SPS official: No agreement on majority yet

Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) Vice-President Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic says that there is still no deal on a parliamentary majority. The distribution of portfolios in a future government is "still a long way away", she also told B92 on Tuesday, as officials of the coalition gathered around her party, and that led by the Democrats (DS), prepared to meet for another round of talks. SPS official: No agreement on majority yet On Monday, SPS leader Ivica Dacic said that it was important to the Socialists to have the United Regions of Serbia (URS) join a future government along with the Liberal Democrats (LDP). Commenting on this statement, Djukic-Dejanovic said this was "not about personnel issues but about program and mathematical principles to forge a government of a broad coalition that would be stable even if one partner got angry and decided to leave". This demand tabled by the Socialists was aimed at "avoiding the blackmailing potential" of partners in a future coalition, she explained. At the same time, Djukic-Dejanovic noted that it was the Democratic Party that was forming the government, while "as far as the SPS knew" there was no majority secured yet - "such as would enable for the government's functioning". Commenting on media reports that Dacic was "subjected to pressure when he returned to Russia" - with the goal of "forming a government with the Serb Progressives (SNS)", she asserted that the party "does not stand pressure and is deciding in line with its program and the support of the citizens": "Dacic did not travel to Russia (last week) in order to negotiate a government, that visit was scheduled six months ago. Secondly, he was not in Moscow, where a future new government was probably commented on, but in St. Petersburg." "I still think that our pro-European road must not be compromised, that our national policy must not be compromised, that this policy should be realized through the government. But, I think that the LDP is a heterogeneous coalition (sic), and what happens if someone from the LDP gets angry and decides to leave the government? For that reason I think the highest possible level of consensus should be secured in order to secure the implementation of the agreed policy, and it was in that sense that Dacic surprised yesterday when he said that the URS should also join," said Djukic-Dejanovic. The former speaker of the Serbian parliament also rejected "tendencies" to blame the Socialists for the slow pace of the government negotiations. "It is a fact that the DS is putting in an effort to form a coalition, while the SPS leader only said what was necessary in order for that coalition to function, especially on important issues such as Kosovo," she stated, and added that the Democrats were "on their way to create a coalition that is stable both in numbers and program". Asked to comment on a possibility of a "grand coalition" - that would include both the Democrats and the Progressives - Djukic-Dejanovic replied by saying that "anything is possible" in politics. "If the DS does not succeed, the SNS will attempt to put together a government. And if that fails too, it's better to form a grand coalition that to go to the polls again," she concluded. Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic (Tanjug, file) B92

SPS official: No agreement on majority yet

On Monday, SPS leader Ivica Dačić said that it was important to the Socialists to have the United Regions of Serbia (URS) join a future government along with the Liberal Democrats (LDP). Commenting on this statement, Đukić-Dejanović said this was "not about personnel issues but about program and mathematical principles to forge a government of a broad coalition that would be stable even if one partner got angry and decided to leave".

This demand tabled by the Socialists was aimed at "avoiding the blackmailing potential" of partners in a future coalition, she explained.

At the same time, Đukić-Dejanović noted that it was the Democratic Party that was forming the government, while "as far as the SPS knew" there was no majority secured yet - "such as would enable for the government's functioning".

Commenting on media reports that Dačić was "subjected to pressure when he returned to Russia" - with the goal of "forming a government with the Serb Progressives (SNS)", she asserted that the party "does not stand pressure and is deciding in line with its program and the support of the citizens":

"Dačić did not travel to Russia (last week) in order to negotiate a government, that visit was scheduled six months ago. Secondly, he was not in Moscow, where a future new government was probably commented on, but in St. Petersburg."

"I still think that our pro-European road must not be compromised, that our national policy must not be compromised, that this policy should be realized through the government. But, I think that the LDP is a heterogeneous coalition (sic), and what happens if someone from the LDP gets angry and decides to leave the government? For that reason I think the highest possible level of consensus should be secured in order to secure the implementation of the agreed policy, and it was in that sense that Dačić surprised yesterday when he said that the URS should also join," said Đukić-Dejanović.

The former speaker of the Serbian parliament also rejected "tendencies" to blame the Socialists for the slow pace of the government negotiations. "It is a fact that the DS is putting in an effort to form a coalition, while the SPS leader only said what was necessary in order for that coalition to function, especially on important issues such as Kosovo," she stated, and added that the Democrats were "on their way to create a coalition that is stable both in numbers and program".

Asked to comment on a possibility of a "grand coalition" - that would include both the Democrats and the Progressives - Đukić-Dejanović replied by saying that "anything is possible" in politics.

"If the DS does not succeed, the SNS will attempt to put together a government. And if that fails too, it's better to form a grand coalition that to go to the polls again," she concluded.