Serbia, Srpska to establish joint body to develop production

BELGRADE - Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said after Saturday's session of the Serbian and Republika Srpska governments that progress has been made in all fields of cooperation and that the two sides agreed to establish a coordination body to jointly develop agricultural, food and industrial production.

"Today we agreed to establish a Coordination Body that will be comprised of the ministers of the economy, agriculture and trade... to prepare joint development of production and processing of agricultural and all other products, as well as the possibility of establishing joint presence on third-country markets," Vucic said at a press conference with Republika Srpska Prime Minister Zeljka Cvijanovic in the Palace of Serbia.

The Serbian prime minister said that the body will have a very important role in boosting production - primarily agricultural, but also industrial output - in both Serbia and Republika Srpska.

There has been progress in many fields so far, and also discussed on Saturday was cross-border security and all infrastructure facilities, Vucic said.

All agreements regarding the bridge between Bratunac and Ljubovija are being implemented as planned, but activities should be stepped up on the railway line from Priboj to Rudo, Vucic said, noting that neither he nor Cvijanovic are satisfied with the situation.

He said that the issue of bus lines connecting Serbia with Republika Srpska is about to be solved soon.

"We have received a report on how the Serbian citizens' money is being spent in Republika Srpska on two schools, in Doboj and Samac," Vucic said, adding that the works in Doboj are nearing completion, while a large, modern school in the Posavina region - to be named Serbia -...