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That the function of the president of the Assembly is humiliation, say those great politicians who cannot skip not three, but one percent of the votes – says Ivica Dacic, president of the National Assembly, in an interview for “Blic”.
He answers our question in such a way that he comments on the assessments that dominate on social media that he was humiliated by the decision to lead the highest legislative body.
– They swear parliamentary democracy, and say that parliament is a humiliation. They are a humiliation both to them and to their few followers, as far as they can tell.
It has long been speculated whether the SPS will be part of the new government. When did you know that cooperation was continuing, when was it agreed?
– All those who speculated about a different outcome were constantly losing sight of the fact that SNS and SPS have been cooperating for eight years, that during that time Serbia has undergone great changes for the better and that the trust of citizens in that alliance is in constant growth. They foresaw it all, they simply did not take into account these two simple and obvious facts: the constant progress of Serbia and the growing support of the citizens. We are always advocating for continued cooperation with the SNS, and their decisions show that they want to continue together, because this alliance is good for Serbia and the evidence of it is all around us. That is the basis of our cooperation, not the count of ministerial positions. The SNS received by far the most support in the elections and did not have to form a coalition with anyone, as in several previous elections. But once again he demonstrated political maturity by inviting us to work together on a great job that we agreed upon several years ago. I have always been convinced that we will continue to cooperate, because I have worked closely with President Vučić for years, I know his views on the future of Serbia and we fully agree on key issues. But it was natural to formally agree to continue cooperation when the organs of the SNS decide on the matter.
Logically, we first discover what you will do in the future. How do you feel about the change?
– If you are serious about politics, you must accept change not only as part of your job, but as an opportunity to be even better. For a good politician, no change is bad. I am looking forward to the new duty, but I also feel a great responsibility towards it, because it is one of the highest functions of the State and, without a doubt, the most important that I have carried out so far. I am very excited before reaching the presidency of the National Assembly and I assure you that from the first day the parliament will function at full speed, there is a lot of work ahead.
What will assuming a new duty mean for your private life? During the past four years, have you been more abroad than here?
– Of course, the family looks forward to my new duty, although there will be trips even now, but to a lesser extent than in the previous six years. During that time, I visited 109 countries and covered 1,403,911 kilometers and, most importantly, not a single day, not a single kilometer covered was without results for Serbia. That is a great satisfaction for me during the time that I was not at home.
Is there any regret for some pending issues in SMEs?
– Serbia has made great progress in terms of international cooperation in the period when I was minister. We have a close collaboration with all the great world powers, frequent meetings, through joint projects, without forgetting the European Union or the neighbors with whom we collaborate on a daily basis. Serbia is a completely open country and a desirable partner and friend for everyone, and that is not easy to achieve, nor is it possible in a short time. Although we have renewed our cooperation with several countries that we used to be together in the Non-Aligned Movement, and then we forget about them for no reason, there is still a lot of unused space to cooperate with them. These are great friends from Serbia, from Africa, Asia, the Pacific, they are far away and may seem small and meaningless to us, but the potential for cooperation with them is still huge and not used enough.
Can you tell us which government sanitary and phytosanitary departments they will have?
– It would not be correct for me to announce that, the SNS will say that in a few days, so have a little more patience. It is natural and fair that the strongest party and its president talk about the composition of the future government.
A post-session statement from the MSF Presidency says the decision to continue cooperation with the SNS was unanimously adopted. Still, is there anyone who is not completely satisfied?
– As you said, we made the decision unanimously, so it was after all the previous elections that we declared our cooperation with the SNS and there is no change. We are satisfied with the electoral results, we have won more mandates than we had in the previous call and we will have an even more significant role in the approval of the law. In addition, we will have representatives in the government and the executive branch, so we will continue to implement our program and initiatives, of course, together and in coordination with our partners in the SNS. Who can be dissatisfied with the fact that his party has been stably and convincingly second in strength for years and consistently plays an important role in parliament, government, and political life in general?
Are Branko Ruzic and Aleksandar Antic still ministers?
– Both worked excellently in the previous government and left good results in their departments, and the SNS and President Vučić will say when they will continue in the government and in what places, when they make a decision about it.
What do you think of the third partner in the government, Aleksandar Šapić?
– I believe that we will cooperate well and that the differences that naturally exist between our parties will not affect that cooperation. I respect the decision of President Vučić and the SNS to include the Šapić movement in the work of the government, I believe that this will achieve an even broader front to make decisions that are in front of us, and they will be such that they will seek the greatest possible support. The SPS and I will be, as before, a good and responsible partner in a team that has a common goal.
Were you surprised by the announcement of the parliamentary elections for 2022?
– We are facing a rather difficult period, firstly when it comes to defending ourselves from the Crown epidemic, then protecting our economy and population from the negative consequences of the pandemic, and the fight for the best possible solution for Kosovo and Metohija. The future government and the new parliament will therefore have an extremely difficult job, which they will have to do quickly and, I would say, without mistakes, if we want to go through this turbulent moment without consequences. And that is why holding elections at all levels at the same time, which President Vučić spoke about, makes sense and is fully justified.
Is it your position to have a joint presidential candidate with the SNS and perhaps with the SPAS?
– In the 30 years that the SPS has existed, we have always had our presidential candidate, except in the last elections when we supported the candidacy of Aleksandar Vučić, which speaks volumes about our willingness to work together with him and the SNS to achieve common goals. There is enough time until the next elections to decide how we will act, but whatever the decision, it will aim to lead to the best solution for Serbia and for our citizens. Personally, I am in favor of a joint appearance in the presidential, parliamentary and municipal elections in Belgrade in 2022.
How much easier will your job be because there is no opposition in parliament?
– Do not forget that I am not a newcomer to parliament, I have been a member of parliament for 28 years in each convocation and I know very well how the work of the Assembly is. And don’t blame me for not having many opposition parties in the Assembly. They had the opportunity, the elections were regular, they were able to prepare on time, but they didn’t want to or they weren’t worth enough. We have an Assembly that reflects the will of the people, and that is the most important thing, because that means that the laws that will be passed will have full legitimacy. After all, the European Parliament recently said that its only interlocutor in Serbia is the National Assembly and its constituent parties, so we must put away all those useless stories about the elections and the composition of parliament and get to work. As Speaker of the Assembly, I will give that tone to parliamentary work.
Has Maja Gojković already given you any advice?
– During the handover, we had the opportunity to discuss once again the work of the parliament, but also the general political situation. So far the two of us have had good cooperation and communication about the functions we perform, so it was a conversation between two people who understand the importance of the National Assembly in the entire structure of state institutions, and especially the importance of its efficient work. She will benefit from her experience thus far, and I have offered her support and advice if she needs it in her future business.
VIDEO: Palme’s hilarious speech at the Assembly: Dacic is modest, eats gyros, we barely made him buy three suits when he became minister
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