Deputy PM announces "legal action against tycoons"

BELGRADE Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic has said that legal action will be taken against a number of "tycoons," and that this will happen "in a few days." The reason is that the persons in question "caused losses to the government by taking out loans without coverage." Deputy PM announces "legal action against tycoons" In an interview for B92, Vucic did not wish to specify which tycoons he was referring to, explaining instead that it was "much more important how they had taken government money." No one has dealt with this issue so far, and the previous government protected those tycoons, he asserted. Concerning the talks with Gazprom's top officials earlier this week, he said the construction of the South Stream pipeline would directly employ 25,000 people, and another 100,000 indirectly. There will be a solution to Serbia's energy debt to Russia by the end of December, and it will be better than expected, he stated. Serbia's Minister of Energy Zoran Mihajlovic will sign three important contracts with Russian partners in Moscow on November 24, he pointed out, and added that "nobody has asked for her to be dismissed." The government sent a clear message when it called on the Kosovo Serbs to vote in the local elections, and the result of the elections was "a difficult blow for Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci," he said. According to Vucic, Thaci "absolutely lost," because "the intention was not to form a community of Serb municipalities, with the idea that elections would fail in four northern municipalities and two south of the Ibar." According to him, "now this project has failed," as there are nine Serb municipalities - "and we'll see about the tenth." Vucic warned that it would be "a problem" if the mayor of northern Kosovska Mitrovica became either Agim Deva or Adrijana Hodzic. He explained that if either won, "some are thinking of not letting them take office, which would lead to conflicts." "We do not need conflict, but peace and work and to deal with the economy, the economy, and the economy," said Vucic, and "admitted that he made a mistake" when he did not travel to northern Kosovska Mitrovica on November 3. "The government respects the Kosovo Serbs and it is very important that they respect their government, without which they stand no chance," he remarked. The Serbian authorities know who caused the incidents in Kosovo during the local elections on November 3 and an operation against them will take place as soon as they are within reach, he said. "These are groups that are connected to different extremist organizations. We have the individuals' names. Many of them cannot be reached because they are in Kosovo," Vucic explained. Vucic also said during the interview that there has been "specific and serious progress" in the investigation into the murder of journalist Slavko Curuvija 14 years ago. "For the first time there has been progress in the murder investigation and I would not prejudice things, I expect it to be resolved, it will be very big and important news for Serbia," he stressed. Vucic also said there had been progress in the investigation into the murder of another journalist, Milan Pantic. Asked whether early parliamentary elections would be called in February, along with those for the city administration in Belgrade, Vucic said: "I hope that we will not call elections in February." Vucic denied that the provisional council of Belgrade would include Goran Vesic, Sinisa Mali, and Milan Bozic. "It is possible that some of them will be, but all three of them, in such a way, will not," said the leader of the ruling SNS party and the first deputy prime minister. "This time next year Serbia will have a lower unemployment rate," Vucic also promised. (B92) B92 Tanjug

Deputy PM announces "legal action against tycoons"

In an interview for B92, Vučić did not wish to specify which tycoons he was referring to, explaining instead that it was "much more important how they had taken government money."

No one has dealt with this issue so far, and the previous government protected those tycoons, he asserted.

Concerning the talks with Gazprom's top officials earlier this week, he said the construction of the South Stream pipeline would directly employ 25,000 people, and another 100,000 indirectly.

There will be a solution to Serbia's energy debt to Russia by the end of December, and it will be better than expected, he stated.

Serbia's Minister of Energy Zoran Mihajlović will sign three important contracts with Russian partners in Moscow on November 24, he pointed out, and added that "nobody has asked for her to be dismissed."

The government sent a clear message when it called on the Kosovo Serbs to vote in the local elections, and the result of the elections was "a difficult blow for Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci," he said.

According to Vučić, Thaci "absolutely lost," because "the intention was not to form a community of Serb municipalities, with the idea that elections would fail in four northern municipalities and two south of the Ibar."

According to him, "now this project has failed," as there are nine Serb municipalities - "and we'll see about the tenth."

Vučić warned that it would be "a problem" if the mayor of northern Kosovska Mitrovica became either Agim Deva or Adrijana Hodžić.

He explained that if either won, "some are thinking of not letting them take office, which would lead to conflicts."

"We do not need conflict, but peace and work and to deal with the economy, the economy, and the economy," said Vučić, and "admitted that he made a mistake" when he did not travel to northern Kosovska Mitrovica on November 3.

"The government respects the Kosovo Serbs and it is very important that they respect their government, without which they stand no chance," he remarked.

The Serbian authorities know who caused the incidents in Kosovo during the local elections on November 3 and an operation against them will take place as soon as they are within reach, he said.

"These are groups that are connected to different extremist organizations. We have the individuals' names. Many of them cannot be reached because they are in Kosovo," Vučić explained.

Vučić also said during the interview that there has been "specific and serious progress" in the investigation into the murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija 14 years ago.

"For the first time there has been progress in the murder investigation and I would not prejudice things, I expect it to be resolved, it will be very big and important news for Serbia," he stressed. Vučić also said there had been progress in the investigation into the murder of another journalist, Milan Pantić.

Asked whether early parliamentary elections would be called in February, along with those for the city administration in Belgrade, Vučić said: "I hope that we will not call elections in February."

Vučić denied that the provisional council of Belgrade would include Goran Vesić, Siniša Mali, and Milan Božić. "It is possible that some of them will be, but all three of them, in such a way, will not," said the leader of the ruling SNS party and the first deputy prime minister.

"This time next year Serbia will have a lower unemployment rate," Vučić also promised.