The rally titled “We Will Not Give Up on Serbia,” organized by the Movement for the People and the State, supporting local President Aleksandar Vučić, will feature Vladislav Dajković, the leader of Free Montenegro. In contrast, Vladimir Joković, the head of the Socialist People’s Party (SNP), stated he won’t attend due to a lack of invitation.

“Vijesti” did not receive a response from officials of the former Democratic Front (DF), who are allied with Vučić, regarding their attendance in the Serbian capital today.

Dajković confirmed his attendance to “Vijesti,” expressing his support for Vučić.

“Without Vučić, Milo (Đukanović) would still be targeting the Serbian people in Montenegro. This must be stated clearly, regardless of opinions. The conspiracy against him—from Montenegrin committees to fervent Albanians from Pristina, alongside adversarial Croats and Bosniaks—shows that assaults on the President of Serbia are, in truth, attacks on the entire Serbian populace,” he remarked.

He noted that a weakened Serbian government brings joy to enemies of the Serbs.

“Yet, the attempts at a color revolution seem to be failing daily, leaving those power centers with little to anticipate. Certainly, the President of Serbia has my backing; it would be peculiar if it were otherwise,” Dajković asserted.

Joković conveyed to “Vijesti” that he had not been invited to Vučić’s rally, hence he will not be heading to Belgrade.

Responses from New Serbian Democracy (NSD) leader Andrija Mandić and Democratic People’s Party (DNP) leader Milan Knežević regarding their participation were not forthcoming, nor did the first man of Nikšić and NSD MP Marko Kovačević, Minister of Sports and SNP official Dragoslav Šćekić, or Marko Milačić, the leader of Prava Crne Gore, respond.

Prior to the rally, the Serbian Cultural Center (SKC) “Patriarch Varnava” from Pljevlja shared an invitation on social media, urging local citizens to attend the event.

The mayor of Pljevlja, Dario Vraneš, mentioned yesterday on “Colors of the Morning” on Television “Vijesti” that the municipality isn’t involved in organizing the gathering, although he finds no issue with the call.

“The Municipality of Pljevlja isn’t part of this gathering’s organization. The full organization is handled by the ‘Serbian Cultural Center’… We are a democratic state, with 66 percent of our municipality identifying as Serbs. They have every right to travel to Serbia and engage in their homeland’s social life. I also identify as a Serb and see nothing controversial in that invitation,” Vranes stated, adding that the Municipality isn’t financing the trip.

The president of the Pljevlja NGO, Božidar Jelovac, informed “Vijesti” that there is significant interest among local citizens regarding the Belgrade trip, with not just Pljevlja residents but others from different Montenegrin municipalities signing up.

“We regard the rally in Belgrade on April 12th as a patriotic event and support all patriotic movements across Serbia, Montenegro, and Republika Srpska,” he said in response to why the SKC “Patriarch Varnava” is facilitating free transport to the Belgrade rally.

Jelovac serves as an NSD councilor in the Pljevlja parliament.

The former DF leaders are viewed as supportive of the Serbian president and have participated in various events organized by him in the past.

Knežević spoke at the Serbian Statehood Day celebration in February and also addressed the “Serbia of Hope” rally held in May 2023.

Additionally, the leaders of the DNP, Kovačević, and Dajković have endorsed a recent petition advocating “Vučić’s right to life,” which highlighted the “growing dehumanization and demonization” of his character and actions, as well as his position.

The petition was initiated in early January by the Institute for Political Networking, which is relatively unknown in Serbia. Among its 35 signatories are ministers, ambassadors, politicians, and public figures regularly appearing in regime media, supporting the Serbian Progressive Party and Vučić while targeting the opposition.

The “We Will Not Give Up Serbia” rally commenced yesterday and will continue until Sunday, with the primary event scheduled for today. This will introduce the non-partisan “Movement for the People and the State,” recently registered at the beginning of this month.

Among the founders of this movement are members of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, including the prospective Prime Minister-designate of Serbia, Đuro Macut.

Vučić has been announcing the intention to establish a non-partisan movement for several years, following his resignation from the presidency of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) during the “Serbia of Hope” rally.

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