Former president hoped to "implement plan for Kosovo"

BELGRADE Former Serbian President Boris Tadic has said that his April 4 decision to resign and force early presidential elections in May was "his own". The leader of the now opposition Democratic Party (DS) told Belgrade's Vecernje Novosti newspaper that he did so "in order to win another mandate for implementing his plan for Kosovo". Former president hoped to "implement plan for Kosovo" Tadic, who lost his bid to be elected as Serbia's president for a third term to Tomislav Nikolic, also saw his party unable to form a ruling majority in parliament, and is now locked in a battle for party leadership with Belgrade Mayor Dragan Djilas. Explaining his May gamble, he told the newspaper that he "never had a majority on his side": "Starting from my position on Srebrenica and the Hague Tribunal, and all the way to regional reconciliation and the fight against crime. But I did all that in order for Serbia to be better, without thinking whether this will get me another term." The DS leader also said he wanted to "seriously participate in the forthcoming race for DS president". The party's electoral assembly has been scheduled for November 10. Asked whether this race was "more important than the one he ran in May", when both parliamentary and presidential elections were held, Tadic said that "in a way was", and added that he was confident of the "missionary role" of the Democratic Party - "which depends on the person who leads it". Asked why Mayor Djilas - who is currently also one of the DS vice-presidents - could not have a "missionary" role, Tadic said that he believed that "the way Djilas was planning to lead the party was in contradiction with this mission". "This would be a party without ideology, a business-oriented organization… This is not the DS mission. Its mission is to make a modern and democratic society out of Serbia, with mature institutions," Tadic said. "I believe these principles will be jeopardized at the (party) elections. I am determined to fight for them and not let the DS become a commercial joint-stock company," Tadic was quoted as saying by the daily. In this April 4 photo, Tadic is seen shortly after announcing his resignation and forcing early presidential elections (Tanjug) Tanjug Vecernje novosti

Former president hoped to "implement plan for Kosovo"

Tadić, who lost his bid to be elected as Serbia's president for a third term to Tomislav Nikolić, also saw his party unable to form a ruling majority in parliament, and is now locked in a battle for party leadership with Belgrade Mayor Dragan Đilas.

Explaining his May gamble, he told the newspaper that he "never had a majority on his side":

"Starting from my position on Srebrenica and the Hague Tribunal, and all the way to regional reconciliation and the fight against crime. But I did all that in order for Serbia to be better, without thinking whether this will get me another term."

The DS leader also said he wanted to "seriously participate in the forthcoming race for DS president".

The party's electoral assembly has been scheduled for November 10.

Asked whether this race was "more important than the one he ran in May", when both parliamentary and presidential elections were held, Tadić said that "in a way was", and added that he was confident of the "missionary role" of the Democratic Party - "which depends on the person who leads it".

Asked why Mayor Đilas - who is currently also one of the DS vice-presidents - could not have a "missionary" role, Tadić said that he believed that "the way Đilas was planning to lead the party was in contradiction with this mission".

"This would be a party without ideology, a business-oriented organization… This is not the DS mission. Its mission is to make a modern and democratic society out of Serbia, with mature institutions," Tadić said.

"I believe these principles will be jeopardized at the (party) elections. I am determined to fight for them and not let the DS become a commercial joint-stock company," Tadić was quoted as saying by the daily.