Central bank chief's departure "very likely outcome"

BELGRADE Tomislav Nikolic has said that it was very likely that the outcome of Thursday's session of the Serbian parliament will be the sacking of Dejan Soskic. Soskic is currently the governor of the National Bank of Serbia (NBS). Central bank chief's departure "very likely outcome" The Serbian president spoke for the Belgrade-based Pink TV late on Wednesday to say that in the past 12 years, each new government "had the need to have a trusted NBS governor", and wondered why the new ruling majority's move to appoint their own "caused so much fuss": "Wait a minute: if parliament replaces the governor of the National Bank of Serbia - and it can, according to the law - appraise his work. Our appraisal of the performance of the governor of the National Bank of Serbia is that it was poor." The Serbian parliament will meet tomorrow to discuss draft amendments to the Law on NBS, that could, if adopted, lead to the departure of Soskic from his position. The president also asserted that "a big part of Serbia's economy vanished" because businesses borrowed money based on a certain level of the exchange rate, only to find that they must pay the money back with the rate 50 percent higher. On Wednesday, Tanjug news agency reported that the EU was "concerned" over the news out of Belgrade that Soskic would be sacked. Addressing the issue of Kosovo, Nikolic said that Serbia had no right to renounce its province - "nor to be distancing itself from it every day". He told the television outlet that he "could not wait" for the National Council for Security to be formed, so that a strategy could be defined aimed at solving the Kosovo problem: "I've been waiting the whole time for the government to be formed, for us to get the National Council for Security, for all of us - and it is my obligation above all - to put forward openly our views on how to solve the situation in Kosovo and Metohija." "After that, whoever is given such powers by the government, should first engage in continued negotiations and then in talks with other people in Serbia who carry a lot of weight, who should also be asked for their advice and agreement," said Nikolic. At the same time, he added that "in principle, everything is clear": "Serbia has no right to renounce Kosovo and Metohija, and it also has no right to get more and more distant from Kosovo each day, and sometimes it seems like the sand is slipping through our fingers." He also announced "decisive, strong and dangerous" fight against corruption and crime, added that Serbia "could get her own Sanader". Ivo Sanader is a former Croatian prime minister who is currently on trial on corruption charges. At the same time, Nikolic spoke against "persecution of former (officials)", but said that "a hunt" would be launched against crime. Addressing Wednesday's tragedy on Mt. Kopaonik, when two Serbian Army members died as they were working to clear an area of leftover explosive devices, Nikolic said that he "feared that the protocol was not respected", but added that the findings of an investigation into the accident must be revealed before reaching any conclusions. "However," added he, "this begs the question of whether there has been negligence that is constantly running through the people who hold the most responsible offices." The president, who on Wednesday sent his condolences to the families of the two non-commission officers, described them as "very professional, experienced and well-trained VS personnel". Tomislav Nikolic (file) Beta Tanjug

Central bank chief's departure "very likely outcome"

The Serbian president spoke for the Belgrade-based Pink TV late on Wednesday to say that in the past 12 years, each new government "had the need to have a trusted NBS governor", and wondered why the new ruling majority's move to appoint their own "caused so much fuss":

"Wait a minute: if parliament replaces the governor of the National Bank of Serbia - and it can, according to the law - appraise his work. Our appraisal of the performance of the governor of the National Bank of Serbia is that it was poor."

The Serbian parliament will meet tomorrow to discuss draft amendments to the Law on NBS, that could, if adopted, lead to the departure of Šoškić from his position.

The president also asserted that "a big part of Serbia's economy vanished" because businesses borrowed money based on a certain level of the exchange rate, only to find that they must pay the money back with the rate 50 percent higher.

On Wednesday, Tanjug news agency reported that the EU was "concerned" over the news out of Belgrade that Šoškić would be sacked.

Addressing the issue of Kosovo, Nikolić said that Serbia had no right to renounce its province - "nor to be distancing itself from it every day". He told the television outlet that he "could not wait" for the National Council for Security to be formed, so that a strategy could be defined aimed at solving the Kosovo problem:

"I've been waiting the whole time for the government to be formed, for us to get the National Council for Security, for all of us - and it is my obligation above all - to put forward openly our views on how to solve the situation in Kosovo and Metohija."

"After that, whoever is given such powers by the government, should first engage in continued negotiations and then in talks with other people in Serbia who carry a lot of weight, who should also be asked for their advice and agreement," said Nikolić.

At the same time, he added that "in principle, everything is clear":

"Serbia has no right to renounce Kosovo and Metohija, and it also has no right to get more and more distant from Kosovo each day, and sometimes it seems like the sand is slipping through our fingers."

He also announced "decisive, strong and dangerous" fight against corruption and crime, added that Serbia "could get her own Sanader".

Ivo Sanader is a former Croatian prime minister who is currently on trial on corruption charges.

At the same time, Nikolić spoke against "persecution of former (officials)", but said that "a hunt" would be launched against crime.

Addressing Wednesday's tragedy on Mt. Kopaonik, when two Serbian Army members died as they were working to clear an area of leftover explosive devices, Nikolić said that he "feared that the protocol was not respected", but added that the findings of an investigation into the accident must be revealed before reaching any conclusions.

"However," added he, "this begs the question of whether there has been negligence that is constantly running through the people who hold the most responsible offices."

The president, who on Wednesday sent his condolences to the families of the two non-commission officers, described them as "very professional, experienced and well-trained VS personnel".