Belgrade assembly elects president

Branislav Belic, DS, has been elected president of the Belgrade city assembly today. Belic, from a DS-led coalition ticket, received 57 votes out of a total of 110. Belgrade assembly elects president Beside his party, he was supported by the SPS, PUPS, and the LDP. The Radicals (SRS) and the DSS-NS representatives left the session this morning. Belic scheduled a new meeting of the local parliament for July 28. The newly elected president of the city assembly said he is confident that all the local bodies will be formed at the next session, which he scheduled for Monday, July 28, and that this will finalize the process forming the Belgrade government. "In seven days we will form the [local] government and Belgrade will be able to function and operate in the interest of its citizens," Belic told journalists following the constituent meeting today. He added that by electing president of the city assembly and appointment of secretary, this institution was "constituted and legally valid". Earlier today, it was announced that the members of the Belgrade city assembly were expected to elect the oldest representative as temporary speaker. Since the final agreement between the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), the Democratic Party (DS)-led coalition and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) had not been reached, while the deadline for the constitution of the city authorities expires tomorrow, the SPS and the DS agreed that the oldest representative would assume this position. However, the LDP, who could become a key factor in forming a ruling majority in Belgrade, said it was "not ready to support this move, if it is interim" in nature. Head of LDP's Belgrade party board Dejan Randjic said that new elections would be better than a temporary solution. On the other hand, G17 Plus supported the idea to form the city authorities on a temporary basis. Belgrade daily Blic writes today that some sources say the LDP might support the transitional solution. However, it claims the leaders of the DS and the LDP, Boris Tadic and Cedomir Jovanovic, "have given the Sociaists a one week deadline to declare themselves" on the local government in the Serbian capital. The Belgrade assembly in session (FoNet) Scandal, mockery Radicals' (SRS) candidate for mayor of Belgrade Aleksandar Vucic said today the deputies from his party's ranks had walked out of today's constitutive session of the Belgrade assembly "because the session was overflowed with scandals and illegal activities”. Vucic told reporters that after the ruling of the District Court, "which confirmed all of the allegations made by the Radicals last week", a majority now elected Belgrade municipality of Savski Venac president to the post of the Belgrade assembly president. He evaluated that such a choice is “a mockery of Belgrade” as a city, adding that this only goes to show “negligence towards the city and citizens living in it”. Vucic also said that he will meet with the DSS deputies, and announced "a hot political fall”, without elaborating.

Belgrade assembly elects president

Beside his party, he was supported by the SPS, PUPS, and the LDP.

The Radicals (SRS) and the DSS-NS representatives left the session this morning.

Belić scheduled a new meeting of the local parliament for July 28.

The newly elected president of the city assembly said he is confident that all the local bodies will be formed at the next session, which he scheduled for Monday, July 28, and that this will finalize the process forming the Belgrade government.

"In seven days we will form the [local] government and Belgrade will be able to function and operate in the interest of its citizens," Belić told journalists following the constituent meeting today.

He added that by electing president of the city assembly and appointment of secretary, this institution was "constituted and legally valid".

Earlier today, it was announced that the members of the Belgrade city assembly were expected to elect the oldest representative as temporary speaker.

Since the final agreement between the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), the Democratic Party (DS)-led coalition and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) had not been reached, while the deadline for the constitution of the city authorities expires tomorrow, the SPS and the DS agreed that the oldest representative would assume this position.

However, the LDP, who could become a key factor in forming a ruling majority in Belgrade, said it was "not ready to support this move, if it is interim" in nature.

Head of LDP's Belgrade party board Dejan Ranđić said that new elections would be better than a temporary solution.

On the other hand, G17 Plus supported the idea to form the city authorities on a temporary basis.

Belgrade daily Blic writes today that some sources say the LDP might support the transitional solution. However, it claims the leaders of the DS and the LDP, Boris Tadić and Čedomir Jovanović, "have given the Sociaists a one week deadline to declare themselves" on the local government in the Serbian capital.

Scandal, mockery

Radicals' (SRS) candidate for mayor of Belgrade Aleksandar Vučić said today the deputies from his party's ranks had walked out of today's constitutive session of the Belgrade assembly "because the session was overflowed with scandals and illegal activities”.

Vučić told reporters that after the ruling of the District Court, "which confirmed all of the allegations made by the Radicals last week", a majority now elected Belgrade municipality of Savski Venac president to the post of the Belgrade assembly president.

He evaluated that such a choice is “a mockery of Belgrade” as a city, adding that this only goes to show “negligence towards the city and citizens living in it”.

Vučić also said that he will meet with the DSS deputies, and announced "a hot political fall”, without elaborating.