Subcommittee Chairman Milija Miletic said that the Subcommittee’s work has so far been very successful and hoped that the ongoing activities on improving the agricultural situation in the marginal - most undeveloped areas in the Republic of Serbia would be continued in the future.

Miletic said that the Subcommittee has so far had seven sittings, two outside of the National Assembly seat, where the Subcommittee members had the opportunity to voice constructive suggestions which the relevant Ministry took into consideration. Some of the suggestions were an amendment to the Rulebook determining areas with difficult working conditions in agriculture to classify devastated areas in Serbia as category four areas which would facilitate the development of all agricultural branches therein. They also deliberated on the implementation of the Law on Agricultural Land, especially as regards commassation and proposed an amendment of the existing law or adoption of a new law on commassation.

Miletic was pleased by the adoption of the Law amending and modifying the Law on Agriculture and Rural Development and the Law amending and modifying the Law on Stimulation of Agriculture and Rural Development at the previous National Assembly sitting, especially focusing on the subsidies for young married couples living in undeveloped areas. This means that from the third quarter of next year, young married couples would be given subsidies to set up private farms which would boost development and also keep the younger population in rural parts of Serbia. Finally, he said that the Serbian Government had recognised the underdevelopment of southeast Serbia, adding that the Subcommittee would work actively on pursuing the Serbian Government’s priorities concerning development and investment into agriculture.