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BUILDING INDUSTRIAL MIDDLE CLASS TAKES TIME MARTIN KNAPP
Director of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (AHK Serbia)
Both German investors who are manufacturing goods in Serbia for further export or focus on the domestic market have reasons to be satisfied. Yet each group see the rule of law as a problem. Furthermore, the emigration issue is becoming a worrying subject
oday emigration bothers German companies operating at the Serbian market much more than the labor law or the incentives given to investors, says Martin Knapp, Director of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (AHK Serbia). Indeed, dual education is yielding first results thus contributing to restoration of the industrial middle class in Serbia but existing reforms of education can’t on their own reverse the emigration trends. On the contrary, industrial workers are today in high demand everywhere. However, there are many positive things which are contributing to the good economic relations between two countries and bright prospects for the future. Indeed, the status of German-Serbian relations today which is closer than ever before in history, says Mr. Knapp. “Serbia is unique in many ways, but when it comes to economy, there are a number of countries that have a fairly similar structure. We like to ask potential investors which other countries they have on their candidate list, and we almost always hear the same names. Usually, Bulgaria and Romania are on the list, quite often Northern Macedonia and Ukraine, sometimes the Baltic countries too”, says Director of AHK Serbia. Yet he adds “the investment spirit is, I think, doing quite well. All over Serbia, people are aware of the fact
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Focus
GERMANY 2020
TODAY SERBIA IS KNOWN AS COUNTRY OF ENGINEERS AND COMPUTER SCIENTISTS, AND MORE AND MORE INVESTORS WANT TO ATTRACT THEM
that investments are necessary if the prosperity of the population is to be brought in line with the European average.” In the past, it was often the cost of labour in industrial production that was decisive for an investment decision. What experiences do German companies in Serbia have regarding the business environment, the quality of the workforce and the new investment outlook?
