Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration and Minister of Science and Technological Development Bozidar Djelic said in Washington that it is very important that the sum Serbia will be paying back to the World Bank over the next four years does not exceed the sum which the Bank will give to Serbia.

Speaking at a meeting at the German Marshall Fund of the United States yesterday, Djelic explained that this means that the World Bank’s support to Serbia is expected to be at least $800 million to $900 million.

Djelic also spoke to diplomats and analysts about Serbia’s problems and the ways in which it plans to overcome them and he stressed that Serbia works on strengthening bilateral relations with the United States in many areas, including an increase in the number of American investors.

Djelic, who is heading the Serbian delegation at the annual meeting of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington that will last until 10 October, affirmed that IMF representatives will be informed about the progress of discussion on the Bill on fiscal responsibility, which entails Serbia’s getting out of the arrangement with this organisation and proof that it can conduct a responsible economic policy by itself.

Answering the question about when citizens will feel a change for the better, Djelic urged for patience because no huge improvement should be expected. He explained that economic growth at this moment is such that it cannot guarantee a significant and rapid increase in the standard of living.

Serbia must run its house in a responsible way. We must not allow ourselves to get into problems like our neighbours, because once you get into an unsustainable situation you will need years to get out of it, the Deputy Prime Minister underlined.

Among other things, Djelic spoke with representatives of USAID, the US Academy of Sciences and other institutions about holding the first big Serbian-US event in the field of science and technology on 10 July next year.

At a time when China, India, Russia and the Middle East are investing in science, Serbia has no choice. Serbia has a good basis, our young people are among the first 10-15 in world competitions in mathematics and physics, Djelic highlighted.

He added that the speech at the German Marshall Fund of the United States and the meetings at the US Department of State and with representatives of the National Security Council of the White House are actually preparation for the visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Belgrade next week.

The very important issue that we do not agree on is Kosovo-Metohija, but what matters is that the United States supports Serbia’s efforts in establishing true negotiation between Belgrade and Pristina. The second important issue is the support of the United States to Serbia’s EU aspirations because it is definite that influence of the United States can help Serbia to reach its goal more quickly, Djelic declared.