770 EUR in average was delivered to every Serbian citizen from donations and loans.
Serbian EU membership has been economical and national priority to all governments of Serbia since 2001. It is completely understandable because EU is the biggest external partner of our country and we place 60% of our export to EU. EU is also the biggest investor in our country and we have gotten most help from there. 770 EUR in average was delivered to every Serbian citizen from donations and loans. However, according to research of public opinion about EU orientation, done by Governmental Office for EU Integrations in December last year, 41% of respondents would vote for membership which is significantly less than at the beginning of the last decade.
Part of the public and experts among them believe that Serbia can look around. There are markets on other sides also. When we observe everything, many are agreed that we are not using our agreements with Russia, Belarus and Turkey enough…although our export to these countries since 2009 records annual growth of 30 to 40 percent.
Bilateral relations between Serbia and Russia are on the rise and economical cooperation should be accelerated maximally- Russian Ambassador in Serbia, Aleksandar Cepurin has stated to Tanjug recently. According to his words, Russia has invested 2,5 billion EUR so far and, according to existing projects, it will invest billion and a half more in the next two to three years.
It is interesting that according to mentioned research of Governmental Office for EU integrations, 35% of respondents answered that Russia is the biggest donator in Serbia since 2000. 34 of respondents consider EU as the biggest donator.
According to documents of Governmental Office for EU Integrations, participation of EU in the total nonrefundable approved help to Serbia in period of 2000-2010 is 4,5 billion EUR i.e. 78,59%. Mostly through approaching funds (IPA)- little more than 2,2 billion EUR. If Serbia was EU member, it would get 1,4 billion EUR yearly, and it is only 200 million at the moment.
EU members have helped Serbia individually. Germany the most with 1,1 billion EUR. The next is Italy with 273,6 million and Sweden with 207,7 million EUR. Norway gave 182 million EUR and Switzerland 132,5 million EUR in the first decade of this century.
USA with 630 and Japan with 96,65 million EUR are the first of non EU countries. China provided 3,6 million EUR and a million of this amount was last year.
Source;Serbia Times/Agencies/Politika
