Minister of Internal and Foreign Trade Tomislav Momirović pointed out today that Germany is Serbia’s number one economic partner, that German companies are one of the largest foreign investors in the country, and that in the first six months of 2023 trade with Germany reached 5.5 billion euros.
At the regional economic forum “D Western Balkans in 2030 and beyond” on economic and political perspectives, challenges and current affairs of sustainable development in the countries of the Western Balkans until 2030 and beyond, Momirović emphasized that regional cooperation is an absolute priority of the Government of Serbia.
“In the first six months, Serbia achieved a trade surplus of 1.7 billion euros in exchange with the region,” Momirović emphasized. The minister said that the entire leadership, especially President Aleksandar Vučić and members of the Government, believe that by promoting business opportunities and expanding relations, we can build a business environment that will direct political disagreements in finding better solutions. Momirović reminded of the restriction of economic freedoms that we are witnessing today in Kosovo and Metohija.
“This is precisely why the support of Germany and the EU is important to us in solving the crisis that arose due to the ban on the delivery of goods to Kosovo and Metohija. These unilateral moves can have far-reaching consequences. It is necessary to make efforts to make the region a safer and economically more beautiful place to live,” he said. As he pointed out, CEFTA and all other regional initiatives aim to better prepare us for EU membership. “Until our full membership, we have the opportunity to use all our potentials with the countries in the region to build our economies that have been focused on each other for decades.
We base our policy in the Western Balkans on the principles on which the EU was founded and which concern freedom of movement, capital, services and people. The future of Serbia and the region is in the EU”, concluded the minister. German Ambassador to Serbia Anke Konrad pointed out that Germany would like Serbia and the Western Balkans to join the EU as soon as possible, and for that to become a reality, she emphasized that several things need to be done.
President of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Milan Grujić, reminded that the first regional economic forum was organized five years ago. “At that time, we initiated many important topics for the integration of the Western Balkan region, which are still relevant today, and which we continue to actively deal with.” This year’s forum aims to intensify dialogues between representatives of the political, economic and civil sectors and to raise awareness that only through strong economic integration of the region can attractive opportunities be created and presented and new opportunities for the economy opened up,” Grujić said.
