MOOR: Government of Serbia must find solution for tobacco industry

The Deputy Ambassador of USA to Serbia, Roderick Moor, stated that the signing of CEFTA agreement was positive thing for Serbia, but the Government of Serbia must find reasonable solution for challenges the tobacco companies in Serbia were facing because that agreement had been signed.

He reminded that, by signing the contract on sale of domestic tobacco products, the Government of Serbia obliged to guarantee benefits to American company "Phillip Morris" and other companies prior to end of 2009.

- USA respects participation of Serbia in CEFTA Agreement, but USA also requests that the Government, together with the companies, which exprience problems because of the CEFTA agreement, finds reasonable solution for these challenges - said Moor.

Company "Phillip Morris", which bought Tobacco Industry Niš, is of the opinion that the CEFTA agreement is harfmul to the domestic tobacco industry and that it exposes it to the unequal and unfavorable competition.