Parties gear up for campaign

Parties gear up for campaign

“Each party had to back down from their original demands”, Tadić said.

Tadić, Democratic Party (DS) leader, also said he will be active in the campaign, as he saw the forthcoming elections as decisive for the future of the country. He added his goal was a Europe-oriented parliament, and that this was the reason why he favored presidential elections taking place along the parliamentary vote.

“All those who thought I will not take part in this campaign, since the presidential elections have not been called, are very much mistaken. I will take an even more active part under these circumstances. The reason is that these elections can confirm the democratic decisions Serbia took on October 5, 2000, but can also cancel them”, president Tadić said.

Prime Minister Koštunica of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) said his party will lead “a positive” campaign, based on “the current cabinet’s successes” and the Kosovo issue.

While he emphasized his understanding of the elections on all levels which are set to take place by the end of the next year as democratic institution building events, Koštunica still refrained from directly answering the question whether any cooperation with the Radicals is ruled out, saying this will be decided on after election results are known.

“We have up until this point achieved good cooperation with some parties and that is the direction we will likely take in the coming elections, but the details, naturally, will be decided on by the party’s senior council”, Koštunica said.