A high-level delegation of the European Parliament (EP), with European People’s Party (EPP) Group Chairman Manfred Weber, visited STP Belgrade today as part of an official visit to Serbia.

The delegation also included the President of the Foreign Policy Committee of the European Parliament, David McAllister and EP rapporteur for Serbia Vladimir Bilchik, while the Head of the European Union Delegation to Serbia HE Mr. Sem Fabrizi, Assistant Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development of Serbia Viktor Nedovic and Program Manager for SMEs, Compatibility and Innovation of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Dejan Suvakov.

The guests were greeted by director of the Science Technology Park Belgrade, Gordana Danilovic Grkovic and Ivan Rakonjac, director of the Innovation Fund.

Grkovic presented to the European parliamentarians the development path and results of the first science technology park in Serbia, which supports development of more than 70 start-ups and technological development companies, employing more than 700 engineers, generating more than 20 million EUR revenues in the last year.

-Such results show that developing the right support systems such as science technology parks can realize the potential that Serbia has in young people and that through its support programs for the development and commercialization of innovation, STP Belgrade produces more innovations, start-ups, jobs and export growth each year – said Danilovic Grkovic, pointing out that STP Belgrade now has a developed model and expertise to transfer knowledge and experience for the development of science technology parks in other regions of Serbia.

Ivan Rakonjac presented results and programs of the Innovation Fund, emphasizing the importance of EU support for the advancement of the research sector and innovation in Serbia, and several beneficiaries of the program funds presented themselves. Among them were company members of STP Belgrade – PirateArt and Phytonet, visited by the European delegation, expressing great interest and praising the work and innovations of the companies, STP Belgrade and the Innovation Fund.