New cabinet expected to be sworn in on July 24

The parties laboring to form Serbia's new government are busy ahead of the Tuesday publication of the content of their coalition agreement. Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti writes on Monday that Serbia will be ruled by a coalition led by the Progressives (SNS), the Socialists (SPS) and the United Regions of Serbia (URS), and adds that all three confirmed that the coalition agreement will be signed on Tuesday. New cabinet expected to be sworn in on July 24 That cabinet will be headed by Ivica Dacic. The newspaper learned that the text of the agreement will likely be made public at the Serbian parliament, and that the three party leaders have been in "almost constant touch" ever since they met on Friday. The document "will not be an expression of big words and declarative inter-party reconciliation, but rather a manifest of the future government with concrete political and economic goals", says the article Dacic confirmed for the newspaper that his pre-election SPS-PUPS-JS coalition will meet on Monday "in order to bring joint priorities into the coalition agreement". The Pensioners (PUPS) will hold their party presidency meeting ahead of this. The three parties that will form the coalition said that "media speculation that the Pensioners were holding back, asking too much and engaging in blackmail" was not true, and that this party would "certainly be a part of a parliamentary majority". Meanwhile, URS official Suzana Grubjesic confirmed that the agreement had been reached, and said she expected it to be signed on Tuesday. She is due to take over as deputy PM in charge of EU interactions. Dacic is set to this week hold meetings with other parliamentary parties in order to inform them about the basic goals of his government, and also offer them to participate as members of a parliamentary majority. Alliance of Vojodina Hungarians (SVM) parliamentary group head Balint Pastor told the daily that this party would "support all legislation that is pro-European, economically useful and affirming minority rights". There is work yet to be done concerning "personnel issues", but it is known so far that a new government will have 15 ministries and 17 members, with the SNS heading eight, the SPS coalition five, and URS two ministries, while the SNS and URS will also hold one deputy PM position each. All parties of the future ruling coalition expect that Serbia's new government will be sworn in on July 24. (file) Vecernje novosti

New cabinet expected to be sworn in on July 24

That cabinet will be headed by Ivica Dačić.

The newspaper learned that the text of the agreement will likely be made public at the Serbian parliament, and that the three party leaders have been in "almost constant touch" ever since they met on Friday.

The document "will not be an expression of big words and declarative inter-party reconciliation, but rather a manifest of the future government with concrete political and economic goals", says the article

Dačić confirmed for the newspaper that his pre-election SPS-PUPS-JS coalition will meet on Monday "in order to bring joint priorities into the coalition agreement".

The Pensioners (PUPS) will hold their party presidency meeting ahead of this.

The three parties that will form the coalition said that "media speculation that the Pensioners were holding back, asking too much and engaging in blackmail" was not true, and that this party would "certainly be a part of a parliamentary majority".

Meanwhile, URS official Suzana Grubješić confirmed that the agreement had been reached, and said she expected it to be signed on Tuesday. She is due to take over as deputy PM in charge of EU interactions.

Dačić is set to this week hold meetings with other parliamentary parties in order to inform them about the basic goals of his government, and also offer them to participate as members of a parliamentary majority.

Alliance of Vojodina Hungarians (SVM) parliamentary group head Balint Pastor told the daily that this party would "support all legislation that is pro-European, economically useful and affirming minority rights".

There is work yet to be done concerning "personnel issues", but it is known so far that a new government will have 15 ministries and 17 members, with the SNS heading eight, the SPS coalition five, and URS two ministries, while the SNS and URS will also hold one deputy PM position each.

All parties of the future ruling coalition expect that Serbia's new government will be sworn in on July 24.