February 21^st

The presentation of the support programs and subsidies provided by the Development Agency of Serbia to Belgian companies operating in our country was organized by the Development Agency of Serbia, the Office for Economics and Trade of the Embassy of Belgium in Serbia and the Belgian-Serbian Business Association. At the same time, Belgian companies that are interested in starting a business in Serbia or expanding their presence and operations in our country had the opportunity to receive the necessary instructions and information. The Office for Local Economic Development and Projects of the City of Nis, as an example of good practice in attracting foreign direct investments, presented its work to the Belgian-Serbian business community and showed why Nis was declared the champion of local economic development and the winner of the prestigious Financial Times award. The Head of the Office for Local Economic Development and Projects of the City of Nis Milan Randjelovic, stressed at today’s meeting what the advantages of Nis and the region were that attracted investors to this part of Serbia, such as geostrategic position, connection of the transport routes, airports, the existence of the University, skilled labor, but also the willingness of the local self-government to solve quickly and efficiently the problems that potential investors could encounter. He pointed out that the Office for Local Economic Development and Projects monitored the realization of every investment, from the first initial contact, to the opening of factories and that its employees represented the link between investors and other institutions. Ranđelović stressed that this kind of work has yielded results and that the unemployment rate in Nis has been drastically reduced. Also, the capacities of OLEDP are significantly strengthened in relation to the period of 10 years ago when this office was created, so today it is much easier to work with a large number of investors who came to our city and who are planning to operate in Nis. The head of OLEDP thanked the Development Agency of Serbia for the significant support provided to the City of Nis during all years of cooperation and stressed that he hoped that the important investments for Nis and its citizens jointly implemented by OLEDP and RAS were yet to come.

February 21^st

The City of Nis and Nis National Theater will be the hosts and organizers of the First Festival of Drama and Theater of the Balkan Cultural Space “Theater at the Crossroads” from 12 to 19 March, at which 8 performances by theatre groups from the region would compete. The idea of the festival is to affirm the similarities and differences of the countries and peoples in the region of the Balkan. The festival will be opened on March 11^th on the day of the Nis National Theater with the premiere performance of the Traveling Theater Sopalovic. “Theater at the Crossroads”, will gather performances from the region from Maribor, from Cetinje, Varazdin to Pleven. The program council is chaired by the director Nebojsa Bradic and the jury of the festival is led by actress Mia Begovic, bringing together eminent theater producers from the Balkans.  The newly established festival will offer to the audience, through eight competitive performances, and debates and promotions, the similarities and differences of the cultural identity of the countries from this region. The new festival offers the opportunity to offer different platforms for dialogue with theater producers in the name of the Balkan theater and the possibilities of cooperation – from the exchange of programs and artists to co-productions.