President Erdoğan spoke at the Türkiye-Serbia Business Forum
Speaking at the Türkiye-Serbia Business Forum, President Erdoğan said: “Turkish companies' investments that generate jobs in Serbia are increasing day by day. We have approximately 850 Turkish investors in Serbia.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at the Türkiye-Serbia Business Forum in Belgrade.
“OUR ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL COOPERATION IS THE ENGINE OF OUR BILATERAL RELATIONS”
Stating that they are working together with Serbia to ensure stability and prosperity in the region, while building robust economies, President Erdoğan said: “We are working around the clock to expand the horizons of our business world with innovative and effective initiatives all over the world with your esteemed representatives of our trade diplomacy. Under the leadership of my dear friend, Serbia is implementing serious reforms in economy as in every field. We are following Serbia's economic rise closely and with interest. It is therefore not surprising that in 2023, more than 60 percent of foreign investments in the region went to Serbia, amounting to €4.5 billion. We see our economic and commercial cooperation as the engine of our bilateral relations.”
“OUR TRADE VOLUME EXCEEDED $2 BILLION”
“As two countries, we have made significant progress in a short time. Our trade volume broke a record for 2 years in a row and exceeded $2 billion,” President Erdoğan said.
Pointing out that achieving last year's volume in the first 9 months of this year is a sign of strengthening momentum, President Erdoğan said: “Of course, our actual target is $5 billion. To reach the $5 billion trade volume target, we continue our efforts together with the Serbian authorities. I am gladly state here that Turkish companies' investments that generate jobs in Serbia are increasing day by day. We have approximately 850 Turkish investors in Serbia. The added value generated by these companies has increased from $1 million to $405 million in the last 12 years.”
“Our companies employ approximately 9,600 people in Serbia. Our contractors achieved a turnover of more than $1 billion with 95 projects,” President Erdoğan said.
Noting that 842 companies continue their activities in Serbia, President Erdoğan said: “The number of our factories is over 20. Halkbank's activities here are proof of our confidence in the bright future of Serbia's economy. Undoubtedly, my dear friend President Vucic, who offers his full support to our investors, personally deals with the problems of our companies and always keeps his door open to our business people, has greatly contributed to achieving these accomplishments.”
“IT IS IN THE INTEREST OF BOTH OUR COUNTRIES TO TAKE JOINT STEPS IN THE DEFENSE INDUSTRY”
Voicing his sincere belief that President Vucic’s sincere and strong support will continue to increase in the coming period, President Erdoğan stated that during his talks with President Vucic today, they discussed at length how they could contribute more to the business world.
Stating that he and President Vucic agreed that there is a wide range of cooperation opportunities between the business worlds of Türkiye and Serbia, President Erdoğan said: “We will work harder to make the most of this potential. We also have significant potential in the fields of health, energy, information and communication technology. We should benefit more from these areas. It will be in the interest of both our countries to take important steps together, especially in the defense industry.”
“I believe it is very important that we increase our dialogue, especially in the field of defense industry. I would like to state that we are ready to work with Serbia in the projects within the scope of the European Green Deal and Digital Europe,” President Erdoğan said.
Stating that another manifestation of the high level of relations between the two countries is the close cooperation established in the sphere of tourism, President Erdoğan said: “The development of the tourism sector between our countries contributes significantly to both our economies and the ties between our peoples. I hope that by the end of this year, the number of tourists coming from Serbia to Türkiye will exceed the record set in 2022, which was 360 thousand. We are also pleased that Turkish citizens are among the top tourists visiting Serbia. We naturally expect a significant increase in these numbers following the ratification of the travel with ID protocol.”
“THERE IS A STRONG WILL TO STRENGTHEN THE COOPERATION BETWEEN TÜRKİYE AND SERBIA”
Stating that they discussed all aspects of the issues on their agenda in a constructive and sincere atmosphere with President Vucic, President Erdoğan noted that they strengthened the covenantal basis of their relations with 11 new agreements signed in different fields.
“We have once again seen that there is a strong will to strengthen the cooperation between Türkiye and Serbia. I know very well the importance and value my dear friend attaches to Türkiye, to close relations with Türkiye and to the Turkish business world. Mr. Vucic's personal efforts have a great share in the exceptional level we have reached today in the relations between our two countries,” President Erdoğan said.
“My dear friend Mr. Vucic and I are always ready to do our part in this process. Our door is also open to entrepreneurs from Serbia who will invest in our country. No one should have any doubt that Serbian investors will experience the sincere and safe environment that Turkish companies find in Serbia in Türkiye,” President Erdoğan said.
