Serbian President Boris Tadic visited on Tuesday the Fiat plant in Kragujevac and stated that the company was a part of the vision of modern Serbia.
“This will be one of the best and technologically most advanced factories in Europe,” Tadic told reporters and people who welcomed him at the centre of the city after the visit.
“This is a part of our vision and idea of Serbia that we created years ago. You will have a phenomenal factory in Kragujevac. It is a part of Serbia that will have a technologically innovative and modernized industry and the workforce capable of keeping up with it,” he remarked.
There are negotiations about large new investments that should complete the vision, he pointed out.
It takes years to bring a company like Fiat to Serbia, but Serbia succeeded in not only bringing in a large car maker, but also reviving its automotive parts industry, he noted.
He announced that negotiations had been opened with other automotive companies about investing in Serbia.
“Huge opportunities are opening up, especially in the automotive parts production,” the president stated, adding that Fiat officials assured him during the visit the plant in Kragujevac would hire 200 more people.
Work on infrastructure was the topic of discussion during the visit, he said, adding that he would bring the topic to the central and local governments as well.
“We shall see who has done their work and who has not and which ministry is responsible,” Tadic noted, adding that deadlines had not been broken and everything could be done on time.
“It is important to complete everything by April,” he specified.
Tadic revealed that he had seen the new Fiat model, Zero, whose production will soon start at the Kragujevac factory, months ago in Turin and described it as very good. There will be two variations of the model and it will be presented at the Geneva car show, he added.
Tadic commented on his visit to Fiat by saying that the production areas had been modernized.
The president took a walk through the centre of Kragujevac, up to Zoran Djindjic’s street, which has a plaque dedicated to the late prime minister.
The new car will enter production on December 9, but only a few units will be produced by March next year, which will go to the Geneva show.
Zero will only be produced in Kragujevac, FAS director Antonio Cesare Ferrara announced earlier.
Source emg.rs
