The mayor of Niš, Dragoslav Pavlović, has announced the prospects of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba coming to southern Serbia. This became possible after the signing of a memorandum of cooperation with the Chinese city of Hangzhou, the birthplace of Alibaba. The document confirms the partnership within the framework of the Digital Silk Road initiative and provides for the intensification of Chinese investment in the region.
According to Pavlovic, the possibility of building an Alibaba logistics center in Nis is being discussed, as well as the implementation of projects in the fields of science and education. However, at this point, there has been no official confirmation from Alibaba or Chinese authorities regarding these plans.
Earlier it was reported that AliExpress, a subsidiary of Alibaba, is considering the possibility of setting up warehouses in Serbia to speed up the delivery of goods to countries in Southeast Europe. According to Serbia Business, such plans were discussed after the Chinese president’s visit to Serbia in 2024.
In addition, as part of the expansion of transport infrastructure in Niš, the Chinese company Shandong Hi-Speed Group has signed a contract to modernize the Constantine the Great Airport. The project, worth more than $153 million, includes the reconstruction of the runway, the expansion of the apron, and the construction of new taxiways.
Thus, Niš is becoming an important center for Chinese-Serbian cooperation, bringing together initiatives in logistics, infrastructure, and digital trade.
Source: https://t.me/relocationrs/949
Experts Club Information and Analytical Center has analyzed the dynamics of industrial production in Serbia and its growth trends in Serbia in recent years. At the beginning of 2025, industrial production in Serbia shows a slowdown in growth compared to the previous year. According to Trading Economics, in January 2025, industrial production increased by 0.4% in annualized terms, but in February it recorded a decrease of 1.8% compared to the same period in 2024.
In 2024, industrial production in Serbia showed positive dynamics. In December 2024, growth amounted to 2.7% in annual terms, which was the result of a 9.9% increase in production in the extractive industry and a 5.6% increase in manufacturing.
In order to understand the current trends, let us look at the changes in industrial production in Serbia in recent years, based on the analysis of data collected by the Experts Club for the period from 2000 to 2024.
2000: growth by 10.2%
2001: growth by 1.5%
2002: growth by 1.7%
2003: 3.5% growth
2004: 7.1% growth
2005: 0.8% growth
2006: 4.7% growth
2007: 4.9% growth
2008: increase of 1.1%
2009: decrease of 12.1%
2010: increase of 2.5%
2011: increase of 2.1%
2012: decrease of 1.5%
2013: increase of 5.5%
2014: decrease of 6.5%
2015: increase of 8.3%
2016: growth of 4.7%
2017: increase of 3.9%
2018: growth of 1.3%
2019: increase of 0.3%
2020: decrease of 1.0%
2021: increase of 6.0%
2022: increase of 1.9%
2023: increase of 5.8%
2024: 3.1% growth
The data reflect fluctuations in Serbia’s industrial production over the last 25 years, with periods of both growth and decline. For the last 4 years, industrial production in Serbia has been growing steadily.
Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti has resigned, according to Politika. The reasons for the resignation are not specified, but it comes amid ongoing tensions between Kosovo and Serbia.
Relations between Serbia and Kosovo: historical context
Kosovo, formerly an autonomous region within Serbia, unilaterally declared independence on February 17, 2008. Serbia did not recognize this independence and continues to consider Kosovo its territory.
The conflict between ethnic Albanians and Serbs in Kosovo escalated in 1998, leading to armed confrontation. In 1999, after NATO intervention and the withdrawal of Yugoslav troops,
Kosovo came under UN administration. Since then, the region has been the subject of international negotiations and disputes.
Biography of Albin Kurti
Albin Kurti was born on March 24, 1975 in Pristina. He graduated from the University of Pristina with a degree in Computer Science and Telecommunications. In 1997, he became the vice president of the student union and an organizer of peaceful protests against the Serbian government.
During the conflict in Kosovo, Kurti was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison, but was released in 2001. In 2005, he founded the Self-Determination movement (Vetëvendosje), which advocates for the full independence of Kosovo.
He first became prime minister in February 2020, but his government was overthrown a few months later. In March 2021, he became prime minister again and held the position until his resignation in April 2025.
Albin Kurti’s resignation could affect the further development of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, as well as the internal political situation in the entire region.
Source: https://t.me/relocationrs/822
The eldest son of US President Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr. is planning a tour of Eastern Europe, including visits to Serbia, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria. This was reported by the Romanian portal G4Media.ro, citing sources close to the organizers of the events. The visit to Bucharest is scheduled for April 28, a week before the first round of the presidential election in Romania. Trump Jr. is expected to participate in the Trump Business Vision 2025 business event.
This visit comes shortly after his previous trip to Serbia in March 2025, when he met with President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade. During that meeting, they discussed strengthening bilateral relations between Serbia and the United States. According to Open4Business, one of the key goals of the last trip was to assess the potential for the construction of Trump Tower Belgrade, an ambitious real estate project focused on the premium segment. The project is financed by the firm of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and has caused controversy among the Serbian public.
Earlier, in December 2024, Trump Jr. criticized the cancellation of the elections in Romania, calling the decision of the Constitutional Court “an attempt by Soros the Marxist to rig the results and deny the will of the people.” His upcoming visit to the region may be linked to supporting certain political forces and promoting the Trump family’s business interests.
Source: https://t.me/relocationrs/783
Serbia has signed a €50 million contract with Eviden, a member of the Atos group, to develop a supercomputer and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The move is aimed at strengthening the country’s position in high-performance computing and AI.
The Serbian Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation has signed an agreement with Eviden, part of the Atos group, worth 50 million euros. The purpose of the contract is to develop a supercomputer and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that should strengthen Serbia’s position in the field of high-performance computing and AI.
According to the ministry, the project will enable Serbia to become a regional leader in digital technologies and provide opportunities for research and innovation. The supercomputer is expected to be used in various fields, including medicine, energy, and environmental protection.
Global investment in supercomputers
The world’s largest countries are actively investing in the development of supercomputers and related technologies.
China: In 2025, China plans to allocate about 398.12 billion yuan (approximately 55 billion US dollars) for research and development, in particular in the field of semiconductors, artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
THE UNITED STATES: In 2024, the US Department of Energy announced a budget of $425 million for the construction of two new supercomputers – Sierra and Summit. These systems are intended for scientific research and simulations, including nuclear testing.
Source: https://t.me/relocationrs/774
In recent years, Serbia has been actively granting citizenship to foreign nationals, especially from Russia, using the naturalization procedure as an exception. According to the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Serbia, the government may grant citizenship to individuals if their admission is of interest to the state.
According to the Serbian media outlet Nedeljnik, at least four Russian oligarchs were granted Serbian citizenship in 2025:
Oleg Boyko – estimated to be worth $1.5 billion.
Sergei Lomakin – worth about $1.2 billion.
Yevgeny Strshalkovsky and Yuri Kushnerov – the exact amounts are not disclosed, but are likely to be several hundred million dollars.
The decision to grant citizenship was made by the Serbian government under the leadership of former Prime Minister Milos Vucevic. The formal basis for this was “interest for the Republic of Serbia”, according to Article 19 of the Law on Citizenship. However, the specific reasons and criteria for these individuals to receive Serbian passports remain unclear, especially given the lack of information about their previous business ties to Serbia.
So far, there is no data on whether the new Serbian citizens plan to develop business in the country. However, experts speculate that the granting of citizenship may be related to the desire to attract investment and capital to Serbia. In recent years, Russian entrepreneurs have been actively buying up real estate in Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Serbian resorts.
Statistics on citizenship and residence permits for Russians:
2022: Of the 84 foreign nationals who received Serbian citizenship by government decision, almost two-thirds were Russians.
From February 2022 to December 2024: Russian citizens submitted 73,197 applications for temporary residence in Serbia, of which more than 90% were approved.
February 2025: The number of Russians actually living in Serbia is estimated at 80,000-110,000.
Reasons for granting citizenship
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has previously stated that the accelerated granting of citizenship to Russians and Ukrainians is due to a shortage of labor in the country. Priority is given to those who open companies and create jobs for Serbian citizens. However, in the case of Russian billionaires, it is unclear how their citizenship contributes to the development of the Serbian economy.
Thus, Serbia continues to use the granting of citizenship as a tool to attract investment and business ties. However, the lack of transparency in the criteria for naturalization raises questions about the real motives behind such decisions. Against the backdrop of the geopolitical situation, the interest of Russian businessmen in the Serbian passport is likely to be related not only to investment opportunities, but also to the possibility of obtaining a new legal status in Europe.
Source: https://t.me/relocationrs/755
