Pajtić: We seek respect of Constitution

BELGRADE Bojan Pajtic says the Declaration on the Protection of Constitutional Rights of Vojvodina is not seeking any changes in the level of its executive authority. The head of the Vojvodina provincial government from the ranks of the Democrats (DS) added that the document was not asking for a change of the Serbian Constitution, but rather that it "only wants to see the letters in the highest state act and laws put in practice." Pajtic: We seek respect of Constitution Noting that the Vojvodina Assembly adopted the Declaration by a three thirds majority vote of the members (75 in favor, 21 against) on Monday, he told B92 that that the document is an appeal by the province to all competent institutions of the republic to deal with the existing problems. Pajtic said that the document represents an exclusively internal political issue and the provincial government does not want to call on anyone outside the country to help it ensure rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the law are honored. Pajtic reiterated his earlier observation that the central government and other competent state institutions have in the past violated not only the provisions of the Constitution on budget guarantees for Vojvodina, but also a number of other laws such as those on the responsibilities of the province, health insurance and property. He noted that the province is aware of the political situation and of the way the ruling coalition at the central government level views the provincial government, led by the Democratic Party (DS), adding that their hand has been extended to central government institutions but “has unfortunately been hanging in the air all this time.” Serbia's ruling coalition is led by the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and the United Regions of Serbia (URS). Pajtic added that he believes that it is not realistic to expect a change in the Constitution of Serbia in the next few months or even a year or two, but the European integration will require amendments to be made to the Constitution. Pajtic believes that the provincial opposition's collecting about 160,000 signatures demanding his recall over the last few days was unnecessary business as the number makes up only about eight percent of Vojvodina'a population and does not reflect the will of the majority of the people in the province. Bojan Pajtic attends Monday's session of the Vojvodina assembly (Tanjug) B92 Tanjug

Pajtić: We seek respect of Constitution

Noting that the Vojvodina Assembly adopted the Declaration by a three thirds majority vote of the members (75 in favor, 21 against) on Monday, he told B92 that that the document is an appeal by the province to all competent institutions of the republic to deal with the existing problems.

Pajtić said that the document represents an exclusively internal political issue and the provincial government does not want to call on anyone outside the country to help it ensure rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the law are honored.

Pajtić reiterated his earlier observation that the central government and other competent state institutions have in the past violated not only the provisions of the Constitution on budget guarantees for Vojvodina, but also a number of other laws such as those on the responsibilities of the province, health insurance and property.

He noted that the province is aware of the political situation and of the way the ruling coalition at the central government level views the provincial government, led by the Democratic Party (DS), adding that their hand has been extended to central government institutions but “has unfortunately been hanging in the air all this time.”

Serbia's ruling coalition is led by the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and the United Regions of Serbia (URS).

Pajtić added that he believes that it is not realistic to expect a change in the Constitution of Serbia in the next few months or even a year or two, but the European integration will require amendments to be made to the Constitution.

Pajtić believes that the provincial opposition's collecting about 160,000 signatures demanding his recall over the last few days was unnecessary business as the number makes up only about eight percent of Vojvodina'a population and does not reflect the will of the majority of the people in the province.