Serbia: Greens and other opposition members call for transitional government with popular trust

The protests in Serbia began when 15 people died after a shelter collapsed at a train station in Novi Sad. Protesters accuse the authorities of corruption and authoritarianism. Despite the resignation of Prime Minister Miloš Vučević, the student-led movement has spread to more than 200 cities. To this end, the Serbian Green Party, Zeleno-Levi Front, together with the opposition members of parliament, presented a concept for the establishment of a transitional government of popular trust, whose core mandate is to ensure the minimum conditions necessary for the implementation of student demands and the holding of fair and honest elections. This transitional government will last up to nine months and will have specific missions.

The Green Party’s parliamentary representative, Biljana Đorđević, stated that one of the government’s elements is urgent action by all executive authorities, in accordance with their responsibilities and demands, to prevent any executive pressure on the judiciary as part of the disintegration process.

Đorđević reiterated that the organization of free and fair elections requires revising the voter register and amending electoral laws to prevent the abuses observed so far. Furthermore, the adoption of the law on the revision of the electoral roll, proposed by the CRTA, is essential. “It is necessary to create the conditions for free declaration by citizens and to punish those who violate the basic rules of the profession,” added opposition representatives at a press conference.

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Regarding the composition of the government, the Green Party, along with other members of the parliamentary opposition political parties and socio-political movements, are jointly proposing candidates for the position of Prime Minister.
The latter must be a non-partisan figure, on whom all stakeholders in the Assembly can reach an agreement. The departments responsible for areas necessary to meet demands and hold elections cannot be entrusted to representatives of the current government. This is a call for the establishment of a broad social consensus around a government of popular trust and candidates for the position of Prime Minister, or minister, who, with their expertise within the government and the support of all, could ensure the restoration of trust in the country’s institutions.

These ministerial candidates, in addition to their expertise, should be free to appoint their close collaborators in order to implement the necessary reforms in such a short timeframe, they added.

“This is an invitation we extend not only to the remaining parliamentary parties, but also to the general public and the academic community, to support the best candidates so that they accept this position, and then, it doesn’t matter what their political affiliation is, if we all support them,” Biljana Đorđević declared on behalf of everyone.

According to Vreme, an opposition weekly, the demonstration in Serbia nevertheless revealed the depth of the crisis rocking the regime of Aleksandar Vucic, who has ruled the country since 2014, first as prime minister and then as president.