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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia needs foreign partners in all sectors

Belgrade / Rome, 16 July 2004

Serbian Minister of Capital Investment Velimir Ilic said following talks with Italian officials today that Serbia needs foreign partners in each sector, and that it looks to Italy with great interest, Italian daily newspaper Il Sole 24 ORE.

Ilic told the Italian officials that the Serbian government wishes to strengthen economic ties between the two countries and to resolve problems related to Zastava’s debt to Fiat as well as the debts of Smederevo steel mill.

Ilic stressed the importance of investment in Serbia and the procurement of new technologies from Italy, adding that the University of Venice and the municipality of Cacak have signed an agreement on additional training courses.

He said that water cleaning and recycling projects have also been agreed and that the next step will be to set up joint ventures to enter the Russian market.

Italian Deputy Minister of Productive Activities Adolfo Urso and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Pietro Lunardi confirmed that Italy is interested in projects that are vital for Serbia, such as the Belgrade-Bar motorway.

Urso said that Italy wants Serbia to create industrial regions such as those in Romania, based on the “Law 84 on the Reconstruction of the Balkans,” which enables Italy’s small and medium sized businesses operating abroad to get funds of up to €7 million, the Tanjug news agency reported.