Minister says government “is not knocked out”

BELGRADE Health Minister Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic told daily Vecernje novosti that the government had not been “knocked out”. She added that coalition partners did not attack Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and that they were committed to their work. Minister says government “is not knocked out” “I believe Ivica Dacic and I certainly would not stand by him if I had a speck of doubt that he has jeopardized state and security interests with his contacts with (member of drug lord Darko Saric’s gang) Rodoljub Radulovic, that was known as a businessman and a boyfriend of a famous pop singer at the time,“ the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) high-ranking official added. She claims that the scandal has not violated the government and prime minister’s credibility. “The moment someone tried to attack a person without any arguments, we can always wonder who is doing it and what the goal is,” Djukic-Dejanovic said and noted that the SPS advocated that all circumstances and communication between the prime minister and the criminal be investigated. She noted that she had had no information about Radulovic and that he was not “someone the SPS would associate with“. However, the minister said that she did not know if there had been individual meetings with him. Djukic-Dejanovic stressed that the government had not been “knocked out” and that the state institutions functioned normally. “We have achieved good results on the European pathway, in attracting investments and in combat against crime and corruption. There is no doubt that exactly those who do not like are attacking Ivica Dacic as a personification of the government in order to minimize its success,” she was quoted as saying. The minister said she did not believe that the SPS’ partners were behind the attacks on the prime minister. “As far as I can see, the partners are solely committed to the work. The ministers are practically working around the clock. I doubt that anyone would put in so much energy in the government’s success while destroying it from the inside. It would be illogical,” she explained. The minister said that relations in the government, especially between the SPS and the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) had not been violated. “We have a very fair communications at government sessions. I have a very fair cooperation with the SNS ministers. I cannot sense any change in our relations. There is a joint goal – to make life better for all citizens,” Djukic-Dejanovic stressed. When asked about relations between Dacic and First Deputy PM Aleksandar Vucic, she said that she was convinced that they were in agreement regarding the main goals. Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic (Tanjug, file) Vecernje novosti

Minister says government “is not knocked out”

“I believe Ivica Dačić and I certainly would not stand by him if I had a speck of doubt that he has jeopardized state and security interests with his contacts with (member of drug lord Darko Šarić’s gang) Rodoljub Radulović, that was known as a businessman and a boyfriend of a famous pop singer at the time,“ the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) high-ranking official added.

She claims that the scandal has not violated the government and prime minister’s credibility.

“The moment someone tried to attack a person without any arguments, we can always wonder who is doing it and what the goal is,” Đukić-Dejanović said and noted that the SPS advocated that all circumstances and communication between the prime minister and the criminal be investigated.

She noted that she had had no information about Radulović and that he was not “someone the SPS would associate with“. However, the minister said that she did not know if there had been individual meetings with him.

Đukić-Dejanović stressed that the government had not been “knocked out” and that the state institutions functioned normally.

“We have achieved good results on the European pathway, in attracting investments and in combat against crime and corruption. There is no doubt that exactly those who do not like are attacking Ivica Dačić as a personification of the government in order to minimize its success,” she was quoted as saying.

The minister said she did not believe that the SPS’ partners were behind the attacks on the prime minister.

“As far as I can see, the partners are solely committed to the work. The ministers are practically working around the clock. I doubt that anyone would put in so much energy in the government’s success while destroying it from the inside. It would be illogical,” she explained.

The minister said that relations in the government, especially between the SPS and the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) had not been violated.

“We have a very fair communications at government sessions. I have a very fair cooperation with the SNS ministers. I cannot sense any change in our relations. There is a joint goal – to make life better for all citizens,” Đukić-Dejanović stressed.

When asked about relations between Dačić and First Deputy PM Aleksandar Vučić, she said that she was convinced that they were in agreement regarding the main goals.