Serbia’s Vucic calls for dialogue with anti-government protesters

BELGRADE (Reuters): Serbia’s populist president, Aleksandar Vucic, called on Friday for dialogue with anti-government protesters following more than nine months of demonstrations in the Balkan country that have challenged his rule.

In a televised address from his office in Belgrade, Vucic said he was ready to speak with the representatives of students and other anti-government protesters, including in TV debates.

“I propose … discussion and debate on all our televisions, on all our (internet) portals with legitimate representatives, that is, those they choose,” Vucic said.

The months of protests across Serbia were sparked by the deaths of 16 people when a roof on a renovated railway station in Novi Sad collapsed last November.

Protesters have blamed corruption for the station disaster and are demanding early elections in the hope of ousting Vucic and his party.

They also accuse the government of using violence against political rivals and suppressing media freedoms. The government denies all the allegations.

The protests were mainly peaceful until earlier this month when dozens of police officers and civilians were injured in clashes and hundreds were detained.

“I want us to confront visions … to solve that through dialogue and conversation … no conflict, no violence. To rebuild the country again, to get it back on track where it was nine months ago,” Vucic said.

Savo Manojlovic, the head of the centrist opposition Move-Change party, dismissed the possibility of talks.

“A president who resorts to violence is not someone with whom you can debate about political issues, this is a … corrupt government that tramples on … democracy and human rights,” Manojlovic said.

“You don’t make a fire department with an arsonist.”

Vucic’s second and final five-year presidential term ends in 2027, when parliamentary elections are also due.

Representatives of the students said they would debate with Vucic only during an election campaign.

“He (Vucic) has no answer to the popular rebellion … We will debate … during the campaign, after the elections are announced,” students from the Belgrade-based Faculty of Philosophy said in a statement.