Parliament elects new economy minister

Parliament elects new economy minister

Sertić was elected with 178 votes in favor and four against, and then took the oath of office before members of parliament.

MPs from the ruling coalition stressed in the debate that Sertić is a man with a spotless record, who has led the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS) with much success.

The opposition, however, raised objections to Sertić's professional record referring to it as lacking and hardly instilling confidence that he will be able to tackle the problems of the Serbian economy.

They also criticized the fact that the proposal for Sertić's election was presented by First Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dačić, instead of Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić, which caused MPs of the New Democratic Party (NDS) to leave the sitting before the debate began.

Presenting the proposal for the election of Sertić as the new minister of economy, Dačić pointed out that Serbian economy is facing major problems that will be a challenge for the new minister, who will be expected to deliver a sound economic revival plan. Members of the business community also expect him to continue to show understanding for their concerns, he added.

“The first duty of the minister will be to complete the privatization process, among others, in restructuring companies. Privatization is a highly demanding and complex task considering the underlying problems, as well as the fact that tens of thousands of people will expect a buyer for the company they work for,” said Dacic.

Sertić takes over as the new minister of economy after serving as PKS President since March 2013. He succeeded Dučan Vujović, who assumed the office of finance minister.

Sertić was born in the village of Sečanj in northern Serbia in 1967. He completed primary and secondary education in Novi Sad, and graduated from the Faculty of Industrial Management at Union University in Belgrade.

Before taking up the position of PKS president, Sertić was a director of several enterprises. He was the CEO of the Magma company from 2000 to 2006, and then the director of Belgrade-based Forex until 2010, when he took the helm of the Konrad company, engaged in high rise construction, finishing works and interior design. He co-founded Gotra doo, a trade company based in Novi Sad, in 1990, and Gotrex, based in Vienna, in 1992.

Sertić is a member of the Eurochambers' Board of Directors and was voted the best manager of Southeast and Central Europe in 2013.

Sertić is a member of the Serbian Progressive Party, leading party in the ruling coalition.