Jesic relieved of duties in Vojvodina provincial government

NOVI SAD - The Assembly of Vojvodina on Wednesday relieved Goran Jesic of his duties as the province's deputy prime minister and secretary for agriculture, water resource management and forestry.

Jesic is a deputy leader of the Democratic Party (DS) who has joined the Vojvodina government at the invitation of Prime Minister Bojan Pajtic.

In early June, he announced that he will resign out of principle as he had not backed Pajtic - who won the DS presidential elections - but his rival Dragan Djilas.

Since Jesic has tendered no formal resignation, the majority of assembly members voted in favour of a motion to dismiss him.

Addressing the assembly, Pajtic said that Jesic's resignation was not necessary and the motion to dismiss him was not based on criticism of his work, but on the fact that he declared on June 17 that it would be his last day as a government member and that he is "essentially no longer the secretary for agriculture, water resource management and forestry,".

In the next few days, the coalition partners need to decide who will take over the post, Pajtic said, noting that there is no reason to fear that Vojvodina's water management companies will not be reimbursed the flood defence costs incurred in May.

In a brief debate, New Democratic Party (NDS) whip Milos Gagic said that Jesic has done a good job, but that the NDS will back the motion to dismiss him and also support the proposed 2013 statement of account because it does not want to topple the legitimately elected provincial authorities.

Pavle Budakov, the whip of the group around the Socialist Party of Serbia, said that Jesic's dismissal can be no substitute for a procedure that would be in line with his announced...