Rump “Serbia Against Violence” coalition and “Go-Change” movement will take part in the Belgrade elections. “We Choose” coalition (former part of “Serbia Against Violence”) will have electoral lists in 16 out of 17 Belgrade municipalities, as almost all complaints lodged against them have been withdrawn in the meantime. The coalition threatened to withdraw from elections due to, as its members described, unfair complaints lodged by the ruling party. Also, Savo Manojlović, candidate for mayor and leader of the “Go-Change” list in the Belgrade elections, announced that movement will participate in the elections as opposition lists have been accepted. (N1 Belgrade, 16 May 2024)
CRTA: Erasure of boundaries between the state and ruling party. The first part of the campaign for the Belgrade local elections was marked by the previously established erasure of boundaries between the state and the ruling party, as well as divisions among former allies from the pro-Europe opposition bloc regarding election boycott, reads the report of the CRTA election watchdog. Despite these being local elections, topics relevant to the local community in the campaign are overshadowed by “pivotal national issues” emphasized by the ruling majority, which manipulates state symbols, resources, and functions, said the CRTA. Its observers also recorded increased pressure on public sector employees. (CRTA (Serbian), 13 May 2024)
Olena Zelenska visites Serbia, expresses gratitude to Vučić for supporting Ukraine. Olena Zelenska, First Lady of Ukraine and the wife of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, expressed gratitude to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, on her behalf and on behalf of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, for the support and humanitarian assistance to her country. Zelenska and Kuleba paid a bilateral visit to Belgrade. Kuleba also had meetings with Serbian Prime Minister, Parliament Speaker and Foreign Minister. Zelenska was hosted by Serbia’s first lady, Tamara Vučić. (RTS (Serbian), 14 May 2024)
Transition period for enforcing dinar ban in Kosovo ends. Transition period for Kosovo Serbs to adapt to the Central Bank of Kosovo (CBK) regulation banning the use of the dinar expired ahead of a new round of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. A trilateral meeting between the Belgrade and Pristina delegations and the EU as the facilitator ended in Brussels without a solution regarding the Central Bank of Kosovo (CBK) regulation banning the use of the Serbian dinar. (N1 Belgrade, 16 May 2024)
UN General Assembly sets date for Srebrenica Resolution vote. The vote on the Resolution on Genocide in Srebrenica at the UN General Assembly will be held on 23 May. On the other hand, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić once again underlined that Serbia is doing all it can to prevent adoption, but that it is a small country that cannot compare with the Berlin-London-Washington alliance, which advocates for the adoption of the Resolution. (RTS (Serbian), 16 May 2024)