At the sitting held on 1 October, the members of the Committee on Transportation and Communications accepted the Bills on Air Transportation and on Inland Waterway Navigation and Ports, in principle.

The representatives of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Civil Aviation Directorate of the Republic of Serbia presented the Bills to the Committee members.

The Bill on Air Transportation regulates the field for the first time. The Bill complies with international obligations and European standards. The Bill establishes the competencies and responsibilities of state authorities in the sphere of aviation, organises safety in line with world and European models, and will also enable increased air transportation safety and development of the aviation industry.

In the debate on the Bill the Committee members said that more than a hundred amendments would be submitted into procedure, adding that the Government itself proposed more than 40 amendments to the Bill. The Committee members wanted to know the role of the Civil Aviation Directorate Director in the drafting process, what the Bill’s influence on the use of airports by private persons would be, and they also criticised the Directorate and Flight Control Agency on employment and EU’s possible decision to relocate the flight control center from Belgrade into another country in the region.

Following a longer debate, the Committee members endorsed the Bill on Air Transportation in principle, by a majority of votes with the reserved opinions of deputies Kenan Hajdarevic, Velimir Ilic and Srboljub Zivanovic.

The Bill on Inland Waterway Navigation and Ports harmonises domestic and EU legislation, implements 8 directives and several recommendations, ensures navigation safety and regulates ownership relations.

Following a short debate, the Committee members endorsed the Bill in principle by a majority of votes.

By the end of the sitting the Committee members had agreed to hold a special sitting to debate the existing problems of aerospace companies in Serbia.

The sitting was chaired by Velimir Ilic, Committee Chairman.