Opposition: No agreement, government does not want fair electoral conditions

Representative of the Serbia Against Violence (SPN) opposition coalition Miroslav Aleksic said the government did not agree to the SPN and NADA opposition coalitions’ demand for all local elections in the country due this year to be held on the same day, and that their refusal only confirms their plans to continue doing what they have been doing so far – voter migration, pressure on voters, and phantom voters.

“We want to participate in the elections, but the government has opted to run in the elections without the opposition. We will either have elections or we won’t,” Aleksic told a media conference following the parliamentary Collegium meeting on improving electoral conditions held between the representatives of the government and opposition.

Aleksic said the government does not have an answer to the question of why it is not possible for all local elections to be held on the same day.

He added that Parliament speaker Ana Brnabic informed them that she would call the Belgrade elections on Wednesday, April 3.

Aleksic noted that April 18 is the final deadline to amend the law on local elections extending the deadline for the calling of elections from 120 to 150 days, which would create conditions for all elections to be held on the same day – June 2.

Brnabic adjourned the Collegium meeting on Wednesday saying that she has conducted all consultations, and she did not issue any media statements following the meeting.

The parliamentary Collegium, which comprises the speaker, deputy speakers and heads of MP caucuses, on Wednesday morning met to discuss ways of improving electoral conditions for the second time.

At the first Collegium meeting, held on Monday, the opposition presented its three demands, which include the formation of a commission made up of ruling coalition, opposition and civil society representatives to review the electoral rolls, responsible and professional reporting by the public broadcasters and the same date for all local elections due to be held this year.

Speaker Ana Brnabic said that the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) agrees to the first two demands, but not to the third.