Parties in talks about pre-election coalitions

BELGRADE The Progressives, the Democrats and the Liberals are in negotiations with potential coalition partners ahead of elections, a panel hosted by Tanjug has heard. The Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) expects to go to elections in coalition with the United Serbia (JS) and the Party of United Pensioners of Serbia (PUPS). Parties in talks about pre-election coalitions The Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) will take part in the polls independently. During the roundtable debate hosted on "the steps which need to be made to ensure better life in Serbia," Vice President of the Serb Progressive Party (SNS) Igor Mirovic said that SNS has launched talks with several political parties, primarily with the Social Democratic Party of Serbia (SDPS) headed by Rasim Ljajic . “In this way, we wish to demonstrate our openness and refute all allegations voiced by the Democratic Party (DS) according to which these are one-man and one-party elections,” Mirovic said in Tanjug's press center. He stated that after the elections, the SNS wants to get as many MPs in the parliament as possible but it does not intend to run the country alone and aims to gather other parties around their program. Mirovic said that Serbia is about to embark on key reforms but these cannot be successful unless a wider political agreement is achieved. SPS Vice President Dijana Vukomanovic noted that her party will go to elections once more as part of coalition with JS and PUPS. DS spokesperson Aleksandra Jerkov said that the party intends to go to elections as part of a wider party block that would serve as a clear alternative to the coalition gathered around SNS leader Aleksandar Vucic. She recalled that the DS Main Board assumed a stand according to which the party will not close any coalition with SNS. “We do not believe that once the elections are over, we will be able to cooperate with those who seek an exit from the crisis in dismissals, salary cuts and tax hikes for food,” Jerkov said. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will appear in the elections in coalition with the Social Democratic Union headed by Zarko Korac and the Association of Free and Independent Trade Unions, LDP spokesman Bojan Djuric said. He noted that the talks are underway with the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina (LSV) on the LDP as a partnership between the Belgrade-based party and LSV as the regional, Vojvodina-based party, instead of the typical coalition and mandate distribution. “It is clear to everyone that elections will be staged in Vojvodina in the foreseeable future and that the issues of the autonomy of the province and adjustments in the Statute would be hot topics at that time, and these are the matters we are trying to reach an agreement on,” Djuric said. The DSS will appear in the elections as an independent party once more, Sanda Raskovic-Ivic of the DSS Political Council stated, adding that potential coalition would be discussed after the elections. The DSS remains firm in its stand on Euroscepticism and continues to support political and military neutrality, and it maintains that new elections are necessary because Serbia is in danger of an economic collapse, she said. (Tanjug) Tanjug

Parties in talks about pre-election coalitions

The Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) will take part in the polls independently.

During the roundtable debate hosted on "the steps which need to be made to ensure better life in Serbia," Vice President of the Serb Progressive Party (SNS) Igor Mirović said that SNS has launched talks with several political parties, primarily with the Social Democratic Party of Serbia (SDPS) headed by Rasim Ljajić .

“In this way, we wish to demonstrate our openness and refute all allegations voiced by the Democratic Party (DS) according to which these are one-man and one-party elections,” Mirović said in Tanjug's press center.

He stated that after the elections, the SNS wants to get as many MPs in the parliament as possible but it does not intend to run the country alone and aims to gather other parties around their program.

Mirović said that Serbia is about to embark on key reforms but these cannot be successful unless a wider political agreement is achieved.

SPS Vice President Dijana Vukomanović noted that her party will go to elections once more as part of coalition with JS and PUPS.

DS spokesperson Aleksandra Jerkov said that the party intends to go to elections as part of a wider party block that would serve as a clear alternative to the coalition gathered around SNS leader Aleksandar Vučić.

She recalled that the DS Main Board assumed a stand according to which the party will not close any coalition with SNS.

“We do not believe that once the elections are over, we will be able to cooperate with those who seek an exit from the crisis in dismissals, salary cuts and tax hikes for food,” Jerkov said.

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will appear in the elections in coalition with the Social Democratic Union headed by Zarko Korać and the Association of Free and Independent Trade Unions, LDP spokesman Bojan Đurić said.

He noted that the talks are underway with the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina (LSV) on the LDP as a partnership between the Belgrade-based party and LSV as the regional, Vojvodina-based party, instead of the typical coalition and mandate distribution.

“It is clear to everyone that elections will be staged in Vojvodina in the foreseeable future and that the issues of the autonomy of the province and adjustments in the Statute would be hot topics at that time, and these are the matters we are trying to reach an agreement on,” Đurić said.

The DSS will appear in the elections as an independent party once more, Sanda Raškovic-Ivić of the DSS Political Council stated, adding that potential coalition would be discussed after the elections.

The DSS remains firm in its stand on Euroscepticism and continues to support political and military neutrality, and it maintains that new elections are necessary because Serbia is in danger of an economic collapse, she said.