NEXT YEAR 2 MILLION TONNES OF STEEL FROM STEELWORKS! Vucic: Picture of beautiful and powerful Serbia (PHOTO)

Hesteel Steelworks in Smederevo plans to create two million tonnes of steel and it will effect Serbia's GDP by one percent, and possibly more, said yesterday Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, speaking to workers and management in Smederevo. According to him, the steel plant is something that has made a turnaround in the Serbian economy.

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- This is a picture of the beautiful and powerful Serbia, which shows that we can do differently and better. It is time to dare to say that Serbia can do much better than what it was used to us and this year's results show that - underlined Vucic.

Foto: Tanjug/Rade Prelić

According to him, the steel plant is something that has made a turnaround in the Serbian economy.

- I feel that I belong to this plant, to this house - Vucic said and added that he was here many times, but never felt this well like yesterday.

He stressed that he, together with the workers, he believed that it can revive production and steel plant will be able to work successfully.

Vucic said that he is an honor to be the PM of such a small country that can have such a good relationship with "great China" and marked that the cooperation with the Chinese company around Smederevo Steelworks is a "job of a decade which made a turnaround in Serbian economy".

Foto: Tanjug/Rade Prelić

He wished to the representatives of Chinese company to make in the announced 20 million euros, but also much more in the years to come, and then to invest the money in Smederevo, hotels and in everything else hey need to expand their capacities.

PM said that he is proud that the visa-free regime will start from 1. January between Serbia and China.

- We consider ourselves to be great friends with China, and i don't think you have bigger friends than us in Europe - said Vucic.

Foto: Tanjug/Rade Prelić

He thanked the ambassador of People's Republic of China Li Manchang, as he said, on fearsome support, because he feels Serbia to be like his homeland, and for talking with representatives of Serbian government about future projects between China and our country.

- People's Republic of China is always on our side and it always helps us - said Vucic.

PM said that, until the Chinese came, no one knew what to do with the Steelworks. 

- Americans left it, because they made heavy loses. And we also made loses. Only the Chinese could save the Steelworks and they helped us do it - said Vucic

Foto: Tanjug/Rade Prelić

He asked the Ambassador to further engage and accelerate talks about RTB Bor and other priority tasks, "regardless of whether it is still in interest of China or not."

Prime Minister visited the Hesteel company in Serbia together with the president of Hesteel group Ju Jong.

Li Manchang , the Ambassador of China to Serbia attended the visit of the Steelworks.

Foto: Tanjug/Rade Prelić

Serbian government and Chinese Hesteel signed in April this year sales contract for Smederevo steelworks, which the Chinese company took over with 98 property units in Smederevo for 46 million euros.

It was announced then than the investment in the Steelworks will be at least 300 million euros and that 5.000 of old workers will be kept.

As Jong said yesterday, Hesteel group will invest 120 million dollars in Steelworks Smederevo on renovation and purchase of equipment and technology.

(Telegraf.co.uk / Tanjug)