Tag Archives: Elections

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Minority Elections

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Minority Elections

The final results from the Serbian Republic Electoral Commission show that the list “United Roma for a United Serbia – Dejan Vlajković” won all 35 mandates with 6,284 votes, representing only 10.31% of the registered Roma voters.

The Democratic Union of Roma (DUR) has called for the annulment of the elections, claiming they were not conducted fairly and requested an investigation into irregularities. The Union of Roma of Serbia did not participate in the elections, alleging that the only list was composed of officials from the former ruling party, the SNS.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

National Council for Minorities

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National Council for Minorities

The elections for national minority councils in Serbia were marred by allegations of vote buying and irregularities, leading to calls for boycotts, particularly from the Roma community.

The Roma Union boycotted the elections due to concerns over the legitimacy of the candidate lists, which they claim were dominated by members of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party.

Similar issues were reported among other minority groups, including the Greek community, where ‘phantom Greeks’ were allegedly registered to vote in areas with no historical Greek presence.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

National Council for Minorities

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National Council for Minorities

The Serbian Republic Electoral Commission announced preliminary results for the elections of national minority councils held on November 8. For the Vlach national minority, 18,754 voters were registered, with 3,131 casting their votes; the only list received 3,077 votes. For the Roma national minority, out of 57,085 registered voters, 6,888 participated, with the only list receiving 5,881 votes.

Srđan Šajn, president of the Roma Party, criticized the recent elections for national minority councils, claiming they were rendered meaningless due to political pressures and discrimination, particularly against the Roma community. He highlighted that only one electoral list was submitted for the National Council of Roma, controlled by the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), undermining the council’s purpose.

Šajn called for the new parliamentary majority to create a new law ensuring equal electoral conditions and to organize free and democratic elections for these councils in 2027.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Vote Buying?

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Vote Buying?

Tsvetelin Kanchev, chairman of the “EuroRoma” party, claims that the buying of votes among the Roma community is becoming less common, with reports of Roma returning money offered for their votes during the presidential elections.

Voter turnout in the presidential runoff was 28.7%, with Roma voters reportedly favoring candidate Iliyana Yotova over Andrey Gyurov, while many expressed a desire for a balanced presidential candidate. Kanchev emphasizes that discrimination is now more social than ethnic, affecting the poor across various communities, and criticizes the lack of focus on Roma issues in the electoral campaign.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Vote Buying?

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Vote Buying?

The student movement claims that the Roma community has been particularly exposed to electoral manipulation and abuse, warning of potential staged incidents to portray students as enemies of the Roma community.

They allege misuse of roles by Roma coordinators and local community leaders to pressure Roma families based on their social status and needs.

The students demand an investigation into allegations of vote buying, threats, and misuse of public authority, emphasizing that true political freedom requires citizens to make choices without fear of repercussions.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

National Council Elections

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National Council Elections

The upcoming elections to the Serbian National Counticcl of Roma are not just about electing 35 representatives but also a test of the democratic capacity of the Roma community and the responsibility of institutions to ensure equal participation in the electoral process.

The National Council of Roma plays a crucial role in advocating for the community’s interests in education, culture, and language rights, especially as Roma face challenges in various areas.

The Union of Roma of Serbia has questioned the legitimacy of the electoral list, while the Roma Academic Circle has raised concerns about the fairness of the electoral process and the rights of Roma individuals to participate politically.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bulgarian Elections

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Bulgarian Elections

Three reports of alleged violations were received by the Regional Election Commission in Pazardzhik on election day.

Two reports from the organization “Awake People” involved claims of improper assistance at polling stations and concerns about a group speaking Romani language, suggesting possible electioneering.

The third report, from a municipal councilor, related to pre-election campaigning on Facebook, which the commission deemed unacceptable but not sanctionable under the Election Code.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Voting Fraud?

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Voting Fraud?

Thirteen individuals were arrested in the Stara Zagora region during an operation targeting crimes related to citizens’ political rights, with an additional seven wanted by authorities. The police operation, conducted before the presidential runoff, involved checks on 876 individuals, 375 vehicles, and various businesses, revealing issues beyond vote-buying, including drug possession and theft.

The Interior Minister noted increased activity in Roma neighborhoods ahead of the election, urging for a peaceful voting process, as turnout in Roma sections was low during the first round.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovak Mayors

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Slovak Mayors

Slovakia has elected a record number of Roma mayors, with 58 mayors and mayoresses of Roma nationality confirmed in the recent elections, an increase from 55 in 2022.

In the recent elections, 32 Roma mayors retained their positions, while 13 new Roma mayors replaced non-Roma predecessors in various municipalities.

The highest number of Roma mayors is in the Košice region, with significant representation from the Hlas-SD and Smer-SD parties, and an estimated 600 Roma council members expected to serve in local councils.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bulgaria Presidential Vote

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Bulgaria Presidential Vote

In the first round of presidential elections, Radostin Vasilev performed well in Roma neighborhoods, receiving more votes than his competitors Iliana Yotova and Andrey Gyurov in several sections. Vislev is heading a populist nationalist party, so effectively Roma voted against themselves …

Voter turnout in these areas was notably low, ranging from 2-9%, with many sections reporting only a handful of votes cast.

The reasons for the low turnout include the absence of vote-buying, and Vasilev’s unexpected success raises questions about his appeal among the Roma community.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Roma and the Election

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Roma and the Election

A 77-year-old election commission member, Mariyana Angelova, was removed from her position after alleging that the commission chairman was improperly assisting voters by directly indicating choices instead of explaining the voting process.

Angelova claims that many voters from a local Roma neighborhood were unable to read or write and needed help, but she insists that the chairman’s actions violated the secrecy of the vote.

Despite being accused of political agitation and racial insults, Angelova denies these allegations and plans to appeal her removal, expressing concern for her family’s safety in the current political climate.

In the Burgas Romani neithbourhoods of Pobeda and Komluka, less than 5% of registered voters voted. Many residents, primarily of Roma origin, expressed disinterest in voting due to unmet expectations and frustrations with the voting machines.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Electoral Corruption?

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Electoral Corruption?

wo men and one woman have been charged with electoral corruption related to upcoming municipal elections in Martin, Slovakia, involving vote buying from the Roma community. The accused allegedly offered to secure 300 to 500 voters for a mayoral candidate in exchange for €5,000 and future contracts if the candidate wins.

An investigator has submitted a proposal for one of the accused to be taken into custody as part of the ongoing investigation by the anti-corruption unit.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Minorities and Serbian Elections

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Minorities and Serbian Elections

Two articles on the role of minorities in the upcoming Serbian elections. Minority parties will play a crucial role in the elections. Half of the 18 electoral lists are from national minority parties, particularly focusing on the Hungarian and Roma communities.

The Hungarian minority party SVM is the largest and has collaborated with the ruling SNS party, while the Roma community is supporting a student list due to dissatisfaction with their representation.

The article also touches on the challenges faced by other minority groups, including Bosniaks and Albanians, in achieving political representation and their demands for better governance and rights.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbian Elections and Roma

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Serbian Elections and Roma

The Democratic Party of Roma (DRP) is advocating for a reduction of the electoral threshold for the Roma community from 0.70% to 0.35%, similar to provisions for the Croatian community.

They highlight the long-standing political exclusion of Roma and question why their representation is overlooked while other minority groups receive guaranteed mandates.

While many Roma adovcate voting for the Student’s list, this is far from certain. A group of activists from the opposition ‘Students’ List’ attempted to gain support from the Roma in Serbia but faced strong resistance from local residents. Roma representatives expressed their loyalty to the current government and President Aleksandar Vučić, citing improvements in their living standards as a result of his policies.

Usnija Buligović from the Roma Academic Circle discusses the long-standing issue of vote buying within the Roma community, emphasizing that it affects other marginalized groups as well.

She highlights the need for awareness and action against those who exploit vulnerable populations for votes, urging Roma to recognize the value of their votes and to report any instances of coercion or bribery. Buligović calls for increased political engagement from the Roma community, stressing the importance of holding political representatives accountable and advocating for their rights beyond election periods.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbia and Votes

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Serbia and Votes

Robert Kasumović, a Romani activist, claims that the ruling party in Niš uses threats and coercion to control the Romani community for personal gain, with severe consequences for the community’s welfare.

Srđan Šajn, president of the Roma Party, has called for an investigation into alleged coercion of socially vulnerable groups, including Roma, to attend a Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) rally in Novi Sad. He claims that a meeting with Roma leaders discussed financial incentives for attending the rally, potentially linked to voting for SNS in upcoming elections.

Despite the existence of seven Romani parties, their influence is minimal, and there is a lack of political interest in Romani issues, leading to a stagnation in community integration and worsening conditions over the past fifteen years.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Vote Buying?

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Vote Buying?

The article relates several documented cases where Roma votes were allegedly bought, where Roma from informal settlements were bused to polling stations or to manifestations, ands this as since 2014. It alleges that Vučić’s SNS Party is behind these schemes. The piece critiques the lack of genuine political representation for the Roma and the oppressive control exerted by the government over their community, leading to worsening conditions over the years.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbian Elections

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Serbian Elections

The Roma Party issued a call today to all political parties focused on representing the interests of the Roma national minority, urging them to declare whether they side with the authorities or the “Student List.” The party maintains that any political group unwilling to take a stand in this referendum-like atmosphere is, in effect, helping the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) stay in power.

Europe

Roma and Elections

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Roma and Elections

The OSCE emphasizes the need for ongoing efforts to remove barriers preventing Roma and Sinti from participating in elections, as discussed at a Warsaw conference.

A new handbook was launched to provide guidance on promoting their electoral participation, addressing issues like discrimination, registration difficulties, and under-representation.

The handbook aims to assist various stakeholders in ensuring Roma and Sinti voices are included in electoral processes, highlighting the importance of their active involvement beyond just voting.

Montenegro News Eastern Europe

Roma in Montenegro

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Roma in Montenegro

The Roma Council of Montenegro warns against discussing European values and the rule of law while ignoring the long-standing discrimination of Roma in political representation. They call on lawmakers to address the electoral census for the Roma community and rectify injustices in political representation.

The Council emphasizes that if constitutional changes proceed without addressing these issues, it undermines the principles of equality and non-discrimination in Montenegro.

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