Momirovic: Regional economic integration one of main gov't goals

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Internal and External Trade Tomislav Momirovic said on Tuesday regional economic integration was one of his government's main goals and added that CEFTA states were Serbia's top external trade partners behind the EU.

"Goods trade with CEFTA states totalled 7 bln euros last year. Exports totalled around 5 bln and imports totalled around 2 bln," Momirovic said at the opening of a two-day regional conference on advancement of the capacities of national coordination bodies set up to facilitate trade.

The conference is hosted by USAID, the World Bank and the Swiss government.

Momirovic noted that the Serbian government was carrying out intensive activities envisioned by an action plan for a regional common market that was a product of the Open Balkan initiative.

He said this was "crucial for advancement" of economic and political relations among countries in the region.

"In my opinion, Open Balkan is the biggest economic topic we are creating together today. We must abolish all unnecessary border procedures because that is the only way we can generate more investment and accelerate and increase transport of people and goods and boost the living standards of all people in the region," Momirovic said.