Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajić said that Serbian companies have made first preliminary deals and contracts with companies from the United Arab Emirates.

After a meeting with 20 companies from the UAE held in Belgrade, Ljajić said that some of these Arab companies have opened, or are planning to open their offices in Serbia. He said that the companies were interested in conducting business with companies from Serbia.

“We discussed building hotels in Belgrade and certain mountain resorts in Serbia. We also discussed building shopping malls in Belgrade”, Ljajić stated to the press after the meeting.

The Deputy Prime Minister added that the export of our agricultural products to the Arab market was also discussed, and that there is a possibility of cooperation in the areas of construction and IT industries.

“A big pharmaceutical company is currently visiting and they are interested in buying and privatizing our companies in that area”, Ljajić said, adding that there is also room for cooperation in the real estate area.

Ljajić said that Serbia should seize this opportunity and that requires efficiency on several fields including shortening the bureaucratic procedures because that would be the best signal for all those investing in Serbia.