"Serbia has had enough of both Tadić and Nikolić"

Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic says Ivica Dacic will prove to be the dark horse in the presidential election, as voters grow weary of Tomislav Nikolic and Boris Tadic. Djukic-Dejanovic - Serbia's parliament speaker, top Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) official, and as of this afternoon, "the Serbian president's deputy" - spoke for B92 late on Thursday in Belgrade. "Serbia has had enough of both Tadic and Nikolic" Earlier in the day, the speaker scheduled the presidential ballot for May 6, to coincide with the previously called parliamentary and local votes. "Voters have had enough of both Nikolic, who always comes in second, and Tadic, who has been here for a decade", she said. As for Dacic - the SPS party leader who has been interior minister and one of deputy PMs in the current government since 2008 - Djukic-Dejanovic believes he will succeed in his presidential bid "because people in Serbia want a reliable man, a man true to his word, who also knows how to be tough when necessary": "If your question is whether that (Dacic's victory) is realistic, my answer is that I expect to see frank voting in the presidential election. Unless there is too great an influence exerted on the public, and unless there the atmosphere of a referendum is created, I think that Ivica Dacic, with his personal and psychological profile, is the person whom Serbia needs the most." She spoke against "a referendum mood" being created - i.e., against voters decide only between the two largest parties, Tadic's Democrats (DS) and Nikolic's Progressives (SNS). "Serbia is much bigger than either Nikolic or Tadic, and there is a third part of Serbia that has been somewhat neglected," Djukic-Dejanovic said, and noted that the presidential election "did not work in favor of smaller parties". Considering that she today took over the powers of the country's president, Djukic-Dejanovic said she was also ready to take on her responsibilities, "in line with the law and the Constitution". She also noted that, technically, her role as of today was not that of "acting president", but rather that her office was legally that of "the president's deputy". Djukic-Dejanovic expressed her hope that she would not be forced to make "some delicate decisions" should the situation in Kosovo deteriorate. Asked whether she was ready to declare a state of emergency in case of an escalation, or send the troops back to Kosovo and Metohija, she responded: "Clearly, diplomacy is the wisest solution, but we also have a constitutional obligation to protect our people should some situation require it. However, we will always go for dialogue and political compromise." Djukic-Dejanovic believes that "the most appropriate reaction" was that of the Serbian government, which is "also discussing the issue of holding of local elections in Kosovo with UNMIK". Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic (Beta) B92

"Serbia has had enough of both Tadić and Nikolić"

Earlier in the day, the speaker scheduled the presidential ballot for May 6, to coincide with the previously called parliamentary and local votes.

"Voters have had enough of both Nikolić, who always comes in second, and Tadić, who has been here for a decade", she said.

As for Dačić - the SPS party leader who has been interior minister and one of deputy PMs in the current government since 2008 - Đukić-Dejanović believes he will succeed in his presidential bid "because people in Serbia want a reliable man, a man true to his word, who also knows how to be tough when necessary":

"If your question is whether that (Dačić's victory) is realistic, my answer is that I expect to see frank voting in the presidential election. Unless there is too great an influence exerted on the public, and unless there the atmosphere of a referendum is created, I think that Ivica Dačić, with his personal and psychological profile, is the person whom Serbia needs the most."

She spoke against "a referendum mood" being created - i.e., against voters decide only between the two largest parties, Tadić's Democrats (DS) and Nikolić's Progressives (SNS).

"Serbia is much bigger than either Nikolić or Tadić, and there is a third part of Serbia that has been somewhat neglected," Đukić-Dejanović said, and noted that the presidential election "did not work in favor of smaller parties".

Considering that she today took over the powers of the country's president, Đukić-Dejanović said she was also ready to take on her responsibilities, "in line with the law and the Constitution".

She also noted that, technically, her role as of today was not that of "acting president", but rather that her office was legally that of "the president's deputy".

Đukić-Dejanović expressed her hope that she would not be forced to make "some delicate decisions" should the situation in Kosovo deteriorate. Asked whether she was ready to declare a state of emergency in case of an escalation, or send the troops back to Kosovo and Metohija, she responded:

"Clearly, diplomacy is the wisest solution, but we also have a constitutional obligation to protect our people should some situation require it. However, we will always go for dialogue and political compromise."

Đukić-Dejanović believes that "the most appropriate reaction" was that of the Serbian government, which is "also discussing the issue of holding of local elections in Kosovo with UNMIK".