June 12 (SeeNews) - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) appointed Zsuzsanna Hargitai as director for Serbia and the Western Balkans, the bank said.
Based in Belgrade, Hargitai will succeed Daniel Berg, who is leaving the EBRD after almost 25 years of service, the bank said in a statement on Monday.
Hargitai will be introduced to the Serbian authorities including prime minister Ana Brnabic by EBRD Vice President Banking, Alain Pilloux, in Belgrade this week.
"My goal will be to further increase our investments and policy reform support in the region in light of the countries’ European Union (EU) perspectives. The EU approximation and accession process is a major reform driver and it also enhances the region’s attractiveness for private sector investments," Hargitai said in the statement.
The Serbian government said on Monday that the EBRD plans to set up a regional office for the Western Balkans in Belgrade.
The EBRD has been investing around 1 billion euro ($1.2 billion) each year in the Western Balkans. One of the bank’s priorities is infrastructure development to foster economic growth in the region and connect the countries closer with each other and with Europe, the bank said last month.
The bank has so far invested more than 10.6 billion euro in the region, which comprises six countries - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia.
($ = 0.8476 euro)