Dacic: Everyone should turn to formation of state institutions, let's not waste time

Photo: Ivica Dacic

Leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic called on everyone today to accept the hand extended by President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, in terms of the date for repeat elections in the city of Belgrade, and added that it is important to form institutions as soon as possible to be able to solve important state issues.

Recommended

Dacic pointed out that President Vucic once again accommodated the opposition by calling the election on the last date when it is legally possible.

Dacic was on TV Pink when he said that this, too, doesn't suit the opposition and that they are now looking for a transitional government and coming out with new demands and wishes. He added that there is nothing to be gained from that, but that it is important that everyone concentrates on the Belgrade and local elections and for the electoral processes to be completed as soon as possible.

He reiterated once again that he was not in favor of calling early parliamentary elections last December and that it is not good when a government does not complete its full mandate, because important state matters cannot be completed in a short period of time.

Asked if he had discussed with the SNS the government departments that would be given to his party, Dacic said that they had not talked about this yet, instead they spoke about important state issues, such as the implementation of the Ohrid agreement, the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, the struggle to prevent so-called Kosovo from joining the Council of Europe.

"These are the topics that we consult on and discuss every day. And that, when the time comes, we have never had any major discussions about all of that. We have agreed in principle that we will continue our cooperation after these elections as well," said Dacic.

Dacic also commented on statements coming from the opposition that elections are being postponed because the SNS and SPS have not reached an agreement and said that this is not true.

"We said the first day that we will go to the polls in Belgrade together. These other (local) elections have not even been announced yet, and our basic idea is to go jointly in the municipalities and cities where elections will be held," said the SPS leader.

He added that it is important to create a democratic atmosphere for the election process and added that no one can ever be 100% satisfied, but that it is necessary that when elections are over, there is no drastic questioning of those results.

Dacic assessed that the fact that part of the opposition complains to international institutions only damages the reputation of Serbia, which is used by various enemies.

"Because it creates a bad image of Serbia, and to be honest, the European Union has no intention of sending an international commission or anything like that to deal with the elections now. I mean, it's unrealistic that anyone - if they are really telling their voters or activists that it will happen, they are lying, because there is nothing to be gained from that," Dacic said.

Dacic also referred to the attacks on SNS activists and said that everything that is happening encourages an atmosphere of hatred and conflict.

"It's a reflection of a low level of political responsibility, and of course what about an (electoral) list that has dignified itself by calling itself 'Serbia Against Violence', but is using violent methods. That's unheard of, that 'Serbia Against Violence' should be calling for violent methods. So that is all bad, an atmosphere of conflict must not be created. No one has the right to insult and attack anyone who is engaged in political work, in political activism," said Dacic.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)