Has the Wolf Changed his Coat?

This past weekend saw the election of Nationalist Tomislav Nikolić to Serbia's presidency. This could have possible consequences for Serbia's direction and aspirations for EU membership.  New Eastern Europe's Maia Lazar discussed the results with Branislav Radeljic from the University of East London.

"Has the Wolf Changed his Coat?" – Interview with Branislav Radeljic, Senior Lecturer in International Politics, University of East London.

NEW EASTERN EUROPE: What risks does Serbia face with Tomislav Nikolić?

BRANISLAV RADELJIC: It is difficult to predict how Nikolić would behave in such a role. He was an important figure in Vojislav Šešelj’s Serbian Radical Party and now he is leading the Serbian Progressive Party, established in 2008, after an ideological clash with his fellow Radicals. If we recall the proverb saying, “The wolf changes his coat, but not his disposition,” than it is easy to say that Nikolić could be a serious risk both for the already disappointed citizens of Serbia and for the processes of democratisation and Europeanisation.

However, this does not mean that Nikolić should not be given a chance, especially if we take into consideration how much time Tadić has had and how little he has done for Serbia and its citizens. Nikolić is being supported by some remarkable experts who very explicitly point out the main failures of the current government and, more importantly, claim to have an idea as how to fix the problems. 

To read the full interview: https://www.neweasterneurope.eu/node/325