Serbian finance minister resigns over disagreement with the pace of reforms

Serbian Finance Minister Lazar Krstic submitted his resignation on Saturday over disagreement with the pace of reforms on cutting budget expenses in the country.
“I believe that the premier and the finance minister are supposed to pursue an identical approach not only with regards to a goal but also with regards to the means of achieving this goal,” Krsitc told a joint news conference with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Saturday.
“We have agreed that I am going to step down as finance minister. It is hard but I know that it is in the country’s interests,” Krstic said explaining his decision.
Krstic will remain the prime minister’s special adviser. Serbia’s minister of economy, Dusan Vujovic, will combine the two posts for the time being until a new finance minister is named. Under Serbian laws, Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic is to submit a candidate to the finance minister’s post in the course of 15 days since the previous finance minister terminates his powers.
The current Serbian government led by Aleksandar Vucic was sworn in on April 27, 2014.