Serbian opposition to unite for third time?

The SRS’s idea to unite the opposition has been positively received by New Serbia (NS). However, the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) says that it is better to decide on coalitions after elections. Serbian opposition to unite for third time? Serbia might be getting a united opposition for a third time. The Serb Radical Party’s (SRS) proposal, put forward by party Secretary-General Aleksandar Vucic yesterday, for the opposition parties to unite against the ruling regime was well received by NS. Fifteen years after DEPOS and eight after DOS, the idea of forming a united opposition is once against being kicked around in Serbia. However, the SRS states that this is not another attempt to form a new Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS). Vucic told B92 that it would be more like an alliance agreement in an effort to bring change to Serbia. The SRS secretary-general, who not too long ago spoke with hate towards DOS leaders, today says that he has no problem cooperating with people like Vojislav Kostunica and Velimir Ilic. “Not only do we not have a problem, but it is normal for us to reach an agreement for change in Serbia with those who are in the opposition today, and who have done considerably less negative things for Serbia than the Democratic Party (DS). I am sure that they have a few grudges against us, but I am sure that we will succeed in finding a common strategy and common goal,” Vucic underlined. While DSS continue to insist that it is better to wait for new elections before thinking about new unions and coalitions, NS has shown a keen interest in the idea. Nor is Ilic, who was one of the leading lights in the former DOS, bothered about joining forces with those he once fought against. “I’ve always fought against dictatorship and against orders, I’ve always believed that parliament is the place for decisions to be taken, and I haven’t left my democratic values. I’ve not changed, others have. From being a democrat, Boris Tadic is starting to turn into a dictator. The media is being exploited, state institutions aren’t functioning. We have to defend ourselves somehow, through some king of technical union and it’s not a bad idea, one that we’ll certainly discuss with the party apparatus,“ said the NS leader. Dragan Bujosevic, a journalist with weekly NIN, says that anything can happen in Serbia, so that one day politicians can be at each others’ throats, and the next cooperating as if nothing had ever happened. Bujosevic says that it is interesting that the Radicals are launching their political unification project at a time when their influence is on the wane. “The Radicals no longer control Novi Sad, they’ve disappeared from many places where they used to be in coalitions, they’re no longer in coalitions with various parties. They are no longer the force in parliament that they once were which stemmed from the fact that Vojislav Kostunica treated them as a fully fledged member of the government, always seeking their agreement for various resolutions, for various measures. So, they simply no longer have their former power and have to show that they still do using any means available, and the best way to do this is to join up with the rest of the opposition,“ he explains. It is still unclear when the SRS will officially offer the DSS-NS political union. As Vucic said yesterday, the Radicals would be working over the course of the next month to prepare a strategy for changes and new elections, the main element of that manifesto being attracting new investment and moving the country forward. Aleksandar Vucic (Beta, archive)

Serbian opposition to unite for third time?

Serbia might be getting a united opposition for a third time. The Serb Radical Party’s (SRS) proposal, put forward by party Secretary-General Aleksandar Vučić yesterday, for the opposition parties to unite against the ruling regime was well received by NS.

Fifteen years after DEPOS and eight after DOS, the idea of forming a united opposition is once against being kicked around in Serbia.

However, the SRS states that this is not another attempt to form a new Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS).

Vučić told B92 that it would be more like an alliance agreement in an effort to bring change to Serbia.

The SRS secretary-general, who not too long ago spoke with hate towards DOS leaders, today says that he has no problem cooperating with people like Vojislav Koštunica and Velimir Ilić.

“Not only do we not have a problem, but it is normal for us to reach an agreement for change in Serbia with those who are in the opposition today, and who have done considerably less negative things for Serbia than the Democratic Party (DS). I am sure that they have a few grudges against us, but I am sure that we will succeed in finding a common strategy and common goal,” Vučić underlined.

While DSS continue to insist that it is better to wait for new elections before thinking about new unions and coalitions, NS has shown a keen interest in the idea.

Nor is Ilić, who was one of the leading lights in the former DOS, bothered about joining forces with those he once fought against.

“I’ve always fought against dictatorship and against orders, I’ve always believed that parliament is the place for decisions to be taken, and I haven’t left my democratic values. I’ve not changed, others have. From being a democrat, Boris Tadić is starting to turn into a dictator. The media is being exploited, state institutions aren’t functioning. We have to defend ourselves somehow, through some king of technical union and it’s not a bad idea, one that we’ll certainly discuss with the party apparatus,“ said the NS leader.

Dragan Bujošević, a journalist with weekly NIN, says that anything can happen in Serbia, so that one day politicians can be at each others’ throats, and the next cooperating as if nothing had ever happened.

Bujošević says that it is interesting that the Radicals are launching their political unification project at a time when their influence is on the wane.

“The Radicals no longer control Novi Sad, they’ve disappeared from many places where they used to be in coalitions, they’re no longer in coalitions with various parties. They are no longer the force in parliament that they once were which stemmed from the fact that Vojislav Koštunica treated them as a fully fledged member of the government, always seeking their agreement for various resolutions, for various measures. So, they simply no longer have their former power and have to show that they still do using any means available, and the best way to do this is to join up with the rest of the opposition,“ he explains.

It is still unclear when the SRS will officially offer the DSS-NS political union. As Vučić said yesterday, the Radicals would be working over the course of the next month to prepare a strategy for changes and new elections, the main element of that manifesto being attracting new investment and moving the country forward.