Forward to Europe explained

Forward to Europe
Native Name:Правац Европа
Pravac Evropa
Native Name Lang:sr
Abbreviation:PE
Logo Upright:0.7
Logo Alt:Logo of the Forward to Europe
Dissolution:6 February 2024
Chairperson:Marinika Tepić
Leader2 Title:Deputy Chairman
Leader2 Name:Pavle Grbović
Predecessor:United for the Victory of Serbia
Colors: Orange
National:Serbia Against Violence
Country:Serbia

Forward to Europe (Serbian: Правац Европа|Pravac Evropa, abbr. PE), previously known as United (Serbian: Уједињени|Ujedinjeni), was a parliamentary group in the National Assembly of Serbia and City Assembly of Belgrade. The parliamentary groups were composed of parties that took part in the United for the Victory of Serbia (UZPS) coalition in the 2022 Serbian general election. In the National Assembly, the parliamentary group was headed by Marinika Tepić, while in the City Assembly of Belgrade, it was headed by Mila Popović.

History

Formation

The United for the Victory of Serbia (UZPS) coalition, which included the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP), Movement of Free Citizens (PSG), Movement for Reversal (PZP), United Trade Unions of Serbia "Sloga" (USS Sloga), and the Fatherland movement, took part in the 2022 general election.[1] The coalition placed second, winning 38 seats in total.[2] Shortly following the election, a series of disagreements came to light in the UZPS, which ultimately led to its dissolution.[3] [4] In May 2022, it was announced that the parties would continue their cooperation in the National Assembly and City Assembly of Belgrade.[5]

Following the constitutive session of the 13th convocation of the National Assembly on 1 August, the United parliamentary group became the largest opposition parliamentary group.[6] Borko Stefanović was nominated by the United parliamentary group as one of the seven candidates for the deputy president of the National Assembly. He was elected on 2 August.[7]

Activity

The United parliamentary group in the City Assembly of Belgrade proposed to implement free public transport for high school and university students and war veterans in Belgrade, and to implement an anti-corruption committee.[8] [9] Additionally, it criticised the SNS-proposed budget for Belgrade.[10] In October 2022, the parliamentary group filed a proposal for dismissal of mayor Aleksandar Šapić, citing alleged illegal legalisation of the extension of an apartment at Bežanija.[11] Their proposal received support from the People's Party (Narodna), Democratic Party (DS), We Must (Moramo), and Dveri.[12] [13] The proposal failed after it only received support from 44 members of the City Assembly.[14] The United group later became critical of the proposed budget, describing it as populistic.[15] [16] In February 2023, the United group criticised the decision to move the Belgrade Zoo to Ada Ciganlija.[17]

In the National Assembly, it opposed the report on Kosovo that was submitted by SNS.[18] Additionally, it proposed a new labour law; it claimed that the law would improve workers' rights.[19] It voted against in the investiture vote for the third cabinet of Ana Brnabić on 28 October 2022.[20]

Its name was changed to Forward to Europe in July 2023.[21] The groups ceased to exist after the 2023 elections.

Members

In the National Assembly, the Forward to Europe parliamentary group was headed by Marinika Tepić while Pavle Grbović served as deputy chairperson.[22] In the City Assembly of Belgrade, Mila Popović served as its head. In December 2022, its parliamentary group in the National Assembly was reduced to 15 members after Dejan Bulatović departed from the parliamentary group.[23]

NameLeaderMain ideologyPolitical positionNational AssemblyCity Assembly of Belgrade
Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP)Dragan ĐilasSocial democracyCentre-left
Movement of Free Citizens (PSG)Pavle GrbovićLiberalismCentre
United Trade Unions of Serbia "Sloga" (USS Sloga)Željko VeselinovićLabourismLeft-wing
Movement for Reversal (PZP)Janko VeselinovićSocial democracyCentre-left
FatherlandSlaviša RistićKosovo Serb minority politics

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2 February 2022 . Ujedinjena Srbija predstavila kandidate za predsednika i premijerku Srbije, gradonačelnika Beograda . 7 August 2022 . Voice of America . sr.
  2. Web site: 4 April 2022 . Rezultati predsedničkih, parlamentarnih i beogradskih izbora 2022 . 7 August 2022 . CRTA . sr-RS.
  3. Web site: Milenković . Mirjana . 23 April 2022 . Marinika Tepić: Naši dojučerašnji partneri strmoglavili su se u populizam . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220423125356/https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/marinika-tepic-nasi-dojucerasnji-partneri-strmoglavili-su-se-u-populizam/ . 23 April 2022 . 23 April 2022 . Danas . sr-RS.
  4. Web site: Milenković . Mirjana . 23 April 2022 . Marinika Tepić: Naši dojučerašnji partneri strmoglavili su se u populizam . 7 August 2022 . Danas . sr-RS.
  5. Web site: 24 May 2022 . SSP, PSG, Pokret za preokret i Sindikat Sloga zajedno u Skupštinu, predvodnik Marinika Tepić . 7 August 2022 . Danas . sr-RS.
  6. Web site: Janković . Marija . 1 August 2022 . Ko je ko u Skupštini Srbije . 7 August 2022 . BBC News . sr-latn.
  7. Web site: 29 July 2022 . Poslanički klub "Ujedinjeni" za tri potpredsednička mesta opoziciji u Skupštini . 7 August 2022 . N1 . sr-RS.
  8. Web site: 19 September 2022 . Ujedinjeni predlažu besplatan javni prevoz u Beogradu za srednjoškolce, studente, ratne invalide . 8 October 2022 . Danas . sr-RS.
  9. Web site: 17 August 2022 . Odbornička grupa "Ujedinjeni" podnela zahtev za formiranje antikorupcijske komisije za Grad Beograd . 8 October 2022 . Danas . sr-RS.
  10. Web site: 26 September 2022 . Šta kažu odbornici Ujedinjenih o rebalansu budžeta: Beograd se raspada, ništa od velikog Šapićevog zaokreta . 8 October 2022 . Danas . sr-RS.
  11. Web site: 13 October 2022 . SSP traži hitnu smenu Šapića zbog nezakonite legalizacije dograđenog stana . 29 October 2022 . N1 . sr-RS.
  12. Web site: 22 October 2022 . Inicijativa za smenu Šapića: Deo opozicije "za", a šta misli o tome desnica . 29 October 2022 . N1 . sr-RS.
  13. Web site: 25 October 2022 . "Ujedinjeni" pred Skupštinu grada: Dveri će podržati inicijativu za smenu Šapića . 29 October 2022 . N1 . sr-RS.
  14. Web site: Kovačević . Emina . 29 November 2022 . Šapić ostaje gradonačelnik Beograda . 1 December 2022 . N1 . sr-RS.
  15. Web site: 26 December 2022 . Mila Popović uoči sednice Skupštine grada o budžetu za 2023: Gde su pare Beograđana? . 26 February 2023 . Danas . sr-RS.
  16. Web site: 26 December 2022 . Opozicioni odbornici smatraju da budžet grada Beograda za 2023. godinu nije u interesu gradjana . 26 February 2023 . Novinska agencija Beta . sr.
  17. Web site: Aleksić . Dejan . Zoo-park umesto zoo-vrta i HPV vakcina za sve . 26 February 2023 . Politika . sr.
  18. Web site: Borko Stefanović: Poslanička grupa "Ujedinjeni" neće podržati izveštaj o KiM . 8 October 2022 . Tanjug . sr.
  19. Web site: 30 September 2022 . Ujedinjeni predložili novi zakon o radu . 16 October 2022 . Danas . sr-RS.
  20. Web site: 26 October 2022 . Tepić (Ujedinjeni): Od nove vlade očekujemo jedino kontinuitet pogoršanja i sve goreg stanja . 29 October 2022 . Novinska agencija Beta . sr.
  21. Web site: Đurić . Vanja . 2023-07-19 . Poslanička grupa "Ujedinjeni" menja naziv . 2023-07-19 . N1 . sr-RS.
  22. Web site: Poslanička grupa Ujedinjeni - SSP, PSG, PREOKRET, SLOGA . 7 August 2022 . National Assembly of Serbia.
  23. Web site: 22 December 2022 . Dejan Bulatović podneo ostavku na stranačke funkcije i istupio iz SSP . 22 December 2022 . Novinska agencija Beta . sr . 22 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221222091124/https://beta.rs/politika/173339-dejan-bulatovic-podneo-ostavku-na-stranacke-funkcije-i-istupio-iz-ssp . dead .