Update
May manipulations
Vučić’s addresses in May (34 addresses) In May, President Vučić made 34 public addresses. 235 ...
The Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act was adopted by the United States Congress as Subtitle C of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, a comprehensive legislative package covering U.S. defense, security, and foreign policy priorities.
Within this broader framework, the Western Balkans are addressed as a distinct policy area, with democratic governance, rule of law, and institutional resilience identified as key factors for regional stability and international cooperation.
Within its findings, the Act addresses the parliamentary and local elections held in Serbia on 17 December 2023, stating that both the elections and their immediate aftermath are a cause for deep concern about the state of democracy in Serbia. This assessment explicitly relies on the final report of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
According to the Act, ODIHR found that the elections were conducted under “unjust conditions” and identified numerous procedural deficiencies, including inconsistent application of safeguards during voting and counting, frequent overcrowding at polling stations, breaches of the secrecy of the vote, and numerous instances of group voting. The Act further recalls ODIHR’s conclusion that voting must be repeated at certain polling stations.
The Act also notes ODIHR’s observation that Serbian officials accused primarily peaceful protesters, opposition parties, and civil society organizations of attempting to destabilize the government. It describes such allegations as concerning and warns that they threaten the safety of key actors within Serbian society.
Within this broader framework, the Western Balkans are addressed as a distinct policy area, with democratic governance, rule of law, and institutional resilience identified as key factors for regional stability and international cooperation.
Within its findings, the Act addresses the parliamentary and local elections held in Serbia on 17 December 2023, stating that both the elections and their immediate aftermath are a cause for deep concern about the state of democracy in Serbia. This assessment explicitly relies on the final report of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
According to the Act, ODIHR found that the elections were conducted under “unjust conditions” and identified numerous procedural deficiencies, including inconsistent application of safeguards during voting and counting, frequent overcrowding at polling stations, breaches of the secrecy of the vote, and numerous instances of group voting. The Act further recalls ODIHR’s conclusion that voting must be repeated at certain polling stations.
The Act also notes ODIHR’s observation that Serbian officials accused primarily peaceful protesters, opposition parties, and civil society organizations of attempting to destabilize the government. It describes such allegations as concerning and warns that they threaten the safety of key actors within Serbian society.
