TIRANA, November 1 – Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has officially called snap parliamentary elections for 17 December. Earlier today, the Speaker of the now-dissolved National Assembly, Vladimir Orlić, called snap elections in 65 cities and municipalities in Serbia, including the capital, reported EWB.
Regular local elections were scheduled for June 2024. In late September, the ruling Serbian Progressive Party’s mayors resigned in about half of the municipalities, mostly those where the party is expected to perform strongly, so that the elections could be held six months earlier. The elections in the other half of municipalities will, apparently, be held in June.
In his statement, Vučić wished the citizens “happy elections”, stating that “we live in challenging times for the whole world, in a time of global conflicts, in which Serbia will be under numerous pressures due to Kosovo and other regional issues”.
He added that it is essential for Serbia to preserve peace and stability, as well as internal cohesion, and demonstrate its full democratic character.
Large protests throughout Serbia began in May of this year after mass shootings from 3 and 4 May. Among the opposition’s demands were the resignation of responsible government officials, banning the media content promoting the violence, and the dismissal of members of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM). Even after 26 consecutive protests, the government did not meet any of the opposition’s demands.
Experts say the vote and an absence of a working parliament, will allow Vucic to buy time and delay decisions over ties with independent and predominantly Albanian Kosovo, which Serbia still sees as its southern province.
Ursula von der Leyen, the EU executive’s president, said during a visit to Belgrade on Tuesday that both Serbia and Kosovo must step up their efforts to normalise relations after the most recent flare-up of violence, if they want to join the bloc. /argumentum.al
