Seselj accuses president of "trying to cause bloodshed"

Seselj accuses president of "trying to cause bloodshed"

Nikolic was a high ranking official of the SRS until 2008, when he and Aleksandar Vucic split from the party to form their own, the SNS, in a move that caused a lasting political acrimony with Seselj, who was on trial for war crimes before the Hague Tribunal at the time.

"Nikolic was prepared to cause bloodshed with the passenger train provocation, that had slogans drawn on it certain to irritate the Siptars (derogatory term for Albanians), cause their rage and terror, but in this case also of their armed gang formed with the support of NATO," Seselj told a news conference in Belgrade on Thursday.

This was an example, according to the SRS leader, of how "a president, unhappy with his political position, can cause damage to the state and his people." He also asserted that Nikolic would not be the candidate of the SNS in this year's presidential elections.

According to Seselj, cited by Beta, Nikolic did this "in a calculated manner, expecting victims and bloodshed if the Siptars attacked the train, that the Serb police would react and that he would awaken patriotism in that way."

But, said Seselj, "luckily this scenario did not materialize, because all political factors, not only in Serbia but also abroad, saw through it."

The leader of the Radicals believes it is now "most important" for Serbia to wait for the new U.S. administration to take over, and for "the first meeting between the presidents of the U.S. and Russia."

Serbia should "tie its little boat firmly to the mighty Russian ship, and step into the storm together," Seselj said.

"Nikolic cannot cause an armed crisis without consulting our allies and our best friends... (he cannot) act in such a way that leaves Russia flabbergasted, China flabbergasted," he said, adding that Serbia never made any moves without consulting Russia, "not before the First World War, not before the Balkan Wars (of the early 20th century)."