"Talks on new coalition agreement possible"

BELGRADE Zorana Mihajlovic says that "if someone does not want to participate in the government reshuffle, it can mean talks on a new coalition agreement." Mihajlovic is a vice president of the ruling Serb Progressive Party (SNS), and minister of energy. "Talks on new coalition agreement possible" "This is up to the leaders of the parties in the coalition to decide," Mihajlovic said in response to a reporter who asked "if Mladjan Dinkic might leave the government if he does not agree to replace his ministers." The minister also added this is a question for Dinkic - Serbia's economy minister, and leader of the United Regions of Serbia (URS). Mihajlovic said that "the people leading the state must change and that she always supports efforts to make the government more efficient and bring in new people with fresh energy." She stressed that "each minister needs to review what they have and have not done, and what can be improved." (Tanjug) "Deal, new coalition, or elections" Director Ipsos Strategic Marketing Srdjan Bogosavljevic sees three options in terms of government reshuffle - an agreement that will suit everyone, a new coalition structure if there is no deal, or early elections. In an interview for Tanjug, Bogosavljevic said that an agreement on the reshuffle that would suit everyone would imply that leaders of the three leading parties -the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and the United Regions of Serbia (URS) - would have to make very painful cuts inside their own parties, which would be even bigger than inter party ones. "It does not seem like an easy job, and I would be pleasantly surprised if this was really achieved," Bogosavljevic said. However, this would be the only way for the government with changed teams inside its ministries to start a new attempt to solve economic issues, which are not a topic used to win elections. On the contrary, the economy only leads to losing elections, Bogosavljevic said. "The second option is for them not to reach an agreement, after which they would have to redefine the coalition structure, which is also possible, but does not seem likely. Technically, it is possible that some other caucus may be involved, which implies a new coalition agreement, that is - all over again," he noted. According to him, the third option is that the SNS, as the strongest party, resorts to elections if no agreement is reached. However, he added, this is not a preferred option for anyone who is interested in Serbia, either from abroad or from here, as quite some time would be spent on elections while the jobs that have to be done by December would not have been completed. Asked who in Serbia would be in favor of early elections, Bogosavljevic said: "Perhaps no one." "From the aspect of starting the (EU accession) talks as soon as possible - if this is the main goal, which I believe it is, because resolving the issue of the economy means to attract investors - one of the most important things is not to postpone negotiations. From that point of view, they (elections) perhaps would not suit anyone," Bogosavljevic concluded. Tanjug

"Talks on new coalition agreement possible"

"This is up to the leaders of the parties in the coalition to decide," Mihajlović said in response to a reporter who asked "if Mlađan Dinkić might leave the government if he does not agree to replace his ministers."

The minister also added this is a question for Dinkić - Serbia's economy minister, and leader of the United Regions of Serbia (URS).

Mihajlović said that "the people leading the state must change and that she always supports efforts to make the government more efficient and bring in new people with fresh energy."

She stressed that "each minister needs to review what they have and have not done, and what can be improved."

"Deal, new coalition, or elections"

Director Ipsos Strategic Marketing Srdjan Bogosavljević sees three options in terms of government reshuffle - an agreement that will suit everyone, a new coalition structure if there is no deal, or early elections.

In an interview for Tanjug, Bogosavljević said that an agreement on the reshuffle that would suit everyone would imply that leaders of the three leading parties -the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and the United Regions of Serbia (URS) - would have to make very painful cuts inside their own parties, which would be even bigger than inter party ones.

"It does not seem like an easy job, and I would be pleasantly surprised if this was really achieved," Bogosavljević said.

However, this would be the only way for the government with changed teams inside its ministries to start a new attempt to solve economic issues, which are not a topic used to win elections.

On the contrary, the economy only leads to losing elections, Bogosavljević said.

"The second option is for them not to reach an agreement, after which they would have to redefine the coalition structure, which is also possible, but does not seem likely. Technically, it is possible that some other caucus may be involved, which implies a new coalition agreement, that is - all over again," he noted.

According to him, the third option is that the SNS, as the strongest party, resorts to elections if no agreement is reached. However, he added, this is not a preferred option for anyone who is interested in Serbia, either from abroad or from here, as quite some time would be spent on elections while the jobs that have to be done by December would not have been completed.

Asked who in Serbia would be in favor of early elections, Bogosavljević said: "Perhaps no one."

"From the aspect of starting the (EU accession) talks as soon as possible - if this is the main goal, which I believe it is, because resolving the issue of the economy means to attract investors - one of the most important things is not to postpone negotiations. From that point of view, they (elections) perhaps would not suit anyone," Bogosavljević concluded.