Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic and his Slovene counterpart Borut Pahor opened yesterday Metal-cinkara zinc factory in Indjija, in which Slovene concern Maksim invested €21 million and employed 50 new workers.

In the presence of 500 domestic and foreign businessmen and officials of the Serbian and Slovene governments, Cvetkovic said that the zinc factory is one of the most significant Slovene greenfield investments and that Slovenia is one of the leading investors in Serbia.

Slovene investment fits into the new development strategy for Serbia, which is based on new investments, the production of tradable goods for export and the creation of new jobs, he noted.

Pahor said that the political and especially economic relations between the two countries are increasingly improving, as evidenced by today's opening of a new factory in Indjija.

After a time of crisis that affected both countries and reduced trade exchange for about a third, during 10 months of 2010, trade between Serbia and Slovenia has increased by 11% in relation to the same period last year, this being proof that Serbia and Slovenia are exiting recession slowly but surely, Pahor said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Regional Development Mladjan Dinkic said that an increasing number of foreign companies in Serbia are trying to open a factory or some other production facility, noting that this summer around 40 foreign investors discussed the possibilities for investing in Serbia, while today this number has increased to 100.

Indjija is one of the municipalities with the largest number of foreign investments, he observed, recalling that 15 foreign companies are already doing business there and that the unemployment rate is below 6%, which is lower than the EU average.

Dinkic added that sheet metal for the Fiat factory in Kragujevac will be zinc-coated in Indjija, which will improve the quality of vehicles.

President of the Vojvodina Executive Council Bojan Pajtic declared that there are around 220 foreign companies in the province, noting that in 2010 alone 33 were opened and 7,500 people employed.

Indjija Mayor Goran Jesic observed that there are five Slovene investments on the municipality’s territory.

Slovene concern Maxim from Celje has another zinc-coating factory in Cuprija, while the newly opened one in Indjija is the most modern in the Balkans and will hire 200 workers.