Local elections in Zajecar and Kosjeric: Greater turnout, curses and leather – BBC News in Serbian

The inhabitants of Zajecar and Kosjeric are choosing a new local government, and the result could affect the dismissal of the socio-political crisis in Serbia.

This city in the East of Serbia and municipalities in the West, the first go to the polls after the start of student protests in Serbia.

Students in blockade for more than half a year lead protests and college blockages demanding that responsibility is determined For tragedy in Novi Sad Where is 1. November 2024. 16 people were killed.

Many believe that these local elections are also the first test for the ruling Serbian advanced party (SNS).

Voting places are opened in seven hours in the morning and will be closed at 8 p.m.

From the opening of polling stations in Zajecar there were no incidents in any place that would endanger the election process, said in the announcement of the Ministry of Interior of Serbia (MUP).

At some polling stations in the Municipality of Kosjerić, there were an illegal blockade of polling station and distractions, the MUP adds.

Kosjeric is the first place in which the students officially called for the unification of the opposition and supported their list.

For a four-year term of new local authorities, three lists are fighting, the ruling Serbian Advanced Party (SNS), a unique opposition list « United for Kosjerić », as well as a minority Russian party.

In the place of about 10,000 inhabitants in the Zlatibor district, there is little less than 9,000, but the outcome could be important for dismissal of the socio-political crisis in Serbia.

69.97 percent voted until 4 pm, according to the Municipal Election Commission.

The atmosphere in the city was boiled and several incidents were recorded, the election observers from the organization of the line claims.

Only a hundred meters from the municipality there is a fenced area of ​​private company, right next to the city’s heating plant, wherein individuals claimed to be « Aug Center » SNS for the purchase of votes.

Therefore, the protesters gathered in front of the entrance to the courtyard of the facility was separated by the police.

There were no conflicts, but there is a dozen guys dressed behind the fence in black, reports BBC Reporter Grujica Andrić.

The Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability Lines reported to the police that observers of this organization received threats and provocations by phone calls.

Very alive on the streets of Kosjeric

There are a lot of cars, who do not wear Uzice and Požeški tables, but arrived from Belgrade, Novi Sad, Despotovac, Zrenjanin, among others.

Choices in Kosjeric: First Voting since Student Protests

What happens in Zajecar?

Reported by: Nemanja Mitrović, BBC Reporter

The weekly morning in Zajecar probably did not conquer from so many people in the city center, but also EuroFi and tension.

Today, the city of beer and guitariade, in addition to the municipality of Kosjerić, in the west of the country, in the center of attention in Serbia due to local elections.

Nikola Milosavljevic in T-shirt « Get out smartly choose 8Jun », expects changes.

Zajecari is slowly, for now, there is no crowd, there are some foreign tables around the city as well as the previous days, his wife Miljana says.

In the largest city in the east of Serbia, numerous observers, students, as well as bikers and war veterans, were shouted, while the streets of the crowd of Belgrade, Novi Sad and other Vojvodina cities.

It was lagging on the June sun and political atmosphere in Zajecar.

In front of the offices of the ruling parties, the SNS, there was a coasting and verbal discussion between Ugljesje Đuričković, the candidate for the Mayor of the Change in which we believe in Gavrila Kovačević, president of the Belgrade Municipality of Zemun.

« They threatened and harassed our controllers and when we came to see what the SNS seat was about, they headed to push us and insult us.

« They came from Zemun and go door to the door and make people go to vote, they entered yards, » says Djurickovic for the BBC in Serbian.

The cafes are full of people, on the Square of Liberation is Police Marica, while the sidewalks also walk groups of men dressed in black.

This situation in the city of Zajecari does not remember that it was in the last quarter of the centuries.

« Zajecar looks raided in the shortest, » Slavoljub Gacović speaks, President of the Election Commission at the polling station number 5.

« There is no need for that, the people » is intimidated, adds.

Based on a representative sample with six polling stations, turnout to 16 hours was 50.50 percent, while four years earlier it was 26.5, transmits Voice of zajecar.

« We expect victory and I hope the inhabitants will give us a subsist time in these elections.

« Let’s see the results first, so let’s decide whether we will be with a position or opposition, » said Aleksandar Dikovic Nandi, the holder of the list of Socialist Party of Serbia in Zajecar.

Unlike Kosjerić and three election lists there, the ballot in Zajecar will have eight options.

In addition to the ruling progressions, the Socialist Party of Serbia also exits in a separate column, and there are a minority coalition for the eastern Serbia, a major party, « We strength » Branimir Nestorović and « Serbian Liberals – that the profession asks ».

The opposition lives a coalition « change in which we believe » and a group of citizens, united to Spas Zajecar « , which also make members of several movements and parties.

In Zajecar, according to the 2022 census. There is a little less than 48,000 inhabitants, and voters are 47,357, The City Election Commission was announced.

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