Opposition United on Elections in Belgrade

Borko Stefanovic (BetaPhoto/Milan Obradovic)

Deputy president of the Freedom and Justice Party Borko Stefanovic said on Aug. 17 that the entire opposition was unanimous that early elections needed to be held in Belgrade.

Stefanovic told the N1 TV station that the Freedom and Justice Party had been calling for elections in the capital "for over a year" and the rest of the opposition "for months," and that elections were necessary because the Serbian Progressive Party's reign in Belgrade "lacks legitimacy."

He rejected as a "cheap Progressive trick" Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic saying that elections in Belgrade would be held if the opposition asked for them but at the same time that the opposition had no say in whether other elections would be held simultaneously.

"It is clear to them that they are almost definitely going to lose elections in Belgrade as a result of their bad and corrupted rule. Hence Vucic is trying to merge these elections with early parliament elections and regular local elections. This is a cheap Progressive trick to avoid what the citizens see, such as a record increase in the price of food, electricity, utilities, taxes," he said.