Impunity for electoral crimes

CRTA published a preliminary assessment of the implementation of ODIHR recommendations issued following the 2023 parliamentary and local elections. The update covers 25 recommendations and finds that the authorities have addressed only a narrow set of technical issues, while structural problems - including pressure on voters, capture of media regulators, and abuse of public office in campaigns - remain unaddressed. The assessment notes that legislative amendments adopted in May 2026 are largely cosmetic and were not the product of an inclusive consultative process.

Election day in 10 municipalities was marked by serious incidents of violence, particularly in Bor, Kula, and Bajina Bašta, overshadowing a wide range of electoral irregularities observed across the country. CRTA reported systemic issues including voter pressure, breaches of ballot secrecy, and parallel voter tracking, alongside a troubling failure of police to adequately respond to violence. The events reinforced concerns about institutional misuse, unequal electoral conditions, and the broader erosion of both electoral integrity and citizen security.

Observers from the Congress of the Council of Europe reported that the 29 March 2026 local elections were marked by violence, tensions, and irregularities, despite procedures inside polling stations often being largely in line with the law. They documented incidents of violence, the presence of unidentified groups near polling stations, breaches of voting secrecy, and broader concerns about pressure on voters, media imbalance, and the blurring of lines between state and ruling party.