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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

World Water Day observed in Belgrade

Belgrade, 22 March 2008

Serbian Minister of Environmental Protection Sasa Dragin said today that Serbia will not have problems with the supply of clean and drinking water if measures are implemented to retain the purity of river water.

Speaking at a ceremony held to mark the World Water Day near the spring Hajducka Cesma in Belgrade, Dragin said that 80% of the communal wastewater in Serbia reaches rivers without any treatment, and announced strict control measures and penalties for polluters.

Serbia has a big problem with communal wastewater and the ministry will introduce rigorous control measures, Dragin said and added that all those who pollute Serbia will be severely punished.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection is resolving the problem of clean water together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management by amending laws, and funds collected from the penalties paid by polluters will go to the fund for environmental protection, said Dragin.

Sums will be paid from the fund to local self-governments to build local systems for purifying wastewater, said the Minister. He added that this is how Serbia will avoid the situation in Romania, which has gained EU membership, but does not have the capacity to respect EU regulations.

According to Dragin, all Serbian companies will have to obtain licenses until 2015, and not a single company will be able to begin work without an assessment of its effect on the environment.