Ministries play blame game over milk shortage

The whole system is to blame for the recent disturbance in the milk and dairy products market in Serbia, says Slobodan Milosavljevic. The Serbian minister for trade and services told B92 in an interview on Wednesday in Belgrade that "no individual" should be held responsible for milk shortages that have occurred in the past several months. Ministries play blame game over milk shortage The fact that his ministry is unable to work to solve the problem comes due to it "not having complete jurisdiction" in the matter, explained Milosavljevic, and added that its powers to act are shared with the ministries of economy, finance and agriculture, "in many areas". He also stated that he spoke to Economy Minister Mladjan Dinkic about removing customs duties in order to proceed with emergency imports of milk, but that Dinkic disagreed, "and so we did not have emergency imports". Asked who was responsible for the shortages, Milosavljevic said, "all of us together", and then explained that he meant the state, the system, and the whole government whose measures are not being implemented as planned. "There will be milk in Serbia, the situation is improving slower than expected," said the minister, and added supplies were "critically low" only in Belgrade. He could not say whether the announced milk and dairy products price hike, which is due to take place on Saturday, will also mean an end to shortages. Serbia's largest dairy, Imlek, recently announced the price increase. A group that owns Imlek and several other dairies in Serbia was recently found in breach of anti-monopoly laws - something that the company rejected. Commenting also on the possible changes in the government, the minister said this was not discussed by the cabinet, but added that it would be "normal" for the prime minister to have a say in the matter over party presidents. Considering that he was mentioned as one of the cabinet members who might lose their job in the reshuffle, Milosavljevic was asked what was the red line that he would not cross in his effort to hang on to his ministerial post. To this question he replied: "I have no red lines." Slobodan Milosavljevic (Beta, file) Ministry of Economy blames Ministry of Trade The Mladjan Dinkic-led Ministry of Economy reacted today to Milosavljevic's statements by saying it was "precisely his ministry" that was responsible for the milk shortage. "Instead of solving this problem, he is transferring responsibility onto others, while there is no milk on the shelves, and all due to bad agricultural policies," a statement from the Ministry of Economy said. The statement added that milk should not be imported, and that premiums should be increased to "at least RDS 5 per liter". "This ministry will not accept to have pockets of importers and foreign producers filled with money, when it is well known that domestic producers have sufficient amounts of milk," the statement concluded.

Ministries play blame game over milk shortage

The fact that his ministry is unable to work to solve the problem comes due to it "not having complete jurisdiction" in the matter, explained Milosavljević, and added that its powers to act are shared with the ministries of economy, finance and agriculture, "in many areas".

He also stated that he spoke to Economy Minister Mlađan Dinkić about removing customs duties in order to proceed with emergency imports of milk, but that Dinkić disagreed, "and so we did not have emergency imports".

Asked who was responsible for the shortages, Milosavljević said, "all of us together", and then explained that he meant the state, the system, and the whole government whose measures are not being implemented as planned.

"There will be milk in Serbia, the situation is improving slower than expected," said the minister, and added supplies were "critically low" only in Belgrade.

He could not say whether the announced milk and dairy products price hike, which is due to take place on Saturday, will also mean an end to shortages. Serbia's largest dairy, Imlek, recently announced the price increase.

A group that owns Imlek and several other dairies in Serbia was recently found in breach of anti-monopoly laws - something that the company rejected.

Commenting also on the possible changes in the government, the minister said this was not discussed by the cabinet, but added that it would be "normal" for the prime minister to have a say in the matter over party presidents.

Considering that he was mentioned as one of the cabinet members who might lose their job in the reshuffle, Milosavljević was asked what was the red line that he would not cross in his effort to hang on to his ministerial post.

To this question he replied: "I have no red lines."

Ministry of Economy blames Ministry of Trade

The Mlađan Dinkić-led Ministry of Economy reacted today to Milosavljević's statements by saying it was "precisely his ministry" that was responsible for the milk shortage.

"Instead of solving this problem, he is transferring responsibility onto others, while there is no milk on the shelves, and all due to bad agricultural policies," a statement from the Ministry of Economy said.

The statement added that milk should not be imported, and that premiums should be increased to "at least RDS 5 per liter".

"This ministry will not accept to have pockets of importers and foreign producers filled with money, when it is well known that domestic producers have sufficient amounts of milk," the statement concluded.