The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Dr. Aleksandar Martinović held a meeting with representatives of the European Commission, Frank Bolen and Ana Novak Vud, where the status and improvement of the implementation of the IPARD program were discussed. Special attention was paid to the implementation of the IPARD III program, which, through a financial agreement with the European Commission, granted Serbia 288 million euros in grants for agriculture and rural development. The Ministry expressed its willingness to increase the absorption of funds, with technical and professional assistance to domestic farmers.
The current implementation of the IPARD III program includes two public calls within Measure 1, intended for investments for the procurement of new tractors, while additional calls for the procurement of equipment and machinery within Measure 1 and Measure 3 are planned for the end of the year. The Ministry plans to accredit three more measures to expand the availability of funds. Cooperation with IPARD agencies from Montenegro and North Macedonia is aimed at exchanging knowledge and experiences for the better use of funds, with the expectation that Serbia will reach an absorption percentage above 90%.
Martinović emphasized Serbia’s firm commitment to membership in the European Union. At the same time, he emphasized the determination of the state to fulfill all the negotiation criteria by 2026, including those in the field of agriculture. The interlocutors from the European Commission expressed satisfaction with Serbia’s efforts in implementing the IPARD program and pointed out the importance of continued cooperation.
How are we doing with IPARD funds before the new season?
At the session of the IPARD III Program Monitoring Committee, State Secretary Jelena Blagojević praised the achieved results. She emphasized that public invitations will focus on the procurement of equipment, machines and mechanization until the end of the year. Through the program’s four accredited measures, significant support for the modernization of agriculture is available to users. Blagojević pointed out that the number of submitted requests indicates the great interest of farmers in the program.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the European Commission, the EU Delegation to Serbia, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of European Integration and other relevant institutions. In the introductory speeches, the achieved results and plans for further implementation of the program were highlighted. They were highlighted, it should be emphasized, with the assessment that preconditions have been created for the withdrawal of significant EU funds and the improvement of the agricultural sector in Serbia.
See also: IPARD payment – details and future
Source: boljazemlja.com
