Brnabic Rebukes Milivojevic on X Over Russian Media Post

National Assembly speaker Ana Brnabic hit back hard at Democratic Party MP Srdjan Milivojevic on X on 28 May. The trigger was Milivojevic’s post about an alleged shift in Russian media coverage of the Serbian protests.

The exchange unfolds during the final day of President Aleksandar Vucic’s official visit to China. It opens a new phase in the public quarrel between the top of government and the parliamentary opposition.

Milivojevic wrote that the RIA Novosti outlet was beginning to acknowledge the protesters’ position. He read this as evidence that even Moscow had abandoned unconditional support for the current government.

Brnabic’s reply was short and sharp:

Milivojevic no longer cares which foreigners they are, only that he serves them. Vucic serves only his people and his country.

The speaker also used the phrase “servile mentality” to describe what she called the opposition’s continuous search for external backing.

What Brnabic’s counter-attack contains

The row unfolds against the backdrop of the March-April meetings in Brussels. There, Milivojevic, as part of a Democratic Party opposition delegation, pushed for personal sanctions against members of the Serbian government.

According to the Democratic Party at the time, the opposition also raised the prospect of suspending EU funds for sectors directly controlled by the ruling party.

Brnabic publicly criticised the move, framing it as “lobbying brigades in foreign parliaments”. The opposition replied that the meetings were legitimate diplomatic activity with partners.

In a statement on 28 May, the Democratic Party said Brnabic’s reaction was an attempt to disqualify opposition diplomatic work. Party leader Zoran Lutovac added:

Milivojevic’s post was analytical in nature. Brnabic’s reply is not a counter-argument but a personal attack that avoids the substance.

Backing for Milivojevic from the Freedom and Justice Party came via Marinika Tepic, who said criticism of the government’s foreign policy is not a betrayal of the country.

Where the Assembly stands this week

As speaker, Brnabic has scheduled the continuation of the Third Regular Session for 29 and 30 May. Two packages are on the agenda:

• the vote on the electoral law package, with 163 amendments filed in May
• review of bills in the field of the judiciary

The Assembly’s legal service says the vote on the electoral package will be held on Friday afternoon. The slot was agreed after the pause scheduled for 23 May during the student protests at Slavija.

Freedom and Justice Party MPs will demand separate votes on their amendments, with focus on campaign finance and the transparency of electoral records. If the government refuses, the party announced procedural obstruction through every available rule.

Frontline of government response before elections

Brnabic monitored the Beijing visit from Belgrade through the week. According to 021 portal, she was in contact with the president’s office several times.

She is increasingly visible as the government’s first responder to opposition attacks while Vucic is abroad. Political commentator professor Djordje Vukadinovic in Politika reads this as a test of her political endurance before the parliamentary elections.

The next major Democratic Party event is on Thursday. A press conference is scheduled at the party’s offices, with a review of activity since the last session period. SNS has announced a draft resolution on state responsibility when addressing foreign parliaments, but without a date.

Will the X quarrel shape the dynamics of the electoral law debate in the Assembly on Friday?