Belgrade hosts ”Creating Strategic Partnerships” conference

Belgrade hosts ”Creating Strategic Partnerships” conference

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Zorana Mihajlovic opened the conference and said that Serbia and Great Britain can improve their cooperation in the sectors of culture, economy, infrastructure and energy, adding that exchange of goods could exceed the current figure of slightly over EUR 300 million next year.

Mihajlovic expressed the belief that all the work done over the past year shows just how much the two countries want to deepen not only their good political cooperation, but also their economic cooperation. The deputy prime minister recalled the visit of Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic to London and the excellently organized business forum.

She stated that the cooperation between Serbian and British companies should expand further and added that there are no reasons for British companies not to increase their presence in Serbia.

Serbia is a country of major possibilities and a country with an excellent position which it can use to increase its economic growth, Mihajlovic said addressing the participants of the conference organised with Tanjug as the media sponsor.

Serbia is trying to improve the level of cooperation in all areas of life, not only through exchange of experiences but also through investments, Mihajlovic said and noted that Serbia shares good relations with Great Britain that date back 175 years into history.

Chairman of All-Party Parliamentary Group for Serbia in the British parliament Karen Lumley stated that Serbia has managed to do a lot on its EU path but she noted that there is still a lot of work to be done on the path.

Serbia's ability to do commerce with both the EU and other countries and the qualifications of the country's workforce are obvious, Lumley said and expressed the belief that there is a lot of potential for building bridges of cooperation between the two countries.

She said that she knows that Serbia is at the beginning of a long EU path and wished it all the best, topped by an increasing number of investments in the country.

Deputy Head of Mission of the British Embassy in Serbia David McFarlane noted that the Western Balkan region should develop its transport and energy infrastructure in a better strategic way, and added that a coordinated regional approach would make room for attracting companies and investments.

He noted that British consulting and engineering companies and audit firms could in this sense be of use to Serbia.

There are strategic partnerships which we can and should nurture with a view to improving the development of Serbia and the region, and this will impact the overall progress of Serbia in the EU accession process, he said.

Chairperson of the Serbian parliament Foreign Affairs Committee Aleksandra Djurovic underscored that the parliamentary cooperation between Serbia and Great Britain is continuously improving.

Djurovic expressed the belief that contacts between businessmen and the contacts between government representatives bear major importance, and expressed the belief that the presence of Britain in Serbia would be even more important in the years to come.

The gathering in the MP club is also attended by representatives of the institutional, business and diplomatic sector and the aim of the conference is to set up strategic partnerships between Serbia and Great Britain.

The conference was organised by consulting company Eurosfera with sponsorship by the Serbian parliament Foreign Affairs Committee, Ministry of Economy, Permanent Conference of Cities and Municipalities, British-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Serbian Chamber of Commerce and the British Embassy in Serbia.