Serbian Deputy Prime Minister for EU integration Bozidar Djelic said yesterday that Prime Minister of Baden-Wurttemberg Gunther Oettinger is Germany’s candidate for the position of Commissioner in the new European Commission and Baden-Wurttemberg strongly supports Serbia.

In a statement to the press after a meeting with a parliamentary delegation from Baden-Wurttemberg and Birgit Kupfer, Deputy Chair of the standing advisory committee of the Baden-Wurttemberg council, Djelic said that Oettinger’s candidacy is very significant for Serbia, considering the fact that Oettinger is a firm friend of Serbia.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that Oettinger, with whom Serbian President Boris Tadic signed a cooperation agreement between Serbia and Baden-Wurttemberg, will visit Serbia.

He said that Baden-Wurttemberg and Germany support Serbia’s EU integration and the removal of visa restrictions for Serbian citizens from January 1, 2010.

He said that Baden-Wurttemberg proposed the preparation of the Danube Strategy until September 2010. The Strategy is expected to be adopted during Hungary’s EU presidency, in the first half of 2011. He stressed that Serbia plans to play a very active role concerning the Danube Strategy.

Djelic said next year a Baden-Wurttemberg company Reum, which produces car parts, plans to invest €10 million in opening a factory in Serbia that will employ 200 workers and will begin work in 2010.

Birgit Kupfer said that cooperation between Baden-Wurttemberg and Serbia in the spheres of economy, education and science should be stepped up.