During the local elections held yesterday in Zaječar and Kosjerić, incidents of violence and blockades terrorizing citizens were reported. The blockades involved verbal and physical attacks on citizens and journalists, violations of election silence, threats, vote buying, and obstruction of the elections. Despite these conditions, candidates from the Serbian Progressive Party won, which according to reports showed support for the policy of Serbia’s president Aleksandar Vučić. The opposition and blockade activists were accused of causing chaos, while journalists were blocked and attacked during reporting. Police intervened, and criminal charges were filed for vote buying and other incidents. The elections were assessed as one of the harshest cases of election silence violation and democracy in recent times.
Political Perspectives:
Left: Left-leaning sources emphasize the violence and intimidation tactics used by pro-government forces and the ruling party’s supporters to suppress opposition and manipulate the election process. They highlight the repression of opposition activists and journalists, framing the events as a crackdown on democratic freedoms and electoral fairness.
Center: Centrist sources report on the incidents of violence and blockades as serious disruptions to the electoral process but maintain a neutral tone, presenting facts about the events, the accusations against both sides, and the official responses. They focus on the need for transparent investigations and upholding democratic norms.
Right: Right-leaning sources emphasize the victory of the Serbian Progressive Party and frame the violence and blockades as actions by opposition activists and ‘blockaders’ who tried to disrupt the democratic will of the people. They portray the ruling party as defenders of order and democracy against chaos instigated by the opposition.
