Parties clash over parliament

BELGRADE The Democrats have filed a request for an urgent parliamentary session to “restore legal order in the country." The Democratic Party (DS) asked Borka Vucic, the eldest deputy who presided over the first part of the inaugural session of the Parliament, to immediately schedule its continuation for Saturday, March 31, in order to elect the temporary speaker, form parliamentary committees and amend the Budget Law. Parties clash over parliament The initiative came following the state budget controversy sparked off by a dubious decision of the caretaker government to extend the interim financing regime by adopting the Decree on interim financing of the Republic of Serbia for January-June 2007, that reportedly ran against the Consitution. DS deputy caucus chief Milan Markovic stressed that an immediate parliamentary session was also needed to discuss UN special Kosovo envoy Martti Ahtisaari’s finalized proposal for the status of Kosovo. “We’ve proposed DS deputy Milena Milosevic to temporary preside over the Parliament and expect all parliamentary parties to act responsibly, given the urgency of the matters in question,” Markovic added. The Democrats’ initiative is preceded by a meeting held between the DS, the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and G17 in the Parliament building Friday where the three parties failed to agree on the continuance of the inaugural session. DSS caucus chief Milos ALigrudic said after the meeting that “the DSS gave priority to the issue of new government,” adding that the Parliament was very unlikely to convene Saturday. “However, the DSS has nothing against efforts too seek out a solution to the problem of interim financing regime,” Aligrudic added. "Caretaker government didn't violate the law" “The Decree on interim financing of the Republic of Serbia for January-June 2007 the outgoing government adopted Thursday is legal and legitimate,” outgoing justice minister Zoran Stojkovic says. He said that Serbia was obliged to secure regular budgetary payments according to the 1997 Constitution, Beta reported. “The Budget Law stipulates that the interim financing regime cannot exceed March 31, set as its end date. Thus, what happens if the time frame is breached, given that the Parliament authorized to amend the law is not operational?” Stojkovic wondered adding that “it was not the end of the world.” Stojkovic also said that the DS-sponsored initiative for an urgent parliamentary session “came too late.” “The DS could have launched the initiative twenty-odd days earlier, so why it waited untill the last moment to raise this question?” Stojkovic concluded.

Parties clash over parliament

The initiative came following the state budget controversy sparked off by a dubious decision of the caretaker government to extend the interim financing regime by adopting the Decree on interim financing of the Republic of Serbia for January-June 2007, that reportedly ran against the Consitution.

DS deputy caucus chief Milan Marković stressed that an immediate parliamentary session was also needed to discuss UN special Kosovo envoy Martti Ahtisaari’s finalized proposal for the status of Kosovo.

“We’ve proposed DS deputy Milena Milošević to temporary preside over the Parliament and expect all parliamentary parties to act responsibly, given the urgency of the matters in question,” Marković added.

The Democrats’ initiative is preceded by a meeting held between the DS, the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and G17 in the Parliament building Friday where the three parties failed to agree on the continuance of the inaugural session.

DSS caucus chief Miloš ALigrudić said after the meeting that “the DSS gave priority to the issue of new government,” adding that the Parliament was very unlikely to convene Saturday.

“However, the DSS has nothing against efforts too seek out a solution to the problem of interim financing regime,” Aligrudić added.

"Caretaker government didn't violate the law"

“The Decree on interim financing of the Republic of Serbia for January-June 2007 the outgoing government adopted Thursday is legal and legitimate,” outgoing justice minister Zoran Stojković says.

He said that Serbia was obliged to secure regular budgetary payments according to the 1997 Constitution, Beta reported.

“The Budget Law stipulates that the interim financing regime cannot exceed March 31, set as its end date. Thus, what happens if the time frame is breached, given that the Parliament authorized to amend the law is not operational?” Stojković wondered adding  that “it was not the end of the world.”

Stojković also said that the DS-sponsored initiative for an urgent parliamentary session “came too late.”

“The DS could have launched the initiative twenty-odd days earlier, so why it waited untill the last moment to raise this question?” Stojković concluded.