EBRD interested in financing Nikola Tesla Airport concessionaire

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is very interested in supporting the concessionaire or the purchaser of the Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, Head of EBRD for Western Balkans, Holger Muent, said at the Kopaonik Business Forum.

– Basically, all EBRD goals are focused on supporting the country's private sector. Therefore, if a kind of privatization takes place or if there's a contract on the concession for the Airport and if there's a private investor interested in cooperating with us, we will be interested in supporting the private sector in that context – Muent said.

Commenting on the current state of the economy of the Western Balkans, he estimated that the region was on the right track and added that the countries of the region showed this through their clear desire to join the European Union at a certain point.

– I believe that a progress in reforms has been made throughout the region. Great progress has been made, but there's still a lot of it to be done in order to achieve the set goals and for the countries to become EU members – Muent believes.

When it comes to Serbia, as he says, he has seen some very impressive results in Kopaonik regarding fiscal consolidation and macroeconomic stability.

– Indeed, a lot has been done to that end. What remains to be done is the restructuring and potential privatization of state companies, reform of the public sector, reform of the education sector... A lot remains to be done, then, but, at the same time, a lot has already been done too – Muent said.

Commenting on the pace of the reforms, he estimated that the fact that EU accession negotiation chapters had opened was a clear signal that the progress was tangible.

– The privatization or the concession of the Nikola Tesla Airport is a step in the right direction. The Government should use the expertise and the capital of the private sector to a much greater extent for a stronger economic growth – he said.

Muent says that this is his first time at the Kopaonik Business Forum, that he was delighted with the Serbian winter center, and that the Forum was a great opportunity for meeting with local and foreign economic and financial experts and representatives of state authorities.

EBRD Evropska banka za obnovu i razvoj

A.D. Aerodrom Nikola Tesla Beograd

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

EBRD

Nikola Tesla Airport

Belgrade Airport concession

Nikola Tesla Airport concession

Holger Muent

Kopaonik Business Forum

negotiations with EU

accession negotiations between Serbia and European union

EU membership