Vucic denies planning election night violence: “No foreign officials called me”

Aleksandar Vucic, the lead candidate on the United Serbia electoral list, denied Thursday that he had planned election night violence or that he allegedly backed down after receiving calls from abroad. Speaking at a Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) press conference, Vucic said that, as the leader of the United Serbia electoral list, he had met with top police officials and told them that if he lost the election, he would concede immediately - but if he won, he would not allow anyone to steal that victory. “No one called,” Vucic said, noting that his “first conversation with a foreigner” took place around 11:15 pm, when former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called him. He added that he later spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron and a few other friends, and two days later with European Council President Antonio Costa.