Democrats nervous about Socialists' promotion skills

A Belgrade daily writes today that "the battle is on" among the ruling coalition partners to improve their party ratings. Blic newspaper says that tension is growing in the camp of the Democrats (DS), as they watch fellow government members the Socialists (SPS) and their leader Ivica Dacic "steal the limelight". Democrats nervous about Socialists' promotion skills SPS – founded and led by Slobodan Milosevic and in power in Serbia throughout the 1990s – was marginalized after 2000, and branded responsible for all the evils of that decade. But now, according to CeSID's latest polls, they are fighting for the number three spot on the list of Serbia's most popular political parties. Apparently, this does not sit well with the Democrats, who are "credited" with providing the Socialists with a springboard for their revival when they forged an alliance after last year's parliamentary elections. The success of SPS also comes from Dacic's media exposure and tendency to link state business to himself, at the same time helping his party's ratings. Dacic is first deputy PM and interior minister in the Cvetkovic cabinet. Analysts, the newspaper writes, say that the Socialists sometimes "go over the top", while the Democrats feel tension as "political points are being snatched from them". A pattern seems to have shaped that has its "comic and entertaining" value, continues the daily: the police minister addresses reporters and says he is to be credited for a state affair, and then DS leader and Serbian President Boris Tadic – or some other high ranking DS official – also comes before the media to declare that the coalition partner had been mistaken. "It's not him, it's us," Blic formulates the Democrats' reaction. This happened during the recent police operation codenamed Morava, that saw as many as 500 drug dealers detained, and regarding the changes to the draft Vojvodina statute, while the battle is still raging over who will collect most political points for the lifting of the EU visa regime and the completion of Corridor 10 highway.

Democrats nervous about Socialists' promotion skills

SPS – founded and led by Slobodan Milošević and in power in Serbia throughout the 1990s – was marginalized after 2000, and branded responsible for all the evils of that decade.

But now, according to CeSID's latest polls, they are fighting for the number three spot on the list of Serbia's most popular political parties.

Apparently, this does not sit well with the Democrats, who are "credited" with providing the Socialists with a springboard for their revival when they forged an alliance after last year's parliamentary elections.

The success of SPS also comes from Dačić's media exposure and tendency to link state business to himself, at the same time helping his party's ratings. Dačić is first deputy PM and interior minister in the Cvetković cabinet.

Analysts, the newspaper writes, say that the Socialists sometimes "go over the top", while the Democrats feel tension as "political points are being snatched from them".

A pattern seems to have shaped that has its "comic and entertaining" value, continues the daily: the police minister addresses reporters and says he is to be credited for a state affair, and then DS leader and Serbian President Boris Tadić – or some other high ranking DS official – also comes before the media to declare that the coalition partner had been mistaken.

"It's not him, it's us," Blic formulates the Democrats' reaction.

This happened during the recent police operation codenamed Morava, that saw as many as 500 drug dealers detained, and regarding the changes to the draft Vojvodina statute, while the battle is still raging over who will collect most political points for the lifting of the EU visa regime and the completion of Corridor 10 highway.