Two big Turkish companies coming to Serbia by year's end

Serbian Minister of Trade, Tourism and Services Rasim Ljajic said today that the aim of the Serbian government was to attract over 100 companies from Turkey and increase the value of trade with that country to over USD 1 billion. Ljajic also said in Belgrade, at the opening ceremony of the Balkans office of Turkey's Beko, which produces household appliances and plans to hire about 100 workers, that Turkey was the 15th most important economic partner of Serbia at the moment.

- This now is a golden time for economic relations between Serbia and Turkey because the interest of Turkish investors in coming to Serbia has never been bigger - said Ljajic.

He pointed out that negotiations on the arrival of two companies from Turkey was underway, adding that one of them was a textile firm, whereas the other operated in the automotive industry and should soon start operating in Vladicin Han.

Ljajic reminded that Turkey's Halkbank had acquired Cacanska banka in Serbia and voiced his expectation that Beko's arrival would also be a signal for other investors to come to Serbia.