BELGRADE – Last weekend, all eyes were on the local elections held in the small Serbian municipality of Kosjerić and the town Zaječar, the first elections since the outbreak of the student protests. With an exceptionally high turnout, the opposition, supported by the student movement, managed to significantly reduce the previous majority of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). According to the preliminary results, the coalition around SNS will hold a majority of only 1 seat in Kosjerić and 2 seats in the Zaječar local assembly.
Opposition in both local areas, however, disputed the results and announced that it would file complaints to the electoral commissions. Observers noted that longstanding issues with the election process in Serbia were present in this campaign as well, including misuse of public resources and reports of vote buying.
According to the preliminary results, the SNS coalition won 49.23% of the vote in Kosjerić, while a united opposition list, supported by students, won 48.54%, a difference of just 51 votes. In Zaječar, the SNS list won 47%, while two opposition lists combined for a total of 42%. Both results, especially the results in Kosjerić, represent a significant increase in opposition vote compared to the previous election cycle.
Election campaign marked by violence, vote buying and misuse of public resources
The latest local elections, held on 8 June, were largely seen as the test for ruling party and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić since it has been the first time that the citizens went to polls after the mass protests and student blockades of the universities.
As was the case in previous elections, the representatives of the SNS, including high-ranking state officials, resorted to the misuse of state and public resources, and the vast majority of the pro-government media outlets in the country ran an open campaign in support of the local ruling party lists. In addition, there were claims about vote buying and voter intimidation well ahead of the election day.
For instance, the election observation mission launched by Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA) documented 71 incidents during the final three weeks of the campaign involving targeting and intimidation through smear campaigns, verbal and physical violence against opposition activists, journalists, and citizens; 90 appearances by government officials in support of local ruling party campaigns; 70 cases of potential misuse of public resources; and nearly 70 instances of misleading political advertising favoring the ruling party.
“More than one-third of all government officials’ campaign activities nationwide in the final weeks took place in Zaječar and Kosjerić”, CRTA stated.
On 10 June, N1 television reported that some SNS voters in Zaječar were complaining about not receiving the promised money for their vote, which they claim to be 3,000-4,000 RSD (around 30 EUR).
Tensions outside of polling stations, threats and provocations through phone calls
On the election day, people from all over Serbia, including university students, joined CRTA and other organisations to observe the voting in Kosjerić and Zaječar, whereas some representatives of the opposition, activists and celebrities self-organised to come to these towns. Also, both areas saw a marked presence of activists from the ruling party.
CRTA reports that at one polling station in Zaječar, two instances were noted in which members of the electoral board provided voters with already filled-out ballots, and that at some polling places, the observers faced pressure from the heads of electoral boards.
The Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP) expressed deep concern over serious irregularities, abuses, and selective actions by members of the Ministry of Interior during the local elections in Zaječar and Kosjerić, and called for an immediate, independent investigation into all reported incidents.
“In Kosjerić, there was a significant presence of both uniformed and plainclothes individuals, lacking legally required identification, who claimed to be police officers. Citizens were prevented from accessing certain areas, and several journalists were physically attacked and obstructed from carrying out their reporting”, the press release says.
According to BCBP, in Zaječar, tensions were reported outside polling stations, with organised pressure on voters and incidents involving individuals acting outside the law.
“During the elections in Kosjerić and Zaječar, individuals posing as officials, without identification or legal authorities, controlled public spaces, restricted citizens’ movement, and intimidated voters,” BCBP claims.
Vučić repeats the claims about the “colour revolution”
On the other hand, Aleksandar Vučić, speaking from the headquarters of the SNS in Belgrade, on Sunday evening, claimed that these local elections were held under “the unprecedented conditions – conditions of lynching, persecution, and harassment of citizens”.
“We managed to win… You can shout, you can threaten, you can beat us, you can occupy cafes, squares, and streets, but when people come behind the voting screen, they vote for our Serbia, not against it, and they do not vote for foreign money,” he said, repeating the claims that there were attempts of staging “colour revolution” in Serbia, by students and some other individuals.
The process of filing complaints is underway, and the opposition lists in both Zaječar and Kosjerić. Once the election commission decides on the complaints, participants will have an opportunity to challenge these decisions in court.