Alexander Vucic. — © EPA-EFE
The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) of nationalist President Aleksander Vucic is organizing the purchase of votes through a call center. This was evident from research on Wednesday by the Center for Investigative Journalism in Serbia. Employees of a call center employed by the party can triple their wages if they can prove that they vote for SNS candidates. Early parliamentary elections are scheduled for December 17 in Serbia.
One of the Center’s journalists started working for the call center. When she went to collect the wages for her first day at work – 3,000 Serbian dinars, or 25.6 euros – she was asked if she was available on December 17. “The daily wage is 9,000 dinars, but then you have to vote before you come to work and send a photo,” she was told in a conversation that she recorded. “Only as a guarantee of your loyalty.”
The party had not yet responded to AFP’s requests for explanation on Wednesday afternoon.
The last elections in Serbia took place in April last year. Together with its coalition partners, SNS then became the largest party, with 120 out of 250 seats. Two years earlier, most opposition parties boycotted the elections.