Progressive Party

Deputy Prime Minister Dan Barna said on Monday that the data on the pandemic and vaccination had not been accessed without the right to do so by the adviser to the health minister, mentioning that he had received this information from Prime Minister Florin Citu. "I know for sure at the moment that no data have been accessed without the right to do so.

The ruling parties in China and Serbia on Monday pledged to forge ever-closer links, as a Chinese Communist Party delegation in Belgrade met Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister Ana Brnabic.

Both sides hailed the strong relations between the two countries but also between the two ruling parties - the Chinese Communist Party and Serbian Progressive Party, SNS.

With campaigning well under way in the lead up to the Belgrade City Assembly election on March 4, political parties are scrambling to attract celebrity candidates and endorsements from stars and public figures in a bid to win over voters.

Dragan Sikimic, who was appointed director of Serbia's Anti-Corruption Agency, an independent state body tasked with monitoring parties' finances, on 17 January, is closely involved with Serbia's ruling Progressive Party, BIRN can reveal.

Several MPs from the ruling Serbian Progressive Party have excused the attacks on journalists that took place on May 31, when Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic was sworn in - as the EU again warns Serbia about its treatment of journalists.

Vucic said at Friday's meeting that he is accepting the nomination because he fears of the return of those who have robbed, destroyed and humiliated the country.

Speculation that Aleksandar Vucic will stand for the Serbian presidency mounted on Friday when the vice-president of his ruling Serbian Progressive Party, Milos Vucevic, announced that would propose Vucic as the party's candidate for the elections, expected in March or April.

In an interview with Serbian tabloid Kurir on Tuesday, President Tomislav Nikolic said there is no reason for the ruling Progressives not to support him as their candidate in the upcoming presidential election, which is expected to be held no later than April this year.

Icelanders opted for stability in a general election, results showed on Oct. 30, with the anti-establishment Pirate Party falling short of expectations and the junior partner in the outgoing government emerging on top. 

Iceland's four left-wing and center opposition parties announced on Oct. 27 that they had reached an agreement to form a coalition ahead of a snap election which they are on course to win.  

The anti-establishment Pirate Party, the Left-Green Movement, the Social Democrats, and the centrist Bright Future released a joint statement ahead of the Oct. 29 poll.