The yesterday’s announcement of formation of the new Vučić’s government aroused severe reactions from internal opposition and interest from the foreign press.
The political movement “Dosta je bilo” (Enough is Enough) believes that a parliamentary session at which the new government will be elected will be held in the valuation of the Constitution and for this reason the leader of the movement asked to postpone the parliamentary session to the next week.
“Dosta je bilo” pointed out that the Speaker of National Assembly Maja Gojković had sent a letter to the parliamentary group DJB only ten minutes before the expiration of 24 hours, a lapse of time that deputies have, by law, at their disposal to add items to the agenda. “In the letter that was sent it is not stated any reason that explains why the parliamentary session was called in such a short notice and why the deputies weren’t informed in writing about it”, this is additionally pointed out in the press release of the movement DJB.
In addition, Prime Minister designate Aleksandar Vučić is accused of being interested only in the presidential elections and of “playing with the Parliament, humiliating this institution”.
“Not having any plan for this government, he has put on a show so that the smallest possible number of people could hear the criticism. The government that will be comprised by Vučić will have no future, but it will ensure to its Prime Minister the best position in the future presidential elections at which he will run as a candidate”, it is said in the press release of the movement DJB.
The President of the Democratic Party (DS) Bojan Pajtić shares this point of view and confirms that “the new Serbian government will have as its main goal to preserve Aleksandar Vučić’s rating, while its formation shows that the life of Serbian citizens won’t be any better than it is now”. The leader of the Democratic Party added that “in Serbia, there is only one man, while his ministers are only the executors of his orders”. Pajtić doesn’t spare criticism and accusations, claiming that “the government led by Vučić has reduced pensions and salaries, pledged secret and harmful contracts for the amount of 900 million dinars, shown the lack of the rule of law in the case of Savamala and additionally, through the composition of this government, he tried to stifle the liberty of speech in the media.
The Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) believes that the new government will follow the same path of the previous one regarding the program, but also regarding not maintained promises.
DSS said that “there is no doubt that the extension of the personal power of Vučić and of the politics subjected to the interests of EU and the United States is the only reason why the preliminary elections had were held”. There is no other explanation, besides the political one, that would show why, despite of the elections, the government will be led by the same man and comprised of the same parties”.
“They announced that they will form a new government in a short period of time, but instead we have waited for this to happen more than 100 days after the elections. This is another promise made by Vučić that wasn’t fulfilled. Also the promise that this government will be reduced in number and that it will be more efficient wasn’t kept, because the Prime Minister designate proposed 3 ministers without Portfolio”, concludes the public statement of DSS.
A gay minister in the new government: international clamor
One of the important historical aspects related to the formation of the new Vučić’s government is the nomination of Ana Brnabić as Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, whose sexual orientation is well-known and revealed to the public. For the first time Serbia will have one openly gay minister and this news has aroused interest both in the local public and in the regional and international media.
The US agency AP stated that the new Vučić’s government comprised a gay Minister, and that this is the first time for this to happen in “this conservative country in the Balkans” adding that Serbia promised to strengthen the human rights of the gay population during the accession process to the EU.
The French agency AFP quoted the statement of Vučić who, welcoming the minister to the government, said that he “is not interested in personal sexual orientation of Ana Brnabić”. Regarding Serbia and other countries in the Balkans, the AFP talks about climate of widespread homophobia and the pressure under which Belgrade would be put in order to improve and ensure the protection of the human rights of the LGBT community.
The Italian agency ANSA points out that this represents “a complete change for Serbia and for the rest of the Balkans.
(Blic, Tanjug 08.08.2016)
This post is also available in: Italiano