Dragan Đilas, President of the Freedom and Justice Party (SSP), issued a sharp critique of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) on Tuesday, claiming that their recent rhetoric regarding “changes for the better” is an implicit admission of their failure to govern effectively over the past 15 years.
Đilas’s remarks come in response to statements made by Prime Minister Miloš Vučević, who suggested that President Aleksandar Vučić would be the one to implement necessary improvements in the country.
“Insulting the Intelligence of Citizens”
Đilas argued that if the ruling party is calling for a “change for the better,” they are effectively conceding that the current state of Serbia is “bad.”
“They have finally admitted that they have been leading the country in the wrong direction the entire time,” Đilas stated in a written press release. “And since Vučević claims these changes will be brought about by the same man responsible for this current state, it is clear that the SNS is, for the umpteenth time, insulting the intelligence of Serbia’s citizens.”
The SSP Vision: A “Radical Overhaul”
The leader of the SSP outlined a comprehensive and radical platform for what a change in government would look like under his party’s leadership. His “New Policy” focuses on security, education, and health, with a firm pivot toward European integration.
1. Justice and Security Reform
- Accountability: Đilas called for the imprisonment of high-ranking officials and the promotion of police officers who have “actually fought against drug dealers and criminals.”
- Agency Reshuffling: The SSP proposes the total dissolution of the BIA (Security Intelligence Agency) to form a new entity, and the restructuring of RTS (Radio Television of Serbia), specifically its news department, to create a genuine public service.
2. Economic Redistribution
- National Fund: Đilas plans to prosecute those who have “plundered Serbia” and seize their assets to fund a new National Fund.
3. Education and Healthcare Incentives
- Teachers: Proposed salaries of 250,000 RSD and a cap of 20 students per classroom.
- Healthcare: Proposed salaries of 400,000 RSD for doctors and 250,000 RSD for nurses.
4. Social and Regulatory Policies
- Gambling: A significant reduction in the number of betting shops.
- Digital Protection: A ban on social media access for children under the age of 16.
The European Path
Đilas concluded by emphasizing that the SSP’s ultimate goal is to transform Serbia into an “ordered and stable state” through a stronger commitment to the European Union, creating a country that he describes as “fundamentally different from Vučić’s Serbia.”
