Serbian opposition calls for unity, citing local win as proof of possibility
Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Opposition leaders in Serbia called for unity to defeat the ruling party, citing local election results as proof of possibility.
- They highlighted alleged corruption under the previous government, claiming millions were lost to illicit activities.
- The leaders emphasized the need to overcome divisions to achieve electoral success against the current regime.
In the Serbian municipality of Medijana, opposition leaders Miroslav Aleksiฤ, Miloลก Parandiloviฤ, and Aleksandar Jovanoviฤ ฤuta gathered to urge a unified front against the ruling party. Aleksiฤ, president of the People's Movement of Serbia (NPS), pointed to Medijana's local election victory as evidence that the regime can be defeated, even under unfair conditions. He stressed that creating fair electoral conditions in Serbia is unlikely, but victory is still possible.
We should not harbor the illusion that we will succeed in creating fair and honest electoral conditions in Serbia, but we must defeat this regime even under their conditions.
Aleksiฤ detailed alleged corruption during the previous administration in Medijana, claiming approximately one million euros were lost through corrupt practices over four years. He stated that nationwide, this figure reaches between two and three billion euros, diverting funds from essential services like student support, healthcare, agriculture, ecology, and education. He attributed this to a "small, arrogant elite" that has usurped state resources.
Miloลก Parandiloviฤ, leader of the New Face of Serbia (NLS), addressed the issue of young people leaving the country after completing their education. He argued that municipalities can operate effectively when free from the control of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). Parandiloviฤ criticized President Aleksandar Vuฤiฤ for surrounding himself with subservient figures and attempting to divide the nation.
During the mandate of the previous government in Medijana, about a million euros disappeared through corruption in four years, while at the national level, that amount ranged between two and three billion euros.
Aleksandar Jovanoviฤ ฤuta of the Ecological Uprising linked divisions within the opposition to Aleksandar Vuฤiฤ's continued hold on power. He asserted that unity among citizens would lead to the regime's downfall. ฤuta called for an end to divisions and encouraged citizens to organize through legal and grassroots efforts wherever their water, land, and air are threatened.
This society has become so distorted that Vuฤiฤ gathers a bunch of slaves around him and tries to divide the country like with a razor blade.
Dragan Miliฤ, a cardiac surgeon whose independent civic group secured a historic win in Medijana, hosted the leaders. He described Medijana as the only free municipality in Serbia, demonstrating that a united opposition can triumph over a "discredited regime." Miliฤ noted that the opposition secured 22,000 votes in the June 2024 local elections, compared to the regime's 15,000, which he claimed was achieved through numerous manipulations. He acknowledged the challenges faced, including blackmail and threats, but affirmed his commitment and that of his group to the residents of Medijana. Miliฤ expressed a desire to extend this "flame of freedom" to the rest of Niลก.
Divisions are the only way for Aleksandar Vuฤiฤ to stay in power, and when they stop and citizens unite, this regime will end.
Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.