Serbia Ombudsman Resigns to Run for President

While most political parties in Serbia, including the ruling Progressives, have yet to name their candidates for April's presidential elections, Sasa Jankovic officially launched his presidential campaign on Tuesday.

"In the name of the citizens, I want to be the president of Serbia as the protector of all of us," Jankovic said. 

As Ombudsman, he has crossed swords with the Serbian authorities on many occasions.

He made it clear several months ago that he will run for the presidency after a number of writers, artists and public figures urged him to stand in November.

He has also received support from two opposition parties, the New Party, led by Zoran Zivkovic, and the Democratic Party. Together, these two parties won about six per cent of the votes in last April's general election.

But in recent months he has been accused by pro-government media and activists of using his public office for his personal political campaign, although he denied this. 

"I will run to bring back the smile, the dignity and the future of Serbia," he wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

Analysts have suggested that Jankovic could count on the backing of many voters who are not party-affiliated.

However an opinion poll published last week by Faktor Plus agency suggested he could count on around eight per cent of the vote, and would be soundly beaten by any candidate backed by the ruling Progressive Party.

Sasa Jankovic's career in focus

Serbia's parliament approved Jankovic as the country's first Ombudsman with a five-year mandate in July 2007, after the Law on the Ombudsman was adopted in 2005.

He was elected on the proposal of then ruling Democratic Party of Serbia, led by then Prime Minister Vojislav...

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