"Vucic accused of Putin-style one-man rule"

"Vucic accused of Putin-style one-man rule"

The U.S. agency describes him as "a veteran politician who has transformed from radical anti-Western nationalist into a pro-EU reformer" and in the process "positioned himself as a dominant player both in Serbia and wider in the postwar Balkans."

The report, published under the headline, "Serbia's PM Vucic likely to solidify power in snap vote," adds that he "won praise from the EU for efforts to reconnect broken Balkan ties, promote reconciliation and push through some tough economic reforms" but that he "faces accusations at home of creating a one-man rule in the style of Russia's President Vladimir Putin."

Vucic, now 46, started his political career in his mid-20s "as an ardent nationalist advocating the idea of Greater Serbia."

The "ambitious and sharp-tongued" Vucic then "positioned himself close to Vojislav Seselj, the leader the extremist Serb Radical Party (SRS) and became one of the most prominent nationalist politicians during the war era of the 1990s."

"In one of his darkest moments, Vucic served as the information minister in Slobodan Milosevic's government in late 1990s, championing punitive laws against liberal media. He personally signed the orders to expel some foreign media at the start of the NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999," AP said in its report.

France's AFP, meanwhile, under the headline, "Aleksandar Vucic: Serbia's hardline hawk turned friend of West," writes that Vucic is "a former ultra-nationalist and close ally of Slobodan Milosevic remade as a pro-European liberal," adding that "critics" view this transformation as "pragmatic rather than ideological."

Serbian political analyst Djordje Vukadinovic is quoted as saying western counries sees Vucic as a reliable partner in the Balkans "who is also staying friends with traditional ally Russia" but are, due to his cooperative approach, "prepared to turn a blind eye to concerns about both domestic policies and his attitude to criticism."

The agency added that he "fiercely defended the actions of ethnic Serb leaders during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia," and was saying, "as late as In 2007" that his home "would"always be a safe house for General Ratko Mladic."

The report added that Vucic "surprised observers" when he, along with Tomislav Nikolic, in 2008 split from the SRS to form the SNS party, "advocating cooperation with the West." In late 2012, he told AFP: "I do not hide that I have changed. I am proud of that."

"The refashioned Vucic has described the Srebrenica slaughter as a 'horrible crime' and visited the site to pay his respects - although he was chased from the 20th anniversary ceremony last year by an angry stone-throwing crowd," said AFP.

The agency further wrote that Vucic is also pushing for better relations "with former foe Kosovo" - something described as "a key requirement of both sides' EU membership bids."

Vucic also "won plaudits" for showing compassion to refugees during the migrant crisis, as is presenting himself as "a tireless worker, the only person capable of attracting foreign investment and implementing the economic reforms called for by the EU and the International Monetary Fund."

"Little is known about the premier's private life," said the report.