The agriculture, food industry, energy sector, wood, textile and pharmaceutical industries and car part manufacturing are the fields in which it is possible to considerably improve the cooperation between Serbia and Turkey, the plan being that it reaches at least EUR 1 billion in the next two years.
Participants of a symposium on improvement in economic relations between Serbia and Turkey agreed on Wednesday that economic relations between the two countries are developing in the right direction, but there is still untapped potential.
Serbia-Turkey economic relations are taking an upturn, with the bilateral trade expected to reach at least EUR 1 billion in the next two years, Ljajic underlined.
Turkish companies have never been more interested in investing in Serbia, Ljajic said, noting that investors from that country are welcome, and that the Serbian government will do everything it can to help them.
He noted that 60-70 Turkish companies are present in Serbia, their number being much higher in the surrounding countries, and added that Serbia would like to welcome more Turkish investors.
The trade between Serbia and Turkey is not yet at a satisfactory level, given the prospects, as in 2014 it stood at EUR 618 million.
Nevertheless, that is two and a half times more than in 2010, when the free trade agreement took force.
He noted that Serbia’s exports are five times, and Turkey’s exports two times larger than before the agreement.
Ljajic, who is also Serbian minister of trade, tourism and telecommunications, said that the number of Turkish tourists in Serbia has increased, and that Turkey is the second most popular destination among Serbian citizens, after Greece.
Turkey’s Deputy Economy Minister Adnan Y?ld?r?m underscored that relations between Serbia and Turkey are close and sincere, and that this country sees Serbia as its neighbor, which is a transit country for 110,000 Turkish trucks and 1.5 million members of the Turkish diaspora on an annual level.
Turkish Ambassador to Serbia Mehmet Kemal Bozay also underlined that Serbia would like the cooperation to improve even further, and investments in all industries, that it wants to invest in Serbia, but also expects more Serbian companies in Turkey.
Dean of the Belgrade Banking Academy Hasan Hanic told Tanjug that the prospects for increasing exports from Serbia to Turkey are not used enough, so Serbia still imports two and a half times more than it exports to Turkey.
Hanic mentioned the financial and real sector as the fields that offer great cooperation prospects.
President of the Economic Research Foundation Ahmet Incekara told Tanjug that Turkey has much experience and capacities for investing in the agriculture, manufacturing sector and is willing to share its experiences with colleagues from Serbia.
Deputy General Manager of Turkey’s Halkbank Mustafa Aydin said that through a takeover of Cacanska Banka, the bank intends to contribute to improving and developing relations between the two countries and increase Turkey’s investments in Serbia.
Aleksandra Stanarevic, director responsible for economic relations with foreign countries at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, said that it is noticeable that Turkish entrepreneurs are interested in forming strategic partnerships, or investments, in the textile industry, infrastructure and construction projects, energy sector and agriculture.
It is important to improve economic relations with Turkey even further, she added.
Source; in News
