The Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Predrag Markovic, convened the Eighth Session of the Second Regular Sitting of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2005 for 11 a.m. on Thursday 8 December.

The following agenda was adopted by the National Assembly for the session:

- Bill on the Distribution of Transfer Assets from the Budget of the Republic of Serbia and the Share of Municipalities, Cities and the City of Belgrade in the Salary Tax for 2006, proposed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia;

- Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on the Public Debt of the Republic of Serbia Resulting from the Assumption of Obligations of the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance of Employees for Unpaid Pensions and Compensations, proposed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia;

- Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on the Public Debt of the Republic of Serbia Resulting from the Assumption of Obligations of the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance of Farmers for Unpaid Pensions and Compensations, proposed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia;

- Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on Social Protection and the Provision of Social Security, proposed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia;

- Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on Financial Support for Families with Children, proposed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia;

- Mortgage Bill, proposed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia;

- Termination of office, dismissal and election of judicial officials, and

- Bill on the Provision of Counter-Guarantees of the Republic of Serbia to Serbia and Montenegro for a Loan Granted by the European Investment Bank (Comprehensive Air Traffic Control Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project – Serbia and Montenegro), proposed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia.

On the first day of the session, the National Assembly discussed the Bill on the Distribution of Transfer Assets from the Budget of the Republic of Serbia and the Share of Municipalities, Cities and the City of Belgrade in the Salary Tax for 2006. At the start of the debate on the Bill, the deputies were addressed by the Minister of Finance in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Mladjan Dinkic, who reiterated that the Ministry of Finance was working with the Standing Conference of Cities and Municipalities to draft legislation that will ensure fiscal decentralisation, and that will enter Assembly procedure in the first half of 2006. According to Mr Dinkic, the adoption of the Bill on the distribution of transfer assets to cities and municipalities would be a step towards fiscal decentralisation in Serbia.

The National Assembly went on to start joint discussion in principle on the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on the Public Debt of the Republic of Serbia Resulting from the Assumption of Obligations of the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance of Employees for Unpaid Pensions and Compensations, the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on the Public Debt of the Republic of Serbia Resulting from the Assumption of Obligations of the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance of Farmers for Unpaid Pensions and Compensations, the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on Social Protection and the Provision of Social Security, and the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on Financial Support for Families with Children.

On the second day of the sitting (12 December) the deputies spoke about violations of the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly. The discussion caused a number of replies, and the Chairman, Predrag Markovic, called a recess for consultation.

On the third day of the session (13 December) the National Assembly commenced joint discussion in principle on the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on the Public Debt of the Republic of Serbia Resulting from the Assumption of Obligations of the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance of Employees for Unpaid Pensions and Compensations, the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on the Public Debt of the Republic of Serbia Resulting from the Assumption of Obligations of the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance of Farmers for Unpaid Pensions and Compensations, the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on Social Protection and the Provision of Social Security, and the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on Financial Support for Families with Children.

On the fourth day of the sitting (14 December) the deputies concluded joint discussion in principle on the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on the Public Debt of the Republic of Serbia Resulting from the Assumption of Obligations of the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance of Employees for Unpaid Pensions and Compensations, the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on the Public Debt of the Republic of Serbia Resulting from the Assumption of Obligations of the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance of Farmers for Unpaid Pensions and Compensations, the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on Social Protection and the Provision of Social Security, and the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on Financial Support for Families with Children.

The National Assembly went on to hold joint discussion on the Mortgage Presenting the Bill, the Minister for International Economic Relations, Milan Parivodic, told the deputies that it aimed at ensuring that mortgages functioned efficiently – mortgage being a form of pledge over immovable property designed to secure a claim owed by the mortgage debtor to the mortgage creditor. The solutions proposed in the Bill will solve problems that have been arising in sales of property by courts, and will also make it possible for mortgages to be taken out against unfinished or unregistered buildings, which will raise credit rating for most members of the public, Mr Parivodic said.

In the afternoon part of the session the National Assembly commenced discussing the termination of office, dismissal and appointment of judicial officials.

On the fifth day of the session (15 December), the National Assembly concluded discussion on proposals of decisions on the termination of office, dismissal and appointment of judicial officials and discussion in principle on the Bill on the Provision of Counter-Guarantees of the Republic of Serbia to Serbia and Montenegro for a Loan Granted by the European Investment Bank (Comprehensive Air Traffic Control Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project – Serbia and Montenegro). The Bill was presented by the Minister of Capital Investment, Velimir Ilic, who said that he hoped that the deputies would support the Bill, and thus enable the national air traffic control system to be re-equipped in accordance with strict Eurocontrol standards.

In the afternoon part of the session, the deputies discussed the particulars of the Bill on the Distribution of Transfer Assets from the Budget of the Republic of Serbia and the Share of Municipalities, Cities and the City of Belgrade in the Salary Tax for 2006, the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on the Public Debt of the Republic of Serbia Resulting from the Assumption of Obligations of the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance of Employees for Unpaid Pensions and Compensations, and the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on the Public Debt of the Republic of Serbia Resulting from the Assumption of Obligations of the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance of Farmers for Unpaid Pensions and Compensations.

On the sixth day of the session (20 December), the National Assembly discussed the particulars of the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on the Public Debt of the Republic of Serbia Resulting from the Assumption of Obligations of the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance of Farmers for Unpaid Pensions and Compensations, the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on Social Protection and the Provision of Social Security, and the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on Financial Support for Families with Children.

On the seventh day of the session (21 December), the deputies discussed amendments submitted to the Mortgage Bill and the Bill on the Provision of Counter-Guarantees of the Republic of Serbia to Serbia and Montenegro for a Loan Granted by the European Investment Bank (Comprehensive Air Traffic Control Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project – Serbia and Montenegro).

After discussion finished, the Acting Chairperson, Vojislav Mihajlovic, convened a Voting Day sitting for 10 a.m. on 22 December for items from the agenda of the Second Regular Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2005.

On Voting Day (22 December), the National Assembly adopted the Bill on the Distribution of Transfer Assets from the Budget of the Republic of Serbia and the Share of Municipalities, Cities and the City of Belgrade in the Salary Tax for 2006, the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on the Public Debt of the Republic of Serbia Resulting from the Assumption of Obligations of the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance of Employees for Unpaid Pensions and Compensations, the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on the Public Debt of the Republic of Serbia Resulting from the Assumption of Obligations of the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance of Farmers for Unpaid Pensions and Compensations, the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on Social Protection and the Provision of Social Security, the Bill Amending and Modifying the Act on Financial Support for Families with Children, the Mortgage Bill, the Proposal of the Decision on the Termination of Office of Judges of General Competence, and the Bill on the Provision of Counter-Guarantees of the Republic of Serbia to Serbia and Montenegro for a Loan Granted by the European Investment Bank (Comprehensive Air Traffic Control Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project – Serbia and Montenegro).

When voting ended on all items from the agenda, and after several alleged violations of the Rules of Procedure were raised, the Acting Chairman, Vojislav Mihajlovic, concluded the Eighth Sitting of the Second Regular Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2005.