Darko Bajčetić got "Businessmen of the Year" award - awards presented by Club of Business Journalists

(Laureates of the Club of Business Journalists' Awards for 2009)

The CEO of Belgrade-based company Centroproizvod, Darko Bajčetić, was presented the "Businessman of the Year" award today (January 22, 2010) by the Prime Minister of Serbia, Mirko Cvetković. That award is granted by the Club of Business Journalists of Serbia to the companies and people who marked the previous year. This year's jury was made of the journalists from 15 editorial staffs, and total of 42 companies and 33 people were nominated for these awards.

Darko Bajčetić said that Centroprizvod had increased the sales in 2009 by about 12% and announced the investment of 6m EUR in new production units in 2010. He also pointed out that the company had invested 1.6m EUR in production and employed 60 new people in 2009, while the employment of new people was also expected in the following period. Bajčetić said that he was satisfied with the fact that the award for the most successful company went to production company Centroproizvod.

(Mirko Cvetković, Darko Bajčetić)

He said that he expected from the Government to raise the citizens's awareness of the significance of purchase of domestic products and services and pointed out that domestic companies were ready to offer competitive quality and price in the market.

On the occasion of the ceremonious Awards Night in the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia, Prime Minister Cvetković pointed out that the entrepreneurs should expect better business terms and simpler commercial system in 2010.

He also said that the Government was determined to keep the macroeconomic stability and implement the planned measures consistently.

- The recovery of economy and mild economic growth are expected, but much effort will be needed for that - said Cvetković.

This year's laureates of the awards of the Club of Business Journalists of Serbia:

Golden plaque "Business Move of the Year" was presented to Dušan Bajatović from Sribjagas for gas projects, while Bank of the Year is Eurobank EFG.

(Dušan Bajatović)

(Zdravko Lončar, Filipos Karamanolis)

Golden plaque for corporate and social responsibility was presented to company Metalac from Gornji Milanovac.

(Miloš Bugarin, Petaršin Jakovljević)

Plaques and the "Manager of the Year" awards were presented to Vladan Batanović from Mihajlo Pupin Institute (for exceptional results in the field of science and scientific work), Radovan Mijailović from Car Battery Factory Sombor (for exceptional results in field of production and export), Veselin Sjekloća from Omni Group (for exceptional results in civil engineering) and Milan Skok from Triglav Kopaonik (for exceptional results in field of insurance). The winners of the awards: (on the right side of the photographs)

(Petar Škundrić, Vladan Batanović)

(Radovan Mijailović)

(Veselin Sjekloća)

(Milan Skok)

Jelena Jurić from Jaffa won the title of "Business Woman of the Year", while the plaque in the category of "Young Manager of the Year" went to Srđan Lazović from British American Tobacco.

(Slavica Đukić Dejanović, Jelena Jurić)

(Slobodan Milosavljević, Srđan Lazović)

The plaque for promotion in country and the world was presented to Planinka from Kuršumlija and spa resort Prolom Banja for the "Devil's Town" project.

Farmer Lazar Đukić from Gospođinci near Žabalj won the Golden plaque for entrepreneurship and agriculture.

(Ivica Dačić, Lazar Đukić)

Two honorary Golden plaques were awarded this year, one of which went to the Prime Minister of Republic of Srpska, Milorad Dodik, for economic results of the Government of Republic of Srpska, and the other was presented to Nađa Higl and the Higl family for sports achievements.

(Radoš Bajić, Milorad Dodik)

Traditional "Zlatno pero" award (Golden Pen), which is granted for the achievements in business journalism, was presented to Mijat Lakićević, the editor-in-chief of weekly magazine NIN and long-time journalist and editor of the economy column in daily newspapers Politika, Ekonomist and Blic.

(Mijat Lakićević on the right)

Last year's laureate of the "Businessman of the Year" award, the President of concern Pharmacom, Miroslav Bogićević, presented special T-shirts of Serbian manufacturers with slogan "Let's show everybody what Serbia has" to Prime Minister Cvetković and all the present ministers.

In addition to Prime Minister Cvetković, the ceremonious Awards Night in the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia was also attended by the President of the Parliament, Dr. Slavica Đukić Dejanović, Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dačić, Trade Minister Dr. Slobodan Milosavljević, Energy Minister Petar Škundrić and Milorad Dodik, the Prime Minister of Republic of Srpska.