At the sitting held on 26 November, chaired by the Committee Chairman Zoran Masic, the Agriculture Committee considered the Bill on the Budget of the Republic of Serbia for 2008, Schedule 14 - Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management. The sitting was attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Slobodan Milosavljevic and associates and the State Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, Janko Guzjan.

Before commencing in accordance with the agenda, the Committee members observed a minute of silence to pay respect to the late member of parliament and Committee member, Mika Vlaovic. The Committee Chairman, Zoran Masic informed the Committee that, at the proposal of the DPS-NS Deputy Group, the National Assembly elected member of parliament Dejan Stojiljkovic as new member of the Agriculture Committee.

The Committee members adopted the following conclusions of the sixth sitting held on 12 October:

1. to have the Commodity Reserve Directorate submit to the Agriculture Committee more thorough information on the state of reserves in stock following control by the Commodity Reserve Directorate;

2. that the Committee accept the Information of the Directorate of Forests on forest fires on the territory of the Republic of Serbia in 2007 and the activities on the mitigation of consequences;

3. that the Committee forward a request to the Government of the Republic of Serbia to secure funds for the reparation of damage in forests which suffered wildfires from the budget reserves and possible rebalance from the 2007 budget and Ministry of Agriculture funds, as well as funds for reforestation;

4. that the Committee forward a request to the Government of the Republic of Serbia to secure funds from NIP and the 2008 budget for the purchase of airplanes and modernisation of wildfire fighting equipment;

5. that the Committee forward a request to the Government of the Republic of Serbia to draft a natural disasters bill, a civil protection bill and a National forestry strategy;

6. that the Committee forward a request to the Ministry of Agriculture to define the position for reimbursement for damages in the area of agricultural production in the 2008 budget;

7. that the Committee forward a request to the Ministry of Agriculture to have the Directorate of Forests promote forest security.

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Slobodan Milosavljevic pointed out that the Ministry is not satisfied with the 27.2 billion dinars allotted to agriculture in the 2008 budget. Although the amount is higher by 1.2 billion dinars compared to 2007, the allotment today is lower than in 2006. A significant increase of funds intended for subsidizing and capital investment into agricultural equipment and mechanisation is planned for 2008. The Ministry will secure significant means from NIP credit lines, mainly for water management projects.

After the discussion, the Committee members agreed with Minister Milosavljevic that one of the upcoming sittings should deal with the presentation of the Food Security Draft Bill and Draft Bill on Seeds which are in the final drafting procedure.