The project’s successful completion was marked last Thursday, May 23th, with a gala cocktail party held at the International Agricultural Fair in Novi Sad, Serbia. Guests and media were welcomed at the project booth by the project team, speakers Ms. Zorica Novakovic, coordinator of operations at the Veterinary Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and Mr. Andrew Headey, Head of Operations Section III of the EU Delegation in Serbia.

Ms. Zorica Novakovic highlighted the most important project results, mentioning the great success achieved by the Ministry since the project started in 2011, and the satisfactory results of the oral vaccination process. Ms. Novakovic expressed that through the successful completion of this project, Serbia is on the pathway to earn the license as meat exporting country to the EU. She mentioned education as the key component of the project and reassured that the EU will continue to finance similar projects in Serbia.

Mr. Andrew Headey addressed guests with a brief overview of the significance of EU support for this project and other activities in the field of agriculture in Serbia, an EU-candidate country. Briefly, he stressed the importance of the public awareness aspect of the project and confirmed the decline in the number of rabies cases since the start of the project, preparing Serbia to earn the status of a rabies-free country. Furthermore, Mr. Headey expressed the significance of EU support for agricultural projects which has exceeded 12 Million Euros for Serbia and also mentioned the importance of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the EU for the country and region.

During the event, a video trailer was broadcasted summarizing the project’s highlights and importance. The project booth at the fair attracted great interest from visitors who posed questions on different aspects of the control and eradication of classical swine fever and rabies, including the scope of frequency of the vaccinations and techniques used throughout the process. They were provided with all relevant information and their questions were duly noted by the project team representatives.

Information about the project is available on the website www.vet.minpolj.gov.rs/projekti