PM visits Finland, says Serbia "wants to be like it"

PM visits Finland, says Serbia "wants to be like it"

"Serbia is a very important country in the Western Balkans because of its EU integration, chairmanship of the OSCE and good relations with other countries," Stubb stressed.

Vucic thanked his colleague for support to Serbia's EU integration, adding that joining the EU was a strategic goal.

"Serbia would like to be like Finland, to get good results through hard work," Vucic emphasized.

The two discussed also bilateral cooperation, trade, which is on the rise, and a plan to bring more Finnish investors to Serbia.

Commenting on whether Finland supports opening the first chapters of the accession talks between Serbia and the EU, Stubb stated that his country could not influence those processes, but that it supported EU enlargement, and that he hoped the first chapters would be opened as soon as possible.

Serbia has to fulfil all its obligations first, Vucic underscored, adding that he also hoped the first chapters would be opened soon, but that his government was not working on it just for the sake of opening those chapters, but for the benefit of Serbia and its future.

He started his visit to Finland by taking part in a business forum organized by the Finnish national agency Finpro, which represents 550 Finnish companies.

Vucic briefed the Finnish investors on the reform process and the economic situation in Serbia, urging them to come in the greatest numbers possible and invest in the country.

"We are not asking for charity, we have embarked on the reforms on our own, without external pressure, because we want to be a modern, economically stable, European country. We want a healthy economy and hard work," he said.

Vucic will also meet Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja.