PACE warns Serbian diaspora could be shut out of election
After a two-day visit to Belgrade, a five-member Council of Europe delegation says limited polling stations and overnight voting threaten voters on other continents.
A delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said after a two-day visit to Belgrade, held on October 12 and 13, 2026, that limited access to polling stations abroad and the voting schedule could deprive a significant number of Serbian voters in the diaspora of their vote in the snap parliamentary election on October 25. The five-member delegation is led by Piero Fassino, an Italian member of the socialist group in PACE.
The statement the delegation issued at the end of the visit covers the wider electoral environment, but voting abroad stands out as the issue with the most concrete consequences for voters.
What does the delegation say about voting abroad?
The starting point in the statement is that the number of registered voters abroad has more than doubled. The Republican Electoral Commission (RIK) increased the number of polling stations outside the country only slightly, according to the statement. It adds that some of the delegation’s interlocutors believe that decision was not based on clear and predictable criteria. Those are the views of people the delegation heard, not a conclusion of the delegation itself.
The delegation itself assesses that limited access to those polling stations, combined with the voting hours in Serbia, means some voters living on other continents will have to vote at night. The statement calls that arrangement a “serious risk of depriving a significant number of Serbian voters abroad of the right to vote.”
The delegation also voiced concern about the accuracy of the voter register. According to Danas, complaints were raised during the visit that state institutions have not adequately dealt with that issue, or with the organization of voting from abroad. The statement links this to the risk of electoral manipulation.
In its report on the meeting with the delegation, the RIK does not say what was discussed, so its reasoning for the number of polling stations abroad cannot be gleaned from that source.
What other assessments does the statement contain?
The delegation describes this election as another example of a deeply rooted practice of snap elections, which, as the statement puts it, instrumentalizes electoral cycles. The campaign is unfolding in an atmosphere reminiscent of a referendum. The statement says:
“The election campaign in Serbia is taking place in a highly polarized environment that could jeopardize a level playing field for all electoral contestants.”
Amendments to four election laws were adopted in May 2026, shortly before the vote, which the statement says runs counter to international standards. The delegation singles out some positive changes, including limits on campaign financing and mandatory training for polling board members, but says the amendments did not sufficiently address earlier recommendations from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Venice Commission. The statement lists these unresolved problems:
- misuse of administrative resources
- pressure on voters
- abuse of provisions meant for national minority lists
The delegation also heard numerous complaints about unequal campaign conditions and about media coverage that favors the ruling party, and it pointed to hostile and aggressive rhetoric toward opposition activists, civil society and journalists. Its message on the tone of public debate reads:
“Demonization and smear campaigns targeting critical voices have no place in a democratic society.”
At the same time, the statement calls on all political actors, including ruling parties and opposition movements, to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and intimidation. It expects the authorities to give observers access to all stages of the electoral process, and national security institutions to refrain from the use of force and unjustified restrictions on freedom of assembly.
Who did the delegation meet, and what comes next?
According to the statement, the delegation met in Belgrade with the Speaker of the National Assembly, who is also acting president of the Republic, the Serbian delegation to PACE, parliamentary groups from the government and the opposition, non-parliamentary and minority parties, representatives of the Interior Ministry (MUP) and the Commission for Oversight of the Voter Register, as well as diplomats, the OSCE/ODIHR mission, civil society and the media.
The RIK announced that the commission’s chairman Vladimir Dimitrijevic, secretary Srdjan Smiljanic, deputy secretary Dragana Odovic and 21 members and deputy members of the commission met the delegation.
On election day, October 25, PACE is sending an observer delegation of 20 members, Tanjug reported. According to N1, they will observe the vote together with ODIHR, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the European Parliament. We reported earlier on the seven European Parliament observers.
