Keepin touch

Whether you have a question, comment, suggestion or any problem in the purview of the government, send us your message and we will try to respond as soon as possible. If your problem is not in our purview, we will forward your message to the relevant institution.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Strong coordination within the government crucial for success of ongoing reforms

Belgrade, 25 August 2005

Serbian Minister of Economy Predrag Bubalo said today that the dismissal of the leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Nebojsa Covic, from his positions in the Serbian government, as well as the government's recommendation to the Council of Ministers for the dismissal of the head of the Information Directorate, Slobodan Orlic, is a consequence of their politically irresponsible behaviour at the moment of great importance for the state.

Speaking at a press conference held after the Serbian government's session, Minister Bubalo explained that the government's programme is binding for all members of the ruling coalition. He said that it is normal that certain programme differences exist during the preparation of a law, but that they must cease to exist after the adoption procedure has been completed.

According to Bubalo, the Serbian government achieved all its goals in the first year and a half. Many important political issues are yet to be solved, such as the negotiations on EU association scheduled to begin in autumn, the resolution of the Kosovo status, and the status of the state union.

Bearing in mind all open issues the government must deal with, it is nationally and politically irresponsible to bring into question the government's work, especially if the attacks come from within the government itself, stressed Bubalo.

Minister Bubalo said that other members of SDP will have an opportunity to declare whether they support the programme and policy of the Serbian government, which will determine whether they will remain in their positions within the government or not.

Bubalo said that the government adopted a proposal of a decree on distribution of funds collected through games of chance, to be used for financing the local self-government. A total of 180 million dinars will be allocated to underdeveloped local self-governments, in line with criteria set in the decree.

Serbian Minister of International Economic Relations Milan Parivodic said that the government has a clear reform goal with two priorities: the launching and conclusion of the negotiations on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU and the conclusion of the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

There must be no obstacles that could prevent us from achieving our goals, Parivodic said, and that is why strong coordination within the government is needed.

Parivodic voiced satisfaction that Serbian Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Policy Slobodan Lalovic, although a member of SDP, remained committed to the Serbian government's policy, just as his deputy minister, Vlatko Sekulovic, also an SDP member, has done.