Speaker: 85,000 Opposition Activists to Control Elections

Ivica Dacic (BETAPHOTO/FOREIGN MINISTRY/Ognjen Stevanovic/MO)

The Serbian speaker, Ivica Dacic, said on Oct. 31 that based on an agreement to improve the election process, which had been reached during opposition-government talks without international mediation, close to 85,000 representatives of the Serbian opposition would control electoral committees and polling stations, in order to dispel doubts surrounding the legitimacy of elections.

Dacic said in an interview with the Happy TV that under the agreement a working body would be set up to control the voter registration list, making it possible for opposition representatives to compare various data on a daily basis, including the number of deceased voters and that of the youngest eligible voters, to eliminate suspicion that "false voters cast ballots."

The Serbian speaker explained that the relevant legislation would be changed to allow the opposition to have a permanent member in each electoral committee of four. Dacic said that it would amount to 85,000 opposition members in as many electoral committees in Serbia, while "at least another ten to 20" opposition activists would be controlling the process at each polling station, where every opposition party was entitled to representation.