Keepin touch

Whether you have a question, comment, suggestion or any problem in the purview of the government, send us your message and we will try to respond as soon as possible. If your problem is not in our purview, we will forward your message to the relevant institution.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Investing in science message to the young to stay in Serbia

Kragujevac, 27 March 2019

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said today that the construction of apartments, the Science Fund, and all other state investments in research and development sends a strong message to young scientists and researchers to stay in Serbia or return from abroad.

Brnabic attended in Kragujevac today a ceremonial delivery of keys to 84 apartments, which young teachers and scientists of the University of Kragujevac were awarded through a public call for allocation of apartments.

We give you a signal that we need you and respect you. We want you to stay in Kragujevac and Serbia, the Prime Minister said in addressing the young people who received the keys to the apartments that were built in the Old Workers' Colony.

Today I met young people, most of whom returned to Serbia to work at the university. To leave your legacy, to best contribute to the development of Serbia and to share knowledge and experience with younger generations, Brnabic pointed out and promised to continue this project.

Noting that education is one of the Government's main priorities, the Prime Minister said that it seems to her that the state has never invested more in education, science, and scientific research.

Not only am I proud of that, but I think that this is the only way in which we can all build together a healthier and more competitive economy, she stressed.

Brnabic specified that RSD 500 million were allocated from the budget for this year to this purpose, and that this figure is expected to reach RSD 5 billion in 2020.

Also, as she announced, in June will be announced the first competition for scientific-research projects that will reward excellence.

Brnabic added that she is also negotiating with the World Bank, with whom there is an agreement to allocate $42 million for the Science Fund over the next three years, and additional funds are expected through the EU pre-accession funds (IPA).

The Prime Minister pointed out that €100 million is being invested in infrastructure, research and development, innovations, start-up centres, entrepreneurship, science and technology parks in Nis and Novi Sad, while the first start-up centre will be opened in Cacak within the next few weeks.

She added that special tax incentives for investing in start-ups, science and education were introduced on 1 January.

In Kragujevac, the Prime Minister attended a lesson in the "21 October" primary school.

During her visit to Sumadija, the Prime Minister and her associates visited construction works on an installation for honey collection and sale in that municipality and the beginning of works on the Raca-Lapovo road.