Vulin: Govt prepares solutions for PIO Fund's spa resorts

NOVA VAROS - The Serbian government decided on Tuesday to set up a working group to draw up propositions for solutions to problems in spa resorts and healthcare centres owned by the Pension and Disability Insurance (PIO) Fund of the Republic of Serbia.

The working group will comprise representatives of the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Economy, PIO Fund and the tourist sector, Serbian Minister of Employment Aleksandar Vulin told reporters on Tuesday after visiting the Zlatar Rehabilitation Centre at the Zlatar Mountain.

The government aims to get the facilities such as Zlatar Rehabilitation Centre working better and employ more people, while at the same time making the most out of the tourist potentials in PIO Fund's spa resorts, he noted.

Since its foundation, ownership over the Zlatar Rehabilitation Centre was frequently passed from one owner to another and the centre's employees worked without pay for years on end, Vulin said after visiting the centre together with Justice Minister Nikola Selakovic and Nova Varos Mayor Dimitrije Paunovic.

He announced that the Ministry of Labour and PIO Fund would try to come up with the best systemic solution for spa resorts and healthcare centres owned by PIO Fund.

Vulin noted that apart from privatisation, the solution to spa resort and healthcare centre problems could be found through strategic partnership or employee shareholding programme.

Healthcare tourism is a very successful branch of economy in most parts of Europe, and it can be such in Serbia too, the minister of labour said.

Nova Varos Mayor Dimitrije Paunovic said that the Zlatar Rehabilitation Centre could employ 100 more people once it starts operating in its full capacities.