Minth Plant in Loznica Gets 22.2 Million Euro Subsidy
A review of Ministry of Economy payouts shows the Chinese Minth Group and Belgrade hoteliers are receiving the largest state subsidies ahead of the EXPO exhibition.
A single payment of 22.2 million euros went last year to the Chinese company Minth Automotive of Loznica. The figure appears in a review of subsidy payouts published by the Ministry of Economy, reported today by the Danas newsroom.
Minth Automotive makes parts for the automotive industry and, according to that review, is the single largest recipient of state subsidies over the past two years. Another payment is already lined up for the company: 17.2 million euros next year.
The same group is expanding its business in Serbia through two more companies. Mineral Europe Green Material of Sabac, a producer of aluminum alloys, received 2.7 million euros last year. Minth Metal Parts Balkan, also based in Sabac, where production of humanoid robots recently began in partnership with the Chinese company AgiBot, has signed a subsidy agreement with the Serbian government worth 11.5 million euros. That payment starts in 2027, not next year, as the announcement might otherwise suggest.
Minth Group’s next step is an industrial robotics park in Indjija, with an announced investment of 200 million euros, for the production of robots, batteries and drones. The framework agreement for that plant was signed with representatives of the company and the state in attendance.
Other Chinese investors received smaller amounts: Lianbo Precision Technology Serbia got 2.5 million euros, Haitian Machinery Serbia of Ruma about two million euros, and Xingyu Automotive Lighting Systems of Nis has a signed contract worth 8.2 million euros.
Domestic companies are also on the list. Elixir of Prahovo received nearly nine million euros, Zlatni Plod of Sabac 4.6 million euros, Vocar Kosancic of Bojnik 3.2 million euros, and Jafa of Crvenka three million euros.
The second part of the review concerns hotels, tied to expectations that Belgrade’s accommodation capacity will be under pressure next year, when Serbia hosts the EXPO exhibition. The Matijevic family, owners of the Slavija Hotel, received a combined 1.7 million euros during 2025 and 2026 out of the 3.6 million euros contracted. Delta Real Estate Belgrade, owned by Miroslav Miskovic, received 5.8 million euros this year for construction of the InterContinental hotel, out of a total contracted 17 million euros.
The largest contracted subsidies for the hotel sector go to properties still under construction. The Ritz-Carlton hotel, through the company Danube Riverside, is set to receive more than 30 million euros. The Swissotel, through the company Euro KB Rent, about 16 million euros. The AC by Marriott, through Airport City West Gate Belgrade, 5.9 million euros.
Economist Sasa Djogovic, who tracks subsidy policy, believes the current method of allocation carries risk.
“Handing out subsidies through a ‘black box’ system fuels endemic corruption.”
Djogovic made the statement to Danas, addressing the broader question of whether subsidy allocation in Serbia is transparent and planned enough, or whether, as he argues, it proceeds without clear criteria for which companies and projects the state chooses to support.
Demand for hotel subsidies, according to announcements from the industry itself, is expected to rise further next year, precisely because of the EXPO exhibition and the anticipated influx of visitors to Belgrade.
