After the meeting with Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek, the Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications of the Republic of Serbia Tatjana Matić pointed out that Slovenia was one of the key investors in Serbia.

It was agreed at the meeting to start preparations for the investment conference. The date of the conference will depend on the course of the epidemiological situation, but it is expected that it be held in the summer or early fall at the latest.

Minister Matić expressed her belief that the conference would further accelerate investment growth, when it came to both Slovenian investments in Serbia and Serbian investments in Slovenia.

She stated that the foreign trade in goods between Serbia and Slovenia was good and that last year, during the pandemic, the volume of trade amounted to EUR 1.6 billion.

We believe that the exchange will double when the epidemiological situation improves and the business is done in more favorable conditions, Matić pointed out.

Discussing cooperation in tourism, she stated that Slovenia was a favorite tourist destination for our citizens, as well as that Slovenians were fond of visiting Serbia.
This is evidenced by the fact that the citizens of Slovenia account for 5% of foreign tourists visiting Serbia.

She pointed out great potentials for cooperation between Serbia and Slovenia in the field of tourism, primarily at the regional level, and also through joint participation on other markets.

The collocutors also discussed vaccination and Matić emphasized that Serbia was among the first in Europe in terms of immunization rate, with the exception of Great Britain.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Technology of Slovenia Zdravko Počivalšek pointed out that Slovenia could look up to Serbia which made a big step forward in that area.

He assessed that, in the future, we should expect the potentials for cooperation between the two countries to be greater in all fields.

Počivalšek pointed out that the issue of crossing the border must be resolved, thus enabling the citizens of both countries to travel and cross the borders of either state without impediments, and added that Slovenia would endeavour to find European solutions to this problem. If that proves to be impossible, bilateral talks will be started in order to enable the citizens to cross the borders more easily, when the situation with Covid subdues.

He expressed satisfaction with the talks with the Serbian delegation and the agreement made to organize an investment conference as soon as the epidemic permits.

He confirmed that the exchange between the two countries was good and presented data according to which the Slovenian side exported goods worth around EUR 1.2 billion to Serbia, while imports from Serbia to Slovenia amounted to EUR 800 million.

Investment cooperation has been good as well. There was almost EUR 1 billion of Slovenian investments in Serbia, and EUR 250 million of Serbian investments in Slovenia, the Slovenian Minister stated.

23 February 2021

Source: Tanjug
Photo: Fonet