SNS leader "passionately" wants Serbia to be candidate

Tomislav Nikolic says he passionately wishes to see Serbia become EU candidate, but that it will not be "the end of the world" if it this does not happen. The opposition SNS party leader spoke for B92 in Belgrade on Tuesday, and asserted that such an outcome, however, would represent "the end of the world" for the current government. SNS leader "passionately" wants Serbia to be candidate Discussions about early elections in Serbia were postponed "because of December 9", he continued. "If we are not given the candidate status then, everyone should resign on December 10," believes Nikolic. That day is awaited "in a state of chaos" because the Serbian parliament has not adopted a new declaration on Kosovo, continued the SNS leader. "A declaration could have said what we think about the barricades (in northern Kosovo), for the whole world to learn whether or not we are in favor of that. A declaration's text could say that we support that peaceful struggle, or that we are ready to remove the barricades - and see how many MPs stand behind that." Adopting such a document would above all demonstrate unity, Nikolic stated. "Every time 200 MPs stood behind any decision, that was forceful. It resonated in the world. Now that this cannot be done, it reexamines the legitimacy of this government." Nikolic also said he believed President Boris Tadic "wrote the declaration" - but now "has no courage to make it public". He asserted that the current authorities were "making the same mistake that Slobodan Milosevic made, and that is to make decisions about Kosovo and Metohija all alone". Nikolic denied that he could form a coalition with former ally Vojislav Seselj, and also rejected as false reports about a fallout between him and SNS deputy leader Aleksandar Vucic. Tomislav Nikolic (FoNet, file)

SNS leader "passionately" wants Serbia to be candidate

Discussions about early elections in Serbia were postponed "because of December 9", he continued.

"If we are not given the candidate status then, everyone should resign on December 10," believes Nikolić.

That day is awaited "in a state of chaos" because the Serbian parliament has not adopted a new declaration on Kosovo, continued the SNS leader.

"A declaration could have said what we think about the barricades (in northern Kosovo), for the whole world to learn whether or not we are in favor of that. A declaration's text could say that we support that peaceful struggle, or that we are ready to remove the barricades - and see how many MPs stand behind that."

Adopting such a document would above all demonstrate unity, Nikolić stated.

"Every time 200 MPs stood behind any decision, that was forceful. It resonated in the world. Now that this cannot be done, it reexamines the legitimacy of this government."

Nikolić also said he believed President Boris Tadić "wrote the declaration" - but now "has no courage to make it public".

He asserted that the current authorities were "making the same mistake that Slobodan Milošević made, and that is to make decisions about Kosovo and Metohija all alone".

Nikolić denied that he could form a coalition with former ally Vojislav Šešelj, and also rejected as false reports about a fallout between him and SNS deputy leader Aleksandar Vučić.