Latest News from Serbia

President receives credentials from Canadian ambassador

BELGRADE -- Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic received on Monday a letter of credence from the newly appointed Ambassador of Canada in Belgrade Philip Pinnington.

Vujovic: Planned savings amount to RSD 27 billion

BELGRADE - Serbian Finance Minister Dusan Vujovic said Monday that the proposal for the 2015 budget was the first budget to predict savings at all points and was changing the trend of budget revenues, which was beginning to grow, opening the way for Serbia to get out of crisis.

Draft strategy presented for SMEs development by 2020

BELGRADE - The Serbian government has a plan to increase the number of SMEs from the current 315,000 to 350,000 by 2020, the number of employees from 768,000 to 950,000 and to achieve over three percent of GDP, Katarina Obradovic Jovanovic, assistant to the minister of economy, said on Monday.

I dream to be respected like Schroeder was

- My life dream is to be respected in Serbia like Gerhard Schroeder is in Germany. He lost the elections for just one percent, but Germany is the most successful country in Europe because of him.

Nikolic receives credentials from new Ambassador of Canada

BELGRADE - Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic received on Monday a letter of credence from the newly appointed Ambassador of Canada in Belgrade Philip Pinnington, and underscored on the occasion that he attaches special importance to further developing overall relations with Canada, based on shared values and common interests.

Joksimovic: SNS applies for EPP in February at latest

BELGRADE - The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) will apply for the role of an associate member or observer in the European People's Party (EPP), SNS International Secretary and Minister in charge of European affairs Jadranka Joksimovic said.

Speaker visits Moscow, reiterates policy on sanctions

MOSCOW -- Russia is "very grateful to Serbia for not succumbing to pressure from Brussels and Washington" when it comes to imposing sanctions against Russia.

This is what Russian State Duma Chairman Sergei Naryshkin told Serbian Assembly President Maja Gojkovic in Moscow on Monday.

Gojkovic: Serbia will never impose sanctions on Russia

MOSCOW - Serbia will never impose sanctions on Russia, even if it joins the EU, Serbian Parliament Speaker Maja Gjokovic said at a meeting with State Dume members on Monday.

Serbia will never impose sanctions on Russia because sanctions have never done anyone any good and cannot help solve any problems, she stated.

"Serbia can be honest broker at helm of OSCE"

BELGRADE -- Serbia's "engagement on the European path, strong ties with Moscow and experience in regional conflicts" are all advantages it will have as OSCE chair.

This assessment was made by OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier, who spoke for Germany's Deutsche Welle media agency.

Gojkovic on two-day visit to Russia

BELGRADE - Serbian Parliament Speaker Maja Gojkovic will pay a visit to the Russian Federation on December 22-23 to discuss with State Duma officials improvement of bilateral relations.

According to a statement from her office, Gojkovic will meet with State Duma President Sergey Naryshkin and then address the State Duma deputies.

Flood-caused damage to economy at EUR 1.6bn

BELGRADE -- The damage to the economy caused by the May floods is officially estimated at EUR 1.6bn according to the Recovery Needs Assessment Report of the government.

Teachers "radicalize" strike, set to organize protests

BELGRADE -- Education sector workers' trade unions are on Monday going on strike, and expect that no classes will be held in about 1,000 schools in Serbia.

At the same time, they will organize protests in Belgrade and other major towns.

"I do not believe that the situation is the same, at least you cannot say that the country is run by tycoons like it was before - no one can say that," Vucic noted.