PM's meeting with IMF delegation "on verge of incident"

PM's meeting with IMF delegation "on verge of incident"

BELGRADE -- The meeting between Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and a visiting delegation of the IMF was "very difficult," Economy Minister Zeljko Sertic has said.

After declaring the Belgrade Technical Fair open on Monday, the minister revealed that the meeting had ran into trouble when it comes to "the possible hike of electricity prices," and that it included "strong words and unpleasant situations."

"Today's meeting with representatives of the IMF was at moments very difficulties, I could say, even incident-like, because Premier Vucic was explaining our positions regarding these issues," Sertic told reporters.

Asked whether Serbians will have to pay higher electricity prices, and "whether salaries and pensions will be returned to their previous level," he said that "an agreement on that has not yet been reached, but will be during the day."

The minister added that there must be agreement "on certain things" because the IMF mission holds "hard positions" on issues like electricity and companies undergoing restructuring.

Sertic said he was an optimist that "a framework for all agreements will be defined by the end of the day," adding that a news conference will be held in the afternoon.

The minister stated that the IMF was "asked that Serbia should be given reasonable deadlines, after all" when it comes to delaying for a year the deadline for "16 or 17" companies whose protection from creditors is expiring.

"The general estimate is that the IMF considers the privatization process to have been slower than expected. It was expected that more companies would find strategic partners, that is, be privatized," Sertic said.