offer of cars, where selected Volvos can be purchased at a significantly lower price, available only to you. Volvo models from diplomatic selection offer the highest Volvo quality and equipment that is carefully adjusted to diplomatic travels, to keep you relaxed even on very long journeys.

Diplomats are increasingly choosing SUVs

But what cars does Volvo really offer to a diplomat, you might ask? Although almost all cars from Volvo model range are suitable for this community, there are some Volvo models that are becoming more and more desirable among the diplomats, with growing popularity. These are the XC models, a

line of exceptional SUVs that represent an alternative to more classical diplomatic cars and offer plenty advantages.

For example, the Volvo XC40 excels in driving experience and cutting-edge technology and brings lightness to journeys, while its somewhat bigger brother Volvo XC60 impresses with perfect technology, highest comfort and equipment adjusted to the lives of diplomats. Finally, there is the Volvo XC90, the most sophisticated Volvo to date that brings refined power and impeccable comfort to diplomatic travel.

In the current offer, designed especially for diplomats, Volvo offers its line of SUVs on particularly favorable terms: • XC40 T2 Momentum AT8 starting from 28.084 EUR • XC60 B4 Momentum AT8 starting from 37.882 EUR • XC90 B5 Mom AT8 AWD starting from 46.790 EUR

The increasingly popular choice of Volvo Recharge line

However, there is one line of Volvo cars that is also becoming an increasingly popular choice these days. These are electrified Volvo Recharge cars that especially carefully look after environment – although other, more classic Volvo models are of course environmentally friendly, too. On frequent diplomatic trips, respecting nature is important, as it also shows the attitude of the diplomatic community towards nature.

Currently, Volvo‘s diplomatic offer includes the new plug-in hybrids XC40, XC60 and XC90 Recharge that provide more power and less impact on the environment. As every Volvo, of course, all three offer all the elegance and comfort on diplomatic travels.

In the special offer created exclusively for diplomats these cars are available: • XC60 T6 Recharge Inscription Expression AT8 starting from 51.896 EUR • XC90 T8 Recharge Inscription Expression 7s AT8 starting from 63.430 EUR Find out more

VCAG as Volvo Car Corporation authorized importer for Adria Region, provides “concierge” service where in direct contact with our Fleet Manager (Mr. Matija Bilić/ matija.bilic@vcag.net ) you will be guided through whole sales process, and all assistance needed and possible will be provided.

Please do not hesitate to ask any question – at Volvo they will do their best to make your purchase as lean as possible.

You can read more about all the Volvo cars and the Volvo Cars Diplomatic Sales service on the website volvocars.hr, or if you prefer to contact Volvo directly, write to diplomatic.sales@vcag.net.

Bon voyage diplomatique!

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Learn about the future of the world in Istria Studies show that in the next decade, more than 70% of economic value will be created through digital business models.

Zoran Torbica Adria Summit 2023

e are on the cusp of the Fourth Industrial Revolution driven by connectivity and digital automation. Advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, virtual reality, blockchain, biotechnologies, new materials, etc. clearly shape the way people, organizations and institutions interact. Along with all these challenges, climate change will permanently transform the world economy. Traditional investment models no longer work, and today‘s investors are increasingly concerned about the impact on the environment and society, placing sustainability, diversity and inclusion at the forefront of change.

How can businesses and investors adopt new approaches of combining yields with long-term economic, environmental and social influences without compromising their business model?

What role will humans play with new, increasingly intelligent technologies and changed conditions? What will the labour market look like in the future and how will the position of small enterprises and entrepreneurs differ? How could women’s or youth entrepreneurship help…. These are merely some of the questions the panellists will attempt to answer.

The pandemic showed that highspeed internet can be vital for the global economy to survive future crises. More people than ever go beyond their TVs and media portals and consume news through social media platforms like YouTube, Meta, TikTok or Viber. The creative economy, which now includes everything from television, film and music, to architecture, design, software development, advertising and photography, creates more than 30 million jobs and accounts for 6.1% of global GDP. Digital media has dramatically changed the world. With almost 4.6 billion social media users - within seconds, anyone can be a content creator today.

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The participants in the summit will also discuss how investments in internet infrastructure and communication platforms can become a higher priority for governments and businesses around the world. How can institutions and investors contribute to digital equality? What are the creative approaches to developing more sustainable but still prosperous economies? What will be the future of creativity?

Technology continues to influence banking and financial practices as the economy begins to transform in a postpandemic world. Digital banking for consumers has become the norm, increasing the convenience of individuals managing their money - the World Bank reports that two-thirds of adults worldwide now make or receive digital payments. The future of money - both fiat money and electronic money (including cryptocurrencies) - is likely to change its shape in the near future. Crypto-currencies are redefining currencies, ultimately leading to CBDCs, and new financial services,

such as decentralized finance (DeFi) and crowdfunding instruments, continue to appear on the horizon. Collaboration between players in the fintech ecosystem is expected to drive innovation, increase monetization opportunities and create new value chains, while solving problems and obstacles, and identifying new market opportunities. The Adria Summit will also analyze which recent events have experienced the greatest economic success, and which major projects have improved inclusion and cooperation and led to a more resilient financial system?

How have banks responded to changes in consumer and business habits?

Fast progress of AI and robotics will push the world towards the new stage of human evolution. Robots have integrated among us, to the point that many industries can be considered more humanoid than human, and chatbots like ChatGPT more ethical than most of us.

At the same time, amid geopolitical conflicts, new robotic fighters and vehicles have emerged, from bomb-detecting ro-

Adria Summit 2023 – The Future of Digital Commerce will take place from May 3rd to 7th, 2023 in two locations in two countries, at the Kempinski Hotel Adriatic in Umag, Croatia and Kempinski Palace in Portorož, Slovenia.

bot dogs to autonomous killing drones.

This particular panel could attract the most attention, and it will discuss where robotics will take us in the future. Will robotics accelerate economic progress, human advancement and sustainability or could it pose a threat to labor markets and social stability? How should investors consider ethical aspects when funding AI research and development?

Evolution from Web2 to Web3 moved the Internet from centralized platforms to several decentralized hubs with distributed models of design and control.

What does Web3 decentralization mean for the next generation of finance, data, community, the Internet, and beyond?

Will games continue to blur the distinction between real and virtual creation and economics? Will games soon merge with artificial intelligence and, if so, what will be the artistic and economic consequences? How will VR technology change the experience for spectators of sporting and cultural events? What impact will artificial intelligence have on sports, music, theater?

Participants in the conference will also be able to learn how companies can use cloud and other data processing technologies quickly and efficiently, which sectors of startups in the Adria region show the greatest potential, but also how tech companies in our markets can grow effectively in order to meet regional and later global demands and become „unicorns“.

The conference will be followed by VIP Networking Weekend (May 6th and 7th), with an abundance of sports activities such as golf, tennis, cycling, hiking, Istrian wine and food tasting. The VIP Networking Weekend is planned as a perfect continuation of the conference, as it will provide enough time for sharing common interests and socializing with speakers and other participants.

See more details on the portal adriasummit.com, where you can also register to participate in this unique regional meeting.

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Departures and arrivals

Miranda Mladin The new marketing director in Studenac

has further strengthened the capacities T rector of Studenac, one of the leading retail chains in he arrival of Miranda Mladin as Marketing Di-

Dajana Mrčela Member of the Board of Directors of the UN Global Compact Network Croatia

A

t the election assembly of the members of the UN Global Compact Network of Croatia, held on February 13, 2023, the president of the Saponia Management Board, Mrs. Dajana Mrčela, was elected as a member of the Board of Directors for a term of 3 years. The General Assembly of the UN Global Compact Network in Croatia consists of 68 members, including Saponia, the leading producer of detergents in Croatia. Ms. Mrčela often emphasizes that she is proud that Saponia, as a chemical industry, pushes the boundaries in environmental protection and keeps up with the most modern trends in sustainable development. Saponia is an active accelerator in the programs: SDG Ambition, Target Gender Equality and Climate Action Accelerator.

Croatia, as well as the chain with the largest sales network. Miranda Mladin will have a key role in the further management, development and implementation of the company’s strategic communications. “We are happy that Miranda has become part of the Studenac team and we are sure that she will enrich the marketing sector with her great experience and strongly support the company’s business with her expert contribution. Strengthened by the knowledge and values that Miranda brings, we remain focused on responding as successfully as possible to the needs of the dynamic market and our customers,” said Michal Senczuk, president of the Studenac Management Board. Studenca Mladin joined the team from the position of executive director for central marketing and innovation in the Atlantic group, where she spent three years improving numerous marketing aspects of the business.

Dora Strezova-Nikolova The new CEO of the Coca-Cola HBC Adria

took over the position of chief direcA Nikolova tor of the Coca-Cola HBC Adria business unit, t the beginning of February, Dora Strezova-

based in Zagreb. In that position, she will be in charge of managing the company’s operations in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia. Dora StrezovaNikolova comes to her new position at Coca-Cola HBC from the position of general director of The Coca-Cola Company in Bulgaria, which she held since May 2021.

Before joining Coca-Cola, she worked for four years as a consultant and expert in incentive management in Bulgaria and Austria, and as a director of her own startup company. Previously, she spent 18 years in the Danone Group working in numerous countries and performing various duties, including those in sales and marketing at Danone Bulgaria as well as the position of marketing director in Romania, the Adriatic countries and Russia. Dora Strezova-Nikolova’s last position at Danone was that of general manager for Bulgaria, Greece and Cyprus.

33

Travel

Part 1 - Peru Unveiled

A journey to the centre of myself

The call of the Jungle

“I feel an immense gratitude for being able to be in this place today, an indescribable gratitude for every step I’ve taken in my life that led me here, every person who has had the smallest impact on my life throughout all these years that I’ve been breathing,”

Nikolina Gotal @ShesGotall

whisper in tears, looking through a small oval window at the endless greenery through which a winding river flows, after three days and three nights, five flights and the sixth airport that I’m about to land in.

With my head turned 90 degrees from my body, I breathe deeply

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34

and tremulously, as quietly as possible, not to disturb the passenger next to me. It’s not the first time I’ve cried on a plane, but so far, it’s always been on my way back home. Today, for the first time, I cry upon arrival.

These restless feet of mine have wandered through more than 70 countries and 80 states, and many of those places could be called holy for more or less well-known

reasons. But none of the journeys could be called a holy journey. A journey of healing. A journey to the centre of myself. A journey on which I will be completely unavailable to the world and everything familiar for 40 days. I felt a call from the deepest parts of myself. A call that most people do not hear during their lifetime, but those who do cannot help but respond, no matter what the cost.

Capturing the Beauty and Spirit of the Andean Nation

This is not my first visit to Peru, I got to know it well several years earlier on my long journey through South America. As the plane descends, vivid pictures return to my mind. What a fascinating country, in every sense. Land of vibrant culture, rich history, stunning natural beauty, and amazing traditional

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Travel

cuisine. From the majestic Machu Picchu to the vibrant streets of Lima, there is no shortage of incredible experiences to be had in this 3rd by size and 4th by its population South American country.

Most known for being home to one of the world’s most iconic and well-preserved archaeological sites - the incredible Machu Picchu.

Climbing the metallic blue stone to the 3,061-meter-high mountain above the Hidden City was my first ever mountain climb, accompanied by intense pain and the worst sunburns despite using SPF 50.

And then, tears that whisper – it was worth everything! Standing high above the clouds, looking at one of the Seven Wonders of the World, stepping back in time to a place where the ancient Inca Empire once thrived. All of a sudden the sun was hidden by clouds from which the gentlest rain descended like balm on my burning skin. I am speechless. I am silent. I close my eyes to enjoy the moment. I listen to the wild Urubamba River, feeling the soft rain. As I open my eyes a rainbow appears. A representative of the Inca tribe flag, over the Lost City, the wild river, and the mighty Andes. Above me. It greets and wel-

Titicaca has a great cultural significance as it is considered to be the birthplace of the Inca civilization. comes me in one of the unforgettable moments that this incredible country has gifted me.

As I walked through the cobblestone streets of Cusco, former

capital of the Inca Empire that was brought to an end in the 16th century, and observed its intricate stonework which seemed do defy gravity, I could feel the weight

of history and tradition, and the presence of something larger than myself. There is a sense of reverence in the air, a feeling that this is a sacred place where the past and present are intertwined. The energy of Cusco is palpable, and it draws you in, inviting you to explore its mysteries. Perhaps it’s the towering presence of the Andes Mountains, the Sacred Valley that surrounds it, or the ancient Inca ruins, but there is something about this city that spoke to my soul in a way no other city did ever before. Cusco has been touched by something divine, and its spirit is a gift to those who seek it out.

I’ve spent several days exploring the Sacred Valley, its stunning landscapes and important Inca sites, like the colourful market in Pisac, the impressive ruins of Ollantaytambo or the small village of Chinchero – the birthplace of the rainbow. There is no better place to learn about the history and the rich cultural heritage of the region. For indigenous people the Sacred Valley is a place of great reverence and respect, where the wisdom of their ancestors is still honoured and celebrated. They believe that the spirits of their ancestors continue

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to protect and guide them, and that the land itself is a living, breathing entity that must be treated with respect and care. For me it was the best place to try delicious traditional cuisine like guinea pig – inaccessible in urban areas of Peru, alpaca, llama, quinoa, one of the thousand varieties of Peruvian potatoes or corn that grow in this rich and fertile valley and then enjoy Coca leaf tea, sweet warm Cacao, one of the best coffees in the world or delicious traditional Peruvian drink - Pisco Sour.

Echoes of the Past

The train ride to Aquas Calientes through the breath-taking nature where the Andes meet the Amazon and a walk along the Inca Trail through beautiful landscape of mountains and rivers, lush forests, and ancient ruins was an experience in itself. As was my visit to Salt mines in Maras, the unique place in the heart of the Andes Mountains.

Peruvian salt embraces history like no other salt in the world. The mines, which have been in use since pre-Inca times, are still in operation today and are managed by local families who have been working in them for generations. They are located in a narrow canyon, and as I approached, I could see hundreds of small pools - “pocitos” - carved into the mountainside. The pools are filled with salty hot water that flows from an underground stream, and the salt is harvested by hand using thousands of years old traditional methods. As I walked through, I could see workers carefully using wooden tools to scrape the salt from the surface of the water. Each ”pocito“ yields around 150 kg of salt per month. The salt is then dried in the sun, creating a beautiful and sparkling white surface that is truly a sight to behold. An amazing souvenir for my friends and family.

I still remember the expression on the face of the native man who was steering the boat on Titicaca Lake, the highest navigable lake in the world. I was afraid of the sun reflection while getting on the boat and applied such a thick layer of SPF cream on my face that I looked like a geisha. But I didn’t care, the only thing I cared for were stunning views of the mountains and surroundings reflecting in the crystal blue water and learning about the unique way of life of the indigenous communities around the Sacred Lake. Titicaca has a great cultural significance as it is considered to be the birthplace of the Inca civilization. It is also an important 36

The Amazon! Even the name inspires awe.

The place with the greatest diversity of life on planet Earth. A realm that defies comprehension and has so much life that, despite all the technology that the human mind has been able to invent, no one has been able to discover it all. ecosystem, supporting a diverse array of plant and animal life and is home to several species of fish and birds found nowhere else in the world.

The most beautiful colonial style architecture in South America I found in Lima, the capital of Peru, which is also a modern oasis. Its rich cultural heritage, the narrow cobblestone streets, historic centre, quaint plazas, exquisite museums, churches, parks overlooking long coastline and beaches, the bohemian neighbourhood Barranco known for its artsy, laid-back vibe and a vibrant cultural scene, and delicious cuisine like ceviche made with fresh fish from the Pacific Ocean are more than a good enough reason to visit.

Amazon Illumination

As you can imagine, Peru left quite a profound impression on me. But there’s one place I’ve

missed back then. The most important place for planet Earth. The centre of the Earth itself. And now, several years later, the wheels of the airplane are about to touch the runway that cuts through the endless greenery.

I descend from the plane with nothing more than a backpack on my already sore back, weeping, vulnerable, with my heart, soul and mind wide open, surrendered to God, the Universe, the Energy, guided by nothing but an inexplicable urge and pure love that I feel within me. As I stepped through the airplane door, before even setting foot on the stairs, I felt dazed. It was evening and the temperature was showing 37 degrees Celsius with 87 percent humidity. The next day I discovered that I had arrived on the hottest day of the year. The temperature in Pucallpa had been rising for days, and the air had become so saturated with humidity that it was

unbearable. Everything was gearing up for the biggest storm I had ever witnessed in my life, a storm that delayed my trip deep into the rainforest for two days. In the Amazon, storms rage like few places on Earth and in that moment I began to understand why many indigenous cultures in South America believed that thunder and lightning were divine spirits and powerful gods.

As the indigenous man came for me with his pick-up truck to drive me deep into the jungle, thoughts were racing through my head. Am I sure about where I’m going?! Spending over a month in the middle of the jungle with people from a native tribe, sleeping in wooden huts covered with palm leaves, living their way of life, on a strict diet, bathing in plants, participating in their ceremonies, surrounded by endless wilderness?!

There are no roads to the jungle, we travel through dust, mud, and deep water-filled pits. Around me just endless towering trees that stretch thousands of kilometres through nine countries. As we approached the village within the rainforest, a mix of unease and calm, anticipation and excitement alternated within me. I felt so deep then and there - on this trip I wouldn’t just experience a transformation like I did on every of my trips before, this time I’m about to experience my own rebirth...

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ADRIA SUMMIT 2023 Future of Digital Commerce

03 - 07 May 2023

Kempinski Adriatic Umag Kempinski Palace Portorož

People & Events

Embassy of 21 The Azerbaijan in Croatia

t the conference, officials of the state institutions of the Republic of Croatia, members of the Croatian Parliament, heads of diplomatic corps accredited in Zagreb, representatives of the Military Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan, heads of Croatian higher education institutions, experts and representatives of think tanks operating in the field of international humanitarian law, Azerbaijanis living in Croatia, as well as the public and media representatives participated. At the event,

firstly, the memory of the victims of the Khojaly genocide was commemorated with a minute of silence. Speaking at the event, Ambassador Anar Imanov gave detailed information about the Khojaly genocide, and on the night of February 25-26, 1992, the Armenian armed forces invaded the city of Khojaly in Azerbaijan with the help of the 366th motorized rifle regiment of the Soviet army and killed a large number of civilians, mainly also stated that they killed children and women.

Joint cooperation 21 of several foreign

eeting, getting to know each other, managing the market on a daily basis and strengthening the business are the key topics we discussed today at the international business networking event. Slo Cro Business Club, the Italian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce, the Bulgarian Croatian Business Club and the Israeli Croatian Business Club have joined forces for the first time to strengthen cooperation between all stakehold-

ers.In the course of global crisis, financial instability, inflation and the need for international networking of all business actors, it is more important than ever to be careful and aware of all possible obstacles. Assessing risks, ensuring business liquidity, especially in relations with the Public Administration, together with digital tools and translation services in all languages of the world, put you in a competitive position on the market.

held a conference on the 31st anniversary of the Khojaly genocide Feb.

chambers and business clubs Feb.

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