Lazarevic: Carrefour interested in coming to Serbia, working with local suppliers

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Internal and External Trade Jagoda Lazarevic met with representatives of the international retail chain Carrefour, which is interested in coming to Serbia and intends to make Serbia a central hub of its operations and work with a large number of local suppliers.

"The meeting was held at the initiative of Carrefour, one of Europe's leading retail chains, which has a presence in more than 30 countries and profits amounting to tens of billions of euros. What is imperative to them is a market regulated according to EU regulations and healthy competition among retail chains," Lazarevic told reporters after the meeting, noting that the arrival of retail chains like Carrefour would definitely boost competition in the Serbian market.

"We discussed their specific plans. They intend to enter our market directly, without intermediaries, and to make Serbia a central hub and hire a large number of Serbian companies as suppliers. Finding local partners for franchises is also a business model they are considering. It was agreed that discussions be continued before the end of the year, when (Carrefour) top management representatives will come to Serbia," an official statement quoted Lazarevic as saying.