Radicals continue to hinder parliament

Today’s emergency parliamentary session was once again impeded by the dispute between former and current Radical MPs. Parliament had been due to discuss the dismissal of several judiciary officials. Radicals continue to hinder parliament MPs were also due to discuss nominations for parliamentary secretaries and their deputies. However Serb Radical Party (SRS) MPs managed for the fourth day running to impose a debate on the conflicts in their own party. They accused former SRS deputy leader Tomislav Nikolic and his newly formed Forward Serbia MP club of participating in the attempted murder of Vojislav Seselj at the Hague Tribunal. SRS MPs accused Nikolic of being responsible for the Tribunal Secretariat’s decision yesterday to “ban [Seselj’s] communication with his legal team,” which, they claim is a prelude to the imposition of a defense counsel on the SRS leader. President of the Parliamentary Judicial Board Bosko Ristic, who proposed the motion to discuss the dismissal of judiciary members, joined the session in the afternoon. Opposition MPs had protested earlier today at his absence and insisted that he should appear in parliament, which led to the session being adjourned for 30 minutes. The motion refers to the dismissal of several judiciary officials, judges and prosecutors, at their own request. However, several other officials have been proposed for dismissal because of malpractice or negligence. SRS MPs (FoNet, archive) Radical infighting spills out on to streets Forward Serbia MP Predrag Mijatovic has accused SRS official Srboljub Zivanovic of physically and verbally assaulting him in the street, claims that Zivanovic denies. Mijatovic did not report the incident to the police because, he said, he did not want to get into legal proceedings. He told journalists that after parliament had finished its work yesterday, a few meters from the parliament building, Zivanovic started verbally abusing him, and then tried to hit him in the head, though he was able to dodge the blow . A fight broke out soon after. "No one was injured in the incident, but I have suffered material damage. During the fight my glasses were broken, and many passers-by witnessed it,” Mijatovic said, adding that a fight between MPs set an extremely bad example. Mijatovic thinks that the attack was orchestrated, because Zivanovic insulted fellow Forward Serbia MP Ljiljana Mladenovic and her family too. However, Zivanovic denies the accusations. "I never swore at him, nor did I insult him. The same goes for Mrs. Mladenovic. He is probably feeling guilty for leaving the SRS, and therefore wants to justify himself before the citizens and his family,” Zivanovic said. A cartoon published in Danas newspaper (danas.co.rs)

Radicals continue to hinder parliament

MPs were also due to discuss nominations for parliamentary secretaries and their deputies. However Serb Radical Party (SRS) MPs managed for the fourth day running to impose a debate on the conflicts in their own party.

They accused former SRS deputy leader Tomislav Nikolić and his newly formed Forward Serbia MP club of participating in the attempted murder of Vojislav Šešelj at the Hague Tribunal.

SRS MPs accused Nikolić of being responsible for the Tribunal Secretariat’s decision yesterday to “ban [Šešelj’s] communication with his legal team,” which, they claim is a prelude to the imposition of a defense counsel on the SRS leader.

President of the Parliamentary Judicial Board Boško Ristić, who proposed the motion to discuss the dismissal of judiciary members, joined the session in the afternoon. Opposition MPs had protested earlier today at his absence and insisted that he should appear in parliament, which led to the session being adjourned for 30 minutes.

The motion refers to the dismissal of several judiciary officials, judges and prosecutors, at their own request. However, several other officials have been proposed for dismissal because of malpractice or negligence.

Radical infighting spills out on to streets

Forward Serbia MP Predrag Mijatović has accused SRS official Srboljub Živanović of physically and verbally assaulting him in the street, claims that Živanović denies.

Mijatović did not report the incident to the police because, he said, he did not want to get into legal proceedings.

He told journalists that after parliament had finished its work yesterday, a few meters from the parliament building, Živanović started verbally abusing him, and then tried to hit him in the head, though he was able to dodge the blow . A fight broke out soon after.

"No one was injured in the incident, but I have suffered material damage. During the fight my glasses were broken, and many passers-by witnessed it,” Mijatović said, adding that a fight between MPs set an extremely bad example.

Mijatović thinks that the attack was orchestrated, because Živanović insulted fellow Forward Serbia MP Ljiljana Mladenović and her family too.

However, Živanović denies the accusations.

"I never swore at him, nor did I insult him. The same goes for Mrs. Mladenović. He is probably feeling guilty for leaving the SRS, and therefore wants to justify himself before the citizens and his family,” Živanović said.