Serbia’s existential puzzle: Just who is a minister?

IS Vuk Draskovic still foreign minister even though the country that appointed him no longer exists? How long will Defence Minister Zoran Stankovic also be in political limbo? Serbia has been through so many unscripted political changes over the past few months that no one is sure what the status of several cabinet posts really is.

“Every week journalists ask me if I am a minister or if I am not a minister, am I allowed to do some things or am I not allowed to do some things,” Stankovic complained last week. “The ministry of defence has not been incorporated into the Serbian government for five months now, and this creates some difficulties for us.”Stankovic and Draskovic were ministers of the union of Serbia and Montenegro.This was dissolved in June when Montenegro declared independence, ending a 90-year partnership and completing the breakup of Yugoslavia.Both stayed on as ministers of Serbia but have still not been endorsed by parliament.And they are not likely to be now, because a general election is expected to be called any minute and a new parliament may be sitting by January.Stankovic discussed his difficult position when answering questions about Serbia’s favourite subject of debate: “Where’s Mladic?” He said he was unable to fire an official who may not have done enough to track down war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic because his authority was partly in suspension.Stankovic and Draskovic are not the only ones waiting for the election to resolve their status.There are four more ministers who are neither here nor there.Finance Minister Mladjan Dinkic, who heads the liberal G17 Plus party in the governing coalition, submitted his resignation at the beginning of October along with the G17 ministers of health and agriculture, and the deputy prime minister.Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica did not accept or reject their resignations, which are stuck in parliament.Meanwhile, Dinkic carries on addressing the country as finance minister.Asked earlier this month if was true that G17’s ministerial resignations had been turned back by the speaker of parliament because they were improperly formulated, Denkic replied testily: “I got straight As in Serbian throughout school and I do not need writing lessons.”The issue will be resolved once elections are called, he said.With parliament dissolved, they will all be “outgoing ministers”.Nampa-Reuters”The ministry of defence has not been incorporated into the Serbian government for five months now, and this creates some difficulties for us.”Stankovic and Draskovic were ministers of the union of Serbia and Montenegro.This was dissolved in June when Montenegro declared independence, ending a 90-year partnership and completing the breakup of Yugoslavia.Both stayed on as ministers of Serbia but have still not been endorsed by parliament.And they are not likely to be now, because a general election is expected to be called any minute and a new parliament may be sitting by January.Stankovic discussed his difficult position when answering questions about Serbia’s favourite subject of debate: “Where’s Mladic?” He said he was unable to fire an official who may not have done enough to track down war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic because his authority was partly in suspension.Stankovic and Draskovic are not the only ones waiting for the election to resolve their status.There are four more ministers who are neither here nor there.Finance Minister Mladjan Dinkic, who heads the liberal G17 Plus party in the governing coalition, submitted his resignation at the beginning of October along with the G17 ministers of health and agriculture, and the deputy prime minister.Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica did not accept or reject their resignations, which are stuck in parliament.Meanwhile, Dinkic carries on addressing the country as finance minister.Asked earlier this month if was true that G17’s ministerial resignations had been turned back by the speaker of parliament because they were improperly formulated, Denkic replied testily: “I got straight As in Serbian throughout school and I do not need writing lessons.”The issue will be resolved once elections are called, he said.With parliament dissolved, they will all be “outgoing ministers”.Nampa-Reuters