The Minister of Finance of Serbia, Sinisa Mali, stated today that the budget for 2021 will allocate more money for the increase of salaries in the public sector and pensions, as well as for capital investments, and he also announced favorable loans for small and medium enterprises to make it easier.
Mali reminded Pink TV that the programs support the economy during the corona virus epidemic, noting that in the conditions of the crisis, it was natural for the state to bear the burden.
“We will increase pensions according to the Swiss formula, which is 5.9 percent from January 1, as well as the minimum wage by 6.6 percent, so we expect that it will affect the growth of all salaries from January 1,” said Mali. You will have an increase in salaries in the public sector, our budget will be able to withstand all that, and citizens will see an increase in living standards, and we will maintain macroeconomic stability, because we are pursuing a responsible economic policy, Mali told TV Pink.
“I expect that by forming a new government and rebalancing the budget at the end of November or the beginning of December, we will then determine the budget for next year,” he said. Mali said that Serbia has 1.9 billion euros of foreign direct investments in the first nine months of this year, which no country in the region has achieved.
He announced that “very favorable loans will be provided for a longer repayment period in order to provide small and medium-sized companies with liquidity” so that they can invest and survive the corona crisis.
“I had a conversation with DFC two days ago, and in the coming days we will appear before the economy and citizens with favorable loans with a longer repayment period for small and medium enterprises, but also large ones,” announced Mali.
President Vucic said that Serbia is working to “be zero or slightly above zero, to be the only country in the world with a positive growth of gross domestic product. We will fight until midnight on December 31 for every dinar, he said. The payment for hoteliers in urban areas has started, more than 300 hotels have responded, we will pay everything in dinars, Mali pointed out.
He emphasized that Serbia is not threatened by the “black scenario” like other countries and that there are no factory closures, layoffs, citing the example of the United States, where more than 40 million workers lost their jobs.
Mali emphasized that the budget for 2021 will have more money not only for increasing salaries in the public sector, but also for capital investments, investments in water supply networks, highways, bridges, rehabilitation of railways, because, as he said, public investments affect on GDP growth, they employ companies, but also motivate private investors to come to Serbia.
He added that 1.9 billion euros of foreign investments entered Serbia in the first nine months, which, he says, no country in the region can boast of. Mali said that two days ago he talked with the representatives of the newly opened office of the American Development Financial Corporation (DFC) in Belgrade, and that in a few days he will appear before commercial banks and citizens of Serbia with a concrete proposal on loans.
“These will be favorable loans with a longer repayment period in order to enable small medium-sized, even large companies, to get the necessary money and liquidity, not only to survive this crisis, but also to continue investing,” said Mali, Nova reports.
