"Serious action, even if it loses us elections"

"Serbia must do something serious" in the next 8 months, even if that means the ruling coalition would lose the next election, says Labor Minister Rasim Ljajic. He told a B92 TV talkshow late on Sunday in Belgrade that this action should be "something that people appreciate, if not in the next, then in the election after that". "Serious action, even if it loses us elections" The minister was speaking about the standard of living and EU integrations. Judging by the atmosphere and the difficult economic situation, said Ljajic, "it is clear that an agreement is needed with the opposition, and a period of eight months without confrontations". He said "restarting production" was a priority, but also mentioned "bringing order into the state, the government, reducing the number of agencies to a minimum, reducing the number of MPs, cutting public spending", and described the situation in the country as "untenable". His ministry, Ljajic continued, put the number of poor people in Serbia at some 700,000. He explained that this meant that a three-member family had a monthly income of under RSD 18,500, while minimal expenses were calculated at RSD 23,000. "Serbia is not Belgrade, and only 30 or so kilometers south or east of the capital, the situation is almost surreal," according to Ljajic, who also said the population there "faces a catastrophe which came as a consequence of bad privatizations and a lack of readiness to enter deeper into the transition process". He also criticized post-Milosevic regime governments, saying that "none since 2000 finished reforms through to the end, with each new government starting things from scratch". Ljajic said he had "no precise information or predictions", but did not rule out early elections in December of this year, adding however that it would be "ideal" if voting took place in March and April of 2012. The current government was elected in the spring of 2008 to a four-year mandate. Rasim Ljajic, left (Beta, file)

"Serious action, even if it loses us elections"

The minister was speaking about the standard of living and EU integrations.

Judging by the atmosphere and the difficult economic situation, said Ljajić, "it is clear that an agreement is needed with the opposition, and a period of eight months without confrontations".

He said "restarting production" was a priority, but also mentioned "bringing order into the state, the government, reducing the number of agencies to a minimum, reducing the number of MPs, cutting public spending", and described the situation in the country as "untenable".

His ministry, Ljajić continued, put the number of poor people in Serbia at some 700,000.

He explained that this meant that a three-member family had a monthly income of under RSD 18,500, while minimal expenses were calculated at RSD 23,000.

"Serbia is not Belgrade, and only 30 or so kilometers south or east of the capital, the situation is almost surreal," according to Ljajić, who also said the population there "faces a catastrophe which came as a consequence of bad privatizations and a lack of readiness to enter deeper into the transition process".

He also criticized post-Milošević regime governments, saying that "none since 2000 finished reforms through to the end, with each new government starting things from scratch".

Ljajić said he had "no precise information or predictions", but did not rule out early elections in December of this year, adding however that it would be "ideal" if voting took place in March and April of 2012.

The current government was elected in the spring of 2008 to a four-year mandate.