Serbian Parliament. Photo: Beta

Serbia’s parliament is holding a session on Saturday in which the only item on the agenda is changes to the Law on Ministries. According to the proposed changes, two new ministries will be formed – for environmental protection and European integration.

Their establishment was agreed after negotiations between the ruling coalition’s main partners, the Serbian Progressive Party and the Socialist Party, with the Socialists expected to take both new posts.

Environmental protection will now be separated from the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection.

The government’s Office for European Integrations will be closed and its duties taken over by a new Ministry of European Integration.

Other changes include the Ministry of Mining and Energy taking over some duties from the Ministry of Economy, while the Economy Ministry will take over regulating concessions and public-private partnerships from the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications.

Voting for the changes of the Law on Ministries is the first step towards the election of Brnabic as Prime Minister. Next week, parliament will start debating the new PM’s expose.

The deadline for electing a new government is Friday, June 30. Brnabic, who is supported by most of the ruling coalition, needs 126 of the 250 votes in parliament to be confirmed.

President Aleksandar Vucic on Monday said he had persuaded ruling party MPs to back his choice of Brnabic – despite clear discontent over the appointment of a non-party figure who is also a lesbian.

The President went on to have negotiations with his coalition partners, but although some of them remained defiant, Vucic’s Progressive Party said it had gathered enough support for Brnabic.