The Croatian picture book about gay marriages nearly toppled the government of Serbia, Belgrade media reported on Saturday.
Večernje novosti, close to the ruling coalition of progressives and socialists, reported that Prime Minister Ana Brnabić offered her resignation after Minister without portfolio Nenad Popović posted an inappropriate comment on Twitter about the Croatian picture book on same-sex marriages “My Rainbow Family”.
“At a time when we, as a state, are fighting in every way to support childbirth, Croatia is importing gay picture books! This must be stopped immediately! We must put a stop to those who want to convince us that it is okay for ‘Roko to have two moms, and Ana two dads,'” said Popović.
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The next day, Brnabić criticized her minister, stating that he “offended a part of the citizens who pay him and the government” and announced a private conversation with him to “try to understand” that statement.
The first woman at the head of the Serbian government and the first declared LGBT person in the country’s top leadership expressed that she would prefer her ministers to “focus on their jobs” instead of commenting on issues that are not within their jurisdiction.
Media outlets reported on Saturday what happened at the government meeting behind closed doors. “EXCLUSIVE: Storm in the Government – Zorana and Jadranka Attacked Ana,” is the headline of Večernje novosti, which writes that the Minister of Construction and Infrastructure and Deputy Prime Minister Zorana Mihajlović and Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović took the opportunity to attack Brnabić, who allegedly offered her resignation because of this.
It is speculated that the President of the State, Aleksandar Vučić, categorically rejected the resignation, and the media continued to speculate whether, as claimed by Večernje novosti, Brnabić had two ministers against her. In the discussion on Saturday afternoon, two ministers also joined, Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin and Minister of Labor and Social Welfare Zoran Đorđević, denying that Brnabić’s resignation was one of the solutions for the divisions in the government prompted by the homophobic tweet.
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Vulin told reporters that “this did not happen” at the government meeting and that Brnabić did not offer her resignation.
“Every minister has their opinion just like the Prime Minister, but we have the right to only one policy, which is the policy of preserving state unity and prosperity. All other disagreements, different views of the world, we all have them, so I wouldn’t attach significance to this,” Vulin told reporters.
His colleague Đorđević stated that there is no conflict in the government and that its quality is based on decisions made democratically.
“Do you think there is a conflict in the government and that the Prime Minister would offer her resignation over minor and different opinions? The government is above all that,” Đorđević was categorical.
Where there is smoke, there is fire, TV N1 tried to explain tonight, whose sources claim that due to Minister Popović’s announcement about gay picture books from Croatia, Prime Minister Brnabić “considered resigning”.
“However, she did not do so in front of the team she leads, but in a conversation with the President of Serbia, who stated that such a thing is out of the question,” N1 reports.
The television adds that Popović has not changed his stance on the sharp criticism directed at him by the Prime Minister. “Popović holds the same position. And two more ministers defend him. Zorana Mihajlović supports his right to an opinion, while Jadranka Joksimović questions whether same-sex marriages are allowed in Serbia,” N1 reports.
“The session where there was open confrontation was described by Prime Minister Ana Brnabić as the hardest day since she became Prime Minister,” the television emphasizes.
The picture book “My Rainbow Family” about same-sex parents is intended for preschool children, printed in a limited edition in Croatia, and then promoted in Serbia, although its version in Serbian does not yet exist.
