Aleksandar Vučić was prepared to forcefully contest the election results and remain in power, but backed down after it became clear that the Student List had won convincingly and after warnings he received by phone, The Times writes, citing politicians and a former police officer.
According to their claims, Vučić was determined to hold on to power, but abandoned the plan when the Student List won about 500.000 more votes. The sources claim that they warned him that an attempt to contest the results could end very badly.
“HE SENT 4000 POLICE AND 3000 CRIMINALS”
Spasoje Vulević, former commander of Serbia’s Special Anti-Terrorism Unit, claims that Vučić sent 4000 police officers and 3000 people, whom he described as criminals, into central Belgrade. “I am 100% sure that he planned to refuse to recognize the results.”
Sandro Gozi, member of the European Parliament and president of the European Democratic Party, said that during election day, worrying information was coming from diplomatic circles.
“On Sunday we received alarming reports from diplomatic sources that Vučić was ready to fight and organize a coup,” Gozi declared.
One of the leading candidates of the Student List, Radomir Saicic, also claims that there was a plan to use force if the results were close between them.
“They had a plan to use brute force to challenge the election results if they were close, but I have information that he received many calls from the police and other circles, which made him change his mind,” said Saicic.
“They convinced him that implementing that plan would end very badly for him,” he added.
As voters cast their ballots on Sunday, men dressed in black were seen moving around Pionirski Park in Belgrade.
Lawyer Rade Duric believes that the authorities were prepared for a scenario where they would contest the election results.
“On Sunday morning, Vučić felt untouchable. I suspect they planned to denounce irregularities during the voting and demand a repeat of the elections, which would incite protests,” Durić stressed.
According to him, the government would then try to use violence as an additional reason to cancel the elections.
VUCIC REMOVED HIS HAND AROUND 21:30 PM
At around 21:30 p.m., an hour and a half after the polls closed, Vučić gave up on contesting the results, and the groups of men gathered in central Belgrade quickly disappeared.
Vulević believes that Vučić was under great pressure.
“I believe that Vučić received phone calls from European governments. These were conversations at the highest level,” he stated.
VUCIC’S CABINET DENYS THE CLAIMS
Vučić’s spokeswoman denied claims that the increased police presence in Belgrade was part of a plan to hold power by force.
Gozi does not rule out the possibility that European officials intervened via telephone to prevent the violence.
“I don’t rule out the possibility that there were phone calls, but the number of votes against him was simply too high. Vučić was completely taken by surprise.”