Ideological boundaries "erased", Ljajić warns

BELGRADE Rasim Ljajic, a cabinet minister and leader of the SDPS party, says that when it comes to forming coalitions, "there are no boundaries." It is possible for two completely opposed blocs to come together, Ljajic told B92 on Tuesday. Ideological boundaries "erased", Ljajic warns He would at the same time not rule out the possibility of early elections in the country. Ljajic noted that the Liberal Democrats (LDP) and the Serb Progressives (SNS) had formed a local coalition - "which shows there are no longer any boundaries" when it comes to coalitions. According to him, this is "not good in the ideological sense - because the boundary between the left and right wing is being erased." Furthermore, he expects that a number of smaller parties will disappear from the political scene after the next elections: "The DS will survive, the SPS (will), the rest of us will be struggling." (Tanjug, file) No date - "new political reality" The possible failure to obtain a date for the start of Serbia's EU accession talks would be a new political reality that would certainly raise the issue of the perspective for the current government, as in this case the government would prove not to have realized a major foreign policy goal, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Rasim Ljajic said on Tuesday. “If we get a date, which is a much more realistic option, the government will be left with the need to adopt new economic measures and definitely, to implement the Brussels agreement (between Belgrade and Pristina),” Ljajic said. Ljajic said that possible new elections, which can never be ruled out as a possibility, could make the implementation more difficult. Ljajic, who also serves as minister of foreign and internal trade, telecommunications and information society, believes that Serbia will indeed get the date for the start of negotiations on full EU membership. “I expect that we will get the date and start the negotiations. We have done everything that was up to us. We are aware of our further obligations, and these include the beginning of the implementation of the Brussels agreement, and I believe that that process will go according to plan and that Serbia will start the negotiations,” Ljajic stated. B92 Tanjug

Ideological boundaries "erased", Ljajić warns

He would at the same time not rule out the possibility of early elections in the country.

Ljajić noted that the Liberal Democrats (LDP) and the Serb Progressives (SNS) had formed a local coalition - "which shows there are no longer any boundaries" when it comes to coalitions.

According to him, this is "not good in the ideological sense - because the boundary between the left and right wing is being erased."

Furthermore, he expects that a number of smaller parties will disappear from the political scene after the next elections:

"The DS will survive, the SPS (will), the rest of us will be struggling."

No date - "new political reality"

The possible failure to obtain a date for the start of Serbia's EU accession talks would be a new political reality that would certainly raise the issue of the perspective for the current government, as in this case the government would prove not to have realized a major foreign policy goal, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Rasim Ljajić said on Tuesday.

“If we get a date, which is a much more realistic option, the government will be left with the need to adopt new economic measures and definitely, to implement the Brussels agreement (between Belgrade and Priština),” Ljajić said.

Ljajić said that possible new elections, which can never be ruled out as a possibility, could make the implementation more difficult.

Ljajić, who also serves as minister of foreign and internal trade, telecommunications and information society, believes that Serbia will indeed get the date for the start of negotiations on full EU membership.

“I expect that we will get the date and start the negotiations. We have done everything that was up to us. We are aware of our further obligations, and these include the beginning of the implementation of the Brussels agreement, and I believe that that process will go according to plan and that Serbia will start the negotiations,” Ljajić stated.