Stance of Nikolic and Vucic on referendum "as expected"
Director of the Center for Regionalism NGO Aleksandar Popov says the position of Aleksandar Vucic and Tomislav Nikolic of the RS Day referendum is as expected.
Friday, 02.09.2016.
13:58
Stance of Nikolic and Vucic on referendum "as expected"
In a joint statement issued on Thursday, Nikolic and Vucic said they do not support the holding of the referendum, but at the same time do not want to influence in any way a change in political attitudes of the legitimately elected politicians in the Serb entity (RS) in Bosnia-Herzegovina."In a way neither side will be able to be dissatisfied with this position. Serbia's message to the EU is: we tried and expressed our disagreement, and to Moscow - that they in fact did not respond, even though they could have done. Because it's certain that the prime minister (Aleksandar Vucic) can influence (Prime RS President Milorad) Dodik so that the referendum does not take place," said Popov.
According to him, although it has been stated that the Serbian leadership does not agree with the holding of the referendum, this position can also be interpreted as tacit agreement to go ahead with it after all.
Popov, however, thinks that yesterday's meeting in Belgrade came to late as Dodik now "cannot cancel the referendum even if he wanted to, without incurring major political damage."
"If Dodik were to give up on the referendum now, three weeks before it is scheduled to take place, he would lose a lot in the public opinion, but also among the RS electorate," said Popov.
He recalled that Dodik repeatedly in the past announced various referendums that were never held, but has now "seized an excellent opportunity when the EU is turned toward itself and its own problems, to hold a referendum that would represent political gain for him and present him as the undisputed leader of Serbs in the RS."
According to Popov, considering "such a tense situation in the region" the referendum will "certainly contribute to the rise of new tensions and controversy - but will not have some other big consequences."
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