Brnabic Invites European Parliament to Observe Oct. 25 Vote
The invitation for an observer mission arrived Saturday evening, two days after the formal deadline. Seven MEPs are due on October 22, according to Bojovic.
Ana Brnabic, Speaker of the National Assembly and acting President of the Republic, has sent the European Parliament an invitation to dispatch an observer mission to the snap parliamentary election on October 25. The invitation arrived on the evening of Saturday, October 10, after days of public claims that the Parliament had not received it.
The news was first posted on X by Djordje Bojovic, who covers the Western Balkans at the European Parliament. Radio Free Europe reports that he cites sources in the institution, according to which the formal invitation from Serbia has been received.
What did Bojovic post about the delegation’s arrival?
Bojovic wrote on his account:
“The invitation has arrived! At the last minute, Ana Brnabic decided after all to send the European Parliament an invitation to observe the election. The EP is ready to send a full mission of seven MEPs, who arrive on Thursday, October 22”
Radio Free Europe also confirms the number: the observer delegation will have seven members of Parliament.
Why was the deadline in dispute?
The formal deadline for receiving the invitation expired on October 8, the day the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament met. That body brings together the Parliament’s president and the leaders of the political groups. It decided then to plan the mission in parallel, so preparations could continue if the invitation arrived in time.
The European Parliament said the invitation from Serbia could wait until Monday, October 12 at the latest. On October 9, Radio Free Europe reported that the invitation had not been sent, which put the delegation’s arrival in question. The invitation therefore came two days after the deadline and two days before the final date the Parliament was prepared to wait.
What has not been confirmed yet?
The sources differ in tone. Radio Free Europe writes that the Parliament has received the invitation, while Nova says the Parliament has yet to confirm receipt and the delegation’s final arrival. At the time of publication, the European Parliament had issued no official confirmation, so the October 22 date rests for now on Bojovic’s post alone.
Who is the European Parliament sending, and how does the mission work?
The European Parliament last observed an election in Serbia on December 17, 2023. Five MEPs took part then in an international mission led by the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
By the Parliament’s own description, a delegation spends the days before the vote meeting the ODIHR mission chief, election authorities, candidates, and representatives of civil society and the media. On election day, members visit selected polling stations and follow the opening, the voting, the closing and the counting of ballots.
ODIHR has already deployed its own mission for the October 25 election. According to the organization, it has a core team of 14 experts and 30 long-term observers, with 300 short-term observers planned for election day.
