http://www.b92.net/eng/news/business-article.php?yyyy=2009&mm=10&dd=05&nav_id=62145
Russia to approve USD 1bn loan
5 October 2009 | 10:14 -> 13:54 | Source: FoNet, Beta
ISTANBUL -- Russia will approve a loan of up to one billion U.S. dollars
to Serbia to finance the budget deficit and infrastructure projects.
This is according to a statement from Russian Finance Minister Aleksey
Kudrin, who said in Istanbul today that USD 350mn would be used for the
Serbian budget, while the rest of the money would go toward
infrastructural projects.
AFP quotes an Interfax news agency report, which said that Kudrin
explained that the exact amount and conditions for the loan would be
determined in the next two weeks.
Earlier, it was announed that Serbian Finance Minister Diana
Dragutinović had met with her Russian counterpart Kudrin in Istanbul,
Turkey.
The two ministers discussed the possibility for Russia to financially
support Serbia's state budget, reports said.
It was agreed that official negotiations on the subject will be
conducted during this month, after the annual meetings of the IMF and
World Bank assemblies, the Ministry of Finance announced.
Kudrin, who is also Russian deputy prime minister, expressed Moscow's
readiness to react quickly and to, if need be, change existing
legislation in order for Serbia to receive the assistance this year –
considering that it is not on the list of countries that have been
approved for financial help in 2009.
Dragutinović thanked Kudrin for the support Russia is ready to offer
Serbia, and stressed the important role of Ambassador Aleksandr Konuzin
in coordinating the meeting.
The minister added she hoped that "this time as well, traditionally
friendly relations between the two countries would be proved".
Serbian News Network - SNN
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http://www.antic.org/
