Former Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has rejected reports that he was preparing a coup following his electoral defeat, responding to allegations published by British newspaper The Times and explaining how he decided to acknowledge the results.
Vučić, who led the “United Serbia” electoral list, said he had met with senior police officials before the election and told them he would immediately accept defeat if his list lost, while refusing to allow an electoral victory to be stolen if his side won.
“That was all. Just so you understand what kind of liars they are,” Vučić said, criticizing those who claimed he had been contacted by a foreign official before conceding defeat.
He said he had been alone in his office when Miloš Vučević and Ana Brnabić arrived. Republika Srpska leader Milorad Dodik, Republika Srpska National Assembly Speaker Nenad Stevandić and Montenegrin politician Milan Knežević were also present, Vučić said, adding that none of them were foreign officials.
Why Vučić decided to concede
Vučić said the initial election results from smaller polling stations had suggested that his list was ahead, particularly in rural areas and villages. However, he explained that the picture changed when he received a stratified sample of results from urban areas.
According to his account, the data showed that the margin against his list was significantly larger than initially expected, particularly in Belgrade and Vojvodina.
“I saw that the difference was much greater, and I said: I’m going to acknowledge the result,” Vučić said.
He argued that continuing to count votes without acknowledging the overall trend would have been pointless and could have increased public tensions.
“Serious people, statesmen, have a duty to reduce tensions among the people,” he said, explaining his decision to publicly recognize the result.
Vučić also denied receiving a call from any foreign official before making the announcement. He said he had received a call concerning a separate incident in Lazarevac, where he accused anti-government protesters of attacking people and police. Those allegations were not independently substantiated in the report.
SNS prepares for leadership changes
Vučić also announced that the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) would elect new party leadership within the following three days.
The announcement comes after the party’s electoral defeat and amid questions about its future organization and political strategy.
His comments follow reports in The Times alleging that Vučić had considered extraordinary measures after the election. He rejected those claims and presented his decision to concede as an effort to prevent further escalation.
The political consequences of the result, including the future leadership of the SNS and the formation of a new government, remain central questions in Serbia’s post-election transition.
