(3 Jun 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Belgrade, Serbia – 3 June 2024
1. Members of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) at news conference
2. SOUNDBITE ( English) Lamberto Zannier, OSCE Head of Mission:
"The 2nd of June local elections were well administered, offering voters a wide range of political alternatives, but concerns about widespread pressure on public sector employees, misuse of public resources and media bias in favour of the ruling coalition negatively impacted the process. Contestants could campaign freely, but the continued dominance of the ruling party and fragmentation of the opposition reduced the competitiveness of these elections. The electoral legal framework provides an adequate basis for the conduct of democratic elections. However, further reforms are needed to address outstanding ODIHR (Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights) recommendations.”
3. Cutaway news conference
4. SOUNDBITE ( English) Lamberto Zannier, OSCE Head of Mission:
“Despite measures introduced to address concerns over alleged organised voter migration in previous elections, which contributed to reducing tensions in the run up to these elections, many stakeholders considered these insufficient and expressed a general lack of confidence in the accuracy of the voter register. The diverse media landscape is highly polarised and provided selective coverage, prioritizing the national agenda over local issues, limiting the amount of essential information on local elections available to voters. Cases of intimidation against journalists were of concern. Election day proceeded smoothly overall, but was negatively affected by issues related to the secrecy of the vote, numerous procedural problems, claims of pressure and vote buying, and isolated instances of violence."
6. Wide of news conference
STORYLINE:
Serbia’s local elections held at the weekend were marred by unjust conditions and misuse of public resources that favoured the ruling populists, a report by international monitors said on Monday.
A coalition led by the nationalist Serbian Progressive Party of President Aleksandar Vucic won convincingly against splintered opposition groups in the capital Belgrade and most other municipalities, according to official results published on Monday.
But according to a report by international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), there were “numerous problems with the secrecy of the vote as well as several instances of serious irregularities including vote buying, and isolated cases of violence.”
“Contestants could campaign freely, but the continued dominance of the ruling party and fragmentation of the opposition reduced the competitiveness of these elections,” said Ambassador Lamberto Zannier, head of the ODIHR election observation mission.
This was the second such report by the international observers since parliamentary and local election nearly six months ago after allegations of fraud sparked weeks of protests.
The election in Belgrade was a rerun vote following reports of widespread irregularities in December that triggered political tensions and accusations that President Vucic’s governing party rigged the vote.
Vucic’s party has for more than a decade controlled all levels of power in Serbia and went into Sunday’s election as the favourite.
Opposition groups split over whether to take part in the ballot or press on with demands for free and fair elections, which weakened their chances of a success.
===========================================================
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/671f0f6c0b49477797fc73278e1f9073
