The account of the National Association of Utah Travel Agencies is blocked due to a debt of about 16 million dinars.
The director of Juta, Aleksandar Seničić, tells "Vreme" that if the blockade is not resolved by the end of the year, people will lose their jobs and the institution that has existed for 70 years will stop working in this form.
"The current blockade is a bit unrealistic, because the claimant has also put in place security measures and that's how things are," says Seničić.
The debt has remained since the corona period.
"A large number of agencies have ceased to exist, there are debts with insurance policies that we contracted for our members, through the travel guarantee system. Simply, we cannot pay back those debts from regular business", says Seničić.
The debt amounted to about 30 million, and slightly more than half of the debt Utah was able to pay back with the help of members who helped.
"We offered to realize the rest through joint activity through marketing and sponsorships, but they did not find interest in it," says Seničić.
He adds that they were promised that the state would get involved to solve that problem.
"We are one of the oldest independent associations, which works professionally, in accordance with the laws. None of us here owns a travel agency."
Travelers trust Utah
"For years, we built a good relationship with passengers, we didn't run away from unpleasant topics, so we won't now either," says Seničić.
During the corona virus pandemic, they came to the protection of agencies, but they also protected insurers who were in big trouble due to damage of several tens of millions of euros.
"We endured serious pressure, and it seems to me that we protected everyone but ourselves," explains Senicic.
The interlocutor of "Vremna" says that they will continue to talk with the state, but that it does not seem to recognize them.
"Unfortunately, there are those who are not members of Utah who care about our tradition collapsing, given that we have never found a common language regarding the standards and qualities we insist on."
He adds that colleagues who need this type of association are ready to reorganize, but that he personally would like Utah to survive.
Contact with the state is being lost.
"With the disappearance of Utah, the only serious contact with the state is lost." And with that, we managed to maintain some partial order. Our authority in the industry outside of Serbia is great. Colleagues from the region rely on us. In the world, these types of associations grow into chambers. But that cannot be done without partial authorization from the state, and here it is impossible without political will", says Seničić.
Considering that the holidays are just around the corner, Senicic says that travelers have no reason to worry.
