The voting community in Serbia has been informed of the country’s parliamentary elections scheduled to hold April 26, 2020.
As Serbians prepare to cast their votes and fill in the 250 seat parliament, opposition parties are preparing to boycott the polls, accusing President Aleksandar Vučić of stifling free speech as a result of his firm control over the media and the electoral process.
President Vučić, who made the election date announcement on Wednesday, noted that by calling for the election now, there will be more than 50 days allocated to the campaign, making it the longest campaign period the country has ever had, giving everybody enough time to present their plans and agendas.
“I wish everyone the best of luck and that everything takes place in a democratic atmosphere. Of course, there will be some raised voices and passionate speeches, but it is important for everything to proceed peacefully, democratically, and for the people to choose their representatives at will,” Vučić said while addressing the press at a news conference in Belgrade, Serbia.
Is Vučić Stifling the Media in Serbia?
While Vučić has denied the allegations, Serbia’s independent media has repeatedly complained of being pressured by officials in the president’s government and of fueling an atmosphere of fear and intolerance towards journalists who have tried to speak up against the government. These allegations serve as the impetus behind a decision to boycott April’s polls by the Alliance for Serbia and the Movement of Free Citizens, which sees itself as the only viable opposition to Vučić’s right-wing Serbian Progressive Party.
The opposition, in its announcement, stated that it had observed that there is no level playing field for the campaign and as such did not feel a need to participate.
The boycott could not come at a worse time for the president who is seeking to steer the former Yugoslav republic towards becoming a member of the European Union.
Regardless, Vučić’s party is expected to emerge as an overwhelming winner of the vote, and continue its eight years of dominating the Serbian political scene.
