state administration

A European Commission report on Turkey, held back until after the general election on Nov. 1 accuses Ankara of backsliding on the rule of law, freedom of expression and judicial independence. 

Ethnic Montenegrins comprise 45 per cent of the country's citizens but hold just over 74 per cent of the jobs in the public administration, according to a new government study.

Ethnic Serbs make up 28 per cent of the population but have only 11 per cent of the jobs on the state payroll.

Jadranka Joksimovic, Serbia's Minister responsible for European integration, said that Serbia had now formed its negotiation team with the EU, which will have 24 members from the state administration, the academic community and NGOs .

The team will help formulate Serbia's negotiating position and report back to the government on the process.

The Serbian parliament on Monday discussed the government's legislative proposal for public sector employment which envisages that around 9,000 people will be laid off by the end of 2015, most of them in the education, justice and healthcare sectors.

The streamlining of the number of public sector employees "will not be conducted in a linear fashion, but only where there is a surplus to requirements."

This is what Serbian Minister of State Administration and Local Self-Government Kori Udovicki said on Monday, announcing that the new law on this will remain in place until 2018.

First dismissals in the state administration should start before September, Minister of State Administration and Local Self-Government Kori Udovicki says.

According to her, 9,000 employees who are surplus to requirements should be dismissed by the end of the year.

Greece has paid public sector wages due in mid-May, the finance ministry said on Friday, confirming scheduled payments as the country struggles to stay solvent.

Athens, which had been expected to easily make Friday's payments, will find it harder to meet wage and pension commitments later this month as well as debt payments in June.

BELGRADE - The Council for National Minorities on Wednesday held a constitutive session, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State Administration and Local Self-Government Kori Udovicki.

Serbia can say with pride that it represents a multi-ethnic community with around 30 national communities, Udovicki said at the session.

President accuses media and ministers of "spin"

BELGRADE -- President Tomislav Nikolic has said that "some ministers in the Serbian government influence the media to write negatively or lie" about his activities.

Human rights situation "unsatisfactory" - ombudsman

BELGRADE -- Ombudsman Sasa Jankovic has said that the human rights situation in Serbia, despite certain progress, was unsatisfactory.

Jankovic made the assessment in his 2014 report submitted to members of the Serbian national assembly.