At the sitting held on 4 September, the members of the Committee on Science and Technological Development considered the Information on the realisation of programme plans of the Ministry of Science and Technological Development in 2009 and Information on the situation in Vinca.

On the behalf of the Ministry, the sitting was attended by State Secretary Snezana Pajovic and Miroslav Veskovic, Assistant Minister.

The Information on the realisation of programme plans was presented by the Ministry’s State Secretary Snezana Pajovic who particularly focused on the budgetary funds expended in the first six months of work in 2009. Out of the 7.4 billion RSD authorised by the budget, the Ministry spent over 4 billion in the first half of the year on the realisation of all planned activities and continuation of 450 science projects. She also added that the Ministry plans to complete the public debate on the Draft National Strategy of scientific and technological development by the end of September, and informed the Committee members that in that period Ministry representatives will present the Draft Strategy to the deputies.

In a short discussion on the information the deputies agreed that the funds allocated by the state for science are insufficient for its development, again criticising the budget rebalance which cut the science budget by 1 billion RSD.

Assistant Minister Miroslav Veskovic presented the Information on the situation in Vinca to the Committee members. He emphasised that the institution currently employs 800 people and realises a yearly profit of 1.6 billion RSD, 600 million of which come form its own assets. He added that the Vinca Institute is the only institution in the country in charge of radioactive waste. Aiming at a long-term solution to the problem, the Government decided to set up a public nuclear waste management enterprise which would help Vinca function as a scientific institution. In addition to this public enterprise, a Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency will also be formed as an independent body charged with dealing with these issues. Currently, the most important project at Vinca Institute is VIND, which involves transport of nuclear waste into Russia, decommission of the nuclear reactor and construction of a warehouse for nuclear waste storage. The transport of 54 billion EUR worth of nuclear waste is the project’s priority. Serbia receives significant, both financial and expert assistance for the project from Russia, the European Union, as well as some individual countries like the Czech Republic and Slovenia.

Debating the information, the Committee members wanted to know whether the new public enterprise shall deal with the issue of nuclear waste accumulated as a result of the bombing. The Assistant Science Minister stressed that the enterprise shall be in charge of all kinds of nuclear waste, including the waste incurred by the bombing. He informed the Committee members that all the topsoil contaminated by the bombing on the territory of Serbia had been removed and transported into Vinca where it was stored according to all regulations. Also, he stated that Vinca Institute should be divided into three units in the future, one of which would do scientific work, the second would deal with the practical application of projects and be market oriented and the third, a public enterprise which would deal with nuclear technology.

The sitting was chaired by the Committee Chairman, Srboljub Zivanovic.