EBRD: Serbia exits recession this year

EBRD Country Director for Serbia Matteo Patrone says for the Serbian national broadcasting corporation RTS that 2015 will be a difficult year for Europe and that Serbia will not be an exception. However, Serbia has laid good foundations for long-term development and should exit the recession this year, he adds.

In his guest appearance on RTS`s news program Dnevnik, Matteo Patrone said that the focus should not be on short-term forecasts, but on opportunities in the long run instead.

- Measures that are being implemented by the Government put Serbia on the right path when it comes to structural reforms. Also, legislation such as Labor Law as well as fiscal consolidation, which is a painful process, creates environment for investment growth - said Patrone.

He pointed out that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development was interested in the privatization of public companies in Serbia.

- That`s the essence of our mandate. We invest in private companies, and Serbia has a lot of state-owned companies that can be privatized. If we can help, we are ready to do that and ready to attract foreign investors - Patrone added.

According to him, the EBRD is interested in the privatization of Telekom Srbija, Dunav Osiguranje, Nikola Tesla Airport.
He also noted that Serbia was the sixth most important country to the EBRD in terms of investment intensity.

Comparing Serbia to other countries in the region, Patrone named two advantages of our country.

- The first advantage is Serbia`s excellent position for becoming a hub for production and exports to other countries. The second advantage lies in human capital. I know companies who prefer Serbia to other countries because of the value of its human capital - said the EBRD country director for Serbia.

EBRD Evropska banka za obnovu i razvoj Beograd

Dunav osiguranje a.d.o. Beograd

A.D. Aerodrom Nikola Tesla Beograd

Agencija za privatizaciju Republike Srbije Beograd prestala sa radom 29.01.2016.

Telekom Srbija a.d. Beograd

EBRD

Matteo Patrone

Telekom