The Hellenic Business Association of Serbia aims is to bring the Greek and Serbian markets closer, and also to encourage the continuous improvement of the country’s business environment. This association provides its members with full support in communicating with Serbian and Greek institutions, promotes the interests of the Greek business community in Serbia and encourages Greek investment initiatives in the country. With the invaluable support of HBA member companies, the association supports promotions of the Greek language and culture, while at the same time implementing humanitarian and corporate social responsibility initiatives which stress the importance of solidarity and care for the community
DONATION TO THE SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGE IN SREMSKA KAMENICA
HBA Board of Directors President Zakof, Vice President Sliousaregko and BoD Member Dapčević visited the SOS Children’s Village “Dr Milorad Pavlović” during January 2022. This shelter currently houses around 100 children and young people without parental care. On this occasion the HBA donated more than 800 products for the daily life of residents, to a value of 200,000 RSD. The HBA board members handed over the donation to the institution’s director, Mirko Jankelić, who in return submitted a note of thanks to the Association in appreciation for the humanitarian aid provided. The funds required for this donation were partly collected at the traditional Christmas dinner for the HBA members, with the remainder allocated from the HBA budget.
HUMANITARIAN CHRISTMAS DINNER
The HBA held its traditional Christmas dinner event at Belgrade’s Taverna Piatakia in December 2021. The evening included the organising of a charity lottery to raise funds for the purchase of products intended to ease the daily life of children resident at Sremska Kamenica’s SOS Children’s Village Dr Milorad Pavlović. The HBA was particularly grateful to members Alfa foods, Diplomacy&Commerce, Chipita, Extra Coffee, Farmalogist, Hrana Mediterana, Hotel IN, Hyatt Regency Belgrade, Junior, Metropol Palace, Mercure Belgrade Excelsior, Mezestoran Dvoriste, Ioanna Regen, Kessidis Group, Leto shop, Mitsides Point, Taverna Piatakia, Sterile and Super Vero, which donated more than 60 products and services for the needs of the humanitarian lottery, as well as to all representatives of members, who enabled the implementation of this initiative by purchasing lottery tickets.
SPEED BUSINESS MEETING
A Speed business meeting was jointly organised by the HBA in November 2021, in cooperation with the Croatian Business Club, the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and the British-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, held at Belgrade’s Metropol Palace Hotel. The meeting was attended by 30 companies from different sectors, with representatives utilising the opportunity to exchange business contacts and mutually connect.
MEETINGS WITH GREEK DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER AND SECRETARY GENERAL FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
The HBA BoD and members had opportunities to meet twice with Greek Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Konstantinos Frangogiannis during 2021. The meetings were held at the Greek Embassy in Belgrade during April and November, with the second meeting also attended by this ministry’s Secretary General for International Economic Affairs and Openness, Ioannis Smirlis. These meetings included discussions of current issues related to economic and trade relations between Greece and Serbia, as well as possibilities to further develop and improve these relations.
MEETING OF THE UNION OF GREEK BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE
Under the scope of the 6th Summit in Thessaloniki in November 2021, a meeting of the Union of Greek Business Associations in Southeast Europe was held and attended by Secretary General at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ioannis Smirlis.
MEETING WITH SERBIAN PATRIARCH PORFIRIJE
Members of the HBA Board of Directors met with His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije in the building of the Patriarchate in Belgrade in October 2021. The topic of discussions was the launch of reconstruction works on Zemun’s Church of the Holy Archangel Gabriel, where regular services are held to cater to the needs of Greek Orthodox believers and Greek citizens permanently resident in Belgrade.
INTERNATIONAL NETWORKING COCKTAIL RECEPTION
The fourth International Networking Cocktail Reception was organised during September 2021 at hotel Metropol Palace. Representatives of 11 bilateral business associations welcomed more than 200 guests, who received the opportunity to exchange business experiences and continue their communication through business cooperation.
SUMMER GATHERING OF MEMBERS
The HBA organised its traditional dinner during July 2021, which was held in the pleasant ambience of restaurant Mezestoran Dvorište. The event provided an opportunity for members to meet in an informal atmosphere prior to the summer holiday period.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The annual HBA General Assembly was held at the Hyatt Regency Belgrade in June 2021, representing the first “in-person” event to be organised since the outbreak of the pandemic. Members adopted the HBA’s financial report and the report of the Board of Directors during the assembly, after which the evening continued with a cocktail reception that provided an opportunity, after a long period of stagnation, for members to strengthen their mutual business and social ties.
ONLINE WORKING MEETING OF BILATERAL CHAMBERS WITH THE SERBIAN MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY OF SERBIA
The Hellenic Business Association, together with the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the Croatian Business Club, the Slovenian Business Club and the Belgian-Serbian Business Association, held a working meeting with the Serbian Ministry of Finance and the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Serbia in May 2021. During the working meeting, “Macroeconomic trends of the economy of the Republic of Serbia in the context of Covid-19”, participants were addressed by Ognjen Popović, acting assistant minister of finance and Mihailo Vesović, director of the CCIS Division for Strategic Analysis, Services and Internationalisation, and presented with current and expected trends of the Serbian economy.
ONLINE “CUTTING OF THE VASILOPITA”
The HBA held its traditional event of ‘Vasilopita Cutting’ in an online format for the first time, during March 2021. The event represented a continuation of online activities, but also the Association’s initiative to adapt the tradition of cutting Vasilopita to suit current working conditions. Speaking in his address, HBA BoD President Zakof emphasised that the HBA is always ready to provide its members with support, particularly during this time when it is of great importance for representatives of the Greek business community to provide one another with selfless support.
The event continued with the presenting of awards to companies commemorating the 10th anniversary of their HBA membership, with companies Chipita and Kleeman awarded this year. Member company Move One Relocations was nominated as this year’s “lucky member” and received the Gold Vasilopita coin, in an alternative way – via a raffle.