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THE ‘’CENTRE FOR DEMOCRACY’’ FUND GATHERED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PUBLIC, CIVIL AND BUSINESS SECTOR, AS WELL AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, IN THE DEBATE ABOUT THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RIGHTS IN SERBIA

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RIGHTS – THE BASE FOR SOCIAL PROGRESS. WORKERS RIGHTS IN SERBIA AS IT WAS IN THE 19th CENTURY




Belgrade, July 8 2008
Almost 200 participants gathered by the ‘’Centre for democracy’’ had a debate in ‘’Sava’’ Centre on June 27 2008 on the subject of ‘’Economic and Social Rights in Serbia.’’ Bozidar Djelic, Vice-President of Serbian Government, in the welcome address, spoke about the importance of the subject and he hoped the new Government would do much more in the area of exercising citizens social and economic rights.

In the first session which included the ‘’Status, challenge and prospects of economic and social rights in Serbia’’, spoke D. Micunovic, representative of the ‘’Centre for democracy.’’ As an introduction to the discussion about the status within the socio-economic rights in Serbia, Ksenija Petovar had a presentation of research carried out by the ‘’Centre for democracy.’’ She stated that employee rights in Serbia were on the level of the 19th century. In the companies in which there are trade unions, the situation is a little better, but the opinion that there is no solidarity in Serbia is rather alarming for trade union.

Zoran Stoiljkovic, from the Faculty of Political Science, spoke about the necessity of signing a Social Treaty, as a presumption of social dialogue functioning and reminded of a large number of strategies made in the last few years, but they have not been realized.

N. Lazarevic from the European Integrations Office invited all interested social partners and trade unions to take part in the operations of this Office and send their suggestions, and announced the passing of the Law on Ratification of European Social Charter, which will enable the integration into the EU. The State must, through legal framework, impose the standards of conduct for all those who can influence the violation of economic and social rights. Also, the State must secure an efficient protection of these rights available to everybody – a good judicial system and efficient system of inspection authorities. A problem of discrimination at employment and restrictions of the Labor Law: How can a law against discrimination upgrade the protection of these rights? What are the problems in practice? Does Serbian judiciary dispose of adequate mechanisms for safeguarding of economic and social rights? There is a possibility of protection before International Courts. The European Social Charter is a document in which very clear tasks in this area are assigned to the countries-signatories – what will the ratification of European Social Charter upgrade in the safeguard of the economic and social rights?

The ‘’Business’’ Sector was represented by Radovan Jelasic, Governor of the NBS, Snezana Petrovic of ‘’Lafarge BFC’ a.d.’’ and Stevan Vujasinovic of ‘’UNDP’’. It was stressed that ‘’business’’ sector had a special position in the area of providing the conditions for observing and exercising the economic and social rights.

Much has been said in Serbia about social corporate responsibility being applied, both by big international companies and domestic ones, it doesn’t mean only acting ‘’outside’’ the company but ‘’within’’ the company – through securing good and safe working conditions for employees, enabling their professional advancement and observing labor legislation that represents a standard today in every modern society.

The Conference raised many issues that Serbian society and economy had to consider and resolve. The social and economic rights of Serbian citizens should be raised to a higher level with full consideration of Serbian economic potential and striving toward approaching the standards in this area necessary for entering the EU.

 
     
 
 
 
 
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