DINKIĆ: Serbia may register surplus of 1 billion EUR in trade with CEFTA countries by end of year

(Mlađan Dinkić)

- Cooperation in the region "is of exceptional political and economic significance to Serbia" - the Minister of Economy of Serbia said today (October 29, 2009) at the CEFTA ministerial conference in Podgorica.

Dinkić said that Serbia had exported 1.2 billion EUR worth of goods to the CEFTA countries during the first eight months of year 2009, while the value of import in that period was 500m EUR, so that Serbia had registered surplus of 700m EUR.

- We can expect surplus to exceed 1 billion EUR by the end of the year - said Dinkić.

He added that Serbia's intention was to "resume negotiations on liberalization of services, improvement of investment conditions and greater integration of the companies in the region" the next year when it should start chairing the CEFTA committee.

Of Serbia's overall export in 2009, 36% of goods have been exported to the CEFTA countries, while 54% was exported to the EU countries.