On 30 September, at 4 pm., in line with article 205 paragraph 1 of the National Assembly Rules of Procedure, the deputies stopped the discussion on the agenda for the Seventh Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly and posed various questions to the Government of the Republic of Serbia.

Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic, Minister of Infrastructure Milutin Mrkonjic, Minister of Education Zarko Obradovic, Minister of Energy and Mining Petar Skundric, Minister of Health Tomica Milosavljevic, Minister of Telecommunications and Information Society Jasna Matic, Minister for National Investment Plan Verica Kalanovic, Minister of Youth and Sport Snezana Samardzic-Markovic and Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Goran Bogdanovic responded to the deputies’ questions.

Deputy Riza Halimi asked Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic when one of the three border crossings in Presevo would be opened, on which the Government of the State Union had adopted a decision in April 2005, and what were the reasons preventing the Government to do so, while he asked Minister of Infrastructure Milutin Mrkonjic when the Presevo-Levosoje highway would be completed.

Responding to the question, Minister of Infrastructure Milutin Mrkonjic said that the 20km of Presevo-Levosoje highway would be completed on 1 January. Responding to the question about the border crossing, Minister Mrkonjic stated that a Commission has been created to deal with border crossing issues in the Republic of Serbia, and one of the Commission’s tasks was the border crossing deputy Halimi was talking about. He expressed belief that the problems would be resolved by the end of the year.

Deputy Miroslav Markicevic asked Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic about the results of the Government’s foreign policy so far, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, and about the strategic foreign policy directions in the upcoming period. He asked the Prime Minister to describe the Government’s telephone session which dealt with a historic document such as the Resolution Serbia submitted to the UN General Assembly.

Answering deputy Markicevic, Prime Minister Cvetkovic stated that the Serbian Government’s foreign policy is primarily directed towards European integration and a wish that the state moves toward European Union accession. He added that the efforts spent on it had given results such as the liberalisation of the visa regime, candidacy, SAA ratification. He thanked the National Assembly for its contribution towards these goals pointing out that all of these constitute the basis of foreign policy, but that said foreign policy does not neglect other important partners, primarily the Russian Federation, USA, China, as well as the former non-aligned countries. Responding to the question about the Government’s telephone session, Prime Minister Cvetkovic said that the Government’s Rules of Procedure clearly define the procedure for telephone sessions and briefly outlined it.

Deputy Markicevic went on to ask Prime Minister Cvetkovic whether he would inform US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as Prime Minister, that Kosovo-Metohija is Serbia, that it is an integral part of Serbia and that Serbia would not stop talking about its status.

Responding to the additional question, Prime Minister Cvetkovic said that responding to the previous question he did not mention Kosovo-Metohija because he does not believe that Kosovo-Metohija is a foreign policy matter, adding that he believes that it would be one of the topics of the meeting and that in it the Government will strive for Serbia’s best interest and well-known positions.

Deputy Cedomir Jovanovic asked the Prime Minister when the Government would start discussing issues that frustrate the society with those representing the citizens at the Parliament, who expect efficient answers from the Government and deputies, mentioning the situation in Sandzak and position that the Government should have an initiative as regards Kosovo.

Responding to deputy Jovanovic’s question the Prime Minister said that the Government comes to the Parliament in line with the Parliament’s Rules of procedure, every last Thursday of the month adding that there are sessions dedicated to a specific topic where the deputies themselves can select a topic and who they want to discuss it with. He added that there is ample opportunity to initiate and discuss any topic and suggested that the deputy propose a topic he considers the most important for next month, and that the Government would be more than happy to come and debate it.

Using his additional time deputy Cedomir Jovanovic suggested that the Prime Minister tender his resignation reminding him that in normal democracies the Government leads the country and requests the Parliament’s support. He asked when the Government would come up with a Kosovo platform, when the Sandzak issue would be resolved, what the effects of the agreement with Russia were and who was taking responsibility for it all.

Responding to the additional question, Prime Minister Cvetkovic said that the Russian arrangement was concluded based on the inter-state Agreement determined by the National Assembly. As far as the price of natural gas is concerned, Serbia is paying the world price of natural gas and transportation which is somewhat more expensive, said Cvetkovic. He also added that the current natural gas supply is not in the function of the arrangement with Russia and that it would possibly be the consequence of the arrangement after the realisation of the South Stream.

Deputy Miletic Mihajlovic posed a question to the Minister of Labour and Social Policy Rasim Ljajic on the behalf of the parents and associations caring for special needs children. He asked whether there was any difference between the funds allocated to foster families for the care of special needs children and those allocated to parents who take care of their own special needs children.

Prime Minister Cvetkovic said that he did not know the answer to the question, that it is specific and departmental and that it would be forwarded to the competent minister.

Deputy Zoran Masic asked the Prime Minister about the Government’s report on the 2010 expenditure of budget funds, the part relating to subsidies. He asked why in the past six months agriculture received only 41% of the budget in subsidies and how he explained the fact that some other departments received more.

Responding to deputy Masic’s question, the Prime Minister gave information on the principles of budgeting and expenditure of budget funds, particularly on subsidies. He added that it was the competent ministry’s duty to evaluate the necessary subsidies in the first half of the year and supposed that the total sum had been divided for different purposes in line with the annual needs and stressed that he was sure that the minister was taking everything into account and that the remaining funds have been intended for other purposes in the second half of the year.

The National Assembly Speaker informed the deputies that in line with article 215 of the Rules of Procedure the National Assembly is obliged to ensure a live broadcast on the days when the ministers respond to parliamentary questions. Since the Serbian Radio Television had stopped the live broadcast the National Assembly Speaker discontinued the National Assembly session allotted for parliamentary questions.