Vucic Hints at Resignation During China Visit

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said during a visit to China that he could soon step down from office, while stressing that he did not plan to cut short his mandate in the way former President Boris Tadic had done.

Vucic also played down the significance of the anti-government protest in Belgrade's Slaviya Square, accusing the organizers of incidents after the rally and claiming the turnout was neither large nor the content significant. Security services estimated attendance at between 30,000 and 34,000 people.

The president also announced that the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SPP) was preparing its own rally for the end of June, saying the messages delivered to citizens mattered more than the number of participants.

Responding to foreign criticism, Vucic rejected Bloomberg's characterization of Serbia's ties with China as too close. He also pushed back against comments by MEP Andreas Schieder that Belgrade had suspended rail services out of fear of protests.

(weather, bak)