Democratic Party, Green-Left Front reject Vucic's invitation to consultations

BELGRADE - Serbia's opposition Democratic Party and the Green-Left Front announced on Thursday they would not be taking part in consultations with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

In a statement, Democratic Party leader Srdjan Milivojevic said the party would not be participating in the consultations as it stood "with the citizens and the student (electoral) list."

He noted that dialogue with the current authorities was "not possible and not in the interest of the society," and added that Vucic's invitation to consultations was an attempt to "retain power."

In a separate statement, the Green-Left front said the invitation did not reflect a sincere desire to overcome problems but was instead aimed at keeping Vucic in power.

The party also said its positions on the discussion topics proposed by Vucic were well known, and that it demanded early parliamentary elections in Serbia and believed the country's future was in the EU.

Earlier in the day, Vucic invited officials of political parties to consultations scheduled to begin on Friday with meetings with the Movement of Socialists, the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians and the Justice and Reconciliation Party.

According to media reports, public demands for early parliamentary elections, the attitude to the EU and Serbia's actions amid complex international circumstances in terms of security and the energy sector will be the topics of the meetings.