Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic drinks champagne after claiming victory in local elections in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, June 2, 2024. Tensions soared during Serbia's municipal elections in key cities and towns as ruling populists sought to cement their already vast hold on power in the Balkan country that is a candidate nation for European Union membership. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic drinks champagne after claiming victory in local elections in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, June 2, 2024. Tensions soared during Serbia's municipal elections in key cities and towns as ruling populists sought to cement their already vast hold on power in the Balkan country that is a candidate nation for European Union membership. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
DMVBELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia's rerun of a troubled municipal election was marked by misuse of public resources and ruling party dominance but overall was well-run, an international observer said Monday.
The coalition led by the nationalist Serbian Progressive Party of President Aleksandar Vucic won convincingly over the weekend against splintered opposition groups in the election held in capital, Belgrade, and other Serbian municipalities, according to official results.
The original election in December triggered political tensions and accusations that Vucic’s party rigged the vote. Weeks of protests followed in the Balkan nation. Fresh parliamentary elections were not held.
The new report by an office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said its observers noted “numerous problems with the secrecy of the vote as well as several instances of serious irregularities including vote buying, and isolated cases of violence.â€
The report added that although fundamental freedoms were respected, “concerns about widespread pressure on public sector employees and the misuse of public resources raised questions about the opportunity for voters to make their choice freely.â€
For more than a decade, Vucic and his party have controlled all levels of power in Serbia and went into Sunday’s election as clear favorites. Opposition groups split over whether to take part in the election, which weakened their chances of success.
Vucic is formally seeking to have Serbia join the European Union but has drifted away from pro-EU democracy values while nurturing . The capable of running Serbia at a time of global turmoil.
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