Tadić calls for Constitution change

President Boris Tadic says that changes will be made to the Constitution to reduce the number of MPs and to enhance expeditiousness and decentralization. Tadic said that election laws must be changed, along with laws for the registration and financing of parties, adding that the Constitution should be changed in the areas defining the number of MPs. Tadic calls for Constitution change The president said that, personally, he saw no reason for Serbia to have 250 MPS, because for a country of this size, 150 was enough. He told daily Vecernje Novosti that the large number of ministries in the government was tied to the existing election laws which “enable many parties to participate in the elections, enter parliament with ease and set conditions for entering government.” “That is how you have three coalition lists with 15 parties. And everyone has their own obligations to their voters,” Tadic said, asked whether he had given up on plans to cut the number of ministries. “Even if there were no substantial savings in reducing ministries, it is an important message to the citizens that the government can save and stand by them. This is why talks about downsizing the government are continuing,” the president said. Asked about the Vojvodina statute, which is awaiting adoption and objections from other regions of Serbia owing to perceived double standards, Tadic said that Constitutional change could help solve the problems of regionalization and decentralization in Serbia. “It is not natural for only Vojvodina to be a region with defined rules in Serbia, when other regions want the same rights. If Vojvodina was the only region, Serbia would be an asymmetric country, which would create constant instability. Quickly, the time will come to open that question, to change and improve our Constitution when the topic of regionalization comes up,” the president said. The case before the International Court of Justice regarding the legality of Kosovo’s unilateral independence, Tadic said, was part of an ongoing process that would hopefully lead to new negotiations, and, in turn, a compromise solution. “One thing is certain: a democratic Serbia will never lead another war, never endanger its citizens or other citizens of the region. We want the best possible relations with the Albanians, despite all the traumas of the past. Only with this kind of policy can we be important regional actors,” he said. Asked about EULEX, whose presence Serbia accepted in Kosovo, Tadic said that it was a “young institution” that should be given a chance. “The process of our cooperation with EULEX is a work in progress. As [EULEX Chief] Mr. Yves de Kermabon said, EULEX is an exclusively technical mission, which proves that the Ahtisaari plan is not being implemented,” the president said. Asked whether political relations in the region had been altered after Kosovo’s unilateral independence declaration and whether they were returning to normal, Tadic said that “it is in everyone’s interest to have warmer political relations with Serbia, because there is no stability without us in the region.” “That is why Serbia will react with many good intentions, but with a clearly defined interest. The time of brotherhood and unity has passed, but the time of defined interest has come. That is why we will cooperate regionally and give our efforts a new momentum,” the president concluded. Boris Tadic (FoNet archive)

Tadić calls for Constitution change

The president said that, personally, he saw no reason for Serbia to have 250 MPS, because for a country of this size, 150 was enough.

He told daily Večernje Novosti that the large number of ministries in the government was tied to the existing election laws which “enable many parties to participate in the elections, enter parliament with ease and set conditions for entering government.”

“That is how you have three coalition lists with 15 parties. And everyone has their own obligations to their voters,” Tadić said, asked whether he had given up on plans to cut the number of ministries.

“Even if there were no substantial savings in reducing ministries, it is an important message to the citizens that the government can save and stand by them. This is why talks about downsizing the government are continuing,” the president said.

Asked about the Vojvodina statute, which is awaiting adoption and objections from other regions of Serbia owing to perceived double standards, Tadić said that Constitutional change could help solve the problems of regionalization and decentralization in Serbia.

“It is not natural for only Vojvodina to be a region with defined rules in Serbia, when other regions want the same rights. If Vojvodina was the only region, Serbia would be an asymmetric country, which would create constant instability. Quickly, the time will come to open that question, to change and improve our Constitution when the topic of regionalization comes up,” the president said.

The case before the International Court of Justice regarding the legality of Kosovo’s unilateral independence, Tadić said, was part of an ongoing process that would hopefully lead to new negotiations, and, in turn, a compromise solution.

“One thing is certain: a democratic Serbia will never lead another war, never endanger its citizens or other citizens of the region. We want the best possible relations with the Albanians, despite all the traumas of the past. Only with this kind of policy can we be important regional actors,” he said.

Asked about EULEX, whose presence Serbia accepted in Kosovo, Tadić said that it was a “young institution” that should be given a chance.

“The process of our cooperation with EULEX is a work in progress. As [EULEX Chief] Mr. Yves de Kermabon said, EULEX is an exclusively technical mission, which proves that the Ahtisaari plan is not being implemented,” the president said.

Asked whether political relations in the region had been altered after Kosovo’s unilateral independence declaration and whether they were returning to normal, Tadić said that “it is in everyone’s interest to have warmer political relations with Serbia, because there is no stability without us in the region.”

“That is why Serbia will react with many good intentions, but with a clearly defined interest. The time of brotherhood and unity has passed, but the time of defined interest has come. That is why we will cooperate regionally and give our efforts a new momentum,” the president concluded.