SPS identifies DSS as post-election ally

Socialist leader Ivica Dacic says the first people he will be speaking to after the elections are the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS). Speaking to B92’s Kaziprst program, he said that no single party would be able to secure a parliamentary majority in Serbia unless a joint agreement was reached over a coalition led by the DSS and the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS). SPS identifies DSS as post-election ally Asked about Serb Radical Party (SRS) deputy leader Tomislav Nikolic’s readiness to offer DSS leader Vojislav Kostunica the choice of either the post of prime minister or the majority of ministries, Dacic replied that it was ridiculous to make any kind of agreement until after the parliamentary elections, though political agreements could exist. The SPS leader said that he understood Nikolic, because it was the wish of every party to form the government alone or with as few coalition partners as possible, but that it was not a matter of who wanted what, but of the election results themselves. He said that he did not believe there was a pre-election deal between the SRS and the DSS, though there probably had been discussions, and that the SPS ruled out any possibility of forming a post-election deal with the Democratic Party (DS), the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the League of Vojvodina Social Democrats (LSV) or the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO). He added that the SPS would not support any minority government. “It’s not important for the SPS who’s going to be a minister or director, but there are principles, and they are changes to the laws on labor, pensions, resolving health care problems, the protection of state and national interests, and social justice,” reiterated Dacic. The SPS leader said that his party supported the energy agreement with Russia, and that whenever the matter appeared on the parliamentary agenda—something, he predicted, would be very soon—the Socialists would vote in favor of it, and in favor of a parliamentary session being held on it. The government should confirm the proposal and send it to parliament, after which the parties could discuss whether a parliamentary session should be called immediately or whether it should wait until after the elections, he said, adding that the SPS had not discussed this with anyone. Should the international community continue its policy of imposing a unilateral solution for Kosovo, bypassing the UN Security Council, no-one could deny the right of the Serbs in the Republic of Srpska to a referendum, stressed Dacic. The SPS leader called on the Serbs there to organize a referendum on the RS’s independence in that event. Ivica Dacic (FoNet, archive)

SPS identifies DSS as post-election ally

Asked about Serb Radical Party (SRS) deputy leader Tomislav Nikolić’s readiness to offer DSS leader Vojislav Koštunica the choice of either the post of prime minister or the majority of ministries, Dačić replied that it was ridiculous to make any kind of agreement until after the parliamentary elections, though political agreements could exist.

The SPS leader said that he understood Nikolić, because it was the wish of every party to form the government alone or with as few coalition partners as possible, but that it was not a matter of who wanted what, but of the election results themselves.

He said that he did not believe there was a pre-election deal between the SRS and the DSS, though there probably had been discussions, and that the SPS ruled out any possibility of forming a post-election deal with the Democratic Party (DS), the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the League of Vojvodina Social Democrats (LSV) or the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO). He added that the SPS would not support any minority government.

“It’s not important for the SPS who’s going to be a minister or director, but there are principles, and they are changes to the laws on labor, pensions, resolving health care problems, the protection of state and national interests, and social justice,” reiterated Dačić.

The SPS leader said that his party supported the energy agreement with Russia, and that whenever the matter appeared on the parliamentary agenda—something, he predicted, would be very soon—the Socialists would vote in favor of it, and in favor of a parliamentary session being held on it.

The government should confirm the proposal and send it to parliament, after which the parties could discuss whether a parliamentary session should be called immediately or whether it should wait until after the elections, he said, adding that the SPS had not discussed this with anyone.

Should the international community continue its policy of imposing a unilateral solution for Kosovo, bypassing the UN Security Council, no-one could deny the right of the Serbs in the Republic of Srpska to a referendum, stressed Dačić.

The SPS leader called on the Serbs there to organize a referendum on the RS’s independence in that event.