SRPSKA'S NATIONAL BONDS - SECURE INVESTMENT

BANJA LUKA, MARCH 25 /SRNA/ - The decision of the Republika Srpska Government regarding the first issuance of national bonds represents a quality and secure investment, as well as an opportunity to attract new investors to the capital market, according to the panelists and participants of today's Fundamental Investment Conference in Banja Luka.

Marko Janković, the president of the Securities Commission of Serbia, assessed that national bonds also represent a secure investment when ranking various risks in investing.

Janković emphasized that Serbia is also considering national bonds and that the Ministry of Finance is analyzing the possibilities for such bonds to appear on the Serbian market.

"We see that countries in the region have already issued these types of bonds with good results," Janković told reporters in Banja Luka.

He added that Serbia has aligned regulations with European directives and is continuously working on innovations to ensure that the capital market is on par with European standards.

Ognjen Mihajlović, the president of the Securities Commission of Republika Srpska, emphasized that all previous bond issuances have been presented transparently and that more informed citizens have already been purchasing bonds.

According to him, the issuance of national bonds is aimed at individuals or the ordinary citizen.

"This pilot project is meant to bring people closer to and show them what savings bonds are. I believe this project will be successful," Mihajlović said.

He added that certain data about the market and the regulatory framework will be presented at today's investment conference.

"We have survived the transformation of investment funds, changed the laws, enabled new products, and I believe that next year we will adopt new laws that will be fully aligned with European directives, creating an investment situation that holds authorized participants accountable, ensuring more efficient supervision," Mihajlović explained.

He has said that a new capital market law is planned, as well as the drafting of a bill on alternative funds.

The "Fundamental" investment conference gathered in Banja Luka around 200 participants from Serbia, Croatia, and BiH.

The Serbian member and Chairwoman of the BiH Presidency Željka Cvijanović, the Minister of Finance of Republika Srpska Zora Vidović and the Minister of Finance and Treasury in the Council of Ministers Srđan Amidžić attended the opening ceremony.

The Fundamental Investment Conference, aimed at promoting investment, is organized by the Association of Investment Fund Management Companies within the Republika Srpska Chamber of Commerce.