Roma Party leader: Ruling party perfected voter pressure tactics

Srdjan Sajn, leader of the Roma Party, stated that the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) has refined its tactics for pressuring voters to an unprecedented level. He asserted that while voter pressure has always existed, the current SNS regime has perfected it to meticulous detail.

Sajn estimates that approximately 350,000 Roma are registered to vote. He claims the authorities are actively buying the votes of over 100,000 Roma individuals, as well as several hundred others living in poverty. According to Sajn, around half a million voters in Serbia are unable to vote freely due to pressure related to their employment, social welfare payments, and other threats.

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There was always pressure but it’s characteristic of the SNS authorities and the regime today that they perfected the way to exert pressure to the detail.

The "Don't Sell Your Vote" campaign, initiated by the Roma Party, seeks to counter this influence. It targets voters who might accept payments of 20, 30, or 50 Euros for their ballot. The campaign emphasizes that election day should be about choosing a president committed to fighting discrimination and generating employment, rather than accepting short-term financial incentives.

Sajn outlined two primary objectives for the Roma Party in the upcoming elections: establishing the rule of law with a clear separation of governmental powers and amplifying the voices of the impoverished, a significant portion of whom are Roma. He believes these goals are crucial for creating a more just and equitable society.

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The Roma Party has defined two goals for these elections – the first is to establish a state of law and a clear separation of the legislative, executive and judiciary authorities and the second is to reinforce the voice of the poor including a large number of Roma.