Ekonom:east Media Group successfully organized the Fourth Business Roundtable with the Government of Serbia last week at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Belgrade.

The keynote address was given by the Prime Minister, Mirko Cvetkovic. Other speakers included Petar Skundric, Minister of Energy, Dejan Soskic, Governor of the National Bank of Serbia, Bogdan Lissovolik, Resident Representative of the IMF mission to Serbia and Nebojsa Ciric, State Secretary with the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development.

Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic said today that GDP growth was 1.2 percent in the first half of the year, which was lower than expected, but that he strongly believes that Serbia will end 2010 with growth of 1.5 percent, as planned.

The Minister of Energy and Mining, Petar Škundrić stated that Elektroprivreda Srbija (EPS) should remain under State ownership. "Strategic partnerships and new facilities can be built with a majority share of foreign and private capital, but that which we already posses should remain under majority State ownership because it has been shown that macroeconomic stability can be achieved in this way and can eliminate the effects of the global economic crisis," said Skundric.

The Governor of the National Bank of Serbia, Dejan Soskic, stated that it is possible that prices will rise by more than 8% by the end of the year, as targeted.

Bogdan Lissovolik, the Resident Representative of the IMF Mission to Serbia stated today that Serbia's arrangement with the IMF will likely come to an end in April 2011, but that this will not pose a problem to the Serbian economy if the Government adheres to the rules of fiscal responsibility.

The event was well attended by more that 150 members of the business community, foreign investors, public enterprises, the diplomatic community and the press.