New Party

DS party leader expects "shadow cabinet" to be formed soon

BELGRADE -- The leader of the opposition Democrats (DS), Bojan Pajtic, has told B92 that his party will soon form a shadow cabinet.

Patic, who also serves as head of the provincial government of Vojvodina, believes that "fear rules Serbia," and that it was his party's duty "to free Serbia from it."

BELGRADE - On the occasion of Human Rights Day, December 10, the youth wings of five political parties in Serbia adopted a declaration in which they pledged to jointly act to protect and promote human rights and freedoms.

BELGRADE - Political parties in Serbia either lack the mechanisms and procedures to fight corruption, or they are inefficient, said the participants of a conference on fighting corruption in Serbia and the role of political institutions.

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Labour Aleksandar Vulin stated on Friday that representatives of the State Audit Institution (DRI) and budget inspection will look into the calls for allocation of funds to NGO projects, and in case they identify any instance of abuse, individuals responsible for it will have to answer for their actions.

BELGRADE - Thursday's meeting of the Serbian parliament's information committee, which should address the issue of media freedom, brought together representatives of the journalists' associations - NUNS and UNS, MPs of the opposition, but no ruling coalition members.

BELGRADE - The Serbian parliament is considering on Sunday a total of 70 amendments to the bill modifying the 2014 budget law and accompanying laws, and after the close of the debate MPs will vote on the regulations.

BELGRADE - Cuts to salaries are a painful measure in political, economic and human terms, but at the moment the government does not have a subtler mechanism, Finance Minister Dusan Vujovic said at a meeting of the parliament's finance committee on Saturday.

Parliament ends debate in principle on labor law

BELGRADE -- The Serbian parliament late on Tuesday finished the debate in principle on the proposed amendments to labor and pension insurance laws.

Vladimir Pavicevic, of the opposition Nova Stranka (New Party), told a Friday debate in parliament that the case of Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic's plagiarism of parts of his PhD thesis "could not be more obvious".

Vucic told the Serbian parliament on Thursday that 51 people died during the floods which hit the country on May 15, while four are still missing. "We hope this is the final number," Vucic said.

Vucic also announced the names of the dead and the missing. Among the victims was a firefighter, he noted.