Minister announcing measures for controlling prices of basic products by end-year

The minister of domestic and foreign trade of Serbia, Jagoda Lazarevic, has stated today, commenting on the boycott of retail chains which “has taken over several countries like an epidemic,” including Serbia, that people are right to be dissatisfied, because “they set aside a good part of their salary for products which should nevertheless be something that is guaranteed.”

According to her, these are things that the state should not interfere with, but it should intervene somewhat, “because the essence is to protect the citizens.”

As one of the main problems leading to a price increase, the minister mentioned the lack of competition in Serbia, that is, an insufficient number of big chains which set the prices, while, as a solution, she sees the necessity of the state showing that it is ready to tackle that and take longer-term action.

When asked what might be done to solve the problem and whether it could be done by capping the profit margins, she said that numerous states capped the margins and that it was wholly legitimate, but that different activities that could be implemented should be considered.

– It would be highly unserious of me to give you a projection of the number of days (until a measure is taken), for something that has not been worked on for years, with some measures which are not ad hoc. It will happen in some future period, but certainly this year – said Lazarevic.

Ministarstvo unutrašnje i spoljne trgovine Republike Srbije

Komisija za zaštitu konkurencije Srbije

Ministry of Domestic and Foreign Trade

Commission for Protection of Competition

Jagoda Lazarević

high prices in stores

profit margins

boycott of retail chains