Minister for Human and Minority Rights, Public Administration and Local Self-Government Milan Markovic said today that the contract on the lease of building land in the industrial zone in Smederevo ceded to Comico Oil to build a refinery in Smederevo is worth RSD 652 million.
Markovic said that this contract was signed today in Smederevo by mayor of the city Predrag Umicevic and Comico Oil manager Vencislav Ivanov, noting that this is the biggest greenfield investment in Smederevo in the last 30 years.
With this investment, a new era in the development of Smederevo begins, he said announcing that more than 2,000 people will find employment on the construction of the Smederevo refinery.
Smederevo should get more than $1 billion from that investment, or half of the annual city budget, he said.
Umicevic pointed out that the project is significant for the city and pointed out that a good geographic location of Smederevo on Corridor 7 and 10 attracted this investment.
He pointed out that in this way the number of working people in Smederevo will increase and its impact in the energy sector in Serbia, but also in the region, adding that the project represents a great development opportunity for Smederevo.
US Ambassador to Serbia Mary Warlick, who attended the signing of the agreement, pointed to the importance of this investment for the opening of more than 500 new jobs in Smederevo.
Warlick explained that Serbia offers many advantages to foreign investors, trained and capable workforce, the country’s strategic position and free trade with many countries.
With the decision of the Smederevo City Assembly, Comico Oil was granted the right to lease of land to 99 years for RSD 652 million in March this year.
Undeveloped building land of 113 hectares, 12 acres and 16 square meters was given for lease to this company for the construction of a refinery for processing crude oil and production of oil derivatives.
Comico Oil committed to build the refinery, which will employ around 542 employees, within 36 months. Over 2,000 workers from the construction sector should be engaged in its construction.
The planned capacity of the refinery exceeds the needs of the Serbian market so the majority of its production will be directed to foreign markets.
Source Serbia Gov.
