"Fight corruption before attracting new investors"

BELGRADE World Bank (WB) Regional Coordinator for South East Europe Jane Armitage has warned that new investors would not come if Serbia had a high level of corruption. She added that Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic's message about his dedication to suppressing it was encouraging. "Fight corruption before attracting new investors" She said Serbia's main problem was high unemployment, which could be resolved by new investments, but this required actions to suppress corruption. Armitage said investors would certainly not come to countries which have a high level of corruption, the president's press service said in a release. In a meeting with the WB director, Nikolic noted that Serbia must become a country governed by law and justice and announced the state would declare war on crime and corruption. The president said Serbia had a huge debt and numerous economic problems, but that the new government would endeavor to change this and get production going. Nikolic told his guest he disagreed with the previous government's decision to stop cooperation with the International Monetary Fund, and that he welcomed announcements from the new government saying relations with the IMF would soon be normalized. The president also asked the WB to support development projects in the sectors of agriculture and energy, as well as the state budget, so that the country would have time to improve the state of its economy. Armitage welcomed the president's views and noted the WB was very interested in cooperating with Serbia on the realization of numerous projects of common interest. Armitage and Nikolic are seen in Belgrade on Tuesday (Tanjug) Tanjug

"Fight corruption before attracting new investors"

She said Serbia's main problem was high unemployment, which could be resolved by new investments, but this required actions to suppress corruption.

Armitage said investors would certainly not come to countries which have a high level of corruption, the president's press service said in a release.

In a meeting with the WB director, Nikolić noted that Serbia must become a country governed by law and justice and announced the state would declare war on crime and corruption.

The president said Serbia had a huge debt and numerous economic problems, but that the new government would endeavor to change this and get production going.

Nikolić told his guest he disagreed with the previous government's decision to stop cooperation with the International Monetary Fund, and that he welcomed announcements from the new government saying relations with the IMF would soon be normalized.

The president also asked the WB to support development projects in the sectors of agriculture and energy, as well as the state budget, so that the country would have time to improve the state of its economy.

Armitage welcomed the president's views and noted the WB was very interested in cooperating with Serbia on the realization of numerous projects of common interest.