On Tuesday 19 December, the day after the Serbian parliamentary elections, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and the Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, took the view that the country’s “electoral process should be the subject of tangible improvements and further reforms”.
These statements come as President Aleksandar Vučić’s ruling party claimed victory in the elections, and the opposition, united under the banner ‘Serbia against Violence’, called on citizens to take to the streets on 18 December to denounce the election result.
According to the opposition, “more than 40,000 people” voted in the capital without being resident there, most of whom came by bus from Republika Srpska. At the initiative of this opposition coalition - credited with 23.5% of the vote - several thousand people protested in the streets of Belgrade.
“We also expect credible reports of irregularities to be transparently followed up by the national competent authority. This also includes the allegations relating to the local elections in Belgrade and other municipalities”, said Mr Borrell and Mr Várhelyi jointly.
“We call on Serbia’s political leaders to ensure a constructive and inclusive dialogue across the political spectrum”, they added, pointing out that reforms to the electoral system are also part of the necessary conditions for making progress towards EU membership (see EUROPE 13313/8).
Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, a member of the European Parliament’s observation delegation, explained on X (formerly Twitter) that the Serbian elections had taken place in unequal conditions and with frequent irregularities in the run-up to and on polling day, such as the misuse of administrative resources, vote-buying and violations of the secrecy of the vote. “We have witnessed cases of organised calls from voters in Republika Srpska and intimidation of voters”, she added.
According to the German Green MEP, Parliament was ready to mediate between the ruling party and the opposition to ensure a peaceful and democratic dialogue to reduce tensions.
See the OSCE’s preliminary conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/a6p (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin and Camille-Cerise Gessant)