Vladimir Obradovic (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC)
Belgrade School of Organizational Sciences Professor Vladimir Obradovic said on May 8 that the five-point plan recently presented by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is not innovative and is an admission of the mistakes the Serbian Progressive Party has made over the past 14 years.
He told the Danas daily that Vucic talks about problems in the electric energy system, but forgets the fact that the authorities he leads have for years been "systematically degrading energy by appointing incompetent and party cadres to key positions."
"Serbian citizens remember well that energy was decided on by people without any relevant competence," said Obradovic.
According to him, where education is concerned Vucic does not see the solution in a better position of teachers and professors, in bigger investment in schools, science and young talent, or in strengthening domestic universities. "He sees the future in further commercializing and selling off a system that should be the foundation of a state's development," said the professor.
Obradovic also criticized Vucic's stance on the European social model that protects workers.
"He is bothered by European regulations that protect workers, limit overtime and give rights to unions. In other words, the Serbian president sees exactly what makes Europe an orderly society - protection of employees, institutions and the dignity of labor - as the problem (...) The kind of Serbia he prefers is not a state of stronger institutions, better education and greater citizen rights, but rather a state of cheap labor, weaker employees' rights and complete subjugation of society to the interests of the authorities," Obradovic said.
He went on to say that the president deals on a daily basis with topics that are not under his constitutional jurisdiction, while the Serbian government exists "only formally."
In an opinion piece for the May 7 issue of the Kurir newspaper, Vucic unveiled a plan for Serbia consisting of five points and said that "courageous and important decisions" needed to be made, referring to a drastic cabinet downsizing and annulment of many agencies, offices and administrations that are a purpose unto themselves but have no essential reason to exist.
He also highlighted an increase in work productivity and changing the complete education system in Serbia as priorities.
Vucic also mentioned "a comprehensive approach to solving all energy issues and problems," including the use of nuclear energy, and an "aggressive" adoption of knowledge and its application in robotics, artificial intelligence and modern technologies.
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