December 17 election infractions, alleged by the Serbian opposition against the long-ruling and again triumphant SNS party, backed by reigning President Aleksandar Vucic, drew criticism from the United States State Department, following “concerns” voiced also by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which focused primarily on local Belgrade contests.
„Claims of irregularities reported both by OSCE and other election observation teams should be investigated, and violence directed at election authorities, journalists, accredited observers — of which we have seen reports — is unacceptable,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.
Miller added that the State Department would “urge Serbia to work with the OSCE to address these concerns.”
The US has long pushed for better democratic processes in Serbia, as well as the normalization of relations with Kosovo.
Noteworthy, is that some EU representatives levelled sharper criticism, calling for further reform.
Photo of Matthew Miller by United States Department of State, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
