Đorđević: Government Cannot Call Elections While No-Confidence Vote is Active

The Serbian government is in a political deadlock, unable to call early parliamentary elections as long as an opposition-led no-confidence motion remains active. Biljana Đorđević, co-president of the Green-Left Front (ZLF), stated that the government cannot resign to trigger snap elections while the demand for a parliamentary session on the no-confidence vote is pending.

According to unofficial media reports, the parliamentary session to address the no-confidence motion could take place as early as next week. Đorđević explained that if the Prime Minister resigns, the government has 30 days to form a new one. If a new government isn't formed, elections are then called. However, if the Prime Minister does not resign, the government retains control over the timing of elections.

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It can only be (Prime Minister) Đuro Macut (who resigns), the government falls, but there is a 30-day period to form a new one. If a new one is not formed, then elections are called. If Macut does not resign, they do not have to wait for the 30-day period and then they have control to arrange when elections suit them.

Đorđević anticipates that ruling party lawmakers will not vote in favor of the no-confidence motion during the session. She believes they will instead vote to support the current government, thereby blocking the opposition's attempt to force an early vote. Only after this session concludes, she argued, would the ruling coalition have a clear path to call elections if they choose.

The no-confidence motion was filed in February by a coalition of opposition parties, including NPS, the Party of Freedom and Justice, the Green-Left Front, Serbia Center, We Are the Power of the People, Ecological Uprising, the Serbian Renewal Movement, the Freedom Movement, and the Party of Democratic Action of Sandžak. The motion was filed in response to the "Generalštab" scandal. However, ruling party lawmakers have thrice failed to provide a quorum for the session to be held.

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If this session continues, I expect them to vote for the government and after that, if they want to go to elections, according to the procedure, they will have free hands to go to elections, which they cannot do now until the session is over.