Eco Forum Herceg Novi 2025, which will take place from 9 to 11 April, is a unique opportunity to connect experts and individuals from the region to jointly promote sustainable development, green transition and electromobility. Through panel discussions, workshops and expert lectures, the forum aims to raise awareness and provide practical solutions to environmental challenges, creating a space for the exchange of knowledge and innovations that will contribute to a better quality of life and environmental preservation. On this occasion, we spoke with Zorana Đorić, director of the company Vozim na struju, which is organizing the Eco Forum again this year.
Association RES Serbia is a proud partner of this year’s Eco Forum Herceg Novi 2025, which is taking place from April 9th to 11th. Why is it important to hold such a forum and what can it mean for sustainable development?
– This forum aims to raise awareness among every individual. We have become accustomed to hearing a lot about company actions lately, and our thematic units are designed to encompass both company processes and each individual. Because if we take small steps, we will achieve a lot in a short time.
Given last year’s successful Eco Forum in Zlatibor, could you compare the state of the green transition in the region? How do you expect the forum to contribute to the promotion of sustainable development and green initiatives in the region?
– The very idea of holding a forum outside Serbia implies pushing boundaries in every sense. We want our activities to include the region. Let us learn from each other, but also try not to compare ourselves, but to find a way together to overcome obstacles and find the best solutions.
The situation is similar in almost all countries in the region, but it is noticeable that interest in these and similar topics has increased and that people are less inclined to criticize. Large systems have already firmly determined their ecological actions, but we need to be honest and realistic. It takes time to adapt and repurpose many systems. The ESG topic is a current and painful one. It is clear that we do not have the experience that would work for us, there are many challenges, and on the other hand, the pressure that managers face is really great. However, the situation is no different in more developed countries. Personally, I believe that there are opportunities and possibilities to learn from other people’s mistakes and thereby “buy” time.
Besides the panel discussions, what else can participants expect at the Eco Forum?
– Eco Forum is a place where you will first of all feel good energy. It is a big “team building” from where our task is to take away beautiful memories and, in addition to the knowledge gained, also the impression of a quality time spent. Therefore, the Herceg Novi Tourist Organization on behalf of the Herceg Novi Municipality is organizing a professionally guided sightseeing tour of the city. A gala dinner awaits us on the second day of the event, and in the meantime, in addition to panel discussions and lectures, we will also have workshops for those who want a more professional insight into topics such as ESG, by licensed European lecturers. Likewise, when it comes to electromobility, a technical workshop will enrich the program through the participation of a professional team consisting of doctors of technical sciences, HV experts, electrical and mechanical engineers, and at the end we are conducting a controlled ignition of the batteries in order to remove prejudices.
As the CEO of the company “Vozim na struje”, what steps do you consider crucial for the full integration of electric vehicles into everyday life? Based on your many years of experience, what advice would you give to those who are still considering switching to electric vehicles?
– Education. Acceptance. Change.
Here’s why? First of all, we need to educate ourselves, not judge. I’ve been an active driver of electric vehicles (EV) for 7 years. I’ve accepted that EVs are just like mobile phones. You have to adapt, change your habits. Is it different? Yes. Even though you’re the first at the traffic light because you’re simply much more driven, you drive slower. Driving is easier, the systems are more advanced, which means you get less tired as a driver. It’s cheaper. Maintenance is much simpler than on SUS engines. But we also need to work on educating service technicians, because mistakes made by incompetent handling are expensive. Drivers can extend the life of the battery and its so-called health by using it properly.
And where is the problem, you’re probably wondering. The problem is in residential communities, built before the advent of EVs. A systemic solution must be found. The challenge is the issue of infrastructure. The solution always exists, we can look to countries like the Netherlands, which set clear goals and pushed the boundaries every two years.
The focus is now on LCVs because large systems pollute the most, and they have an independent infrastructure, which makes it easier for them to take a step on the transition path. The results of savings in the delivery process are such that the decision is always closer to a positive one when it comes to thinking about integrating E-LCVs into fleets.
How do you see the global energy transition and how can we improve the infrastructure for electric vehicles?
– The world has long accepted the opportunities that come to us from RES. The use of EVs is not a topic in itself. The complete ecological circle is closed when you add renewable energy sources to the use of such vehicles. It is at the Eco Forum that we will have the opportunity to hear from experts everything on this topic and where the key points that are holding us back on this path are. By choosing the right interlocutors in life, we actually open ourselves up to the possibility of expanding our knowledge, and thus to recognize new trends and try to adapt to them. In the end, each topic represents an opportunity to improve the quality of our own lives through our actions and enable the same for the people around us.