Ambassador's Brief 2019

Dear members,

We gathered recently to hear from HE Miroljub Petrovic on the trends and current economic relationship between Australia and Serbia.

It was interesting to hear the Ambassador’s perspective on the key opportunities, including shared service / back office and IT outsourcing to Serbia, potential for additional Rio Tinto investment into Jadar project and creation of local jobs that will support further mining.

By contrast, the presentation surfaced challenges like securing the Social Security Agreement (aged pension), an agreement that most other ex-Yugo countries have secured, examples of unethical importing practices through the Bambi Plazma case study as well as the disjointed approach to importing and marketing Serbian goods in Australia.

Finally, the Ambassador confirmed the Embassy’s role and willingness to act as a sounding board for any ideas that can improve or strengthen the economic relationship between the two countries, or to act as a conduit to the Serbian government bodies that can support the execution of such ideas.

Our sincere thanks go out to HE Miroljub Petrovic for kindly donating the time, and to you members, in both Melbourne and Sydney, for contributing to a most valuable conversation.

Kind regards

Team ASOP