Mladen Filipović, head of the Representative Office of the Republic of Srpska in Austria, points out that our business community in that country is successful and patriotically aware, and strongly committed to supporting the development and progress of the RS.

‘A large number of our people in Austria are highly qualified and well integrated. Those include both students who have completed their studies here and started gaining business experience, and professionals who are already highly profiled in Austria. The range of our people’s qualifications and skills leaves almost no area in which they are not successful’, emphasizes Filipović.

‘What is much more important is that in Austria we have a patriotically aware and successful business community that is strongly committed to supporting the development and progress of the Republic of Srpska. That is a significant resource and a great potential in every sense. Therefore, in business discussions, I am always happy to point out that the Republic of Srpska has something to be proud of. On the one hand, we have such diverse opportunities for investment, and on the other hand, our successful citizens abroad corroborate our capacities and abilities in the best possible way’, emphasizes Filipović.

Register Register

As he added, the institutions of the Republic of Srpska are aware of this potential and therefore strive to build strategic and long-term relations with our diaspora.

For that purpose, he reminds, the Government of the Republic of Srpska adopted the Strategic Framework for Cooperation with the Diaspora, and early this year, the Decree on the establishment and keeping of the Diaspora Register was adopted.

The Ministry of European Integration and International Cooperation is responsible for the activity, and representative offices of the Republic of Srpska play a very significant role in implementing these strategic activities.

‘The intent of the Government of Srpska is to encourage knowledge and experience exchange between the diaspora and the institutions, associations and individuals in the Republic of Srpska, and to have a two-way cooperation. By establishing the Register, we will obtain more precise data on the number and structure of diaspora members, and based on that, we will be able to adequately plan activities. We invite our citizens in the diaspora to visit the website www.dijasporars.com, to fill out the relevant form and join the Register. Please note that entry in the Diaspora Register is voluntary and free of charge, thus not requiring the payment of a membership fee or any similar charge’, said Filipović.

According to him, the main goal is for the diaspora to play a more active role and to be able to propose adequate activities at the institutional level.

‘Also, the goal is to recognize the challenges faced by our citizens abroad, and to adjust our activities in the way to provide more effective support to the citizens both in the diaspora and in the Republic of Srpska’, says Filipović.

Representation Available to RS Citizens

Talking about the situation caused by the global crisis, he emphasizes that serious consequences have arisen also on the labor market.

According to him, like other European countries, Austria is facing certain challenges, and its unemployment level has increased despite the support measures of the Austrian Government. He notes that the situation is further complicated by inflation growth and resource shortages, which certainly affects the living standard of all citizens.

‘We cannot speak exclusively about the jobs of the citizens from the Republic of Srpska, because actually the entire Austrian labor market has been affected by the consequences of the pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian crisis. What we know with certainty is that, as a result of the pandemic, the most challenges have arisen in the construction, tourism and hospitality sectors, which naturally also affects employment of the citizens from the Republic of Srpska. Here, I mean primarily seasonal workers who have been deprived of the possibility of employment due to the restrictive measures limiting the entry of the workforce’, said Filipović.

On the other hand, as he added, a large number of our citizens who have been living and working in Austria for years are very successfully integrated in the sense that they hold the qualifications to perform important and responsible jobs in Austrian society.

Filipović emphasizes that all citizens with full-time employment, Austrian residence and work permits are eligible for institutional support that enables them to overcome potential challenges.

‘We hope that the coming period will bring renewal of economic activities, which will also enable new employment. Naturally, the Representation is available to all citizens of Srpska, but unfortunately we cannot influence the dynamics of the labor market’, said Filipović.

Visit by RS IDB Delegation

As a reminder, a delegation of the Investment Development Bank of the Republic of Srpska spent two days in Vienna at the end of June as part of the intensive promotion of the investment profile of the Republic of Srpska and investment profiles of our municipalities and cities, prepared by the IDB RS.

According to Filipović, the meeting concluded that strengthening Srpska’s business ambiance was a mutual goal, and on this occasion opinions were exchanged on the possibilities and forms of future enhanced cooperation to attract foreign investors.

‘In Vienna, the IDB RS delegation met with our business diaspora, and a business conference was held with about 40 Austrian businessmen and organizations. The conference was organized by the Republic of Srpska Representation in Austria and the Austro-Serbian Business Forum. Austrian investors were presented investment opportunities and capital projects of the Republic of Srpska, our municipalities and cities, as well as the activities implemented by Srpska’s institutions to strongly promote our potential’, concluded Filipović.

Source and photo: InfoBijeljina