"Regionalization requires new Constitution"

For the process of decentralization of Serbia to take place, it is necessary to change the Constitution, agreed Mladjan Dinkic and Vuk Draskovic. Speaking during a round table in Belgrade on Monday, the economy minister in the current government, and leader of the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) explained that the country's highest legal act should be changed in such a way to give regions more powers. "Regionalization requires new Constitution" What is also necessary is to return property to local authorities, said the participants of the round table dubbed by organizers: “Who is for Regions“. The gathering was organized by the Coalition for Decentralizing Serbia. Dinkic, who is leader of the ruling G17 Plus party, and spoke in his capacity as president of the United Regions of Serbia, said that the regionalization of the country could be done by 2012 and that it is necessary to change the Constitution, as a basis for executing this concept. Dinkic stated that one year would be sufficient time for a debate concerning decentralization and regionalization. He pointed out that the decentralization was "the most important internal issue" - because a centralized system causes huge differences between certain parts of the country, adding that "three layers of power must exist: central, regional and local". Vuk Draskovic concurred with the statement that the Constitution must be changed. He expressed his belief that apart from Vojvodina and Belgrade, there should be three or four other regions, equal in population and size. Draskovic said that the critics of regionalization would ask "what about Kosovo and Metohija" and offered this answer: Serbia should, through negotiations with Kosovo's Albanians, “secure a European status for the Serb people and monasteries, and should secure a more tight economic and spiritual connection between Serb municipalities and Serbia“. “Decentralization is a call for the state to stop the dying out of the state south of Belgrade and to prevent Serbia from becoming Kosovo,“ Draskovic was quoted as saying. This concept represents a path which the EU should use to enter Serbia, said he, so as to enable Serbia to enter the EU. The leader of the SPO repeated that it was necessary to return property to local authorities, "which had been taken away in 1995 during the regime of Slobodan Milosevic". Franz Schausberger from the Institute of the Regions of Europe also attended, and also believes that it is necessary to change the Serbian Constitution in order to decentralize and regionalize the country, and that Serbia should become an asymmetric regional country in which regions would have more authority, parliaments and governments. Former president of the Constitutional Court of Serbia Slobodan Vucetic in a way which will give the regions more competence was also present at the round table, to say that the Constitution should be changed, in order to define powers of regions and sources of their financing. Vucetic foresees obstacles to this: the country's political climate, and "claims that decentralization and regionalization will jeopardize Serbia's territorial integrity". Dinkic, Draskovic (Beta)

"Regionalization requires new Constitution"

What is also necessary is to return property to local authorities, said the participants of the round table dubbed by organizers: “Who is for Regions“.

The gathering was organized by the Coalition for Decentralizing Serbia.

Dinkić, who is leader of the ruling G17 Plus party, and spoke in his capacity as president of the United Regions of Serbia, said that the regionalization of the country could be done by 2012 and that it is necessary to change the Constitution, as a basis for executing this concept.

Dinkić stated that one year would be sufficient time for a debate concerning decentralization and regionalization. He pointed out that the decentralization was "the most important internal issue" - because a centralized system causes huge differences between certain parts of the country, adding that "three layers of power must exist: central, regional and local".

Vuk Drašković concurred with the statement that the Constitution must be changed. He expressed his belief that apart from Vojvodina and Belgrade, there should be three or four other regions, equal in population and size.

Drašković said that the critics of regionalization would ask "what about Kosovo and Metohija" and offered this answer: Serbia should, through negotiations with Kosovo's Albanians, “secure a European status for the Serb people and monasteries, and should secure a more tight economic and spiritual connection between Serb municipalities and Serbia“.

“Decentralization is a call for the state to stop the dying out of the state south of Belgrade and to prevent Serbia from becoming Kosovo,“ Drašković was quoted as saying.

This concept represents a path which the EU should use to enter Serbia, said he, so as to enable Serbia to enter the EU.

The leader of the SPO repeated that it was necessary to return property to local authorities, "which had been taken away in 1995 during the regime of Slobodan Milošević".

Franz Schausberger from the Institute of the Regions of Europe also attended, and also believes that it is necessary to change the Serbian Constitution in order to decentralize and regionalize the country, and that Serbia should become an asymmetric regional country in which regions would have more authority, parliaments and governments.

Former president of the Constitutional Court of Serbia Slobodan Vučetić in a way which will give the regions more competence was also present at the round table, to say that the Constitution should be changed, in order to define powers of regions and sources of their financing.

Vučetić foresees obstacles to this: the country's political climate, and "claims that decentralization and regionalization will jeopardize Serbia's territorial integrity".