Prominent Serbian lawyer Čedomir Stojković has called on the authorities in Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina to launch investigations into allegations of vote-buying by Aleksandar Vučić’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
His appeal follows reports alleging that Vučić’s party paid Serbian voters €100 each to travel to Serbia, participate in the elections and vote in favour of the SNS.
Stojković has urged institutions in the three neighbouring countries to investigate whether Serbian citizens residing in their territories were involved in organised vote-buying schemes and the transportation of voters to Serbia.
“How much is Vučić paying Serbs from these countries to travel to Serbia and vote for the SNS? Who is paying for these buses, what funds are being used, and where does the money come from? Through whom is the money being distributed? Which intermediaries are involved, and are any of them politicians from the respective countries?” Stojković asked.
The Serbian lawyer also raised questions about the origin of the funds allegedly used for these activities, calling for an investigation into whether the money came from public funds or organised criminal networks.
“What is the source of this money? Is it money stolen from the citizens of Serbia, or does it come from drug cartels — cartels which, according to communications on Sky, cooperate with Vučić’s political structures?” he said.
According to Stojković, investigations by Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina would help strengthen good-neighbourly relations and shed light on suspicions of electoral manipulation.
He claimed that Vučić was obstructing such investigations within Serbia and therefore called for the involvement of institutions in neighbouring countries.
“Citizens of Serbia would be grateful to learn — and to see evidence — of how these misappropriated funds are being spent, as well as the extent to which drug cartels are involved in electoral manipulation through vote-buying in other countries,” Stojković stressed.
He also called for the identification of individuals who may have been involved in organising voter transportation, distributing money and exerting pressure on citizens to vote.
“It is particularly important for us to identify which Serbs from these countries are involved in electoral coercion, corruption and manipulation, as any such action constitutes an attack on the citizens of Serbia,” he stated.
Stojković concluded by emphasising that the alleged activities could also constitute criminal offences in the countries where they were reportedly organised.
“Furthermore, such actions are punishable as criminal offences in your countries as well. We look forward to the results of your investigations,” the Serbian lawyer concluded.
The allegations concerning payments to voters and possible links to criminal networks remain unverified claims that require investigation by the competent authorities.
