Serbian parliament confirms Djuro Macut as new PM following cabinet overhaul

Djuro Macut was officially confirmed as Serbia’s new prime minister on April 16 after receiving a vote of confidence from the national parliament, following the collapse of the previous government triggered by massive student protests.

Macut, a respected academic who holds a PhD, was nominated by President Aleksandar Vucic to form a new government after the deadly train station collapse in Novi Sad in November 2024, which left 16 people dead, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The tragedy sparked widespread outrage and mobilised thousands of students in sustained anti-government demonstrations across Serbia.

In the parliamentary session convened for the vote and cabinet announcement, Macut secured the support of 153 lawmakers, while 46 voted against. Following the vote, he introduced a 30-member Cabinet, which includes eight newcomers and several ministers reassigned to new posts.

In his address to lawmakers, Macut pledged to continue Serbia’s path toward European Union membership and committed to "an open and pressure-free dialogue" on the Kosovo issue. Acknowledging the scale of recent protests, he extended an invitation to the public: “I invite everyone to dialogue. Serbia is tired of divisions. My job will be to address the dissatisfactions.”

The protests erupted after a concrete shed collapsed at Novi Sad’s train station on November 1, 2024. Accusations of negligence in the station's construction and maintenance led to an outcry, with university, college, and high school students demanding accountability. Their demands included criminal charges for those responsible, full transparency of all project documentation, and the release of detained students and academics.

While President Vucic has publicly stated that the protesters' demands have been met, demonstrators argue that key issues remain unresolved and have vowed to continue nationwide actions.

Macut’s newly formed Cabinet aims to strike a balance between retaining trusted allies and introducing fresh leadership in response to the political crisis. Key ministers from the previous administration, such as Finance Minister and First Deputy Prime Minister Sinisa Mali, Internal Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic, Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic, Sports Minister Zoran Gajic, Tourism Minister Husein Memic, and Rural Welfare Minister Milan Krkobabic, remain in their posts.

Some cabinet members have taken on new responsibilities: Milica Djurdjevic Stamenkovski has moved to Labour and Social Affairs, Jelena Zaric Kovacevic is now Minister of Family and Demography, Nemanja Starovic has become Minister for European Integration, and Nikola Selakovic now serves as Minister of Culture.

New appointments include Dragan Glamocic as Minister of Agriculture, Sara Pavkov as Minister of Environment, Aleksandra Sofronijevic as Minister of Construction, Jagoda Lazarevic as Minister of Trade, and Nenad Vujic as Minister of Justice. Additional newcomers include Snezana Paunovic (Local Government), Demo Berisa (Human and Minority Rights), Dejan Vuk Stankovic (Education), Zlatibor Loncar (Health), Bela Balint (Science and Innovation), Boris Bratina (Information Technology), and Darko Glisic (Investments).

Five ministers without portfolio—Novica Toncev, Djordje Milicevic, Usame Zukorlic, Nenad Popovic, and Tatjana Macura—complete the Cabinet lineup.

By Tamilla Hasanova