Dacic: Gov't Did Not Discuss Sanctions Against Russia

Ivica Dacic, Serbian Foreign Minister (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic has said that at the recent government session "no discussion was led nor were opinions presented" about Economy Minister Rade Basta's proposal to impose sanctions against Russia, while Defense Minister Milos Vucevic said he hoped "any policy of government members beyond the official one will be sanctioned."

Dacic, who is also the leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia, told the March 31 issue of the Kurir newspaper that the government had not discussed that proposal, but rather that "the prime minister (Ana Brnabic) warned the ministers not to voice their own private opinions, which are not in line with state policy."

He added that he had expressed the stance of the Socialist Party of Serbia and its coalition partner United Serbia, which is that they respect the position of the National Security Council, that they condemn the violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity, but are not in favor of imposing sanctions against Russia, as well as that cabinet ministers should not come out with opposite views.

"Enough with the exhibitionists and solo players. They will have elections, so let them run with that policy, rather than say one thing in the campaign and then later tell a completely different story as government members," Vucevic told Kurir regarding the controversial statement by Basta, who became a minister as a member of United Serbia, from the Socialist Party of Serbia - United Serbia ticket.

Basta told the March 30 issue of daily Nova that he did not rule out the possibility of forming a new political organization called The European Path of Serbia and running in elections. When asked how the other ministers at the government session reacted to his proposal to impose sanctions against Russia and to his call to take a stance on the matter, he replied that they "reacted negatively and presented different views."