Government meets—but not to discuss EU deal

The government today approved the sale of RTS Bor during a conference call. The Democratic Party (DS) has called for a debate on the EU deal to also take place. Government meets—but not to discuss EU deal Economy Minister Mladjan Dinkic had said yesterday that the failure to call a cabinet meeting could result in the collapse of the RTB Bor deal with Austrian company A-TEC, as Friday was the deadline by which the government had to reach a decision on the takeover. However, that contract has now been confirmed. The Austrian consortium has agreed to the pay USD 466mn for the company and to increase investments from the obligatory 180mn to 230mn. A-TEC also pledged to take on the 4, 691 employees without making any redundancies over the next three years. BUt DS ministers also want to discuss the proposed deal with the EU today. They have asked for the matter to be included on the agenda of the conference call, which is still under way, the government's public relations director, Milivoj Mihajlovic, told Tanjug. Prime Ministerial adviser Branislav Ristivojevic had said earlier today that the cabinet would meet next Thursday, on February 14. “There’s enough time until then for parliament to convene to discuss the EU’s decision to illegally send its mission to carry out Kosovo’s unilateral independence,” Ristivojevic told Tanjug. “There is also plenty of time by February 14 to overcome the present crisis within the ruling coalition,” he added. “If required, the government can resolve certain issues that may emerge before February 14 at its conference calls, as has been the practice up to now,” the prime ministerial adviser added. Commenting on the remarks of EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, Ristivojevic said that it was very important to bear in mind the fact that Rehn unequivocally advocated unilateral independence for Kosovo, and that he was calling for the illegal dispatch of an EU mission to implement the rejected Martti Ahtisaari plan. Earlier, it had been announced that there would be no cabinet meeting to discuss the signing of the EU cooperation deal today because of internal conflicts. The General Secretariat sent cabinet members a statement informing them that no session would be held, but without citing a reason. The statement said that Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica would call a cabinet meeting once parliament had convened. The letter came after a series of statements exchanged between Kostunica and President Boris Tadic’s press offices. Tadic had called on the prime minister to hold a cabinet meeting in order to preserve the country’s stability. “State institutions have to do their own jobs and no-one is allowed to obstruct their work because of party interests,” the president said. “The government must work in the interests of its citizens. It is the executive authority and, according to the Constitution, it establishes and implements policy. The government’s work cannot depend on anyone’s whim, nor can parliament replace the government,” he said. Tadic said that parliament should and must discuss all important matters and take decisions, but the government had to give its opinion first. However, Kostunica stressed that it was Parliamentary Speaker Oliver Dulic’s duty to schedule an emergency session of parliament, because the EU had endangered Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. “The government’s opinion, which is obviously very divided on the issue, is not required for a session of parliament,” Kostunica said, in response to the president’s call for a cabinet meeting. The president replied that it was the government’s job to hold a meeting and reach a common position. “In critical moments for the state, and if the prime minister believes that the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty is threatened, the government must meet to clarify this question,” he said. The cabinet meeting was requested by Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic and 16 ministers from the Democratic Party (DS) and G17 Plus in order to reach an agreement on signing the new political deal with the EU, offered to aid Serbia’s path to EU candidacy. The DSS and New Serbia oppose the deal and called for a session of parliament, with the support of the Serb Radical Party and the Socialist Party of Serbia, to discuss blocking the EU deal, and what to do about the EU decision to send a mission to Kosovo. Because of internal government wrangling, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said that signing of the deal had been postponed. Rehn said that the offer was still on the table and that Belgrade could sign it “when it decides to do so.” The commissioner criticized Kostunica for blocking and obstructing Serbia’s European integration. European Parliament Rapporteur for Serbia Jelko Kacin also expressed his disappointment, stating that Serbia was on the verge of self-isolation. Boris Tadic and Vojislav Kostunica (FoNet archive)

Government meets—but not to discuss EU deal

Economy Minister Mlađan Dinkić had said yesterday that the failure to call a cabinet meeting could result in the collapse of the RTB Bor deal with Austrian company A-TEC, as Friday was the deadline by which the government had to reach a decision on the takeover.

However, that contract has now been confirmed.

The Austrian consortium has agreed to the pay USD 466mn for the company and to increase investments from the obligatory 180mn to 230mn.

A-TEC also pledged to take on the 4, 691 employees without making any redundancies over the next three years.

BUt DS ministers also want to discuss the proposed deal with the EU today. They have asked for the matter to be included on the agenda of the conference call, which is still under way, the government's public relations director, Milivoj Mihajlović, told Tanjug.

Prime Ministerial adviser Branislav Ristivojević had said earlier today that the cabinet would meet next Thursday, on February 14.

“There’s enough time until then for parliament to convene to discuss the EU’s decision to illegally send its mission to carry out Kosovo’s unilateral independence,” Ristivojević told Tanjug.

“There is also plenty of time by February 14 to overcome the present crisis within the ruling coalition,” he added.

“If required, the government can resolve certain issues that may emerge before February 14 at its conference calls, as has been the practice up to now,” the prime ministerial adviser added.

Commenting on the remarks of EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, Ristivojević said that it was very important to bear in mind the fact that Rehn unequivocally advocated unilateral independence for Kosovo, and that he was calling for the illegal dispatch of an EU mission to implement the rejected Martti Ahtisaari plan.

Earlier, it had been announced that there would be no cabinet meeting to discuss the signing of the EU cooperation deal today because of internal conflicts.

The General Secretariat sent cabinet members a statement informing them that no session would be held, but without citing a reason. The statement said that Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica would call a cabinet meeting once parliament had convened.

The letter came after a series of statements exchanged between Koštunica and President Boris Tadić’s press offices.

Tadić had called on the prime minister to hold a cabinet meeting in order to preserve the country’s stability.

“State institutions have to do their own jobs and no-one is allowed to obstruct their work because of party interests,” the president said.

“The government must work in the interests of its citizens. It is the executive authority and, according to the Constitution, it establishes and implements policy. The government’s work cannot depend on anyone’s whim, nor can parliament replace the government,” he said.

Tadić said that parliament should and must discuss all important matters and take decisions, but the government had to give its opinion first.

However, Koštunica stressed that it was Parliamentary Speaker Oliver Dulić’s duty to schedule an emergency session of parliament, because the EU had endangered Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“The government’s opinion, which is obviously very divided on the issue, is not required for a session of parliament,” Koštunica said, in response to the president’s call for a cabinet meeting.

The president replied that it was the government’s job to hold a meeting and reach a common position.

“In critical moments for the state, and if the prime minister believes that the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty is threatened, the government must meet to clarify this question,” he said.

The cabinet meeting was requested by Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić and 16 ministers from the Democratic Party (DS) and G17 Plus in order to reach an agreement on signing the new political deal with the EU, offered to aid Serbia’s path to EU candidacy.

The DSS and New Serbia oppose the deal and called for a session of parliament, with the support of the Serb Radical Party and the Socialist Party of Serbia, to discuss blocking the EU deal, and what to do about the EU decision to send a mission to Kosovo.

Because of internal government wrangling, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said that signing of the deal had been postponed.

Rehn said that the offer was still on the table and that Belgrade could sign it “when it decides to do so.”

The commissioner criticized Koštunica for blocking and obstructing Serbia’s European integration. European Parliament Rapporteur for Serbia Jelko Kacin also expressed his disappointment, stating that Serbia was on the verge of self-isolation.