Winner of the Karic Brothers Award for extraordinary contribution to the development of the world economy and international relations

Larger Image

What i have felt in my heart

Your Holiness, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am happy and proud to be getting such a highly regarded award. I am extremely pleased to become part of a group of great people, winners of the Karic Brothers Award. It has been thirteen years since I received this award, and now, thirteen years on, I am receiving this significant commendation for the second time; I think that from now on, 13 will be my lucky number. You know, there is always something that one has to do in an ex officio
capacity and it sometimes isn’t according to one’s wishes. Then again, there was the situation of Serbia, Kosovo, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, when it was with great enthusiasm that I did everything in my power for the benefit of Serbian people. I would like to thank the Karic Foundation; I see the Karic Family as very versatile in their activities, on the one hand, they have their business, and on the other, it presents significant awards. As my friend Zhores Alferov, winner of the Nobel Prize who is present this evening, says- they have the awareness for not only personal, but public interest as well.
The Karic family so vividly demonstrates how tightly knit those interests are. My colleagues and I see it as particularly important that the Karic Foundation does everything in its power to enhance the amity and cooperation between Serbia and Russia; my grateful thanks for that. I was presented with the award by the youngest member of the Karic family. I am convinced that many generations will go by, and the amity between our people will remain rock-solid. I am no longer in public office, but I wish to tell you that if it ever so happens that I am to get involved in state affairs, believe me that I will not forget you.