Progressives to decide on elections on Saturday

BELGRADE A final decision on the holding of early parliamentary elections will be made by the ruling SNS party on Saturday, writes the Belgrade-based newspaper Danas. The presidency of the Serb Progressive Party (SNS) will in the morning, just before the party assembly, convene and take a final position on whether Serbia will go to the polls - said one of the vice-presidents of the SNS, Goran Knezevic. Progressives to decide on elections on Saturday A majority of members of the party presidency repeatedly said they were in favor of early elections which would be held on March 16, along with the local ballot in Belgrade. On Saturday, SNS leader Aleksandar Vucic, who was left to make the decision, should state his position on the issue, writes the newspaper. The article quotes several officials from Vucic's circles who said unofficially that early elections will likely be held. While some are fully confident of this, others leave some room for the possibility that the government of Prime Minister Ivica Dacic will survive, while Danas described the chances as "99-1 in favor of elections." Sources claim that the leader of SNS was five or six days ago closer to the view that early elections are not needed and that differences within government and the coalition are not insurmountable. However, after discussions with his closest associates and party colleagues "and the constant weighing arguments" Vucic is now reportedly of the view that "a new distribution of political cards" is necessary. After numerous statements that the government is functioning well and that reforms are being carried out, it remains to be seen what will be given as the main and immediate reason for calling elections. It could be the firm position of Minister Branko Ruzic of the SPS not to resign after he was severely criticized by Vucic for publicly supporting a suspect in a corruption case. The trigger could also be the withdrawal from the procedure of the draft Law on Labor and disagreements between Minister of Economy Sasa Radulovic and almost the entire ruling coalition and other members of the government. As far as procedures go, early parliamentary elections can happen in three ways: resignation of the prime minister, parliament taking a vote of confidence in the government, and an escalation of the crisis within the ruling coalition that would deadlock the work of parliament. Since Dacic and his Socialists are against elections, it is hard to believe that the prime minister will resign, writes the daily. It is also unlikely that a vote of confidence will take place in parliament, "because such a request has not even been filed." The easiest way, reports Danas in its article, is for the government to adopt a proposal to dissolve parliament and pass it on to the president, who would call elections. All of this must be completed by January 29, so that "the shortest possible campaign of 45 days" could kick off. (Tanjug, file) Danas

Progressives to decide on elections on Saturday

A majority of members of the party presidency repeatedly said they were in favor of early elections which would be held on March 16, along with the local ballot in Belgrade. On Saturday, SNS leader Aleksandar Vučić, who was left to make the decision, should state his position on the issue, writes the newspaper.

The article quotes several officials from Vučić's circles who said unofficially that early elections will likely be held.

While some are fully confident of this, others leave some room for the possibility that the government of Prime Minister Ivica Dačić will survive, while Danas described the chances as "99-1 in favor of elections."

Sources claim that the leader of SNS was five or six days ago closer to the view that early elections are not needed and that differences within government and the coalition are not insurmountable.

However, after discussions with his closest associates and party colleagues "and the constant weighing arguments" Vučić is now reportedly of the view that "a new distribution of political cards" is necessary.

After numerous statements that the government is functioning well and that reforms are being carried out, it remains to be seen what will be given as the main and immediate reason for calling elections.

It could be the firm position of Minister Branko Ružić of the SPS not to resign after he was severely criticized by Vučić for publicly supporting a suspect in a corruption case.

The trigger could also be the withdrawal from the procedure of the draft Law on Labor and disagreements between Minister of Economy Saša Radulović and almost the entire ruling coalition and other members of the government.

As far as procedures go, early parliamentary elections can happen in three ways: resignation of the prime minister, parliament taking a vote of confidence in the government, and an escalation of the crisis within the ruling coalition that would deadlock the work of parliament.

Since Dačić and his Socialists are against elections, it is hard to believe that the prime minister will resign, writes the daily. It is also unlikely that a vote of confidence will take place in parliament, "because such a request has not even been filed."

The easiest way, reports Danas in its article, is for the government to adopt a proposal to dissolve parliament and pass it on to the president, who would call elections.

All of this must be completed by January 29, so that "the shortest possible campaign of 45 days" could kick off.