"DS leaving coalition options open"

The DS can enter a coalition with the SPS, DSS or LDP if they accept the DS's five principles, says Dragoljub Micunovic. The president of the Democratic Party’s Political Council and head of the “For a European Serbia—Boris Tadic” list told daily Danas today that cooperation with the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) remained an option provided Vojislav Kostunica’s party accepted the same conditions as in the previous government, but that they did not expect the post of prime minister. "DS leaving coalition options open" “The DSS’s current policy is, to a large extent, leading to economic isolation, or at least a weakening of economic links with the most developed countries, without which Serbia cannot really breathe. We can have similar positions on Kosovo in terms of preserving territorial integrity, but different approaches to accomplishing this goal,” said Micunovic. The DS official added that a post-election coalition with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was also possible, provided agreement was reached over the five key principles. He said that he had no personal affinity for a post-election coalition with the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) as that party had to sever some “historical political ties,” though he added that they could give political support, as they had already done on one occasion. According to Micunovic, if the SPS did not adopt a negative stance to the Hague Tribunal and European integration, “then it’s possible to talk to them in terms of some wider coalition.” The question of the DS candidate for the post of prime minister had still not arisen, but there were a number of people capable of fulfilling that role, said the DS official. Assessing the work of the temporary government, he said that part of it wished it to come down to the work of the Kosovo Ministry and events in northern Kosovo, while the other part was trying to take care of unfinished business, which were “matters of livelihood” for ordinary citizens. “In the area of foreign policy, we see the position that was originally based on the desire to preserve our territorial integrity, but, sadly, using means that I don’t believe can achieve that goal. None of the countries that have recognized independence will revoke that decision, while there are others that will join them,” Micunovic lamented. According to the DS official, the government's foreign policy aims were becoming ever vaguer, and that it would be good to create conditions for resuming negotiations with a dynamic and offensive policy aimed at the main actors. "We need to speak to the U.S. and the EU to protect what can be protected, above all citizens and monuments, then the status of Serbs in northern Kosovo and the enclaves. But we cannot just focus on this issue alone," he warned. Dragoljub Micunovic (FoNet, archive)

"DS leaving coalition options open"

“The DSS’s current policy is, to a large extent, leading to economic isolation, or at least a weakening of economic links with the most developed countries, without which Serbia cannot really breathe. We can have similar positions on Kosovo in terms of preserving territorial integrity, but different approaches to accomplishing this goal,” said Mićunović.

The DS official added that a post-election coalition with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was also possible, provided agreement was reached over the five key principles.

He said that he had no personal affinity for a post-election coalition with the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) as that party had to sever some “historical political ties,” though he added that they could give political support, as they had already done on one occasion.

According to Mićunović, if the SPS did not adopt a negative stance to the Hague Tribunal and European integration, “then it’s possible to talk to them in terms of some wider coalition.”

The question of the DS candidate for the post of prime minister had still not arisen, but there were a number of people capable of fulfilling that role, said the DS official.

Assessing the work of the temporary government, he said that part of it wished it to come down to the work of the Kosovo Ministry and events in northern Kosovo, while the other part was trying to take care of unfinished business, which were “matters of livelihood” for ordinary citizens.

“In the area of foreign policy, we see the position that was originally based on the desire to preserve our territorial integrity, but, sadly, using means that I don’t believe can achieve that goal. None of the countries that have recognized independence will revoke that decision, while there are others that will join them,” Mićunović lamented.

According to the DS official, the government's foreign policy aims were becoming ever vaguer, and that it would be good to create conditions for resuming negotiations with a dynamic and offensive policy aimed at the main actors.

"We need to speak to the U.S. and the EU to protect what can be protected, above all citizens and monuments, then the status of Serbs in northern Kosovo and the enclaves. But we cannot just focus on this issue alone," he warned.