BELGRADE, June 12 (Hina) - Yugoslav President and leader of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) Vojislav Kostunica said on Wednesday that a decision of the Serbian parliament's administrative committee stripping 21 MPs from the DSS
of their mandate was "illegal and contrary to the valid law on the election of deputies."
BELGRADE, June 12 (Hina) - Yugoslav President and leader of the
Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) Vojislav Kostunica said on
Wednesday that a decision of the Serbian parliament's
administrative committee stripping 21 MPs from the DSS of their
mandate was "illegal and contrary to the valid law on the election
of deputies." #L#
That decision is a real example of lawlessness, said Kostunica,
adding that part of the DOS ruling coalition was bringing the
principle of the law-based state and the rule-of-law into
question.
The Serbian parliament's administrative committee on Tuesday
decided by a majority vote to strip 21 MPs of Kostunica's DSS of
their mandate due to their failure to attend parliamentary sessions
without justification.
The parliament decided to replace them with new people from the DSS
who were on election lists in 2000.
Following the decision, the DSS decided against attending the
Serbian parliament's sessions until a competent court ruled on the
whole matter. The Serbian election commission is also expected to
consider the replacement decision.
DSS representatives described the decision as a "soft coup" and
"the introduction of dictatorship".
(hina) ha sb