Speaker on blank resignation letters, pro-European laws

Parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic has stated that MPs will have their mandates at their disposal once the Law on Election of MPs has been adopted. She also said that MPs would be determined in accordance with the order on the electoral list. Speaker on blank resignation letters, pro-European laws “Therefore, a voter chose them to be MPs, it is the way the election system is. This means that order on the list will be decisive for who from the electoral list will be an MP,” the speaker told Tanjug news agency. She added that blank resignation letters now only existed formally, and that the fact that several MPs had left their parliamentary groups without being penalized proved that. When it comes to parliament’s role in fulfillment of conditions necessary for obtaining the EU candidate status and fulfillment of the government 96-point action plan, Djukic-Dejanovic explained that it was not only about laws and their adoption and that it was very important for the citizens to play a bigger role in the implementation of laws. She pointed out that it was important that the citizens knew what was going on and that the process was transparent. The parliament speaker believes that the European Commission (EC) will not only discuss those 96 points and that it will review the country’s maturity to fulfill the conditions that will enable it to pass high-quality laws. “These two moments are very important and it is actually what we should do in preparation for the candidacy,” she stressed. Djukic-Dejanovic said that her communication with Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic was exceptionally good, pointing out that the two of them had recently discussed the dynamics in adoption of pro-European laws. “It has been agreed that the laws come in such a way that we do not have to pass them in an emergency procedure, in order to be able to organize round tables, public discussions. So MPs can prepare themselves to essentially improve the laws with amendments,” she stated. She added that the prime minister had assured her that the first law would be the law on the financing of political parties and expressed hope that other laws on the European agenda would arrive by May 15 so they could go into the regular parliamentary procedure. Speaking about the MPs’ willingness to vote in those laws, the speaker said that she was happy about the fact that an increasing number of opposition MPs completely agreed that the European path should be the country’s goal. She noted, however, that there were also those MPs who claimed that getting the EU candidate status was important but that they never voted for any pro-European laws. She said that it was a little hypocritical, but added that she expected the MPs who criticized the government for not getting Serbia into the EU yet would join them and vote for the European laws. Djukic-Dejanovic repeated that one of the EU standards envisaged a certain number of women in high places in politics, parliament etc. “If the working group does not take that into account during preparation of draft law on the election of MPs I will certainly file an amendment,“ she said, pointing out that she believed that every fourth MP should be a woman. When asked how much United Region of Serbia (URS) MPs who are a part of the rulling coalition actually support the government, the parliament speaker said that the URS MPs acted like before. “MPs of that parliamentary group are so far cooperating and they are functioning in the parliamentary majority like before. There are certain public appearances by individuals from this parliamentary group, so this could open some dilemma about how long it would take and whether we will wait for the regular elections. But, time will tell,“ Djukic-Dejanovic concluded. Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic (Tanjug, file)

Speaker on blank resignation letters, pro-European laws

“Therefore, a voter chose them to be MPs, it is the way the election system is. This means that order on the list will be decisive for who from the electoral list will be an MP,” the speaker told Tanjug news agency.

She added that blank resignation letters now only existed formally, and that the fact that several MPs had left their parliamentary groups without being penalized proved that.

When it comes to parliament’s role in fulfillment of conditions necessary for obtaining the EU candidate status and fulfillment of the government 96-point action plan, Đukić-Dejanović explained that it was not only about laws and their adoption and that it was very important for the citizens to play a bigger role in the implementation of laws.

She pointed out that it was important that the citizens knew what was going on and that the process was transparent.

The parliament speaker believes that the European Commission (EC) will not only discuss those 96 points and that it will review the country’s maturity to fulfill the conditions that will enable it to pass high-quality laws.

“These two moments are very important and it is actually what we should do in preparation for the candidacy,” she stressed.

Đukić-Dejanović said that her communication with Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković was exceptionally good, pointing out that the two of them had recently discussed the dynamics in adoption of pro-European laws.

“It has been agreed that the laws come in such a way that we do not have to pass them in an emergency procedure, in order to be able to organize round tables, public discussions. So MPs can prepare themselves to essentially improve the laws with amendments,” she stated.

She added that the prime minister had assured her that the first law would be the law on the financing of political parties and expressed hope that other laws on the European agenda would arrive by May 15 so they could go into the regular parliamentary procedure.

Speaking about the MPs’ willingness to vote in those laws, the speaker said that she was happy about the fact that an increasing number of opposition MPs completely agreed that the European path should be the country’s goal.

She noted, however, that there were also those MPs who claimed that getting the EU candidate status was important but that they never voted for any pro-European laws.

She said that it was a little hypocritical, but added that she expected the MPs who criticized the government for not getting Serbia into the EU yet would join them and vote for the European laws.

Đukić-Dejanović repeated that one of the EU standards envisaged a certain number of women in high places in politics, parliament etc.

“If the working group does not take that into account during preparation of draft law on the election of MPs I will certainly file an amendment,“ she said, pointing out that she believed that every fourth MP should be a woman.

When asked how much United Region of Serbia (URS) MPs who are a part of the rulling coalition actually support the government, the parliament speaker said that the URS MPs acted like before.

“MPs of that parliamentary group are so far cooperating and they are functioning in the parliamentary majority like before. There are certain public appearances by individuals from this parliamentary group, so this could open some dilemma about how long it would take and whether we will wait for the regular elections. But, time will tell,“ Đukić-Dejanović concluded.