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MR. DRASKOVIC: PELLET PLANT IS ABOUT TO BE COMPLETED

13. January 2014.

Мedvedja – The President of the Municipality of Medvedja, Slobodan Draskovic, said that a pellet plant would soon start operating in that municipality, that a total of about one million euros would be invested in it and that around fifty workers would be employed there. 

"The procedure for recreuting new workers is underway, the plant has been registered and the machines are here.  I expect that the customs will do their job, so that we could start assembling the machines," said Mr. Draskovic.  

"There will be 17 workers in the first round, while the factory will have a total of 30 to 40 employees. There will be a total of 50 workers, including sub-contractors," he added.  

"Since seventy percent of the municipality of Medvedja is covered by forests, we have plenty of timber, so that there won't be any problems with the raw materials,"  Mr. Draskovic said.

"As far as the marketing of goods is concerned, a few prospective buyers have already emerged and I expect that the director, who is going to be appointed, will begin concluding some preliminary contracts  before the first kilogram of pellets leaves the factory," he added.  

The local self-government, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and EU PROGRESS are involved in the funding of the project.

EU PROGRESS participated in the project with about 90, 000 US dollars, while Medvedja's share in the project is 10, 000 dollars, which was spent on the renovation. The Municipal Assembly raised a 30, 000, 000 dinar loan, so that we could, among other things, pay the VATand what is necessary. The rest of the money was provided by the Government of Slovenia, which is about 400, 000 euros. The total investment in the plant ranges from 1,000,000 to 1,200,000 euros," said Mr. Draskovic.

He says that works on revamping the rural roads are now being done in Medvedja.

“We will put the emphasis on the rural roads, which are in a rather poor condition, next year, too.  Those are country roads. We will also work on improving the asphalt infrastructure, as well as on the panels or on providing a better source of solar energy, "said Mr. Draskovic.

"Two companies got the approval to build solar panels in the municipality of Medvedja," he added.

“We sub-leased them some roofs, so that we expect those projects to be implemented promptly. But until people from those companies arrive, I can’t speak about anything or give you the exact starting date of the project.  Next year we will be working in the area of Sijarinska spa, where we should be building a so-called water polo hotel. In fact, we received support from the Basketball Federation of Serbia, while there are also some interested donors for the construction of the hotel, which would be used for the rehabilitation of water polo players and other sportspersons who need it, "said Mr. Draskovic.

At two open competitions of the Coordinating Body for the Municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja, a total of twelve entrepreneurs from the municipality received the incentive funds.

“The projects are worth about 30,000 euros. Some of the  entrepreneurs have already implemented their projects, some projects are in progress and I expect that all twelve entrepreneurs will properly justify the received funds. We are working on a project of gerontological nurses because a lot of elderly people live in the municipality of Medvedja.     We used to have fifteen gerontological nurses, but we reduced their number to six. Now the City Council has once again reached the decision to engage 15 gerontological nurses, "said Draskovic.

According to an earlier project, the construction of a prison was planned in the municipality of Medvedja. Mr. Draskovic said that the land had already been expropriated.

“The land is ready and it is waiting for investments, which is under the responsibility of the  Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia ", he added.  

“We will be working, through the Youth Office, on other projects that have to do with providing help to young people and to farmers.”  

The competition was announced and the submission of requests for incentives to farmers is underway, "said Mr. Draskovic. 

The opening of Mutivode crossing between Serbia and Kosovo and Metohija for the goods, too, would mean a lot not only for the municipality of Medvedja, but also for the whole Jablanica District.

“After all these events and elections in Kosovo and Metohija, we expect that the crossing will  finally begin operating.  It is extremely important for the region of Leskovac, Medvedja, Lebane and the entire Jablanica District.  The nearest crossing between this area and Kosovo and Metohija is here and I think that Medvedja will benefit from it”, Mr. Draskovic said. 

Source: Jugpress and Coordination Body