Outgoing PM: I Will Not Serve as Prime Minister Again

Milos Vucevic (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV)

In a statement for Prva TV, outgoing Prime Minister Milos Vucevic stated that his resignation would be recognized by the National Assembly during the March 4 sitting, after which the 30-day countdown to electing a new Cabinet or holding an election will commence.

“I have to explain to all those anxious worriers that my resignation is not on the day’s agenda because it is not a matter to be discussed, merely recognized. That will be done at the end of the sitting, once all other agenda items are concluded. Were [my resignation] to be recognized at the beginning [of the sitting] the government would immediately earn the status of caretaker and then any discussion of the agenda items would be illegal because a caretaker government has no right to propose laws,” Vucevic explained.

The outgoing PM went on to say that after the Assembly recognizes his resignation, consultations with President Aleksandar Vucic will be held to determine whether the ruling party has the majority and political will to form a new cabinet, or if a snap election will be called instead.

Vucevic further said that the cabinet has forwarded over 50 bills to the National Assembly, including the draft law on housing loans for young people and a bill on higher education which would enable the fulfillment of one of the demands made by the protesting university students.

The prime minister also expressed his agreement with Vucic’s insistence that at least half of the members of any new cabinet would have to be new themselves, adding that he would most certainly not serve as prime minister designate.

With regards to said potential new cabinet, Vucevic underlined that he is not referring to any kind of interim or expert government – both being options floated by the opposition – and made it clear that neither solution is something the regime would consider or allow.