Govt. prevented bankruptcy, minister says

BELGRADE Serbian Finance and Economy Minister Mladjan Dinkic has stated that the cooperation in the current government is the best he had in 12 years. He added that in the first three months the government managed to prevent bankruptcy of the country, provide security to citizens, and start a serious fight against crime. Govt. prevented bankruptcy, minister says “Serbia is definitely no longer under thereat of bankruptcy. In the first two months, we had to secure money day by day in order to cover salaries and pensions. But, we will enter the next year even with cash reserves,” Dinkic told Belgrade-based daily Vecernje novosti. He denied that Serbia was in danger of facing the Greek debt. “We will stop the public debt this year to less than 65 percent of the GDP, and in 2014 it will go below 60 percent,” Dinkic said, adding that the IMF was satisfied with the technical talks and that its representatives had announced the arrival of the mission in November, when the talks on a new arrangement will be launched. “We will do all to get one investment, such as Fiat, in each region. Next year, a Japanese electronics manufacturer will come and invest in Serbia. My wish is to attract another car producer by the end of the mandate. If we agreed with Russians on contingents for import of cars without customs, that would open the doors to new investments,” the minister was quoted as saying. He reiterated that the priority should still be cooperation with the best developed EU countries but that we had to search for new markets as well. “The only countries which have money for investments are Russia, China, and the countries of the Middle East - the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar in the first line. The space for cooperation in all areas is huge, they have oil, and Serbia has food. It proved that even with the help of European loans we are building highways at a snail's pace, while with the Chinese it is done much quicker,” Dinkic said. The minister added that the United Arab Emirates was interested to invest in agriculture, immovable property and the military industry, adding that it was possible that they would be offered the General Staff building, torn down during the NATO air raids against Serbia in 1999, to build up a modern hotel. Mladjan Dinkic (Tanjug, file) Tanjug Vecernje novosti

Govt. prevented bankruptcy, minister says

“Serbia is definitely no longer under thereat of bankruptcy. In the first two months, we had to secure money day by day in order to cover salaries and pensions. But, we will enter the next year even with cash reserves,” Dinkić told Belgrade-based daily Vecernje novosti.

He denied that Serbia was in danger of facing the Greek debt.

“We will stop the public debt this year to less than 65 percent of the GDP, and in 2014 it will go below 60 percent,” Dinkić said, adding that the IMF was satisfied with the technical talks and that its representatives had announced the arrival of the mission in November, when the talks on a new arrangement will be launched.

“We will do all to get one investment, such as Fiat, in each region. Next year, a Japanese electronics manufacturer will come and invest in Serbia. My wish is to attract another car producer by the end of the mandate. If we agreed with Russians on contingents for import of cars without customs, that would open the doors to new investments,” the minister was quoted as saying.

He reiterated that the priority should still be cooperation with the best developed EU countries but that we had to search for new markets as well.

“The only countries which have money for investments are Russia, China, and the countries of the Middle East - the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar in the first line. The space for cooperation in all areas is huge, they have oil, and Serbia has food. It proved that even with the help of European loans we are building highways at a snail's pace, while with the Chinese it is done much quicker,” Dinkić said.

The minister added that the United Arab Emirates was interested to invest in agriculture, immovable property and the military industry, adding that it was possible that they would be offered the General Staff building, torn down during the NATO air raids against Serbia in 1999, to build up a modern hotel.