jorgovanka tabakovi : economic resilience in uncertain times - key challenges for serbia and the western balkans speech by dr jorgovanka tabakovi, governor of the national bank of serbia, at the 30th kopaonik business forum, kopaonik, 6 march 2023. * * * accompanying slides of the speech. esteemed members of the government, representatives of the diplomatic corps, members of the business community, fellow economists, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, there is no greater pleasure in life than being a friend to a friend. i would like you personally, as well as serbia, to boast as many people as possible who can say that they are a friend to a friend. i know that among you today there are many who can rightfully say so, and i know that you all received these identification cards : on the back is mastercard, whom i thank for the long - term successful cooperation with the kopaonik business forum. but my identification card is a little different through my intervention. please zoom in the dina card of banka postanska stedionica, which is owned by the state of serbia, and which, like all other banks, promotes the dina card, which is owned by the national bank of serbia, because serbia is something you love, something you work for and breathe for. that is why the dina card is worth the most. you can try it and see it for yourself, while we, with our friends from mastercard and visa, will continue to assure you that competition is the greatest benefit of modern society. a significant part of my address will be similar to that of my colleague and friend mr aleksandar vlahovi. the data are similar or almost the same, but the point of view is different. mr vlahovi speaks from the perspective of the academic community, professionals and economists, but his and my point of view differ in terms of accountability. it is one thing to give explanations or comments, and quite a different thing to have a skin in the game and be held accountable for the results achieved. these results are reflected in a favourable business environment, which is why i can proudly say that there are many serbia's friends here with us today. and why i can congratulate on the 30th anniversary of the kopaonik business forum to mr vlahovi, myself and all of us who have experienced this maturity, while being at the same

radovan jelasic : corporate social responsibility in serbia speech by mr radovan jelasic, governor of the national bank of serbia, at the corporate social responsibility conference, organized by ekonomist media group, belgrade, 27 september 2007. * * * ladies and gentlemen, only a few days are left until 5 october, the day when all of us as individuals, but also as employees or managers, should look back on the first seven years of transition and ask ourselves questions, among which i would like to particularly stress the following : • what kind of serbia have we built in the first seven years and is serbia today what we first dreamed, and later on, planned it to be? • what did we who know, can, and moreover, should change serbia do to make our country still more beautiful, cleaner, responsible, competitive … to make it a country of content and smiling people? • and finally, is privatization a goal in itself, or is it just a necessary, but insufficient, prerequisite that has to be fulfilled on our way to a higher level of economic welfare? the national bank of serbia acquired corporate social responsibility in quite a simple way – as in most other cases, we have earned accountability primarily by hard work and care for our employees, our environment, our country and our planet. the reason we are here today at this gathering is to learn further and meet people who care about the future of this country. if we join our efforts, we will be much stronger. you will allow me to go back to the questions i mentioned and tell you what i personally think about privatization : the main goal of privatization cannot be achieved by mere transformation of ownership structure – this is a necessary, but not a sufficient prerequisite! the main goal of privatization is achieved through its ensuing effects such as additional investments, improved work conditions, style of company management, etc. finally, ownership transformation is not implemented only to fill state coffers, but to get new owners committed to strengthening corporate social responsibility in the newly - privatized companies. companies which have completed ownership transformation, as well as all other companies operating in serbia, may be classified into two groups : 1. the first one is composed of companies who automatically implement corporate social responsibility practice regardless whether they operate in belgrade, berlin or rome, and 2. the second one is made of companies that have to be a bit, or a lot, “ reminded ” that their entry in the serbian market does not mean