A Serious PARTNER
Romania
The development of infrastructure, such as Corridor 10 and 11 and the railway etc, also offers a lot of opportunities for foreign investors
W
ith growth of 22 percent in bilateral trade between Romania and Serbia last year Patricia Radut, Economic Counsellor at the Embassy of Romania to Serbia believes they have good reasons to be optimistic. She states that there are Romanian companies who intend to continue cautious investment in marketing activities and human resources, with possible acquisitions of local Serbian companies in the area of fast moving consumer goods. The forecast is for the single digit growth of revenues, delivering decent profit, and improving cash collection and cashflow generally in line with the economic forecast for Serbia.
ros of FDIs to be achieved in Serbia in 2011 is based on the Serbian authorities’ forecast to sell the remaining big state owned companies (Telekom, JAT, airport, etc) to foreign investors, even if the actual tough external environment causes investors to seek good companies for lower prices. The development in infrastructure, such as Corridor 10 and 11, and the railway etc, also offers a lot of opportunities for foreign investors. Therefore, a three billion euro FDI is achievable, given also the strategic position of Serbia, recent closer ties with the EU, political stability and available facilities.
Generally speaking, what is your view of the results achieved by companies from your country in Serbia in 2010? - The Republic of Serbia is a serious partner of Romania’s. Regarding the bilateral trade between ► What outlook do companies from your country our countries, the most recent available data we have shows that in the first 11 months of last year, have in terms of investments in 2011? bilateral trade reached 905 million dollars. This - There are Romanian companies who intend to amount shows an increase of 22 percent compared continue cautious investment in marketing activiwith the previous year. We have reasons to be optities and human resources, with possible acquisimistic, given that the end of 2010 has shown a retions of local companies in the field of FMCG (fast vival of our bilateral trade. moving consumer goods). The forecast is for sinAt the end of December 2010, Romanian exports gle digit growth of revenues, delivering decent profto Serbia amounted to 678.4 million it, improving cash collection and cashCompany Register flow generally, so a better year than dollars (an increase about 21.5 percent over the previous year), while DIRECTOR TEHNIC, ALSYS DATA 2010 in Serbia for business, in line Romanian imports have reached D.O.O with the economic forecast for Serbia. Ciprian POJOGA 342.2 million dollars (an increase of Petra Kocica 35a, Zemun ► Do you expect the investment cli29 percent, compared to 2009). Tel/fax: +381.11.31.66.091 Under these circumstances, we E-mail: ciprian.pojoga@alsysdata.com mate in Serbia to improve in 2011, MOBEXPERT GROUP DOO believe that there is considerable po- Roxana MATEESCU and if so, in what segments? tential for the further development of Director general, - Mostly yes, in comparison to 2010 our trade, by exploiting new opportu- Bul. Oslobodjenja 149, or 2009, we expect to it improve, 11000, Beograd, Serbia nities, with the ultimate goal of the tel +381.11.246.84.23 since competition in the region is very growth of the bilateral trade volume. email roxana.mateescu@mobexpert.rs tough in terms of investment faciliDIGI SAT D.O.O. ties, and Serbia is obliged by its deciMarcel POPA ► Could you tell us what you think of sion to apply for EU accession to open Director genral up the market for foreign investors. the forecast of three-billion-euros Franse d’Perea 88 E-mail: marcel.popa@digi.rs Infrastructure and some of the former worth of FDIs being made in SerZELVOZ SMEDEREVO monopolies (the commodities industry bia in 2011? Slobodan Ristic, GM - dairy, sugar, oils) will mark improve- The global economic crisis has Member of Grampet Group Romania highlighted the importance of direct Milosa Velikog 39, 11300 Smederevo ment and the start of better behaviour Phone: 026-225-325 toward foreign investors. ■ investments. The three-billion-eu►
International Business Sector in Serbia March 2011
Patricia Radut Economic Counsellor at the Embassy of Romania to Serbia
73