Parliament in race against time

It is stipulated that all exiting laws in Serbia have to be brought into line with the Constitution by Dec. 31, though the chances of this happening look slim. Daily Vecernje Novosti writes that there is a real danger of a dozens of laws remaining invalid at the start of the new year. Parliament in race against time There is a way out of this situation, but it lies through a “maze“ of political agreements. The governing coalition could extend the Constitutional deadline so that the process can continue into next year. However, this would require the support of two-thirds of MPs. The adoption of the Constitution envisaged the updating of all old laws, including those dating back to the days of the former Yugoslavia, by the end of the year. In the meantime, parliament has received new laws that are in line with the Constitution, while the old ones are still waiting in a queue. The government’s problems were highlighted by Serb Progressive Party leader Tomislav Nikolic, who pointed out that parliament, as stipulated by the Constitution, was obliged to appoint a new Supreme Court, Supreme Judicial Council, five new Constitutional Court judges and adopt laws on the prosecution, judiciary and judges, long ago. Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic told Vecenje Novosti that the time frames had not been forgotten, but that the government was called upon to submit laws by parliament, either in written or official form, or in informal meetings. “Parliament’s job is also to adopt a Law on Parliament that’s in line with the Constitution, but the government needs to submit the remaining systematic laws,“ she pointed out.

Parliament in race against time

There is a way out of this situation, but it lies through a “maze“ of political agreements. The governing coalition could extend the Constitutional deadline so that the process can continue into next year.

However, this would require the support of two-thirds of MPs.

The adoption of the Constitution envisaged the updating of all old laws, including those dating back to the days of the former Yugoslavia, by the end of the year. In the meantime, parliament has received new laws that are in line with the Constitution, while the old ones are still waiting in a queue.

The government’s problems were highlighted by Serb Progressive Party leader Tomislav Nikolić, who pointed out that parliament, as stipulated by the Constitution, was obliged to appoint a new Supreme Court, Supreme Judicial Council, five new Constitutional Court judges and adopt laws on the prosecution, judiciary and judges, long ago.

Speaker Slavica Đukić-Dejanović told Večenje Novosti that the time frames had not been forgotten, but that the government was called upon to submit laws by parliament, either in written or official form, or in informal meetings.

“Parliament’s job is also to adopt a Law on Parliament that’s in line with the Constitution, but the government needs to submit the remaining systematic laws,“ she pointed out.