Turkish businessmen presented with investment options in Serbia – Construction sector among the most promising ones

The business delegation of the Bursa-based Balkanturksaid organization, whose primary activity relates to cooperation of Turkey and the Balkan countries, consisting of Turkish businessmen from the fields of construction, food and textile, were presented with investment opportunities in Serbia, as well as perspectives of cooperation with Serbian companies in the construction sector, on Friday, August 4, 2017, at the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia.

As stated on the CCIS website, Katarina Momcilovic Matic, head of the Center for Bilateral Cooperation, said that Turkey was a very important partner to Serbia, both bilaterally and multilaterally, especially within the region. She said in her address that the total foreign trade with Turkey had amounted to EUR 847 million in 2016, an increase of 13.7% compared to 2015.

With around three million residents, Bursa is located on the ancient silk road, and the production of textile and yarn is currently the most developed sector. As Deputy Mayor of Bursa Ergin Ginger pointed out, the automotive industry is significant as well, as there were three car factories operating in the city. As the surroundings of Bursa are an agricultural area, production of cans and dairy products in line with the EU standards is developed as well.

Bursa has an especially intensive cooperation with 12 Balkan countries, with which it organized the Western Balkans Economic Summit each year.

– The economies of Serbia and Turkey have complementary structures and potentials, and the foreign trade is largely contributed to by the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries – Miroslav Miletic, adviser to the president of the CCIS, emphasized and added that the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia, as a national association of businessmen, had good and developed relations and agreements on cooperation signed with its partners in Turkey – the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) and the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB).

Miletic also said that the people of Serbia and Turkey were connected by similar customs and business culture as well. The experiences of Serbian businessmen say that business relations with their Turkish partners are quickly established.

Balkanturksaid plans to open an office in Belgrade in the upcoming period, which would be in charge of economic cooperation with the Balkan countries. In this, they are supported by the Ministry of Economy of Turkey and the City of Bursa.

Privredna komora Srbije

Chamber of Commerce of Serbia

CCIS

Balkanturksaid

City of Bursa

Ministry of Economy of Turkey

Katarina Momcilovic Matic

Ergin Ginger

Miroslav Miletic

Free Trade Agreement between Serbia and Turkey

Foreign Economic Relations Board

DEIK

Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

TOBB