Party leaders disagree on presidential vote

Ivica Dacic on Monday spoke against the holding of presidential elections in Serbia on May 6, while Tomislav Nikolic said he "would not mind" such an outcome. Serbians will vote in parliamentary and local elections on May 6, but it remains uncertain whether Boris Tadic will also decide to resign and thus force an early presidential ballot. Party leaders disagree on presidential vote Dacic, who serves as interior minister in the current government and heads the Socialists (SPS), stated that it was "not fair to be finding out in the middle of the campaign which elections we will take part in". Such a decision "would be very much detrimental to the parliamentary vote", he was further quoted as saying, as well as noting that "almost no country in the world almost never" held all three types of elections at the same time. "Tadic and Nikolic wish to split Serbia in two," Dacic said of the leaders of the country's two most popular parties, but added that he believed that "Serbia is much bigger than those two". Dacic has already announced that he would run in the future presidential race. His party, founded and led until his death by Slobodan Milosevic, was ousted from power in 2000, but made a comeback in 2008 when it entered a coalition with President Boris Tadic's Democrats (DS). Now he says his goal is to beat both the DS, and Nikolic's opposition Progressives (SNS) - "because these people who came to power after 2000 have not proved to be quite ideal", while he noted the SNS "politically came from the SRS (Serb Radicals)", and described this former SPS ally as "by all appraisals more extreme than the SPS was before 2000". He charged that the Democrats and the Progressives were trying to establish a two-party system in Serbia, which according to him was something previously tried and failed by Slobodan Milosevic and SPO leader Vuk Draskovic. Meanwhile Tomislav Nikolic, whose party is topping public opinion polls, welcomes the possibility of a May 6 presidential vote: "It suits me for presidential elections to be held, and why would I complain against it." He also stated that Tadic "at this moment fears only that we will face each other for the first time on somewhat more equal footing, since he will no longer have the advantage he has had until now". Unlike Dacic, Nikolic is not against "some sort of two-party system, with parties of minorities in all that as well". "Logical" Serbian Parliament Speaker and top SPS official Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic said that if Serbian President Boris Tadic decides to resign on Tuesday or Wednesday, it would make a lot of sense to hold presidential elections on May 6, the same day as the parliamentary and local elections, so that voters would not need to go to the polls several times. If the majority of candidates who will take part in the presidential race estimate that 30 days is not enough for them to promote their views, i.e. if the majority decides the date does not suit them, I will certainly take this fact into consideration when I make my decision, Dejanovic told the daily Politika. Reminding that the legal deadline for holding elections is 90 days following the president's resignation, Dejanovic cautioned that Tadic is yet to announce his decision. In an interview for Vecernje Novosti, Dejanovic said that in case of a presidential election, she will set the date in consultations with the actors on the political scene, in line with the legal deadlines. "If Tadic announces his resignation on Wednesday, I will first talk to all those interested in taking part in the election, and I will especially appreciate the position of (Socialist Party of Serbia leader) Ivica Dacic, who has had the most open attitude toward the issue from the beginning," said Dejanovic, who is also from the ranks of the SPS. Dacic will be the party's candidate for president in case of an early election; otherwise he will be its candidate for prime minister. "This date is the final deadline for a resignation if the elections are to be held on May 6, a minimum of 30 days after the end of a president's term. If there is a vote, I am quite certain Dacic would make the best president of Serbia," Dejanovic told the newspaper. Beta Politika Tanjug Vecernje novosti

Party leaders disagree on presidential vote

Dačić, who serves as interior minister in the current government and heads the Socialists (SPS), stated that it was "not fair to be finding out in the middle of the campaign which elections we will take part in".

Such a decision "would be very much detrimental to the parliamentary vote", he was further quoted as saying, as well as noting that "almost no country in the world almost never" held all three types of elections at the same time.

"Tadić and Nikolić wish to split Serbia in two," Dačić said of the leaders of the country's two most popular parties, but added that he believed that "Serbia is much bigger than those two".

Dačić has already announced that he would run in the future presidential race. His party, founded and led until his death by Slobodan Milošević, was ousted from power in 2000, but made a comeback in 2008 when it entered a coalition with President Boris Tadić's Democrats (DS).

Now he says his goal is to beat both the DS, and Nikolić's opposition Progressives (SNS) - "because these people who came to power after 2000 have not proved to be quite ideal", while he noted the SNS "politically came from the SRS (Serb Radicals)", and described this former SPS ally as "by all appraisals more extreme than the SPS was before 2000".

He charged that the Democrats and the Progressives were trying to establish a two-party system in Serbia, which according to him was something previously tried and failed by Slobodan Milošević and SPO leader Vuk Drašković.

Meanwhile Tomislav Nikolić, whose party is topping public opinion polls, welcomes the possibility of a May 6 presidential vote:

"It suits me for presidential elections to be held, and why would I complain against it."

He also stated that Tadić "at this moment fears only that we will face each other for the first time on somewhat more equal footing, since he will no longer have the advantage he has had until now".

Unlike Dačić, Nikolić is not against "some sort of two-party system, with parties of minorities in all that as well".

"Logical"

Serbian Parliament Speaker and top SPS official Slavica Đukić-Dejanović said that if Serbian President Boris Tadić decides to resign on Tuesday or Wednesday, it would make a lot of sense to hold presidential elections on May 6, the same day as the parliamentary and local elections, so that voters would not need to go to the polls several times.

If the majority of candidates who will take part in the presidential race estimate that 30 days is not enough for them to promote their views, i.e. if the majority decides the date does not suit them, I will certainly take this fact into consideration when I make my decision, Dejanović told the daily Politika.

Reminding that the legal deadline for holding elections is 90 days following the president's resignation, Dejanović cautioned that Tadić is yet to announce his decision.

In an interview for Večernje Novosti, Dejanović said that in case of a presidential election, she will set the date in consultations with the actors on the political scene, in line with the legal deadlines.

"If Tadić announces his resignation on Wednesday, I will first talk to all those interested in taking part in the election, and I will especially appreciate the position of (Socialist Party of Serbia leader) Ivica Dačić, who has had the most open attitude toward the issue from the beginning," said Dejanović, who is also from the ranks of the SPS.

Dačić will be the party's candidate for president in case of an early election; otherwise he will be its candidate for prime minister.

"This date is the final deadline for a resignation if the elections are to be held on May 6, a minimum of 30 days after the end of a president's term. If there is a vote, I am quite certain Dačić would make the best president of Serbia," Dejanović told the newspaper.