"God forbid that SNS should form next government"

Serbian President Boris Tadic says it is impossible that the Serb Progressive Party (SNS) will form a government because citizens do not want to be isolated. “God forbid that SNS forms the next government, because I would still be president, and our policies would diverge,” he told RTS. "God forbid that SNS should form next government" The ruling DS leader also voiced his conviction that it was an impossible scenario and that the citizens would realize that it was in their best interest that Serbia continues its path toward the EU instead of renewed isolatation. According to Tadic, the opposition SNS is not a pro-European party and its leader Tomislav Nikolic’s recent hunger strike, "which is completely contrary to European political practice", proves that. “The SNS does not at all have an intention to truly bring Serbia closer to the EU, declaratively it does but it does not have the intention in practice,“ Tadic said and rejected speculations that the Democratic Party (DS) would cooperate with the SNS after the elections, adding that such messages represented some parties' attempt to get a support from citizens who supported the DS. The president stressed that there was still injustice in Serbia and indecently wealthy people who had privileges thank to large capital, but that things were improving. “For the first time we have arrests of criminals, verdicts. It takes time, we also need patience. I am trying to contribute and do what my responsibility is and more than that,“ he stressed. When asked whether the state was working in a system created by tycoons, Tadic said that everybody was advocating for their own interests but that there was a question whether there was a “legal defense system“. “I think that most of them did not acquire their capital in a regular economic game, they used privileged conditions in Milosevic's time but also after October 5 instead. I cannot prevent all abuses, I am not almighty but I am trying,“ he explained. He said, however, that some of his decisions did not help solve the situation. The Serbian president repeated that he was wrong not to tell the citizens that it was going to be hard when the crisis started. “I was thinking about going and telling citizens that we are living in a different world. I did not do it because I was afraid that people would think I was making excuses for committing more to making people more active. Level of investments is increasing, but we are not near the situation we were in before 2008,” he explained. When asked why he said the economic crisis was a chance for Serbia, he said that he meant a chance to fix things that had not been working. “Just because effects of those improvements are not visible does not mean that there was no access to money just like in other countries that are moving forward,” he said. Tadic underscored that Serbia had a bad starting position in the beginning of the crisis but that it was good that historical work would be finished. Boris Tadic (Beta, file) Greater Albania “political reality” Tadic believes that the plan of creating a greater Albania is a political reality, adding that Serbia must be prepared for any scenario when it comes to the solving of the Kosovo issue. "I am against the creation of large national states in the Balkans, as it produces far-reaching consequences, but even in those circumstances, Serbia has a solution if anyone in the international community is still inclined towards the creation of a greater Albania," he stressed. The president pointed out that Serbia needed to find a way to realize its interests in partnership with world powers and neighbors, and resolve the conflict for once and for all noting, however, that a solution needs to be found which would not turn the Balkans into a ticking bomb once again. "Serbia has no interest in freezing the problem, but rather in resolving it, and I believe that a solution can be found," he said. "If we approach these issues in a traditional way by anchoring ourselves in our positions, we will be held responsible by the future generations, as we are creating a possibility for the conflict to burst out again," Tadic explained, adding that, although he did not wish to comment on any of the possible solutions, a partition of Kosovo was also a legitimate approach. The president, however, believes that a change of borders is a factor of instability, recalling that Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence was also an attempt to change borders. As he stressed, Serbia has no secret policy and wishes to resolve the problem before joining the EU, as it is aware that no one wishes to bring another frozen conflict into the EU. “Serbia wants to be a stability factor in the region and Europe, rather than a hegemonist, even though, for political reasons, some neighbors wish to present it that way,” Tadic concluded.

"God forbid that SNS should form next government"

The ruling DS leader also voiced his conviction that it was an impossible scenario and that the citizens would realize that it was in their best interest that Serbia continues its path toward the EU instead of renewed isolatation.

According to Tadić, the opposition SNS is not a pro-European party and its leader Tomislav Nikolić’s recent hunger strike, "which is completely contrary to European political practice", proves that.

“The SNS does not at all have an intention to truly bring Serbia closer to the EU, declaratively it does but it does not have the intention in practice,“ Tadić said and rejected speculations that the Democratic Party (DS) would cooperate with the SNS after the elections, adding that such messages represented some parties' attempt to get a support from citizens who supported the DS.

The president stressed that there was still injustice in Serbia and indecently wealthy people who had privileges thank to large capital, but that things were improving.

“For the first time we have arrests of criminals, verdicts. It takes time, we also need patience. I am trying to contribute and do what my responsibility is and more than that,“ he stressed.

When asked whether the state was working in a system created by tycoons, Tadić said that everybody was advocating for their own interests but that there was a question whether there was a “legal defense system“.

“I think that most of them did not acquire their capital in a regular economic game, they used privileged conditions in Milošević's time but also after October 5 instead. I cannot prevent all abuses, I am not almighty but I am trying,“ he explained.

He said, however, that some of his decisions did not help solve the situation.

The Serbian president repeated that he was wrong not to tell the citizens that it was going to be hard when the crisis started.

“I was thinking about going and telling citizens that we are living in a different world. I did not do it because I was afraid that people would think I was making excuses for committing more to making people more active. Level of investments is increasing, but we are not near the situation we were in before 2008,” he explained.

When asked why he said the economic crisis was a chance for Serbia, he said that he meant a chance to fix things that had not been working.

“Just because effects of those improvements are not visible does not mean that there was no access to money just like in other countries that are moving forward,” he said.

Tadić underscored that Serbia had a bad starting position in the beginning of the crisis but that it was good that historical work would be finished.

Greater Albania “political reality”

Tadić believes that the plan of creating a greater Albania is a political reality, adding that Serbia must be prepared for any scenario when it comes to the solving of the Kosovo issue.

"I am against the creation of large national states in the Balkans, as it produces far-reaching consequences, but even in those circumstances, Serbia has a solution if anyone in the international community is still inclined towards the creation of a greater Albania," he stressed.

The president pointed out that Serbia needed to find a way to realize its interests in partnership with world powers and neighbors, and resolve the conflict for once and for all noting, however, that a solution needs to be found which would not turn the Balkans into a ticking bomb once again.

"Serbia has no interest in freezing the problem, but rather in resolving it, and I believe that a solution can be found," he said.

"If we approach these issues in a traditional way by anchoring ourselves in our positions, we will be held responsible by the future generations, as we are creating a possibility for the conflict to burst out again," Tadić explained, adding that, although he did not wish to comment on any of the possible solutions, a partition of Kosovo was also a legitimate approach.

The president, however, believes that a change of borders is a factor of instability, recalling that Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence was also an attempt to change borders.

As he stressed, Serbia has no secret policy and wishes to resolve the problem before joining the EU, as it is aware that no one wishes to bring another frozen conflict into the EU.

“Serbia wants to be a stability factor in the region and Europe, rather than a hegemonist, even though, for political reasons, some neighbors wish to present it that way,” Tadić concluded.