Vučić: It is unlikely Brnabić will be prime minister again, but she will hold significant positions

(Patria) - Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić says it is exclusively up to the country's institutions whether and which elections will be repeated, assessing that the vote on December 17 passed in a democratic atmosphere and was "the calmest ever in modern history".

At a press conference today, Vučić rejected the criticism regarding the regularity of the elections heard from domestic and foreign observers and the leader of the largest opposition coalition "Serbia Against Violence".

He also emphasizes that he is very happy that the Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) has asked the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government to "check by name" all those claimed to be phantom voters.

- They checked everything at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and out of 496 calls (applications) received, all are duly registered on the voter list. Clean as a whistle - he stated, reports RSE.

Vučić also says that out of this number, 487 people were registered on the voter list "many, many years earlier", and the remaining number was registered during 2022.

- There were no phantom voters - Vučić claims.

On December 23, the RIK, by a majority vote, adopted the proposal of the President of the Commission to request the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government to verify the voting invitations submitted to the RIK by the "Serbia Against Violence" coalition, claiming they were "phantom voters".

RIK members elected on the proposal of parties gathered around the "Serbia Against Violence" coalition did not vote for the president's proposal, considering that it does not address the core of the problem.

Vučić "congratulated" the citizens of Serbia on the democratic process, stating that he is proud that the elections and the pre-election campaign passed without physical incidents.

- The institutions will have our support to do their job in accordance with democratic norms, and that's all - said Vučić, speaking about the possibilities of repeating the elections.

Regarding the elections in Serbia's capital, Belgrade, Vučić stated that the elections will be repeated only if a majority is not secured, as neither the ruling party nor the opposition bloc "Serbia Against Violence" have enough councilors to independently form the city government.

Vučić also announced that the new convocation of the National Assembly of Serbia will be constituted during January 2024, and he expects the formation of the government at the end of February.

He also added that it is "unlikely" that Ana Brnabić will be the prime minister of Serbia again, but that she will hold "significant positions in the future".

Opposition leaders gathered around the "Serbia Against Violence" list, as well as some citizens from the protests in front of the RIK, have been demanding the annulment of elections at all levels for a week. The reason, they claim, is the alteration of the electoral will of the citizens.

- Whatever they try, there will be no violent change or anything else. Power in Serbia changes in elections - Vučić responded to these demands.