"Serbia needs new elections urgently"

Opposition New Serbia (NS) leader Velimir Ilic says the country urgently needs to hold early parliamentary elections. This is because the ruling coalition has not fulfilled its promises, while the economic situation was difficult, the former minister and current MP said. "Serbia needs new elections urgently" The political situation in Serbia, he continued, was unstable, while "no state institution was doing its job". Speaking during a meeting of the party's main board in Cacak, central Serbia, Ilic noted that ruling DS leader and Serbia's president, Boris Tadic - "and his cabinet" - were in charge of the country, while the government simply rubber-stamped their decisions, with the Serbian parliament "sidelined". He described debates taking place in parliament as minimal, with MPs adopting laws selectively, while some legislation never making it to the agenda because it did not suit the ruling majority. Ilic described Serbia's economy as a "catastrophe", saying that with 76,000 companies undergoing bankruptcy procedure the country was "getting further away from the EU every day". He announced his party would demand a review of the state budget, said the government was functioning for four months without such a review breaking the relevant law, and asserted that state money was being spent without control. "The government has failed to come up with a single serious program on how to exit the economic crisis and it cannot function in a cumbersome coalition made up of 15 political subjects, which make it a government of political deals, agreements and bargaining," Ilic said. He further stated that New Serbia was in favor of all public company managers being elected in public competitions as expert, rather than partisan candidates who eventually come under attack of others "simply because they come from opposing parties". Ilic confirmed that his party would join forces with the Serb Progressives (SNS), the Movement of Socialists and the Strength of Serbia Movement in the next elections. The NS leader added that he expected Vojislav Kostunica's DSS to join them "if not ahead, then after the elections". Velimir Ilic (Tanjug, file)

"Serbia needs new elections urgently"

The political situation in Serbia, he continued, was unstable, while "no state institution was doing its job".

Speaking during a meeting of the party's main board in Čačak, central Serbia, Ilić noted that ruling DS leader and Serbia's president, Boris Tadić - "and his cabinet" - were in charge of the country, while the government simply rubber-stamped their decisions, with the Serbian parliament "sidelined".

He described debates taking place in parliament as minimal, with MPs adopting laws selectively, while some legislation never making it to the agenda because it did not suit the ruling majority.

Ilić described Serbia's economy as a "catastrophe", saying that with 76,000 companies undergoing bankruptcy procedure the country was "getting further away from the EU every day".

He announced his party would demand a review of the state budget, said the government was functioning for four months without such a review breaking the relevant law, and asserted that state money was being spent without control.

"The government has failed to come up with a single serious program on how to exit the economic crisis and it cannot function in a cumbersome coalition made up of 15 political subjects, which make it a government of political deals, agreements and bargaining," Ilić said.

He further stated that New Serbia was in favor of all public company managers being elected in public competitions as expert, rather than partisan candidates who eventually come under attack of others "simply because they come from opposing parties".

Ilić confirmed that his party would join forces with the Serb Progressives (SNS), the Movement of Socialists and the Strength of Serbia Movement in the next elections. The NS leader added that he expected Vojislav Koštunica's DSS to join them "if not ahead, then after the elections".