Amendments to law on government adopted

BELGRADE The Serbian parliament adopted on Thursday amendments to the law on government, paving the way for the election of Serbia's new government. The amendments, along with previously adopted law on ministries, were a requirement to begin the process of cabinet election. Amendments to law on government adopted There were 139 votes in favor of the amendments and 56 against. The amendments extend government responsibilities to cover the work of those who possess public authority on the national level, which is important, as explained, because a large part of the work and authority of the state administration had been transferred through laws to public agencies and others with public authority. The amendments propose a solution giving the government the right and obligation to cancel a regulation or general decision by someone with public authority on a national level if that act was not according to the law. Serbia's next government, according to the law on ministries, will have 17 ministries, and the affairs related to Kosovo, human and minority rights, churches and religious communities and diaspora will be handled by special agencies. The 17 ministries are: the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Finance and Economy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Construction and Urban Planning and Ministry of Justice and State Administration. The law on ministries includes also the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technological Development, Ministry of Health Care, Ministry of Energy, Development and Environment Protection, Ministry of Culture and Information, Ministry of Natural Resources, Mining and Spatial planning, Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Policy, Ministry of Youth and Sport and Ministry of Trade and Telecommunications. The law states that a minister can within 45 days from the day the law enters into force propose to the government that a public official be discharged if that person failed to achieve results in their work, and no complaints are allowed against such decisions. The opposition criticized severely the provisions that give the ministers such an option, as well as the government's ambition to put independent institutions and public agencies under its control. The parliamentary majority did not accept the opposition's objections. Speaker Nebojsa Stefanovic is seen during the session on Thursday (Tanjug) Tanjug

Amendments to law on government adopted

There were 139 votes in favor of the amendments and 56 against.

The amendments extend government responsibilities to cover the work of those who possess public authority on the national level, which is important, as explained, because a large part of the work and authority of the state administration had been transferred through laws to public agencies and others with public authority.

The amendments propose a solution giving the government the right and obligation to cancel a regulation or general decision by someone with public authority on a national level if that act was not according to the law.

Serbia's next government, according to the law on ministries, will have 17 ministries, and the affairs related to Kosovo, human and minority rights, churches and religious communities and diaspora will be handled by special agencies.

The 17 ministries are: the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Finance and Economy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Construction and Urban Planning and Ministry of Justice and State Administration.

The law on ministries includes also the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technological Development, Ministry of Health Care, Ministry of Energy, Development and Environment Protection, Ministry of Culture and Information, Ministry of Natural Resources, Mining and Spatial planning, Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Policy, Ministry of Youth and Sport and Ministry of Trade and Telecommunications.

The law states that a minister can within 45 days from the day the law enters into force propose to the government that a public official be discharged if that person failed to achieve results in their work, and no complaints are allowed against such decisions.

The opposition criticized severely the provisions that give the ministers such an option, as well as the government's ambition to put independent institutions and public agencies under its control.

The parliamentary majority did not accept the opposition's objections.