Vienna is said to be the third largest Serbian city in the world after Belgrade and Novi Sad. About 250,000 Serbs live there, so the Serbian language is most frequently spoken in the Austrian capital, after German.

The Representative Office of the Republic of Srpska in Austria supports Serbs in Austria, and its Head, Mladen Filipović, noted the platform for export-oriented companies interested in investing in the Republic of Srpska, and that the meeting with the Club of Serbian Businessmen of Austria had showed how much the diaspora stood with the Republic of Srpska and their readiness to respond and support such initiatives.

Supported by the Republic of Srpska Representation in Austria, representatives of the Serbian Businessmen of Austria Club spoke with the Mayor of Prijedor, Slobodan Javor, who said that they had presented the potential of the city of Prijedor and investment opportunities.

The Serbian Businessmen of Austria Club connects Serbian and Austrian businessmen and presents investment opportunities in the Republic of Srpska. Ostoja Matić, the President of the Serbian Businessmen of Austria Club, states his plans to open a factory in the Republic of Srpska.

The Republic of Srpska means a lot to members from Srpska who came to Vienna. Romana Milovanović is originally from Omarska near Prijedor. Serbian is spoken in their house, Christmas, Easter and Slava are celebrated, and she says that it is important to preserve identity, tradition and culture.

Others are also aware of the importance of preserving the Serbian language, alphabet, culture and tradition. They are gathered in numerous associations, cultural and artistic societies and around the Serbian Orthodox Church. Cultural and artistic societies in Vienna are well organized and gather people from the Republic of Srpska, and their performances have a large audience.

Dragan Radulović, the President of the Jovan Jovanović Zmaj cultural and artistic society from the municipality of Sollenau, says that it is a challenge to motivate Vienna-born children to learn Serbian, but they make the effort. The Serbian educational and cultural society Prosvjeta Austria has been organizing Serbian language schools in Vienna, Salzburg, Linz and Innsbruck for years.

Source: RTRS

Photo: Dunav.at