The European Parliament’s rapporteur for Kosovo Viola von Cramon-Taubadel warned on Friday that Chinese investments in Serbia’s heavy industry are a political issue and are not helping local companies become profitable.

The MEP said that China is making those investments for the sake of its geo-political games, adding that the Serbian economy does not need those investments. “Those companies are not profitable even after those investments… which are very harmful,” she said. “They do not respect national laws and instead of punishing them Serbis gives them tax exemptions which is impermissible,” she is quoted as saying and adding that President Aleksandar Vucic is ready to do everything necessary to attract Chinese investments into the country’s heavy industry.

The MEP said that the European Union should make sure that Serbia follows the rules that it adopted. Commenting a letter by some 20 MEPS to European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi warning of increasing Chinese influence in the Western Balkans, Von Cramon said that the commissioner should raise the issue in talks with Serbian officials.