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Improving economic, development cooperation with Switzerland
Belgrade,
6 March 2018
Prime Minister Ana Brnabic spoke today with Deputy State Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland Krystyna Marty Lang, who delivered her a new Strategy of economic and development cooperation with Switzerland from 2018 to 2021.
Brnabic thanked the Swiss government and Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency for a donation in the amount of €90 million, which the Strategy foresees for the next four-year period.
She explained that the previous strategy significantly contributed to the economic development and improvement of the public administration, energy efficiency and renewable energy sources and expressed particular satisfaction that the new arrangement envisages significant financial resources for continuing the implementation of dual education in Serbia.
Brnabic underlined that the Serbian government is investing special efforts in the reform of education and considers it a key driver of the state’s progress.
According to the Prime Minister, the goal is to bring the education system closer to the needs of the economy, which will enable the reduction of unemployment and easier employment of young people.
When it comes to economic relations, the interlocutors noted that Switzerland is one of the most important investors in the Serbian economy and that there is great potential for cooperation in the development of small and medium-sized enterprises. Lang stressed that Serbia has achieved good results in the implemented reforms and that it is necessary to continue strengthening the economy and improving the legal framework in order to create easier business conditions for future investors.
According to the Prime Minister, the goal of Serbia is to approach Switzerland in the areas of information technology, digitisation and innovation in the economy.
She thanked the Swiss government for supporting the founding of the Science and Technology Park in Belgrade and supporting the Digital Serbia initiative, which aims to enable digitisation of the Serbian economy and modernisation of society.
The interlocutors estimated that the upcoming visit of President of the Swiss Confederation Alain Berset to Serbia, planned in June this year, will be a good opportunity for further improvement of the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
She explained that the previous strategy significantly contributed to the economic development and improvement of the public administration, energy efficiency and renewable energy sources and expressed particular satisfaction that the new arrangement envisages significant financial resources for continuing the implementation of dual education in Serbia.
Brnabic underlined that the Serbian government is investing special efforts in the reform of education and considers it a key driver of the state’s progress.
According to the Prime Minister, the goal is to bring the education system closer to the needs of the economy, which will enable the reduction of unemployment and easier employment of young people.
When it comes to economic relations, the interlocutors noted that Switzerland is one of the most important investors in the Serbian economy and that there is great potential for cooperation in the development of small and medium-sized enterprises. Lang stressed that Serbia has achieved good results in the implemented reforms and that it is necessary to continue strengthening the economy and improving the legal framework in order to create easier business conditions for future investors.
According to the Prime Minister, the goal of Serbia is to approach Switzerland in the areas of information technology, digitisation and innovation in the economy.
She thanked the Swiss government for supporting the founding of the Science and Technology Park in Belgrade and supporting the Digital Serbia initiative, which aims to enable digitisation of the Serbian economy and modernisation of society.
The interlocutors estimated that the upcoming visit of President of the Swiss Confederation Alain Berset to Serbia, planned in June this year, will be a good opportunity for further improvement of the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
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