“New government likely to be composed of DS, SPS, LDP”

Transparency Serbia NGO head Vladimir Goati says the government will most likely be led by the Democrats and the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS)-led coalition. He added that the Liberal Democratic party (LDP) would probably participate in the government as well. “New government likely to be composed of DS, SPS, LDP” Goati told B92 that the term cohabitation could only be applied to systems where the president only held part of the executive power and that it could not be used in the Serbian context. “We will have the president coming from one party and the government from another, as the government and the president are located in separate buildings and, both metaphorically and in reality, they are unlikely to bump into one another or hinder each other's work,” Goati stressed. He noted it was not yet time to form an all-party coalition, adding though, that for changes in the Constitution to take place, an “ad hoc agreement between all the major parties” would be needed. Goati believes that president-elect Tomislav Nikolic's resignation as the leader of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) was a good move. “Since the president's duty is to preserve the country's unity, all that he speaks and does in the future will be attributed to Serbia as a whole, and it is good not to have these activities performed under the veil of a certain party, so as to avoid the party be pointed fingers at,” the NGO's director explained. “Serbia's elections resulted in a few paradoxes,” Goati noted. “Despite the fact that the Democratic Party (DS) won two percent less votes than the SNS and also less than in the previous elections, the ruling structure will probably stay the same,” he pointed out. “The DS still enjoys a wide support, despite some major oversights and mistakes they have been responsible for over the last four years,” Goati said. “I would say that the electorate bore this in mind while voting. The inefficient fight against corruption and the situation where this corruption either stagnates or pushes forward and the judicial system reform, where unbelievable mistakes were made that only got mended when voices of caution came from outside, were all reasons for the DS receiving a lower rating at the elections,” he added. “Serbia's parties are characterized by an ‘unproductive consistency’ in their outlooks, as even though it would be reasonable to expect that losing elections should spark changes in a political party, certain party leaders seem to think the other way round,” Goati concluded. Vladimir Goati B92 Tanjug

“New government likely to be composed of DS, SPS, LDP”

Goati told B92 that the term cohabitation could only be applied to systems where the president only held part of the executive power and that it could not be used in the Serbian context.

“We will have the president coming from one party and the government from another, as the government and the president are located in separate buildings and, both metaphorically and in reality, they are unlikely to bump into one another or hinder each other's work,” Goati stressed.

He noted it was not yet time to form an all-party coalition, adding though, that for changes in the Constitution to take place, an “ad hoc agreement between all the major parties” would be needed.

Goati believes that president-elect Tomislav Nikolić's resignation as the leader of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) was a good move.

“Since the president's duty is to preserve the country's unity, all that he speaks and does in the future will be attributed to Serbia as a whole, and it is good not to have these activities performed under the veil of a certain party, so as to avoid the party be pointed fingers at,” the NGO's director explained.

“Serbia's elections resulted in a few paradoxes,” Goati noted.

“Despite the fact that the Democratic Party (DS) won two percent less votes than the SNS and also less than in the previous elections, the ruling structure will probably stay the same,” he pointed out.

“The DS still enjoys a wide support, despite some major oversights and mistakes they have been responsible for over the last four years,” Goati said.

“I would say that the electorate bore this in mind while voting. The inefficient fight against corruption and the situation where this corruption either stagnates or pushes forward and the judicial system reform, where unbelievable mistakes were made that only got mended when voices of caution came from outside, were all reasons for the DS receiving a lower rating at the elections,” he added.

“Serbia's parties are characterized by an ‘unproductive consistency’ in their outlooks, as even though it would be reasonable to expect that losing elections should spark changes in a political party, certain party leaders seem to think the other way round,” Goati concluded.