The Government of Serbia, led by Đuro Macut, marks one year in office today. When, last spring, President Aleksandar Vučić entrusted Macut with the mandate to form a cabinet in Nemanjina, most citizens did not even know who he was – he had been known only within medical and academic circles.
As a non-partisan figure, Macut was expected at the time to help resolve the socio-political crisis, which was at its peak, but he has had little success in doing so. According to observers, the Government has remained in the shadow of Andrićev Venac, and this has never been more evident than in the past 12 months.
Macut assumed the premiership after the previous Prime Minister, Miloš Vučević, resigned following incidents in Novi Sad, when SNS supporters attacked and injured protesting students. University blockades were one of the biggest challenges he faced. He achieved partial success in this area, managing something previously unthinkable for the authorities – sitting down with the academic community, including the Rector of the University of Belgrade, Vladan Đokić, who was then, as now, a regular target of government criticism. At that time, certain solutions were reached on pressing issues, such as quotas for student enrolment.
In other areas, Prime Minister Macut has not stood out significantly. For example, when the energy crisis began due to U.S. sanctions on NIS, the issue was handled by the Ministry of Energy, led by Minister Dubravka Đedović Handanović, in coordination with President Vučić. Similarly, when measures to assist citizens were announced, such as limiting retail margins, these were communicated not by the Government but by the Presidency. One area where the Government did react swiftly and effectively was the recent reduction of excise duties on petroleum products, which helped mitigate the sharp rise in prices.
A particularly notable moment was the so-called thematic Government session at the beginning of the year, during which President Vučić issued a series of criticisms of ministers, specifically highlighting the state of the energy sector, healthcare, and the EU integration process. He then asked Macut to convey to ministers that, if they wished to remain in the Government during such difficult times, there would be no rest – no so-called non-working weekends, from Thursday evening to Monday morning.
“Most ministers are already applying this. Either they will work, or submit an initiative to the Assembly for ministerial dismissals, or I will do it myself. I guarantee I can secure a majority,” Vučić said at the time.
Shortly thereafter, Macut stated that he was dissatisfied with the work of certain ministries and ministers, adding that he was considering a Government reshuffle. He later said that “everyone in the Government is under review,” that he was unhappy with “how some are functioning,” and that he was trying to point this out “sometimes in a sharper tone, sometimes through friendly discussions in the office and at Government sessions.” He noted that he was “generally satisfied with the Government’s pace,” but that greater coordination between ministries was needed, as “two or three may be doing the same thing,” and that there is always room to improve performance.
The issue of a Government reshuffle remains open. Although June has recently been mentioned as a possible date for early elections, the possibility of replacing some ministers while holding elections later in the year has not been ruled out.
Controversial statements and actions instead of results
Rather than for their achievements, some members of the Serbian Government have become known over the past year for controversial actions and statements. Among them is Minister of Education Dejan Vuk Stanković, whose sector has seen the most problems and tensions, which he has addressed through labelling, targeting “undesirables,” and withholding funding.
Minister of Information Boris Bratina has also drawn attention for numerous controversial remarks, insulting parts of the media, calling journalists “idiots,” and speaking about the police’s right to “beat and kill students,” while Minister for Public Investments Darko Glišić recently told citizens on television not to enrol their children in “blockade faculties,” warning they would “return in coffins.”
Ahead of the anniversary of Macut government, the Serbian National Assembly was expected to discuss its performance. Parliamentary Speaker Ana Brnabić scheduled a session on confidence in the Government at the opposition’s request, but there was no quorum yesterday, nor today.
“A government of damage control”
Political consultant Vladimir Dobrosavljević told NIN that this is essentially a “government of damage control,” as the authorities had previously sacrificed Miloš Vučević’s Government due to significant public pressure and dissatisfaction following the Novi Sad tragedy.
“As such, this Government was not designed to have serious capacity or to pursue any kind of strategic policy. This is evident from Serbia’s positioning in foreign policy frameworks amid global developments – from U.S.–Iran tensions, to events in Ukraine, to the conflict in Gaza. We see a loss of any strategic foreign policy orientation and a transfer of that role to the President. At the same time, Serbia is facing an increasingly difficult economic and social situation, and over the past year, we have witnessed not only the disciplining of state universities but also the creation of quasi-state institutions, such as the Faculty of Serbian Studies in Niš. All this indicates that the executive lacks any real strategy and is instead trying to consolidate its own ranks and demonstrate, primarily to its voters, that it still controls key processes in the country,” Dobrosavljević said.
He added that while it had long been evident that the Government operates in the shadow of Andrićev Venac, it is now “fully exposed that state policy is conducted from the Presidency – not only in foreign affairs, but also in security, the economy, education, and science.” Asked how realistic a Government reshuffle followed by elections later this year would be, he said this would depend entirely on external geopolitical developments affecting the region.
“We have recently seen, both in the media and on social networks, surprisingly nervous reactions from government representatives and pro-regime figures following the elections in Hungary, which are not particularly significant in themselves. This speaks volumes about the regime’s dependence on foreign policy processes and external factors influencing our region. The decision on elections will depend exclusively on that,” he concluded.
Prime Minister: Proud of Achievements
Prime Minister Macut issued a statement today noting that the Government’s work has focused on major systemic issues of direct importance to citizens, rather than day-to-day politics. He emphasised that efforts have been directed towards creating conditions for long-term and sustainable changes, the full effects of which are yet to become apparent.
He also stated that, in a time of major global challenges and complex domestic circumstances, the Government has remained firmly committed to preserving Serbia’s stability, implementing reforms, and strengthening its international position. According to him, “macroeconomic stability has been preserved above all, despite numerous challenges in Europe and worldwide.” Serbia, he added, has further strengthened its international standing through intensified diplomatic activity, aimed at renewing old and building new partnerships.
Special emphasis, Macut noted, has been placed on strengthening institutional accountability and improving system efficiency.
“There has been an increased focus on the accountability of officeholders, the work of institutions, and better coordination between ministries, in order to make decision-making faster, more efficient, and fully aligned with the interests of the citizens of Serbia,” the Prime Minister said.
(NIN, 17.04.2026)
https://www.nin.rs/politika/vesti/110280/godinu-dana-vlade-srbije-premijer-duro-macut