Serbia's President Vučić claims reelection victory

[beijingwalker]

Serbia's President Vučić claims reelection victory​

04 Apr 2022

Serbia's President Aleksandar Vučić and his populist Serbian Progressive Party are projected to win landslide victories in the Sunday's elections.

Why it matters: Under Vučić's leadership, Serbia has fostered close ties with Russia and China, while seeking membership in the European Union.

• Serbia voted to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine at the UN, but it has not imposed sanctions against Russia.

The big picture: With 87.67% of the ballots counted, Vučić had won 59.5% of the votes, the State Election Commission announced on Monday, per CNN.

• The decisive win means there will be no need to hold a second-round runoff and Vučić secures another five-year term.
• Opposition presidential candidate Zdravko Ponos, a retired army general representing the pro-European and centrist Alliance for Victory coalition, came in second place with just 17.1% of the votes, while the United for Victory alliance garnered a mere 12.9%, Reuters reported.
• Vučić's Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won 43.4% of the votes in the parliamentary election. The Socialist Party of Serbia — a longtime coalition partner of the SNS — won 11.7%, giving the government a clear majority, per CNN.

Between the lines: The Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA), a local NGO and official elections observer, said in a statement Monday that its representatives observed voting irregularities at 12% of polling stations in Serbia.

What they're saying: “A huge thank you to the citizens of Serbia,” Vučić said in a speech Sunday, per Al Jazeera. “I am endlessly proud and endlessly happy.”

• Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Vučić on his victory Sunday, which he said showed there was “broad public support” for Serbia's independent foreign policies and would help bolster the “strategic partnership” between Russia and Serbia, AP reported.

The big picture: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán also claimed victory in his country's elections on Sunday.

• Preliminary results show Orbán's Fidesz party won 53.1% of votes, with 98% of ballots counted, electing him to a fourth term, per the BBC.
• "We will remember this victory until the end of our lives because we had to fight against a huge amount of opponents," said the far-right leader, naming political rivals on the Hungarian left, Brussels
• "bureaucrats," international media, "and the Ukrainian president too."

Serbia's Putin-friendly president wins re-election

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Vučić on the election win.

www.axios.com

 

[OIO]

Serbia's President Vučić claims reelection victory​

04 Apr 2022

Serbia's President Aleksandar Vučić and his populist Serbian Progressive Party are projected to win landslide victories in the Sunday's elections.

Why it matters: Under Vučić's leadership, Serbia has fostered close ties with Russia and China, while seeking membership in the European Union.

• Serbia voted to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine at the UN, but it has not imposed sanctions against Russia.

The big picture: With 87.67% of the ballots counted, Vučić had won 59.5% of the votes, the State Election Commission announced on Monday, per CNN.

• The decisive win means there will be no need to hold a second-round runoff and Vučić secures another five-year term.
• Opposition presidential candidate Zdravko Ponos, a retired army general representing the pro-European and centrist Alliance for Victory coalition, came in second place with just 17.1% of the votes, while the United for Victory alliance garnered a mere 12.9%, Reuters reported.
• Vučić's Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won 43.4% of the votes in the parliamentary election. The Socialist Party of Serbia — a longtime coalition partner of the SNS — won 11.7%, giving the government a clear majority, per CNN.

Between the lines: The Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA), a local NGO and official elections observer, said in a statement Monday that its representatives observed voting irregularities at 12% of polling stations in Serbia.

What they're saying: “A huge thank you to the citizens of Serbia,” Vučić said in a speech Sunday, per Al Jazeera. “I am endlessly proud and endlessly happy.”

• Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Vučić on his victory Sunday, which he said showed there was “broad public support” for Serbia's independent foreign policies and would help bolster the “strategic partnership” between Russia and Serbia, AP reported.

The big picture: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán also claimed victory in his country's elections on Sunday.

• Preliminary results show Orbán's Fidesz party won 53.1% of votes, with 98% of ballots counted, electing him to a fourth term, per the BBC.
• "We will remember this victory until the end of our lives because we had to fight against a huge amount of opponents," said the far-right leader, naming political rivals on the Hungarian left, Brussels
• "bureaucrats," international media, "and the Ukrainian president too."

Serbia's Putin-friendly president wins re-election

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Vučić on the election win.

www.axios.com

Orban of Hungary was also successfully re-elected, and the railway from Hungary to Serbia should be completed as scheduled.

 

[beijingwalker]

Xi congratulates Aleksandar Vucic on reelection as Serbian president​

Xinhua, April 6, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday sent a congratulatory message to Aleksandar Vucic on his reelection as president of Serbia.

In his message, Xi pointed out that in recent years, the China-Serbia comprehensive strategic partnership has maintained vigorous development momentum, with the two sides seeing solid political mutual trust and fruitful bilateral practical cooperation.

Facing major global changes unseen in a century, the two sides firmly respect each other, treat each other as equals, and join hands in building a community with a shared future for mankind, making positive contributions to safeguarding international equity and justice, said the Chinese president.

Xi also said that he attaches great importance to the development of China-Serbia relations, and cherishes the good working relationship and friendship with President Vucic.

He added that he is willing to work with President Vucic to strengthen strategic communication, consolidate political mutual trust, expand and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields between the two countries, and steer China-Serbia ties towards new achievements, so as to benefit the two countries and their people.

http://www.china.org.cn/world/2022-04/06/content_78149933.htm