The EBRD Director for the Western Balkans Zsuzsanna Hargitai told a meeting of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce that the bank’s priorities in 2020 are reforms of Serbian state-owned companies, support to the development of the capital market and a green agenda.
“At the request of the Serbian government and in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund, we will support the drafting of documents on a policy for state property to define what the state wants to achieve as owner of large companies,” she said.
Hargitai said that the law on public companies should be changed to improve corporate management and make those state-owned companies capable of providing quality services. She recalled that the EBRD placed 516 million Euro in loans in Serbia last year, with 75 percent of investments in the private sector. Direct financing should always use the finance plus, added value, model, she said adding that the EBRD always listens to its private sector partners to get information about reforms that should be implemented.
“We believe that the Serbian government is ready to take reform steps and improve management in state and communal companies,” Hargitai said.
