CSTO PA observers defined observation strategy for the Serbian presidential and parliamentary elections

International observers from the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly at the regular election of the President of the Republic of Serbia and early parliamentary election of deputies to the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia held a coordination meeting and discussed the election observation strategy.
The international observers headed by their coordinator Vladimir Novikov, deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, studied the election legislation of the Republic of Serbia, the specifics of the current election and the political climate leading up to the election and determined their routes between the polling stations for the voting day, April 3, 2022.
Vladimir Novikov, CSTO PA international observers’ coordinator, emphasized that “CSTO PA observers are guided by the principles of political neutrality, objectivity, non-interference in the election process and adherence to the election legislation of the Republic of Serbia.”
He recalled that the CSTO PA international observers base their work on the principles set forth in the Convention on Standards of Democratic Election, Voting Rights and Freedoms in the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
The meeting was attended by international observers – parliamentarians of the CSTO Member States and the CSTO PA Secretariat.
As you may recall, international observers from the CSTO PA were invited by Ivica Dačić, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, to monitor the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Republic of Serbia and early election of deputies to the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia.
On February 15, 2022, Aleksandar Vučić, President of the Republic of Serbia, in accordance with Article 109 of the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, the Law on the President of Serbia and at the proposal of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, dissolved the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia (Parliament) and set the early election for April 3.
On March 2, 2022, Ivica Dačić, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, signed a decree scheduling the regular presidential election for April 3, 2022.
On the day of presidential and early parliamentary elections in the Republic of Serbia, international observers from the CSTO PA will be present at polling stations in Belgrade, Republic of Serbia, from the opening of polling stations until the end of the vote count.