"New alliance on local level can't bring down government"

BELGRADE Zarko Obradovic said on Monday that changes in the ruling coalition in Smederevska Palanka could not jeopardize the coalition on the state level. Obradovic, who serves as minister of education, is a vice president of the ruling Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS). "New alliance on local level can't bring down government" The SPS and the United Regions of Serbia (URS) decided to oust the Serb Progressive Party (SNS) from the ruling coalition in the town's assembly. The three parties together form the ruling coalition on the state level. The SPS managed to get the Democratic Party (DS) on side in Smederevska Palanka, and the URS joined them. According to the some media, that decision of the SPS met with disapproval of the SNS leadership. Referring to that situation, Obradovic told reporters that “the local could not be above the state, and that could not jeopardize the ruling coalition.“ He reiterated that wherever possible, the SPS intends to form coalitions in the local self-governments that are identical to the one at the state level. "However, the fact is that local self-governments have certain specificities, circumstances that might call for a different approach," Obradovic said, stressing that the SPS would not like those specificities to affect the state policy. On the other hand, the SNS leadership had earlier voiced objections to the pace at which the SPS had engaged in the reshuffle of local authorities on the model of the ruling coalition at the state level. SNS leader and First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic made clear to the Socialists on Sunday that the ousting of the SNS at the local level would not pass without repercussions. "The latest moves by our partners will certainly not pass without repercussions," Vucic told the Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti, but did not specify what they would be. Zarko Obradovic (Tanjug, file) Tanjug Vecernje novosti

"New alliance on local level can't bring down government"

The SPS and the United Regions of Serbia (URS) decided to oust the Serb Progressive Party (SNS) from the ruling coalition in the town's assembly.

The three parties together form the ruling coalition on the state level.

The SPS managed to get the Democratic Party (DS) on side in Smederevska Palanka, and the URS joined them.

According to the some media, that decision of the SPS met with disapproval of the SNS leadership.

Referring to that situation, Obradović told reporters that “the local could not be above the state, and that could not jeopardize the ruling coalition.“

He reiterated that wherever possible, the SPS intends to form coalitions in the local self-governments that are identical to the one at the state level.

"However, the fact is that local self-governments have certain specificities, circumstances that might call for a different approach," Obradović said, stressing that the SPS would not like those specificities to affect the state policy.

On the other hand, the SNS leadership had earlier voiced objections to the pace at which the SPS had engaged in the reshuffle of local authorities on the model of the ruling coalition at the state level.

SNS leader and First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić made clear to the Socialists on Sunday that the ousting of the SNS at the local level would not pass without repercussions.

"The latest moves by our partners will certainly not pass without repercussions," Vučić told the Belgrade daily Večernje Novosti, but did not specify what they would be.