On 19 April, under the chairmanship of the Committee Chairman, Nenad Konstantinovic, the Administrative Committee considered the Report on the National Assembly’s 2009 operating costs.

The Report was presented by the National Assembly Secretary General Veljko Odalovic who highlighted the considerable savings in the expenditure of funds allocated for the operation of the National Assembly’s support services and deputies. In 2009 the National Assembly spent 1.3 billion RSD which is 260 million less that envisaged by the budget. 298 million RSA was allocated for the deputies’ salaries i.e. about 10 million less than envisaged, while 286 million RSA were allocated for the salaries of the support service employees. The abolition of the deputies’ daily wage enabled savings of about 40 million RSD, and the introduction of the electronic parliament will allow for further savings, Secretary General Veljko Odalovic stressed.

Committee Chairman Nenad Konstantinovic noted that the 2009 operating costs were lower than the year before although the work was more intensive. The National Assembly was in session for 160 days, held 29 sittings with 328 items on its agenda, which is three times more than in 2008. Konstantinovic announced that the deputies’ representation would be limited to official meetings and that the right to use an official vehicle would be closely defined.

Since there was no decision-making quorum, the Committee Chairman announced that the Committee would vote on the report at the next sitting.