Nenad Rašić, Minister for Communities and Returns, held a press conference following the dismissal of his deputy, Radoica Radomirović. Rašić, acknowledging his reservations about Radomirović’s competence, stated that he had been aware of his former deputy’s lack of „character and intellectual capacity“ for the position but explained that politicians „sometimes have to work with what they have,“ Radio Kim reports.
Rašić’s decision to remove Radomirović from office followed a series of accusations leveled by Radomirović against the minister. Radomirović has also resigned from Rašić’s party, further intensifying the fallout between the two.
At the press conference, Rašić explained his rationale for the dismissal, citing concerns about Radomirović’s performance and alleged „suspicious political behavior.“ Rašić mentioned that other officials, including ministers Svecla and Krasniqi, had informed him of these concerns.
“I wasn’t satisfied with his work, and about two or three weeks ago, I spoke with him and asked him to resign,” Rašić said.
However, Radomirović’s reaction was „dramatic,“ prompting Rašić to request Prime Minister Albin Kurti to officially remove him.
Despite working together for over a year, Rašić did not mince words about his former deputy, calling Radomirović a „controversial figure“ with serious deficiencies in character and ethics.
„I knew from the beginning that, unfortunately, he lacked the capacity for a high-level position in government,“ Rašić stated, adding that politicians often have no choice but to work with the resources available, Radio Kim writes.
“Changes in Politics Are Normal”
Rašić emphasized that political reshuffles are a routine aspect of governance, downplaying the significance of Radomirović’s removal. “Changes in politics are normal,” he asserted.
The minister argued that what matters is not the individual, but the strategic direction of the ministry, which, according to Rašić, remains focused on integrating Kosovo Serbs into the Kosovo system.
In response to Radomirović’s announcement that he plans to form a new political party, Rašić expressed skepticism, saying, „I am willing to bet that whatever party he forms will eventually adopt the same stance as Srpska Lista.“ This, Rašić implied, was indicative of Radomirović’s conduct while serving as deputy.
Rašić also noted that Radomirović’s questionable behavior had become more apparent in recent months. He alleged that Radomirović had never passed a proper security check and that his former deputy had posted financial records linked to SL on social media, which allegedly contained evidence of financial misconduct.
Allegations Over Funding Distribution
Addressing claims made by Radomirović that the ministry had disproportionately directed funds toward Gračanica, Laplje Selo, and Dobrotin, neglecting Štrpce and northern Kosovo, Rašić promised transparency.
He stated that the ministry maintains a detailed list of beneficiaries, including information on the municipalities and the ethnicity of recipients. He vowed to share this data with the media to prove whether any region had been neglected, reports Radio Kim.
The same outlet underlined that Rašić explained that the selection of projects is overseen by an independent commission, with a rigorous procedure in place.
“There is also an external monitoring group that supervises the process,” he said, adding that two years after the approval of projects, the ministry conducts a thorough review of the recipients.
In defense of the ministry’s work, Rašić highlighted that €340,000 had been invested in northern Kosovo through various projects.
“In the last year, we’ve had a significant increase in applications from the north, with 150 applicants, of which 88 were approved,” he noted, pointing out that 63% of applications from the north had been successful.
Additionally, the minister revealed that 31 out of 33 requests for construction materials had been granted in the region. Rašić said that, historically, residents in the north lacked experience with project applications, which prompted him to send two of his associates to the region to help educate locals on the process, writes Radio Kim.
Dismissed Deputy Minister Radomirović Accuses Kosovo Official of Neglecting Northern Serbs
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
