PM: Decision on pension cuts in October

PM: Decision on pension cuts in October

"I see some experts or quasi-experts are commenting on this, well, none of us are stupid enough to think that this is a solution that will save Serbia," he said.

Vučić explained that one of the measures adopted by the government "means that only a minimum number of public officials will be entitled to an official car, everyone else will have to send a letter, and it will have to receive a written reply, which I think is very fair. Then you have a trace for any official vehicle, especially when, as is the case with us, we do not know the exact number of official vehicles."

Asked about the situation with pensions, because "it is unclear" following his expose, and then the statements coming from the minister of finance that pensions would be cut by the end of the year, Vučić replied:

"As for pensioners, we will not consider or think about anything until October. Then we'll sit down and see what our other measures of stimulation, that is, of pulling out of the gray economy and introduction into the legal channels, and stimulation by the state of everything that we can do on this issue."

He added that a decision will be adopted in October based on projections of those measure, and that "until then, I'm not going to talk (about it) and no one will reduce or talk about reducing pensions."

Vučić also said that "legislation to create a healthy economy and stimulation of the private sector," which he mentioned in the speech before parliament ahead of his election as prime minister, "are not in collision" as the interviewer suggested.

This is because Serbia is "competing with neighboring countries that set aside serious money to attract investors."

"The car industry is especially important to us and there I expect some additional positive surprises. For us it is important that we increase the number of those we tax. For us it is important to have job security, investment safety, security of markets. That is why we want to attract more investors to employ as many people. And, in a situation where we have problems with companies in restructuring and with the public administration where there will be fewer employees, we want the total number of those with jobs to be higher, not lower. "

"That means we must undertake tremendous anti-recession measures so that we are able to maintain that level. So we will try to have better conditions than Macedonia and Bulgaria to be able to attract foreign investors. That is why an arrangement with the IMF is important to us," he said.

Speaking about investments, Vučić announced that Corridor 10 will be completed before the end of 2016, as well as the Belgrade-Požega highway.

In another two years, the 107-kilometer extension of the road Požega-Boljare, and the Pojate-Preljina road, could also be completed, as well as the 58-kilometer long double-lane highway Belgrade-Zrenjanin, leading from the Zemun-Borča bridge to Zrenjanin.

He added that notices showing the exact cost of construction, the deadline for the completion of works, and the names of investors and contractors will be posted at every construction site and along every road.

Vučić stressed that for the first time he can say that there is a realistic hope for solving the problem of the Smederevo-based steel mill, adding that positive surprises are ahead in the automotive industry as well.

Vučić underlined the importance of increasing the number of taxpayers, addressing the issue of employers who avoid paying taxes and contributions, and those who do not pay the electricity bills.

Commenting on the fact that trade unions of health care, education and welfare employees oppose the planned measure of ten percent pay cut in the public sector, Vučić said that he "did not lie when he spoke about the need for difficult measures."