Fugitive ex-Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra given Serbian citizenship
- Yingluck fled Thailand in 2017 before being convicted and sentenced to five years in jail over corruption-related charges
- With a Serbian passport, she can travel without a visa to more than 100 countries, including most members of the EU
Fugitive former Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who was sentenced in Thailand to five years in prison on corruption-related charges, has received Serbian citizenship.
Local magazine Nedeljnik published an image of a government document dated June 27 that said Yingluck had “obtained Serbian citizenship”. It appeared to be signed by Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic.
State news agency Tanjug reported on Thursday that the Serbian government made the decision “because it could be in the interest of Serbia”. A government decree confirming she was granted citizenship was published in June in Serbia’s official gazette.
Serbian officials did not comment on the reason behind the decision. Yingluck’s spokersperson could also not immediately be reached.
Yingluck fled Thailand in 2017 days before she was convicted of running a rice subsidy scheme that cost Thailand billions of dollars. She and her supporters say the trial was a witch-hunt led by a junta keen on rooting out her family’s political influence.
