Brnabic: Economic, political ties with North Macedonia steadily improving

BELGRADE - Serbian PM Ana Brnabic said on Friday economic and political relations between Serbia and North Macedonia were steadily improving, especially as a result of the Open Balkan initiative.

At a press conference with North Macedonian PM Dimitar Kovacevski, Brnabic said a major portion of discussions held earlier in the day had been dedicated to the initiative, as well as to projects.

Brnabic said that, as a result of the initiative, economic relations were steadily improving and that she expected this year's volume of bilateral trade to exceed 1.5 bln euros and possibly reach 2 bln euros.

She also said Serbian exports to North Macedonia were up by 16 pct and that imports from the country had increased, too.

"That is being balanced out somehow, which is excellent both for you and for us," she told Kovacevski.

"Serbia is North Macedonia's fourth-largest trade partner behind Germany, the UK and Greece," Brnabic said.

She added that the meeting with Kovacevski had also addressed advancement of overall bilateral trade and agricultural trade.