The new Rulebook on the Organization and Systematization of the Parliamentary Service provides for the possibility of employing 388 people in the parliamentary administration, which represents a significant increase compared to the number of employees determined by the last act regulating this area, adopted in 2021. That document provided for the employment of 281 people - which means that the newly adopted act "opens" 107 new positions.
This results from a comparison of this year's rulebook, which "Vijesti" had access to, and the document adopted at the end of July 2021. The "old" act envisaged 192 jobs, with 281 employees, while the new one planned 263 jobs, with 388 employees.
In the new regulation, signed by the Secretary General of the highest legislative chamber Boban Stanišić, it is stated that on January 23, 205 people were employed in the Parliament Service - of which 187 were permanent and 18 were temporary.
That the parliament is ready to "cover the costs" of future employees is also shown by the budget of the Assembly for this year, which amounts to 15.627.901 euros, which is over 1 million and 100 thousand more than last year (14.493.505 euros). Of the planned budget for this year, almost eight million euros (7.951.911) is intended for the management and administration of the parliament - an increase of almost 1 million and 600 thousand euros compared to 2025 (6.356.741) for the same needs.
The Regulation on the systematization of the highest legislative chamber is prepared by the Secretary General of the Assembly, who is required to obtain the conclusion of the collegium of the head of parliament, as well as the opinion of the Trade Union Organization of the Assembly and the Human Resources Department, before submitting it to the Administrative Committee for approval. That parliamentary body approved the document on February 5, thus entering into force.
Mandić gets deputy chief of staff
The new act stipulates that the parliament will now have three deputy secretaries general, instead of the previous two. Head of Parliament Andrija Mandic (New Serbian Democracy) will now, in addition to the chief of staff, also have his deputy, while the number of advisors remains the same - nine.
Deputy Speakers of the Assembly Boris Pejović (Europe Now Movement), Zdenka Popović (Democrats), Nikola Camaj (Albanian forum), Mirsad Nurković (Bosniak Party) i Nikola Rakočević (Democratic Party of Socialists) will now be entitled to a total of 10 advisors - two more than was foreseen in the previous plan.
The number of independent advisors two (second) was reduced from two to one, and the number of independent advisors three (third) remained the same - one.
The positions of independent clerk, business secretary to the Speaker of the Assembly, and clerk for administrative affairs remained the same (one each), while the positions of clerk (business secretary to the Chief of Cabinet) and four clerks, who previously served as business secretaries to the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, were abolished.
According to the new document, the number of employees in the Secretary General's office could increase from 9 to 12, as instead of the previous six independent advisors, 9 are planned.
The number of employees in the sector for supporting the legislative and oversight function of the Parliament will remain the same (one Assistant Secretary General), and the Secretariat of the Constitutional Committee could receive, in addition to the Secretary, two independent advisors, one, and another independent advisor, three.
The Secretariat of the Legislative Committee could gain one more independent advisor, thus increasing the number of employees from seven to eight (a secretary and seven advisors), while the Secretariat of the Committee for the Political System, Judiciary and Administration could gain one more advisor, thus increasing the number of employees from five to six.
In the Parliamentary Committee on Security and Defense, the number of employees remains the same (secretary and five advisors), with the change that from now on, an independent secretary, in addition to the secretary of the committee, will have access to classified information of the "top secret" level.
The Secretariat of the Committee for International Relations and Emigrants could gain one more advisor (from five to six employees), as could the secretariats of the administrative committee (from five to six), but also those for economy, finance and budget (from six to seven), tourism, agriculture, ecology and spatial planning (from five to six), as well as the secretariat of the Commission for Monitoring and Control of the Privatization Process (from four to five).
The secretariat of the Committee on European Integration could receive two additional advisors (from six to eight employees), while the secretariat of the Committee on Education, Science, Culture and Sports could receive three (from five to eight employees).
The same number of employees will remain in the secretariats of the committees for gender equality (four), health, labor and social welfare (five) and anti-corruption (four), while the secretariat of the Committee for Human Rights and Freedoms will lose one advisor (from five to four).
Almost 100 employees in one sector
The biggest "gain" is the Sector for Legal, Personnel, Financial and General Affairs, which will employ 99 people instead of the previous 61. In addition to a certain number of independent advisors who require university degrees, this sector also employs a large number of clerks who require a high school diploma or lower to perform jobs such as drivers, couriers, printing operators, porters, technicians, janitors, hygienists, and employees.
The Department for the Preparation and Processing of Parliamentary Sessions could gain an additional advisor (from six to seven employees), and the Department of Phonographic and Printed Records could gain three more employees (from 14 to 17).
The number of employees in the Research, Documentation and Information Network Sector remains the same (Assistant Secretary General), the Parliamentary Institute could have five more employees (from 24 to 29), the Information and Communication Technologies Department could gain one more employee (from 10 to 11), as well as the Parliamentary Budget Office (from four to five).
The Media, Communications and Audiovisual Technology Service will be able to employ 34 people, while the departments that were equivalent to that service in 2021 (for recording and broadcasting, production, public relations and internet presentation) could employ 29 people.
The Protocol Department will be able to employ 19 people, compared to the previous 13, while the number of employees in the Internal Audit Department remains the same (three).
They are creating new departments, bureaus, divisions...
The new departments, bureaus, secretariats and divisions envisaged by the newly adopted regulation will be able to employ 34 people.
The Department of Cybersecurity and Digital Resilience could have five employees, as could the Department of Legislation.
The secretariats of the Women's Club and the Green Parliamentary Group could each receive four employees (a secretary and three advisors), and a Bureau for Planning and Coordination of Development and Project Cooperation has been introduced, which will employ four people (a head and three independent advisors).
The newly formed Department of International Relations could have 12 employees.
Note: The original version of the text erroneously stated that the vice presidents of the Assembly would each have the right to 10 advisors. We apologize to the readers.
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