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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Western Balkans attractive investment destination

Belgrade/London, 18 June 2019

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said today that our country is progressing year in year out and has been the most successful in attracting foreign direct investments for years and noted that this has been achieved through the reforms it has implemented.

Speaking at the FT Western Balkans Forum in London themed "Investment Opportunities in a Fast-Growing Region", Brnabic said that a bright future is ahead of Serbia and the region.

At the meeting, where it was estimated that the Western Balkans region is favourable for investments, the Prime Minister stated that in the first five months of the year € 1.2 billion in investments in Serbia has been recorded, which is 17 percent more than in the same period last year.

She pointed out that this fantastic result is important for the reforms that have been implemented and which provide a good future, and announced that the reforms will continue, with the aim of attracting investments that are not labour intensive, but investments in the creative industry.

We have contributed that the region be more stable, to get connected more. If we keep on doing this, there is a bright future ahead of us, Brnabic repeated.

When asked about Chinese investments, she said that Serbia is not trying to attract only Chinese investments, but is trying to attract investments from around the world.

According to her, Chinese investments in infrastructure are very important, not only to Serbia, but to the entire Western Balkans, and ultimately these projects, when the region enters the EU, will become European.

The Prime Minister allso pointed out that it is a hypocrisy to criticise Chinese investments in the Western Balkan region, while at the same Western European countries accept investments from this Asian country.

She recalled that 90 percent of China's investments went to West European countries, and that China had invested €70 billion in the UK alone.

Brnabic reiterated the committemnt of most Serbian citizens for the European path.

I believe that the journey is more important than the destination, and the path is the accession process, which entails implementation of reforms. As soon as we all advance in this field, in spite of the difficult and thorny road, it will be better for us in the region, but also for the EU. There is no plan B. Our foreign policy has two strategic goals - one is the European path, and the other is stability in the region, the Serbian Prime Minister said.

She pointed out that her job is "Serbia in the EU," but added that accession depends on the EU itself.

The forum, which was organised by the Western Balkans Investment Forum (WB6 CIF) and the prestigious British magazine "Financial Times", was attended by President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Suma Chakrabarti, prime ministers of Northern Macedonia and Albania Zoran Zaev and Edi Rama respectively, President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (SCC) Marko Cadez, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu, representatives of international financial institutions, business communities and others.