Programme 100

01Preamble

Conservative Reformist Party – politics for Serbia in the 21st century. We, conservatives and reformists, are fully aware of our responsibility before God and people in conducting politics based on our values and goals, which provide answers to the challenges of our time. KRST is a Serbian people’s party of conservative, traditional, Christian-social and economically liberal values.

We follow the image of the human being and his inviolable dignity, starting from the fundamental values of freedom, solidarity and justice. We strive for a proper balance between these primary values.

In a changing world our mission is constant: to combine traditional and cultural values with reality and to act accordingly. An insight into human fallibility will protect us from the dangers of de-ideologised politics, and will also show us the limits of politics. KRST holds the key elements of human civilisation, and our KRST politics will play a key role in the development and prosperity of Serbian society, faced with the challenges of the 21st century.

The political predecessors of our society did not understand the significance and role of their actions, which resulted in the collapse of the individual and of society as a whole.

Aware of this fact and encouraged by faith in God and in the individual, as well as faith in society, on the foundations of a healthy Christian democracy, we, conservatives-reformists, familiar with the basic strategic decisions that are the foundation of healthy politics: a social market economy, partnership with the East, the West and the European Union while preserving our integrity and traditional values, and political and economic neutrality modelled on the Swiss model and system – will bring about a revolutionary turnaround in all segments of life and encourage the dynamic development of our country. On every occasion we, conservatives-reformists, through the unity of our strength and clearly defined goals, after the bitter decades of division, in peace, freedom and prosperity, will correct all the failings of previous wrong policies under the leadership of irresponsible rulers throughout centuries of Serbian history.

Serbia will be proud of what KRST will do. We will have the most significant role in this successful mission.

A sovereign territorial, economic and social order, with maximum human rights – is our model for the international community. Globalisation demands a new dimension of organisation within Serbian society. KRST is the only one on the political scene that has the recipe for the prosperity of our society.

Given the challenges of the 21st century, a new understanding of security is needed: it equally covers internal and external security in line with new global threats.

Our programme also includes social security regardless of demographic change and cohesion in our society, as well as economic security, on the basis of which we will create an environment that every generation preserves for the next. We want traditional and moral values to be the foundation of our civic values, and through the power of faith, will and diligence we will together make our country successful. Our vision for Serbia is a society in which citizens live happily, freely and safely. We advocate respect for success. We want prosperity to be at the centre of society and for no one to be excluded from it. We have the key to better business opportunities on the labour market and the solution to unemployment; in particular, we will ensure equal educational opportunities and opportunities for lifelong learning and training. With our moral and ethical convictions and our rich experience, respecting tradition on the foundations of justice and security, we will create opportunity for all people.

On this basis we act together with the citizens of Serbia in our Serbian land for a good future.

02Basic goals

The basic goal of the Conservative Reformist Party is, through its activity in society, to shape the profile of a new political generation which will be better, more efficient and more advanced in everything than the present generation of politicians, inherited from the former one-party League of Communists, that is, which by its mental make-up is still essentially very close to its ideology.

The actors and promoters of this political mission should, through their work, pave the way for a healthier mentality of our people – more ready to accept the many challenges of the modern world, more determined in solving accumulated problems, more consistent in achieving results, more reasoned in understanding things – a mentality freed from the shackles of party prejudice and limitations, more capable of initiating change, more flexible in dealing with those who think differently, and so on.

Our mission is the creation of a new mental and political awareness.

It is at the same time a mission of uniting people around common goals and common social interests for the change of the system and the achievement of social prosperity.

Our commitment is to view and set things always systemically rather than ad hoc (but also case by case, where that is necessary).

As activists of the Conservative Reformist Party we will fight at every step for a just society, a society with truly cultivated human values, for a society that keeps moving forward, in which the quality of life of the ordinary person is constantly improved, a society of order, of positive laws – an open, free, rich, hard-working and safe society. For a society in which every citizen will be able to live and work freely and in which, above all, they will want to live and create.

We want to build a Serbia that will be respected by the citizens of other countries and honoured by its own citizens.

In our work we address all citizens of Serbia, regardless of their political, religious, national or any other affiliation.

The universal principles that guide us in our work are:

TRADITION, FREEDOM, JUSTICE, SOLIDARITY, EQUALITY.

Yet merely declaring universal principles is not enough. We want some new principles to begin to be applied on the political scene of Serbia, such as:

1) MEASURABILITY – We can measure everything we do; that is how it is truly established what the results are and what is empty talk;

2) PURPOSEFULNESS – Everything that is done must have its purpose, its goal, plan and results (which can be measured!);

3) VISION – There must be clearly defined development plans for particular segments of society for five, ten, twenty, fifty years;

4) STATESMANSHIP – In dealing with public affairs, all other interests must be subordinate to the interests of the state;

5) PRACTICALITY and SIMPLICITY – We must not complicate the solving of life’s questions for people; we must learn to simplify things in politics;

6) EXPERTISE – Expertise ahead of all political principles;

7) TRANSPARENCY – In every segment of society public finances are and remain public (without secret contracts, deals and the like).

Our main characteristic is continuous activity. Through our political action and innovative approach we want to influence others to be socially active as well.

Only if we succeed in mobilising the critical mass of a society to think politically and take an active part in political life can we obtain the necessary quality. Politics in Serbia is bad because many bad people engage in it, while those who are better, unfortunately, step aside.

We want to remove the unqualified and the dishonest from positions where decisions are made on matters important to the state, and to make room for experts and honest people. Only then can we move forward.

Conservative reformist politics in Serbia (together with representatives of the most important institutions) has the task of defining national goals and agreeing a clear national strategy for reaching them.

In precisely that sense it is very important to us to build a stable and profitable national economy, resting on national resources, on making the best use of them, and on providing all possible benefits, relief and incentives to our people in that endeavour. And we will stop the further spread of the “slave-owning society”. We want to stand in the way of state crime and corruption! We need people of unbreakable will and strong character, people who cannot be bought, persistent, exceptional, to carry our ideas into practice together. We are ready to share with such people the trials and the paths that are still ahead of us as a nation. Conservatism and reformism, as our main defining features – our political modus vivendi – arise from the conviction that Serbia needs a whole series of fundamental changes, indeed systemic changes in almost all parts of society, and represent our readiness to lead it in that. “Serbia – our cause!”

03Who are we? The basic values of KRST

1.KRST is intended for all people, in all strata and groups of our country. Our politics is based on the traditional Christian understanding of the human being and his responsibility before God and society.

2.Our understanding of the human being and of faith gives us a moral basis for responsible politics. Still, we know that there is no faith from which a particular political programme can be derived. KRST is open to everyone who respects tradition, dignity, and the freedoms and equality of all people based on moral and ethical principles. On these foundations we build our common action with the aim of achieving a healthy and prosperous society.

3.KRST is a party founded by citizens who, after the failure of all previous holders of power in running the state – who brought society, the state and a life worthy of modern man to the brink of existence – take responsibility for the well-being of the whole people and the healing of a fallen society. On the basis of shared values and convictions, the members of KRST will, together with all strata of society, ensure a secure and prosperous future for Serbian society. KRST is a conservative, patriotic, constitution-defending, liberal-economic, Christian-democratic centre-right party.

4.The spiritual and political principles of KRST are founded on the social ethics of Christianity, the tradition of the Enlightenment and the family as the pillar of society, along with conservative values and the knowledge that the state cannot be all-powerful, as well as Christian and patriotically motivated resistance against the destruction of the moral and cultural values of society.

KRST is the party of all-Serbian unity!

04The Christian view of the human being

5.For us, the human being is created by God in his own image. We must create an image of society of people who are devoted to their inviolable dignity. Dignity must be the seal of all people, who are equal regardless of sex, colour, national origin, age, religious and political conviction, disability and so on. We respect every person as a unique individual in all stages of life.

6.From the dignity of the human being grows his right to the free development of personality and, likewise, his responsibility towards his neighbours. People have freedom of moral decision as long as it does not endanger society as a whole.

7.We understand the human being as part of creation. We have not been given the freedom to dispose of nature as we please. Nature has been entrusted to us to care for. We are responsible for the kind of legacy we pass on to future generations.

05Freedom

8.The human being is created free, as a moral being who acts rationally and responsibly. Even a totalitarian system cannot take away his right to thought and inner freedom. By conditioning the freedom of others, a person limits his own freedom. Those who demand freedom for themselves must recognise the freedom of others. Freedom includes rights and obligations. It is always freedom in responsibility. The goal of politics is to ensure sufficient room for human freedom in a legally stable society. We will do everything so that the Republic of Serbia is a society of free citizens and free convictions, founded on tradition and the Christian principles of freedom, in which moral values will underlie legal and civic norms. A society in which crime and corruption will have no place.

9.The human being develops in community. Otherwise, with the destruction of the community, his life would be free but poor and lonely. There must be norms within which freedom takes place.

10.Law is the guarantor of freedom by protecting the personal dignity of the human being. Restrictions of freedom are permitted only if they are necessary for its protection. The realisation of freedom requires social justice. The circumstances in which a person lives should not stand in the way of freedom.

10.a.Private property must be respected and protected. The material foundations of freedom must be secured. The restitution of all forms of property implies the post-war confiscation of all goods, the foreign-currency and dinar savings of citizens, as well as the resolution of property matters, whether it concerns property confiscated after the Second World War or after the breakup of the former SFR Yugoslavia.

11.Freedom is realised in practical life through personal and social responsibility. Citizens need freedom in the family, in the neighbourhood, at the workplace and in public appearances. We want a sense of responsibility for the common good, along with obligations to strengthen civic responsibility.

12.One’s own performance is part of the free development of personality. His dignity and his guaranteed rights must be independent of any power. But every individual in a free society is obliged to make a personal contribution. Without personal achievement no community can progress, gain and keep prosperity.

13.We encourage the readiness of every individual to fight for every kind of freedom. We advocate clear directions of democracy and the rule of law. Whoever is free has an obligation to stand up for the freedom of those from whom freedom is withheld. Freedom cannot be limited to a few people or social groups.

We want freedom for all people!

14.Freedom enables an autonomous way of life. That is why we advocate organising social life on the principle of subsidiarity. What can citizens do by themselves? In the family and in voluntary cooperation with others they can accomplish their task better or equally well. State and local authorities should exist to take over the solving of tasks only when individual citizens or communities cannot fulfil those tasks – and not to rule over citizens as in the time of imperial rule. The principle of subsidiarity concerns the relations between a smaller and a larger community, as well as between free associations and state institutions. The principle of subsidiarity prevents organised minorities and the performances of individuals from overpowering social communities.

14.a.New technological achievements bring people to ethical limits. Biomedical and genetic research exists essentially to cure diseases and ease suffering. But it also carries risks: the boundless thirst for knowledge and the unscrupulous marketing of pharmaceutical companies sometimes serve the opposite of their original purpose. Profit must not be the only measure of such research. It exists for the benefit of humanity, not for personal enrichment.

Freedom of research is an inviolable right as long as human dignity, freedom and creation are respected.

06Solidarity

15.Solidarity fully corresponds to the social nature of the human being. The goal of KRST is to ensure a dignified life for all, and this can only be achieved through solidarity. Solidarity must be applied to people who are still not able to lay the foundations of a free life, so that they may come to know that freedom is the solidary action of social communities for the sake of overall prosperity.

16.Everyone in a solidary society has the right and the duty to contribute through their work. We advocate mutual responsibility.

The basic forms of solidarity are help and support through personal interaction: in the family, among friends and neighbours, in private and social communities.

Social protection is based on the principle of solidarity. Collective risks are protected by it. Most important is solidarity in building the state, when every individual has obligations towards the state and the state towards the individual. Social security has a calming and liberating effect. Solidarity prevents the abuse of social security.

17.Solidarity is also dedicated to future generations. Without solidarity between generations, intergenerational equality cannot be achieved. All political decisions must meet that responsibility. We cannot live at the expense of the lives of our children and grandchildren. Nor may we alienate the social and territorial heritage of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. We advocate the social solidarity of our people. Without it, the gap between rich and poor cannot be overcome and protection against the creation of class differences is not possible.

07Justice

18.The basis of justice is the equality of all people, with the most important principles being dignity and freedom. Justice exists if it upholds the right to dignity and freedom. Justice requires the same treatment for every individual in society regardless of social status. In the sphere of the rule of law, justice means equal rights for all. Legal protection against arbitrariness and abuse of power is a precondition for a just society. No one may be lost, no one may be forgotten.

19.Where the right of people to a dignified life is neglected, and where the freedom of individuals, of a specific group and of the rulers suppresses the interests and rights of the whole people – there, as a consequence, sooner or later violence and conflicts rule, leading to bloodshed and outcomes without winners.

19.a.KRST advocates respect for human and civil rights and the overcoming of social and economic difficulties through expert and well-considered decisions, without media propaganda and lies. Only in that way will we enable society to have prosperity and a just and safe life.

08Readiness

20.On spiritual foundations, through diligence, we will be able to face the challenges of the present and the future victoriously. The healthy politics of KRST will in a short time create the conditions for a turnaround in society and build the strength of the state on the basis of economic and social prosperity, so that Serbia is freed from daily pressures and from the untruthful presentation of its position in the world. The goal of our politics in Serbia is the creation of a society in which everyone is free and aware that only unity binds us together.

21.KRST believes in the ability and readiness of citizens to take matters into their own hands. The goal of politics is, among other things, to promote the personal responsibility of citizens, that is, the readiness to take responsibility. A person must freely use his development, powers and talents.

21.a.All citizens should be able to achieve a minimum living income. Achievement must be rewarded. This is in line with the principle of the power of justice: if you work, you have more than if you do not.

09Strengthening marriage and the family

22.A person must be provided with an interplay of freedom and responsibility, while at the same time the founding of a family, on which our society rests, is encouraged. KRST wants marriage and the family as the foundation for strengthening society and a firm commitment to the family and to the birth rate, which will create a peaceful coexistence of generations. We will provide every family with children with serious financial incentives and stimulate the enlargement of the family with adequate incentives to ensure material security and a stimulus for preserving it.

23.Marriage is our mission of the union of a man and a woman. It is the best and most reliable basis for the success of a family. In marriage there is joint responsibility of fathers and mothers for their children. Even in marriages without children, men and women must take on lasting responsibility for one another. Therefore marriage is, and must be, under the special protection of our constitution.

24.Marriage and the family are the most reliable social network – when people need people. Family bonds remain for life. Parents and children have never lived together for as long as today. Yet there are fewer and fewer families. At present each following generation is a third smaller than the previous one. This is the contradiction of our time: a rich society is not rich if it is poor in children. Prosperity consists of many factors, and the most important is, certainly, offspring.

25.For families with children KRST will provide tax relief and a financial incentive for every child, as well as a lifelong pension for the mother from the third child.

We want strong families in which children grow up into strong personalities, capable of personal responsibility and solidarity.

We want to create conditions for families and children to flourish. Many people wonder whether to have a family and children for material reasons. Through its political action and concrete measures KRST will remove such social causes and we will change everything that needs to be changed – simply because we want to preserve family values. We want to strengthen the family. This also includes support for families whose children need medical care. The goal of our family policy is to ensure justice for families, to make life with children easier, and to fulfil the wishes of children and families.

10Education

Higher education for all!

Education does not begin at school and does not end with the completion of schooling!

26.Education is a primary topic for us, where we will lay the foundations for differentiated training opportunities, so that everyone has the best chance to develop their knowledge.

26.a.Knowledge in the field of modern information and communication technologies leads to the development of an advanced society.

27.Education, and the organisation and use of knowledge, are of central importance for creating life opportunities for every individual and for society as a whole.

Education – because knowledge is the most important resource.

27.a.Education is the key to individual life chances and is of exceptional importance for the values we preserve as well as for the values we wish to develop. Only better education for all will secure sustainable prosperity. It will enable us to face the challenges of the future and to use the opportunities of change. KRST has developed a special programme to stimulate the education sector with the motto: “Education for all”, regardless of material status.

27.b.We are able to develop a free, fair and efficient education system that would contribute to prosperity in society. For our dilapidated society to build its moral and economic values, education is of strategic importance, and here KRST alone has the solution.

27.v.To meet the challenges, we follow several guidelines. We want greater differentiation, more flexibility and more transparency in education. We want quality and performance to improve in all areas. We want the concept of education to be broadened in practice. We want education from the beginning and throughout life, for humane, social and economic reasons. As things stand, the education system quasi does not exist, which later cannot be corrected even with a great deal of money. That is why we are guided by the maxim: “Prevention, not correction!”

Education from the start!

Our commitment to proven learning content and to key competencies at the core of curricula and syllabi will make a decisive contribution.

28.People’s social origin cannot be the measure of the future. Advancement through education – that is our goal and the policy of KRST. Everyone is included, no one should be left behind. Poverty often begins as educational poverty. The participation of all in education and training is a condition for equal opportunities, and KRST will make that possible through a persistent and clear policy.

11Employment

Work and prosperity for all!

29.The human being develops through work. That is why employment and prosperity for all is the primary goal of KRST. A healthy market economy will enable citizens to take part fairly in competitions for jobs.

30.We must stand behind our products in global competition. We in KRST will, through subsidies and investment in the development of the domestic economy, ensure that our country develops on healthy economic foundations with social security and stability, and open new opportunities every day for the employment of the nation and its further development. If possible, all people must be able to take part in KRST’s support for opportunities of growth in employment, knowledge and capital.

31.Through the prism of concrete different projects we will ensure job security for all able-bodied citizens of the Republic of Serbia. In addition, workers should be included in the success of companies and of society.

We create the conditions for social prosperity!

12Social security for all generations

32.In the form of statutory health and social protection we will gradually introduce solidary premium elements, while benefits for the unemployed must be increased, with those benefits applying only to persons who are unable to work. For those able to work we will provide conditions to find themselves within a wide range of business offers.

13Financial consolidation

33.Sound finances, a firm Serbia! We want a general ban on new borrowing at all levels. Uncontrolled spending and inadequate management of public finances lead to constant borrowing and over-indebtedness. KRST will, through clearly defined economic measures in its programme, boost the growth of the economy and thereby ensure stable public finances without additional borrowing.

Transparency in every segment of society – public finances are and remain public (without secret contracts, deals and the like).

Clearly defined state investments and use of state (the people’s) money!

33.a.Today’s debts are tomorrow’s taxes. The prosperity of our country is in danger if the Government continues to spend more than it earns. Let us stop the debt!

We want a country that will secure the future of its children, rather than live at their expense!

14Economic (revolutionary) progress

Many people in Serbia have experienced globalisation and its demands as a threat to many jobs in their professions and with the syndrome of cheap labour.

34.Globalisation means the opening of global political, economic and communication borders. It is characterised by the mobility of people in the exchange of ideas and information, goods, services and capital, as well as the integration of markets. It is an expression of freedom and increased competition, not the creation of neo-colonialism in which our society finds itself due to the incompetence of the ruling structures and their quasi-economists who, instead of using the chance of market globalisation by positioning the Republic of Serbia in a leading place in the region, push our society into neo-colonialism and economic catastrophe with the wrong economic policy and political approach.

35.Awareness that we live in a common world is growing. However, globalisation leads to differences in the distribution of wealth and poverty in the world – between countries and within them. Migration is also a consequence of globalisation.

36.KRST will, following the Swiss model, by awakening national consciousness and development capacities within our state, position the Republic of Serbia in a leading position in our region and beyond, accepting global market competition without undermining national sovereignty and integrity, on the basis of a clear global partnership of supply and demand.

37.Through the prism of an economic strategy of encouraging domestic small and medium-sized enterprises and subsidising family production resources in all areas of production, especially agriculture and the IT sector, using closer approach to international markets, through globally interesting products entrepreneurship has wider opportunities on the consumer market.

38.Foreign investments are welcome, but not stimulated by subsidies and cheap labour, which is a devastating policy in practice because in the end it contributes not to the development of society and the individual but to the exploitation of the natural and social resources of the Republic of Serbia for personal profit and the general interests of the parent country from which they come.

39.We advocate that foreign investments be real investments in the revival of the country and the prosperity of the workers in those companies. Through various investment programmes, with tax relief and investment security, we will endeavour to give foreign investors the opportunity to invest and profit without state subsidies in cash (which are the exclusive model for manipulation and corruption) and with earnings that will not undermine human dignity.

40.The efficiency of natural resources is a challenge and an opportunity! Natural resources are natural capital and the basis of all economic activity. Without natural resources such as raw materials, land, water and air, even our everyday needs cannot be met, and they are the basis of prosperity.

The smart use of resources is the path to development, which remains the perspective of future generations of economic prosperity and social cohesion.

41.This is not only an ecological but also an economic and social challenge. Natural resources, especially raw materials, are an essential factor of production and the foundation of our prosperity, which at present we use to a limited extent or not at all. KRST has guidelines on how, through the rational use of raw materials along the entire value chain – from extraction through processing – we can achieve an enviable effect of economic and social prosperity.

42.Social cohesion is defined as a special quality of a community and shows how its members live and work together. The characteristics of a society with a high degree of cohesion are resilient social relations, a positive emotional bond among members of the community and a commitment to the common good.

Social cohesion is key to the future of every society!

43.KRST points to the most important socio-economic factors related to social cohesion: national wealth measured by gross domestic product and the development of a modern information society.

44.The development of a modern information society has profound effects on social cohesion.

45.A new progressive economic policy must establish the international standards of a social market economy.

46.A social market economy provides the chance of prosperity and security for all.

KRST has strength! Strength is the cornerstone of economic progress!

47.Progress requires action by a state able to provide a playing field. This includes commercial and contractual freedom, protection from market barriers and protection from abuse of power and of dominant companies, and enables transparency in the market. In a social market economy the protection of property is essential. For the success of our country it is important that women and men are ready to start a business and take risks.

KRST will provide conditions and incentives for the development of small family companies and thereby create the conditions for the unstoppable economic progress of Serbian society.

Only an open and diverse society creates a creative environment; in ideas, prosperity is ensured through innovation.

48.KRST advocates clearly defined intellectual property rights, which are the basis for long-term research and commitment to development and an important precondition for our economic success. Throughout the world the right of ownership over patents and ideas is supported by state policy, while with us these rights have been neglected. Especially for innovation in Serbia it is of key importance to develop a binding and accepted rule for the protection of intellectual property.

49.Creation is progress!

50.Serbia needs fundamental economic reforms; only in this way can we build and preserve our prosperity – it cannot simply happen.

51.A future for agriculture and rural development!

51.a.KRST wants comprehensive development, and living agriculture and forestry in the Republic of Serbia.

51.b.In the production of quality and healthy (ORGANIC) food we see the focus of our economic policy and of our agriculture.

52.In the preservation and conservation of resources, private ownership of land plays an important role. Personal responsibility and people’s identification with their property are more effective than state regulations.

53.The diversity and market orientation of Serbian agriculture and the food sector mean for us that we have a presence on both regional and international markets.

15Culture

Serbia is a European cultural nation!

54.Serbia is a country with a special tradition based on its historical cultural character. Art and culture shape not only the identity of the individual but of our whole nation. We want to preserve the rich cultural heritage of our country, which generations of wrong policies have been trying to devalue.

54.a.Cultural diversity is part of the vitality of our society and contributes to its quality. Our cultural vision is a cosmopolitan Serbia that is traditionally open to meeting other cultures, but with a conservative outlook in preserving its cultural heritage.

54.b.We advocate freedom of art. Government and politics are not for art. Art is a special form of confronting reality, which lives on curiosity and daring. Strengthening creative potential is also of key importance for Serbia. We in KRST will work on preserving cultural heritage and promoting our culture.

Cultural promotion is not a subsidy but an indispensable investment in the future of our society!

Besides state responsibility, civic engagement in the promotion of culture makes an irreplaceable contribution. We want to improve the environment for the promotion of culture through personal and financial contribution.

54.v.Daily memory is part of our culture and covers the whole of Serbian history with all its flaws and virtues. A characteristic of the Republic of Serbia is constant fratricidal wars and compromises – deals with great powers without a clear national strategy. The Conservative Reformist Party wants to stand in the way of such policies, which have led to the destruction of cultural and traditional heritage, turning our country into a colonial society with an imposed culture of accepting unnatural things as culturally justified, where immoral values are established in society and destroy it at the root.

54.g.Cultural education must begin in the family and must not stop with the end of schooling. Language is more than a means of communication. It is an outstanding characteristic of the culture of our country and society.

The work of international schools and scientific institutions, as well as cultural organisations, on the authentic image of our country abroad must be strengthened.

16Free media

55.The media are a key element of our democratic system, they are a particularly sensitive cultural asset and an important economic factor with prominent responsibilities. In the changing world of media this largely depends on ensuring diversity and quality of media content, which must be clearly profiled.

Media content must be subject to control in order to prevent trash and kitsch, which contribute to the erosion of the cultural achievements of society.

55.a.In the interest of media independence, especially when it comes to politics, we reject any direct or indirect pressure by political parties and the authorities on the media. Legitimately registered political parties must have approximately the same media space in political debates and in presenting the party’s programme regardless of their position.

56.The financial participation of political parties in media companies must be controlled and limited. The diversity of media services and the proven dual system of public and private broadcasting belong to media freedoms. Media policy must ensure that fair competition can be maintained and that two systems exist – the system of the government and the system of the opposition – which alone gives adequate opportunities for the development of society. The public service must above all provide programmes in the fields of education, culture and independent information. The public service should at the same time be a protector of culture and cultural products.

56.a.Private media are the property of individuals or interest groups, the right of ownership is guaranteed by law, and the editorial policy of private media is completely autonomous. However, with the allocation of a national frequency, any abuse of a national asset must be seriously prosecuted. Private interest must not endanger society and the state. KRST will, through clearly defined legal acts and bylaws, make it impossible to abuse the media for private or political purposes. By exercising the right to a national frequency, private media become a public service.

17Patriotism

57.Without a shared respect for our past, a future cannot be built. Without patriotism and readiness for the homeland and the nation, and without responsibility in preserving sovereignty and integrity, a state cannot progress. Neo-colonialism is the sure path to the loss of the state, which the political leaderships in Serbia to date have been striving for, especially in the last fifty years.

58.All political manoeuvring loses to sincere patriotism. Through political action we will contribute to the filing of lawsuits and to collecting damages from all participants in the bombing of the Republic of Serbia. The evil done to our people must never be forgotten, because only in that way will we defend the future. Patriotism is the basis for preserving our state and social community, and that is the reason for the constant attempts to destroy our national consciousness. Through political action on the basis of national and local patriotism we will achieve the unification and strengthening of the Serbian community on the principle of “Serbia – our cause!”

18Defence of the Constitution

59.We, the Conservative Reformist Party, are devoted to the preamble of the Constitution, and thereby our responsibility before God and the people is complete.

59.a.The social and territorial heritage created on the blood of our ancestors must not and cannot be alienated. We advocate respect for the Constitution and the territorial integrity of our country, including Kosovo and Metohija. In previous years and decades the Constitution, and with it the constitutional order of our country, was recklessly violated. We advocate and will create an expert council for monitoring the work of the Constitutional Court and for initiating proceedings against violations of the Constitution. The rights guaranteed by the Constitution must be strictly respected!

19Environmental protection

60.Global climate change threatens our lives and the development opportunities of future generations. Increased gas emissions and global warming will have far-reaching consequences for people and nature: melting glaciers, rising sea levels, ocean acidification.

60.a.For a life worth living: KRST wants to reduce harmful gas emissions in Serbia. We will do everything to protect nature and natural resources, through education and concrete actions in preserving the environment.

A healthy environment – a healthy life!

20Energy and energy security

61.Our primary task is security of energy supply. Besides that, our goal in energy supply is to achieve and increase renewable energy sources. Demand for energy and the consumption of fossil fuels are growing across the world.

61.a.The protection of our natural resources, which also includes careful use of the environment and protection of the climate, is our contribution to giving future generations the possibility to live in safety.

KRST advocates strictly defined control of access to natural resources and energy sources, which is significant for the prosperity of our society.

21Sport

A healthy mind in a healthy body!

62.Sport, exercise and nutrition play an important role in maintaining health. Individual responsibility in the field of health care through sports activities should be supported by the Government. Prevention through sport and exercise frees us from stress and strengthens our organism and our social systems. Professional sport and popular sports appropriately promote our society in the world.

62.a.We are committed to merit in sport and to top athletes. The sporting elite has an important role in the broadest strata of society. Sports promotion in the army, the police and customs is necessary for the future of society. A strong economy will make possible the perspective of top athletes. KRST has a solution in the concrete and systematic advancement of talented young generations, through sports education and training, which must be harmonised and coordinated.

62.b.KRST is committed to the development of top sports schools. Sport and exercise strengthen personal performance, build self-confidence, and make spatial and social mobility easier.

22Christianity

Guarantor of religious freedom!

63.Religious freedom lies in responsibility before God and people. The value of belief cannot be state regulation. The basic law is founded on values of Christian origin and Christian democracy. Faith has shaped our country and our society at their foundation.

63.a.That is why we in KRST, who are a symbol of faith, bear in mind that faith should be preserved and put into practice, which is the task not only of the Christian churches but one of the priorities of the state and of citizens. Christian symbols must remain visible in public places. In today’s time of the radicalisation of Islam it is very important to protect Christianity, and that is why we have founded our policy of preserving faith and society on the Christian symbol. At the same time, we recognise that other religions also teach values that can have a positive influence on our society and our order.

63.b.We respect all religious affiliations. They are part of our culture and an indispensable part of our society. In their devotion to society they also contribute to the development of our society. We advocate the autonomy and independence of the Christian churches and recognised religious communities. KRST sees our Christian Orthodox religion in its responsibility for the common good, and that is why we are committed to changing the system of collecting church taxes within the tax on earnings and to abolishing official church price lists, because we see our church as a spiritual temple, not as a profit-making organisation.

A donation is the freedom of choice of every individual – the believer – and not an obligation!

63.v.We recognise church examples of achievement in practical service to others, but only up to the point where it is not based on profit. The freedom of churches and religious communities to act upon society must remain inviolable. Our law guarantees the right to freedom of religion. We expect the state and the Government to guarantee religious freedoms. We want to support the ongoing dialogue of religions. The church is a place of spiritual enlightenment and a beacon of Christianity, which is the church’s earthly role.

64.The Cross is a symbol of Christianity, a symbol of protection and spirituality. KRST is and will be a symbol of political enlightenment and social well-being. That is our direction and our goal!

23National security and the fight against crime

65.The goal of our national security policy is reasonable possibilities for advancing state security and fighting crime. A free and safe life is the realisation of a strong state.

KRST has a clear programme for how to lay strong foundations and achieve complete security for all citizens and the state.

66.Our state should be an example of human dignity and freedom and of security for citizens. The state has its authority, but must pay particular attention to violations of basic human rights. In a democratic community there is no right without law and no freedom without responsibility.

67.One of the key tasks of the state, with the aim of protecting basic rights, is the prevention of abuse of power. The security services must not be extended arms of the regime but a protection of the state from outside and within. In addition, the state must maintain human coexistence and develop and protect the freedom and diversity of social forces.

Crime prevention, protection against threats to public order and security, and the investigation and prosecution of crimes and criminal offences are preconditions for peaceful coexistence.

68.Crime prevention is a social responsibility. The state service is necessary for exercising public authority. We want a strong but independent service. A state that does not defend itself against its enemies endangers the freedom of its citizens!

69.That is why we need vigilance against all forms of intolerance, extremism and violence. There must be neither tolerance nor intolerance. Only citizens who can live without fear for themselves, their family and their property have trust in the state. Trivialising crime is the wrong way to suppress criminality. Whoever breaks the law – and in doing so works against the value system of our society – must expect consistent prosecution and swift and consistent punishment.

70.Police and judicial protection against crime is the basis of a safe society. Uncompromisingly eradicate corruption in the judiciary and the police, prosecute those responsible and set draconian penalties for them.

71.The state must allow its state bodies to use the necessary technology for the fight against crime within defined limits and to procure the necessary means for them. Private interests must be prevented in order to fight crime effectively in accordance with the law. Politics must not become the protection of offenders. The activity of organised crime is on the rise. Citizens must be protected from criminals!

Unlimited crime cannot have unlimited rights – it must be the opposite!

72.The instruments and bodies of internal and external security must be integrated. In national security the concept of cooperation between state and local authorities must be improved. KRST proposes a concept for strengthening the protection of the doorstep and the family. The use of self-defence in special situations of risk must be possible.

24Political awareness

73.KRST advocates representative democracy, political leadership and democratic and political accountability towards every representative of a political option, whether in government or in opposition.

Representative democracy does not exclude elements of direct democracy.

74.The Cross advocates direct democracy in smaller communities. We live in a society with different views of the world, opinions and interests. This requires responsible decision-making, in which conflicting opinions and interests are the basis of social life. Political parties bear special responsibility towards the state and society. The government must maintain the natural foundations of life for us and for future generations, contribute to the integrity of creation, and not abuse power for personal prosperity.

75.An efficient public service is a precondition for reliable public infrastructure. Access to social issues is included in the political process and encourages the active participation of citizens in political life. Political parties fulfil their mission if they gain the trust of citizens and give clear guidance for the future, exclusively in the interest of society and the state, and not for their own interest. The thinking and work of political parties must be transparent.

KRST, as a party of the people, is particularly able to bring together different interests and to focus on a good common path.

76.Parties must be involved in the formation of public opinion and thereby contribute to the control of state power. Their independence and diversity are preconditions for this.

77.It is important to secure freedom and security in the area of human rights. Only the rule of law gives us legal certainty. Freedom and security are basic human needs.

KRST rejects a state and a government that regulates (controls) all aspects of people’s lives!

78.We are against regulation, the manipulation of laws and regulations, and excessive bureaucracy of administrations. Laws must be clear and as short as possible. Administrative processes and state structures should expand their offer of e-government. The reduction of bureaucracy must begin with the definition of the goals of the state.

Through comprehensive and open dialogue we want to strengthen democratic development, the rule of law, media pluralism and civil society.

The state has the task of promoting private initiative.

79.Through political action KRST will take a prominent role in the final dismantling of communism and communist legacies, in changing the system and building a prosperous state, in promoting the rule of law, democratic principles and human rights, and will direct parliamentary and party activity towards the common good of society rather than towards narrow-interest spheres.

25Judiciary

Justice for all!

80.An independent judiciary is the backbone of our rule of law. Justice protects citizens from arbitrariness and abuse of power and ensures that everyone is heard.

We want the efficiency of courts and prosecutors’ offices to be implemented and maintained through systemic changes.

STOP CORRUPTION IN THE JUDICIARY!

81.KRST will, through clearly defined control of the work of the judiciary, contribute to eradicating corruption in the judiciary. A just social system must provide a framework for the dignified existence of the individual and guarantee justice for all.

KRST proposes to secure the freedom of the people through the division and decentralisation of state power.

26Foreign policy

82.Economic stability will strengthen the attractiveness of our society and our culture. We want the disorientation of our country’s foreign and security policy to be prevented. We will face the foreign-policy challenges of the present and the future categorically and boldly, in order to overcome the long-standing thesis of communism and the wrong policy towards both East and West. The time of the Cold War is long behind us. A policy based on national interests is the only correct policy.

83.We base our motto “Serbia – our cause!” on finding international partners of common interest, with clearly defined directions of mutual obligations and action, and not on the quasi-friendship of the shapers of the international order, because of which Serbia has lost many generations and territories.

84.Bilateral meetings without clearly defined strategic goals and without delivering results in the interest of our country, supported by media pomp, are merely a promotion of representatives of the authorities with the aim of deceiving their own people.

85.KRST warns that every individual in society has an obligation and responsibility towards his community and state, and that by his wrong action or inaction he becomes an accomplice in the undermining of the social order and must bear moral and legal responsibility.

86.The development of international cooperation, which should work in the longer term, requires systematic internal and external efforts, especially on the part of policy makers and intellectual elites.

27Old age

87.Ageing is experienced differently today than in the past. The development of new life perspectives does not end with leaving professional life. Although living conditions have changed, new opportunities open up for many thanks to new content. Older people must have the opportunity to exercise their social responsibility, their rights and their obligations. We want to encourage them. Older generations and their work experience are valuable to everyone.

88.Protection of pensions for all. We want to protect pensions from the risk of reduction, as well as housing, urban and social planning that enable independent living and the responsible participation of older people in social life.

89.Social services need to be strengthened so that older people can remain in a family environment as long as possible. Complementary support measures for home care of the elderly are necessary.

We want to prevent loneliness in old age.

90.We want to be sure that their human dignity will be respected and that no one has the right to reduce their earned pensions. Education and social participation are, of course, also for older persons. Older people must have the opportunity to exercise their social responsibility, their rights and their obligations. We want to encourage them to live.

28Social justice

91.Social policy and solidarity are the guiding principle for the life of society. Our policy is a dimension of the whole of political action. Solidarity does not replace personal responsibility.

KRST fights for a welfare state and a healthy mortgage for future generations.

92.In a sign of solidarity, the young should support the old, the healthy the sick. The most effective social protection is achieved by prevention. Our environmental protection policy for the protection of health, the humanisation of work, the fight against unemployment and a fairer distribution of income are key tasks of preventive social policy. Everyone should have basic rights such as work and education. Everyone has the right to decent housing.

93.The responsibility of the state is to help those in society who cannot meet their own legitimate housing needs by themselves. The right to social security lies in the responsibility of the state.

The pillar of the state is a government that guarantees social security and the legally enabled right to compensation and the legally secured position of workers, not a government whose aim is personal enrichment and abuse of power.

94.Those who use social assistance must not be discriminated against. Social insurance must be reliable. Economic, financial and social policies should be coordinated with one another, so that the result is a policy based on the pillar of a strong welfare state.

29Health care

95.KRST advocates a complete reform of health care. We advocate health security in which the interests of the insured take precedence over the interests of doctors, dentists, the pharmaceutical industry, medicines and medical aids, and hospital authorities.

96.Health care should be put in a position to enforce the rights of the insured against the interests of pharmaceutical companies, and by strengthening the interests of the insured to enable cheap but effective therapies. Our health care is exceptionally unsuccessful. Hospital treatment conditions are at a level unworthy of a human being in a modern society.

The fight against addiction is a social responsibility of high rank.

97.Health care and health education are our primary tasks. We must start in kindergarten. Environmental protection and occupational safety, with advanced methods, must contribute to health care.

98.The diversity of a meaningful medical approach cannot suppress the principle of power. Every patient, regardless of income, must be provided with adequate treatment, using the method that corresponds to the state of medical science.

99.Everyone has the right to a free choice of doctor and choice of treatment methods, including methods of alternative medicine. Intensive care can save lives. That is a problem where attention must be paid to the patient’s condition and human dignity.

100.Technically high-performance, high technologies in medicine should not replace simple and cost-effective methods of treatment if they diminish the effect of the cure. We want the patient to have adequate medical care as in Western European countries. This requires building a network of health institutions, individual and group practices, health centres, clinics and rehabilitation centres.

KRST has a clear direction for achieving better health care. For this we need a partnership of trust among doctors, patients and medical and non-medical health professionals

30Warning: stimulating young professionals

The departure of young professionals from Serbia is a disease of our day. It is very worrying that young talents, highly qualified and expert workers contribute with their knowledge and abilities to the development of other countries, because their own country does not value them, does not stimulate them, and very often they cannot find a job in the profession in which they trained. With an appropriate strategy we will prevent further “brain drain”. We want young professionals to stay in our Serbian land in which they obtained their education, to have the opportunity to develop in it and to earn in it. We want effort and investment in developing professional quality to be valued and used for the development of Serbia and its economy. We want to contribute to the development of young professionals by providing a state fund for professional internships in our companies, after which they will be able to obtain permanent employment in them. Acta, non verba – Deeds, not words!