Commission to take position on SNS complaint on Saturday

An election commission (RIK) official has said that this body will on Saturday take its position regarding the complaint of the Serb Progressive Party (SNS). The party is seeking annulment of elections that took place on May 6 due to alleged election theft. Commission to take position on SNS complaint on Saturday RIK Secretary Veljko Odalovic told the B92 TV that the commission received the complaint on Thursday afternoon, which he said was "in a satisfactory form", and that it would be discussed during the session scheduled for tomorrow. He said that the complaint contains a request to annul elections on all levels, adding that "what is missing is several data on where, what, how and where did the bag (with ballots) come from, how many ballots does it contain, and from which polling station?" Odalovic said that SNS's complaint was "not formally deficient, even though it lacks information", noting, however, that it will be much more difficult to determine all the facts. "As a rule, complaints contain much more elements and details which could be checked, but this is very delicate issue and we will do everything to verify the path of those ballots," he said. Odalovic believes it is good that SNS has launched criminal proceedings and that the prosecution and the police should investigate the case "since it should not remain unresolved." He recalled that the penalties for election theft are very severe and that the law envisages a prison sentence. Odalovic explained that, according to the law, RIK needs to make a decision on SNS's complaint and thereby finalize the procedure which is in the Commission's jurisdiction. RIK will carefully consider all the facts and make a decision, he said. The path will be checked of ballots all the way from the printing office via RIK members to coordinators delivering them to the municipal election commissions, who later forward them to polling station staff, he said. He added that the path of ballots in the opposite direction will also be checked. Veljko Odalovic (Tanjug, file) B92 Tanjug

Commission to take position on SNS complaint on Saturday

RIK Secretary Veljko Odalović told the B92 TV that the commission received the complaint on Thursday afternoon, which he said was "in a satisfactory form", and that it would be discussed during the session scheduled for tomorrow.

He said that the complaint contains a request to annul elections on all levels, adding that "what is missing is several data on where, what, how and where did the bag (with ballots) come from, how many ballots does it contain, and from which polling station?"

Odalović said that SNS's complaint was "not formally deficient, even though it lacks information", noting, however, that it will be much more difficult to determine all the facts.

"As a rule, complaints contain much more elements and details which could be checked, but this is very delicate issue and we will do everything to verify the path of those ballots," he said.

Odalović believes it is good that SNS has launched criminal proceedings and that the prosecution and the police should investigate the case "since it should not remain unresolved."

He recalled that the penalties for election theft are very severe and that the law envisages a prison sentence.

Odalović explained that, according to the law, RIK needs to make a decision on SNS's complaint and thereby finalize the procedure which is in the Commission's jurisdiction.

RIK will carefully consider all the facts and make a decision, he said.

The path will be checked of ballots all the way from the printing office via RIK members to coordinators delivering them to the municipal election commissions, who later forward them to polling station staff, he said.

He added that the path of ballots in the opposite direction will also be checked.