Mesarovic: Serbia is Europe's investment hub

TOKYO, - Serbian Minister of Economy Adrijana Mesarovic said in Tokyo on Wednesday a Serbian delegation had come to Japan with a clear message that Serbia was Europe's investment hub.

In a statement released by her ministry, Mesarovic said Japanese investments in Serbia in the past 12 years totalled 473 euros and that the cooperation had been stepped up in recent years.

"It amounted to 214 mln euros in 2022 and 96 mln euros in 2023, and there is a plan and an agenda to intensify that cooperation in the coming years. With that clear message, we presented our innovative Serbia, our potential and our economic environment, and economic, political, financial and economic stability. We convinced Japanese investors that our country is recognised on the world's investment map," Mesarovic said.

She noted that the delegation had heard the same comment at every meeting with Japanese representatives - that Serbia had a favourable business environment and that they looked forward to future cooperation.

"My expectation is that we will soon launch talks with several Japanese companies to achieve cooperation in our country. External trade cooperation (with Japan) is worth 330 mln euros and it, too, can and must be much greater. That is where my colleagues, Minister of Internal and External Trade Tomislav Momirovic and I, in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, headed by Marko Cadez, will invest additional efforts to step up the cooperation and take the goods trade and external trade cooperation to an even higher level," Mesarovic said.

She said the visit also focused on reopening a Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) office in Serbia to help Japanese investors operating in the country.