This country has more natural beauty than people who can see it. The first thing one thinks of when Norway is mentioned are a pleasant life, beautiful scenery, friendly people and the incredible cold. Located on the Scandinavian Peninsula, it is one of the northernmost countries in the world in which people live.

This beautiful country extends to the north of the European continent. 61.1 % of the territory consists of mountains, 4.8 % of lakes and rivers, 1.4 % of eternal snow and ice and 21.3 % of the territory is covered by forests. The coast of Norway is furrowed with narrow sea inlets called fjords. They form natural harbors protected from the bad weather. Although located in the far north, coastal Norway has a rather mild climate thanks to the Gulf Stream.

Out of 4.3 million inhabitants, 50 % live in cities.

Fjords, which stretch along the coast, as well as mountains and forests, provide Norway with a unique coloring. The most beautiful things that can be experienced in Norway are travelling along the fjords with their waterfalls, and small fishing villages. Thousands of unpolluted rivers and lakes provide excellent opportunities for fishing and enjoyment in the wildest areas of Europe.

The capital city of Norway is Oslo. Oslo is a modern Norwegian capital which has around one million inhabitants. It is the cultural and political center of Norway and one of the most beautiful cities in northern Europe. The town was founded by the Vikings in the 9th century, and experienced development in the 18^th century. It is located in the fjord of the same name, the length of which exceeds 100 km, and ends in the Gulf of Skagerrak in the Baltic Sea. With frequent ferryboat lines, the city is well connected with Denmark.

During a stay in this great city one should see the Akershus castle and fortress, the Norwegian National Museum, the City Hall where the Nobel Prize ceremony is held, the Royal Palace which is the residence of the Norwegian royal family, the Cathedral, Vigeland Park, the Viking Ship Museum...

One of the most renowned Norwegians, writer Henrik Ibsen, once said that the best way to get to know his country and his countrymen is through the beautiful untouched nature and the world-famous fjords, but also through the cold, the snow and the midnight sun. The painter Edvard Munch and the composer Edvard Grieg are just some of many artists who spread the fame of this Scandinavian country worldwide. Norway, the fifth largest, and one of the countries with the least population density in Europe, has more natural beauty than people who can see it, and the highest number of plant and animal species on the continent.

Due to its geographical location, Norway is a country in which three interesting natural phenomena appear: the polar night, the polar day and the northern lights (aurora borealis), which are typical for the Arctic Circle areas. The polar day or midnight sun is a natural phenomenon that occurs north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic circle and during which the sun is visible 24 hours a day, that is, it does not set at all. The time during which the sun does not set depends on the geographical location and varies from 20 hours at the very circles to 186 days at the poles.

The main tourist attraction of Norway is its divine nature.

1. Your Excellency, how do you feel about being in Belgrade? Can you tell us your impressions of Serbia? What was the course of your career in diplomacy before you came to Serbia?

I came to Belgrade from Oslo, where I was Inspector General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

I wanted a change and Belgrade was the obvious choice since I was looking for a place where I could have an exciting job and live well in a dynamic atmosphere.When I moved here in September, I first took a walk in downtown Belgrade to feel the city. It was a very nice atmosphere. We went down towards the Sava and had some Serbian traditional dishes with a modern twist. It was great. You can feel it is a proud city with a difficult history, but also a dynamic city with a great potential. Walking around you see a changing city, adopting to new challenges and opportunities. I really enjoy being here.

I have been posted in London, Paris and Ankara, and I feel much of the same energy in Belgrade.

2. At this moment Serbia is a candidate country, and negotiations started in January, 2014.In your opinion, how far is Serbia along the path to the EU, and what will be crucial for Serbia to become a member state?

After almost two years since starting the negotiation process with the EU, Serbia achieved great success by opening the first chapters in the EU accession process. EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn has rightly hailed Serbia’s success in the implementation of reforms, the cooperation with its neighbours in the region and its efforts in the dialogue with Kosovo. Now it is important to confirm the commitments taken and continue with reforms.

It is going to be a challenge to close all 35 chapters. Before being in the very midst of it, is not easy to measure the task of bringing Serbian laws and regulations in line with the thousands of EU regulations and directives. But, if the commitment to membership remains as strong as today, Serbia will become EU member in a few years.

3. How do you see Serbia’s EU integrations in the future, and do you think that upon joining the EU Serbia will become more appealing to investors, not just from Norway but from other countries as well?

I believe it is of great importance for Serbia to continue with reforms and this will facilitate trade and investment. The business climate has already improved, as the latest “World Bank Doing Business in”-report says, ‎Serbia has moved up thirty-two positions from ninety-first to fifty-ninth. My own discussions with potential investors show that there is still some work to be done in reducing the perceived risks of doing business in Serbia. Applying the same regulations, standards and procedures as in the EU is probably the best way of doing this.

4. Norway is certainly one of the richest and most developed countries in the world. What is the current diplomatic and economic cooperation between our countries like, what was it like in the past, and what should be changed in Serbia in order to improve that cooperation?

Serbian-Norwegian relations have traditionally been very good. Norway has been supporting Serbia’s efforts to join the EU for the past 15 years through donations amounting to over 250 million euro. On the economic side, Telenor has been the biggest foreign investment in Serbia since 2000 (1.6 billion euro), but there are also about 20 other Norwegian companies operating in Serbia like Elopak, Emisoft Cambi, Elcom Q-Free, RAPP Zastava... However, there is a potential to increase cooperation in the field of economics. The sooner Serbia applies rules and procedures similar to those in well-functioning EU member states, the sooner investors will come and the more capital they will invest.

I would like to underline the importance of Prime Minister Vucic's willingness to discuss openly the challenges facing investors. This is highly appreciated by both current and potential investors.

5. What is the nature of the foreign trade cooperation between our countries and what are the industries with the most potential in Serbia? What does Serbia export to Norway, and what does it import from Norway?

2014 did not herald a new area of increased trade. According to preliminary data from Norway’s Statistical Office, Serbia’s export to Norway in 2014 reached a value of NOK 164 million (about 19.1 million euros), while Norwegian exports to Serbia was worth around NOK 78 million (about 9.1 million euros).

Serbia’s export to Norway was particularly high in food products, winches, gearboxes and their parts, honey, gearing, paper and board, jet fuel, other ammunition and its parts, parts for vehicle bodywork, as well as frozen raspberries, blackberries and mulberries.

The export of Serbian natural honey to Norway is a continuing success story. The Embassy is especially proud of this given that the Norwegian Embassy Fund has supported the projects: “Honey Production – Export Chance of Branicevski Region” and “Save her Majesty- The BEE” in the past couple of years.

According to the Serbian Customs Administration, the biggest Serbian exporters to Norway in 2014 were: Sojaprotein a.d. Becej, Rapp Zastava Ltd. Kragujevac, Le Belier Kikinda Foundry Ltd. Kikinda, Medina Ltd. Krnjevo, Tetra Pak Production Ltd. Belgrade, NIS Novi Sad, Prvi Partizan a.d. Uzice, Montavar Metalna Lola Ltd. Belgrade, Master Frigo Ltd. Belgrade, and Foka Ltd. Gornji Milanovac.

When it comes to Serbia's import from Norway, it includes: fish, pulp, paper, chemical products, electro-diagnostic apparatus, and transmitters with built-in receiver, drugs etc.

6. When it comes to investments, how do investors from Norway regard the Serbian market? What are the most influential Norwegian companies that have made investments here? And what are the impressions of the Norwegian companies working in Serbia?

Telenor is probably the best example of good cooperation. They are always citing Serbia as one of its most successful countries of operation. Telenor is in fact a very efficient ambassador of Serbia in Norway. This is why it does not come as surprise that Telenor continues investing in its business in the country and that it had chosen Serbia to launch its first mobile bank — Telenor Banka. Other Norwegian companies in Serbia also seem to be very satisfied with their work in the Serbian market.

7. The government in Oslo has donated €250 million of non-refundable aid for the modernization of Serbia during the previous 15 years. Can you tell us precisely where that money was invested?

The emphasis has been increasingly on institution-building, democratisation and reform processes, and overall economic development. The Norwegian assistance aims to be complementary to the EU IPA funds. The main focus now is to support Serbia in dealing with the refugee crisis. Efforts are also concentrated in fewer sectors such as: public sector reform, rule of law, development of administrative capacity, as well as energy, the environment and climate.

8. How much have oil and natural gas contributed to Norway’s wealth?

Many people believe that Norwegian natural resource wealth transformed the country in a few decades from being a destitute place to one of the most affluent countries of the world. We didn't however, go from poor to wealthy in one go. Before oil, we had a blossoming fish industry and were one of the biggest shipping nations in the world. We also had other industries, often exploiting our forests and waterfalls. It is the human capital accumulation which is the primary force behind the economic transformation of Norway since the mid 19th century. Natural capital is secondary. Human capital accumulation can lift living standards without natural capital as was the case in Japan, but natural capital is of little help without human resources.

9. There are different stories regarding Norway and its wealth. One of them saysthat if Norwegians were to stop working today, they could support themselves for the next 40 years. Is that true?

The Government Pension Fund Global is saving to safeguard the future of Norway and its inhabitants, and to make sure the revenues gained from oil and gas will benefit all. Established in 1990, the Fund is one of the largest single-owner funds of the world today, with a market value of about 760 billion euros. It is part of the preparation for the future, given that the oil/gas industry that has driven growth the last 40 years will shrink and the Public (Norwegian) Pension System will need a cushion while Norway’s labour market is adapting to new conditions.

10. Can you tell us about the relationship between Serbia and Norway in the fields of science, culture, and education?

I would like to highlight the cooperation in the field of culture. It comprises different activities from the Days of Norwegian Literature recently held in Belgrade to Norwegian movie screenings, as well as Norwegian artists coming to Serbia and Serbian artists coming to Norway. There are also two very important institutions in this area: the renowned Scandinavian Department at Belgrade University’s Faculty of Philology and the Scandinavian Corner that are further deepening and strengthening cultural ties between the two countries. However, there is still great potential to further improve this cooperation, as is the case in the field of science and education.

11. How would you present your country as a tourist attraction? What aspects and landmarks would you highlight?

Norway is world famous for its natural beauty. You can experience the midnight sun north of the Arctic Circle or find yourself on a dog sled tour or a snow mobile safari whilst the most spectacular light show takes place around you, or the so-called Northern Lights. There are not many, if any, countries with better opportunities and more breath-taking scenery when it comes to skiing, climbing, hiking, and cycling in the mountains along the Norwegians fjords. There are easily accessible and extensive networks of well-maintained trails and routes all over Norway, both along the coast and across summit hikes. It all makes an active vacation, which we all need nowadays.

12. What are the things you particularly like or don’t like in Serbia? And do you plan to continue living here after your term ends?

I really enjoy living and working in this dynamic city with very friendly and helpful people. My term here started only few months ago, so it is too early to talk about my next post. But I would certainly come back to Serbia as tourist.

13. How do you spend your free time and what is your favorite memory from Serbia?

In addition to great food I already mentioned, there are various cultural activities in the country that I always enjoy to see. These include: exhibitions, concerts, movie screenings etc. Also, since I live close to Hyde Park and Topcider, walking my dog in these parks is also something I truly enjoy.