Southeastern Europe

Foreign Ministry: No observers in Ukraine

BELGRADE -- Representatives of Serbia's official institutions had not been employed as observers in the electoral process in the east of Ukraine on November 2.

The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced on Wednesday that such representatives had in no way been involved in that process.

BELGRADE - The region has vast untapped potential for development of the private sector through funding provided in exchange for a share of corporate equity, Serbian Minister of Economy Zeljko Sertic said on Wednesday.

BELGRADE - The Serbian Foreign Ministry (MSP) said in a release Wednesday that representatives of Serbia's official institutions had not been employed as observers nor had they in any way been involved in the electoral process in the east of Ukraine on November 2.

The ministry stressed that Serbia supported the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.

BELGRADE - Denmark's Ministry of Defense will donate computer equipment and software to the Serbian army to help set up an IT classroom and to promote internet use in Serbia's Ministry of Defense and Serbian Armed Forces (SAF).

British and German foreign ministers have sent an "open letter" to the people of Bosnia, offering an opportunity to make dramatic progress towards EU membership if their politicians sign up to substantive reforms.

In the first operation, 11 persons who "were involved for long period of time in the trafficking of migrants to the European Union countries" were arrested, the police said.

BERLIN - Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic said in Berlin on Wednesday that it is vital for the EU to keep its focus of attention on the Western Balkans because European perspective is the key factor when it comes to improvement of regional cooperation and success in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.

"12 public companies subject of talks with IMF"

BELGRADE -- Finance Minister Dušan Vujović has said that Serbia is discussing with the IMF a program that for the first time includes 12 public companies.

"All criteria will be set that will have to be adhered to, one of them being salary cuts," he said of the companies in question.

BELGRADE - Finance Minister Dusan Vujovic has said that Serbia is discussing with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) a program that for the first time includes 12 public companies for which all criteria will be set that will have to be adhered to, one of them being salary cuts.

Austrian companies biggest investors since 2000

BELGRADE -- Total investments of Austrian companies in Serbia are at around USD 3 billion, making Austria the biggest investor in Serbia since 2000.