Parliament confirms resignations of ministers

The recent flareup in the crisis faced by the Serbian government was formally settled today in the Serbian parliament. MPs confirmed the resignations of ministers Mladjan Dinkic and Verica Kalanovic, both from the G17 Plus party. Parliament confirms resignations of ministers Before they announced their resignation, PM Mirko Cvetkovic said he had decided to dismiss Dinkic. Parliament also confirmed the resignation of another G17 Plus minister, Tomica Milosavljevic, who announced he was leaving the government a month ago. According to parliamentary procedure, no debate was scheduled to take place. Ruling DS party group whip Nada Kolundzija said ahead of the session today that the speaker was "expected to strictly apply measures proscribed by the rules of procedure", should the opposition attempt to start a debate on the government, and the departure of its ministers. Kolundzija also said that this debate can be had during question time, or "when PM comes to parliament with his government reshuffle proposal and election of new ministers", and added that she believed "the PM would keep his word and present his reshuffle, or personnel changes proposals by the end of February". In the meantime, leader of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians Istvan Pastor, whose party belongs to the ruling parliamentary majority, commented on the crisis by speaking in favor of a reshuffle, but against early elections. "There is great responsibility on all of us to hold this thin majority to the end of the mandate. Early elections would be catastrophic to everything we started and which there's a chance we could finish in the next year," he was quoted as saying. Serbian Parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic called the first extraordinary sitting at the request submitted by 123 MPs. During the sitting, MPs should also discuss two bills on Serbia's debit and two decisions on the participation of the Serbian Army and other defence forces in this year's peacekeeping missions. (Tanjug)

Parliament confirms resignations of ministers

Before they announced their resignation, PM Mirko Cvetković said he had decided to dismiss Dinkić.

Parliament also confirmed the resignation of another G17 Plus minister, Tomica Milosavljević, who announced he was leaving the government a month ago.

According to parliamentary procedure, no debate was scheduled to take place.

Ruling DS party group whip Nada Kolundžija said ahead of the session today that the speaker was "expected to strictly apply measures proscribed by the rules of procedure", should the opposition attempt to start a debate on the government, and the departure of its ministers.

Kolundžija also said that this debate can be had during question time, or "when PM comes to parliament with his government reshuffle proposal and election of new ministers", and added that she believed "the PM would keep his word and present his reshuffle, or personnel changes proposals by the end of February".

In the meantime, leader of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians Ištvan Pastor, whose party belongs to the ruling parliamentary majority, commented on the crisis by speaking in favor of a reshuffle, but against early elections.

"There is great responsibility on all of us to hold this thin majority to the end of the mandate. Early elections would be catastrophic to everything we started and which there's a chance we could finish in the next year," he was quoted as saying.

Serbian Parliament Speaker Slavica Đukić-Dejanović called the first extraordinary sitting at the request submitted by 123 MPs. During the sitting, MPs should also discuss two bills on Serbia's debit and two decisions on the participation of the Serbian Army and other defence forces in this year's peacekeeping missions.