On Sunday, Serbia held early parliamentary elections.

We take note of the preliminary findings and conclusions of the international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on Serbia’s 17 December early parliamentary elections. In light of these preliminary findings and conclusions, we conclude with concern that the electoral process requires tangible improvement and further reform, as the proper functioning of Serbia’s democratic institutions is at the core of Serbia’s EU accession process.

The EU looks forward to the final OSCE/ODIHR report and recommendations for future elections, which should be implemented as soon as possible and well in advance of the next elections. 

We also expect that credible reports of irregularities are followed up in a transparent manner by the competent national authorities. This includes also allegations related to the local elections in Belgrade and other municipalities.

We call on the Serbian political leadership to ensure a constructive, inclusive dialogue across the political spectrum.