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A large number of foreigners who have moved to Serbia could soon be granted Serbian citizenship through a simplified procedure. What conditions exactly would be required to obtain the Serbian passport will be known after the amendments are adopted.

The following conditions are foreseen for those foreigners who have temporary residence in Serbia for at least one year:

➖ higher or secondary local  education diploma or a foreign diploma confirmed with the local authorities
➖ a person registered in the business registry agency (founder/director) or employed in a Serbian company,
➖ a declaration that he/she considers Serbia as his/her country

One of the key motives for changing legal solutions is to attract and retain highly qualified foreign nationals with certain skills and knowledge that could be considered as key for the development of the state economy. The initiative comes after the launch of the procedure for changing legal solutions, which will combine the processes of obtaining residence and work permit in a single procedure, in which foreign nationals will be able to obtain residence and work permit in Serbia at the same time.

Association “Welcome to Serbia” will help you not only in implementation, but also in proper formulation of your interests in the territory of Serbia, which will help you in coordination with competent state authorities in all segments of your presence. Our team of experts is ready to provide the basis for your long and peaceful stay in our country, and the first step in this regard is obtaining a residence permit.

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The Minister of Tourism and Youth of Serbia, Husein Memic, stated that China has approved group tourist trips to Serbia for its citizens. A month before this decision, China published a list of the first 20 countries that did not include Serbia.

The approval decision was made after the visit of the Chinese delegation to Serbia and the International Tourism Fair held in Belgrade, where China was a partner. In addition to business meetings, the Chinese delegation also had meetings with government representatives. The fair was also visited by two large tour operators from China, one of which is in second place, and the other is in eighth place in that country.

Minister Memić pointed out that direct flights from Beijing to Belgrade and from Belgrade to Tianjin are a big advantage, and added: “We have a visa-free regime and we expect that this and the next year will be marked by the expansion of Chinese tourists, in the largest possible number in Serbia.” Memic concludes that the next step is the preparation of hoteliers, restaurateurs and others so that Chinese tourists take away only positive impressions from Serbia.

Source: https://www.novosti.rs/ekonomija/vesti/1213976/kina-kineski-tursti-srbija-grupna-putovanja-preporuka-husein-memic

Where to live in Belgrade

If you are looking for an apartment in Belgrade, it can be difficult to understand the complete offer, as there are numerous new housing developments. We are presenting our recommendation – Novi Dorcol, carefully chosen for a few reasons.

1. Proven and dependable investor – Deka inzenjering

Deka Inženjering was founded in 2011 with the aim of offering the market of Serbia and Belgrade a new quality of living space. With innovative solutions, eco friendly construction and unparalleled quality this company has set the standards high. Their first Belgrade project was the residential and business complex A Blok in New Belgrade, and they have moved on to Novi Dorcol, where Phase 1 is complete, and Phase 2 is underway with residents expected to move in by the end of the year.

2. Great central location

Dorcol, the very central area of Belgrade, has been included in the list of the most interesting European neighborhoods many times in the past years. Located not far from Knez Mihailova, the National Theatre, Bajlonije pijaca, Jevremovac Botanical Garden and Bitef Theatre, Novi Dorćol is the perfect Belgrade address.

3. Timeline and deadlines

This is the only residential complex, currently under construction, that is expected to be finished and have residents by the end of this year. The investor has a proven record of moving residents in before deadlines, and according to the progress of construction, it will be the same in this occasion. The first phase of the complex, which consists of 225 apartments and 15 shops on an area of about 45,000 sqm, was completed in just 18 months and opened its doors to its residents in July 2021.

4. The complex itself – Novi Dorcol

Novi Dorćol offers residential and commercial space that covers approximately 100,000 m² at the address Venizelosova 29. The second phase of Novi Dorćol spaning over  50,000 sqm consists of 347 apartments, of different structures, from 34 to 230 square meters, which will meet the highest construction standards, while the smart home system allows owners to personalize the functioning of their entire space.

Retail and service facilities are close at hand, which makes everyday activities simpler and life more comfortable. The complex offers it resdients caffes, restaurants, a playground for children, a park for pets, the Downtown wellness spa center, a kindergarten and more.

5. Downtown wellness

Having a spa center in the same complex as your apartment is a great advantage. Downtown Wellness is designed as a multifunctional space and is intended for rest and recreation of tenants as well as guests. This luxurious and relaxing space is an integral part of the complex. Spaning 800 square meters, it offers a swimming pool with a hydro-massage area, a gym, a sauna, a steam bath, a salt room and an outdoor zen garden.

6. Preserving history

The final benefit of this complex is that they have decided to preserve part of the history of the space, which used to be a factory.

The Platnara building, originaly constructed in 1897 will be transformed into an exclusive restaurant with a bar and a wine cellar. Elements of the industrial architecture of the 19th century have been preserved, and integrated into the modern design. With this unique approach of protecting architecture in a wider cultural context, Deka Inzenjering has given a new stamp to this part of the capital.

Serbian citizenship has been increasingly obtained through a special procedure designed to attract individuals deemed of interest to the state. In recent years, Russians have been the most successful in utilizing this process.

In June 2020, American Charles Cather was granted citizenship through this method. In a YouTube video, he shared that he had been living in Serbia since 2010 and had never applied for citizenship due to the language requirement. However, a government representative approached him and expressed gratitude for his contributions to the country and offered him citizenship.

Charles Cather is one of 358 individuals who have received Serbian citizenship through this special process for “special interest” individuals over the past decade.

The definition of “interest” is not legally defined in government decisions, but it is clear that Russians have been the biggest beneficiaries of this procedure. Out of the 358 recipients, 101 were Russian, 55 Turkish, 28 Iraqi, 24 American and 14 Palestinian. The number of people granted citizenship through this discretionary process has risen significantly, with 49 out of the 82 recent recipients being Russian.

The Serbian government recently granted citizenship to Russian artist Nikolai Mukhin and members of his family in September. Mukhin, known for his work on the mosaics at Saint Sava Temple in Belgrade, had previously expressed his desire for Serbian citizenship.

However, as an artist, Mukhin is not a typical recipient of citizenship through discretionary procedures in Serbia, which are often awarded to individuals in business or sport or those with connections to those deemed of interest to the state.

This includes individuals like Sergey Emdin, CEO of Moscow-based Demetra-Holding, and his family, as well as other Russian business people and senior managers at NIS, a majority Gazprom-owned oil company in Serbia.

Serbia has a rich history of welcoming and granting citizenship to talented and accomplished individuals from around the world. These individuals have made a significant impact in their respective industries, and their choice to adopt Serbian citizenship showcases the country’s inclusiveness and welcoming nature.

Adriana Lima, the renowned Brazilian model and actress, is one of the most recognizable faces in the fashion industry. She became a Serbian citizen in 2015 and continues to be a significant figure in the modeling and beauty world.

Cléverson Gabriel Córdova, a football player from Brazil, was the last person to receive Serbian citizenship before Steven Seagal. He arrived in Serbia in 2008 to play for FC Red Star Belgrade, and his citizenship was granted based on the proposition from the Department of Interior Affairs and the Department of Youth and Sports.

British actor and director Ralph Fiennes received Serbian citizenship in 2015 for his contributions to promoting the country and its culture. He is among a string of celebrities, including Hollywood actor Steven Seagal, ballet dancer Sergei Polunin, and several soccer and basketball players, who have been granted Serbian citizenship in recent years.

These international stars have made a lasting impact on the world and serve as an inspiration to others. Their choice to call Serbia their home is a testament to the country’s open-mindedness and its commitment to supporting talented individuals.

Sona Comstar has purchased a 54 percent stake in Novelic, a Novi Sad-based company, for 40.5 million euros through a combination of primary and secondary purchases.

India’s Sona Comstar has acquired a stake in Novi Sad-based Novelic Company. The acquisition is worth 45 million euros. Sona Comstar is one of the leading global providers of automotive technology solutions. It is a leading supplier to the fast-growing global electric vehicle (EV) market. Novelic, meanwhile, is a leading provider of mmWave radar sensors, perception solutions, and full-stack embedded systems.

Novelic, a leader in the $43 billion ADAS sensors market, has completed its acquisition of Sona Comstar. The acquisition will provide Novelic with access to Sona Comstar’s patented mmWave radar technology, which is the best solution for in-cabin sensing due to its high accuracy and lower cost. In-cabin monitoring is expected to see rapid adoption due to legislation and OEM actions in major automotive markets globally.

As Sona Comstar states in its press release, Novelic is one of the few profitable companies in this sector. Since its inception, Novelic has been generating profit. In 2022, Novelic’s revenue was 9.3 million euros; with 120 employees, it is a Serbian technology company.

“We started as a team of five, and today we have over 160 employees, including 130 engineers and 10 PhDs, developing product platforms in various European locations. We have done this by providing value to our customers and by generating and increasing revenues and profits year after year. To move into the next phase of our growth, we are delighted to have a strategic partner, Sona Comstar, who shares the same commitment to innovation and technology and who will support us in expanding our business,” said Novelic co-founder and CTO Veljko Mihajlović.

Source/ https://biznis.rs/novac/investicije/indijska-kompanija-sona-comstar-preuzima-vecinski-deo-srpskog-novelica-za-405-miliona-evra/

As years go by, the number of passengers coming through the Belgrade Airport has been consistently increasing. Just this year’s third quarter saw 2,035,000 passengers, which is 34% more than the same period in the last year. This is why Wizz Air announced that it will be expanding its operations in Belgrade and it was joined by Air Serbia.

Wizz Air, the fastest growing airline in Europe and the world’s most environmentally
sustainable airline, announced that its Belgrade base will be enriched with an Airbus A321ceo. With its fourth airplane in Belgrade, Wizz Air will increase the number of flights and open five new routes to Lisbon, Berlin, Copenhagen, Milan and Zakynthos.

The Wizz Air base in Belgrade will have a total of four airplanes, thus providing the passengers from Serbia an opportunity to travel to 13 countries with 23 routes and an additional 5 routes in the country. In addition, an additional capacity will allow Wizz Air to increase the number of flights from its bases in Barcelona, Dortmund, Eindhoven, Beauvais airport in Paris and Fiumicino airport in Rome.

Although the flights are scheduled to begin in July, seats for new routes have gone on sale and can be booked via the company’s website or mobile app. The price of a one-way ticket to Berlin or Copenhagen ranges from EUR 34.99, to Lisbon from EUR 49.99, to Zakynthos from EUR 34.99 and Bergamo (near Milan) from EUR 24.99.

Serbia’s national airline – Air Serbia, also announced the introduction of new flights to Hamburg, Goteborg, Köln and Marseille sometime in May 2023. The flights will be operated by Airbus A31 airplanes and one-way tickets are on sale from EUR 49 in economy class for Köln, Hamburg and Goteborg, and from EUR 69 for Marseille.

In addition, since December this year, Air Serbia established a new flight to China or Tianjin, thus becoming one of the few airlines in Europe with a direct flight to this Asian country. By establishing a direct line to China, Air Serbia provided its passengers with the opportunity to travel from China via Belgrade to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Oslo, Paris, Stockholm, Frankfurt, Ljubljana, Prague, Venice, Valencia, Zagreb and other destinations in its growing network.

The National bank of Serbia has issued the first two Decisions on issuing permits for providing services related to cryptocurrencies.

Two companies in Serbia have been registered for:

• receipt, transfer and execution of orders related to the purchase and sale of cryptocurrencies for the account of third parties.

•crypto currency purchase and sale services for cash and/or account funds and/or electronic money

• cryptocurrency exchange services for cryptocurrencies or other digital assets

• storage and administration of cryptocurrencies for the account of users of cryptocurrencies and related services

If you are interested in starting your own crypto business in Serbia and get a license for trading cryptocurrencies, Welcome to Serbia team can provide you with the practical know-how to start your Serbian Cryptocurrency business.

Please contact us for more information
email: nb@welcometoserbia.org
Mob: + 381 60 1849 443 (WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram)
www.welcometoserbia.org

The Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabich, spoke with the delegation of Yandex, one of the largest IT companies in Russia, led by the head of the department for international policy Maksim Kozlov.
Representatives of the Yandex company announced the opening of a development center in Serbia, while the Government of Serbia announced the hiring of more than 800 IT experts who will work within this company. Given that the company Yandex, in addition to creating software, also works in the field of IT education, it was agreed to continue the conversation and improve cooperation in that area.

The President of the Government of Serbia pointed out in the conversation that the Government of Serbia is ready to provide help and support to global IT companies that open research centers in Serbia and employ IT experts from all over the world.
Brnabich also added: “After the opening of the development center and representative office of the global company Luxoft, the announcement of the opening of the Yandex development center and the employment of international IT experts is a strong support for our economic growth and the creation of additional value.”

Source: https://www.netokracija.rs/yandex-razvojni-centar-u-srbiji-201896