BIRODI: Anti-Corruption Agency should rule on whether Vucic is breaking the law

The Bureau for Social Research (BIRODI) said today that the Anti-Corruption Agency should determine whether Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is violating the Law on Prevention of Corruption, given that, while serving as president, he is on the pre-election list “Ujedinjena Srbija” (“United Serbia”).

In a statement, BIRODI says the Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) previously declared itself “not competent” on this matter, but its reasoning — according to the organization — raises the key question of enforcing the anti-corruption law during the election campaign.

“RIK, with its decision, did not determine that there is no possible violation of the Law on Prevention of Corruption, but took the position that RIK is not competent to decide on that violation and that the Anti-Corruption Agency is the competent institution for enforcing that law. The matter is not closed. On the contrary, it has been shifted to the institution which, by law, is competent to answer,” the statement reads.

RIK considered the fact that Vucic is president of the Republic, that he consented to his name being used in the electoral list’s name “Aleksandar Vucic – Ujedinjena Srbija,” and that he is also a candidate on that list. Therefore, according to BIRODI, it must be determined whether such a situation, and the manner of the president’s participation in the election campaign, constitutes a conflict between exercising public office and the political interest of the candidate and the electoral list.

BIRODI also believes it must be clarified whether the presidential office, public resources, official events, media appearances in the capacity of president of the Republic, websites and official accounts of public authorities are used directly or indirectly to promote the electoral list. On September 16, RIK rejected complaints that Vucic is in a conflict of interest as head of the electoral list.

Source: Danas, via 24-ore.com