Brnabic meets with IMF delegation

BELGRADE - Serbian PM Ana Brnabic met on Monday with an International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation headed by Donal McGettigan as part of a second review under an approx. 2.4 bln euro arrangement approved by the IMF to Serbia in December last year in support of an agreed economic programme.

The parties discussed the results achieved to date and noted that much had been done to achieve the reform goals and that Serbia, in spite of all challenges, was dealing well with the effects of the global crisis, the Serbian government said in a statement.

The statement said McGettigan said Serbia's progress was evident and noted the good macroeconomic results analysed by the IMF, as well as economic growth, the number of FDI and the containing of inflation, which he noted remained a challenge also to other countries in Europe and worldwide.

He said the implementation of the current arrangement was progressing excellently and that all goals planned to date had been achieved.

Brnabic said her government's priorities were further economic growth based on education, knowledge, continued investment in the IT sector, biotechnology and artificial intelligence and noted that the focus was on energy sector reforms and a restructuring of the national electric power company EPS.

The meeting was also attended by Finance Minister Sinisa Mali.