Serbia: Coalition based on five principles - Tadić

“At this moment in time, all the parties have distanced themselves from those policies. The Democratic Party of Serbia, in my opinion, does not represent these policies at all, even if they declare that they want to enter the EU.” “The Serb Radical Party (SRS) is also saying that for the first time in their history, as is the Socialists Party of Serbia (SPS),” the leader of the Democrats (DS) and Serbian president told B92 in Belgrade last night. Asked if the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was an acceptable partner for his DS, Tadić said that the LDP “would be, if they change their policy towards Kosovo.”

Speaking of possible candidates for a future prime minister, Tadić said, that he would be proposing the person in question, and that his selection would depend on who the DS formed a post-election coalition with. The party that wins the most votes or is capable of forming a majority coalition proposes the PM candidate. “Božidar Đelić is definitely one of the people I am counting on in the future government, but there’s not only him, I am thinking about party and non-party candidates. The competition needs to be expanded, new people need to be accepted.” “There are many people that are outside parties and politics who can contribute to the great deal of work that lies before us, great reforms, and finally, membership of the EU. That goes for future ministerial positions as well,” Tadić said.

The DS leader said that a coalition between the DSS and SRS would “surely lead the country into isolation”, because it would “limit Serbia’s capacities to defend Kosovo, and would lead the country into economic freefall”. (B92)