SERBIA: An authoritarian trajectory
Serbia increasingly resembles a one-party state. Its parliamentary election, held in June after being postponed from April due to the pandemic, saw the lowest turnout in the country’s post-Yugoslav history. The cause was less apathy than polarisation. A right-wing nationalist ruling party has won the loyalty of a section of the population by mobilising xenophobia and attacking civil society and independent media. Its discourse is reinforced by far-right anti-rights groups that seek to suppress dissent through slurs, smears and violent attacks.
The 2020 election was the least democratic election we have had in 20 years and for us as civil society it is very important to say this, because the European Commission talked and issued reports and tried to be diplomatic, avoiding to mention the real problems in the country.
Maja Stojanovic
