Ex-president happy that rivals "adopted his rhetoric"

BELGRADE The DS lost the May elections, while leader Boris Tadic lost his bid to be reelected as Serbia's president - but looking back, he found reason to be satisfied. Tadic, who is now honorary president of the opposition party, believes that it is "a great success that the DS managed to force its main political rivals to start using the DS rhetoric instead of their own," adding that it is good that "a consensus has been reached on important strategic questions". Ex-president happy that rivals "adopted his rhetoric" “Isn't it touching when (President Tomislav) Nikolic says that we must never give up on the European integration process, when (Deputy PM Aleksandar (Vucic) says that the EU is crucial for our economic survival, when (PM Ivica) Dacic says that we are sick and tired of the slogan 'Kosovo is Serbia' and that giving up on the European future will never bring Kosovo back?,” Tadic wondered in an interview for the Belgrade-based weekly NIN. "It is good that a consensus has finally been reached about basic strategic questions, but that it is bad that the current majority is not capable of implementing this sustainable policy," he said. The former president believes that the text of the platform on Kosovo and Metohija is "a means of expression of someone's ideas, aspirations and even interests". “How this platform will look like in the end of this political process, it is hard to predict. It depends on balance of power. It is also possible that it falls into oblivion. However, Serbia will have to resolve the problem of Kosovo as soon as possible. On the contrary, Kosovo will grow into an even bigger problem for Serbia and its citizens,” Tadic said. Tadic noted that his party's "reconciliation" with the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) was a necessary move. “If I had not built up such relations with Dacic in 2008, then you would have had Dacic-Nikolic-Vucic-Kostunica government,” Tadic explained. “Do you think that in such a case Serbia would have won the EU candidate status and visa liberalization? It would not. After the reconciliation, Serbia has changed. My political rivals - people who threatened me with the most dreadful things in life, practically took over the policy that I advocated, including both the EU accession and a search for a sustainable solution for Kosovo-Metohija. We will see how far they will be able to go this way,” Tadic said. He stated that it is possible that early parliamentary election will take place in spring, but added that "at the moment the DS is not ready for that yet". “However by spring it can be more than ready,” Tadic said, adding that this depends on the leadership of the party. Boris Tadic (Tanjug, file) NIN Tanjug

Ex-president happy that rivals "adopted his rhetoric"

“Isn't it touching when (President Tomislav) Nikolić says that we must never give up on the European integration process, when (Deputy PM Aleksandar (Vučić) says that the EU is crucial for our economic survival, when (PM Ivica) Dačić says that we are sick and tired of the slogan 'Kosovo is Serbia' and that giving up on the European future will never bring Kosovo back?,” Tadić wondered in an interview for the Belgrade-based weekly NIN.

"It is good that a consensus has finally been reached about basic strategic questions, but that it is bad that the current majority is not capable of implementing this sustainable policy," he said.

The former president believes that the text of the platform on Kosovo and Metohija is "a means of expression of someone's ideas, aspirations and even interests".

“How this platform will look like in the end of this political process, it is hard to predict. It depends on balance of power. It is also possible that it falls into oblivion. However, Serbia will have to resolve the problem of Kosovo as soon as possible. On the contrary, Kosovo will grow into an even bigger problem for Serbia and its citizens,” Tadić said.

Tadić noted that his party's "reconciliation" with the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) was a necessary move.

“If I had not built up such relations with Dačić in 2008, then you would have had Dačić-Nikolić-Vučić-Koštunica government,” Tadić explained.

“Do you think that in such a case Serbia would have won the EU candidate status and visa liberalization? It would not. After the reconciliation, Serbia has changed. My political rivals - people who threatened me with the most dreadful things in life, practically took over the policy that I advocated, including both the EU accession and a search for a sustainable solution for Kosovo-Metohija. We will see how far they will be able to go this way,” Tadić said.

He stated that it is possible that early parliamentary election will take place in spring, but added that "at the moment the DS is not ready for that yet".

“However by spring it can be more than ready,” Tadić said, adding that this depends on the leadership of the party.