Vesic: Fight for economically strong Serbia most important

BELGRADE - The fight for an economically strong Serbia is the most significant national fight because only an economically strong and stable country can protect its national interests and its people, Serbian Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Goran Vesic said on Wednesday.

In an appearance on Happy TV, Vesic noted that everything his ministry had done in its first 100 days in office was a part of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's policy, and noted that he was especially pleased that budget funds for investment in public capital infrastructure projects for this year amounted to 3.6 bln euros.

"That is more than the total investment by all other Western Balkan countries combined, which means that investment in capital projects continues," Vesic said.

Transport links also mean new investment because no one wants to invest in places where there are no roads and where they cannot sell what they produce, and investment means higher salaries and better living standards, development of tourism and an opportunity for Serbia to develop as a logistical centre and earn more from cargo transport, he said.

"A responsible government must ensure that the country can live, that we have investments and that we retain Kosovo-Metohija," Vesic noted.