The Serbian Parliament will continue its debate on a no-confidence motion against the government on Wednesday at 10:00, following a session marked by heated discussions over several controversial issues, including comments by Minister Snežana Paunović regarding “ethnic cleansing” and criticism of Prime Minister Đuro Macut’s performance.
At the end of Tuesday’s debate, Macut rejected opposition claims that he had failed as a professor, doctor, and politician, saying he has worked every day from 6:15 a.m. until midnight for the past 15 months.
“You in this chamber receive salaries; I do not know whether you work elsewhere, but the discussion over the past two days has shown that this is a meaningless waste of time for us and for all citizens who are listening,” Macut told lawmakers, while counting the number of opposition MPs present during the session.
His remarks prompted a reaction from Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić, who said the prime minister should not speak in such a manner about lawmakers who are carrying out parliamentary oversight of the government.
Macut said the no-confidence debate had been characterized by “general statements,” “bad intentions,” and “a cacophony with a lot of noise,” arguing that the discussion lacked substance.
“Citizens of Serbia will decide whether I have failed as prime minister, based on what they hear and on this circus atmosphere that raises emotions,” Macut said.
Opposition lawmaker Aleksandar Jovanović of the Ecological Uprising also addressed the session, continuing to seek answers from Macut over whether he had lunch with Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) official Miloš Vučević at the “27” restaurant in Belgrade’s Senjak district, one day after the murder of Aleksandar Nešović.
“Dačić, why don’t you inform Macut not to have lunch at that restaurant, the blood has not even dried yet,” Jovanović said.
Interior Minister Ivica Dačić supported a proposal made in parliament to introduce testing for psychoactive substances, saying police could assist in implementing such measures.
During the session, Dačić also responded to claims that an active police officer had congratulated the birthday of a person convicted for the assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić, saying the officer had been assigned to protect the U.S. ambassador.
Commenting on Paunović’s controversial remarks about ethnic cleansing, Dačić defended the minister, saying she had “gone through what one goes through on Goli Otok,” while comparing former Serbian President Slobodan Milošević to Mahatma Gandhi.
