The negotiations on forming the government are under way, and while the outcome is expected, the business people believe most important is to define the program for the future guidelines in economic policy. The dilemma whether to save or boost the economic growth is present in Serbia too, but the prevailing opinion is in favor of combining those two approaches. It is also the essence of the message of the business people we have talked to, aimed at the future government. Biljana Blanusa has more.
In the statement to the International Radio Serbia, President of the Corporate Director Association Toplica Spasojevic has stressed that first moves of the government must be directed at the reforms, as the key of economic development. He said that an agreement with the IMF must be made immediately, relating to the principles of the future economic policy. Also, it is necessary to encourage the foreign investors, and assure the local banks that the macroeconomic stability will be guaranteed for a longer term. The state has to provide the assets for the normal functioning and investments. Namely, Spasojevic believes that the state should invest in strategic fields, such as energy and agriculture, while stimulation needs to be provided for the export-oriented industries. Another thing in the domain of the government is creating the better business environment, primarily the simplification of administrative procedures. In view of saving, serious cuts must be made in the public consumption, i.e. non-productive areas, while everything that is in the function of economic development and existential minimum for the citizens should be kept. It means that the public consumption has to be on the level that the economy can support, and that is the model for stability, underlined Spasojevic.
President of the business club “Enterpriser” Branislav Grujic has told our radio that we should wait and see the vision and program principles of the new government, and then what will be the concrete steps taken. According to him, it is essential to solve the issue of illiquidity, because it is a great burden to the national economy. Grujic emphasized that it should the be the first measure of the government, since it would let the economy “breath easier”, thus creating the conditions for increased production and employment. Regarding the dilemma – saving or spending – Grujic says that at the summit G20 in Mexico, the dominant option was to stimulate the economic growth, along with saving measures, and enable the revival of the economic activity. In Serbia it was never really a dilemma, because the national economy is not so developed to call for the question – do we need stimulation measures? In almost every field the stimulations and investments are needed, especially to build the infrastructure. The same goes for the sectors with potential for development and distribution of products in foreign markets, such as the agriculture, concluded Grujic.