Kallas and Kos welcome Serbia's strong mandate, call for rapid certification and reforms

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos issued a joint statement welcoming the outcome of Serbia’s snap parliamentary vote on 25 October and saying the new government received a strong mandate for change.

The statement noted the high turnout and said rapid recognition of the results by main participants demonstrated commitment to an uninterrupted democratic process. It called on authorities to complete official certification and allow for an orderly transition so the parliament and government can be formed without delay.

In setting out the EU’s assessment, Kallas and Kos said they took into account preliminary findings from international election observation by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

Preliminary findings and concerns

They said the international observation mission reported generally effective management of election preparations and positive assessments of election-day procedures at the vast majority of polling stations, but also warned about shortcomings that affected the electoral environment. "The deeply entrenched advantages enjoyed by the governing party, including abuse of state resources and pronounced media bias in favour of the party in power, intimidation and pressure on voters, candidates and civil society, as well as disruption of campaign activities, undermined the electoral environment. Reported incidents of physical violence caused serious concern," the statement said.

The EU representatives stressed that free, fair and transparent elections in line with international standards are a prerequisite for functional democratic institutions and for Serbia to meet EU membership criteria. They urged an inclusive process to implement ODIHR and Council of Europe recommendations and tangible reform of the electoral framework.

"The EU remains ready to work closely with the incoming Serbian government on the fundamentals of the accession process, specifically on democratic criteria, an independent judiciary and fundamental rights, including media freedom," Kallas and Kos concluded, adding that reducing polarisation is essential to rebuild citizens’ trust and turn reforms into opportunities for Serbia's population.

Photo: press material from the event