US Calls on Serbia to Investigate Allegations of Election Irregularities

(Patria) - The United States is calling on Serbia to investigate allegations of election irregularities by international observers, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated yesterday.

Miller told a press conference that Washington is reviewing the preliminary report from international observation missions led by the OSCE, which points to electoral irregularities, reports Voice of America.

"We call on Serbia to work with the OSCE to address these issues. Allegations of irregularities, which the OSCE and other international observers have reported on, should be investigated," Miller said.

He emphasized that "violence directed at election officials, journalists, and accredited observers, which we have also seen reports of, is unacceptable".

"We will continue to make this clear to Serbia and call on it to work with the OSCE to resolve these problems," the State Department spokesperson stated.

In a previous statement on the elections in Serbia, Miller did not comment on allegations of electoral irregularities two days ago, saying that the US looks forward to "continuing to work with the next Serbian government to strengthen democratic governance and the rule of law and advance regional stability".

The international observation team, composed of members from the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, concluded that the elections in Serbia were marked by serious irregularities, misuse of public funds, media dominance by President Aleksandar Vučić, negative campaigning, and the spread of fear.

EU High Representative Josep Borrell and Commissioner for Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi yesterday called on Serbia to "tangibly improve" the electoral process, after international observers criticized the way the elections were held on December 17.

According to the preliminary results of the Republic Electoral Commission, the coalition around the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won 128 out of 250 seats in the National Assembly of Serbia.

The second is the opposition coalition "Serbia Against Violence" with 65 seats, and the third is the list around the Socialists with 18 seats.

The right-wing coalition NADA and, for the first time, the right-wing, pro-Russian list of Branimir Nestorović, each with 13 seats, also entered parliament.

Five minority parties, including the Russian Party, also crossed the census.

Regarding the elections in Belgrade, the City Election Commission announced that the list around the SNS won 49 out of 110 seats, and the "Serbia Against Violence" list won 42.

The NADA coalition won seven seats, and the Socialists and Branimir Nestorović's list each won six seats, crossing the census.

The largest opposition coalition "Serbia Against Violence" does not recognize the election results in Belgrade due to allegations of vote-rigging and is demanding a repeat vote.