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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

"Europe Knocks on Your Door" campaign gets off the ground

Belgrade, 28 March 2005

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Serbian team for negotiations with the European Union Miroljub Labus, the EU Integration Office and the European Delegation Commission to Serbia-Montenegro are organising a joint several-month campaign called “Europe Knocks on Your Door” that will begin on March 28 with a visit to Krusevac.

"Europe Knocks on Your Door" campaign gets off the ground

Author: Fonet

At today’s press conference in Krusevac, Labus said that this country’s path towards the EU has two segments, one includes legal activities while the other lies in direct cooperation with the civil society that consists of municipalities and citizens.

Head of the EC delegation in Serbia-Montenegro Josep Lloveras underlined that the EU would offer all necessary aid to Serbia on its path towards Europe, and reminded that an agreement on textile should be signed with the EU shortly, thus enabling Serbia to export textile to the European market without obstacles.

Labus held talks with citizens in the main town square, where he was met by workers of the chemical plant “Zupa” who have been on strike since March 7 and who demanded the cancellations of the sales contract and the privatisation of this company as well as for payment of back wages.

Labus and Lloveras also visited the Krusevac high school, where they gave awards to pupils who took part in a quiz about Europe and held a lecture on “Serbia and European Integrations”.

In talks with local businesspeople, Labus underlined that in the forthcoming period the government was focusing on economic stability, improvement of the balance of payments, a stable market and a smaller inflation rate.

According to him, last year was successful in terms of economic growth, as a considerable increase of agricultural and industrial production was recorded and unemployment dropped, while inflation, although double digit, was still manageable.

Labus underlined that in order to revive the Serbian economy and strive for its inclusion in the European market, it is necessary to accelerate the privatisation process, implement structural changes and restructure public enterprises in order to increase productivity.

Minister of Economy Predrag Bubalo said that a positive assessment of the Feasibility Study would stimulate foreign investments and reminded that already in the first two months of this year, Serbia has received €500 million of direct foreign investments.

He said that besides a positive assessment of the Feasibility Study, changes were expected to the Law on Privatisation, which should contribute to the acceleration of the restructuring and privatisation of large economic systems.