Serbian Progressive Party: Majority Win Opens Road to Change

BELGRADE, Serbia, March 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --



The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) led by Aleksandar Vucic, claimed an absolute majority with almost 50% of the vote in Serbia's parliamentary elections on March 16, as reported by exit polls. The percentage translates into over 155 seats out of 250 under Serbian voting distribution rules.

The results represent a unique majority in Serbia's democratic history and an opportunity to implement necessary reforms and changes that further strengthen the new Serbia. The incoming government has committed itself to an agenda of critical reforms focused on bolstering the economy, job creation and the continued fight against corruption. SNS have also pledged to accelerate Serbia's progress towards EU accession, and dedication towards regional stabilization and continued dialogue with Pristina.

In a victory speech at the SNS's headquarters in Belgrade, the soon to be Prime Minister acknowledged his opponents and thanked the Serbian people for their vote, stressing his commitment towards building a better Serbia. ''The most important partnership is between the people and the government. We will have a tough time in the next few months, but together we can overcome and build Serbia as a country that serves its people.'’ He encouraged the other running candidates to an open dialogue as the way forward to achieving the country's goals.

Serbia began membership talks with the EU earlier this year following a landmark agreement with Pristina, a deal in which Vucic played an instrumental role.

Founded in 2008 by a breakaway group from the Serbian Radical Party, the SNS aimed to draw a line under the country's challenging post-war legacy in order to pursue Serbia's ambitious plans towards membership of the European Union. As party leader, Vucic has made strong progress on modernizing the Serbian economy by positioning the country as a key investment hub in the region. Serbia has emerged as an attractive business destination due to a number of government led policies and initiatives. As a result, Serbia has seen an over 3-fold increase of foreign direct investment in 2013 year-on-year as well as securing a $3.3billion investment from the UAE.

Building on the strength of its partnerships with its neighbours, Serbia under Vucic's leadership aims to see EU entry by 2020 and position itself as a key political and economic player in Europe.