Progressives announce peaceful protests

Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) leader Tomislav Nikolic said on Saturday that the party would stage protests over the alleged election fraud as of Sunday. He said after the SNS Presidency session which was held on Saturday morning that the SNS would start peaceful protests in towns across Serbia on Sunday. Progressives announce peaceful protests The SNS leader stressed that the party would in the next couple of days decide whether a large protest rally would be held in Belgrade. Nikolic told reporters that the party “has plenty of evidence that the elections were illegal”, adding that the SNS did not accept the results released by the Republic Electoral Commission (RIK). SNS deputy leader Aleksandar Vucic said earlier of Saturday that the Progressives would hand over the ballots they claim were stolen to the police. The SNS will decide on Sunday whether Nikolic will take part in a presidential run-off election on May 20. “Before making the final decision, the Progressives want to hear the voice of the people," said Nikolic. "All presidents of municipal and city boards were given an order to hear the voice of the people, and it depends on the citizens whether I will participate in the May 20 election or not," he explained. He pointed out that it was uncertain whether he would run in the second round because the first round was irregular. Nikolic claims that the irregularities and "electoral fraud" took place throughout Serbia and that the party will collect "tens of thousands of statements from people whose votes were manipulated." He also said that the SNS would make a record of every ballot paper it handed over to the police, in order to have evidence, because they "are afraid that something might happen with the papers," but also because "all state authorities are involved in the electoral theft." “I am inclined to think that (Democratic Party leader and presidential candidate) Boris Tadic never even entered the second round, but that this was projected,” he pointed out. Nikolic showed around 3,000 ballots to reporters on Thursday which he said were thrown away after the May 6 elections and noted that these were replaced by new ones which support representatives of the incumbent government. Tomislav Nikolic (Beta, file) B92 Beta Tanjug

Progressives announce peaceful protests

The SNS leader stressed that the party would in the next couple of days decide whether a large protest rally would be held in Belgrade.

Nikolić told reporters that the party “has plenty of evidence that the elections were illegal”, adding that the SNS did not accept the results released by the Republic Electoral Commission (RIK).

SNS deputy leader Aleksandar Vučić said earlier of Saturday that the Progressives would hand over the ballots they claim were stolen to the police.

The SNS will decide on Sunday whether Nikolić will take part in a presidential run-off election on May 20.

“Before making the final decision, the Progressives want to hear the voice of the people," said Nikolić.

"All presidents of municipal and city boards were given an order to hear the voice of the people, and it depends on the citizens whether I will participate in the May 20 election or not," he explained.

He pointed out that it was uncertain whether he would run in the second round because the first round was irregular.

Nikolić claims that the irregularities and "electoral fraud" took place throughout Serbia and that the party will collect "tens of thousands of statements from people whose votes were manipulated."

He also said that the SNS would make a record of every ballot paper it handed over to the police, in order to have evidence, because they "are afraid that something might happen with the papers," but also because "all state authorities are involved in the electoral theft."

“I am inclined to think that (Democratic Party leader and presidential candidate) Boris Tadić never even entered the second round, but that this was projected,” he pointed out.

Nikolić showed around 3,000 ballots to reporters on Thursday which he said were thrown away after the May 6 elections and noted that these were replaced by new ones which support representatives of the incumbent government.