DS accuses rivals of "planning to create chaos"

Tomislav Nikolic remains in the presidential race, while his party will prove that election theft happened in Serbia on May 6, says Jorgovanka Tabakovic. The high ranking official of the Serb Progressives (SNS) made the statement as she took part in a talk show on B92 TV late on Sunday along with one of the vice-presidents of the Democratic Party (DS) Dragan Sutanovac. DS accuses rivals of "planning to create chaos" Sutanovac, who is also defense minister in the outgoing government, accused the Progressives of "planning to create chaos in the country": "When you have a plan in place and when you organize yourself, it's enough to put one ballot in your pocket in 8,400 polling stations, and create election theft," he said in reaction to accusations of election day fraud. The SNS last week presented a sack full of what it said were valid ballots cast in favor of opposition candidates, that the ruling parties threw away and replaced by forgeries. But Sutanovac asserted last night that "the whole story had been made up among the Progressives so that they could accuse the Democrats after the elections". He also accused them of having "a well thought-out plan to insert ballots where the DS had a majority". The DS official further stated that "100,000 people controlled the process, 20,000 of them SNS members", and that the state election commission, RIK, received signed reports from each polling station, that did not contain complaints from members of the voting committees, "SNS representatives among them". "The police will determine where the sacks came from. Sacks are no proof except that someone from city election commissions stole them. That's a crime and I guess fingerprints can be found on that sack," said Sutanovac. He added that "as he knew where the ballots came from, so he knew that they (SNS) are preparing to break ballot boxes next week and make a farce out of these elections and this state". Asked where he learned about the alleged plans of the rival party to "break ballot boxes", he said that "honest members of the SNS came and told us about the idea". Sutanovac also noted that the SNS won in jails, where the citizens currently serving prison time cast their ballots, and added that "crime won't win in Serbia if Boris Tadic comes to power". DS leader Tadic will seek his third term in office in the presidential runoff against Tomislav Nikolic on May 20. Sutanovac also touched on the issue of the next government to say that "nobody wants to enter a coalition with the SNS and nobody supported Nikolic". Asked if SPS leader Ivica Dacic would be Serbia's next prime minister, he said that "this will be decided after May 20". Dragan Sutanovac (Tanjug, file) SNS official and MP Jorgovanka Tabakovic also took part in the show to say that while Nikolic remained in the presidential race, the party would continue with its attempts to prove that election theft happened on May 6. She said that "nobody disputed" that the sack shown last week by the SNS and then turned over to the police contained 3,000 original ballots. "There will be more, people are bringing them from similar places," stated Tabakovic, noting that Nikolic said the ones shown last week had been found in a garbage dumpster. The Dveri Movement, she continued, found ballot papers "of similar color but different weight" in a basement. "RIK did not do its job. It did not consider or accept a single complaint," said Tabakovic, and dismissed the argument that election fraud could not have taken place because SNS had its members observing the process at polling stations. "This is about the sort of thing that does not happen at polling stations," she stated. Tabakovic said that on May 20, the party would "do everything to make sure the voting ends with ballot papers in the right place". "We will be better organized because we're convinced that those calling themselves the Democrats have not proved good intentions with their deeds," she concluded. Jorgovanka Tabakovic (file) B92

DS accuses rivals of "planning to create chaos"

Šutanovac, who is also defense minister in the outgoing government, accused the Progressives of "planning to create chaos in the country":

"When you have a plan in place and when you organize yourself, it's enough to put one ballot in your pocket in 8,400 polling stations, and create election theft," he said in reaction to accusations of election day fraud.

The SNS last week presented a sack full of what it said were valid ballots cast in favor of opposition candidates, that the ruling parties threw away and replaced by forgeries.

But Šutanovac asserted last night that "the whole story had been made up among the Progressives so that they could accuse the Democrats after the elections".

He also accused them of having "a well thought-out plan to insert ballots where the DS had a majority".

The DS official further stated that "100,000 people controlled the process, 20,000 of them SNS members", and that the state election commission, RIK, received signed reports from each polling station, that did not contain complaints from members of the voting committees, "SNS representatives among them".

"The police will determine where the sacks came from. Sacks are no proof except that someone from city election commissions stole them. That's a crime and I guess fingerprints can be found on that sack," said Šutanovac.

He added that "as he knew where the ballots came from, so he knew that they (SNS) are preparing to break ballot boxes next week and make a farce out of these elections and this state".

Asked where he learned about the alleged plans of the rival party to "break ballot boxes", he said that "honest members of the SNS came and told us about the idea".

Šutanovac also noted that the SNS won in jails, where the citizens currently serving prison time cast their ballots, and added that "crime won't win in Serbia if Boris Tadić comes to power".

DS leader Tadić will seek his third term in office in the presidential runoff against Tomislav Nikolić on May 20.

Šutanovac also touched on the issue of the next government to say that "nobody wants to enter a coalition with the SNS and nobody supported Nikolić". Asked if SPS leader Ivica Dačić would be Serbia's next prime minister, he said that "this will be decided after May 20". SNS official and MP Jorgovanka Tabaković also took part in the show to say that while Nikolić remained in the presidential race, the party would continue with its attempts to prove that election theft happened on May 6.

She said that "nobody disputed" that the sack shown last week by the SNS and then turned over to the police contained 3,000 original ballots.

"There will be more, people are bringing them from similar places," stated Tabaković, noting that Nikolić said the ones shown last week had been found in a garbage dumpster.

The Dveri Movement, she continued, found ballot papers "of similar color but different weight" in a basement.

"RIK did not do its job. It did not consider or accept a single complaint," said Tabaković, and dismissed the argument that election fraud could not have taken place because SNS had its members observing the process at polling stations.

"This is about the sort of thing that does not happen at polling stations," she stated.

Tabaković said that on May 20, the party would "do everything to make sure the voting ends with ballot papers in the right place".

"We will be better organized because we're convinced that those calling themselves the Democrats have not proved good intentions with their deeds," she concluded.