In the occasion of the 82. International Agricultural Fair held from 9 to 15th May 2015 in Novi Sad, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, Veterinary Directorate and the EU Delegation in Serbia, held a press conference dedicated to the presentation of the results of the EU project “Capacity building of the national animal compensation fund and other services”. The conference presented the results and plans for the formation of future compensation fund which would cover damages caused by diseases in domestic animals.

As pointed out by the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Agriculture Mr. Zeljko Radosevic – the basic goal of establishing the National Compensation Fund is a mutual support, cooperation and financial responsibility that should be divided between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and other participants – stakeholders (private sector) in the event of an outbreak of animal diseases.

He has also stated that the Republic of Serbia has already built an effective mechanism of compensation for certain animal diseases. But it was noted that it was necessary that the Republic of Serbia, taking into account best practice in other European countries, should promote its own model, in order to ensure sustainable and adequate level of support for livestock breeding.

This was confirmed by Mr. Oskar Benedikt, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation in Serbia, by adding that the EU gives high priority to the prevention and control of animal diseases through defining common legislation in this area. Mr.Benedikt stressed that the EU also pays great attention to responsibility and cost sharing in the sense that the government, industry and growers must demonstrate their responsibility by taking over their duties in the process of meat production.

Public private forum (a discussion session) was organized after the press conference. It was organized in the presence and with participation of representatives of stakeholders (producers and their associations, insurance companies and representatives of state agencies) who are considered to be interested in establishing the operation of this fund.

At the meeting, Acting Director of the Veterinary Department Dr. Dejan Bugarski and project Team leader, Dr. Mirzet Sabirovic, explained the concept of the compensation fund and opened a discussion on the presented preliminary results of the project team work. This first concept essentially presents two main legislative approaches, with a total of five sub-models for cost sharing and accumulation of assets within the fund.

Representatives of the stakeholders have shown high degree of understanding for the need of compensation fund to be established in the Republic of Serbia. They have been particularly content with the fact that the fund should have cumulative character and that in all important decisions regarding the purposes of the assets of the fund they could participate directly or through the representatives of their producers’ organization.

It was concluded that the proposed models, as well as new options that would be arising from the future dialogues with the interested parties, must be further discussed until the suitable solution for Serbia’s needs is found.