Serbia to seek postponement of EU trade deal

BELGRADE The new agriculture minister says he will ask the European Commission to extend a deadline for the liberalization of imports of farming products from the EU. In his first statement after the country's new government took the oath of office in Belgrade on Friday, Goran Knezevic - whose portfolio also covers forest and water management - said that Serbian agriculture will not be able to withstand the pressure of EU-made products imported with an average customs duty rate of 2.5 percent. Serbia to seek postponement of EU trade deal He explained that the trade agreements with the EU were signed with the expectation that Serbia could join the organization in 2015 - something that is clearly impossible. Knezevic revealed that he already discussed this issue with EU representative in Serbian Vincent Degert. "The period from 2014 until we join the EU is too long, and we fear that it will have a very bad effect on our agriculture, considering that we would receive significant benefits and incentives only once we join the EU," added the minister. He, however, would not discuss the details of the new cabinet's agriculture sector policy, but said that despite the fact that some measures that were "carried out well" during the mandate of the previous government will be continued - the new policy will be that of "discontinuity". Knezevic expects a series of incentives to be adopted by the end of the year, including an increase in the number of farming households receiving state subsidies. "The measures must be comprehensive and predictable, so that farmers can plan ahead. The most important thing is for them to know how the state will be treating them in the next three or four years," he noted. Serbian agriculture is also in need of capital investments, especially when it comes to building irrigation systems, Knezevic continued, and added that this will be possible "through public-private partnerships, or in some other way". "I am very ambitious, but I do not wish to make promises that I cannot fulfill. I could say right now that Serbia will turn into Holland in the next four years, that it will be a top exporter of food, but the question is, how do we arrive there. It's better to make progress one step at a time and allow farmers, and everyone else in Serbia who earn a living, to live better. If each of us, in our position, achieve some of that, I will be satisfied," concluded Knezevic. The new minister is a member of the Serb Progressives (SNS) - which he joined after leaving the Democratic Party (DS) in the wake of his indictment and arrest for alleged financial fraud. This former mayor of the town of Zrenjanin in northern Serbia has in the meantime been exonerated in court. Goran Knezevic is seen in parliament earlier this week (Tanjug) B92 Tanjug

Serbia to seek postponement of EU trade deal

He explained that the trade agreements with the EU were signed with the expectation that Serbia could join the organization in 2015 - something that is clearly impossible.

Knežević revealed that he already discussed this issue with EU representative in Serbian Vincent Degert.

"The period from 2014 until we join the EU is too long, and we fear that it will have a very bad effect on our agriculture, considering that we would receive significant benefits and incentives only once we join the EU," added the minister.

He, however, would not discuss the details of the new cabinet's agriculture sector policy, but said that despite the fact that some measures that were "carried out well" during the mandate of the previous government will be continued - the new policy will be that of "discontinuity".

Knežević expects a series of incentives to be adopted by the end of the year, including an increase in the number of farming households receiving state subsidies.

"The measures must be comprehensive and predictable, so that farmers can plan ahead. The most important thing is for them to know how the state will be treating them in the next three or four years," he noted.

Serbian agriculture is also in need of capital investments, especially when it comes to building irrigation systems, Knežević continued, and added that this will be possible "through public-private partnerships, or in some other way".

"I am very ambitious, but I do not wish to make promises that I cannot fulfill. I could say right now that Serbia will turn into Holland in the next four years, that it will be a top exporter of food, but the question is, how do we arrive there. It's better to make progress one step at a time and allow farmers, and everyone else in Serbia who earn a living, to live better. If each of us, in our position, achieve some of that, I will be satisfied," concluded Knežević.

The new minister is a member of the Serb Progressives (SNS) - which he joined after leaving the Democratic Party (DS) in the wake of his indictment and arrest for alleged financial fraud. This former mayor of the town of Zrenjanin in northern Serbia has in the meantime been exonerated in court.