Vucevic at Novi Sad SNS Event With Knezevic, Selakovic

A Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) event in Novi Sad brought together three speakers: party president Milos Vucevic, SNS Presidency member Nikola Selakovic, and a guest from Montenegro, Milan Knezevic, leader of the Democratic People’s Party. Ahead of the October 25 election, the messages centered on Serbian unity, the position of Serbs in the region, and accusations of censorship.

What did Vucevic say about his guests?

Vucevic thanked Selakovic and Knezevic for coming to Novi Sad and called the Montenegrin guest a comrade and brother. His message was that a strong and stable Serbia helps secure the national rights of Serbs in other countries.

“Special thanks to our comrade and brother Milan Knezevic for coming and for the time he set aside to explain why it matters, both to Serbs in Montenegro and to Serbs outside Serbia, that Serbia be united and preserved,” Vucevic said.

Before the event, he also said what he expects from Sunday, when voters go to the polls.

“I believe it will be a good event, good conversations, and on Sunday I believe in a good result as well. A good result for Serbia, a good result for everyone, even for those who do not understand why Serbia must be united,” Vucevic said.

Why is Vucevic talking about censorship and a lawsuit against Vladanka Malovic?

Reporters asked Vucevic about claims that some candidates have been barred from presenting their electoral list, and about a lawsuit announced against journalist Vladanka Malovic, head of the SNS press office. The SNS president described the situation as censorship. The sources available to us do not say who announced the lawsuit or which candidates cannot present a list.

In his answer, Vucevic also mentioned his status as a lawyer.

“If my lawyer’s license were not frozen, I would offer to represent Vladanka Malovic pro bono, with pleasure. But I am here with her, and she will not be alone,” Vucevic said.

He also called for calm and restraint. In his words, those who are losing the match are the nervous ones, the ones who need incidents and problems.

What did Knezevic and Selakovic say?

Knezevic said he saw coming to Novi Sad as an obligation, an honor and a privilege, and that he came of his own free will.

“I stand with my people, and I felt it as an obligation, an honor and a privilege to be part of this magnificent and victorious campaign,” Knezevic said.

He added that his heart is full to be among his own.

“I have come to my brothers, I have come to my own home, and I will be overjoyed when the list led by Aleksandar Vucic wins on October 25,” Knezevic said.

Speaking about the period after the election, Knezevic said he expects a hand to be extended to political opponents too, whom he called “misguided brothers,” so that Serbia can continue on the path of unity and development.

Selakovic described October 25 as a test of maturity for the Serbian people and all citizens of Serbia, and said the importance of the election goes beyond party politics.

“This is not a decision for one party, a second party, a third party. This is a decision for or against Serbia,” Selakovic said.

He closed by expressing his conviction that citizens will show resolve and unity.

“I expect that Serbs will pass that test, and everyone who lives in Serbia, by defending the country and showing that we have become stronger, more consolidated, more united and more cohesive,” Selakovic said.

What did Vucevic say about Kosovo, Vojvodina and Republika Srpska?

The portal 24sedam also published a separate statement by Vucevic, which it dates to the evening, on Kosovo and Metohija, Vojvodina and Republika Srpska. The article does not say where it was delivered, so we do not link it to the Novi Sad event.

On Kosovo and Metohija, Vucevic said he expects Kosovo Serbs to back the list led by Aleksandar Vucic.

“And I expect a convincing victory of our list right in Kosovo and Metohija, that is, from Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, which will best confirm that they know who is the guarantor of preserving the Serbian name and surname in Kosovo and Metohija, and who is the guarantor of the fight, the political fight, for Kosovo and Metohija, while of course preserving the peace and stability that are preconditions for every development of our country, especially economic development,” Vucevic stated.

He also raised the question of Vojvodina, citing the decisions that made Srem, Banat and Backa part of Serbia, among them the May Assembly in Sremski Karlovci and the Miletic covenant.

“But in the same way, the victory of our list, Aleksandar Vucic and the Unification of Serbia, the victory of the people we have nominated, above all the politicians we have nominated, is a guarantee that nobody will play with revising history and nobody will open the Pandora’s box called Vojvodina,” Vucevic said.

On the region, he said the list sees its greatest support in Republika Srpska. He thanked students of the University of Republika Srpska and expressed regret that the “blockader part of the students from our country” had not responded to their invitation to reach an agreement together.

What came before these statements?

Our earlier report on the SNS rally in Novi Sad dealt with the gap in crowd estimates: the Archive cited 16,500 people, while the Interior Ministry (MUP) cited 110,000. The sources available to us do not include a response from the other side to the statements made at the event.