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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbian government continues strong social policy

Belgrade, 15 March 2006

Serbian Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Policy Slobodan Lalovic said today that the Serbian government is conducting a strong social policy and that it will not leave citizens to themselves in the period of transition.

Speaking at a press conference at which Lalovic and his associates presented results of the Ministry's work in the previous two years and plans for next year, Lalovic said that the Ministry did a lot in the field of legislation, adopting all necessary reform laws which will speed up reforms in Serbia.

According to Lalovic, in 2004 the share of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Policy in the total budget of the republic was 9.9%, and by 2006, the share was 14.7%.

This growth of almost 5% shows what kind of politics the government is conducting. i.e. it confirms that the government is conducting a strong social policy because its position is that in the period of transition citizens must not be left to themselves.

According to Lalovic, at the proposal of the Ministry and the Serbian government, in the past two years the Serbian parliament adopted a Law on amendments to the Law on social care, which significantly increased the level of social care in 124 municipalities in Serbia of the total of 160.

He recalled that the Law on peaceful resolution of disputes was adopted, with which a large number of labour disputes were transferred from regular courts where those proceedings lasted too long.

In the six months of implementation of the Law on peaceful resolution of disputes, 212 individual and several collective labour disputes were settled, the Minister of Labour explained. He added that another important law that was passed is the Law on the socio-economic council, which introduced social dialogue at the state level for the first time in Serbia.

Lalovic said that the Labour Law was also adopted which will, after the adoption of amendments expected to take place in May or June, enable full implementation of the Serbian government's concept.

The Law on family was adopted in February last year, the Minister said, and it regulated the issue of protection from domestic violence in a completely new way.

The Law amending the law on financial support to the family introduces the allowance for the first child, while allowances for the second and third child will be paid out over a period of two years as it is in child’s best interest, Lalovic explained.

He added that under the Law on safety and healthcare at work and by-laws due to be enacted by the end of April, an administration for safety at work will be formed, with a view to harmonise the Serbian legislation with EU standards.

Lalovic said that the Ministry’s National Employment Strategy for the 2005 to 2010 period should result in reducing the current unemployment rate of 18.5% to less than 10% in 2010.

He recalled that the government adopted a strategy of social care protection in December last year which should result in the adoption of a completely new law on social care due to be adopted in 2009.

The Ministry will continue to work on encouraging employment in the private sector whereas those redundant workers who work in large state companies will be offered alternative employment, according to Lalovic.

The Minister said that the offer of new jobs increased by 19% compared with the previous year while the rate of new employment rose by 22% against the same period.