EMPLOYMENT ACTION PLAN MEASURES PRESENTED

Today in the City Hall, Mayor of Novi Sad Miloš Vučević and member of the City Council in charge of economy Goran Sečujski MSc announced the 2015 Employment Action Plan measures, whose implementation started with the launch of first public calls for self-employment and subsidies for new jobs.

- Last year, the City of Novi Sad allocated 106 million RSD for the active employment policy measures, 341 citizens have been employed, while the training involved 85 individuals. This year the City will continue the responsible and active employment policy and as a recognition of its results, at the end of last year the competent ministry and the National Employment Agency awarded the City a Certificate of Appreciation for a large number of high-quality proposals for solving the unemployment problems and successful implementation of active employment policy on its territory. This year we are turning primarily towards the beginning small business entrepreneurs. The subsidy for unemployment is awarded to unemployed individuals in a lump sum of maximum 300,000 RSD, while we are expecting that with these measures we will subsidise and support about 50 persons in starting their own business. The second measure involves subsidies for economic entities to create new jobs and 200,000 RSD have been allocated per new job opportunity, while the plan is to provide employment in business entities for 50 unemployed persons. The City of Novi Sad is continuing the program of university student professional practice, while for this year the plan is to involve 50 final-year university students in the practice – said the Mayor, adding that he is especially proud that this year the City of Novi Sad will for the first time allocate funds for trainings aimed at women entrepreneurs, as an incentive and support in their active involvement in all the areas of public life.

Member of the City Council in charge of Economy Goran Sečujski MSc announced the supporting measures to the development of agriculture. In addition to the already known measures of support to the development of organic agriculture, for the first time the City of Novi Sad has prepared the measures of credit support, that is, direct payments in the amount of 7 million dinars.

- In order to efficiently provide answers to the practical needs and problems of the economy and especially the creation of a favorable business environment in Novi Sad, the City of Novi Sad City has formed three advisory bodies: the Council for support of small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs, the Council for Agriculture and Tourism Council.  The task of these councils is to provide opinions and recommendations to the Mayor of Novi Sad on the improvement of the business environment and support to small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs in the City of Novi Sad territory, that is, all related issues in connection with the development of agriculture and tourism. These councils will be able to initiate and propose plans and programs aimed at improving the functioning of the economy in Novi Sad, as well as to monitor the current regulations and propose new city decisions or amend the existing. In addition to the representatives of the City - the individual members of the City Council and heads of the city administrations, the councils are composed of representatives of business associations of small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurs, farmers, representatives of tourist agencies, educational institutions and others - Goran Sečujski said and added that soon the Consumer Protection Council will be formed as well.

Novi Sad, 17^th March 2015