On the occasion of the speech given by the Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Aleksandar Martinović, PhD, during the Third Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, 13th Legislature, of 4 July 2023, Minister Martinović had extended a public apology, which we transcribe herein in full:
“I hereby apologize to all the citizens of the Republic of Serbia who felt hurt by my speech at the session of the National Assembly held on 4 July 2023.
It was not my intention to offend the citizens of the Republic of Serbia who do not or cannot have children, and I believe that my speech was interpreted in a completely wrong way.
I am sorry if my speech hurt anyone and caused them pain.
I also apologize to the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, and the Government of the Republic of Serbia for the inconvenience caused by my speech.
I am sorry because, carried away by my emotions, I allowed myself to say something that could be interpreted in different ways. Those who misinterpreted my speech claim that I have said something that I would never even dream to say. But, as the old saying goes: “Man is the master of the unspoken word, which spoken, is a master of him.”