Parliament Puts New Clause In Preamble of Constitution

Government adopts Conclusion on amending preamble of new constitution
Belgrade, Sept 14, 2006 - The Serbian government adopted at its session today the Conclusion on amending the Proposal of the new constitution of Serbia and forwarded it to Serbian parliament.
In line with the decision of Serbian parliament that the new constitution of Serbia should be brought as soon as possible, which will confirm that the Province of Kosovo-Metohija is an integral part of Serbia, the government adopted the Conclusion according to which the preamble of the new constitution should be supplemented with the following paragraph:
"The Province of Kosovo-Metohija is an integral part of Serbia and has substantial autonomy within the sovereign Serbian state. Such a position of the Province imposes an obligation on all state bodies to advocate and protect Serbia's state interests in Kosovo-Metohija in all internal and external political relations."

Government fulfills obligation arising from parliament’s decision on Kosovo
Belgrade, Sept 14, 2006 – Serbian Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Zoran Loncar said that the government adopted today the Conclusion on amending the Proposal of the new Serbian constitution, (see above) following parliament’s decision that the new constitution should be brought as soon as possible to confirm Kosovo-Metohija’s status as an integral part of Serbia.
Zoran LoncarLoncar told a press conference after the session that this amendment refers to the 2004 draft of the constitution and expressed assurances that it will strengthen the Serbian position in further negotiations on Kosovo-Metohija, as it will bear witness to the full political unity of Belgrade authorities on that issue. He stressed that the government will do everything that is necessary for the constitution to be adopted quickly so that the Serbian people could vote in a referendum on Kosovo-Metohija as part of the Serbian state. Loncar said that the government also adopted a Conclusion on the adoption of an agreement on establishing special parallel relations between the Republic of Serbia and Republika Srpska, thus showing full commitment to respect and implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords. Serbia, being one of the signatories, is obliged to implement this agreement fully, the Minister explained and announced that the agreement will be signed by Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and Serbian President Boris Tadic on September 26 in Banjaluka, when a number of other bilateral agreements will be signed as well. According to Loncar, the body in charge of implementation of this agreement will be the Council for implementation of the agreement, whose members will be signatories of the agreement, i.e. the two presidents and prime ministers.
Predrag Bubalo
Serbian Minister of Economy Predrag Bubalo said that the government today adopted two decisions referring to further privatisation process in oil company NIS, namely the Decision on giving consent to the initiative for privatisation in NIS’ oil and oil derivatives research, production, processing and distribution company and the Decision on percentage that will be sold off, that is, 25% of NIS. He also said that a Decision to sell state capital in Majevica Holding from Backa Palanka was adopted today. Speaking on special relations with Republika Srpska, Bubalo said that the programme of the leasing of Serbian agricultural machines has already been harmonised and recalled that on their last visit to Banjaluka, Serbian government’s delegation signed an agreement on delivery of 300 IMT’s tractors to Republika Srpska. Bubalo announced that first tractors will be delivered on September 26 and added that many businesspeople will accompany the state delegation on their next visit to Banjaluka. According to Bubalo, representatives of Telekom Srbija, Komercijalna Banka and Dunav Osiguranje will travel to Banjaluka. He said that an Agreement on social insurance between Serbia and Montenegro was adopted today as well as a Conclusion related to the Information on US government’s donation aimed at doing a feasibility study for building facilities for combined production of heat and electrical energy. The Minister explained that this facility with power of between 100 and 150 megawatts would be erected in the vicinity of Nis and would operate on natural gas. He also recalled that a gas pipe line is being constructed in cooperation with Gazprom from the Bulgarian border to Nis, where this energy plant will be built.

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