Koštunica: Time is right for elections

Opposition DSS leader Vojislav Kostunica has stated that the date for new elections "also depends on the foreign factor". Kostunica told Frankfurt's Serbian language daily Vesti that he considers this "factor" to be the "custodian of the current government". Kostunica: Time is right for elections "The circumstances in Serbia are such that, objectively speaking, the right time for elections was yesterday. We are hanging by the last thread. The current government is responsible for the ravaging of Serbia in every aspect," the former prime minister said. But he also expressed his conviction that at one point, "real life, real needs of people and great dissatisfaction" would tip the scales. "Bearing in mind the difficult situation in Serbia, there is the need for the current government to go. How else will it go, unless the forces in Serbia gather in parties and outside them. For Serbia, it would be least damaging and most painless to get a new government in elections, which would be able to secure a strong and stable state," Kostunica said. The DSS leader also told the newspaper that "this government was not based on the will of the people", and that the ruling Democrats (DS) "gave false promises about Serbia's EU future and economic changes", which turned out to be "big deceit". Asked whether the Radicals (SRS) could join his party and the Progressives (SNS) – which are most often seen as the foundations of a united opposition – Kostunica said that "not all parties have been mentioned" in this context, and that there are many organizations outside the political party system that wish to see changes taking place. "A responsible opposition must react to those demands. We must answer the appeals of the indignant citizens. We are taking one step at a time, starting with the opposition's cooperation in parliament. Real life will impose the necessity of united action of all opposition parties, and that matters the most," he said. Asked what the opposition has to offer beside its criticism of the government, Kostunica said that his party and its partners had presented a development program for Serbia in the circumstances of the economic crisis. In reference to the draft Vojvodina statute, he pointed out that the government created another problem – "the creation of a state within a state, under the name of Vojvodina". "This breakup of the state continued with accepting EULEX for our southern province and the unconstitutional statute for our northern province. The DSS would never do such a thing," said Kostunica. Vojislav Kostunica (Tanjug, file)

Koštunica: Time is right for elections

"The circumstances in Serbia are such that, objectively speaking, the right time for elections was yesterday. We are hanging by the last thread. The current government is responsible for the ravaging of Serbia in every aspect," the former prime minister said.

But he also expressed his conviction that at one point, "real life, real needs of people and great dissatisfaction" would tip the scales.

"Bearing in mind the difficult situation in Serbia, there is the need for the current government to go. How else will it go, unless the forces in Serbia gather in parties and outside them. For Serbia, it would be least damaging and most painless to get a new government in elections, which would be able to secure a strong and stable state," Koštunica said.

The DSS leader also told the newspaper that "this government was not based on the will of the people", and that the ruling Democrats (DS) "gave false promises about Serbia's EU future and economic changes", which turned out to be "big deceit".

Asked whether the Radicals (SRS) could join his party and the Progressives (SNS) – which are most often seen as the foundations of a united opposition – Koštunica said that "not all parties have been mentioned" in this context, and that there are many organizations outside the political party system that wish to see changes taking place.

"A responsible opposition must react to those demands. We must answer the appeals of the indignant citizens. We are taking one step at a time, starting with the opposition's cooperation in parliament. Real life will impose the necessity of united action of all opposition parties, and that matters the most," he said.

Asked what the opposition has to offer beside its criticism of the government, Koštunica said that his party and its partners had presented a development program for Serbia in the circumstances of the economic crisis.

In reference to the draft Vojvodina statute, he pointed out that the government created another problem – "the creation of a state within a state, under the name of Vojvodina".

"This breakup of the state continued with accepting EULEX for our southern province and the unconstitutional statute for our northern province. The DSS would never do such a thing," said Koštunica.