On the situation in Serbia following the elections

B90132/2024

European Parliament resolution on the situation in Serbia following the elections

(2024/2521(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Serbia,

– having regard to the joint statement by High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi of 19 December 2023 on the parliamentary elections in Serbia,

– having regard to the statement of preliminary findings and conclusions of the International Election Observation Mission on the early parliamentary elections of 17 December 2023 in Serbia,

– having regard to the final report of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) election observation mission of 19 August 2022 on the presidential and early parliamentary election of 3 April 2022 in Serbia,

– having regard to the joint opinion of the OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission of 19 December 2022 on the constitutional and legal framework governing the functioning of democratic institutions in Serbia – electoral law and electoral administration,

– having regard to Rule 132(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas on 1 November 2023, the President of Serbia dissolved the Serbian Parliament and scheduled early parliamentary elections for 17 December 2023, citing demands from the opposition for early elections;

B. whereas these were the third parliamentary elections in less than four years, and they unfolded amid heightened social polarisation and intense competition among contrasting political agendas;

C. whereas an international election observation mission (IEOM) was conducted by the OSCE/ODIHR, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament in order to determine whether the elections complied with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections and with national legislation;

D. whereas voter turnout was 58.58 %, which was higher than for the previous elections, held in 2022;

E. whereas the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won 46.75 % of the votes, while the largest opposition coalition, ‘Serbia against Violence’, won 23.66 %;

F. whereas the opposition is calling for the election results to be annulled due to allegations of widespread fraud; whereas protests against the election results have taken place in Serbia;

1. Notes that the IEOM stated that the election was conducted smoothly, but that the day was marked by numerous procedural deficiencies, including the inconsistent application of safeguards during voting and counting, frequent instances of overcrowding, breaches of voting secrecy, and numerous instances of group voting;

2. Welcomes recent amendments that have addressed a number of previous ODIHR and Venice Commission recommendations, particularly those referring to the legal framework for election campaign finance, but notes that several key matters have been left unaddressed, such as issues relating to ensuring a level playing field, measures to prevent the misuse of public office and state resources, separation between official duties and campaign activities, and effective mechanisms to prevent intimidation and pressure on voters, including vote buying;

3. Underlines that in the past 10 years, all Serbian parliaments but one were dissolved early and that any further unnecessary snap elections would not be conducive to political stability;

4. Stresses that constant early elections, permanent campaign mode and long delays in forming governments do not contribute to the efficient democratic governance of the country, but instead weaken its parliament and result in a lack of parliamentary legislative oversight and legitimacy;

5. Undertakes to closely monitor post-electoral developments in Serbia while awaiting the IEOM’s final report on the 2023 elections, and commits to supporting reforms that strengthen democracy and help Serbia to advance on the path towards EU accession;

6. Stresses the importance of thoroughly investigating all election-related complaints, including the recent request to annul the Belgrade City Assembly elections of 17 December 2023, which was filed with the Constitutional Court by an official of the ‘Serbia against Violence’ coalition; underlines that a clear distinction must be made between the parliamentary elections and the local elections, which the IEOM did not observe;

7. Calls on the competent authorities to fully investigate allegations, including allegations of attacks on students, and to follow up on the IEOM’s recommendations; underlines that previous recommendations addressed access to the media for all parties, the low level of political debate, pressure on voters, the emphasis on personally discrediting opponents, and the harsh rhetoric used;

8. Calls on the Serbian authorities to provide institutional solutions to overcome the current problems; calls for the prompt formation of a properly functioning parliament and government, free from the constant cycle of campaigns and frequent snap elections, to enable Serbia to deliver on the reforms required by the EU;

9. Underlines the importance of freedom of speech and acknowledges that everyone has the right to express their views and participate in peaceful protests;

10. Expresses its concern about cases of attacks and abusive language combined with harassment against journalists and civil society organisations;

11. Stresses that it has always endeavoured to support political pluralism and the reinforcement of an inclusive election environment in Serbia through all its activities, in particular through the inter-party dialogue and the parliamentary dialogue process; underlines the importance of continuing the inter-party dialogue and the parliamentary dialogue process;

12. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the President of the European Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the -President, Government, and Parliament of Serbia.