SIEPA: Investments worth 2 billion EUR in 2010

- Foreign investments in Serbia in 2010 may reach 2 billion EUR, and the most is expected from the suppliers of car parts for "Fiat" - said Vesna Perić, the CEO of the Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SIEPA).

- Serbia needs between 3 and 4 billion EUR, but realization of 2 billion EUR worth of investments would be a very good result as well - Ms. Perić told Beta agency.

According to her words, there are many interested companies from the sectors of electronic industry, metal and plastic processing, which will be the suppliers of "Fiat".

She said that it was good that none of the investors had given up the investments in 2009, but waited to see how the global demand would look like, so that the realization was expected in 2010 and 2011.

Vesna Perić said that SIEPA's plan for year 2010 was to focu on export of domestic final products to the market of former Soviet Union and north Africa.

She said that the market of western Europe was significant for semi-finished products because it was the region where Serbian companies had enough space to be competitive and become suppliers.

Perić said that SIEPA would obtain 306m RSD from the budget for year 2010.

- We are satisfied with the fact that we are going to receive more than we got the last year (240m RSD) because the Government has recognized the need for larger funds for the growth of export and foreign investments - said Perić.

According to her words, these funds will be spent on organization of larger number of trade fairs and market research for the needs of companies.

SIEPA has the programme for internationalization of companies, according to which it covers 50% of costs for introduction of certificates, re-certification, standardization and other marketing activities that are necessary for export - said Perić and invited companies to apply for the programme.

She said that Serbian companies signed contract worth 30m EUR at the trade fairs in foreign countries in 2009.

Perić estimated that it was very good that Serbia had attracted 2 billion USD worth of foreign investments in the year of the financial crisis, the same as in 2008.