27 January – 2 February 2024
Constitutive session of the Serbian Parliament scheduled for 6 February. The agenda set for the first meeting includes the verification of the MPs’ terms of office, election of the parliament speaker and deputy speakers, appointment of the parliament Secretary General, election of the members of the parliament’s committees and election of members of the standing parliamentary delegations to international institutions. (RTS (Serbian), 30 January 2024)
Serbia Against Violence (SPN) coalition invited to attend the vote on EP Resolution on Serbian elections. Members of the opposition Serbia Against Violence coalition received an invitation from the MEPs to attend its 8 February session in Strasbourg when the EP is to adopt a resolution on the situation in Serbia following the December election. An discussion with the Serbian MPs will also take place. (NIN (Serbian), 1 February 2024)
MEPs request investigation into Serbian elections in a letter to European Commission. Members of the European Parliament from the European People’s Party (EPP), the Social Democrats (S&D) and the Greens have sent a letter to the President of the European Commission, the Commissioner for Enlargement and the EU High Representative, in which they request that an international investigation be launched into the 2023 elections in Serbia under the auspices of the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the European Commission. The letter also requests that the election results should not be recognized until a full investigation into the irregularities is completed. (European Western Balkans (Serbian), 1 February 2024)
First session of the Belgrade City Assembly scheduled for 19 February. The temporary body of the city of Belgrade has convened the constituent session of the Belgrade Assembly for 19 February. Among the points of the agenda is the election of the President of the Assembly. The previous ruling coalition composed of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) are two seats short of a majority. Intense speculations about whether somebody could join them continue, with councillors from the right-wing populist “We – The Voice from the People” seen as the most serious candidates. (Danas, 30 January 2024)
US concerned the dinar ban could escalate tensions. US Ambassador to Kosovo Jeffrey Hovenier said the US is concerned that the Regulation banning the Serbian dinar in Kosovo could potentially escalate ethnic tensions. Ambassador said adequate action must be taken to ensure that the Serbs feel safe. European Union asked Kosovo on Thursday to ensure a sufficiently long transition period for the implementation of the new CBK regulation on banning the dinar and making the euro the sole legal currency. (Tanjug (Serbian), 1 February 2024)
Serbia drops on the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index. Transparency International has ranked Serbia 104 out of 180 countries on its Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for 2023, a drop of three places from the 2022 CPI. Transparency International said that “Serbia is witnessing a democratic decline, with its autocratic government using special laws to limit transparency in large-scale projects”. (Transparentnost Srbija (Serbian), 30 January 2024)
Serbian Defense Minister says potential reinstatement of military service is not about Kosovo. Miloš Vučević said on Thursday that the possible reinstatement of mandatory military service has nothing to do with the situation in Kosovo. According to the Defense Minister, Serbia’s military is not the same as it was 10 years ago but the issue is personnel. “We put forward the arguments to reinstate conscription following a suspension of 13 years,” he added. (N1 Belgrade, 1 February 2024)