PM says Belgrade cheapest; daily claims otherwise

Belgrade is the priciest capital city in the region, writes daily Blic, and says it can refute PM Mirko Cvetkovic's claim to the contrary. "Serbia's market is fully supplied, while the prices of basic products are the lowest in Belgrade compared to Ljubljana, Zagreb, Sarajevo, Budapest, Podgorica, Bucharest and Sofia," the premier was quoted as saying recently, as he marked his first year in office. PM says Belgrade cheapest; daily claims otherwise However, the newspaper says, Cvetkovic forgot to consider the data on average salaries in those cities. The article claims that the lowest earnings had been recorded precisely in Serbia. Blic goes on to say that even the statement about low prices is "fairly general and not correct", and explains that compared to Belgrade, "pork is cheaper in Budapest, while residents of Skopje, Budapest and Podgorica pay less for milk, and sunflower oil costs less in Skopje, Sarajevo and Podgorica". According to this, bread is cheaper in Skopje, while sugar in Belgrade's stores costs more than that on sale in Skopje or Podogrica. At the same time, flour costs the same here and in Budapest, while eggs are cheaper than in that city or Skopje. All this, according to the daily, means that foodstuff prices in Serbia are not the lowest, but are "the golden mean".

PM says Belgrade cheapest; daily claims otherwise

However, the newspaper says, Cvetković forgot to consider the data on average salaries in those cities. The article claims that the lowest earnings had been recorded precisely in Serbia.

Blic goes on to say that even the statement about low prices is "fairly general and not correct", and explains that compared to Belgrade, "pork is cheaper in Budapest, while residents of Skopje, Budapest and Podgorica pay less for milk, and sunflower oil costs less in Skopje, Sarajevo and Podgorica".

According to this, bread is cheaper in Skopje, while sugar in Belgrade's stores costs more than that on sale in Skopje or Podogrica.

At the same time, flour costs the same here and in Budapest, while eggs are cheaper than in that city or Skopje.

All this, according to the daily, means that foodstuff prices in Serbia are not the lowest, but are "the golden mean".