14.11.2017.
Round Table on Draft Laws on Defence and Serbian Armed Forces
A round table, part of public a debate on amendments to the Law on Defence and Serbian Armed Forces, which is going to last until 23rd December, was held today in the Central Military Club in Belgrade.
The Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Zoran Lazić reminded the present, among whom there were the representatives of the union operating within defence system, representatives of departments, institutions and other units in the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces, associations of citizens and interested public, that two round tables had been held until that moment, in Novi Sad and Niš, during which all the interested had an opportunity, in various ways, to give their suggestions, proposals and remarks regarding the draft amendments to the two laws that were under discussion.
Head of Legal Department in the Ministry of Defence Ljiljana Mirić presented all the amendments to the both laws, which was followed by an open discussion where the present asked questions, or gave suggestions or proposals regarding how certain provisions should look like.
In his introductory address Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Zoran Lazić reminded that the laws had already been presented to the Government but due to new executive power elections, the drafts had been returned and, at that moment, they were in the public debate procedure.
- We have, within the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces, yet again worked on the text in the framework of the Commission and we have had several meetings with representatives of all organisational units, at which they expressed their needs so that possible imprecisions or parts that could create problems in their implementation are corrected or defined more precisely – Secretary of the Ministry of Defence said and reminded that three meetings had been held with the representatives of all unions operating in the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces and thanked them for their constructive approach “because they have given many remarks and suggestions regarding the drafts and some of those became their integral part”.
Lazić said that the reason for introducing amendments of the laws was twofold.
- The first goals is more precise definition and standardisation, so that the provisions would be clear and to eliminate the problems in their implementation in practice and also to harmonise them with other laws of the Republic of Serbia. The second reason is to enhance the status of professional members of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces – Secretary explained and added that the permanent goal was for all the members to have better living and work conditions.
In the continuation of the round table, he and Head of Legal Department Ljiljana Mirić answered the questions of the present regarding different provisions that regulate the matter of two very important laws.
Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Zoran Lazić, following the two hour debate held in an atmosphere of tolerance, thanked everyone for their contribution to the discussion and invited them to send their proposals and suggestions by 23rd November, after which the conclusions from the round tables and public debates would be submitted to the Government. Then the adoption procedure will commence at that instance, and later, as he expressed his hope, by the end of the year it will be in the Assembly of the Republic of Serbia.
