Mayor of Bijeljina Ljubiša Petrović spent several days this week on an official visit to Izmir, Turkey, during which he held a number of important meetings.
 
The visit concluded with his participation in the prestigious B40 Local Economic and Cultural Cooperation Summit, which gathered a large number of mayors and city representatives from around the world to discuss the topic “Establishing cooperation with experts who have left their homeland, how they can contribute to their country of origin, and how the home country can support their further progress and development.”
 
“This is a very interesting topic, especially for our region, since unfortunately, over the past two decades, we have faced a major ‘brain drain’ – the departure of young and talented people who choose countries where they can find adequate conditions for advancement and professional development, as well as earnings in line with European and global standards. Establishing cooperation with our people around the world is a challenge, but also an excellent opportunity for creativity and growth in many areas,” wrote Mayor Petrović in a post on his official Facebook page.
 
According to him, the Summit highlighted how urban innovations can strengthen solidarity and resilience across borders, and how to build a future based on democratic values.
 
“I took the opportunity at the Summit itself to present the coat of arms of the City of Bijeljina to the Mayor of Izmir, Mr Cemil Tugay, as a token of gratitude. In addition, we made very good acquaintances with mayors from other countries, and the Mayor of the Greek island of Lefkada, Dr. Xenophon Verginis, expressed his wish to visit our city. We also discussed the possibility of twinning Lefkada and Bijeljina, which would be particularly meaningful given the historical ties between Serbs and Greeks and the sincere friendship of our peoples,” Petrović stressed.
 
Summarising his visit to Izmir, the Mayor of Bijeljina underlined that it was a significant experience.
 
“We strive to represent Bijeljina and the people of Semberija in the best possible way, by building bridges and seeking our own opportunities. We have been in isolation for a long time, and the images and messages going out from our country to the world have not always been the most positive. However, we must all do everything within our power to change this, so that the images sent from our cities, regions and countries are ones of pride and an example to follow,” Petrović said.
 
During his stay in Izmir, the Mayor of Bijeljina also visited the large international Trade Fair, as well as the renowned “Volkan” factory, which manufactures and sells specialised fire-fighting vehicles and equipment.
 
The Mayor of Izmir, Cemil Tugay, hosted a reception for the Mayor of Bijeljina and the accompanying delegation of entrepreneurs.