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Speaking about the business and investment climate in Serbia, Kirill Kravchenko, the CEO of NIS, told the participants that more than two billion euros have been invested in NIS operations since it was privatised and pointed out that Serbia is one of the region’s most lucrative countries foreign investments-wise. “We in Serbia see the four elements – steady government, clear-cut prospects for EU membership, vantage geographical position and a solid legislative framework“, Kravchenko stressed, and went on to say that there is still much to be done to streamline the current regulations and endorsement of laws in order to accelerate the accession to the European Union. He stressed the fact that NIS and other businesses support and facilitate the negotiations on Serbia’s accession to the EU by way of active participation in the negotiations, full compliance with European standards in business and technological revamp of production process. Aleksandar Antić, Power Generation and Mining Minister in the Government of Serbia, told the gathering that come May Serbia would sign up to the European Energy Charter declaration and join the process of establishing the Energy Union. Antić called on entrepreneurs from Europe and elsewhere in the world to invest in Serbia. “Serbia is a serious location for investments and offer guarantees to investors, with quite lucrative prospects in power generation realm“, minister Antić stressed. Michael Karnichnig, chief of staff to European Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn, said that Serbia’s path to EU is irrevocable and pointed out that in that process high importance is attached to the predictability of business operations, the rule of law and eradication of black market. He opined that linking the region’s power generating and transportation network with the EU is a prerogative for success on the way to European accession. Ivan Miletić of the “Philip Morris” tobacco industry based in the city of Niš explained that key challenges for running a business in Serbia are predictability of legislation and regulations, meaning that an unequivocal action plan shall be put in place to enact European Union’s acquis communautaire into the legislature, while the membership talks are under way. Bratislav Čeperković, regional director of a company for high medical technology, based in Barcelona, “MedComTec”, said that this company incorporated its regional headquarters for Nano technology in Serbia and brought on board a raft of scientists, physicians and researchers.
