On 29 April, at 4 pm., in line with article 200 paragraph 1 of the National Assembly Rules of Procedure, the deputies posed parliamentary questions to the Government of the Republic of Serbia.

The parliamentary questions were answered by Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration and Minister of Science and Technological Development Bozidar Djelic, Minister of Telecommunication and Information Society Jasna Matic, Minister of Education Zarko Obradovic, Minister of the Diaspora Srdjan Sreckovic and Minister of Energy and Mining Petar Skundric.

Deputy Riza Halimi asked Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic when the work on the highway section at Presevo, Lebosoj, would be finished, considering that they are currently halted, navigation is difficult on the section open for traffic and Minister Mrkonjic promised that all the work would be finished by June this year. Deputy Halimi addressed his second question to Deputy Prime Minister Djelic as well, asking about the strikes of workers of privatised companies whose new owners do not honour their contractual obligations.

Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic stated that all work on Corridor 10 would be finalised by 2012, adding that he would consult Minister Mrkonjic about the specific data on the section the deputy mentioned and forward a written reply to the question. The problems suffered by privatised companies are a reflection of the economic crisis, not the new owners’ non-compliance with contractual obligations. In such cases, which make up about 2%, the contract is broken, and the company is restructured and privatised again. The Deputy Prime Minister added that no personal income funds would be paid to the workers after privatisation is completed, but that the Government, whenever possible or necessary, would extend social assistance, enable linking years of employment and payment of benefits.

Deputy Velimir Ilic repeated the question to which he had received no answer from Minister Oliver Dulic, relating to Nuba Invest Company doing work they have no license for and asked how it was possible that 25 million EUR worth of construction was being done without a tender. He also asked whether it was true that the road near the Macedonian border was being constructed without proper documentation and whether it was true that the highway near Kragujevac was also being constructed without documentation, whether it was true that Minister Dulic received a license for a private production company in New Belgrade and whether it was true that Delta City, opened by Deputy Prime Minister Djelic, was constructed without appropriate licenses.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that the deputy would receive a written reply to his questions.

Deputy Cedomir Jovanovic requested an explanation from Deputy Prime Minister Djelic to a question about the judiciary reform in Serbia, an explanation why the Government did not react to the public attacks on the President of the Supreme Court of Cassation and Minister of Justice and several questions about the role of the former acting Secretary General of the President of the Republic in the amendments and modifications to the Criminal Procedure Code.

Responding to deputy Jovanovic’s questions, Deputy Prime Minister Djelic agreed that there were some criticisms of the judicial reform, but added that reaching European standards in the judiciary sphere was a key element of European integration. He restated the Government’s firm belief that the fight against organised crime would have a judiciary outcome. He was disappointed by the resistance to the judiciary reform, adding that the Government fully supports the reform and the Minister of Justice, and that the reform would be implemented in full.

Deputy Donka Banovic asked Deputy Prime Minister Djelic to comment on Republic of Turkey’s new political, diplomatic and economic offensive on Balkan countries and the intense cooperation between Serbia and Turkey because it gave the impression that Turkey was Serbia’s most important strategic partner. The deputy wanted to know whether the Government had altered its course and was leading Serbia towards Ottoman not European integration.

Deputy Prime Minister Djelic responded to the deputy by mentioning the talks with the French company Michelin about enhancing Pirot tire factory’s production capacities and placement of Michelin products made by this factory onto the Turkish market. He highlighted the importance of developing cooperation with Turkey and signing a treaty on free trade as a pre-condition for it. In the 21^st century Turkey will boast a population of over 100 million people and vast resources important for the region, and, in view of the geo-political and economic benefits, Serbia is aware of the importance of cooperation with Turkey without abandoning its goal – accession to the European Union.

Deputy Banovic’s additional question commented on certain EU countries’ position on Turkey’s accession to the EU, as well as the accession of other Western Balkan countries, to which Deputy Prime Minister Djelic responded that it was true that there was no consensus among the EU countries on Turkey’s accession into the EU, but that they had reached a consensus when it comes to Western Balkan countries.

Deputy Jorgovanka Tabakovic asked a question about the inability to enforce the judicial sentence for 40 Coca-Cola employees from Kosovo-Metohija factory in Lipljan who were wrongfully dismissed in 2000, and the Lipljan Municipal Court final sentence passed in 2005 still cannot be enforced.

Since none of the Government representatives present responded to the question, the National Assembly Speaker granted the floor to the next deputy.

Deputy Zoran Krasic asked a question about the Montaza company workers’ problems with the administration and owners following its privatisation process.

Since none of the Government representatives replied, the floor was granted to the next deputy.

Deputy Djura Mucenski asked Deputy Prime Minister Djelic about the plans for overcoming the global economic crisis. He requested an explanation of Plan 20-20, what it contained and what the EU had prepared for 2020, as well as whether the Government of the Republic of Serbia was working on it.

Deputy Prime Minister Djelic explained the mechanisms for solving the Greek crisis and its influence on the European economy, stressing that it was not conducive to the EU expansion atmosphere. Strategy 20-20 does not mean that Serbia’s European perspective has been delayed for a more distant future. It covers the EU’s strategic goals for the decade: intelligent growth i.e. allocating 3% of the NGP for science; sustainable growth i.e. a 20% increase in renewable energy usage, a 20% increase of energy efficiency and a 20% cut in CO2 emission and inclusive growth i.e. growth that leaves no social category without welfare or improvement. Serbia and Western Balkan countries will be invited to present their projects on the issue.

Deputy Miroslav Markicevic wanted to know why the Deputy Prime Minister had voted in favour of a 100% rise in telephone prepayment and what the economic reasons for the rise were. He also wanted to know why Telekom was being sold.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that, in view of the market situation, the Government estimated that it was the right time to seek a 40% strategic partner for Telekom. That decision is in the interest of both Telekom employees and Serbian citizens.

Deputy Slobodan Maras asked the Deputy Prime Minister where Minister Dulic was and why the Law on Planning and Construction would not be altered if it were impossible to enforce and if it had left 50 thousand workers jobless. He also wanted to know what the Deputy Prime Minister knew about the rulebook for phase construction.

Deputy Prime Minister Djelic said that deputy Maras would receive an answer in line with article 201 paragraph 1 and that he would talk to his colleague Dulic to make sure the answer was forwarded.

With Minister Dulic absent, deputy Milica Vojic-Markovic asked Deputy Prime Minister Djelic and Minister of Energy and Mining Petar Skundric to comment on the Ministry of Environment’s decision to give companies Gorenje and Kemis permission to store hazardous waste on location in Valjevo, 1.5 km from the town centre, 50m from Kolubara waterway and just behind the town’s schoolyard. She asked if this decision made Valjevo a hazardous waste storage dump, whether someone would go to the town to talk to the local self-government representatives and if it was possible that the Government would give a hazardous matter storage license to anyone who wanted to invest in Serbia.

The Minister of Energy and Mining pointed out that he needed to check the appropriate data regarding the part of the question pertaining to the issuance of a waste storage license to a company, but that he agreed that waste matter storage in a living environment was unacceptable, particularly in the vicinity of waterways. He said that he had no knowledge of the facts, but that the ministry in charge should examine the situation and intervene. The Minister also stated that he agreed that investments into Serbia that might endanger Serbian environment should be rejected.

Deputy Dejan Mirovic asked the Deputy Prime Minister two questions. The first was why Telekom was being sold, and the second how it was possible to recruit 350 people in the Government for the needs of European integration if an agreement was reached with the IMF to cut the number of employees.

Deputy Prime Minister Djelic stated that the Government had estimated that EPS was of strategic importance for the country and would not open EPS’s capital. The citizens’ interest is always taken into consideration and it is true that private property is not always superior, he added. Serbian Railways and EPS are good example of it. Regarding Telekom, it was estimated that, in view of the strategies in the region and development of telecommunication services, the time has come to develop the company further. That is why the Government has estimated that this was the right time, in the best interest of the citizens who shall receive Telekom shares, to sell the company. Regarding European integration, Deputy Prime Minister Djelic said that if Serbia wanted to be a winner in the European integration process, it needed to have the human resources to implement reform.

Deputy Smiljana Milisavljevic asked Deputy Prime Minister Djelic when the telecommunication problem in Kosovo-Metohija would be solved and when the citizens, particularly those living in enclaves, would have their telephone lines back, and whether the Government would request help form European institutions to resolve the problem.

The Deputy Prime Minister informed the deputies that the land and mobile telephony signal has been restored in Strpce and stressed that it sends a message to the citizens that the preservation of all connections with Serbian citizens in Kosovo-Metohija will not be neglected.

Deputy Zoran Ostojic asked Deputy Prime Minister Djelic about the fate of the security treaty with NATO signed in October 2008 and which has still not come into assembly procedure.

In his response, the Deputy Prime Minister said that if the treaty was signed there was no doubt that it should be ratified. Since there was no information on it the deputy would receive a reply in line with article 201 paragraph 1.

Deputy Srboljub Zivanovic was interested in the problem of privatised companies, what happened to the 200 million EUR intended for boosting the work of young scientists, science and research activities and how to resolve the problem of mature workers losing their jobs whom new employers then refuse to employ. He asked Minister Skundric how far the realisation of mini hydropower plants has come, and Minister Obradovic whether schools would be closed in areas with diminishing numbers of children.

Answering the first question, Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic repeated that the Government would annul all privatisations that did not honour their contracts, but that it was unrealistic to expect it to pay the workers’ salaries. The Government will assist them to link their years of employment together. Mature workers are the biggest challenge for the work market and the solution is not to create new pensioners, and this issue will be a challenge for every Government. He stated that we must try our best to give these people special treatment, and the employment office will focus on programmes intended for them. Regarding the funds for motivating scientists, the Deputy Prime Minister responded that he was unsure what funds the deputy referred to, but in his answer he mentioned the IMF arrangement. He stated that the next National Assembly Session will deal with the Bill on the Ratification of the Agreement with the European Investment Bank and that this ratification would send the right message to the people employed in science. He also added that 25 million EUR was secured with Minister Obradovic for placement into higher education institutions.

Responding to the question, Minister Obradovic said that neither the Government nor the Ministry of Education would close village schools, but that the demographic situation in Serbia was bad and that the network of schools did not correspond to the situation. There are 4 800 classes with less than 5 pupils, which brings the sustainability of the education system into question. He pointed out that the school closure process would not be entered into without proper research and agreement of local self-governments, and above all due care for the pupils’ interests.

Minister Skundric informed the deputies that yesterday, after several decades, the first modern hydropower plant was put into operation in Crna Trava, in one of the least developed municipalities. This year is the 110 anniversary of the first hydropower plant in Uzice, made according to Tesla’s principles, which was the second hydropower plant built in the world. He added that in the upcoming few months, two or three small hydropower plants will be put into operation in the least developed municipalities in Serbia.

Before the completion of the sitting, National Assembly Speaker Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic congratulated all the Serbian citizens and deputies on May 1^st, International Labour Day.