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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Authorities press charges against those responsible for air pollution in Pancevo

Belgrade, 16 November 2006

Serbian Minister of Science and Environmental Protection Aleksandar Popovic said today that criminal charges against those responsible for air pollution in Pancevo that occurred in the night between November 14 and 15 are being prepared, after the talks with the Prosecutor's Office.

Aleksandar Popovic

Popovic said at a regular press conference held after the government session that pollution with benzene came from "Petrohemija" chemical industry of Pancevo which, according to a decision of the Environmental Protection Directorate, was prohibited from working in the given weather circumstances.

According to Popovic, the greatest polluters of the environment in Pancevo are reservoirs and the repumping plant in "Rafinerija" and reservoirs in "Petrohemija".

Popovic stressed that the problems of outdated equipment and infrastructure of Pancevo petrochemical industry were inherited and that it is impossible to solve them during the mandate of one government. He added that 29 reservoirs have been reconstructed, while with an investment of €50,000 two repumping plants should be renovated by late 2007.

Serbian Minister of Economy and newly-appointed coordinator of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Predrag Bubalo said that the Serbian government today formally confirmed the appointment of ministers coordinators on the positions from which members of G17 Plus withdrew and confirmed mandates of state secretaries at those ministries, adding that not all of them are members of political parties.

Predrag Bubalo

Bubalo said that he examined the situation and current issues at the Ministry in which he is a coordinator and added that he will try to fulfill all duties planned for 2006.

He said that he will work on the realisation of some 700 contracts within the National Investment Plan and continue with payments to agricultural workers.

In that field, the preparation of several important laws is also expected, such as the law on plant health, law on food safety and the law on hunting.

Commenting on today's decision of the government to approve the memorandum of understanding between the Serbian government, public gas company "Srbijagas" and Russian "Gazprom" for the construction of a 400-kilometre long gas pipeline through the territory of Serbia said that it will solve the problem of supply of large consumers, such as the Fertiliser plant in Pancevo and US Steel in Smederevo, and the heating of apartments during winter.

The Minister said that this memorandum will enable Serbia to be a country through which a gas pipeline is passing, which will give her a possibility to charge prices for transportation services.

Bubalo said that the Serbian government also decided to disband municipal assemblies and set up interim administrations in the municipalities of Uzice, Smederevo and Zrenjanin because local assemblies did not abide by the legal obligation to hold sessions and thus blocked their work.