do their part. by excluding them, we deprive not only women, but also society of better results and progress. women are as talented as men. and among them there are differences as much as there are among men. this means that it ’ s always possible for a group of men to find a woman who shares their views – who also thinks that women are inferior and should be excluded. my guiding principle in life is the results i achieve. 1 / 3 bis central bankers'speeches there are powerful women who stand behind their name, expertise and work ; those whose modesty is keeping them in the shadow of the men they work for ; but there are also those who claim power from powerful men. the power of each of these categories shows how society treats women, but also how women need to be more supportive of women. just as i believe that it is wrong not to promote someone only because that person is a woman, i also believe it is equally wrong to give someone a chance only because that person is a woman. i select my associates based on their professional merits and human qualities, not their gender. in my opinion it is crucial that any position should be held by a professional – with adequate knowledge, experience, character and honesty. i can personally confirm that the national bank of serbia, which i ’ m heading for more than seven years now, does not seek to meet quotas in order to advance women in leading positions. the persons who are currently at the head of our organisational parts are all experts with a good deal of experience. all of them have a sense of responsibility and teamwork. i know that such a balanced and modern approach has yielded a significant contribution to the success which the national bank of serbia, as an institution, is recording today in terms of fulfilling its mandate. with dedicated work we have achieved not only low and stable inflation, but have also anchored inflation expectations of the financial, corporate and household sectors within the target tolerance band for quite some time now. this is a proof of the confidence we have built up since i came to the helm of the national bank of serbia. it is owing to this stability and the continued improvement in the business environment that serbia is one of the few countries in the region that have kept their gdp growth projections and posted record - high fdi inflows. interest rates on loans have been lowered, lending activity and banking system stability have increased, the level of non - performing loans is down to the lowest level on record,

and justified? do we know how to remain the masters of our own peace, our happiness, not making too many promises because we have an opportunity to participate in the game? the essence of these questions are topics whose backbone is the difficulty to balance motherhood and career. why is the choice always either / or, black or white, career or motherhood, my way or no way? balance is a key to success. career or motherhood? motherhood does not necessarily mean family. family is an obligation, but also a source of support. how did we come to sacrifice family to service activities? instead of solidarity within the home, family and generations, we now have paid services – service providers who care for our children, as well as for our parents, the elderly. we have lonesome individuals who have lost their bearings and a clear goal in this race for individuality and recognition. not all relations are those of purchase and sale, not everything can be bought. that is why we need to preserve our humanity, self - respect and the respect of others. being a woman is amazing. being a mother is even more so. i can testify to this with my experience of raising three children, two daughters and a son – who are now grown - up, and good and educated persons, of whom i am proud and whom i respect. but being a successful woman, a satisfied woman and a mother who shows that it is possible to be both – this is the best way to motivate others. 3 / 3 bis central bankers'speeches