Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has said he will resign from office immediately after returning from New York, giving September 25 or 26 as the expected date for his departure.
Vučić made the statement in response to a question from N1 during a press conference, after the main board of his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) selected him as the lead candidate of the “United Serbia” electoral list in the upcoming elections.
“Immediately after returning from New York, I will submit my resignation. That will be September 25 or 26, that’s it,” Vučić said.
Asked in what capacity he was appearing at the press conference and whether the event amounted to a campaign appearance by a government operating in a caretaker capacity, Vučić rejected the characterization of his announcements as election promises.
He said planned increases in salaries and pensions had already been announced and would take effect as previously stated.
Vučić also referred to Serbia’s electoral and anti-corruption rules, saying that he was required to report his activities as president to the Agency for Prevention of Corruption within seven days of an election being called.
He said the requirement covered his public activities, including the press conference and a military exercise that had been planned months earlier.
Vučić criticized the legislation governing such activities, saying he did not believe the rules served anyone particularly well.
His announcement of a September resignation comes as Serbia prepares for parliamentary elections and as Vučić seeks to transition from the presidency while remaining directly involved in the political campaign through the ruling party’s electoral list.
