Orbán and Vučić Meet in Belgrade, Vučić Says 'We Will Return'

Former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and former Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić met in Belgrade on Saturday, Oct. 31. Vučić posted a joint video of the visit on Instagram. In it, he says both men have lost elections but not their “dignity, pride and faith.”

What Vučić and Orbán Said

Vučić said he was glad to host Orbán, “my great friend, my brother,” at his father's house near Belgrade. “And yes, we both recently lost elections, but we have not lost our dignity, our pride and our faith,” he said. The quotes are translated from Serbian transcripts published by B92, Blic and Politika.

Orbán thanked him for the invitation. “Friends always remain friends, and in hard times you gain better friends,” he said. “You can be sure, personally, Aleksandar, that I am always on your side.”

Orbán added that improving ties between Serbia and Hungary, even “brotherhood” between Serbs and Hungarians, was a great achievement. He said he remains committed to continuing it. Vučić replied, “Thank you, we will return.”

In the transcripts, the pledge to return comes from Vučić, not Orbán. RIA Novosti reports that both men said they plan to return to politics.

Two Election Defeats in Six Months

Orbán lost power in Hungary's parliamentary election on April 12, ending 16 years as prime minister. Péter Magyar's Tisza party won a two-thirds majority. Fidesz fell from 135 seats to 52, the BBC reports.

Orbán declined to take up his seat in parliament. He remains Fidesz leader after delegates re-elected him on June 13 for another year, Telex reports. In mid-April, he said the defeat had “released a lot of energy,” in a video Clash Report posted on April 17.

Vučić resigned as Serbia's president on Sept. 27 to run in the Oct. 25 snap parliamentary election. The Student List won about 53% of the vote, against roughly 39% for his United Serbia list, according to preliminary figures. Vučić conceded on election night.

Ana Brnabić is now acting president. She says a presidential election must be held by Dec. 27, and it must be called by Nov. 27.

The Road to the Belgrade Visit

Orbán first visited Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik in Banja Luka on Friday, Oct. 30, Srna reports. The Hungarian outlet Balk describes the Belgrade trip as a private visit.

Vučić said on Oct. 27 that he expected to meet Orbán in Belgrade within days. “We will fight together, and we will succeed relatively soon,” he told Informer TV, according to Telex. He predicted that his Serbian Progressive Party could return to power within two years.

On Oct. 29, Vučić said Orbán was the first foreign politician to call him after he conceded. He denies a Times report that he planned to overturn the result by force. The report suggested Orbán may have talked him out of it.

Clash Report covered the Times report and Vučić's denial. Neither man has said how a return would happen. Meanwhile, Serbia's election winners have rejected Russia sanctions, defying Vučić's predictions.