KRIK: Glisic Glue Holding Progressive Party Together

Darko Glisic, Aleksandar Vucic, Sinisa Mali, Belgrade, May 16 2023 (BETAPHOTO/AMIR HAMZAGIC)

Darko Glisic, minister for public investments in the Serbian government and head of the ruling party's executive committee, is one of the key people in the political and criminal organization known as the Serbian Progressive Party, Stevan Dojcinovic, editor of the KRIK (Crime and Corruption Reporting Network) investigative reporting website, said in an Aug. 5 post on the X social media platform.

"Glisic is the main player who ran operations for the party from the shadows, while Vucic has been the one exposed in the media. It was Glisic who made sure that the party breathed as one, that local committees obediently followed orders from the top, that everyone was satisfied and content, that votes were guaranteed and that the funds would flow. He was the glue that held [the Progressive party] together. Certain others also distinguished themselves in this, like [Defense Minister Bratislav] Gasic, but not at the same level as Glisic," Dojcinovic said.

"Also, Glisic is the one who disciplines, i.e. publicly reprimands party members who try to go rogue or who have made an inopportune public comment. While Vucic built up the party with his public appearances, populism and lies, Glisic worked in the shadows to make the country a serious (criminal) organization that is hard to break," the series of posts reads.

In the middle of an appearance on Pink TV on Aug. 5, Glisic had a stroke that was described as very severe and life-threatening by the minister of health later that day. "I want him to pull through and come back from the hospital in good health -- and also to face accountability for what his party has done to this country," the editor of KRIK wrote.