Tepić for NIN: We cannot have elections without an open Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) and updating the voter list

They managed to unite on a joint opposition list called ‘Serbia Against Violence’ before the elections on 17 December.

After the elections, they also internationalized the issue of electoral manipulation. Marinika Tepić, Vice President of the Party of Freedom and Justice (Stranka slobode i pravde-SSP), considers it a success that public awareness has been raised regarding the key role of electoral conditions. In an interview with NIN, Tepić explains why the Belgrade elections announced for 2nd June are questionable, what they are demanding in the lex specialis and the purpose of an active boycott, if it happens.

Has there been any progress in implementing ODIHR recommendations related to electoral conditions?

No, nothing. On the contrary, I would say that there is an intensification of phantom voters’ relocation, meaning people who change their addresses to vote in Belgrade, but actually continue to live in their original locations. We had an example from Mala Krsna, and I spoke about a case from Kovin in the Assembly last week, right in front of Ana Brnabić, who is also the President of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) Committee for Belgrade. This concerns her directly; a person violating the laws and abusing institutions is an accomplice in the criminal acts related to creating phantom voters or relocating people to vote for representatives from her committee in Belgrade. To make things worse, people in Kovin are beneficiaries of social assistance, predominantly of Roma nationality.

They were manipulated for votes when place of residence in their identity cards was changed to Kaluđerica, but the additional problem is that they are no longer entitled to social assistance when they change their residence, and the process to renew it is cumbersome. We published the footage of these people; they say that on the evening of the voting day, 17 December, they received identity cards with a changed residence. Interestingly, on the morning of 17 December they provided their ID cards, and when they picked them up in the evening, the change of residence was backdated to 23 November 2023. This is a serious criminal offence.

It is not that nothing has changed, this monstrous engineering by Aleksandar Vučić and the SNS, when he realizes that  Belgrade doesn’t want him, that major cities don’t want him, then he decides to change the people.

On the other hand, the public broadcaster has not opened up for critical opinions from parliamentary opposition parties, or for free-thinking individuals who represent the academic, professional community… RTS reports only when pressure is applied. The Assembly was constituted on 2 February, and since then, there has been almost no debate among parliamentary parties.

NIN / Mitar Mitrović

And the revision of the voter list did not happen as we requested, nor according to the recommendations of ODIHR - with equal representation of government, opposition, and expert organizations dealing with elections, such as ‘CRTA’ or ‘Transparency.’

Does Serbia know about electoral irregularities and how they were implemented?

We managed to inform the widest domestic audience about the electoral fraud. We warned about it, we expected it, but no one could have imagined that it would be on such a scale as it was, especially in Belgrade, where we had illegal voting everywhere. It happened through phantom voters, without identity cards, on behalf of others, or through the so-called controlled voting, which takes place especially in peripheral settlements. There you have individuals who bring organized groups, usually beneficiaries of social assistance, take them to the voting station, suggest them how to vote and stand at the polling station. The footage shows voters entering and exiting, while they control how they vote. This is a criminal offence.

How can all this be prevented in the future?

It is our duty to insist and do everything to prevent it; therefore, we have submitted a request to the institutions of this country, because regardless of the fact that they are not functioning properly, we believe that the institutions are the backbone of the state, and we want to react through them. We have addressed the Government and the Assembly with a request to open a dialogue in order to secure conditions for the upcoming elections in Belgrade and dozens of other municipalities and cities and, through dialogue, we aim for at least minimal changes, making these elections truly worthy of the name.

How much time is there for this, if the dialogue is yet to start and the solutions are needed immediately?

I must admit that I am pessimistic when it comes to deadlines. Regardless of the fact that everything suggests that the Belgrade elections will be held on 2 June, we still have elections in Novi Sad, Niš, and many other major cities, which we have also requested to be held on the same day as the Belgrade elections. We see no reason for them to be two, three or four weeks apart, if this can all be resolved with a lex specialis.

Is there enough time for that?

The purpose of the lex specialis is to organize everything specifically contained in the laws governing the electoral process, so that Belgrade and other local elections can be held on the same day. And this should happen when the electoral conditions change, making these elections truly worthy of the name. I am pessimistic in the sense that if they continue talking that the 2 June, or any other date like July or August is realistic, the coalition Serbia against violence will run for those elections if nothing changes. We are not speculating about dates; we are not asking for a later date because our main concern is to make it easier for us, to take a little break, as sarcastically stated by Aleksandar Vučić. The tragedy is how he behaves towards half of the citizens of the country, whose president he is.

Are you asking for the lex specialis to consolidate all local elections and to hold them when the recommendations are implemented, i.e. when the conditions are met?

We have discussed these electoral conditions even before the elections, and I am sad that the media overlooked this request. However, if we have now managed to raise awareness about the importance of these conditions, even through the hunger strike of all my colleagues, which served as an alarm, let me say that we have achieved something. Let us see how we can implement it. The date is not crucial; what matters is changing the conditions, at least to a minimum and this includes opening of the RTS and updating the voter list. When we are going to run for the elections depends on this. If the elections happen before these electoral conditions are met, to be precise, we cannot participate, and we will do everything to prevent them from taking place.

NIN / Mitar Mitrović

What happens if the authorities do not accept this?

I am almost sure it is impossible to participate in elections that are not truly fair, but we will make the decision together as a coalition, based on everything we have discussed so far. Since 17 December, the situation has only worsened. Now, it’s not just people registered at Belgrade addresses who don’t actually live there; you also have registrations at nonexistent addresses, with a street number zero, you have 100 or so voters at the address with the street number zero. We have seen Niš, Belgrade, Pančevo, and Zrenjanin, where dozens of voters were registered in a meadow. The authorities have been constantly trying to manipulate the law and come up with new tricks. They have revealed themselves to be cowards, afraid to compete on a level playing field. If they were truly brave and strong, they would do it, but they are clearly scared.

You also mention the possibility of an active boycott. What does that mean? Will you block polling stations or organize protests?

You will see, let’s not reveal those plans now. Just to avoid any confusion, we are fighting for the elections, not for a boycott. We are fighting for the elections in fair conditions, we don’t want anyone to jeopardize polling stations, because they are already heavily contaminated due to the abuse of the entire system used by SNS and Aleksandar Vučić. We are fighting for elections under equal conditions, and they are doing everything to prevent that from happening. Although I am pessimistic that anything will change in terms of quality for us to be able to say that these are the conditions under which we can participate, on the other hand, I will believe until the last moment and strive for it to be so.

If you decide to organize a boycott, have you considered how enthusiastic your voters are about a new form of protest?

Protests are not the only way to prevent elections. You won’t stop them by gathering in one place in a city. There are various ways to prevent elections, and if that happens and if we all stand behind that decision, we will certainly be active in ensuring that these elections are not held as if everything is okay. I know that citizens will respond positively to this because they appreciate a fight. They are critical of the opposition when they think we have given up. Every citizen, especially those who can see the extent or experience the consequences of this harmful regime, will always join in.

Vučić claims that you are unwilling to run for the elections because, according to their research, your situation in Belgrade is worse now than it was on 17 December. Have you done your own research?

Vučić is lying. I have to touch on the people doing the research, how it is done, who analyzes it, and who appears as the spokesperson for that research, including Aleksandar Vučić. Cesid has been a long-standing partner, even with RTS, which favours SNS in its research, and I am sure that the majority of citizens hasn’t read the information presented by SSP a few days ago, revealing that Cesid is still co-owned by Minister Marko Blagojević.

Secondly, you refer to research in conditions that do not exist. First, provide the conditions, and then we can measure ourselves based on the research. These two things cannot be separated. Therefore, research can only happen after changing the conditions, especially at RTS.

You haven’t done any research yet and you have no information that your support in Belgrade is weakening?

For now, we do not have that information.

On one hand, you insist on joining everything that is opposition-related for these elections, on the other hand, SNS is reviving the story of the Movement for the People and the State. Does this imply the unification of all parties under the so-called democratic-patriotic front?

I must respond on behalf of the SSP since at the moment there are differing opinions within the Serbia Against Violence coalition. However, I believe we will reach a common stance, considering that the public interest brought us together and our collaboration is even stronger than it has been. So, from the SSP’s perspective, the answer is YES. If, on one side of that front, there is the Movement for the People and the State, where Vučić attempts to absorb everyone, it would require maximum consolidation of the opposition and a referendum-like atmosphere.

Is there anyone in the opposition scene you would not join forces with?

It is an enormous challenge, especially for me, I must admit, since I am the person whose name is mentioned by opposition politicians, not only by the ruling party. For our particularities to ever emerge as politics in elections, we would need to find the strength to overcome mutual opposition. We have previously urged colleagues who attacked us not to do so, and we were right.

NIN / Mitar Mitrović

As you can see, Boško Obradović did not pass the threshold, despite doing everything to trip up the ‘Ribnikar’ Board of Inquiry, which I deeply regret since many issues will never be communicated to the public. We believed it was an opportunity to help this society try to heal because it was a traumatic year, the unhappiest year I can remember, and it should not have been allowed to happen. And I was very sorry that Boško went that way and fell below the threshold. I don’t imply that it was solely due to that, but the criticism from other opposition parties didn’t work in his favor and somehow, he narrowed down his politics to that. The People’s Party did the same, remaining below the threshold because they focused more on us and other opposition parties than on our actual common opponent. So, I would like everyone to learn, perhaps the hard way, from their political practices and that what is considered opposition can truly work together within one front.

Does that mean collaboration with right-wing parties?

I believe that a certain technical collaboration is possible in terms of safeguarding votes and agreements not to attack each other. However, it still doesn’t constitute a single front, and I regret that we lack the maturity for that, especially when it comes to Belgrade and local elections.

The Assembly has started its work, and accusations have been flying that you are traitors, nationalists, that you are working against your own country. But the session was also marked by toilet paper as a response from the opposition?

I must refute those claims. No one stole toilet paper. The paper that was thrown first, those were hand towels. The toilet
paper arrived in two completely new packages brought in by colleagues and it was purchased.

So, the plan was to throw that toilet paper?

Well, you see, they turned that session into a restroom.

You don’t have any issues with throwing toilet paper?

Personally, I don’t because for three days, we tried to get them to give us the floor, to behave differently, and to allow us to participate in the debate. They act as if only they have the right to speak in parliament. They would be happiest if there were no opposition at all. We are numerous now, almost 80, and I understand that it is much more difficult for them than it was, it is a considerable number of opposition MPs who will not sit and remain silent. And then it ends up like this, but they are to blame.

Have you suffered more harm or gained benefits from this? Because immediately, a campaign started claiming you were thieves, that you threw toilet paper at Serbia’s symbols—the coat of arms and flag, as well as the presiding officers?

The National Assembly is the highest legislative body of a country. It doesn’t mean having walls, chairs, and tables; it’s about fulfilling the purpose of that institution. The purpose of the Assembly is to truly be a temple of democracy and parliamentarism, debate, place for exchanging opinions, arguments, counterarguments, criticism, and defense. If someone thinks that walls, chairs, tables, red carpets, and guards constitute the essence of the institution, while you disregard it minute by minute, then we will never agree. We wanted to convey precisely that message. You take the Constitution, the flag, and the laws in vain, when you violate them every day, you trample on the symbols of your own country, and we are trying to return to the discussion. 

Exiting the Council of Europe is an empty threat

The President is announcing the possibility of Serbia leaving the Council of Europe if Kosovo is admitted to that organization. Will he actually take that step?

I am almost certain that this will not happen and that Vučić is merely bluffing; it’s all just for the ears of his voters. I assume he will attempt to stage a scenario where, for example, our parliamentary delegation at the Council of Europe will no longer attend sessions or will perform a similar act, presenting it as Serbia’s exit.

NIN / Mitar Mitrović

Vučić keeps his head above water only because he exports weapons to Ukraine.

The EU and the USA demand that the case of Banjska and the role of Milan Radoičić be clarified, but Serbia does not provide those answers. Is this one of the cases that will make the West perceive Vučić as not cooperative?

I will say something that may not be popular, perhaps even less wise, but it is true. I think that at this moment, he keeps his head above water in all the misdeeds he has done so far only because he exports weapons to Ukraine. I believe that the Russo-Ukrainian crisis is a much bigger issue for Europe and the USA, and that priorities are aligned in that sense. I don’t think they support him, but I think he is still buying his freedom or his stay in power because he enables weapons to reach Ukraine. However, everything will come to light, the only question is whether in a month or three month or by the end of the year.

The neo-radical authorities always need an enemy

These days, you supported the journalist Dink Gruhonjić, who, like Ana Lalić, is being threatened, they are dubbed enemies of the state, and their speeches are manipulated… Why are they now the topic and target?

This type of neo-radical authority always needs an enemy. If a real enemy does not exist, they will invent one. Someone heard something somewhere, recycled it, and created that manipulated video. Dinko suffered because of his different opinions. First of all, as a Novi Sad resident, I felt it was my duty to react, and as a colleague, I worked with Dinko for a long time. What horrified me the most was that his students started receiving threats, children who stood up for their professor. Dinko has often been a target, but this time was the worst because his daughter was the first to see and photograph that threatening graffiti. So, we don’t have a problem when you attack us, but when our children are involved, when they have to read those horrible front pages where you are mentioned as a monster, a murderer, a traitor, then we have a huge problem.