Socialists seek "guarantees" ahead of runoff

Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) leader Ivica Dacic has rejected suggestions that he was "blackmailing anyone" in the wake of Sunday's elections. However, he noted that his party, which came in third in the parliamentary ballot, doubled its result compared to the number of votes received in the previous elections, while the Democrats (DS) and the Progressives (SNS) "lost a lot". Socialists seek "guarantees" ahead of runoff That, said Dacic, "changes the relations". Post-election calculations suggest that in order for either of the big parties to form the country's next government, it would have to secure the participation of the Socialists (SPS). DS and SNS leaders Boris Tadic and Tomislav Nikolic will compete in the presidential runoff on May 20, and Dacic, who has hinted that he would seek to become Serbia's next prime minister, on Tuesday stated that "it is only logical for one member of the ruling coalition to hold the presidential office, while the other has the premiership". Asked about a date for the start of the negotiations on the composition of a future government, Dacic told Belgrade-based daily Blic that it was "politically correct" for him to first talk to his pre-election coalition partners Dragan Markovic (JS) and Jovan Krkobabic (PUPS), but to also let party bodies declare themselves. He added that this "internal" process would start "as soon as this week". Dacic noted that his party would "first talk to the DS and Boris Tadic", but explained that he found it unacceptable for the SPS to offer their support, and then discuss the issue of the government after the second round of presidential elections. The SPS leader, who is also deputy PM and interior minister in the outgoing government, rejected the speculation that his party might reach for "blackmail" in the government negotiations: "On the contrary, it would be blackmail if those two parties (SNS and DS) asked that we agree for them to hold both offices. In other words, for us to support them, and for them to be given both the presidency and the premiership. By supporting either presidential candidate we are taking a big risk, because that candidate might lose." "While others talk about blackmail, I wonder - what guarantees are there in a situation when we support one candidate, while they later on proceed to form a government together? If I made it to the runoff, would somebody back me without a prior deal on the government? I am certain they would not," Dacic continued. Asked if he would insist that Serbia's next prime minister must come from the SPS, Dacic replied: "If the (presidential) candidate we support wins, it is entirely logical for him to suggest our candidate for prime minister (to parliament). I'm not talking about myself or any other person from our coalition, I'm talking in principle." As for the key requirements the Socialists and their allies would have for throwing their support behind either of the major parties, Dacic said a future government must adopt as its own the goals that the SPS identified as "key" - and said those were the preservation of national and state interests - "and I mean both Kosovo and Metohija and EU integrations". "We certainly cannot participate in a government that holds extreme political positions, such as considering the RS to be a genocidal creation, or advocating that all ties with the EU be cut off." Dacic concluded by saying that when he ruled out some political options, he "did not talk about individual parties, but about some positions held by these parties, that could not and should not be the government policy". Ivica Dacic (Tanjug, file) Blic Tanjug

Socialists seek "guarantees" ahead of runoff

That, said Dačić, "changes the relations".

Post-election calculations suggest that in order for either of the big parties to form the country's next government, it would have to secure the participation of the Socialists (SPS).

DS and SNS leaders Boris Tadić and Tomislav Nikolić will compete in the presidential runoff on May 20, and Dačić, who has hinted that he would seek to become Serbia's next prime minister, on Tuesday stated that "it is only logical for one member of the ruling coalition to hold the presidential office, while the other has the premiership".

Asked about a date for the start of the negotiations on the composition of a future government, Dačić told Belgrade-based daily Blic that it was "politically correct" for him to first talk to his pre-election coalition partners Dragan Marković (JS) and Jovan Krkobabić (PUPS), but to also let party bodies declare themselves.

He added that this "internal" process would start "as soon as this week".

Dačić noted that his party would "first talk to the DS and Boris Tadić", but explained that he found it unacceptable for the SPS to offer their support, and then discuss the issue of the government after the second round of presidential elections.

The SPS leader, who is also deputy PM and interior minister in the outgoing government, rejected the speculation that his party might reach for "blackmail" in the government negotiations:

"On the contrary, it would be blackmail if those two parties (SNS and DS) asked that we agree for them to hold both offices. In other words, for us to support them, and for them to be given both the presidency and the premiership. By supporting either presidential candidate we are taking a big risk, because that candidate might lose."

"While others talk about blackmail, I wonder - what guarantees are there in a situation when we support one candidate, while they later on proceed to form a government together? If I made it to the runoff, would somebody back me without a prior deal on the government? I am certain they would not," Dačić continued.

Asked if he would insist that Serbia's next prime minister must come from the SPS, Dačić replied:

"If the (presidential) candidate we support wins, it is entirely logical for him to suggest our candidate for prime minister (to parliament). I'm not talking about myself or any other person from our coalition, I'm talking in principle."

As for the key requirements the Socialists and their allies would have for throwing their support behind either of the major parties, Dačić said a future government must adopt as its own the goals that the SPS identified as "key" - and said those were the preservation of national and state interests - "and I mean both Kosovo and Metohija and EU integrations".

"We certainly cannot participate in a government that holds extreme political positions, such as considering the RS to be a genocidal creation, or advocating that all ties with the EU be cut off."

Dačić concluded by saying that when he ruled out some political options, he "did not talk about individual parties, but about some positions held by these parties, that could not and should not be the government policy".