SO FAR WE HAVE DONE...

POLITICAL STABILITY

• Serbia has become a stability factor in the Balkans
• Serbia has recovered sovereignty over 1,985 square kilometres, or 83.4% of the territory of the 2,380 km2-large Ground Safety Zone, that former authorities have lost under the Kumanovo agreement
• Serbia has renewed and established good neighbourly relations with all adjacent countries including the former Yugoslav republics
• A period of wars, devastation, refugees and confrontations with the entire world has been ended. Serbia has entered a period of recovery, peace, reconstruction and economic development.
• Serbia has committed itself to a dialogue with Montenegro and respecting its citizens' will

EXTRA TAXATION OF PROFITEERS CLOSE TO THE FORMER REGIME

• Commission for the investigation of abuses in economic and financial field has concluded its work on the investigation of major business and financial transactions by which state property was drifting into the pockets of individuals close to the former regime. Commission's findings shall be made public.
• The government proposed to the National Assembly a Law on the single extra profit and extra property tax. Pursuant to this Law all individuals who have earned huge wealth at the expense of the State, public funds and citizens, using their position in the former regime or closeness to their members shall pay a tax of up to 90%. This money shall be used for the payment of pension arrears, old foreign currency savings, invalid, maternity allowances and other social welfare benefits, as well as for the construction of capital facilities of interest for our country.

ANTI CORRUPTION FIGHT

• The government proceeded to the National Assembly a Resolution on anti corruption fight and Recommendations for public officials and servants conduct. The Resolution establishes the basis of the national anti corruption strategy and envisages a series of measures that the State shall undertake, such as the establishment of an agency for the control of public administration, customs and police work, establishment of an Anti-corruption agency and passing of anti-corruption regulations. In preparation are the anti-corruption law, law on public procurements and government's anti-corruption programme.
• The government has also prepared the draft of the law on citizens rights protector (Ombudsman), to whom all citizens whose rights have been violated by any state body shall be able to appeal.
• Criminal Code amendments that the government has proceeded to the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia envisage a number of newly provided for criminal offences of corruption, such as bribe-taking by state officials and other public servants, as well as the budget spending for purposes other than specified.

LEGAL STATE

• No one is any more beyond the law: all who commit a criminal act, regardless of their office, shall be brought to trial.
• New public prosecutors and presidents of courts in Belgrade have been appointed and started a decisive fight against crime
• Criminal Code amendments envisaging more stringent penalties for criminals have been proposed to the National Assembly
• Prisons modernisation and enhancing of the life and work conditions in them have been undertaken
• Ministry of Justice has elaborated laws on public administration, ministries, labour relations in government agencies, on magistrates courts, on infractions, on courts and court taxes, that shall be proceeded to the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia for adoption

SECURITY

• The Police have detected numerous perpetrators of most serious crimes such as political assassinations, organised plundering of the state budget, and plundering of citizens by pyramid savings banks, economic offences and abductions. The crime on the Ibar trunk road and of state budget plundering organised by the former government leadership through the Federal customs administration have been fully cleared up. Clearing up of most of the other most serious crimes is in progress.
• Reorganisation of the Ministry of the Interior has started.
• Against MI (Police) members who have violated the law and Rules of service, the Ministry of the Interior brought 74 criminal charges, 98 petty offence charges, and 14 employees have been arrested and 109 suspended.
• Administration for organised crime control has been established.
• Public security department of Serbia Ministry of the Interior (Police) intensified its work on detecting perpetrators of criminal offences and improving general security of citizens and property. Thus in the first hundred days of the government there have been committed 25,505 serious criminal offences, out of which 13,100 have been cleared up, 3,490 criminal offences from the field of economic crime all of which have been cleared up, and 22,015 general criminal offences out of which 9,610 have been cleared up, including the following:       
        
  • 25 cleared up murders out of the 37 committed       
  • 12 arrested out of 30 attempted-murder perpetrators       
  • 13 cleared up rapes out of 19       
  • 2 cleared up attempted rapes out of 3       
  • 4,034 in crime-investigations terms cleared up larcenies out of the 10,660 committed       
  • 10 armed robberies cleared up out of 38       
  • 202 banditry acts cleared up out of 917       
  • 17 aggravated banditry acts cleared up out of 70       
  • 32 extortion acts cleared up out of 38 committed       
  • 6 abductions cleared up out of 9       
  • 891 vehicles found out of the 2310 stolen       
  • out of 623 criminal acts of illegal keeping and possession of arms all have been cleared up       
• The government proceeded to the National Assembly proposal for the establishment of a parliamentary commission for the investigation of State security service's work in the former period.

ECONOMIC REVIVAL

• Serbia's economy exports in the first three months of 2001 amounted $ 395.2 million, which makes a 14.8% increase compared to the same period of 2000.
• In the first three months of 2001, Serbia's economy exports cover 49.2 % of its imports, compared to 42% in the same period of the last year.
• The Government has ensured DEM 100 million for the Development Fund. In late April first 80 credits were granted to enterprises from 24 cities. Credit-granting criterion was that the enterprises have successful export programmes.
• 4 regional centres of the government Agency for the crediting of small and medium sized enterprises have been set up: in Leskovac, Valjevo, Vrsac and Kragujevac, and further ten shall be set up throughout Serbia by this autumn. So far 15 credits worth DEM 2.5 million have been disbursed.

SOCIAL SECURITY

• Average salary in Serbia has been increased from Din 2,925 in October 2000 to Din 4,262 in March 2001
• Consumer's basket expenses have been reduced by 20% compared to October 2000. Last October 2.64 average net salaries were needed to cover the consumer's basket expenses, while in March 2001 - 2.08 average salaries are needed.
• In the name of pension arrears (not including pension non-adjustment debts), social welfare and children allowances, former authorities owed DEM 460 million to Serbia citizens. Therefore through foreign donations and from the own resources the government has ensured:
  • Disbursement of arrears to the most needy families (family benefits) for 26 months
  • Disbursement of arrears for children's allowances that had not been paid for several years. We also disbursed two instalments of children's allowance arrears that in accordance with the law fall due in 2001, amounting DEM 17 million. In process are arrangements for the disbursement of the remaining arrears for the care and aid benefits.
  • The Government is regularly, and as for certain rights also at an accelerated pace, discharging all its obligations to social welfare beneficiaries, including the veteran-invalid rights.
  • The Government has ensured additional resources to provide support to the most needy families with children.
  • Pensions are regularly disbursed and increased by 20%. Through a single DEM 5 million aid, position of the pensioners with lowest pensions has been improved. Arrears related to farmers' pensions have been diminished.
  • Also regularly disbursed are resources for the operation of social welfare institutions (gerontological centres and old people's homes, homes for children without parental care, and homes for children with development problems…), for welfare centres, foster families and children's welfare rights
• Collective centres for refugees and needy citizens are being subsidised with substantial resources from the republic budget and foreign donations.
• Within the Ministry for welfare questions a special account was opened for donations by firms and individuals. Such Ministry's activities have ensured for providing food, hygienic and energy supplies until the end of the year for all 64 institutions (for the children without parental care, impeded in development, or with special educational needs, and institutions for the old people).
• Reconstruction in a number of institutions have been announced, agreed or already undertaken. The biggest donations that are already being realised are certainly the reconstruction of the pavilion of the Home for children and youth impeded in development in Kulina (an investment worth DEM 1.3 million), reconstruction of the homes for children and youth in Kragujevac, Sremcica and Belgrade (Zvezdara), of the "Spomenak" Home for children and youth in Pancevo, of the "Veternik" Home for children and youth impeded in development, near Novi Sad, of the Infants, Children and Youth Welfare Centre facilities in Belgrade, and of the Home for the mentally ill in Curug, among others. Also completed is the construction of the Mataruska Banja Gerontological Center's new facilities for 40 users, and the construction of a pavilion for 80 users in the "Dr Nikola Sumenkovic" Special institute for children and youth near Petrovac, worth DEM 1.2 million.

DECENTRALISATION OF THE AUTHORITY

• For the first time the budget of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina has been substantially increased, and discussions on expanding Province competences have been initiated.
• In preparation is a new Law on self-government, subject to which the Republic shall transfer back competences to municipalities and cities. Thus in their self-governments citizens of Serbia shall have a stronger word on the development of their municipalities and regions.
• For the first time after ten years the Republic of Serbia budget and tax reform have ensured that municipalities and cities have their own revenues.

AGRICULTURE

• Agricultural budget has been increased by 25% compared to the last year
• Milk subventions have been raised by 350% and breeding cattle subsidies by 330%
• Sugar-beet subsidy has been raised at Din 0.25, and this year the government shall pay to all sugar-beet producer one third of the subsidy in advance
• The government has deferred the Din 4.5-billion debts that agricultural enterprises and individuals owe to the State
• The formerly 15% turnover tax for fertilisers, fodder, plant protection chemicals, seeds and seedling, as well as the agricultural machinery has been abolished
• 92.4 million litres of diesel fuel has been ensured for the spring sowing, and distributed to farmers at the price of Din 24 per litre
• Fertiliser plants in Pancevo and Prahovo have restarted their production.

FREEDOM OF THE MEDIA

• The Law on public information by which former authorities were penalising disobedient journalists and controlling media in a draconian way has been abolished
• The government has ensured resources for the recompensations to the media penalised by the former authorities
• Electricity-meter tax used for the financing of the Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) has been abolished. The state television shall become a public service that shall be financed from the subscription paid by all those watching the RTS programme
• New Law on information is being drafted in co-operation with the Serbia Independent Union of Journalists (NUNS)

INTERNATIONAL AID AND CO-OPERATION

• Prime minister, deputy prime ministers and ministers realised numerous contacts in the democratic and developed world, with which the former Government had not co-operated. Government representatives have visited the USA, Russia, Germany, France, Norway, the Czech Republic, Italy, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, Holland, Belgium, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia. Our country received prominent guests from Japan, Singapore, Spain, Israel, and Great Britain.
• A $ 137.95 million international aid has been ensured and used in the following fields:             

  agriculture	- $ 17.70 mill.
  education	- $ 0.03 mill.
  electric power industry	- $ 72.07 mill.
  environmental protection	- $ 0,29 mill.
  health	- $ 12.77 mill.
  other purposes	- $ 19.50 mill.
  welfare purposes	- $ 15.59 mill.

• Distribution of the international aid worth $ 175.61 million has started in the following fields:       

  agriculture	- $ 55.67 mill.
  electric power industry	- $ 32.34 mill.
  environmental protection	- $ 19.99 mill.
  health	- $ 8.24 mill.
  other purposes	- $ 56.41 mill.
  welfare purposes	- $ 2.96 mill.

• An Agency for the promotion of foreign investments and export has been established, in order to render all necessary information to foreign investors and promote export
• A Center for legislation reform has been established to work on the harmonisation of our regulations with the EU law
• The first versions of the Law on foreign investments, Law on the international trade and trade arbitration, and Law on foreign trade transactions have been drafted
• Co-operation with the Serbs from diaspora has been effected, and activities have been initiated towards acquainting them with the investment opportunities in Serbia, establishment of a Serb investment fund, and elaboration of a data base on the diaspora Serbs

WE INHERITED...
WE PROMISED...
SO FAR WE HAVE DONE... - Part 1
SO FAR WE HAVE DONE... - Part 2
WE PLAN...