Ljajic counts on four or five seats after the election

Rasim Ljajic, head of the minority list “Rasim Ljajic - Human - SDP - CDP,” said on N1 television on Wednesday evening, October 7, that his list will talk to anyone who calls after the October 25 parliamentary elections and is in a position to build a majority. He counts on four or five seats in parliament.

What Ljajic expects from his list

Ljajic described himself as “an extremely realistic and pragmatic man,” and said he does not set winning as the list’s goal. This is how he put it:

“We have no intention of winning these elections, because we cannot win. We have no intention of playing some third side or third option, because that is unrealistic given our political strength. The intention is very simple: to win as many seats as possible, and, in the split that exists between the SNS and the Student List, to try to make those seats decide something. And for those seats, meaning those MPs, to have a say in something.”

Such a result would, he said, be the list’s first chance to “get more seriously involved in the process of forming the government,” which he considers a fully legitimate and realistic goal. Asked about post-election talks, he answered that the list will certainly talk to anyone who calls and is in a position to build a majority. No party or list was named as a counterpart.

A role in government only if the list matters

Ljajic drew a clear line between two scenarios. If the majority depends on his list, he can picture himself in the executive branch. If someone has a majority on their own and the list’s four or five MPs would merely be an add-on, he does not see himself in such a government.

He added that the Sandzak Democratic Party, as a minority party, should nevertheless be part of the government. Ljajic put it this way:

“As a minority party, they should be part of the government, but I do not see myself in that variant as part of that government, if nothing depends on it.”

First task for the next government: lowering tensions

He named lowering tensions in society and starting a political dialogue between the government and the opposition as the first task of the next government. He admitted this “may sound like a cliche,” but considers it the only cure for the health of society. He is ready to pay for it even with a shorter term in office:

“Even at the price of the next elections being in a year, but having them under new election laws, under new election conditions. Having an atmosphere where trust in the electoral process is restored, where no one will dispute the election results.”

The interviewer asked whether dialogue is possible, given that over the past year and a half the authorities have called Student List representatives and people who protested in the streets fascists, terrorists and enemies of the state. Ljajic replied: “Of course it is possible to establish a dialogue.” He looked for an example in war: “Countries at war, where thousands of people died, still have to sit down and negotiate.”

What Ljajic says about Sandzak

Ljajic confirmed that the list articulates the interests of the Bosniak community, but says its concept differs from that of other minority representatives. In his words, a minority cannot secure its rights if it “ghettoizes” and isolates itself, so he is campaigning across all of Serbia and is not addressing only Bosniaks.

For Sandzak he predicted that his list will win the most votes, while the SNS will be strongest among Serb voters. Since the Novi Sad canopy collapse and the outbreak of protests, he assessed, the situation in Novi Pazar and the surrounding area has not changed. He does not dispute the Student List’s support:

“I am not saying the students will not win some votes, of course. With this inertia, with this trend that exists now, of course they will capture part of the votes in Sandzak as well.”

Still, he says, one should not expect “epochal, surprising results.” In his estimate the others will fight for second place, and about first place, he said, there is no doubt.

What remains open

Ljajic’s list does not say for now whom it would negotiate with, and whether its four or five seats carry any weight at all depends on the election result. Voting is scheduled for October 25.