Suppressing Serbia’s diaspora vote doesn’t project strength
Irena Joveva, Renew MEP said:
"When an election authority deliberately makes it difficult for over 100,000 citizens abroad to cast their ballots, that isn’t a logistical failure, it’s calculated fear. Suppressing the diaspora vote doesn't project strength, it tells the whole world that the regime can't survive a fair fight against its own people."
Irena JovevaRenew Europe MEP, Slovenia, Gibanje Svoboda
Recent media reports that a record of more than 100,000 Serbian citizens registering to vote abroad, but the number of polling stations abroad does not correspond to the high number of voters. Changing long-standing practice, polling stations abroad will be now required to follow Central European Time instead of local time, meaning that many citizens will have to vote in the middle of the night, and some may be unable to vote at all.
Helmut Brandstätter, Renew shadow rapporteur on Serbia added:
“Hundreds of thousands of Serbians had to leave the country due to economic hardship, corruption and political pressure. They support their families in Serbia through remittances sent from the EU. Creating deliberate obstacles for these citizens to vote is a violation of democratic principles and demonstrates the desperation of the current authorities. This issue must be addressed immediately by opening an adequate number of polling stations and adjusting voting times."
Helmut BrandstätterRenew Europe MEP, Austria, NEOS – Das Neue Österreich
Liberals and Democrats have been closely following the situation in Serbia, including taking a stand against the glorification of war criminals in the country with a recent resolution. Renew Europe also stands behind the European Parliament's latest warning about Serbia's ongoing democratic decline, repeated spyware scandals, attacks on the rule of law, and concerns over judicial independence, media freedom, human rights and corruption.