Belgrade Mayor May Be Serbia’s New Prime Minister
By Bojana Barlovac
Leaders of the Democrats and Socialists, allies in the last government, have agreed that Dragan Djilas, the outgoing mayor of Belgrade, should become head of a new coalition government, a senior Democratic party source told Balkan Insight.
Such a government would consist of the Democrats, who won 68 of the 250 seats, the Socialists, who secured 45 seats, and the Liberal Democratic Party, who won 20.
Although Ivica Dacic, the leader of the Socialists, said on Sunday that he would like the Prime Minister’s seat, he is likely to again become Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, according to the source.
The Socialists, however, would like four more ministries, previously run by the United Regions of Serbia – economy, youth and sports, culture and health – as well as holding onto infrastrucure, education and the interior ministry. In the last parliament the Socialists had only 20 seats.
On Tuesday, Djilas, a Democrat, revealed that his party wished to form a government with the Socialist-led coalition and the Liberal Democratic Party.
The Democratic Party has refused to comment so far on whether Djilas may be the next Prime Minister.
“I don’t have the answer to that,” Marko Djurisic, chief of the Executive Board of the Democratic Party, told Balkan Insight.
If true, the scenario following the 2008 general election will repeat itself, with the Progressives holding more seats in parliament than any other party but not forming the government.
The next government needs to be formed within three months of the formation of the new parliament on June 8.