PM: Reforms are matter of survival

PM: Reforms are matter of survival

"The reforms are a way to make Serbia and its people understand that there are no prizes in heaven, but that there are quite a lot of things on earth that are worth the effort," Vucic said.

According to the excerpts that NIN sent to Tanjug, the prime minister stressed that, "in the end, the reforms are also a proof that we can stand on equal footing with all other countries and nations, and be as hard-working and as successful as they are. "

"The reforms are a dream, a goal, and a means, all at the same time. Personally, I also see them as a matter of survival - not of my own survival in power, as I don't intend to stay in office if the reforms fail - but of Serbia," Vucic said in his opinion piece for the jubilee edition of NIN, marking the weekly's 80th anniversary.

"I believe in Serbia as a well-regulated country with newly-built roads and railways, with new factories, with people working," the prime minister said, adding that he also sees Serbia as a country that has achieved substantial economic growth and stopped incurring new debts.

“I see new industries, investments, agriculture that makes a difference; I see connections with the world, Europe and the region through new roads, railways, a large airport.” Vucic said.

"Even stronger support"

Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday he hoped to receive "even stronger support for Serbia's EU path at a meeting with the European Commission's first vice president, Frans Timmermans."

"I expect even stronger support from the EU. Serbia is on the EU path and I believe that we shall succeed in obtaining that kind of support from Timmermans," Vucic said in Davos, where he is attending the World Economic Forum's annual meeting, Beta is reporting.

Vucic also said that "all meetings at the forum lasted from 15 to 30 minutes, while his meeting with Timmermans was planned to last a whole hour."

Speaking about the World Bank's outlook that Serbia's GDP would drop by 0.5 percent this year, Vucic said that it was expected and that it was not unusual for aggregate demand to drop, due to fiscal consolidation.

He added that in 2016 and 2017, Serbia expected to report the highest growth, noting that every possible success Serbia could achieve in the economic or infrastructural domain would improve the results.

Vucic also said that he was trying to attract investors at the meetings in Davos, adding that he "already talked with representatives of the Google company and some firms from Turkey, China and the EU countries."