EU Delegation in Serbia: It is the state's duty to protect citizens and journalists from violence.

As stated in the statement, they express concern over the number of reported irregularities and incidents during the elections, the unequal conditions for participants, and note with worry the reports of acts of violence against independent observers, citizens, representatives of political parties, and media workers.

"We call on the relevant authorities to ensure prompt and transparent action and hold the perpetrators accountable. We welcome the high voter turnout and active participation of citizens. We remind that it is the state's duty to protect citizens from violence, to guarantee appropriate conditions so that civic observers can carry out their activities in an environment free from pressure and intimidation, and to ensure the safety of journalists in the context of the elections," the statement emphasizes.

They remind that, building on the initial positive steps taken to address deficiencies regarding the integrity of the voter registry, the electoral process requires further tangible improvements and reforms.

"In this regard, we call for an inclusive process that involves all relevant stakeholders in order to enhance efforts towards the full implementation of the recommendations of the OSCE/ODIHR and the Council of Europe, aimed at improving the electoral framework and its application, significantly before the next national elections. We will continue to closely monitor developments related to electoral reforms, as well as future local and national elections, as the proper functioning of Serbia's democratic institutions is at the very heart of its EU accession process," the EU Delegation emphasizes.