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AUTHOR:
DATE AND TIME:
12.31.2020. 18:00 – 31.12.2020. 18:10
Although he worked without a day off for months, at the end of 2020, which was the most difficult of the last twenty years when it comes to the economy, Finance Minister Siniša Mali said he was satisfied that the state reacted quickly to the crisis and we avoid black scenes. seen in much more developed countries.
– From the payment of five minimum wages for more than one million fifty thousand employees, delays in the payment of taxes and contributions, through the guarantee scheme of two billion euros, cheap loans from the Development Fund, up to one hundred euros that we deliver to adult citizens. We also had a 10 percent increase in health worker wages since April, we paid one-time assistance to retirees twice, we provided assistance to hoteliers, entrepreneurs and catering companies. The result of these measures is that Serbia will have the smallest drop in GDP in Europe.
Does that mean that our finances are stable?
– Absolutely. The state has reserved a total aid package of six billion euros this year, without compromising macroeconomic stability and the health of public finances. If you look at the projections for the next two years, according to the European Commission and the IMF, Serbia will have the highest growth. For citizens, that means more jobs and higher wages and pensions.
What is the plan for 2021, can you expect more state intervention?
– I do not rule out help during 2021. The minimum wage will increase 6.6 percent from January 1, I expect an even greater number of foreign investors. We are not going to give up the goal that by the end of 2025 the average salary in Serbia will be 900 euros and the average pension 430 euros.
How do we manage to get money to help the state, the opposition criticizes you for borrowing too quickly?
– With the budget surplus of the previous four years, we had sufficient reserves to finance partly from the budget and partly from borrowed funds. In our time, when the world’s greatest economic crisis occurred, Serbia borrows at an interest rate of 1 percent, in its time, when there was no such big crisis, the interest rate at which they borrowed was 7 , 25 percent, so make a difference. Not to mention that in addition to the 750 billion deficit, the huge increase in public debt, there are those who led the previous government, not to mention Dragan Djilas and his ilk, who became personally rich, and the state collapsed and the citizens lost their jobs.
Speaking of citizens, how many of them lost their jobs due to the crisis and how many of them will lose their jobs in 2021?
– In the third quarter, the unemployment rate was 9 percent, in the first quarter it was 9.4 percent. This shows that not only have we not had mass layoffs, but some industries have organized in a way that employs more.
I wish the citizens health and more money.
What would you say to the citizens for the New Year?
– Taking into account the coronavirus, I wish citizens the best possible health and that they are protected. I also wish you higher salaries and pensions, that is, more money in your wallet.
How often do you listen to President Aleksandar Vučić, does he criticize you?
– We listen to each other every day, we probably see each other almost every day because it is very important to him how the whole system works, he likes to take care of every dinar. He asks, “Did you do it or not? You said: it will be in two days, here it is the next day. It is very difficult to explain to him if some things have not been done. He is a person who pushes, presses and pushes everyone forward, and that is his role, that is why he is the president of Serbia and the person behind the results. It is a pleasure for me to be part of your team and I believe that as a team we function well and we understand each other.
Serbia has a women’s government, how do you comment on that and how do you evaluate the work of Prime Minister Ana Brnabić?
– Ana is a true leader and I appreciate her very much. I am glad that there are more women in the Government, that shows our commitment to equality. Women have always been more careful and precise than men. We all make a good team together.
Who in the government do you meet more privately with?
– I would highlight Bane Nedimović, Irena Vujović, I had many contacts with Tatjana Matić.
Do you miss Rasim Ljajic?
– I had a good relationship with Rasim. I support the decision you made and hope that we will have the opportunity to cooperate in the next period.
Siniša Mali, Photo: Hello / V. Marković
There are shootings in the Government, but you rarely get into conflicts, how do you do it?
– I get into conflicts, but I do it in a more professional way, without involving the media. After all, each of the ministers is aware and developed enough to know what and why they are doing something. I will never participate in that, but I will always speak my mind because, after all, that is expected of me as Finance Minister.
The government has a temporary mandate, is that a difficulty or an incentive for you to be more efficient?
– Time is running out, there is not much time and for me it is more of an incentive than a limiting factor.
Congratulations to Vučić for defending the interests of Serbia
You were the first to leave the White House in Washington and inform the public that there was a document in front of Serbia that implied the mutual recognition of Serbia and Kosovo. Can you tell us something about that?
– There was point 10, which meant mutual recognition, where President Vučić said very clearly: “I am not here to spoil the game, but I am sorry to tell you that this is not acceptable to us.” We said that we want to make and implement an agreement, that our economies in the region work together so that all citizens benefit, but there is a line that we do not want to cross. I take my hat off to the president for having the courage and protecting the interests of our country.
You are often in the Assembly of Serbia, Dragan Markovic Palma accused you of drinking too much coffee, how much truth is there in that?
– No way. I’ve never tasted coffee, I don’t know what coffee tastes like. If I drink something, I drink tea or lemonade. Mr. Palma was not here, but it is part of his approach that he always wants to say something to get attention. At the time, I was sitting in parliament and he tried to use it, not knowing that I had never tasted coffee in my life.
Did you manage to explain to Palma what bitcoin is?
– I hope so. Most of the young and innovative companies are increasingly using such investment tokens, cryptocurrencies, bitcoins.
How do your children react to the work you do and how will you spend the next vacation?
– It is not a simple question and there is no simple answer. I have two sons and a daughter, they are happy that we managed to do all this, they see progress, but it is not easy for them when I am not there. My father should be there too, and it often happens that I have an obligation that must end at that time. As for the New Year and Christmas, it is the most beautiful part of the year for me. I will be with the children, we are alone, we will not go anywhere. We will open the presents a little, we will play “Risk”.
Are they hitting you?
– In “Risk”, there is a dead race between me and my oldest son, but I think I’m better on average. My daughter is the luckiest. My youngest son is a bit disinterested because he doesn’t like to lose and when he loses it is a big problem. Lately, whenever we can, we go to the Ušće park and play volleyball.
You said your youngest son doesn’t like to lose, how do you handle defeat?
– I passed another exam related to alternative investment management, it was very important to me. When you fight, you experience both victory and defeat. Defeats shouldn’t stop you. On the other hand, I don’t think it’s wise not to learn something from those losses.
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