Organised by Economist Conferences
Ladies and Gentlemen,
One of the suggested topics for this afternoon’s discussion is: “What will the role of the new High Representative be?”
As I am the new High Representative I believe I am well placed to address this question.
So let me begin with a short job description.
It is short because, as most of you will know,
I am here to assist, to advise and to advocate and, in this way, to help
I have made it clear since I took up my duties at the beginning of February, that I will not do the jobs that the institutions and elected leaders of this country must do.
The time has come for the politicians of
To put it simply, I will achieve more, by doing less.
As we move into a period of political campaigning ahead of the October elections we are already hearing the kind of populist rhetoric that plays well in the short term but adds little to the sober and productive resolution of pressing issues.
I am being asked to intervene.
I won’t unless either the stability of
The electorate will determine which politicians they judge to be responsible and to be capable of serving their interests.
Candidates are responsible to the people, not the High Representative.
My duties as High Representative include helping
In this context, I have a continuing and important role to play in lobbying for
It is as EU Special Representative that I will help steer this country towards the European mainstream.
One area where I have been lobbying for
I led a delegation of IT entrepreneurs from
We urge companies to compete more effectively in the global market, and yet we expect them to do this with one hand tied behind their back as far as freedom of movement is concerned.
I was impressed when we were in
They all displayed the dynamic and creative drive that is necessary to take a company forward.
This is something I understand. Before entering politics, I spent many years running our family business, which began small and steadily grew to become medium-sized. I am therefore sympathetic to the challenges facing small and medium-sized enterprises and have, I think, a clear idea about what has to be done in order to meet these challenges.
I can therefore play with confidence the role of Pied Piper for international investment in
This is a role in which I fully believe.
As a businessman I can tell you there is huge and as yet untapped commercial potential in this country. The yearly growth rate could and perhaps should be twice today’s five per cent.
Most of the physical damage of the war has been repaired, and politically and economically
For prospective investors, this means that
The reality is much, much better than the image.
Indeed, I would go as far as to argue that from a European investment point of view
This is an economy where
- The inflation rate is among the lowest in the Balkans;
- The Convertible Mark remains among the most stable currencies in the region;
- Exports and industrial production are increasing (albeit from a low base); and
- Interest rates have halved since 2000.
This robust performance has been sustained by substantial improvements in the business environment.
- The previously fractured and inefficient customs system has been integrated under the Indirect Taxation Authority, and the unified customs service has halted the haemorrhaging of revenue that was a function of the old fractured customs system;
- Utilities regulation is in the process of being brought up to international standards;
- Banking reform, which got properly underway in 2002, has produced a vibrant finance sector that is beginning to channel funds into promising small and medium-sized enterprises;
- Standards of corporate governance at public companies are being raised, through effective audits and through a package of recently enacted laws;
- Business registration is being streamlined and we hope that a new, more efficient system will be implemented in the autumn; and
- VAT was successfully introduced on 1 January this year.
Those of you who are from
Those of you who are from outside
Thank you