Translation error blamed for EUR 10 trillion figure

Milan Bačević has said that his statement about China's intention to invest "EUR 10,000 billion" in the region came as a consequence of "a translation error."

Izvor: Tanjug

Thursday, 09.01.2014.

10:58

Default images

BELGRADE Milan Bacevic has said that his statement about China's intention to invest "EUR 10,000 billion" in the region came as a consequence of "a translation error." The Serbian minister of mining explained that "the accidental error" occurred during his meetings in China, and was caused by the differences in the Serbian and English "numeric systems." Translation error blamed for EUR 10 trillion figure On Sunday, Bacevic told Tanjug that China was planning to invest "EUR 10,000 billion (Serbian: 10.000 milijardi) in 16 Central and Eastern Europe countries, over the next 15 or so years." "Yes, I said that well, China plans to invest 10,000 billion," the news agency quoted him as saying at the time. On Wednesday, he explained that the Serbian word for billion (1,000 million) is "milijarda" and for trillion (1,000 billion) "bilion" - and the minister said the translator, "unfortunately, translated (the number) literally." According to other officials and previous announcements, the value of Chinese investments in the region should reach USD 10 billion. The minister said he based this explanation on the information he received from the Ministry of Finance and the authorized translator, and then addressed the criticism of his original statement:: "I am sorry that my interpretation has been maliciously interpreted. Unfortunately, this has to do with those who stand against every investment in Serbia, especially if it comes from the eastern part of the planet. I cannot but notice that the same media and the same people, in a similar way, maliciously interpret other investments from the east, such as South Stream, the Morava Canal, and investments from the Emirates, Qatar, Azerbaijan." Bacevic noted that "people who get work done occasionally make mistakes," and that his statement "did not incur any damages to either China or Serbia." "And I did not sign any contracts damaging to our country," said the minister. (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

Translation error blamed for EUR 10 trillion figure

On Sunday, Bačević told Tanjug that China was planning to invest "EUR 10,000 billion (Serbian: 10.000 milijardi) in 16 Central and Eastern Europe countries, over the next 15 or so years."

"Yes, I said that well, China plans to invest 10,000 billion," the news agency quoted him as saying at the time.

On Wednesday, he explained that the Serbian word for billion (1,000 million) is "milijarda" and for trillion (1,000 billion) "bilion" - and the minister said the translator, "unfortunately, translated (the number) literally."

According to other officials and previous announcements, the value of Chinese investments in the region should reach USD 10 billion.

The minister said he based this explanation on the information he received from the Ministry of Finance and the authorized translator, and then addressed the criticism of his original statement::

"I am sorry that my interpretation has been maliciously interpreted. Unfortunately, this has to do with those who stand against every investment in Serbia, especially if it comes from the eastern part of the planet. I cannot but notice that the same media and the same people, in a similar way, maliciously interpret other investments from the east, such as South Stream, the Morava Canal, and investments from the Emirates, Qatar, Azerbaijan."

Bačević noted that "people who get work done occasionally make mistakes," and that his statement "did not incur any damages to either China or Serbia."

"And I did not sign any contracts damaging to our country," said the minister.

Komentari 4

Pogledaj komentare

4 Komentari

Možda vas zanima

Podeli: