Serbia, Opposition SNS party leader starts hunger strike

Source: B92, Danas, Tanjug

BELGRADE -- Opposition Serb Progressive Party (SNS) leader Tomislav Nikolić has said at a rally today that he has been on a hunger strike since the morning.

Tomislav Nikolić (Beta)

He added that he would continue the strike until the government set a date for early general elections.

“Serbian President Boris Tadić has turned down all of the SNS offers and accused the party of undermining the rule of law,” he stressed.

According to him, the strike is his last offer to the government and a personal sacrifice.

He claims it is his last ditched effort in a fight for a better Serbia and asked the government to call the election when something bad happens to him.

"This is my way, and I know no other nor approve of any other. Do not fail me, for I will not fail you as long as I live," he told the crowd.

“The government does not want an election because they do not want the public to know what has been done over the last 11 years,” Nikolić believes.

"We talked (with Tadić) the day before yesterday, and I was invited to that meeting only to be accused in the worst possible way of undermining the rule of law," the SNS leader remarked.

“The SNS supporters will not vandalize Belgrade, but will instead sacrifice themselves,” he stressed, adding that the rally would be extended, but the people would still get home in time.

The opposition rally dubbed “Day for changes” started a little after noon in Belgrade.

Organizers, opposition parties led by the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), announced earlier that it would be a peaceful, dignified, Gandhian rally and that their most important goal was to get the government to accept their request to call early parliamentary elections...........

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2011&mm=04&dd=16&nav_id=73833