At the sitting held on 3 December, the members of the Committee on Science and Technological Development considered the issue of financing science and technological development in the 2011 budget.

Minister of Science and Technological Development Bozidar Djelic pointed out that science and technological development are an issue where political affiliation means little, and that Serbia’s goal today is to export the products whose creation was helped by young people, and not export smart people, which was Serbia’s export brand in the past. By investing into science and technological development we can expect results in the traditional economic branches, as well as progress in modern technologies. Speaking of the current situation and financing priorities in 2011, Minister Djelic stated that, with the existing continuity, Serbia has for the first time appeared on the international scene as a country in progress. Research done by an institution following the citation of international scientists designated Serbia as a rising star. He stressed that this was an achievement not only of the current Government but past Governments as well and proof that continual investment into science was beginning to give result. This year saw the launching of talks with international organisations on joint projects such as the agreement with German partners for the production of biometric documents for the European market, opening of Lafarge science centre in Beocin, signing of a cooperation agreement between Russian Dubna and the Vinca Institute in the sphere of nuclear energy. The Minister thanked the National Assembly for ratifying the 200 million EUR infrastructure support arrangement with EBRD. The Ministry secured 25 million EUR from non-budget funds to finance scientific projects from 2011 to 2015, an 8.4 million EUR portion from Europe for technological firms, and a ratification of a 35 million EUR agreement with the Council of Europe Development Bank for science is also expected. All of this has secured 400 million EUR of non-budget funds for Serbian science and projects. An additional 100 million EUR will be secured for equipment so that the scientist could work on an international level. Today, Serbia allocates 0.3-0.4% GDP for science, and 4000 researchers applied for projects this year, 1700 of which are brand new so that their financing requires a 5.5 billion RSD increase in the 2011 budget. The Minister briefed the Committee members on the memo sent to the Serbian President, National Assembly Speaker and Prime Minister by the representatives of SANU, National Council for Science and Technological Development, Serbian Community of Institutes and Serbian Confederation of Universities requesting support to increase the 2011 science budget to 14.5 billion EUR. Part of the budget funds would pay for participation in international scientific organisations and projects such as CERN cotisation, as well as finance two new institutions – Centre for the Promotion of Science and Innovation Activities Fund.

Debating the item on the agenda, the Committee members called for a unified position on the 2011 science budget, stressing the need to finance technology parks and science centres from non-budgetary funds, follow and implement the science development strategy, at the same time drawing attention to the poor interest among public companies in Serbia to assist scientists and finance science.

In the continuation, the Committee debated the lack of funds to implement an agricultural and popular census in 2011. Director of the Republican Statistical Office Dragan Vukmirovic briefly repeated the problems the Office faced, and Minister Djelic pointed out that Serbia’s European perspective necessitates a census and that part of the census funds were secured from EU funds. Vuk Djokovic, State Secretary at the Ministry of Finance pointed out that the budget proposal was not finished yet, but that in its drafting Serbia’s IMF arrangement, provisions pertaining to fiscal responsibility, increased public debt, unfreezing of salaries and pensions next year and cutting the budgetary deficit in 2011 would receive special attention.

Following a short debate on the topic in which the Committee members emphasised the importance of the census, agricultural census in particular, they concluded to call for a 14.5 billion RSD allocation for science in the 2011 budget.

At the end of the sitting, Minister Djelic briefed the Committee members on the information on removal of nuclear waste from Vinca, as well as the current situation in the newly-established public enterprise dealing with the reactor decommission, proposing to inform the Committee on the issue at one of the upcoming sittings.

The Minister also took the opportunity to invite the Committee members to tomorrow’s ceremonial unveiling of a board bearing the image of Nikola Tesla and inscription Serbia - Land of Science at Belgrade Airport arrivals terminal, which would be the first impression visitors’ see upon arrival in Serbia.

The sitting was chaired by Srboljub Zivanovic, Committee Chairman.