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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Russia top trading partner of Serbia

Belgrade, 3 March 2008

Serbian Minister of Trade and Services Predrag Bubalo said today that Russia is Serbia’s top trading partner, adding that Serbia has a large trade deficit with Russia.

Predrag Bubalo

Addressing a press conference, regarding the recent visit of a Serbian delegation to Moscow for a meeting of an expert group of the Serbian government and Moscow, Bubalo said that if the problem of the deficit were to be resolved, then the problem of Serbia’s overall trade deficit would be solved as well.

He stressed that in order to achieve this goal the Serbian delegation used the opportunity to discuss with the Russians and the government of the City of Moscow the question of facilitating even larger Serbian exports to Russia.

According to Bubalo, topics discussed included the liberalisation of goods lists, more licenses for delivering food from Serbia to the market in Moscow and regulation of phytosanitary and veterinary certificates.

Bubalo said that the removal of stumbling blocks to the construction of a Serbian trade centre in Moscow was discussed, and it was stated that this is a project in the interests of both sides. He specified that cooperation in the areas of industry, trade, transport, construction, infrastructure, production of furniture, health and system of chambers was also discussed.

Slobodan Milosavljevic

Serbian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Slobodan Milosavljevic said that the market in Moscow is very important for the Serbian agricultural and food industry, since 31,000 tonnes of food are consumed daily in Moscow.

Serbia has the capacity to place surplus agricultural products in the markets in Moscow, said the Minister. He recalled that in 2004 Serbian agricultural exports to Russia were worth $26 million, and last year $90 million.

According to Milosavljevic, Russia mainly imports frozen vegetables and fruits, and since last year fresh fruits as well, including apples, plums and cherries.

Milosavljevic said that last year Serbia did not have licenses for trucks which could transport fresh fruit and vegetables to Russia and resolving this problem was one of the issues discussed with representatives of the City of Moscow.

Delivering finished food products to shops in Moscow was discussed. This could also help increase Serbian exports to Russia.

Radmila Hrustanovic

He said that products which can be delivered to shops in Moscow, besides frozen and fresh fruits and vegetables, include confectionary, milk and dairy products, meat and meat products. He said that he expects that Serbia could begin supplying these products to Moscow as early as this year.

Belgrade Deputy Mayor Radmila Hrustanovic said that agreement was reached in Moscow that Ikarbus and the Russian company Tushinoavto jointly produce 50 buses from March to May this year, for delivery to Moscow, and if this project is successful then 100 more buses will be produced during the second half of the year.

Hrustanovic said that the meeting between the two delegations was very important and was not of a political nature, rather ways of implementing existing business agreements and possibilities of improving mutual cooperation were discussed.