Tadić "regrets not being more efficient"

Ruling Democratic Party leader Boris Tadic says "everything in Serbia could have been done faster and better in the last four years". Tadic - who will on May 6 seek his third term in office as Serbia's president, also told Belgrade-based daily Blic in an interview that he "regrets not having been more efficient in removing people who were not doing their jobs". Tadic "regrets not being more efficient" "If you look at it from the outside, things certainly could have been done better, but we live in Serbia, which we took over with a big public debt, and reforms which had not been carried out," Tadic said. "From day one, we had to wade through the mud that came with the global economic crisis, but when I compare the speed of our reforms with the region, we fared better," he continued. Tadic said what he regretted most was not being more resolute in dismissing some people who were not fulfilling their tasks, but added "it would be wrong to conclude" that it was always up to him. "If we have a coalition government, one person cannot be responsible, even though some members of the coalition are now trying hard to paint themselves as the opposition, as someone who had nothing to do with the decisions that were made," said Tadic, adding that "members of the future government will need to show more responsibility." He added that his Democrats had "several good candidates" for prime minister. "I do not want to talk names now. The important thing is that the new government is a compact and energetic team of experts who have the knowledge and experience to immediately get started on solving life issues." Asked why the party chose to base some of its campaign on targeting opposition SNS party leader and presidential candidate Tomislav Nikolic, Tadic responded by saying that the citizens "need to know who they are giving their votes to and what risk they were entering if they made a mistake": "I am not ashamed on any words I have uttered, nor would I be angry if someone reminded me. Why are so many people angry when somebody reminds them of his (Nikolic's) words," wondered the DS leader. He commented on the possibility of once again cooperating with Mladjan Dinkic, leader of the United Regions of Serbia (URS) (formerly of G17 Plus), to say Dinkic displayed "elementary unfairness", but that "it remains to be seen whether something will change". But Tadic voiced no criticism when it came to the leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) Ivica Dacc, in his role as interior minister and deputy prime minister in the current government. Tadic, who earlier this month resigned as Serbia's president in order to force early elections, also said he "did not rule out the possibility" of unrest in Kosovo during the voting, scheduled for May 6. "It would not be good at all for that to happen," Tadic was quoted as saying. "International forces should secure peace and safety." Boris Tadic (Beta, file) Blic Tanjug

Tadić "regrets not being more efficient"

"If you look at it from the outside, things certainly could have been done better, but we live in Serbia, which we took over with a big public debt, and reforms which had not been carried out," Tadić said.

"From day one, we had to wade through the mud that came with the global economic crisis, but when I compare the speed of our reforms with the region, we fared better," he continued.

Tadić said what he regretted most was not being more resolute in dismissing some people who were not fulfilling their tasks, but added "it would be wrong to conclude" that it was always up to him.

"If we have a coalition government, one person cannot be responsible, even though some members of the coalition are now trying hard to paint themselves as the opposition, as someone who had nothing to do with the decisions that were made," said Tadić, adding that "members of the future government will need to show more responsibility."

He added that his Democrats had "several good candidates" for prime minister. "I do not want to talk names now. The important thing is that the new government is a compact and energetic team of experts who have the knowledge and experience to immediately get started on solving life issues."

Asked why the party chose to base some of its campaign on targeting opposition SNS party leader and presidential candidate Tomislav Nikolić, Tadić responded by saying that the citizens "need to know who they are giving their votes to and what risk they were entering if they made a mistake":

"I am not ashamed on any words I have uttered, nor would I be angry if someone reminded me. Why are so many people angry when somebody reminds them of his (Nikolić's) words," wondered the DS leader.

He commented on the possibility of once again cooperating with Mlađan Dinkić, leader of the United Regions of Serbia (URS) (formerly of G17 Plus), to say Dinkić displayed "elementary unfairness", but that "it remains to be seen whether something will change".

But Tadić voiced no criticism when it came to the leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) Ivica Dačć, in his role as interior minister and deputy prime minister in the current government.

Tadić, who earlier this month resigned as Serbia's president in order to force early elections, also said he "did not rule out the possibility" of unrest in Kosovo during the voting, scheduled for May 6.

"It would not be good at all for that to happen," Tadić was quoted as saying. "International forces should secure peace and safety."