VUCIC AT SERBIAN DAVOS: Lack of responsibility, seriousness and an 'easy' approach will NOT be tolerated!

- To earn more than we spend and at the same time enable the economy growth. It all looks good on paper and certain plans are contradictory to each other but we constructed a strategy that we hold on to firmly - said the Serbian Prime Minister

22nd consecutive Kopaonik Business forum opened with the sounds of 'Boze pravde', Serbian national anthem. More than 600 people from the areas of economy, business, politics and media filled the 'Andjela' congress hall down to the last seat.

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The president of Serbian government addressed the members of SERBIAN DAVOS.

- I am sorry Jorgovanka, I've never managed to properly fulfill that formal part. My speech covers 25 pages but since nobody can listen to me that much, I will shorten it a bit - said Vucic at the start of his presentation.

He said that 'this government laid the foundation to what we have to do in the future'.

- That was the gathering of  knowledge longing for something to change. To earn more than we spend and at the same time enable the economy growth. It all looks good on paper and certain plans are contradictory but we constructed a strategy that we hold on to firmly. We approved several systematic laws that most of the advanced states already have, from the law on labor to the law on pensions and mortgage. Even the ones that don't have sympathies for me and the Government have to admit that we made some concrete steps - said Vucic at the start of the forum.

The prime minister also stated that the fiscal consolidation plan has been approved.

- People may laugh at us, but we are the first country in this part of Europe that did that. Until now, we had no habit of thinking in advance. We laughed at those who had five-year, seven-year, ten-year plans because we were the ones struggling to survive that very day - Vucic stated.

He also said that this time we chose serious strategy of solving public finance's problems.

- When I recently traveled through eastern Serbia, one farmer asked me - why would I care for public finance if they aren't my business? When you raise salaries and pensions without solid economy grounds, that is plainly folly - said Vucic.

He noted that we have an increase in non-tax income and we expect new income from Serbian transmission network. GDP is higher than the last year's January which is a surprise, concerning public sector salaries' decrease, said the prime minister.

- If we, for example, manage to privatize Telekom, there's no way we could spend that money. We have no international projects. That is a huge setback for Serbia. We talk about it for decades. That is why I ask you for your professional support - said Vucic.

- I am convinced that we will manage to solve the question of Zelezara, and FAP. The topic that concerns me is the Petrohemija. As a state we will give our best to bring order there too. I know that all this is familiar to you. I also know that you have never hoped for such good results. We have 21 billion less outcome, and 17 billion higher income than before - prime minister said and added that Serbia, for the first time in history, achieved surplus.

- Even when we have the money we don't know what to do with it. It is not wise to save on capital expenses. I want to express gratitude to the Fiscal Council because if there weren't for both attacks and the support for the Government, we couldn't have pulled this off - Vucic noted.

(Telegraf.rs)