Candidate for Director of Medical Chamber: Session Marked by Controversy, Lasting Five Hours

The election for the director of the Medical Chamber of Serbia (LKS) has been mired in controversy, with the ongoing session stretching for nearly five hours. The process to elect a director, Assembly president, and other bodies has been contentious from the start.

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It has been marked by controversies, from the moment we arrived, we were met by a police unit, which was a surprise to everyone, then private security, and then the start of the session which began with a delay with an inexplicable way of interpreting what a public session is.

Candidates for the director position are Ilija Srdanović, a cardiologist from Novi Sad and professor at the Faculty of Medicine, and the incumbent director, Miodrag Stanić, a gynecologist and owner of a private hospital. Reporter observations noted that cameras were not permitted inside the public session, with only audio recording allowed.

One of the candidates, Ilija Srdanović, described the session as "marked by controversies." He reported the unexpected presence of a police unit upon arrival, followed by private security. Srdanović also highlighted an hour-long debate over the interpretation of what constitutes a "public session," which initially prevented students and delegates from attending. Access was eventually granted conditionally.

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According to the statute, all sessions are public, unless stated otherwise.

Further disputes arose during the secret ballot counting. Srdanović pointed out that neither of the two candidates for director was allowed observers during the vote count. He also raised concerns about the delegation process, noting that some delegates in the Assembly received only a single vote in elections, while he himself garnered 594 votes from his colleagues, emphasizing his obligation to represent their trust.

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Another controversy is that there are two candidates, and they were not able to have observers during the counting of votes.

Srdanović expressed his determination to stand firm regardless of the outcome, stating, "I have an obligation not to deviate from the demands and what my colleagues have entrusted me with." The election commission is expected to announce the results for the Assembly president, after which the election for the director and his assistants will proceed. Srdanović anticipates the conclusion will be "interesting."

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The truth is that we have delegates in the Assembly of LKS who received one vote in the elections, I have 594 votes from my colleagues, that is the highest number in Serbia, I have an obligation not to deviate from the demands and what my colleagues have entrusted me with, I have an obligation to stand upright until the end, whatever the outcome of the vote.