Turkish Airlines confirms interest in Jat Airways

Belgrade, May, 21. 2010 (Serbia Today) – Company Turkish Airlines has expressed interest in buying Polish LOT and Serbian Jat Airways. According to Director Temel Kotil the company, which is 49% owned by the state is not interested in other companies in Eastern Europe other than LOT and Jat, and Turkish Airlines is negotiating with both. “We are only interested in LOT in Central Europe because it fits into our business model of creating the first European five-star air travel company,” he said for Polish daily Rzeczpospolita. “We have partner relations with Lufthansa and we have a portion of BH Airlines and in Austrian DO & CO Restaurants, and everything is developing according to our plans,” he said.  He said that Turkish Airlines will be getting new aircrafts and that it plans on employing about 1,500 people this year, while most other companies are saving money and cutting flights and workers because of the crisis. Turkish Airlines is introducing 17 new destinations with the ambition to become the third most significant air travel company in Europe after Lufthansa and Air France-KLF.

EBRD will continue to support Serbia

 
Belgrade/Zagreb, May, 20. 2010 (Serbia today) - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) plans to invest about EUR 500mn in projects in Serbia this year. The EBRD Director for Serbia Hildegard Gacek announced that these funds will be used for infrastructure, energy, energy efficiency and agriculture projects, and to support Serbian companies. EBRD signed an agreement with Serbia at the beginning of this year for credit worth EUR 200mn, and she said that the plan is to top the record for financing given to Serbia this year. The record amount was EUR 425mn, given in 2009 to Serbia. “We are negotiating the investment of EUR 80mn in improving energy efficiency in small and medium-sized companies, a EUR 100mn credit for the railways, and credit for companies worth EUR 50-100mn,” said Gacek on Saturday at the EBRD General Assembly conference in Zagreb

Fiat is building new factory in Kragujevac

Belgrade, May, 19.  2010 (Serbia Today) - By the end of this year new Fiat factory in Kragujevac will be finished with all production halls. ‘Fiat Serbia’ management announced that the installation of new machines is planned for the beginning of the next year. Belgrade daily Blic reported the new factory is scheduled to start working until the end of 2011 and shall employ 2,500 workers on the manufacturing of about 300,000 car units per year. The basic model shall be a car of B class. Construction of new ‘Fiat’ factory in Kragujevac is the biggest construction project in Serbia in the past 20 years since the old ‘Zastava’ car factory is unsuitable for the installation of new machines and technologies. In the course of this year, more than EUR 150 millions shall be invested in infrastructure and construction works. New ‘Fiat’ new factory will have the most contemporary world technology for production of cars. The huge area covered by former ‘Zastava car factory (200 hectares) purchased by ‘Fiat’ has more than three thousand works are working every day.

Cvetkovic : Waiting for the right price for Telekom

Belgrade, May, 18. 2010 (Serbia Today) - The state's stake in Telekom Srbija will be sold only if the price and potential buyer are right, said   Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković in the interview for Belgrade weekly NIN. “We will only sell Telekom if these two conditions are met,” Cvetković told, adding that the company cannot stay in state control and remain efficient.  The prime minister added that these were the "last moments in which the ownership structure of the company can be changed, in order for it to be able to compete at a later time.”  Cvetković noted that Norwegian company Telenor, which in 2006 entered the Serbian mobile telephony market, has also received a license for landline services and that it will become “a strong player we will not be able to match in a year or two.” “It would be wrong to wait for Telekom to begin losing its market position and value and then decide to sell it. Such a sale scenario would be condemned to failure,” Cvetković said.  Speaking on how the money from the sale of the state's 40 percent stake would be spent, he said that regional roads that are important to Serbia strategically would be a priority, and that the money "must be spent in a transparent manner.” The tender for the sale is expected later this year.  Cvetković also expressed optimism that the economic crisis was ending and that "better days await Serbia in the coming months.” He said that the average wage increased by almost ten percent in March, compared to February, and that the GDP figure had started to grow, along with exports.  Cvetković said that unemployment still remains a major problem and that if the economic conditions exist for doing so, wages and pensions would be increased according to the inflation rate, "plus-minus one percent.”

Telekom Serbia is helping the most promising athletes

Belgrade, May, 17. 2010 (Serbia Today) – On Thursday, Telekom Serbia signed an agreement with the Athletic Association of Serbia to provide financial support to Ivana Spanovic, Tatjana Jelaca and Mihailo Dudas. President of the Athletic Federation of Serbia Veselin Jevrosimovic expressed his thanks to Telekom. Serbian athlete Mihail Dudass said that he was glad that a company like Telekom wants to invest in athletes. General Manager of Telekom Branko Radujko emphasized that the company wanted to help more promising athletes. When asked how much money the company will give, Radujko said that "support was balanced.”

Tadic : Serbia to produce more food

Belgrade, May, 17. 2010 (Serbia Today)  - Serbia will continue investing in food production and will contribute to food safety and security in the region and beyond, Said Serbian president Boris Tadic at the recently held International conference “Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy - the challenges of accession and cooperation”, “Serbia will continue investing in food production, just as it has doubled food production in recent decades. We can become significant producers in the years to come,” he said. Tadic pointed out that Serbia is currently exporting foods worth USD 2bn, and added that he expects the exports to reach a value of USD 5bn in the future. “Serbia will continue investing in food production, just as it has doubled food production in recent decades. We can become significant producers in the years to come,” he said.  According to him, Serbia has shown a willingness to increase food production despite the recession. Tadić said that today Serbia is fighting organized crime and exploring new energy resources and thus greatly contributing to overall European security. He recalled that Serbia is a country that wants to become an EU member and that this is its most important strategic goal. “We think that our European partners can count on us as a significant factor of safety and security when it comes to food production,” Tadić said. The conference, held at the House of the National Assembly, besides Serbian participants, is also attended by representatives from Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Portugal and Slovakia.

Red Star gets foreign investors?

Belgrade, May, 14. 2010 (Serbia Today) - Europe’s third biggest shopping mall constructor, Portuguese-British company Sonae Sierra, is interested in investing in Red Star FC. The Portuguese embassy did not want to give any details, but its officials said it was certain that the investment would be worth hundreds of millions of euros. The project would “completely preserve the tradition and cultural heritage and it will also take care of environment preservation”, it was said, B92 has learned.  Portuguese Ambassador Luis de Almeida Sampaio told a press conference that he hoped that the agreement would be soon reached between representatives of the two countries regarding investments into a domestic sports club and a football stadium. “My prognoses are (this will happen) by summer,” he said. Although there is a lack of a new law on sports in Serbia, lawyers point out that there is a legal possibility for such form of investments and that the only question is how to carry them out.  

Ikea investing 1.2 bilion euros in Serbia

 
Belgrade, May, 12. 2010 (Serbia today) - Ikea could invest in construction of new plants in Serbia and employ around 9000 workers in coming years announced Swedish Ambassador Krister Bringeus. He said that there are ongoing negotiations which should allow an opening of five of Ikea's shopping centers in Serbia. The first center should be opened in two years near the airport, Nikola Tesla. Regional manager of Ikea for Serbia, Slovenia and Croatia  Dragan Skalusevic said earlier that it plans to invest 300 million euros in center near Belgrade and also to employ about 2000 people. He specified that the department house will occupy 35 000 square meters, and for the shopping center, it would be housed in a space, that is three times bigger. The largest producer and exporter of furniture in Serbia, Simpo from Vranje signed an agreement on business with Ikea worth 5,5 million euros, and according to some, the Swedish company is interested in a strategic partnership.

Serbia to invest in a nuclear plant in Bulgaria?

Belgrade, May, 10. 2010  (Serbia today) -  Serbia is ready to participate in the construction of a nuclear plant in Bulgaria, writes Belgrade daily Danas, based on a claim by Bulgarian senior officials. There was no comment from the Serbian Mining and Energy Ministry, but the Danas has discovered that the information is correct, and that Serbia could be spending as much as USD 100mn for the project – five percent of the plant’s total value. An anonymous source from the government described it is a “very good project”.  “Since the nuclear plant would be built in Bulgaria, the project does not go against the moratorium prohibiting the construction of a nuclear plant on Serbian territory. With participation in the construction, we would receive cheap electricity and the chance to give jobs to young people who study nuclear sciences,” the source said. Several years ago, Bulgarian President Georgi Prvanov offered Belgrade the opportunity to participate in the project.  Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said that Serbia was ready to participate in the project and invest five percent of the value for constructing the plant.  “Foreign investors want a complete analysis of the project, and that is why Bulgaria now has the right to select consultants that will write the report and show that there is use from building the nuclear plant,” he told reporters in Bulgaria, adding that it can be completed very quickly if the right investors are found.

Djelic: Serbia to produce battery for the cars

Belgrade, May, 07. 2010 (Serbia today) - Serbia should participate in the German project for the production of batteries for electric cars, said Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic. Djelic says that our country will soon be opening the largest branch of the German research center Fraunhofer, which employs more than 14,000 researchers in 80 branches in that country. Researches in Serbia should be focused in the field of information technology and biomedicine, he said, indicating that it was agreed that in the future Serbia will partly participate in the German project for the production of batteries, which should facilitate the development of electric cars."It will be more other initiatives, but it is very important that Germany has recognized Serbia as a small, but ambitious country in the field of science and technology," said Djelic and added that Serbia's future lies in the attraction of big technological companies."Germany has thousands of companies such as this and it is very important that Serbia, instead of exporting smart people to Germany, try to export smart Serbian-German products, said Serbian Deputy Prime Minister. The Serbian government, he said, increased the budget for science to 120 million euros in the budget. Thanks to the arrangements with the European Investment Bank, signed in March 2010, another 500 million euros will be allocated in the next five years for the scientific and technological infrastructure of Serbia.

Sweden to annually donate €12m in next two years

Belgrade, May 5, 2010 (Serbia Today) – Finance Minister Diana Dragutinovic and Swedish Ambassador to Serbia Krister Bringeus signed an agreement concerning development cooperation for 2010-2012 between Serbia and Sweden. Under this agreement, Sweden will annually allocate €12 million in the next two years for programs and projects for the democratization of society, human rights protection and environmental protection. Key areas defined for dialogue are sustainable development, gender equality and the role of women in democratic development and EU integration. Sweden provided nearly €106 million in assistance to Serbia since 2001, Dragutinovic said. Thanks to this assistance, data processing in statistical analysis has been harmonized with EU standards, court and police efficiency improved, environmental protection projects implemented, as well as projects to help refugees and the Roma, the Minister said. She also noted that through similar assistance program with other states, Serbia has received €3.2 billion since 2001. Bringeus stressed that Sweden endorses Serbia’s EU integration, noting that in this process Serbia will need a lot of political energy, as well as regional cooperation. The projects for which Sweden secured donations are being implemented through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

Sweden to annually donate €12m in next two years

Belgrade, May 5, 2010 (Serbia Today) – Finance Minister Diana Dragutinovic and Swedish Ambassador to Serbia Krister Bringeus signed an agreement concerning development cooperation for 2010-2012 between Serbia and Sweden. Under this agreement, Sweden will annually allocate €12 million in the next two years for programs and projects for the democratization of society, human rights protection and environmental protection. Key areas defined for dialogue are sustainable development, gender equality and the role of women in democratic development and EU integration. Sweden provided nearly €106 million in assistance to Serbia since 2001, Dragutinovic said. Thanks to this assistance, data processing in statistical analysis has been harmonized with EU standards, court and police efficiency improved, environmental protection projects implemented, as well as projects to help refugees and the Roma, the Minister said. She also noted that through similar assistance program with other states, Serbia has received €3.2 billion since 2001. Bringeus stressed that Sweden endorses Serbia’s EU integration, noting that in this process Serbia will need a lot of political energy, as well as regional cooperation. The projects for which Sweden secured donations are being implemented through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

New investments in the industrial zone in Indjija was announced

Belgrade, April 26, 2010 (Serbia Today) - Maxim Group from Celje, which it operates several companies in the field of metal processing and similar activities, will open in July in the industrial zone in Indjija Metal-Cinkaru, where they will invest 21 million Euros. As director Max Bastl told journalists from Serbia, Indjija zinc factory will be build with the highest technological line in Eastern Europe and also the largest zinc factory in the Balkans, which will give about 50 new jobs. This zinc factory in Indjija will be the second company owned by Metal-Cinkare in Serbia. Maxim Group owns zinc factory in Cuprija as well, and now Slovenian company chose to expand operations in Serbia. Bastl said that Maxim Group has all the necessary international standards for the metal industry, which includes a responsible attitude towards the environment, since the production process in zinc facility goes in a closed cycle without harmful emissions of by-products. This means that 88 percent of waste from the factory in Indjija can be recycled, and the remaining waste will be managed by agency who will receive the authorization of the Ministry of Environment and Planning of Serbia. Director Simon Bastl says that the protection of iron and steel by the zinc is more environmentally acceptable, and economically most affordable anti-corrosion protection treatment. The advantage of hot galvanizing in relation to the various coatings is lower price, period corrosive protection of hundred years, and strong resistance to corrosion in different environments. Maxim Group was founded in 1990. and since then has undergone a series of organizational changes. In addition to anti-corrosion protection of hot galvanizing, is engaged in the development, construction and production of special transport containers and products for chemical storage and waste collection.