Vucic: Popovic Meant No Harm, but Shouldn’t Be Judging EU Integration

Vucic(BETA/SASA DJORDJEVIC)

President Aleksandar Vucic on July 29 said he expected that Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and Minister without portfolio responsible for innovation and technological development Nenad Popovic would talk out their “verbal conflict,” noting that Brnabic enjoyed his full confidence.

Speaking to reporters in army barracks Mija Stanimirovic in Nis, Vucic said he expected the conflict to be resolved, noting he believed that Popovic did not intend to cause any harm.

“It is not up to Popovic to assess whether the Brussels agreement is ‘dead’ or whether we are through with EU integrations. He, as a political party leader, is entitled to express his opinion, but as a cabinet minister – making assessments is outside his remit,” Vucic said.

He added that Popovic should have consulted with Brnabic before going public.

Vucic also noted that this matter should be handled by the prime minister and that he was only presenting his opinion.

On July 27, Popovic stated that the Brussels agreement “is dead” and that Serbia’s EU membership “is no longer an option.” Commenting on the statement, Brnabic said that it was at odds with the government’s policy.

The prime minister stressed that each minister was obliged to comply with the agreed policy, noting that those unable to do so “are free to leave the Serbian cabinet.”

On July 28, Popovic’s Serbian People’s Party issued a release saying it was ready to leave the Serbian government if someone was bothered with the fact that the party “defends Kosovo and the Serbian Constitution, wishes to further strengthen relations with Russia and China, insists on not giving up even one inch of Serbia’s territory, and does not allow for Serbs to be labeled as a genocidal nation for the sake of EU integrations.”

“Let them dismiss Minister Popovic and tell the citizens that he has been replaced for protecting Kosovo according to the Constitution and U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244 and for honoring oath of office, which all the ministers took, to uphold the Constitution, under which the whole of Kosovo, every inch of its territory, is under Serbia’s roof,” the party said in the statement.