Belgrade’s New Mayor Promises to Listen to Opposition Proposals

"Both constructive [proposals] and criticism, we will listen to them - you can get a message from criticism and become better," Belgrade mayor Aleksandar Sapic told public broadcaster Radio-Television Serbia, RTS on Tuesday in his first interview after being elected

Sapic, the candidate of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, SNS, was elected on Monday by a very narrow majority - 57 votes out of a total of 110 members of the city assembly.

There is speculation that elections might be held again in Belgrade next year, due to the small majority held by the SNS and its partner, the Socialist Party of Serbia, SPS, backed by one MP who switched sides from the right-wing opposition coalition NADA.

But Sapic said that this does not bother him.

"Whether it will be six months, a year, two, three or four, it will depend on new circumstances. There is no pressure and I will do everything to improve things in Belgrade," said Sapic.

Opposition parties won more votes at April's elections than the SNS and SPS, but due to the electoral system, they do not have a majority.

Sapic said that due to the war in Ukraine, it is a difficult period everywhere in the world, and priorities have to be decided upon.

"I think it is at this moment, the priority and the most important thing is to provide warm homes, communal order, to provide public transport… Of course, we will not give up on big capital things - roads, the subway and wastewater treatment plants, the reconstruction of boulevards, schools and kindergartens," he said.

He described Belgrade as "the New York of south-east Europe".

Sapic's election as mayor was expected as he was number one on the SNS's election list.

He is a former water polo star and a former...