Deputy PM confirms two foreign advisers

BELGRADE This government has the support of the majority an stands firmly behind every decision it makes no matter how unpopular it is, says Aleksandar Vucic. Serbia's deputy prime minister and leader of the ruling SNS told the public broadcaster RTS late on Thursday that former head of the IMF Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Austria's former chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer would be advisers in the reshuffled government. Deputy PM confirms two foreign advisers According to Vucic, Strauss-Kahn will advise the minister of finance, the prime minister, and himself and help Serbia reschedule its debt. "We have already spoken. He was not happy when he saw what awaited him, but he has already suggested a few solutions," Vucic said. Gusenbauer will arrive in Belgrade on October 20, he specified. Asked to comment on Strauss-Kahn being the focus of national and international public "because of his private life," Vucic said that was "not the thing by which to judge someone's expertise." "For example, Picasso treated women and children very badly, and other people like Hitler loved women. If you judge by that, then you cannot judge badly Strauss Khan," Vucic was quoted as saying. He then stated he was in Scotland recently where he asked Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed that the United Arab Emirates approve a loan to Serbia worth "two or three billion dollars at the lowest interest rate, for 20 or 30 years." Vucic said the government was "solving" the issue of false asylum seekers headed to western Europe, that there has been progress in this and that this government "worked more effectively than the previous." Vucic said the number of bogus asylum seekers was "11 times lower than three years ago." He said that they are "usually persons of Roma ethnicity who go to the countries of western Europe." Speaking about the recent government reshuffle, Vucic said that the government had a chance to succeed. "I think it would be unfair to say that (PM Ivica) Dacic made mistakes in the past year in terms of foreign and domestic policy, we were reaching agreement on all the big things," Vucic said, adding that it was "in the interest of Serbia for this government to last the whole mandate." Vucic also addressed the issue of the city authorities in Belgrade, to say that its replacement will be discussed, but that he thought there were "many more important things." He said that he thought the change of government in Belgrade was "not far away." Speaking about the local elections in Kosovo, Vucic said it was important that "those who respect the state of Serbia in Kosovo know that Serbia adopted the only possible decision." Vucic said, referring to concrete results in the fight against corruption, that in 17 cases the state was damaged for more than RSD 85 billion. Vucic said 180 indictments were raised, while there had been one final verdict. He announced that by the end of the year all 24 cases would be completed, "that is, prosecutors will either press charges or decline to indict." When it comes to the gay parade planned in Belgrade later this month, Vucic said that the decision about whether to allow it would be made on the basis of security assessments. "If we clearly know that we can ensure law and order with no serious consequences, we will implement. If you ask me whether it is wise to show the world images from 2010 I think it is not. I do not think that we should endanger either Belgrade or anyone," Vucic was quoted as saying. He then said that the government could deploy thousands of police officers to protect the participants of the parade, but stressed that "human victims should not be allowed." Vucic announced the privatizations of football clubs Red Star and Partizan, saying that "the way they now operate, those two clubs cannot survive." (Beta, file) B92 RTS Tanjug

Deputy PM confirms two foreign advisers

According to Vučić, Strauss-Kahn will advise the minister of finance, the prime minister, and himself and help Serbia reschedule its debt.

"We have already spoken. He was not happy when he saw what awaited him, but he has already suggested a few solutions," Vučić said.

Gusenbauer will arrive in Belgrade on October 20, he specified.

Asked to comment on Strauss-Kahn being the focus of national and international public "because of his private life," Vučić said that was "not the thing by which to judge someone's expertise."

"For example, Picasso treated women and children very badly, and other people like Hitler loved women. If you judge by that, then you cannot judge badly Strauss Khan," Vučić was quoted as saying.

He then stated he was in Scotland recently where he asked Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed that the United Arab Emirates approve a loan to Serbia worth "two or three billion dollars at the lowest interest rate, for 20 or 30 years."

Vučić said the government was "solving" the issue of false asylum seekers headed to western Europe, that there has been progress in this and that this government "worked more effectively than the previous."

Vučić said the number of bogus asylum seekers was "11 times lower than three years ago."

He said that they are "usually persons of Roma ethnicity who go to the countries of western Europe."

Speaking about the recent government reshuffle, Vučić said that the government had a chance to succeed.

"I think it would be unfair to say that (PM Ivica) Dačić made mistakes in the past year in terms of foreign and domestic policy, we were reaching agreement on all the big things," Vučić said, adding that it was "in the interest of Serbia for this government to last the whole mandate."

Vučić also addressed the issue of the city authorities in Belgrade, to say that its replacement will be discussed, but that he thought there were "many more important things." He said that he thought the change of government in Belgrade was "not far away."

Speaking about the local elections in Kosovo, Vučić said it was important that "those who respect the state of Serbia in Kosovo know that Serbia adopted the only possible decision."

Vučić said, referring to concrete results in the fight against corruption, that in 17 cases the state was damaged for more than RSD 85 billion.

Vučić said 180 indictments were raised, while there had been one final verdict.

He announced that by the end of the year all 24 cases would be completed, "that is, prosecutors will either press charges or decline to indict."

When it comes to the gay parade planned in Belgrade later this month, Vučić said that the decision about whether to allow it would be made on the basis of security assessments.

"If we clearly know that we can ensure law and order with no serious consequences, we will implement. If you ask me whether it is wise to show the world images from 2010 I think it is not. I do not think that we should endanger either Belgrade or anyone," Vučić was quoted as saying.

He then said that the government could deploy thousands of police officers to protect the participants of the parade, but stressed that "human victims should not be allowed."

Vučić announced the privatizations of football clubs Red Star and Partizan, saying that "the way they now operate, those two clubs cannot survive."