US EditionInternational observers urge violence-free elections after clashes at Serbia vote
Observers noted tensions, violence, and voting irregularities in 10 Serbian towns during local elections testing President Vucic's grip amid polarized campaigns and protests.
- On Sunday, Serbia held local elections across 10 towns, with international observers reporting significant violence and irregularities. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe witnessed "heated arguments and the threatening presence of large groups of people" outside polling stations.
- President Aleksandar Vucic faced a test of his power following more than a year of youth-led protests that shook his grip on authority. Vucic led the campaign for his Serbian Progressive Party amid long-standing accusations of curbing democratic freedoms.
- Jovana Djurbabic, from CRTA, told The Associated Press: "I would not call these elections free." Serbian independent monitors reported scores of violent incidents and voting irregularities, including breaches of voting secrecy.
- On Monday, Croatian President Zoran Milanovic canceled an annual regional meeting planned for May, citing Vucic's recent comments. Milanovic stated Vucic's "political statements and actions" jeopardize peace in southeastern Europe.
- Both presidential and parliamentary elections are expected in Serbia late this year or next year. Support for Vucic is believed to have eroded as polarization persists following Sunday's vote across the 10 municipalities.
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12 Articles
Predstavnik Organizacije za evropsku bezbednost i saradnju (OEBS) za slobodu medija Jan Bratu (Jan Braathu) je večeras dzienniko da je na locowy izborima u nedelju u Srbiji bio "nezabeležen nivo nasilja i zastrašivanja novinara" i pozvao vlasti Srbije da to osude "javno i nedvosmisleno".
Associated Press News
International observers urge violence-free elections after clashes at Serbia vote
International observers at a local election in European Union candidate Serbia on Monday say that they were “alarmed” and have witnessed “acts of violence” during the vote.
Election observers from the Council of Europe indicated on Monday that they had witnessed violence in front of polling stations and "extremely worrying" irregularities during the municipal elections in Serbia on Sunday. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic claimed victory.
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