Appeal to Presidential Candidate Boris Tadic

28. January 2008.

Securing membership of the EU is the only way to assure the democratization of Serbia and a democratic future for the country. How long this process will take depends on us.

We are advocating European values and a path of modernization in Serbia - Serbia as an open country and as a European country - and we demand that the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, Boris Tadic, sends clear messages supporting this policy. Seventy percent of citizens in Serbia have declared themselves pro-Europe, and presidential candidate Tadic is obliged to represent the aspirations of these citizens.

Boris Tadic's ambiguous messages, and numerous concessions to the forces that are openly against European integration, may discourage pro-European sections of the electorate from participating in the election.

We demand that Boris Tadic clearly state how he will pursue a European path as president of Serbia, during the last week of his campaign, and that he reach out to all those who are his natural allies, including minority parties, the LDP and non-governmental organizations, whose support he expects. As a leader and presidential candidate who is expecting support from democratic forces it is the least that Tadic can do - particularly because of the goals that he is stating as priorities of his policy.

Only clear policy and a precise road-map to European integration will mobilize all pro-European forces at the election and prevent Serbia going back to its worst times.

Biljana Kovacevic Vuco, YUCOM;

Sonja Biserko, Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia;

Natasa Kandic, Humanitarian Law Center;

Borka Pavicevic, Center for Cultural Decontamination;

Stasa Zajevic, Women in Black;

Miljenko Dereta, Civic Initiatives;

Dinko Gruhonjic, Independent Journalists Association of Vojvodina;

Andrej Nosov, Youth Initiative for Human Rights