Greece invested 2.5 billion EUR in Serbia

- Greece has, directly and indirectly, invested about 2.5 billion EUR in Serbia – said Miltijadis Varviciotis, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece.

He said that the great prospects for further development of economic cooperation between Serbia and Greece existed in the domain of crediting, energy, telecommunications, civil engineering, tourism and real estates.

Varviciotis, whose three-day visit to Belgrade starts today (March 18, 2009), said that about 200 Greek-Serbian companies and 200 Greek companies, with about 27,000 workers, were doing business in Serbia.

As he estimated, the presence of Greek companies could be increased under the condition that the investment and business climate in Serbia, as well as legal framework, be additionally improved.

Varviciotis pointed out that Greece would keep supporting banks and enterprises in Serbia even during the economic crisis.

Varviciotis said that one of the themes of the talks in Serbia would be the construction of south branch of road "corridor 10" through Serbia, for which Greece set aside 100m EUR from "Hellenic plan".

When asked if Greece was interested in providing donation from "Hellenic plan" for construction of railway “corridor 10”, he said that that programme for economic refurbishment of the Balkans lasted prior to year 2011 and that Serbia could apply for grants.

- Serbian side should submit concrete projects and proposals, in accordance with the valid procedures, so we could take care of the works on railway “corridor 10”, within the given time framework – said Varviciotis and added that the projects were to be submitted by the Government of Serbia through the national coordinator.

Ambasada Grčke Beograd

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece

Miltiadis Varviciotis

road corridor 10

railway corridor 10

Hellenic plan