Party leaders vote in early elections in Serbia (photos)

Party leaders vote in early elections in Serbia (photos)

"First of all, I want Serbia to continue its fierce fight against corruption, to focus on the development of economy and increase employment," said Vučić, noting that this will require difficult and painful structural reforms, and the adoption of important laws before the summer recess.

When asked about his expectations regarding the elections, Vučić replied that he would not be satisfied with a mediocre result.

"I expect a much better result individually, compared to all others,” said Vučić.

"Stability"

Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) leader Ivica Dačić expressed the expectation that after Sunday's early elections, Serbia will have the kind of political stability that is a precondition for any serious steps ahead.

"As a man who wishes all the best to his country, I would love Serbia to start functioning normally, which means that its institutions should be strong and stable, that its democratic system should be developed with full respect for human rights and freedoms,” Dačić said after casting his vote.

The leader of the coalition made up of the SPS, the Party of United Pensioners of Serbia and United Serbia (SPS-PUPS-JS) voiced hope that the job started by the outgoing government, and this, he said, is bringing Serbia back to the international political scene well placed to continue its road to the EU while making sure to lead the accession talks taking care of the country’s national interests, will be picked up and continued.

Dačić called for continuing European integration, deeming that it is the best option for Serbia, one that is in the citizens’ best interests.

“We have wasted a lot of time, several decades, on political games and disputes, and I would like to say at the end of the campaign – ‘tomorrow is a working day, too’,” said Dačić.

The outgoing government will carry on doing its job until the new one is formed, and the next round of the dialogue with Pristina is taking place in Brussels as early as March 21, Dačić said.

"Neutrality"

Leader of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) Vojislav Koštunica said that only through political and economic neutrality can Serbia preserve its stability, continue to develop, and make own decisions about its internal matters.

In these elections, the citizens of Serbia choose between the two paths - the path of EU integration that has been taken so far and that is in many aspects destructive and harmful, and the other, the possibility of turning to our own interests and development, but also of focusing on the protection and preservation of the state and national interests, Koštunica told reporters after casting his vote in the early parliamentary elections on Sunday.

"Serbia should not be a member of the EU, or of any other group of states, but it should cooperate with everyone, including the EU, in accordance with its own interests,” stressed Koštunica.

"Changes"

New Democratic Party (NDS) leader Boris Tadić has said that he expects the people to vote for political changes.

"Unless there is a complete change, we will lag behind economically, which will have consequences throughout the decade ahead of us," said Tadić, who is Serbia's former president and the top candidate on the NDS slate.

All parametres point to the economy losing momentum, yet despite that the main topic of the entire campaign for the election was who would form the next government coalition, he remarked.

"Transformation"

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Čedomir Jovanović said Sunday that Serbia needs a policy focused on society transformation, particularly when it comes to economics and politics, where populism should be abandoned.

After casting his vote in Sunday’s early parliamentary and local elections, Jovanović said that in the period ahead, Serbia faces tasks that call for participation of everyone in the country.

Weaknesses from the past should not be showing up any more and the new policy to pursue should by one that can transform society, he said.

Jovanović said that Serbia has the right to a different policy after 26 years of making huge mistakes.

"Results"

Leader of the Democratic Party Dragan Đilas has said he believes the people of Serbia will vote at the snap parliamentary election on Sunday for the parties with results and actual solutions instead of promises.

"Serbia has been promised various things for two years now, like projects that will not be completed, fairy tales about investments... If this continues, the country will go bankrupt in a year and that will be a huge problem for everyone living here," Đilas stated.

He pointed out that he sincerely believed the people of Serbia would use the right to cast their vote and decide the course of Serbia's development.

"Investments"

Leader of the United Regions of Serbia (URS) Mladjan Dinkić has said that the early election on Sunday is important mostly for the country's economic future and that the new government should focus on investments and employment.

"The new government must abandon the belt tightening policy and focus on investments and employment. The policy that has been run in the past 5 years has shown no results. The budget deficit is getting bigger, while the salaries and pensions are shrinking," he said after casting his vote.

Dinkić hopes the URS will be an obstacle to continuing the policy of austerity and that the government will concentrate of much larger investments, faster economic development and growth of employment, because there is no way the salaries and pensions will be higher without an increase in employment.

"Regardless of who wins this election, we hope our idea of abandoning the belt tightening policy will win the day and that the new government will implement it as a national programme," he stated.