Closed due to Seasonal Works

by Milan Milosevic

As if it was in a hurry to do the seasonal works, already on Thursday, the Serbian Parliament completed this week's session by playing dumb, like on all other occasions when something dramatic was happening

The minister of education was given the duty to announce the proposal for taking away Velimir Mihajlovic's (former trade minister, now arrested) mandate, after the president of the parliament reminded the MPs that "the reasons for this are known". Thus, without any comment, the Serbian Parliament took away the former minister's mandate, rejecting the Democratic Party's (DS) proposal for an investigative committee to be formed in order to look into the entire work of former Serbian Prime Minister Radoman Bozovic's government, and into the reasons why there is crime among the leadership. The president of the Serbian Parliament didn't even oppose this, he only observed that the Parliament must not interfere in the work of judicial bodies. He thus defended a legitimate principle, but this affair is such that it requires an assembly investigation, no matter what the assembly is like and it was the Parliament president's duty to support such a proposal. To this, the socialist-radical majority, with relief, lifted their hands against "ruffling". The Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), whose members are not taking part in the work of the Parliament, asked that Radoman Bozovic (former Serbian PM0 and Nikola Sainovic (current PM) have their say on this, reiterating that their political responsibility is now already obvious.

There were also proposals for Yugoslav President Dobrica Cosic to form some kind of state committee for fighting crime, but, so far, he hasn't commented on the initiative. Serbian Prime Minister Nikola Sainovic could now tell the Parliament that Slobodan Milosevic is seriously fighting crime, but his problem is that among the suspects there is also a minister whom he personally, as the prime minister designate, recently recommended to the Parliament. It appears as if Sainovic is going after himself. Because of such parallels, there are very few of those ready to discuss the issue.

The majority in parliament does not know, it seems, what kind of intentions the one who has launched the entire campaign has. Until something gets clarified, the Serbian Parliament humbly agreed to postpone the debate on the government's report on crime.

Leaving the Parliament some twenty minutes before five, when sessions usually end, the MPs gladly agreed with the claim that "we are all tired" and even gave up their right to pose delegate questions.