“Issue of PM’s dismissal not formally open”

NOVI SAD Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) deputy leader Dusan Bajatovic has said that the issue of Prime Minister Ivica Dacic’s dismissal “is not formally open”. He added that he did not see any problems that would lead to the replacement of top government officials. “Issue of PM’s dismissal not formally open” “It is a matter of a political agreement, primarily between Dacic and (First Deputy PM Aleksandar) Vucic, but at the moment I do not see problems in the government’s functioning that would lead to such changes,” Bajatovic told Novi Sad-based daily Dnevnik. He said that it was not good for one party, no matter how big it was, to hold all key positions in the state, adding that the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), as a majority coalition partner, “is perhaps more active and uses more marketing than the SPS”. “A majority partner always twists the smaller partner’s arm. But we have a strategic partnership and a goal to make Serbia better,” the SPS official said and added that the strategic partners could discuss anything “but it is not possible to make ad hoc moves to the detriment of the other partner”. When asked whether Serbia was closer to a government reshuffle or early elections, Bajatovic said that the country could not allow itself to “sit idle” for another year of election campaigns, forming of the government. “When it comes to the government reshuffle, I am not a proponent of such a move just so someone could be a minister instead of someone else,” he said and stressed that everything needs to be based on the government’s plan and program. Dusan Bajatovic (B92, file) Dnevnik Tanjug

“Issue of PM’s dismissal not formally open”

“It is a matter of a political agreement, primarily between Dačić and (First Deputy PM Aleksandar) Vučić, but at the moment I do not see problems in the government’s functioning that would lead to such changes,” Bajatović told Novi Sad-based daily Dnevnik.

He said that it was not good for one party, no matter how big it was, to hold all key positions in the state, adding that the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), as a majority coalition partner, “is perhaps more active and uses more marketing than the SPS”.

“A majority partner always twists the smaller partner’s arm. But we have a strategic partnership and a goal to make Serbia better,” the SPS official said and added that the strategic partners could discuss anything “but it is not possible to make ad hoc moves to the detriment of the other partner”.

When asked whether Serbia was closer to a government reshuffle or early elections, Bajatović said that the country could not allow itself to “sit idle” for another year of election campaigns, forming of the government.

“When it comes to the government reshuffle, I am not a proponent of such a move just so someone could be a minister instead of someone else,” he said and stressed that everything needs to be based on the government’s plan and program.