"Statute unconstitutional, deeply anti-Serb"

Opposition Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and Serb Progressive Party (SNS) officials have today voiced their criticism of the draft Vojvodina statute. DSS Economic Council chairman Nenad Popovic said that a provision in the draft, that would enable Vojvodina to collect its own taxes, is unconstitutional. "Statute unconstitutional, deeply anti-Serb" According to the Serbian Constitution, only the state of Serbia can collect taxes and then, according to laws, distribute them to users of public income funds. Any other solution is unconstitutional, Popovic said in a written statement carried by Beta news agency. Also in Belgrade on Sunday, SNS deputy leader Aleksandar Vucic criticized the document, which is yet to make it to parliament for a debate, by saying that it is in contravention to the Constitution. He described the proposed statute as "deeply anti-state and anti-Serb". Vucic told reporters in a news conference that his party is reacting to a recent call from President Boris Tadic to engage in a debate supported by arguments when it comes to the draft. According to him, the statute is problematic starting with its preamble that cites the province's autonomy as a "historic right". "The autonomy of Vojvodina is regulated by the Constitution of Serbia, not by some historic right or other, and any other interpretation is damaging the hierarchy of legal norms," Vucic said, noting that preambles are found exclusively in constitutions, never in documents having lesser legal power. He also quoted a provision in the draft which defines Vojvodina as a province of its citizens, which is contrary to the Constitution that defines Serbia as a state of the Serb people and all the citizens who live in it. Vucic also found fault with another definition, which describes Vojvodina as a "central European region", rather than a region of Serbia, and would give the province the possibility to sign inter-state agreements – something that falls under the strict jurisdiction of the Republic. The Deputy SNS president criticized a provision that would allow for a Vojvodina academy of sciences and arts to be formed, and another that would make Hungarian, Croatian and other languages official. The Serbian Constitution stipulates that the Serbian language and Cyrillic alphabet are official on the entire territory of Serbia. Vucic said that such "anti-constitutional" statute must not be adopted in parliament, and called on the ruling Democrats (DS), "above all on Bojan Pajtic", to engage in a televised debate on this document.

"Statute unconstitutional, deeply anti-Serb"

According to the Serbian Constitution, only the state of Serbia can collect taxes and then, according to laws, distribute them to users of public income funds.

Any other solution is unconstitutional, Popović said in a written statement carried by Beta news agency.

Also in Belgrade on Sunday, SNS deputy leader Aleksandar Vučić criticized the document, which is yet to make it to parliament for a debate, by saying that it is in contravention to the Constitution.

He described the proposed statute as "deeply anti-state and anti-Serb".

Vučić told reporters in a news conference that his party is reacting to a recent call from President Boris Tadić to engage in a debate supported by arguments when it comes to the draft.

According to him, the statute is problematic starting with its preamble that cites the province's autonomy as a "historic right".

"The autonomy of Vojvodina is regulated by the Constitution of Serbia, not by some historic right or other, and any other interpretation is damaging the hierarchy of legal norms," Vučić said, noting that preambles are found exclusively in constitutions, never in documents having lesser legal power.

He also quoted a provision in the draft which defines Vojvodina as a province of its citizens, which is contrary to the Constitution that defines Serbia as a state of the Serb people and all the citizens who live in it.

Vučić also found fault with another definition, which describes Vojvodina as a "central European region", rather than a region of Serbia, and would give the province the possibility to sign inter-state agreements – something that falls under the strict jurisdiction of the Republic.

The Deputy SNS president criticized a provision that would allow for a Vojvodina academy of sciences and arts to be formed, and another that would make Hungarian, Croatian and other languages official.

The Serbian Constitution stipulates that the Serbian language and Cyrillic alphabet are official on the entire territory of Serbia.

Vučić said that such "anti-constitutional" statute must not be adopted in parliament, and called on the ruling Democrats (DS), "above all on Bojan Pajtić", to engage in a televised debate on this document.