Opposition DS "preparing for elections"

BELGRADE This government is obviously not functioning and the DS believes there will be elections, says official of the opposition Democratic Party (DS) Bozidar Djelic. This former cabinet minister told B92 on Tuesday that the party was "preparing, financially equipping itself and being joined by many people". Opposition DS "preparing for elections" According to him, the DS has a plan with 30 key measures, "on which all citizens may comment and offer their suggestions." The DS official added that this party will defend those who are vulnerable, working with other parties who recognize the crucial problems of the citizens. Djelic did not specify which other parties he had in mind, saying only that "this will be seen after elections". The DS official added that the fact that a number of people had left the Democratic Party in recent months was "only proof that there were many people who were in the party just because they were in power". Speaking about Milivoje Vrebalov, who left the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to join the Democrats, Djelic said that Vrebalov "recognized the infrastructure, the program and the people in the party". The DS official added that the LDP was their natural partner, and wished that party all the best, saying that Vrebalov was "only one man who wanted to join the DS". Commenting on the announcement of Police Director Milorad Veljovic that a loan the party had taken from the Development Bank of Vojvodina (RBV) would be looked into, Djelic said that "nobody would be protected", and that the Democratic Party was in favor of "all problems from the past being investigated". "But it should not be done by the police director announcing what will happen, assuming the role of prosecutor and judge, and these statements show the true nature of the regime, which is based on the criminalization of anyone who thinks differently, and I do not mean just the DS." The Special Court in Belgrade placed three former top managers of the RBV in 30-day custody, on suspicion that they caused the bank damage worth RSD 2.5 billion. Djelic said that the party would protect its members who were not guilty of any wrongdoing, noting that "of all the loans this one is singled out.. not a day goes by that the DS is not being criminalized". According to him, this was "about politicians who want revenge, to level their political opponents to the ground." This party official said that the DS took the loan from the Development Bank of Vojvodina "under conditions that are not classic", and that the party was now working to unblock its bank account. Djelic stated that there was also the question of whether there was pressure on the NBS, exerted by its governor, "not to provide loan reprogramming for the DS". Speaking of RBV, he said that the bank had been on the right track but that it was "destroyed by the new regime". The DS official noted that "numbers" were not in favor of the new government, since there have been no investments. "And those that are being talked about, from the Emirates, will not lead to any concrete investment. It's only a hundred million euros. This government has not brought any new investors in our country. At the same time 3.7 billion have been borrowed in the first seven months without a capital facility or investors. The budget deficit for the first few months is frightening," said Djelic, adding that "if in the first two months you create a deficit planned for the quarter, then you're in trouble." "We have a decline in the purchasing power. These are the figures, Galenika, Zelezara, no one has found a partner, money is being wasted, subsidies given to Fiat - should it not be invested in something smarter, to create jobs," asked Djelic. (Beta, file) B92

Opposition DS "preparing for elections"

According to him, the DS has a plan with 30 key measures, "on which all citizens may comment and offer their suggestions."

The DS official added that this party will defend those who are vulnerable, working with other parties who recognize the crucial problems of the citizens.

Đelić did not specify which other parties he had in mind, saying only that "this will be seen after elections".

The DS official added that the fact that a number of people had left the Democratic Party in recent months was "only proof that there were many people who were in the party just because they were in power".

Speaking about Milivoje Vrebalov, who left the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to join the Democrats, Đelić said that Vrebalov "recognized the infrastructure, the program and the people in the party". The DS official added that the LDP was their natural partner, and wished that party all the best, saying that Vrebalov was "only one man who wanted to join the DS".

Commenting on the announcement of Police Director Milorad Veljovic that a loan the party had taken from the Development Bank of Vojvodina (RBV) would be looked into, Đelić said that "nobody would be protected", and that the Democratic Party was in favor of "all problems from the past being investigated".

"But it should not be done by the police director announcing what will happen, assuming the role of prosecutor and judge, and these statements show the true nature of the regime, which is based on the criminalization of anyone who thinks differently, and I do not mean just the DS."

The Special Court in Belgrade placed three former top managers of the RBV in 30-day custody, on suspicion that they caused the bank damage worth RSD 2.5 billion.

Đelić said that the party would protect its members who were not guilty of any wrongdoing, noting that "of all the loans this one is singled out.. not a day goes by that the DS is not being criminalized".

According to him, this was "about politicians who want revenge, to level their political opponents to the ground."

This party official said that the DS took the loan from the Development Bank of Vojvodina "under conditions that are not classic", and that the party was now working to unblock its bank account.

Đelić stated that there was also the question of whether there was pressure on the NBS, exerted by its governor, "not to provide loan reprogramming for the DS".

Speaking of RBV, he said that the bank had been on the right track but that it was "destroyed by the new regime".

The DS official noted that "numbers" were not in favor of the new government, since there have been no investments.

"And those that are being talked about, from the Emirates, will not lead to any concrete investment. It's only a hundred million euros. This government has not brought any new investors in our country. At the same time 3.7 billion have been borrowed in the first seven months without a capital facility or investors. The budget deficit for the first few months is frightening," said Đelić, adding that "if in the first two months you create a deficit planned for the quarter, then you're in trouble."

"We have a decline in the purchasing power. These are the figures, Galenika, Železara, no one has found a partner, money is being wasted, subsidies given to Fiat - should it not be invested in something smarter, to create jobs," asked Đelić.