Labor minister: Tycoons should “repay Serbia”

Dear Serbia,

Overhaul your entire taxation and payments system and you won't have to go begging "the rich".

Best Regards,
Danilo

"Labor and Social Policy Minister Rasim Ljajić has stated that it is time for tycoons to “give something back to the state that has provided so much for them”.

As opposed to just giving back to the statesmen who have provided so much for them.

"Even if the factories are up and running again, the fact remains that we can not compete with the west. The west produces much more for a far smaller price. It's impossible to compete. The most we can hope for, under the free market system, is to be a colony"

And "the west" can't compete with China.

What does that mean "a colony"?

In today's economy everything is interconnected. What would be an example of not "a colony"? No economy stands on it's own anymore. There's no such things as the "independence" you're hinting at, and why should there be. Each region has it's own advantages. Each region does things better than other regions. Then they trade. That's how the world works.

Is China "a colony" of the US because they make most of their goods?

The world is interdependent.

What is necessary for Serbia is to recognize it's strengths. It's strength, now, is it's cheap labour. This should be embraced and marketed to the world. I fear, however, that Serbian pride will preclude this because getting ahead in this way somehow feels like "colonization" to some Serbs who have strange ideas about how the world works.

Even if the factories are up and running again, the fact remains that we can not compete with the west. The west produces much more for a far smaller price. It's impossible to compete. The most we can hope for, under the free market system, is to be a colony.

As for any rhetoric that targets the oligarchy - it's worthless. The oligarchy is in bed with the government. If there were actions I'd be impressed. Not just actions against one person or two, but the entire lot of them.

"The Social Democratic Party of Serbia leader believes that one should differentiate between those who illegally became rich, whom judiciary should deal with, and those wealthy people from the Business Club whose cooperation with the state is necessary in the time of crisis. "

Sadly, most of those wealthy people in the Business Club illegally obtained there wealth.

"“For example, we have good factories when it comes to infrastructure and they are declining even though they could be put to work. I thought it was one of the ways to use the wealthy people’s capital in Serbia,” Ljajić was quoted as saying."

Maybe enforce the law. Most privatizations required the factories to continue as factories (at least for a few years) - but those clauses were never enforced.

Also. Maybe don't sell to suspect foreign registered firms or factories to people whose wealth is based on property development.

Dear Serbia,

Overhaul your entire taxation and payments system and you won't have to go begging "the rich".

Best Regards,
Danilo

"Labor and Social Policy Minister Rasim Ljajić has stated that it is time for tycoons to “give something back to the state that has provided so much for them”.

As opposed to just giving back to the statesmen who have provided so much for them.

Even if the factories are up and running again, the fact remains that we can not compete with the west. The west produces much more for a far smaller price. It's impossible to compete. The most we can hope for, under the free market system, is to be a colony.

As for any rhetoric that targets the oligarchy - it's worthless. The oligarchy is in bed with the government. If there were actions I'd be impressed. Not just actions against one person or two, but the entire lot of them.

"Even if the factories are up and running again, the fact remains that we can not compete with the west. The west produces much more for a far smaller price. It's impossible to compete. The most we can hope for, under the free market system, is to be a colony"

And "the west" can't compete with China.

What does that mean "a colony"?

In today's economy everything is interconnected. What would be an example of not "a colony"? No economy stands on it's own anymore. There's no such things as the "independence" you're hinting at, and why should there be. Each region has it's own advantages. Each region does things better than other regions. Then they trade. That's how the world works.

Is China "a colony" of the US because they make most of their goods?

The world is interdependent.

What is necessary for Serbia is to recognize it's strengths. It's strength, now, is it's cheap labour. This should be embraced and marketed to the world. I fear, however, that Serbian pride will preclude this because getting ahead in this way somehow feels like "colonization" to some Serbs who have strange ideas about how the world works.

"The Social Democratic Party of Serbia leader believes that one should differentiate between those who illegally became rich, whom judiciary should deal with, and those wealthy people from the Business Club whose cooperation with the state is necessary in the time of crisis. "

Sadly, most of those wealthy people in the Business Club illegally obtained there wealth.

"“For example, we have good factories when it comes to infrastructure and they are declining even though they could be put to work. I thought it was one of the ways to use the wealthy people’s capital in Serbia,” Ljajić was quoted as saying."

Maybe enforce the law. Most privatizations required the factories to continue as factories (at least for a few years) - but those clauses were never enforced.

Also. Maybe don't sell to suspect foreign registered firms or factories to people whose wealth is based on property development.