Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić is facing the most challenging weeks of his career, reported the Financial Times on Monday. There are two political deadlines that could determine the fate of his regime, according to the article.
Since the end of last year, Serbia has been experiencing ongoing protests following the deaths of 15 people in Novi Sad, caused by the collapse of a shelter at the train station. Vučić dismissed the prime minister in an attempt to meet the demands of protesting students. He has until mid-April to choose a successor or call for new elections. On Sunday, he proposed Gjoro Macutin as prime minister.
However, giving the mandate to Macutin, who has stated that politics should not be a part of universities, according to analysts, will not stop the protest movement. He must be appointed prime minister by April 18.
Even if the selection of the new prime minister is successfully completed, Vučić faces another deadline that could be decisive for his political future.
The United States has extended the deadline twice for Serbia to find a buyer for the Serbian Oil Industry (NIS), which is led by Gazprom, or face sanctions. But the Russian company is not willing to sell shares.
“The Russian approach is that they want to keep it at all costs,” Vučić said earlier to the Financial Times.
On March 29, Vučić announced that the final deadline had been extended by 30 days.
