Susan Fritz, Mary Warlick and Bozidar Djelic
After the signing of the agreements, Djelic explained that the first is an agreement on assistance for a more competitive market economy, worth $8.8 million and aimed at creating a better business ambience and developing private entrepreneurship.
The second agreement, worth $10 million, concerns assistance to public administration and is directed at enabling more efficient, transparent and reliable services provided by state organs, he outlined.
The Deputy Prime Minister and US Ambassador to Belgrade Mary Warlick agreed that the relations between two countries have been on the rise since last year’s visit of US Vice President Joseph Biden to Serbia, which was followed by visits of other US officials and investors.
Warlick said that the agreements that were signed today are one more example of the relations between Serbia and the US becoming stronger.
These agreements envisage joint vision, results and goals, she stressed and added that both agreements help reform in Serbia as well as its aspiration to join the EU.
In the last ten years, the US has set aside more than $765 million of assistance to Serbia’s citizens through USAID aimed at improving living conditions and boosting democracy.
The agreements signed today prescribe mandatory submission of annual reports on results achieved and joint planning of the future.