Belgrade, 08. Mаrch, 2012.

Half a million citizens of Belgrade uses elevators on daily basis, which is twice more compared to transportation by Public Transport Company “Belgrade”. PE “Gradsko stambeno” indicates a serious problem that our city and citizens of Belgrade are facing. According to the study and analysis conducted by expert teams of PE "Gradsko stambeno" the average technical oldness of elevators in Belgrade is close to 38 years! That figure exceeds the average age of elevators in other European capitals.

There are over 12.000 elevators in Belgrade. More than half of them are maintained by PE “Gradsko stambeno”. Each elevator is serviced at least once a month and has to pass annual inspection in order to obtain a certificate of correctness. In addition, about 3.500 urgent interventions have been performed on Belgrade elevators during the last year.

According to European standards, replacement is required after 25 years, regardless of the condition of the elevator. In Belgrade, a 90% are older than this standard which often leads to frequent failure of certain parts of the mechanism of the elevator.  After one failed component has been removed, often other part of the same elevator installation breaks down. In this condition "Stambeno" is making great efforts to maintain technical accuracy of the elevators. Therefore, "Stambeno" appeals on buildings’ Assembly to consider elevators recovery or replacement.

According to regulations, elevator is the common property of all owners of residential and commercial space in the building. PE “Gradsko stambeno” is ready to help citizens to overcome this problem and provide opportunity of revitalization of old or replacement with new elevators. A payment will be provided in several monthly installments, which will significantly relieve citizens’ budget.  An information letter addressed to approximately two thousand presidents of the buildings’ Assembly was sent today.  The letter includes the information on highly recommendation to implement one of these measures. Of course, the decision can be made only by the whole Assembly and then applied to EP “Gradsko stambeno”.

Employees of  Stratcom Agency signed the National initiative for the abolition of VAT and limiting trade margins on baby equipment and thus given its modest contribution to the campaign "Vote for the babies", which is jointly organized by the Serbian Parents Network, B92 Fund, Halo Beba Service, portal Bebac.com and the Network of Children Organizations.

In just seven days, more than 100 000 signatures were gathered! All who wish to support the action can give their vote for the babies on stands placed at numerous locations in 58 cities and municipalities throughout Serbia.

(Picture is taken from official FB account Serbian Parents Network)

Serbian Parents Network with B92 Fund, Halo Beba Service, portal Bebac.com and the Network of Children Organizations, is launching a National initiative to abolish VAT and limiting trade margins on baby equipment. The request, along with signatures will be submitted to the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia.

The position of parents in Serbia is heavy, and the best evidence are some comparative figures: for average salary in Serbia one can buy 2.000 diapers, but 6.500 diapers in Slovenia, and even 13.000 diapers in Austria. For the average salary in Serbia one can buy 6 cribs, 30 in Slovenia, 50 in Austria, etc. Ireland and UK are VAT free for children food and clothing, in Luxembourg VAT is only 3%, in Poland 7%  - and in Serbia is 18%.

National Assembly and the Government must do everything to recognize welfare of children as the public interest and they need to improve the parent’s position and dignify upbringing of children in Serbia. This can be done by abolishing VAT and limiting trade margins on baby equipment. Huge paradox is that the VAT in Serbia is the same for luxury products and the products necessary for normal functioning of the family. The highlight of the paradox is that adult diapers have a lower VAT rate of 8%, while the baby diapers charge a higher rate of 18%. 

The petition signing started on March the 2nd and citizens had an opportunity to sign it in more than 50 towns across Serbia. 

Serbian Parents Network will be collecting signatures on the stand located in the center of Zemun, near McDonald's restaurants every day from 10 to 18 hours. The votes will be collected until March 8th and we invite the citizens to give their vote and support this initiative in order to exert serious social pressure to achieve the goals of this campaign.  

Grab a pen! Vote for the babies!

Belgrade, 27th February, 2012 (Tanjug)

Minister of Labour and Social Policy Rasim Ljajic was again and  by far  the most communicative  government/political official in 2011. According to research of PR agency Pragma, on the second and third place were Minister of Interior Ivica Dacic and Belgrade Mayor Dragan Djilas.

According to the survey "Journalist - Your friend", which is conducted traditionally the eleventh consecutive year, the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance Rodoljub Sabic and former Serbian deputy prime minister in charge of European integrations Bozidar Djelic are followed by.

According to the most relevant Serbian journalists, among the public figures who have changed the quality of their public appearance in the past year,  on the leading position is deputy chairman of the Serbian Progressive Party Aleksandar Vucic, followed by Ivica Dacic and tennis player Janko Tipsarevic.

As for the public and political institutions, the best relations with the media had  Anti-Corruption Agency and the Office of the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance. The Ministry of Youth and Sports was also pointed out, as well as the National Bank of Serbia, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Interior.

Survey "Journalist - Your friend" showed that European Volleyball Championship for women, the campaign "The battle for the babies" and organized welcomes for Novak Djokovic and other athletes, were events that marked the year of 2011 in Serbia.

Belgrade, 28. February 2012.

At the press conference held in Belgrade, representatives of the company “Prva petoletka”, disclosed that Petoletka today exports its products to over 50 countries and that is present on all continents except Australia. Today this company successfully works with partners from Russia, Germany and Italy. The contract with KAMAZ is extended and Petoletka has great cooperation with other companies as Maz, Amkodor, Hanzaflex, Rastelli, Conex,Merkel and others.

"At the end of 2011 the realization of “Prva petoletka” was 35 million euros and two-thirds of this realization is achieved through export. These results shows increase of about 25% compared to 2010”, said general manager Zoran Veselinovic. He also noticed that according to plains for 2012 the increase of 15 percent is expected.  

Veselinovic added that he is encouraging interest of strategic partners for the company members of holding "Prva petoletka". He also claimed that company USCO is about to sign a memorandum by which this Italian company will hire new workers and start running production in the hall of “Prva petoletka – Mikroelektronika”. Negotiations are ongoing with Deputy Prime Minister of Sertbia and the  Russian company "Tres Gidromontaz", which already took over “Prva petoletka – Inzenjering”.

Representatives of the "Prva petoletka" believe that through new strategic partnerships and investment plans they will successfully achieve the goals set for 2012. 

Renewed building of Cultural Center of Svilajnac again opened its door to visitors last night. For the reconstruction and adaptation municipality has allocated half of the necessary funds.

At the opening ceremony Mayor of Svilajnac Gorica  Dimcic-Tasic said that the main concern of the Municipality are not only real-life issues of its citizens, but also investing in the cultural environment and  improving the cultural offer to residents of Svilajnac in order to provide them a rich and productive life.

„In the building of the Cultural Center wasn’t invested for decades and I am particularly pleased that from today Svilajnac will finally have a worthy object for numerous cultural events”, added Gorica Dimcic-Tasic.

Minister of the Culture Predrag Markovic, who’s Ministry has provided funds for the purchase of stage technique and mechanics, and Minister of Environment, Mining and Spatial Planning Oliver Dulic, were also present at the Ceremony.

The building of the Cultural Center was built in 1934. as the seat of the Hawking Association "Dušan Silni", and later the Workers' University "Dragos Ilic". In 90's, the building became the center of theater, music and art programs, as well as the holder of the manifestation "Sindjelićevi dani" (Days of Sindjelic).

Photo gallery from the Cultural Center opening is located on the official Facebook page of Svilajnac Mayor Gorica Dimcic-Tasic.

The movie “Ginger: More than a Game” had its premiere in the in a crowded grand hall of the Belgrade Center "Sava" last night. 

“Ginger: More than a Game” is a story about Radivoj Korać, the basketball world legend and so much more than that. Radivoj Korać revolutionized not only Serbian and Yugoslav basketball, but also popular culture in his homeland. He was the first real star in socialist Yugoslavia, a phenomenon that Yugoslav society never experienced before.

“Ginger: More than a Game” is a true and warm story about the man who marked a period in the former Yugoslavia. Korac was the best basketball player in the world and at the same time the best student of Belgrade Faculty of Electrical Engineering and the man who brought the first record of The Beatles to Belgrade. This movie combines archive materials, interviews with Korac teammates and friends, and played parts with actor Vladimir Aleksic in title role. The documentary part includes 16 of 123 interviews recorded during the movie preparation. About half of the archive recordings are presented to large audiences for the first time. Narrators in movie are famous basketball players Aleksandar Sasa Djordjevic and Milenko Tepic. Interlocutors are great names of basketball - Varoto Francesco, Giuseppe Stefaneli, Pedro Ferandiz...

Important details of Korac’s life were reconstructed in the movie - from wartime refuge in Lika, when he was a little boy, through the first basketball steps in 50-ies, a meeting with Tito and Andric, and socializing with friends. Korac was a sports star, the state representative and one of Europe's best shooters, but also great charismatic personality. He died at the height of glory 1969th in a car accident. According to the testimony of contemporaries, he was very popular in society and positively influenced by its surroundings.

Director Gordan Matic, actors Tihomir Stanic, Vojislav Brajovic, Tamara Krcunovic, director of photography Dusan Ivanovic, producer Marko Paljic and other team members bowed to the audience, followed by thunderous applause. 

Besides the large number of celebrities from sports and public life, the premiere was attended by Serbian President Boris Tadic and President of Republic of Srpska Milorad Dodik.

Their support for this great movie gave Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Belgrade Secretariat for Culture, the Film Center of Serbia, the International Olympic Committee, Olympic Committee of Serbia, Serbian Basketball Association, Basketball Association of Belgrade, OKK Belgrade, cities of Kragujevac, Ljubljana and Sombor, Belgrade Municipality of Stari Grad and Vracar.

Belgrade, 03. February, 2012.

Due to current weather conditions and low temperatures PE "Gradsko stambeno" has received many calls from citizens regarding freezing of water in pipes in Belgrade buildings.

This time PE "Gradsko stambeno" appeals to citizens not to defrost pipes by themselves, which can lead to rupture and cause damage to installations in the building. Despite the difficult situation “Stambeno” appeals to citizens to wait for stabile weather conditions and temperature rise, when teams of this enterprise would be able to react and fix problems.

Public Enterprise "Gradsko stambeno" is particularly appealing to the citizens of the municipality of Stari Grad where the largest number of buildings has the problem of freezing pipes. This problem usually occurs because of not heated basements and broken glass in common areas. Citizens should apply, as soon as possible, to “Stambeno” in order to perform thermal insulation works on the pipes which will prevent recurrence of such situations.