Opposition MPs against changes to tax laws

BELGRADE After a heated discussion, a session on changes to tax laws was first suspended and then postponed until Friday after consultations. Finance Minister Mladjan Dinkic did not even get to elaborate on the changes to the set of the tax laws that caused turmoil in parliament and united the opposition that is against the laws. Opposition MPs against changes to tax laws The opposition claims that the laws have been put on the agenda without a public debate only a day after they were adopted by the government and that the government committed “legal violence”. After consultations, Dinkic told reporters that the discussion on the set of tax laws was postponed until Friday and that they would wait for the Fiscal Council’s opinion. Leaders of the opposition parties agree that this was “legal violence” and that the laws described Serbia as a country that has gone bankrupt. They also criticized Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic for “having time for everything except for parliament” bearing in mind that very important laws were on the agenda. Democratic Party (DS) MP Dragoljub Micunovic criticized the authorities for putting the set of tax laws on parliament’s agenda without a public debate and just a day after they were adopted by the government. “There were such attempts in the 19th century so the British parliament passed a law on protection of people from the government. Time has come to pass such a law here as well,” he said. DS whip Borislav Stefanovic believes that “political barbarism” happened in parliament because the important laws arrived in parliament without the opinion of the Fiscal Council and other relevant institutions. He said he was convinced that it represented an attempt to “rob” citizens and local self-governments, adding that the “DS will not allow it”. “We will end up with the Cypriot scenario and citizens who have at least some savings will have to be afraid tomorrow that the government of the Serbian Progressive Party and impoverished regions of Serbia will try to take 30 percent from them with the administrative regulation,” he pointed out. Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) MP Slobodan Samardzic demanded that the law be withdrawn from the procedure because it came to parliament without any public debate and added that a budget review would have to be done soon because of a massive budget deficit. DSS MP Milos Aligrudic wondered why the government wanted the set of tax laws to be adopted as soon as possible. Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) MP Ivan Andric stressed that from “the democratic and any other point of view” it is unacceptable to schedule a parliamentary debate without a previous public debate and without bearing possible consequences in mind. United Regions of Serbia (URS) MP Sasa Milenic believes that the opposition MPs have “seriously violated parliament’s dignity and procedure” by complaining about violations of the parliament’s rules of procedure. “Barbarism, occupation of the national assembly, a need for the law on protection of people from the government… Things that come from the DS are horrible,” he said. Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) MP Aleksandar Jugovic said that his party's MPs had decided to attend the session in order to “save Serbian citizens’ money” but that they would not vote for the proposed bills. The MPs will at a new session discuss changes to the laws on property tax, tax on legal entities’ profit, tax procedure and tax administration, mandatory social security payments, tax on citizens’ income and excise taxes. The MPs should also confirm several agreements, including the agreement on the Russian state loan to the Serbian government. (Beta) Parliament adopts seven bills The Serbian parliament adopted 7 bills on Wednesday, including the ones on railway, patient rights and protection for the mentally challenged. Parliament also adopted amendments for the law on criminal proceedings, decision on the Armed Forces participation in the EU mission in Mali and a report of the committee on controlling security agencies. Two international agreements with the governments of Turkey and Macedonia on employing family members of embassy staff were also ratified. MPs also adopted a proposal to amend the decision on the dismissal and appointment of members and deputy members of the national electoral commission. B92 Beta Tanjug

Opposition MPs against changes to tax laws

The opposition claims that the laws have been put on the agenda without a public debate only a day after they were adopted by the government and that the government committed “legal violence”.

After consultations, Dinkić told reporters that the discussion on the set of tax laws was postponed until Friday and that they would wait for the Fiscal Council’s opinion.

Leaders of the opposition parties agree that this was “legal violence” and that the laws described Serbia as a country that has gone bankrupt. They also criticized Prime Minister Ivica Dačić and First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić for “having time for everything except for parliament” bearing in mind that very important laws were on the agenda.

Democratic Party (DS) MP Dragoljub Mićunović criticized the authorities for putting the set of tax laws on parliament’s agenda without a public debate and just a day after they were adopted by the government.

“There were such attempts in the 19th century so the British parliament passed a law on protection of people from the government. Time has come to pass such a law here as well,” he said.

DS whip Borislav Stefanović believes that “political barbarism” happened in parliament because the important laws arrived in parliament without the opinion of the Fiscal Council and other relevant institutions.

He said he was convinced that it represented an attempt to “rob” citizens and local self-governments, adding that the “DS will not allow it”.

“We will end up with the Cypriot scenario and citizens who have at least some savings will have to be afraid tomorrow that the government of the Serbian Progressive Party and impoverished regions of Serbia will try to take 30 percent from them with the administrative regulation,” he pointed out.

Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) MP Slobodan Samardžić demanded that the law be withdrawn from the procedure because it came to parliament without any public debate and added that a budget review would have to be done soon because of a massive budget deficit.

DSS MP Miloš Aligrudić wondered why the government wanted the set of tax laws to be adopted as soon as possible.

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) MP Ivan Andrić stressed that from “the democratic and any other point of view” it is unacceptable to schedule a parliamentary debate without a previous public debate and without bearing possible consequences in mind.

United Regions of Serbia (URS) MP Saša Milenić believes that the opposition MPs have “seriously violated parliament’s dignity and procedure” by complaining about violations of the parliament’s rules of procedure.

“Barbarism, occupation of the national assembly, a need for the law on protection of people from the government… Things that come from the DS are horrible,” he said.

Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) MP Aleksandar Jugović said that his party's MPs had decided to attend the session in order to “save Serbian citizens’ money” but that they would not vote for the proposed bills.

The MPs will at a new session discuss changes to the laws on property tax, tax on legal entities’ profit, tax procedure and tax administration, mandatory social security payments, tax on citizens’ income and excise taxes.

The MPs should also confirm several agreements, including the agreement on the Russian state loan to the Serbian government.

Parliament adopts seven bills

The Serbian parliament adopted 7 bills on Wednesday, including the ones on railway, patient rights and protection for the mentally challenged.

Parliament also adopted amendments for the law on criminal proceedings, decision on the Armed Forces participation in the EU mission in Mali and a report of the committee on controlling security agencies.

Two international agreements with the governments of Turkey and Macedonia on employing family members of embassy staff were also ratified.

MPs also adopted a proposal to amend the decision on the dismissal and appointment of members and deputy members of the national electoral commission.