LSV leader: Rotating parliament speaker's post a new idea

BELGRADE - Nenad Canak, leader of the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina (LSV), said on Wednesday that the annual rotation of the parliament speaker's post is a completely new idea, noting that there are arguments for and against it, and that it should be considered more carefully.

"On the one hand, it is not good for the president of the state, the prime minister and the parliament speaker to be all from the same party, but on the other, I am not sure if it is a good thing to change the speaker annually, as there are reasons why the post is envisaged to last four years," Canak told reporters.

He expressed concern that little can be done in that position in one year, but added that the idea has the elements of a democratic approach to parliamentarianism, which, as he noted, is not sufficiently developed in Serbia.

"At this moment, the idea of parliamentarianism is underestimated and anyone who can help should do so. I can help too if someone thinks I should," said Canak.

To a question regarding his expectations from the new parliament, Canak replied that he is worried about the great imbalance between the government and the opposition.

"I am very much concerned, such an imbalance between the government and the opposition is frightening," said Canak.
An informal meeting on the Serbian Progressive Party's (SNS) initiative to change the speaker of the parliament annually was held at the parliament on Wednesday.

The SNS won 158 out of the total 250 seats in the Serbian parliament in the early parliamentary election on March 16.

Photo Tanjug,J.Pa[