society Life

The suffering, from hunger and neglect, of these Lipice horses is now to be prolonged to death because politicians have no interest in dealing with the humane aspect of this affaire.
The horses from Lipice, which were brought to Serbia by way of Bosnia and Hercegovina in 1991 and have been stabled for the past 12 years at the “Bukinac”, stud farm near Novi Sad and in Novo Miloševo near Kikinda, should be returned to Croatia. An agreement was reached in Novi Sad on 29.8.2007 at a meeting of the Ministers for Agriculture of Serbia and Croatia, Slobodan Milosavljević and Petar Čobanković with the owner of the stud farm, Todor Bukinac, where the horses are presently stabled. Minister Milosavljević and Minister Čobanković announced that a team of veterinarians and genetic specialists appointed by both Serbian and Croatian agricultural ministries will visit the farm, record all details of the situation, establish the number of animals, examine the registry books, note the number of foals born in Serbia and the horses' health. On the bases of their findings conditions for the horses' return to the Croatian Republic can be drawn up.

The society "Freedom for Animals" received information that the combined team from the ministries was scheduled to visit the stud farm on 10.and 11.9.2007. However this inspection is not being carried out. According to our most recent information the work of this commission was cancelled by the Serbian Ministry of Agriculture. The suffering, from hunger and neglect, of these Lipice horses is now to be prolonged to death because politicians have no interest in dealing with the humane aspect of this affaire Although more than 345 horses were transferred from the Lipice stud farm the total number today is just 79. This number may not even be correct states - two mares over 17 years of age (no. 93 and 100) in Novo Milosevo and one younger (no. 339 ) in Novo Naselje have died in the course of the last month - which of course the commission will have to confirm.

Only when the situation has been examined should the question of financial remuneration, which Bukinac is seeking for stabling these horses since '97, be discussed. Four years ago this question was discussed but no agreement was reached because Bukinac at that time asked for 300,000 Euro for his services which nobody was prepared to pay.