Speaker warns of lack of quorum for budget session

Parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic on Monday warned that there was a possibility that the planned debate on next year's budget will lack a quorum. The Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (SVM) and the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) reacted to the statement by saying they would "not create problems", regarding the quorum issue. Speaker warns of lack of quorum for budget session At the same time, the League of Vojvodina Social Democrats (LSV) said they erre yet to decide if their MPs will be present at the session that will decide on putting the draft law on budget on the parliamentary agenda. That decision will depend on the text of the draft, said the party. In her statement, Djukic-Dejanovic noted that it was possible that some MPs will not be in the room to provide a quorum for the debate, and added she had "no concrete information" regarding the time-frame for the law to enter the parliamentary procedure. She however said she did not expect "too much delay", noting that it was customary for the Serbian parliament to debate the next state budget in late December. The speaker also stated she "hoped most MPs would contribute to the work of parliament and put their political goals aside". "This is a time very close to elections and it's possible that some MPs will not wish to do so. If there is no quorum even for such a serious draft, then we will be technically unable to do it," Djukic-Dejanovic was quoted as saying. The speaker also expects that there will be a quorum on Tuesday, that MPs will continue with the voting interrupted on Thursday, and then begin a new session that will have the draft law on rehabilitation as the first item on the agenda. Djukic-Dejanovic said that SPO MPs, who on Thursday walked out of the session, told her they would be present tomorrow. A view of the Serbian parliament in Belgrade (Beta)

Speaker warns of lack of quorum for budget session

At the same time, the League of Vojvodina Social Democrats (LSV) said they erre yet to decide if their MPs will be present at the session that will decide on putting the draft law on budget on the parliamentary agenda.

That decision will depend on the text of the draft, said the party.

In her statement, Đukić-Dejanović noted that it was possible that some MPs will not be in the room to provide a quorum for the debate, and added she had "no concrete information" regarding the time-frame for the law to enter the parliamentary procedure.

She however said she did not expect "too much delay", noting that it was customary for the Serbian parliament to debate the next state budget in late December.

The speaker also stated she "hoped most MPs would contribute to the work of parliament and put their political goals aside".

"This is a time very close to elections and it's possible that some MPs will not wish to do so. If there is no quorum even for such a serious draft, then we will be technically unable to do it," Đukić-Dejanović was quoted as saying.

The speaker also expects that there will be a quorum on Tuesday, that MPs will continue with the voting interrupted on Thursday, and then begin a new session that will have the draft law on rehabilitation as the first item on the agenda.

Đukić-Dejanović said that SPO MPs, who on Thursday walked out of the session, told her they would be present tomorrow.