Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Tourism, and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajić as stated today that the arrival of the big investment fund PPF to Serbia, overtaking Telenor, is an indicator that Serbia is an attractive investment destination.

Mr Ljajić has said to the press that it is a good signal for foreign investors, and that PPF will ensure new investments and raise competitiveness.

“I don’t expects drastic changes when it comes to the employees (in Telenor). I don’t believe we’ll have lay-offs but I’m sure there will be new investments”, says Mr Ljajić to the press.

Minister has said that, in line with the contract, in the forthcoming 33 months all the activities will be done under the company Telenor, and “after that the brand will be changed and the company will get a new owner, and therefore the company under which it will operate in Serbia”.

“In the meanwhile we don’t expect any significant changes in terms of users”, says Mr Ljajić.

He has stressed that it is an indicator that the telecommunication market in Serbia is mature, since we have the second transaction of the same telecommunication operator.

“This will ensure, quite certainly, new investments in the research and development, and a precondition for strengthening the competitiveness”.

He has underlined that Serbia is embracing a large investment fund employing 150.000 workers in 17 countries.

Telenor Group has signed the contract on selling the operation in the region of Central and East Europe to the PPF group for 2.8 billion euros, including the operation in Serbia.

“The transactions include the mobile operations in Hungary, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Serbia and the provider of technical services of Telenor Common Operation (TnCo), who all fully owned by the Telenor group”, it was said today by the Norway Telecommunication Company.