What is the incentive for Aleksander Čeferin to participate so vulgarly in the Serbian Progressive Party’s election campaign, wonders Serbian sports journalist Željko Pantić. He warned that the possible fall of Vučić’s party and the scandal that happened to Sepp Blatter would be a picnic compared to the scandals that may be uncovered as a result of Čeferin’s UEFA collaboration with Vučić.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić called early elections on the 17th of December after pressures from the Serbian opposition. In order to leave his opponents – the otherwise rather disunited opposition – unprepared, he called the elections unannounced and on the earliest date possible under their law. In the meantime, Vučić is already actively campaigning and channelling all possible resources into it. Including the support of Aleksander Čeferin, Zoran Janković and Milorad Dodik.
Many were surprised by Sunday’s news that the President of UEFA and the Mayor of Ljubljana, who has been repeatedly accused of corruption offences, came to the opening of the new stadium in Zaječar and the Serbia-Bulgaria qualifying football match in Leskovac.
According to independent Serbian journalist Željko Pantić, the arrival of Čeferin at the opening of the stadium is an illustration of Aleksandar Vučić’s complete madness. According to Pantić, this is the first time in history that a stadium has been given to a country where nobody can play football until next autumn, and members of Vučić’s Serbian Progressive Party have been invited. He described the match as primarily a pre-election rally of the Serbian President, with the President of UEFA as the guest of honour. Pantić revealed that the construction of the stadium in Zaječar, which is not yet operational, is an example of a major corruption scandal and a publicity stunt for an election campaign. Namely, Vučić has practically declared himself to be the President of the Serbian Football Association and explained to the public how the first friendly match will take place at the stadium.
Čeferin’s messy involvement in politics and corruption
“UEFA has become a criminal cartel for influence peddling with various political dictatorships and Asian despotic states being involved,” commented Pantić, after once again exposing the case of FIFA’s disregard for the minute of silence for the more than 1,400 Israeli victims of Hamas. “They are so immersed in politics,” said the sports journalist, adding that we are dealing with a global mafia a hundred times worse than Sepp Blatter, who is remembered for the corruption scandal of the hosting of the World Cup in Qatar. Today, this Arab money controls both football organisations – FIFA and UEFA – to the extent that the players are not even allowed to offer their condolences to the slaughtered civilians, while at the same time supporting Palestinian football and their officials. Pantić described this as “the mire of politics and corruption” and described Čeferin and Gianni Infantino as mercenaries for Arab billions. “The only thing missing is for the posters of the Serbian Progressive Party to be adorned by Aleksander Čeferin himself,” he commented, adding that UEFA has politicised football to the point of absurdity.
M. P.
