Participation of the PABSEC Delegation in the Observation of the Parliamentary and Presidential Elections in the Republic of Serbia, Belgrade, 1-4 April 2022
On 1-4 April 2022, the PABSEC Delegation composed of Mr. Babken Tunyan, Head of the PABSEC Armenian Delegation, Mr. Petar Kanev, Head of the PABSEC Bulgarian Delegation, and Mr. Asaf Hajiyev, PABSEC Secretary General, visited Belgrade and took part in the observation mission for the parliamentary and presidential elections in the Republic of Serbia, on 3 April 2022. The Delegation was accompanied by Ms. Milena Ljubinkovic, Secretary of the PABSEC Economic, Commercial and Financial Affairs Committee.
On 2 April 2022, the Delegation met with the Chairman and members of the Republic Electoral Commission (REC). Mr. Vladimir Dimitrijevic, Chairman of the Commission, informed the Delegation that 6,502,307 citizens have the right to vote in the presidential and parliamentary elections and also that the elections will be held in the city councils of Belgrade and Bor, as well as in 12 municipalities. He also noted that the REC registered the lists of candidates belonging to 19 political parties and coalitions, for the elections to the National Assembly and 8 candidates for the elections of the President of the Republic of Serbia.
The PABSEC Delegation got acquainted with interest, with the electoral legislation of Serbia, the information about the functioning of the institutions, the participants in the electoral process and the competencies and activities of the REC. The Chairman of the Commission gave exhaustive answers to all the questions of the PABSEC Delegation.
On election day, the PABSEC delegation visited several polling stations in different districts of Belgrade. According to the PABSEC delegation, the voting was well organized, in a democratic and fair environment, strictly within the law. According to the delegation's assessment, no irregularities were found at the polling stations. Based on the results of its work, the PABSEC Delegation notes the good organization of the voting process, in the Republic of Serbia.
According to preliminary data announced by the REC, based on the processing of 95.14 percent of information from the polling stations and 94.66 percent of the vote bulletins, 12 parties entered the parliament, five of which represent national minorities. The party “Aleksandr Vucic - Together we can do everything” gained 42.95 percent. The following parties also entered the parliament: “United for the Victory of Serbia”, “Ivica Dacic - Prime Minister of Serbia”, “Hope for Serbia”, “Moramo”, “Dveri – POKS”, “Zavetniki”, and 5 minority parties.
According to preliminary data announced by the REC, based on the processing of 95.55 percent of the information from the polling stations and 95.16 percent of the vote bulletins, the incumbent President Mr. Aleksandar Vucic won the presidential elections in the first round, with 58.63 percent of the vote, the second place was obtained by Mr. Zdravko Ponos, with 18.26 percent of the votes.
On 2 April 2022, in Belgrade, within the framework of the observation mission for the parliamentary and presidential elections, the PABSEC Delegation met with Mr. Igor Becic, PABSEC Vice President, Head of the PABSEC Serbian delegation.
The PABSEC Delegation and Mr. Igor Becic discussed the current activities of the Assembly and exchanged information on the PABSEC events, in the first half of 2022. The Secretary General informed the Head of the PABSEC Serbian Delegation of the organizational and preparatory work for the 59th General Assembly.
Mr. Igor Becic expressed his support for the activities of the PABSEC and highly appreciated the work of the PABSEC International Secretariat. He underlined that Serbia attaches great importance to its participation in the PABSEC and expressed the readiness for continuing the fruitful cooperation within the Assembly.