Opposition stalls Government Law debate

Opposition stalls Government Law debate

The government appointed Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) MP Zoran Balinovac to explain the government-sponsored amendment to the law.

Ivan Andrić of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) protested against Balinovac’s appointment, saying he was a member of the Yugoslav Left (JUL) prior to joining the DSS, and that he was one of the authors of the notorious May 2000 Law on Terrorism.

“That law was aimed against the people's movement Otpor (Resistance) and other opponents of Slobodan Milošević’s regime, and it was horrifying to such extent that even the government comprised of the Radicals and the Socialists refused to pass it,” Andrić said.

In response to accusations, Balinovac said that the allegations presented at the session were “false to say the least”, and that “all kind of stuff was ascribed to his biography in a futile attempt to discredit prime minister Vojislav Koštunica.”

“There is nothing in my past that I should be ashamed of. I believe in God and have never disregarded morality,” he stressed.

LDP leader Čedomir Jovanović then replied that faith in God was a private affair, irrelevant to the Parliament, while another LDP MP Vladan Batić said that “the one who believed in Mira Marković could not believe in God as well.”

Zoran Balinovac has been reelected Republic of Serbia Legislation Department director, a post he occupied in the previous government.

Opposition: Violations of Constitution and parliamentary procedure

Owing to numerous objections to violations of Parliamentary procedure and obstructions of the debate on government-sponsored amendments, Speaker Oliver Dulić called a recess, and the session resumed at 2 p.m.

Previously, lawmakers from the SRS, SPS and LDP ranks insisted that the Constitution Law had to be fully adhered to.

According to their interpretation of the law, the Parliament should discuss candidacies for Constitutional Court judges, National Bank of Serbia (NBS) governor and State Auditory Agency members, while the discussions on amendments to state administration bills should follow afterwards.