Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic said on May 17 that Serbia had statistically emerged from recession but for now this could not be seen in the living standard of citizens.

"Currently, we have formally emerged from the crisis because gross domestic product growth in the first quarter of this year was around one percent, but this is not yet reflected in people's lives," Cvetkovic told visitors to the Military Academy's National Defense School.

During a lecture on a sustainable development strategy, which he gave immediately before attending talks with the International Monetary Fund, the prime minister underlined that true recovery would come with significant economic growth and a halt in the rise of unemployment.

According to him, the inadequate structure of the economy was a strategic problem for Serbia.

As Cvetkovic said, Serbia can in 2012 return to a higher rate of economic growth, and this year, as in 2011, signs of recovery will be seen.

The crisis in Greece, according to him, has indirectly impacted Serbia because, as he said, "Europe will not open new opportunities for Euro Zone entry, which has experienced problems, in the future without rigorous criteria."

"The question is whether it will allow anybody to enter the Euro Zone in the next 10 years," added Cvetkovic.