Nikolić party holds founding congress

At the Serb Progressive Party’s founding congress, Tomislav Nikolic and Aleksandar Vucic were elected party leader and deputy leader respectively. The congress, held at the Belgrade Sava Center behind closed doors, saw the election of the party’s 20-man Presidency, which will perform the functions of the main board, to be formally elected in six months’ time. Nikolic party holds founding congress The party Presidency includes Jorgovanka Tabakovic, Bozidar Delic, Borislav Pelevic, Oliver Antic, Brana Crncevic, Igor Mirovic, Zoran Bingulac. Nikolic said that the party would remain true to its founding ideas that its officials and members had propagated over the years while members of the Serb Radical Party (SRS). The SNS leader was the only speaker to address the rift with SRS leader Vojislav Seselj, stressing that they would still be friends now had Seselj not placed personal interests ahead of those of Serbia. The SNS’s manifesto was simple, he said, as it was focused on change and improving people’s lives. “We want things to be better for everyone, to regain our friends in the world, for East and West to be parts of the world and not fate, to be a bridge between East and West, to be proud, to be the Russian Federation’s best partners and proud EU members,” said Nikolic. Vucic also addressed the audience, stating that the Progressives viewed Serbia as a developed, modern country, that would be the strongest economic country and force in the region. “Our commitment in the coming period is not to say we’ve got a good score, we’ve got that many MPs. The only result I recognize is victory. We have to win, not because of the party, but because of Serbia and our children’s future,“ stressed the SNS deputy leader. The other speakers, including temporary Presidency member Jorgovanka Tabakovic and Hungarian minority representative Oto Kismarton, said that Kosovo would forever remain Serbian and that Serbia wanted to speak with the rest of the world “with head held high”, and not on its knees. The congress was attended by the Slovak, Norwegian, Cuban, Indian, Swedish, Danish and Algerian ambassadors, as well as representatives from the U.S., Russian, French, German, Spanish, Indonesian, Greek and Libyan embassies. Nikolic tendered his resignation as SRS deputy leader in early September, after which he formed the Forward Serbia MP club with other SRS rebel MPs, before registering the SNS on October 10, with the submission of 10,000 signatures of the party’s founders. Tomislav Nikolic (FoNet, archive)

Nikolić party holds founding congress

The party Presidency includes Jorgovanka Tabaković, Božidar Delić, Borislav Pelević, Oliver Antić, Brana Crnčević, Igor Mirović, Zoran Bingulac.

Nikolić said that the party would remain true to its founding ideas that its officials and members had propagated over the years while members of the Serb Radical Party (SRS).

The SNS leader was the only speaker to address the rift with SRS leader Vojislav Šešelj, stressing that they would still be friends now had Šešelj not placed personal interests ahead of those of Serbia.

The SNS’s manifesto was simple, he said, as it was focused on change and improving people’s lives.

“We want things to be better for everyone, to regain our friends in the world, for East and West to be parts of the world and not fate, to be a bridge between East and West, to be proud, to be the Russian Federation’s best partners and proud EU members,” said Nikolić.

Vučić also addressed the audience, stating that the Progressives viewed Serbia as a developed, modern country, that would be the strongest economic country and force in the region.

“Our commitment in the coming period is not to say we’ve got a good score, we’ve got that many MPs. The only result I recognize is victory. We have to win, not because of the party, but because of Serbia and our children’s future,“ stressed the SNS deputy leader.

The other speakers, including temporary Presidency member Jorgovanka Tabaković and Hungarian minority representative Oto Kišmarton, said that Kosovo would forever remain Serbian and that Serbia wanted to speak with the rest of the world “with head held high”, and not on its knees.

The congress was attended by the Slovak, Norwegian, Cuban, Indian, Swedish, Danish and Algerian ambassadors, as well as representatives from the U.S., Russian, French, German, Spanish, Indonesian, Greek and Libyan embassies.

Nikolić tendered his resignation as SRS deputy leader in early September, after which he formed the Forward Serbia MP club with other SRS rebel MPs, before registering the SNS on October 10, with the submission of 10,000 signatures of the party’s founders.