Speaking in Leskovac, the New Serbia leader Velimir Ilic, who is also the infrastructure minister in the caretaker Kostunica cabinet, said yesterday that the DSS-NS coalition “totally rules out forming a new government with the Tadic list”.

Velimir Ilic was attending a liturgy in the Sv. Petka church in the village of Kumarevo, near Leskovac, where his contribution to the reconstruction of this and other Serbian Orthodox temples was formally recognized by the bishop of Niš, Irinej.

In reference to President Boris Tadic and Bozidar Delic’s signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), Ilic said, “As far as I’m concerned, after this betrayal, I think it makes no sense to talk to them any further. I can work with everyone, but there will be no talks with those who betray the Serbhood and the people.”

When he was asked whether a new cabinet after the May 11 elections will be composed on the so-called democratic options, or if it will include the Radicals (SRS), Ilic said he “does not understand what it is that some consider to be a democratic option nowadays”. “I have dedicated all my life to fighting for democracy. Kostunica does that too,” said Ilic speaking of his coalition partner and the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) leader.

Ilic said, “All those who win the trust of the people are a democratic option. And it no longer makes sense to say that someone is a democrat, while another person is not. This is a story abused by many in order to maintain their grip on power. There is no democracy where there’s theft, where the Constitution is violated, as President Tadic just did.” He said, “Everything the people vote for is democratically elected by the will of the people, and a new government can be made out of that combination.”

“Let’s not allow Solana to keep telling us who in Serbia is a democrat, and who is not. Does it make any sense at all that he, who threw depleted uranium on our kids and cluster bombs all over Serbia, destroying half of our country, now talks about this, is considered some sort of a democrat, and sets the criteria for others?,” Ilic said.