In line with article 72, paragraph 5 of the National Assembly Rules of Procedure, the Local Self-Government Committee held a sitting on 23 December to consider the Bill on the 2011 Budget of the Republic of Serbia, in principle.

The sitting was attended by Djordje Stanicic, Secretary General of the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities and representatives of the Ministry of Finance. Addressing the Committee members, they pointed out that, compared to the previous year, the 2011 budget proposal had raised the non-earmarked transfer funds for the local self-government units, but they are still below the level envisaged by the Law on Local Self-Government Financing.

The Committee members deemed that even with the increased transfer funds for local self-governments, the transfer funds do not meet the level dictated by law and should be adjusted to the Law on Local Self-Government Financing. They also pointed out the need to soon pass a Law on Public Property, as well as urgently pass the appropriate Government documents to allocate the funds envisaged by the local self-government budget rebalance to the local self-government units.

The sitting was chaired by Jovan Palalic, Committee Chairman.