Q:
A:
Trade ministry’s priority to market Serbian goods in neighbouring countries
Belgrade,
5 August 2008
Minister of Trade and Services Slobodan Milosavljevic stated today that the priority of the new Ministry will be assistance to domestic trade so that the number of Serbian goods in neighbouring countries increases.
In an interview for today’s edition of the Vecernje Novosti daily, Milosavljevic said that the price of bread will definitely not increase and that there is even a possibility of it being reduced, and added that this year’s wheat yield stands at 2.1 million tonnes.
The Serbian government’s official website gives excerpts of the interview.
What is the current state of the trade sector like and what will be your first move?
The Ministry’s priority will now be assistance to domestic trade so that Serbia can increase its presence abroad and place Serbian goods in neighbouring markets. Our second goal is investment in the trade and services sector, which will create new jobs, improve competition and give a new impulse to the development of the Serbian economy. In the period 2001–2007, the real GDP growth stood at 141% or 15.8% on average, and when it comes to overall economy it stood at 6.2%. Therefore, the economic growth of the trade sector is 2.5 faster than that of the economy. The importance of this sector can be seen from the fact that last year’s trade GDP reached €3.3 billion and accounting for 10.8% of Serbia’s GDP.
Do you expect a quicker arrival of foreign retail chains?
Two large retail chains announced their first investments in Serbia before the end of the year. We expect the arrival of an Austrian and a Turkish retailer. Of the 10 largest players at global level, only Metro is currently present in Serbia. The total turnover in Serbia’s trade last year stood at €25 billion.
What is the government’s priority – development of domestic trade systems or the arrival of foreign ones?
Those are two parallel processes. We will do all we can to open the market, as well as place more goods abroad. Serbia can present agricultural goods and food abroad. We will try to help Serbian companies to expand the Serbian economic territory, so to speak.
The Serbian government’s official website gives excerpts of the interview.
What is the current state of the trade sector like and what will be your first move?
The Ministry’s priority will now be assistance to domestic trade so that Serbia can increase its presence abroad and place Serbian goods in neighbouring markets. Our second goal is investment in the trade and services sector, which will create new jobs, improve competition and give a new impulse to the development of the Serbian economy. In the period 2001–2007, the real GDP growth stood at 141% or 15.8% on average, and when it comes to overall economy it stood at 6.2%. Therefore, the economic growth of the trade sector is 2.5 faster than that of the economy. The importance of this sector can be seen from the fact that last year’s trade GDP reached €3.3 billion and accounting for 10.8% of Serbia’s GDP.
Do you expect a quicker arrival of foreign retail chains?
Two large retail chains announced their first investments in Serbia before the end of the year. We expect the arrival of an Austrian and a Turkish retailer. Of the 10 largest players at global level, only Metro is currently present in Serbia. The total turnover in Serbia’s trade last year stood at €25 billion.
What is the government’s priority – development of domestic trade systems or the arrival of foreign ones?
Those are two parallel processes. We will do all we can to open the market, as well as place more goods abroad. Serbia can present agricultural goods and food abroad. We will try to help Serbian companies to expand the Serbian economic territory, so to speak.
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