First round table

On Wednesday, November 22, 2023, a Round Table entitled „Global Challenges and Green Transition of the Republic of Serbia“ was held at the University Education Center Gourmet Center (https://www.gourmet-vrdnik.com/) in Vrdnik. Experts from different fields participated: Prof. Dr. Marijana Dukić-Mijatović, Senior Advisor – Ministry of Education of the Republic of Serbia, State Secretary; Dr. Mladen Petreš – Provincial Secretariat for Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry, Assistant Provincial Secretary; Dr. Radmila Šerović, Senior Advisor – Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia, Belgrade; Stefan Simeunović – Environmental Protection Agency of the Republic of Serbia, Director; Prof. Dr. Dejan Jovanović, director of the Center for Green Economy of the University of Kragujevac; Ladeja Godina Košir-Circular Change, Slovenia, Chair of the Coordination Group of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform, Brussels; Dr. Ljubiša Konatar – Government of Montenegro; as well as participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Sweden (Stockholm environment institute) and other representatives of the state administration and local governments, the academic community, representatives of the non-governmental sector, youth and women, as well as representatives of the media.

The First Round Table was organized within the project „Circular economy as a model of development that forms a new identity of the Republic of Serbia“ (project number 303), financed by the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, and implemented by the Educons University from Sremska Kamenica.

The main goal of the First Round Table is to look at the global challenges that affect the implementation of the green transition in Europe, and especially in the Republic of Serbia, with an emphasis on the circular economy and rural development. During the round table, a Working -Advisory group was formed, which sublimated the conclusions of the round table and gave advice and recommendations for the most successful realization of project activities, so that the project, apart from the scientific results, would make the best possible contribution to the wider community.

The results of the round table can be summarized as follows:

1. a) The Republic of Serbia committed itself within the framework of accession to the European Union for a green transition and a transition to a circular economy, but the mentioned period will certainly last for a large number of years, if not decades. The experiences presented at the Round Table showed that the transition to a circular economy is neither simple nor easy, not even in the richest countries of the former Yugoslavia, not even in Scandinavia. The round table showed that everything must be approached very cautiously, that a detailed analysis of the capacity assessment of the Serbian economy for circularity must be done. One should be very careful when assuming obligations, look at the economic, ecological, social aspects of the circular economy;
2. b) The participants of the round table exchanged experiences and concluded that a better connection of all interested parties in the area of ​​transition to the circular economy is needed in order to realize the synergy of knowledge and obtain better results for the Republic of Serbia;
3. c) The directions of further activities were agreed.

More information about the project:

https://www.educirc.rs/

The First Round table was covered by the media – RTV Vojvodina, and the report was broadcast during the program „Novosadske razglednice“ on the same day at 6:29 p.m. TV report can be viewed at the following link:

https://youtu.be/26n8wCULRIY?si=g_Z7sull9gku_aGL