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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Public debate begins on draft law on associations

21 July 2007

Belgrade, July 21, 2007- Serbian Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Milan Markovic said today that the ministry in cooperation with a working group of non-governmental organisations has prepared the draft law on associations and begun public debate regarding the contents of the document.

A statement by the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government says that several attempts were made since 2000 to regulate the issue of realising the freedom guaranteed by the Constitution to form civil associations and organisations, but until today a law was not adopted which could in a unified approach determine the legal framework for domestic and foreign associations.

Markovic stressed that due to that the ministry began activities which will lead to final regulation of this question through adoption of a law on associations.

It is excepted that experts of the Council of Europe, OSCE Mission to Serbia, eminent experts in the area, representatives of responsible state institutions, as well as interested members of the large number of civil associations which are registered in Serbia will take part in the debate.

In the framework of the public debate the ministry, the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the working group of NGOs will organise a round table on the draft resolution on the law on associations which will be held on July 27 in Belgrade, said Markovic and stressed that the new draft law has retained the concept of the bill on associations which was adopted by the previous government.

According to Markovic, this draft law liberalises conditions for founding an association which can now be established by physical as well as legal persons, and the process of registration is simpler.

An important novelty is the regulation of the question of immovable property in social ownership which is currently in use by social organisations, and for the first time since the adoption of the new Serbian Constitution solutions lead to property ownership by units of local self-government.

The Minister pointed to the fact that this document offers the possibility that social organsiations may establish property ownership over these immovable assets, in accordance with their share in the financing through own funds received by voluntary members, gifts, donations, and other legally valid means.