Radicals: Ratify SAA in extraordinary session

The Serb Radical Party (SRS) has urged a session of the parliament to give lawmakers a chance to ratify the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA). The deputy party leader Tomislav Nikolic Wednesday called on Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica's Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) to join him in this initiative. Radicals: Ratify SAA in extraordinary session The agreement, signed Tuesday by Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic, DS, has been endorsed by President Boris Tadic's Democrats (DS) and G17 Plus, but has met with severe criticism from the ruling DSS and the opposition SRS. Nikolic spoke for Belgrade's Avala TV last night when he said the session should be held on Monday, "in order to demonstrate all the benefits of the agreement", while skeptics will have a chance to point to those provisions of the deal that are "redrawing the borders of Serbia". But he also said that "if the deal was any good, the DS would seek to have it ratified in parliament as soon as possible". "Agreements are dead papers until the people stand behind them. The citizens of Serbia would stand behind this agreement if the parliament were to ratify it with a majority of votes," Nikolic continued. His party, the largest single party in two consecutive parliaments, and the DSS, have the majority of seats. A new parliament will be elected on May 11. Nikolic also said that in his opinion, the SAA brings nothing good to the citizens of Serbia, guaranteeing neither closer ties with the EU, nor the organization's desistance from supporting Kosovo's independence. "At this point, all we care about is for the EU to give up on Kosovo's independence and offer us an agreement that will provide the citizens of Serbia with a better standard of living," he said, and added it was "unnatural for the DS to seek an agreement that will boost its election campaign position". Nikolic also said the signed deal was "all the more faulty" since only a part of the government stood behind it. "I would not have supported this agreement if it were offered before the unilateral declaration of Kosovo's independence," he clarified. Asked what needs to be done in order to defend the province, Nikolic said that Serbia must develop her institutions, and welcomed the decision to hold the May 11 parliamentary and local ballots there. The deputy leader of the Radicals also spoke in favor of international lawsuits against those countries that have decided to recognize the Kosovo Albanians' secession. If his party forms the next cabinet, Nikolic continued, Serbian ambassadors will stay away from those countries, "but cooperation should continue". The first sitting of the new parliament after the elections must adopt a resolution on safety of foreign investments, he added. As for the coalition likely to put together the next government, he said he was open for cooperation with the DSS. "I have sincerely offered this cooperation at the start of the campaign, and I think it is Kostunica's duty to say who he will form the Serbian government with," Nikolic was quoted as saying. "He knows we need him, and he uses his privileged position," Nikolic said of Kostunica, but described himself as a man who "does not allow blackmail". Opinion polls ahead of the elections, now 10 days away, suggest that the Radicals will once again win the most votes, but not enough to form a government on their own. Earlier yesterday, speaking in a rally in Sabac, western Serbia, Nikolic said "there will be a place in the next cabinet for all patriots". "Let everyone know who they are voting for and with whom that party is capable of making post-election coalitions. And let anyone who might help Boris Tadic form the government be damned," he told the crowd of some 2,000 people. He appraised that although the EU will "pressure Serbia for a couple of months", after the Radicals' election victory, "soon they will see the benefits of a non-corrupt government". "I wish I knew who advised Tadic to sign the SAA, because that person deserves a medal. Now you know it all," Nikolic told the rally. "There are only two options, one, which made Kosovo and Metohija's secession official with Solana, and the other, which will save Kosovo." Since this party "already taught half of DOS how to be patriots", he said in reference to the anti-Milosevic coalition put together in 2000, "half of voters will now support the SRS". Nikolic meets his party's supporters in Sabac yesterday (Tanjug)

Radicals: Ratify SAA in extraordinary session

The agreement, signed Tuesday by Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić, DS, has been endorsed by President Boris Tadić's Democrats (DS) and G17 Plus, but has met with severe criticism from the ruling DSS and the opposition SRS.

Nikolić spoke for Belgrade's Avala TV last night when he said the session should be held on Monday, "in order to demonstrate all the benefits of the agreement", while skeptics will have a chance to point to those provisions of the deal that are "redrawing the borders of Serbia".

But he also said that "if the deal was any good, the DS would seek to have it ratified in parliament as soon as possible".

"Agreements are dead papers until the people stand behind them. The citizens of Serbia would stand behind this agreement if the parliament were to ratify it with a majority of votes," Nikolić continued.

His party, the largest single party in two consecutive parliaments, and the DSS, have the majority of seats. A new parliament will be elected on May 11.

Nikolić also said that in his opinion, the SAA brings nothing good to the citizens of Serbia, guaranteeing neither closer ties with the EU, nor the organization's desistance from supporting Kosovo's independence.

"At this point, all we care about is for the EU to give up on Kosovo's independence and offer us an agreement that will provide the citizens of Serbia with a better standard of living," he said, and added it was "unnatural for the DS to seek an agreement that will boost its election campaign position".

Nikolić also said the signed deal was "all the more faulty" since only a part of the government stood behind it.

"I would not have supported this agreement if it were offered before the unilateral declaration of Kosovo's independence," he clarified.

Asked what needs to be done in order to defend the province, Nikolić said that Serbia must develop her institutions, and welcomed the decision to hold the May 11 parliamentary and local ballots there.

The deputy leader of the Radicals also spoke in favor of international lawsuits against those countries that have decided to recognize the Kosovo Albanians' secession.

If his party forms the next cabinet, Nikolić continued, Serbian ambassadors will stay away from those countries, "but cooperation should continue".

The first sitting of the new parliament after the elections must adopt a resolution on safety of foreign investments, he added.

As for the coalition likely to put together the next government, he said he was open for cooperation with the DSS.

"I have sincerely offered this cooperation at the start of the campaign, and I think it is Koštunica's duty to say who he will form the Serbian government with," Nikolić was quoted as saying.

"He knows we need him, and he uses his privileged position," Nikolić said of Koštunica, but described himself as a man who "does not allow blackmail".

Opinion polls ahead of the elections, now 10 days away, suggest that the Radicals will once again win the most votes, but not enough to form a government on their own.

Earlier yesterday, speaking in a rally in Šabac, western Serbia, Nikolić said "there will be a place in the next cabinet for all patriots".

"Let everyone know who they are voting for and with whom that party is capable of making post-election coalitions. And let anyone who might help Boris Tadić form the government be damned," he told the crowd of some 2,000 people.

He appraised that although the EU will "pressure Serbia for a couple of months", after the Radicals' election victory, "soon they will see the benefits of a non-corrupt government".

"I wish I knew who advised Tadić to sign the SAA, because that person deserves a medal. Now you know it all," Nikolić told the rally. "There are only two options, one, which made Kosovo and Metohija's secession official with Solana, and the other, which will save Kosovo."

Since this party "already taught half of DOS how to be patriots", he said in reference to the anti-Milošević coalition put together in 2000, "half of voters will now support the SRS".