At its session held on 1 April, the Privatisation Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia discussed the request of the majority shareholder of the Krusevac-based Zupa Chemical Plant for assistance in solving problems at the company.

In addition to the buyer, Violeta Josifova, the discussion was attended by representatives of the Ministry of the Economy and the Privatisation Agency, representatives of the Strike Board and representatives of the Association of Independent Trade Unions of Serbia and the Nezavisnost trade union.

After a discussion lasting several hours, the Privatisation Committee unanimously adopted a conclusion aimed at overcoming the difficulties, recommending that the decision of the appropriate public authorities should be respected and that employees that had been laid off should be reinstated, and that a protocol on the timescale of payment of wage arrears to employees should be signed. Since the deadline for meeting contractual obligations of the buyer is ending on 28 April, the Committee resolved, unless obligations are met by the deadline, to recommend to the Privatisation Agency to initate proceedings for terminating the Sale and Purchase Contract.

At today's session, and on the basis of the proposal discussed at the Committee's 38th session, held on 17 March, the Privatisation Committee adopted a conclusion recommending the Ministry of the Economy to reconsider the possibility of foreseeing the procedure and manner of reserving assets and directing them for the development of underdeveloped municipalities.

The session was chaired by the chairman of the Privatisation Committee, Nikola Novakovic.