VZCZCXRO7340
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBW #1967/01 3400627
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060627Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9846
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 001967 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PREL SR
SUBJECT: DS KICKS OFF FORWARD-LOOKING ELECTION CAMPAIGN 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
¶1.  (U)  Boris Tadic's Democratic Party (DS) officially 
launched its parliamentary campaign at a high energy, 
American style convention gathering on December 4 in 
Belgrade.  Against a stage filled with the 250 delegates on 
its electoral list, speakers were brief but energizing with 
Tadic delivering a rousing address focused on Serbia's 
economic future (and not a word about Kosovo).  The media 
images were in dramatic contrast to the gloom and doom 
provided by the Radicals and Socialists in their weekend 
campaign kick-offs. 
 
¶2. (U)  Amidst much fanfare, President Tadic's Democratic 
Party kicked off their campaign for the upcoming Serbian 
parliamentary elections on Sunday with a flashy rally to 
introduce their parliamentary candidates as well as their 
election campaign program, headed by the slogan "A Better 
Life for Serbia." An energized crowd of about 3000, which 
included representatives of Serbian cultural and public 
life, members of the diplomatic community, and enthusiastic 
DS and Sandzak Democratic Party (SDP) supporters (SDP is 
running on the DS list), watched as all 250 MP candidates 
were announced and paraded in (in reverse order of the 
electoral list).  Speeches by party rank and file like 
Djindjic government Finance Minister Bozidar Djelic, PM 
Djindjic's widow, Ruzica Djindjic, and Tadic himself, were 
forward looking and energetic emphasizing democratic and 
economic reform and European integration as the path to a 
modern, stable Serbia and a better life for "the average 
citizen." 
 
SPEAKER HIGHLIGHTS 
------------------ 
¶3.  (U)  Djelic gave a rousing address, jogging up to the 
stage in true American fashion and detailing five post- 
election priorities for the party: (1) a national 
competition for the 1000 best Serbian business plans, (2) 
the establishment of a ministry for telecommunications, 
information technology, and the internet, (3) the creation 
of a state fund for scholarships, (4) the development of a 
society in solidarity, and (5) privatization. Rasim Ljajic 
was equally inspirational, drawing repeated cheers from 
enthusiastic SDP supporters, and emphasizing the commitment 
of the DS to diversity and rights for all social groups, 
and pointing out that the electoral list includes 
representatives from all national ethnic minorities.  An 
unexpected participant at the rally, Republika Srpska Prime 
Minister Milorad Dodik, expressed his hope that the DS 
would triumph on January 21st and ensure that the Radicals 
would become a "part of the past" in Serbia.  Ruzica 
Djindjic took a loftier route, emphasizing that the 
upcoming election is a "test of our awareness and 
consciousness of the future, a test of responsibility..." 
 
TADIC: FIRED UP 
------------------ 
¶4.  (U)  In an energized speech, President Tadic said that 
his party will fight for the realization of its "simple 
ideals" - a higher standard of living for citizens, a 
better economy, and European integration. He alluded to 
Serbia's recent invitation to PfP as a concrete step toward 
achievement of these ideals, one which proves that there 
are "no unattainable goals." Additionally, Tadic said he 
considered issues of the youth to be of particular 
importance in this election. Saying that the citizens of 
Serbia have been "victims of a false patriotism," he said 
that the DS has clear goals and a clear vision which will 
lead to a "patriotism of security and peace for each 
person." 
 
DJINDJIC'S LEGACY 
----------------- 
¶5.  (U)  Throughout the rally, the party drew on the legacy 
of assassinated Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic as a model of 
their hope for the future of Serbia. Djelic recalled 
Djindjic's strong economic reforms. Djindjic's wife, 
Ruzica, who heads the DS electoral list, said that in the 
aftermath of her husband's death, she felt a loss of hope 
and ideals, but later found that the "underlying strength 
that keeps us moving toward democratic changes" had not 
been lost. Tadic also called upon the memory of Djindjic, 
referring to him as an inspiration, someone who "always 
knew how to solve problems and not look back, who knew how 
to compromise and sacrifice without sacrificing or 
compromising values." 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
¶6.  (SBU)  The DS convention was a welcome counterpoint to 
the anti-Hague, anti-US, anti-West diatribes that were 
simultaneously launching the Radicals' and Socialists' 
campaign.  While there were ample references to patriotism 
 
BELGRADE 00001967  002 OF 002 
 
 
and national pride, there was no mention of Kosovo and none 
of the ominous warnings that have characterized the DSS 
campaign.  As Ljajic pointed out in his speech, perhaps the 
biggest challenge for the DS in the forthcoming elections 
will be to overcome "the biggest party in Serbia - those 
who abstain from voting." Within the next few weeks, the 
party plans to release a very specific plan detailing its 
proposed post-election improvements for all parts of 
Serbia, seeking to reach out to citizens through the 
country in an effort to show how the party will practically 
improve their lives.  End Comment. 
 
POLT