Serbian State-Building Bloc

The Serbian State-Building Bloc (Serbian Cyrillic: Српски државотворни блок, romanized: Srpski državotvorni blok, abbr. SDB) is a political coalition in Serbia, composed of Serbian Party Oathkeepers and Dveri. Formed in October 2023, its members have also invited members of the National Democratic Alternative coalition, the New Democratic Party of Serbia and Movement for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Serbia, and the People's Party to join SDB.

Serbian State-Building Bloc
Српски државотворни блок
Srpski državotvorni blok
AbbreviationSDB
Representatives
Founded4 October 2023 (2023-10-04)
Colours  Blue
National Assembly
14 / 250
Assembly of Vojvodina
0 / 120
City Assembly of Belgrade
5 / 110

History

Background

The Serbian Party Oathkeepers (SSZ), led by Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski, and Dveri, led by Boško Obradović, had been cooperating as early as April 2022, when they signed a document in which they pledged to oppose any sanctions against Russia that are related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[1] At the press conference, Đurđević Stamenkovski added that, however, SSZ and Dveri did not sign a pre-election coalition agreement or an agreement on merging their parliamentary groups in the National Assembly of Serbia.[1]

Their cooperation was further expanded in October 2022, when, together with the National Democratic Alternative (NADA), which is composed of New Democratic Party of Serbia (NDSS) and Movement for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Serbia (POKS), and the People's Party (Narodna), they signed a joint declaration for the "reintegration of Kosovo into the constitutional and legal order of Serbia".[2] Later that month, SSZ, Dveri, NDSS, and POKS, submitted a proposed resolution against introducing sanctions against Russia in the National Assembly.[3] Beginning in January 2023, SSZ, Dveri, and NADA had called organised protests and called for the rejection of the Ohrid Agreement, a proposed agreement to normalise relations between Serbia and Kosovo.[4] They organised protests in January and March 2023.[4][5]

Formation

Inside the City Assembly of Belgrade, SSZ and Dveri formed a joint councillor group in September 2023, named "Serbian Movement Dveri – Serbian Party Oathkeepers – Patriotic Bloc".[6] Đurđević Stamenkovski was presented as the group's leader, however, she said that Radmila Vasić would instead act as its main spokesperson.[6] A month later, on 4 October 2023, SSZ and Dveri formed the Serbian State-Building Bloc (SDB).[7] Alongside Đurđević Stamenkovski and Obradović, Miloš Ković, a historian and professor at the Faculty of Philosophy, was also one of its initiators; Obradović also added that academics Dušan Proroković, Ratko Ristić, and Valentina Arsić Arsenijević are also part of the bloc, despite not attending the press conference.[7] SSZ and Dveri announced that they would take part together in the upcoming elections and they invited NADA, Narodna, and "other extra-parliamentary and parliamentary parties that are opposed to the [Ohrid Agreement] to join the bloc".[7]

SSZ and Dveri announced on 9 October that they began talks with NADA, Narodna, and other extra-parliamentary parties in order to expand SDB for the upcoming elections.[8] Miloš Jovanović, the president of NDSS, did not rule out NADA joining SDB; he also said that "if it does not happen it will not be a drama".[9]

Ideology and platform

SDB is opposed to the implementation of the proposed Ohrid Agreement.[7] Although in opposition to the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, SDB is also critical of pro-European parties and refuses to cooperate with them.[7][10][11] At the October 2023 press conference, Obradović also declared that it is important to "preserve the domestic economy, agriculture, family and traditional values, as well as respect for the Constitution of Serbia".[12] Đurđević Stamenkovski said that the main vision of the bloc is to gather nationalist parties.[13] At its second press conference in Kragujevac, the RTV Kragujevac described SDB's main principles as "fighting for a sovereign, independent Serbia with a national economy, agriculture, and education".[14] While in Valjevo, Obradović said that SDB would "defend and preserve Kosovo and Metohija as part of Serbia, Republika Srpska, oppose sanctions against Russia and Serbia's membership in NATO, and protect the environment".[15][16]

Members

At the time of its formation, SDB was composed of SSZ and Dveri.[7] In the National Assembly of Serbia, SSZ has 8 members and Dveri has 6, while in the City Assembly of Belgrade, the SSZ–Dveri councillor group has 5 members.[17][18]

Name Leader Main ideology Political position National Assembly City Assembly of Belgrade
Serbian Party Oathkeepers (SSZ) Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski Ultranationalism Far-right
8 / 250
2 / 110
Serbian Movement Dveri (Dveri) Boško Obradović Serbian nationalism Right-wing to far-right
6 / 250
3 / 110

References
  1. "Zavetnici i Dveri formirali blok protiv sankcija Rusiji" [Oathkeepers and Dveri form an against sanctions on Russia bloc]. Politika (in Serbian). 13 April 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  2. "Deklaracija Pokreta za odbranu KiM i pet partija za južnu pokrajinu" [Declaration of the Movement for the Defence of KiM and five parties for the southern province]. Radio Television of Serbia. 4 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  3. "Dveri, Zavetnici, Novi DSS i POKS predali Skupštini predlog rezolucije protiv uvođenja sankcija Rusiji" [Dveri, Oathkeepers, New DSS, and POKS submitted to the National Assembly a proposal for a resolution against the introduction of sanctions against Russia]. Politika (in Serbian). 21 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  4. "Protest ispred Predsedništva: Dveri, NADA i Zavetnici traže potpuno odbacivanje evropskog predloga za Kosovo i Metohiju" [Protest in front of the Presidency: Dveri, NADA, and Oathkeepers demand complete rejection of the European proposal for Kosovo and Metohija]. Danas (in Serbian). 28 January 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  5. ""Ne kapitulaciji": Protest protiv francusko-nemačkog predloga za Kosovo" ["No to capitulation": Protest against the Franco-German proposal for Kosovo]. BBC News (in Serbian). 17 March 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  6. "Formirana nova odbornička grupa u Skupštini Beograda Zavetnici – Dveri" [A new councillor group was formed in the City Assembly of Belgrade, Oathkeepers–Dveri]. Danas (in Serbian). 13 September 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  7. "Zavetnici i Dveri formirali "Srpski državotvorni blok", pozvali koaliciju NADA i druge stranke da im se pridruže" [Oathkeepers and Dveri formed the "Serbian State-Building Bloc", they invited the NADA coalition and other parties to join them]. Danas (in Serbian). 4 October 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  8. "Dveri i Zavetnici u razgovorima sa drugim organizacijama slične orijentacije oko ujedinjenja" [Dveri and Oathkeepers in talks with other organisations of a similar orientation regarding unification]. Novinska agencija Beta (in Serbian). 9 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  9. "Miloš Jovanović: Zasad nema koalicije sa Dverima, Zavetnicima i Narodnom strankom, ako se i ne desi nije drama" [Miloš Jovanović: So far there is no coalition with Dveri, Oathkeepers, and the People's Party, if it doesn't happen it's not a drama]. Danas (in Serbian). 15 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  10. "Dveri: Nacionalno okupljanje opcija za sve koji žele smenu Vučića ali ne i povratak bivšeg režima" [Dveri: National gathering of options for all those who want the removal of Vučić but not the return of the former regime]. Novinska agencija Beta (in Serbian). 20 October 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  11. Radovanović, Vojin (20 October 2023). "Zaboravite Vučića i Đilasa: Dveri i Zavetnici poručuju da neće da budu "štaka" proevropske opozicije za dolazak na vlast" [Forget Vučić and Đilas: Dveri and Oathkeepers say that they will not be a "crutch" of the pro-European opposition to come to power]. Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  12. "Dveri i Zavetnici formirali srpski državotvorni blok" [Dveri and Oathkeepers form the Serbian State-Building Bloc]. Novinska agencija Beta (in Serbian). 4 October 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  13. "Predizborna saradnja Dveri i Zavetnika: Pozvali na "nacionalno okupljanje"" [Pre-election cooperation between Dveri and Oathkeepers: They called for "national gathering"]. N1 (in Serbian). 4 October 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  14. "Konvencija predizborne saradnje srpskog pokreta Dveri i stranke Zavetnici" [Convention of pre-election cooperation between the Serbian Movement Dveri and Party Oathkeepers]. Radio Television of Kragujevac (in Serbian). 7 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  15. "Obradović: Valjevo ima ogromne potencijale, a plate niže za 20.000 dinara od republičkog proseka" [Obradović: Valjevo has enormous potential, and salaries are 20,000 dinars lower than the national average]. Novinska agencija Beta (in Serbian). 8 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  16. "Obradović: Formiranje patriotskog i državotvornog bloka je početak nove ere srpske politike" [Obradović: The formation of the patriotic and state-building bloc marks the beginning of a new era of Serbian politics]. Danas (in Serbian). 8 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  17. "Poslaničke grupe" [Parliamentary groups]. National Assembly of Serbia (in Serbian). Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  18. "Spisak odbornika Skupštine Grada Beograda" [List of councillors of the City Assembly of Belgrade] (PDF). City of Belgrade. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
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