VISIT TO “AGRO-ADRIA” AND “NURA PLAST” COMPANIES

President of the Coordination Body for the Municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja, Zoran Stankovic, along with the U.S. Ambassador Michael Kirby and Secretary of State for Youth at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Nenad Borovcanin, visited the  “Agro-Adria" company in Veliki Trnovac, which is situated near Bujanovac.

On the occasion of visiting the "Agro-Adria" company, which produces meat products, Mr. Stankovic, the Coordination Body’s President, said that the Coordination Body had granted to the company 3.7 million  dinars, thereby committing it to hire six workers. 

"This is the beginning of our involvement in the municipalities of Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja, where we will continue to provide incentives to small and medium-sized companies," said Mr. Stankovic. He pointed out that the importance of engaging the U.S. Ambassador in the project was to secure more funds for investments in the three municipalities.

The U.S. Ambassador, Michael Kirby, said that the "Agro-Adria" company from Veliki Trnovac was a genuine example of a private business that was in partnership with the local community, representatives of the Serbian government and USAID for the purpose of improving the economic situation and employing young people. Ambassador Kirby expressed his satisfaction with the fact that the company used the equipment, which had been provided to it by the Coordination Body and which helped to improve the production and create new jobs.

"This is surely a good example that ought to be followed," said Ambassador Kirby and expressed the hope that there would be even more such examples in the future.

The Secretary of State for Youth, Mr. Borvcanin, said on that occasion that job creation was an opportunity for young people to work in the place where they were born.

“Together with the Coordination Body, the U.S. Ambassador, the local self-government and the local youth offices, we plan to train the young in the future, so that we could enable them to develop their own entrepreneurial spirit and start opening their own companies, "said Mr. Borovcanin.

Noting that an American Ambassador visited the village of Veliki Trnovac after 12 years, Nagip Arifi, the mayor of Bujanovac, said that an agreement had been reached on giving priority to the economic development of the municipalities in the future.  

"The Coordination Body will help us to create new jobs and hire more young people," Mr. Arifi said.

Mr. Stankovic, Mr. Kirby and Mr. Borovcanin attended the round table with the selected youth leaders from southern Serbia. The roundtable was held at the "Rozafa" hotel in Bujanovac.

After Bujanovac, the three officials visited the Presevo-based wood-manufacturing company "Nura Plast"."I am very pleased that I have visited, together with the representatives of the Government of Serbia, the company that is doing well and I’m impressed by what I have seen," said Mr. Kirby.

During a tour of the company, the Coordination Body’s President reiterated that the main problems in the area were ​​economic ones.

"This is one of the companies that received grants in the amount of 15 thousand euros. They bought the machine, employed two workers and proved that they were very successful in doing business. The plan for the future is that the companies from these regions also receive funds, so that they could improve their production capabilities, "said Mr. Stankovic.

President of the Coordination Body stressed that this would provide employment and contribute to the easing of tensions when it comes to the problems with the existential issues of the people from the area.

Source: Coordination Body’s Office