Subotica City ‘Public Competition’ Update – 31/08/10.

The corrupt and unlawful way of operating by the Subotica authorities has presented itself to us once again.

Regarding the ‘public competition’ which was going to be made open to all public organisations to tender for – in this particular case a competition for the operation (management) of animal shelters in the city (Subotica); it now appears that specific city authority personnel, possibly with a certain degree of self interest, have changed the system in relation to this ‘public tender’, so that only one organisation has been able to bid; and strangely, it is the very one that they could be directly associated with.

On 30/08/10, welfare campaigners in Subotica who wished to review the competition with a view to presenting a bid for the city animal management and control, were supplied with an e mail informing them of where the competition information was posted. 

This is always done on the Public competition link at www.subotica.rs  under the sub heading of  ‘Javne  nabavke’.  Even the most basic and simple public tenders are always published here.

This time the information relating to the animal shelter tender was NOT published on this site.  It appears to have been kept much more private; and one has to question the term ‘public’ when the information to tender is NOT made available to the public to be able to do same.

It would seem that Mrs Dulic Suzana, who is part of the city authority Communal Department, along with her manager, Mrs Matilda Seker, and her husband Vlada Dulic, who has major relations with the authorities of the public firm JKP Cistoca i zelenilo, Subotica; have not informed any of the public about this important tender for animal welfare through the usual routes on the city web site.

Instead, we know that ONLY JKP Cistoca i zelenilo, Subotica were informed about the bid tender process; they were the only applicant provided with the information necessary to submit a bid into this alleged ‘public’ competition.  Even as the only applicant of the information, we are now informed that JKP Cistoca has still not been able to put a full tender response together about shelter management.

Because of this, we have to ask if anyone in authority in Subotica really had any full depth knowledge about what exactly was required by a public organisation to run an animal shelter correctly.  As the knowledge was not made available through the normal public competition route; defining what the requirements would be of any competing public organisations, it can only be stated that this system once again shows that the authorities of Subotica city have not got a clue as to what is required and the standards necessary to operate an animal shelter correctly.

So instead, city authorities and personnel have corrupted the system to ensure that the basic tender / bid information is kept well away from the public, and instead the opportunity is provided only and once again for operators of the current system to continue operating as they always have done; ie. with very little regard for animals and their welfare, and very especially little regard for Serbian national legislation relating to animal welfare.

And so, on the 30/08, animal welfare organisations have been informed too late of this ‘public’ competition by the Subotica authorities, even though as a daily process throughout many weeks in advance of 30/08, animal welfare organisations have questioned Mrs Matilda Seker and Mrs Usumovic Davkik Marija as to when and where this public competition information will be published.  No responses were ever given to the questions asked.   As we are now fully aware, only one organisation (JKP Cistoca) appears to have been informed about the tender requirements; informed by whatever route was taken by the city authorities to ensure that only they (JKP Cistoca) knew about it.

The city authorities allegedly have fixed the bidding / tender system so that they can continue to use the companies which they have always used to undertake shelter and stray animal control.  There is no change in the corrupt system and the ‘public’ animal welfare organisations who really wished to become involved in the tender, to the benefit of animals and the city animal welfare policy have been kept well and truly out on the sidelines of this competition.  Sidelined enough to have not even been told that the tender information was published – but then why would they be told ? – the public tender information was only published through non-public routes !

This is unlawful and so this is why further action now has to be taken against the authorities of Subotica.  Your help is needed.

We ask, on behalf of Serbian animal welfare campaigners who originally wished to prepare a bid in this ‘public competition’, that non Serbian citizens contact their Serbian ambassadors directly and acting on (your) behalf, they (the ambassadors) subsequently write to the authorities of Subotica city to ask why the issue of ‘public competition’ for stray animal management in the city was kept secret from the public – the very people who should be able to tender for this animal shelter management position.

You can provide a copy of this post link directly to your ambassador, as we hope that the post contains enough information to brief the (your) ambassador and will allow them to follow up your request.

For any overseas (non Serbian) citizen, please use the following links to obtain your own embassy contacts in Serbia.

International embassies located within Serbia can be found at:

http://www.embassiesabroad.com/embassies-in/Serbia

http://www.offshorewave.com/embassies_show.php?location_id=183

For the moment; Subotica City Authorities Endure that the ‘Public’ are kept very much away from information associated with ‘Public Competitions’ – Especially where animal welfare is concerned.

Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, SHELTER - Information | Leave a comment »

EPAR Shelter and Slavica – Update: 26/08/10.

Today Slavica has been sent documentation in the post informing her that a decision has been made that she is not the President of Friend – EPAR, a registered  NGO for the protection nature, animal rights and human rights.

It appears that a group of some six women who have never been members of Friend – EPAR, have now attempted to appoint a new president – one Mrs. Branka Bojanin.

In order to be a member of Friend – EPAR, a person has to prove and show every year that they have been working in defence of animals.  None of these six women have been able to provide any proof of helping animals, therefore they are not current members of Friend – EPAR, nor have they ever been.

If any of these six people wanted to form an organisation which would and could help animals, then they could do it; they could form their own organisation.  It is a requirement that to establish an organisation such as this, they only need three signatures of members.

It would appear that there is an attempt to remove Slavica from this position at Friend – EPAR because she is an ‘unwanted person’ by the authorities at Subotica.  The reason for this is that Slavica is always asking the authorities why they are not complying with regulations for Serbian animal welfare, why there are so many unlawful killings of animals in the city, and many other issues relating to animal welfare in Subotica; and quite simply, the authorities do not like being brought to task in such a way and are making a pitiful attempt to remove the person who they consider to be a ‘problem’ to them.

The main reason is that money from the city which should be going to the welfare of stray animals appears to be being robbed from this cause.  Slavica has asked where the money has gone and has filed many Criminal Charges against the city authorities.  As a result, now the authorities of Subotica are trying to remove her from her influential and knowledgeable position for animal welfare legislation as the president of Friend – EPAR.

As Slavica says, “the authorities don’t like me; I know, because I do not like their unlawful actions towards animals”.

Slavica has never received any help for the care of the 1,000 dogs which she has taken in from the streets as strays at EPAR shelter.  Despite the Subotica authorities attempting to make out that Slavica is the ‘owner’ of all these stray animals, for which she would then considered as responsible for the welfare and feeding and veterinary treatments of all the dogs, Slavica is NOT the owner; these are dogs from the streets which have no owner.  Slavica is simply an animal welfare campaigner who runs a shelter called EPAR to take in and protect dogs from the street.  As she is not the ‘owner’ of the stray dogs, then the city authorities should provide Slavica with funds each year from the city budget to help the animals at EPAR shelter.

But they do not and never have helped Slavica.  She funds EPAR shelter through her own work and efforts.  And so, by attempting to classify Slavica as the ‘owner’ of the dogs in her care, the authorities do not have to give money from the city budget to Slavica.

But where does the money for stray animals in Subotica actually go ? – not to the welfare of animals for sure !

And so now, why has their been an attempt to remove Slavica from her position as the President of Friend – EPAR shelter ?

Has this been done by the authorities as some attempt to remove Slavica as the person who questions all the authorities about their actions against existing Serbian animal welfare legislation; and by saying this are the authorities now attempting to overrule conrol of Friend – EPAR so that others can take charge; others who would work with the city authorities, call in the shinters and remove and kill all of the stray, unowned dogs who live at EPAR shelter ?

What is being done here is so very typical of the approach by Serbian authorities when it comes to animal welfare.  There is none in their book apart from the killing of all animals.  Subotica city authorities are a backward, non-progressive authority who have never made any attempt to introduce a no kill sterilisation, vaccination, microchipping and identifacation policy for the strays of the city.  They are that backward that they think by killing and killing forever, they are going to reduce stray animal numbers.  This approach has been shown NEVER TO WORK anywhere in the world.  Yet when the authorities are questioned by someone such as Slavica about stray animal welfare, legislation and financial funding from the city budget; their simple answer is to attempt to remove her from her position as president of Friend – EPAR shelter.

And this is supposed to be a nation (and authorities) which wants to progress into a modern day EU.  We can assure the Subotica city authorites, if the day ever does arrive when Serbia is in the EU, animal welfare campaigners throughout the EU will use the leagal might of the EU to ask the same questions that Slavica has asked and is now being targeted for.

SAV will continue to support Slavica, the president of Friend – EPAR shelter; and we will attempt to report every happening by the Serbian authorities to put down animal welfare in Serbia at the cost of massive continued killing of innocent stray animals.

Who knows, maybe there will now be some attempt made by the Serbian authorities to silence the information being put out by SAV relating to the Serb approach to stray animal welfare – ie. Kill, kill, kill.  .  Nothing would surprise us; but for the time being, we will continue to broadcast information from here in the United Kingdom in support of our animal welfare activist friends in Serbia.

We trust you support our actions and would love to hear your messages of support for Slavica; in order that she can, via SAV, show the authorities of Subotica that all her global friends are fully aware of their attempts to remove Slavica from EPAR shelter.

Please send your messages of support to Slavica via our ‘Leave a Reply’ link at the end of this post.

Note – to do this you will have to click on the blue title box at the top to actually ‘enter’ the post.

Thanks – SAV.

Residents at EPAR Shelter; Saved from death and the Subotica Authorities by Slavica.

Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, SHELTER - Information | Leave a comment »

ACTION CONTACTS – People can write directly in support of Slavica and the EPAR dogs by sending e mail letters to the following:

Mrs Matilda Seker gukomunalno@subotica.rs,

Mrs. Usumovic Davcik Masrija gunacelnik@subotica.rs

Mayor of Subotica, Mr. Sasa Vucinic  mayor@subotica.rs,

Mr Sasa Dragin- Minister of Agriculture office@minpolj.gov.rs

Block listing as follows:

gukomunalno@subotica.rs,

gunacelnik@subotica.rs,

mayor@subotica.rs,

office@minpolj.gov.rs

Previous SAV Links relating to this saga:

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2010/07/25/serbia-latest-pictures-from-epar-shelter-subotica/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2010/07/02/serbia-june-2010-new-pictures-of-the-rescued-stray-dogs-at-epar-shelter/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/serbia-part-2-subotica-city-%e2%80%98public-competition-to-control-stray-animals%e2%80%99-update-%e2%80%93-corrupt-and-authority-organised-as-always-%e2%80%93-so-whats-new/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2010/07/18/serbia-subotica-city-public-competition-to-control-stray-animals-update-corrupt-and-authority-organised-as-always-so-whats-new/

Slavica from EPAR shelter is having very big problems with the Subotica city authorities – a self appointed authority to determine what is done to stray animals in the city. SEE LINKS ABOVE for more information.

Veterinary inspectors have demanded that Slavica must have all the (stray) dogs which Slavica cares for at EPAR shelter microchipped. 

The authorities have logged Slavica’s name on the city database as being the ‘owner’ of all the dogs; even though everything she has at EPAR shelter is an animal saved from the streets and certain death.

Because her name has been put onto the central register, Slavica has been recorded as the ‘owner’ of  all the dogs.  Because of this, Slavica is obligated to pay for the care of all the dogs at EPAR shelter out of her own money; even though she has taken the street dogs of Subotica City and saved them.  The city authorities are denying that the dogs at EPAR shelter are anything to do with their financial responsibility.  Instead, they have set up the database to show that Slavica is the ‘owner’ of the stray dogs, and as the owner she is responsible for paying for all their needs; removing any responsibility from the city authorities.

When Slavica met with the Subotica authorities last week to discuss the situation, the authorities informed her that only she, as the ‘owner’, has an obligation to pay for the care of the dogs at the shelter.  By making Slavica microchip every dog at the shelter, they can now record her name on the database as the owner of the dogs.  Thus the city (authorities) have no obligation to care for them.  The authorities were very rude to Slavica at the meeting.

Slavica knows that she is not the legal owner of the dogs; they are just at her shelter being cared for – they are strays.  But if she hands any of the dogs over to the authorities then they will kill them as the city authority is very keen at breaking the Serbian law and killing animals.

The authorities are playing a very sick, dirty and non legal game.

This is what Slavica has to say in her very own words about the situation –the text is un-edited and comes directly from Slavica:

“Mark, 

This is their very perfide  and very  danger  dirty game. 

Vet inspectors have demand microchiping and vaccination all dogs or I will be punished because keeping  unmarked  dogs .I did do  and have pay .

By that way all marked dogs are under my name in Central Register of  dogs of Serbia. There are  a few who are not marked yet for now, because they ask more money and I had not . 

Now Director of vet department of Serbia , mr. Micovic  said  that I must pay all  for  care in all these  years in past and now , for everything what  was and will be  because I am owner of place  and of objects at the shelter – although I am only donator and fighter for these dog rights to live .

Mrs Matilda Seker – Chief of  Comumal Department of Subotica  and Maria Usumovic-Davcik ( there was present Adrijana Nadj our activist  too )said on meeting on 20-th August 2010., that  I must pay  everything for  keeping and  for everyhting for care dogs because I am owner because  so write in Central Register  and like  an owner  I have obligation  finance everything – But in other hand  , said mrs Matilda Seker , by new  Demand of  Comunity Subotica  – it is  in form of  Plan  for now, every owner  could  keeps only 2 dogs  and by that way  maybe I will be punished  because I have more then 2,and dogs will be killed by humane euthanasia – those 4 member Commision will make  lists for euthanasia ,  except 2 ,because I have more then 2, but  it will be  permited only 2.

By this way republic and local authorities violate animal  rights and  our human rights- they have plan kill animals and  they think that I will feel fear of them and  say ok  I will give dogs to shinters, please  just don`t punish me  – but I never will do  that .

Difference between these 2  is only  in fact that they couldn`t kill me – only punish me , but  they could kill dogs- they could ask  police assitance  if I  will not  collaborate  and if I don`t want give them dogs ,but by that way they will kill me indirectly, because I prefer  to do suicide in front of them , than give the dogs to the shinters –  because  if I give dogs to shinters by that way I  will  throw out  all dogs life and  throw out all my life mission too.

And If I be not able defend  these animals then my life is nothing and I am nothing and nobody .

After meeting ,I  have contact Ombudsman for human rights of Republic of Serbia and I told him all , he said me that it is correct that my human rights are violated, but  I must respect procedure and  like a first step I must go to Subotica`s Ombudsman for human rights – mr Zlatko Marasiuk  , and if he  do nothing then it would be necessary  that I  contact republic ombudsman, mr Jankovic”.

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Currently, Slavica is going to present her information to the European Court – a process and system that she has been working with for a while now.  The court has asked Slavica to provide them with any new information when it happens.  This abuse of animal and human rights by the Subotica City authorities is very much an example of the corrupt systems which are happening in Serbia.

Slavica is now fighting for the lives of all the animals at EPAR shelter because the city authorities have corrupted the system to make her the ‘owner’ of street strays she has in her care.

Now we see what the European court will do from the evidence provided by Slavica.

One thing that could be said is that by these actions, Serbia is certainly not worthy of becoming a member state of the EU !

If you can help Slavica and the EPAR dogs with a donation:

lease use the following for any donations to EPAR shelter:

One of the best and cheapest ways to send money donations internationally is by Western Union. 

Transfer costs vary and are worked out simply depending on the amount of the donation – you only pay more if you donate larger quantities. 

In most countries donations can be done on line, by telephone, or visiting a local agent. 

Please look at the web site for further info:

http://www.westernunion.com/info/selectCountry.asp

For direct donations, the following EPAR account in Hungary should be used as a preference to Serbian accounts:

OTP Bank

Szeged

Klauzal ter,5

Hungary,EU

Account number : 11775355-37518886

Account name : MAZAK-BESLIC JANOS

Address : Subotica 24000,Matka Vukovica, 9

IBAN : HU31117753553751888600000000

Swift : OTP VHUHB

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This way is the best, because in this way  tax for money transfer is  very low and it is not needed to pay tax to Serbian authorities who have done nothing for dogs, but ask high tax for donations.

Thank You so very much and

best regards

Slavica Mazak Beslic.

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SAV Comment

Does anyone know of legal people who can give free help and advice to Slavica to fight this case better ?

Please help  if you are able.

Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, SHELTER - Information | Leave a comment »