Serbian prosecutors have arrested several people and opened new investigations in the days after the October 25 parliamentary election, according to a DW report. The Students' List won a landslide over the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), ending 14 years of rule by Aleksandar Vucic and the SNS.
Aleksandar Vulin, Dusan Bajatovic and Nenad Popovic were on Air Serbia flight JU134 from Belgrade to Moscow on November 3 when the crew was ordered back to Belgrade. Unofficial reports published by several media outlets said the plane turned around because Vulin had allegedly boarded without the mandatory security screening. Vulin told the media he was going to Moscow to discuss extending a gas agreement with Russia. Bajatovic said he did not know why Vulin and Popovic were travelling and denied that they would attend the scheduled gas meetings.
Four people were arrested in Novi Sad on suspicion of vote-buying. Six others were detained in Mali Zvornik on suspicion of helping citizens from Bosnia and Herzegovina register residence in Serbia so they could vote.
Davor Macura, owner of Alta Bank, was arrested on suspicion of illegally accessing the bank's vault and removing the equivalent of about €383 million ($430 million). His arrest followed the National Bank of Serbia's revocation of the bank's license and the start of bankruptcy proceedings. DW reports that Macura has been publicly associated with the SNS.
Senior police officials, the head of the Republic Hydrometeorological Institute and several managers of public companies have also been arrested over suspected abuse of office and rigged procurement. Prosecutor General Zagorka Dolovac issued a binding instruction on October 29 to prevent the destruction of official records, after reports and video suggested documents may have been removed or destroyed in state institutions and public companies.
Prosecutor Bojana Savovic told DW that the speed of the action may reflect an attempt by prosecutors to ingratiate themselves with the new authorities. She said she hoped the speed would not reduce the quality of indictments. Former President Vucic said he is not afraid of arrest and that nothing can be found against him on financial matters.