Serbian candidate threatens to "physically" defend votes
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E-mail Xinhua, May 15, 2012
Serbian presidential candidate Tomislav Nikolic on Monday threatened to "physically" defend every vote in the upcoming May 20 run-off elections after claiming fraud in the May 6 general elections, the Serbian news agency Tanjug reported.
Nikolic, who is running a close second to incumbent President Boris Tadic, rejected an investigation by the Serbian State Prosecutor's Office which concluded that no fraud had been committed.
"This time there will be no electoral fraud because we will really get into a fight every time they try to steal," Nikolic told reporters after a meeting of his party, the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
"I personally am ready to pick a fight at any polling station where they may want to steal votes,"he said.
Immediately after the general election, Nikolic produced a bag containing approximately 3,000 ballots which he claimed had been dumped by members of Tadic's Democratic Party and replaced with forgeries. Democratic Party officials have dismissed the accusations.
According to Tomo Zoric, spokesman for the prosector's office, there was no evidence of fraud, although ballots had been stolen after the election from a polling station in Pancevo, outside of Belgrade.
Zoric stated that "forensic analysis confirmed that 2,109 ballots were identical" and that none of the ballots examined were fake.
Aleksandar Vucic, vice-president of the SNS, responded by calling Zoric a "liar."
Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said the case was being further investigated.
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