At a rally of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in the Belgrade Arena, party member Aleksandar Vučić was on Saturday repeatedly addressed and presented as the President of the Republic, and according to an analysis by the Bureau for Social Research (BIRODI), he himself spoke from the position of president, even though the gathering was part of a pre-election campaign for local elections in ten municipalities across Serbia scheduled for next week, 29 March.
BIRODI analysed Vučić’s speech in the context of a so-called official’s campaign, the recommendations of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and the Law on the Prevention of Corruption.
In its statement, BIRODI said that the following remarks were recorded at the rally: “in the future led by our president Aleksandar Vučić”, “he is not only a leader, not only the president of Serbia”, “that is my brother, the president of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić”, “Mr President, the Knežević family stands with you” and “I am the president, it is logical that I am their target”.
“These statements clearly show that Aleksandar Vučić appeared at the rally and was presented in the capacity of President of the Republic, rather than as a political leader or candidate, even though the event served the purpose of an election campaign for local elections. An analysis of the content of the speech shows that the President of the Republic, within the framework of an election rally, spoke about: local elections and the need for electoral victory, state policy, the army and security, international relations, Kosovo and Metohija,” the analysis states.
Vučić also spoke about investments in Serbia, wages and pensions, energy, food and water, the work of the Government, state projects and future elections, “thereby merging his state function with the election campaign, which represents the basic definition of an official’s campaign according to ODIHR recommendations”.
BIRODI recalled that under the Constitution of Serbia, the President of the Republic “expresses state unity and cannot participate in political campaigning as a state authority”, while under the Law on the Prevention of Corruption “the use of public office to promote political entities is prohibited”.
The priority recommendation number one of ODIHR is the need for a “clear separation between state office and election campaigning”, and Vučić’s conduct represents “an example of an official’s campaign, i.e. the use of public office for the purpose of electoral promotion”, BIRODI states.
BIRODI’s monitoring of advertisements in the pre-election blocks on television channels with national coverage showed that from midnight on 12 March until today, 22 March at 9:00 a.m., 372 adverts were broadcast mentioning “go out and vote – Aleksandar Vučić”, indicating that the violations of the aforementioned acts continue in broadcast advertising and that an official’s campaign is being conducted.
(Beta, Naslovi.net, 22.03.2026)