ĐURO MACUT PRESENTS EXPOSÉ: Describes himself as “son of his people,” calls for end to blockades and protests!

Macut began his exposé with the words “People, Serbian…” quoting Prince Miloš Obrenović, with which he addressed the assembly at the time.

“From the day the President of the Republic, Aleksandar Vučić, honored me by proposing my cabinet and the new Government of Serbia, I have heard the question ‘Who is Đuro Macut?’ everywhere. Today, I have come to this house of our statehood to tell the people’s representatives and the citizens that I am a man and a son of my people, a lover of our nation, and if I receive your support, your governor and your brother,” said Macut.

The nominee for the new Government of Serbia also stated that “to move confidently into the future, we must energetically work on harmonizing relationships within our society.”

“In the previous period, we witnessed shocking outbursts of anger and hatred. In our history and among our people, a prayer to God has remained through the centuries—to grant us unity and harmony. Our national anthem, which is actually a prayer, speaks of God uniting beloved Serbian brothers in every glorious effort and that unity will defeat the devil and be the strongest fortress for Serbian identity. That is our motto and our anthem. It must become our defining feature. We will build this unity through dialogue, tolerance, work, and the establishment of a system of values that we must all share—with seriousness, but also with determination,” said Macut.

“We Must Reform Education”

He added that it has become clear that the education system must be reformed.

“Primarily because students and pupils are the key stakeholders of education. We are building and leaving the state to them. Their orientation and actions must be ethical and just, with developed work habits, current and relevant knowledge, and a respect for universal values—such as the authority of elders and their life experience. We must know who is a student, who is a pupil, and who is a teacher. What kind of future will we have if our youngest generation becomes divided again? Serbia is tired of divisions. Serbia is tired of blockades. No one has, nor should have, more rights than another—that is the only measure of value,” said Macut.

“Main Task – Institutions Must Function at Full Capacity”

The main task, Macut emphasized, is that institutions of the system must function at full capacity.

“As a university professor who has gone through all academic ranks, I am well acquainted with the strengths and weaknesses of our education system. The situation we are facing in the coming months shows that immediate action and significant changes are needed. We must acknowledge and respect that generations have suffered and died so that we could have today’s free and independent Serbia. So that we could have a state. A state that is sacred. One that generations before us have built and created. Serbia is sacred because of all the sacrifices made for her and for all those yet to be born. It is sacred because it is the only way for us to live in freedom,” said Macut.

He added that “protests and dissatisfaction are natural expressions of a divided youth, but not blockades or denying others the right to work, study, and live normally.”

“When you deny others the right to movement or education, you become a usurper of others’ freedoms. My duty is to address all dissatisfaction on forums defined by the Constitution and the Law, and to support our youth in their efforts—but all in accordance with the Constitution and the Law, and in a way where no one has more rights than others. For me, as a professor, all students are equal, and they are all our children. In that sense, the functioning of institutions, especially schools and universities, is my top priority. I also emphasize that unity is necessary to reform our education system so that such divisions never happen again—that we forgive if we must, and reconcile for the sake of Serbia,” said Macut.

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“Reform in the Field of Science to Follow”

He added that he supports the previous Prime Minister Miloš Vučević’s position on redefining the law on textbooks.

“Our children must have the highest-quality educational materials in key subjects of national importance, created by our most respected experts, and those textbooks must be uniform across all of Serbia. This reform will certainly cover both education and science. The time has come for our citizens to see results from applied science, to finally witness the implementation of state-funded projects to the benefit of all. It seems we have forgotten that education and science should primarily serve our people and society. This applies to universities, as well as to institutes and other professional organizations. No one can be independent or separate from our people—instead, they must serve that people and address their problems within their competencies. In the context of reforming our relations and work with youth, I will propose the formation of a council under the Government of Serbia, which I will personally lead. This council would coordinate and guide policies for promoting the country’s young talents, who should form the future national and state elite,” said Macut.

“My Door Will Be Open 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week”

“In the context of reforming our relations and work with youth, I will propose the formation of a council under the Government of Serbia, which I will personally lead, and which will coordinate and guide policy promoting young talents of our country, who will become the future national and state elite.

If I gain your trust, I assure everyone that my door will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to resolve all open issues for the benefit of the state and the people. I will go wherever it is said I should come to talk. I call for and urge immediate action—Serbia cannot wait endlessly, and this must be resolved urgently. We will not hesitate, and we must not,” said Macut.

Demand to Ministers – Be Among the People

He stressed that the second, equally important mission of his term will be “to define the functioning of the Government of the Republic of Serbia.”

“My demand, as someone who, if elected, will lead and guide this government, is that ministers must be more present among the people and with the people. A working method must be established so that our presence is much greater and more frequent in every local self-government unit, in every corner of Serbia. Sessions, meetings, and activities will take place where they are most useful for solving real-life problems of our citizens—not only in Belgrade. The visibility of each ministry and the work of each minister must be accessible to citizens. I believe in the individuals I will propose as ministers, and they have my support in performing their state duties, but I also demand they perform these tasks energetically, transparently, and at the source of problems—to help citizens as quickly as possible wherever the need arises. Therefore, the government must gain mobility—mobility and efficiency in the service of the people,” said Macut.

“Teacher Salary Growth Trend Will Continue”

He said that “students who want to become teachers must be provided with special scholarships and conditions to make this profession attractive to the most talented young people.”

“This support for youth is not just financial incentive, but also recognition of the teaching profession’s value. Complementary to this, one of the most important aspects of attracting quality people to teaching is ensuring salaries that will maintain young people’s interest in working in education. Therefore, the continuous payment in education is a primary priority. In 2025, salaries were increased by 11 percent in January and another 5 percent in March,” said Macut.

He reminded that the starting salary for teachers now amounts to 101,000 dinars, and for primary school teachers and homeroom teachers, 108,000 dinars, and that “from October 1, 2025, another 5 percent increase will follow, bringing the total increase in education salaries to 22 percent over just 10 months.”

“After the October salary increase, the starting salary for teachers will exceed 106,000 dinars, and for primary school teachers and homeroom teachers, 113,000 dinars. The growth trend will continue to ensure that the starting salary of a teacher is at least equal to the average salary in the Republic—all with the aim of securing interest from high-quality young professionals in education,” said Macut.

“Serbia Faces Accelerated Economic Growth”

He announced that Serbia is expected to experience accelerated economic growth in the coming period.

“According to macroeconomic projections, Serbia will achieve cumulative growth of 13.7 percent between 2025 and 2027, with an average annual growth rate of 4.4 percent. Growth will be driven by domestic demand, with continued growth in employment, wages, and living standards. Investment in infrastructure, energy, and utilities will contribute to increased investments, while public spending will remain under control,” said Macut.

He added that a further priority will be reducing unemployment through the creation of new jobs in high-tech sectors and the implementation of large infrastructure and industrial projects.

“The ‘Leap into the Future of Serbia 2027’ program represents the central development framework in the coming years with investments of 17.8 billion euros. The successful implementation of the specialized world exhibition EXPO 2027 is particularly important, as it will position Serbia as a global center of sustainability, innovation, and creative industries. Projects within this program include construction of the metro, modernization of rail and road infrastructure, development of digital and energy networks, and the building of cultural, sports, and tourism capacities. The goal is a comprehensive modernization of infrastructure, which will increase competitiveness, connectivity, and quality of life across Serbia,” said Macut.

“Kosovo and Metohija Remains a Central Issue of Highest National Interest”

Kosovo and Metohija remains a central issue of highest national interest, the nominee emphasized.

“Preserving territorial integrity and sovereignty is one of the most important foreign policy priorities, and dialogue must be conducted openly and sincerely. We do not abandon our principles, but we do not reject dialogue,” he stated.

At the session for the election of the new Government of Serbia, 173 out of 250 MPs were present. The agenda includes one item: the election of the Government and the swearing-in of the Prime Minister and Government members.