PM on "meeting expectations of citizens, not IMF"

BELGRADE The Serbian government held a session on Tuesday morning in Belgrade, but did not discuss any issues related to the economic crisis. PM Ivica Dacic said later during the day that the ruling coalition will hold a meeting on economic measures late this week, adding that there are "no disagreements within the coalition, just different perspectives." PM on "meeting expectations of citizens, not IMF" "I am not a supporter of freezing salaries and pensions," said Dacic, who is also leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS). Speaking in Belgrade on Tuesday, he added that the October increase should total 0.5 percent and that "anyone can assess what the effect of that is and whether the freezing is a measure that will save the situation." "It will not," the prime minister said, stressing that this is "more about wanting to meet IMF and World Bank's expectations." "We are not here because of others, but because of our citizens," Dacic said, adding that "the state did not go bankrupt even when it was at war, and it certainly will not go bankrupt now." He told journalists at Belgrade's Sava Centar that economic measures are not short-term, that a restrictive financial policy is needed on the one hand, while on the other the government should see how the country can develop. The prime minister reiterated that the Sunday meeting with First Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Serb Progressive Party (SNS) Aleksandar Vucic, Minister of Finance and Economy Mladjan Dinkic (URS), and NBS Governor Jorgovanka Tabakovic resulted in an agreement "in some general terms, on what needs to be done in the future." "We agreed that talks at the level of the entire ruling coalition should continue at the end of the week," he noted, adding that they also agreed that there should be consultations and a meeting with the Fiscal Council, the Council for Economic Recovery and the Social and Economic Council. "After that, we will start with the adoption of measures at the government session," Dacic said, and noted that the government will "certainly" not have this issue on its agenda this week. Trade Minister Rasim Ljajic told B92 earlier on Tuesday that today's cabinet meeting was a regular session, and that "economic measures were not supposed to be discussed." "I expect we will talk about that on Thursday. No measures will be adopted then, instead it will be the beginning of a process that should lead to us harmonizing a final package of measures," he stated. The government was set to meet on Monday and discuss the state of the country's economy, but the session was canceled and a new one scheduled. Beta news agency reported earlier that the cabinet would have a set of education sector laws on the agenda. The same source said that the economy was not supposed to be discussed today. On Monday, PM Ivica Dacic said that the meeting of his cabinet was canceled because there was no time to hold it, and that it was not planned to adopt economic measures during that session. On Sunday, Dacic, his first deputy, Aleksandar Vucic, and Economy and Finance Minister met to discuss "a strategy of spending cuts," but failed to agree on a policy. Last week, Agriculture Minister Goran Knezevic told a session of the Serbian parliament that "concrete savings measures of the government can be expected starting on Monday." (Tanjug) B92 Beta Tanjug

PM on "meeting expectations of citizens, not IMF"

"I am not a supporter of freezing salaries and pensions," said Dačić, who is also leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS).

Speaking in Belgrade on Tuesday, he added that the October increase should total 0.5 percent and that "anyone can assess what the effect of that is and whether the freezing is a measure that will save the situation."

"It will not," the prime minister said, stressing that this is "more about wanting to meet IMF and World Bank's expectations."

"We are not here because of others, but because of our citizens," Dačić said, adding that "the state did not go bankrupt even when it was at war, and it certainly will not go bankrupt now."

He told journalists at Belgrade's Sava Centar that economic measures are not short-term, that a restrictive financial policy is needed on the one hand, while on the other the government should see how the country can develop.

The prime minister reiterated that the Sunday meeting with First Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Serb Progressive Party (SNS) Aleksandar Vučić, Minister of Finance and Economy Mlađan Dinkić (URS), and NBS Governor Jorgovanka Tabakovic resulted in an agreement "in some general terms, on what needs to be done in the future."

"We agreed that talks at the level of the entire ruling coalition should continue at the end of the week," he noted, adding that they also agreed that there should be consultations and a meeting with the Fiscal Council, the Council for Economic Recovery and the Social and Economic Council.

"After that, we will start with the adoption of measures at the government session," Dačić said, and noted that the government will "certainly" not have this issue on its agenda this week.

Trade Minister Rasim Ljajić told B92 earlier on Tuesday that today's cabinet meeting was a regular session, and that "economic measures were not supposed to be discussed."

"I expect we will talk about that on Thursday. No measures will be adopted then, instead it will be the beginning of a process that should lead to us harmonizing a final package of measures," he stated.

The government was set to meet on Monday and discuss the state of the country's economy, but the session was canceled and a new one scheduled.

Beta news agency reported earlier that the cabinet would have a set of education sector laws on the agenda. The same source said that the economy was not supposed to be discussed today.

On Monday, PM Ivica Dačić said that the meeting of his cabinet was canceled because there was no time to hold it, and that it was not planned to adopt economic measures during that session.

On Sunday, Dačić, his first deputy, Aleksandar Vučić, and Economy and Finance Minister met to discuss "a strategy of spending cuts," but failed to agree on a policy.

Last week, Agriculture Minister Goran Knežević told a session of the Serbian parliament that "concrete savings measures of the government can be expected starting on Monday."