ODIHR: The elections in Serbia were negatively affected, there was misuse of state resources

2024-06-03 20:00:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

ODIHR: The elections in Serbia were negatively affected, there was misuse of

The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE/ODIHR, said on Monday that Sunday's local elections in Serbia were well administered, but concerns about widespread pressure on public sector workers, misuse of public resources and the approach of the media in favor of the governing coalition, negatively affected the process.

In a statement on preliminary findings, the mission said the election day was generally uneventful, but was negatively affected by issues related to the secrecy of the vote, numerous procedural problems, allegations of pressure and vote-buying, and isolated incidents of violence. .

Serbia held local government elections in about 80 of its municipalities on Sunday, and according to preliminary results, Serbian President Aleksandar Vu?i?'s Serbian Progressive Party scored a landslide victory in Sunday's local government elections, including a repeat election in Belgrade. .

However, some opposition parties said that the voting was carried out with major irregularities and warned of not knowing the result.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vu?i?'s Progressive Party will further strengthen its broad control over power in the country, amid criticism for suppressing democracy.

Elections in the Serbian capital were repeated after reports of widespread irregularities last December fueled political tensions and accusations that President Aleksandar Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party rigged the vote. The ruling populists were accused in December last year by the opposition and independent observers of busing voters from other parts of Serbia and from neighboring Bosnia, which they have denied. Similar reports were published by opposition supporters on social media on Sunday.

President Vu?i? officially wants his troubled nation to join the European Union, but has repeatedly moved away from European values ??of democracy while maintaining close ties to Russia and China. Serbia has refused to join Western sanctions against Moscow over its aggression in Ukraine. The Serbian Progressive Party has presented itself as the only political force capable of running the country and keeping it safe in a time of global turmoil.

Pro-Western opposition groups have accused President Vu?i? of ties to crime, rampant corruption and suppression of democracy. But a broad alliance behind last year's massive anti-government street protests has split and former allies have turned on each other, fueling apathy among Serbia's 6.5 million voters./ VOA