New speaker: No reason to apologize to opposition party

New speaker: No reason to apologize to opposition party

Gojković told B92 TV on Thursday that there were "different interpretations of the statement about eradicating the weed and seeds of evil" - but that what she considered most important was "what was obtained in elections."

"That was their only political trump card. Their rhetoric was evaluated in elections and I don't know how it's possible they didn't realize they should change it. No need for me to apologize, I know exactly what I said," she remarked.

Gojković then added that "intellectuals are not understood entirely well by people who do not think and express themselves in the same way," and that she would apologize if DS leader Dragan Đilas consented to also apologize "for everything he did to Belgrade and its citizens."

She then explained that the "eradication" she had in mind was that of corruption and crime, and "not physical eradication," and added she did not think the Democrats "really felt unease about working with her in parliament."

Asked about her overall political career and whether she "found herself in the politician sense in the SNS" - considering that she was previously a member of the SRS, led her own party, cooperated with with DSS, and then joined the URS, Gojković replied:

"I'm also interested to hear what other politicians say when asked this question. What's important to me is that I have always been politically consistent, and that I knew what I was doing and which policy to follow during a time when that was needed. I am in the SNS as a matter of committment, on the invitation of Aleksandar Vučić, and I'm glad I'm in a team with friends with whom I've been building the political life of Serbia for a long time."

Commenting on the idea of introducing "a rotation of speakers" at the helm of parliament, that was proposed ahead of her appointment, Gojković said it was "a good idea that was misinterpreted by those for whom it was primarily intended."

Election results were an argument when there was talk about the positions to be occupied by opposition MPs in important parliamentary committees, "which was an example of good parliamentary practices in the past," she said.

Gojković added that the development of democracy requires the opposition to be as active as possible, but that it was important to know that "electoral math cannot be changed just like that."

"We'll see today how far we've come concerning an agreement on committees. Opposition MPs forget that the political landscape and the parliamentary picture have changed dramatically. However, it is difficult to do what they want because election results are on the other hand, and they (opposition MPs) really are few. However, I think that their voices must be heard as well."

The new speaker believes that during her term of office she will be able to "reinstate the Serbian assembly to the place it has under the Constitution, that is, outside the shadow of executive branch of government."

Gojković said that lawmakers "need to be very active, but also need the support of the media."

"The media usually write about minor things from the life of parliamentarians. I find the stories about what deputies look like and how they dress to be ugly, while there's so little talk about what MPs said and about the essence of their work," she told B92, and admitted that "some of the blame was also on MPs."

Gojković stressed she "did not think there was any discontent within the SNS" because of announcements that many portfolios in the new cabinet will begiven to experts and non-partisan figures, and confirmed that Serbia's new government will be formed on Sunday.