Vuk Jeremić takes Democrats to Constitutional Court

BELGRADE Vuk Jeremic on Tuesday asked the Serbian Constitutional Court to appraise the decision of the Democratic Party (DS) to expel him. The former Serbian foreign minister, who currently serves as president of the UN General Assembly, was last week expelled from this opposition party for refusing to resign as member of parliament. Vuk Jeremic takes Democrats to Constitutional Court The policy of having all DS officials who served as ministers in the previous government "return their MP mandates" was introduced by Dragan Djilas last fall, when he took over as party leader. Addressing reporters after he filed his request with the Constitutional Court, Jeremic noted that MPs were given their mandates by their voters, and that "nobody had the right to ask for those mandates to be returned", while it was the right of those elected to represent their voters. "I believe that this unconstitutional activity, and this act of political violence, must be stopped through energetic and institutional action," he said, and added that he had great faith in the country's institutions. In a statement for the Belgrade-based Prva TV last night, Jeremic said that he was not invited to a session of the DS executive council and thus not given a chance to defend his position, although he said this was previously agreed with Djilas. Jeremic accused Djilas of forcing his decision on the council, and said he would also file a complaint with the DS statutory commission. He announced that if the Constitutional Court found that the party made a decision that was in line with the Constitution, he would resign from parliament. At the same time, he described Djilas - who also serves as Belgrade mayor - as having inflicted "immeasurable damage" to the reputation of the Democratic Party - "because public office and violations of the Constitution do not go together". Jeremic also told the television outlet that both he and his staff on the East River felt embarrassed by the decision, and that no previous president of the UN General Assembly was expelled from their party while in office. "Djilas is throwing people who disagree with him out. What would he do if he were in power in this country - what would happen to those who disagree with him," the former minister wondered. Jeremic also said that he still considers himself a member of the DS, but that the party was facing the worst situation since it was founded. He did not wish to say whether he would form his own political party in case the Constitutional Court fails to rule in his favor. However, he stated that his UN mandate would end in September and that he would then return to Serbia, and would seek to represent his country "the best way he can" in the meantime: "I believe profoundly in the ideas that I represent. But things must be taking place according to procedures. Right now I do not know what the DS policy on Kosovo is. The policy that I represented as minister was the state policy, based on the Constitution, I spoke about it publicly both at home and abroad, unlike Djilas. My policy was not that of Vuk Jeremic, is was the state policy, and it was transparent, unlike what Djilas is doing." The UNGA president also appraised as "completely inappropriate "to discuss speculations about his participation in the race for the next UN secretary general, adding, however, that it was "a great honor to see world media mentioning his name in this context." “It is totally inappropriate to discuss this right now. Ban (Ki-moon) and I are now the closest associates, and the elections will take place in 2016,” Jeremic said. He added that the 2016 election is a “distant future” for him, and when his UNGA mandate expires in September, he will return to Serbia to take part in the country's “public and parliamentary life.” In the meantime, when it comes to representing Serbia and important political debates, he expects “even more fulfilling six months” of his presidency . Jeremic confirmed that he came to Belgrade because of the situation concerning his exclusion from the Democratic Party but that is not the only reason why he is not in New York, as he will travel to Paris for the first meeting of the UNGA president's high council on Wednesday. The council brings together ten well-known diplomats, among them former Russian prime minister Yevgeny Primakov and former foreign minister of Spain Miguel Angel Moratinos. Jeremic said he had very good cooperation with the Serbian president, prime minister and the first deputy prime minister. “We are closely cooperating and it would be wrong if it was not so - this kind of opportunity comes once in a hundred years,” he said. Vuk Jeremic addresses journalists in Belgrade on Tuesday (Tanjug) B92 Beta Tanjug

Vuk Jeremić takes Democrats to Constitutional Court

The policy of having all DS officials who served as ministers in the previous government "return their MP mandates" was introduced by Dragan Đilas last fall, when he took over as party leader.

Addressing reporters after he filed his request with the Constitutional Court, Jeremić noted that MPs were given their mandates by their voters, and that "nobody had the right to ask for those mandates to be returned", while it was the right of those elected to represent their voters.

"I believe that this unconstitutional activity, and this act of political violence, must be stopped through energetic and institutional action," he said, and added that he had great faith in the country's institutions.

In a statement for the Belgrade-based Prva TV last night, Jeremić said that he was not invited to a session of the DS executive council and thus not given a chance to defend his position, although he said this was previously agreed with Đilas.

Jeremić accused Đilas of forcing his decision on the council, and said he would also file a complaint with the DS statutory commission.

He announced that if the Constitutional Court found that the party made a decision that was in line with the Constitution, he would resign from parliament.

At the same time, he described Đilas - who also serves as Belgrade mayor - as having inflicted "immeasurable damage" to the reputation of the Democratic Party - "because public office and violations of the Constitution do not go together".

Jeremić also told the television outlet that both he and his staff on the East River felt embarrassed by the decision, and that no previous president of the UN General Assembly was expelled from their party while in office.

"Đilas is throwing people who disagree with him out. What would he do if he were in power in this country - what would happen to those who disagree with him," the former minister wondered.

Jeremić also said that he still considers himself a member of the DS, but that the party was facing the worst situation since it was founded. He did not wish to say whether he would form his own political party in case the Constitutional Court fails to rule in his favor.

However, he stated that his UN mandate would end in September and that he would then return to Serbia, and would seek to represent his country "the best way he can" in the meantime:

"I believe profoundly in the ideas that I represent. But things must be taking place according to procedures. Right now I do not know what the DS policy on Kosovo is. The policy that I represented as minister was the state policy, based on the Constitution, I spoke about it publicly both at home and abroad, unlike Đilas. My policy was not that of Vuk Jeremić, is was the state policy, and it was transparent, unlike what Đilas is doing."

The UNGA president also appraised as "completely inappropriate "to discuss speculations about his participation in the race for the next UN secretary general, adding, however, that it was "a great honor to see world media mentioning his name in this context."

“It is totally inappropriate to discuss this right now. Ban (Ki-moon) and I are now the closest associates, and the elections will take place in 2016,” Jeremić said.

He added that the 2016 election is a “distant future” for him, and when his UNGA mandate expires in September, he will return to Serbia to take part in the country's “public and parliamentary life.”

In the meantime, when it comes to representing Serbia and important political debates, he expects “even more fulfilling six months” of his presidency .

Jeremić confirmed that he came to Belgrade because of the situation concerning his exclusion from the Democratic Party but that is not the only reason why he is not in New York, as he will travel to Paris for the first meeting of the UNGA president's high council on Wednesday.

The council brings together ten well-known diplomats, among them former Russian prime minister Yevgeny Primakov and former foreign minister of Spain Miguel Angel Moratinos.

Jeremić said he had very good cooperation with the Serbian president, prime minister and the first deputy prime minister.

“We are closely cooperating and it would be wrong if it was not so - this kind of opportunity comes once in a hundred years,” he said.