Serbia: Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic

Serbian analysts say that Tomislav Nikolic's achievements in the initial year of his presidency include successful anti-corruption measures, resolving the Kosovo issue, building foreign relations, drawing foreign investments, reducing cabinet costs, working within the Constitutional Act and keeping pre-election promises.

"If Nikolic was not elected, this government would not have been formed, the previous one would have been in power and we'd not have anti-corruption efforts," Vuk Fatic, deputy chief of the president's media department, told us.

Vladimir Krulj, professor at Belgrade's Singidunum University and an advisor at Brussels' Kreab and Gavin Anderson communication consultancy, agreed.

"Nikolic unconditionally supported Aleksandar Vucic, the initial deputy prime minister of Serbia, in the fight against corruption, where Vucic completed significant and publicly known results, though still much has to be done in [criminal] investigation and judiciary, and in conference the new EU demands to start the EU negotiations," Krulj told us.

Zoran Stojiljkovic, professor at Belgrade's political science faculty and member of the anti- corruption agency, said Nikolic's real successes so far are his contribution to anti-corruption efforts, economic development, Kosovo issue and his Constitutional Act compliance.

"He broke up a formal bond between the president of the republic and the president of the Progressive Party with his [resignation from the party], limiting his powers to that of the president of Serbia, which is a remarkable novelty in the practice of Serbian presidents," Stojiljkovic told us.

Nikolic strategically supports the government, and shows readiness to change some of his initiatives, showing openness to accept suggestions, even with national policy, he added.

Miljenko Dereta, Liberal Democratic Party MP and civic initiatives director, gave an extra viewpoint of Nikolic's party resignation.

"I'm glad that Nikolic is not the president of his political party anymore, since that would exclude him from political life. I expect from him to remain within the bounds of the president's authority, away from politics," Dereta told us.

He noted, however, that Nikolic seems to randomly hand out numerous honours, not based on verified merit, and as well "he amnestied a huge number of people, apologising to them for being in prison for committed crimes, [which] is a huge damage," Dereta said.

In respect to the Kosovo issue, Nikolic created the Kosovo Resolution, which was adopted by the assembly and supported the government's negotiations inclunding implementation of the Brussels agreement.

"His contribution to the Brussels agreement was his conference with Atifete Jahjaga, Kosovo president, and attending the Bratislava regional leaders' summit, which Jahjaga as well attended. This is an extra political gesture of normalisation between Belgrade and official Pristina institutions," Krulj said.

Jelena Milic, director of the Centre for Euro-Atlantic Studies in Belgrade, said Nikolic has completed significant results, but still has much to address.

"As the supreme commander, Nikolic hasn't opened the issue of constitutional inconsistency of the National Security Council and worked to continue the democratic process of national security control, instead of political control. He's been elected due and has legitimacy to remind the public of issues that are not due under his control, such as systemic reconstruction of public companies, which are currently the biggest losers," Milic said. "One such issue is the resolution which derives from the Stabilisation Association Agreement between Serbia and the EU."

Nikolic's economic recovery efforts are linked to his foreign policy, according to his cabinet. In the initial year of his presidency he met with foreign officials from 45 nations, visited 23 cities in 19 nations, with a goal to obtain an EU negotiations date for Serbian accession and achieve peace and economic regional stability.

"[Nikolic] uses foreign relations meetings to promote Serbia and attract foreign investors," Stanislava Pak Stankovic, the chief of president's cabinet for media relations, told us.

According to Krulj, "Nikolic's foreign policy is significant to attract new investors, but as well open new markets for Serbian companies such as in the Middle East, Asia, North and Central Africa, and to deen economic co-operation with Russia, China, former [Soviet Union], and other fast-growing economies."

Krulj said Nikolic completed results in furthering regional relations and reconciliation, but should continue building a strong and responsible Serbia in the region.

"Significant results in strengthening co-operation with neighbouring nations were completed, particularly Montenegro, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, but as well with the neighbouring EU nations: Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania," he said. "And relations with Croatia, despite the dispute from the completed and recent arrests, however are making evolution, as Nikolic will attend the ceremony celebrating Croatia's EU accession."

Citizens as well think that Nikolic is taking the right path.

"He's not as conservative as he was at the same time as he was part of the Seselj party, and that's additional than OK for me. If he continues like this, I may vote for him in the next election," Slobodan Stankovic, 39, a nurse from Belgrade