Belgrade: A team of international observers on Monday slammed Serbian elections over a string of “irregularities” including “vote buying” and “ballot box stuffing”, after the opposition accused the ruling populist party of committing voter fraud to win the re-election.
The accusations by the monitors, which included representatives from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), came just hours after President Aleksandar Vucic said his party had secured a commanding victory in the parliamentary and local elections.
Serbian election officials later confirmed that the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS)’s victory in parliamentary elections, after announcing initial results from the weekend’s polls.
The SNS earned roughly 46 percent of votes in the parliamentary elections, while the leading opposition coalition secured just 23.5 percent of ballots, according to the complete, but uncertified, results.
“Election day was smooth but marred by isolated instances of violence, procedural irregularities and frequent allegations of organising and busing of voters to support the ruling party in local elections,” the International Election Observation Mission said in a statement.
“Further instances of serious irregularities, including vote-buying and ballot box stuffing, were observed,” it added.
Vucic and his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) looked poised to tighten their grip on power after claiming to have captured 127 of the 250 seats in parliament after the voting on Sunday.
But opposition groups have cast doubts over the validity of the contest following accusations that the government allowed thousands of unregistered voters from neighbouring Bosnia to cast ballots illegally in the capital Belgrade.
Thousands demonstrated in front of the Serbia election commission building in downtown Belgrade on Monday night following calls by the opposition camp.
Demonstrators held banners that read: “They stole our future” as others chanted “Vucic go away”.
“It was a robbery. I’m disgusted,” protestor Ana Mirkovic, 37, told AFP.
The government had earlier dismissed any foul play, with Prime Minister Ana Brnabic saying the allegations were designed to spread chaos.