Milošević people make grand comebacks

As the Socialists (SPS) joined the government, some well-known faces from the Milosevic regime returned to the public and political scene. Eight years after the former Serbian and Yugoslav president's ouster and the collapse of his regime, figures such as Gorica Gajevic, Mile Ilic, Goran Percevic, to name only a few – all readily associated in Serbia with the Milosevic years – are making a comeback. Milosevic people make grand comebacks After the Democrats (DS) went for an alliance with the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) in order to be able to form a government after the May elections, former Milosevic's favorites are also returning to public office. Four years after then Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica secured the SPS support in parliament, which the Democrats vehemently denounced at the time, while analysts saw it as attempted rehabilitation of a party that damaged Serbia, the roles have been reversed. The Socialists now help the Democrats run the country, and are in the process returning Milosevic's top men and women to the front rows. Some analysts think that the SPS leader, and Serbia's first deputy PM and interior minister, Ivica Dacic, wishes to in this way lure some older voters, while former prime minister from the ranks of the DS Zoran Zivkovic sees these figures to be without potential to move Serbia forward, and describes them as lacking expert, human and political capacity for something of the kind. "For this reason, in the next couple of years that this government will last, we will have a game of reforms. We will have an operatic show of democracy where we play democracy while those that should be doing that job seriously, in fact do nothing but look for ways to hang on to power as long as possible, and that goes for all of them," Zivkovic said. He added that the Socialists are simply a tool for the Democrats to continue to rule the country, and does not believe that the SPS is a party that has undergone any change. "They've changed insomuch that they are now not ready to kill their political opponents, rather they will cooperate with them for their own personal gain. That's the only change," Zivkovic was blunt. Journalist Gordana Susa, a former president of the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia, says that the Milosevic-era comebacks represent an insult to the victims of his regime. She mentioned Dragutin Brcin, one of Milosevic's information ministers, best known as the man who turned the daily Borba into a pro-regime propaganda machine, and who has recently been made Education Minister Zarko Obradovic's adviser. However, Brcin is by no means the only one. Former SPS Secretary General Gorica Gajevic, former Nis Mayor Mile Ilic, new Energy Minister Petar Skundric, are all Milosevic's people now back in the saddle. Others, such as Goran Percevic, Zoran Lilic and Zoran Andjelkovic have also been mentioned in the context of grand comebacks, but there is still no confirmation of this. A file photo of Slobodan Milosevic, SPS founder and lifelong leader (FoNet)

Milošević people make grand comebacks

After the Democrats (DS) went for an alliance with the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) in order to be able to form a government after the May elections, former Milošević's favorites are also returning to public office.

Four years after then Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica secured the SPS support in parliament, which the Democrats vehemently denounced at the time, while analysts saw it as attempted rehabilitation of a party that damaged Serbia, the roles have been reversed.

The Socialists now help the Democrats run the country, and are in the process returning Milošević's top men and women to the front rows.

Some analysts think that the SPS leader, and Serbia's first deputy PM and interior minister, Ivica Dačić, wishes to in this way lure some older voters, while former prime minister from the ranks of the DS Zoran Živković sees these figures to be without potential to move Serbia forward, and describes them as lacking expert, human and political capacity for something of the kind.

"For this reason, in the next couple of years that this government will last, we will have a game of reforms. We will have an operatic show of democracy where we play democracy while those that should be doing that job seriously, in fact do nothing but look for ways to hang on to power as long as possible, and that goes for all of them," Živković said.

He added that the Socialists are simply a tool for the Democrats to continue to rule the country, and does not believe that the SPS is a party that has undergone any change.

"They've changed insomuch that they are now not ready to kill their political opponents, rather they will cooperate with them for their own personal gain. That's the only change," Živković was blunt.

Journalist Gordana Suša, a former president of the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia, says that the Milošević-era comebacks represent an insult to the victims of his regime.

She mentioned Dragutin Brčin, one of Milošević's information ministers, best known as the man who turned the daily Borba into a pro-regime propaganda machine, and who has recently been made Education Minister Žarko Obradović's adviser.

However, Brčin is by no means the only one. Former SPS Secretary General Gorica Gajević, former Niš Mayor Mile Ilić, new Energy Minister Petar Škundrić, are all Milošević's people now back in the saddle.

Others, such as Goran Perčević, Zoran Lilić and Zoran Anđelković have also been mentioned in the context of grand comebacks, but there is still no confirmation of this.