BELGRADE, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The Serbian parliament empowered the government on Monday to take over the jurisdiction of Serbia-Montenegro in order to succeed the loose state union, reestablishing Serbia as an independent country after 88 years of union with other Slav peoples.

    At a special session, the Serbian parliament unanimously adopted the decision that, according to the Constitutional Charter, Serbia has become the heir of the state union of Serbia-Montenegro and inherited its international-legal personality and international documents, including UN Security Council Resolution 1244 about Serbia's breakaway province of Kosovo.

    The decision envisages the carrying out of the competencies of Serbia, as the successor of the state union, first and foremost in the field of foreign affairs and defense, until the passage of needed laws.

    Serbian parliamentary Speaker Predrag Markovic said that the government and other state bodies must, within a deadline of 45 days, approve the needed acts and take all measures to ensure all jurisdictions of the union are transferred to the state level, in order to avoid any problems or conflict in the separation from Montenegro.

    The flag of the Serbia-Montenegro was removed from the Serbian parliament building and two Serbian flags remained flying after the parliament adopted the decision.

    "The Serbian flag will be raised high. It will be raised in the light of day. It will be raised to the sound of its national anthem, but the taking down of one flag is also a confirmation that one part of your life is over," Markovic said.

    On June 3, the Montenegrin parliament unanimously ratified the result of the independence referendum held on May 21, declaring Montenegro's independence after its longtime union with Serbia since 1918.

    Serbia-Montenegro, which was renamed from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in February 2003, was a loose union with only limited ministries of foreign affairs, defense and human rights.

    Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica has said that all of the institutions that Serbia would be taking over would function in accordance to the current constitution, while the new status would be defined by the new Serbian constitution that is currently being drafted. Enditem