The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funded the introduction of new digital technologies into the election process in Bosnia and Herzegovina, using equipment from the company Smartmatic, which gained global notoriety after supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump accused it of manipulating the results of the 2020 U.S. presidential elections.
An increasing number of USAID critics are questioning the transparency of Smartmatic’s equipment, raising concerns about potential misuse, corruption, and manipulation.
“Given the history of controversies surrounding Smartmatic’s technology, trust in the electoral process in BiH will be seriously tested,” states Večernji list.
In August last year, USAID announced that it had invested $500,000 to implement new voting technologies during BiH’s local elections, aiming for their full introduction by the 2026 general elections. The contract was awarded to Smartmatic.
“Now, this project is entirely in question, especially after the controversies surrounding USAID’s influence and the erosion of trust both within the U.S. and globally,” Večernji list reports, recalling that within the project, optical scanners were procured and tested at 145 polling stations, intended to ensure faster and more accurate transmission of election results.
Former U.S. Attorney Sidney Powell shared a post on her X profile reminding the public of corruption allegations linked to Smartmatic, specifically referencing a case in the Philippines, where government officials allegedly received bribes in exchange for selecting Smartmatic’s devices for their election process, Večernji list notes.
Due to its involvement in the corruption scandal in the Philippines, where officials were reportedly paid millions in bribes to secure lucrative contracts for election equipment procurement, the U.S. Department of Justice recently indicted three senior officials of Smartmatic.
Source: Glas Srpske
