At the very beginning, Subcommittee Chairman Milija Miletic said that most of the sittings concerned topic in the scope of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and lead to the conclusion that establishing cooperatives is crucial for the survival of the least developed areas of Serbia. He explained that the procedures for this type of grouping had been simplified to encourage the agriculturalists to pool their resources and labour. He also reminded the attending that associations can receive non-refundable stimulation packages in marginal areas up to 55% of the price, tax free, from the state budget.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management spoke of the development, support and stimulation for the most endangered areas. A series of rulebooks adopted in the last year, such as the Rulebook for young farmers under 40 years of age, with the Subcommittee’s suggestions, would help sustain and/or improve agriculture in marginal areas. Advisory services are available in all regions to support agricultural cooperatives which give trainings even during the winter months and lectures on technological developments in different agricultural fields. They also spoke of the Rulebook on ascertaining areas with difficult working conditions which would ensure preferential treatment for the least developed and underdeveloped areas, expected to be formulated by the end of the year.

Sinisa Peric, assistant minister without portfolio in charge of regional development and coordination of public enterprises, said that the Cabinet had proposed a Governmental stimulation programme for cooperatives in the Nisava, Toplica, Jablanica, Pirot and Pcinja districts, with 200 million RSD in ear-marked funds.

Representatives of the Serb Cooperative Alliance, Assembly of Serbian Agro-Economy Producers, Association of Livestock Breeders Rtanj and the Association of fair producers “From Serbia” also spoke in the discussion.

The sitting was chaired by Subcommittee Chairman Milija Miletic, and attended by Subcommittee members Zarko Bogatinovic and Dalibor Radicevic, as well as MPs Prof. Dr Ljubisa Stojmirovic and Snezana B. Petrovic.