Today, the Minister of Finance, Sinisa Mali, presented the Program of Economic Reforms of Serbia for the period from 2021 to 2023 to the head of the EU delegation in Serbia, Sam Fabrizi, emphasizing that it is the most important document in the economic dialogue with EU members and the European Commission. Mali said that this is the seventh cycle of the Economic Reform Program, which defines the strategic reforms that the government will deal with, and which was adopted on January 28.
“The program includes eight key areas: energy and transport market reform, agriculture, industry and services, business environment and the fight against the gray economy, research, innovation development and digital transformation, reforms in economic integration, education and skills, employment and labor market, social protection and inclusion,” stated the Minister.
According to him, within all areas, 24 reform measures have been defined, the implementation of which will provide increased competitiveness of the economy, investments in innovation, increased employment, more jobs and faster and more efficient economic development.
Mali said that a meeting of the Council of the EU and the European Commission for Economic and Financial Affairs was being held in Brussels on May 18, when the Program should be adopted.
Mali added that Serbia has proven to be a country that has seriously tackled the pandemic, with two economic aid packages leading to the country having the smallest drop in GDP in Europe, lower unemployment and stable public finances and inflation.
The Minister reminded that a new program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is being prepared, which will follow the Economic Reform Program.
Fabrizi said that 2021 should be the year of economic recovery, as well as that the EU, as the first trade partner and investor in Serbia, feels the responsibility to provide support for even more successful development of the economy in the country.
“Last November, the EC set aside nine billion euros in grants for the entire Balkans and provided an insurance scheme to cover investments of 20 billion euros for the next seven years,” Fabrizi pointed out.
He added that at today’s meeting, they talked about priority projects, which are ongoing and which will be supported within the European Investment Plan for Serbia.
“In addition to these specific projects, we are continuing with the process of Serbia’s accession to the EU through structural reforms, one of the key parts of which is precisely this Program of economic reforms,” said Fabrizi.
He explained that the document serves to increase the planned rates of economic growth, competition and create new jobs, as well as that EU assistance will be based on it.
According to him, the digital and green agendas are key priorities that will push the process of Serbia’s economic recovery.
Fabrizi reminded that more than 60 percent of trade and investments in Serbia come from EU countries, and that is why it is important that the reform processes are harmonized with the reforms in the EU, Politika reports.
