SPS apologizes; Vucic: Hatred against me is their program

SPS apologizes; Vucic: Hatred against me is their program

"It's good to see what they really think about you," Vucic told Belgrade-based daily Blic. "I guess that's the thanks I get for keeping them in power for two years, without having to."

The SPS, led by Ivica Dacic, is a coalition partner to Vucic's Progressives (SNS) in the current Serbian government.

"I wish them all the best. This shows who was right when they said from the start what might happen," said Vucic, adding he would "not respond to insults with more insults."

Dacic did not make any comment on Monday, but SPS Vice-President and cabinet minister Aleksandar Antic told the paper that an apology had been sent to the prime minister, and "wondered if this was an organized provocation."

"15 primitive (persons) cannot be more important that the 25,000 people who supported the SPS-JS (United Serbia pre-election) coalition during our gathering. The question is why they (the trumpeters) were still in front as the gathering was starting, who filmed them, and whether this is an organized provocation, with the goal of introducing tension into the SPS-SNS relations," he said.

The party also issued a statement distancing itself from "the insults made by the supposed supporters of the SPS."