Progressives "must not win", says Boris Tadić

A day after he resigned as the county's president, Boris Tadic joined the campaign of his ruling Democrats, this time in the town of Prokuplje, central Serbia. Tadic, who will also seek his third term in office in presidential elections on May 6, said on Friday that the DS-led coalition, listed as "Choice for a Better Life - Boris Tadic" in the parliamentary election ballot, "has a clear plan how to resolve the issue of Kosovo and all other burning issues of the Serbian society". Progressives "must not win", says Boris Tadic He also said that the coalition led by the opposition Serb Progressive Party (SNS) - which tops the public opinion polls - "must not win", because "they will take the country down an uncertain path". "We will not let Serbia become a deserted country, a hole on the European continent, and have the young generation be offered less chances than their friends in other countries and allow for Serbia to become a state without opportunities. They can change Serbia only for the worse," Tadic said. He underlined that, "unlike the SNS, the Democrats never dreaded facing challenges": "They said we would recognize Kosovo, but we did not. They said we would sell our national interests in order to get EU membership, and now it is obvious that we have not done that. They said that we care more for out positions than life itself, that we are scared to face them. All they said was mere untruth." He added that the DS, unlike others, "never threatened non-Serbs they would kill hundreds of them, that they would change borders". We never threatened our political opponents, he stressed. The candidate for the future president said that the parties gathered around the DS-led coalition "have a clear plan on how to resolve the Kosovo issue, which should not be just a list of patriotic slogans and mere promises", Tadic asserted. This plan, Tadic added, has been presented "to the world's great power", and, "no one in the international community said 'no' to it": "There is no division, no recognition of Kosovo. We are fighting for the safety of Serbs that live in Kosovo enclaves, for their property, the status of our churches and monasteries, so that they never may fall into the hands of (ethnic) Albanian leaders in Pristina. We are struggling for completely new solutions for northern Kosovo, because if Serbs desert it, there can be no Serbdom." Tadic noted that "without economy there can be no planning on how to preserve national interests". "The economy is the very soul of our politics. We have to defend Serbia's economic policy, so that there be no inflation and economic downfall. We have to pull down the barriers which stand in the way of those who want to start businesses and provide for their families," he underlined. Tadic concluded that the time of hardship is behind Serbia. "We faced the greatest possible challenges. We have grown strong in the meantime. I launched my first presidential campaign in Prokuplje and won. I will win again," Tadic said. His arch-rival, SNS leader Tomislav Nikolic, was no less confident of his own victory when he addressed a rally on Thursday, while Parliament Speaker and top SPS party official Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic believes SPS President Ivica Dacic would surprise them both. Parliamentary, local and presidential elections will be held in Serbia on May 6. Tadic and his supporters are seen in Prokuplje on Friday (Tanjug) B92 Tanjug

Progressives "must not win", says Boris Tadić

He also said that the coalition led by the opposition Serb Progressive Party (SNS) - which tops the public opinion polls - "must not win", because "they will take the country down an uncertain path".

"We will not let Serbia become a deserted country, a hole on the European continent, and have the young generation be offered less chances than their friends in other countries and allow for Serbia to become a state without opportunities. They can change Serbia only for the worse," Tadić said.

He underlined that, "unlike the SNS, the Democrats never dreaded facing challenges":

"They said we would recognize Kosovo, but we did not. They said we would sell our national interests in order to get EU membership, and now it is obvious that we have not done that. They said that we care more for out positions than life itself, that we are scared to face them. All they said was mere untruth."

He added that the DS, unlike others, "never threatened non-Serbs they would kill hundreds of them, that they would change borders". We never threatened our political opponents, he stressed.

The candidate for the future president said that the parties gathered around the DS-led coalition "have a clear plan on how to resolve the Kosovo issue, which should not be just a list of patriotic slogans and mere promises", Tadić asserted.

This plan, Tadić added, has been presented "to the world's great power", and, "no one in the international community said 'no' to it":

"There is no division, no recognition of Kosovo. We are fighting for the safety of Serbs that live in Kosovo enclaves, for their property, the status of our churches and monasteries, so that they never may fall into the hands of (ethnic) Albanian leaders in Priština. We are struggling for completely new solutions for northern Kosovo, because if Serbs desert it, there can be no Serbdom."

Tadić noted that "without economy there can be no planning on how to preserve national interests".

"The economy is the very soul of our politics. We have to defend Serbia's economic policy, so that there be no inflation and economic downfall. We have to pull down the barriers which stand in the way of those who want to start businesses and provide for their families," he underlined.

Tadić concluded that the time of hardship is behind Serbia.

"We faced the greatest possible challenges. We have grown strong in the meantime. I launched my first presidential campaign in Prokuplje and won. I will win again," Tadić said.

His arch-rival, SNS leader Tomislav Nikolić, was no less confident of his own victory when he addressed a rally on Thursday, while Parliament Speaker and top SPS party official Slavica Đukić-Dejanović believes SPS President Ivica Dačić would surprise them both.

Parliamentary, local and presidential elections will be held in Serbia on May 6.