Can you tell us about your journey from economics to becoming a prolific author with 11 books under your name?
My professional specializations, as well as scientific research in economics, motivated me to write books. I like to add that I recently published my new twelfth book entitled: “The Unusual Story”. Why The Unusual Story - is up to the readers to find out.
What motivated you to specialize in the field of public procurement and how did you become an expert in this area?
My many years of experience in public procurement systems development, and the desire to transfer knowledge to enterprises/bidders and contracting authorities motivated me to specialize and become an expert in this field.
Could you share some highlights from your experience as a visiting lecturer and senior economic policy advisor?
I invite you to check out my profile on Linkedin to see about my many years of professional experience. I would underline my experience as a visiting lecturer at the University of Belgrade, as follows:
Faculty of Economics, Finance and Administration FEFA - Master Studies/European Integration/ “Development and Assistance Policy of the European Union”, 28 March 2017;
Faculty of Civil Engineering - Doctoral Studies/Construction Project Management/”EU Funds-Pre-Accession Assistance-IPA”, 10 May 2017.
Unfortunately, I haven't had the opportunity to give lectures for a long time, even though it was in my plan when I got my doctorate in the field of economic sciences and finished my professional specializations. If you are eager to discover more, you can find answers in my short story:”How I Started Writing Essays” published in my new book "The Unusual Story". It is a collection of short stories and articles which includes: “An Unusual New Year's Story”, “Inspiration for Writing: Road to Santiago” and others.
You've been certified as a trainer in public procurement in the Western Balkans and Turkey. Can you tell us about your training experiences and their impact?
It includes:
Workshops organized by the International Training Centre of the ILO/ Ten lectures on EU Legislation on Public Procurement: Legislative Framework and Basic Principles, Institutional Framework, Historical Context, Public Procurement Procedures, Running Competitive Procedures, Public Procurement Tools, Social and Environmental considerations in Public Procurement (March and May 2012, Belgrade);
Workshops on EU Legislation on Public Procurement organized by TAIEX (Technical Assistance Information Exchange Instrument of European Commission) on 22/01/2014 and 22/o6/2015 in Belgrade;
International seminar on public procurement on 22-23/11/2013 in Sarajevo, BiH;
Seminars on the new Public Procurement Law in Belgrade (2013, 2014, 2017);
Regional conference on public procurement on 17/2/2015 in Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia;-
Seminars and Workshops on public procurement (2013-2017/Belgrade) organized by: the Institute for Business Research MBA, Association “Bidders of Serbia” and Center for Management of Procurement.
Your book "Winning Public Procurement Contracts in Serbia-Manual" won the Readers' Favorite 2017 International Book Award Contest. Can you share some insights into what makes this book stand out?
I had previously published three books, but this is my first book on public procurement and, besides, the first book in English.
As an Associate Member of the Procurement Law Academic Network, how do you stay engaged with academic research in the field of procurement?
I have published my academic research in the field of public procurement in various international journals.
What are some of the key challenges you've encountered in the world of public procurement, and how have you addressed them?
I addressed some of the key challenges in the world of public procurement in my books: “COMPETITION AND INTEGRITY IN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT” which saw two editions, and “CONSTRUCTION PROCUREMENT AND BID RIGGING”.
Your affiliation with the academic research network "Public Contracts in Legal Globalization" is intriguing. Can you tell us more about the network's goals and your role in it?
The academic research network "Public Contracts in Legal Globalization" is a meeting point for researchers from different nationalities. The network is composed of an international group of experts. It organizes symposia, meetings, and seminars, and proposes training activities for students and young researchers.
How do you balance your roles as an author, lecturer, and senior economic policy advisor, and what strategies do you use to manage your time effectively?
Concerning this question, I refer to my new book: The Unusual Story. When you read it, I hope it will be clear to you.
But, managing time effectively and balancing differing roles is a matter of talent, dedicated work, and persistence.
Can you provide a brief overview of your book titles and their themes, especially any recent publications that you're particularly proud of?
This year I published The Unusual Story which is inspired by real-life events and could be a good base for a movie. It differs from all my previous books which can be used by students and professionals but also wide public.
COMPETITION AND INTEGRITY IN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT discusses issues and challenges related to competition and integrity in the practice of implementing public procurement procedures. It helps the reader to solve the problems arising from a lack of information, knowledge, and experience in the fields of public procurement and competition. In addition, it provides a valuable contribution by highlighting the appropriate measures to prevent corruption and irregularities in public procurement as well as to strengthen competition. This book can be used as a valuable source of information and a manual, not only for specialists in purchasing practice, economists, lawyers, researchers, and students, but also for a much wider circle of readers who recognize the strong potential of public procurement for stimulating investments, new technology, and overall economic development.
CONSTRUCTION PROCUREMENT AND BID RIGGING examines construction procurement, including project financing and BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer System), as well as bid rigging with its main characteristics and indicators. It gives an overview of bid rigging in construction procurement concerning some forms, objectives and consequences, as well as various features of the construction industry that are significant for the analysis of collusion in public tenders.
My books cover various issues as a result of specific phases of my professional life. For illustration, my first book was written as a result of my specialization in the European Commission, as well as my second book. Furthermore, one of my books was written owing to a project realized at the International Training Centre of the ILO. It should also be emphasized that I wrote one book as a result of my research within the doctoral thesis in Economics. In other words, my professional specialization in the area of Economics was the inspiration for my books. Above all, I wrote and published an eBook in French concerning French Grammar, because of my specialty in that language.
You've authored approximately 70 articles for various international and local publishers. What topics do these articles cover, and how do they contribute to your overall body of work?
In addition to books, I have written a large number of professional and scientific articles that have been published in local and international journals. According to my long-standing experience in research and practice, I have written on a variety of topics as a consequence of my theoretical and practical work.
How do you approach the process of writing and publishing books, and what advice would you give to aspiring authors in the field of economics or public procurement?
I suggest that everyone should write about some topics well known based on its research. If we write about issues that interest us and attract our attention, it will surely be interesting to some readers. Writing a book is the same as weaving. You need to be prepared to start and weave your product. In addition, your work should be useful to your readers in a way that suits their needs and interests.
How do you see the future of public procurement evolving, both in Serbia and globally?
The future is towards shaping policies and practices that strengthen competition and integrity in public procurement, and include as much as possible social and environmental considerations.
As a member of the American Writers & Artists Inc. (AWAI), how has this membership influenced your writing process and career as an author?
AWAI played a significant role in strengthening my writing skills and encouraging me to succeed as an award-winning author.
What are your thoughts on AllAuthor? Is this a website you see yourself using for some time, even in the future?
AllAuthor stands out as a notably useful website that provides valuable support to independent authors. Thanks to AllAuthor, I have a very nice website to promote my books. I recommend this site with great pleasure and intend to use it in the future.
