‘We fought together for the Republic of Srpska, we created it together and now we are building it together’, stated Prime Minister of Republic of Srpska Savo Minić at the event organized by the UDAS Association of Amputees of Republic of Srpska in Banja Luka during which the results of the project "Future for Cooperatives" were presented.

In his address, Prime Minister Minić said that he was satisfied with the results of this project and that the Government's permanent commitment was to help persons who had been physical handicapped during the Patriotic War.

"Our commitment to that population is permanent and continuous", Prime Minister said and added that the "Future for Cooperatives" project was of very high quality and that more than 250 people with disabilities from 24 local communities have been informed about the possibilities and ways of achieving support through this project, especially regarding employment and self-employment.

"We already have the result that 26 amputees have successfully organized their own businesses", the Prime Minister said and added that the Government and UDAS have a long-standing cooperation.

"We can be proud of all those who participated in the project and showed that there are no obstacles when there is a great desire to progress and improve. Therefore, I would like to commend the UDAS Association of Amputees of the Republic of Srpska and their partners in the project", Prime Minister Minić said.

He announced that at the beginning of next week, the line ministry will issue a decree that will equate civilian victims of war with military victims.

"This will be in terms of purchasing orthopedic aids and everything that is important to make life in the community as good as possible", the Prime Minister said emphasizing that in this way the Government was showing sincere care for people with disabilities.

He pointed out that the Government has amended the Law on Cooperatives this year which tended to avoid its weaknesses we remember from the past system, but are now designed to organize the work of cooperatives in a high quality way and to protect rights and interests of its members.

The President of the Organization UDAS of the Republic of Srpska Željko Volaš said that the "Future for Cooperatives" project opened possibilities to  war veterans and other persons with disabilities in Republic of Srpska when it comes to employment and contribution to the community.

The goal of the "Future for Cooperatives" project is socio-economic integration of persons with disabilities into the labor market through establishment of a sustainable model of integral, professional sectoral support and psycho-physical rehabilitation, and the target group are unemployed persons with disabilities in Republic of Srpska.

In attendance of this event was also the Minister of Labor and Veterans' and Disabled People’s  Protection of Republic of Srpska Danijel Egić.