Tadić says new elections are "no solution"

Ruling Democratic Party (DS) leader and Serbian President Boris Tadic on Saturday spoke against early parliamentary elections. In an interview for Belgrade daily Politika, he said that "elections do not solve problems", and that the current cabinet could survive even if parliament fails to adopt the controversial draft changes to the Law on Information. Tadic says new elections are "no solution" "I do not believe that elections would contribute to greater political unity, instead, we would have regrouping on the political scene while strategic goals could not change, since making any other strategic goal related to EU membership would be counterproductive and useless for this country and the citizens who live in it," said Tadic. He also expressed his belief that the government "should and can survive", and said that this is above all because of the role that it has in minimizing the damage done by the global economic crisis and "sustaining a stable political system in Serbia". "Countries that face elections during a crisis are absolutely not in a situation to take measures that are very important in order to go through the difficult time without major economic damage." Asked about his cooperation with ruling G17 Plus leader and Economy Minister Mladjan Dinkic, Tadic said that there was "never any essential problem" in that cooperation, and that he believes it could remain so in the future. The DS leader continued to say that he does not see Dinkic as "destroyer of governments", since otherwise he would "not have entered a coalition with him", but that from time to time there are different stances that are "democratically discussed". Tadic also denied he was "preparing replacement" for Dinkic. As for the opposition Liberal Democrats (LDP), he said the cooperation was exceptionally good, but that he did not think this party at this time showed any interest in taking the place of G17 Plus in the Cvetkovic cabinet. According to Tadic, the same is true of opposition Serb Progressives (SNS), who also lack ambition to join the government. He added that neither his party nor the SNS see their interest in forming a joint government. "On the contrary, I see these two parties as main competitors for the place of Serbia's dominant political party, which in the end could lead to a stabilization of the Serb political life," concluded Tadic. A file photo of Boris Tadic (FoNet) "Democrats ready, but unwilling" Another Belgrade newspaper, Blic, writes today that should Dinkic make good on his promise and bring down the government if the draft changes to the Law on Information – proposed by his party – fail in parliament, the Democrats are "completely ready for elections". The daily quotes its sources high up in the party hierarchy who said that the bill's failure in parliament on Monday, August 31, could spell the end of the current government "if Dinkic appraised that his personal and party interest is more important to him than that of the state". "Only an utterly irresponsible man could bring down the government and expose Serbia's citizens to unnecessary cost and harassment in the middle of the world economic crisis, because of his personal problem with the tabloids," this source was quoted as saying. But, should that scenario come to pass, the article continued, the Democrats are ready to face new elections, "this time with a small innovation". "Those elections, that would be forced by G17 Plus, would be a chance for all DS leaders to show what they can do, and the leadership itself wishes for this." The source added that "Tadic is ready to accommodate them and take the back seat in a new campaign".

Tadić says new elections are "no solution"

"I do not believe that elections would contribute to greater political unity, instead, we would have regrouping on the political scene while strategic goals could not change, since making any other strategic goal related to EU membership would be counterproductive and useless for this country and the citizens who live in it," said Tadić.

He also expressed his belief that the government "should and can survive", and said that this is above all because of the role that it has in minimizing the damage done by the global economic crisis and "sustaining a stable political system in Serbia".

"Countries that face elections during a crisis are absolutely not in a situation to take measures that are very important in order to go through the difficult time without major economic damage."

Asked about his cooperation with ruling G17 Plus leader and Economy Minister Mlađan Dinkić, Tadić said that there was "never any essential problem" in that cooperation, and that he believes it could remain so in the future.

The DS leader continued to say that he does not see Dinkić as "destroyer of governments", since otherwise he would "not have entered a coalition with him", but that from time to time there are different stances that are "democratically discussed".

Tadić also denied he was "preparing replacement" for Dinkić.

As for the opposition Liberal Democrats (LDP), he said the cooperation was exceptionally good, but that he did not think this party at this time showed any interest in taking the place of G17 Plus in the Cvetković cabinet.

According to Tadić, the same is true of opposition Serb Progressives (SNS), who also lack ambition to join the government. He added that neither his party nor the SNS see their interest in forming a joint government.

"On the contrary, I see these two parties as main competitors for the place of Serbia's dominant political party, which in the end could lead to a stabilization of the Serb political life," concluded Tadić.

"Democrats ready, but unwilling"

Another Belgrade newspaper, Blic, writes today that should Dinkić make good on his promise and bring down the government if the draft changes to the Law on Information – proposed by his party – fail in parliament, the Democrats are "completely ready for elections".

The daily quotes its sources high up in the party hierarchy who said that the bill's failure in parliament on Monday, August 31, could spell the end of the current government "if Dinkić appraised that his personal and party interest is more important to him than that of the state".

"Only an utterly irresponsible man could bring down the government and expose Serbia's citizens to unnecessary cost and harassment in the middle of the world economic crisis, because of his personal problem with the tabloids," this source was quoted as saying.

But, should that scenario come to pass, the article continued, the Democrats are ready to face new elections, "this time with a small innovation".

"Those elections, that would be forced by G17 Plus, would be a chance for all DS leaders to show what they can do, and the leadership itself wishes for this."

The source added that "Tadić is ready to accommodate them and take the back seat in a new campaign".