Democrats advised to "ditch Little Sloba"

Former MP Vesna Pesic believes that the Democrats (DS) should "ditch" SPS leader Ivica Dacic - i.e., exclude him from government negotiations. The former LDP MP and one of the leaders of the opposition coalition that in 2000 ousted the regime of Slobodan Milosevic, referred to Dacic as "Little Sloba" when she appeared on B92 TV's Impression of the Week talk show late on Sunday. Democrats advised to "ditch Little Sloba" The Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) was founded and led until his death by former Serbian and Yugoslav President Slobodan (Sloba) Milisevic. The party returned to power when they joined the Democrats in a government coalition in 2008. "Dacic thinks he is indispensable when it comes to forging a coalition, and for that reason, he is demanding a lead role from both sides (the DS and the SNS). I think Dacic is behaving in this way because he has Russians behind him, as well as his boss (Milosevic's widow) Mira Markovic. For that reason, this Little Sloba should be gotten rid of," Pesic, who was recently highly critical of Boris Tadic and his Democrats, stated. She accused Dacic of "bringing back old SPS officials", and added: "If we wish to get rid of the past, we must get rid of Dacic." Another guest on the show, sociologist Jovo Bakic, said he believed it was still possible for the DS and the SPS to form a government together, "especially taking into account the weakness of the Democrats". According to him, Dacic "must be in a future cabinet - unless there is a grand coalition". "The DS must now draw its red line, and that is to keep (URS leader Mladjan) Dinkic out of the coalition. Then Dacic would have to choose between joining the DS or the SNS in a government. Now we have Ivica Dacic acting around," believes this sociologist. According to him, Dacic is also "humiliating the Democrats": "The DS allows him to do this, and that is its problem. The Democrats made Boris Tadic their candidate for PM and narrowed their own maneuvering space. They keep doing that, and it's fascinating that they do it against their own interests." Bakic further noted that Boris Tadic was "a captive of his partisan comrades, who want to be in power at any cost". CeSID Program Director Marko Blagojevic was a guest on the same talk show where he stated that he believed "it was not in Dacic's interest to be prime minister": "The DS is no longer in the same position that it was in a few weeks ago. That position is less favorable today than it was yesterday, which gives an opportunity to Dacic to take the initiative and create his own coalitions. The DS must now choose whether they will be in power or not." Speaking about the possibility of a so-called grand coalition being formed - that would include both the DS and the SNS - Blagojevic said he believed such an outcome would not benefit either party. Vesna Pesic (Tanjug, file) B92

Democrats advised to "ditch Little Sloba"

The Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) was founded and led until his death by former Serbian and Yugoslav President Slobodan (Sloba) Milišević.

The party returned to power when they joined the Democrats in a government coalition in 2008.

"Dačić thinks he is indispensable when it comes to forging a coalition, and for that reason, he is demanding a lead role from both sides (the DS and the SNS). I think Dačić is behaving in this way because he has Russians behind him, as well as his boss (Milošević's widow) Mira Marković. For that reason, this Little Sloba should be gotten rid of," Pešić, who was recently highly critical of Boris Tadić and his Democrats, stated.

She accused Dačić of "bringing back old SPS officials", and added:

"If we wish to get rid of the past, we must get rid of Dačić."

Another guest on the show, sociologist Jovo Bakić, said he believed it was still possible for the DS and the SPS to form a government together, "especially taking into account the weakness of the Democrats". According to him, Dačić "must be in a future cabinet - unless there is a grand coalition".

"The DS must now draw its red line, and that is to keep (URS leader Mlađan) Dinkić out of the coalition. Then Dačić would have to choose between joining the DS or the SNS in a government. Now we have Ivica Dačić acting around," believes this sociologist.

According to him, Dačić is also "humiliating the Democrats":

"The DS allows him to do this, and that is its problem. The Democrats made Boris Tadić their candidate for PM and narrowed their own maneuvering space. They keep doing that, and it's fascinating that they do it against their own interests."

Bakić further noted that Boris Tadić was "a captive of his partisan comrades, who want to be in power at any cost".

CeSID Program Director Marko Blagojević was a guest on the same talk show where he stated that he believed "it was not in Dačić's interest to be prime minister":

"The DS is no longer in the same position that it was in a few weeks ago. That position is less favorable today than it was yesterday, which gives an opportunity to Dačić to take the initiative and create his own coalitions. The DS must now choose whether they will be in power or not."

Speaking about the possibility of a so-called grand coalition being formed - that would include both the DS and the SNS - Blagojević said he believed such an outcome would not benefit either party.