Dačić on draft law and coalition

Socialists (SPS) leader Ivica Dacic says the ruling coalition is not in crisis and this is not the first time there are disagreements regarding a draft law. The first deputy PM and interior minister in the Cvetkovic cabinet told daily Blic that his party was not consulted regarding the Information on Public Law, "which could mean that there was already an agreement over a majority in parliament". Dacic on draft law and coalition He also said that before the bill entered parliamentary procedures, there should have been a widespread public debate in which all relevant parties should have participated. The lack of a debate is part of the criticism leveled at the draft, tabled by ruling G17 Plus; others say that the provisions of the changed law, including heavy fines for media outlets, would jeopardize the freedom of the press. “I stay by my stance that the party will abstain during voting, because I do not want SPS to participate in adopting a law which, had it been passed in the Milosevic era, would have been attacked and criticized,” Dacic said. “I do not want to participate in the pressuring the media, scrapping of election results. I do not want any decision of mine to contribute to wars, new sanctions. I am not sure that those who came out to the streets on October 5 would have supported such a law on information," he said of the October 5, 2000 protests that eventually overthrew the regime of Slobodan Milosevic. Milosevic was the founder and lifelong leader of the SPS, which ruled in Serbia throughout the 1990's. Dacic was also quoted as saying that he wants to change his party, and does not want any part in things that would force people to say that the Socialists have remained the same. “I do not want arguments, I condemn unsubstantiated attacks, but I do not accept that something must happen if I think that it is not good. Before 2000, it was said that some things had to be done, and after that SPS almost disappeared from the political scene,” he said. When it comes to the draft, "everything has gone against the basic principles on which the coalition was formed, because it was created with the SPS not being aware of it until it was up for voting in the government", Dacic explained. “This goes against the basic principles of our coalition, and that is reaching agreement. I told everyone that the question of the media and information law is a sensitive one for the SPS and that our party would be accused and disgraced because of it, but I also said that we will not cause any problems regarding the parliamentary quorum,” the SPS leader concluded.

Dačić on draft law and coalition

He also said that before the bill entered parliamentary procedures, there should have been a widespread public debate in which all relevant parties should have participated.

The lack of a debate is part of the criticism leveled at the draft, tabled by ruling G17 Plus; others say that the provisions of the changed law, including heavy fines for media outlets, would jeopardize the freedom of the press.

“I stay by my stance that the party will abstain during voting, because I do not want SPS to participate in adopting a law which, had it been passed in the Milošević era, would have been attacked and criticized,” Dačić said.

“I do not want to participate in the pressuring the media, scrapping of election results. I do not want any decision of mine to contribute to wars, new sanctions. I am not sure that those who came out to the streets on October 5 would have supported such a law on information," he said of the October 5, 2000 protests that eventually overthrew the regime of Slobodan Milošević.

Milošević was the founder and lifelong leader of the SPS, which ruled in Serbia throughout the 1990's.

Dačić was also quoted as saying that he wants to change his party, and does not want any part in things that would force people to say that the Socialists have remained the same.

“I do not want arguments, I condemn unsubstantiated attacks, but I do not accept that something must happen if I think that it is not good. Before 2000, it was said that some things had to be done, and after that SPS almost disappeared from the political scene,” he said.

When it comes to the draft, "everything has gone against the basic principles on which the coalition was formed, because it was created with the SPS not being aware of it until it was up for voting in the government", Dačić explained.

“This goes against the basic principles of our coalition, and that is reaching agreement. I told everyone that the question of the media and information law is a sensitive one for the SPS and that our party would be accused and disgraced because of it, but I also said that we will not cause any problems regarding the parliamentary quorum,” the SPS leader concluded.