Doc. Dr Ferenc Vicko, State Secretary at the Ministry of Health, stressed the importance of the Bill stemming from the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The implementation of the Protocol calls for the control of the tobacco product supply chain at the national, regional and international level, which is an efficient way to combat illicit trade in tobacco products, said Vicko.

Dr Aleksandar Bojovic, representative of the World Health Organization Office in Serbia, endorsed Serbia’s efforts to ratify the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, stressing that the illicit market leads to increased availability and with it increased use of tobacco products, which is a serious problem for public health.

The Committee members accepted the Bill on the Confirmation of the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, by majority vote.

The sitting was chaired by Committee Chairman Dr Sci. med. Darko Laketic, and attended by the following Committee members and deputy members: Dr Branislav Blazic, Prof. Dr Milan Knezevic, Dr Dragana Barisic, Dr Ljubica Mrdakovic Todorovic, Dr Svetlana Nikolic Pavlovic, Dr Desanka Repac, Danijela Stojadinovic, Dr Danica Bukvic, Branka Stamenkovic, Gordana Comic, Dr Muamer Bacevac, Dragan Vesovic, Dr Milovan Krivokapic and Dr Zarko Korac.