Progressives "still waiting for response from SPS"

Acting Serb Progressive Party (SNS) leader Aleksandar Vucic says his party has not given up on forming a parliamentary majority that would vote in a government. In an interview for the Belgrade newspaper Vecernje Novosti, Vucic noted that the party - led until his election as Serbia's president by Tomislav Nikolic - was still waiting for a response from the Socialists (SPS). Progressives "still waiting for response from SPS" "We still have not come to terms with the fact that the SNS will not head the new government, because any government without us would be illegitimate and incapable of making the necessary changes for which the citizens voted on May 6 and 20," Vucic said. The SNS is still waiting for a response from the Socialist Party of Serbia (SNS) on talks about forming the government, and "it would be good if they informed us as soon as possible whether they have a majority with the Democratic Party (DS) or not," he stated. Vucic added that the SNS had informal contacts with the SPS and the United Regions of Serbia (URS), and added that everyone is clear that the SNS is not to be blamed for the fact that parliamentary majority has not been formed yet. Asked how long the Progressives will wait for a response from the SPS and the URS, Vucic said "we will not issue any ultimatums, but it is necessary to set up the new government as soon as possible. Serbia awaits major challenges, primarily in the field of economy." When asked to comment on the theory that the Great coalition would be the one to most painlessly swallow the EU's tough conditions for continuation of EU integration, among which the mentioned opening of Serbian office in Pristina and vice versa, he said that, after Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic's visit to Brussels, "Serbia received certain guarantees that it will never be asked to recognize the independence of Kosovo and Metohija." "The outgoing Serbian government discussed, among other things, dialing codes for Kosovo, and (EU mediator in Belgrade-Pristina dialogue) Robert Cooper, who is coming to Belgrade on Wednesday, will say if there was any progress in the talks and what has been agreed. I am confident that there will be conditions which are not easy, but we will have to try to reach political consensus between all parties in Serbia," the SNS acting president pointed out. Vucic also stressed that a great deal of the conditions "which do not jeopardize our territorial integrity, have to be fulfilled in order for Serbia to get a date for the beginning of talks and boost its economy." Aleksandar Vucic (file) Tanjug Vecernje novosti

Progressives "still waiting for response from SPS"

"We still have not come to terms with the fact that the SNS will not head the new government, because any government without us would be illegitimate and incapable of making the necessary changes for which the citizens voted on May 6 and 20," Vučić said.

The SNS is still waiting for a response from the Socialist Party of Serbia (SNS) on talks about forming the government, and "it would be good if they informed us as soon as possible whether they have a majority with the Democratic Party (DS) or not," he stated.

Vučić added that the SNS had informal contacts with the SPS and the United Regions of Serbia (URS), and added that everyone is clear that the SNS is not to be blamed for the fact that parliamentary majority has not been formed yet.

Asked how long the Progressives will wait for a response from the SPS and the URS, Vučić said "we will not issue any ultimatums, but it is necessary to set up the new government as soon as possible. Serbia awaits major challenges, primarily in the field of economy."

When asked to comment on the theory that the Great coalition would be the one to most painlessly swallow the EU's tough conditions for continuation of EU integration, among which the mentioned opening of Serbian office in Priština and vice versa, he said that, after Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić's visit to Brussels, "Serbia received certain guarantees that it will never be asked to recognize the independence of Kosovo and Metohija."

"The outgoing Serbian government discussed, among other things, dialing codes for Kosovo, and (EU mediator in Belgrade-Priština dialogue) Robert Cooper, who is coming to Belgrade on Wednesday, will say if there was any progress in the talks and what has been agreed. I am confident that there will be conditions which are not easy, but we will have to try to reach political consensus between all parties in Serbia," the SNS acting president pointed out.

Vučić also stressed that a great deal of the conditions "which do not jeopardize our territorial integrity, have to be fulfilled in order for Serbia to get a date for the beginning of talks and boost its economy."