Vucic: Future lies in private sector

BELGRADE - Serbia's Prime Minister Alaksandar Vucic said on Wednesday Serbia would focus on 2 things in the next 3 yers, economic growth and, even more importantly, how to help, train and convince the people that the future lies in the private sector.

Speaking at a conference organised by AmCham, Vucic stated that the goal was to show to the people that the future lay in the private sector, business and in the number of companies that would be created in Serbia.

Without growth in the private sector and entrepreneurship, Serbia will not get long-term results, and the people should know that they can earn a lot more by establishing their own companies than by working in any part of the government sector, he noted.

"Unless some unstoppable events occur, like this year's floods, I am certain that the current growth of the public debt will be stopped in late 2016 and in 2017 and turned in the opposite direction," he remarked.

The government has to deal with the large deficit in local governments, he said, adding that the inherited deficit in Belgrade had been more than 20 percent.

According to Vucic, that deficit will be cut in half this year and brought down to 6.5 percent next year.

Serbia is steadily following the path of reforms and has completed the most difficult steps, he said, adding that the reforms would continue, and that the government would not abandon them.

"We are moving towards the EU, but we are not going to undermine the relations with our traditional friends," he pointed out.

Photo Tanjug/Z. Zestic