Tadić: Govt. to debate both SAA, Russian deal

President Boris Tadic says the government will discuss not only ratification of the Russian energy deal, but also the SAA, at Friday’s cabinet meeting. But Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica says that his Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) will abstain from the debate on the latter. Tadic: Govt. to debate both SAA, Russian deal New Serbia leader and Kostunica’s running mate Velimir Ilic said that it was unnatural for Democratic Party (DS) ministers to try to legalize something that they would not have support for in parliament two days before the elections. He said that Tadic, DS, should step down as he had got out of control. At Friday’s cabinet meeting, according to reports at least, the ministers will have a lot of work on their hands. The prime minister announced that the Russian energy deal would reappear on the agenda for a fourth time, while the president will also include a debate on ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA). “During the election silence, the government will be able to calmly decide about the energy agreement and the SAA. We didn’t want to propose the SAA for adoption to prevent it from being abused by the dissolved parliament. After the elections, the new parliament will have full legitimacy to ratify both agreements,” said the president. Infrastructure Minister Ilic said that the government should not be debating either the SAA or the energy deal in the middle of election silence. As far as the EU deal was concerned, the infrastructure minister said that DS ministers’ behavior was unnatural. “The SAA is a traitorous agreement that legalizes Kosovo’s independence, and I will never vote for an agreement like it where there is no mention of Serbia and her integral part, Kosovo. And Tadic is doing this, who is no longer behaving like a head of state, but is rather leading the policy of DS, which is out of order, and that's why he needs to step down. We will dismiss him in such a way that befits a traitor. In a democratic manner, we support democracy,” stormed Ilic. The cabinet meeting will take place on Friday, May 9 at 1300, said the government. The statement also outlined the meeting’s agenda. The prime minister, meanwhile, said that DSS and NS ministers would abstain from Friday’s debate on the SAA should a vote be held on it. “I have called a regular cabinet meeting for Friday, and ratification of the energy deal with Russia will be on the table,” said Kostunica. “Should DS ministers vote to put confirmation of Solana's agreement on the agenda, an agreement that signs away Kosovo, DSS and NS ministers will have no part in that farce, we will not vote at all,” he said in a statement to Tanjug. Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Cedomir Jovanovic has said that his party will hold a protest in front of government headquarters on Friday concerning the news that the energy agreement will be sent to parliament for ratification. Boris Tadic (FoNet, archive)

Tadić: Govt. to debate both SAA, Russian deal

New Serbia leader and Koštunica’s running mate Velimir Ilić said that it was unnatural for Democratic Party (DS) ministers to try to legalize something that they would not have support for in parliament two days before the elections. He said that Tadić, DS, should step down as he had got out of control.

At Friday’s cabinet meeting, according to reports at least, the ministers will have a lot of work on their hands. The prime minister announced that the Russian energy deal would reappear on the agenda for a fourth time, while the president will also include a debate on ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA).

“During the election silence, the government will be able to calmly decide about the energy agreement and the SAA. We didn’t want to propose the SAA for adoption to prevent it from being abused by the dissolved parliament. After the elections, the new parliament will have full legitimacy to ratify both agreements,” said the president.

Infrastructure Minister Ilić said that the government should not be debating either the SAA or the energy deal in the middle of election silence.

As far as the EU deal was concerned, the infrastructure minister said that DS ministers’ behavior was unnatural.

“The SAA is a traitorous agreement that legalizes Kosovo’s independence, and I will never vote for an agreement like it where there is no mention of Serbia and her integral part, Kosovo. And Tadić is doing this, who is no longer behaving like a head of state, but is rather leading the policy of DS, which is out of order, and that's why he needs to step down. We will dismiss him in such a way that befits a traitor. In a democratic manner, we support democracy,” stormed Ilić.

The cabinet meeting will take place on Friday, May 9 at 1300, said the government. The statement also outlined the meeting’s agenda.

The prime minister, meanwhile, said that DSS and NS ministers would abstain from Friday’s debate on the SAA should a vote be held on it.

“I have called a regular cabinet meeting for Friday, and ratification of the energy deal with Russia will be on the table,” said Koštunica. “Should DS ministers vote to put confirmation of Solana's agreement on the agenda, an agreement that signs away Kosovo, DSS and NS ministers will have no part in that farce, we will not vote at all,” he said in a statement to Tanjug.

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Čedomir Jovanović has said that his party will hold a protest in front of government headquarters on Friday concerning the news that the energy agreement will be sent to parliament for ratification.