Democrats reject "two-party" accusations

The ruling Democratic Party (DS) denied on Thursday they were attempting to create a two-party system in Serbia. DS Vice President Jelena Trivan said her party was not working to this end with the opposition Serb Progressive Party (SNS) - a fear that was voiced by the Democrats' partners from the current government, the Socialists (SPS). Democrats reject "two-party" accusations Trivan said the party led by Boris Tadic wished instead to preserve the identity of its political partners, "especially minor parties, whose existence is good for the country". Serbia is far from a two-party system, she noted. "DS President Boris Tadic has said he thinks a mixed electoral system would be good for Serbia, and there is a mixed model of a local electoral system at the Ministry of Public administration, which has been under review for the past three years. Tadic said he found the model acceptable," Trivan remarked. According to her, head of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) Ivica Dacic was wrong in saying that the DS and SNS are making a two-party system, adding that it was, however, "a logical assumption, since many of the world's countries have a bipolar political system, where a third party usually exists to tip the scales". Any initiative, especially one that strives to change the electoral system requires consent from the coalition partners, she stated, adding that the DS had nothing in common with the SNS. "There was nothing dramatic in Dacic's statement that would lead people to think the relations between the DS and SPS are anything but stable," Trivan told B92. Dacic himself admitted that the current government was the most stable so far, Trivan argued. If any of the ruling coalition members were to give up on what the DS sees as important European and party values, the democrats would then leave the government, she added. "The DS has been in favor of a government reshuffle all this time, believing that a rationalization of the public administration needs to be done on all levels," Trivan said. According to her, the Democrats would agree to both a reduction in the number of ministries and to personnel changes. As for the SNS initiative to have the country's Constitution changed in order to cut the number of MPs from 250 to 125 , the DS official said there were "two serious reasons why constitutional changes are not done in that way". "For the sake of the atmosphere of legal safety one can't be saying every couple of months that the Constitution is no good. There should be a legal analysis, and all initiatives should be collected, and there are many, not just the one tabled by SNS, and then it should be said what's wrong with the Constitution, there should be a public debate, and then there should be work to change the Constitution," said Trivan. Jelena Trivan (Tanjug, file)

Democrats reject "two-party" accusations

Trivan said the party led by Boris Tadić wished instead to preserve the identity of its political partners, "especially minor parties, whose existence is good for the country".

Serbia is far from a two-party system, she noted.

"DS President Boris Tadić has said he thinks a mixed electoral system would be good for Serbia, and there is a mixed model of a local electoral system at the Ministry of Public administration, which has been under review for the past three years. Tadić said he found the model acceptable," Trivan remarked.

According to her, head of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) Ivica Dačić was wrong in saying that the DS and SNS are making a two-party system, adding that it was, however, "a logical assumption, since many of the world's countries have a bipolar political system, where a third party usually exists to tip the scales".

Any initiative, especially one that strives to change the electoral system requires consent from the coalition partners, she stated, adding that the DS had nothing in common with the SNS.

"There was nothing dramatic in Dačić's statement that would lead people to think the relations between the DS and SPS are anything but stable," Trivan told B92.

Dačić himself admitted that the current government was the most stable so far, Trivan argued. If any of the ruling coalition members were to give up on what the DS sees as important European and party values, the democrats would then leave the government, she added.

"The DS has been in favor of a government reshuffle all this time, believing that a rationalization of the public administration needs to be done on all levels," Trivan said. According to her, the Democrats would agree to both a reduction in the number of ministries and to personnel changes.

As for the SNS initiative to have the country's Constitution changed in order to cut the number of MPs from 250 to 125 , the DS official said there were "two serious reasons why constitutional changes are not done in that way".

"For the sake of the atmosphere of legal safety one can't be saying every couple of months that the Constitution is no good. There should be a legal analysis, and all initiatives should be collected, and there are many, not just the one tabled by SNS, and then it should be said what's wrong with the Constitution, there should be a public debate, and then there should be work to change the Constitution," said Trivan.