Speaker: Elections to be held soon

Serbian parliament speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic believes that it is obvious that the elections are close. She added thatit was completely irrelevant whether they would be held two months earlier or later. Speaker: Elections to be held soon “Those who offer to hold the elections two months before the legal deadline show lack of political ideas,” she told daily Vecernje novosti. “It is important that the election date, whenever it is, does not interfere with our European path. There I primarily mean the EU candidate status, but also getting the accession negotiations date,” the parliament speaker stressed. She pointed out that citizens will have the final say in the elections but she added that it was not a secret that the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) would like to be a backbone of the future government together with the DS. “Who would have said four years ago that we would reconcile, be in the government and cooperate well. Of course, I am not ruling out coalition with anybody, because it would politically unrealistic. It is well-known that Socialists have the widest coalition capacity. Thanks to political perspicacity of our leader Ivica Dacic, we have developed a capability to cooperate with everybody,” Djukic-Dejanovic was quoted as saying. “As far as G17 Plus is concerned, we have much better relations with them now than before we joined the government,” she added. According to the speaker, by appointing MPs in accordance with the order on the election list the citizens will play the main role in the elections. She said that it was not very likely that changes to the Constitution would be discussed in the pre-election year. Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic (Tanjug, file) “Necessary laws will be adopted in time” Djukic-Dejanovic said that the parliament would pass all laws Serbia needed on the road to the EU by mid June. "I have been in touch with Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, who told me the bill on political party funding will come before the parliament soon, followed by property bills which are also important," she stressed. "The list of documents necessary for EU integration also includes a law on restitution. But the country is in a difficult economic situation, so it is uncertain when all injured parties can be compensated. It is possible the bill will pass, but with an addendum saying its implementation will start once the country has stabilized financially," the parliament speaker concluded.

Speaker: Elections to be held soon

“Those who offer to hold the elections two months before the legal deadline show lack of political ideas,” she told daily Večernje novosti.

“It is important that the election date, whenever it is, does not interfere with our European path. There I primarily mean the EU candidate status, but also getting the accession negotiations date,” the parliament speaker stressed.

She pointed out that citizens will have the final say in the elections but she added that it was not a secret that the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) would like to be a backbone of the future government together with the DS.

“Who would have said four years ago that we would reconcile, be in the government and cooperate well. Of course, I am not ruling out coalition with anybody, because it would politically unrealistic. It is well-known that Socialists have the widest coalition capacity. Thanks to political perspicacity of our leader Ivica Dačić, we have developed a capability to cooperate with everybody,” Đukić-Dejanović was quoted as saying.

“As far as G17 Plus is concerned, we have much better relations with them now than before we joined the government,” she added.

According to the speaker, by appointing MPs in accordance with the order on the election list the citizens will play the main role in the elections.

She said that it was not very likely that changes to the Constitution would be discussed in the pre-election year.

“Necessary laws will be adopted in time”

Đukić-Dejanović said that the parliament would pass all laws Serbia needed on the road to the EU by mid June.

"I have been in touch with Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković, who told me the bill on political party funding will come before the parliament soon, followed by property bills which are also important," she stressed.

"The list of documents necessary for EU integration also includes a law on restitution. But the country is in a difficult economic situation, so it is uncertain when all injured parties can be compensated. It is possible the bill will pass, but with an addendum saying its implementation will start once the country has stabilized financially," the parliament speaker concluded.