Serbia Facing the Challenges of Sustainable Growth
Serbia Facing the Challenges of Sustainable Growth
Biljana Jovanović Gavrilović, a professor at the Faculty of Economics, University of Belgrade, assesses reforms conducted in Serbia before and after the commencement of the global economic crisis in 2008. In this week’s contribution to the VIP Blog on Sustainable Development, she points out the necessary measures to be taken in the forthcoming years, discusses problems of public finances, and outlines the necessity of industry revitalization.
“Before the outbreak of the global financial depression, we saw a relatively dynamic, although unstable growth in Serbia’s GDP... Yet, the unsatisfactory quality of actual production increase remains the key issue. Not only was the growth developed at the cost of the future (because lacking funds were compensated for by increasing foreign debt), but also at the expense of the past (because the used substance was produced in the previous periods) “, professor Jovanović Gavrilović argues.
She notes that many within the EU “advocate the renaissance of the European industry“ and adds that “without a doubt, revitalization of industry should be one of the primary concerns for the creators of our development strategies and policies. Also, the industry is not necessarily synonymous with "factory chimneys", but rather with modern production, based on research and development, which would take into account the environmental criteria“.
Horizons Hosts James Dorsey for a Discussion on Middle East Escalation
The Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development (CIRSD) hosted an award-winning journalist and scholar Dr. James M. Dorsey for a special Horizons Discussion on June 23rd, 2025. In conversation with Horizons Managing Editor Stefan Antić, Dorsey unpacked the lightning-fast escalation between Israel and Iran, the Trump administration’s divided response, and the wider stakes for regional and great-power politics.
Read more
Vuk Jeremić at St. Petersburg Economic Forum: “We Are Living in a Time of Grave Geopolitical Instability”
St. Petersburg, June 2025 – Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on the high-level panel “Eco-Rethinking of the Global Financial System,” Vuk Jeremić, President of the Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development (CIRSD), delivered a stark warning about the risks posed by escalating global tensions to any serious attempt at international financial system reform.
Read more
CIRSD Hosts Ugandan Presidential Advisor Odrek Rwabwogo in Latest Horizons Discussion: A Deep Dive into Africa’s Industrial Future
The Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development (CIRSD) hosted Mr. Odrek Rwabwogo, Uganda’s Presidential Advisor on Exports and Industrial Development, as the featured guest in the latest installment of its flagship Horizons Discussion series — the main dialogue platform of Horizons journal.
Read more
CIRSD Vice President Stefan Jovanović Speaks at Regional Conference on China’s Role in the Western Balkans
Belgrade, June 5, 2025 – Stefan Jovanović, Vice President of the Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development (CIRSD), participated in the regional conference “Democracy Meets Strategy: Parliament’s Place in China Policy”, held in Belgrade. The event gathered parliamentarians, policymakers, and experts from across the Western Balkans to examine the region’s evolving cooperation with the People’s Republic of China.
Read more
Biljana Jovanović Gavrilović, a professor at the Faculty of Economics, University of Belgrade, assesses reforms conducted in Serbia before and after the commencement of the global economic crisis in 2008. In this week’s contribution to the 
