"Democrats will stay in power after elections"

Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic told Tanjug news agency on Monday in Belgrade that the current coalition to stay in power after the next election. He also expects the Democratic Party (DS) to form the future coalition "without the strongest opposition party", and the solution for Kosovo "to be searched through development as well as dialogue, so the Serbs there could have safer and better lives". "Democrats will stay in power after elections" "I firmly believe that this or a similar coalition will continue to run the country," Cvetkovic said. Commenting on some statements by diplomats and officials of important international institutions and EU countries that a coalition between the two strongest parties, the DS and the Serbian progressive Party, would be the best thing for Serbia's stability, Cvetkovic said he agreed with the view already given by the DS. "It is the view based on which we expect there will be enough room to form a coalition without the strongest party from the opposition, mostly because I do not see anything new on offer in their program or how that might benefit regular people," he explained. When asked if he was worried because the people had been growing increasingly displeased with their living standard, chances of employment and lack of prospects ever since 2009, Cvetkovic stated that he was indeed worried and that the responsibility for it, but not the blame, lay on the government. "Responsibility yes, because we are in these positions, but the situation is similar throughout the near and far surroundings. It is not specific to Serbia, but a general situation, and I also think we are in a period when many other countries are going to enter an even more turbulent situation than the one we are in," the prime minister remarked. He did not wish to comment on statements by some representatives of the opposition and the government that Serbia had given up on the policy of both trying to keep Kosovo and join the EU and pointed out that the government he led had been formed from a coalition that had taken over some expectations from the people and used them to define the government's mandate. "That mandate included a strategic decision to join the EU, which means more democracy and better life... but also dignity and protection of territorial integrity. Of course, there were other choices, but these two were the key, and that is the mandate that will be tested in the election which we will have in a few months," Cvetkovic concluded. Cvetkovic is interviewed by Tanjug on Tuesday (Tanjug) Tanjug

"Democrats will stay in power after elections"

"I firmly believe that this or a similar coalition will continue to run the country," Cvetković said.

Commenting on some statements by diplomats and officials of important international institutions and EU countries that a coalition between the two strongest parties, the DS and the Serbian progressive Party, would be the best thing for Serbia's stability, Cvetković said he agreed with the view already given by the DS.

"It is the view based on which we expect there will be enough room to form a coalition without the strongest party from the opposition, mostly because I do not see anything new on offer in their program or how that might benefit regular people," he explained.

When asked if he was worried because the people had been growing increasingly displeased with their living standard, chances of employment and lack of prospects ever since 2009, Cvetković stated that he was indeed worried and that the responsibility for it, but not the blame, lay on the government.

"Responsibility yes, because we are in these positions, but the situation is similar throughout the near and far surroundings. It is not specific to Serbia, but a general situation, and I also think we are in a period when many other countries are going to enter an even more turbulent situation than the one we are in," the prime minister remarked.

He did not wish to comment on statements by some representatives of the opposition and the government that Serbia had given up on the policy of both trying to keep Kosovo and join the EU and pointed out that the government he led had been formed from a coalition that had taken over some expectations from the people and used them to define the government's mandate.

"That mandate included a strategic decision to join the EU, which means more democracy and better life... but also dignity and protection of territorial integrity. Of course, there were other choices, but these two were the key, and that is the mandate that will be tested in the election which we will have in a few months," Cvetković concluded.