Approved by the Congress on December 12th, 2012
I SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN SERBIA
TIME IN WHICH WE OPERATE
Not so long ago, just before and during the collapse of the bipolar global order established after World War II, it was thought that the (neo)liberal capitalism is the only effective form of social organization, which even corresponds to human nature, needs and desires. For the integrative processes that marked the end of the 20th century it was believed that ultimately should lead to the creation of global markets, territorialization of (neo)liberal capitalism and the creation of a new, unipolar world order, which even prompted some scholars to put forward the thesis of the „end of history“ which we know what in the process of developing and dismissal of the socio-economic organization, which largely determines the political trends and ideas. It was believed that in this sense, that is overcome the existence of outdated traditional political parties of left and right and clear ideological divisions among the political forces, especially in Western societies, there is no more and should not be. At the end of 20th century, Serbia was welcomed in many ways as an unfinished state – faced with the disintegration of the common country which Piemont was, Serbia and its former leadership failed to find an adequate answer that would consist in building of a stable state system and state institutions, thought out socio-economic reforms system and involvement in European integration, retention of reputation, influence and economic interests in the countries of the former Yugoslavia, as well as the persistent political and diplomatic struggle for the protection of national interests and the provision of adequate institutional arrangements for co-nationals in these countries. Instead of that, is chosen path of authoritarian political system and the manipulation of nationalism as a basic instrument of government that was supported on unreformed social economy and the wars that took place in the former Yugoslavia took the country into despair and collapse marked the casualties, enormous material destruction and losses, a large number of refugees and internally displaced people, suspending sovereign rights in Kosovo and Metohia and the revival of many of the social antagonisms that were believed to have been overcome, so that the democratic changes in 2000. Serbia is really very much welcomed as an unfinished state and society.
The time in which we act marks a significant change in the world and political ideas. World of 21st century largely becomes multipolar, with clearly legible, the growing role of the major markets of the Third World. In political theory and practice, even the largest and most developed economies of the world again accept the idea of state intervention and regulation of social market economy with a revised and strengthened the state’s role in the sphere of economic and social regulation. The realization of these ideas and programs should lead to social security and to a number of provided public services, which, based on equality, solidarity and social freedoms, should be available to everyone. It is about ideas and programs that were believed to have developed in societies techno-manager (neo)liberal capitalism even realized, and thus overcome – the ideas of social democracy. The great depression has confirmed, however, that capitalism without government intervention cannot be self-sustaining and self-regulatory social-economic order. Restoring to the ideas of social democracy, however, in the modern world has no meaning of leaving the basic model of capitalist economy and the searching for someone new, so far non-existent form of socio-economic system and political system that basically would not be democratic. On the contrary, it is about finding the right measures of correction and state intervention, which should provide a more stable and more humane society. Moreover, such ideas are not reserved for internal politics, but they are present and realized in the framework of supranational integration in the measure that they are responsible for particular areas of social life and become an inspiration and ideological basis for international policy. Unfortunately, the Serbia is not readily welcomed changes in the world and the global economic crisis. At a time of difficult financial conditions, crisis should not be understood solely as a negative disaster that struck Serbia, but also as an opportunity to change what was wrong on better and move on more successful way. Serbia cannot choose its past, but can choose its future. For this purpose, it must employ all their resources, especially human, and direct all energy into the creative solutions to overcome the current situation.
SERBIA IN CRISIS
The time in which we operate in Serbia is marked by a great crisis. Series of election cycles that is behind us did not consolidate the political system in the country, nor even remotely lead to a clearer ideological profiling, or to the enlargement of political power. Democratic achievements of the year 2000, while still enjoying the support of most voters and political forces may be at risk by growing influence of extremist forces, which the poor social situation favors. The leading political force, and the whole political system, unless they find the appropriate ideological and political response to the crisis in the moment that Serbia is, they risk the loss of legitimacy. The main political issue and the main political problem of Serbia that requires an urgent action by all political actors in the country is to improve living conditions and living standards of people by creating a more humane and socially responsible society. The political and ideological response to the economic crisis affecting the whole world, in which Serbia is almost 20 years, certainly not the extreme right-wing, radical socially destructive, religious-fundamentalist movements and the new national autarchic anti integrative world views. The answer to the crisis also is neither a sellout of national wealth and resources, quickly and easily the privatization, the imposition of bygone and obsolete ideological themes and divisions, or irresponsibly hiding corruption, laziness, inefficiency, incompetence and self-interest of politicians behind demagogic slogans.
The crisis in Serbia is seen in almost every segment of society. The state and its institutions are not built, and citizen’s trust weakening by the day. Public administration is a huge, expensive and inefficient. Instead of healthy competition, it is developed a tycoon privatization. Unemployment is rising, just like crime, corruption and various forms of social pathology. Excellent feasible idea of small and medium enterprises, or rural properties in which to develop the family business, in which people worked on theirs for himself, was replaced by the harsh reality of depopulation of rural areas, a huge influx of people in big cities and cruel exploitation. Violence is more pronounced and dangerous, and drugs and other forms of substance abuse more common in the broader sense of hopelessness. Young, if they cannot go abroad, they have feelings of failure. From year to year, birth rate is failing. Estranged tycoons carry out the wealth from the country. Long ago Serbia is not a country of a recognizable cultural creativity. Education is more expensive, and chances for employment and social success inversely proportional to the acquired knowledge. Irresponsibility and negligence led to the fact that Serbia is among the most polluted countries in the world and its untapped natural resources and beauty deteriorate rapidly. Despite this situation, the potential that Serbia has clearly had are the occasional victories of athletes and the results obtained by other authors in a strong foreign competition. As something common to these successes, although Serbia is no long country of a victory and success, is time-consuming effort, dedication and hard work. In contrast to this, unfortunately, rare exceptions, ever acquired a sense of helplessness and a massive withdrawal of citizens from political processes. Citizens are left to themselves, do not feel that public authorities and political forces take care of their interests and the rapidly growing discontent, manifested in a wide arc – from resignation, social apathy and lack of identification with their own country, which from year to year result increasing number of abstainers in the election, it may lead to denial of the nature of the democratic order and the legitimacy of the state, the demand for radical workers’ strikes and political protests, which can cause large-scale escalation of antagonism.
SERBIAN INTERESTS
Serbia is the central state of Balkan Peninsula. This geographical position essentially determines the foreign policy role of Serbia and international environment in which is developing the Serbian society. Instead of problems in the 19th and 20th century due to its position, which is graphically represented by the phrase „house in the middle of the road,“ Serbia in the 21st century is the state with the greatest potential in the regional economic and political cooperation and unavoidable political factor in this part of Europe and the world. For these reasons, in the multipolar non-conflict world dominated by economic and energy issues, Serbia has a crucial interest to be a stable society and a stable economic system that will contribute to regional stability, and thus to the affirmation and fulfillment of their own interests and needs. Through Serbia are all relevant regional and European transport and energy routes.
The basic foreign policy interest of Serbia is to become a full member of the European Union, with further improvement of relations with the United States and the extension of economic cooperation with Russia. In addition, Serbia with the United States can develop various forms of technical-economic and economic-military cooperation, while the interests of Serbia in cooperation with the Russian Federation aimed at more electrical energy cooperation. Good relations between Russia and the European Union on the one hand and between the U.S. and EU on the other hand will provide longer term stability in the Balkans. Also, Serbia needs to do more in regional cooperation and to initiate further economic cooperation, and can achieve excellent cooperation with regional powers. The potentials of Serbia are also in the return to the markets of Asian and African countries, which is associated with the traditional friendship. The basic premise of exploiting such a geographical position of Serbia and achievement of its foreign policy goals is a political and economic stability in Serbia. There will be none of Serbia’s European integration, good relations with Russia, and with the United States and strengthen the regional role of Serbia if the state does not devoted to itself, or if it is not in a position that time, energy and resources direct towards solving the economic and social crisis and towards building a stable, functional and less expensive institutions. The stabilization of the situation in Serbia will increase the possibility of Serbia for the answers to the possible security risks and to achieve the primary and most important goal of internal and foreign policy – the preservation of territorial integrity and Kosovo within Serbia. For this to happen, the logic and dynamics of the political scene and the philosophy of the actors in it have to be changed in a way that will fight for the interests of the state and its citizens, while respecting the rule of law, become more important than the struggle for power and care of incompetent, unprepared, and unusable personnel. The vast energy that is wasted on unproductive criticism and negativism has to be channeled into a positive change in which every citizen of Serbia can contribute to their efforts. In this scenario the role of political parties and their programs is essential.
Why Social Democracy?
In Serbia, the social democracy is a natural political idea, historical deeply rooted in social reality. In a relatively small company of small and medium holdings, democracy can only be social, that recognizes and encourages the care of common problems and needs of people and allowing reallocation of funds, and thus the education of competent people who have interest in the political process and participating in them. So, without social mechanisms and distribution of the state in small companies of small and medium properties such as Serbia it could not be democracy. On the other hand, the democratic participation of citizens in the political process is the basis and precondition for the survival of the political system such as Serbia, so that the social democratic idea is deeply state-building: the state in societies like ours is legitimate only if has role of actor who provides social justice. Only social democracy can guarantee the existence of the legal system and principles that take into account the interests of all citizens and enable social integration, and thus overcome the antagonisms that would be dangerous to small companies and substantially influenced to the survival of the community. The basic values of social democracy, freedom and increased equality and fair distribution of social resources and equal opportunities in Serbia are still seen as a principle of fairness, and almost no political power, which in different periods of history was not in favor of some of the goals that are inherently social democratic: state building that has the capacity to care for the common social problems and needs of the people, democracy understood as a wide participation of citizens and various social groups in political decision, including the territorial decentralization and strong local government, but also a wide acceptance of the political system and constitutional patriotism, reducing unaccountable bureaucracy in the public sector to a minimum, the general compulsory and free education, family assistance, social care of children, gender equality, elimination of all forms of discrimination and measures to promote full and effective equality, and so on.
Besides the principle, the social democratic political idea and programs in Serbia in the crisis have their practical justification. The only social democratic ideology can offer Serbia a comprehensive and socially acceptable way out of crisis, while respecting the interests of the people, maintain the legitimacy of the political system and ensuring the functioning of the legal order and the responsible exercise of public services. Social democratic ideology in Serbia can enable policy with a human face and a substantial change that would mean that the political forces of power are not itself, but to their people first. Moreover, it can be noted that the implementation of social political ideology in foreign policy involves commitment to a fairer international relations, Europe based on respect for difference and equality of States and regional cooperation. In contemporary conditions, social democratic political ideology in Serbia is the position of the center, between the two forms of right-wing approach – maintaining of failure and to a small companies unruly (neo)liberal model and the extreme ideology of exclusion and intolerance.
II OUR POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES
1. TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AND BUILTED COUNTRY
In the last two decades, Serbia has faced difficult challenges. The name of the state, its symbols and its constitutional order were changed four times. The main objective of the Social Democratic Party of Serbia is stable Serbia, built state, which will have the capacity to implement social democratic reforms and to ensure social security to all its citizens. In order that Serbian be a built state, it is essential that its national organization and its territorial integrity must be insured. Serbia will never and cannot accept the independence of Kosovo and Metohia. The struggle for territorial integrity and the preservation of Kosovo and Metohia as its integral part, as a prerequisite for developing built country, will be conducted at the international level, but also in the field of strengthening of the Serbian and other non-Albanian communities in Kosovo and Metohia. Also, the construction of the state constitution includes constitution of all institutions envisaged by the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, possibly changing of the constitutional regulations which should allow the existence of cheaper and more effective institutions, the alignment of overall existing legislation with the Constitution and the provision of other forms of law.
We are committed to:
• decentralization of Kosovo and Metohia. The decentralization of Kosovo and Metohia should enable the survival and return of the Serbian and other non-Albanian communities in Kosovo and Metohia and effective participation of non-Albanian communities in the management of public affairs. Substantial decentralization of Kosovo must also include decentralization, and local organizing KPS and adequate percentage of members of different communities within that force;
• forming of special entity in Kosovo and Metohia. Special entity in Kosovo and Metohia would include territorial associated units of local governments with the majority of non-Albanian inhabitants, and the territory of the monastery, churches and other religious sites and monuments of culture of non-Albanian communities, and it must be provided possibility of establishing special relations with the rest of Serbia, even for during the international administration in Kosovo. Such a special connection will enable the smooth operation of the authorities of the Republic of Serbia, whose action in Kosovo is in accordance with Resolution 1244;
• constitution of the Supreme Court of Cassation and the election of all judges of the Constitutional Court of Serbia. The constitution of these institutions must be completed within a reasonable time to give the country all the institutions provided by the Constitution in full force.
• smaller and more effective institutions. We are committed to respect the fundamental principles of constitutional economics. We believe that it is unnecessary that state regulation and constitutional institutions are developing in the direction of ineffective and costly constitutional arrangements. In that sense, first should change the constitutional provisions on the number of members of the National Assembly and that number reduced from the current 250 to 150 members and the public administration to make the necessary steps for its rationalization and depoliticization;
• taking all necessary files and harmonizing legislation with the Constitution in accordance with the Constitutional Law on the Implementation of the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia. From the legal system it must be cleared of all the unconstitutional and illegal acts so the general legal system could function smoothly. Enhance and accelerate the elimination of unnecessary subordinate regulations;
• constitutional patriotism of all citizens of the Republic.
2. Constitutional patriotism
Social cohesion and political unity in Serbia should be constantly promoted. Although after the democratic changes in the year 2000 came to the formulation and implementation of significant new minority policy based on preservation of national and cultural identity of national minorities with their integration into social life and public affairs, although it is undoubtedly significantly increased political participation of different social groups, there are still opportunities and needs for further development of the concept of democratic citizenship based on common and identical rights and freedoms that link common loyalty to the legal system, regardless of linguistic, ethnic and other social differences. One must not let that the economic crisis and social problems that citizens faced, legitimize and strengthen a sense of separatism and exemptions from the general principles of constitutional citizenship. Strengthening of minority cultural identities, as well as other social identities (regional, religious, social, etc.), should be acceptable to the state and should be accompanied by a wide participation of such identities in public life, but not at the expense of wider, national civic identity. The state must provide wide inclusive approach that, besides national, should care in other social identities, bearing in mind that the only national organization is too wide or too narrow way to solve current problems. With special measures should reduce the possibility of injustice for refugees and internally displaced persons, minorities, returnees on the basis of readmission agreements, members of other vulnerable social and regional groups and develop a sense of citizenship in the state, since such measures would improve their position and they should central, state government experienced as a guarantor of their rights, and not as a cause of poor economic status of the perpetrators of injustice.
We are committed to:
• consistent implementation of existing and creation of new measures to increase and facilitate the participation of minorities and other social groups in public affairs. Implementation of the measures after the year 2000 that are introduced into the legal system, which consists of the abolition of the electoral threshold for parties of national minorities, improving of representation of minorities in state administration, facilitation of registration of political parties of national minorities, etc. should be continued. A separate set of measures to facilitate the participation of other social groups in public affairs should be adopted, in particular by prescribing more effective mechanisms of gender participation and diaspora, regardless of ethnicity or religion;
• smooth operation and restoration of work in the full composition of the body that are responsible for the advancement of certain groups and regions such as the Council for National Minorities. Smooth functioning and recovery of work of that and other bodies will undoubtedly contribute to the development concerns of the state, as well as developing a sense of belonging to the state by members of minorities;
• greater investment and presence in the country in the area of southern Serbia, Sandzak, Eastern Serbia and other undeveloped areas. The state must be present and active in those areas in which have to realize significant economic programs and investment.
• consistent implementation of the Anti-discrimination law and establishment of mechanisms that are envisaged by the law. Anti-discrimination law, although it has caused considerable controversy in the Serbian society, provides legal guarantees against illegal distinction and enjoyment of fundamental human rights and freedoms under the same conditions. It is extremely important to constitute all authorities and to take all the legal mechanisms provided therein;
• improving the situation of Gypsies. The Gypsies are the most vulnerable population in Serbia. Action plan for improving the situation of Roma, which was partially adopted by the Serbian government, provided are measures that have to be taken in various areas of social life. Of exceptional importance is to extend the Action plan with measures related to the regulation of citizenship and identity documents, which will certainly be the most vulnerable segment of the population – Gypsies internally displaced from Kosovo provide care and treatment system;
• a consistent struggle against anti-fascist ideas, xenophobia, chauvinism and antisemitism. While Serbia suffered great sacrifices in the struggle against fascism in World War II, in the reality of social life is profascist, chauvinistic and antisemitic movements and ideas. Such movements and ideas should be banned because, under the crisis, by abusing the constitutional rights and freedoms can endanger democracy in Serbia.
3. PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF DEMOCRACY
Democracy is government of the people and political system that allows citizens to set terms of equal and free. In a democratic political order to the responsible authority comes through a responsible society, contributing to the development and promotion of collective goals and validating the human personality. In Serbia, this is a great achievement of civilization began to be, after several decades, a truly renewed in political practice in the year 2000. However, in modern conditions, although democracy in Serbia is constitutionalize and enabled by of the new Constitution in the year 2006, it was with the various parties affected. Understanding of constitutional liberty, equality before the law and social justice must and can only be secured in a democratic political order, but in times of economic crisis and social insecurity citizen has lost its democratic potential. Moreover, the open question of whether democracy is reduced to periodically, and often poorly percentage, citizen participation in periodic elections for representative bodies. The proportional electoral system that really allows a fairer representation of the political mood, with an unrivaled role of party leaders in selecting candidates and the allocation of seats won, has led to the fact that it could be said that the development of democracy in Serbia since 2000 increasingly took on the characteristics of competitive so called elitism, which, unfortunately, most incompetent and average politics, immature to the historical moment in which the state is, hidden behind the authority of party leaders, not even fight savagely for power, but for the privileges that they can make, by maintaining a matrix of negative selection, and often reducing democracy to blackmail to secure a quorum or vote. On the other hand, a large number of extreme right-wing movements in the foreign country and said that democracy is obsolete model that requires replacement. We believe that democracy, especially in small companies, which tend naturally to it, nothing can replace, but it can be improved.
We are committed to:
• democracy, which includes social rights and the rule of human dignity in working life. The economy and financial markets, although perhaps not sufficiently developed in Serbia, to serve society, not vice versa. Democracy does not and cannot be a mere shell of form and without effective opportunities for citizens to participate in decision-making process, including certain forms of participation in the management of economic units in which they work;
• political education. Democracy requires a political conscious, which means pre-educated and informed citizen. That is why civic education is crucial for the survival and further development of democracy in Serbia. In that should take part political parties and also the public education system through a compulsory school subject;
• wider public participation in conducting of public affairs. In this regard we support the declaration of citizens more directly on specific issues of social life and the various forms of direct democracy;
• reorganization of the party and electoral systems. It should allow the direct responsibility of the membership party apparatus, and more intra-party elections under the proportional electoral model to increase the ability of citizens to influence the selection of deputies that will belong to the electoral list mandates;
• transparency of democratic processes. The transparency of the democratic process will be provided to the legal regulation of public hearings on draft laws and the legal regulation of lobbying in the National Assembly;
• democratic decentralization and regionalization.
4. Decentralization and regionalization
Territorial decentralization in the form of local government is a „school of democracy for the people.“ Decentralization should ensure that decisions in the areas of social life and activities of importance to the local community bring closer to people and to place more balanced social development. Hence the limits and jurisdiction of local governments should not constitute the subject of academic and combinations of daily interest, but should be carefully defined and grounded in the real situation and needs of citizens. Although Serbia has a long tradition of local government in the country, until the sixties of the 20th century, has not been established longer-term model of local government. It is understood that this was a consequence of the fact that the differences are large and that the settlements in Serbia are various types and sizes, and after the Second World War led to the development of cities, and thus to large migrations from rural to urban areas. In any case, the model of territorial decentralization of the global economic crisis must not produce unnecessary costs and responsibilities of local government units and their implementation should be designed so that people in different local government units do not get into in an unequal position.
Equivalent can be noted and for regionalization. There is no doubt that in Serbia there is a need for regionalization. The reality of social life, there are geographical areas that are not of equal size and potential. Regionalization should include clearly defined functions without the prerogatives of statehood without legislative autonomy. The regions should cover the entire territory of the state. As units above the local government, must not have any features of the political and territorial autonomy in the Republic of Serbia as there are in Vojvodina and Kosovo and Metohia.
We are committed to:
• establishing criteria for the formation of the region upon which the municipality that naturally gravitate towards a center associated to regions. Beside Belgrade, the regions should have around 600 000 – 800 000 inhabitants and they would be formed not on ethnic but on the basis of economic, cultural, historical, traffic and other criteria. Should anticipate that regions, in accordance with the law edit the issues of regional importance in the fields of regional development, maintenance and construction of regional roads, agriculture, health care and hospitals, spas and other health facilities, public information at the regional level, culture, education and sports tourism and hospitality;
• maintenance of existing local governments, but with changing modes of their financing, which should allow fiscal decentralization and greater possibilities of local governments, as well as cost savings and greater financial discipline. Modify the existing boundaries and characters of local self-government in Serbia would lead to enormous changes, which could endanger the whole system of local government;
• expansion of source income of local governments, including the transfer of the republic property in their property. Transfer of property to local governments would contribute to greater possibilities of local governments. On the other hand, it should prevent the alienation of such property, or misuse and unnecessary borrowing the local governments;
• the introduction of control borrowing for the local governments. Borrowing of the local governments must take the form of unhosted business of government. Also, the introduction of borrowing control for the local governments should not be unnecessary interference by the central government measures in the operation of local governments;
• provide horizontal balance among local governments through the help economically weak municipalities. Transfer of assets or borrowing can substantially and systematically solve the question of horizontal imbalance that exists between local governments in Serbia. Budgetary aid should be conditional on the rationalization of municipal administration and should provide to the local governments that have made savings in the previous budget period. Also, there should be mandatory for budget support for (co) financing of local investments that employ a certain number of workers;
• financial transactions that are allocated to local governments that are based on a combination of sharing of common incomes of the Republic of Serbia and local communities and cash subsidies from the budget by pre-defined criteria;
• Training and participation of local governments units and local communities in combating crime and ensuring a safe life in Serbia. In the local community should strengthen the capacity of the community to prevent crime and adequately respond to the challenges of security. Various projects to raise awareness of the role of municipal police in cooperation with the stages that should be returned to the streets will allow reduction of crime.
5. SAFE LIFE IN SERBIA, THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME AND CORRUPTION
Safe life, a life without fear of violence and crime is a special quality. Security is a public good that must be guaranteed to every citizen of the Republic, regardless of his social status and property features. To provide security for all, it is not enough to fight against crime, it is necessary to remove its causes. It is clear that there is a link between poverty, crime and lack of opportunities, especially in terms of specific acts such as trafficking, production and marketing of drugs, domestic violence, which is unfortunately on the rise, and so on.
Fighting against crime is inextricably linked with the intensification of penal policy and with a strong and independent judiciary. In the legal system is necessary to make changes that would reduce the possibility of having weapons, regulating the legal status and activities of agencies that provide security and drastic tightening of penalties for offenders. The law must be equal for all, and the judiciary must be independent and financially secured. The perpetrators of crimes against the judiciary deserve hardest punishment.
A particular problem is corruption, which is by its nature a criminal offense which is primarily directed against the system and its functioning. Perpetrators of corruption, especially if they are members of the police force or holders of judicial office, unless severe penalties should prevent further discharge of the functions.
We are committed to:
• tightening of penalties for all crimes. The purpose of sanctions is the special and general prevention of crime. Bearing in mind that crime is increasing, we need very strict penalties, which will primarily affect the reduction of its rates;
• increase the capacity of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Ministry of Internal Affairs should have at their disposal a sufficient number of trained personnel and modern equipment. We believe that security cameras in combination with the restoration of cooperation with the constable and municipal police may significantly effect on the capture of the perpetrators and combating crimes and violations of public order. The police must have excellent cooperation with local governments and schools;
• difficult access to weapons. Weapons should not be in private hands. We are committed to very strict conditions for its possession. It is important that the position and activities of private security agencies be regulated by law;
• fight against drugs. Production and distribution of drugs have become a very common form of crime and other offenses generator. Drugs must be removed from the streets and out of school. It should be a multiple increase penalties for criminal act of production and trade of narcotics. It is necessary to establish a regular inspection and testing of students to the use of drugs;
• powerful judiciary and speedy completion of criminal proceedings. Courts are required modern buildings and sufficient staff with adequate salaries. Efficient judiciary is not just about independence and adequate salaries of the judiciary but the entire court staff. Criminal proceedings may not last long because they lose the sense of dealing the perpetrator with his act and the sanction;
• adoption of laws against domestic violence. Domestic violence day after day becomes more and more dangerous. Domestic violence is not a private matter, it deserves special care services. We are committed to passing a special law that would accurately edited competence and cooperation between police, prosecutors, social welfare centers to control these phenomena;
• protection of children against all forms of violence, child pornography and inappropriate content. In addition to domestic violence, children are unfortunately exposed to violence in schools. Each school must have adult supervision and regular visits to police patrols. The school yard should not be the scene of organized children’s gangs, but should be under constant supervision. Schools should be equipped with security cameras. All TV stations, where broadcast program, must have a clear sign for age that have appropriate content. Particular care must be taken the fight against pornographic content and availability of child pornographic material on the Internet;
• strengthening the capacity of the Agency for fight against corruption, creating a registry of cases of corruption and periodic public disclosure of the names of all perpetrators. The Agency for fight against corruption should be independent and should have available sufficient human and financial resources. Register of cases of corruption to the authorities should provide an overview of the situation, the frequency and the presence of corruption in different spheres of social life. It is necessary to periodically make public the names of persons who have committed corruption. Parties whose personnel carriers’ corruption as well as political parties that in the reports on its financial operations presented false information must bear the consequences;
• access to justice which is independent of social status. The application of the welfare state that we are advocating is that everyone who has a right can protect it in court, regardless of their economic opportunities. In this regard, we believe that the reduction of court costs and providing free legal assistance to facilitate access to justice does not depend on social status;
• a consistent fight against crime and violence, and their causes. The continuing fight against crime and corruption involves fighting their cause. Unequal opportunities in life, hopelessness, lack of education and social difficulties are common causes of crime. Young people from such families are often particularly affected. It should focus on preventive measures to combat crime, in which networking has a special role for school psychologists and educators and competent service center for social work. Fighting against unequal opportunities and improving the social status of people should be the main motive of the social market economy.
6. SOCIAL MARKET ECONOMY
The great economic crisis that affects the world does not bring into a question the basic model of the capitalist economy – a market economy. Social democratic model implies, however, that the market is not sufficient or self-regulating mechanism and checked that the state, especially in times of crisis, has to resort to corrective instruments. Anti-recession policy should include the growth of industrial production in terms of clear rules of the social market economy. Clear rules of social market economy should be aimed at alleviating the social consequences of the crisis, consolidation and linking of all markets and are composed of measures of financial, monetary and economic character. A market economy should be based on private property but private property obligate because the property includes obligations, so the main goal of a social market economy should be to use capital productively and serve to the common good, not to out of manufacture enrichment and speculation in the financial market that made huge gains. It is vital for small companies, consolidating their economies and creation of work places.
We are committed to:
• maintaining the stability of the monetary system, exchange rates and bank liquidity. Maintaining the stability of the monetary system and exchange rates is of crucial importance for the local economy, halting its decline and attracting foreign investment. Liquidity can be provided with measures to strengthen discipline in the financial sector;
• financial discipline of banks in relation to their domestic customers. It must be ensured that the authorities, notably the National Bank of Serbia, ensure the legality of the operation of banks and in their relationship with their customers. It is unacceptable to arbitrarily increase interest rates on consumer and other loans that commercial banks and resorting to legislate matters of the National Bank of authority in such cases, the question of compensation to customers affected by such measures of commercial banks. Of paramount importance for attracting a capital is to ensure that Serbia introduce banking services that exist in other countries (e.g. free savings from higher interest rates);
• participation of state in investment and in the production and regulation of the legal obligations of entrepreneurs to invest a percentage of revenues in productive activities. The state needs to invest, take risk and responsibility and clearly determine for the productive economic activity which provides incentives to investors. Those economic activities in the first place should be in the electro-industrial and agricultural sectors;
• restructuring of the domestic economy. The state must determine the strategic direction of restructuring the national economy. Regardless of the free market, as well as in many other European countries, the state should determine the areas in which Serbia has a real chance to progress and achieve significant export successes. We believe that these are energy, water, transport, agriculture and tourism;
• even distribution of taxes. Budget revenues must have come from taxes that are evenly distributed to taxpayers according to their economic strength. It should be a progressive tax on real estate property that is not used for productive purposes beyond a certain number of square meters. The economy should not be burdened by increasing either the general or special VAT;
• consistent recognition of liabilities that are during took over by the new owners. The state must ensure that the contracted activity and social conditions do not change in the period after privatization. It is essential for ensuring social security;
• legal regulation of consumer protection in the tradition of European standards. The free market should not mean the production and marketing of all kinds of goods and services. In the EU and in many developed countries the protection of consumer rights is the great civilizational achievements are not widely considered as a state intervention that significantly reduces the free market. In Serbia it is necessary to adopt a law on protection of consumer rights that would be in accordance with the relevant European Directives;
• reform of public sector, which implies a more efficient public administration and reducing public expenditure.
7. EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND REDUCE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE
The rationalization and depoliticization of public administration is imperative in Serbia. The global economic crisis even wealthier societies and developed countries cannot afford to allow the luxury of bloated and inefficient state administrative machinery. By rationalization and depoliticization of public administration will realize significant savings in the state budget. These funds should be used for social spending and investment activity of the state. It is essential to reduce the large number of so-called kwangs – nongovernmental state administrative agencies, councils and other organizational forms. The absurdity of compounding operations and kwangs inflation is such that there is almost no sphere of social relations in which there are at least one council or agency, or where exactly is known who is responsible for what. If we add the fact that some tasks of state administration delegated to local and provincial authorities, it really comes to the conclusion that in the sphere of administrative and field operations of state government created is a chaotic situation and fully coupled to the structure of entities that perform, if at all, and do, for state administration, which has also a huge number of public employees.
We are committed to:
• adoption of the immutability of the laws on government which would determine the exact structure of government and of its members. We believe that the Serbian government should be consisted of 15 members – the president, vice presidents and 13 ministers of line. Deputy Prime Minister, because of the importance of these tasks should coordinate work between state administration in matters concerning Kosovo and Metohia and the European integration;
• adoption of the immutability of the laws on the Ministries that would decide that there are 13 departments. We believe that all ministers in the Republic of Serbia should be educated on the real principle. These are: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, Ministry of Public Administration, Local Government and Regional Development, Ministry of Economy, Labour and Employment, part of which would be no special management for trade , Tourism and Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Ministry of Energy, Mining and Environmental Protection, Ministry of Education and Sports, Ministry of Science and Culture, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and Ministry of Construction, Transport and Telecommunications;
• strengthening the role of government bodies and professional bodies working in the internal affairs coordination. Many jobs of central government administration, which by their nature are coordinating activities, by abolishing ministries perform them should be left to professional services and internal government working bodies;
• substantial depoliticization of public administration. The substantial depoliticization of public administration is not possible if the organization of state administration changed after every election. In the Ministries, except the minister, political officials should be only deputy minister. Each department would have one deputy minister. Assistants and directors of independent administrative bodies within Ministries would be set by a tender and their number would depend on the number of sectors and dependent administrative bodies;
• reducing the number of civil servants by 20 percent. Abolition of some Ministries that do not perform the essential duties of the state administration (e.g. do not perform any law), and some duplicate sector employment in public administration would be significantly reduced. Based on detailed analysis it should determine the number of jobs that are unnecessary. Evaluation of SDP Serbia is that the figure is 20 per cent of total employment. All were dismissed from the service should receive adequate severance pay, retraining and the possibility of starting their own business;
• reducing the number of management positions. In Serbia, including public administration, in local government and in public enterprises there are over 17,000 management positions. This number is rather a consequence of the settlement and having party cadres than an expression of real needs;
• reduction of compensation in the boards of public companies. Governing boards of public companies that make exorbitant profits must not be sinecures for „responsible“ politicians, or spoil of the winner on the election;
• all savings realized by rationalization and depoliticization of public administration should be aimed to providing social security and job creation.
8. Social Security and jobs
Serbia should be responsible society, capable to ensure the welfare and social security to all its members, to reduce disparities and avoiding polarization. Serbia has the capacity and a society need to be provided social security. Any market radicalism, without taking into account the interests and needs of social security for members of different social groups, can only encourage the creation of centrifugal force in society. On the contrary, Serbia needs a new sense of unity. Our goal is a society where social conditions can and should be different, which will live without fear for their existence and in which free and equal people have equal opportunities without discrimination. The welfare state is an organized solidarity – the state should encourage the creation and working with various associations and other forms of engagement with the goals of social solidarity. Solidarity is a key lever that can be a trigger of the joint action of all segments of society in two important areas – social protection and labor. Social security in the first place means safeness and stability of social benefits on the basis of employment, as well as various measures to provide social security for members of vulnerable social groups – children without parental care, old persons, persons with disabilities, the unemployed, tenants, etc.
Social Security cannot be provided without the economy. Society cannot long survive in this informal economy and small-government assistance. It is necessary to initiate in Serbia a large, primarily infrastructure projects, which holder will be a state, and which will provide employment of labor and create new jobs.
We are committed to:
• increase subventions for employers who establish working relationships with members of vulnerable social groups. With legislation and measures of active employment policy should continue to implement measures to encourage the employment of vulnerable groups, particularly Gypsies, whose unemployment rate is more pronounced;
• participation and inclusion of people with disabilities in all spheres of social life. All persons with disabilities and special needs in our society must actively participate on an equal basis;
• rigorous control and verification of state contributions for pension and disability insurance and health insurance. It is unacceptable that in Serbia there are workers who for years were not paid contributions for pension and disability insurance;
• increase the percentage of gross domestic product that is intended to the social benefits while bonding social benefits for participation in the utility. Various forms of social benefits and assistance to various categories of the population associated with deliberate changes of jobs, retraining, stimulating employment, etc;
• more quality life of older persons. To improve the lives of older people from adverse health, social, housing and family circumstances that are unable to live in the family or household, should facilitate the creation of smaller homes (up to 50 users), evenly distributed regionally in order to more easily make contact between the user and families and services for help and care at home. Facilities for day care and home help that establishes local government should receive the state aid, a new institution for the care and assistance in the home should be developed in cooperation of state and local governments. To improve the lives of older persons that live in the household is necessary to provide an increase in the allowance for care and assistance of another person. Young people who do not own apartment, and students could be motivated to participate in the service for help at home;
• significant progressive increase of the amount of social security for families without income. Material support to families who have incomes per family member is progressively reduced by increasing the number of family members, which leads to the conclusion that children in such families receive a smaller amount;
• increase a child allowance for multiple children. Child allowance is paid in equal amounts. Should progressively increase the child allowance for each subsequent child as a measure of social and population policies;
• encourage and foster other forms of activities that improve life for children without parental care;
• legislation on volunteering. In our legal system should regulate and promote the voluntary provision of services for the public good or for the benefit of another without compensation;
• adoption of social housing and building more affordable housing and state-subsidized loan to buy an apartment. Such measures represent a significant state investment that will employ more people. The programs of housing construction should necessarily take into account the social needs of future residents – to provide schools, kindergartens, infrastructure, etc.. Land must be available to all;
• initiation of dialogue and mediation to resolve the state of open issues between landlords and tenants. In Serbia there are a huge number of tenants. Their status and rights are not well regulated. A large number of open issues that landlords and tenants faced, from application to protect the rights, should be resolved through dialogue with representatives of representative government;
• initiation of major public works. Except in the social housing and housing construction, major public works that would employ more people should run to the electrical energy sector and infrastructure development. In them the state will be an employer;
• changes to income tax and provide greater liquidity and favor the production and employment. Profit business entities that are not allocated and spent, but invested in production and employment of people must enjoy tax benefits;
• provide additional tax incentives to employers who employ single parents. Such a measure would not only affect the reduction in unemployment has contributed to the strengthening of family and gender equality;
• encourage the creation of small and medium enterprises. Family activities in the form of small and medium enterprises in collaborative works, as well as in the production of healthy food, furniture, textiles and tourism are major opportunities for new jobs and opportunity for development of Serbia.
9. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES AND EQUALITY
The family is based on the principle of solidarity and the foundation of a stable society. Because of that family deserve special care and support of society. Young people must be given the opportunity and assistance for starting a family, a family should be strengthened through special measures: from equal opportunities through assistance in the care of children to special programs for single parents. By strengthening families will repressed many forms of social pathology, a company will get a reliable ally in the fight, unfortunately in wider, addiction disease. Combating domestic violence is of particular importance.
Strengthening families is inextricably linked to gender issues and advancement of women in all spheres of social life – economy, culture, science, political decision making. Gender equality must be present in both private and public sphere. The basic requirement is to promote equality of economic independence for women. Men and women must have access to employment, promotion and training under the same conditions.
We are committed to:
• expansion of child care and equal opportunities for every child. For every child must be place in institutions of social care for children. It is necessary to allow that the children whose parents are unemployed may be placed in institutions of social care for children;
• ensuring the full amount of net pay during maternity leave. Maternity leave should be arranged so that young people can more easily have a family and children;
• ensuring the safe acquisition of flat to a young families. The state should help young people who establish a family that can in a reasonable time resolve their housing issue by buying apartments built by the program of cheap apartments or subsidies for the purchase of the apartment;
• creating a package of support to single parents. Single parents should be a special concern of society. In addition to tax incentives for employers who hire them, there should be other measures – tax breaks for the parents, the priority of receipt of their children in kindergartens and subsidized overhead costs of housing;
• care for victims of domestic violence and developing a systematic approach to victims. A large number of cases of domestic violence not only require passing a separate law on domestic violence but should suppress and systematic approach in addressing all aspects of the phenomenon, including the care and assistance to victims is certainly important. The competent authorities (social welfare centers, shelters, police, prosecutors, etc..) should have the capacity to improve victims’ access to their services;
• passing the legislation on gender equality. The Law on Gender Equality is in parliamentary procedure and it should have all measures to promote full and effective equality between the sexes. In this regard, it is particularly important:
• equal pay for work of equal value. Unfortunately, statistics show that the women labor market are less paid than men, even for work of equal value. This situation is unacceptable and it essentially undermines the social position of women as pillars of the family;
• consistent recognition of the social democratic principles of parity and greater participation of women in various fields, especially in public affairs. Quota of 30 per cent share of less represented gender in electoral lists and in the work of state bodies which are partly provided for the existing legislation and draft legal solutions that are in parliamentary procedure shall be binding upon and expanded to a political party;
• comprehensive, quality, free and regular preventive health care for women from an early age. It should provide extensive preventive health care for women from different social groups. Women’s health is especially vulnerable because of poor economic conditions, market crisis and the bombing. Health care is very important.
10. HEALTH
The welfare state means health care that is available to all citizens, regardless of their social status and financial capabilities. The principles of solidarity, comprehensiveness and accessibility of health care are an expression of justice and solidarity as fundamental values of social democracy. Health is not a commodity, but a prerequisite of quality of life of every individual and the general development of society.
We are committed to:
• maintain a system of free health care for basic health services. Basic health services must be free and available to everyone. Serbia must be a humane society that cares about the health of its members;
• availability of quality health care to all social groups and communities. Health care must include all members, especially the vulnerable and socially disadvantaged groups. Unequal opportunities and the development of certain areas may not be reflected in the quality of health services;
• modernization of equipment and personnel capacities of health facilities. Diagnostic equipment and any other equipment of health care institutions need to be constantly improved and modernize. Public health institutions should employ quality staff;
• checking the quality of work and capacities of private health institutions. The work of private health facilities should ensure quality standards and health care;
• shorter waiting time for examinations and health interventions. By extending the human and material capacities of public health institutions and a more balanced distribution of health facilities will reduce waiting time for examinations and interventions;
• providing more specialized staff in health care. Young people who are employed in public health facilities should have a clear perspective and the possibility of professional development;
• expanding the positive list of medicines and adjusting to the needs of chronically ill patients. Drugs should be available to everyone. It is especially important for chronic patients not to be unduly financially burdened;
• consistent implementation of legal provisions for banning smoking in public places and sale of alcoholic beverages to minors;
• greater investment in prevention, especially cancer and other serious illnesses. In Serbia, a number of cancer and other serious illnesses is growing. The best way to fight against them is a preventive action. The state should through public campaigns and raising awareness of citizens have influence to reduce the number of people suffering from such diseases. In the educational process, a special place should take activities about disease prevention.
11. EDUCATION
A prerequisite of truly equal opportunities, combating poverty and achieving social democratic ideas and values is education. A good education is the ticket to a healthy and normal life. The educational process, with family values, forms an individual. If this process is successfully done, a whole community has benefits. A good education for all is a prerequisite for progress and prosperity of the country. Young people need to provide excellent education, which should be included as large segments of the population, members of all social groups regardless of their physical capabilities and social background. Education needs to link with the economy and social needs in order to prevent the departure of young, highly educated people who can steer the country out of crisis. It must not be allowed that, as in all the years of crisis and despair, the young people emigrating from the country.
Education gives people the basics of their future professional, cultural and political orientation. Social democratic view of the world has always rested on the notion of education as a function of free, solidary people in society enjoy equal opportunities. Education makes possible political and social change. It is a public good, a commitment and obligations of the teaching staff deserve special attention and reward.
Education is a human right. The human right to education does not end in adulthood. Whoever has not got a proper education in his youth deserve a chance. In broad terms, the process of education is included and cultural institutions – libraries, museums, theaters, cinemas. Between educational institutions at various levels and cultural institutions must develop and promote partnerships.
We are committed to:
• inclusive education. The educational process must be included a large segments of the population. Education must be accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial and social opportunities. It is especially important to provide education to children from vulnerable social groups and to prevent early school leaving. Of particular importance is that Gypsies children attend school;
• Polycentric University. In Serbia it is necessary to develop a number of universities in the cities where there is a sufficient number of inhabitants. Thus the pressure on existing universities will alleviate and will encourage collaboration and creative exchange between the university and to a completed high school students will enable studying in the region.
• expanding the capacity of schools for all-day care. In Serbia, all schools should have the opportunity to offer parents and students all-day care;
• strengthening the role of environment in education. Boards of parents, regular consultation and the active role of administrative and school boards, school police presence, and permanent monitoring of student achievement and the inclusion of social workers in schools will contribute to the successful progress of the educational process and connecting families and the educational process;
• raising the level of compulsory, free and accessible education for all in the first qualification, or until the completion of primary school. New time and economic crisis shows that primary education is not a sufficient level of education in modern conditions. Fair and socially responsible society must provide free education up to everyone to acquire the first qualification of which they may live;
• separation of more money for education. It should increase the percentage of GDP spent on education and science;
• encouraging good students. Learning and good results have become a social value that is stimulated at all levels of education. To the good students the state must provide adequate rewards and incentives;
• free books for all elementary school students from financially disadvantaged families. In inclusive education system, the state must provide free books to all students of primary education. Books can be used for many years;
• supporting the social needs of students. Increase the number and amount of scholarships and facilities in institutions catering for students;
• increasing the number of good buildings, renovated classrooms, modern educational resources and of qualified and motivated teachers. Although the maintenance of school facilities under the jurisdiction of local government, central government must do more to modernize the capacity, especially in poor areas;
• education for work. The education system should focus on the acquisition of new skills that match labor market needs. In all secondary schools and universities should be open Career Centers, which will maintain cooperation with industry and labor market. There should be tax breaks for employers who cooperate with educational institutions;
• encouraging the inclusion of higher education in the economy researching. Cooperation between higher education and the economy is a necessity. Technology projects should be funded separately. States should encourage employers to offer scholarships to outstanding students of business and educational backgrounds on which they base their strategic development;
• continuous investment in teachers’ lifelong learning. Teachers, except for proper payment, must be stimulated by continuous improvement. Continuous improvement will contribute to quality teaching;
• designed admission policies at universities. The number and educational profiles for which the budget provided funding students should follow the current and future needs of the economy;
• consistent application of affirmative action in enrollment at the high school students from vulnerable social groups. By measures for promoting full and effective equality should facilitate the enrollment of students from vulnerable social groups. Education of staff from these groups will significantly affect their promotion and poverty reduction;
• elimination of all forms of private business in the state universities. The University shall enjoy autonomy. However, the revenues that universities achieve should remain available to universities in a certain amount so that the rest of the funds can be directed to programs useful for students, or for budgetary assistance to the other institutions of higher education;
• subsidized student loans. A large number of students financed their education loans. The state must take measures to subsidize and facilitate the raising and repayment of such loans;
• linking educational, scientific, and cultural and media institutions. Where possible, scientific institutes are should be integrated into the university founded by the state. Such integration will provide schools additional space and personnel, and to research institutes increased funding opportunities. It is identical with the cultural institutions. Access to cultural institutions for students should be free. It is necessary to facilitate the creation of student media;
• education for culture and arts. The State must ensure that the work of professional art schools. This is a sure path to cultural and artistic creation.
12. CULTURE MEDIA
In every society, culture and media have a special place. Culture is the foundation of a democratic society. It is an integral part of all policies and quality, a factor of crucial importance for the understanding of social values and goals in a world of rapid transition. Social democratic open concept of culture does not accept the culture only in terms of creative freedom, but is seen as the basis of spiritual life, a bridge between different social groups and identities, and therefore as the essential element of democracy. It is a culture of democracy, democratic dialogue and political action.
If culture is the basis of a democratic society, the medias are certainly its expression, but the screen and controller. Press freedom is an effective barrier to every usurpation of power and alienation. Democratic voice of the public, and open information system, enabling informed in decision-making and increasing participation. Outdoor media are not only involved the participation of the public response to the political process in the narrow sense, but perceive the whole of society.
We are committed to:
• culture as a national goal. Everyone should have access to culture and everyone’s culture should be accessible to the citizens of Serbia. Public libraries, museums, theaters and cinemas are sites of cultural education. They should be financed from public sources and its own revenues;
• greater investment in culture. Investing in culture is not a subsidy but an investment in the future. Investing in culture is profitable because the art work is lasting value and opportunity for development of Serbia. Multicultural character of Serbia should become its brand;
• the creation of cultural infrastructure and connection with other cultural institutions, primarily with commercial and tourist facilities. The task of the state is to have an active cultural policy and to bring together civil society, market and cultural institutions. Manifestations of culture and cultural creativity must be presented in the tourist offer of Serbia. The success of the EXIT festival or Guca festival proves that such a combination is a great opportunity for development of Serbia;
• developing and strengthening the cultural industries. The role of government is that in publishing, film, music production and other forms of culture to industry entrepreneurs, artists and creative producers. The cultural industry is a development opportunity for Serbia because knowledge and ideas are the most important raw material in our country;
• the consistent protection of copyright and fair remuneration for creative work. Cultural workers need to live from their work and therefore, with their social security provided by the state, protection of copyright is a special importance. Moreover, in the era of modern technology and digitization, copyright protection gets a new meaning. We are committed to a state commission in the dialogue network operators and providers with the creators of the modalities to copyright protection;
• film making in Serbia and in cooperation with authors from the former Yugoslavia, which enjoys broad support. Cinematography has a market and a special recognition of local cultural creativity;
• development of independent media. Pluralism of information is essential for a democratic society. Free media are a free society;
• modern media legislation. In addition to media freedom and to prevent illegal media concentration, the modern media legislation should clearly order the position of the media in the digital age;
• sensitize journalists to sensitive social issues such as violence or social difficulties. They must provide wider media content for children and youth, and the inclusion of media in education. The educational role of the media is huge and it must be taken into account. Sensationalism, intolerance and undue facilities for young people may be the cause of many social problems. The role of media in environmental protection is of particular importance.
13. RESPONSIBLE APPROACH TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURE
The nature is the public good and must be protected. Environmental protection in the next few years should be a priority in Serbia and abroad. Healthy environment and nature are important in preventive health care. Also, environmental health and well-preserved nature of the biodiversity have great economic potential. It is essential to the health of citizens to remove the effects of past pollution and the production process using only technology that does not cause pollution.
We are committed to:
• efficient use of resources and recycling of waste. It must improve the efficiency of resource use in Serbia. On the other hand, recycling is unavoidable in environment protection and providing new sources of energy and materials. All cities in Serbia should have equipment for recycling;
• special protection of the national natural heritage, especially water, forests and biodiversity. It must not be allowed chaotic deforestation. We need speed restoration of forest reserves and encourage organizations that undertake reforestation. Business entities that pollute the water should be closed. Concessioning of water resources and the sale of public assets in the water treatment facilities were a big mistake. Processing water is a great opportunity for development of Serbia. Biodiversity planning should be preserved. Hunting and fishing should be strictly controlled because also a major tourism and development opportunities of Serbia;
• reducing carbon emissions and reduce the use of environmentally harmful products. In Serbia, it must reduce the level of emissions and use of environmentally harmful products. Fertilizer has to be removed from Pancevo, or permanently closed. Emissions and noise from traffic is a problem in big cities that can be solved by building traffic detours, better organization of public transport vehicles by using vehicles to electric drives and construction of a subway;
• ban the usage of environmentally damaging technologies. In Serbia must not be allowed to any undertaking work that uses environmentally harmful technologies. Inspection checks should be regular, and the penalties for endangering the environment and nature have to be drastic;
• a new focus of agricultural policy. The goal of agricultural policy should be eco-agriculture – an economically feasible of production of healthy food. Agricultural production in Serbia should be restructured to eco-agriculture. Export successes of production of raspberries and blackberries confirm this view. Subsidy measures and training of farmers should take advantage of comparative advantages that Serbia has to produce healthy food. In Serbia it should not grow genetically modified organisms which the potential danger is enormous. Healthy food should become a brand in Serbia and it is a great development opportunity;
• spa, mountain, rural and eco-tourism. Nature of Serbia is very suitable for spa, mountain, rural and eco-tourism. Parallel development of these forms of tourism with the development of eco-agriculture is logical. The state must invest in spa tourism, raise the level of services and facilities. Every spa resort in Serbia should have facilities that will attract local and foreign guests – indoor and outdoor pools, a healthy environment, infrastructure connections with the great centers of cultural and historical monuments. The advantages of these forms of tourism are that they are not seasonal, and therein lies a great opportunity for development of Serbia.
14. SUSTAINABLE ENERGY POLICY AND SERBIAN DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Energy is becoming a key theme 21st century. The world is facing with a serious shortage of energy and with the problem of exploiting non-renewable energy sources. Serbia must clearly perceive its energy needs and to engage in regional and global flows of energy utilization and energy connectivity. In the field of energy policy Serbia has options for development and exploitation of national comparative advantages. These advantages are primarily geographic location and renewable energy resources. Serbia is a small company and our energy needs can be more rationally to meets.
We are committed to:
• energy saving campaign and educate the public about energy conservation. It should mobilize citizens to conserve energy. Proper usage or replacing certain types of consumers in Serbia can be achieved fantastic savings;
• investment in renewable energy. In addition to water, in Serbia is very little usage of renewable energy sources. The state should invest in capacity building for renewable energy – primarily wind and solar energy;
• investment in the power industry, which is a strategic industry in Serbia. Water potentials of Serbia are remarkable. Serbia has, alone or in cooperation with foreign partners, to build a new hydroelectric power plants, primarily on the Drina river, but in all other rivers where possible;
• commonly regional investment in energy projects. Regional natural resources are big and Serbia should initiate cooperation with other countries to take advantage of these potentials.
• construction of gas storage that will enable Serbia to dispose of this fuel. Serbia is often faced with the problem of shortage of gas in cases where there is no continuous supply of gas due to problems in the global market. The solution of this situation is the completion of the warehouse;
• Serbia’s accession to the gas pipeline „South Stream“ is the strategic interest of the state. Serbia has such a geographical position that the pipeline will pass through its territory. By participating in this project will provide its Serbian need for this fuel;
• prohibition on the usage of nuclear energy in Serbia and for peaceful purposes. The need for energy provision in Serbia is not of such character that it would allow the construction of nuclear power and atomic energy is too big a risk;
• construction of roads and improvement of existing infrastructure networks. If attempts to exploit its geographical and power advantages, Serbian infrastructure must be developed.
If we examine the SDP program, it clearly leads to the conclusion that we believe that development opportunities in Serbia lie in:
• transport and infrastructure capacity building of the country;
• the power sector;
• water treatment;
• small and medium enterprises in collaborative works, the production of healthy food, furniture, textiles and tourism;
• the production of healthy food and spa, mountain, rural and eco-tourism;
• cultural creativity, the culture industry and the combination of tourism and cultural and sporting events;
• return to a large number of young professional people who are in the nineties left Serbia.
In the basis of realization all exhibited commitment and development opportunities of Serbia is social dialogue. SDP is in the opinion that social dialogue is crucial for the implementation of its programs and improvement of social conditions. Therefore, the Social Democratic Party of Serbia encourages social dialogue and strengthening the capacities of all actors in it (trade unions, NGOs, employers and government).
About Social Democratic Party of Serbia
“Social-democrats of Serbia want to correct the injustice created by the great gap between those who have and the have-nots. We stand for the redistributive role of the state which will ensure equality of opportunity. Even our impoverished state must find the mechanisms for enabling the disadvantaged citizens’ access to opportunities for the their own benefit and that of the society. In such a society the citizens are in the first place. That is the basic aim of the Social Democratic Party of Serbia.”
From the document “Economic and Social Aims.”
The Social Democratic Party of Serbia (SDPS) is based on the traditional ideas of social democracy – equality, freedom, solidarity and social justice. After a long period of crisis after the collapse of socialism and the regime of Slobodan Milosevic, as in other East European countries, the fear of the Left, associated with the authoritarian regimes, had remained. The Right nationalist parties, with their rigid populist notions, had closed the path towards realistic insights of the conditions and needs of the society. Only in the recent years it become evident that any realistic political action must be based on the healthy basis of sustainable economic development and advancement of wellbeing of all citizens of Serbia, with exclusion of privileges.
In Serbia, Social Democracy is an inherent political idea historically deeply ingrained in social reality. In a relatively small society of medium and smallholdings, democracy must be social, in other words, it must take into account and highlight the concern for common problems and needs of the citizens, by enabling redistribution of material means, and further the education of competent citizens who have interest in political processes and participation. Without the social mechanisms and the distributive role of the state, in small societies such as Serbia, there would be no democracy. On the other hand, democratic participation of citizens in the political processes is the basis and condition of the survival of the Serbian political system, making the social democratic idea a profoundly state-building idea – in societies such as ours, the state has legitimatacy only if it has the role of safeguarding social justice. Only Social Democracy can guarantee the existence of the legal order and principles which take into consideration interests of all citizens and enable social integration, and through that, overcome the antagonisms which would, in small societies, be dangerous and detrimental for the survival of the society.
Fundamental values of Social Democracy—freedom, equality and fairer redistribution of social resources, i.e. equal access to opportunities—have always been perceived as principles of justice in Serbia. Almost all political movements in the history of modern Serbia have promoted some of the aims which were by nature Social Democratic:
• building a state which has the capacity to look after the common social problems and human needs,
• democracy understood as broad participation of citizens and different social groups in the political decision making process, which supposes regional decentralization and strong local governments, along with popular acceptance of the legitimacy of the political system and respect of the Constitution,
• reducuction of irresponsible bureaucracy in the public sector,
• extended compulsory and free education,
• family support,
• social care for children,
• gender equality,
• containment of all types of discrimination,
• implementation of measures for promotion of complete and effective equality, etc.
Apart from these principles, the Social Democratic idea and program in Serbia, in conditions of economic crisis, has its practical justification. The Social Democratic ideology solely can offer a socially acceptable and all embracing way out of crisis, which would take into account interests of the citizens, sustaining the legitimacy of the political system and protection of the functioning of the legal law and order, and responsible performance of the public sector. Social Democratic ideology in Serbia can facilitate politics with a human face and a fundamental change in the perception that political power is not end in itself, but that citizens are in the first place.
Furthermore, it should be emphasized that the Social Democratic political ideology in the sphere of foreign policy presupposes support for fairer international relations, regional cooperation and support for a Europe based on respect of differences and equality of members. In contemporary conditions, the Social Democratic political ideology in Serbia occupies the centre of the political spectrum, between two types of effectively rightwing approaches – one of which is the unmodified (neo)liberal model which had proven to be unsuccessful in small societies, and the other being extremist ideologies of exclusion and intolerance.
1. Social Democracy in Serbia
Serbia in Crisis
Interests of Serbia
2. Our policies and aims
Territorial integrity and state-building
Constitutional patriotism (lit.?)
3. Democracy-building and maintenance
4. Decentralization and Regionalization
5. Security in Serbia, battle against crime and corruption
6. Social market economy
7. Efficient governance and reduction of public sector costs
8. Safeguarding of Social Security and workplaces
9. Family support and gender equality
10. Healthcare
11. Education
12. Culture and the Media
13. Responsible approach to the environment
14. Sustainable energy and development of Serbia
DECLARATION OF SOCIAL JUSTICE
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ORIENTED RESOLUTIONS IN THE PROGRAM OF THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SERBIA
1. Former model of economy and perspectives of sustainability
2. Resolutions of the Social Democratic Party of Serbia
From the document “Economic and Social Aims.”
The Social Democratic Party of Serbia (SDPS) is based on the traditional ideas of social democracy – equality, freedom, solidarity and social justice. After a long period of crisis after the collapse of socialism and the regime of Slobodan Milosevic, as in other East European countries, the fear of the Left, associated with the authoritarian regimes, had remained. The Right nationalist parties, with their rigid populist notions, had closed the path towards realistic insights of the conditions and needs of the society. Only in the recent years it becomes evident that any realistic political action must be based on the healthy basis of sustainable economic development and advancement of wellbeing of all citizens of Serbia, with exclusion of privileges.
In Serbia, Social Democracy is an inherent political idea historically deeply ingrained in social reality. In a relatively small society of medium and smallholdings, democracy must be social, in other words, it must take into account and highlight the concern for common problems and needs of the citizens, by enabling redistribution of material means, and further the education of competent citizens who have interest in political processes and participation. Without the social mechanisms and the distributive role of the state, in small societies such as Serbia, there would be no democracy. On the other hand, democratic participation of citizens in the political processes is the basis and condition of the survival of the Serbian political system, making the social democratic idea a profoundly state-building idea – in societies such as ours, the state has legitimacy only if it has the role of safeguarding social justice. Only Social Democracy can guarantee the existence of the legal order and principles which take into consideration interests of all citizens and enable social integration, and through that, overcome the antagonisms which would, in small societies, be dangerous and detrimental for the survival of the society.
Fundamental values of Social Democracy—freedom, equality and fairer redistribution of social resources, i.e. equal access to opportunities—have always been perceived as principles of justice in Serbia. Almost all political movements in the history of modern Serbia have promoted some of the aims which were by nature Social Democratic:
building a state which has the capacity to look after the common social problems and human needs,
democracy understood as broad participation of citizens and different social groups in the political decision making process, which supposes regional decentralization and strong local governments, along with popular acceptance of the legitimacy of the political system and respect of the Constitution,
reduction of irresponsible bureaucracy in the public sector,
extended compulsory and free education,
family support,
social care for children,
gender equality,
containment of all types of discrimination,
implementation of measures for promotion of complete and effective equality, etc.
Apart from these principles, the Social Democratic idea and program in Serbia, in conditions of economic crisis, has its practical justification. The Social Democratic ideology solely can offer a socially acceptable and all embracing way out of crisis, which would take into account interests of the citizens, sustaining the legitimacy of the political system and protection of the functioning of the legal law and order, and responsible performance of the public sector. Social Democratic ideology in Serbiacan facilitate politics with a human face and a fundamental change in the perception that political power is not end in itself, but that citizens are in the first place.
Furthermore, it should be emphasized that the Social Democratic political ideology in the sphere of foreign policy presupposes support for fairer international relations, regional cooperation and support for a Europe based on respect of differences and equality of members. In contemporary conditions, the Social Democratic political ideology in Serbia occupies the centre of the political spectrum, between two types of effectively rightwing approaches – one of which is the unmodified (neo)liberal model which had proven to be unsuccessful in small societies, and the other being extremist ideologies of exclusion and intolerance.
