"Fiat contract expected by end of July"

The signing of a partnership contract with Italian Fiat is expected by the end of July, Kragujevac Mayor Veroljub Stevanovic says. In May, the Italian carmaker and the Kragujevac-based Zastava signed a memorandum of understanding outlining the future cooperation. "Fiat contract expected by end of July" "At this political moment it makes sense to expect that, as was announced earlier, the contract with Fiat will be signed by the end of that month," he said, and added that "for this reason, it is important to support the government". Ahead of this signing, the city authorities see as their priority to provide a new industrial zone with complete infrastructure, that will be offered to "Fiat's Italian subcontractors". Stevanovic said that he expects the government will back the city's plans to use 200 hectares of army land to build this zone. Kragujevac is visited "on a daily basis" by representatives of the Fiat subcontractors from Italy, he continued. "Therefore, we expect to soon have the list of those interested in investing in new plants or partnerships with domestic companies". The mayor added that once this happens, domestic manufacturers will have to "quickly adopt to the Italian demands", while some of them will be looking at the need to "completely change their production program". These Fiat subcontractors, according to Stevanovic, are big names in auto component industry. As soon as they decide to invest, he continued, the city authorities will negotiate with them. The local authorities are also announcing that an action plan will be adopted to implement the operative elements specified in the MoU, signed in Kragujevac on May 6 this year.

"Fiat contract expected by end of July"

"At this political moment it makes sense to expect that, as was announced earlier, the contract with Fiat will be signed by the end of that month," he said, and added that "for this reason, it is important to support the government".

Ahead of this signing, the city authorities see as their priority to provide a new industrial zone with complete infrastructure, that will be offered to "Fiat's Italian subcontractors".

Stevanović said that he expects the government will back the city's plans to use 200 hectares of army land to build this zone.

Kragujevac is visited "on a daily basis" by representatives of the Fiat subcontractors from Italy, he continued.

"Therefore, we expect to soon have the list of those interested in investing in new plants or partnerships with domestic companies".

The mayor added that once this happens, domestic manufacturers will have to "quickly adopt to the Italian demands", while some of them will be looking at the need to "completely change their production program".

These Fiat subcontractors, according to Stevanović, are big names in auto component industry.

As soon as they decide to invest, he continued, the city authorities will negotiate with them.

The local authorities are also announcing that an action plan will be adopted to implement the operative elements specified in the MoU, signed in Kragujevac on May 6 this year.