Serbian Socialists Ponder New Leaders

The Serbian Socialist Party's steering committee should be held in mid-June, when it will then choose a deputy leader for the party, four vice-presidents and the head of the executive board.

The latest survey suggests the party and its coalition allies enjoy the support of up to 15 per cent of the voters, which makes them the second strongest political force in Serbia.

The Belgrade daily Politika on June 2 wrote that party leader Ivica Dacic is about to propose giving the deputy president wider powers, including the power to operationally lead the party.

Besides his obligations in the government as First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Dacic is also the current chairperson of the OSCE, and so needs a loyal understudy to help run the Socialists.

Petar Skundric, aged 67, is being touted as one potential candidate. A founder of the party, he is member of the party presidency and a former Energy Minister.

According to the party Statute, the party leader chooses his closest associates, although the local committees can nominate their representatives. However, Dacic has not chosen the party leadership since December 2014, when he was re-elected party president.

Some media reports suggests that Dacic's decision depends on whether the Socialists stay in the government led by Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, the Progressive Party leader.

Some senior Socialist officials, such as Branko Ruzic and Novica Toncev, have repeatedly clashed with the Progressives, presenting views opposed to official government stands.

Dacic has publicly criticized Ruzic, the head of the party's executive board, especially after Ruzic slammed the way the government replaced senior police officials in June 2014.

"Ruzic is a...