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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Government sets aside 50 million dinars to repair damage in Paracin blast

19 October 2006

Uzice, Oct 19, 2006 –Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said today that the government decided today to set aside 50 million dinars to repair damage in a blast that occurred early this morning in a military compound in Paracin.

Vojislav Kostunica, 2nd left, speaks with citizens of Uzice

Kostunica said that he will go to Paracin immediately to see the scope of the explosions.

Speaking on the new Constitution, Kostunica repeated that Serbia necessitates the country’s fundamental legal act, which is why he once again called on Serbian citizens to support it in the October 28-29 referendum.

The Prime Minister noted that every single vote is important and added that the new Constitution will give Serbia its identity and will strengthen its democratic institutions.

He recalled that the authorities were preparing the Constitution for the past six years in accordance with European constitutional standards. The Prime Minister said that the Constitution defines Kosovo-Metohija as an integral part of Serbia and reiterates that state borders are unchangeable according to international law and as guaranteed by the UN Charter.

Speaking on the possible proposed solution that Marti Ahtisaari would give to the Contact Group and statement of US Ambassador to Belgrade Michael Polt that should Belgrade and Pristina negotiators fail to reach an agreement, the international community will decide which is the fairest option, Kostunica said that an agreed-on solution needs to be reached.

He stressed that any imposed solution is unacceptable and recalled that according to principles of the Contact Group, a solution to the Kosovo-Metohija problem must be result of agreement.

The Prime Minister said that it is difficult to come up with a sustainable solution by the said date, i.e., by the end of the year.

Kostunica stated that the government adopted decisions on premature debt settling toward the World Bank, on starting public works in Serbia and returning part of pensioners’ debt.

President of the Uzice municipality Tihomir Petkovic, left, and Vojislav Kostunica

Serbian Minister of Economy Predrag Bubalo presented the decisions adopted in the government sitting today in Uzice and said that conditions have been made to start settling debt to the World Bank in the amount of €328 million, which dates back from the 1970s.

Serbian Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Policy Slobodan Lalovic noted that public works will engage nearly 3,500 unemployed people and added that 180 million has been set aside for this.

Nearly 1 billion dinars will be allocated for public works next year, he said.

The Minister said that 5.5 billion dinars has been set aside for paying out the debt towards pensioners in November, though this was first announced for next February. He also said that around 5 billion dinars has been allocated for retired farmers.

The Serbian Prime Minister also visited the site where a new medical school centre is being built in Uzice in which the Ministry of Education and Sport has invested 130 million dinars so far.

At today's session the government decided to use additional 20 million dinars for equipping this regional school facility.