The agreement with the Socialist Party of former dictator Slobodan Milosevic provides Tadic's bloc with a comfortable majority in the 250-seat parliament. Tadic, who clearly won the elections in May but could not reign alone, was confident that the new government would be formed "very soon". Two smaller parties - United Serbia, a breakaway former partner of the Socialists and the Bosniak 'List for European Sandzak' - had already joined the alliance earlier (EurActiv 12/06/08).
Speaking on the the sidelines of a Balkans conference in Brussels today (24 June), Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn told reporters that "there is a real chance Serbia will now have a truly pro-European government and I am very much looking forward to working with that government". He said the development "is going to be very important for Serbia's European perspective".
MEPs such as the Austrian Vice-President of the Socialist Group, Hannes Swoboda, echoed this positive view, reminding the new government of its responsibility to fully cooperate with the tribunal in The Hague.
Although the composition of the new government is yet to be decided, sources close to the talks indicate that the Socialist Party of former dictator Slobodan Milosevic will get the Interior Ministry and the ministries for energy and education, as well as two deputy prime minister posts and the position of Parliament Speaker.
Having won only 12 seats in the 250-seat parliament, the Socialist "kingmakers" clearly emerged as the winners of the talks, allowing them to re-emerge out of political irrelevance following Milosevic's expulsion from power.
Tadic's list 'For a European Serbia' and the Socialists officially started talks on Saturday (21 June) after the latter had quit negotiations with the nationalist bloc, made up of outgoing Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica's Democratic Party and the hardline Serbian Radical Party.
Despite their common stance on Kosovo, the Socialists eventually rejected a call from the radicals and nationalists to freeze relations with the EU following Tadic's signing of a pre-accession agreement with the bloc two weeks before the elections. The call came from those who thought this would imply Serbian recognition of Kosovo's independence (EurActiv 30/04/08).
For the Socialists, an alliance with the pro-European camp - and the economic prosperity resulting from future EU membership - appeared to be more promising, particularly considering their objective of restoring their reputation after the Milosevic regime, which caused wars, isolation and poverty.
"I know this decision will not be understood by part of our electorate," Socialist leader Ivica Dacic said on Monday, "but this is a big comeback for the Socialists and an opportunity for a new start."
