"Key week" for government reshuffle

BELGRADE Ministers from the URS have "placed their mandates at the disposal of the party," while all ministers of the SNS have submitted blank resignation letters. Minister of Culture and Information Bratislav Petkovic said that all ministers of the SNS had also submitted their blank resignation letters and that it was "up to the party to decide who will remain in the government after the reconstruction." "Key week" for government reshuffle First Deputy Prime Minister and SNS leader Aleksandar Vucic said on Friday that there had been "a lot of delays," that the reconstruction of the government will be completed by the end of July, and that he will "not be prime minister without elections." An URS main board session, held on Sunday, saw leader and Economy and Finance Minister Mladjan Dinkicand his party deputies and ministers Suzana Grubjesic and Verica Kalanovic "place their mandates at the disposal of the party," with the message that the URS "will not be a barrier to an effective and essential reshuffle" - because, said Dinkic, the citizens "rightly expect more from the government." Dinkic also stated that he will in the coming weeks hold open discussions with his coalition partners, and promised "not to send messages via unnamed sources." Ministers of health and education Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic and Zarko Obradovic, both from the SPS, said that the ministers of this party will accept any decision of its leadership and Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, and that Dacic "will resolve the issue in talks with the coalition partners." Obradovic stressed that Dacic, Vucic, and Dinkic should agree that "the government should in the future also have united goals," while Dejanovic did not rule out the possibility of new coalitions, as well as "switching of portfolios," adding that, "in any case, now is not the time for new elections." "Right now we have many things prioritized, but I'm not prepared to deny even that as a theoretical possibility," the minister said. At a meeting of the leaders of Serbia's ruling coalition held July 7, a calendar of the cabinet reshuffle was agreed, according to which in the first week (July 8-14) "new objectives of the government should have been discussed," and chief negotiator and the team for negotiations with the EU selected. As it was reported then, the second week was supposed to see party organs discuss "objectives and personnel solutions," while in the third week, the reshuffle should be complete. The government and parliament should then "do all that us necessary in order to be enable the reconstructed government to work." (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

"Key week" for government reshuffle

First Deputy Prime Minister and SNS leader Aleksandar Vučić said on Friday that there had been "a lot of delays," that the reconstruction of the government will be completed by the end of July, and that he will "not be prime minister without elections."

An URS main board session, held on Sunday, saw leader and Economy and Finance Minister Mlađan Dinkićand his party deputies and ministers Suzana Grubješić and Verica Kalanović "place their mandates at the disposal of the party," with the message that the URS "will not be a barrier to an effective and essential reshuffle" - because, said Dinkić, the citizens "rightly expect more from the government."

Dinkić also stated that he will in the coming weeks hold open discussions with his coalition partners, and promised "not to send messages via unnamed sources."

Ministers of health and education Slavica Đukić-Dejanović and Žarko Obradović, both from the SPS, said that the ministers of this party will accept any decision of its leadership and Prime Minister Ivica Dačić, and that Dačić "will resolve the issue in talks with the coalition partners."

Obradović stressed that Dačić, Vučić, and Dinkić should agree that "the government should in the future also have united goals," while Dejanović did not rule out the possibility of new coalitions, as well as "switching of portfolios," adding that, "in any case, now is not the time for new elections."

"Right now we have many things prioritized, but I'm not prepared to deny even that as a theoretical possibility," the minister said.

At a meeting of the leaders of Serbia's ruling coalition held July 7, a calendar of the cabinet reshuffle was agreed, according to which in the first week (July 8-14) "new objectives of the government should have been discussed," and chief negotiator and the team for negotiations with the EU selected.

As it was reported then, the second week was supposed to see party organs discuss "objectives and personnel solutions," while in the third week, the reshuffle should be complete. The government and parliament should then "do all that us necessary in order to be enable the reconstructed government to work."