Leading Boston Companies to Participate in Trade Mission to Serbia

Prominent companies travel to Serbia to discuss potential investments

BELGRADE, Serbia & BOSTON -- Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications, with its client, the Serbian Investment & Export Promotion Agency (SIEPA), is conducting a trade mission to Belgrade from November 1-5, 2009. As the global recession recedes, Serbia has begun to show promise as a key country for foreign investment, given its low wage base, skilled workforce and pro-business, European-styled government. Despite the downturn, Serbia has resisted raising taxes on businesses or individuals and the country continues to provide generous incentives to foreign companies that set up operations there.

The five-day mission will be attended by members of the management teams from four U.S. companies, including three from the Boston area. The U.S. companies will meet with key government officials in the Serbian government, will tour potential manufacturing sites and will consult with officials at U.S. companies that have already made the investment in Serbia.

"We are proud to organize this trade mission and are pleased by the enthusiasm these companies have shown toward investing in Serbia," said Larry Rasky, Chairman, Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications. "Serbia is a compelling target in Europe for companies exploring opportunities for foreign investment, and we're delighted to work with SIEPA to show these companies all that Serbia has to offer."

Among the trade mission participants are:

• Boston-Power, Inc., an award-winning provider of next-generation lithium-ion battery technology.

• PharmaSphere, LLC, a biotechnology company that utilizes TerraSphere technology to produce high-value, plant-based biocompounds for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical markets.

• Metric Engineering, a leading provider of transportation engineering services.

• Milenko Beslic, a successful Boston-based entrepreneur who co-founded CheapToday.comand CheapFlights.com, plans to open a technology development center in Serbia, called Teknuvo.

"We are honored by the attention these businesses are showing Serbia," said Vesna Peric, Director of SIEPA. "This is tangible evidence that our country is an extremely competitive target for foreign investment. Serbia's highly-educated workforce, economic incentives and strategic location in Europe makes Serbia a natural fit for strong U.S. companies that are looking to expand into new markets. I would also like to encourage other U.S. companies to take advantage of this momentum and the strategic advantages that Serbia is offering to foreign investors, in order to make their businesses more profitable."

Serbia, like Boston, has a reputation for its expertise in the IT, biotech and cleantech sectors. Serbia's leadership in these fields stems from its outstanding pool of intellectual capital, attractive labor costs, excellent worker skills and a good communications network.

About Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications

Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications is a nationally recognized public and government relations firm with more than a decade of experience providing exceptional client service to organizations that operate at the intersection of business, politics and media. With offices in Boston and Washington, D.C., the firm offers a comprehensive range of services, including ballot initiative management, corporate communications counsel, community relations, crisis and reputation management, government relations, grassroots organizing, investor relations, media and presentation training, litigation support, lobbying, and public sector business development. For more information, please visit www.rasky.com.

About SIEPA

Serbia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SIEPA) is a government organization dedicated to effectively helping foreign investors and buyers, while raising Serbia's profile in the minds of international business decision-makers. Created in 2001 by the Government of the Republic of Serbia, SIEPA's mission is to support foreign companies seeking to set up or expand in Serbia and Serbian companies when doing business worldwide.