Dačić to receive “Best European Award"?

A Belgrade daily writes that SPS leader Ivica Dacic would be receive the Best European award for politics in 2009. The award has been given out for the last ten years to people who have contributed most to Serbia’s European integration, and was set up by the European House-Cukarica and the European Movement in Serbia. Dacic to receive “Best European Award"? Now Blic daily writes that Dacic is "likely the most controversial politician in Serbia today", adding he was not able to confirm that he would be receiving the accolade. “I know that I am one of the candidates and that the other people that deal with this field have already been selected in previous years,” said Dacic. Serbia's first deputy PM and interior minister is at the helm of the ruling Socialists (SPS) – a party founded and led until his death by Slobodan Milosevic. After ten years in power in the 1990s, the Socialists returned to government in 2008. Some of those who previously won the award include Zoran Djindjic, Boris Tadic, Dragoljub Micunovic and Desimir Tosic, whose contributions towards the" Europeanization of Serbia", the newspaper writes, "were not questionable". Dacic, however, was one the right hand man to Slobodan Milosevic, but has transformed himself into the person most responsible for getting Serbia on the Schengen white list and helped form a pro-European government, the article continues. “When you look at this political path, I can say that Dacic is finally in the good company of those who have received this recognition earlier,” President of the Civil Initiative Miljenko Dereta said. According to Blic, Local and Self-Administrations Minister Milan Markovic will receive the award for best project, while Serbia football squad boss Radomir Antic and Spanish Ambassador Inigo de Palacio Espana will be recognized in the category of "foreigners who helped most in Serbia’s EU integrations". The awards are handed out in the fields of politics, culture, economy, entrepreneurship, projects, and foreign citizens. Ivica Dacic: Best European? (Tanjug, file)

Dačić to receive “Best European Award"?

Now Blic daily writes that Dačić is "likely the most controversial politician in Serbia today", adding he was not able to confirm that he would be receiving the accolade.

“I know that I am one of the candidates and that the other people that deal with this field have already been selected in previous years,” said Dačić.

Serbia's first deputy PM and interior minister is at the helm of the ruling Socialists (SPS) – a party founded and led until his death by Slobodan Milošević. After ten years in power in the 1990s, the Socialists returned to government in 2008.

Some of those who previously won the award include Zoran Đinđić, Boris Tadić, Dragoljub Mićunović and Desimir Tošić, whose contributions towards the" Europeanization of Serbia", the newspaper writes, "were not questionable".

Dačić, however, was one the right hand man to Slobodan Milošević, but has transformed himself into the person most responsible for getting Serbia on the Schengen white list and helped form a pro-European government, the article continues.

“When you look at this political path, I can say that Dačić is finally in the good company of those who have received this recognition earlier,” President of the Civil Initiative Miljenko Dereta said.

According to Blic, Local and Self-Administrations Minister Milan Marković will receive the award for best project, while Serbia football squad boss Radomir Antić and Spanish Ambassador Inigo de Palacio Espana will be recognized in the category of "foreigners who helped most in Serbia’s EU integrations".

The awards are handed out in the fields of politics, culture, economy, entrepreneurship, projects, and foreign citizens.