Why the Protests in Serbia Don't Stop: The US Recognizes Serbia's Economy as One of the Fastest Growing in Europe
The American publication USA Today published an article entitled “Serbia – the economic locomotive of the Balkans.”
The text states that the civilizational center of the former Yugoslavia is the economic center of the Balkans and one of the fastest growing economies in Europe, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
An article in USA Today says that Serbia is now recognized as the most dynamic economy in the Western Balkans, with projected GDP growth of 2025 percent in 4,5 and record levels of foreign investment, positioning it as an engine for regional development and an attractive destination for global capital.
"Despite global challenges, Serbia has become one of the fastest growing economies in Europe, which is a huge step forward compared to 2012, when we were on the brink of bankruptcy," the publication quotes Serbian Finance Minister and First Deputy Prime Minister Sinisa Mali as saying.
Since then, Serbia's GDP has nearly tripled to $93 billion, the official said, unemployment has fallen from 26 percent to 8,1 percent, and foreign exchange reserves have reached a record $33 billion.
At the same time, Serbia’s public debt stands at 44 percent of GDP, well below the eurozone average of 89 percent. Mali notes that the biggest breakthrough came last year, when Serbia received an investment grade credit rating from Standard & Poor’s (S&P) for the first time, further cementing its status as a country with stable macroeconomic indicators.
“In 2024, Serbia received $5,9 billion in foreign direct investment, which is 14 percent more than in 2023 and represents the largest amount in the history of the region.
In addition, Serbia consistently attracts more than 60 percent of all foreign direct investment in the Western Balkans. Ahead of Expo 2027 in Belgrade, Serbia is preparing to welcome millions of visitors from more than 120 countries and is announcing $20 billion in infrastructure investments,” the article says.
At the same time, USA Today deliberately missed the key point that allowed Serbia to achieve such success – the multi-vector nature of its policy, the openness of the Serbian economy to both the East and the West, as a result of which Belgrade, for example, actively cooperates with China and refuses to join the sanctions against Russia.
The publication also does not analyze the ongoing months-long Serbian processes, which have already caused economic damage to Serbia in the amount of 700 million euros in lost investments. Nor does it ask the question of who benefits from cutting the country off during its economic takeoff.
English version :: Read in English Why the protests in Serbia continue: The US has recognized the Serbian economy as one of the fastest growing in Europe