Constitutional Court to consider Kosovo talks issues

BELGRADE The Constitutional Court will consider the controversial issues "related to the launch of proceedings" to appraise the constitutionality Kosovo talks deals. This specifically concerns government decrees on the control of the crossing of the administrative line, registries of births, deaths and marriages for Kosovo, a special manner of recognizing documents issued by high education institutions and study programs of universities based in Kosovo. Constitutional Court to consider Kosovo talks issues Reports on Tuesday said that the court held a preparatory session in the proceedings regarding the assessment of constitutionality and legality of agreements reached between Belgrade and Prissina. Officials confirmed for Tanjug that the court will continue the proceedings on grounds of propositions refuting the four decrees of the Serbian government concerning controversial agreements. The preparatory session of the Constitutional Court was staged with a view to clarifying constitutional and legal issues regarding the propositions and the decision to launch proceedings. The opposition DSS was the party that requested that these decrees be considered by the court. Previously, B92 asked the court when the judges may convene to decide on these issues, and was told that "the DSS proposal was sent to the government on November 2, but that there is still no answer". The court forwarded other similar motions to the cabinet, also without any feedback thus far. Meanwhile, the DSS called on parliament to react, since the government failed to do so when it received requests from the Constitutional Court. DSS group leader and former minister Slobodan Samarzic said that the government was silent while it was at the same time "erecting a border crossing within Serbia, aware that it was violating the Constitution". Samarzic spoke during question time to say that "alarm must be rang at this moment, and parliament must react". "As far as a date for (EU membership) negotiations is concerned, we can see that it is done in a demeaning manner, everything is conditional... We've seen all kinds of things in our history, but to give away the state in exchange for a possible date - that goes too far," Samarzic concluded. The Constitutional Court judges (Beta, file) B92 Tanjug

Constitutional Court to consider Kosovo talks issues

Reports on Tuesday said that the court held a preparatory session in the proceedings regarding the assessment of constitutionality and legality of agreements reached between Belgrade and Prisšina.

Officials confirmed for Tanjug that the court will continue the proceedings on grounds of propositions refuting the four decrees of the Serbian government concerning controversial agreements.

The preparatory session of the Constitutional Court was staged with a view to clarifying constitutional and legal issues regarding the propositions and the decision to launch proceedings.

The opposition DSS was the party that requested that these decrees be considered by the court.

Previously, B92 asked the court when the judges may convene to decide on these issues, and was told that "the DSS proposal was sent to the government on November 2, but that there is still no answer".

The court forwarded other similar motions to the cabinet, also without any feedback thus far.

Meanwhile, the DSS called on parliament to react, since the government failed to do so when it received requests from the Constitutional Court.

DSS group leader and former minister Slobodan Samaržić said that the government was silent while it was at the same time "erecting a border crossing within Serbia, aware that it was violating the Constitution".

Samaržić spoke during question time to say that "alarm must be rang at this moment, and parliament must react".

"As far as a date for (EU membership) negotiations is concerned, we can see that it is done in a demeaning manner, everything is conditional... We've seen all kinds of things in our history, but to give away the state in exchange for a possible date - that goes too far," Samaržić concluded.