Opposition Official Djilas Announces Further Talks on Pro-European Bloc, Three Parties React

Dragan Djilas (BETAPHOTO/EMIL VAS/EV)

Freedom and Justice Party leader Dragan Djilas has announced further talks among pro-European political parties about a potential coalition for the upcoming parliamentary elections, adding he hopes that the bloc will be formed in the near future. 

Speaking for the June 9 issue of Belgrade daily Danas, Djilas said that pro-European parties share very similar positions on the crucial issues, such as combating corruption, judicial reform, and ways to improve the living standard and create a drastically better education and health systems. 

Djilas, who has recently said that in the upcoming elections, his party will run in a pro-European coalition, said the parties he could see in the bloc include Serbia Center (SRCE), the Free Citizens Movement, the People’s Movement of Serbia, and Ecological Uprising, but also some other movements and individuals, including Solidarity of Goran Jesic. He also said that the Green-Left Front, as “an absolute pro-European party” could also join the bloc. 

Ecological Uprising leader Aleksandar “Cuta” Jovanovic, has said that his movement is not currently considering joining a coalition of pro-European parties for the next elections, adding that no coalition has been agreed so far. 

Jovanovic told the June 9 issue of Belgrade daily Nova that his movement is currently “not interested” in joining any coalition, adding that the matter will be discussed after elections are officially scheduled. 

People’s Movement of Serbia leader Miroslav Aleksic has said his party will run in the upcoming elections, but added that a decision on the format of election coalitions will be made “on time, in the best interest of the anti-regime bloc.”

“In the previous period, we initiated several meetings which gathered many opposition parties, and of course we certainly continue to cooperate and coordinate activities with all those who are against this regime, but we will make a decision on the specific format of election coalitions in a timely manner, in the best interest of the anti-regime bloc,” Aleksic told the June 9 issue of daily Danas. 

Serbia Center party vice president Dusko Lopandic said on June 8 commenting on announcements from several parties, including his, that they will run on a pro-European coalition ticket in the next elections in Serbia that it is impossible to predict at this time who will be in that coalition, but that it is important for there to be agreement among them on certain issues.