The Serbian Health Minister, Zlatibor Loncar, and Dragan Dincic, a former physician to Serbia’s ex-president Boris Tadic, have been dispatched to the capital’s healthcare center, reported the Serbian daily “Blic”.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic abruptly fell ill on Friday during his visit to the United States, underwent medical evaluation, and decided to return home early.
Richard Grenell, the U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Serbia and Kosovo, expressed his regrets on X, stating, “I’m very sorry. We couldn’t meet, but I hope all is well.”
President Vucic canceled a planned meeting with the U.S. President in the midst of his trip to the United States following a health scare that led him to consult with a physician, according to RTS, as reported by the French news agency AFP.
At 55, Vucic, who has held the presidency since 2017, was hospitalized in 2019 due to “cardiovascular issues.”
The Serbian newspaper Blic mentioned that the presidential office would release further details about the incident in the coming days, following a report by the Spanish news agency EFE.
On the eve of his visit commencing last Wednesday, Vucic had announced plans for two meetings with then-President Donald Trump over the next four days.
During a press conference with Serbian journalists on Thursday, Vucic indicated that he intended to proceed with his plans to travel to Moscow after the U.S. visit to partake in the commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany.
The European Union had cautioned leaders of EU candidate countries and member states to refrain from attending ceremonies in Moscow, citing Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Serbia has held EU candidate status since 2012.
While in the United States, Vucic met with Rudy Giuliani, former personal attorney to Donald Trump and ex-mayor of New York City.
In Serbia, Vucic is facing increasing pressure amid ongoing protests against corruption. A tragic accident at the Novi Sad station in November 2024, resulting in 16 fatalities, has intensified these demonstrations.
Critics from the opposition accuse Vucic of authoritarianism. His governance faces its most significant crisis since assuming power in 2014, with daily protests led by academics and students demanding greater adherence to the rule of law.
