Democrats: Our campaign serves as reminder

The Democratic Party (DS) has rejected accusations from rival Radicals (SRS) that it leads a negative campaign. Boris Tadic (DS) and Tomislav Nikolic (SRS) are headed for a face-off in the second round of the presidential elections on Feb. 3, in a race that experts say is too close to call. Democrats: Our campaign serves as reminder But while Tadic is the leader of his party, Nikolic is the Radicals' deputy president, with its number one man, Vojislav Seselj, facing war crimes trail at the Hague Tribunal. The Radicals see the fact that the rival camp frequently reminds of this and other facts about their party as "negative campaigning." The head of the DS campaign headquarters, Marko Djurisic, dismissed this today at a news conference in Belgrade, and told reporters they sought to remind the citizens that SRS is the "same party that in the 1990s supported Slobodan Milosevic and was responsible for everything that happened to Serbia at that time." Some of the DS campaign clips broadcast by television stations include footage of Seselj waving a handgun and threatening to shoot protesting students. "Voters should take notice of Nikolic's statements when they go to the polls Sunday," Djurisic continued, and repeated his party's main campaign theme: Serbia is choosing between the past and the message sent from Brussels, that the EU's door is "wide open." As for yesterday's uproar over Nikolic's gesture, who showed journalists a campaign leaflet depicting a carpet with chalk lines drawn on it, similar to ones found at murder scenes, commenting that it was a "picture of Boris Tadic", Djurisic said the following: "Only 15 days before the assassination of Serbia's prime minister [Zoran Djindjic], Nikolic said that, if anyone saw Djindjic, they should tell him [Josip Broz] Tito also had trouble with his leg before he died." Djindjic had an injured leg and was using crutches as he was killed on March 12, 2003. Now the Democrats have handed out CDs to reporters, containing Nikolic's controversial comment yesterday regarding Tadic. "As soon as he discarded the Seselj badge from his lapel, Nikolic proceeded to attack the Serb leaders in Bosnia and Croatia, Milorad Dodik and Milorad Pupovac, inviting at the same time Russian bases and nuclear weapons to Serbia," Djurisic said. The DS campaign chief reminded that during his brief, three-day stint as parliamentary speaker last May, Nikolic made "irresponsible statements," including calls for introduction of a state of emergency and making Serbia a Russian province. In this campaign, Nikolic told war crimes fugitives they had "nothing to worry about" and described Serbia's future as a "hole in the precious, expensive Persian carpet that is Europe", Djurisic also reminded. Marko Djurisic addresses reporters in Belgrade today (FoNet)

Democrats: Our campaign serves as reminder

But while Tadić is the leader of his party, Nikolić is the Radicals' deputy president, with its number one man, Vojislav Šešelj, facing war crimes trail at the Hague Tribunal.

The Radicals see the fact that the rival camp frequently reminds of this and other facts about their party as "negative campaigning."

The head of the DS campaign headquarters, Marko Đurišić, dismissed this today at a news conference in Belgrade, and told reporters they sought to remind the citizens that SRS is the "same party that in the 1990s supported Slobodan Milošević and was responsible for everything that happened to Serbia at that time."

Some of the DS campaign clips broadcast by television stations include footage of Šešelj waving a handgun and threatening to shoot protesting students.

"Voters should take notice of Nikolić's statements when they go to the polls Sunday," Đurišić continued, and repeated his party's main campaign theme: Serbia is choosing between the past and the message sent from Brussels, that the EU's door is "wide open."

As for yesterday's uproar over Nikolić's gesture, who showed journalists a campaign leaflet depicting a carpet with chalk lines drawn on it, similar to ones found at murder scenes, commenting that it was a "picture of Boris Tadić", Đurišić said the following:

"Only 15 days before the assassination of Serbia's prime minister [Zoran Đinđić], Nikolić said that, if anyone saw Đinđić, they should tell him [Josip Broz] Tito also had trouble with his leg before he died."

Đinđić had an injured leg and was using crutches as he was killed on March 12, 2003.

Now the Democrats have handed out CDs to reporters, containing Nikolić's controversial comment yesterday regarding Tadić.

"As soon as he discarded the Šešelj badge from his lapel, Nikolić proceeded to attack the Serb leaders in Bosnia and Croatia, Milorad Dodik and Milorad Pupovac, inviting at the same time Russian bases and nuclear weapons to Serbia," Đurišić said.

The DS campaign chief reminded that during his brief, three-day stint as parliamentary speaker last May, Nikolić made "irresponsible statements," including calls for introduction of a state of emergency and making Serbia a Russian province.

In this campaign, Nikolić told war crimes fugitives they had "nothing to worry about" and described Serbia's future as a "hole in the precious, expensive Persian carpet that is Europe", Đurišić also reminded.