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Serbian Parliament debates budget amendments amid opposition calls for reallocation
๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ธ Serbia /Elections & Politics

Serbian Parliament debates budget amendments amid opposition calls for reallocation

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Serbian Parliament members finished debating amendments to the 2026 budget rebalance.
  • Opposition parties proposed redirecting funds from the Expo and National Stadium for infrastructure like water networks and schools.
  • Ruling coalition members highlighted local achievements and potential projects funded by the budget reserve, drawing criticism from the opposition.

Lawmakers in the Serbian Parliament have concluded their debate on amendments to the proposed 2026 budget rebalance. During the discussions, opposition parties advocated for reallocating funds designated for the Expo and the National Stadium towards essential infrastructure projects such as water supply networks, schools, and roads.

Now you have remembered to talk about results and are using the time for pre-election purposes.

โ€” Ana Jakovljeviฤ‡People's Movement of Serbia MP criticizing the ruling coalition's presentation of achievements.

Conversely, members of the ruling coalition presented their achievements in local communities and outlined potential projects that could be funded by the budget reserve. Ana Jakovljeviฤ‡ of the People's Movement of Serbia criticized these presentations as a "play," suggesting they were timed for pre-election purposes.

I hope that citizens will choose their future in the elections and send the government to prison and the dustbin of history.

โ€” Ana Jakovljeviฤ‡People's Movement of Serbia MP expressing her hopes for the upcoming elections.

Opposition MP Ivana Rokniฤ‡ proposed redirecting one billion dinars allocated for an aquarium in Belgrade to expand water supply networks, citing a hospital in ฤŒaฤak that relied on water from cisterns. Peฤ‘a Mitroviฤ‡ of the Party of Freedom and Justice suggested using funds from the Expo and National Stadium for infrastructure in Niลก, including a railway line, watercourse improvements, and energy efficiency measures. He argued that Serbia's economic growth under the current government was insufficient compared to Central European countries.

Why is Expo more important than the rest of Serbia?

โ€” Dalibor Jekniฤ‡An opposition MP questioning the government's spending priorities.

Duลกan Nikeziฤ‡ of the Party of Freedom and Justice demanded the return of 13.4 billion dinars allegedly illegally withheld from the Red Cross and individuals with disabilities, referencing a State Audit Institution finding. Jelena Miloลกeviฤ‡ highlighted issues with water supply in southern Serbia due to mini-hydroelectric power plants, questioning the issuance of permits. Dalibor Jekniฤ‡ questioned the absence of a national regional development plan, suggesting President Aleksandar Vuฤiฤ‡ was making ad-hoc infrastructure promises while the Minister of Economy acted merely as a scribe. He also questioned the allocation of two billion dinars for a Belgrade bus station while other regions received significantly less.

Is it normal to give two billion from the budget for a bus station in Belgrade as the most developed region. Give Kragujevac five million dinars for a hall.

โ€” Dalibor Jekniฤ‡An opposition MP highlighting perceived disparities in regional funding.
About this summary

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.