The Report was presented by the President of the National Council for Culture Mileta Prodanovic. He said that in the period covered by the Report the Council had held seven regular and one extraordinary session to discuss its further steps and participation in the drafting of the Republic of Serbia Cultural Development Strategy, adding that the Council had submitted to the Ministry of Culture and Media its suggestions and proposals concerning the working version of the Draft Law amending and modifying the Law on Culture. The Council also reviewed the Draft Law on Archival Materials and Services, Draft Law amending and modifying the Law on Library and Information Service, Draft Law amending and modifying the Law on Obligatory Copy of Publications and the Draft Law amending and modifying the Law on Old and Rare Library Materials. The participants also discussed the options for cooperation with other European councils for culture.

Among other things, the sitting touched on the problem of social and health insurance of freelance artists brought forward by members of representative associations. The sitting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Culture and Media, Secretariat for Culture of the City of Belgrade and the Tax Administration.

Mladen Veskovic of the Ministry of Culture and Media said that according to available data, there are currently about 1,900 freelance artists living on the territory of the City of Belgrade, who owe approximately 100 million RSD in taxes, a problem that originated in the period 2009-2014. Committee member Srdjan Dragojevic believes that the problems could be solved by an interest write-off and a debt reprogramming to 60 months, which the representative of the Tax Administration agreed with.

Speaking about the problems stemming from the freelance artists’ debts, Committee Chairperson Vesna Marjanovic mentioned their inability to extend the validity of their health insurance cards and the problems concerning retirement, all due to unpaid debts.

The sitting was attended by Committee members and deputy members Branka Karavidic, Srdjan Dragojevic, and Nenad Milosavljevic.

The sitting was chaired by Committee Chairperson Vesna Marjanovic.