Vucevic: State not to blame for prices, retailers should come to their senses, annual turnover in Serbian stores EUR 5 billion

The prime minister of Serbia, Milos Vucevic, said that the state was not to blame for the high prices of groceries and that retailers should come to their senses and that it was not right for them to “fleece the citizens”. He stated on TV Pink that the annual turnover in Serbian stores was EUR 5 billion and that it amounted to a third of the state budget.

– Nobody is against market economy, but we don’t tolerate cartels – added Vucevic.

He said that the state would carry out a control of the operations of pharmacies regarding the way they formed the prices.

– We will see how pharmacies are forming the prices, in order to see whether what the citizens are paying really costs that much – he said.

He said that it was not disputable that pharmacies needed to earn money, but “not five or ten times more.”

– Reduce your appetites. You can’t have the whole cake – said Vucevic.

He also said that Serbia had stopped the inflation and that he expected it to be 4% at an annual level.

Miloš Vučević

grocery prices

retail margins

prices in pharmacies

trade cartels