DPM Simović on occasion of World Consumer Protection Day: Results make significant contribution to protection of consumers

Podgorica, Montenegro (15 March 2018)-- The establishment of an efficient food safety system is the best way to protect public health and thus protect consumers, "said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Milutin Simović, on the occasion of the March 15th World Consumer Protection Day.

Pointing out that in the food safety control plan a precise record of the work of inspection services is kept and the public reported on a monthly basis, DPM Simović announced that in the period from June 6 last year until now, import and placing on the market 119 non-food items, weighing more than 1,000 tons.

DPM Simović reminded that in 2016, significant livestock losses were recorded due to the disease of bony cattle and blue-tongue diseases, so in 2017, the Government allocated nearly EUR 1 million from the budget reserve funds, with an additional donation from the EC in cash and vaccines, thus protecting the livestock fund in Montenegro from these two particularly dangerous infectious diseases.

“This year, funds from the budget reserve in the amount of EUR 820 thousand were also provided, as well as EC support in order to continue to protect the livestock fund, with the aim of providing healthy animals for the production of safe food, which is also a significant contribution to the protection consumers,”underlined DPM Simović.

According to his words, this year, the Program for Compulsory Animal Health Protection in the amount of EUR 1.4 million was adopted and published, as well as the program of phyto-sanitary measures in the amount of EUR 221 thousand. For the first time, this year, from the Agro budget, a special Food Safety Program is being financed, in the amount of EUR 349 thousand.

In particular, DPM Simović emphasized that intensive work and cooperation with food producers on creating conditions for achieving EU standards resulted in the EC's confidence in the Montenegrin food safety system.

The confirmation of this trust in 2017, Montenegro obtained in two areas - by placing on the list of approved facilities for the production of food of animal origin (2 slaughterhouses, 3 meat processing facilities and 3 egg production facilities), and at the same time, Montenegro was given the opportunity for a milk exports to the EU.

During the visit to Montenegro in November 2017, the European Veterinary Inspection, as a special EC directorate, confirmed that the facilities for the production of food of animal origin, which they visited, meet the EU standards and that they are also qualified for EU consumers.”We also received recommendations that serve as a guide for further improvement of the food safety system, for which the Administration is in charge, as well as recommendations for food business operators.” stressed out DPM Simović.
DPM Simović recalled that EU legislation on food safety is particularly demanding, but the plan is to complete harmonization of regulations by the end of this year in accordance with the adopted strategy.

The Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development expressed satisfaction with the work and results of the Food Safety Authority. He added that he also received messages from a recent meeting with EU Commissioner for Food Safety and Health, Mr. Andruikaitis in Brussels.