"Early elections if no agreement on economic reforms"

BELGRADE If any of the coalition partners "stalled economic reforms" that the Progressives (SNS) plan to implemented - Serbia will head towards early elections. This is what the party's Economic Council coordinator Milenko Dzeletovic told the Belgrade-based daily Blic. "Early elections if no agreement on economic reforms" He explained that "the most expensive elections are cheaper than delayed reforms." "I do not want to be a prophet. But if the economic measures are a stumbling block in a revamped government, it will not be good for the SNS, the SPS, even for Serbia. The measures are painful but inevitable and in perspective, can bring good," he said. Dzeletovic added that the new minister of finance, Lazar Krstic - who was nominated by the SNS - will have "unconditional support" to realize his program and that of the party, and that this support will come "not from SNS leader Aleksandar Vucic, but from the whole SNS." "This time, the strongest party will not give up - we need to reform the public sector, we need to attract new investment, abolished cumbersome procedures and create new jobs. This means not only savings, because savings lead to a new recession," he noted. The Party of United Pensioners (PUPS), who have been the strongest opponents of all measures relating to the oldest population, on Wednesday somewhat softened their rhetoric and said that "a convergence of views on social issues and pensions had occurred" within the ruling coalition. "That means that we will, in line with the PUPS program, have an acceptable solution in order to keep the standard of the poorest and pensioners," he said Moma Colakovic. According to him, Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the PUPS Jovan Krkobabic gave his contribution to defining the programs and objectives that will be presented in the expose that Ivica Dacic will read in parliament if his reshuffled cabinet is confirmed. Asked whether this means that there will be no freeze of pensions, Colakovic said he was "counting on that." "A guarantee that positions have been brought closer are the government, Dacic and Krkobabic," this PUPS official was quoted as saying. Blic

"Early elections if no agreement on economic reforms"

He explained that "the most expensive elections are cheaper than delayed reforms."

"I do not want to be a prophet. But if the economic measures are a stumbling block in a revamped government, it will not be good for the SNS, the SPS, even for Serbia. The measures are painful but inevitable and in perspective, can bring good," he said.

Dželetović added that the new minister of finance, Lazar Krstić - who was nominated by the SNS - will have "unconditional support" to realize his program and that of the party, and that this support will come "not from SNS leader Aleksandar Vučić, but from the whole SNS."

"This time, the strongest party will not give up - we need to reform the public sector, we need to attract new investment, abolished cumbersome procedures and create new jobs. This means not only savings, because savings lead to a new recession," he noted.

The Party of United Pensioners (PUPS), who have been the strongest opponents of all measures relating to the oldest population, on Wednesday somewhat softened their rhetoric and said that "a convergence of views on social issues and pensions had occurred" within the ruling coalition.

"That means that we will, in line with the PUPS program, have an acceptable solution in order to keep the standard of the poorest and pensioners," he said Moma Čolaković.

According to him, Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the PUPS Jovan Krkobabić gave his contribution to defining the programs and objectives that will be presented in the expose that Ivica Dačić will read in parliament if his reshuffled cabinet is confirmed.

Asked whether this means that there will be no freeze of pensions, Čolaković said he was "counting on that."

"A guarantee that positions have been brought closer are the government, Dačić and Krkobabić," this PUPS official was quoted as saying.