Milivojevic: Compromise between Government and Opposition Possible under U.S. Pressure

Cvijetin Milivojevic (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC)

Cvijetin Milivojevic, a political scientist, said on April 8 that the government and the opposition were likely to reach a compromise regarding the upcoming local elections under U.S. pressure.

Milivojevic said to BETA that it would not be good for Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic if the opposition decided not to run in Belgrade polls and the other local elections in Serbia.

"Something is happening as we speak, and it has nothing to do with the European Parliament’s Resolution or the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations; the United States is exerting pressure on the opposition and the government to meet halfway. I expect that by April 18 Vucic will fulfill the opposition demand to hold all elections on the same day, be it on June 2 or the next fall. Any other decision would be meaningless from the government's point of view," he said.

The political scientist added that it’s very important for Vucic to be cooperative with the Americans, and for them it’s important to have their voice heard before the presidential elections, "as they might solve the problem the Europeans could not."

When asked why the European Commission has not yet reacted to the EP Resolution calling for an international investigation into election irregularities in Serbia last December, Milivojevic said that the European government is an executive body that “for our taste” reacts slowly.

"The European Parliament’s Resolution is binding on EU bodies. However, it does not necessarily mean that the Commission will insist on an international investigation if Vucic appeases them with concessions on other issues such as Kosovo, imposing sanctions against Russia, purchasing bombers from Emmanuel Macron, depositing French nuclear waste or building a nuclear power plant," Milivojevic said.