Srdanović to Danas: “This is not a battle between me and Vučić, but of the people against evil — a choice between Serbia and the mafia”

Ilija Srdanović, first on the student list “Studenti pobeđuju” (Students Win), is convinced that Aleksandar Vučić’s days in power are over and that, after resigning as president, he will no longer have the chance to return to the next position he wanted — prime minister — the Novi Sad cardiologist said in an interview with the newspaper Danas.

He rejects Vučić’s repeated invitations to a televised debate, calling it an old tactic to reduce the movement to a personal confrontation: “Ovo nije borba između mene i Vučića, ovo je borba naroda protiv zla, izbor između Srbije ili mafije” — “This is not a battle between me and Vučić; this is the battle of the people against evil, a choice between Serbia and the mafia.” Srdanović said he would only accept a debate on healthcare, the field where he speaks as a doctor who sees the system from the inside every day.

According to him, Serbia is not heading into a fair race: “We are not fighting a political party, but a mafia that has captured the institutions.” The key, he says, is vote oversight — so he called on citizens to register as election observers for the October 25 vote, so every voice is protected when polling stations close.

On the European path, Srdanović says a possible student-list mandate would prioritize Chapters 23 and 24 (rule of law and the fight against organized crime and corruption), while citizens would make the final decision on EU membership after an open public debate. On Kosovo, he stresses respect for Serbia’s Constitution, improving the life of the Serb community and preserving cultural and spiritual heritage. The campaign will continue, after its symbolic start in Novi Sad, with the presentation of the “Student Plan” through public forums and door-to-door action.