Bojan Klačar, executive director of Cesid, told “Blic” that it was not expected that the boycott of the elections would take place at the local level.
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– Even if the parties did not allow it, and the majority did, there would be a selective boycott in the local elections because some would probably decide to go to the elections, and others would run directly with a group of citizens. In other words, it was not expected that the boycott from Belgrade would descend on 88 municipalities and cities, it was more likely that it would be selected as it was in 2020 – assesses Klačar.
He assesses that for the parties, the elections in the capital are one thing, and the local elections are another.
– At the bar, the way of acting is different than in Belgrade, participation in the government is important because the infrastructure is being built, but also the position is strengthened. In the case of a boycott, it would mean that there would be 8 years without political presence at the local level, and that is too much – says Klačar.
The opposition is in a difficult situation
Aleksandar Ivković, a political scientist, agrees with him, and believes that it will be challenging to explain the decision.
– I think that the parties that make that decision are in a very awkward position, because it is really difficult to explain it to the voters. According to their current communication, we see that they will refer to the document they signed with the Proclamation on Election Conditions as a moral justification, while at the same time they will say that it is an autonomous decision of local committees in the rest of Serbia (which does not have to be incorrect) – says Ivković.
Photo: Nemanja Jovanović / Tanjug
Six members of the coalition “Serbia against violence” decided to go to the elections on June 2 under the slogan “I choose the fight”, while the remaining three members of the Freedom and Justice Party, Zajedno and the Heart movement decided to boycott them. But, as it turned out, the boycott refers only to voting in the capital.
So Vladimir Vrsajkov, president of the Novi Sad committee of the Freedom and Justice Party, said that they will try to preserve unity in Novi Sad, but that the boycott only benefits the progressives.
– As far as I can see, most of my colleagues are in favor of going out, just like me personally – Vrsajkov told Vreme.
Together with the Heart they did not want to give an answer because, as they say, the talks are still ongoing the final decision will be made “in a day or two”.
“No responsibility for results”
The co-president of the Zajedno party, Nebojša Zelenović, said that he is firmly against going to the elections in Belgrade, but that the decision on the local will still be made.
Despite these fluctuations, Ivković believes that, as time goes on, the parties will strive less and less to justify that decision, and more and more to divert attention from the elections in Belgrade, so that they do not have constant communication problems.
– Since in this way they will not fight for better election conditions, the only thing they gain from the boycott is that they will not bear responsibility for the election results in Belgrade, of course, if they do not politically hinder the campaign of those who come out despite these hesitations – notes Ivković.
Photo: Vesna Lalić / RAS Serbia
Confusion is also caused by the statement of Zoran Lutovac, the leader of the Democratic Party, who first decided that his party would go to the elections, but that he would withdraw from the electoral process if the voter list issue was not resolved.
Two reasons for the reduced turnout
Klačar notes that a delicate period awaits the opposition that goes to the elections.
– Everything about the latest events, about not going to the elections and then the selective attitude about the boycott, will lead the voters into disorientation, confusion, a compilation of apathy and disappointment. This means that the parties running for elections will have to change a lot in the coming period and work a lot on the ground to change it. At the moment, the best description of the situation in the opposition is “confusion” – says Klačar.
That, he adds, could be one of the reasons for not participating in the elections.
– The first is the subjective factor, i.e. anger and anger due to the fact that there were relatively quick divisions within the long-awaited unified block, which now lasted only a short time. Another reason is the strategic campaign of SSP, Srce and Zajedno, which will work to explain why they decided to boycott – concludes Klačar.
