In 2021, Eastern Serbia exported goods worth around EUR 1.3 billion, mostly thanks to the company Serbia Zijin Copper (Ziđin) – Vladan Jeremić, director of the Regional Development Agency of Eastern Serbia (RARIS), said during the presentation of this region.
He, gossiping about the question of what most influenced the increase in exports of this region, added that “the Chinese have completely changed the way of doing business of the former RTB”.
– Ziđin has expanded its operations and is constantly looking for local companies, they have invested more than a billion during these years, and the opening of several new mines is being prepared, so there is room for our companies as well – added Jeremić during the online presentation of the investment of the potential of Eastern Serbia, which was organized by the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (AHK Serbia), together with other bilateral organizations.
As stated, the region that borders the countries of the European Union, Bulgaria and Romania, has a quality business environment, a preserved environment and a significant number of investment locations.
– Among the successful investments in this part of the country are certainly Ziđin in Bor and United Serbian Breweries (Heineken) in Zaječar – said RARIS director Vladan Jeremić during the presentation of the region’s investment potential.
Also, valuable investments are the British Poseidon Property in Zaječar and the Rhein-Donau Yard shipyard in Kladovo, which is a Dutch-Romanian investment. As he added, there are 59 investment locations in the agency’s database, and three were sold this year.
– The largest industrial zone in this part of the country is the Prahovo Chemical Park in Negotin, which is privately owned by Elixir and extends over 323.62 ha. Of that area, 60 ha is currently available to investors. Among the industrial zones that are available to future investors, the former barracks in Knjaževac is certainly the largest in terms of surface area, which covers 23 ha of land that is immediately available – the RARIS presentation states.
As stated by Jeremić, the location is fully equipped with utilities and property legal relations have been resolved, so investment is possible in a fairly short period of time.
The industrial zone in Majdanpek, where 17.1 ha is immediately available, and the Mirovo industrial zone in Boljevac with 74 ha available, of which 16.3 ha are immediately available, stand out.
As Jeremić pointed out, this region has always been known for its industry, so brownfield capacities are not negligible.
– There is the former Timočanka factory from Zaječar (3.2 ha), and in Knjaževac, the largest facilities are the production hall of IMT with an administrative building that covers 1 ha and the production hall in the village of Minićevo with land of 44 ares – notes Jeremić.
The largest space at Negotin’s disposal is certainly the Mihajlović production hall with a plot of land of 50 ares.
When it comes to buildings intended for trade, the “Kapija grada” Shopping Center in Bor, which covers 65 ares of land, while in Negotin it is the former Army Home with 22 ares of land, certainly stands out in terms of surface area.
Thermal springs – Wellness potentials of Knjaževac, Sokobanja and Gamzigradska Banja
The region of Eastern Serbia has great wellness potential, so the biggest project in that segment is certainly the Spa/Wellness Hotel Banjica in Knjaževac, which has reached the construction permit stage. It is a 4-star hotel with a thermal spring available, and the projected net area is 4,543.86 m 2 .
For sale are the Zdravljak hotel from Sokobanja with 204 rooms and 6 apartments, as well as the Turist hotel with significantly smaller capacities, 38 rooms and 2 apartments.
– We have one whole spa for sale, which is the Gamzigradska spa, which consists of 12 buildings with a total area of 5,163.52 m 2 – adds Jeremić.
Stara planina – the great wealth of Eastern Serbia
According to the director of RARIS, the first gondola in Serbia was built on Stara Planina, and the state manages the main project – the Jabučko Ravnište Tourist Complex.
– About 12,000 beds are planned, from apartments to hotels – he notes.
The Government of Serbia has so far invested up to EUR 42 million in the project and built 13 km of ski slopes, gondolas, cable cars, as well as the 4-star Stara planina hotel, it was stated in the presentation.
Apart from this, it is worth mentioning two private projects that are at the level of preliminary projects, namely the Lipa hotel with 520 beds and the Jelkice aparthotel with 1,300 beds.
The tourist facility in Knjaževačko village Crni Vrh is offered for sale, and it has 2,619 m 2 of land.
Eastern Serbia – A large raw material base when it comes to fruits and vegetables
Among the agricultural potentials of Eastern Serbia, the fruit and vegetable processing and storage project in Knjaževac stands out.
– We are a fairly large raw material base with less processing capacity. Knjaževac is the largest producer of sour cherries when we look at a local self-government – Jeremić points out.
A priority project in the municipality’s sustainable development strategy is certainly the cold store project in Karbulovo in the municipality of Negotin. Namely, on the territory of the municipality of Negotin, fruit is grown on more than 1,000 ha, while the area under vegetables occupies 150 ha, which gives room for even greater production, eKapija writes.
