the-newsmakers

Across the Balkans : What does five more years of Aleksandar Vucic mean for Serbia and the region?

Serbia's incumbent president secured a second term with almost 60% of the votes and his centre-right Serbian Progressive Party will maintain its control over parliament. During his campaign, Vucic promised peace and stability after Russia's attack on Ukraine sent shockwaves across Europe. But Belgrade's vague position came under pressure, as the West forced it to choose a side. Either stick to its traditional ties with Moscow or move forward with its aspirations to join the EU. But Vucic was defiant, saying Serbia had no plans to change its neutral stance. The leading opposition candidate accused him of exploiting the conflict in Ukraine for electoral gain, saying these elections were the beginning of Vucic's end. Opposition and rights groups also accused Vucic and his allies of corruption, controlling the media and attacking political opponents... charges he has repeatedly denied. Across the Balkans takes a closer look at the Serbian election results and what impact it could have on the region. Plus, Ramadan is here and Muslims around the world have started their month of spiritural reflection through fasting and prayer. Mosques have opened for the first time for Ramadan night prayers, ending two years of restrictive measures brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. Bekim Laci went to Skopje to see how people in the Balkans are observing Ramadan. Across The Balkans, hosted by Nafisa Latic, is TRT World’s programme that focuses specifically on the issues and fault lines shaping Southeast Europe today. Watch other episodes of ‘Across the Balkans’ 👉 http://trt.world/fvfp

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