Government marks one year in office

Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic has opened a 20 km section of the Corridor 10 highway near Presevo as the government marks the end of its first year in office. He said that one should make judgments of the government’s first year on the basis of impressions alone, but on specific results, like this section of Corridor 10. Government marks one year in office The prime minister said that funding had been secured from both domestic and foreign sources for a further 50 km of the highway, which was expected to be complete by the end of the year. He reiterated that the government’s priority was to complete the corridor. According to Cvetkovic, the government had secured secured money to pay the contractors EUR 231mn and to reprogram debts of EUR 91.3mn. “It’s not just Corridor 10 that we’ve done. We’ve considerably repaired the Serbian government’s image in the world,“ said the prime minister, adding that the government now had good relations with both Russia and the U.S. As another success, Cvetkovic highlighted the imminent scrapping of the visa regime with the EU. Also in attendance at the opening ceremony of the said section of the Corridor 10 were Ministers Milutin Mrkonjic, Ivica Dacic, Milan Markovic, Svetozar Ciplic, Petar Skundric, Slobodan Milosavljevic and Verica Kalanovic. Cvekovic’s cabinet will be remembered for bringing together once sworn enemies, the Democrats and Socialists, in a government for the first since the fall of the Slobodan Milosevic regime in 2000. The principles that this coalition gathered round included European integration, non-recognition of Kosovo’s unilateral independence, economic strengthening, social responsibility, compliance with international law, and comabatting crime and corruption. One of the government’s main successes to date is that the country is on the verge of visa liberalization. Further European integration is on ice, however, due to Holland’s position on cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. The arrest of Radovan Karadzic was seemingly not enough, and Europe demands Ratko Mladic. One year on, the government’s basic economic goals now look more like a wish list: dynamic growth in economic activity, lower unemployment, a better standard of living and balanced regional development. The economic crisis, contrary to the expectations of certain ministers, has not bypassed Serbia, and the country is now struggling with a chronic lack of money. The opposition, which believes that the government has brought the country to the brink of economic collapse, insists that it is time for new elections. The electorate, meanwhile, gives the government’s work so far the minimum pass mark of two. Cvetkovic himself believes that, in the last year, his cabinet has made positive progress in all segments that the government was formed on, and that the economic crisis has simply postponed certain plans. Mirko Cvetkovic's government (B92, archive)

Government marks one year in office

The prime minister said that funding had been secured from both domestic and foreign sources for a further 50 km of the highway, which was expected to be complete by the end of the year.

He reiterated that the government’s priority was to complete the corridor.

According to Cvetković, the government had secured secured money to pay the contractors EUR 231mn and to reprogram debts of EUR 91.3mn.

“It’s not just Corridor 10 that we’ve done. We’ve considerably repaired the Serbian government’s image in the world,“ said the prime minister, adding that the government now had good relations with both Russia and the U.S.

As another success, Cvetković highlighted the imminent scrapping of the visa regime with the EU.

Also in attendance at the opening ceremony of the said section of the Corridor 10 were Ministers Milutin Mrkonjić, Ivica Dačić, Milan Marković, Svetozar Čiplić, Petar Škundrić, Slobodan Milosavljević and Verica Kalanović.

Cveković’s cabinet will be remembered for bringing together once sworn enemies, the Democrats and Socialists, in a government for the first since the fall of the Slobodan Milošević regime in 2000.

The principles that this coalition gathered round included European integration, non-recognition of Kosovo’s unilateral independence, economic strengthening, social responsibility, compliance with international law, and comabatting crime and corruption.

One of the government’s main successes to date is that the country is on the verge of visa liberalization. Further European integration is on ice, however, due to Holland’s position on cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. The arrest of Radovan Karadžic was seemingly not enough, and Europe demands Ratko Mladić.

One year on, the government’s basic economic goals now look more like a wish list: dynamic growth in economic activity, lower unemployment, a better standard of living and balanced regional development.

The economic crisis, contrary to the expectations of certain ministers, has not bypassed Serbia, and the country is now struggling with a chronic lack of money.

The opposition, which believes that the government has brought the country to the brink of economic collapse, insists that it is time for new elections.

The electorate, meanwhile, gives the government’s work so far the minimum pass mark of two.

Cvetković himself believes that, in the last year, his cabinet has made positive progress in all segments that the government was formed on, and that the economic crisis has simply postponed certain plans.