Vucic will not rule out elections in 2019

Vucic will not rule out elections in 2019

"I do not exclude the possibility of (elections) because we are entering the election year in March or April, and there's nothing early about it. Apparently, everyone thinks they are very strong and can win. I think we can go to the polls. There are ideas within the SNS that I should head its election list, before somebody else comes in. It seems to me that this could bring them more convincing results," Vucic said in an interview with the website espreso.rs.

He said that he would "not bet" on remaining in politics after his presidential term is over, and that there would not be "a new Vucic" in the SNS after that.

"Everyone leaves their own mark, but there will definitely be a new leader in the SNS. There are many talented people," Vucic said, but refused to comment on his favorites for that position.

He said that in that case, there would be "plenty of people who will leave with him, and the person he suggests will certainly be in favor of a new leadership of the party and a new president, and those will be the people who will fight and who are ready to receive the punches."

"Good communication with the Socialist Party of Serbia leader (Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica) Dacic is very important, because they know how to fight, and all those things they cannot withstand, the SNS is stronger there. Besides, I have a better economic policy that is not falsely populist, which is to take care of all social strata - supposedly it's the policy of the (opposition) Democratic Party," Vucic remark.

Vucic also said that there are many people from the SNS at the local level with whose performance he is not satisfied.

"They have not understood that they are actually the same as these favorite oppositionists of mine. It's enough for them to replace somebody in power in their local environments to behave arrogantly and violently. At the start of 2019, there is panic among some members of the SNS, because they know the party congress will be held this year," he assessed.

When asked why SNS founder Tomislav Nikolic is being visibly sidelined, Vucic said he did not know what that meant - and that Nikolic was making appearances and doing "a serious job."

"He was present at the marking of the party (anniversary). Not only is he the founder number one, I am the founder number two. I will do the same when I'm no longer in this office tomorrow. You certainly won't be seeing me every day. I hear that he has been doing his job as usual," Vucic added.