“Vucic defines himself as ‘protector of the little man’ who ‘risks its own life’ to counter the arbitrary tycoons, gangsters and corrupt politicians,” one of the comments in the German press about the elections in Serbia.
In the photo of today’s Sueddeutsche Zeitung are the “first” and “second” men of the Serbian government. Both smiling. Prime Minister Dacic, with the Serbian flag badge on his lapel, is in the foreground, while Aleksandar Vucic behind him. Comment below it: “Power in the background.” It was the man in the background who decided to “seize the moment”, suggests already the title of the article. “Vucic gladly surrendered unpopular things to Dacic – such as negotiations with Kosovo, insisted by the EU – simultaniosly constructing his image with populist attacks on unpopular business people who during the previous governments shared the cream of the Serbian economy, with weak effects on the economy. [ …] Serbia suffers from uncompetitive economy and ineffective, cumbersome state apparatus, which includes the employees of more than 150 loss-making state-owned firms. [ …] First reform laws on labor and privatization were hitchhiked by Vucic and Dacic few days ago – apparently preparing for early elections,” says a prominent Munich daily.
Unlike the “populism” of which writes Sueddeutsche, the largest Swiss newspaper Neue Zeitung Züricher something different values Vučić’s work. “Under his leadership for the first time were arrested and charged oligarchs, who were previously untouchable due to the generous funding of political parties. Of course that Vucic did not explain the release of the polls with his hunger for power. He was more teelling that he hopes the reforms. [ …] However, the black-and- white image according to which we have the reformist SNS and the hampering SPS is not very accurate. This is confirmed by the resignation of the Minister of Economy Sasa Radulovic. [ …] He and his liberal ideas came to the granite wall – in which was and the SNS. For many, a symbol of hope in the economic recovery, Radulovic during the weekend demonstratively pointed out the white flag.”
Denouement in the announcement of the election seems quite logical, comments German agency DPA, reports Thüringer Zeitung. “By far the largest party, which ideology is difficult to define, wants to break the reform deadlock. And because of it wants to get rid of the SPS, which is now a junior coalition partner. [ …] The U.S. and the EU after years of thin parliamentary majorities and unprincipled coalitions would like to see crystal clear political power relations, which may occur if the SNS convincingly wins. Because the essence is in the reform cuts by which many people will not be satisfied with. Although unemployment is officially 27 percents, the public sector will have to let go of 100,000 people, according to some estimates. [ …] However, it is difficult to believe that the new government will stop with the practice by which public companies are used for the recruitment of the party cadres.”
While most newspapers in German see elections as a chance to implement reforms, Andrej Ivanji in the commentary to the Vienna Standard looks at things differently. “The deputy prime minister and coordinator of intelligence services, Aleksandar Vucic, who also decided to go to the polls, already pulls all the strings; a few months ago the Government has reconstructed by his will, there is a political consensus on negotiations with the EU, harmony on the institutional reforms and strategic objectives, opponents of the Kosovo’s new policies are marginalized, the coalition government has a stable majority … yet Vucic could not resist the temptation to capitalize the support of 45 percent and run for the absolute majority.”
Furthermore, the text states how Vucic came up so supportive: “He defines himself as the ‘protector of the little man’ who ‘riskes life’ to counter the arbitrary tycoons, gangsters and corrupt politicians. He has an image of purist, while the media close to him hunts political opponents. His lust for power is interpreted as a willingness to take responsibility for the painful but necessary reforms. [ …] While Serbia approaches Brussels in technical issues, the society is moving away from democratic ideals. Authoritarian Vucic will reign with scattered and the humiliated opposition, and with virtually no critical media. These are not good conditions for young, inexperienced and fragile democracy. Serbia already has experience with autocrats who want all the power for themselves. In addition, Vucic already overnight changed course for 180 degrees, when he replaced the nationalist ideology with European rationalism,”concludes Ivanji.
