Serbia’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Siniša Mali met with Richard Grenell, U.S. presidential envoy for special missions, during his visit to Washington, where he is attending the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.
“It’s always good to see an old friend, Richard Grenell — this time in Washington, at the Kennedy Center. We continue to work together,” Mali said in a post on Instagram.
Mali is leading Serbia’s delegation to the IMF and World Bank meetings taking place from April 21 to 26.
U.S. Tariffs Talks Underway
Speaking to Tanjug news agency, Mali said Serbia is working on a solution regarding U.S. tariffs that affect Serbian exports, assuring citizens that ongoing discussions and analyses will lead to a favorable outcome.
“We’ve already assessed the revenue structure from duties on U.S. goods. It will be a sound decision for our economy and our citizens,” he said.
Mali noted discrepancies between U.S. and EU trade data methodologies. “While the U.S. claims a $700 million trade deficit with Serbia, our data shows we actually run a deficit of around $80 million with them,” he explained.
Talks with Investors and Economic Concerns
Mali also met with international investors in a session organized by Bank of America, calling it a “difficult but important” meeting. He acknowledged that ongoing street protests in Serbia have raised concerns among investors.
“Any reduction in our growth forecast — now revised from 4.2% to 3.5% — translates into smaller pension and wage increases and less room for new investment,” Mali said.
Push for Hosting IMF-World Bank Annual Meeting
During talks with World Bank President Ajay Banga, Mali discussed global economic challenges, including the impact of tariffs and trade tensions between the U.S., China, and the EU.
He also promoted Serbia’s bid to host the 2029 Annual Meetings of the IMF and World Bank and noted that Poland had confirmed its participation in Expo 2027 in Belgrade. So far, 94 countries have confirmed attendance, he said.
Mali added that the delegation also discussed energy independence and nuclear energy development with officials from Serbia’s IMF constituency.
