Parliament sidetracked by gas scandal

Parliament is continuing its session, but MPs are once against sidestepping the items on the agenda—namely, amendments to this year’s budget review. Under the proposed review, the budget deficit would increase from EUR 487mn to EUR 545mn. Parliament sidetracked by gas scandal Liberal Democratic Party officials began by highlighting cases of corruption in the gas sector, adding that the interests of Serbia had been sacrificed, and that funds from the National Investment Plan that had been destined for building the gas storage facility in Banatski Dvor were being used for other things. LDP official Slobodan Maras said that the party was calling on the government to eliminate the middlemen in the supply of gas from Russia to Serbia. The LDP called on the government to dismiss Deputy Mining and Energy Minister Milutin Prodanovic, stating that he was most to blame for the misuse of the Banatski Dvor project money. Fellow LDP official Zoran Ostojic called on the government to say which Serbian citizen was the co-owner of the Jugorosgas company, adding that the party had learned that the Russian side did not want to invest EUR 500mn in the modernization of the Serbian Oil Industry(NIS), but was proposing that the NIS take out a loan, with Gazprom acting as the guarantor. Serb Radical Party officials stated that “prices are going wild” in Serbia, and asked what the government had done about it. SRS MP Srboljub Zivanovic said that the party headquarters in Vladimirci had been burned down, and called on the Interior Ministry to track down the perpetrators of the crime immediately. Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) officials stated that pensioners had been deceived by the government, because pensions would not be increased to the level promised prior to the elections. The government did not approve any of the 84 amendments submitted to the budget review. Compared to the original budget for this year, revenue will be about EUR 125mn higher, but spending will also increase by EUR 183mn. The money is destined to meet the pension increases, as well as for building roads and highway infrastructure. Parliament (FoNet, archive)

Parliament sidetracked by gas scandal

Liberal Democratic Party officials began by highlighting cases of corruption in the gas sector, adding that the interests of Serbia had been sacrificed, and that funds from the National Investment Plan that had been destined for building the gas storage facility in Banatski Dvor were being used for other things.

LDP official Slobodan Maraš said that the party was calling on the government to eliminate the middlemen in the supply of gas from Russia to Serbia.

The LDP called on the government to dismiss Deputy Mining and Energy Minister Milutin Prodanović, stating that he was most to blame for the misuse of the Banatski Dvor project money.

Fellow LDP official Zoran Ostojić called on the government to say which Serbian citizen was the co-owner of the Jugorosgas company, adding that the party had learned that the Russian side did not want to invest EUR 500mn in the modernization of the Serbian Oil Industry(NIS), but was proposing that the NIS take out a loan, with Gazprom acting as the guarantor.

Serb Radical Party officials stated that “prices are going wild” in Serbia, and asked what the government had done about it.

SRS MP Srboljub Živanović said that the party headquarters in Vladimirci had been burned down, and called on the Interior Ministry to track down the perpetrators of the crime immediately.

Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) officials stated that pensioners had been deceived by the government, because pensions would not be increased to the level promised prior to the elections.

The government did not approve any of the 84 amendments submitted to the budget review. Compared to the original budget for this year, revenue will be about EUR 125mn higher, but spending will also increase by EUR 183mn.

The money is destined to meet the pension increases, as well as for building roads and highway infrastructure.