SNS wants government to last, leader says

BELGRADE -- Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) leader Aleksandar Vučić has said that his party does not want early elections but that it is not afraid of them either.

Aleksandar Vučić is seen bringing the Yule log into the SNS headquarters (Tanjug)

“We want this government to last but we cannot swear that this is realistic,” he said on Sunday and added that the SNS had never been afraid of voters’ wishes.

When asked if he had discussed the issue of appointment of show business manager Saša Mirković to the position of assistant transport minister with his coalition partner and United Regions of Serbia (URS) leader Mlađan Dinkić, he said:

“I have not talked to him about it. We have more important things to do than that,” Vučić pointed out.

Commenting on combat against organized crime, he said that the state would arrest runaway drug lord Darko Šarić and that he was convinced that nobody was protecting him.

He also rejected media allegations that Šarić’s arrest would topple the government.

“It is our job to arrest Šarić and this is what we will do. I cannot and I do not want to make estimates as to when it will happen. It is important that the state is determined to do it,” Vučić told reporters.

When asked about tied between the runaway drug lord and certain politicians, he said:

“To us he is a criminal and a person who needs to answer before the law and court. I am convinced that nobody is protecting Šarić.”