BELGRADE, Aug 21 (Hina) - Serbia's Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic has described as "inquisition-style" the attempt of Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica's Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) to topple the Serbian government, saying
"now is not the time to talk about a government reshuffle." The crisis erupted after the DSS withdrew a deputy PM, a minister, and several deputy and assistant ministers from the Serbian government. The DSS said it did not want to be part of a government which was "deceiving citizens" and was "unable to fight crime." The DSS' decision was spurred by mutual accusations between Kostunica's party and Djindjic's Democratic Party (DP) over a scandal which erupted after the mysterious murder of a former official at the Serbian state security service, Miomir Gavrilovic. After an emergency government session today, Djindjic demanded clearing the accusations against the Serbian government "or the
BELGRADE, Aug 21 (Hina) - Serbia's Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic
has described as "inquisition-style" the attempt of Yugoslav
President Vojislav Kostunica's Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) to
topple the Serbian government, saying "now is not the time to talk
about a government reshuffle."
The crisis erupted after the DSS withdrew a deputy PM, a minister,
and several deputy and assistant ministers from the Serbian
government. The DSS said it did not want to be part of a government
which was "deceiving citizens" and was "unable to fight crime."
The DSS' decision was spurred by mutual accusations between
Kostunica's party and Djindjic's Democratic Party (DP) over a
scandal which erupted after the mysterious murder of a former
official at the Serbian state security service, Miomir
Gavrilovic.
After an emergency government session today, Djindjic demanded
clearing the accusations against the Serbian government "or there
will no longer be cooperation in the government." "There are no more
compromises," he said.
Djindjic said the Serbian government believed it was "rather
stable," and was "one of few" which after six months in office had
received excellent marks from the International Monetary Fund and
the World Bank.
According to him, clearing the Gavrilovic scandal "is very
important" for relations within the DOS, the ruling coalition in
both Serbia and on the federal, Yugoslav level, as well as for a
possible government reshuffle.
Serbia's Interior Minister Dusan Mihajlovic today refuted DSS'
accusations of a "crime boom" during his mandate. Serbia's police
is "more efficient than in many European countries," he said.
Also today, the DSS said it had forwarded into parliament a package
of bills referring to the judiciary aimed at a more effective battle
against crime and corruption. The package "sets the foundations for
the rule-of-law," said Dejan Mihajlov, the leader of the DSS bench
at the Serbian parliament.
According to the latest statements from the DSS, Kostunica's party,
in a possible Serbian government reshuffle, wants the seats of the
justice and interior ministers.
(hina) ha