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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Government wants to continue talks with Pristina in line with Resolution 1244

Belgrade, 19 July 2007

Serbian Minister of Education Zoran Loncar said today that the Serbian government most resolutely refuses ideas on passing a new UN Security Council (SC) resolution on Kosovo-Metohija and that advocates continuation of talks in Pristina in line with UN SC Resolution 1244.

Zoran Loncar

At a press conference held after today's government session, he said that the Serbian government has refused all resolutions on Kosovo drafted so far because they are based on the plan of UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari and practically lead into province's independence.

The Serbian government believes that owing to the common policy with Russia, it will be able to prevent the adoption of a new UN SC resolution.

Commenting on the statement of US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice that the resolution of Kosovo status will be transferred to another body if the UN SC fails to make a decision, the Minister voiced hope that the US will not back such a scenario.

He said that the Serbian government did not make a decision on collective annual leave, which means that its services will work as usual during summer.

However, regular government sessions will not be held on August 9 and 16.

Rasim Ljajic

Minister of Labour and Social Policy Rasim Ljajic said that the government today accepted this Ministry's recommendation to stop work in the open from 11 am to 4 pm during the heat wave in Serbia and to introduce all-day duties of inspection services in the entire country.

Ljajic said that the recommendation was made at the request of trade union organisations of employees, but that imposing radical measures, such as a state of emergency, was not accepted because Serbia does not have appropriate laws to enforce such measures.

He recalled that the law which regulates introduction of emergency measures due to climatic changes dates back to 1972, and announced that the government will consider adopting a new set of legal measures to regulate that area.

According to Ljajic, the Serbian government could not introduce a state of emergency also due to the fact that according to the Labour Law employers could ask for payment of damages, and currently there are no budgetary funds available for the purpose.

He said that Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica will demand from the UN Secretary General to allow Hague indictees to serve sentences in prisons in countries to which they belong.

In his letter to the UN Secretary General the Prime Minister will outline that Serbia will give all state guarantees that Hague indictees will serve sentences according to all international standards, said Ljajic.

The Prime Minister’s letter says that this will contribute to returning confidence in relations between the Hague tribunal and Belgrade, and it will also encourage voluntary surrender by other indictees.

Ljajic said that Serbia is making efforts together with other republics of the former Yugoslavia to formulate a proposal to be directed to the UN which could result in an agreement with the Hague tribunal on serving of prison sentences in countries of which indictees are citizens.

Slobodan Milosavljevic

Serbian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Slobodan Milosavljevic said that at today’s session decrees were brought on providing incentive funds to farmers in the amount of €100 per hectare of arable land to produce vegetables and another on giving incentive funds worth RSD 7,000 per head of cattle for breeding bullocks.

The Decrees will come into force in the beginning of August, from which time registered farmers will be able to receive sums worth RSD 8,000 in cash per hectare of arable land.

Milosavljevic expressed conviction that incentive measures will be used by most of the some 300,000 registered agricultural farms in Serbia.