Serbia’s election campaigns all highlight Kosovo and inflation

1 year ago 71

Inflation, the standard of living, and Kosovo are the main topics highlighted in the ruling party and the opposition’s campaigns ahead of the 17 December elections.

Political scientist Boban Stojanović told Euractiv Serbia that this campaign will be the dirtiest yet.

SNS will run the campaign exclusively through the character and work of President Aleksandar Vučić, who will appear on television almost every day.

“We will have a filthy campaign from the government to the opposition, confrontations on a personal level, saying the worst possible things about the civil and pro-national opposition. There will also be enormous pressure on SNS voters, on public sector employees, blackmail, pressure, proving that they will vote and that they have voted and the like, especially in smaller places where there is enormous control,” says Stojanović.

He believes that the main topics of the government and the opposition will be inflation, the standard of living and Kosovo.

Vučić will try to present himself as someone who cares about the voters with pledges of discounted products and price control and talk on topics of road construction, infrastructure projects, investments, and similar.

As for the opposition, the standard of living will be and should be, the focus of their campaign because inflation is high, according to Stojanović.

Regarding the issue of Kosovo, Vučić will have to present himself to his voters as the primary and only protector of ethnic Serbs in Kosovo, regardless of the EU-backed dialogue that is pushing for recognition of its independence.

The edge of his campaign, says Stojanović, will be aimed at the opposition, including how they will sell and betray Kosovo and claims they are in cahoots with Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

Stojanović says that he does not know what the outcome of the vote will be but said that someone unsure of their victory would not go to the polls almost three years before the end of the mandate.

(Milena Antonijević/EURACTIV.rs)