Election dates leaked from ruling coalition-opposition meeting

Aleksandar Vučić, Ivica Dačić
Tanjug / Rade Prelić

The Serbian pro-regime tabloid press reported on Monday that a general election will be held between March 20 and April 3 next year.

The dates were leaked from a meeting of ruling and opposition parties in the Serbian Parliament which was supposed to have been held under Chatham House rules meaning that none of the participants would say anything about what they discussed. The meeting was another round of the inter-party dialogue on election conditions without the mediation of European Parliament officials. Separate meetings are also held on the same issues with the mediation of European Parliament officials.

Media crews spent two hours waiting to hear if any of the participants would reveal any details of the meeting.

Parliament Speaker Ivica Dacic said the meeting was very good and constructive. “We simply synthesized all demands and proposals made to date,” he said, adding that they agreed to find solutions which would include mutual agreement.

Opposition officials also did not disclose any details from the meeting saying that it was one several and would be followed up with two or three more before the ruling coalition says what it is prepared to compromise on.

Dveri movement leader Bosko Obradovic said the authorities will give their final answer in exactly one month. “Either they will respect the Constitution and laws or we will have people on the streets who have no other way to fight the authorities that do not want to accept democratic elections and free media,” he said.