The European Union Delegation to the Republic of Serbia expressed concern over reported violent incident during the campaign for the October 25 parliamentary elections and added that the Serbian authorities have to ensure the integrity of the election process.
Oglas
“The EU is closely following the campaign for the upcoming parliamentary elections in Serbia. Serbian authorities and stakeholders have the responsibility to ensure the integrity of the process,” the EU Delegation statement said.
“The EU is committed to supporting Serbia’s EU accession process. Free, fair and transparent elections in line with international standards are required for Serbia to meet the democratic criteria to advance towards EU membership. This includes citizens’ right to make a free and informed choice, a level playing field for all contestants, equal access to the media, the safety of journalists, an enabling environment for civil society, and a clear separation of state and party, avoiding undue incumbency advantages. The EU recalls longstanding ODIHR recommendations to improve Serbia’s electoral process.
“All political leaders should contribute to a peaceful and democratic environment. The citizens of Serbia expect a campaign respectful of political pluralism and freedom of expression, and free from disinformation, inflammatory language and violence. The media regulator should systematically monitor and act on violations of media rules. The EU shares their expectations and calls on the Serbian authorities to ensure the protection of all electoral contestants, domestic and foreign journalists, and local and international observers throughout the campaign and electoral process.
“We are concerned by several reported incidents of violence which have no place in an electoral process. All instances of violence require swift, transparent and credible institutional follow-up so those responsible are brought to justice. Journalists and civil society should be able to operate in a safe environment.
“We also expect all relevant institutions to act swiftly in cases of possible irregularities during the campaign and on election day, and to address complaints in a timely manner throughout the electoral process.
“We welcome the deployment of the long-term OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission upon request from the authorities as well as the invitation to the European Parliament to observe the elections and the contribution of domestic observers to the integrity of the process,” the EU Delegation statement said.
Teme