United Serbia: No Europe, no coalition

A junior Socialist party-led coalition partner says that if the DSS were to push for an immediate annulment of the SAA, there would be no government deal. United Serbia (JS), led by Dragan Markovic, a.k.a. Palma, has formed a pre-election coalition with the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and the Associated Pensioners Party (PUPS). United Serbia: No Europe, no coalition Reacting to DSS official and caretaker government minister Slobodan Samardzic’s statement that the EU deal would be nullified, Markovic said that negotiations are still ongoing with the Democratic Party of Serbia-New Serbia (DSS-NS) coalition. “That is the stance of Mr. Samardzic, but we are still negotiating. We did not agree to create a coalition, nor has a parliamentary majority been formed,” he said. “Negotiations are ongoing. If what is in the best interest of Serbia and its citizens is not accepted, then there will be no coalition. All I know is that I have been promised that the annulment of the SAA will not be on the parliamentary agenda. I was told this at the first meeting with the DSS and NS,” Markovic said. The JS leader earlier told tabloid Press that he had a promise from DSS-NS that the signed SAA would not be made null and void, or more specifically, that it would not be put on the parliamentary agenda for any kind of vote. Staunch supporter of integrations: Dragan Markovic, a.k.a. Palma (FoNet) "Third of work done in DSS-SRS-SPS talks" Slobodan Samardzic says his party, DSS, the Radicals (SRS) and the Socialists (SPS) have finished a third of the work towards forming a new government. However, the Democratic Party of Serbia official said that the most challenging part of the job is still ahead of the three political parties. The DSS-NS stated that the negotiations for a coalition agreement will continue, and will be presented to the Serb Radical Party (SRS) and the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS). The Radicals for their part also said that the signing of a coalitional agreement is nearing, especially when when it comes to local administrations, adding that they have received the approval of party leader Vojislav Seselj, who is on trial for war crimes at the Hague Tribunal, to forming a government with the DSS and the SPS. Offficials from United Serbia (JS) who is in a coalition with the Socialists, stated that "nothing concrete has been agreed upon yet" and that the negotiations will continue. Samardzic told B92 TV that while the principles have been agreed upon, but that he could not say with certainty that a DSS-SRS-SPS government will be formed. “If I said that everything is finished at the end of this first phase, I would not be right. If the talks stop or meet obstacles in the second or third phase, then someone else will try and make a government,” Samardzic said. SPS official Zarko Obradovic has a similar stance towards the talks. “There is good will. That is the beginning of the story, the first phase is done and there are two-thirds of the job left,” he told B92. Obradovic said that the SPS will not negotiate with any other parties until the ongoing talks have been finished. Democratic Party (DS) official Dragan Djilas said that the DSS and leader Vojislav Kostunica "tricked their voters", because they hid their intentions to form a government with the Radicals during the campaign. “Negotiating with the Radicals, Kostunica is betraying the members of his own party, since he did not take into consideration the opinion of the party’s main board when starting these talks,” Djilas, who is DS candidate for Belgrade mayor, told B92. "The fact that Kostunica received half the votes he had in the last elections clearly states what the citizens think of him and his politics,” Djilas said, adding that he is convinced that the “For a European Serbia” list of five parties led by the Democrats, will form the next government without the inclusion of DSS. But Samardzic denied that there was a previously signed agreement with the Radicals, saying there was communication between the two parties.

United Serbia: No Europe, no coalition

Reacting to DSS official and caretaker government minister Slobodan Samardžić’s statement that the EU deal would be nullified, Marković said that negotiations are still ongoing with the Democratic Party of Serbia-New Serbia (DSS-NS) coalition.

“That is the stance of Mr. Samardžić, but we are still negotiating. We did not agree to create a coalition, nor has a parliamentary majority been formed,” he said.

“Negotiations are ongoing. If what is in the best interest of Serbia and its citizens is not accepted, then there will be no coalition. All I know is that I have been promised that the annulment of the SAA will not be on the parliamentary agenda. I was told this at the first meeting with the DSS and NS,” Marković said.

The JS leader earlier told tabloid Press that he had a promise from DSS-NS that the signed SAA would not be made null and void, or more specifically, that it would not be put on the parliamentary agenda for any kind of vote.

"Third of work done in DSS-SRS-SPS talks"

Slobodan Samardžić says his party, DSS, the Radicals (SRS) and the Socialists (SPS) have finished a third of the work towards forming a new government.

However, the Democratic Party of Serbia official said that the most challenging part of the job is still ahead of the three political parties.

The DSS-NS stated that the negotiations for a coalition agreement will continue, and will be presented to the Serb Radical Party (SRS) and the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS).

The Radicals for their part also said that the signing of a coalitional agreement is nearing, especially when when it comes to local administrations, adding that they have received the approval of party leader Vojislav Šešelj, who is on trial for war crimes at the Hague Tribunal, to forming a government with the DSS and the SPS.

Offficials from United Serbia (JS) who is in a coalition with the Socialists, stated that "nothing concrete has been agreed upon yet" and that the negotiations will continue.

Samardžić told B92 TV that while the principles have been agreed upon, but that he could not say with certainty that a DSS-SRS-SPS government will be formed.

“If I said that everything is finished at the end of this first phase, I would not be right. If the talks stop or meet obstacles in the second or third phase, then someone else will try and make a government,” Samardžić said.

SPS official Žarko Obradović has a similar stance towards the talks.

“There is good will. That is the beginning of the story, the first phase is done and there are two-thirds of the job left,” he told B92.

Obradović said that the SPS will not negotiate with any other parties until the ongoing talks have been finished.

Democratic Party (DS) official Dragan Đilas said that the DSS and leader Vojislav Koštunica "tricked their voters", because they hid their intentions to form a government with the Radicals during the campaign.

“Negotiating with the Radicals, Koštunica is betraying the members of his own party, since he did not take into consideration the opinion of the party’s main board when starting these talks,” Đilas, who is DS candidate for Belgrade mayor, told B92.

"The fact that Koštunica received half the votes he had in the last elections clearly states what the citizens think of him and his politics,” Đilas said, adding that he is convinced that the “For a European Serbia” list of five parties led by the Democrats, will form the next government without the inclusion of DSS.

But Samardžić denied that there was a previously signed agreement with the Radicals, saying there was communication between the two parties.