Mali: Serbia attracting record-high FDI inflows

BELGRADE - Serbian Finance Minister Sinisa Mali said on Monday Serbia held the record for the highest FDI inflows in the region, attracting over 60 pct of all FDI in the Western Balkans.

"We have to keep that up as it means new factories, new jobs and higher salaries and pensions," Mali told the RTS.

He also noted Serbia had preserved its macroeconomic stability, as also indicated by a debt-to-GDP ratio of 47.6 pct.

He said he jobless rate was at a record-low 9.1 pct compared to 25.9 pct 11 or 12 years ago, and that the employment rate was at a record-high 50.7 pct.

"The deficit is the third indicator of stability. Our plan was for it to be 3.3 pct last year, but it was 2.2 pct," Mali noted.

He added that Serbia's GDP had grown by 2.5 pct last year based on exports and investments.

"In February this year alone, our GDP growth rate was 5.9 pct. All our economic sectors - industry, manufacturing, loans, tourism, agriculture and services - are growing," Mali said.