Belgrade Mayor Đilas will be "DS candidate for PM"

BELGRADE Bozidar Djelic stated on Monday that "by overcoming divisions, the DS created preconditions for becoming more efficient opposition". This former cabinet minister is now an MP of the opposition Democratic Party (DS). Belgrade Mayor Djilas will be "DS candidate for PM" Separation of the presidential and prime ministerial principle in the party itself created a presumption that the DS will govern the country more efficiently in the future, Djelic told B92. He said that Belgrade Mayor Dragan Djilas, who is expected to become DS leader in the upcoming party elections, will also be its candidate for prime minister "in the next government", and added that current leader Boris Tadic will perform "some of the most important state functions". "My analysis is that Boris Tadic did not lose the presidential elections because he was the president," said Djelic, and added that he hoped Tadic "will be president again". "But our people perceived that he was responsible for everything that the prime minister did, which is why we separated the presidential principle from the prime ministerial, managerial one, which is embodied in Djilas," he stated. According to him, at Sunday's session of the DS' Main Board, after which Tadic withdrew his candidacy for party leader, a "mature agreement" was reached, since it was determined based on local boards' candidacies that 70 percent would vote for Djilas and 30 for Tadic. Djelic pointed out that "meritocracy has been introduced in the party", and that its leadership will comprise of people who made undisputed results at the local level. "The DS will prove it is able to confront different opinions and change its leadership, which is something no other party does, and I believe that the DS will continue to be the leading political party," Djelic said, adding that changes in the leadership will not result in retribution against officials who supported Tadic. Bozidar Djelic (Tanjug, file) B92 Tanjug

Belgrade Mayor Đilas will be "DS candidate for PM"

Separation of the presidential and prime ministerial principle in the party itself created a presumption that the DS will govern the country more efficiently in the future, Đelić told B92.

He said that Belgrade Mayor Dragan Đilas, who is expected to become DS leader in the upcoming party elections, will also be its candidate for prime minister "in the next government", and added that current leader Boris Tadić will perform "some of the most important state functions".

"My analysis is that Boris Tadić did not lose the presidential elections because he was the president," said Đelić, and added that he hoped Tadić "will be president again".

"But our people perceived that he was responsible for everything that the prime minister did, which is why we separated the presidential principle from the prime ministerial, managerial one, which is embodied in Đilas," he stated.

According to him, at Sunday's session of the DS' Main Board, after which Tadić withdrew his candidacy for party leader, a "mature agreement" was reached, since it was determined based on local boards' candidacies that 70 percent would vote for Djilas and 30 for Tadić.

Đelić pointed out that "meritocracy has been introduced in the party", and that its leadership will comprise of people who made undisputed results at the local level.

"The DS will prove it is able to confront different opinions and change its leadership, which is something no other party does, and I believe that the DS will continue to be the leading political party," Đelić said, adding that changes in the leadership will not result in retribution against officials who supported Tadić.