"I am alarmed by the intimidation of the civil organization CRTA by the Serbian authorities, who are retaliating against the important election observation mission."
This was stated by the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the US Senate, Ben Cardin, in his X profile, BGNES reported.
Cardin stressed that "President Vucic should address the issues raised by the OSCE related to democracy in Serbia, and not divert attention from them by attacking the defenders of democracy."
On December 14, three days before parliamentary elections in Serbia, Ben Cardin said he was concerned about "causing fear and attacks against the opposition" and called on the authorities to ensure fair and democratic elections.
Meanwhile, the head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Emmanuelle Jauffre, said: "the pressure on the non-governmental organizations in Serbia monitoring the elections is making their work difficult, which is against the values of a democratic and pluralistic society. These actions must be stopped."
"A strengthened civil society is a key component of any democratic system and must be recognized by state institutions," Jauffre's X post reads.
International and local observers reported massive irregularities in the parliamentary and local elections in Serbia. The opposition is demanding the election be canceled and a new vote under new conditions, while the government denies any responsibility.
International observers, led by the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSIHR), said in a preliminary report that election conditions favored the authorities and were not equal for all. /BGNES
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