Protests outbreak in Serbia following preliminary election results

In the Serbian capital, Belgrade, protests outbreak against the results of the extraordinary parliamentary elections, in which the party of President Aleksandar Vučić is in the lead, demanding the annulment of the voting results, as the facts about falsifications have become known.

Serbian media N1 writes about it.

We will remind that on December 17, extraordinary parliamentary elections were held in Serbia. The ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) is in the lead. However, the opposition claimed violations and falsification of the vote.

According to the results of counting votes from 96% of polling stations:

• SNS scored 46.71%,
• while the opposition "Serbia Against Violence" received 23.58%, the country's public broadcaster PTC reported.

However, election observers and independent local media reported irregularities in the elections. In particular, observers from the independent Center for Research, Transparency, and Accountability (CRTA) spoke about this.

The CRTA said that in Belgrade, it was observed:

• organized transport of voters,
• suspicious movements of vehicles around polling stations,
• violation of voting secrecy,
• the identities of some voters not being verified.

In turn, OSCE observers found a number of serious violations, such as:

• "unfair competition",
• media bias,
• bribery of voters.

The international mission representatives said the elections were "technically well organized," but "the decisive participation of the president dominated, which, together with the systemic advantages of the ruling party, created unfair conditions."

The protest was organized by the opposition movement "Serbia Against Violence." At first, the protesters gathered near the Belgrade City Council but later went to the election commission building.

There, the action participants tried to break the fence and pelted the building with toilet paper, eggs, and tomatoes.

Serbian opposition supporters protest outside the election commission in Belgrade, Serbia, December 18, 2023. Photo: AP/Marko Drobnjakovic
The crowd also chanted the slogans "We will not surrender the elections," "Treason," and "Vučić is a thief." Several skirmishes took place between the protesters and the security of the election commission building.

At the same time, the leaders of the opposition movement announced that they would go on hunger strike until the election results are annulled.

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