This year, the Representative Office of the Republic of Srpska in Austria will continue to develop the strategy for promoting Srpska’s tourism potential, as well as domestic, organic products, which enjoy great interest on the Austrian market, notes the Head of this Representation, Mladen Filipović.

Filipović says that there are plans to present a concept of promoting domestic, organic products in Vienna, on the model of Krajina House and Herzeg House.

– We would thus create conditions for our small- and medium-sized agricultural producers to gain access to the Austrian market, which has a significant interest in organic products, and we are currently analyzing data about the requirements for entering this market – Filipović says for Srna.

He believes that this year, good cooperation with the University Clinical Center of the Republic of Srpska will continue on implementing the experience exchange and knowledge transfer project with Viennese hospitals.

CONTINUED ACTIVITIES ON STRENGTHENING ECONOMIC TIES

Filipović emphasizes that the activities on strengthening economic ties between the Republic of Srpska and Austria will continue, as will the trainings for export-oriented businessmen from Srpska, subject to the measures caused by the pandemic.

Based on good cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Srpska, the Representation of Srpska in Austria has made a framework plan of activities that will include training and counseling for representatives of companies from Srpska.

Potential partners in Austria will be identified and targeted, and business meetings will be organized, with the aim of establishing new business ties and strengthening the existing.

Regarding last year, Filipović says that the coronavirus pandemic affected the plans and goals significantly, because it burdened social life on a global level, and, in a sense, slowed down and hindered economic activities.

– However, we might say that it has opened certain new opportunities for our market, because many companies that cooperated with Asian suppliers before the pandemic, have now turned to the partners in our region due to the proximity of the market and simpler procedures – Filipović points out.

He notes that this is confirmed by the latest data from 2021, according to which, the Republic of Srpska achieved a record coverage of imports by exports, and registered a significant export growth.

– We have also developed our Business Register, which is available online and adapted to partners in Austria, and we implemented an outreach program by submitting offers of our companies, depending on the sector, to the management of targeted Austrian companies – emphasizes Filipović.

DIRECT COMMUNICATION ESTABLISHED WITH MORE THAN 300 AUSTRIAN COMPANIES

According to him, as a result of these activities and through market analysis, direct communication was established with more than 300 companies in Austria that had been identified as potential partners.

At the same time, information on more than 150 export-oriented companies from the Republic of Srpska was identified, prepared and translated, for the needs of the interactive database and presentation on the Austrian market.

– We have held trainings for about 50 companies in the Republic of Srpska, and the goal is to include more than 100 of our export-oriented economic entities in the coming period. More than 30 Austrian partners requested information on companies from the Republic of Srpska in order to establish cooperation and implement projects in various sectors – says Filipović.

SIGNIFICANT INTEREST OF AUSTRIAN COMPANIES IN COOPERATION

He assesses as very significant the interest of the Austrian company Vamed in cooperation on building future projects on the international market, and inquiries from the companies Doka, Leitner, Palfinger and Austrian railways in the metallurgical sector.

In the information and communications technology sector, the Representation established contact with the companies A1 and Huawei, while retail chains Spar, OBI, Bauhaus and Rewe group expressed interest in cooperation strengthening.

Coordination for Pewag in the Republic of Srpska continued, and with the direct support of the Representation in Austria, this group made one of the most significant investments in Srpska’s metal sector.

– The investment amounted to more than eight million BAM, including plans for further investments of more than four million BAM, and creation of more than 150 new jobs – Filipović notes for Srna.

CONTINUOUS COOPERATION WITH SERB DIASPORA

The Representation also cooperates with Serb diaspora representatives, primarily the umbrella organization – the Association of Serbs in Austria, with numerous Serb clubs and cultural and artistic societies active in the country, and with student organizations, by supporting their projects and implementing joint programs.

– The pandemic had hampered the activities of our clubs, so we tried to provide support to our associations to overcome these challenges successfully – Filipović points out.

Source: RTRS-SRNA

Photo: RTRS