Greater cooperation between Vojvodina and a Swedish region

Novi Sad, 27 September – Bojan Pajtić, MA, President of the Executive Council of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, has received Braco Kalajdžić, representative of the Swedish region of Halland, on the occasion of opening a Swedish educational centre in Novi Sad for the needs of young people, the unemployed and persons with disabilities. Predrag Novikov, Director of the Office for European Affairs, also attended the meeting.

The President of the Executive Council, Pajtić, MA, expressed his gratitude for the humanitarian aid the Swedish guests sent to Vojvodina last year. Twenty tons of aids for persons with disabilities were distributed to beneficiaries via associations and organisations of persons with disabilities. Pajtić, MA, talked about the support of Halland, as a significant one, which provided computers and training for elementary schools in Indjija and Irig, in addition to mutual visits of teachers and students from Vojvodina and Sweden. He welcomed the opening of the educational centre in Novi Sad, which presents an excellent example of good cooperation between the diaspora and its matrix and at the same time, speaks of the traditional friendship of the people and state of Sweden.

kep Talking about the readiness of Vojvodina to cooperate with all European regions, regardless of the distance, Pajtić, MA, emphasized that cooperation with Swedish regions was interesting, not only because of traditionally good relations between our countries, but also because of the need to increase business cooperation. “A small number of companies are present in our market, especially when it is known how great the economic strength of Sweden is, as well as how great the possibilities Serbia and Vojvodina offer for investors are. Economic development, investment attraction and opening of new work places are the priorities of the Government of Vojvodina. The region of Vojvodina is a place most profitable to invest into because of its dynamic development. In only a year’s time, the unemployment rate has been reduced by 15 percent. We wish to continue with the ambitious development, to present to foreign investors the advantages we have, such as tax rates, price of estate and workforce, as well as signed free trade agreements with Russia and neighbouring countries”, explained Pajtić, MA. Braco Kalajdžić, representative of the Swedish region of Halland, said that he was pleased that the cooperation with schools and through the humanitarian aid developed so far would also spread to economic plan, and he also emphasized that a large number of business people from different Swedish regions would be present at the opening of the educational centre in Novi Sad.