The Serbian Progressive Party will cooperate with the Democratic Party of Serbia neither before nor after the elections if the Democratic Party of Serbia's position remains the same, said Serbian Progressive Party President Tomislav Nikolic on Sept. 23.

After an hour-long meeting with head of the European Union Delegation in Serbia Vincent Degert, Nikolic told journalists that the Serbian Progressive Party and the Democratic Party of Serbia could not form a joint ticket because his party was for the EU, while the Democratic Party of Serbia was against EU membership.

Democratic Party of Serbia spokesperson Petar Petkovic said, following Nikolic's statement, that it would be better to remain patient and see what the Serbian Progressive Party stance was in the end because over the last few days that party had been enunciating contradictory stances.

Nikolic stated that he had never said that "Europe had an alternative," but that "Serbia had no alternative" and added that he had sent several stenograms of talks with journalists and several interviews in which he had clearly stated the Serbian Progressive Party's stance to individual ambassadors.

He said that he had not discussed opposition parties and cooperation with the Democratic Party of Serbia with Degert, but that he had discussed the continuation of and speeding up of European integration, judicial reform, help which the EU could offer Serbia, agriculture and the economy.

The Serbian Progressive Party leader said that he had also discussed the upcoming talks between Pristina and Belgrade with Degert.