Vucic: Golden age for Serbia till 2020 if it keeps stability

NEWS 22.05.201815:58
Tanjug/Dragan Kujundžić

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday that the period between 2018-2020 would be a golden age for his country if it managed to preserve peace and stability.

But he added that due to very complicated relations in the world, difficult situation in the region, especially regarding the Belgrade – Pristina relationship, it was not an easy job.

“Every year our growth will be about four to 4.5 percent. If we save the budget surplus it will be more money than ever, life will be better than ever, but we have a difficult, a challenging condition to meet and that is to preserve peace and stability,” Vucic told reporters in Baku.

He added that “with the intellect, endurance, and patience of Serbia’s citizens we can do it.”

Speaking about Serbia’s economic achievements, Vucic said that the country had a budget surplus for three years in a row, that “we lowered the public debt dramatically from 79 to 59 percent,” and that it would be under 50 percent before the year’s end.“

He added that in the same period the unemployment was cut down from 26 to 12.9 percent.

At the end of his two-day state visit to Azerbaijan, Vucic announced a meeting of a joint commission and a business forum of two countries in September in Belgrade.

He said that companies from Azerbaijan showed a great interest in investing in chemical complex, spa tourism and agriculture in Serbia.

Vucic promised the potential investors from the former Soviet republic the best possible conditions and stimulus, including a tax exemption for a specified period, direct state’s aid for the number of employees and in the building of road, gas and other energy infrastructure.

He added Serbia would soon abolish visas for the Azerbaijanis and that he was grateful for that county’s support to Serbia’s territorial integrity.

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