Q:
A:
Underdeveloped areas must be assisted
Belgrade,
31 October 2008
Minister without Portfolio Sulejman Ugljanin met today with Austrian Ambassador to Serbia Clemens Koja and said that the Office for Sustainable Development of Underdeveloped Areas is trying to create conditions to help develop these areas, but added it needs assistance in the form of knowledge, experience and funds.
Ugljanin specified that there are 37 underdeveloped municipalities in Serbia, adding that the government has seven development strategies, but lacks mechanism for their implementation.
The Minister added that one of the preconditions for EU entry is the change in citizens’ attitude toward their surroundings, which is why special funds have been raised for campaigns to explain reasons for poverty to the people and for seminars on managing business plans.
Koja stressed that Austria advocates Serbia’s EU entry and recalled that it has made numerous investments in Serbia, mostly in Vojvodina and Belgrade.
The Ambassador said that in order to begin investing in the whole of Serbia, particularly in the southern part, the interest of businesspeople must be raised.
Austria has the know-how and experience, particularly in infrastructure projects, stressed Koja and promised to try to talk the Austrian Development Agency and the Austrian Chamber of Commerce into financing projects in Serbia.
The Minister added that one of the preconditions for EU entry is the change in citizens’ attitude toward their surroundings, which is why special funds have been raised for campaigns to explain reasons for poverty to the people and for seminars on managing business plans.
Koja stressed that Austria advocates Serbia’s EU entry and recalled that it has made numerous investments in Serbia, mostly in Vojvodina and Belgrade.
The Ambassador said that in order to begin investing in the whole of Serbia, particularly in the southern part, the interest of businesspeople must be raised.
Austria has the know-how and experience, particularly in infrastructure projects, stressed Koja and promised to try to talk the Austrian Development Agency and the Austrian Chamber of Commerce into financing projects in Serbia.
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