“Some countries want Democrats, Progressives to form govt.”

Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) leader Ivica Dacic says some Western countries would like the Democratic Party (DS) and the Progressives to form the government. He noted that his party had not yet started the talks on the forming of the new government with any of the two strongest parties, the DS and the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). “Some countries want Democrats, Progressives to form govt.” The SPS leader, however, confirmed that the Socialists had contacts with both parties but stressed that there had been no talks or offers other than a general agreement with the Democrats after the first round of the elections. “I had several talks with the Democrats and the Progressives and nobody presented any concrete proposal. We talked in general about the need for political stability, about the functioning of the system and institutions in the newly created circumstances,” Dacic told daily Press. He added that he was not and that he would not be an obstacle to the forming of the government, stressing that it was not good for the state to be without institutions and that it was necessary to avoid the institutional crisis. “On the other hand, a lack of proposals from the DS and the SNS casts doubt that maybe those two parties will maybe create the government, which some Western countries want,” Dacic said and added that “some very powerful Western countries are asking it through their ambassadors and other diplomats”. According to him, “there are contacts with the DS and the SNS now just like there were before the elections”. “I do not want to fall victim to their agreements and to have people thinking that I am the one who is halting the forming of the government. Also, there are some world powers who want the DS, SNS and the SPS to form the government,” the SPS leader was quoted as saying. When asked whether he would join such a government, Dacic said: “And what would I do there? How would we be divided then, who would be the opposition, how long would it last?” Ivica Dacic Press

“Some countries want Democrats, Progressives to form govt.”

The SPS leader, however, confirmed that the Socialists had contacts with both parties but stressed that there had been no talks or offers other than a general agreement with the Democrats after the first round of the elections.

“I had several talks with the Democrats and the Progressives and nobody presented any concrete proposal. We talked in general about the need for political stability, about the functioning of the system and institutions in the newly created circumstances,” Dačić told daily Press.

He added that he was not and that he would not be an obstacle to the forming of the government, stressing that it was not good for the state to be without institutions and that it was necessary to avoid the institutional crisis.

“On the other hand, a lack of proposals from the DS and the SNS casts doubt that maybe those two parties will maybe create the government, which some Western countries want,” Dačić said and added that “some very powerful Western countries are asking it through their ambassadors and other diplomats”.

According to him, “there are contacts with the DS and the SNS now just like there were before the elections”.

“I do not want to fall victim to their agreements and to have people thinking that I am the one who is halting the forming of the government. Also, there are some world powers who want the DS, SNS and the SPS to form the government,” the SPS leader was quoted as saying.

When asked whether he would join such a government, Dačić said:

“And what would I do there? How would we be divided then, who would be the opposition, how long would it last?”