Public statement

Blank resignations are not the solution for corruption in parliament

Organization Transparency – Serbia considers that „blank resignations“, which peoples' representatives submit to party management do not represent guarantee that parliament will be protected from corruption. On the contrary, using of this basically non democratic and anachronous mechanism only dislocates eventual corruption one step higher – from individual MPs to party management and by that even increases possibility of corruption.

Article 102 paragraph 2 of Constitution where „Under the terms stipulated by the Law, a deputy shall be free to irrevocably put his/her term of office at disposal to the political party upon which proposal he or she has been elected a deputy“, by which Serbia is unique in Europe, is doubtful from several reasons. Namely, it turns deputies from autonomous individuals which decide on interests of political society, in entirely replaceable instruments, megaphones of political parties' management. By stated provision is even acted against principle from article 5 paragraph 4 of the Constitution, by which „political parties may not exercise power directly or submit it to their control”. Besides that, in order to make „placing mandate at disposal“ legally valid, „conditions determined by the Law“ should be fulfilled. Since those conditions aren't prescribed by the law, the biggest question is whether until now submitted „blank resignations“ of MPs of new parliament produce legal consequences at all.

Transparency – Serbia

Belgrade , 30. June 2008.