In Serbia, polling stations have opened for the elections of deputies to the Skupstina (unicameral parliament) of the country, the authorities of the autonomous province of Vojvodina and local governments, voting takes place from 7.00 to 20.00, over 6.5 million people have the right to vote, the Republican Election Commission (REC) reported.
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On Sunday, early elections to the Assembly of Serbia and municipal elections are being held in 65 cities and regions, including Belgrade, as well as in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. In total, about 8.3 thousand voting places have been identified, including 81 abroad. More than 6.5 million ballots have been printed.
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About 100 thousand Serb voters live on the territory of Kosovo. Previously, elections to Serbian authorities were held in the areas of the self-proclaimed republic inhabited by them with the support of the OSCE, but in 2022 Pristina banned voting. Kosovo Serbs will vote in the towns of Raska, Vranje, Kuršumlija and Tutin in central Serbia.
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The pre-election silence regime began at midnight from December 14 to 15, it will last until the polling stations close at 20.00 on December 17. Throughout the day, from 8.00 am, REC briefings on voter turnout and voting progress are scheduled every two hours.
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“In order for the expression of will to take place in accordance with the law, democratic traditions and in an atmosphere of tolerance, I once again urge all election participants to take seriously their role and the need with all their actions to contribute to the legitimacy of the vote and the entire electoral process,” the Serbian Electoral Commission quotes the statement of its chairman Vladimir Dimitrievich.
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By law, Serbia’s electoral commission must report final election results within 96 hours of the polls closing, after which a 30-day period begins to form a new parliament with a four-year mandate.
