American Department of State (DASH) called on the authorities in Serbia to cooperate with the OSCE mission in investigating allegations of electoral irregularities, reports Voice of America.
As the State Department pointed out, violence against journalists, observers and election officials is “unacceptable”, and that the legitimacy of democratic processes depends on transparency and the willingness of all participants to accept the results of the elections.
“We are focused, in cooperation with Serbia, on strengthening the democratic government and the rule of law, improving regional cooperation, continuing economic growth and accelerating Serbia’s progress on the path to membership in the European Union. The future of Serbia lies in the West”, states DASH’s response to the Voice of America’s questions regarding the new protests in Belgrade.
The announcement states that the disturbing findings of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) that the elections were marred by numerous procedural errors, pressure on public officials and abuse of public resources, and that, these factors, together with the systematic advantages of the ruling parties, created unfair conditions.
“The United States urges Serbia to work closely with the OSCE to address these concerns,” they wrote, adding that allegations of irregularities, reported by ODIHR and other election observation teams, should be investigated.
The opposition has been protesting since the Dec. 17 election, accusing the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) of election theft, including registering fictitious voters from Serbia and abroad.
