Most open issues in draft version of statute adjusted

NOVI SAD - Members of the Vojvodina Assembly Collegium and the Working group in charge of preparation of the draft statute of the province reached an agreement on a majority of open issues and adopted decisions concerning alternative solutions in the text, the cabinet of Vojvodina Assembly President Istvan Pastor released.

The draft statute defines the constitutional and legal position of the Serbian northern province and it was put forth by the expert working group appointed by the competent committee of the Vojvodina Assembly, which tasked the group with adjusting the act to the Serbian Constitution.

On Thursday, members of the working group and the Vojvodina Assembly Collegium adjusted stands and discussed alternative solutions at the joint session chaired by Pastor.

According to the release, the issues on which an agreement has not been reached will be adjusted in additional consultations before the session of the Committee on Issues of Constitutional and Legal Status of the Province due on May 7.

The committee should define the final version of the draft statute and file it to the Vojvodina Assembly for adoption. The debate on the draft statute should be organised on May 10, Pastor said.

In case the document wins the support of two thirds of MPs, the draft Vojvodina statute will be filed to the Serbian National Assembly for discussion and adoption.

The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Serbia declared as unconstitutional two thirds of provisions from the Vojvodina Statute on December 5, 2013, and set a six-month deadline within which the document needs to be adjusted to the Serbian Constitution, thus ensuring that the work of the provincial institutions would not be interrupted in that...