Djilas: Serbia Has Entered 12 Months Before Elections

Dragan Djilas (Photo: Beta/Milos Miskov/MO)

Freedom and Justice Party Dragan Djilas has said that Serbia is in the 12 pre-election months and that he expects elections at all levels except the presidential election to be held if not by the end of the year, then within a year.

Asked whether he expected the polls to take place by the end of this year, he replied: "I believe they could be this year, but I believe that we have certainly entered those 12 months before elections, that we are already in election year, in the pre-election 12 months."

In an interview with Euronews Serbia late on April 20, Djilas also said he had no regrets about meeting with Serbian President and Serbian Progressive Party leader Aleksandar Vucic after the 2022 elections, and that he would do the same thing again.

He explained that position by saying that it was always good to talk even though, as he put it, he was aware of all the consequences for him and the popularity of his party.

Speaking of the meeting with Vucic, Djilas reiterated that it was an attempt by him and the Freedom and Justice Party to calm tensions in the society but that even a year later "it cannot be said that it (the tension) has been reduced."

He also said the responsibility for that lay more on the side of the authorities, adding that some from the opposition were wrong to sink into that kind of behavior.

When asked what his side wanted, he replied that it was for Serbia to join the EU.

To the question of what elections would change, Djilas said that changes to electoral conditions, the media scene, the opposition's not being able to communicate with a large number of people must be discussed first. "Without that, making a change is difficult," he added.