September 30th 2010 / Source: Beta, Tanjug
Doljevac – Rasim Ljajic, Minister of Labor and Social Policy, claims that Serbia is not that poor and that the citizens are not in such a bad position to be forced to sell their organs in order to satisfy basic needs and survive.
Certain media published information that in municipality Doljevac, near Nis, a great number of poor inhabitants decided to found the agency for selling blood and human organs. Ljajic, together with the president of the municipality Doljevac, Goran Ljubic, and director of the Social Welfare Center, Sava Stevanovic, said that the information was false, malicious and illegal.
He said that it was about drawing attention to the poverty in that region. “The very event was more a way to draw attention than something that will really happen”, said Ljajic.
Founding of the agency for selling blood and human organs was previously announced by the secretary of the Sports Union of Doljevac, Dragic Nerandzic, with the explanation that there were many poor persons who would donate their organs in exchange for money.
President of the municipality Doljevac, Goran Ljubic Medjarac said that such a statement of the municipality officer was a scandal.
“The difficulties in Doljevac did not reach the point of such a scandal. That person, together with the people who offered their public support for such an idea, receive one wage per each household and have agricultural activities in addition. I do not know what made him say that we would be ready to sell our kidneys, blood and other organs. I think this is a pure nonsense”, said Ljubic.
| Municipality of Doljevac, together with 16 surrounding villages and around 20 thousand inhabitants is one of the 40 most underdeveloped municipalities in Serbia. According to the statistical data there are 2.257 employed persons, where 70 percent work in the local administration and municipal companies. There are 2.550 unemployed persons. |
Ljajic said that both statistical data and the real life situation indeed show that the situation regarding poverty in Doljevac is harder than in 2009. “The data regarding the whole Serbia show increased percentage of those who live under the poverty threshold”.
Ljajic announced that more resources will be provided for the work of the soup kitchen; four houses will be built for four families who live in the villages which belong to that municipality and the firewood for the winter will be provided in collaboration with Srbijasume. He also said that by the end of the year Doljevac will have 400 meals more in soup kitchen that currently produces the same number of meals.