Austria

VIENNA - Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sebastian Kurz said on Tuesday that Serbia is an important partner for Austria.

VIENNA - Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said in Vienna on Tuesday that he believes that Serbia can make a quicker recovery because fiscal consolidation measures are producing results.

Speaking to reporters at the Serbia in Vienna 2015 economic forum, held at the Austrian chamber of commerce, Vucic said that Serbia needs both foreign and domestic investments.

VIENNA - Serbian Minister of Finance Dusan Vujovic called on Austrian businessmen on Tuesday to invest in Serbia's sectors oriented to regional and global markets.

VIENNA - Serbia is very interesting for Austrian companies, Vice President of the Austrian Economic Chambers Richard Schenz said before the start of the business forum Serbia in Vienna 2015 on Tuesday.

He told Tanjug he was glad Serbia's Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic was taking part in the forum together with a large business delegation.

VIENNA - President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber Christoph Leitl stated on Tuesday that Serbia is already a part of the EU in the economic sense, and expressed the hope that the membership will soon be realised in the political sense as well.

"Serbia offers investors best conditions in region" - PM

VIENNA -- Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said in Vienna on Tuesday that, when it comes to the region, "Serbia offers best conditions to investors."

According to him, trade with the European Union amounting to EUR 17 billion "dispels all doubts concerning the country's strategic orientation."

The number of asylum applicants in Bulgaria increased by 55% on an annual basis in 2014, according to Eurostat data.

The number of applicants in Bulgaria increased from 7 145 in 2013 to 11 080 in 2014, according to the statistical office of the European Union.

Bulgaria's share of asylum seekers amounted to less than 2% of the EU total.

VIENNA - Serbs are real Europeans and it is good that Serbia will strengthen the EU by joining it, Vice President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber Richard Schenz has said.

BELGRADE - A business forum entitled Serbia in Vienna 2015 will be held in the Austrian capital on Tuesday in order to present the investment environment in Serbia and the results of reforms meant to improve business conditions.

This will be the 4th such forum and it is organised by the Serbian and Austrian chambers of commerce.

First drilling at the Khan Asparuh block in the Black Sea, where significant gas deposits are though to lie, are now scheduled for February 2016, an official has said.