Mali: US crisis to have no impact on Serbian economy

BELGRADE - Serbian Finance Minister Sinisa Mali said on Wednesday a US banking crisis would have no indirect or direct impact on Serbian banks or the financial and the business sectors.

"What is important for our economy is that we have nothing to do with that, directly or indirectly, and there will be no consequences whatsoever. In its statement, the National Bank of Serbia was very clear on this issue. Our banks are stable, as is the entire financial system," Mali told the RTS.

The global crisis is definitely affecting the Serbian economy as we are not an isolated island, but the government has mechanisms to react in a timely and appropriate manner, he added.

Speaking about an upcoming visit by an IMF delegation, Mali said it was a part of regular meetings and that Serbia had been cooperating with the IMF successfully for ten years.

"All reforms we have implemented have been implemented together with the IMF. That is very important to us because that way, in addition to lending credibility to reforms, they guide us and push us to become better and quicker," Mali said.

"For that very reason, Serbia is achieving incredible economic results, and we received praise from the IMF and the World Bank at the Kopaonik Business Forum," he said.

Speaking about a recent meeting with representatives of the Chinese company CRBC, Mali said there were plans to revive a project to build an industrial park in Borca, suburban Belgrade, which has been halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.