Officers from Serbia’s Border Police Directorate were once again transported in an organised manner to a rally held by Aleksandar Vučić’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), this time in Niš. Meanwhile, 15 officers who attended such rallies have reportedly been nominated for promotions. The Serbian news outlet Nova.rs reported the allegations, citing unofficial sources within the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP).
According to the outlet’s source, on October 21, approximately 50 officers from the Regional Border Police Centre for the North Macedonia border were transported to the SNS rally in Niš in an official Ministry of Internal Affairs bus.
The source, who is familiar with developments inside the ministry, said this was not the first time officers from the directorate had been sent to party rallies. A similar operation had also taken place on June 27 this year.
According to the source, the officers attending the rallies were not assigned to maintain public order and security but were present as supporters of the party.
“Following the rally on June 27, 2026, another organised deployment of officers from the Border Police Directorate, specifically the Regional Border Police Centre for the North Macedonia border, took place on October 21, 2026, at the SNS rally in Niš. The transportation of 50 police officers was organised using an official bus belonging to Serbia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs,” the source told Nova.rs.
The source alleged that the officers at these gatherings were acting “as spectators and applauders”, rather than in their official capacity as police personnel responsible for security.
15 police officers nominated for promotion
According to the source, on October 26, at the end of the working day, Border Police Station Commander Nenad Stoiljković, in coordination with the head of the Border Police Directorate, General Dragiša Simić, submitted proposals for the reassignment and promotion of 15 officers who had attended these rallies.
“Border Police Station Commander Nenad Stoiljković, in agreement with the head of the Border Police Directorate, General Dragiša Simić, submitted proposals for the reassignment (promotion) of 15 police officers who participated in these rallies,” the source alleged.
The source said that they had personally refused to attend the rallies and had consequently faced professional repercussions.
They alleged that they had been transferred to another general police station and assigned duties they had not previously performed.
“I feel an additional responsibility as someone who has been dismissed and transferred to another general police station,” the source said.
Ministry of Internal Affairs fails to respond to questions
Nova.rs sent questions to Serbia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs regarding the alleged organisation of police officers’ attendance at the SNS rally in Niš.
The outlet asked the ministry to confirm whether officers had been transported to the gathering on October 21, how many had attended, and whether they had been assigned security duties or had participated as rally attendees.
The ministry was also asked whether an official bus had been used for their transportation and who had authorised its deployment.
Questions were also submitted regarding the June 27 rally and allegations that 15 officers had been nominated for promotion following their attendance at SNS gatherings.
The outlet sought clarification on whether participation in these rallies had been used as a criterion for promotion and which positions had been proposed for the officers.
By the time the article was published, the Ministry of Internal Affairs had not responded.
Nova.rs emphasised that the allegations concerning the organised transportation of police officers to party rallies and their subsequent promotion nominations came from unofficial sources within the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
