Can you immediately, without using Google, remember from the top of your head which of the politicians in Serbia resigned for moral reasons or a sense of responsibility?
Difficult. In the political culture here, resignations are a statistical error. If they do happen, they are rather part of the tactics of the political struggle like the "shortening of the mandate" of Boris Tadić.
They didn't, but they should have
Bratislav Gašić didn't even think of resigning, even though the whole of Serbia had the opportunity to hear his words "I love these female journalists who kneel so easily". The public was buzzing about this sexist statement, and Gasic did not voluntarily leave the post of Minister of Defense, but, according to Aleksandar Vučić's admission, did so only at his request. Then he became the head of the BIA.
Neither Siniša Mali, after the discovery that he had plagiarized his doctorate, and there were many controversial moments with him, nor Aleksandar Vulin, after the "aunt" affair, thought of resigning.
The departure of Serbian politicians from office it is on the same level as the question of whether there is life after death. It is perceived as the end, and the very question of a possible resignation is perceived as the sharpest attack on personal integrity. But, as a rule, the defense of party colleagues arrives quickly.
Defense of the indefensible
It is similar now. After the tragedy at the "Vladislav Ribnikar" Elementary School, in which a student killed eight of his classmates and the school guard, the public raised questions about the responsibility of the current Minister of Education, Branko Ružić, and demanded his resignation.
"I think it is a relative question whether Minister Ružić will resign or not", is part of the defense presented by his party leader and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacić.
Ružić is ready to resign, as Dacić says, if he has some of his individual responsibilities in "all that". However, Dacic does not see any benefit from it.
What was left was for Dacic to say "No, Ružić", and to remind us of the case of the military helicopter crash and the current president's response to public demands for the dismissal of ministers Bratislava Gašić and Zoran Lončar.
"I would understand that it is about individual responsibility and omission, here we are talking about an objective responsibility," said Dacic.
Are there no political, symbolic or moral responsibilities in Serbia?
If there is no direct response and reason for the resignation of the relevant ministers in the unprecedented tragedy, their behavior and statements after the tragedy certainly are.
Where is the border?
As Philip Schwarm wrote in the comment, Branko Ružić took advantage of an unprecedented tragedy to score cheap points and burn the piety to the victims on the pyre of daily politics.
Who missed it, Ružić said at an extraordinary press conference in the Government of Serbia that the tragedy at the Vladislav Ribnikar school was the result of values coming from the West. None of those present reminded him of the tragedy in Russia from last September when 17 people, including 11 children, were killed in the school.
Nor the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić he could not bear not to draw attention to himself on the day of the tragedy. In his address to the nation, he talked about how much the parents of children who attend this school earn, he was a bit of a psychologist, a forensic scientist, he proposed changes to the law...
He did not mention individual responsibility. It is the responsibility of the whole society.
In his defense of Ružić, Dacić also said that the question now is whether the tragedy will repeat itself, whether someone will copy the model of behavior.
Should that happen in order for the Minister of Education or anyone else to feel the individual responsibilities, so that they resign? Or even Dacic could at least think about it after this sentence.
A tabloid close to the ruling party from which the police minister comes has published messages from the phone of the boy who killed nine people. With all that, it is emphasized that the boy's phone is currently being examined.
Where does one medium get this information? Will the same justification be given for Minister Gašić that there is no individual responsibility and omission?
It will be that the entire society is guilty, while those who lead it are not, nor can they ever be. While they are in power.
