The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, published a programme text outlining a plan for Serbia’s future in five points.
We are reproducing the text of the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, in full:
“The world around us is changing. More slowly than we might perhaps wish, yet faster than we can consciously and subconsciously keep pace with. We accept new information and technologies, but as social beings, we are primarily limited by our own experience, nostalgic memories, and the mistaken belief that the era of our youth will, in one form or another, return. It will not. From the time behind us, we only need to draw lessons, confront the new age, and change ourselves. By changing ourselves and our habits, we change the future. We do not shape the future through our wishes, but through work and changes in habits and behaviour. This applies to everyone, and especially to us in Serbia.
I did not realise that people would accept even poorer results in exchange for less arrogance and rudeness, and for more humanity and empathy from each of us.
A historic result
The cycle from 2014 to 2026 has been completed. We succeeded in reducing unemployment from 26% to 8%, which is a historic achievement. At the same time, we increased the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) from €32 billion to almost €100 billion. As a result of this policy, the value of what we create today is three times greater than what we created 12 years ago. Our economy remained resilient and alive during the greatest crises, from COVID to the most recent wars. Nevertheless, major changes are needed if we are to maintain a growth rate and a low level of public debt in the years ahead, and continue improving citizens’ living standards.
Numerous adaptations and changes in economic policy are required, as well as in areas where we failed in previous years, or which emerged as a consequence of strong economic growth and, generally speaking, human nature – and we did not oppose these tendencies strongly enough. Two major powers have emerged in the world, the United States and the People’s Republic of China, while Europe is trying to catch up, increasingly understanding that on its path to the future, it will no longer be able to rely on an unquestioning alliance with the United States. Today, more rapidly than ever, the world is undergoing political, military, and, even more significantly, economic realignment.
Becoming an example to larger nations
China and America are far ahead in the development of artificial intelligence, although Europe, particularly Germany and France, is doing everything possible to catch up with the leading pair. However, Europe’s position is far more difficult, complicated, and complex, primarily because of a lack of energy resources and mineral raw materials compared with those two leaders, but even more because of regulations that limit working hours in Europe, grant enormous rights to trade unions, and prevent Europeans – even Germans – from more flexibly and forcefully “starting their engines” in order to catch up with the Chinese and Americans. And most importantly, Europe – and by that I mean all of us – currently enjoys the highest standard of living, and people believe that by repeating the same things, by doing nothing and changing nothing, they will preserve the same pace of development and, more importantly, the same standard of living. That, of course, is impossible. In Europe, we no longer possess the hunger for progress; we always want more justice, but we have lost the “eye of the tiger” in economics during the last two decades of complete comfort.
Serbia needs decisive reforms that can only be delivered by serious, responsible, and experienced people – not by any kind of revolutionary jumping about and foolishness.
Serbia is a small country, not a large European economy, and cannot decisively influence global developments, but it can become an example to larger nations. Nevertheless, I am convinced that the Germans have already understood the message of their experts, and that increasing the productivity of their own economy is becoming their main issue. Accordingly, we too, on our small scale, must address this. Serbia needs decisive and serious reforms – structural and fundamental reforms – that can only be carried out by serious, responsible, and experienced people, not by revolutionary theatrics and reckless behaviour in difficult times.
Courageous and important decisions
I believe it is necessary in the coming period to make courageous and important decisions:
- A drastic reduction in the number of members of the government, state secretaries, assistant ministers, and their administrative apparatus. More decisively and forcefully than 12 years ago, it is necessary to abolish numerous agencies, offices, and administrations that exist only for their own sake and have no essential reason for existing. It is also necessary to undertake further deregulation, for which we ourselves are solely responsible, such as unnecessary certification of goods arriving from the EU, which results in those products costing more in Serbia than in the EU.
- Increased productivity, more work, and greater dedication. We will have to work more, not less. I regret having to say this because I know how unpopular it is, but someone must tell people the truth. For months, there has been discussion about abolishing working days and hours, claims that motivation would improve if working hours were shortened, and that we would travel and live far more comfortably than today. None of that will happen. We will work more. I will begin with myself and demonstrate that it is possible, and I will demand the same from everyone else. Germany, as the engine of Europe, will increase working hours and working days in order to endure the industrial and technological competition with China and America. Serbia must not and cannot accept irresponsible ideas about reducing working hours.
- A courageous and fundamental reform of Serbia’s entire education system. This means greater openness to the world, especially at the level of colleges and universities, as well as acceptance – without hesitation and without trying to please anyone – of the dual education system, in which preparing young people for the labour market is of crucial importance.
- A comprehensive approach to resolving all energy-related issues and problems, including the use of nuclear energy. For decades, we had no new energy facilities. We have built many things, but almost all under pressure and necessity caused by external wars and sanctions. Today we are planning the construction of numerous oil pipelines, gas pipelines, interconnectors, hydroelectric plants, wind farms, and solar power stations, but none of this will be sufficient for Serbia’s energy stability without building both small and large nuclear facilities within the country. The cleanest and safest energy. Securing the expertise and funding for projects in this field will be the greatest challenge for the future government, just as managing mineral wealth, raw materials, minerals, and rare metals will be.
- Aggressive adoption and application of knowledge in robotics, artificial intelligence, and modern technologies. The continued purchase of supercomputers and construction of data centres must not be halted because of a lack of electricity. Data centres are the most important factories – factories that create intelligence – and this is one of the things that will work in Serbia’s favour compared with the wider region.
No one must be belittled or disrespected
Despite numerous results that are objective and measurable, there are things we have failed to achieve and provide for citizens. There was not enough justice – not solely because of us, but certainly not without our responsibility.
“There are two sides to inequality: the arrogant and the ordinary people. I stand with the people, with the nation, because no one must be belittled or disrespected.”
However, most importantly, we failed to free citizens from the arrogance and rudeness of those in power, from the local level to the highest level. To put it plainly, we failed to stand up to all the self-important and arrogant office-holders, recognisable by the phrase: “Do you know who I am?!” We failed to teach them to queue, even when offering condolences at a cemetery; to wait their turn in a shop; to park like everyone else; to show modesty and gratitude instead of condescension and ruthlessness. There are two sides to inequality: the arrogant and ordinary people. I stand with the people, with the nation, because no one must be belittled or disrespected. We failed, but I hope we will have the opportunity to change this and prevail. I personally bear responsibility for this as well. I always thought that the result on the scoreboard was what mattered most to people, understanding that those results were objectively good. I did not realise that people would accept even worse results in exchange for less arrogance and rudeness, and for more humanity and empathy from each of us.
I have barely mentioned our opponents from the Blockader lists in this text. Deliberately and for a reason. In the opposition too, the Blockaders have, over the past year, shown far more arrogance, vanity, and insolence than those in government, while there is still no programme, plan, objectives, or results in sight. Nor will there be.
The time has come for change, for even greater dedication and responsibility. Changes not only in the construction of buildings and infrastructure, but also in our consciousness and in a different, more rational view of the world around us. The need for such changes is great – we must not destroy that idea!”
(Blic, 06.05.2026)
https://www.blic.rs/vesti/politika/aleksandar-vucic-otkrio-plan-za-srbiju-u-5-tacaka/l92sgq5