RIK dismisses election complaints

The Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) has rejected all 14 complaints referring to the first round of presidential elections. The complaints were submitted by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the Serb Radical Party (SRS) and the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), and referred to procedural irregularities during Sunday’s vote. RIK dismisses election complaints On Monday evening, RIK ruled that all 14 complaints – 12 from the LDP, and one each from the SRS and SPS – had either been unfounded or had been presented by unauthorized persons. RIK member Slavoljub Milenkovic (SRS) said that on the very day of the elections, RIK's Working Body in Zajecar had been visited by CESID representative Radomir Milosevic, British Deputy Ambassador to Serbia Bill Longhurst and his associate Zvezdana Crnogorac. He said that Longhurst and Crnogorac had not presented any papers other than their business cards, despite being obliged to do so under the terms of a Supreme Court ruling, allowing the representatives of the British and U.S. embassies to observe the elections. Milenkovic felt that this had shown an “arrogant” attitude on the part of the British Embassy towards Serbia and its citizens, which had justified RIK’s previous overturned decision to prohibit British Embassy observers from monitoring proceedings. He suggested that since Longhurst had visited the premises without the identification card that RIK had issued him, the official be deprived of the right to follow the elections in future, as should be the case for CESID representative Radomir Markovic who had led the British Embassy delegation. The RIK official added that the public should also be duly informed of the whole event. RIK will discuss the issue at one of its next sessions, as soon as the relevant documentation has been prepared.

RIK dismisses election complaints

On Monday evening, RIK ruled that all 14 complaints – 12 from the LDP, and one each from the SRS and SPS – had either been unfounded or had been presented by unauthorized persons.

RIK member Slavoljub Milenković (SRS) said that on the very day of the elections, RIK's Working Body in Zaječar had been visited by CESID representative Radomir Milosević, British Deputy Ambassador to Serbia Bill Longhurst and his associate Zvezdana Crnogorac.

He said that Longhurst and Crnogorac had not presented any papers other than their business cards, despite being obliged to do so under the terms of a Supreme Court ruling, allowing the representatives of the British and U.S. embassies to observe the elections.

Milenković felt that this had shown an “arrogant” attitude on the part of the British Embassy towards Serbia and its citizens, which had justified RIK’s previous overturned decision to prohibit British Embassy observers from monitoring proceedings.

He suggested that since Longhurst had visited the premises without the identification card that RIK had issued him, the official be deprived of the right to follow the elections in future, as should be the case for CESID representative Radomir Marković who had led the British Embassy delegation.

The RIK official added that the public should also be duly informed of the whole event.

RIK will discuss the issue at one of its next sessions, as soon as the relevant documentation has been prepared.