Saša Mirković: It is essential for the REM Council to be formed as soon as possible, and this depends on the political will of the authorities.

Speaking about the future of the REM Council, Saša Mirković from ANEM believes it is very uncertain because, as he explains, one thing is stated by the law, and another is conveyed by the political reality.

Mirković assesses that it is very important for the European Commission to form the REM Council as soon as possible in a credible, transparent, and inclusive manner, but that we must first hear what the authorities in Serbia have to say about it.

“The only thing we hear are statements from the president, who we know, of course, is the most influential political figure and has a say in everything crucial in this country. However, it is also a fact that he actually lacks a substantial legislative basis to address this issue. In other words, we have heard statements, such as that he will not allow a majority in the REM Council, and also that it is a very difficult question for which there is no solution. Therefore, we expect the authorities to first say how to resolve this situation, especially if there are relatively short deadlines that are floating around, which indicate that the REM Council must be constituted in the near future," explains Mirković.

Commenting on Vučić's statement from the Summit in Tivat, when he said that the issue of constituting the REM Council must be resolved, but that he does not know how that will be possible, Mirković reminds us that only political will is needed for this.

The interlocutor from N1 also reminds us that the key complaint of the four elected members who resigned is that the authorities do not implement the laws they themselves adopted, such as the one on electronic media.

“This law on electronic media, which regulates the selection of the REM Council, was adopted in October 2023. I believe I do not need to remind you of everything that has been done based on that law in the meantime, which suited the authorities. The REM Council is an example of the lack of political will, as it is simply unbelievable to have a situation for the first time in modern history where there has been no REM Council for 19 months," explains Mirković.

Mirković also reminds us of the current situation in the REM Council:

“We have four elected members, four who have resigned, and one vacant position. In this constellation, the only thing that is clear is that there are not enough members of the REM Council for it to be constituted, and it is also a fact that even if it were constituted, it is completely clear that the balance of power within that REM Council would be such that achieving a two-thirds majority, specifically six votes, for some key decisions would be very difficult,” reminds the interlocutor from N1.

We remind you, the four newly elected members of the REM Council: Rodoljub Šabić, Ira Prodanov Krajišnik, Mileva Malešić, and Dubravka Valić Nedeljković, resigned at the end of 2025. The resignations followed due to the controversial voting and election of candidates for the Council of National Minorities in the Serbian Assembly, and this move led to REM being left without a quorum for operation.

Since that moment, the REM Council has had four members, proposed by the current regime, out of a total of nine that make up the Council itself; in other words, for more than a year and a half, the process for five new members has not been initiated.

Source: N1