International Election Observation Mission Press Conference on Serbia's Parliamentary Elections

This is a press conference by the International Election Observation Mission covering Serbia's early parliamentary elections held on October 25. Delegates from the European Parliament, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and parliamentary partners present their preliminary findings on the campaign period, media environment, voter register, and election day procedures, followed by a Q&A session with journalists.

■ Election Campaign and Political Environment
- Highly polarized atmosphere, use of state resources, and large financial benefit announcements during the campaign
- Concerns regarding revisionist and nationalist rhetoric, disruptions targeting opposition contestants, and online campaigning without adequate oversight

■ Media Monitoring and Voter Register
- Media monitoring of eight TV channels covering more than 1,250 hours of news broadcasts and imbalances in candidate coverage
- Long-standing concerns about the accuracy and integrity of the voter register and the establishment of an audit commission

■ Election Day Observation and Q&A
- Observations across 1,485 polling stations, covering counting, accessibility, secrecy of the ballot, and reported incidents
- Journalist questions on irregularities, comparisons with previous elections, and responses from national and local electoral authorities

■ Serbia's EU Accession Context
- Serbia's status as an EU candidate country since 2012 and factors affecting progress in accession negotiations

Those interested in election observation methodology, democratic processes in Southeast Europe, or EU enlargement will find detailed findings and specific observation data. Reviewing the published preliminary statement alongside this session is recommended for a fuller picture.