Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1871.djvu/511

 SEKVIA — REVENUE, ARMY, AND POPULATION. 475

Servian national assembly, after the assassination of his uncle, Prince Michael Obrenovic III., June 30, 1868. Crowned at the Cathedral of Belgrade, July 5, 1868.

During the minority of the prince, the government is carried on in his name by a regency of three persons, namely: —

Milivoj Blaznovad, head of the executive.

Jovan Gavrianovic, president of the senate.

Jovan Ristic, president of the house of representatives.

The regency was elected by unanimous vote of the national assembly of Servia, meeting in extraordinary session, June 30, 1868. A civil list of 1,200,000 ' tax-piastres,' or 24,000/., is settled upon the Prince.

By the constitution of Servia, the executive power is vested in the prince, assisted by a council of five ministers, who are responsible to the nation. The legislative authority is exer- cised by two independent bodies, the Senate and the ' Skoup- schina,' or House of Representatives. The Senate consists of seventeen members, nominated by the prince, one for each of the seventeen departments into which the country is divided. This body is always sitting. Formerly all vacancies in the Senate were filled up by the rest of the members, but for some time past the prince has exercised the power of appointing the senators. The ' Skoupschina ' is composed of deputies chosen by the people, at the rate of one deputy to every 2,000 electors. The electors are the males of the country above the age of twenty-one years, paying direct taxes, and not being either domestic servants or gipsies. These two classes are excluded from the right of suffrage. Every elector is eligible to become a member of the ' Skoupschina,' except the holders of Government offices and the clergy. The ' Skoup- schina' assembles in annual session. On extraordinary occasions, such as the election of a new Prince, or the nomination of his suc- cessor, a ' Grand Skoupschina,' four times as numerous as the ordinary assembly, may be summoned by the government.

Revenue, Army, and Population.

The revenue of Servia is derived chiefly from a general capitation tax, producing about 16,000,000 ' tax-piastres,' or 320,000/. per annum. The impost is minutely classified as to rank, occupation, and income of each individual, a distinction being also made be- tween married and unmarried persons, and is assessed, in the first instance, on the different communes, or parishes, which have to dis- tribute it among the heads of families. The total public revenue of the year 1868 was calculated in the budget estimates at 28,879,000 'tax-piastres,' or 577,580/., and the expenditure at very nearly the