SERBIAN PARLIAMENT ADOPTS CHARTER ON YUGOSLAV-MONTENEGRIN STATE

BELGRADE, Jan 27 (Hina) - Nine months after the signing of the Belgrade Agreement, the Serbian parliament on Monday evening adopted by a majority vote a constitutional charter regulating relations in the future Serbian-Montenegrin state and a law on its implementation. #L# Opposition parties voted against the documents, while the Democratic Party of Serbia of Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica supported the charter, but not the law on its implementation. The Christian Democrats of Serbian Justice Minister Vladan Batic, who advocates an independent Serbia, voted both for the charter and the law. The debate on the documents, which lasted a whole day, was marked by a conflict between Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic and the Democratic Party of Serbia whip, Dejan Mihajlov. Djindjic called on MPs to vote for the documents, stating that now was the time for agreement and that nobody in Montenegro was willing to discuss a solid federation with Vojislav Kostunica. Mihajlov accused Djindjic of behaving in an autocratic manner and bypassing Kostunica and negotiating directly with Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic. The Montenegrin parliament should vote on the documents on Tuesday, while the federal parliament is to take a vote next week. (hina) rml