BELGRADE, April 2 (Reuters) - Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic will begin talks on Friday as part of what he has billed as a way to lift the country out of a political crisis but which critics have
Serbian President Launches Talks as Political Crisis and Protests Grow
Overview of Serbia's Political Crisis and Government Response
BELGRADE, April 2 (Reuters) - Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic will begin talks on Friday as part of what he has billed as a way to lift the country out of a political crisis but which critics have rejected as pointless negotiations ahead of any early election.
Background: Roots of the Political Crisis
Vucic, a populist, faces pressure from an anti-government and anti-corruption protest movement that started in December 2024, after 16 people died in the collapse of a concrete awning at a railway station in the northern city of Novi Sad.
Protesters' Demands and Calls for Early Elections
Protesters' demands include an early parliamentary election, ahead of when it is due in December 2027.
Government's Response and Proposed Dialogue
On Tuesday, following a violent protest in Belgrade, Vucic, whose second and final five-year term also expires in 2027, floated the idea of a vote this summer or later in the year.
When he has referred to the aim for a society-wide dialogue over the past year, he has said he wants to invite all parliamentary parties and students among others.
Key Political Players and Planned Meetings
Parties Supporting the Ruling Government
Vucic's office said he would on Friday meet representatives from the pro-Russian Movement of Socialists and leaders of the Bosniak and Hungarian national minorities' Party of Justice and Reconciliation and the Party of Vojvodina Hungarians - parties supporting his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
Topics of Discussion
Ana Brnabic, the parliamentary speaker from the SNS ranks, told state RTS TV the topics would be the calls for an early parliamentary election and Serbia's relationship with the European Union.
Opposition and Protest Movements' Reactions
Move-Change Movement's Stance
Savo Manojlovic, leader of the Move-Change movement which takes part in the protests, said talks with Vucic would be pointless.
Key Demands from Protest Leaders
"There should be no negotiations about free elections, autonomous university, independent judiciary," he said.
Green-Left Front's Position
The opposition Green-Left Front said it would not take part, saying: "We will continue to respond to Vucic only with an unsparing struggle against his criminal regime on all fronts."
Serbia's Path Toward the European Union
Required Reforms and Foreign Policy Balance
Before it joins the EU, Serbia must reform the judiciary, curb corruption, mend ties with neighbouring Kosovo and align foreign policies with those of the bloc.
Belgrade balances its pro-Western bid and ties with China and Russia.
(Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Alison Williams)
