The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, convened the Second Sitting of the First Regular Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2009, for 18 March 2009.

The National Assembly set the following agenda for the sitting:

1. The Anti-Discrimination Bill, submitted by the Government,

2. The Proposal of the Decision on the election of the President of the
National Education Council, submitted by deputy Nada Kolundzija, and

3. The Proposal of the Decision on the election of the President of the
Council of the National Bank of Serbia, submitted by the Finance
Committee.

The sitting commenced by complaints of violation of the Rules of Procedure and objections to the regularity of the voting at the Voting Day sitting. In the afternoon, the National Assembly conducted a discussion in principle on the Anti-Discrimination Bill. Elaborating the Bill, the Minister of Human and Minority Rights Svetozar Ciplic stressed that its adoption will establish a comprehensive system of protection against discrimination in Serbia thus placing it among European countries who have already established such a protection system for their citizens.

Minister Ciplic said that the adoption of this Bill is vital to the harmonisation of the domestic legislation with that of the European Union and is a condition for Serbia’s placement onto the Schengen white list. In addition, the Minister repeated Serbia’s obligation to abide by the international standards and agreements it had ratified, and which stem from UN and Council of Europe documents.

In the discussion, some also stated that the Bill is unacceptable because it is insulting to Serbian citizens’ traditional ethical mores, viz. the deputies of SRP, DPS, NS and US. On the other hand, DP, G17 Plus, LDP and UVH deputies pointed out that this is one of the most important laws on Serbia’s road to the European Union and a condition for visa liberalisation. They stated that the Bill comprehensively prohibits the discrimination of various groups, women, children, the elderly, disabled persons and other groups suffering serious social discrimination.

On the second day of work, the deputies completed the discussion in principle on the Anti-Discrimination Bill.

The National Assembly Speaker, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic reprimanded deputies Aleksandar Martinovic, Zoran Nikolic and Ognjen Mihajlovic.

The National Assembly went on to complete a joint unified discussion on the Proposal of the Decision on the election of the President of the National Education Council and the Proposal of the Decision on the election of the President of the Council of the National Bank of Serbia.

The Chairman, Nikola Novakovic, National Assembly Deputy Speaker, reprimanded deputy Ognjen Mihajlovic a second time.

On the third day of work, 23 March, the National Assembly commenced a discussion on the particulars of the first item on the agenda – the Anti-Discrimination Bill.

On the fourth day of work, 25 March, the National Assembly continued the discussion on the particulars of the Anti-Discrimination Bill.

During the sitting, deputies Zoran Krasic, Aleksandar Martinovic, Nikola Savic, Dragan Todorovic, Jadranko Vukovic and Vjerica Radeta were reprimanded for violating the Rules of Procedure.

After the discussion, the Minister of Human and Minority Rights, Svetozar Ciplic, requested the floor to review some of the amendments submitted to the Bill.

Since the National Assembly had concluded the discussion on the particulars of the Anti-Discrimination Bill, the Chairperson, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gordana Comic, set Thursday, 26 March, starting at 10 a.m., as Voting day on all the items on the agenda of the Second Sitting of the First Regular Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2009.

Voting Day

On Voting Day, 26 March, the National Assembly adopted the Anti-Discrimination Bill in its entirety.

The National Assembly elected Prof. Dr Desanka Radunovic National Education Council President, and Prof. Dr Dejan Soskic President of the Council of the National Bank of Serbia.

In the continuation of the Voting Day, the National Assembly ruled on the violations of the Rules of Procedure the deputies complained of during the sitting and decided that the provisions of the Rules of Procedure had not been violated in any of the cases.

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