Čadež: Serbia Wants a World of Cooperation, Not Conflict

Serbia wants a world in which countries cooperate rather than quarrel and engage in conflict, said Marko Čadež, President of the  Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS), who today welcomed the international “Tracks to the Future” delegation at Prokop railway station in Belgrade. The delegation is undertaking an 18-day train journey from Duisburg, Germany, to Xi’an, China, connecting European and Asian centres of business, politics, science and culture.

According to Čadež, the visit is an opportunity to showcase Serbia’s economy to international investors and establish new business contacts with representatives of European and Asian political, business and academic communities.

“Serbia is on its European path, but Serbia wants a world that cooperates, not one that quarrels,” Čadež said, welcoming Jovanka Porsche, founder and president of the international organisation Global Neighbours, and the delegation arriving in Serbia as part of the “Tracks to the Future” initiative.

Čadež described the delegation’s arrival as an important opportunity to engage with prominent representatives of international politics, diplomacy and business, particularly at a time of growing global divisions.

“For us, this is also an opportunity to talk to truly remarkable people you have brought with you—a delegation of former statesmen, diplomats and business leaders, people who make decisions in an increasingly divided world,” Čadež said.

He stressed that the delegation also includes representatives of companies investing in digital infrastructure and logistics, as well as scientists and people who manage major investment funds and make decisions about future investments.

“These are people who manage large funds and, therefore, capital, and who decide what the future of industry will look like, where they want to invest their money and where they want to develop new projects. This is of crucial importance to us. Today, we have an opportunity to show them what we are capable of,” the CCIS president emphasised.

During their visit to Serbia, the delegation will visit MINT in Šabac to learn about the company’s production capacities. Meetings with representatives of the Serbian business community are also planned.

“Most of these people have not invested in this region before—not just in Serbia—and that represents a major opportunity for us,” Čadež said.

Jovanka Porsche thanked her hosts for the warm welcome, noting that openness, diversity and connectivity are values that link Belgrade with the goals of the “Tracks to the Future” initiative.

“Belgrade has always been a symbol of diversity, openness and connectivity, and these are also the values we stand for,” Porsche said.

She described Serbia’s economic development as remarkable and said that EXPO 2027 demonstrates Belgrade’s openness and significance. She added that the delegation’s visit to Serbia was also important because they wanted to show that Europe is much more than the European Union.

“We are very much looking forward to this visit, and we hope that we will be able to build cooperation—not just cooperation, but a lasting friendship based on trust and mutual respect,” Porsche emphasised.

Speaking about the composition of the delegation, she said they had brought scientists, entrepreneurs, politicians, artists and representatives of the cultural sector to Serbia. Particular emphasis was placed on inviting entrepreneurs willing to invest in start-ups and medium-sized enterprises and capable of making business decisions quickly.

“These entrepreneurs represent companies worth billions of dollars, and I sincerely hope that we will find opportunities for cooperation here,” Porsche said.

The “Tracks to the Future” initiative, launched by Global Neighbours, is conceived as a “forum on rails” that connects European and Asian centres of business, politics, science and culture during an 18-day train journey from Duisburg, Germany, to Xi’an, China. The journey runs from 18 October to 4 November this year and includes high-level discussions, business meetings and visits to technology and infrastructure projects.

The Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Global Neighbours are also organising a panel discussion in Belgrade entitled “Connecting in Times of Division: New Partnerships for a Shared Future”, followed by a visit by the delegation to MINT in Šabac.

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Photo: Dario Konstantinović

Video: Đorđe Krstić