Socialists want public enterprises

For the second time in as many days, a senior Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) official has said he will not be minister unless his conditions are met. Milutin Mrkonjic has warned that he wants to head "a whole" ministry of infrastructure, and also that he demands to have control over such large public enterprises as JP Putevi Srbije (Roads of Serbia), Zeleznice Srbije (Serbian Railways) and the national carrier, Jat Airways. Socialists want public enterprises These comments come despite the fact leader of the Democrats (DS) Boris Tadic said yesterday that all the portfolios in a government expected this week have been distributed. Mrkonjic told the Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti that big infrastructure projects cannot be realized unless the Infrastructure Ministry, slated for him to lead, has control over these public companies. At the same time, in a separate interview, SPS leader Ivica Dacic told Blic newspaper that he is aware of Mrkonjic's dissatisfaction, but that Tadic had guaranteed that this ministry will have powers over all the building projects in the roads and railways sector.

Socialists want public enterprises

These comments come despite the fact leader of the Democrats (DS) Boris Tadić said yesterday that all the portfolios in a government expected this week have been distributed.

Mrkonjić told the Belgrade daily Večernje Novosti that big infrastructure projects cannot be realized unless the Infrastructure Ministry, slated for him to lead, has control over these public companies.

At the same time, in a separate interview, SPS leader Ivica Dačić told Blic newspaper that he is aware of Mrkonjić's dissatisfaction, but that Tadić had guaranteed that this ministry will have powers over all the building projects in the roads and railways sector.