"Vojvodina status in line with Constitution"

Vojvodina’s future status will be fully in line with the Constitution, claims the province’s first minister. However, the opposition in Vojvodina have accused the provincial authorities of using this status to make a separate state. "Vojvodina status in line with Constitution" A working version of an act providing for extended powers for the province published in certain newspapers has sparked a heated inter-party debate. The ruling parties in Vojvodina are holding large-scale consultations over the text of the province’s new status. Bojan Pajtic told state broadcaster RTS that the aim was to create a modern administration, to change outmoded terminology with a view to making the province function better. “Some of the novelties introduced by the Serbian Constitution will be contained within Vojvodina’s new status, including new powers in the areas of the economy, traffic and infrastructure, all in line with the Serbian Constitution,” Pajtic underlined. The opposition says that they learned of certain details of the new status from the media, and that it was all very reminiscent of Montenegro’s secession. “If it’s true that Vojvodina should have its own government, that that government should have ministers, and that the ministers should pass bylaws, then the consequences are unforeseeable. If those bylaws are unconstitutional and illegal, no-one will be able to rectify them, and if the plan is to institute an investment and development bank, then that’s the nucleus of a future Vojvodina central bank,” warned Milorad Mircic from the Serb Radical Party (SRS). There is still a long way to go from the working to the final version, though the Serbian Constitution stipulates that it is up to the national parliament how much autonomy to delegate to Vojvodina, as it has to agree to the act. “The province doesn’t have the right to legislative power, or to a supreme court or police,” said Pajtic. In their draft version for status, the League of Vojvodina Social Democrats and the Union of Vojvodina Hungarians insisted on even greater powers for the autonomous province. “It is defined that Vojvodina has a regional government, but not an Executive Committee, as has been the case up to now, and that Vojvodina has a president. What needs to be stressed is that the existing Constitution is not good in regard to Vojvodina and we’ll insist on getting executive, legislative and judicial power, as well as basic revenue,” said Vojvodina Deputy Speaker Maja Sedlarevic. The Constitutional time frame for enacting Vojvodina’s status expires in mid-October. Bojan Pajtic (B92, archive)

"Vojvodina status in line with Constitution"

A working version of an act providing for extended powers for the province published in certain newspapers has sparked a heated inter-party debate. The ruling parties in Vojvodina are holding large-scale consultations over the text of the province’s new status.

Bojan Pajtić told state broadcaster RTS that the aim was to create a modern administration, to change outmoded terminology with a view to making the province function better.

“Some of the novelties introduced by the Serbian Constitution will be contained within Vojvodina’s new status, including new powers in the areas of the economy, traffic and infrastructure, all in line with the Serbian Constitution,” Pajtić underlined.

The opposition says that they learned of certain details of the new status from the media, and that it was all very reminiscent of Montenegro’s secession.

“If it’s true that Vojvodina should have its own government, that that government should have ministers, and that the ministers should pass bylaws, then the consequences are unforeseeable. If those bylaws are unconstitutional and illegal, no-one will be able to rectify them, and if the plan is to institute an investment and development bank, then that’s the nucleus of a future Vojvodina central bank,” warned Milorad Mirčić from the Serb Radical Party (SRS).

There is still a long way to go from the working to the final version, though the Serbian Constitution stipulates that it is up to the national parliament how much autonomy to delegate to Vojvodina, as it has to agree to the act.

“The province doesn’t have the right to legislative power, or to a supreme court or police,” said Pajtić.

In their draft version for status, the League of Vojvodina Social Democrats and the Union of Vojvodina Hungarians insisted on even greater powers for the autonomous province.

“It is defined that Vojvodina has a regional government, but not an Executive Committee, as has been the case up to now, and that Vojvodina has a president. What needs to be stressed is that the existing Constitution is not good in regard to Vojvodina and we’ll insist on getting executive, legislative and judicial power, as well as basic revenue,” said Vojvodina Deputy Speaker Maja Sedlarević.

The Constitutional time frame for enacting Vojvodina’s status expires in mid-October.