Top officials discuss measures to solve crisis

BELGRADE Serbia's top government officials met on Sunday in Belgrade to discussed ways of negotiating the country's economic situation, Beta is reporting. The meeting was attended by Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, his first deputy, Aleksandar Vucic, and Minister of Finance and the Economy Mladjan Dinkic. Top officials discuss measures to solve crisis On their agenda was also "achieving fiscal consolidation and measures to enable economic growth, investments and a better standard of living," the news agency said. The top-level meeting, which included National Bank of Serbia governor Jorgovanka Tabakovic, led to an agreement among the officials to continue the discussion during the week at the ruling coalition level and to schedule talks with members of the Fiscal Council, the National Council for Serbia's Economic Recovery and the Social and Economic Council, the government said. According to media reports this Monday, the meeting yesterday did not produce any agreement. However, the officials agreed in principle to consider the issue of a government reshuffle and early elections after the EU decides on whether to give Serbia a date for the start of EU membership talks. Belgrade's Vecernje Novosti daily is reporting this morning that that the meeting on Sunday was marked by strong differences over the possible reductions in salaries in the public sector, and also about "the fate of public companies undergoing restructuring." The presidency of the Serb Progressive Party (SNS), the largest member of the ruling bloc, convened ahead of the meeting, followed by an announcement that the party would insist on "efficient reforms of public companies, the state administration and wrap up the question of companies undergoing restructuring." SNS President Vucic said earlier on that he would back economic measures that will "heal our society and country," despite their unpopularity. He did not specify if this included freezing public sector pensions and salaries. On June 1, DDacicacic described the economic situation in Serbia as difficult. Government spending must be slashed, but the problem is that pensions and salaries are already small, he stated. The SNS presidency session on Sunday (Tanjug) Beta Vecernje novosti

Top officials discuss measures to solve crisis

On their agenda was also "achieving fiscal consolidation and measures to enable economic growth, investments and a better standard of living," the news agency said.

The top-level meeting, which included National Bank of Serbia governor Jorgovanka Tabaković, led to an agreement among the officials to continue the discussion during the week at the ruling coalition level and to schedule talks with members of the Fiscal Council, the National Council for Serbia's Economic Recovery and the Social and Economic Council, the government said.

According to media reports this Monday, the meeting yesterday did not produce any agreement. However, the officials agreed in principle to consider the issue of a government reshuffle and early elections after the EU decides on whether to give Serbia a date for the start of EU membership talks.

Belgrade's Večernje Novosti daily is reporting this morning that that the meeting on Sunday was marked by strong differences over the possible reductions in salaries in the public sector, and also about "the fate of public companies undergoing restructuring."

The presidency of the Serb Progressive Party (SNS), the largest member of the ruling bloc, convened ahead of the meeting, followed by an announcement that the party would insist on "efficient reforms of public companies, the state administration and wrap up the question of companies undergoing restructuring."

SNS President Vučić said earlier on that he would back economic measures that will "heal our society and country," despite their unpopularity. He did not specify if this included freezing public sector pensions and salaries.

On June 1, DDačićacic described the economic situation in Serbia as difficult. Government spending must be slashed, but the problem is that pensions and salaries are already small, he stated.