Retired professor of Belgrade University Srbijanka Turajlic says that she doesn’t see herself as the founder of “white tickets” idea, that she is not involved in politics and has no intention of becoming involved in the future.
Is there any organization behind the “white tickets” campaign and how does that organization operate?
I am not aware of the presence of any organization in this campaign. I’ve heard that some youngsters began organizing something, but I really don’t know anything about it. I have to admit that I do not see myself as the “founder” of this movement, neither I want to be that.
Yes, but in public the entire idea is connected with you.
I just said that those voters who are dissatisfied should not stay at home. That idea spread out without any organization, it was suddenly “received” and people started to talk about it. I was just discussing this with friends, when the chain of reactions happened and I got really surprised.
Have you thought about how many people should opt for “white tickets” so that it could be said that the campaign was successful?
I have no idea how many people should positively opt for what I support. I think it will definitely be more than one percent, or more than the usual percentage of invalid ballots in the elections in Serbia. I have not thought about percentages, but my impression is that great many people in Serbia are dissatisfied. How many exactly, I do not know.
The dissatisfied will vote for the opposition, expecting it to make a difference and you don’t think the victory of the current opposition parties is a good solution.
I think that Serbian political scene does not offer adequate choice and I have the impression that many people share that opinion. Since they have no one to choose from, people say they will stay at home and will not vote. And I think they shouldn’t do so, but get out and opt for “white tickets”.
Researchers say that potential advocates of “white tickets” are mainly present among supporters of Democratic Party and Liberal Democratic Party. Do you share that opinion?
The entire initiative is a protest against what DS has done over the past years and against the insufficient engagement of LDP. People blame DS for its actions and LDP for inaction. These are all pro-reform and pro-European people who will not vote for Nikolic’s SNS, but would rather seek another way to express their discontent. We expected much more from DS, we deserve better, DS did not provide it to us and others are not acceptable.
So the main message is addressed to DS?
A number of voters dissatisfied with DS will vote for LDP, but for some reason there are people who will not vote neither for LDP, nor for DS. The initiative is addressed to them.
What would be the success of the initiative?
I do not think it can succeed or fail, I just think it is better that one percent of people express their dissatisfaction in this way, rather than staying at home. I don’t think that “white tickets” initiative should develop into a new party. It would be good if the mass of voters opting for “white tickets” would lead to changes in DS, to return this party to what it was in the beginning. If we assume that entire DS thinks that what is happening in the country is all right, then it’s too late for us. But I am convinced that many of them do not think that way.