BELGRADE -- Senior officials of the party groups have agreed to postpone the Belgrade assembly session scheduled for today.
Source: B92, Beta, Tanjug
Close the entire text of the article here
Earlier in the day, assembly speaker Branislav Belić, DS, told B92 that officials from his party led coalition, “For a European Belgrade”, the SPS coalition and the LDP have told him that they would not be coming to the meeting, “because they believe it could spiral out of control, taking into account the events occurring in Belgrade over the last several days”.
In that case, there would be no quorum in the city assembly, Belić explained.
“I will not be able to open the session because I will not have a quorum, for which 56 officials are needed. If representatives from the ‘For a European Belgrade’ list, SPS and LDP are not present, a quorum will not be possible,” he explained.
“In that case, according to the Law on Local Self-Administration, I will have to inform the public that the next session will be scheduled at a later junction, and try to reach an agreement on that with the parties,” Belić said.
The deadline for choosing a mayor, deputy mayor and the members of the city executive council expires on August 22. If a city government is not formed by then an imposed administration and new local elections in Belgrade will be announced.
“Scandalous, unbelievable”
After the decision today, Aleksandar Vučić, SRS, said that the move to postpone the session is "scandalous”.
“This is a degradation for Belgrade, a disparagement of the citizens,” Vučić told journalists.
The Serb Radical Party (SRS) official said that today’s events show that “the dictatorship of Boris Tadić continues” and that he “plans on controlling the entire country like a real dictator.”
“We will not allow him to do that,” Vučić said.
Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) spokesman Andreja Mladenović also criticized the decision and said it shows a lack of respect for the citizens of Belgrade.
“I have been a representative for a long time and have never seen those making up the majority boycotting the assembly session they had scheduled themselves. It is an unbelievable situation,” Mladenović said.
He said that the postponement shows that the officials of the DS and SPS pre-election coalitions and the LDP do not have the majority and cannot reach an agreement regarding the formation of the city government and the distribution of executive positions.
“It would be best to announce new elections for the city of Belgrade,” Mladenović concluded.
I'm afraid Kostunica seems to be beyond recovery. He may be fundamentally right in what he says, but the manner he goes about implementing his objections and the policies he encourages are abysmal and counter-productive. They hurt Serbia more than they help.
(Willie Garvin, 28 July 2008 20:20)
Willie, you may be right about Serbia simply not having good governance but I would expect Kostunica to find his marbles again if he manages to gain power with the SRS.
If that also fails then Serbia is truly a lost cause and you are probably right - the people deserve what they get.
At this point in time, I will help the opposition however I can and not from the UK, but from Serbia proper where I will be residing in the coming weeks. Watch out for ZK_BG. :)
(ZK UK, 28 July 2008 15:44)
You wrote, "I suspect we can start to build a strong opposition that will exploit all of the cracks within Frankenstein and destory it; to finally take its deserved place."
You use the word "we" as if you are in Serbia doing something to actually make your dream happen.
If you are in the UK as your nickname suggests, I assume you are there by choice. The choice to look after your own self-interest rather than to be part of the rebuilding going on in Serbia.
Do you REALLY know what is going on in Serbia at the moment?
The reality is ALL the politicians here are as bad as one another. They are only interested in promoting themselves and their close friends and family and securing their future financial status. Kostunica was the only senior figure who didn't fit this mould - but in recent months seems to have lost his marbles.
I have no doubt that any 'new' opposition that you suggest will be just as corrupt: morally and materially. Serbia simply has no understanding of 'good governence'.
(Willie Garvin, 28 July 2008 15:24)
When is Serbia going to get the political institutions it deserves?
Or, has Serbia got precisely what it deserves?
(Willie Garvin, 28 July 2008 11:29)
--
Very good questions Willie. From my view the reason Serbia keeps having elections is because they continue to get it wrong and there is constant manipulation and deceit coming from political parties.
When the party that has been relatively honest compared to the others comes in and begins to protect Serbia's interests and citizens, then we can finally move forward.
Until now we have had parties that promise the world but deliver nothing and continue to sell the country and people.
So far, Serbians deserve what they got but as the sell-outs seem to have finally revealed their faces I suspect we can start to build a strong opposition that will exploit all of the cracks within Frankenstein and destory it; to finally take its deserved place.
(ZK UK, 28 July 2008 13:10)
National parliament is not functionning due to 'blocking' by SRS deputies unhappy with alleged ZeS procedural infringements.
Belgrade parliament has not funtionned for some time because the DS initially blocked its post-election inauguration and continues not to funtion due to ZeS, LDP and SPS deputies to attend.
When is Serbia going to get the political institutions it deserves?
Or, has Serbia got precisely what it deserves?
(Willie Garvin, 28 July 2008 11:29)
When is Serbia going to get the political institutions it deserves?
Or, has Serbia got precisely what it deserves?
(Willie Garvin, 28 July 2008 11:29)
--
Very good questions Willie. From my view the reason Serbia keeps having elections is because they continue to get it wrong and there is constant manipulation and deceit coming from political parties.
When the party that has been relatively honest compared to the others comes in and begins to protect Serbia's interests and citizens, then we can finally move forward.
Until now we have had parties that promise the world but deliver nothing and continue to sell the country and people.
So far, Serbians deserve what they got but as the sell-outs seem to have finally revealed their faces I suspect we can start to build a strong opposition that will exploit all of the cracks within Frankenstein and destory it; to finally take its deserved place.
(ZK UK, 28 July 2008 13:10)
You wrote, "I suspect we can start to build a strong opposition that will exploit all of the cracks within Frankenstein and destory it; to finally take its deserved place."
You use the word "we" as if you are in Serbia doing something to actually make your dream happen.
If you are in the UK as your nickname suggests, I assume you are there by choice. The choice to look after your own self-interest rather than to be part of the rebuilding going on in Serbia.
Do you REALLY know what is going on in Serbia at the moment?
The reality is ALL the politicians here are as bad as one another. They are only interested in promoting themselves and their close friends and family and securing their future financial status. Kostunica was the only senior figure who didn't fit this mould - but in recent months seems to have lost his marbles.
I have no doubt that any 'new' opposition that you suggest will be just as corrupt: morally and materially. Serbia simply has no understanding of 'good governence'.
(Willie Garvin, 28 July 2008 15:24)
Willie, you may be right about Serbia simply not having good governance but I would expect Kostunica to find his marbles again if he manages to gain power with the SRS.
If that also fails then Serbia is truly a lost cause and you are probably right - the people deserve what they get.
At this point in time, I will help the opposition however I can and not from the UK, but from Serbia proper where I will be residing in the coming weeks. Watch out for ZK_BG. :)
(ZK UK, 28 July 2008 15:44)
National parliament is not functionning due to 'blocking' by SRS deputies unhappy with alleged ZeS procedural infringements.
Belgrade parliament has not funtionned for some time because the DS initially blocked its post-election inauguration and continues not to funtion due to ZeS, LDP and SPS deputies to attend.
When is Serbia going to get the political institutions it deserves?
Or, has Serbia got precisely what it deserves?
(Willie Garvin, 28 July 2008 11:29)
I'm afraid Kostunica seems to be beyond recovery. He may be fundamentally right in what he says, but the manner he goes about implementing his objections and the policies he encourages are abysmal and counter-productive. They hurt Serbia more than they help.
(Willie Garvin, 28 July 2008 20:20)
National parliament is not functionning due to 'blocking' by SRS deputies unhappy with alleged ZeS procedural infringements.
Belgrade parliament has not funtionned for some time because the DS initially blocked its post-election inauguration and continues not to funtion due to ZeS, LDP and SPS deputies to attend.
When is Serbia going to get the political institutions it deserves?
Or, has Serbia got precisely what it deserves?
(Willie Garvin, 28 July 2008 11:29)
You wrote, "I suspect we can start to build a strong opposition that will exploit all of the cracks within Frankenstein and destory it; to finally take its deserved place."
You use the word "we" as if you are in Serbia doing something to actually make your dream happen.
If you are in the UK as your nickname suggests, I assume you are there by choice. The choice to look after your own self-interest rather than to be part of the rebuilding going on in Serbia.
Do you REALLY know what is going on in Serbia at the moment?
The reality is ALL the politicians here are as bad as one another. They are only interested in promoting themselves and their close friends and family and securing their future financial status. Kostunica was the only senior figure who didn't fit this mould - but in recent months seems to have lost his marbles.
I have no doubt that any 'new' opposition that you suggest will be just as corrupt: morally and materially. Serbia simply has no understanding of 'good governence'.
(Willie Garvin, 28 July 2008 15:24)
I'm afraid Kostunica seems to be beyond recovery. He may be fundamentally right in what he says, but the manner he goes about implementing his objections and the policies he encourages are abysmal and counter-productive. They hurt Serbia more than they help.
(Willie Garvin, 28 July 2008 20:20)
Willie, you may be right about Serbia simply not having good governance but I would expect Kostunica to find his marbles again if he manages to gain power with the SRS.
If that also fails then Serbia is truly a lost cause and you are probably right - the people deserve what they get.
At this point in time, I will help the opposition however I can and not from the UK, but from Serbia proper where I will be residing in the coming weeks. Watch out for ZK_BG. :)
(ZK UK, 28 July 2008 15:44)
When is Serbia going to get the political institutions it deserves?
Or, has Serbia got precisely what it deserves?
(Willie Garvin, 28 July 2008 11:29)
--
Very good questions Willie. From my view the reason Serbia keeps having elections is because they continue to get it wrong and there is constant manipulation and deceit coming from political parties.
When the party that has been relatively honest compared to the others comes in and begins to protect Serbia's interests and citizens, then we can finally move forward.
Until now we have had parties that promise the world but deliver nothing and continue to sell the country and people.
So far, Serbians deserve what they got but as the sell-outs seem to have finally revealed their faces I suspect we can start to build a strong opposition that will exploit all of the cracks within Frankenstein and destory it; to finally take its deserved place.
(ZK UK, 28 July 2008 13:10)