First deputy PM speaks as govt. marks 100 days

BELGRADE Aleksandar Vucic has accused Delta Holding owner Miroslav Miskovic of "wanting a different government to be formed and part of the former regime reinstated". Speaking 100 days after the current cabinet took the oath of office, the first deputy prime minister told B92 that the new government made many changes in that period of time, "starting with the fiscal consolidation, the budget draft, and the fight against corruption and crime", and that this would continue in the future. First deputy PM speaks as govt. marks 100 days Vucic, who also serves as the country's defense minister and heads the ruling SNS party, added that he "had nobody individually in his domain of interest", and harbored "no personal relation or hatred toward anyone", rejecting also as false the claims that he was "the most powerful person in Serbia": "I am not the kind of person who can be intimidated, somebody who can be bought with money. I see that Miskovic has the desire to remove me and the SNS from power. We shall see who will win." As for the focus on corruption, Vucic said there were 24 "big cases" currently being worked on, and added that "by the end of the 100 days of the government's work" there would be "some new results". "Among those cases is Delreal, where Miskovic's name is mentioned. The authorities are dealing with that, as well as with the Port of Belgrade. Sartid is near completion, but so are some other cases. Public opinion polls show that support has even increased in favor of the fight against corruption," said he. Vucic also denied that this fight "amounted to only Oliver Dulic and the DS party", and added it was being questioned by the media under the control of the former regime: "How come you never thought of mentioning Lale Sekulic or someone like that, he's more on the side of the SPS than the DS, and municipal presidents, they all come from different parties. The authorities are the ones who will conduct the investigations, I am proud that we have been able to show everyone than institutions are being respected." He also appraised the first 100 days of the government by saying that "nobody is ever satisfied with what has been achieved", but that there were "several good steps" that the cabinet took, and that at this point, expectations from it are greater than at the time it was put together: "People above all want to see that they can live better, they want better job security, and that cannot be done in three or six months. At the end of the first year it will be important whether we had been given a date (for the start of EU membership talks), despite the many falsely concerned people. Because of the government's serious behavior a possibility has emerged that we might be given a conditional date, which means we've done well. In the coming weeks we will adopt a law on public procurements, many positive things for our country are starting to happen. This government has changed many things and people feel that." Vucic also accused his political opponents of hypocrisy when they said he was not doing away with the policy of giving important jobs in state-run enterprises to people according to their partisan affiliation. "The SNS has decided that the Telekom director would be a non-partisan figure, that's Mr. Culibrk - he's never set foot inside the SNS. We appointed a man as EPS director who will do that job well. As for the director of Kolubara, if the main objection against him is that he fried meat 20 years ago, then that's a stupid objection. I used to work as a vendor and waiter in London and yet I graduated from university with top grades. He (the new director) is not the one who left losses in the EPS system. His qualifications say that he will do that job in the best possible manner, I claim that he will do it well. The thing is he got on the wrong side of the mafia circles. If you are aware of something wrong that he had done, tell me, and he'll be sacked." Speaking about Kosovo, he said a platform for the talks would remain "state secret" until it had been "completely harmonized": "Then we will invite the opposition in order to reach as wide a consensus as possible, and then we will present it to the citizens." Vucuc also said that a recent meeting in Belgrade with Ivica Dacic and Mladjan Dinkic discussed strategic topics, rather than just local-level coalitions, and clarified that this meant the topics included "the EU, and Kosovo". He also responded to speculation about misunderstandings within the government by saying that he was satisfied with his cooperation with Dacic and Dinkic. Vucic stated that Hillary Clinton and Catherine Ashton would be arriving in Belgrade "in order to relay their messages", but that he thought they would also wish to hear "what we have to say". Aleksandar Vucic (Beta, file) B92

First deputy PM speaks as govt. marks 100 days

Vučić, who also serves as the country's defense minister and heads the ruling SNS party, added that he "had nobody individually in his domain of interest", and harbored "no personal relation or hatred toward anyone", rejecting also as false the claims that he was "the most powerful person in Serbia":

"I am not the kind of person who can be intimidated, somebody who can be bought with money. I see that Mišković has the desire to remove me and the SNS from power. We shall see who will win."

As for the focus on corruption, Vučić said there were 24 "big cases" currently being worked on, and added that "by the end of the 100 days of the government's work" there would be "some new results".

"Among those cases is Delreal, where Mišković's name is mentioned. The authorities are dealing with that, as well as with the Port of Belgrade. Sartid is near completion, but so are some other cases. Public opinion polls show that support has even increased in favor of the fight against corruption," said he.

Vučić also denied that this fight "amounted to only Oliver Dulić and the DS party", and added it was being questioned by the media under the control of the former regime:

"How come you never thought of mentioning Lale Sekulić or someone like that, he's more on the side of the SPS than the DS, and municipal presidents, they all come from different parties. The authorities are the ones who will conduct the investigations, I am proud that we have been able to show everyone than institutions are being respected."

He also appraised the first 100 days of the government by saying that "nobody is ever satisfied with what has been achieved", but that there were "several good steps" that the cabinet took, and that at this point, expectations from it are greater than at the time it was put together:

"People above all want to see that they can live better, they want better job security, and that cannot be done in three or six months. At the end of the first year it will be important whether we had been given a date (for the start of EU membership talks), despite the many falsely concerned people. Because of the government's serious behavior a possibility has emerged that we might be given a conditional date, which means we've done well. In the coming weeks we will adopt a law on public procurements, many positive things for our country are starting to happen. This government has changed many things and people feel that."

Vučić also accused his political opponents of hypocrisy when they said he was not doing away with the policy of giving important jobs in state-run enterprises to people according to their partisan affiliation.

"The SNS has decided that the Telekom director would be a non-partisan figure, that's Mr. Ćulibrk - he's never set foot inside the SNS. We appointed a man as EPS director who will do that job well. As for the director of Kolubara, if the main objection against him is that he fried meat 20 years ago, then that's a stupid objection. I used to work as a vendor and waiter in London and yet I graduated from university with top grades. He (the new director) is not the one who left losses in the EPS system. His qualifications say that he will do that job in the best possible manner, I claim that he will do it well. The thing is he got on the wrong side of the mafia circles. If you are aware of something wrong that he had done, tell me, and he'll be sacked."

Speaking about Kosovo, he said a platform for the talks would remain "state secret" until it had been "completely harmonized":

"Then we will invite the opposition in order to reach as wide a consensus as possible, and then we will present it to the citizens."

Vučuć also said that a recent meeting in Belgrade with Ivica Dačić and Mlađan Dinkić discussed strategic topics, rather than just local-level coalitions, and clarified that this meant the topics included "the EU, and Kosovo".

He also responded to speculation about misunderstandings within the government by saying that he was satisfied with his cooperation with Dačić and Dinkić.

Vučić stated that Hillary Clinton and Catherine Ashton would be arriving in Belgrade "in order to relay their messages", but that he thought they would also wish to hear "what we have to say".