Democrats "trying to get rid of G17"

According to Belgrade daily Danas, the recent local elections in Vrbas showed that the Democratic Party (DS) is trying to distance itself from G17 Plus. Both parties are members of the current Serbian government and took part in the last parliamentary vote in a pre-election coalition. Democrats "trying to get rid of G17" Now the newspaper says that DS has realized during the last year and a half that they should seek strategic partnership in the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), with its "increasingly similar ideology", and in the "ever-more practical" Liberal-Democrats (LDP). Mladjan Dinkic's G17, meanwhile, has been "slated for political marginalization". Even though DS leader and Serbian President Boris Tadic intends to see the government last its entire mandate – until 2012 – with little turbulence, G17 plus would be the first party to go in any potential changes being made to the government, Danas writes. G17 leader Mladjan Dinkic announced earlier that there would be a “union of regions” formed by the end of the year to include regional leaders from Kragujevac, Zajecar and Pirot. This alliance of political parties of the center-right, led by G17, would be seen as competition for DS, which is trying more and more to position itself towards the center-left. However, according to the daily’s sources, this idea has been postponed until 2010. G17 plus official Zeljko Ivanji said that there is “no reason to rush” the idea, and added that "nothing has changed and that there are no problems" in relations between his party and DS. “Our party wants to participate in elections individually, because this mobilizes the work of the local committees. However, when there are state elections and when state interests are in question, the decision of what coalition to participate with must be looked at carefully. We have all clearly shown that we will think for ourselves at all times,” he said. Ivanji said that the fact that the party did not register above the five percent threshold in the local elections in Vrbas "does not give a true picture of party’s popularity in Serbia". Asked whether DS and SPS have a better relationship within the government than G17 Plus and the Democrats, he reminded that Tadic and SPS leader Ivica Dacic signed an “historic reconciliation agreement” after the May 2008 elections, and that both parties are oriented towards the left. DS official Nada Kolundzija stated that there is no discussion within the coalition about "which parties have better relations and cooperation", and added that every party "has the right to participate in elections independently". “For some reason, G17 believes that it should participate independently in elections alone and we will not interfere in that, because such moves do not compromise the stability of the government and our coalition relations. If moves of the coalition partner do not endanger the state interests and the parliamentary majority, there is no reason for the party not to decide on its own how they will participate in elections,” Kolundzija said.

Democrats "trying to get rid of G17"

Now the newspaper says that DS has realized during the last year and a half that they should seek strategic partnership in the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), with its "increasingly similar ideology", and in the "ever-more practical" Liberal-Democrats (LDP).

Mlađan Dinkić's G17, meanwhile, has been "slated for political marginalization".

Even though DS leader and Serbian President Boris Tadić intends to see the government last its entire mandate – until 2012 – with little turbulence, G17 plus would be the first party to go in any potential changes being made to the government, Danas writes.

G17 leader Mlađan Dinkić announced earlier that there would be a “union of regions” formed by the end of the year to include regional leaders from Kragujevac, Zaječar and Pirot. This alliance of political parties of the center-right, led by G17, would be seen as competition for DS, which is trying more and more to position itself towards the center-left.

However, according to the daily’s sources, this idea has been postponed until 2010.

G17 plus official Željko Ivanji said that there is “no reason to rush” the idea, and added that "nothing has changed and that there are no problems" in relations between his party and DS.

“Our party wants to participate in elections individually, because this mobilizes the work of the local committees. However, when there are state elections and when state interests are in question, the decision of what coalition to participate with must be looked at carefully. We have all clearly shown that we will think for ourselves at all times,” he said.

Ivanji said that the fact that the party did not register above the five percent threshold in the local elections in Vrbas "does not give a true picture of party’s popularity in Serbia".

Asked whether DS and SPS have a better relationship within the government than G17 Plus and the Democrats, he reminded that Tadić and SPS leader Ivica Dačić signed an “historic reconciliation agreement” after the May 2008 elections, and that both parties are oriented towards the left.

DS official Nada Kolundžija stated that there is no discussion within the coalition about "which parties have better relations and cooperation", and added that every party "has the right to participate in elections independently".

“For some reason, G17 believes that it should participate independently in elections alone and we will not interfere in that, because such moves do not compromise the stability of the government and our coalition relations. If moves of the coalition partner do not endanger the state interests and the parliamentary majority, there is no reason for the party not to decide on its own how they will participate in elections,” Kolundžija said.