Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-02-14

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From: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT OF SERBIA S.MILOSEVIC RECEIVED THE NEWLY APPOINTED MEMBERS OF THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT

[02] RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY: SIGNIFICANT POLITICAL STEP OF SERBIAN AUTHORITIES

[03] U.S. HAILS SERBIAN PARLIAMENT'S ADOPTION OF LEX SPECIALIS

[04] SERBIAN PARLIAMENT SOON TO BE READY FOR CONSTITUENT SESSIONS OF MUNICIPALITY ASSEMBLIES

[05] BELGRADE'S ELECTORAL COMMISSION DECLARES RESULTS OF LOCAL POLLS FINAL

[06] YUGOSLAVIA AND RUSSIA DEVELOP SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION

[01] PRESIDENT OF SERBIA S.MILOSEVIC RECEIVED THE NEWLY APPOINTED MEMBERS OF THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT

In introducing the newly appointed members of the Government of the President of the Republic of Serbia, Prime Minister Marjanovic expressed his conviction that the reconstructed Government would increase the dynamics in the implementation of programme of economic development and resolving the crucial problems facing our economy, underlying the ambitious goals of economic and social policy.

While emphasizing that Serbia has embarked upon the year of reforms, President Milosevic has stated that this year Serbia has entered the period of reforms of not only economic but entire social life to continue the process halted by the dissolution of Yugoslavia, war and sanctions. We left all this behind. The reforms should bring higher standards of living, security for citizens and ensure a modern and human development of society, as well as link economically, politically and culturally our country with international community.

It is necessary to ensure stability in order to put this reform in practice, President Milosevic said. By stability I mean political agreement towards reform, as well as political and moral responsibility for the reform of all subjects of the society that are the most responsible for it, public support and conviction of the citizens that the reform is necessary, possible and that it will yield positive results for all of us.

President Milosevic said that he expected the reconstructed Government to contribute to the creation of necessary economic environment in which the expansion of production will be incited and the advantages of our country will be successfully used. It is also necessary that the institutions of the State and the entire society energetically combat crime, corruption and all other forms of illegal activities. The Government is responsible in particular for the affirmation of the legal order, i.e. protection of law, President Milosevic has emphasized in the talks with the newly-appointed members of the Government of Serbia today.

The President of the Assembly of the FR of Yugoslavia, Mr. Dragan Tomic, was also present at the meeting.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-02-14 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-13

[02] RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY: SIGNIFICANT POLITICAL STEP OF SERBIAN AUTHORITIES

Now the authorities and the opposition should, without any additional conditions, start a broad political dialogue for democratization, said at a news conference the official spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Genady Tarasov.

He said that real democratization presupposes a broad and equal participation of Yugoslavia in international activities and its fulfilling of certain obligations.

The Yugoslav leadership, by accepting fully OSCE recommendations, has confirmed its respect for the organization and readiness to establish with it broad cooperation, Tarasov said.

That is an indisputable argument in favour of renewing Yugoslavia's membership in OSCE and in other international organizations, the Russian diplomat said. Tarasov also said that the dialogue between the authorities and the opposition on wider access to the media, improvement of electoral legislation and other issues, should be opened without any ultimatums or street pressure.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-02-14 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-13

[03] U.S. HAILS SERBIAN PARLIAMENT'S ADOPTION OF LEX SPECIALIS

State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns said the United States welcomed the Serbian Parliament's action as a vital step in the right direction.

Washington said it was confident that the Law would be soon implemented and that the Serbian Government and the opposition would soon open a dialogue.

White House spokesman Mike McCurry said on Wednesday the Clinton administration was encouraged by the latest developments in Serbia and the adoption of the Lex Specialis.

Commenting on this Law, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State John Shattuck said the election issue in Serbia had in this way been solved.

The New York Times daily reported however that additional requests on the part of the opposition could prolong the crisis in Serbia.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-02-14 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-13

[04] SERBIAN PARLIAMENT SOON TO BE READY FOR CONSTITUENT SESSIONS OF MUNICIPALITY ASSEMBLIES

The Lex Specialis, which went into force on Wednesday, was adopted by Parliament two days ago.

In line with this Law, under which preliminary results of the polls for councilmen in municipalities and cities stated in the OSCE mission's report have been declared final, the Electoral Commissions in Pirot, Kraljevo, Uzice, Smederevska Palanka, Vrsac, Sokobanja, Pancevo, Jagodina, Zrenjanin, Lapovo, Sabac, Stari Grad, Vracar, Savski Venac, Zvezdara, Rakovica, Palilula, Cukarica and Vozdovac began on Wednesday confirming the election of all councilmen who have won the majority vote.

The Electoral Commissions in Belgrade, Nis and Kragujevac have also begun confirming the election of councilmen. The deadline by which they have to complete their work has been set at midnight on February 14.

Under the Lex Specialis, municipality and city Electoral Commissions are to inform the Serbian Ministry of justice that they have confirmed the election of councilmen or that, for some reason, they have been unable to do so.

The Ministry is to forward all reports to this end to the Serbian Parliament Speaker who is to summon constituent sessions of Assemblies in these municipalities and cities within five days, as called for by the Lex Specialis.

If a municipality or city fails to confirm the election of a councilmen, the Ministry is to determine his election within two days following the deadline set to Electoral Commissions. One it has been established who was elected, the Ministry is to report on it to the Parliament Speaker.

Since consensus has been reached that it is not necessary to wait until the election of councilmen is confirmed in all municipalities and cities, the holding of constituent sessions in municipalities where this job has been done correctly will begin on February 17.

This date marks also the beginning of a five-day deadline for holding constituent sessions in all municipalities and cities where the results have been declared final under the Lex Specialis.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-02-14 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-13

[05] BELGRADE'S ELECTORAL COMMISSION DECLARES RESULTS OF LOCAL POLLS FINAL

According to the results, the opposition coalition "Zajedno" has won 67 seats in the Assembly, the Socialist Party of Serbia and the Yugoslav Left 24 seats, the Serbian Radical Party 17 seats and the Democratic Party of Serbia 2 seats, head of the commission Radomir Lazarevic told a news conference held at the City Assembly.

Lazarevic said the Commission had informed Serbian Parliament Speaker Dragan Tomic that it had finished its work and that he was to summon a constituent session of the Assembly within five days, as called for by the Lex Specialis.

He said the Law did not provide for the right to appeal against provisions of the Lex Specialis and that only the fact whether the Law was constitutional or not could be taken into consideration, for which he said the Commission was not responsible.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-02-14 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-13

[06] YUGOSLAVIA AND RUSSIA DEVELOP SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION

Vera Lapcevic-Petkovic said an inter-state Bilateral Accord was signed in 1995, and ratified in September last year, beginning a new stage in the development of bilateral relations.

Lapcevic-Petkovic said Yugoslavia was renewing accords with those countries it considered particularly important scientifically and technologically.

The discussion, held at the Russian Cultural Center in Belgrade, was organized by the Russian State Committee for science and technology and the Yugoslav Ministry for development, science and the environment.

Deputy head of the Russian Department for the development of international scientific and technical cooperation Anatoly Lebedev said among Russia's priorities were research, new products, transportation, environment and support to state scientific centers.

Lebedev said special attention was being devoted to cooperation with other countries, to which end Russia was signing accords with Eastern European states, he said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-02-14 ; Tanjug, 1997-02-13

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