Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and Minister of Trade, Tourism, and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajić has said today that Serbia could be a regional centre for Iranian companies in the Western Balkans.
At the opening of the Business Forum Serbia – Iran, held in the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Mr Ljajić said that the initiative had been launched for a conclusion of a free trade agreement.
This is why he invited Serbian businessmen to use the opportunity and the access to the Iranian market of 80 million people, the country which has the annual export of more than USD 70 billion of various products and goods.
Tourism, agriculture, and energy are, as Mr Ljajić underlined, the fields of mutual interest and potential for cooperation, and there is a possibility to export mutton, corn, cooking oil, and various seeds, such as sunflower, soy, and sugar beet to Iran.
“The message to the businessmen from Iran is to come and invest in Serbia. You are more than welcome to our country”, says Mr Ljajić.
He underlined that Serbia was one of rare countries in Europe having the visa-free regime with Iran, and established direct flights between Belgrade and Tehran which, as he underlines, facilitates the arrival of both businessmen and tourists from Iran.
“Last year, Serbia attracted more foreign investments than any other country in the region”, says Mr Ljajić, emphasizing that the arrival of Iranian businessmen would mean that Serbia and Belgrade could become a regional centre for Iranian businessmen in the region.
He has also mentioned the planned visit to Iran with the president of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce Marko Čadež which will, as he says, mean the opportunity to make the next step in actual economic cooperation of the two countries.
“In October we will see the first transitional time and whether we made a progress” says Mr Ljajić, adding that a great chance is before us to make the economic cooperation, and that he believed that the experts from Serbia will work on the modernisation of the thermal power plant in Iran.
