Outgoing minister urges World Bank to assist Serbia

BELGRADE The Serbian Ministry of Finance and Economy announced that it has completed the process of restructuring a total of 26 public enterprises in the country. In this way it "realized the first phase of the relevant Action Plan that was adopted two months ago." Outgoing minister urges World Bank to assist Serbia Outgoing Finance and Economy Minister Mladjan Dinkic informed World Bank (WB) Country Director for the Western Balkans Ellen Goldstein and WB Country Manager for Serbia Tony Verheijen about the developments. Dinkic thanked the WB for always supporting Serbia and helping in preparing the Action Plan for the restructuring of enterprises and called on the financial institution to support the country’s new ministers of finance and economy in carrying out further structural reforms in the country once they are appointed to the posts. “I believe that after the government reshuffle, the new ministers of finance and economy will do all they can to further the implementation of the Action Plan and that all requirements for a loan from the World Bank that Ms. Goldstein and I negotiated will be met,” said Dinkic. In July, Dinkic launched talks with the WB on a program for financial assistance to the Serbian budget amounting to USD 500-600 million, according to a release from the Finance and Economy Ministry. The process of restructuring public enterprises in Serbia, which have been protected from creditors and have cost the citizens of Serbia about EUR 750 million in direct and indirect subsidies every year for more than ten years, should be completed by mid-2014. Tanjug

Outgoing minister urges World Bank to assist Serbia

Outgoing Finance and Economy Minister Mlađan Dinkić informed World Bank (WB) Country Director for the Western Balkans Ellen Goldstein and WB Country Manager for Serbia Tony Verheijen about the developments.

Dinkić thanked the WB for always supporting Serbia and helping in preparing the Action Plan for the restructuring of enterprises and called on the financial institution to support the country’s new ministers of finance and economy in carrying out further structural reforms in the country once they are appointed to the posts.

“I believe that after the government reshuffle, the new ministers of finance and economy will do all they can to further the implementation of the Action Plan and that all requirements for a loan from the World Bank that Ms. Goldstein and I negotiated will be met,” said Dinkić.

In July, Dinkić launched talks with the WB on a program for financial assistance to the Serbian budget amounting to USD 500-600 million, according to a release from the Finance and Economy Ministry.

The process of restructuring public enterprises in Serbia, which have been protected from creditors and have cost the citizens of Serbia about EUR 750 million in direct and indirect subsidies every year for more than ten years, should be completed by mid-2014.