Tadić rejects so-called sixth principle

Tadić rejects so-called sixth principle

Even though Boris Tadić rejected the principle, explaining that the citizens, not the parliament, elect the state president, Democratic Party of Serbia’s spokesperson Andreja Mladenović said that the DSS and DS would agree on the principle and create conditions for further talks on personnel issues.

The DSS spokesperson told the press that “The DSS-NS coalition is ready for an agreement that will lead to a stable government, with high hopes that the Democrats will accept the power-sharing principle and not insist to have an absolute power.”

“The DSS finds acceptable that the Democrats choose and claim responsibility either for a president’s or prime minister’s office. We cannot support the Democrats if they opt for both posts,” Mladenović maintained.

Democrats’ president Boris Tadić deemed nonsensical the introduction of new conditions into the cabinet talks.

“Introducing the sixth principle in this form makes no sense, given the fact that the citizens, not the parties, elect the president” Tadić said.

Tadić concluded that such a discussion DSS proposes would have been relevant and possible, if Serbia had a constitution stipulating that the state president is appointed by the parliamentary parties.

Ivana Dulić-Marković, G17 Plus Vice President, said she could not recall which party came up with the “sixth principle” concept.

“We’ve been clear about our position during the talks with both the DS and DSS. We told DS we want to be partners in the future government and not be thrown a bone from a prime ministerial candidate who may offer us a ministry of diaspora and religion”, she added.

Chief Editor of Vreme weekly magazine Dragoljub Žarković said that the disputed sixth principle, was actually an essential principle of politics.

“If Boris Tadić could form the government with 23 percent of seats in the Parliament his party has, he would have done so already”, Žarković argued.

“Since it is evident that he cannot do that on his own, Tadić must consent to a compromise and let the DSS, New Serbia and G17 Plus decide on the prime minister, or proclaim new elections. I still won’t exclude the possibility of an agreement between the DSS and the Radicals regarding the government, particularly in the wake of the Kosovo status settlement”, Žarković concluded.