Djilas: Fresh elections only way out of political crisis

“I came to tell Aleksandar Vucic that the citizens of Belgrade what a change of power,” he told reporters outside the Serbian Presidency building. Djilas said that he went into the meeting with a desire to ease tension and a warning of unforseeable consequences. Djilas said that the president heard him out and said that he would talk to his party and voice a stand by the end of the week.

“Only fresh elections can resolve the political crisis in Belgrade. I see no other solution,” Djilas said.

He said the meeting was difficult for both of them. “We did not achieve a high level of agreement today,” he said.

Djilas said that he told Vucic that the authorities must have legitimacy. “We agreed that legitimacy is important,” he added. Djilas said that he told Vucic that the SNS and its partner the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) won less votes than the opposition in each individual Belgrade municipality which, he said, jeopardizes their legitimacy. “Authorities which do not have legitimacy cannot manage the city,” he said.

According to the leader of the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP), Vucic said that his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) has 60 seats on the Belgrade City Assembly. The opposition claimed 55 seats in the 100 seat city assembly.

Djilas said that he had the agreement of his party’s partners to pass on the view that fresh elections are needed. He called the opposition to publish any better solution for a change of power.