On 30 April, at 4 pm., in line with article 200 paragraph 1 of the National Assembly Rules of Procedure, the deputies stopped the discussion on the agenda for the Fourth Sitting of the First Regular Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2009 and posed various questions to the Government of the Republic of Serbia.

This part of the session was attended by the Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic, Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration and Minister of Science and Technological Development Bozidar Djelic, Minister of Finance Diana Dargutinovic, Minister of Infrastructure Milutin Mrkonjic, Minister of Labour and Social Policy Rasim Ljajic, Minister of the Diaspora Srdjan Sreckovic, Minister of Trade and Services Slobodan Milosavljevic, Minister of Education Zarko Obradovic, Minister of Health Tomica Milosavljevic, Minister of Justice Snezana Malovic, Minister of Human and Minority Rights Svetozar Ciplic, Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Milan Markovic, Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning Oliver Dulic, Minister without Portfolio Sulejman Ugljanin.

Deputy Vladan Batic asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Regional Development Mladjan Dinkic about the pre-election promise that Serbian citizens shall receive 1,000 EUR worth of free shares. He asked the Minister of Youth and Sport Snezana Samardzic-Markovic what the Government would do about the Red Star FC issue, and Minister of Culture Nebojsa Bradic what the reaction would be to Emir Kusturica’s verses of praise for one of the men accused of war crimes.

Answering the first question, Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic reminded the deputies of everything the Government had done so far concerning the issue, stressing that he does not believe it is currently possible to estimate the value of the shares of specific enterprises which are to be privatised. Regarding the situation in Red Star FC and Emir Kusturica’s verses the deputies shall receive written information at a later date.

Deputy Riza Halimi inquired about the difficulties the citizens of municipalities Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja who had at some point worked in Kosovo-Metohija, encounter when attempting to realise their right to pension and disability insurance, quoting a specific example from his community.

Minister of Labour and Social Policy Rasim Ljajic responded that people who had worked on the territories of former Yugoslavian republics experience similar difficulties, while an answer concerning the deputy’s specific example shall be submitted as soon as next week.

Deputy Sinisa Stamenkovic asked how the Government would reimburse the citizens of the Danube banks whose property is endangered by flooding; when PE Serbian Electric Power Industry would pay the remaining reimbursements for the damages on the Danube banks, and when the Ministry of Health would include treatment of citizens suffering from hepatitis A, B and C into mandatory health insurance and provide them with Pegasus or Copernicus therapy.

Prime Minister Cvetkovic stated that the answer of the Ministry of Energy will be forwarded to the deputy. The Minister of Health said that hepatitis A, B and C are three different conditions of liver inflammation and that they require different treatments, that all the patients are treated the same, and that the deputy shall receive the data spanning the previous three years about the implementation of the therapy using the medicines he listed.

Deputy Miroslav Markicevic asked Prime Minister Cvetkovic whether negotiations on the reduction of his cabinet are underway; if he personally and the ministers would take part in and finance the “Pride Parade” and the Minister of Health about the Mexican flu situation, its spread and if Serbia’s health system is prepared for it.

Prime Minister Cvetkovic stressed that there are no negotiations regarding the reduction of his cabinet going on, as it is an issue being discussed within the coalition and that the cabinet shall be reduced if the coalition partners conclude so. He added that he will not take part in the Pride Parade, nor will any member of the Government. Minister Tomica Milosavljevic informed the deputies on the current situation in the world concerning the spread of Mexican flu stressing that Serbia has taken all the precautions.

Deputy Zoran Ostojic asked when the anti-monopoly law would be passed and why no law on the financing of political parties is being proposed.

Minister of Trade and Services Slobodan Milosavljevic pointed out that the Government has adopted the Draft Law on Protection of Competition which shall be forwarded into assembly procedure along with the Bills on Electronic Commerce and General Product Safety. Minister Milan Markovic stated that the Government will reform the political system in the country within this term of office by passing Laws on Political Parties, the Electoral Roll, Republic Electoral Commission, Election of Councilors, Election of Deputies, Presidential Elections and Financing of Political Parties.

Deputy Zoran Ostojic then posed an additional question about the profit of the Petroleum Industry of Serbia in previous years.

Prime Minister Cvetkovic said that an external auditor has been employed to examine whether the Petroleum Industry of Serbia had realised profit or loss in 2008.

Deputy Tomislav Nikolic asked the Prime Minister whether the Government had considered amendments to the Constitution and if it would act against the Minister who wrote to the court in an attempt to prevent the bankruptcy of Zmaj company.

The Prime Minister stressed that the Government has not considered amendments to the Constitution at its sittings but that the amending the Constitution is a topic discussed as part of the overall reforms. The Primer Minister shall submit an answer to the second question at a later date.

Deputy Tomislav Nikolic posed an additional question to the Minister of the Interior, asking whether he was prepared to submit a bill for the protection of policemen and drastically punishing any attack on them.

Minister Dacic pointed out that such a bill does not fall within the purview of the Ministry of the Interior, but the Ministry of Justice. Minister of Justice Snezana Malovic announced amendments of the Criminal Code, particularly the part dealing with the crime of attack on a police official.

Deputy Nenad Popovic asked Prime Minister Cvetkovic about the Government’s double standard, one for Alpina Por and another for Fiat; whether proceedings would be initiated against Fiat for its failure to pay 200 million EUR and why the contract was signed without a single banking guarantee.

Prime Minister Cvetkovic stressed that there is no double standard, because the Government has not broken the contract with Alpina Por. In light of the global economic crisis, the Government’s measures contain measures of adjustment to the newly developed situation concerning Fiat and its investment.

Deputy Marina Ragus asked the Minister of Justice what happens when the state cannot enforce the law in a sovereign part of its territory; she requested precise information from the Minister of the Interior about the October 2008 roundtable on establishing tighter ties between Kosovo and Presevo and Bujanovac region; and about the meaning of De Kermbon’s statement that the doors to a greater cooperation between Serbia and EULEX have been open and who would benefit from the SAA and unilateral implementation of the trade agreement this and the next three years.

Deputy Prime Minister Djelic pointed out that the agreement is not being implemented unilaterally since the EU had abolished customs fees for Serbia, Serbian companies had received two billion EUR worth of benefits and the logic of attracting foreign investment should be continued in the future. Minister Malovic stressed that, if it cannot enforce the law on the territory of Kosovo-Metohija, the state will implement the political and legal means at its disposal as it has already done by posing a question before the International Court of Justice by UN. Minister Dacic said that, at the moment, he did not have the data at his disposal on whether the meeting at the south of Serbia had been held or not, pointing out that the Ministry of the Interior will do all in its power to prevent the infringement of the country’s territorial integrity.

Deputy Srdjan Mikovic asked what was being done to ensure the current liquidity of company Petrochemicals in order to prevent environmental risks and ensure continuity of work.

Prime Minister Cvetkovic stated that he had discussed the company’s liquidity with the Minister of Economy and that a solution is being actively sought. Minister Oliver Dulic pointed out that halting Petrochemicals would cause a broad-scale ecological incident, but that with the help of the state the production continues so far.

Deputy Aleksandra Jankovic asked why noone had thought of decreasing the number of ministers; how many civil servants there were in the ministries and what the criteria for their employment were. She was particularly interested in the participation of the representatives of the Government in the international meeting on gender equality held in Belgrade and dealing with, according to Alaksandra Jankovic, the state of gender equality in six republics, among them the republic of Kosovo.

Minister Rasim Ljajic pointed out that he had personally opened the gathering organized by the Gender Equality Directorate and UNDP and that there were no participants form Kosovo.

Deputy Jorgovanka Tabakovic asked the Prime Minister whether there were privileged buyers of public capital and if so who they were; as well as whether the Government had the instruments to represent the interests of small shareholders.

Prime Minister Cvetkovic stressed that there were no privileged buyers, that all have the same rights and equal opportunities and instructed the deputy to forward specific materials to the prosecutor.