Kostunica's support could come at too high a price for Serbia's Tadic

24/01/2008

Local press reports say Serbian President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica have struck a deal regarding support in the presidential election run-off, but judging by the positions of their parties, an agreement remains uncertain.

By Igor Jovanovic for Southeast European Times in Belgrade -- 24/01/08

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica has not announced that he will support incumbent Boris Tadic in the second round of elections. [Getty Images]

Although the Belgrade press has reported that Serbian President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica have struck a deal ahead of the February 3rd presidential run-off, their parties deny it.

In exchange for his support, according to Belgrade daily Blic, Kostunica said Tadic must oppose the planned EU mission to Kosovo, unless the UN Security Council adopts a new resolution authorising it. In return, Tadic wants the prime minister to back the signing of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU.

According to the paper, Kostunica is to announce his support for Tadic after sealing an energy agreement with Russia, in Moscow, on Friday (January 25th).

Belgrade analysts say that Kostunica's support could be decisive in the run-off. In the second round, Tadic will face ultranationalist Radical Party candidate Tomislav Nikolic, who won about 4% more votes than Tadic in the first round. Kostunica's supporters will be crucial in choosing the winner in February.

However, Kostunica's party requested on Wednesday that Tadic's Democratic Party change the coalition agreement reached during the formation of the current government. The Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) is calling for a tougher policy regarding the EU -- it does not want the SAA to be signed if the EU deploys that mission to Kosovo, without prior UN approval. The DSS says an EU mission to Kosovo would violate Serbia's sovereignty.

Tadic's platform, however, is focused on European integration. His campaign motto is "Let Us Conquer Europe Together".

"Everyone knows what I think about Kosovo, about Europe, about the future of this country, and what I have been doing all these years. And I will not allow anyone to set conditions before me. I will yield the last atom of strength, I am ready to sacrifice myself for this thing, but I will not let anyone set conditions for a better Serbia and a better life," Tadic said.

While the Hungarian and Croatian minorities have backed the incumbent, without Kostunica's supporters it will be practically impossible for Tadic to win.

Analysts believe that he will have a difficult time catching up with Nikolic, because the Radical Party candidate can also count on the support of around 6% of opposition Socialist Party of Serbia voters.

League of Vojvodina Social Democrats leader Nenad Canak, who is backing Tadic, has accused Kostunica of positioning himself to form a ruling coalition with the Radicals after the run-off. For the time being, however, there is no indication this is in the works.