PM at reception organized by president of Baden-Wurttemberg

PM at reception organized by president of Baden-Wurttemberg

Brnabic expressed expectation that the economic cooperation with the German province this year will be even better than in 2017, and that the friendship between Serbia and Germany will continue to grow.

It is a great honor to have a good partnership with the state of Baden-Wurttemberg, which is the economically most powerful and most advanced in Europe, Brnabic said at the reception that gathered the economic delegation from the German province and which was also attended by Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Serbia Axel Dittmann and Serbian ministers Zoran Djordjevic and Goran Trivan.

The Prime Minister stated that the business delegation from the German province during their stay in Serbia and tomorrow will discuss how to expand cooperation with German companies in Serbia, the arrival of new companies, how to market products from Serbia on the German market, but also cooperation in the field of agriculture, environmental protection, culture and education.

Brnabic said that more than 100 important companies and small and medium-sized enterprises from Baden-Wurttemberg today do business in Serbia, employing more than 8,000 people and noted that the trade exchange between Serbia and Baden-Wurttemberg exceeded €600 million in 2017, which is 12 percent more than in 2016.

Kretschmann said that Serbia and Baden-Wurttemberg are linked by a long friendship, and that many Serbs live in that German province, including good workers and football players.

According to him, the goal of their visit is to strengthen a close partnership between Serbia and Germany and the two nations.

He announced that the business delegation will visit German company Bosch, which has invested €70 million in a production plant in Serbia, and that during their stay in Serbia, they will look for the opportunities for expanding economic relations.

Kretschmann said that Serbia’s achievements so far deserve respect and that they are visible in Serbia's economic growth and in reducing unemployment.

Kretschmann expressed gratitude to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on his invitation that a delegation of Baden-Wurttemberg visit Serbia.

Kretschmann recalled that on 6 February, the European Commission adopted a strategy that promised Serbia and the countries of the Western Balkans to join the EU very quickly, and that EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Federica Mogherini highlighted the resolve and the will to do so.

He pointed out that the EU must support Serbia on the European path, that it is doing so through financial and political support, but also that Serbia should give its contribution.