Monday, 28 November 2005

Seventh Session of the Second Regular Sitting of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2005

The following agenda was adopted for the Seventh Session of the Second Regular Sitting of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2005, convened by the Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Predrag Markovic, for Monday 28 November...


The following agenda was adopted for the Seventh Session of the Second Regular Sitting of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2005, convened by the Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Predrag Markovic, for Monday 28 November:


    - Innovations Bill, proposed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia;
    - Science and Research Bill, proposed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia;
    - Serbian Encyclopaedia Bill, proposed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia;
    - Bill on the Dictionary of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, proposed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia;
    - Proposal of the Decision Establishing the National Corruption Suppression Strategy, proposed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia;
    - Dismissal of judicial officials;
    - Bill on Providing Counter-Guarantees of the Republic of Serbia to the German Financial Institution KfW for a Loan Made to the Serbian National Power Generation Company to Finance a Project of Acquiring Mining Equipment for the Zapadni Rudnik Mine, Tamnava, proposed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia;
    - Bill on the Decorations of the Republic of Serbia, proposed by deputy Predrag Markovic.

On the second day of the sitting (29 November), the National Assembly held a joint discussion in principle on the Innovations Bill, the Science and Research Bill, the Serbian Encyclopaedia Bill, and the Bill on the Dictionary of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.

After joint discussion in principle concluded, the Minister of Science and Environmental Protection, Aleksandar Popovic, addressed the deputies. Mr Popovic outlined the importance of reforming and modernising regulation of activities in the fields of innovation and science and research, as well as harmonising it with international standards. He also expressed his pleasure at the general consensus prevailing at the Assembly with respect to adopting the Bills.

Referring to each individual Bill, Mr Popovic paid special attention to explaining newly proposed solutions, especially those relating to scientific agencies, establishment of bodies to monitor the quality of scientific research, introduction of awards for scientific and lifetime achievements, as well as the fact that the proposed Bill was the first attempt to regulate the field of innovations.

Mr Popovic specially underlined the importance of adopting the Serbian Encyclopaedia Bill and the Bill on the Dictionary of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, as this would accelerate work on these projects, which are of tremendous significance for the state and the people – a general encyclopaedia of the Serbian people and its lands, and a comprehensive dictionary of the official language. The Minister concluded by saying that these great projects would “do honour to this august House”.

On the third day of the session (30 November), the National Assembly discussed the Proposal of the Decision Establishing the National Corruption Suppression Strategy in principle.

Addressing the deputies, the Minister of Justice in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Zoran Stojkovic, reiterated that adopting an anti-corruption strategy was an obligation foreseen by the Action Plan for EU Integration, and that the strategy aimed at preventing corruption, or, rather, reducing it to a tolerable degree so that it no longer poses a threat to society and its institutions.

According to Mr Stojkovic, after the Strategy is passed, the Government would be obliged to adopt an action plan to implement it, and to secure funding for its realisation. The document also provides for the formation of an independent body, which would periodically report to the National Assembly, to supervise the implementation of the strategy.

On the fourth day of the session (1 December), the National Assembly held joint discussion on the Decision on the Termination of Office of Judges of Courts of General Competence, proposed by the Justice and Administration Committee.

When discussion in principle and in particular on the Bill on the Decorations of the Republic of Serbia had ended, deputy Predrag Markovic, having first given answers to remarks and suggestions put forward during the debate, withdrew the Bill from procedure. He said that it would make sense to adopt such a law only when general consensus has been reached about the need of regulating the field, and when enough time had been spent to work out solutions “that would not be tainted in any way”, adding that he hoped that time for this would come soon.

The National Assembly went on to note that the Government representative had withdrawn from procedure the Bill on Providing Counter-Guarantees of the Republic of Serbia to the German Financial Institution KfW for a Loan Made to the Serbian National Power Generation Company to Finance a Project of Acquiring Mining Equipment for the Zapadni Rudnik Mine, Tamnava.

The Assembly then discussed the particulars of the Innovations Bill, the Science and Research Bill, the Serbian Encyclopaedia Bill, and the Bill on the Dictionary of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.

As the National Assembly had finished discussing all items from the agenda, the Chairman of the National Assembly, Predrag Markovic, convened a Voting Day session for 10 a.m. on Thursday 8 December.

On Voting Day (8 December), the National Assembly adopted, in their entirety, the Innovations Bill, the Science and Research Bill, the Serbian Encyclopaedia Bill, and the Bill on the Dictionary of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.

The National Assembly also adopted, in their entirety, the Proposal of the Decision Establishing the National Corruption Suppression Strategy and the Proposal of the Decision on the Termination of Judicial Office of Judges of General Competence.

Reminding those present that the Bill on the Dictionary of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts was the two hundredth law adopted by the present convocation of the National Assembly, the Chairman of the Assembly, Predrag Markovic, congratulated all the deputies on that feat.

As the National Assembly had finished discussing and voting on all items from the agenda, Mr Markovic concluded the Seventh Session of the Second Regular Sitting of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2005.



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friday, 29 march
  • 9.00 - the National Assembly Speaker meets with the Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia (National Assembly House, 13 Nikola Pasic Square, Speaker’s Cabinet)

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