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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Draft law defines public property at three levels

Belgrade, 19 August 2011

The Serbian government's Committee for Economy and Finance adopted today a working version of the Draft law on public property, which defines property in the Republic of Serbia at three levels – the republican, provincial and local.

Bozidar Djelic

Author: Fonet

Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic told a press conference held after the meeting that a public debate on the document will last until 31 August.

He announced that the government will adopt the bill on public property in early September, after which it will be sent to parliament together with the bill on restitution and indemnification.

He said that these draft laws are adjusted so as to avoid registration of ownership of the property claimed through restitution.

Djelic expressed belief that these two laws, which are the conditions for Serbia's accession to the EU, will be adopted by mid-September and noted that this will round up all the essential elements for the functioning of democracy in Serbia, decentralisation and attracting foreign investment.

He said that these draft laws stipulate that public companies such as Electric Power Industry, Serbian Railways, and public utilities will be able to be registered as owners of property that they use but only after approval by the founder.

This means that in the next two years, public companies will have to prove that they need the property they dispose with, said Djelic.

Registration of public property will thus transparently show what the state owns, he added.

The Deputy Prime Minister explained that this will also enable a public sector reform and free the excess of public enterprises' property for foreign investments influx.

The draft law on public property is designed to determine the functional principle of public ownership, he said noting that also defined are general goods that cannot be sold or privatised, such as mineral resources, mineral and thermal waters, natural water courses and other goods that are legally designated as special natural treasures.

Djelic explained that it will be possible to obtain a concession or right to use for natural resources.

The law also defines goods of general interest, such as agricultural land, forests and forest land, military land and military facilities, protected cultural property and goods in general use – roads, railways, bridges, tunnels, public parks, border crossings, administrative transitions, which are owned by the Republic.

The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that streets, squares and public parks will be owned by local governments.

He said that Vojvodina will get everything that the province uses under the Constitution and laws that is the property of the Republic of Serbia.

Djelic stressed that this legislation complies fully with the Constitution of Serbia and other laws, including the Law on establishing jurisdictions of AP Vojvodina.