Thanks to candidate status, Serbia will be able to get at least EUR 200 million from IPA funds each year for infrastructure projects, said Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Milutin Mrkonjic.

"Gaining of EU candidate status is great news for Serbia that opens news perspectives," Mrkonjic said while checking the works on a bypass around Belgrade, adding that the money could be invested in important traffic projects and the energy sector.

"These are the projects that Europe wants, and they should be our greatest development chance in the next couple of years," the minister underlined.