Serbian Minister of Finance Diana Dragutinovic and Director of the division for South-East Europe at the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development Leo Kreuz signed a Record on cooperation between the two governments for 2009.

Dragutinovic said at a press conference held after the signing that Germany provided €120 million in aid for Serbia for 2009.

The Minister said that this support is the result of German-Serbian negotiations which have just concluded in Belgrade, and recalled that Germany has provided a total of €870 million since 2000.

She pointed out that this is the right way to celebrate nine years of successful cooperation, especially at a moment when Serbia and Germany are facing the consequences of the economic crisis and when everyone in the world is lacking capital.

Dragutinovic specified that Germany provided a total of €155 million to Serbia for this year, of which €121 million was given by the German government and more than €33 million by the German Bank for Reconstruction and Development through soft loans.

This assistance is aimed at increasing energy efficiency, employment and capacities of the state administration and civil society.

German Ambassador to Serbia Wolfram Mass said that Germany is Serbia’s reliable friend on its road to the EU and added that with €870 million of total aid, it is the second largest donor to Serbia, after the US.

Mass explained that the aim of the €120 million donation is to offer direct assistance to citizens and thus show solidarity with German citizens, and also to make Serbian citizens more familiar with EU regulations.