Tadić refuses to give in to DSS-NS support conditions

The DSS-NS coalition has proposed a change to the coalition agreement, President Boris Tadic has refused. The Democratic Party of Serbia and New Serbia have not yet officially backed Tadic in the second round of the presidential vote, though they have called for a joint stand in opposing the EU mission to Kosovo. Tadic refuses to give in to DSS-NS support conditions The proposed annex, it has been announced, stems from the parliamentary resolution on Kosovo, according to which, sending an EU mission would be tantamount to an act of threatening territorial integrity and constitutional order. The president has refused to give in and jeopardize Serbia’s European path however. In the proposed annex to the coalition agreement, the ruling parties stress their readiness and good will to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU as soon as possible. The proposal expresses the belief that the government and the EU have a single common interest to effectively resume a process which “must develop exclusively under the same general conditions that apply to all other European states.” However, the proposal sent to the Democratic Party goes on to say that the governing coalition’s biggest three parties “agree to pass a motion stating that an EU decision to send a mission would represent the gravest violation of the UN Charter, Resolution 1244, the Serbian Constitution, and the initialed Stabilization and Association Agreement.” “That is why such a decision would mean that the EU would be scrapping the SAA of its own will, which, in turn, would mean that Serbia would no longer be bound by it, the government would declare it void, and parliament would not be able to ratify it until the EU recognized Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its current internationally recognized borders,” reads the proposal. “The DSS-NS and the DS are in absolute agreement that only an intact Serbia recognized by the EU within its currently internationally recognized borders – therefore with Kosovo as an integral and inalienable part of our country – can continue the process of European integration,” the DSS-NS proposal states. Thus, neither the DSS nor the DS have yet officially announced their support for Tadic in the presidential run-off, even though the Democrats, their coalition partners, have asked them to formally make their position clear on the matter. The incumbent president said Tuesday that he would not give in to any conditioning over support in the second round of the vote. “I don’t want anyone setting me conditions in the second round. I’m ready to participate in this political game till the end and to put my neck on the line for it, but I won’t let anyone set conditions for Serbia’s European future and our children’s future,” he insisted at an election rally in Smederevo. Tadic told all the other democratic parties in Serbia that on February 3 there would be no room for personal interests, and stressed that all the parties who united on October 5, 2000, had to work together once again in the general interests of Serbia’s citizens. “I tell my October 5 colleagues: there’s no-one between me and Toma (Serb Radical Party candidate Tomislav Nikolic). It’s either one or the other, black or white, there are no half-measures,” said the DS candidate. He underlined that in the past, the wishes of Serbia’s wisest had always been focussed on a single idea – for Serbia to be a part of Europe, and that that road had no alternative. “No-one has the right to insult our dignity, neither home nor abroad. Nor do they have the right to insult our dignity and the hope of every person in this country. They can insult me, I’ll take all those insults on behalf of our citizens,” said Tadic. The incumbent president warned that the next round would be decisive for Serbia, as her future hinged on which of the two candidates won. Boris Tadic (Beta)

Tadić refuses to give in to DSS-NS support conditions

The proposed annex, it has been announced, stems from the parliamentary resolution on Kosovo, according to which, sending an EU mission would be tantamount to an act of threatening territorial integrity and constitutional order.

The president has refused to give in and jeopardize Serbia’s European path however.

In the proposed annex to the coalition agreement, the ruling parties stress their readiness and good will to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU as soon as possible.

The proposal expresses the belief that the government and the EU have a single common interest to effectively resume a process which “must develop exclusively under the same general conditions that apply to all other European states.”

However, the proposal sent to the Democratic Party goes on to say that the governing coalition’s biggest three parties “agree to pass a motion stating that an EU decision to send a mission would represent the gravest violation of the UN Charter, Resolution 1244, the Serbian Constitution, and the initialed Stabilization and Association Agreement.”

“That is why such a decision would mean that the EU would be scrapping the SAA of its own will, which, in turn, would mean that Serbia would no longer be bound by it, the government would declare it void, and parliament would not be able to ratify it until the EU recognized Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its current internationally recognized borders,” reads the proposal.

“The DSS-NS and the DS are in absolute agreement that only an intact Serbia recognized by the EU within its currently internationally recognized borders – therefore with Kosovo as an integral and inalienable part of our country – can continue the process of European integration,” the DSS-NS proposal states.

Thus, neither the DSS nor the DS have yet officially announced their support for Tadić in the presidential run-off, even though the Democrats, their coalition partners, have asked them to formally make their position clear on the matter.

The incumbent president said Tuesday that he would not give in to any conditioning over support in the second round of the vote.

“I don’t want anyone setting me conditions in the second round. I’m ready to participate in this political game till the end and to put my neck on the line for it, but I won’t let anyone set conditions for Serbia’s European future and our children’s future,” he insisted at an election rally in Smederevo.

Tadić told all the other democratic parties in Serbia that on February 3 there would be no room for personal interests, and stressed that all the parties who united on October 5, 2000, had to work together once again in the general interests of Serbia’s citizens.

“I tell my October 5 colleagues: there’s no-one between me and Toma (Serb Radical Party candidate Tomislav Nikolić). It’s either one or the other, black or white, there are no half-measures,” said the DS candidate.

He underlined that in the past, the wishes of Serbia’s wisest had always been focussed on a single idea – for Serbia to be a part of Europe, and that that road had no alternative.

“No-one has the right to insult our dignity, neither home nor abroad. Nor do they have the right to insult our dignity and the hope of every person in this country. They can insult me, I’ll take all those insults on behalf of our citizens,” said Tadić.

The incumbent president warned that the next round would be decisive for Serbia, as her future hinged on which of the two candidates won.