De Filipis: Production of "fiat" starts in March

The Director General of company "Fiat automobili Srbija", Giovani de Filipis, confirmed yesterday (January 21, 2009) that the production of "fiat punto" automobiles would start in March.

- However, because of the global financial crisis, realization of a part of long-term investments will be somewhat slower – said De Filipis at the meeting in Rome occasioned by the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and Serbia.

He specified that the production of automobiles in Serbia was part of global plan because it should cover the markets of both Balkans and Russia.

The Mayor of Kragujevac, Veroljub Stevanović, said earlier that the postponement of commencement of production of new “punto” model in factory “Zastava” was possible, but that "Fiat" had not given up that investment.

The CEO of "Zastava Vozila" group, Zoran Radojević, said that that company had got the information that the realization of the contract with "Fiat" would be slowed down.

- I expect that we will, most probably, have a meeting in the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development where it will be explained to us which of the works will be postponed or slowed down – said Radojević.

The adviser in the Privatization Agency of Serbia, Aleksandar Ljubić, said, however, that the realization of all elements from the contract between Serbia and "Fiat" went as planned and that there was not going to be any delay in production of "punto".