Miroslav Aleksić, president of the People’s Movement of Serbia (NPS) and a member of parliament, urged citizens in all ten municipalities holding local elections on March 29 to vote, emphasizing that this is a unique opportunity to decide who will lead them for the next four years. He stressed that the past 14 years under the local governments dominated by the SNS and its coalition partners have shown citizens the consequences of their rule.
“I believe the majority of people in these areas want change and will not sell their vote for a sack of artificial fertilizer, a meter of wood, or any other handout, because their vote is worth far more. The authorities have trampled the last ounce of dignity of Serbian citizens, and now citizens must respond at the ballot box,” Aleksić said.
He highlighted that local elections could set an example for the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections. He advocated for a unified list of students and opposition parties, arguing that the regime fears such unity. “We must not give them any space to sow division among us. The best results will come where the opposition and students act together,” he said, citing NPS collaboration with students in Bor and Bajina Bašta as a model for smaller communities.
Aleksić also emphasized that on election day, NPS activists and parliamentarians will be present to support and protect voters. Observers will monitor attempts to intimidate citizens, as seen in Bajina Bašta, where there have been efforts to discourage voting.
“These are not elections, but a battle against the mafia that runs Serbia, presenting it as elections. Candidates on the SNS list are not focused on local communities but carry out orders from their political headquarters. Between elections, promises are made to win votes, yet no one attends to local needs. Citizens must understand this,” Aleksić stated.
He called for reform of the electoral law once the government changes, enabling voters to select representatives by name within party lists, thereby reducing the influence of party leaders and returning power to the citizens.
“The strategy is a unified front, whether through one or two cooperating lists, avoiding attacks on each other. Compromise and awareness of the common goal—freeing the country and creating a normal future for our children and citizens—are essential. I am ready for any agreement because only through dialogue can we achieve a true model. Opposition and student movement synergy is vital, and compromise is necessary because we are defending Serbia, and no one can afford to avoid solutions that lead to victory,” Aleksić concluded.
