Grassley, Shaheen, Colleagues Issue Bipartisan Statement Ahead of Serbian Parliamentary Elections

Grassley, Shaheen, Colleagues Issue Bipartisan Statement Ahead of Serbian Parliamentary Elections

BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA - U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) in releasing a bipartisan statement ahead of Serbia's upcoming parliamentary elections on October 25, 2026, calling for Serbian authorities to ensure the elections are free and fair.

"As Serbians prepare to go to the polls on October 25, we stand for their right to make their voices heard in free and fair conditions and urge all parties to respect the vote count and relevant processes for verifying electoral results. The United States has long supported Serbia's path to Euro-Atlantic integration and has acknowledged its potential to promote stability in the Western Balkans. Robust democracy in Serbia is essential for each of those goals.

"Unfortunately, both Serbian and international election observers found serious infringements to the integrity of the previous parliamentary elections in 2022. We are now seeing similarly troubling signs ahead of the October 25 vote. Reports of unlawful wiretapping of opposition members and attempts to discredit and undermine election observation missions are deeply concerning, and Serbian authorities must ensure a level playing field for all parties and open access to the polls for all citizens.

"We urge the ruling party and all relevant institutions to ensure the peaceful, free and open conduct of the upcoming vote. We reaffirm the vital role that international and domestic observers play in safeguarding trust in the electoral process. The onus is on Serbian authorities to ensure that all institutions respect the role of citizen observers, journalists and candidates for office."

Background:

The senators' statement comes as independent election monitors are raising concerns that the upcoming elections will take place in a hostile environment for civil society, observers and opposition parties. According to Serbia's independent, non-partisan Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the campaign period has seen several instances of voter intimidation, abuse of administrative resources to benefit the ruling party and intimidation of opposition candidates by police. The CRTA noted that this campaign is "unlike any electoral process [it] has observed before" and identified cases of wiretapping of opposition candidates. These concerns are similar to shortcomings that were raised after the 2022 elections, which have still not been addressed by the ruling party.

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