Former president's party changes name

Former president's party changes name

According to the Social Democratic Party statute, Tadić will have no deputies, but the party will have six vice-presidents, and at least two of the positions will have to be filled by women.

Speaking on a Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) talk show about this, Tadić argued that social democracy was better suited to the challenges of today than conservative parties’ ideologies.

He said that he did not see the SDS in the ruling coalition at the central level or at the level of the Province of Vojvodina at the moment, but added he would hold talks about possible participation in the government anyway.

Tadić said that it was now most important for the SDS to work in the opposition, which was “very static and not penetrating to the core of the problems” in the country.

He expressed understanding for the restrictive measures taken by the current Serbian government, stressing that it would be irresponsible to say that such measures were uncalled for.

Tadić said that even if he himself created a new government, it would have to take restrictive measures, adding, however, that economic recovery also called for anti-recession measures that social democracy insisted on.

“Without productivity, investment and competitiveness, we cannot provide funds for development and decent living,” he said.

“We will be sharp critics of the government, we will guard the interests of the impoverished, but we will not behave demagogically and criticize everything that the government proposes,” the SDS leader said.

Boris Tadić (56), a psychologist, served as Serbian president for two consecutive terms (2008 to 2012), and before that as minister of telecommunications in the Government of the FRY (November 2000 - March 2003) and defense minister in the Council of Ministers of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro (March 17, 2003 - April 16, 2004).

He was elected to senior state positions as a member of the Democratic Party (DS). He was a member of the party since its inception in 1990 and president from February 2004 to November 2012.

After that, Tadić served as honorary president of the DS before leaving the party in January 2014 to set up the New Democratic Party.