Zaječar and Kosjerić will be the first places where the government and the opposition will measure their strength after several months of protests in Serbia. In Kosjerić, the opposition is united, while in Zaječar, it participates in two columns in the elections, and as the progressives prepare for the upcoming elections
As a litmus test for the republic - this is how part of the public sees the future local elections in Kosjerić and Zaječar which will be held on June 8, as it will be the first election amid months of protests and an unstable political situation in Serbia.
U To Kosjerić, the opposition united and performed together, without party markings, while in Zajecaru, opposition politicians perform in two columns.
There is a little more than a month left until their holding, and the pre-election campaigns are stirring - both from the side of the government and the opposition.
SNS under the name of Aleksandar Vučić
Ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) performs in both places with lists bearing the name of the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić.
The member of the SNS in the republican parliament, Vladimir Đukanović, has been talking about the fight for every vote in these two places on the X social network for days.
"When someone complains to you that it doesn't make sense that you are fighting everywhere to win, you immediately see that they are a born loser and a coward (...) It is very important for us to win in Zaječar and Kosjerić on June 8. We will literally fight for every vote. We have to visit every voter, have our activists reach everywhere, make guest appearances in the local media, talk to the people, listen to people, be on the field from morning to night and show a much greater desire than of our opponents, as well as seriousness. Only persistence and diligence lead to a good result.
When someone objects to you that it makes no sense to fight to win everywhere, you immediately see that they are a born loser and a fool. A person who does not strive for victory and the best result will never achieve anything in life. Of course, it is very important for us to win in every local…
- Vladimir Djukanovic @ (@adv_djukanovic) May 5, 2025
Đukanović was also a guest on the local Zaječar television, and the occasion was the local elections.
The progressives have started to visit the locals, say the interlocutors of "Vremen" from these two places.
"Preparations are underway. They brought in people from the side. It's a shame to be a progressive here, and they had to bring in a lot of people. They brag about having a big party, so they care about winning in any local community, and that's why they bring in people from the side - from Subotica, Somor, Zrenjanin, Novi Sad. Here, first of all, there are people from Vojvodina who go from house to house, harassing people. People drive them out of yards, out of buildings," he told Vreme. Uglješa Đuričković, one of the holders of the opposition list Change in which we believe in Zaječar.
As he explains, SNS promoters give people gifts, distribute lambs and piglets to the socially disadvantaged for glory.
"They visit their voters, because they can't get to these others," says Đuričković.
As he adds, a telephone poll is also being conducted where someone from the party calls people with the question of whether they will vote for Aleksandar Vučić, even though it is a question of local elections, in which Vučić is not participating.
Surprise guests
Elections in Zaječar and Kosjerić she announced President of the National Assembly Ana Brnabić on April 13, 2025.
On May 1, Brnabić stayed in Zaječar, and she was thanked for her visit by Vladimir Videnović, the candidate for mayor of the city of Zaječar in front of the "We will not give Serbia - Aleksandar Vučić" list.
Her visit to this city in the east of Serbia was also marked by a lunch, to which, as Glas Zaječara writes, pensioners from that city and the surrounding villages were invited. As surprise guests at the lunch at the hotel were some city officials, SNS officials, but also Ana Brnabić.
On that occasion, among other things, Ana Brnabić said that every vote is important, not because she doubts the victory, Glas Zaječara writes.
"I have no doubts about the victory, but they will envy you. That victory must be convincing in order to stop this terror and to show in Zaječar and Kosjerić that there is nothing to do with terror, that Serbia was not afraid and will not retreat in the face of the worst," said Ana Brnabić, among other things.
Celebration for women
Two days later, on May 3, the president of the Serbian Progressive Party and the recent Prime Minister of the Government of Serbia, Miloš Vučević, visited Zaječar.
Vucevic visited the activists of the City Committee of the Serbian Progressive Party Zaječar, writes Zaječar online, and a celebration was also organized for women from that city.
"Today, this is not a fight for the Serbian Progressive Party. It is a fight for Zaječar and for our homeland," said Vučević, thanking him for the warm welcome.
"Thank you for everything you do for Zaječar and for the whole of Serbia. I believe that we will win together," emphasized Vućević and added: "We are going to win on June 8. Long live Zaječar, long live Timočka krajina."
Bring your relatives.
Vladimir Videnović, candidate for mayor, holder of the "We will not give Serbia - Aleksandar Vučić" list in Zaječar addressed the attendees.
"I will take the opportunity to invite you all to go to the polls on June 8. Bring your families, relatives, friends. To support the list number one 'We will not give Serbia - Aleksandar Vučić', which I am the holder of. And let us all win together, even stronger and more united. And let us continue everything we started, even stronger and stronger," Videnović emphasized.
Kosjerić: Positive campaign
Since they waited word of the students about whether they agree with the unification, the opposition politicians in Kosjerić continue to respect the principles set by the students, and do not want to comment on the campaign of the progressives at the bar.
"People have accepted that kind of rhetoric and behavior, so we are trying to continue it. Since they gave us support, we tried to stick to that terminology. We are running a positive campaign, we are not looking back at what SNS is doing, but we are focusing on what we are doing," Dejan Restak told "Vreme" in front of the Kosjerica united opposition.
Several actions are expected in the coming days.
"We will talk about environmental issues, how to make this region progress, how to eliminate corruption, how to prevent school ceilings from falling, how to solve corruption, to oppose general violence," says Dejan Restak.
Unlike Zaječar, senior SNS officials have not yet started visiting Kosjerić.
They have exactly one month for that, since that's how much time is left until the beginning of the pre-election silence.
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