Verheijen: WB loan to Serbia in February or March

BELGRADE - A World Bank (WB) loan to support Serbia's budget could be granted in February or March 2015, and it will be discussed after the country's economy minister comes out with a plan for the 502 enterprises on the privatization list, World Bank Country Manager for Serbia Tony Verheijen has said.

Only when the minister comes out with the plan for the enterprises, the WB Board of Directors will be in session to discuss the potential loan, Verheijen said at the 10th Raiffeisen Bank economic conference in Belgrade on Thursday.

He said he could not specify the full amount of the loan, as that would depend on the government's reform program and the Serbian government's needs for financing.

I cannot speak about the figure, because other areas need support as well. It is all part of the talks that are underway, Verheijen said, pointing out that the figure of USD 250 million had originally been planned for 2014.

However, this loan has not been used this year and in 2015, we will see what the needs are for that year, he said.

The World Bank could finance restructuring of the public administration, severance payments for workers who lose their jobs in the public sector and increasing public sector productivity, he said.

Verheijen said that Serbia was lagging behind with reforms and the process needed to be pushed ahead if the country was to become a member of the EU.

Photo Tanjug Video