U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson has accused Aleksandar Vučić and his political establishment of attempting to influence the outcome of Serbia’s upcoming parliamentary elections.
In an opinion piece published Wednesday by The Washington Examiner, Wilson claimed that “Vučić is already doing everything he can to steal this election,” referring to the October 25 vote.
Wilson described the election as a critical moment for Serbia and called on supporters of the rule of law and democracy around the world to closely monitor the electoral process.
“Supporters of rule of law worldwide must speak out and watch closely to limit rigging and give freedom a fighting chance,” Wilson wrote.
His remarks come amid heightened political tensions in Serbia, where a student-led movement has challenged Vučić’s political establishment following months of anti-government protests. Vučić resigned as president on September 27 and is now leading the “Aleksandar Vučić – United Serbia” electoral list ahead of the October 25 parliamentary election.
Concerns about the integrity of the electoral process have also been raised by U.S. lawmakers and international observers in the run-up to the vote. A September briefing in the U.S. Congress, hosted by Wilson, focused on risks to Serbia’s electoral integrity and the country’s growing ties with Russia, China and Iran.
The Serbian authorities and Vučić have rejected accusations that they intend to manipulate the election. Vučić has said that his political camp will respect the electoral will and has accused his opponents of attempting to undermine the election process.
