Vucic: turnout may hit 67%, politics out of schools

Aleksandar Vucic, leader of the Aleksandar Vucic - United Serbia list, said on Monday evening, October 19, on the Cirilica show on Happy Television that turnout in the October 25 parliamentary election could reach 67 percent. In the same appearance he promised to take politics out of schools and universities, announced free prenatal tests and said the rosemary song will be sung even if the list loses. Six days remain until the vote.

What turnout is expected in the October 25 election?

Vucic was responding to an estimate from Ratko Femic, deputy editor of Nova S, whom he cited on air: according to his account, Femic said that morning that turnout was heading above sixty percent, to around 63. Vucic answered with a figure of his own:

“Well, let me tell you now, turnout could be 67% as well. It’s not realistic, I’ll tell you right away. It could be 67%. Our victory will be more convincing than at 63%.”

As we reported earlier, Vucic expects four million voters and a margin of 400,000 votes. The 67 percent estimate is new, and he said himself that it is not realistic.

The debate that never happened

Vucic said he accepted the televised confrontation proposed by RTS, in which he would have faced representatives of Crta and Ilija Srdanovic. By his account, the other side did not agree even to a two-against-one format:

“They did not accept even 2 to 1, and that would probably have been 3 to 1.”

The response of Crta and Srdanovic to this claim does not appear in the sources we reviewed. Vucic added that his list had agreed to all television debates and had invited the first person on the opposing list, but that the offers were turned down.

What he cited as results, and what he promised

As the government’s record, he listed:

• 180 kilometers of motorways and expressways
• six newly built hospitals
• three additional science and technology parks

Among his promises he highlighted schools and higher education: “politics out of schools, politics out of universities, these are important things, and I promise you that.” He said some changes would come through laws and others through by-laws.

On health, he announced that prenatal tests would be free, and he also mentioned diabetes sensors. Of a drug for muscular dystrophy, which he described as expensive, he said: “For those miracles alone we have to set aside an additional 50 million euros a year.” Innovative medicines, he added, need another 60 million euros.

Sabac, 1,700 locations and Pajtic

Vucic claimed that an unnamed senior international representative suggested he hand Sabac over to the opposition, mentioning Dusan Petrovic. He said he answered with a rhetorical question: why would he do that? According to the sources we reviewed, he did not name the person who made the suggestion.

He also said the list held activities at around 1,700 locations on Sunday, adding “I think,” so without an exact figure. He did not want to discuss the recordings of Bojan Pajtic: “I deliberately skipped Pajtic and I will not comment on the recordings, that is what decent people do.”

Ana Brnabic, Lidija Vukicevic and Zorana Mihajlovic also appeared on the show alongside him.

A message on the campaign and a preview of Nis

He also spoke about the list’s campaign, which he described as run “with pride”:

“I am proud of everyone who took part in this campaign. And even if we lose the election, there will be rosemary, there will be singing and playing, because we ran a campaign with pride, a wonderful campaign.”

Speaking about the rally in Novi Sad, he said: “I have spent half my life in stadiums, and I haven’t seen this, maybe a few times in my life. It is such an atmosphere, an incredible one.” He said he expects a similar atmosphere at the rally in Nis.

Vucic also said he will win the presidential election: “I will beat you in the presidential election too.”