PM says he'll "step aside when people say so"

PM says he'll "step aside when people say so"

This was Vucic's response to SRS leader Vojislav Seselj's statement about his readiness to form a coalition with Vucic's SNS "if they gave up on the European road." Vucic also said he "respects all his political opponents, including Seselj and (Bojan) Pajtic."

Vucic stated that the EU was the biggest donor in Serbia after the floods, "along with the UAE and Scandinavian countries," and told opposition leaders they can "always replace him," while he will "always respect the will of citizens unlike one of them who is holding on to his chair at any cost."

"That will never occur to me. When the people show they don't want this government, I will be ready to step aside," concluded Vucic.

He said a decision on whether to hold early parliamentary elections will be made by the end of September.

Reporters observed that DS leader Bojan Pajtic said his party has 30 percent support, Seselj said the SRS has 20 percent - while according to SPS leader Ivica Dacic, his party has 15 percent - and that this was the reason the SNS was afraid to go to elections, and asked Vucic for comment.

He replied that if this was the case the SNS was "on the threshold level" while the opposition "has won the election - and I congratulate them in advance."

"But don't forget to remind them after the election what they said about the support they had," Vucic added.

Speaking in Novi Sad on Wednesday, he also denied there was a plan to permanently settle refugees in Serbia. "On the contrary," he said, "it is our desire to be responsible and act seriously."

"Although we are merely a candidate country, we are ready to behave like an EU member state. To try in every way to show we are ready to take our share of responsibility like any EU member," said the prime minister, but added that "it is not know what exactly that means - until we see a comprehensive solution of the EU, their strategic solution."

"As could be seen yesterday, refugees don't even want to stay in Vienna, where only six asylum applications have been filed. They have a planned route leading to Germany and Scandinavian countries. We are not in those plans, not even Austria and the Czech Republic are, which are much more developed countries," Vucic said, and concluded that Serbia was "ready to accept everything the EU agrees on."