Balkans
Serbia: voter roll audit fails, commission members cite obstruction
Days before early parliamentary elections, the commission tasked with checking the electoral register says it was obstructed by the authorities.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 19, 2026, 08:01 · Updated 12:20 · 1 min read
In brief
- Members of the commission auditing Serbia's electoral register say they were obstructed by the authorities.
- Among the findings: a rise in the number of voters despite a falling population, and addresses with more than 100 voters.
- Serbia holds early parliamentary elections on Oct. 25, with Vucic aiming for the post of prime minister.
A long-awaited audit of Serbia's voter register has been compromised, according to members of the commission tasked with checking it, who claim they were obstructed by the authorities during their work. The case was reported on Monday by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN).
One of the commission members, Ognjen Rasuo, told BIRN that during the work they noticed an increase in the number of voters that does not match the decline in the country's population. He also cited a considerable number of voters registered at more than one address, as well as addresses where more than 100 voters are listed.
Long-standing suspicions of manipulation
Serbia has faced calls for years for a full audit of its electoral rolls. The opposition and various observers have raised concerns about voter intimidation, vote buying and manipulation of the register.
The revelations come just days before the early parliamentary elections on Oct. 25. Aleksandar Vucic resigned as president at the end of September and aims to become prime minister if his SNS party secures a majority in parliament. Critics accuse him and his party of curtailing democratic freedoms and of corruption, accusations they deny.
As of the report's publication, there had been no public response from the Serbian authorities to the commission members' claims.
