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

Italian companies invited to be part of "EXPO 2027"

Belgrade/Trieste, 24 May 2024

Prime Minister Miloš Vučević stated today that Serbia's goal is to be a full member of the European Union, stating that it is impossible to complete the European story without accepting the Western Balkans.

In his opening address at the Italy-Serbia Business Forum "Green Transition: New Opportunities for Bilateral Cooperation" in Trieste, which was also addressed by Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Italy Antonio Tajani, Vučević said that without the Western Balkans in the European Union, Europe itself is incomplete.

The Prime Minister pointed out that Serbia will maintain peace and stability in the Western Balkans not because it is someone else's expectation, but because it is in its interest.

By keeping the peace, we keep our economy. We want people to be satisfied with life in Serbia and to open factories, as well as to protect the environment, Vučević said.

He said that public finances in Serbia are stable and that they are characterized by a low level of budget deficit, which, as he reminded, was confirmed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The key project for Serbia is "Leap into the Future 2027", including the "EXPO 2027" event, and the entire project represents an investment worth approximately 17 billion euros, which will cover the most important areas, the Prime Minister said.

Vučević emphasised that Serbia is a country that has something to offer Italian partners in all areas - from energy, to agriculture, to infrastructure, and wants to compete positively with all the countries of the European continent.

The Prime Minister reminded that there are more than 1,300 Italian companies working in Serbia that employ 27,000 people, and last year the trade with Italy amounted to approximately €4.5 billion.

We want the exchange to grow and for Italian and Serbian businessmen to benefit from it, said the Prime Minister.

He emphasised that the economy of Serbia is also characterised by macroeconomic stability, which is reflected in GDP growth, and that the official projection is that growth will be between 3 and 4 percent in the coming period.

According to him, Serbia has a record inflow of foreign direct investments, which amounted to €4.5 billion in 2023, and the unemployment rate has decreased to nine percent.

Vučević invited Italian companies to be part of the "EXPO 2027" event and expressed his satisfaction over the fact that several international agreements will be signed today in Trieste.

Also participating in the forum in Trieste are Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environmental Protection Irena Vujović, Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Aleksandar Martinović, Minister of Domestic and Foreign Trade Tomislav Momirović, Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Goran Vesić and President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce Marko Čadež.