news 27 Jun 12

Progressives Likely to Form Next Serbian Govt

New government in Belgrade will probably comprise Progressives, Socialists and United Regions of Serbia, Balkan Insight has learned from two independent sources.

Bojana Barlovac

BIRN

Belgrade

Serbia's new government is likely to be led by the Progressives, the Socialists and United Regions of Serbia, Balkan Insight has learned from two independent sources in both the Progressives and the Democrats - leaders of the last government.

According to the source in the Progressives, Ivica Dacic would become Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Aleksandar Vucic, of the Progressives, would be deputy PM in charge of EU integration and Jorgovanka Tabakovic of the Progressives would be Finance Minister.

Mladjan Dinkic of the United Regions would get economy, Slavica Djukic Dejanovic, of the Socialists, would get health, Velja Ilic - agriculture and spatial planning; Milutin Mrkonjic of the Socialists - infrastructure, Zarko Obradovic of the Socialists - education; Suzana Grubjesic of the United Regions - foreign policy; Vladimir Cvijan of the Progressives - justice; and Borislav Pelevic of the Progressives - defence.

Dacic: I have not decided yet

Ivica Dacic, the leader of the Socialists, said on Wednesday that his party had not made a final decision on whom to form a government with, but they were now closer to the Progressives.

"The question is whether we are going to run the government or be part of someone's government.

"Difficult dilemmas lie before us, and they are not dilemmas concerning how ministerial positions are distributed, but on how to meet the desire to be fair to our partners and accept the political reality in the country," Dacic said.

Dragan Djilas, Deputy President of the Democratic Party, and the mayor of Belgrade, said in a statement that talks between his party and the Socialists had clearly failed.

"No matter how the negotiations end [on the new government], it is important for the future of this country to be honest to both the voters and coalition partners, past and future ones, and clearly and loudly tell the truth," Djilas said.

In the general elections on May 6, the Progressives won 73 of 250 seats in parliament while the Democrats came second with 67 and the Socialists third with 44.

This potential lineup comes as talks between the Socialists and Democrats on forming a government have "hit a snag", according to Rasim Ljajic of the Democrat-allied Social Democratic Party of Serbia.

Immediately after the May 6 elections, the Democrats and the Socialists made a deal to continue to work together in a new government.

The situation has, however, changed since the Democrats' leader, Boris Tadic, lost to Nikolic of the Progressives in the presidential run-off.

Since then, Dacic has been juggling various coalition options and offers.

The problem with the Democrat-led government has emerged over the third partner that the other two need in order to obtain a parliamentary majority.

The Socialists opposed having the Liberals as the third partner, owing to the stance of the latter on Kosovo and on the Bosnian Serb entity, the Republika Srpska.

Dacic said he would not cave in to pressure to agree to a government with the Liberals alone, but insisted on a fourth party, the United Regions of Serbia, joining in as well.

But the Democrats disliked the idea of the United Regions of Serbia becoming a partner, following their experience of working with them in the outgoing government.

Mladjan Dinkic, of the United Regions of Serbia, shook up the government last year when he said on TV that key decisions were not being taken within the government building - implying that they were being taken by President Tadic instead. He was sacked soon afterwards.