Vucic: Financial stability maintained, GDP growth at 2.3-2.5 pct

BELGRADE - At an annual press conference, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he was satisfied with Serbia's achievements in 2022 as the country had succeeded in maintaining financial stability and the national economy, achieving GDP growth of 2.3-2.5 pct despite the global crisis.

"In the past three years, we managed to become one of the top three countries in terms of cumulative growth rate," he said, adding that Serbia was also one of Europe's top five performers when it comes to the debt-to-GDP ratio.

"That is a huge success for Serbia since the public debt ratio was at 79 pct when I became PM, while now it is at 55 pct," Vucic said in the Palace of Serbia, wishing a happy New Year to all citizens and a merry Christmas to Orthodox believers.

"Let me say a big thank you for your understanding for everything that was going on last year, for your support, not to me or political parties, but to your own country," he said.

"There are people who understand that their country is more important than leaders and political parties, and I thank them for supporting Serbia," Vucic said.

He said Serbia's unemployment rate was at an all-time low of 8.9 pct.

"Our dinar's exchange rate (against the euro) is rock-solid and it has been at 117-118 dinars since 2012 - Serbia has never had that before. As for FDI, Serbia accounts for 62 pct of the overall FDI in the Western Balkans," Vucic noted.