"Government fully united on fight against crime"

BELGRADE There is full unity and agreement within the Serbian government on the fight against crime and corruption as one of its priorities, says Ivica Dacic. The prime minister issued a statement on Wednesday to add that "a continuation of the uncompromising drive against crime and corruption is in the best interest of Serbia." "Government fully united on fight against crime" "There are no dilemmas in the government over this, or disunity at party level or among government members. We are building a better Serbia, one without crime and corruption, and there is no giving up on that," he said. The progress made in the dialogue with Pristina and the results achieved in fighting crime and corruption have also been recognised by the European union as key criteria for opening the EU accession talks, which will start on January 21, Dacic stated. He added that "those values include establishing the rule of law and equality of all citizens before the law, regardless of their social status, financial power or political affiliation." In addition to the dialogue with Pristina, the key chapters and criteria in Serbia's EU integration in the coming period will be Chapters 23 and 24, which are related to justice, security and fighting crime and corruption, Dacic said. The current Serbian government has been formed on those principles, and a continuation of such a policy, as well as the uncompromising fight against crime and corruption, is in the best interest of Serbia, Dacic said. (Tanjug, file) "Minister can leave if not happy" On Tuesday, First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said that Minister without Portfolio in Charge of European Integration, and Dacic's SPS party official Branko Ruzic "ought to leave the cabinet if he did not like how the state was doing things." Vucic said that he was disappointed and described it as scandalous that the Socialist official "believed in the innocence" of Zekstra owner and Partizan football club president Dragan Djuric, who was arrested on January 13 as a suspect in a corruption case. Vucic said that the statement was inappropriate and unfair toward everyone who had worked on the case. The Beta news agency reported that the deputy prime minister also said that "certain persons were trying to put the blame on me for everything and leave me on my own out in a field, without taking responsibility for anything." Following the arrest of the president of the Partizan FC, the media carried statements by Partizan sports society president Dusko Vujosevic and Branko Ruzic, who said they believed in Djuric's innocence." Beta Tanjug

"Government fully united on fight against crime"

"There are no dilemmas in the government over this, or disunity at party level or among government members. We are building a better Serbia, one without crime and corruption, and there is no giving up on that," he said.

The progress made in the dialogue with Pristina and the results achieved in fighting crime and corruption have also been recognised by the European union as key criteria for opening the EU accession talks, which will start on January 21, Dačić stated.

He added that "those values include establishing the rule of law and equality of all citizens before the law, regardless of their social status, financial power or political affiliation."

In addition to the dialogue with Priština, the key chapters and criteria in Serbia's EU integration in the coming period will be Chapters 23 and 24, which are related to justice, security and fighting crime and corruption, Dačić said.

The current Serbian government has been formed on those principles, and a continuation of such a policy, as well as the uncompromising fight against crime and corruption, is in the best interest of Serbia, Dačić said.

"Minister can leave if not happy"

On Tuesday, First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić said that Minister without Portfolio in Charge of European Integration, and Dačić's SPS party official Branko Ružić "ought to leave the cabinet if he did not like how the state was doing things."

Vučić said that he was disappointed and described it as scandalous that the Socialist official "believed in the innocence" of Zekstra owner and Partizan football club president Dragan Đurić, who was arrested on January 13 as a suspect in a corruption case.

Vučić said that the statement was inappropriate and unfair toward everyone who had worked on the case. The Beta news agency reported that the deputy prime minister also said that "certain persons were trying to put the blame on me for everything and leave me on my own out in a field, without taking responsibility for anything."

Following the arrest of the president of the Partizan FC, the media carried statements by Partizan sports society president Duško Vujošević and Branko Ružić, who said they believed in Đurić's innocence."