HISTORIC STEP: IAAO opens regional center for Southeast Europe in Belgrade

The opening ceremony was led by IAAO President Donna Vander Vries, who hails from Michigan, who said she was honored to be part of the formation of a chapter in a region with such a strong professional community. She emphasized that the impressive number of participants from different countries is precisely what represents the essence of the IAAO mission, and that the great interest aroused by the establishment of SEE IAAO bodes well for its future success.

The event was hosted by the Republic Geodetic Authority, which hosted more than 10 delegations in Belgrade – from Turkey, Moldova, Great Britain, Germany, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Republika Srpska, Montenegro and Greece, as well as an extremely large delegation from the United States of America, with the presence of experts from the European Union. It was particularly noteworthy that it has been a long time since so many American representatives gathered in one place, which further confirms the international significance of the event.

The SEE IAAO Chapter was founded with the mission of advancing professional standards in the field of mass valuation, connecting experts from the region, strengthening institutional capacities, and providing access to modern methods, training, and international certifications. The new chapter has the ambition to become the leading regional platform for the development of modern approaches to real estate valuation.

Borko Drašković, MA, Director of the Republic Geodetic Office, was elected as the first president of SEE IAAO, and he said that the establishment of the branch is a historic step and confirmation of Serbia's long-standing work in the field of geoinformation systems, cadastre and real estate valuation. "SEE IAAO will connect experts, improve valuation methods and contribute to more transparent and efficient real estate management in the region," said Drašković.

The significance of the event was further emphasized by the fact that, in addition to the opening of the branch, the annual meeting of the IAAO Board of Directors was also held in Belgrade, which represents significant international recognition for Serbia and its contribution to the development of mass assessment.