Twenty-four European political officials, mostly heads of parliamentary groups on international relations, called on the European Union to conduct an independent investigation into allegations of irregularities during Serbia’s Dec. 17 election, which led to opposition protests but was rejected. to the anger of the Serbian authorities.
In a letter addressed to the highest officials of the European Union that was made public by the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the German Parliament, Michael Roth, it is stated that “our common goal is to see Serbia as a member of the European Union within this decade” , but a necessary requirement for this is “a functional democracy and the rule of law”.
“The massive election manipulations found by the international election observation mission and independent civil society observers are clear violations of the principles of free, equal and secret elections that are not in accordance with this request. This raises great concerns about the legitimacy of the election results at the national level and especially in relation to the elections for the Municipal Assembly of Belgrade”, the letter states.
European MPs say that these developments and “the state’s repressive reaction after them, show a further escalation of the country’s autocratic development. This development includes Serbia’s continued cooperation with the Russian Federation, despite Russian aggression in Ukraine. This constitutes a critical threat to the stability of the entire Western Balkans. If there is no common European response now, this will prompt similar actions in neighboring countries in the future.”
The letter was published a day after some members of the European Parliament called for an international investigation into alleged election fraud in Serbia and asked European Union member states not to accept the election results until the investigation is completed.
The debate on this issue is expected to continue next week, while a European Parliament resolution on the elections in Serbia can be expected in February.
President Aleksandar Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party won the December 17 election, but the main opposition alliance, Serbia Against Violence, claims the election was rigged, particularly in local government elections in Belgrade.
International observers say the election was held under unfair conditions, pointing to serious irregularities that included ballot box stuffing and vote buying.
Some local election observers said voters from across Serbia and neighboring countries were bussed to Belgrade to vote, and opposition supporters claim they registered at false addresses in the Serbian capital.
President Vucic and his party have called the reports “fabricated”. The Serbian president earlier this month dismissed the possibility of any outside investigation, saying the elections were “a matter for Serbian state institutions.”
Since the election, the opposition has engaged in protests that culminated on December 24, when police fired tear gas and arrested dozens of people who tried to enter Belgrade’s city hall.
The Serbian president described the protests as an attempt to topple the government with foreign help, but provided no evidence for such claims.