Opposition demands a special parliamentary session dedicated to discussing responsibility for the catastrophic floods that hit Serbia ten days ago.

Members of the Democratic Party and New Party have asked the speaker of parliament, Maja Gojkovic, to schedule a parliamentary session to discuss the alleged failure of state and local institutions to prevent the devastating flooding that forced 31,879 people from their homes.

Dragan Djilas, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, said that ministers and mayors of the worst affected 39 municipalities need to be called before parliament to find out whether some of the floods could have been prevented.

“It would be very useful to form an inquiry committee to determine what really happened… If it is then determined that someone was responsible, he should be punished and removed from his position,” Djilas said on Monday.

Djilas’s request for a special parliamentary session dedicated to the floods has been supported by the New Party.

Its leader, Zoran Zivkovic, called on the government to reveal the names of those missing and dead as a result of the floods.

According to government data, 33 people died as a result of the flooding, while number of missing remains unknown.

Zivkovic also said government could have prevented flooding in the town of Obrenovac, which was completely submerged after the waters of the river Kolubara spilled over.

“Flooding in Obrenovac could have been prevented. We knew three days before the flooding that there was an increased possibility of this happening,” Zivkovic said.

He added that the government failed to act properly while the evacuation of people from Obrenovac was going on. “The question is, who is guilty for that?” he asked.

The initiative for a debate will also be supported by the United Pensioners Party, which is part of the coalition government alongside the Socialist Party and Progressive Party.

Zoran Babic, from the Progressives, says his party would not avoid questions of responsibility, and that ministers would answer any questions from parliamentary groups.

“The Progressives have no reason to fear that,” Babic added.

Although the government last Friday lifted the national state of emergency it introduced on May 15, it remains in force in the various towns.

These are Sabac, Sremska Mitrovica, Krupanj, Mali Zvornik, Koceljeva, Vladimirci, Obrenovac, Ljig, Ub, Lajkovac, Osecina, Mionica, Paracin, Svilajnac, Smederevska Palanka, Kosjeric, Bajina Basta and Sid.

Belgrade is still on alert for flooding but authorities maintain that the city is prepared and safe./balkaninsight/