According to Deputy Minister of Finance Milena Kovačević, Serbia envisaged the adoption of a new Law on Public Procurement in the negotiating position for Chapter 5 (Public Procurement), the Public Procurement Strategy and the Action Plan for 2018. It is expected the public debate on this matter will be initiated soon. “The experiences of developed countries and EU members are important to us on this path,” said Kovačević.
The Nordic countries are interested in investing in Serbia and have very precise expectations from the new Law on Public Procurement.
“Our greatest expectations from the new law on public procurement is to apply the criterion of the most cost-effective economic offer because we consider it to be much better than the current criterion of the lowest prices. In the long run, it can lead to greater efficiency and higher savings in the public sector,” said Jasmina Vignjević, President of the Nordic Business Alliance.
Ambassador of Finland H.E. Pertti Ikonen pointed out that public procurement is one of the tools for improving sustainable development and circular economy, stating that it should be the means of support with the adoption of innovations and new services and products.
“In talks with representatives of state institutions and the Nordic companies operating in Serbia, we recognised that there is a significant room for improvement in the implementation of public procurement, especially when it comes to applying the high quality,” Ambassador Ikonen said.
“Successful implementation of the new law will require the improvement of the skills of those who deal with public procurement,” Ikonen said.
A representative of the Danish Public Procurement Organization, Morten Kure Ringgård, said the institution’s contribution to public sector savings amounts to more than 130 million euros annually.
Director of the Swedish Development Agency in Serbia, Ola Andersson, pointed out that through the improvement of the public procurement process, Serbia has the opportunity to create a better business environment.
The seminar “Public Procurement – Nordic Experiences” is a continuation of the public-private dialogue of Nordic companies and institutions with the Government of Serbia, and is organised with the aim of providing a forum for defining conclusions on joint efforts towards further improvement of the public procurement area in Serbia.