Serbian Parliament Elects Speaker From Progressives
Nebojsa Stefanovic of the Serbian Progressive Party has been elected Speaker, and promised to rebuild popular confidence in the workings of the assembly.
Two months after the Serbian parliament was formally constituted, Nebojsa Stefanovic of the Progressive Party has replaced Slavica Djukic Dejanovic of the Socialists as Speaker.
Some 142 MPs voted in favour, 48 against, while 15 abstained. Parliament has 250 seats.
Stefanovic said that his goal would be to strengthen the role of parliament and people's confidence in the institution of parliament.
"I hope we will improve the reputation of the National Assembly over the next four years and that the people will fully trust the country's highest legislative institution," he said.
The new Speaker, who was a founder of the Progressive Party, is vice-president of the Progressives Main Board and president of Belgrade Progressives.
The 35-year-old has an MA degree in economics and has been working for private companies that deal with the distribution and marketing of computer equipment.
Meanwhile, 13 parliamentarian groups were formed at Monday's parliamentary session.
Aleksandar Vucic, acting head of the Progressives, will act as chief whip for the Progressives and Jorgovanka Tabakovic as his deputy.
Dragoljub Micunovic, one of the founders of the now opposition Democratic Party, will be the Democrats' chief whip with Balsa Bozovic as his deputy.
Ivica Dacic, the Prime Minister-designate, will head the Socialist group, with Zarko Obradovic as his deputy.
Cedomir Jovanovic will head MPs from the Liberal Democratic Party, LDP, Mladjan Dinkic - the United Regions of Serbia, URS, Slobodan Samardzic - the Democratic Party of Serbia, DSS, and Jovan Krkobabic - the Party of United Pensioners of Serbia, PUPS.
Dragan Markovic will serve as whip for United Serbia, JS, Balint Pastor for the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians, SVM, Aleksandar Jugovic for the Serbian Renewal Movement-Christian Democratic Party of Serbia (SPO-DHSS), and Nenad Canak for the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina, LSV.
Miodrag Mijatovic will be in charge of the Social Democratic Party of Serbia, SDPS, group, while the New Serbia, NS, group will be headed by Velimir Ilic.
Much of the Monday's session passed in bickering and accusations, above all between the Democrats and their former allies in government, United Regions of Serbia, who have joined the Progressive-led government.
Parliament was officially constitued on May 31 with parliamentarians from 45 parties that won seats in the May 6 elections, running alone, or as part of pre-election alliances.
Election Background
Serbian Elections 2012: What's at stake
This spring almost 7 million Serbians are entitled to vote in presidential, general, provincial and local elections.
Two Decades of Election Tumult in Serbia
Since the renewal of multi-party politics in 1990 power has oscillated between a variety of parties in Serbia and votes have often followed by allegations of frauds and protests.
Key Parties in Serbia
Twelve years after the overthrow of Slobodan Milosevic, the scene has changed significantly as parties rise, fall and change their minds. See Balkan Insight's profiles of Serbia's ruling and opposition parties.
Serbian Presidential Elections Since 1990
Since the first multi-party elections were held in 1990, Serbia has often had acting heads of state, while many of those elected ended their terms before their mandates expired.
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