Former Belgrade University Rector: Cooperation Among Opposition Parties More Important Than Joint Participation in Elections

Ivanka Popovic (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC)

Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy professor and former University of Belgrade rector Ivanka Popovic said on Jan. 9 that cooperation among opposition actors was key for winning a future general election, while whether all who opposed the government would be on one or more election tickets was less important.

Popovic told the Nova newspaper that citizens would punish in elections the actors who were not ready to connect.

"In the elections that lie ahead of us, the only way to beat the party that has usurped power is to create a broad, coordinated front of all social and political actors who want Serbia to be a state where laws rule. By that I mean actors who are ready to resist in a coordinated way election theft, manipulation and intimidation, through the constructive cooperation of well-trained and brave election controllers and observers at polling stations," said Popovic.

According to her, the ticket being put together by students enjoys the most support among citizens and stands the best chance of harmonizing the activities of the social forces that are committed to the rule of law.

"Serbia can and must persevere until a snap election is called, that is a matter of survival. No one else will do that job for us," said Popovic.