"Time is not right for presidential elections"

Vojislav Kostunica says it is "not wise to hold presidential vote" while state integrity is in question. “The Constitutional Law says that all elections have the same status. But, we have to find a sensible solution." "Time is not right for presidential elections" "While local and provincial elections are not opening the question of Serbia’s integrity and future, the presidential vote is doing exactly that,” the prime minister and Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) leader told Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti on Saturday. He went on to explain that "for that very reason it is not good to hold the presidential ballot while the issue of the state integrity is raised." Kostunica, who owes his re-election as prime minister to a coalition agreement that obligates his party to support Boris Tadic in presidential elections called for before the end of 2007, now says that Serbia "should not be torn in a pre-election campaign, as it needs to have all its energy and efforts focused on the battle to preserve the state." Asked whether a decision to support Boris Tadic’s presidential bid has been made, Kostunica only answered that “at present attention should be directed towards the defense of Kosovo.” “I believe that we can find a unified answer,” Kostunica said when asked whether the Constitutional Law would be altered in order to postpone the ballots. “The answer I have in mind is that Kosovo is the priority of our state and authorities. And the solution to the elections issue can surely be found in accordance with the Constitutional Law,” noted Kostunica. In prime minister’s words, his DSS has been in touch with Tadic’s Democrats (DS) over the elections issue, but stressed that these contacts were not formal. Asked what might happen should Speaker Oliver Dulic (DS) call elections on his own initiative, Kostunica replied that these speculations were "!"redundant." “It is in everybody’s interest not to make things even harder than they already are.” Vojislav Kostunica (FoNet, archive)

"Time is not right for presidential elections"

"While local and provincial elections are not opening the question of Serbia’s integrity and future, the presidential vote is doing exactly that,” the prime minister and Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) leader told Belgrade daily Večernje Novosti on Saturday.

He went on to explain that "for that very reason it is not good to hold the presidential ballot while the issue of the state integrity is raised."

Koštunica, who owes his re-election as prime minister to a coalition agreement that obligates his party to support Boris Tadić in presidential elections called for before the end of 2007, now says that Serbia "should not be torn in a pre-election campaign, as it needs to have all its energy and efforts focused on the battle to preserve the state."

Asked whether a decision to support Boris Tadić’s presidential bid has been made, Koštunica only answered that “at present attention should be directed towards the defense of Kosovo.”

“I believe that we can find a unified answer,” Koštunica said when asked whether the Constitutional Law would be altered in order to postpone the ballots.

“The answer I have in mind is that Kosovo is the priority of our state and authorities. And the solution to the elections issue can surely be found in accordance with the Constitutional Law,” noted Koštunica.

In prime minister’s words, his DSS has been in touch with Tadić’s Democrats (DS) over the elections issue, but stressed that these contacts were not formal.

Asked what might happen should Speaker Oliver Dulić (DS) call elections on his own initiative, Koštunica replied that these speculations were "!"redundant."

“It is in everybody’s interest not to make things even harder than they already are.”