Serbia passes labour, pension laws in reform drive

BELGRADE, July 19 (AFP) : Serbia approved laws reducing job protection and raising the retirement age for women on Friday in the first steps of deep reforms to revive the seriously flawed economy, and fight high unemployment.

Parliament is also set to debate privatisation and bankruptcy law by the end of the month as part of the wide-ranging reforms. Serbia, which is heading for a public debt of 70 per cent of gross domestic product this year, began negotiations in January to join the European Union.