Ex-president to head new party in elections

BELGRADE B92 has unofficially learned that former Serbian President Boris Tadic, currently honorary president of the opposition DS, has decided to form a new party. The party, the Democratic Front (Demokratski Front), will reportedly include some current members of the Democratic Party (DS), as well as MPs gathered around the parliamentary group dubbed "Together for Serbia." Ex-president to head new party in elections This group was set up by former DS official Dusan Petrovic and has seven MPs in the current parliament, which is expected to be officially dissolved this week. The League of the Social-Democrats of Vojvodina, led by Nenad Canak, is also expected to join Tadic in his new political endeavor. Unofficially, the Democratic Front is also negotiating with Cedomir Jovanovic and his LDP. On Sunday, Jovanovic said that "it was time that the LDP started to carry out its policy," but that its "true interlocutors" ahead of the early polls "will certainly not be the parties of the current ruling coalition." (Tanjug, file) "Incompetence, empty promises" Earlier in the day, the Democrats, now led by Dragan Djilas, said that the decision to call early parliamentary elections was a result of the inability of the Serbian government to meet election promises and provide better life to citizens. Life is getting worse every day for citizens and budget revenues are EUR 500 million lower than planned despite higher taxes and prices, the party said, quoting data from the Ministry of Finance. Unemployment has increased, whereas more than 50,000 party-backed individuals have obtained employment in the public sector over the past year, and the government has indebted the country by EUR 5 billion, the DS also said. Foreign investments in 2013 were three times lower than the promised EUR 2 billion, the party said in a statement. "These facts clearly show that this government has toppled itself due to its own incompetence and inability to provide the citizens the better life it has promised," the DS concluded. B92 Tanjug

Ex-president to head new party in elections

This group was set up by former DS official Dušan Petrović and has seven MPs in the current parliament, which is expected to be officially dissolved this week.

The League of the Social-Democrats of Vojvodina, led by Nenad Čanak, is also expected to join Tadić in his new political endeavor.

Unofficially, the Democratic Front is also negotiating with Čedomir Jovanović and his LDP. On Sunday, Jovanović said that "it was time that the LDP started to carry out its policy," but that its "true interlocutors" ahead of the early polls "will certainly not be the parties of the current ruling coalition."

"Incompetence, empty promises"

Earlier in the day, the Democrats, now led by Dragan Đilas, said that the decision to call early parliamentary elections was a result of the inability of the Serbian government to meet election promises and provide better life to citizens.

Life is getting worse every day for citizens and budget revenues are EUR 500 million lower than planned despite higher taxes and prices, the party said, quoting data from the Ministry of Finance.

Unemployment has increased, whereas more than 50,000 party-backed individuals have obtained employment in the public sector over the past year, and the government has indebted the country by EUR 5 billion, the DS also said.

Foreign investments in 2013 were three times lower than the promised EUR 2 billion, the party said in a statement.

"These facts clearly show that this government has toppled itself due to its own incompetence and inability to provide the citizens the better life it has promised," the DS concluded.