Vučić disowns Belgrade mayor Šapić: “There is no justification for what he did”

BEOGRAD, September 29, 2026 – Aleksandar Vučić, lead candidate of the “Ujedinjena Srbija” (United Serbia) electoral list and a member of the SNS presidency, on Monday responded to claims by the “Kreni-promeni” movement that Belgrade mayor Aleksandar Šapić physically attacked one of its councillors. In a statement to Informer, Vučić openly distanced himself from Šapić, saying there is “no justification for Aleksandar Šapić and for what he did.”

According to Informer’s reporting, Vučić said he had spoken with Šapić the previous evening and that the mayor had been tested for drugs and alcohol — both tests came back negative — while he was held at a police station until 5:30 a.m. and questioned. The statement came as Vučić campaigns near Bor.

Vučić’s emphasis fell on the responsibility of a public official. “He should have walked away. He should have crossed to the other side of the street,” Vučić said, as Informer reports. His message was blunt: as a public official, Šapić must not allow himself to be drawn into incidents when provoked. “You, as a public official, must not allow yourself, when you see someone provoking you, to not walk away. Go to the other side of the street, walk away. You simply must not take part. And the responsibility for this lies exclusively with Aleksandar Šapić,” he said.

Vučić clarified that he was not talking about criminal responsibility — that is for prosecutors and courts to decide — but about the political responsibility of a public official. He added that Šapić agreed with this assessment, saying that “morning is wiser than evening.”

As Nova.rs reports, the mayor has announced a press conference for 11:00 a.m. today. On the evening of September 28, the “Kreni-promeni” movement accused Šapić of attacking its councillor Tanja Mićić while she was out walking with her husband and their dog. According to the reports, a medical examination confirmed a fracture of the left nasal bone and part of the upper jaw, while Šapić denied the attack, saying he “did not hit her, but pushed her to defend himself.” The opposition demanded his resignation.