Elections will be "dead heat race," says SNS leader

Elections will be "dead heat race," says SNS leader

"I have no illusions about that. It is a dead heat race, and no one knows the outcome of this election," said he.

When asked to comment on a statement of Deputy leader of the SPS-allied PUPS party Milan Krkobabić, who said there was "a split between the left and the right, where the left is working for the people, and the right-wing is lining its pockets," Vučić said that "if that's the way to look at it, Krkobabić belongs to the extreme right-wing."

Commenting on opinion polls that give his Progressives (SNS) 44 percent of the vote, "while all others, including the SPS have 43 percent," Vučić said that outcome was "increasingly likely and realistic."

He announced he would "talk with all political actors after elections."

"I call opposition leaders personally. I call both Čanak and Jovanović. I contact them more often than they contact me," said Vučić.

He added that after elections, he was ready to cooperate with everyone, "except with those who call for the Ukrainian scenario," and that the new government, if formed by his party, "must do more, be stronger, more serious and responsible."

Asked about a Democratic Party (DS) rally in Belgrade, where it was said that he should be arrested, along with Vojislav Koštunica and Boris Tadić, the latter "because of NIS," Vučić said:

"See how they think, they'd like to arrest the whole country. I did not kill (Slavko) Ćuruvija, but they say I should be arrested anyway for not preventing it - there should be arrests because of NIS, but Borislav Stefanović, their chief negotiator (in the Kosovo talks) should not be arrested... That's democracy for you, under the Democratic Party."

Vučić also announced that he was traveling to Germany on Thursday, where, he said, "he always tells foreigners the same things he says in Serbia."

"That's why Serbia has become a reliable partner, getting stronger, and our role in the world has become increasingly better," said Vučić.

He said his messages in meetings abroad include that "the situation is difficult, that we will improve our investment climate, that Serbia is an oasis of stability." He added that German companies "employ 24,000 people in Serbia," while he wants this number to reach 100,000.

Another message that Vučić said he sends to foreign investors is "to make use of our brain power" - as beside being "a popular tourist destination" Serbia is becoming "an increasingly good destination for investment."

Vučić said that while in Germany, he would talk with representatives of the BASF company, and with longtime former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl.