At the sitting held on 10 December, the Committee on Transportation and Communications discussed in principle the Republic of Serbia 2010 Budget Bill, focusing on the sections pertaining to infrastructure and telecommunications.

The sitting was attended by the Minister of Telecommunications and Information Society Jasna Matic, Minister of Infrastructure Milutin Mrkonjic, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Finance.

Minister Jasna Matic presented the section of Budget Bill dealing with the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Society which allocated 699 million RSD for telecommunications. Out of that amount, 290 million are private funds coming from the Telecommunication Agency, and 409 million from the budget are intended for the development of telecommunications. The difference to last year’s budget is reflected in the 150 million RSD increase of special services funds. The funds are intended for the project of internet innovation in science institutions of the region and their connection to the European network. The project would also encompass all the educational institutions in Serbia. She added that the Ministry created a set of universal services that all Serbian citizens should have in the field of telecommunication.

Minister of Infrastructure Milutin Mrkonjic stressed that the budged allocated 1 billion 100 million RSD for Corridor 10 and other main directions. The funds intended for the railway also include a 600 million EUR loan from the Russian Federation, adding that the railway subsidies have been raised by 3 million RSD this year. He declared that 400 million RSD worth of funds are insufficient for the construction of magisterial, regional and local roads.

In the discussion on the Bill, the Committee members asked various questions and exchanged opinions with the competent ministries on the possible transfer of funds intended for road construction from the position of the Ministry for NIP to the Ministry of Infrastructure, the manner of payment of the 7 billion RSD debt to the road workers for the current year, on the financing of digitalisation, introduction of a second landline telephony operator and increase of railway subsidies.

Following the discussion, the members of the Committee on Transportation and Communications accepted the Republic of Serbia 2010 Budget Bill in principle, by a majority of votes, with the reserved opinions of deputies Kenan Hajdarevic and Milan Veselinovic.

The sitting was chaired by the Committee Chairman, Velimir Ilic.