DS leader on early elections, Šarić case

BELGRADE Opposition Democratic Party (DS) leader Dragan Djilas told weekly NIN that former Foreign Minister and DS official Vuk Jeremic should return his MP mandate. He noted that the “mandate is worthless because elections will be held in a few months”. DS leader on early elections, Saric case Djilas said that the same rules needed to apply to all members, including Jeremic. “If he does not respect a decision of the Main Board, what else is there to say,” he told NIN. The DS leader denied speculations that he had anything to do with the release of information about Prime Minister Ivica Dacic’s meetings with Rodoljub Radulovic, a member of runaway drug kingpin Darko Saric’s gang. “(Former coordinator of intelligence services and current opposition Democratic Party deputy leader) Miodrag Rakic, me or anyone else from the DS have nothing to do with the release of these transcripts in the papers. The (daily) Informer’s editor in chief has denied that he received anything from Rakic,” Djilas was quoted as saying. “Miodrag Rakic is a great professional and that is why not a single information about the Saric case emerged for four years and it was not used for political fights and blackmails, not even at the time when Ivica Dacic, despite a public promise that he supported (former President and DS leader Boris) Tadic formed a government with the Progressives,” the DS leader noted. Commenting on speculations about possible cooperation between the DS and the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), he said that the DS would form a coalition after the elections “based on its program in order to change things for the better”. “If we have an opportunity to make the government with those who share our ideas of depoliticization, proposed economic measures, serious investments in the education system, readiness to implement social-democratic ideas to help those who are the most threatened, we will make the government. If we do not have a majority for this program, we will not join any government,” Djilas explained. “There will be no more compromises just so we could get into the government and transfer the coalition to the local level. Of course, if the DS wanted this, I would no longer be a leader of the party,” he concluded. Dragan Djilas (Beta) NIN

DS leader on early elections, Šarić case

Đilas said that the same rules needed to apply to all members, including Jeremić.

“If he does not respect a decision of the Main Board, what else is there to say,” he told NIN.

The DS leader denied speculations that he had anything to do with the release of information about Prime Minister Ivica Dačić’s meetings with Rodoljub Radulović, a member of runaway drug kingpin Darko Šarić’s gang.

“(Former coordinator of intelligence services and current opposition Democratic Party deputy leader) Miodrag Rakić, me or anyone else from the DS have nothing to do with the release of these transcripts in the papers. The (daily) Informer’s editor in chief has denied that he received anything from Rakić,” Đilas was quoted as saying.

“Miodrag Rakić is a great professional and that is why not a single information about the Šarić case emerged for four years and it was not used for political fights and blackmails, not even at the time when Ivica Dačić, despite a public promise that he supported (former President and DS leader Boris) Tadić formed a government with the Progressives,” the DS leader noted.

Commenting on speculations about possible cooperation between the DS and the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), he said that the DS would form a coalition after the elections “based on its program in order to change things for the better”.

“If we have an opportunity to make the government with those who share our ideas of depoliticization, proposed economic measures, serious investments in the education system, readiness to implement social-democratic ideas to help those who are the most threatened, we will make the government. If we do not have a majority for this program, we will not join any government,” Đilas explained.

“There will be no more compromises just so we could get into the government and transfer the coalition to the local level. Of course, if the DS wanted this, I would no longer be a leader of the party,” he concluded.