Dačić promises to protect workers, fight tycoons

Dačić promises to protect workers, fight tycoons

VALJEVO -- The coalition gathered around the SPS promised to voters during a rally in Valjevo that it will create new jobs and protect workers, farmers and pensioners.

At the rally held in this western Serbian town late on Wednesday, SPS leader and outgoing PM Ivica Dačić underlined that Serbia needs a law on labor that will be modeled after EU regulations.

"If the coalition comes to power, it will defend state and national interests, protect the rights of workers, farmers and pensioners, and fight against tycoons and criminals," pledged Dačić.

He stressed that pensioners and low-income workers should not be the ones to pay the price of vital reforms.

"We must jump-start production and create new jobs, as that is the only way to solve problems," he said.

Dačić criticized former governments who have conducted reforms since 2000 and caused the number of employees in Serbia to be cut in half.

He noted that they were “favorites of the international community” and could do whatever they wanted, but that, unfortunately, they were false reformers who only acted on their own behalf and on behalf of their parties.

Leader of United Serbia (JS) Dragan Marković Palma pointed to "the successful development of the city of Jagodina," of which he is the long-time mayor, and stressed that the Socialist-led coalition is against the economic measures put forward by the former minister of economy, "as they are based on layoffs and pay cuts."

The coalition gathering around SPS aims to create new jobs, said Marković and promised that if the coalition wins 30 percent of votes in the March 16 parliamentary elections, the...