DS, SPS sign reconciliation declaration

DS and SPS leaders Boris Tadic and Iviva Dacic have signed a Declaration of Political Reconciliation, just a day after the division of the city directorships. The Declaration of Political Reconciliation envisages common responsibility for realizing the vision of Serbia as a democratic, free, intact, economically and culturally developed and socially just country. DS, SPS sign reconciliation declaration The declaration states that the Democratic Party (DS) and Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) have agreed that their cooperation will be based on the common platform of a policy of overcoming past differences, a struggle to achieve the strategic goals of the state and people, and creating the conditions for national and political reconciliation, the foundations for economic and social progress, and a better life for all. “Our political agreement has as its goal the preservation of Serbia’s full integrity and EU membership,” the declaration reads. “We wish to offer a platform of national reconciliation that will group together all those who genuinely seek renewed progress and a future for all Serbia’s citizens,” it adds. The signing took place at DS HQ and was attended by an SPS delegation headed by Dacic, accompanied by senior officials Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, Zarko Obradovic, Dusan Bajatovic, Petar Skundric and Branko Ruzic. Besides Tadic, the DS was represented by Bojan Pajtic, Marko Djurisic, Dragan Sutanovac and Dusan Petrovic The text’s authors were presidential adviser Trivo Indjic and the SPS's Skundric. Ivica Dacic, Boris Tadic at today's signing ceremony (FoNet, archive) SPS: Important for future Although Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) leader Dacic dismissed speculation that the signing had been postponed over the distribution of places in Serbia’s public companies, the announcement comes just a day after the appointment of 18 directors in the capital. While the DS did not wish to discuss the declaration before the actual signing, the SPS says that this a symbolically important day for the future. SPS MP Branko Ruzic claims that objective reasons governed the date of the signing, and that it had nothing to do with the directorial appointments. “Tomorrow’s date will undoubtedly be an important date for the future, and some other acts might be signed. In any case, the date has been set with the objective possibilities of all the two parties’ most responsible people, primarily the leaders, Messrs Dacic and Tadic." Analyst Djordje Vukadinovic and journalist Dragan Bujosevic both say that the date has symbolic significance. Vukadinovic, however, stresses that the symbolism should be found more in the fact that the signing comes a day after the distribution of the directorial posts. “I think this event maybe marks more the important event that’s just occurred—the long-awaited agreement over the division of power in the capital… which can be expected at republic level as well in the coming period—than any kind of turning point in the life of Serbian citizens who, till yesterday were divided and at odds with each other, and have now been reconciled by the DS and SPS leaders,” he says. Bujosevic says that the reconciliation of the parties actually occurred a lot earlier. “If they were just waiting to agree on the distribution of the public companies, it might seem that they were just waiting for that to make the reconciliation public, but I repeat: that reconciliation happened when they decided to form a government and I think that’s essentially good for Serbia,” he says. Vukadinovic says that it is not good to have wide chasms between the political options in Serbia. “It’s likely that at some point in the future, another declaration of reconciliation will be needed, let’s say, between the DS and DSS. Because, now, the biggest rift is between these two. In the meantime, the yawning gap until two months ago between the supporters of Boris Tadic and Tomislav Nikolic and the SRS, that’s on the way to being partly mended, if not surmounted,” he says. The analyst claims that the whole business about political reconciliation between the DS and SPS is, at best, late, and, in his opinion, pointless and slightly hypocritical, having been postponed on a number of occasions in recent months.

DS, SPS sign reconciliation declaration

The declaration states that the Democratic Party (DS) and Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) have agreed that their cooperation will be based on the common platform of a policy of overcoming past differences, a struggle to achieve the strategic goals of the state and people, and creating the conditions for national and political reconciliation, the foundations for economic and social progress, and a better life for all.

“Our political agreement has as its goal the preservation of Serbia’s full integrity and EU membership,” the declaration reads.

“We wish to offer a platform of national reconciliation that will group together all those who genuinely seek renewed progress and a future for all Serbia’s citizens,” it adds.

The signing took place at DS HQ and was attended by an SPS delegation headed by Dačić, accompanied by senior officials Slavica Đukić-Dejanović, Žarko Obradović, Dušan Bajatović, Petar Škundrić and Branko Ružić.

Besides Tadić, the DS was represented by Bojan Pajtić, Marko Đurišić, Dragan Šutanovac and Dušan Petrović

The text’s authors were presidential adviser Trivo Inđić and the SPS's Škundrić.

SPS: Important for future

Although Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) leader Dačić dismissed speculation that the signing had been postponed over the distribution of places in Serbia’s public companies, the announcement comes just a day after the appointment of 18 directors in the capital.

While the DS did not wish to discuss the declaration before the actual signing, the SPS says that this a symbolically important day for the future.

SPS MP Branko Ružić claims that objective reasons governed the date of the signing, and that it had nothing to do with the directorial appointments.

“Tomorrow’s date will undoubtedly be an important date for the future, and some other acts might be signed. In any case, the date has been set with the objective possibilities of all the two parties’ most responsible people, primarily the leaders, Messrs Dačić and Tadić."

Analyst Đorđe Vukadinović and journalist Dragan Bujošević both say that the date has symbolic significance.

Vukadinović, however, stresses that the symbolism should be found more in the fact that the signing comes a day after the distribution of the directorial posts.

“I think this event maybe marks more the important event that’s just occurred—the long-awaited agreement over the division of power in the capital… which can be expected at republic level as well in the coming period—than any kind of turning point in the life of Serbian citizens who, till yesterday were divided and at odds with each other, and have now been reconciled by the DS and SPS leaders,” he says.

Bujošević says that the reconciliation of the parties actually occurred a lot earlier.

“If they were just waiting to agree on the distribution of the public companies, it might seem that they were just waiting for that to make the reconciliation public, but I repeat: that reconciliation happened when they decided to form a government and I think that’s essentially good for Serbia,” he says.

Vukadinović says that it is not good to have wide chasms between the political options in Serbia.

“It’s likely that at some point in the future, another declaration of reconciliation will be needed, let’s say, between the DS and DSS. Because, now, the biggest rift is between these two. In the meantime, the yawning gap until two months ago between the supporters of Boris Tadić and Tomislav Nikolić and the SRS, that’s on the way to being partly mended, if not surmounted,” he says.

The analyst claims that the whole business about political reconciliation between the DS and SPS is, at best, late, and, in his opinion, pointless and slightly hypocritical, having been postponed on a number of occasions in recent months.