DS party leader expects "shadow cabinet" to be formed soon

DS party leader expects "shadow cabinet" to be formed soon

BELGRADE -- The leader of the opposition Democrats (DS), Bojan Pajtic, has told B92 that his party will soon form a shadow cabinet.

Patic, who also serves as head of the provincial government of Vojvodina, believes that "fear rules Serbia," and that it was his party's duty "to free Serbia from it."

The DS is the only opposition party," he asserted, and added:

"We have an obligation toward our voters, and that is the decent part of Serbia, the middle class, who understand the context in which they live. We have an obligation toward them to always offer an alternative. The DS cannot do what the SNS did, merely criticize without offering any counter-proposal. We have an obligation to have that proposal and that is why very soon a shadow cabinet will be set up."

Asked whether this intention, that has been in the works for a long time, has encountered any problems, Pajtic said the problem was that "people are scared."

"There are many professional people both in the DS and in the public that understand the time we live in, but we must understand that there is great fear, not among DS members or potential members of the shadow cabinet, but among the citizens of Serbia. Fear rules Serbia and it is our duty to free Serbia from fear."

As for alliances within the opposition, Pajti? said the DS "has already arranged some partnerships, such as the with Together for Sumadija Coalition."

"We will not set up formal coalitions with other parties except with smaller regional ones, because the effect of a coalition is assessed before elections," he added.

He mentioned the LSV, "former parts of the URS," and the New Party as being among those the...