We swapped Sinisa Mali for Sinisa Mali: Who's a better minister, and who a better farmer?
Sinisa Mali and Sinisa Mali met in Belgrade Waterfront, sat at the same table and had lunch together
Sinisa Mali - whether you are a farmer in Serbia or the country's minister of finance - is a name that obviously has more advantages than disadvantages. At least that's what the two of them, whose roles we swapped yestoday, told us.
- What's it like to be a young farmer in Serbia?
"It's not easy, but it's getting better and better. I was unlucky, but he didn't influence me in any way. Now I work on a farm and stuggle... Until one day I become the minister of finance," says Sinisa Mali, who was in the role of a farmer yestoday.
Asked how much the name 'Sinisa Mali' means to him, he says:
"Since I don't have a girlfriend, maybe I'll be luckier. And when it comes to work, I will maintain this contact with my namesake so we might have some common idea at some point."
We asked the other Mali, who sat in the chair of the minister of finance of Serbia yesterday, a current question - how's the payment of 100 euros in state assistance to citizens going?
"Excellent, everything will be paid out by June 7. I know that citizens are impatient, but I ask them to be patient a little longer, everyone will receive it."
- They have your word for it?
"They have my word that everything will be paid out."
- Nevertheless people are complaining that the payments are late?
"I'd ask them to wait a little. Almost all citizens of Serbia applied for the 100 euro assitance, there are crowds, banks need to process everything," says Mali.
What's it like to be Sinisa Mali?
"Hello, Sinisa Mali," "Hello, Sinisa Mali" - that is how the two namesakes greeted each other for the first time yestoday.
"He sat in my chair, I told him, 'From now on, when someone calls to ask about the 100 euros, whether it's arrived or not, feel free, answer the phone'," Mali, the minister, tells us.
He says that he is glad that to have met his namesake and who is "a great guy who fights on."
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this name?
"The advantage is that you have another Sinisa Mali, so you can rely on him, and when it comes to the bad sides... I better not answer that," the minister (and the older one) laughs.
"There are no bad sides. And in my case, the advantage is that people remember me more easily, they react positively. The disadvantage is when you meet people in a bad mood, jealous, envious ones," says Mali (the younger).
See what it's like when the two Sinisa Malis meet, what food they like to order, and what it's like when they walk through Belgrade Waterfront together - in the video at the top of the page.
As previously reported, the young farmer from the village of Kucura in Vojvodina has become a minister, at least as far as his fellow villagers are concerned.
"I've already learned the job, I can take over from the minister at least for this area, without any problems," he recently told Telegraf Biznis.
These days, everyone calls him and writes to him about the 100 euros, and as he told us, after so much experience and communication with the citizens, he can also reply like a minister.
After establishing contact via social networks, Minister Mali invited his namesake to be his guest in Belgrade.
"We visited Belgrade Waterfront, and Sinisa completely delighted me with his energy and optimism! We have truly wonderful young people and we should be proud!," said Minister Mali.
(Vesna Bjelic)