The International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES)[1], based in Ljubljana, regularly monitors and analyses political, economic and geopolitical developments in the Middle East, the Balkans, Europe and across the world. IFIMES is exclusively publishing an article by Bogoljub J. Karić, a prominent philanthropist, visionary and inspirational figure, in which he sets out a blueprint for Serbia’s future based on the creation of a broad social front that overcomes divisions and brings citizens, the business community, academia and young people together around a shared goal – a better, safer and more prosperous life. The article places particular emphasis on investment in knowledge, students, innovation and regional cooperation, as well as on a balanced foreign policy that connects Serbia with both East and West in the interest of economic growth, stability and new opportunities. Entitled “The time has come for a comprehensive development front: Serbia between knowledge, youth and global partnerships”, the article opens up new dimensions in the understanding of modern development, social responsibility and humanism, reaching beyond the constraints of the current political and social moment.
Serbia today faces a historic choice. As a society that has lived through profound changes, challenges and trials, we must find an answer to the most pressing question of our time: how to create the conditions for every citizen to live better, more securely and with greater dignity, and for young people to see their future in their own country.
My decades of experience in business, across the markets of Europe, Asia, the Middle East and other parts of the world, have taught me one simple truth: no country can progress unless it unlocks the energy of its people. A country’s greatest asset is not merely its natural resources, infrastructure or capital – it is its people, their knowledge, creativity, work and vision.
That is why I believe Serbia today does not need another cycle of divisions, but a comprehensive front for development – a broad social alliance of all those who want to build, create and open up new opportunities.
Such a front must bring together entrepreneurs, scientists, universities, young people, students, experts from the diaspora, local communities and all citizens committed to a modern and prosperous Serbia.
Our greatest responsibility is to young people. No policy has any real meaning if young people are leaving because they see no opportunity for themselves. Serbia must become a nation of knowledge and innovation, a country in which students are not treated as mere statistics in the education system, but as future architects of our development.
That is why I believe we must attach particular importance to building a strong and long-term support model for the student population – through scholarships, professional training programmes, closer links between universities and the business community and greater opportunities for young entrepreneurs. Investing in young people is never an expense – it is the most valuable and worthwhile investment a state can make.
The establishment of a student scholarship fund, designed to provide universal scholarships and ensure equal opportunities for education and advancement for every student, should be one of the key priorities of our development policy. A state that invests in its youth is investing directly in its own future.
With this in mind, I also consider it important to establish an Intergenerational Solidarity Fund, following the example of developed countries, as a mechanism for long-term investment in the family, education and the development of new generations.
Everything begins with the family. Investment in the family pays dividends many times over through our children, future generations, young people and students – the future torchbearers of knowledge, development and wider social progress.
Successful societies are not those that waited for help from outside, but those that built the capacity to harness their own internal potential and align it with global opportunities.
Serbia occupies a unique position. It belongs to the European space, while at the same time maintaining historical, cultural and economic ties with different parts of the world. Rather than pursuing a policy of insularity, we need an era of openness, cooperation and strategic connectivity.
Our future is not a matter of choosing between East and West. Rather, it must be grounded in cooperation with all partners capable of contributing to Serbia’s development, stability and prosperity. This approach positions Serbia within the concept of open strategic autonomy – a policy that entails safeguarding national interests while actively engaging with diverse global actors and seizing the opportunities afforded by the modern world.
Serbia is a European country, and full membership of the European Union should therefore remain its strategic goal. At the same time, as part of a wider global community, Serbia has the potential to cultivate partnerships with a range of international actors. This openness is not at odds with our European path; it is an advantage that allows us to use global opportunities for the benefit of our citizens and future generations.
Strong ties with the European Union, the United States, China, Russia, the countries of the Middle East and other international partners should be viewed through the lens of the economic interests of Serbian citizens: new jobs, investment, technology and a better standard of living.
In the evolving international landscape, I consider it especially important for Serbia to further cultivate ties with the administration of President Donald Trump, as well as with all relevant global partners capable of contributing to its economic and technological progress. Through international partnerships, Serbia should actively advance the strategic sectors of the future – artificial intelligence, digitalisation, energy, infrastructure, biotechnology, the defence industry and green technologies.
Serbia should capitalise on its strategic position to become a hub where diverse interests converge, generating fresh avenues for growth, attracting investment, fostering innovation and further strengthening its international standing.
Our country must be an active participant in the major currents of the global economy, not a passive observer of changes shaped by others. Serbia must identify new openings, foster partnerships and, through its own initiative, contribute to the processes driving the future of the global economy.
Regional cooperation is equally vital. The Balkans must cease to be a region defined by divisions, missed chances and preoccupation with the past. Instead, it must become a space of connectivity, shared development and new prospects. Our future depends on our ability to build bridges between Belgrade, Sarajevo, Tirana, Zagreb, Podgorica, Skopje, Pristina and other regional centres. There is far more that unites us than divides us, and I believe that our shared interests, economic progress and the pursuit of a better future for our citizens must take precedence over all differences.
Every kilometre of new infrastructure, every joint investment and every educational or technological project that brings people together is a victory over the past and an investment in the future. A region that cooperates becomes more attractive to investors, safer for its citizens and a more promising place for younger generations seeking to build their lives there.
Economic development cannot be divorced from strong institutions, the rule of law and public trust. True prosperity is built not only on factories, investment and economic indicators, but also on a society in which justice, order, security and equal opportunities for advancement are guaranteed to every individual.
It is time to stop thinking only in terms of political cycles and to begin creating policies for the generations to come. The future is forged not through short-term interests but through long-term vision and a profound sense of social responsibility.
Serbia must articulate a clear, long-term development outlook for the next 20 or 30 years – a vision of a country defined by advanced technologies, educated and creative people, modern companies, strong universities and a society that values work, knowledge and innovation.
I believe in Serbia, having had the opportunity throughout my life to observe how nations have prospered when they believed in their own potential, invested in their people and successfully aligned their internal strengths with the possibilities offered by the wider world.
Norway is perhaps the best example – a nation that, only a few decades ago, stood at a very different stage of development, yet today ranks among the most advanced countries in the world. Its experience demonstrates that long-term planning, responsible resource management and investment in knowledge and human capital can build a society characterised by high living standards and sustainable prosperity.
Today, we need a common goal: to build a Serbia where young people choose to stay, where new ideas flourish, new prospects are created, knowledge and development are supported, and every citizen feels secure and confident about the future.
That is the front we need – a front of development, knowledge, unity and hope. A front for a Serbia that does not remain trapped in the past, but strides towards the future with courage, responsibility and resolve. Launching a broad national dialogue is therefore an essential prerequisite for achieving social consensus, strengthening political stability and responding more effectively to the challenges Serbia will face in the period ahead.
About the author
Bogoljub J. Karić, born in 1954 in Peć/Peja, graduated from the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in Priština and obtained a master’s degree from the Faculty of Economics in Niš. Together with his family, he established the company "Braća Karić” and, over more than four decades, built a global business empire spanning telecommunications, construction, finance, education, media and trade. He serves as a member of the IFIMES Advisory Board, president of the International Committee “Nikola Tesla,” an expert with the UN Sustainable Development Programme, and a member of the UN Global Marketplace and the UN “AI for Good” initiative. A pioneer of capitalism in Yugoslavia and Gorbachev-era Russia, Karić is also a visionary, builder, philanthropist and architect of a new global economic order.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the official position of IFIMES.
Ljubljana/Belgrade, 29 June 2026
[1] IFIMES - International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies, based in Ljubljana, Slovenia, has a special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council ECOSOC/UN in New York since 2018, and it is the publisher of the international scientific journal "European Perspectives." Available at: https://www.europeanperspectives.org/en
