DS-SPS government in fortnight, says Palma

United Serbia (JS) leader Dragan Markovic Palma said today that he expects Serbia to have a new government in two week's time. According to him, the next cabinet will be made up of the Democrat (DS)-led coalition, and the one gathered around the Socialists (SPS), which includes his party, and the Associated Pensioners (PUPS). DS-SPS government in fortnight, says Palma Markovic spoke in Jagodina in a joint news conference with the British Ambassador to Serbia Stephen Wordsworth. He told reporters that the negotiations with the DS will start "tomorrow or the day after", and that an agreement is expected swiftly, "since both sides have the same position on joining the EU and on social issues". "We will not put forward conditions for the DS concerning ministerial positions – what we are asking for is the SPS-PUPS-JS campaign promises to be respected, and that means continued cooperation with the Europe and better financial position of the pensioners and all citizens," Markovic continued. The JS leader said he told the top British diplomat in Serbia that Belgrade "will never recognize Kosovo's independence and give up a part of its territory, even for the sake of joining the EU". Wordsworth for his part denied media reports that he and other western diplomats in Serbia were influencing the formation of the Serbian government, and said that he "has no means to force people to do something", but was rather offering his opinion. The ambassador also said that his country believes Serbia needs a pro-European government so that foreign investors would be ready to invest in the country's further development. Meantime in Belgrade, Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) spokesman Andreja Mladenovic said the party's presidency will in the next couple of days decide on the fate of the ongoing talks with the Socialists. It was speculated earlier that the DSS could as early as today make its position known on the future of negotiations with the Socialists. Senior official Zoran Loncar was quoted as saying last week that his party "no longer intended to form a government with an unreliable partner". Markovic was also quoted earlier as saying that a meeting of the SPS-PUPS-JS coalition would likely be held today, and that it was possible they could start talks with the DS-led coalition of five parties, dubbed "For a European Serbia", on Tuesday. Serbia’s president and the leader of the Democrats (DS) Boris Tadic expects a new government to be formed after the talks between the Radicals (SRS), Democratic Party of Serbia-New Serbia (DSS-NS) and the SPS coalition officially end. Tadic said that the talks between the SPS and the DS would be "speedy and effective", but would not say how long he expected these negotiations might last. His media advisor Nebojsa Krstic told B92 that it would be "in the best interest of Serbia and its citizens if 'For a European Serbia' and the SPS formed a new cabinet". "The only perspective for the SPS is to form a government that will last four years is with 'For a European Serbia' coalition. After that period, they can tell their voters what they’ve achieved and what they’ve failed to do,” he said. Krstic added that the DS coalition expected the Socialists "to declare an end of talks with the SRS the DSS-NS, so that the government could be formed as soon as possible". Dragan Markovic Palma, Stephen Wordsworth in Jagodina today (Tanjug)

DS-SPS government in fortnight, says Palma

Marković spoke in Jagodina in a joint news conference with the British Ambassador to Serbia Stephen Wordsworth.

He told reporters that the negotiations with the DS will start "tomorrow or the day after", and that an agreement is expected swiftly, "since both sides have the same position on joining the EU and on social issues".

"We will not put forward conditions for the DS concerning ministerial positions – what we are asking for is the SPS-PUPS-JS campaign promises to be respected, and that means continued cooperation with the Europe and better financial position of the pensioners and all citizens," Marković continued.

The JS leader said he told the top British diplomat in Serbia that Belgrade "will never recognize Kosovo's independence and give up a part of its territory, even for the sake of joining the EU".

Wordsworth for his part denied media reports that he and other western diplomats in Serbia were influencing the formation of the Serbian government, and said that he "has no means to force people to do something", but was rather offering his opinion.

The ambassador also said that his country believes Serbia needs a pro-European government so that foreign investors would be ready to invest in the country's further development.

Meantime in Belgrade, Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) spokesman Andreja Mladenović said the party's presidency will in the next couple of days decide on the fate of the ongoing talks with the Socialists.

It was speculated earlier that the DSS could as early as today make its position known on the future of negotiations with the Socialists.

Senior official Zoran Lončar was quoted as saying last week that his party "no longer intended to form a government with an unreliable partner".

Marković was also quoted earlier as saying that a meeting of the SPS-PUPS-JS coalition would likely be held today, and that it was possible they could start talks with the DS-led coalition of five parties, dubbed "For a European Serbia", on Tuesday.

Serbia’s president and the leader of the Democrats (DS) Boris Tadić expects a new government to be formed after the talks between the Radicals (SRS), Democratic Party of Serbia-New Serbia (DSS-NS) and the SPS coalition officially end.

Tadić said that the talks between the SPS and the DS would be "speedy and effective", but would not say how long he expected these negotiations might last.

His media advisor Nebojša Krstić told B92 that it would be "in the best interest of Serbia and its citizens if 'For a European Serbia' and the SPS formed a new cabinet".

"The only perspective for the SPS is to form a government that will last four years is with 'For a European Serbia' coalition. After that period, they can tell their voters what they’ve achieved and what they’ve failed to do,” he said.

Krstić added that the DS coalition expected the Socialists "to declare an end of talks with the SRS the DSS-NS, so that the government could be formed as soon as possible".