Progressives say they "have vision for Belgrade"

BELGRADE Nebojsa Stefanovic has told B92 that the SNS party "has a vision of how to make Belgrade better," but that the future mayor is yet to be discussed. "We were talking earlier about what needs to change in Belgrade, a greater decentralization, we warned of corruption. A few things happened that suggest it is time to initiate the change of the government in (the city of) Belgrade," said the SNS vice-president and Serbian parliament speaker. Progressives say they "have vision for Belgrade" He explained that it was time to change the city government "because there is no major project being realized in Belgrade now - instead (Mayor Dragan) Djilas is using his position to fight against his political opponents." Djilas' Democrats (DS) are in power in Belgrade, in coalition with the SPS. The Socialists (SPS), meanwhile, are in coalition with the Progressives (SNS) on the state level. "You can see the statements made in the assembly, in the media. A mayor cannot behave like that. First, he (Djilas) said that (Aleksandar) Vucic was the best thing the government had, now he says he is a dictator. As a party we have not made a final decision. We brought the initiative to initiate change, we proposed the official initiative to Vucic... I expect that we will have a decision of the SNS main board by September 25, and then will then be able to talk with the DSS and the SPS," Stefanovic said. He also stated that the party was "not running away from elections." "We'll talk with everyone, the idea is to talk with the SPS and the DSS." Commenting on the proposal to elect the capital city's mayor in direct elections, Stefanovic said it was "hypocritical of the DS to now propose something of the kind, when they in 2008 changed the electoral system." As for the SNS candidate for mayor, Stefanovic said the "personnel" issues have not yet been discussed, but only those related to "the program." He added that SNS "is also talking with people in Vojvodina, as local elections showed the party's growing popularity," and added: "This gives us the legitimacy to change the authorities." Speaking about his statements made earlier that Aleksandar Vucic should become the country's prime minister, Stefanovic said: "Vucic put an end to that story himself, I would not like to drag myself into it. That was my position - that I believe the best solution for Serbia would be Vucic as prime minister. But he put an end to that story." (Tanjug, file) B92

Progressives say they "have vision for Belgrade"

He explained that it was time to change the city government "because there is no major project being realized in Belgrade now - instead (Mayor Dragan) Đilas is using his position to fight against his political opponents."

Đilas' Democrats (DS) are in power in Belgrade, in coalition with the SPS. The Socialists (SPS), meanwhile, are in coalition with the Progressives (SNS) on the state level.

"You can see the statements made in the assembly, in the media. A mayor cannot behave like that. First, he (Đilas) said that (Aleksandar) Vučić was the best thing the government had, now he says he is a dictator. As a party we have not made a final decision. We brought the initiative to initiate change, we proposed the official initiative to Vučić... I expect that we will have a decision of the SNS main board by September 25, and then will then be able to talk with the DSS and the SPS," Stefanović said.

He also stated that the party was "not running away from elections." "We'll talk with everyone, the idea is to talk with the SPS and the DSS."

Commenting on the proposal to elect the capital city's mayor in direct elections, Stefanović said it was "hypocritical of the DS to now propose something of the kind, when they in 2008 changed the electoral system."

As for the SNS candidate for mayor, Stefanović said the "personnel" issues have not yet been discussed, but only those related to "the program."

He added that SNS "is also talking with people in Vojvodina, as local elections showed the party's growing popularity," and added: "This gives us the legitimacy to change the authorities."

Speaking about his statements made earlier that Aleksandar Vučić should become the country's prime minister, Stefanović said:

"Vučić put an end to that story himself, I would not like to drag myself into it. That was my position - that I believe the best solution for Serbia would be Vučić as prime minister. But he put an end to that story."