SNS rules out municipal power-share deal with DS

SNS leader Tomislav Nikolic has offered cooperation to the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and the Serb Radical Party (SRS) in Vozdovac and Zemun. The Radicals have dismissed any cooperation out of hand. SNS rules out municipal power-share deal with DS The Serb Progressive Party (SNS) says it will not support a Democratic Party (DS) minority leadership in Vozdovac in exchange for DS support in Zemun. "That’s not possible. As long as I’m leading the SNS, I won’t agree to support anyone’s government at any level, without us having any ministers or secretaries or having a role in the public companies,” said SNS leader Tomislav Nikolic. Nikolic stressed that he wanted “to divide Serbia into a democratic government and opposition, not to create a one-party system,“ which was why he would first be offering cooperation to the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and the Serb Radical Party (SRS). He said that any talks with the DS would follow negotiations with the SRS and DSS, but only on condition that they “rule together.“ SNS deputy leader Aleksandar Vucic said that Nikolic had put a motion before his own party to form a government with the DSS and Radicals in Zemun. “ Tomislav Nikolic sent a letter to members of the SNS presidency with a request to form a coalition with the DSS, New Serbia and the SRS in the municipality of Zemun,“ said Vucic. He told a press conference that the proposal would be considered at a meeting of the SNS presidency on June 15, and that he expected opposition parties to accept the invitation to form a coalition and establish power in the municipality of Zemun, in the hope that “politicians’ vanity won’t come before the citizens.“ “If they don’t accept this offer, it’ll be clear that they wish to see the Democratic Party (DS) in power in the municipality of Zemun, and, in that event, we’ll have an alternative solution,“ warned the SNS deputy leader. In response, SRS deputy leader Dragan Todorovic said that Nikolic’s talk of forming a government with the DSS and Radicals in Zemun and Vozdovac was a red herring, as the SNS and DS had already reached an agreement. “It was reached by Boris Tadic, Tomislav Nikolic, Dragan Djilas and Aleksandar Vucic, and this is an attempt to justify that agreement in any way possible,“ Todorovic insisted. He stressed that the SRS had clearly let it be known in their statements on Monday that it would act as the opposition in both municipalities, as this was the best way to help citizens there. “They know it and that’s why they reached an agreement. It remains to be seen what the results of that agreement will be,“ Todorovic said, adding that the aim was to blame the SRS for turning down the offer, but also to find a pretext for the SNS and DS achieving what was “agreed on long ago.“ “There’s no other way for us to prove this other than by seeing the results of that agreement," stressed the SRS deputy leader. Nikolic, Vucic (FoNet, archive)

SNS rules out municipal power-share deal with DS

The Serb Progressive Party (SNS) says it will not support a Democratic Party (DS) minority leadership in Voždovac in exchange for DS support in Zemun.

"That’s not possible. As long as I’m leading the SNS, I won’t agree to support anyone’s government at any level, without us having any ministers or secretaries or having a role in the public companies,” said SNS leader Tomislav Nikolić.

Nikolić stressed that he wanted “to divide Serbia into a democratic government and opposition, not to create a one-party system,“ which was why he would first be offering cooperation to the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and the Serb Radical Party (SRS).

He said that any talks with the DS would follow negotiations with the SRS and DSS, but only on condition that they “rule together.“

SNS deputy leader Aleksandar Vučić said that Nikolić had put a motion before his own party to form a government with the DSS and Radicals in Zemun.

“ Tomislav Nikolić sent a letter to members of the SNS presidency with a request to form a coalition with the DSS, New Serbia and the SRS in the municipality of Zemun,“ said Vučić.

He told a press conference that the proposal would be considered at a meeting of the SNS presidency on June 15, and that he expected opposition parties to accept the invitation to form a coalition and establish power in the municipality of Zemun, in the hope that “politicians’ vanity won’t come before the citizens.“

“If they don’t accept this offer, it’ll be clear that they wish to see the Democratic Party (DS) in power in the municipality of Zemun, and, in that event, we’ll have an alternative solution,“ warned the SNS deputy leader.

In response, SRS deputy leader Dragan Todorović said that Nikolić’s talk of forming a government with the DSS and Radicals in Zemun and Voždovac was a red herring, as the SNS and DS had already reached an agreement.

“It was reached by Boris Tadić, Tomislav Nikolić, Dragan Đilas and Aleksandar Vučić, and this is an attempt to justify that agreement in any way possible,“ Todorović insisted.

He stressed that the SRS had clearly let it be known in their statements on Monday that it would act as the opposition in both municipalities, as this was the best way to help citizens there.

“They know it and that’s why they reached an agreement. It remains to be seen what the results of that agreement will be,“ Todorović said, adding that the aim was to blame the SRS for turning down the offer, but also to find a pretext for the SNS and DS achieving what was “agreed on long ago.“

“There’s no other way for us to prove this other than by seeing the results of that agreement," stressed the SRS deputy leader.