Vučić: Progressive Party has majority in parliament

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said that the Serbian Progressive Party, of which he is the leader, informed him that it had a majority in the Serbian parliament on Monday, but that it remained uncertain who would be in the new cabinet.

The Progressive party “informed me today that they already have a majority of 130 to 160 seats in the parliament. I asked them to inform me when they conclude talks so I can entrust the mandate to the person put forward by the Serbian Progressive Party, per my constitutional authority,” Vučić said after consultations about the new cabinet.

Vučić said cooperation to date between the Progressives and the Socialist Party of Serbia, led by outgoing Speaker Ivica Dačić, had been successful and that talks were continuing. He added that the premier-designate would be determined once the new parliament is inaugurated and once he has assurances about the ruling majority.

He added that the representatives of ethnic Albanian parties had said they wanted regional integration, but not national government participation.

The League of Vojvodina Hungarians will continue to cooperate with the government, as will the Mufti’s Legacy ticket, which mostly brings together Bosniaks from Sandzak, Vučić said, adding that he had good talks with the Croat minority, too.

Vučić went on to state that the rightist Oath-Keepers, Dveri (Doors) and New Democratic Party of Serbia had mostly insisted on the issue of Kosovo and that they would be in the opposition, as would the Freedom and Justice Party ticket headed by Marinika Tepić, but he remained vague on the monarchist Kingdom of Serbia Renewal Movement.

Of the remaining parties that passed the threshold in the 3 April general elections, the People’s Party and the Democratic Party — both part of the United for the Victory of Serbia coalition, have announced that they would not participate in the negotiations regarding the new premier-designate, while the Freedom and Justice Party stated that it would.

Ahead of the talks, the green-leftist We Must coalition and its member, the environmental Don’t Let Belgrade Drown movement, both stated they would not participate in the consultations.

(EURACTIV.rs | betabriefing.com)