Serbia: The new government was elected – Prime Minister Ana Brnabic in favor of European integration

The new government of Serbia proposed by acting Prime Minister Ana Brnabic received a vote of confidence from the parliament. Out of a total of 250 MPs, 157 MPs voted for the government while 68 voted against it.

It is a coalition government of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and the Socialist Party (SPS) which has the support of minority parties. The new government structure consists of 28 ministries of which three will be without portfolio.

Interestingly, the new government excluded ministers from the previous government who openly called for Serbia to follow a pro-Western policy and impose sanctions on Russia.

On the other hand, Socialist leader Ivica Dacic, who maintains close relations with Moscow and during the pre-election period supported Putin’s arguments for invading Ukraine, returned to the government as foreign minister.

In her keynote address, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic set the country’s European perspective, the dialogue with Kosovo, and dealing with the energy crisis and the challenges created by the war in Ukraine as priorities.

Ms. Brnabic pointed out that European integration remains a strategic goal, underlining that the EU is Serbia’s most important economic partner.

“Stability, prosperity and better connectivity for the entire region could only be achieved if we belong to the family of European nations.

We often resent the European Union for some things, but a united Europe remains the most successful peace plan in the world. “Serbia’s ultimate strategic destination is within the European Union,” Ana Brnabic pointed out in her speech.

On the issue of Kosovo, the Serbian prime minister declared her commitment to dialogue and called on the EU to put pressure on Pristina to allow the establishment of the Union of Serbian Municipalities agreed ten years ago under the Brussels treaty.

Ana Brnabic made it clear that in today’s parliament the recognition of Kosovo’s independence “is not going to pass”.

Speaking about Kosovo, Ana Brnabic pointed out the need to respect international law by indirectly referring to Ukraine.

“We ask everyone to show respect for our territorial integrity as an internationally recognized state, in the same way that today, quite rightly, they defend the integrity of other internationally recognized states,” Brnabitz said, drawing prolonged applause from the ruling coalition MPs.

In the war in Ukraine, Ana Brnabic attributed the characteristics of a global conflict where – as she said – emotions prevailed over logic and estimated that in the future energy and food security will be the biggest problems for humanity.

The prime minister of Serbia in her keynote speech avoided referring to the position her government will take on the demand that Serbia harmonize its foreign policy with the policy of the European Union and impose sanctions on Russia. Ana Brnabic made no mention of relations with Moscow or the possibility of revising her stance on the issue of sanctions.

It is noted that Serbia along with Belarus are the only countries in Europe that did not impose sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Interest from the meeting for the election of the new government was caused by the image from the gallery of foreign diplomats in the parliament where on one side sat all the ambassadors of foreign countries including China and the USA and on the other side, alone, sat the ambassador of Alexander Bokan-Herchenko of Russia.

Parliamentary elections in Serbia were held on April 3, 2022. Ana Brnabic takes over for a third term as Prime Minister of the country. The first time was in 2017 and the second in 2020.

RES-EMP

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