People with disabilities in Serbia report pressure ahead of elections — Balkan Insight
People with disabilities in Serbia have reported direct and indirect pressure ahead of Sunday’s elections related to supporting the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). One of the Balkan Insight interviewees, who wished to remain anonymous, said that a representative of a major organization assisting people with disabilities warned her that she could lose her care allowance if she refused to vote for the authorities.
A human rights defender familiar with the situation told the outlet about “collective fear” among people with disabilities. According to him, even without direct threats, some people agree to vote for the ruling party because they fear losing legally guaranteed care and assistance payments.
Testimonies of pressure through organizations
According to the 2022 census, more than 356,000 people with disabilities live in Serbia, accounting for about 5.5% of the population aged two and older. Many of them depend on state financial and medical support, as well as specialized organizations that help with assistive devices, education, training and employment.
Of the twelve people surveyed by Balkan Insight, five said they had heard statements by representatives of such organizations that could be perceived as pressure to vote for SNS. An interviewee from an organization in southern Serbia said that its newly elected head had allegedly asked certain members to guarantee their vote for SNS and its candidate for prime minister, former President Aleksandar Vučić.
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Another interviewee from a Belgrade organization said that threats to reduce funding for such associations are widespread. According to the outlet, many organizations providing assistance to people with disabilities depend on funding from state or local authorities.
Social assistance and political support
A 2023 report by the election watchdog organization CRTA described networks of political influence in social welfare centers. The organization collected testimonies from employees about the use of social assistance to gain political support, including votes and participation in party activities. Election monitoring that same year also recorded a case in which social support was terminated for a recipient because of support for an opposition party.
After the parliamentary elections in December 2023, CRTA stated that financial aid, firewood and humanitarian packages had been offered to socially vulnerable people in exchange for political support, while threats were made to cancel certain benefits. A woman with a disability from northern Serbia told the outlet that the pressure is mostly presented as an expectation of gratitude for assistance provided by the authorities.
