Regional finance ministers see "common objectives"

Regional finance ministers see "common objectives"

BEČIĆI -- Regional countries have potential for dynamic economic growth and wish to have greater fiscal sustainability, balanced public finances and less gray economy.

That is what finance ministers of regional states concluded in Bečići, Montenegro, on Friday.

The biggest problems in regional states are a high unemployment rate, budget deficit, a large share of the public debt in the gross domestic product (GDP), it was noted at an annual Southeast Europe (SEE) summit of finance ministers and central bank governors, which Belgrade-based weekly NIN is organizing for the third year in a row, with Tanjug as the media partner.

Goran Svilanović, secretary general of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), said that the objective is to create one million jobs in the next several years.

Without that, economic growth will not be possible, Svilanović said, noting that, since 2008, 800,000 people lost their job.

He said that in June each year a report will be made concerning the economic situation in regional countries.

Montenegrin Finance Minister Radoje Žugić said that regional countries have the potential to become the most dynamic part of Europe in economic terms.

Žugić noted that regional countries have similar problems and the same goals.

The objective of all regional states is to achieve greater fiscal sustainability, without putting the standard of living at risk, particularly that of the most vulnerable population, that being pensioners and workforce with the lowest salaries, Žugić said.

Croatian Finance Minister Boris Lalovac underscored that the fight against the gray economy is a...