The leader of Serbia’s Freedom and Justice Party (SSP), Dragan Djilas, claimed that participants in counter-protests organized by the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) were paid €50 each to attend.

“Money was handed out yesterday to Vučić’s supporters in Voždovac and Novi Sad, and there are recordings proving it. It’s well known this has happened in other places and that it’s been the practice at all Vučić’s rallies for years,” Djilas said.

According to him, the majority of attendees were motivated by money.

“We’re talking about tens of thousands of euros in black funds, coming either from corrupt deals with the state or from other criminal activity, such as drug trafficking,” Djilas added.

He also alleged that payments were made for people to remain in Belgrade’s Pionirski Park, and that the same practice was used for more than 100 Vučić loyalists sent to the European Championship in Riga to suppress chants against the president.

“Two charter flights, accommodation and food for 20 days, match tickets, payments to the loyalists… Their stay there would have cost about a million euros had we not been eliminated early. As it was, ‘only’ €600,000–700,000 was spent. And again, the question remains – who is providing this money?” Djilas said, as quoted by Danas.

He described the funds as “illegal money stemming from drug trafficking or corrupt, criminal deals of the ruling party and its clique, which are destroying Serbia.”

“That’s why Serbia ranks among the four most corrupt countries in the world, right after Nepal. If there were a functioning prosecution and police, those caught on video handing out the money would already have been detained today, and it would quickly become clear who gave them the cash. Of course, that won’t happen now. But the recordings exist and will tomorrow serve as the basis for an investigation that will send many people where they belong – to prison,” Djilas concluded. | BGNES