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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia firmly committed to implementation of OSCE, ODIHR standards

Belgrade, 1 December 2023

Prime Minster Ana Brnabic met today with the Head of the Election Observation Mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Ambassador Albert Jonsson.

Brnabic pointed out that the engagement of the Mission, led by Ambassador Jonsson, in its full capacity with 30 long-term and 250 short-term observers, represents an important contribution and support of the OSCE for the organisation and holding of elections in Serbia.

She also stated that Serbia is fully committed to the implementation of standards of the OSCE and ODIHR, whose recommendations and guidelines are fully applied in every election process.

In this context, the Prime Minister pointed out that since 2019, Serbia has continuously cooperated with ODIHR through the Working Group for Coordination and Monitoring of the Implementation of Recommendations for the Improvement of the Electoral Process, in order for the electoral process in Serbia to be further improved and implemented in full compliance with the highest international standards of democracy.

The Prime Minister specifically informed her interlocutor about the results in the implementation of recommendations of the Serbian Electoral Commission, and based on the Commission's report, to the Working Group for Cooperation with ODIHR.

Brnabic stated that the Serbian Electoral Commission, among other things, adopted ten amendments to the instructions that are in accordance with the opinion submitted by ODIHR; it adopted the Training Programme, which provided for the holding of as many as 13 different trainings, compared to eight in the previous election process, and prepared the Voter Education Programme for the period 2024-2026, which it also submitted to ODIHR for evaluation.

She added that the Serbian Electoral Commission also changed its web presentation and adapted it especially for voters, additionally improved its pages on social networks, prepared three election videos for voters, as well as one radio message, established a register of objections, and prepared several election guides that have been translated into the languages of national minorities.

The Prime Minister informed Jonsson that the Serbian Electoral Commission has also prepared a new functionality on its web presentation, which will be located on the home page of the website and which will allow the results of voting at each polling station to be published immediately, after scanning records of the work of the electoral commissions and entering the results into the database of the Serbian Statistical Office.

Speaking about the upcoming elections, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of greater participation of people with disabilities, members of national minorities and young voters.

Jonsson informed Brnabic about the mandate, structure and membership of the Election Observation Mission in Serbia.