AGP Executive Report

AI and Startups: Serbia is building momentum ahead of GITEX AI Belgrade, with calls for startups and tech firms to apply and Air Serbia named an official partner. The government has also signed competing AI initiatives with US and Chinese counterparts, as critics question Serbia’s light-touch approach to oversight. Digital Government: Prime Minister Đuro Macut discussed public-sector digitalisation with Oracle representatives, who presented ideas for modernising government services. Cybersecurity and Rights: A Serbian student targeted by spyware is suing the authorities, bringing surveillance technology and accountability into focus. Science and Industry: Macut’s London visit included talks on academic and medical cooperation, while a separate showcase put robots and drones in the spotlight as tools for Serbian industry.

Medical Research: A Serbian registry study of 587 adults with myotonic dystrophy found sex-related differences across several organ systems, pointing to the need for more tailored monitoring and care. Research Leadership: Belgrade professor Vladimir Obradović was elected president of the International Project Management Association, with AI and sustainability among his priorities. Cybersecurity: Student Jelena Kontić has filed a criminal complaint over Pegasus spyware allegedly installed on her phone; forensic analysis cited in the case found a zero-click iMessage attack. AI and Chips: Serbia’s prime minister says the country has potential to design microchips, while Air Serbia has partnered with GITEX AI Belgrade to promote the event to technology firms and startups.

Serbia Tech & Health: A nationwide Serbian registry study reports that sex meaningfully changes how myotonic dystrophy affects patients across multiple organ systems, suggesting clinicians should treat biological sex as a real disease modifier when monitoring and planning care. Cybersecurity & Rights: Student activist Jelena Kontić filed a criminal complaint in Serbia over alleged Pegasus spyware infection, saying forensic work confirmed a remote “zero-click” compromise via iMessage and urging a fast investigation. AI Policy: Serbia’s draft AI law for EU Growth Plan funding is still only at a working stage, with critics warning key safeguards on rule of law, independent institutions, and human-rights protections are missing—plus a defense-sector exemption concern. Tech & Business: PKS urged startups to apply for the SEE 100 programme tied to GITEX AI Belgrade during EXPO 2027, promising special booths and hundreds of B2B meetings. Industry Logistics: Austrian Post completed its acquisition of Serbian parcel operator D Express and plans phased integration with City Express, bringing a large Belgrade logistics footprint under one group.

Pegasus Spyware Case: Student activist Jelena Kontić filed a criminal complaint over alleged Pegasus spyware infection, saying forensic work by Citizen Lab confirmed a “zero-click” iMessage compromise and asking prosecutors to act fast. AI Policy Pressure: Serbia’s AI law is still only at a working draft, with critics warning it omits key safeguards like rule of law, independent institutions, human-rights guarantees, and even excludes the defense sector in ways that may not match EU expectations. Tech & Business Momentum: PKS urged startups to apply for the SEE 100 track at GITEX AI Belgrade (May 25–27, 2027), promising special booths and 500+ B2B meetings. On-Prem Voice AI: Tenstorrent and Smallest.ai partnered to deliver a production-grade, on-prem voice AI stack running Lightning V2 on Tenstorrent Galaxy Blackhole servers for data sovereignty. Serbia’s Election Tech & Trust: Reporting on Serbia-linked regional election tech highlights how new voting tools can coexist with high-risk political conditions and disputes over violence and fairness. Logistics Upgrade: Austrian Post completed its acquisition of Serbian parcel operator D Express, starting phased integration of delivery networks. EU Funding Shock: The European Commission’s decision to stop funding ENAR could force the anti-racism network to shut down by end-2026, raising alarms across European NGOs.

AI & Mobility: LG Electronics will supply an integrated cockpit for Renault’s New Trafic E-Tech Electric, combining the instrument cluster and infotainment into a unified SDV-ready system aimed at a smoother in-car experience and simpler production. Startup Ecosystem: Serbia’s Chamber (PKS) chief Marko Cadez urged startups to apply for the SEE 100 programme for GITEX AI Belgrade (May 25–27, during EXPO 2027), promising special booths plus 500+ B2B meetings with investors and industry. Public Sector Digitalization: Prime Minister Djuro Macut met Oracle in London, stressing digitization as a prerequisite for faster, more accessible public services and better decision-making, while also touring AstraZeneca’s R&D center. Rail Tech: The Budapest–Belgrade line completed a major test at up to 160 km/h, with ETCS performing well; passenger information systems still need fixes before launch. Elections & Tech Use: Bosnia’s vote rolled out biometric voter ID, ballot scanners, and rapid result transmission, but delays and scanner/ID issues were reported as counting continues. Local Tech & Society: Novi Sad’s Futoški Park faces an auction for a hotel complex, with residents warning that trees will be cut despite promises of replanting.

Startup & AI Ecosystem: Serbia’s Chamber of Commerce (PKS) chief Marko Cadez urged startups to apply for the SEE 100 programme tied to GITEX AI Belgrade (May 25–27, EXPO 2027), promising special booths plus 500+ B2B meetings with investors and industry. Public-Sector Digitalisation: Prime Minister Djuro Macut met Oracle in London, saying digitization should make services faster and easier for citizens, while also touring Cambridge’s research links and AstraZeneca’s R&D centre. AI Policy Sign-off: Serbia Center leader Zdravko Ponos questioned why outgoing FM Marko Đurić signed a U.S.-backed AI Opportunity Partnership, calling it a political declaration that arrived “too urgently” late in the term. Transport Tech: The Budapest–Belgrade rail line completed a major test at up to 160 km/h, with ETCS performing well, though passenger information systems still need fixes. Elections Tech & Risk: Bosnia’s vote used biometric ID, ballot scanning and rapid result transmission, but reports flagged delays and technical hiccups; Serbia-focused observers also warned Serbia’s campaign is becoming “high-risk” amid violence concerns. Space & Energy Tech: A new “Moon race” analysis highlights nuclear power as the key enabler for permanent lunar life and industry.

Bosnia Election Tech: Bosnia and Herzegovina opened voting for a four-year general election with 3.4M registered voters and 518 posts up for grabs, using biometric voter checks, ballot scanning and video surveillance at about 4,500 polling locations—though early voting saw delays tied to the new systems and voter ID issues. EU Path Stakes: The outcome is widely seen as shaping Bosnia’s EU bid, while geopolitics and ethnic tensions remain in the background as preliminary results are expected later Sunday. Serbia Tech & Industry: Air Serbia signed a strategic partnership with GITEX AI Belgrade, signaling more AI-focused tech engagement tied to regional business and travel. Belgrade–Beijing Defense Tech: Serbia’s drills reportedly showcased Chinese “robot dogs,” pointing to expanding defense and industrial ties with China. Science & Society: A Serbian-linked obituary highlights Biljana Plavsic’s death in Belgrade; she was a former professor who published extensively and became notorious for applying biology to wartime nationalist ideology.

Election Tech in Bosnia: Bosnia’s general election opened with 3.4M registered voters choosing a tripartite presidency and hundreds of lawmakers, with new voting tech (biometric ID checks, ballot scanning, and video surveillance) rolling out at ~4,500 polling sites; early reports cite minor delays from scanner/ID-card issues, but officials say no major irregularities were recorded. US–Serbia Rule-of-Law Pressure: A bipartisan US bill, the SRBIJA Act, would tie additional aid to Serbia’s progress on judicial accountability, media freedom, and EU/NATO alignment, with sanctions possible for corruption and rights abuses. Belgrade–China Defense Signals: Serbian military drills reportedly featured Chinese “robot dogs,” pointing to expanding defense and industrial ties with Beijing. Serbia’s Startup/Jobs Push: Belgrade and the University of Belgrade announced a student internship program for final-year and graduate students across city institutions. Health & Early Learning: The Novak Djokovic Foundation says it has supported 55,000 children via 58 preschool projects in Serbia.

Serbia–Senegal Tech & Security Links: Serbia’s State Secretary Damjan Jović met Senegal’s Cheikh Niang in Dakar, flagging new momentum for cooperation in ICT, medicine/pharma, agriculture/food, and military-technical & security ties. Serbia’s Election Under Scrutiny: A US bipartisan group introduced the SRBIJA Act, tying extra aid to Serbia’s progress on judicial accountability, media freedom, and EU/NATO alignment, while citing concerns around rule of law and a Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse. Belgrade’s Digital Transparency Debate: Serbia’s BIRODI challenged RTS over how public opinion research is selected and presented, demanding clearer method checks and verifiable criteria. Early Childhood Tech for Serbia: The Novak Djokovic Foundation says it has reached 55,000 children via 58 preschools in Serbia, including teacher training and parent support. Belgrade–Cambridge Research Path: Caretaker PM Djuro Macut met UK and Cambridge officials, discussing postgraduate/doctoral research, medicine, and a model for Serbia’s BIO4 integrated research campus. Global Tech Context: Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan ran “Power of Unity-2026,” heavily featuring drones and unmanned systems in joint drills.

Belgrade–Beijing Defense Tech: Chinese “robot dogs” reportedly debuted in Serbian military drills, pointing to deeper defense and industrial ties with China. Election Media Scrutiny: BIRODI says RTS public-opinion research selection lacks clear methodological verification, while separate monitoring claims Vučić and SNS dominated TV airtime ahead of the Oct. 25 vote. US–Serbia Rule-of-Law Pressure: US lawmakers introduced the SRBIJA Act to condition aid on Serbia’s progress on judicial accountability, media freedom, and EU/NATO alignment. Digital Public Services: PM Djuro Macut met Oracle in London to discuss Serbia’s public-sector digital transformation, stressing citizen access, data protection, and AI use. Research & Health: A study on cyanobacteria suggests one type of algal bloom may be less toxic than feared; separately, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic Foundation says it reached 55,000 children via 58 preschools. STEM Youth: Serbia-linked talent showcases and the wider push for student research innovation continue, with youth research olympiads drawing tens of thousands of participants.

Serbia’s AI & public-sector push: Caretaker PM Djuro Macut met Oracle in London to discuss digitalisation of public administration, stressing that tech should make services easier for citizens and that data protection and trust must go hand in hand. Health-tech spotlight: The Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit (Oct 20–22) will focus on “To Sense is to Predict,” bringing together global leaders on AI, genomics, diagnostics and health data to enable earlier intervention. Research update: A study on algal blooms suggests a specific cyanobacterium (Gloeotrichia echinulata) may be less toxic to humans than previously feared, with genetic analysis finding no machinery for key liver-harming toxins. Industry & innovation event: Air Serbia signed a strategic partnership with GITEX AI Belgrade, positioning the capital as a regional innovation hub ahead of GITEX AI Belgrade (May 25–27, 2027). Academic cooperation: Macut also met Cambridge contacts, including AstraZeneca-linked BIO4 campus plans, and discussed postgraduate and personalised medicine programmes. Local education impact: Novak and Jelena Djokovic’s foundation says it has reached 55,000 children via 58 Serbian preschools, including teacher training and support for parents.

Serbia Tech & Policy: A BIRODI monitoring report says Aleksandar Vučić dominated political airtime on five Serbian free-to-air TV stations (RTS 1, Pink, Prva, B92, Happy) from Sept. 11–30, taking 78% of all minutes given to political actors—about 3,650.5 minutes out of 4,682.5, dwarfing the Students’ List at roughly 6%. Digital Public Services: Caretaker PM Djuro Macut met Oracle representatives in London to discuss digitalisation of public administration, stressing that tech should make services easier for citizens while also raising data protection and trust. Health Biotech Finance: Santhera reports 101% revenue growth in H1 2026 to CHF 48.3m, driven by AGAMREE expansion and a major Nxera licensing upfront payment. AI & Events: Air Serbia signed a strategic partnership with GITEX AI Belgrade, positioning Belgrade as a regional innovation hub ahead of the May 25–27, 2027 event. Energy Tech: A hybrid PV-evaporative cooling system boosted electrical efficiency by 26% in desert-climate testing while also supplying precooled ventilation air. Industry & Robotics: Serbia’s push toward humanoid robot manufacturing continues after a visit to Minth’s factory in Šabac, with plans for scaling production. Regional Tech Business: Evolution Dome appointed Cyber Event as its official Romania distributor, with coverage extending to Serbia and other Balkan markets.

Air Serbia x GITEX AI Belgrade: Serbia’s national carrier signed a strategic partnership with GITEX AI Belgrade, positioning Belgrade as a regional AI and tech hub ahead of the May 25–27 event. Robotics for industry: President Vučić visited Minth’s humanoid robot work in Šabac, highlighting plans for scaling production and expanding Serbia’s tech infrastructure. Smart city orders: Beam Europe secured about $4m in smart city infrastructure orders across the Western Balkans, supporting transport, telecom, utilities and municipal projects. Energy engineering abroad: Serbian firm Energoprojekt ENTEL won an Oman consultancy contract for three gas power projects, covering design, tender support and bid evaluation. Defense tech spotlight: Serbia’s drone cooperation with Israel continues to deepen, with a joint assembly facility for Israeli-designed combat drones cited as a new localization step. EU market integration debate: A leaked EU plan points to “gradual integration” for candidate states, with tech access tied to strategic alignment and restrictions on transfers of key technologies. Science & society: A UN vote backs switching from Mercator to more accurate equal-area maps, urging schools and tech firms to teach map limitations.

Serbia Tech & Industry: Serbia’s caretaker PM Djuro Macut says the country has the know-how to design microchips, pointing to 1,000+ engineers working in local and global firms and pushing for homegrown IP. Smart Cities: Beam Europe says it secured about $4M in smart city infrastructure orders in Q3 2026, spanning projects across Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Greece. Energy Engineering: Serbian firm Energoprojekt ENTEL won an Oman consultancy contract for three new gas-fired power projects, supporting concept design, tenders and bid evaluation. Defense Tech (Regional): Azerbaijan’s ADEX 2026 showcased new rifle platforms based on the M4 and a modernized 7.62 R assault rifle, with Serbia among participating countries. AI & Society: A Cyprus forum highlights how AI can reproduce bias and why women must be involved in building digital systems. Mapping for Science: The UN General Assembly endorsed the Equal Earth-style approach to better reflect landmass sizes, with the US the only vote against. Politics & Tech Workforce: A survey says Serbia’s Students’ List leads in an early September snapshot, with the outcome potentially shaped by signature collection and coalition shifts.

Serbia’s Microchip Push: Caretaker PM Djuro Macut says Serbia has the know-how to design microchips, pointing to 1,000+ local engineers and a new integrated-circuit working group aimed at turning expertise into products and IP. EU Single Market Roadmap: A draft EU plan would give candidate countries “gradual integration” into the single market and research access before full membership, but only if they align politically and block transfers of key technologies like semiconductors, AI, biotech and space tech. Smart Agriculture Meets Investment: EatFruit is pitching Serbian orchards as a transparent, tech-enabled investment model, using AI, drones and precision farming to attract international capital. Batteries for Europe’s EV Supply: Volkswagen and Gotion broke ground on a 60GWh LFP battery gigafactory in Spain, targeting cost-stable mass-market EV production. Connected Cities: A new focus on 5G-backed city infrastructure highlights how Serbia-style smart development may move beyond pilots toward interoperable transport, energy and safety systems. Clinical Trial Update: Satellos says enrollment is complete for BASECAMP, a Phase 2 trial of forazapadin for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Oman Contract for Serbian Engineering: Energoprojekt ENTEL won a consultancy contract for three Oman gas power plants, supporting development and tendering. Academic Support for Student List: Serbia’s academic community backs student-led demands for a fairer, freer Serbia, citing institutional accountability after the Novi Sad station canopy tragedy.

Serbia–Senegal Tech & Security Ties: Serbia’s foreign ministry state secretary Damjan Jović met Senegal’s Cheikh Niang in Dakar, flagging new momentum for cooperation in ICT, agriculture/food, medicine/pharma, and military-technical and security areas. AI Safety Watch: Anthropic warns advanced AI could pose “catastrophic or existential risks,” while reports also highlight safety concerns around Meta’s Muse and OpenAI’s model behavior—another reminder that AI governance is moving from theory to urgent policy. Personalized Gene Therapy in Serbia: Genezen partnered with Serbian researcher Nevena Lešević to support AAV9 gene therapy manufacturing for an N-of-1 trial targeting ARCA2 (PMPCA mutation), tying Serbia’s biotech ecosystem to rare-disease innovation. Cancer Outcomes Gap: A Balkans-focused report points to higher death rates despite similar incidence, blaming late diagnosis and limited access to advanced diagnostics—an opening for Serbia’s health tech and screening upgrades. EU Integration via Science: Serbia’s caretaker EU integration minister Nemanja Starović says the European path must deliver tangible education, science, innovation, and exchange benefits for younger people. Educons University Governance: Dušan Kozarev was appointed to Educons University’s High Council of Trustees, emphasizing responsibility for higher education and scientific research and international positioning. Child Online Safety at the UN: A Türkiye-led UN panel urged stronger international standards as AI outpaces safeguards, with Serbian first lady Tamara Vučić stressing education and responsible tech use. Local Infrastructure Risk: Tenants in Belgrade’s Vojvode Vlahovića Street were evacuated after a retaining wall collapse, raising questions about construction oversight and infrastructure safety.