The Swiss Handelszeitung Dedicates a Special Edition to Serbia: “Strong Foundations, New Opportunities”
The special edition is published in the year marking 110 years of diplomatic relations between Serbia and Switzerland, at a time when bilateral ties are gaining further momentum, particularly following the state visit of the President of the Swiss Confederation, Guy Parmelin, to Belgrade in April.
In his foreword, President Parmelin states that Serbia and Switzerland share "strong foundations and new opportunities." He recalls that the relationship between the two countries was forged during the difficult years of the First World War and has, over more than a century, evolved into a stable and trusted partnership based on dialogue, mutual respect and close cooperation. He particularly emphasizes the human dimension of bilateral relations, noting that the Serbian community in Switzerland, numbering around 130,000 people, serves as a living bridge between the two countries. The close ties are also reflected in economic and transport links, with around 50 weekly flights connecting Zurich, Geneva and Basel with Belgrade. President Parmelin underlines that Serbia is today Switzerland’s most important economic partner in the Western Balkans.
According to the publication, more than 600 Swiss companies operate in Serbia, while Swiss direct investments over the past decade have reached approximately EUR 2.3 billion. Bilateral trade in goods exceeded EUR 1 billion for the first time in 2024, which the newspaper describes as an important indicator of stable growth and increasing investor confidence.
A significant part of the special edition is devoted to an interview with the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to Switzerland, Dr. Ivan Trifunović, entitled "Serbia is open for business." Ambassador Trifunović describes Serbia–Switzerland economic relations as "strong, substantial and increasingly strategic," emphasizing that Switzerland is among Serbia’s most important investment partners. According to the Ambassador, Serbia is no longer viewed solely through the prism of low production costs. "That image is outdated," is one of the key messages of the interview. As highlighted, Serbia is steadily moving up the value chain and increasingly positioning itself as a destination for services, innovation, research, technology and advanced manufacturing.
The Ambassador further notes that trade in goods between Serbia and Switzerland exceeded EUR 1 billion in 2025, while trade in services amounts to approximately EUR 1.6 billion, with Serbia recording a surplus of around EUR 147 million. This, he explains, demonstrates that Serbia exports not only goods but also high value-added services, including information technology, engineering, business services, professional consulting and digital expertise.
Handelszeitung also emphasizes that Serbia offers a combination that has become increasingly rare in today’s Europe: macroeconomic stability, competitive costs, a highly qualified workforce, strong economic growth, geographical proximity to the European Union and a government actively committed to attracting serious investors. The publication also notes that Serbia has obtained an investment-grade sovereign credit rating from S&P and Moody’s, describing it as an important signal for international investors.
President Parmelin’s visit to Belgrade in April is presented as a significant political and economic message. Ambassador Trifunović points out that Switzerland does not organize such visits routinely, particularly when accompanied by a high-level business delegation. According to him, the visit demonstrated that Switzerland increasingly sees Serbia not only as a Western Balkan country, but as an economic partner, a growth market and a platform for innovation and investment.
The special edition identifies the sectors offering the greatest potential for future cooperation, including manufacturing, mechanical engineering, the food industry, infrastructure, logistics, energy, environmental protection, information technology, digital services, education and dual vocational training. Special attention is devoted to biotechnology and the BIO4 Campus in Belgrade, which is expected to become a regional hub for biotechnology, biomedicine, bioinformatics and artificial intelligence. The publication also notes the importance of Serbia’s cooperation with Roche, Novartis and the Basel-based startup Swiss Rockets, naturally linking Serbia with Basel, one of the world's leading life sciences centers.
Another feature describes Serbia as having achieved an "economic quantum leap" over the past decade. It argues that the country has left behind the image of a crisis-ridden Balkan market and has established itself as a serious and competitive investment destination. Belgrade is portrayed as a dynamic IT hub, while the information and communications technology sector is recognized as one of the key drivers of economic growth and exports.
Swiss contributors to the publication particularly praise the quality of Serbian engineers and technical professionals. For Swiss companies, Serbia’s advantages include its proximity—with flights between Zurich and Belgrade taking around 80 minutes—the widespread use of English in business, Western European standards in the IT sector, and the fact that Serbian experts are not merely service providers but active participants in product development and technological innovation.
The publication also devotes considerable attention to Expo 2027 Belgrade, which will be held under the slogan "Play for Humanity – Sport and Music for All." Switzerland was the first country to officially confirm its participation, a decision interpreted as an early sign of confidence in Serbia as host. More than 135 participating countries and approximately four million visitors are expected during the exhibition’s 93-day duration. Expo 2027 is presented not only as a major international event, but also as a long-term catalyst for infrastructure development, investment, tourism, innovation and the creative industries.
Overall, the Handelszeitung special edition sends a clear message to the Swiss business community: Serbia is a European economy with strong growth, talented professionals, a solid industrial base and an increasingly ambitious innovation ecosystem. Rather than viewing Serbia as a low-cost manufacturing destination, the publication presents it as a partner steadily advancing towards a knowledge-based economy.
Ambassador Trifunović’s concluding message to Swiss business leaders is therefore straightforward: take a closer look at Serbia. Companies that enter the Serbian market early, thoughtfully and strategically will be well positioned for future success. As the title of the interview puts it: "Serbia is open for business."
The full special edition is available here: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:6d1fe679-ad49-45ca-a49c-28f…
