The National Assembly of Serbia sitting , Belgrade , April 15 2025 (BETAPHOTO/Milos Miskov)
The National Assembly of Serbia sitting where MPs are set to discuss the new cabinet commenced just after 10 a.m. on April 15, with an introductory speech by Prime Minister-designate Djuro Macut.
In attendance are the ministerial nominees as well as representatives of the ruling coalition, while the present opposition comprises the People’s Movement of Serbia, the Freedom and Justice Party, the Green-Left Front, the Serbia Centre (SRCE) party and the Movement of Free Citizens.
MPs of the NADA coalition – consisting of the New Democratic Party of Serbia and the Movement for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Serbia – along with representatives of the Democratic Party have chosen not to attend the sitting.
Macut previously submitted to Parliament his new cabinet proposal, including the biographies of his nominees, retaining the 31 ministries of the body’s previous iteration.
According to Macut’s proposal, ten ministers from the previous cabinet – helmed by Milos Vucevic – are set to be replaced. Among the new faces who have no prior ministerial experience are Dejan Vuk Stankovic, a professor of the Belgrade University School for Teachers nominated as minister of education, Nenad Vujic, nominated as justice minister, and academician Bela Balint, who has been nominated as minister of science, technological development and innovation.
The proposed new minister of agriculture, forestry and water economy is Dragan Glamocic, while Sara Pavkov is the candidate for minister of the environment, Aleksandra Sofronijevic has been nominated as minister of construction, transportation and infrastructure and Jagoda Lazarevic is the nominee for minister of domestic and foreign trade.
The last three new names are Snezana Paunovic, the proposed new minister of state and local administration, Demo Berisa, as minister of human and minority rights and social dialogue and Boris Bratina, the nominee for information and telecommunications minister.
Sinisa Mali has been named as the new main deputy prime minister and should keep his role as minister of finance, while the other deputy prime ministers proposed are Ivica Dacic and Andrijana Mesarovic, who have both been proposed to retain their seats as interior minister and justice minister respectively.
Among other officials set to transition to the new cabinet are Mining and Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic, Defense Minister Bratislav Gasic, Foreign Minister Marko Djuric, Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar and Minister of Culture Nikola Selakovic.
Macut’s proposal also envisages Zoran Gajic staying on as minister of sport, Milan Krkobabic continuing as minister of rural conservation, Husein Memic retaining his position as minister of tourism and youth and Darko Glisic again serving as minister of public investments.
A few previous ministers have been nominated to different roles, such as Milica Djurdjevic Stamenkovski, who has been nominated as minister of labor, employment, veterans and social affairs, while her previous post as minister of family and demographics should go to Jelena Zaric Kovacevic, who served as minister of state and local administration in Vucevic’s government. Former employment minister Nemanja Starovic has been nominated as minister of European integrations.
Lastly, Macut has proposed that Novica Toncev, Djordje Milicevic, Usame Zukorlic, Nenad Popovic and Tatjana Macura continue working as ministers without portfolio.
The most prominent names absent from Macut’s proposal are former PM Milos Vucevic, deputy PM Aleksandar Vulin, education minister Slavica Djukic Dejanovic, justice minister Maja Popovic and minister of the environment Irena Vujovic.
The new cabinet also does not include former agricultural minister Aleksandar Martinovic, human and minority rights minister Tomislav Zigmanovic, European integrations minister Tanja Miscevic, information and telecommunications minister Dejan Ristic and science minister Jelena Begovic.
Replaced as well are Goran Vesic, who will no longer serve as minister of construction, and Tomislav Momirovic, former trade minister, who resigned following the collapse of the concrete overhang on the newly-renovated central railway station in Novi Sad, which killed 16 on Nov. 1, 2024.
Following a parliamentary debate on all candidates and the cabinet’s new program, the date will be set for voting on the new PM, cabinet and cabinet program. The deadline for the vote is April 18.
The National Assembly recognized outgoing PM Milos Vucevic’s resignation on March 19, which he handed in on Jan. 28 claiming he felt responsible for the attack members of his party – the Serbian Progressive Party, of which he is president – levied on Jan. 27 against a protester. The young woman, a student of the University of Novi Sad and one of many who took to the streets following the Nov. 1. accident, was grievously injured in the assault.
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