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On 8 October 2026, CRTA sent a letter to the Cabinet of the Minister of Interior requesting a meeting on the safety of its employees and observation mission members during the electoral process, and especially on election day, 25 October 2026. The mission consists of long-term observers, who have followed the process since the elections were called, and election-day observers who will be present at polling stations across Serbia from the opening of polling stations until the voting results are determined.
The request responds to claims that certain media outlets have published continuously since early September, according to which CRTA plans to suspend its mission during election day and withdraw observers from polling stations, in order to declare observation impossible and the elections irregular. The claims are made by actors who present themselves as informed about CRTA's plans, and are accompanied by assertions that CRTA is preparing "sabotage", the "toppling of the government" and "chaos". The letter cites five such statements, published in Informer, TV Informer, TV Kurir, Studio B and Novosadska TV between 8 September and 7 October 2026. The letter is available in CRTA's announcement.
CRTA states that it has no plan or intention to suspend the observation mission and that its observers will be present at polling stations throughout election day, including during the determination of results and the completion of the protocols. The mission could suspend its work on election day only if the safety of its members were endangered.
The letter asks the Ministry whether it holds knowledge or security assessments indicating that the safety of CRTA staff and observers is endangered, whether it is aware of circumstances to which the claims about a planned withdrawal could refer, which measures it takes to enable observers to work safely and without obstruction, and how police would communicate and act in the event of threats, attacks or obstruction on election day, including the designation of a contact person. Since election silence begins at midnight on 22 October, CRTA proposed that the meeting be held as soon as possible. Its delegation would comprise Raša Nedeljkov, head of the observation mission, Tamara Branković, head of the reporting team, and Pavle Dimitrijević, head of the legal team.
The request responds to claims that certain media outlets have published continuously since early September, according to which CRTA plans to suspend its mission during election day and withdraw observers from polling stations, in order to declare observation impossible and the elections irregular. The claims are made by actors who present themselves as informed about CRTA's plans, and are accompanied by assertions that CRTA is preparing "sabotage", the "toppling of the government" and "chaos". The letter cites five such statements, published in Informer, TV Informer, TV Kurir, Studio B and Novosadska TV between 8 September and 7 October 2026. The letter is available in CRTA's announcement.
CRTA states that it has no plan or intention to suspend the observation mission and that its observers will be present at polling stations throughout election day, including during the determination of results and the completion of the protocols. The mission could suspend its work on election day only if the safety of its members were endangered.
The mission could suspend its work on election day only if the safety of its members were endangered.
Accordingly, CRTA asks whether there are circumstances endangering the safety of its staff and observers of which it is not aware, and notes that presenting observers as participants in alleged sabotage may provoke hostility, including violent incidents, towards them on the ground.The letter asks the Ministry whether it holds knowledge or security assessments indicating that the safety of CRTA staff and observers is endangered, whether it is aware of circumstances to which the claims about a planned withdrawal could refer, which measures it takes to enable observers to work safely and without obstruction, and how police would communicate and act in the event of threats, attacks or obstruction on election day, including the designation of a contact person. Since election silence begins at midnight on 22 October, CRTA proposed that the meeting be held as soon as possible. Its delegation would comprise Raša Nedeljkov, head of the observation mission, Tamara Branković, head of the reporting team, and Pavle Dimitrijević, head of the legal team.
