In Serbia, local elections have taken place, with citizens voting to elect city governments in Belgrade and 66 other cities and municipalities, as well as 23 city municipalities. The elections have been closely monitored by a total of 1,737 observers, both local and foreign.
Various irregularities have been reported, including delays in opening polls and instances of voting on behalf of others. With a focus on major cities like Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Niš, the attention is on the Serbian capital where 1.6 million eligible voters have the opportunity to cast their votes.
Following the ruling Serbian Progressive Party’s failure to secure a majority in the city assembly last year, all eyes are on the outcome of the Belgrade elections. Recommendations from the OSCE observation mission highlight the need for improvements in the electoral process, such as ensuring equal access to media for all parties.
Despite some opposition parties boycotting the elections, citing concerns over fairness, the democratic process continues in Serbia with the hope of a transparent and accountable election.