The sackings were in response to the SDP's refusal to back IMF-required legislation paving the way for the restructuring of the state-run Oil Industry of Serbia (NIS).
Smjene su predstavljale reakciju na odbijanje SDP-a da podupre zakon kojeg traži MMF, a kojim se utire put restrukturiranju državne Naftne industrije Srbije (NIS).