Investors believe that Belgrade’s ability to attract foreign investment will surpass the negative effects of Brussels’ postponement in making the decision about Serbia’s EU membership candidate status, the U.S. financial information agency Bloomberg said Friday.
The agency said in a release that the Serbian dinar was the second among currencies that had strengthened the most in Europe this year.
The Serbian currency strengthened against the euro by 0.8 percent in just one day, on December 2, after the French bank Societe Generale said it would increase lending in Serbia.
Since the beginning of the year, the value of the dinar against the euro has risen by 2.7 percent, more than that of any other European currency except the Moldovan leu, while the euro itself has been very badly affected by the eurozone debt crisis.
Bloomberg says that there is growing optimism about economic prospects and future investments in Serbia, despite the postponement of the decision to give the country the status of a candidate for EU membership.
European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said today that the EU foreign ministers would meet in February with a clear view to granting Serbia the candidate status, adding, however, that the Europen Council should confirm that in March.
