Serbia’s defence minister faced dismissal on Monday after remarking to a crouching female reporter, “I love these journalists who kneel so easily.”
The comment by Bratislav Gasic was met with a storm of criticism in the Balkan country.
The reporter’s employer, B92, said the comment was not just ‘sexist’ but expressed “a clear political stance”.
“He made clear in what position journalists are personally acceptable to him, to his ministry and the government of which he is a member. They are more acceptable when kneeling before the executive power.”
Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said Gasic, a senior party colleague, “cannot remain the defence minister after such an insult,” without specifying whether he had already taken the decision to fire him or request his resignation.
