The Eighth Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2009, convened by the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic at the request of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, began on Tuesday, 9 June 2009, at 11.10 a.m.

The Request to hold the session specified the following agenda:

1. The Bill on Regional Development, submitted by the Government,

2. The Bill on Protection of Competition, submitted by the Government,

3. The Bill on Sate Aid Control, submitted by the Government,

4. The Bill amending and modifying the Investment Funds Law, submitted
by the Government,

5. The Bill on Compulsory Insurance in Traffic, submitted by the Government,

6. The Bill on Associations, submitted by the Government,

7. The Bill on Communal Police, submitted by the Government, and

8. The Bill on Electronic Documents, submitted by the Government.

At the beginning, in line with article 225 of the Rules of Procedure, the deputies requested information or explanations and posed several questions to the Government of the Republic of Serbia and National Assembly Speaker.

By a majority of votes, the National Assembly accepted the proposal to conduct a joint discussion in principle on items 3, 4 and 5 on the agenda.

Elaborating the Bill on Regional Development, Serbian Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Regional Development Mladjan Dinkic stressed that it was the most important law from the field of regional development this year and a significant step towards Serbia’s decentralisation. Serbia is one of the rare countries where this law is not defined, and its drafting lasted two years, said Dinkic listing a more uniform regional development of all parts of Serbia as reason for its adoption. The most and least developed municipality in Serbia stand at a 1:15 ratio, and the differences in the citizens’ income in different areas, as well as migrations are pronounced, stressed Dinkic adding that the Bill envisages dividing Serbia into seven statistical regions – Vojvodina, Belgrade, Western, Eastern, Southern, Central Serbia and Kosovo-Metohija. The Minister of Economy and Regional Development stressed that the law envisages the formation of a National Council which shall devise regional development and define the National Agency’s priorities, as well as seven regional councils and agencies.

Deputy Group Heads and representatives requested the floor in the debate in principle. The deputies from minority parties in the governing majority, although they had announced that they shall endorse the Bill, voiced certain objections, while representatives of opposition parties criticised the proposed solutions. The representatives of the ruling coalition stated that this Bill does not represent a law on decantrisation of Serbia but a path to economic development of the country and announced that they shall endorse the law.

The afternoon part of the sitting was attended by the Minister for National Investment Plan Verica Kalanovic, who responded to the deputies’ objections and questions. At the end of the discussion she stated that the implementation of the law in practice shall require a lot of strength and appealed to the deputies to endorse the Bill.

By the end of the day the National Assembly had concluded the discussion in principle on the Bill on Regional Development.

On the second day of work, 10 June, the National Assembly conducted a discussion in principle on the Bill on Protection of Competition.

Presenting the new law, Minister of Trade and Services Slobodan Milosavljevic said that the law shall enable a greater influx of foreign investment into Serbia and prevent malpractice, primarily all forms of disloyal competition. It is one of the most important laws for any market economy the adoption of which is one of the conditions for Serbia’s further approach to the European Union, said Minister Milosavljevic adding that the law envisages sanctions for all types of violations of competition, particularly market monopoly.

The new law shall improve the mechanisms and increase the efficiency of sanctioning violations of competition, and the Commission for Protection of Competition shall gain much broader authority, Milosavljevic pointed out and appealed to the deputies to adopt the law.

In the debate on the Bill, the deputies deemed it necessary to make the fight against monopoly and monopolists more efficient, adding that the law represents another step in that direction as it introduces valuable changes in the protection of competition and protects the interests of both the consumers and economy. However, opposition deputies pointed out that the law shall not aid this goal as it not specific enough and is difficult to enforce, which leaves room for corruption and manipulation.

During the day, the National Assembly concluded the discussion in principle on the Bill on Protection of Competition.

The National Assembly went on to commence a joint discussion in principle on the Bill on Sate Aid Control, the Bill amending and modifying the Investment Funds Law and the Bill on Compulsory Insurance in Traffic. Elaborating the Bills, Minister of Finance Diana Dragutinovic stressed that they are harmonised with European Union regulations.

The Bill on Sate Aid Control establishes for the first time a system of state aid control in Serbia, Minister Dragutinovic said adding that the law does not apply to agricultural products and fishery products.

According to her, the amendments and modifications to the Investment Funds Law aim at making the existing law less restrictive in times of economic crisis. She also added that the modifications to the law expand the potential for investments of the funds.

Minister Dragutinovic stressed that the Bill on Compulsory Insurance in Traffic will raise the quality of service of compulsory insurance.

In the discussion, the deputies voiced various objections and suggestions to the Bills. Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic responded to some of them.

By the end of the day, the National Assembly had completed the joint discussion in principle on all three Bills.

On the third day, 11 June, the deputies continued work by debating the Bill on Associations in principle.

Before commencing proceedings as specified in the agenda, deputies Vladan Batic, Milos Radulovic, Riza Halimi, Judita Popovic, Vladimir Milentijevic, Dragan Todorovic, Jorgovanka Tabakovic and Velimir Ilic exercised their right under article 235 of the Rules of Procedure requesting information and explanations from the competent institutions.

Presenting the Bill on Associations to the deputies, Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Milan Markovic stressed that it fully liberalises the system of establishing civic associations – three physical of three legal entities are enough for the foundation of a civic association. The association need not be registered with the competent state authority if its does not desire the capacity of a legal entity, it need only be recorded. The competent authority cannot evaluate the appropriateness and suitability of the registry. The Bill states that underage persons can also establish civic associations. Also, the Bill envisages the existence of a single register of civic associations, and the registration is done at the Agency for Economic Registration, while the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government shall supervise the proceedings. The Bill stipulates that the financing of civic associations must be transparent, and it also regulates the work of foreign association branches.

The National Assembly went on to complete the discussion in principle on the Bill on Associations and commenced a discussion in principle on the Bill on Communal Police. The Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Milan Markovic, presented that Bill to the deputies as well. In his address to the National Assembly he stressed that the Bill on Communal Police provides the communal order in towns with adequate protection, the local self-government with the instrument to keep it, and the citizens with a service they can contact at their disposal. The communal police is established as a special service with special features and authorities. Communal police officers (one per 5 000 citizens) shall have uniforms, special vehicles, as well as means of deterrence (truncheon and handcuffs) which they can employ according to regulations. Communal police officers shall undergo a special training programme devised by the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government. The Minister added that the Bill has been drafted in line with European standards and that it shall, when it comes into force, thoroughly change local self-government, and represent a test of a kind for Serbian towns.

By the end of the day, the deputies had completed the discussion in principle on the Bill on Communal Police.

On the fourth day of work, 12 June, the deputies completed a discussion in principle on the Bill on Electronic Documents.

Presenting the Bill on Electronic Documents to the deputies, Minister of Telecommunication and Information Society Jasna Matic stressed that the Bill represents a step further in legal management of electronic transactions with special focus on the regulation of issues relevant to practice i.e. the functioning of electronic transactions. The Bill stipulates the requirements an electronic document should meet so as to be legally relevant in legal transactions, administrative, court and other proceedings, as well as the rights, obligations and responsibilities concerning the use of electronic documents. The Bill also regulates the issue of status of electronic documents in legal affairs. The basic legal tenet states that the validity and probative force of an electronic document cannot be disputed simply due to the fact that it exists in electronic form.

In the afternoon, the deputies commenced a discussion on the particulars of the Bill on Regional Development.

On the fifth day of work, 15 June, the National Assembly continued the discussion on the particulars of the Bill on Regional Development.

By the end of the day the National Assembly had completed the discussion on the Bill on Regional Development.

On the sixth day of work, 16 June, the National Assembly completed the discussion on the particulars of the Bill on Protection of Competition.

At the beginning of the proceedings, deputies Vladan Batic, Konstantin Arsenovic, Aleksandra Jankovic, Slobodan Maras, Milos Aligrudic and Dragan Todorovic requested information and explanations under article 235 of the Rules of Procedure, and posed various questions to the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the National Assembly Speaker.

In the afternoon, the deputies completed the discussion on the particulars of the Bill on Sate Aid Control.

On the seventh day, 17 June, the deputies continued work by debating the particulars of the Bill amending and modifying the Investment Funds Law.

In the morning part of the proceedings, the National Assembly completed the discussion on the particulars of the Bill amending and modifying the Investment Funds Law and commenced a debate on the particulars of the Bill on Compulsory Insurance in Traffic.

The National Assembly Speaker, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic informed the deputies that on Thursday, 18 June 2009, a public vote shall be organized at the Central Hall of the National Assembly House to support the nomination of Djavolja Varos as one of the SEVEN WONDERS OF NATURE, starting at 10 a.m. The Assembly Speaker added that the natural phenomenon of Djavolja Varos is officially on the list of candidates for SEVEN WONDERS OF NATURE as the only Serbian representative and urged the deputies to join the campaign.

The National Assembly Speaker also informed the National Assembly that on 18 and 19 June 2009, starting at 9 a.m., a public debate on topic significant for the drafting of the Bill on the National Assembly and National Assembly Rules of Procedure shall be held at the Small Hall of the National Assembly House and invited the deputies to participate in the public debate.

By the end of the day the National Assembly had completed the debate on the particulars of the Bill on Compulsory Insurance in Traffic.

On the eighth day of work, 18 June, the National Assembly discussed the particulars of the Bill on Associations. Milan Markovic, Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, took part in the proceedings.

Before commencing discussion on the amendments, deputies Vladan Batic, Zlata Djeric, Milica Vojic-Markovic and Dragan Todorovic exercised their right under article 235 of the National Assembly Rules of Procedure and requested information and explanations from the competent institutions.

In the morning part of the proceedings, the chairperson, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gordana Comic informed the deputies that part of the sitting is being observed form the gallery of the Great Hall by youth representatives from Stari Grad municipality and greeted them on the behalf of the National Assembly.

By the end of the day the National Assembly had completed the discussion on the particulars of the Bill on Associations. At the end of the discussion, Minister Milan Markovic gave the closing word saying that he believed the law represented a good basis for association of citizens.

On the ninth day of work, 23 June, the National Assembly completed a discussion on the particulars on the Bill on Communal Police and the Bill on Electronic Documents.

Before commencing the discussion on the amendments, deputies Vladan Batic, Miroslav Markicevic, Zoran Ostojic, Zeljko Tomic, Dragan Todorovic and Aleksandar Jugovic requested information and explanations from the competent institutions under article 235 of the National Assembly Rules of Procedure.

Since the National Assembly had completed the discussion in principle and detail on all the items on the agenda, the National Assembly Speaker, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic informed the deputies that the Voting day shall be scheduled at a later date.

Voting Day

On Voting Day, 8 July, the National Assembly commenced voting on the items on the agenda for the Eighth Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2009.

By a majority of votes, the National Assembly adopted: the Bill on Regional Development, Bill on Protection of Competition, Bill on Sate Aid Control, Bill amending and modifying the Investment Funds Law, Bill on Compulsory Insurance in Traffic, Bill on Associations, Bill on Communal Police and Bill on Electronic Documents.

Since the National Assembly had completed the discussion on the items on the agenda and ruled on them, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, concluded the Eighth Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2009.