Plenkovic Speaks to Srdanovic, Expects Better Ties

Zagreb’s reaction matters for Serbia for a simple reason: Croatia is a neighbor, and its prime minister, Andrej Plenkovic, said publicly today what he expects from the new authorities in Belgrade, even though it is still unknown who will lead them. The Croatian government confirmed to Index that Plenkovic spoke by phone with Ilija Srdanovic, the leader of the Student List, and congratulated him on winning Serbia’s snap parliamentary elections. The final results remain unannounced until the Republic Electoral Commission proclaims them, and Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat on the night after the vote.

According to Index, Srdanovic is a cardiologist and a professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad. The Croatian reaction follows those from Hungary, Montenegro, Brussels and Republika Srpska, which we have already reported.

What did Plenkovic say about relations with Serbia?

Speaking to reporters, the prime minister said the citizens of Serbia had sent a clear message, and then put relations between the two countries in a time frame:

“We expect better relations than we have had over the last 14 years.”

He added that the election winners carry a great responsibility and that Zagreb hopes good-neighborly relations will be their priority. “We wish them success in what they will be doing,” Plenkovic said. In the same article, Index notes that the Serbian Progressive Party has governed Serbia without interruption since 2012.

Plenkovic also observed that Vucic conceded defeat right away, which in his view suggests the handover of power should go smoothly, though he could not say how long it will take. Asked who will lead the new government, he answered that this is not yet known:

“At this moment, as far as I understand it, that has not been decided.”

Index says the same about the Student List: first place on the ballot, the outlet stresses, does not automatically mean the prime minister’s post, and the movement has not yet confirmed who will lead it.

What was said about the Serbian Progressive Party in the European People’s Party?

Asked about the membership of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in the European People’s Party, to which his own HDZ also belongs, Plenkovic said there is a procedure in which a committee checks whether the party is still suitable for membership. He described the reasons this way:

“There were a lot of bad moves and negative situations there that we have talked about.”

He could not predict the outcome: “What exactly will happen, I cannot say at this moment, because there is currently no body that is sitting on it and deciding.” The prime minister added that Croatian representatives were clear on the matter at the latest political assembly in Toulouse.

How did Pupovac respond, and how did the culture minister?

The president of the Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS), Milorad Pupovac, congratulated the Student List on the party’s behalf on its “convincing and overwhelming victory” and called it unique and encouraging given the political circumstances of the region, Europe and the world. He then singled out the position of Serbs in neighboring countries:

“We are glad about the Student List’s stated wish to transform relations with the countries in the region into the best possible ones. We are convinced that this will make the position of Serbs in those countries, and especially of Serbs in Croatia, easier and better. Good luck, students, good luck, Serbia!”

After Vucic conceded, Srdanovic said the Student List would build a “better Serbia for the benefit of our citizens, for better relations with our neighbors and with the entire international community.”

Croatia’s Minister of Culture and Media, Nina Obuljen Korzinek, was asked about the elections at a press conference at the Mimara Museum, where she was speaking about a new permanent exhibition. She said she had no special comment, that she hopes for a moderate and democratic government in Serbia that respects its neighbors, and that bilateral talks will follow once the new authorities are formed in Serbia.

Why do Croatian media cite different results?

Across three articles on this topic, Index gives three pairs of figures, without explaining which sample or cross-section they refer to:

• in the article on Srdanovic: about 52 percent for the Student List and about 39 percent for the “Aleksandar Vucic - United Serbia” list
• in the article on Pupovac: 51.71 percent against 39.85 percent
• in the article on Minister Obuljen Korzinek: 52.54 percent against 39.29 percent

The figures differ by less than one percentage point, and none can be considered final before the Republic Electoral Commission rules. Until then, the only reliable material is what the actors themselves said: Plenkovic expects better relations, Pupovac hopes for a better position for Serbs in the region, and nobody has yet announced who will form the government in Belgrade.