Ambassador Keefe to urge British firms to invest in Serbia

BELGRADE - British Ambassador to Serbia Denis Keefe has announced that he will at Wednesday's Serbia Investment Conference in London - to be attended also by Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic - urge British companies to invest in Serbia.

In an article published by the Belgrade daily Blic, Keefe noted that his country supports the political and economic reforms in Serbia and called on British firms to spot business opportunities before they slip.

I will ensure that Her Majesty's Government continues to encourage political, economic and social reforms required for EU membership, which will, in turn, contribute to a stable, secure business environment that will spur economic development in both societies, Keefe said.

Much effort is needed to achieve fiscal consolidation and expedite the implementation of announced reform measures, Keefe said.

Last week's budget revision is the first part of that puzzle and this is a path that requires courage, but, hopefully, also brings much, Keefe said.

The UK is among Serbia's 15 to 20 most significant trade partners - apparently, the ranking could be better, Keefe reminded.

The World Bank has ranked Serbia 93rd on a list of 189 economies around the world for ease of doing business, which shows that there is ample room for improvement in the business environment, Keefe also noted.

However, when it comes to issuing building permits, the World Bank has ranked Serbia among the 10 worst performers, Keefe pointed out, but added that implementation of the new planning and construction act should improve the situation.

The business environment in Serbia is also suffering because of an abundance of unnecessary bureaucracy, slow entry to or...