The standard of living in underdeveloped municipalities in Serbia is “closer to African than to European”. However, they represent a hidden treasure for future investors, especially those in the agribusiness. All this was heard on Wednesday from Serbia’s Minister without Portfolio Sulejman Ugljanin.
Serbia has 46 underdeveloped municipalities with a total population approaching one million people, Ugljanin said at the ninth regional conference on agribusiness in South East Europe taking place in Belgrade.
He said the government is working to create a stimulating environment for investments in the whole country, undeveloped areas in particular, by preparing zoning maps and implementing e-administration.
Ugljanin, who is also the head of the Office for sustainable development of underdeveloped municipalities, says he expects electronic administration will be introduced in all underdeveloped municipalities by the end of June.
In his opinion, these areas should be viewed as possessing great potential instead of as “a bad social environment.”
“Neither Serbia nor its neighbors in the Balkans have found some unique recipe for the development of these areas. When it comes to Serbia, however, we see its future as a major agro-industrial complex and an attractive tourist destination,” said Ugljanin.
Danilo Golubović, a state secretary with the Ministry of Agriculture, said the controversy over the legal limit of aflatoxin content in milk shows that agriculture might be Serbia’s biggest resource but is also “exposed to all sorts of influences.”
“The significance of agriculture in Serbia is trifold – it ensures a steady supply of food, offers a chance for economic development, but it is also a sector with a large number of voters, so decisions are often politically rather than economically motivated,” said Golubović.
“We will try to put economics back into agriculture, to bring it down to a realistic size, point out realistic risks and address them,” he added.
Golubović said this will be difficult as the country will certainly be faced with “some non-economic, and mostly political international influences,” noting it is “up to those involved in agriculture to recognize this and up to the state to immediately come out with an appropriate response.”
The state secretary said Serbia follows the EU common agricultural policy, but strives to adapt the regulations to its own conditions and particularities.
Miladin Ševarlić, head of the conference program council, said the current government has made big changes to the strategic positioning of agribusiness in Serbia by raising the agriculture sector’s share in the state budget and imposing institutional measures.
This was achieved thanks to the passage of a law on incentives in agriculture and rural development.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Tanjug news agency will be presented with the 2013 Brand Leader Award at the regional conference dubbed Agribusiness: Natural, Market and Investment Brand of South East Europe.
In the explanation of the expert collegiate, it is stated that Tanjug has been synonymous with objectivity, speed of reporting and professionalism for years.
Source B92
