PM, one of his ministers in public clash

Economy Minister and Deputy PM Mladjan Dinkic has told the media that the ruling coalition "has been shaken", and that there is "bickering at every corner". The leader of the G17 Plus party, and of the United Regions of Serbia, also accused PM Mirko Cvetkovic of "making no decisions of his own", and asserted that the cabinet's moves in fact came from the country's president and leader of the ruling Democrats (DS), Boris Tadic. PM, one of his ministers in public clash "There is more opposition inside the ruling coalition than from the real opposition, and we fight over stupid things," Dinkic told TV 5 in Serbia's southern town of Nis late on Thursday. In the most serious public attack to date on the cabinet that he belongs to, Dinkic said he was "trying to talk to Tadic about fixing things, because Tadic is calling all the shots". "Our prime minister makes no decisions. He is the prime minister who should make decisions, but he's making none. The president makes decisions. Who else. We all know that, why should be pretend we don't," said he. He also took swipe at some of his fellow ministers accusing them of "losing all authority", and mentioned Agriculture Minister Sasa Dragin by name, saying he "should've been sacked with the onset of milk shortages" last fall. Dinkic asserted that the reason he was going public with these accusations was that his "criticism did not yield results". Mirko Cvetkovic, Mladjan Dinkic (Tanjug, file) PM responds to "no authority, no credibility" Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic reacted to some of Dinkic's previous statements in an interview for the Belgrade-based daily Vecernje Novosti. Cvetkovic denied media speculation that he had offered his resignation to Tadic, and said his cabinet "lost neither credibility nor authority". "I do not plan on resigning. I have lots of energy, and I've not grown tired. My goal is to achieve great state goals by the end of the mandate. Those who grew tired on this difficult road, or are afraid that the citizens can see they did not achieve results in their sector, are free to leave the government," said the PM. "Since the day it was set up, the government had no authority from the opposition point of view, and that was no problem for me. However, if that authority is now contentious for a member of the ruling coalition, then that is a clear political signal which that party wishes to send out," Cvetkovic told the newspaper. He also spoke against early elections "at this time", saying they would be "very bad for Serbia, since the government is in the last year of its mandate". Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has remained silent, offering no comment on the latest statements coming from Mladjan Dinkic. It was announced previously, however, that the relations with the coalition and a possible government reshuffle wold be discussed at a meeting expected to take place this coming weekend, "after Interior Minister Ivica Dacic returns from the U.S."

PM, one of his ministers in public clash

"There is more opposition inside the ruling coalition than from the real opposition, and we fight over stupid things," Dinkić told TV 5 in Serbia's southern town of Niš late on Thursday.

In the most serious public attack to date on the cabinet that he belongs to, Dinkić said he was "trying to talk to Tadić about fixing things, because Tadić is calling all the shots".

"Our prime minister makes no decisions. He is the prime minister who should make decisions, but he's making none. The president makes decisions. Who else. We all know that, why should be pretend we don't," said he.

He also took swipe at some of his fellow ministers accusing them of "losing all authority", and mentioned Agriculture Minister Saša Dragin by name, saying he "should've been sacked with the onset of milk shortages" last fall.

Dinkić asserted that the reason he was going public with these accusations was that his "criticism did not yield results".

PM responds to "no authority, no credibility"

Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković reacted to some of Dinkić's previous statements in an interview for the Belgrade-based daily Večernje Novosti.

Cvetković denied media speculation that he had offered his resignation to Tadić, and said his cabinet "lost neither credibility nor authority".

"I do not plan on resigning. I have lots of energy, and I've not grown tired. My goal is to achieve great state goals by the end of the mandate. Those who grew tired on this difficult road, or are afraid that the citizens can see they did not achieve results in their sector, are free to leave the government," said the PM.

"Since the day it was set up, the government had no authority from the opposition point of view, and that was no problem for me. However, if that authority is now contentious for a member of the ruling coalition, then that is a clear political signal which that party wishes to send out," Cvetković told the newspaper.

He also spoke against early elections "at this time", saying they would be "very bad for Serbia, since the government is in the last year of its mandate".

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has remained silent, offering no comment on the latest statements coming from Mlađan Dinkić. It was announced previously, however, that the relations with the coalition and a possible government reshuffle wold be discussed at a meeting expected to take place this coming weekend, "after Interior Minister Ivica Dačić returns from the U.S."