"Democratic Party leaders should resign before election"

NOVI SAD Democratic Party (DS) official and deputy head of the Vojvodina provincial government Goran Jesic says that the entire party leadership should resign. This should happen "so that everyone could take part in the upcoming party elections on equal terms", he told the Novi Sad-based daily Dnevnik. "Democratic Party leaders should resign before election" The formerly ruling party was forced to join the opposition on the state level after the May 6 elections in Serbia, while its leader, Boris Tadic, lost his bid to be reelected the country's president two weeks later. "It would be completely normal to have several candidates in the race, not just for party leader, but for other positions as well," Jesic stated, noting that the Democrats would hold a meeting of the main committee, followed by a program and election assembly. The rift in the party following its election loss can only be talked about "at the level of suppositions," said Jesic, stressing the most important thing right now was for the DS to define the path it would take and choose the people to lead it in a democratic manner, "and those who believe they should not follow it can feel free to leave the party." He believes the DS was deservedly punished in the election, because "there was no empathy for the people on whose behalf decisions were made, we did not respond adequately to the economic crisis and we made bad personnel choices." Pointing out that the leader of this policy was Boris Tadic "who had a say about everything," Jesic noted that when someone is the both leader of a party and the head of state, "as well as the leader of the government, because he appointed a weak prime minister, then not only the successes, but also the failures rest on him." Goran Jesic (file) Agreement on Vojvodina or EU integration problems Serbia's EU integration process could be hindered if no agreement is reached by the end of the year between the republic and provincial administration on functioning of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Goran Jesic stated on Tuesday. “I hope that we will nevertheless establish communication with the republic authorities since on the contrary problems will appear both for Vojvodina and the government in Belgrade, and that could be a hindrance in the continuation of the European integration process,” Jesic told the daily Dnevnik. He believes that that the province should not initiate enforcement of new regulations on Vojvodina jurisdictions, but that it is a duty of Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic to open a discussion on the issue with representatives of the provincial administration. Jesic said that the province will respect the decision of the Constitutional Court, which abolished numerous provisions of the Law on Establishing Jurisdiction of Vojvodina, but underlined that a manner to protect Vojvodina's autonomy has to be found. One solution, as Jesic believes, could be the adoption of the constitutional law on Vojvodina, which was recently discussed by Vojvodina Assembly Speaker Istvan Pastor. Dnevnik Tanjug

"Democratic Party leaders should resign before election"

The formerly ruling party was forced to join the opposition on the state level after the May 6 elections in Serbia, while its leader, Boris Tadić, lost his bid to be reelected the country's president two weeks later.

"It would be completely normal to have several candidates in the race, not just for party leader, but for other positions as well," Ješić stated, noting that the Democrats would hold a meeting of the main committee, followed by a program and election assembly.

The rift in the party following its election loss can only be talked about "at the level of suppositions," said Ješić, stressing the most important thing right now was for the DS to define the path it would take and choose the people to lead it in a democratic manner, "and those who believe they should not follow it can feel free to leave the party."

He believes the DS was deservedly punished in the election, because "there was no empathy for the people on whose behalf decisions were made, we did not respond adequately to the economic crisis and we made bad personnel choices."

Pointing out that the leader of this policy was Boris Tadić "who had a say about everything," Ješić noted that when someone is the both leader of a party and the head of state, "as well as the leader of the government, because he appointed a weak prime minister, then not only the successes, but also the failures rest on him."

Agreement on Vojvodina or EU integration problems

Serbia's EU integration process could be hindered if no agreement is reached by the end of the year between the republic and provincial administration on functioning of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Goran Ješić stated on Tuesday.

“I hope that we will nevertheless establish communication with the republic authorities since on the contrary problems will appear both for Vojvodina and the government in Belgrade, and that could be a hindrance in the continuation of the European integration process,” Ješić told the daily Dnevnik.

He believes that that the province should not initiate enforcement of new regulations on Vojvodina jurisdictions, but that it is a duty of Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić to open a discussion on the issue with representatives of the provincial administration.

Ješić said that the province will respect the decision of the Constitutional Court, which abolished numerous provisions of the Law on Establishing Jurisdiction of Vojvodina, but underlined that a manner to protect Vojvodina's autonomy has to be found.

One solution, as Ješić believes, could be the adoption of the constitutional law on Vojvodina, which was recently discussed by Vojvodina Assembly Speaker Ištvan Pastor.