Retired professor, right-wing politician to be opposition man for Belgrade Mayor

NEWS 31.01.202219:43 0 komentara
Ivan Dinić/Nova

Vladeta Jankovic, former diplomat and literary professor, said on Monday he accepted the offer of several opposition organisations to run for the Mayor of Belgrade.

Jankovic, 80, was among the founders of the right-wing Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), a part of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS). This 18-member coalition toppled Slobodan Milosevic’s regime in 2000.

The then DSS president Vojislav Kostunica was elected the head of state. Milosevic contested the result but yielded to a widespread protest after the opposition said he tried to rig the vote.

The coalition soon broke off primarily due to disagreements between Kostunica and the pro-European opposition leader Zoran Djindjic assassinated on March 12, 2003.

Jankovic described himself as a rightist, conservative and nationalist in the ‘Impression of the Week’ political talk show on Nova TV on Sunday night.

He earlier declined to run as an opposition candidate for Serbia’s president. The most likely opposition candidate for the post will be retired general Zdravko Ponos.

Serbia holds presidential, early general and Belgrade elections on April 3.

In a joint statement the opposition Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP), People’s Party and the Democratic Party (DS), the Free Citizens Movement, Free Serbia Movement, Movement for Reversal, ‘Sloga’ Union and the Democratic Union of Vojvodina’s Hungarians, said they had „great pleasure in informing the public that Jankovic accepted the candidacy.

The organisations added they would present the joint opposition and non-party people for the elections on Wednesday.

Jankovic on Sunday said that if he became the Mayor, he would „try to make everything transparent, fair as possible and see that professional people will do their jobs.“ He added he was already thinking about experts from different areas he could gather.

„I can speak, I can appear on television, I can still think clearly, people accept me. I have to do what I can and as much as I can, and that is my reason to accept the candidacy,“ Jankovic said on Sunday.

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