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Press release
Significant progress observed in Serbia elections
- Date:
- Place:
- Belgrade
- Source:
- OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
BELGRADE, 24 December 2000 - The 23 December 2000 parliamentary election in Serbia marked significant progress and was conducted largely in line with accepted international standards for democratic elections, concluded the International Election Observation Mission in Belgrade.
"This election is an important step forward in Serbia's transition to democracy. In contrast to previous elections, fundamental freedoms were respected during the pre-election period", said Adrian Severin, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and OSCE Special Representative for the Serbian election, and Andreas Gross, Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. "The newly elected legislature and the next Government will be faced with many difficult challenges. This election, together with Yugoslavia's return to the OSCE and other international organizations, opens the door for recovery both politically and economically."
A multi-party election administration implemented the newly adopted law transparently, impartially and, through regulations, managed to overcome many of the flaws in the legislation inherited from the past, although some improvements are still required. The media environment has improved significantly since the last elections, providing a diversity of political views, although outside the free air-time, the State-owned media provided favourable coverage to the DOS coalition. For the first time, domestic non-partisan observer organizations were accredited, giving thousands of citizens of Serbia unimpeded access to observe the electoral process.
In another departure from previous elections, the will of voters was respected during the polling on election day and the vote count.
Mission Information
The International Election Observation Mission for the parliamentary election in Serbia is a joint effort of the OSCE - including the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe.
Mr. Adrian Severin, President of the OSCE PA and Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the election in Serbia leads the OSCE Election Observation Mission. Mr. Björn von der Esch leads the delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Mr. Nikolai Vulchanov heads the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission.
For further information, please contact:
"This election is an important step forward in Serbia's transition to democracy. In contrast to previous elections, fundamental freedoms were respected during the pre-election period", said Adrian Severin, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and OSCE Special Representative for the Serbian election, and Andreas Gross, Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. "The newly elected legislature and the next Government will be faced with many difficult challenges. This election, together with Yugoslavia's return to the OSCE and other international organizations, opens the door for recovery both politically and economically."
A multi-party election administration implemented the newly adopted law transparently, impartially and, through regulations, managed to overcome many of the flaws in the legislation inherited from the past, although some improvements are still required. The media environment has improved significantly since the last elections, providing a diversity of political views, although outside the free air-time, the State-owned media provided favourable coverage to the DOS coalition. For the first time, domestic non-partisan observer organizations were accredited, giving thousands of citizens of Serbia unimpeded access to observe the electoral process.
In another departure from previous elections, the will of voters was respected during the polling on election day and the vote count.
Mission Information
The International Election Observation Mission for the parliamentary election in Serbia is a joint effort of the OSCE - including the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe.
Mr. Adrian Severin, President of the OSCE PA and Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the election in Serbia leads the OSCE Election Observation Mission. Mr. Björn von der Esch leads the delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Mr. Nikolai Vulchanov heads the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission.
For further information, please contact:
- Nikolai Vulchanov, Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission in Belgrade (+381 11 311 3882);
- Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher, OSCE/ODIHR Public Affairs Officer (+48 603 683 122);
- Tina Schon, Research Coordinator of the OSCE PA (+ 45 33 37 80 40), or Alexander Staun, Adviser to the Secretary General of the OSCE PA (+45 40 30 49 85);
- John Hartland, Counselor of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly (+33 388 41 21 22).
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