OSCE Mission holds competition, announces best entrepreneurs in southern Serbia

BELGRADE, 14 December 2005 - The winners of a competition promoting small-and medium-size enterprises in southern Serbia were today announced in Belgrade by the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro.

The first prize for Best Entrepreneur in southern Serbia 2005' will be awarded to Oliver Varagic (of the company "Natural Food" d.o.o), from Bujanovac. Izet Cazimi (of Liridoni d.o.o), from Veliki Trnovac, will receive the second prize. Both prizes will be presented at a ceremony in the beginning of 2006.

The OSCE Mission launched the competition in the autumn of 2005, inviting companies registered in the region to make business proposals according to established criteria, including production capacities, staff multi-ethnicity, and job creation. A similar competition was first organized in 2004.

More than a dozen submissions were evaluated by a panel consisting of senior OSCE Mission staff and a representative of a locally-based financial institution.