At the request of the Government, the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, convened the Tenth Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2009, for Wednesday, 8 July, starting at 5 p.m.

The Request to hold the sitting specified the following agenda:

1. The Bill on the Budgetary System,

2. The Bill amending and modifying the Law on Republic Administrative Fees,

3. The Bill granting guarantee by the Republic of Serbia in favour of “MARFIN BANK” Belgrade under the debt of Public Enterprise “Serbian Roads” and

4. The Bill amending the Labour Law.

The National Assembly accepted the proposal to conduct a joint discussion in principle on the four items on the agenda, by a majority of votes.

On the second day of work, 13 July, the National Assembly conducted a joint discussion in principle on the four Bills. The session was attended by Minister of Finance Diana Dragutinovic and Minister of Labour and Social Policy Rasim Ljajic.

At the beginning of the proceedings, the heads of the Serbian Radical Party and Democratic Party of Serbia Deputy Groups complained of a violation of the Rules of Procedure and pointed out an irregularity in the opening of the sitting of the Tenth Extraordinary Session and its recess on 8 July.

Elaborating the Bill on the Budgetary System, Diana Dragutinovic stressed that its adoption shall contribute to control and spend all public funds more rationally, as well as enable a better overview of the fiscal situation.

The Minister of Finance said that the amendments to the Law on Administrative Fees enable its harmonisation with the Law on Political Parties and added that the amendments introduce fees for the foundation of a political party, as well as propose the lowering of fees by 50% in the field of intellectual property and licenses for international public transport.

According to Diana Dragutinovic’s estimate, after the Bill granting guarantee by the Republic of Serbia in favour of “MARFIN BANK” Belgrade under the debt of Public Enterprise “Serbian Roads” has been adopted and put into force this public company’s biggest problems shall be solved, and stressed that it shall also influence the heightened liquidity of the system and stability of the exchange course.

The amendment of the Labour Law envisages a paid leave of longer than 45 days during which the employee receives 60% of the average income in the previous three months, which is, as Diana Dragutinovic stressed, a consequence of the crisis and lowered business volume in some companies.

By the end of the day the National Assembly had concluded the joint discussion in principle on all the items on the agenda for the Tenth Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2009.

National Assembly Deputy Speaker Nikola Novakovic, who was chairing the sitting, announced that the discussion on the particulars of the Bills shall be conducted on Wednesday, 15 July.

On the third day of work, 15 July, the National Assembly completed a discussion on the particulars of the Bill on the Budgetary System, Bill amending and modifying the Law on Republic Administrative Fees, Bill granting guarantee by the Republic of Serbia in favour of “MARFIN BANK” Belgrade under the debt of Public Enterprise “Serbian Roads” and Bill amending the Labour Law.

After the discussion on all the items on the agenda of the Tenth Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2009 was completed, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gordana Comic, who chaired the sitting, scheduled the Voting Day sitting for Thursday, 16 July, starting at 1.30 p.m.

Voting Day

On Voting Day, 16 July, the National Assembly voted on the items on the agenda of the Tenth Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2009.

By 124 votes in favour, the National Assembly adopted the Bill on the Budgetary System. The Bill amending and modifying the Law on Republic Administrative Fees was adopted by 125 votes in favour. The Bill granting guarantee by the Republic of Serbia in favour of “MARFIN BANK” Belgrade under the debt of Public Enterprise “Serbian Roads” was adopted by 126 votes in favour, and the Bill amending the Labour Law was adopted by 123 votes in favour.

On Voting Day, the National Assembly also ruled on the violations of the Rules of Procedure the deputies complained of during the sitting and decided that the Rules of Procedure had not been violated in any of the cases.

Since the National Assembly had completed the discussion on all the items on the agenda and ruled on them, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, concluded the Tenth Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2009.