Government will not give up on austerity measures

BELGRADE - The government will not give up on austerity measures or make compromises as otherwise the country would experience a financial collapse very soon, says Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic.

"As far as I am concerned, I will be very resolute. I will not back down and I will not make any compromises. I will not give up on this programme," Vucic told the B92 late Wednesday when asked whether the government will resist strikes in the wake of cuts imposed on pensions and public sector salaries.

"Will someone else, or their pressure, be stronger... the choice is up to the Serbian citizens," the prime minister said, adding that he does not know whether the government will resist the strikes, but that it is not "a matter of life and death."

"You never know if a government is able to resist popular dissatisfaction. I think that, for the first time ever, we have made a serious plan and a programme. That plan and the programme, on which I had worked round the clock for several months, have been approved by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and also supported by the World Bank, the EU, and even (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin," Vucic noted.

There are several solutions to deal with strikes - to cancel the arrangement with the IMF and halt the country's European path, and give the disgruntled citizens everything they want, Vucic stressed.

"The other solution is that the people - including educators - realise that what we are doing does not mean that we hate anyone, but that we are fighting for our country's future," the prime minister said, adding that unemployment in Serbia is declining rather than increasing.

SERBIA RECEIVED NO OFFICIAL EU DEMAND TO RECOGNISE KOSOVO