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Strategic partnership between Serbia, Baden-Württemberg
Belgrade/Brussels,
7 October 2008
Deputy Prime Minister in charge of EU integration Bozidar Djelic signed last night a Memorandum on Strategic Partnership between Serbia and Germany’s Baden-Württemberg, one of the richest EU regions.
Günther Oettinger and Bozidar Djelic
Author:
Fonet
The Letter of Intention was signed by Djelic and Baden-Württemberg minister-president Günther Oettinger in Brussels, where an international conference themed “The Danube – River of the European Future” is taking place, organised by this German region.
Following the signing, Djelic explained that Serbian President Boris Tadic will also sign the Memorandum during his visit to Stuttgart in end-November and added that the key sectors of possible cooperation between Serbia and Baden-Württemberg’s economies are energy and the powerful automotive industry, since the region is the seat of Daimler Chrysler and Porsche.
The signed Memorandum on Strategic Partnership with Baden-Württemberg shows how much importance Serbia attaches to cooperation with Germany as a whole and its provinces, and along with Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg is the most successful province according to all benchmarks, said Djelic.
According to him, one of Germany’ strongest energy companies ENBW, whose key partner is the international giant EDF, has shown considerable interest in the tender which Serbia will open before the end-year for investment in electric energy production.
He also noted that Baden-Württemberg has the population of 10.7 million and that its export is equal to Spain’s and last year amounted to €150 billion.
Five million people are employed in Baden-Württemberg, of which 70,000 are from Serbia by origin and have assimilated quite well in the economy and life in the province, said Djelic adding that they could be the bridge for the desired advancement of economic and technological cooperation, particularly in the car industry.
He announced that a mixed committee will soon be formed to improve economic cooperation and investment between Serbia and Baden-Württemberg.
So far two projects were financed from this province to Serbia, one of them being the recently signed investment of the Reum company in Svilajnac where between 300 and 500 people will be employed.
Djelic specified that Reum produces components for interior car parts, which will lead to much closer and broader cooperation between Serbia and Germany in the automotive industry, since Serbia’s major goal is to attract Volkswagen to open an assembly plant in the country, and Porsche is in charge of Volkswagen shares.
Rest assured that just as the President and the government team did everything to draw Fiat to Kragujevac, they will do the same to make Serbia Volkswagen’s investment target, said Djelic.
If we achieve this goal, Serbia will be another Slovakia, which will have an important chain effect on other branches of the Serbian economy, underlined the Deputy Prime Minster and noted that this will also affect infrastructure development in the country.
He also voiced hope that Serbian scientific and technological institutions will get in touch with partners in Baden-Württemberg, where among others is the seat of the famous Heidelberg University, whose scientist has just been awarded the Nobel Prize.
Djelic invited Serbian businessmen to turn to the government in order to speedily and efficiently prepare for Serbia’s participation in the future strategic partnership with Baden-Württemberg.
If Serbia proves that it is able to set up strategic partnership with this German province, our European future will be bright, which is why we will do our best to be professional, punctual and productive in the upcoming months, stressed Djelic.
He also noted the importance of the Danube conference for Serbia and the full implementation of the Belgrade Protocol on the 30% increase of goods transport across the Danube, which will considerably reduce pollution in the region.
He also stressed that EU Commissioner for Regional Policy Danuta Hübner confirmed that in 2011 the EU will set Danube development as a priority.
Following the signing, Djelic explained that Serbian President Boris Tadic will also sign the Memorandum during his visit to Stuttgart in end-November and added that the key sectors of possible cooperation between Serbia and Baden-Württemberg’s economies are energy and the powerful automotive industry, since the region is the seat of Daimler Chrysler and Porsche.
The signed Memorandum on Strategic Partnership with Baden-Württemberg shows how much importance Serbia attaches to cooperation with Germany as a whole and its provinces, and along with Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg is the most successful province according to all benchmarks, said Djelic.
According to him, one of Germany’ strongest energy companies ENBW, whose key partner is the international giant EDF, has shown considerable interest in the tender which Serbia will open before the end-year for investment in electric energy production.
He also noted that Baden-Württemberg has the population of 10.7 million and that its export is equal to Spain’s and last year amounted to €150 billion.
Five million people are employed in Baden-Württemberg, of which 70,000 are from Serbia by origin and have assimilated quite well in the economy and life in the province, said Djelic adding that they could be the bridge for the desired advancement of economic and technological cooperation, particularly in the car industry.
He announced that a mixed committee will soon be formed to improve economic cooperation and investment between Serbia and Baden-Württemberg.
So far two projects were financed from this province to Serbia, one of them being the recently signed investment of the Reum company in Svilajnac where between 300 and 500 people will be employed.
Djelic specified that Reum produces components for interior car parts, which will lead to much closer and broader cooperation between Serbia and Germany in the automotive industry, since Serbia’s major goal is to attract Volkswagen to open an assembly plant in the country, and Porsche is in charge of Volkswagen shares.
Rest assured that just as the President and the government team did everything to draw Fiat to Kragujevac, they will do the same to make Serbia Volkswagen’s investment target, said Djelic.
If we achieve this goal, Serbia will be another Slovakia, which will have an important chain effect on other branches of the Serbian economy, underlined the Deputy Prime Minster and noted that this will also affect infrastructure development in the country.
He also voiced hope that Serbian scientific and technological institutions will get in touch with partners in Baden-Württemberg, where among others is the seat of the famous Heidelberg University, whose scientist has just been awarded the Nobel Prize.
Djelic invited Serbian businessmen to turn to the government in order to speedily and efficiently prepare for Serbia’s participation in the future strategic partnership with Baden-Württemberg.
If Serbia proves that it is able to set up strategic partnership with this German province, our European future will be bright, which is why we will do our best to be professional, punctual and productive in the upcoming months, stressed Djelic.
He also noted the importance of the Danube conference for Serbia and the full implementation of the Belgrade Protocol on the 30% increase of goods transport across the Danube, which will considerably reduce pollution in the region.
He also stressed that EU Commissioner for Regional Policy Danuta Hübner confirmed that in 2011 the EU will set Danube development as a priority.
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