SERBIA: PM CALLS TO DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT; NEW ELECTIONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BELGRADE 000206 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS KPAO KV XG SR SUBJECT: SERBIA: PM CALLS TO DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT; NEW ELECTIONS EXPECTED MAY 11 REF: A) BELGRADE 146; B) BELGRADE 143 BELGRADE 00000206 001.2 OF 003 Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica recommended on March 8 to dissolve parliament and for new parliamentary elections be held. He said this was the best solution for ending the ongoing government gridlock over Serbia's Kosovo policy and its path to Europe. President Tadic said he would accept the government decision and when he gets it on Monday he is expected to call for new elections. Almost all other political parties agreed that early elections were the right move to end the impasse. Until the elections, in the aftermath of Kosovo's independence declaration, Serbia will be straddled with an impotent caretaker government and a possibly vicious parliamentary campaign which sets to define national patriots and traitors. The immediate challenge for the international community will be to address Serbia's intentions to include Kosovo Serbs in the electorate in May. End Summary. PM Kostunica: Disband Government and Call Elections -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) Serbia should hold new parliamentary elections since the Serbian government no longer has a united Kosovo policy, Prime Minister Kostunica said at a March 8 emergency press conference. According to Kostunica, the government has "failed to maintain a unified Kosovo policy" because of "contrasting opinions of the coalition partners regarding the resolution for determining Serbia's relations with the EU." Kostunica added that the government did not have the unified will to explicitly state that Serbia would continue on the path of EU integration only with Kosovo. Kostunica stressed that it was impossible for the government to function any more because of the unwillingness of the members of the government to ask the EU to state its affirmation for Serbia's borders, including Kosovo. Such a government, he said, could not last. He said the government would meet on March 10 to draft a proposal to President Boris Tadic to dismiss the parliament and schedule new elections for May 11, in conjunction with already scheduled local elections. Kostunica explicitly stressed that he had not resigned since doing so could lead to parliamentary elections being held later than May 11. Kostunica said that he would resign if coalition partners did not accept the proposal to dismiss the parliament at the government's March 10 session. President Tadic and other Parties Agree -------------- ¶3. (U) President Boris Tadic, in response to Kostunica's call, said he agreed new elections were the best way forward, but argued instead that government gridlock had been caused by indecision on the pace of Serbia's accession to Europe. "I believe that the government has no united policy over the European and economic perspective of Serbia and her citizens. I am also convinced that we will best defend our Kosovo from independence precisely with membership in the European Union," Tadic said in his official statement on March 8. Tadic said he would call for new parliamentary elections once he receives the Government's decision on dissolution. Mladjan Dinkic of G17 Plus, told local media on March 8 that Kostunica's decision was "honorable and rational." He said G17 Plus would support the proposal since its ministers did not care to sit in the government which was leading Serbia to isolation. ¶4. (U) The Serbian Radical Party said it would not oppose the dissolution of parliament or new elections. "I will not take the measures to prevent the government to dissolve the parliament," Tomislav Nikolic said on March 8, stating that SRS was ready for new parliamentary elections. SRS Deputy Aleksandar Vucic went further, highlighting the government crisis and accusing certain democratic parties of not defending Serbia. Vucic told RTS that there was a crisis and that "there are political forces which do not respect territorial integrity of Serbia, and which are in the government"..."Kostunica's decision will help resolve the crisis"..."elections are good solution." BELGRADE 00000206 002.2 OF 003 Stirrings of Possible Election Coalitions -------------- ¶5. (U) Even before the Prime Minister's announcement, pro EU democratic parties were beginning to speak about forming a pro-EU united front in parliamentary elections. Since early February the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP),led by Cedomir Jovanovic, has called for pro-EU parties to work together to put Serbia back on its European path. Tadic told B92 on March 9 that state policy was the dual preservation of Serbia's integrity and EU integration and encouraged all parties that want to follow this policy to work together. Tadic clearly stated, however, that DS would not enter into a pre-election coalition with the LDP. DS party whip, Nada Kolundzija, said on March 9, that it was "too early" to say if they will form a coalition ahead of the May vote. ¶6. (SBU) New Serbia (NS) leader Velimir Ilic, said on March 9 that the May parliamentary vote "will certainly see coalitions." Ilic listed the DSS, (with whom he is currently in coalition) "and possibly the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO)", as potential partners for his party. (Former Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic's SPO failed to cross the five percent threshold in the January 2007 parliamentary election.) Ilic told B92 that "any other coalition would be unnatural and dysfunctional" for his party. Ilic said any coalition his party enters would have to respect the "wholeness of Serbia." "Europe - yes, but with respect for Serbia, Serbia to Europe with Kosovo," Ilic told local media. However, sources in democratic parties recently told poloffs that they would try to attract Ilic to their fold. Southern Serbia -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Ethnic Albanians in Presevo Valley will likely vote, but again face an uphill battle to win seats. Presevo Valley Albanians voted in January 2007 parliamentary for the first time in over a decade, electing one Member of Parliament, Riza Halimi. Halimi told poloff on March 10 that he expected he could form another parliamentary list for ethnic Albanians, but worried that hard-line ethnic Albanians would mount another boycott against these efforts. Halimi said the parliamentary election's concurrence with local elections would exacerbate differences and hard-line parties will try to exploit Halimi's efforts as collaboration with Belgrade. Caretaker Government Until Elections -------------- ¶8. (SBU) According to Kostunica, the government will continue to function according to the Constitution and the law in a reduced capacity, institutions will function and the country's stability will not be jeopardized in anyway. In response to questions, Kostunica said Serbia is stable and there was no reason to believe this would impact the economy. However, Serbia's stock market was down 4% on March 10, the first day of trading since the announcement. It seems clear that no decisive initiatives are likely in the next six months. The Next Test: Serbian Elections in Kosovo -------------- ¶9. (U) The Serbian government stated its intentions to ensure that these elections take place also in Kosovo. Minister for Kosovo Slobodan Samardzic reaffirmed on March 9 that Serbs in Kosovo, will be able to vote in upcoming elections. "This democratic act will be done in Kosovo and Metohija just as in the rest of Serbia, which will demonstrate the fact that Kosovo BELGRADE 00000206 003.2 OF 003 is an inalienable part of Serbia," Samardzic told the media. Samardzic gave no details as to how the government intended to conduct the vote in Kosovo. In previous elections, this responsibility fell to the Ministry of Kosovo's Coordinating Center (CCK). Comment -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Serbia's government had been in gridlock since February's presidential elections and its dysfunction was further magnified after Kosovo's declaration of independence. Nonetheless, Kostunica's willingness to call for early parliamentary elections surprised most of Serbia's political establishment, even though they all agree the time had come for a new parliamentary mandate. Kostunica and Tadic have already locked horns as they explain the government's collapse: Kostunica claims disarray on Kosovo policy, Tadic claims disarray on Europe. This presages the electoral debate: Kostunica (and Radicals) beating the Kosovo drum, Tadic and the democratic camp insisting on the European path. The trick now is whether pro-EU parties can put aside their own internal squabbling and egos in order to beat the Radicals and possibly prevent Kostunica's DSS from crossing the 5% parliamentary threshold. ¶11. (SBU) Comment (con't): Kostunica, however, may once again find himself as kingmaker, particularly if Kosovo Serbs participation in the election becomes an election issue. Real or perceived ethnic violence involving Serbs in Kosovo would have a dramatic impact on the election, with Kostunica and the Radicals eager to exploit such developments. Post expects a vicious campaign with each side painting one another as a patriot or traitor to the Kosovo cause. Government will remain ineffective in the interim with Kostunica remaining as caretaker PM who will use the time to use the one issue of importance to him, Kosovo, to weaken his rivals. ¶12. (SBU) Comment (con't): Democratic leaders will doubtless call on the EU for help. Some have already weighed in with the Ambassador for support in "getting something from the EU," be it an SAA offer, Schengen status, or infrastructure money - something to demonstrate tangible benefits of EU accession. This election won't be about us, and our role should be accordingly discreet. Our interests are best served if the European path, rather than Kosovo, becomes the center of this election. End Comment. MUNTER