In the presence of numerous guests, including representatives of the Government, National Bank of Serbia, Ministries, financial institutions and media, 125 years since the establishment and 30 years since the re-launch of operation of the Belgrade Stock Exchange were celebrated at the Yugoslav Film Archive.
The guests were addressed by Dragana Stanić, the NBS Vice-Governor, Siniša Krneta, the present Belgrade Stock Exchange Director, Branislav Ćosić, the first Belgrade Stock Exchange Director, and Dragoljub Vukadinović, the President of the Metalac Group. A film about this institution of national relevance, which has been witnessing changes in our society spanning three centuries, was featured, followed by performance acts of the Reflektor Theatre.
The film about the Belgrade Stock Exchange illustrated various periods of its history. From the 1830s, when the first ideas about establishing an institution in charge of controlling money value trends in Serbia, to the events and turbulences marking the century behind us, such as its cancellation after World War II, to the re-establishment at the end of 1980s, to contemporary developments.
The speakers reiterated that the history of the Stock Exchange was actually the history of this country, consisting of many interesting and unusual stories. Some of those stories, presented in the unique performance acts created by Milko Štimac, guided the guests through the most significant periods of the Serbian society, with the Stock Exchange playing a prominent role.
“In 125 years of its existence, the Belgrade Stock Exchange has always had the same goal: establishing a modern trading organisation, representing the foundations of the economy and the society, and pointing to the real trends in the business sector. In the coming years, we all have a strong obligation to preserve and improve the entrusted legacy. Because a stock exchange is a mirror of the world where it operates, and, while there are examples of developed stock exchanges in underdeveloped economies, there are no examples of developed economies without developed stock exchanges,” said Siniša Krneta, the Belgrade Stock Exchange Director.
One of the first clients of the relaunched Belgrade Stock Exchange in 1989 was Metalac. First through trading in short-term securities, then purchasing old savings bonds on behalf of shareholders, and then through issuing Metalac shares.
“The presence at the Belgrade Stock Exchange brings multiple benefits to our company. We are very satisfied with the cooperation in the previous period, because business transparency of both Metalac and the Belgrade Stock Exchange, through the information it provides, is exceptionally high. In the future, we wish Serbia’s economy to become even stronger, so that the Stock Exchange, which is inherently related to the economy, can prosper,” said Dragoljub Vukadinović, the President of the Metalac Group.
Throughout its long history, the Belgrade Stock Exchange operated in many significant moments of our country’s history. It has witnessed various periods, social trends, wars and prosperous years. However, it has always been a facilitator of the Serbian financial market, ideas and innovation offered to the government, business sector and people. It will face a big challenge in the future: improving the rich legacy and remaining the generator of the Serbian economy.