Parties debate possibility of govt. reshuffle

BELGRADE The Serb Progressive Party (SNS) will analyze the work of its ministers in the coming days, head of the SNS parliamentary group Veroljub Arsic announced. He added that a government reshuffle will certainly take place, but that this is not the right moment for early parliamentary elections. Parties debate possibility of govt. reshuffle "The SNS, as the largest party in the ruling coalition, wants to set an example when it comes to ministers and reshuffle, so in the next 10-15 days, we will have a meeting of the Main Board to discuss reports of our ministers, and based on that we will deliver decisions whether some should be replaced or remain in the offices,” Arsic said at a roundtable discussion entitled “Government Reshuffle - Necessity or Test for Coalition?” organized by Tanjug on Friday. Arsic noted that the government reshuffle is not an unusual thing, although Serbia had just one so-called reshuffle in the last 14-15 years. “We think that reshuffles are always good, and that the people who are serving as ministers, if that becomes common practice, will then perform their duties in a more responsible way, as they are becoming increasingly aware that that they could be relieved of their duties any time,” Arsic explained. The SNS also wants to encourage the coalition partners to do a similar analysis concerning ministers from their parties, he added. This is not a political moment for calling early parliamentary elections, Arsic said, adding that in case that happens nevertheless, the SNS is always ready for elections and will run in them. The ruling coalition is led by the SNS, Socialist Party of Serbia and the United Regions of Serbia. (Tanjug) "Reshuffle if government will be more efficient" Branko Ruzic, leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) group in the national parliament, said Friday that the party has no problem with a government reshuffle if it will lead to more efficient realization of its goals, but sees no reason to schedule early parliamentary elections at the moment. "For the government of Prime Minister (Ivica) Dacic, it is important to realize essential goals. When we talk about statebuilding and socio-economic issues, I do not see that the people in charge of realizing those goals have made any mistakes. Maybe they could have done more, but this does not mean they should be replaced," Ruzic said during Tanjug's roundtable. Ruzic notes that if personnel changes are made, they should not be cosmetic, but should result in even more efficient realization of the set goals. Asked whether the SPS will analyze the performance of its ministers, Ruzic said the fact the prime minister is from the SPS guarantees that ministers from this, as well as other parties, are under constant evaluation by the prime minister. As far as parliamentary elections, Ruzic recalled they are called when support for the ruling coalition drops below 126 MPs, which has not happened, so he sees no reason for talk of early elections. "I do not see what they would bring in terms of political stability, considering the fact the Kosovo Gordian Knot is slowly unraveling and we are simultaneously working towards our European goals," said Ruzic. While the SPS never shies away from elections, they would bring a stop to or delay some processes which are of vital importance to the people. The ruling coalition in Serbia is headed by the Serb Progressive Party, the SPS and the United Regions of Serbia. DS favors early elections Borislav Stefanovic, the head of the parliamentary group of the Democratic Party (DS), expects a government reshuffle, but also early parliamentary elections by late autumn. In a roundtable discussion entitled “Government Reshuffle - Necessity or Test for Coalition”organized by Tanjug News Agency, Stefanovic underscored that elections are always a better solution than a government reshuffle. “I think that a government reshuffle will certainly take place, if Vucic decides that, and that it will be aimed at buying time and trying to stabilize the circumstances, and that one could expect that the ruling structures will make a decision to hold early elections by late autumn,” Stefanovic said. Stefanovic mentioned some developments that will eventually lead to the calling of early elections: increasingly bad economic situation in the country, the fact that the anti-corruption fight will have to go on in all directions, which will create big problems within the ruling coalition. The DS MP is of the opinion that government reshuffles, including the one of the Cvetkovic cabinet, always fell short of expectations, especially when the country is in the difficult economic and social situation. “The replacement of certain ministers, unless some Nobel prize winner were brought to run the economy, could not give some real result. For instance, when you reconstruct a house, you have to have solid foundations, and that is not the case here,” Stefanovic said. LDP for elections, against reshuffle After June and the formal achievement of the starting date for the EU membership talks, Serbia should call early parliamentary elections, Bojan Djuric, official of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), stated on Friday. “The reshuffle would be a palliative method which would not resolve anything in Serbia at the moment,” Djuric said at Tanjug's round table dubbed "Government reshuffle - necessity or a test for the coalition". Djuric said that an efficient reshuffle is highly unlikely since there is no accordance between Prime Minister Ivica Dacic's expose and the government's operation over the last year. “I do not see how the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) will analyze the work of its ministers. The assessment of the government's work and adherence to the expose first can and must be done by the deputy prime minister and not each of the parties individually,” Djuric said. Djuric said that there are protected ministers in the government taking Deputy Prime Minister Jovan Krkobabic as an example, adding that this means that the new government will not change its policy in terms of pensions, which is a problem of the Serbian budget amounting to EUR 2.5 billion. “It is completely clear that this government has realized the sole goal that has brought these parties together - toppling the previous government and making (former Serbia President Boris) Tadic retire. There are no potentials in the ruling coalition to implement the measures,” Djuric said. The ruling coalition is headed by the SNS, the Socialist Party of Serbia and the United Regions of Serbia. Tanjug

Parties debate possibility of govt. reshuffle

"The SNS, as the largest party in the ruling coalition, wants to set an example when it comes to ministers and reshuffle, so in the next 10-15 days, we will have a meeting of the Main Board to discuss reports of our ministers, and based on that we will deliver decisions whether some should be replaced or remain in the offices,” Arsić said at a roundtable discussion entitled “Government Reshuffle - Necessity or Test for Coalition?” organized by Tanjug on Friday.

Arsić noted that the government reshuffle is not an unusual thing, although Serbia had just one so-called reshuffle in the last 14-15 years.

“We think that reshuffles are always good, and that the people who are serving as ministers, if that becomes common practice, will then perform their duties in a more responsible way, as they are becoming increasingly aware that that they could be relieved of their duties any time,” Arsić explained.

The SNS also wants to encourage the coalition partners to do a similar analysis concerning ministers from their parties, he added.

This is not a political moment for calling early parliamentary elections, Arsić said, adding that in case that happens nevertheless, the SNS is always ready for elections and will run in them.

The ruling coalition is led by the SNS, Socialist Party of Serbia and the United Regions of Serbia.

"Reshuffle if government will be more efficient"

Branko Ružić, leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) group in the national parliament, said Friday that the party has no problem with a government reshuffle if it will lead to more efficient realization of its goals, but sees no reason to schedule early parliamentary elections at the moment.

"For the government of Prime Minister (Ivica) Dačić, it is important to realize essential goals. When we talk about statebuilding and socio-economic issues, I do not see that the people in charge of realizing those goals have made any mistakes. Maybe they could have done more, but this does not mean they should be replaced," Ružić said during Tanjug's roundtable.

Ružić notes that if personnel changes are made, they should not be cosmetic, but should result in even more efficient realization of the set goals.

Asked whether the SPS will analyze the performance of its ministers, Ružić said the fact the prime minister is from the SPS guarantees that ministers from this, as well as other parties, are under constant evaluation by the prime minister.

As far as parliamentary elections, Ružić recalled they are called when support for the ruling coalition drops below 126 MPs, which has not happened, so he sees no reason for talk of early elections.

"I do not see what they would bring in terms of political stability, considering the fact the Kosovo Gordian Knot is slowly unraveling and we are simultaneously working towards our European goals," said Ružić.

While the SPS never shies away from elections, they would bring a stop to or delay some processes which are of vital importance to the people.

The ruling coalition in Serbia is headed by the Serb Progressive Party, the SPS and the United Regions of Serbia.

DS favors early elections

Borislav Stefanović, the head of the parliamentary group of the Democratic Party (DS), expects a government reshuffle, but also early parliamentary elections by late autumn.

In a roundtable discussion entitled “Government Reshuffle - Necessity or Test for Coalition”organized by Tanjug News Agency, Stefanović underscored that elections are always a better solution than a government reshuffle.

“I think that a government reshuffle will certainly take place, if Vučić decides that, and that it will be aimed at buying time and trying to stabilize the circumstances, and that one could expect that the ruling structures will make a decision to hold early elections by late autumn,” Stefanović said.

Stefanović mentioned some developments that will eventually lead to the calling of early elections: increasingly bad economic situation in the country, the fact that the anti-corruption fight will have to go on in all directions, which will create big problems within the ruling coalition.

The DS MP is of the opinion that government reshuffles, including the one of the Cvetkovic cabinet, always fell short of expectations, especially when the country is in the difficult economic and social situation.

“The replacement of certain ministers, unless some Nobel prize winner were brought to run the economy, could not give some real result. For instance, when you reconstruct a house, you have to have solid foundations, and that is not the case here,” Stefanović said.

LDP for elections, against reshuffle

After June and the formal achievement of the starting date for the EU membership talks, Serbia should call early parliamentary elections, Bojan Đurić, official of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), stated on Friday.

“The reshuffle would be a palliative method which would not resolve anything in Serbia at the moment,” Đurić said at Tanjug's round table dubbed "Government reshuffle - necessity or a test for the coalition".

Đurić said that an efficient reshuffle is highly unlikely since there is no accordance between Prime Minister Ivica Dacic's expose and the government's operation over the last year.

“I do not see how the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) will analyze the work of its ministers. The assessment of the government's work and adherence to the expose first can and must be done by the deputy prime minister and not each of the parties individually,” Đurić said.

Đurić said that there are protected ministers in the government taking Deputy Prime Minister Jovan Krkobabic as an example, adding that this means that the new government will not change its policy in terms of pensions, which is a problem of the Serbian budget amounting to EUR 2.5 billion.

“It is completely clear that this government has realized the sole goal that has brought these parties together - toppling the previous government and making (former Serbia President Boris) Tadic retire. There are no potentials in the ruling coalition to implement the measures,” Đurić said.

The ruling coalition is headed by the SNS, the Socialist Party of Serbia and the United Regions of Serbia.