The Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities observation mission found violence, coercion, and intimidation around Serbia’s local elections in 10 municipalities, saying these are unacceptable barriers to voters’ free will. Observers said delegation members witnessed violence in almost all municipalities visited, and they received reports of attacks on domestic observers, alongside concerns about ballot secrecy violations and ballot photographing, with inconsistent responses from polling station staff. The mission called for professionalising election administration, including mandatory training, standardized procedures, and stronger integrity safeguards (e.g., clearer counting procedures and better controls). It also warned that the campaign environment had deteriorated versus 2022, citing allegations of pressure on voters and employees, vote-buying, misuse of administrative resources, and unbalanced media coverage.
Date: March 31, 2026. Source: europeanwesternbalkans.com