Vučić meets with LDP party leader

BELGRADE Deputy PM and leader of the ruling Serb Progressives (SNS) Aleksandar Vucic conferred with leader of the opposition LDP party Cedomir Jovanovic on Tuesday. They talked about "the search for solutions to problems important for the country's future." Vucic meets with LDP party leader Jovanovic told reporters that the key message voiced at the meeting was that elections need to be called immediately upon opening the talks with the EU. After the talks with Vucic in the Serbian government building, Jovanovic expressed the expectation that the elections would be called late in 2013 or early in 2014 because this is the most realistic option. Elections in Belgrade would be held in this period and it would be useful for the elections in Serbia to be organised at the same time, he explained. When asked whether his talks with Vucic covered the stands of his party, Jovanovic said that LDP insists on the implementation of the Brussels agreement on the normalisation of relations with Pristina which was signed in April, and added that he expects the government "to do all it can to ensure that the local elections in Kosovo on November 3 are not elections at which Serbs would fight amongst themselves." He noted that his talks with Vucic covered economic problems in the country, and expressed the belief that the prime minister accepted the LDP stands on the issues because Serbia is lagging behind Europe to a considerable extent. Jovanovic noted that the SNS leader said he expects the parliament to discuss the economic laws on whose adoption LDP is insisting by the end of the year, but he also believes that it is important to carry out the Kosovo elections in a peaceful atmosphere and to ensure Serb safety in the southern province. “The topics are numerous to cover during one round of talks, we will continue working on this,” Jovanovic said and underscored that political parties in Serbia need to reach all the basic political agreements. Tanjug said it learned from the government that Vucic would call on leaders of other parties as well to voice their remarks concerning the work of the government or the plans for Serbia's prosperity and a better life for its citizens. Speaking earlier, Aleksandar Vucic announced that the talks with opposition leaders "about the future of Serbia" will start on Tuesday. In his interview to RTS, Vucic said that he would meet with Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader and MP Cedomir Jovanovic to exchange ideas on the way to solve key problems and to hear his objections regarding the work of the ruling coalition. As he added, he plans to meet with other opposition members as well, specifying that the Democratic Party (DS) and the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) will be invited, but that the talks with coalition partners will intensify. Commenting on announcements by some parties that they would not respond to his invitation, Vucic wondered what kind of policy it is when someone refuses to talk about the country's future, adding that it is important to free the political life of strong words and for Serbia to have "a decent and normal political stage". Vucic said that he was pleased with cooperation with SNS' main government partner, the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and their leader, Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, who is "hard-working and dedicated to job", and expressed his belief that the Progressives and the Socialists would continue to work together. As he stated, he doesn't want all the power to go to the hands of SNS and that even if they won absolute majority of votes, the Progressives would strive to have partners in the realization of goals that are in the interest of the state. Commenting on media reports that certain parties, which are now in opposition, helped the creation of the SNS - which emerged as an offshoot of the Serb Radicals (SRS) five years ago - Vucic said that this was not true, but the fact that the Progressives were "never been exposed to lynch" was "undeniable." "For one thing I can give credit to Vojislav Kostunica and Boris Tadic - those who potentially could have caused political danger had not been exposed to lynch or assassination," said Vucic. Cedomir Jovanovic (Beta, file) RTS Tanjug

Vučić meets with LDP party leader

Jovanović told reporters that the key message voiced at the meeting was that elections need to be called immediately upon opening the talks with the EU.

After the talks with Vučić in the Serbian government building, Jovanović expressed the expectation that the elections would be called late in 2013 or early in 2014 because this is the most realistic option.

Elections in Belgrade would be held in this period and it would be useful for the elections in Serbia to be organised at the same time, he explained.

When asked whether his talks with Vučić covered the stands of his party, Jovanović said that LDP insists on the implementation of the Brussels agreement on the normalisation of relations with Pristina which was signed in April, and added that he expects the government "to do all it can to ensure that the local elections in Kosovo on November 3 are not elections at which Serbs would fight amongst themselves."

He noted that his talks with Vučić covered economic problems in the country, and expressed the belief that the prime minister accepted the LDP stands on the issues because Serbia is lagging behind Europe to a considerable extent.

Jovanović noted that the SNS leader said he expects the parliament to discuss the economic laws on whose adoption LDP is insisting by the end of the year, but he also believes that it is important to carry out the Kosovo elections in a peaceful atmosphere and to ensure Serb safety in the southern province.

“The topics are numerous to cover during one round of talks, we will continue working on this,” Jovanović said and underscored that political parties in Serbia need to reach all the basic political agreements.

Tanjug said it learned from the government that Vučić would call on leaders of other parties as well to voice their remarks concerning the work of the government or the plans for Serbia's prosperity and a better life for its citizens.

Speaking earlier, Aleksandar Vučić announced that the talks with opposition leaders "about the future of Serbia" will start on Tuesday.

In his interview to RTS, Vučić said that he would meet with Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader and MP Čedomir Jovanović to exchange ideas on the way to solve key problems and to hear his objections regarding the work of the ruling coalition.

As he added, he plans to meet with other opposition members as well, specifying that the Democratic Party (DS) and the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) will be invited, but that the talks with coalition partners will intensify.

Commenting on announcements by some parties that they would not respond to his invitation, Vučić wondered what kind of policy it is when someone refuses to talk about the country's future, adding that it is important to free the political life of strong words and for Serbia to have "a decent and normal political stage".

Vučić said that he was pleased with cooperation with SNS' main government partner, the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and their leader, Prime Minister Ivica Dačić, who is "hard-working and dedicated to job", and expressed his belief that the Progressives and the Socialists would continue to work together.

As he stated, he doesn't want all the power to go to the hands of SNS and that even if they won absolute majority of votes, the Progressives would strive to have partners in the realization of goals that are in the interest of the state.

Commenting on media reports that certain parties, which are now in opposition, helped the creation of the SNS - which emerged as an offshoot of the Serb Radicals (SRS) five years ago - Vučić said that this was not true, but the fact that the Progressives were "never been exposed to lynch" was "undeniable."

"For one thing I can give credit to Vojislav Koštunica and Boris Tadić - those who potentially could have caused political danger had not been exposed to lynch or assassination," said Vučić.