Tadić, Fiat CEO meet in Belgrade

The profit motive is what motivates people to get out of bed in the morning whether they are Serbs,Italians or Martians.Do not berate Fiat for wanting to make a profit at the same time providing thousands of decent paying jobs to Serbs who will not have to leave their homeland for better wages in the Czech Republic or any other country for that matter.Kudos to Fiat for this investment and now if the Serbs can only attract Honda or Toyota the future of their auto industry would be secured.Shalom

While not doubting that Zastava needs such investment, I can't help but think that this deal is going through far too quickly.

It reminds me of the deal DS leaders did when they sold the Smederevo Sartid steel works to US steel for $21.3 million.

In the 5 years since its sale, Sartid has earned US steel approximately $300 million in profits.

A bad deal for Serbia; a great deal for US Steel and the DS leadership, all of whom now enjoy very comfortable lifestyles.

Who will profit from this deal with Fiat?

Mike I was thinking the exact same thing. But I think that US Steel has been turning over the $300 million you mention annually not in the 5 years. Yes they did a lot of investment in the company and in Smederevo as well, which is great, but from what I've read the staff are paid slave wages (like $1.28 and hour) and they haven't invested as much as is needed in reducing their own pollution.

The profit motive is what motivates people to get out of bed in the morning whether they are Serbs,Italians or Martians.Do not berate Fiat for wanting to make a profit at the same time providing thousands of decent paying jobs to Serbs who will not have to leave their homeland for better wages in the Czech Republic or any other country for that matter.Kudos to Fiat for this investment and now if the Serbs can only attract Honda or Toyota the future of their auto industry would be secured.Shalom

While not doubting that Zastava needs such investment, I can't help but think that this deal is going through far too quickly.

It reminds me of the deal DS leaders did when they sold the Smederevo Sartid steel works to US steel for $21.3 million.

In the 5 years since its sale, Sartid has earned US steel approximately $300 million in profits.

A bad deal for Serbia; a great deal for US Steel and the DS leadership, all of whom now enjoy very comfortable lifestyles.

Who will profit from this deal with Fiat?

Mike I was thinking the exact same thing. But I think that US Steel has been turning over the $300 million you mention annually not in the 5 years. Yes they did a lot of investment in the company and in Smederevo as well, which is great, but from what I've read the staff are paid slave wages (like $1.28 and hour) and they haven't invested as much as is needed in reducing their own pollution.