Putin Promises Jobs, Boost in Trade, Investment to Serbia

Exports and Russian investment could give a strong push to the Serbian economy, Russia's President Vladimir Putin said in a press conference with Serbian PM Aleksandar Vucic.

"We are ready to invest" in energy, machine building, railway and agriculture, Serbian B92 radio quoted Putin as telling reporters while in Belgrade on Thursday.

Investment could be doubled and reach USD 6-10 B in just three years while Europe is enforcing sanctions on Moscow and Russia is banning its food production in response.

Stressing South Stream "cannot be realized unilaterally," the President told Vucic, who had earlier made clear the pipeline "cannot start and end in Serbia," referring to Bulgaria's move to freeze the pipeline at the request of Brussels in June.

In Putin's view, the project "is beneficial for European consumers".

The Russian President also made clear Moscow's stance on the integrity of Serbia and against the independence of Kosovo will not change.

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