Serbian President Vucic Falls Ill in US

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic was hospitalized in Belgrade on Saturday after abruptly cutting short a visit to the United States due to chest pain, his office and government officials said.

Vucic, 55, experienced “intense chest pain” during meetings in the United States and returned to Serbia after consulting doctors in Florida. Upon arrival in Belgrade, he was admitted to the Military Medical Academy (VMA), where doctors said his condition was stable.

Dr. Dragan Dincic, head of the Serbian military’s health directorate, told reporters the president had experienced similar issues related to high blood pressure on three prior occasions. “The American doctors carried out all the necessary tests, and the president, contrary to their recommendation, decided to return home,” he said.

Vucic was treated with additional therapy and discharged from the hospital later Saturday. Officials said he would not resume his regular duties for several days. “It is certainly not realistic to expect a full return to his usual activities in the next few days,” Dincic said.

Abbreviated Trip and Unmet Goals

Vucic had been in Florida, where he met with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and was accompanied by Finance Minister Sinisa Mali and media advisor Suzana Vasiljevic. He had also planned to meet President Donald Trump and other prominent Republican figures, but the illness forced a premature end to his trip.

Richard Grenell, U.S. presidential envoy, commented on X, “Sorry to miss you but hope all is ok,” in response to Vucic’s sudden departure.

Opposition leaders in Serbia were quick to criticize the trip. Zdravko Ponos, a centrist party leader and Vucic’s 2022 presidential challenger, suggested the illness was a cover for what he called a diplomatic “fiasco.”

Moscow Trip in Doubt

The incident has cast uncertainty over Vucic’s planned visit to Moscow for Russia’s Victory Day parade on May 9, where he had said he intended to join Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.

The European Union, which Serbia hopes to join, has warned that participation in the event could harm Belgrade’s accession prospects, particularly in light of Serbia’s refusal to align with EU sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently stated that Kiev would not guarantee the safety of foreign leaders visiting Russia during wartime. The Kremlin condemned the statement, calling it “a direct threat” to the planned celebrations.

Mounting Domestic Pressure

Vucic’s health scare comes amid rising domestic tensions. A recent roof collapse at a train station in Novi Sad killed 16 people and has fueled months of anti-corruption protests led primarily by students. Critics have accused the government of negligence and weak oversight of public infrastructure projects.

Vucic, in power since 2014 and president since 2017, was previously hospitalized in 2019 with heart-related issues.