The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Mr Oliver Dulic, convened the First Sitting of the Second Regular Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2007 for Monday, 1 October, beginning at 10 a.m.

The National Assembly set the following agenda:

1. The Proposal of the Decision on both Release and Appointment of the Republic Electoral Commission Members and their Deputies, submitted by Member of Parliament Nada Kolundzija,

2. The Bill amending and modifying the Law on Government, submitted by the Government,

3. The Bill amending and modifying the Bill on State Administration, submitted by the Government,

4. The Bill modifying the Law on State Officials and Employees’ Salaries, submitted by the Government,

5. The Bill amending and modifying the Bill on National and other Holidays in the Republic of Serbia, submitted by the Government,

6. The Bill on the State Seal of the Republic of Serbia, submitted by the Government,

7. The Bill on the Seal of State and Other Organs, submitted by the Government,

8. The Bill amending and modifying the Insurance Law, submitted by the Government,

9. The Bill amending and modifying the Law on the Organisaton and Authority of State Organs in the Proceedings for War Crimes, submitted by the Government,

10. The Bill on the confirmation of United Nations Conventions to Combat Desertification in the countries with severe drought and/or desertification, especially in Africa, submitted by the Government,

11. The Bill on the confirmation of the Convention on the estimate of the environmental impact in a cross-border context, submitted by the Government,

12. The Bill on the confirmation of the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians, submitted by the Government,

13. The Bill on the confirmation of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, submitted by the Government,

14. The Bill on the confirmation of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, submitted by the Government,

15. The Bill on the confirmation of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro on social security, submitted by the Government,

16. The Bill on the confirmation of the Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro, the Government of the Republic of Hungary and the Government of Romania about the junction of the state borders between Serbia and Montenegro, the Republic of Hungary and Romania marked by a three-border junction marker and its maintenance, submitted by the Government,

17. The Bill on the confirmation of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and Governments of the Benelux Countries on the abolition of visas for the carriers of diplomatic and official passports, submitted by the Government,

18. The Bill on the confirmation of the Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro and the Government of the Republic of France on the return and acceptance of individuals in an irregular situation, with Protocol, submitted by the Government,

19. The Bill on the confirmation of the Additional Protocol with the Criminal-Legal Convention on Corruption, submitted by the Government,

20. The Bill on the confirmation of the Civil Legal Convention on Corruption, submitted by the Government,

21. The Bill on the confirmation of the Framework Contract of Loan concluded between the Republic of Serbia and the Council of Europe Development Bank, submitted by the Government,

22. The Bill on the confirmation of the Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation between the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro and the Government of the Republic of India, submitted by the Government,

23. The Bill on the confirmation of the Contract between the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro and the Government of the Republic of India on the Avoidance of Double Taxation pertaining to income and property taxes, submitted by the Government,

24. The Bill on the confirmation of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the Republic of Poland on Customs Cooperation and Mutual Assistance to Customs Matters, submitted by the Government,

25. The Bill on the confirmation of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the Republic of Slovenia on Mutual Assistance to Customs Matters, submitted by the Government,

26. The Bill on the confirmation of the Contract of guarantee (Serbian Railways – Rolling stock) between the Republic of Serbia and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, submitted by the Government,

27. The Bill on the Confirmation of the Contract of guarantee between the Republic of Serbia and European Investment Bank – Railways Reconstruction II Project, submitted by the Government,

28. The Bill on the confirmation of the Agreement on establishing a high performance railway network in Southeast Europe, submitted by the Government,

29. The Bill on the confirmation of the Protocol from 3 June 1999 on the modifications of the Convention Concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) (1999 Protocol) and the Convention Concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) from 9 May 1980, the version based on the Protocol on modifications from 3 June 1999, submitted by the Government

30. The Bill on confirmation of the World Postal Union Acts, submitted by the Government,

31. The Proposal of the Decision on Agreement to the Acts of Trustee for Information of Public Importance, submitted by the Administrative Committee,

32. The Proposal of the Decision on Agreement to the Acts of Ombudsman, submitted by the Administrative Committee,

33. The Proposal for the authentic reading of the provisions of article 127 paragraph 1 and 2 of the Higher Education Act, submitted by the Legislative Committee,

34. The Proposal of the Declaration of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia on the Censure of the blockade and isolation of the Republic of Cuba by the United States of America, submitted by the Serbian Radical Party Deputies’ Group.

The National Assembly commenced the sitting with a minute of silence honouring the late Member of Parliament and Mayor of Belgrade, Nenad Bogdanovic.

The National Assembly went on to conduct a unique discussion on the Proposal of the Decision on both Release and Appointment of the Republic Electoral Commission Members and their Deputies.

At the first day of the session the National Assembly conducted a joint discussion in principle on the Bills amending and modifying the Law on Government, the Bill on State Administration and Bill on National and other Holidays in the Republic of Serbia, as well as the Bill modifying the Law on State Officials and Employees’ Salaries.

Representative of the submitters, Minister of State Administration and Local Self-Government, Milan Markovic, stated that the proposed amendments and modifications will align all these legal acts with the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, paying special attention to the most significant innovations in each of the proposed bills.

On the second day of the session (2 October), at the beginning of the discussion in principle of the Bills on the State Seal of the Republic of Serbia and the Seal of State and Other Organs, the Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Milan Markovic, spoke shortly of the importance of the State Seal as the symbol of Serbian sovereignty and of the practical use of the state seal and seal of state and other organs.

In the morning part of the proceedings the National Assembly concluded the joint discussion in principle on these bills.

The Minister of Finance, Mirko Cvetkovic gave the introductory explanations of the Bill amending and modifying the Insurance Law.

For the rest of the day the National Assembly conducted a discussion in principle on the Bill amending and modifying the Insurance Law.

In the morning part of the proceedings of the third day (3 October), the National Assembly concluded the discussion in principle on the Bill amending and modifying the Insurance Law.

At the beginning of the discussion in principle on the Bill amending and modifying the Law on the Organisaton and Authority of State Organs in the Proceedings for War Crimes, the Minister of Justice, Dusan Petrovic acquainted the Members of Parliament with the proposed modifications, namely the further arrangement of procedures and regulations of the organs in the proceedings for war crimes.

For the remainder of the day, the National Assembly conducted the discussion in principle on this Bill, to the frequent interruptions by Members of Parliament drawing attention to violations of the Rules of Procedure.

On the fourth day of the session (4 October) the National Assembly concluded the discussion in principle on the Bill amending and modifying the Law on the Organisaton and Authority of State Organs in the Proceedings for War Crimes.

The National Assembly went on to conduct a joint discussion in principle on the Bills on the confirmation of United Nations Conventions to Combat Desertification in the countries with severe drought and/or desertification, especially in Africa, the Convention on the estimate of the environmental impact in a cross-border context, the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians, the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. Minister of Environmental Protection Sasa Dragin spoke of the importance of endorsing these bills at the beginning of the discussion.

In the morning part of the proceedings of the fifth day (8 October), the Members of Parliament drew attention to violations of the Rules of Procedure, asked questions and requested information.

On the sixth day of the session (9 October), the National Assembly concluded the joint discussion in principle of the Bills on the confirmation of United Nations Conventions to Combat Desertification in the countries with severe drought and/or desertification, especially in Africa, the Convention on the estimate of the environmental impact in a cross-border context, the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians, the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals.

The session Chairman, deputy speaker Miloljub Albijanic, informed the Members of Parliament that the Government had withdrawn from procedure the Bill on the confirmation of the Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro and the Government of the Republic of France on the return and acceptance of individuals in an irregular situation, with Protocol.

The National Assembly went on to open a join discussion in principle of the Bills on the confirmation of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro on social security, between the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro, the Government of the Republic of Hungary and the Government of Romania about the junction of the state borders between Serbia and Montenegro, the Republic of Hungary and Romania marked by a three-border junction marker and its maintenance, between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and Governments of the Benelux Countries on the abolition of visas for the carriers of diplomatic and official passports, as well as the Additional Protocol with the Criminal-Legal Convention on Corruption and the Civil Legal Conventions on Corruption.

At the beginning of the seventh day (10 October) of the session, the National Assembly acknowledged the end of the mandate, before the end of term, of the late Member of Parliament Nenad Bogdanovic, elected from the Democratic Party – Boris Tadic electoral list.

The National Assembly conducted a joint discussion in principle on the Bills on the confirmation of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro on social security, between the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro, the Government of the Republic of Hungary and the Government of Romania about the junction of the state borders between Serbia and Montenegro, the Republic of Hungary and Romania marked by a three-border junction marker and its maintenance, between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and Governments of the Benelux Countries on the abolition of visas for the carriers of diplomatic and official passports, as well as the Additional Protocol with the Criminal-Legal Convention on Corruption and the Civil Legal Conventions on Corruption.

During the discussion the Members of Parliament posed various questions to certain ministers and requested information on certain current issues.

The National Assembly acknowledged the confirmation of the mandate of Member of Parliament Dr Vesna Parezanovic, elected from the Democratic Party – Boris Tadic electoral list.

In the morning part of the eighth day of the session (11 October), the National Assembly concluded the joint discussion in principle on the Bills on the confirmation of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro on social security, between the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro, the Government of the Republic of Hungary and the Government of Romania about the junction of the state borders between Serbia and Montenegro, the Republic of Hungary and Romania marked by a three-border junction marker and its maintenance, between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and Governments of the Benelux Countries on the abolition of visas for the carriers of diplomatic and official passports, as well as the Additional Protocol with the Criminal-Legal Convention on Corruption and the Civil Legal Conventions on Corruption.

After the introductory adress of the Minister of Finance, Mirko Cvetkovic, the National Assembly went on to commence a joint discussion in principle on the Bills on the confirmation of the Framework Contract of Loan concluded between the Republic of Serbia and the Council of Europe Development Bank, the Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation between the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro and the Government of the Republic of India, the Contract between the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro and the Government of the Republic of India on the Avoidance of Double Taxation pertaining to income and property taxes, the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the Republic of Poland on Customs Cooperation and Mutual Assistance to Customs Matters and the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the Republic of Slovenia on Mutual Assistance to Customs Matters.

On the ninth day of the session (15 October), the National Assembly opened a unique joint discussion on the Bills on the confirmation of the Contract of guarantee (Serbian Railways – Rolling stock) between the Republic of Serbia and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Contract of guarantee between the Republic of Serbia and European Investment Bank (Railways Reconstruction II Project), the Agreement on establishing a high performance railway network in Southeast Europe, the Protocol from 3 June 1999 on the modifications of the Convention Concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) (1999 Protocol) and the Convention Concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) from 9 May 1980, the version based on the Protocol on modifications from 3 June 1999, as well as the Bill on the confirmation of the World Postal Union Acts.

The Minister of Finance, Mirko Cvetkovic, Minister of Telecommunications and Information Society, Aleksandra Smiljanic and Minister of Infrastructure, Velimir Ilic talked to the Members of Parliament about the importance of confirming these international contracts.

On the tenth day of the session (16 October), the National Assembly concluded the unique joint discussion on the Bills on the confirmation of the Contract of guarantee (Serbian Railways – Rolling stock) between the Republic of Serbia and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Contract of guarantee between the Republic of Serbia and European Investment Bank (Railways Reconstruction II Project), the Agreement on establishing a high performance railway network in Southeast Europe, the Protocol from 3 June 1999 on the modifications of the Convention Concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) (1999 Protocol) and the Convention Concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) from 9 May 1980, the version based on the Protocol on modifications from 3 June 1999, as well as the Bill on the confirmation of the World Postal Union Acts.

On the eleventh day of the session (17 October), the National Assembly conducted a unique joint discussion on the Proposals of the Decision on Agreement to the Acts of Trustee for Information of Public Importance and to the Acts of Ombudsman.

The National Assembly went on to open a discussion on the Proposal for the authentic reading of the provisions of article 127 paraghaph 1 and 2 of the Higher Education Act.

The Members of Parliament were addressed by the Chairman of the Legislative Committee, Vlatko Ratkovic, as representative of the submitters.

To eliminate the possibility of inconsistent reading in the application of the provisions of article 127 (paragraph 1 and 2) pertaining to the possibility of submitting a request to institutions of higher education to ascertain that a previously acquired title corresponds to a title from the existing Act, the Legislative Committee proposed an authentic reading of said provisions of the Higher Education Act, said Ratkovic. These provisions, according to him, should be read so that the acquired right, that is acquired title from paragraph 1 article 127 of the Act, does not apply solely to the present but to the future as well. Vlatko Ratkovic went on to give a specific example, thus persons who acquired the title of Bachelor of Law, Bachelor of Civil Engineering, Bachelor of Economy, are equated with persons who acquire the title of Master. Apart from the principle of equal treatment of all diploma holders, this ensures an equal treatment in further education, namely direct eligibility for doctoral studies, he concluded.

For the rest of the day the National Assembly conducted a discussion on this item on the agenda.

The National Assembly commenced the thirteenth day of the session (23 October) with a minute of silence honouring the late Member of Parliament Mika Vlaovic.

For the rest of the workday the Members of Parliament conducted a discussion in detail on the Bill amending and modifying the Law on Government. The Members of Parliament also spoke up asking for explanations and pointing out violations of the rules of procedure.

On the fourteenth day of the session (24 October) the National Assembly continued the discussion in detail on the Bill amending and modifying the Law on Government.

At the beginning of the fifteenth day of the session (25 October), the National Assembly acknowledged that the day of death marked the end of the mandate before the end of his term for the Member of Parliament Mika Vlaovic, elected from the Democratic Party of Serbia – New Serbia – Dr Vojislav Kostunica electoral list. Based on the Report of the Republic Electoral Commission and the Administrative Committee, the National Assembly acknowledged the confirmation of mandate to the Member of Parliament Dejan Stojiljkovic, elected from the Democratic Party of Serbia – New Serbia – Dr Vojislav Kostunica electoral list.

For the rest of the workday the National Assembly conducted a discussion in detail on the Bill amending and modifying the Law on Government.

On the sixteenth day of the session (26 October), the National Assembly conducted a discussion in detail on the Bills amending and modifying the Law on Government, on State Administration, on National and other Holidays in the Republic of Serbia and the Bill amending the Law on State Officials and Employees’ Salaries.

By the end of the workday the National Assembly concluded the discussion in detail on the Bills on the State Seal of the Republic of Serbia and the Seal of State and Other Organs.

On the seventeenth day of the session (29 October), the National Assembly commenced a discussion in detail on the Bill amending and modifying the Insurance Law.

On the eighteenth day of the session (30 October), the National Assembly conducted a discussion in detail on the Bill amending and modifying the Insurance Law.

On the nineteenth day of the session (31 October), the National Assembly conducted a discussion in detail on the Bill amending and modifying the Law on the Organisaton and Authority of State Organs in the Proceedings for War Crimes.

Since the discussion on all the items on the agenda is concluded, the Speaker of the National Assembly will designate a Voting Day about which the Members of Parliament will be duly notified subsequently.

Voting Day

At the Voting Day on 5 November, the National Assembly adopted the Proposal of the Decision on both Release and Appointment of the Republic Electoral Commission Members and their Deputies, as well as adopting the Bills amending and modifying the Law on Government, on State Administration, on National and other Holidays in the Republic of Serbia and amending the Law on State Officials and Employees’ Salaries in their entirety.

The National Assembly went on to adopt the Bills on the State Seal of the Republic of Serbia and on the Seal of State and Other Organs, as well as the Bills amending and modifying the Insurance Law and the Law on the Organisaton and Authority of State Organs in the Proceedings for War Crimes in their entirety.

The Bills on the confirmation of United Nations Conventions to Combat Desertification in the countries with severe drought and/or desertification, especially in Africa, on the estimate of the environmental impact in a cross-border context, on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals and the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians have also been adopted in their entirety.

The National Assembly adopted the Bills on the confirmation of the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro on social security, between the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro, the Government of the Republic of Hungary and the Government of Romania about the junction of the state borders between Serbia and Montenegro, the Republic of Hungary and Romania marked by a three-border junction marker and its maintenance, between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and Governments of the Benelux Countries on the abolition of visas for the carriers of diplomatic and official passports, then on the confirmation of the Additional Protocol with the Criminal-Legal Convention on Corruption and Civil Legal Conventions on Corruption, as well as the Framework Contract of Loan concluded between the Republic of Serbia and the Council of Europe Development Bank in their entirety.

The National Assembly went on to adopt the Bills on the confirmation of the Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation between the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro and the Government of the Republic of India, the Contract between the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro and the Government of the Republic of India on the Avoidance of Double Taxation pertaining to income and property taxes, the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the Republic of Poland on Customs Cooperation and Mutual Assistance to Customs Matters and the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the Republic of Slovenia on Mutual Assistance to Customs Matters in their entirety.

The National Assembly adopted the Bills on the confirmation of the Contract of guarantee (Serbian Railways – Rolling stock) between the Republic of Serbia and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Contract of guarantee between the Republic of Serbia and European Investment Bank (Railways Reconstruction II Project), the Agreement on establishing a high performance railway network in Southeast Europe, the Bill on the confirmation of the Protocol from 3 June 1999 on the modifications of the Convention Concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) (1999 Protocol) and the Convention Concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) from 9 May 1980, the version based on the Protocol on modifications from 3 June 1999 and the Bill on confirmation of the World Postal Union Acts in their entirety.

By the end of the Voting Day the National Assembly had adopted the Proposals of the Decision on Agreement to the Acts of Trustee for Information of Public Importance and of Ombudsman, the Proposal for the authentic reading of the provisions of article 127 paragraph 1 and 2 of the Higher Education Act and the Proposal of the Declaration of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia on the necessity to bring to an end the sanctions and isolation of the Republic of Cuba.

After the National Assembly concluded the discussion of and came to a decision on all the items on the agenda, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Oliver Dulic concluded the First Sitting of the Second Regular Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2007.