MEP: Impression that Elections in Belgrade Were Stolen Confirmed by ODHIR Report

European Parliament (Photo: EP/Philippe BUISSIN)

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe observer mission chief in elections in Serbia Stefan Schennach said on Feb. 29 that when talking about election fraud in elections in December, that meant the capital and that this did not apply to parliamentary elections.

"Judging by everything that happened on election day, the buses from Republika Srpska, the impression is that this was an instrument for Belgrade. When we asked for the electoral register, we noticed that many more voters were registered for city elections than for legislative elections. However we did not have the jurisdiction to probe deeper," Schennach told Nova S.

He said that the report that was presented in Belgrade was a joint report composed by international observer missions. He said that PACE had its report and the "European Parliament its, as well as the OSCE its." "They (the reports) are clear and express concern for what happened on election day in December. In a joint statement in Belgrade we said how many recommendations had not been implemented, the ones given by the ODIHR and Venice Commission. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe offered a post-electoral seminar or conference, the offer still stands," Schennach said.

Asked whether he had any information as to whether the authorities in Serbia lobbied for the final report to be more gentle he said no, but that it was new for the authorities of a country in which elections were being held to criticize international observers.