Vučić on the elections: "Turnout will be 66 per cent at most"; "I'm embarrassed to read their predictions"

“Voter turnout will be between 63 and 66 per cent. That is the maximum. I’m telling you this in advance, and don’t ask me anything more, because I don’t want anyone making money on betting sites by listening to what I say. But this shows the kind of ignorance we are dealing with when people tell you turnout will be between 79 and 91 per cent. I am embarrassed to read that these people have university degrees and work in this field,” Vučić said.

He explained that the balance of votes between political groups does not necessarily change in a linear manner as voter turnout increases.

“For example, between 59 and 63 per cent turnout, across those four percentage points, they might gain two points and we might gain 1.8. But between 63 and 67 per cent, we might gain 2.2 points while they gain 1.6, for instance. I won’t go into further detail, but that is how it works. The dynamics are different, and the situation is unusual. They do not analyse any of this. They do not understand it. It is not even propaganda; they simply have no idea,” he explained.

He also referred to betting companies, comparing their estimates with public opinion polls.

“Look, it says the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), or ‘United Serbia’, is at 47.1 per cent, while they are at 39 per cent. Go ahead and bet that we won’t get 47 per cent, or bet that the others will get more than 39 per cent, and make yourself rich,” he said.

In his view, betting companies need to assess election results more carefully because inaccurate predictions could cost them money.

“These people need to do their jobs properly. They cannot afford to lose money,” he said.