National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia / Activities / Activity details
Saturday, 30 July 2011
Tenth Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2011
At the request of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, 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 2011, for Saturday, 30 July 2011, starting at 2 p.m.
The Request to hold the extraordinary session set the following agenda:
1. Proposal of the Declaration of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia on the current situation in Kosovo and Metohija following the unilateral and violent actions of the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina, submitted by the Government.
The session was attended by the President of the Republic of Serbia Boris Tadic, Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic; Deputy Prime Ministers Ivica Dacic, Bozidar Djelic and Jovan Krkobabic; Government ministers Vuk Jeremic, Goran Bogdanovic, Dragan Sutanovac, Milutin Mrkonjic, Zoran Stankovic, Predrag Markovic, Dusan Petrovic, Milan Markovic and Nebojsa Ciric, as well as the Head of the Negotiating Team for dialogue with the representatives of the provisional institutions in Pristina Borislav Stefanovic. From the gallery of the Grand Hall, the session was followed by the representatives of the embassies of the
After the National Assembly Speaker opened the discussion on the Declaration Proposal, Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic explained the Declaration Proposal to the MPs saying that the Government requested an urgent National Assembly session due to the dramatic exacerbation of the situation in Kosovo-Metohija caused by the provisional government in Pristina by its irresponsible, unilateral and politically motivated actions. The Prime Minister added that the actions aimed to change the real situation in the field, cause unrest among the Serbian population, install the institutions of so-called independent Kosovo in the north and provoke
The MPs were then addressed by Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic who presented the international aspect of the crisis developing in a complex context. The Foreign Ministry’s diplomatic activities are aimed at preventing the de facto establishment of statehood of the parallel institutions in Pristina. The Ministry and other state bodies act toward preventing the recognition of Kosovo independence and preventing the membership of the provisional institutions of self-government in Kosovo-Metohija in international political organisations, added Minister Jeremic. He restated that the recognition process of said independence has been almost halted and in the last year only several countries recognised Kosovo, the pressure of some of the most influential countries of the world notwithstanding. In addition, the parallel bodies in Pristina failed to secure membership in any international political organisations. All of this has provoked the unilateral use of force aimed at altering the real situation in the field, concluded Minister Jeremic. Immediately after the outbreak of the crisis the Government reacted by requesting an urgent session of the UN Security Council. Minister Jeremic informed the MPs on the course and manner in which the UNSC consultations on the subject took place. He added that Serbia expects to receive an answer to the question who ordered the unilateral act of the special forces so-called ROSU crossing the Ibar, whether someone in the international community knew about these plans, why EULEX abandoned the northern territory leaving the Serbs and other non-Albanians unprotected, and how it came to be that some international organisations acting in Kosovo-Metohija in accordance with Resolution 1244 abandoned their neutral status. Through the countries which took part in the closed consultations
In his address to the MPs, Minister of Defense Dragan Sutanovac stressed that the Minister and Serbian Army, in line with their competences and binding international treaty, acted in order to prevent the escalation and possible life loss on both sides. The Army representatives are in constant contact with KFOR representatives which is the only one authorised according to the 1999 treaty, said Sutanovac. The Minister briefed the MPs on the talks at the enlarged military committee with the representatives of NATO states and Partnership for Peace on the perception of the situation in Kosovo-Metohija, where they asked for support to prevent further escalation of violence. The Deputy Chief of the General Staff met with the KFOR Deputy Commander in
Minister of Economy and Regional Development Nebojsa Ciric informed the National Assembly on the situation regarding the so-called customs stamps i.e. prevention of placement of Serbian goods on the territory of Kosovo-Metohija. The Government believes it to be a violation of the CEFTA agreement and has sent a letter to CEFTA and UNMIK. He informed the MPs that the consultations with UNMIK have not been stopped, that the issue is currently overshadowed by the events in the north of Kosovo-Metohija, and that in the upcoming period they would be informed about how the problem is addressed. He reminded them that
Minister of Kosovo-Metohija Goran Bogdanovic briefed the MPs, chronologically, on the events in the past five days in the north of Kosovo-Metohija, from the action by the Kosovo special police force to the activities implemented by the Government to find a peaceful solution. He deemed that the attempt to take over the administrative crossings of Jarinje and Brnjak in the night between 25 and 26 July and the ensuing crisis have so far been the biggest challenge to peace and stability and Pristina’s most serious attempt to thrust its institutions into the north of the province. He expressed suspicions that Pristina did not make this move without at least the tacit agreement of a part of the international community. He deemed that the situation has been additionally complicated by the actions and statements of the representatives of the international community who expressed their readiness to fully implement Pristina’s acts on the trade embargo and deployment of Albanian police and customs officers at the administrative crossings, as well as turn the crossings of Jarinje and Brnjak into a so-called forbidden military zone where live ammunition may be used. Minister Bogdanovic concluded that the talks have so far managed to ensure the withdrawal of members of the Kosovo special police forces from the north of Kosovo-Metohija, but that the guarantees that the situation would be normalized and reverted to the situation prior to the incident have not been honoured. He conveyed the message of the citizens of Kosovo-Metohija to the MPs to show unity today and urged the MPs, particularly those from Kosovo-Metohija, to endorse the Declaration Proposal.
After Minister Bogdanovic, the MPs were addressed by the Head of the Negotiating Team for the talks with the representatives of the provisional institutions in Pristina Borislav Stefanovic who informed the National Assembly on the current events in Kosovo-Metohija. He opined that the situation was reaching the scope of a state of emergency and almost armed conflict. He briefed the MPs on his and the Minister of Kosovo-Metohija’s activities in the north of the Province, as well as their conversations with the citizens. He deemed that we are facing several difficult days in which a solution to the road block and administrative crossings should be found.
The address of the representatives of the Government of the
Authorised representative Konstantin Arsenovic spoke on the behalf of the Party of United Pensioners of Serbia – PUPS Parliamentary Group pointing out that the Parliamentary Group would endorse the Declaration Proposal and new potentially good proposals and appealed to all the MPs to achieve as much unity as possible in order to address the problems in Kosovo-Metohija. In his address he added that the actions in Kosovo-Metohija put additional pressure on
On the behalf of the Socialist Party of Serbia-United Serbia Parliamentary Group MP Dragan Markovic stated that the Parliamentary Group would endorse the Declaration Proposal. Speaking of the events in Kosovo-Metohija he talked of the disregard of Resolution 1244, sufferings of the Serbian people on the territory of Kosovo-Metohija in the last 20 years, as well as the influence of the part of the international community on the current situation. He wanted the representatives of KFOR to know that the Serbs did not burn the border points because of KFOR but out of fear from former UCK members. He urged the MPs to unity deeming that the parliament should support the Government of the
Head of the New Serbia Parliamentary Group Velimir Ilic expressed regret that the discussion had not taken place sooner so that the EU and UN could be warned on time. He declared the situation in Kosovo-Metohija very difficult stressing that the Government should have addressed the situation sooner and more efficiently and that
The authorised representative of the Liberal Democratic Party Parliamentary Group Zoran Ostojic said that the Parliamentary Group fully supports a reversal and turnaround in the Kosovo policy which he fails to see in the Declaration Proposal and therefore, although it would want to, it cannot endorse it. He deemed that all the future steps in the Kosovo policy should be an instrument for the realisation of the main goal which is a speedy EU accession and
MP Slobodan Samardzic, authorised representative of the Democratic Party of Serbia-Vojislav Kostunica Parliamentary Group opined that the events in the north of Kosovo-Metohija have undoubtedly been caused by the unilateral and violent actions of the Albanians and their institutions. The second reason are the contradictory actions of the international community in Kosovo-Metohija, and the third is the policy of the Government who has chosen the global powers which aid the Albanian policy in the region for its allies in the struggle for the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. He deemed that the dialogue with Pristina has exacerbated the situation for
Head of the Forward Serbia Parliamentary Group Tomislav Nikolic criticised the Government representatives who have failed to submit a report that the National Assembly could vote on today. He said that it was not the time to score party points but for
In her speech the authorised representative of the United Regions of Serbia and Together for Sumadija Parliamentary Group Suzana Grubjesic said that by sending its representatives to the north of Kosovo-Metohija, the Government has shown readiness to resolve all, even the most complicated issues, by peaceful and diplomatic means. She thanked Minister Bogdanovic and Head of the Negotiating Team Stefanovic for the activities they had undertaken, and Minister Jeremic for trying to expose the problem at the UN Security Council. The answer to the question why Pristina instituted a blockade on the goods from
Dragan Todorovic, Head of the Serbian Radical Party Parliamentary Group pointed out that, if there are objections to the manner the document was proposed, the SRP Parliamentary Group would endorse the Declaration Proposal, as it always did when the interests of the Serbian citizens and the state of
Head of the Minorities’ Parliamentary Group Balint Pasztor deemed that the manner of today’s debate could only lead to politicizing and that he is sure that the people in Kosovo-Metohija would have no practical benefits from the session and declaration. He deemed it better to hold a National Assembly session closed to the public where the Government and the President of the Republic would report on the real situation in Kosovo-Metohija and the MPs could hear about the Government’s plans and what kind of measures they can expect. He stated that the text of the Declaration Proposal is a 2005, 2006 and 2007 wish list which does not answer the important questions. The Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians finds the text of the Declaration unacceptable because it is vague, imprecise, does not state what measures may be expected which is why they will refrain from voting on it the same way they refrained from voting on the previous declarations and resolutions on Kosovo-Metohija.
Independent MP Jovan Damjanovic appealed to the international community which is the guarantor of peace and stability to do all in its power to prevent new violent behaviour and escalation which might result in tragedy. He hopes that an agreement of understanding and peace can be reached, which would result in stability in Kosovo-Metohija.
Nada Kolundzija, Head of the For European Serbia Parliamentary Group said that the reason behind the session were the events following Pristina’s unilateral actions, the ensuing crisis and the National Assembly’s need to discuss the future moves of the Government and institutions of the Republic of Serbia. She stressed that it is unfair to say that the Government tried to shift the responsibility to the National Assembly by this and reminded that the opposition asked for the session. She added that it is important to send a message to the citizens in Kosovo-Metohija that the MPs are committed to peace, that they want stability in the region, that they are for tolerance and favour dialogue. It is also important to send the same message to the international representatives in Kosovo-Metohija because it is important that the dialogue was not stopped by an act of the
The National Assembly went on to continue the debate on the only item on the agenda in which the following MPs took part: Branko Ruzic, Riza Halimi, Djuro Peric, Nenad Prokic, Stojanka Petkovic, Vladimir Milentijevic, Aleksandar Matrinovic, Zarko Korac, Dragoljub Micunovic, Zeljko Tomic, Dejan Radenkovic, Milos Aligrudic, Zeljko Ivanji, Bozidar Delic, Nenad Canak, Zoran Krasic, Sasa Dujovic, Sasa Milenic, Ljubomir Kragovic, Smiljana Milisavljevic, Boris Aleksic, Dejan Mirovic, Dragisa Djokovic, Aleksandra Jankovic, Miroslav Markicevic and Borislav Pelevic.
In the course of the debate, Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic accepted an amendment submitted by the Committee on Kosovo-Metohija resulting from the consolidation of the text of the Declaration Proposal with the amendments proposed after consultation with the heads of the parliamentary groups at the National Assembly.
When there were no more requests from the floor, the MPs were addressed by the President of the
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10.00 - calling of elections for councillors of towns and municipalities in the Republic of Serbia(National Assembly House, 13 Nikola Pasic Square, Central Hall)
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12.00 - the National Assembly Speaker meets with the Mexican Ambassador to Serbia (National Assembly House, 13 Nikola Pasic Square)
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13.00 - the National Assembly Speaker meets with representatives of the parliamentary groups (National Assembly House, 13 Nikola Pasic Square, hall 1)