On December 1 2014, the Enlargement Commission of the EU wrote to the Serbian Agriculture Minister regarding the situation of ‘Nani’ deer.
https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/2014/12/01/serbia-england-eu-eu-enlargement-commission-now-writes-to-serbian-agriculture-minister-re-nani-deer-asking-for-dialogue-with-epar-and-sav-we-now-wait-to-see-what-happens/
More importantly, the Serbian Minister was informed by the EU:
“As a candidate country to the EU, Serbia is encouraged to apply best EU practices, such as engaging in dialogue with stakeholders, including NGO’s. For this reason, I would ask you to give this case your attention”.
As of 20/1/15, we can confirm that there has been no attempt whatsoever by the Serbian government to enter into any form of dialogue and correspondence with us and other internationally based NGO’s attempting to improve Serbian animal welfare. The Serbian government sent a document instead to the EU, which we have reviewed and from which we find many errors.
A copy of the same Serbian ministry letter regarding Nani can be found via this link:
Document_10 (1)
Also, despite several NGO’s writing many times to the so-called ‘EU Ambassador to Serbia’ specifically regarding the situation of Nani deer; he, the EU Ambassador, has completely ignored every single effort we have made to establish contact. We have been treated as if we do not exist.
There may be many valid reasons for this; only EU officials can answer this in detail. As you can see from many of our posts over several recent years, the Serbian government is in our opinion so corrupt and its regional authorities often so very non-compliant with their own current and existing Serbian legislation; (certainly in the case of animal welfare), we can only assume that the government will not enter into dialogue with any NGO’s as it does not know how to respond to the endless questions and proofs of non-compliance with the law that we will question them with.
With fancy letters coming from Ministers aimed at the EU to keep everything looking good in the garden, the Serbian government are literally pulling a veil over the eyes of the EU Enlargement Commission by making fancy statements to make everything look good and true; but as NGO’s working within Serbia and with ‘ears and eyes to the ground’ on many, many national issues, it is probably best to say that the NGO’s know the real situation better than anyone. And the reality is, the current situation is very far from even acceptable, let alone any better.
For example, has the EU Enlargement Commission ever asked the Serbian government agriculture minister about the following situation for example ? – something we exposed years ago, where animals killed were simply dumped off to the side of a highway – presenting a real attraction for stray animals looking for something to eat ! – we would ask about this and what action has been taken as a result if we ever had the chance to enter into dialogue with the government. Maybe it is because of things like this and the difficult questions that would be asked of them, the Serbian government wishes to avoid us at all costs !
Here are the links to these photos if you want to read more about what we have said in the past:
https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/2011/12/11/serbia-dead-farm-animal-bodies-just-dumped-near-the-highway-a-perfect-food-source-for-stray-animals-a-perfect-method-of-spreading-disease-and-a-perfect-way-for-corrupt-politicians-to-keep-catchin/
Or as another case, take this issue (below) at a Serbian farm, where NGO’s were informed by the government that everything was ‘ok’. We were told ‘dont pressure us’ when we first drew attention to the issue shown here.
Dont pressure us !! – sorry but we assumed they were the government Agriculture Ministry who should be made aware, and act regarding things like this !!
Check out the following links for more photos and information:
https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2010/11/23/serbia-november-2010-conditions-ok-at-a-farm-according-to-serbian-veterinary-ministry-and-complaining-campaigners-dont-pressure-us/
https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/serbia-farm-animal-update-12111-throw-straw-in-the-liquid-excrement-and-let-them-get-on-with-it-nothing-really-changes-at-the-serbian-republic-veterinary-ministry/
At the time we were so very concerned about conditions; that we alerted CIWF here in England; asking them for a quote on what is seen (above). As part of their response; Phil at CIWF provided the following:
“It is clear beyond doubt that what is shown in these photographs does not comply with existing EU legislation, and consequently would impact Serbian accession to the EU. In the event of Serbia’s accession, these photographs could form the basis of a formal complaint to be made to the Legal Affairs Dept of the EU associated with animal welfare”.
Phil Brooke
Read more and see more on this from our past post at:
https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2010/11/26/serbia-farm-animal-conditions-update-261110-formal-statement-on-conditions-now-provided-by-ciwf-uk/
https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/2014/09/24/serbia-formal-charge-sent-to-serbian-government-regarding-those-who-profiteer-from-animal-suffering/
So where are we now ? – have these issues ever been resolved by the Serbian ‘dont pressure us’ Ministry ? – or are things like this still happening ?
If the Serbian government is ignoring the wishes of the EU Commission by refusing to enter into any dialogue with NGO’s, then we now have little option but to further disclose information regarding the current situation of Nani deer.
Basically; the government works to cover up issues, whilst we work to expose the realities.
As regular visitors to this site will be aware, and which you can see from past posts on this site, we have made many attempts over many recent months to get Nani returned to the Mitic family who will take care of her. Instead, the government has decided that Nani should be imprisoned at Zoo Jagodina.
The government letter (link further above) seems to appear very formal; but what is the actual reality of what is being said ?
Is putting Nani into a zoo a simple way of the government hopefully closing the door on the entire issue rather than actually taking the actions that are really necessary for the welfare of the animal ? – could it be the very close relationship that government officials have with the hunters that prevents them from delving deeper into the realities of the case ?
It would appear from information that we have that the Minister was actually out killing male deer with hunters on the very day that Nani was taken from the Mitic family. This being 1/8/14. So, would the Minister take action against those he was out hunting deer with ? – probably not.
Nani has now been sent to a zoo; to be yet another exhibit for people to look at.
Here is a link to the zoo website:
http://www.zoovrtjagodina.rs/
It is interesting to read one of the statements in the letter –
“Article 86 on … provides that wild animals can be kept in captivity for their own needs only if their well being is not compromised, or if their living conditions that are appropriate for the type, race, gender, age and the physical and biological characteristics, behavioral traits or animal health are provided; such wild animals shall necessarily be marked n the prescribed manner“.
The zoo declares:
“our animals Zoo offers a variety of facilities, all of which constitute the basic animal. In what kind of objects located 250 animal species with over 320 copies, whether certain types of their intellect reaches the human species, in which some kind of special, how big calves on arrival into the world, how certain animals can withstand under water and many other interesting things You can find out if you should come with us and take a look at this marvellous animal world situated in Jagodina. WELCOME! –”
Above – Bear ‘living conditions’ appropriate for the type ?
Above – Lion ‘living conditions’ appropriate for the type ?
Above – Giraffe ‘living conditions’ appropriate for the type ?
“living conditions that are appropriate for the type, race, gender, age and the physical and biological characteristics, behavioral traits or animal health are provided”
Above and below – Tiger ‘living conditions’ appropriate for the type ?
Above and below – Nani deer current ‘living conditions’ at the zoo.
Is this appropriate for the type of animal; and better than would have been provided by Mrs. Mitic at her home ?
Please take a look at the photographs above and below that have been taken at the very same (Nani current) zoo during an information gathering visit made during 12/14. We question if this is a “marvellous animal world”; but leave this for you to decide from the evidence we present. Are the zoo conditions you see in these photos so much better than the conditions in which Nani would be kept by the Mitic family ? – No. So we ask the question of rules and regulations only being applied when the government wants them to be; otherwise they are ignored.
We give an example of an illegal zoo further on in this post as an additional example of what we are saying.
“wild animals can be kept in captivity for their own needs only if their well being is not compromised”
Are people to assume that there is nothing wrong with the animals well being from the following pictures ?
Are we to assume that government ministries are ensuring that the welfare of the animals is paramount; just like they did NOT with the animals kept in terrible conditions at ‘VUK’ zoo facility in Novi Pazar, Southern Serbia,? – see the following links and pictures for more proof
2 Photographs Below – Tiger and Bear living conditions at the illegal ‘VUK’ zoo facility in Novi Pazar.
Does again the EU Enlargement Commission accept everything that the Serbian government puts before them; without raising a single question as per the wishes of animal welfare NGO’s ?
Finally, take a look at a post we issued a few years back regarding another Serbian zoo; ‘VUK’ zoo facility in Novi Pazar, Southern Serbia, from which the above photos were taken:
https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/2011/07/27/serbia-270711-investigation-reveals-illegal-zoo-operating-and-a-minister-who-does-not-have-a-clue-about-things/
Quote by NGO’s at the time – “We (NGO’s) now have official confirmation from the Ministry of Environment, Mining and Spatial Planning that they undertook an inspection of the facility on 5th of July 2011, and that it was found that the owner of zoo park, one Mr. Ismail Redzepovic, from Novi Pazar, does not possess any documentation in relation to this facility being operated / kept as a zoo park“.
Would the Serbian government ministry have even looked into the issue if NGO’s had first not exposed that this zoo even existed ? – or were they fully aware of the wrongs but actually decided to do nothing until exposed ?
https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2011/07/18/serbia-take-action-for-zoo-animals-write-to-government-minister-responsible-sample-letter-to-send/
https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2011/07/11/serbia-we-now-have-serbian-zoo-standards-documentation-is-this-legislation-a-paper-smokescreen-for-animal-prisons/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tTtV7AYWBM&feature=channel_video_title
https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2011/07/14/belgrade-zoo-park/
https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2011/07/14/serbia-jagodina-zoo-park/
https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2011/07/14/serbia-palic-zoo-park/
You have to ask; regarding Nani now being moved to a zoo, and the ‘behavioural’ conditions which are shown in the photographs; have things really changed much ? – are the ‘living’ conditions for wild animals at this zoo really adequate for their behavioural traits and good health ? – there hardly seems to be a lot in the way of ‘environmental conditions’ for natural behavioural traits to be shown. In fact, environmental conditions such as basic plants and trees don’t even appear to exist for some of the animals within their facilities!
The Ministry take no action and obviously thus think this is acceptable. Or are there other reasons ?
Do the EU Enlargement Commission and the EU Ambassador to Serbia really take any notice of the evidence that is presented to them by the NGO’s such as we are showing here ? – do they actually ask any questions to the government Ministry about all of this ?
From their actions and the clear lack of Serbian Ministry entry into dialogue with NGO’s to this present day, it would appear not.
We will continue to expose animal welfare wrongdoings whenever we are able.
The following photographs show animals at the zoo at which Nani deer is currently being held.
In their letter to the EU, the Serbian Minsistry declare:
“Article 86 on … provides that wild animals can be kept in captivity for their own needs only if their well being is not compromised, or if their living conditions that are appropriate for the type, race, gender, age and the physical and biological characteristics, behavioral traits or animal health are provided; such wild animals shall necessarily be marked n the prescribed manner“.
The following pictures are all of conditions at Jagodina zoo – please see the lions, tigers, bear, Nani deer and giraffe photographs from the same zoo which are shown en bloc above. We very much question the Ministry statement that:
“wild animals can be kept in captivity for their own needs only if their well being is not compromised, or if their living conditions that are appropriate for the type, race, gender, age and the physical and biological characteristics, behavioral traits or animal health are provided”
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, PHOTOGRAPHS - **WARNING** (Animal Suffering), SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, ZOO(S) | Leave a comment »
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